Mariners notebook: Slow Saturday edition

Notes, lineup and a quick check in on the clubhouse before Felix and the Mariners head to Mesa to take on the Cubs.

BY SHANNON DRAYER

Mar 21, 2015, 8:54 AM Updated: 12:29 pm

PEORIA, Ariz. – The clubhouse was a little quieter Saturday morning than it has been for the past month. That’s what happens when a roster of over 60 is trimmed to 39.

The end lockers that housed young pitchers and catchers are empty. Shawn O’Malley has moved his locker a few spots to the left to join the populated section of the clubhouse. It is a far cry from the days in the old spring training clubhouse when entire sections of lockers were removed but it still has the same feel. Things get a little more serious the closer we get to Opening Day.

Of course that quiet will most likely be disrupted once Felix arrives. On any morning chances are good you will hear him before you see him but on a pitch day, even in spring training, it is almost guaranteed. Felix takes the hill in Mesa today and is scheduled to go four or five innings.

Lineup!

Jackson 8
Weeks 7
Cano 4
Cruz 9
Seager 5
Zunino 2
Morrison 3
Bloomquist DH
Miller 6

Felix

Rickie Weeks is back in the outfield after being slowed for a couple of days by illness. He really has yet to be tested out there and no doubt will continue to learn on the job once the season begins. I will say this, I have seen a number of conversions at the major league level and Weeks seems to be the most comfortable in taking on a new position and making the adjustments. Also nteresting to see Cruz go back to back games in right.

Notes

• We have seen Willie Bloomquist play every position in the infield except shortstop this spring. According to Lloyd McClendon we should see him at short in the next couple of days.

• There was quite a bit of talk about the 5th starter battle in McClendon’s meeting with the media this morning. On paper, with spring numbers, Taijuan Walker would appear to have the clear advantage over Roenis Elias. McClendon made it clear that the battle for the fifth spot will not come down to just spring numbers.

“My evaluation is probably a little bit different than yours,” he said. “I don’t worry about numbers per se, just like I don’t worry about wins in spring training. You like to play about .500 for the folks back home but it is the same thing with pitchers and position players, I evaluate differently than you do.”

“I see good and bad out of both of them. I think they both have made a lot of progress with things I have been very pleased with.”

McClendon said that handedness should not come into play when making the final decision. They could go with two or three lefties. He also said that the final decision will not come down to the last day of spring training.

“That’s not fair,” he said. “I don’t think that is fair for anybody. I always say the last week, we have got to have things pretty much narrowed down and we should be in position to make those final decisions.”

So looking at the calendar, it would appear that Walker and Elias have one more start to try and win the job.