Mariners notebook: The debut of Brad Miller in left field

Today is the day. Yesterday Brad Miller said that there was no way he could know just how he was doing with his early work in the outfield because he had yet to play out there – practice is one thing, game speed is another. Tonight Brad Miller will get his first exposure to game speed in the outfield.

Miller has been receiving extra work in the outfield under the watch of Andy Van Slyke for the better part of the last two weeks. Chris Taylor is now the shortstop and Miller can’t DH forever. Tonight is just step one in a transition that will take time. Rather than send Miller to the minors to get work, Lloyd McClendon is going to throw him out there and see if he can swim.

“Why not today?” the skipper answered when asked why he chose to put Miller in left today. “Yesterday you asked me when he’s going to be in left, now I put him in there and you are asking why today? What the hell? When do you want me to put him out there?”

His answer was given with a big smile that translated to, to me, that this is not a big deal. Go play baseball. To that end McClendon did not give Miller a heads up that he would be in the lineup in left. When Miller arrived this afternoon he looked at the lineup and saw that he would be in the outfield.

“I’m trying not to get too worked up about anything,” he said. “Whatever is on my plate I’m trying to take it in stride and go get it. I’m excited. I’m just trying to keep it simple.”

That is all McClendon is asking for from Miller.

“Listen, you catch a popup at shortstop, you can catch a popup in left field,” he said. “You can screw up at short, you can screw up in left. It’s the same thing. It’s baseball. It’s that simple. It’s baseball. If it’s hit to you, catch it. If you screw it up, pick it up and throw it back in there.”

Easy as that.

Lineup!

Smith 9
Miller 7
Cano 4
Cruz DH
Seager 5
Morrison 3
Zunino 2
Ackley 8
Taylor 6

Elias

Notes

• Roenis Elias is on the hill tonight, pitching with two extra days rest after McClendon shuffled the rotation to get as many lefties against the Red Sox as he could. Could be a rough series for the Red Sox, who have hit just .188 with a .636 OPS vs lefties this year and will face Elias tonight, J.A. Happ on Friday and James Paxton on Sunday. They get a righty, but hardly a break, on Saturday when Felix starts.

• Austin Jackson ran the bases today and took batting practice on the field. While there has been no announcement made as of yet, it would appear he is getting close to being ready for a rehab assignment.

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