Michael Pineda and Bronson Arroyo were scheduled to go head-to-head this afternoon at 1:05. Neither, though, is going to make the start. Arroyo's been scratched with flu-like symptoms, which means that stuff is probably coming out of him somewhere, while Pineda was re-scheduled to throw a minor league game earlier today. The reason? There's rain in the area, and the Mariners wanted to make sure Pineda got his innings instead of getting postponed. David Pauley is now slated to start the 1:05 game if it happens, which tells you something about how the team feels about David Pauley.
Let's check in on Pineda, and the rest of the morning's almost-stories:
- We were already going to have to do without TV and radio, but by bumping him to a B game, we don't even get to analyze Pineda's performance via Gameday. His statistical line on a cold, windy day reads 5 innings, 3 hits, 1 walk, and 4 strikeouts. And that came against a AAA Royals lineup that's at least better than pretty much any other AAA lineup. Two-thirds of his pitches were strikes, and Larry LaRue says that he threw ten changeups.
What can we do with this information? Not a whole not. But Pineda says that he felt strong the whole way, and he looks to be just about ready for the regular season, wherever he begins it. There's no doubt in anyone's mind that Pineda needs to do some things better. The question the Mariners have to answer is at which level he stands the best chance of making those improvements. I don't know.
- Aaron Laffey and Josh Lueke worked back-to-back against a AA Royals lineup on an adjacent field. The only thing worth reading into here is that Lueke worked on consecutive days, which is important for the Mariners to know he can do as they look to fill out their bullpen. It's interesting how Laffey has become a near-lock for the pitching staff considering he isn't very good. I don't know what he did today against a bunch of minor leaguers, but in official Cactus League action, he's gone six innings without a strikeout. Aaron Laffey is not a guy we're ever going to want to see in a close game. I'm just warning you now.
- According to Rebecca Hale, the Mariners have joined many other major regional sports teams in forming the Green Sports Alliance to "promote sustainability". Included? The Sounders. Not included? The Timbers. That rivalry is so fierce that an organization based in Portland, Oregon has been forced to adopt an anti-sustainability platform. Radioactive six pack rings for everyone!
- Miguel Olivo is making progress and at this point looks like a solid bet to make the Opening Day roster, even if he doesn't immediately start. Fun fact: the last time Miguel Olivo found himself in the Mariners' Opening Day lineup, Wilson Valdez started at short, and Brad Radke lasted seven innings. That's how long ago Miguel Olivo was terrible. He's been all right ever since. Some perspective.