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It's audition time, folks! Flip over your headshot of Randy Wolf and you'll see this: He's 37 years old, he missed all of 2013 recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, he's the epitome of mediocrity with a career ERA+ of 100. He's also, with Iwakuma and Walker sidelined by injury, a front-runner to start the season in the M's rotation.
Wolf will face Cleveland's probable opening day lineup. That includes the spectacle of Carlos Santana at third base; he makes his second spring start at his new position.
For the M's, Nick Franklin will try to continue to star in Small Sample Size Theater—he was 2-3 with a homer in his first spring start, while putative SS competitor Brad Miller was 0-3. McClendon has touted Abraham Almonte as a possible CF starter, the skip would probably like to see Almonte get his first hit of the spring. Meanwhile, Robinson Cano will try to maintain his .750 batting average, which would be a team record.
After Wolf, Andrew Carraway gets his first work of the spring; Carraway's likely ticketed to Tacoma but I suppose he could force his way into the rotation discussion with a stellar spring. After Carraway, a parade of relievers.
Familiar names among the Indians' pitching lineup: ex-Mariner Aaron Harang starts; he's vying to be the Indians' 5th starter. Trevor Bauer comes next, the former 3rd-overall pick of the D-backs who came to Cleveland in the Shin-Soo Choo trade, and claims to throw nine different pitches. Also scheduled to pitch: Nick Hagadone, who played college ball at Washington.
Pitching Probables:
Mariners (Randy Wolf - L; Andrew Carraway - R; Danny Farquhar - R; Logan Kensing - R; Tom Wilhelmsen - R; Lucas Luetge - L; Logan Bawcom - R) @ Indians (Aaron Harang - R; Trevor Bauer - R; Bryan Shaw - R; Nick Hagadone - L; Colt Hynes - L; Preston Guilmet - R; Travis Banwart - R)
Lineups:
Mariners
1. Abraham Almonte (S) CF
2. Nick Franklin (S) SS
3. Robinson Cano (L) 2B
4. Corey Hart (R) DH
5. Michael Saunders (L) RF
6. Dustin Ackley (L) LF
7. Nate Tenbrink (L) 1B
8. John Buck (R) C
9. Willie Bloomquist (R) 3B
Indians
1. Michael Bourn (L) CF
2. Nick Swisher (S) 1B
3. Jason Kipnis (L) 2B
4. Carlos Santana (S) 3B
5. Michael Brantley (L) LF
6. Asdrubal Cabrera (S) SS
7. Lonnie Chisenhall (L) DH
8. Yan Gomes (R) C
9. David Murphy (L) RF