Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Jose Lopez Sighting
The PI has an update on Jose Lopez status.
He has been taking ground balls for a couple of days, and began taking swings yesterday. Trainer Rick Griffin hopes that Lopez will be playing games within the next two weeks.
And when ready, the plan is likely going to be go stright to Seattle, do not pass Tacoma. This may depend on the status of Pokey Reese, who is getting a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews today. The Mariners medical crew believes that Pokey will need shoulder surgery that would likely end the shortstops season before it ever started.
Lopez is needed greatly, as the Mariners offense desperately needs a spark with Beltre struggling mightily out of the gate, and the bottom of the order doing their best imitation of Randy Johnson at the plate.
In short term, a juggling of the lineup may be in order to help jump start the Mariner offense. Neither the extra BP for Beltre and Sexson nor the hitters-only meeting before yesterday's game seemed to help. With Randy Winn heating up, I might propose moving Winn to third, dropping Beltre to 5th and Boone to 7th. Winn is not a traditional #3 hitter, but the more baserunners we can have on for Richie Sexson, the better.
The M's need to get untracked, and soon, before they let the Angels put much more distance between them.
He has been taking ground balls for a couple of days, and began taking swings yesterday. Trainer Rick Griffin hopes that Lopez will be playing games within the next two weeks.
And when ready, the plan is likely going to be go stright to Seattle, do not pass Tacoma. This may depend on the status of Pokey Reese, who is getting a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews today. The Mariners medical crew believes that Pokey will need shoulder surgery that would likely end the shortstops season before it ever started.
Lopez is needed greatly, as the Mariners offense desperately needs a spark with Beltre struggling mightily out of the gate, and the bottom of the order doing their best imitation of Randy Johnson at the plate.
In short term, a juggling of the lineup may be in order to help jump start the Mariner offense. Neither the extra BP for Beltre and Sexson nor the hitters-only meeting before yesterday's game seemed to help. With Randy Winn heating up, I might propose moving Winn to third, dropping Beltre to 5th and Boone to 7th. Winn is not a traditional #3 hitter, but the more baserunners we can have on for Richie Sexson, the better.
The M's need to get untracked, and soon, before they let the Angels put much more distance between them.
