Mariners
Notebook: M's aiming to re-sign Villone, who wants to stay

By Bob Finnigan
Seattle Times staff reporter

Ron Villone was drafted by the Mariners in 1992.

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The Mariners have taken the first step in their hope of re-signing left-handed pitcher Ron Villone for next season and beyond.

Knowing that the left-hander is very interested in staying here with his original club, Seattle officials met with agent Scott Boras last week in Anaheim, Calif.

As Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi put it, "We visited."

Villone is pleased to have the process started, even at the groundwork level.

"I'd love to stay," said the left-hander, who has been the club's most valuable pitcher this year and could press Ichiro for team MVP. "I realize this year hasn't been something that's very pretty, but the only way to get better is to be a part of it. I'd like to stick with it here and be part of the turnaround."

Ideally, he would like to do that in the starting rotation, where he opens the series against the Yankees tonight and figures to spend the rest of the season.

As a reliever the first half of the season, Villone was 3-2 with a 3.42 earned-run average. This past month, he is 1-0 with a 3.70 ERA in six starts. He has held opponents to a .214 batting average.

"We'll see how it goes the next few weeks," he said. "Hopefully I can do a good job and have it fold into next year. If it does, it does. But it's something I can't worry about. I'd just like to be back here."

Bloomquist dealing with mild concussion

Willie Bloomquist got up yesterday about the same way he went to bed Wednesday night, sleepless and head aching after his collision with Twins third baseman Corey Koskie. Bloomquist rose from it to stagger home with the winning run.
 
"They told me I have a mild concussion," he said. "I only know I couldn't sleep all night. I still felt like I ran into a wall, and with a concussion you can't take any medication to help."

Trainer Rick Griffin said the tape showed the throw from catcher Henry Blanco hit Bloomquist in the front of his helmet as he slid into third, which pushed the hardhat down, cutting the bridge of Bloomquist's nose.

"Then it looked like Willie's head hit Koskie's knee, which had to hurt," Griffin said. "Koskie's left hand got twisted, against Willie's chest, which is how he got hurt."

The Twins said yesterday that Koskie, who sprained his wrist, is day to day. He didn't play yesterday.

Mariners manager Bob Melvin originally had Bloomquist in the lineup yesterday, "but I was advised by our medical staff that was not the best way to go."

Melvin suggested he could still use Bloomquist as a pinch-runner, "maybe with a mask on."

Sherrill's game plan

George Sherrill's first big-league win came after he set down all four batters he faced Wednesday, including right-handers Michael Cuddyer and Henry Blanco. The left-hander also fanned lefties Jacques Jones and Koskie.

"Because I'm so short, I hope that will keep the lefties from cheating on me," Sherrill said, referring to the idea lefty hitters would lean out to hit his breaking ball as it sweeps away from them.

He agreed that facing righties would help because he has to throw strikes to them on the outside edge.

"The only difference is that I throw sinkers out there to righties and it would be four-seamers to lefties, to keep them honest. But it will help with my arm slot."

Catch a Cure for Cancer

Jamie Moyer's second annual Catch a Cure for Cancer weekend to benefit Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center will have a series of weekend events to support The Gregory Fund for early cancer-detection research.

There will be a radiothon tomorrow on KOMO (1000-AM) for sponsorships, matching donors, pledges and incentive-gift opportunities. Call 1-866-4-GREGORY to pledge; lines are open today from 6 a.m. to midnight.

Tomorrow, there will be a Celebrity Waiters Dinner at the Union Square Grill, 621 Union St., 5 and 8 p.m. Those scheduled to appear include Moyer, Tom Skerritt, Ray Allen, Luke Ridnour, Rashard Lewis, Rick Rizzs, Ron Fairly, John Curley, Rich Waltz, Eric Johnson and Tom Glasgow. There will be live and silent auctions with sports collectibles. Tickets are $250 per guest or $2,250 for a table of 10; call 206-224-4321.

On Sunday, it's Fred Hutchinson Patient Family Day at the Safeco Field. Three will be an on-field, pregame 40th anniversary celebration of the Hutch Award with past recipients Moyer, Paul Molitor, Joe Torre and Jason Giambi.

Notes

• Twins manager Ron Gardenhire was not happy with the Mariner Moose running around celebrating Wednesday night close to the spot the injured Koskie lay on the field.

• Melvin said that LHP Bobby Madritsch would have to wear sleeves to cover the tattoos on his arms, even when he pitches in the Kansas City, Mo., heat next week. "Maybe we can paint sleeves on him," he mused.

• Of seeing John Olerud in the Yankees' dugout tonight, Melvin said: "It'll be different. Hopefully, he'll hit line drives at people. We knew John had some game left, and this will give the Yankees a boost with Giambi out. We wish him well — after this weekend."