Pitcher Lindsay Gulin's long, winding road

PEORIA, Ariz. — Left-handed pitcher Lindsay Gulin has chased his big-league dream to places he had never ever heard of.

From small outposts in Florida and California. From Massachusetts to South Carolina. From Tennessee to Minnesota, and from Wisconsin to Nevada.

Then, after playing for 10 different teams and for five different organizations in nine seasons, the 1995 Issaquah High School graduate took his act to Japan for two seasons beginning in 2004.

"I've been to a lot of places," Gulin said. "Now, going to Japan, that was an experience. The language barrier was sometimes tough, but the people there were just crazy about baseball. They treated us [he and wife Traci] very well."

But Gulin has never stopped for long on his 11-year journey, and now he is here, at spring training with the Mariners, the team he rooted for while growing up in the Seattle area. The 29-year-old's passion is still strong, and he hopes to fulfill his dream with an organization he previously played for in 1998.

"Being here in big-league camp, with this team, is just really special," Gulin said. "I am enjoying every minute of it."

Gulin has had success throughout his minor-league career, with a record of 79-42 and an earned-run average of 3.48. Being left-handed didn't hurt him, either, but he has lacked the velocity that catches teams' attention.

"He tops out around 83 miles per hour, at least that's what we had him at [last week in an intrasquad game]," said Mariners pitching coach Rafael Chaves. "What I see in him is a skillful veteran who knows how to pitch and keep hitters off-balance. For him to get a spot [on the major-league roster], he will have to perform, just like anyone else trying to get one."

Gulin is a longshot to win a spot in the bullpen, but he's ready to keep going, no matter the outcome this spring, and wants to stay in the Mariners' organization.

"I am nowhere near ready to stop doing this," he said. "I love pitching, and it's not like I have been getting ripped. I have had success, and I want to keep on going. If I was getting ripped out there, then I guess it would be different and I would have to start thinking about doing something else."

Gulin doesn't have to look far for some inspiration. He has been learning by listening and talking to Jamie Moyer, another soft-tossing lefty, whose best years have come in his 30s and 40s. At age 29, Moyer was released by the Chicago Cubs and spent the season in Class AAA in the Detroit Tigers' system.

"I've learned a lot from him, whether it is listening to him, or talking to him about throwing the cutter," Gulin said of Moyer. "He is a very nice guy and very approachable."

Chaves said Moyer and Gulin have similar velocity.

"Jamie leads by example and Lindsay can look at Jamie and say, 'If he can do it, then maybe I can, too,' " Chaves said.

Gulin has pitched in two Cactus League games, allowing four hits and walking eight (but allowing no earned runs) in four innings.

His vagabond adventure began in 1995, when he was taken by the New York Mets in the 16th round of the June draft. He played for 10 different teams in his first six seasons, including a stint with St. Paul (Minn.) in an independent league, almost entirely in Class A. He played in the South, North, West and East, and he said he enjoyed every place he went.

In 2000, he found himself in the center of the country, with West Tennessee in Jackson.

"I had never heard of it, but I had a great time there," he said. "Great bass fishing."

Gulin began 2001 in Class AA with the Cubs' organization and reached AAA the next year with Las Vegas in the Dodgers' organization.

He was 10-10 in Las Vegas in 2003, including a 7-0 no-hitter against the Tacoma Rainiers "that was definitely one of the highlights of my career," he said.

But while trying to wrap up a deal for the 2004 season, he was offered a contract with Fukuoka of Japan that was worth more than six times what he had been making. That was too much to turn down for someone who had previously spent a couple offseasons working construction and several years living with his parents.

Gulin decided to take the offer and moved to Japan with his high-school sweetheart, Traci, whom he married two years ago.

He was having a strong season for Fukuoka in 2004, when he suffered a bad break — literally.

"I was 8-3, but I missed the end of the season when a line drive up the middle hit me in the hand and broke my thumb," Gulin said.

Gulin was demoted to Fukuoka's minor-league club in 2005, and was without a team when he met Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi by chance at a Sonics game. Gulin knew Bavasi from his time in the Dodgers' organization.

"We chatted for a little and about a week later I received an invitation to camp," Gulin said.

A familiar face at camp for Gulin is new Mariner Kenji Johjima, who caught for Gulin when the two were Fukuoka teammates in 2004.

"He's a great catcher," Gulin said. "First of all, he is ultra-competitive. That's probably a big part of why he is here now. He could have made millions over there and been comfortable, but he wanted the challenge.

"He calls a great game, is great defensively and he can hit."

If only Gulin could be pitching to Johjima again when April rolls around. Gulin said reaching the major leagues might mean more to him because of his long journey trying.

"I try not to let myself think about, but I think I would just bust if that happened," Gulin said.

Scott Hanson: 206-464-2943 or shanson@seattletimes.com