M's Notebook | Foul ball doesn't confuse umpire

This game turned on a rare call in the seventh inning. Willie Bloomquist appeared to strike out on a tipped ball with two outs and runners on second and third. There were umpires meeting and coaches scrambling for rule books and fans cheering for another chance. There was confusion, for everybody except home-plate umpire Chris Guccione.

Bloomquist said Guccione made the call immediately, ruling that Royals catcher John Buck had been aided by his chest protector. So Bloomquist wasn't out, and he slapped the next pitch into center field to score the go-ahead runs.

"Rule 605b," Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said. "Not that we looked it up."

Most players asked afterward had never seen the call before. Nor were they familiar with the rule. Only catcher Jamie Burke professed to know it, and this is how he broke it down: "It can't hit the chest protector, and you can't catch it or trap it. If you get your glove on it first, and it hits your chest protector, it's an out. But if it hits your chest protector and you trap it, then it's a foul."

Royals manager Buddy Bell didn't blame the umpire afterward. But he did have a problem with the rule.

"If he fouls the ball, and it doesn't hit the ground, it should be a strikeout, plain and simple," Bell said. "It's just too tough a call for anyone to make. I don't understand why it needs to be so complicated."

Sherrill hits stride

George Sherrill can't explain why he struggles in spring training and succeeds once the season starts. It's not like he shows up to spring training out of shape. It's not that he doesn't try or is not bothered by the early wake-ups or coasts into the season.

"It's just that I don't know how to pitch in spring training," Sherrill said. "Everything just feels wrong."

Sherrill has not allowed a run in 6-2/3 innings this season as the Mariners left-handed setup specialist. In his last seven outings, Sherrill has recorded 18 straight outs. The club record for consecutive batters retired is 33, set by right-hander John Montague in 1977.

This follows another disastrous spring training. Sherrill said he never worried, but admitted "there was a bit of mystery if I was going to make the team or not." He attributed his success this season to having a healthier left shoulder and being more comfortable with catcher Kenji Johjima.

"I've approached every spring training the same way, trying to stay healthy and do my work," Sherrill said. "For some reason, it always seems to click the last week."

Sexson struggling

First baseman Richie Sexson entered Sunday's game with a .136 batting average and, even after he singled in a run, is still batting .145. Despite the struggles, Sexson hasn't lost his sense of humor. His nine hits before Sunday were six doubles and three home runs, so after his first single he quipped, "I never knew a single could be so exciting."

"I always wish, I always come in wanting to get off to a good start," Sexson said. "It seems like I've never been able to do that. For the rest of my career, I hope not, man. You never want to dig yourself a hole. But we got a lot of time left. Some of the other guys are playing well, and we've got a lot of positives to look at. I'll turn it around, and when I do, it's only going to help."

More on Weaver

Hargrove said the Mariners have "two or three options" regarding what to do with struggling Jeff Weaver. Those include: keeping him in the starting rotation, moving him to the bullpen or releasing him. Joel Pineiro pitched well after being moved to the bullpen last season. Hargrove said he hasn't seen a starter struggle for this long a period of time. Ever.

"It's kind of a Catch-22 right now with Jeff," Hargrove said. "You want to do what's best for him and the ballclub. Obviously, the ballclub comes first. If Jeff was handling this like, poor me, I feel so sorry for myself, kind of ... you'd have a lot less patience. But he's not. His comment to me last night when I went down to talk to him after I took him out was how he was letting everybody down, his teammates and the fans and everybody."

Notes

• Ben Broussard's had a tough month. He was supposed to play last weekend in Texas, but the game was rained out. And he was supposed to start at first base on Sunday, but came down with a stomach ailment late Saturday night. Hargrove said Broussard had lost six pounds, and the team sent him home.

• Possible pitching lineup next week: Felix Hernandez is "penciled" to start on Friday at Yankee Stadium. But another possibility is for Cha Seung Baek to pitch Friday, Weaver to miss a start and have Hernandez pitch Saturday.

• The Royals starter on Sunday was Brian Bannister, son of former Mariner Floyd Bannister, who started opening day for the Mariners in 1982.

For the record

Streak: W1

Home: 6-6

Road: 4-4

vs. AL West: 7-5

vs. L.A.: 0-3

vs. Oakland: 4-1

vs. Texas: 3-1

vs. AL East: 1-1

vs. AL Central: 2-4

vs. NL: 0-0

vs. LHP: 2-2

vs. RHP: 8-8

Day: 5-3

Night: 5-7

One-run: 1-3

Extra innings: 0-0

Home attendance

Sunday's crowd: 26,019

Season total: 292,840

Biggest crowd: 46,003 (April 2)

Smallest crowd: 19,015 (April 17)

Average (12 dates): 24,403

2006 average (12 dates): 27,607