M's Notebook | Clubhouse assistant found dead at home

A solemn group of Mariners spent much of the pregame hours Wednesday coming to terms with the death of longtime clubhouse assistant Rob Reagle.

The 37-year-old was found dead in his home Tuesday night after not reporting for work. Reagle also was not at Safeco Field on Monday to help the team unpack from its recent road trip.

The cause of death is not yet known.

Reagle spent nearly 20 years working in the Mariners organization in a variety of positions on the clubhouse staff. He was a clubhouse manager for Class AAA Tacoma, at the team's training facility in Peoria, Ariz., and with the major-league club since 1989.

"He was a fun guy, made you laugh, very friendly," Mariners manager John McLaren said, his voice cracking as he spoke. "Loved the Mariners ... "

At that point, McLaren, visibly upset, stood up and left the dugout, ending his pregame gathering.

Mariners president Chuck Armstrong issued a statement saying Reagle's death is a "tragedy" and that: "His upbeat attitude, sense of humor and sly smile will be missed in our clubhouse and in the Mariners family."

Reagle is survived by a 7-year-old daughter, Marissa.

The team already was dealing with a serious weekend episode involving another of its clubhouse assistants. Michael Spears was found unconscious outside a Belltown nightclub over the weekend, the apparent victim of an assault.

Spears was in the intensive care unit of a local hospital until being moved to another ward when he regained consciousness and his condition improved. Some Mariners players have visited him at the hospital.

No excuses, but ...

Ryan Feierabend made it clear he isn't making excuses for his performance in the doubleheader opener. But the lefty starter, who allowed six runs in 2-2/3 innings, agreed with a reporter's suggestion that moving between the bullpen and rotation might have hindered his work.

"I don't want to make excuses but I think it has [hurt] a little bit because it's hard to get into a rhythm when you don't know if you're going to be starting one day or in the bullpen the next," he said. "When you're starting it's a lot easier to get into a routine.

"If you're starting and you know you're going to be in the rotation you can get into a routine of working out four or five days before you pitch. In the bullpen you don't know when you're going to be throwing again."

Feierabend lasted just three innings in his previous start against the Los Angeles Angels last Thursday. He'd had some promising outings earlier this summer and is expected to compete for a spot in the rotation next season.

Betancourt update

Mariners shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt is listed as "day to day" after an MRI exam Wednesday revealed a Grade 1 sprain of the flexor bundle (muscle group) in his right elbow. Betancourt hurt his elbow while making a throw to first base Saturday against the Angels.

Guillen stays with team

Jose Guillen hit a two-run homer in the first inning of the first game, only hours after learning his grandmother had died in his native Dominican Republic. Guillen had given thought to flying back for the funeral, but decided to stay with the team after his family told him they were taking care of arrangements.

Rare homer for Rivas

A solo home run by Indians second baseman Luis Rivas in the opener was his first in more than two years. Rivas had last homered July 10, 2005, at Kansas City before taking Feierabend deep to left to launch an eight-run third inning for the Indians.

Rivas later tripled to left field in the fourth and added a single in the sixth. He had one final at-bat in the eighth, needing a double for the cycle, but popped out.

For the record

Streak: W1

Home: 45-32

Road: 39-42

vs. AL West: 28-26

vs. L.A.: 6-13

vs. Oakland: 14-5

vs. Texas: 8-8

vs. AL East: 25-19

vs. AL Cent.: 22-20

vs. NL: 9-9

vs. LHP: 27-13

vs. RHP: 57-61

Day: 23-22

Night: 60-51

One-run: 27-20

Extra innings: 5-1

Home attendance

Wednesday's crowd: 26,801

Season total: 2,561,717

Biggest crowd: 46,377 (Aug. 5)

Smallest crowd: 16,555 (May 2)

Average (77 dates): 33,269

2006 average (77 dates): 30,850