M's Brad Wilkerson will follow the leader in outfield

PEORIA, Ariz. — Forget about Brad Wilkerson stepping on any toes in right field.

That will be especially true if the toes belong to Mariners center fielder Ichiro. Wilkerson might be feeling as healthy as he has at any time since 2005, completely recovered from shoulder surgery two winters ago. But the team's new right fielder isn't about to get in the way of the guy playing next to him.

And that type of nonaggression pact, judging by some of Ichiro's more humorous statements from earlier in the week, should help the pair get along just fine.

"It's the center fielder's job," Wilkerson said. "If he calls the ball, I've got to let him get it and he's going to get it every time."

Ichiro and former right fielder Jose Guillen had a few near mishaps last season on balls hit to the gap in right-center. Guillen is an aggressive outfielder and not always the type to let others take charge.

During his introductory spring remarks earlier this week, Ichiro was asked what he thought about Wilkerson. His responses raised both eyebrows and chuckles.

"For me, when I play the outfield," Ichiro said, "if the corner outfielders have too much speed or too much ability and try to do too much, it is harder for me to play center field. In watching him [Wilkerson] play, I think that he is not that kind of outfielder, so personally, I am happy about that."

Whether Ichiro was trying to be funny, giving a backhanded compliment to Guillen, or taking a backhanded swipe at Wilkerson, the message was the same. On balls hit to the gap, Ichiro expects to be the one making the catch.

Wilkerson feels that shouldn't be an issue, even though he considers himself someone who can handle the gaps.

"I talked with him today in the outfield," Wilkerson said. "I try to talk to him a little bit at a time, to see some things that are going on as far as how he calls the ball, if he shows me a glove. I remember basically playing against him. He plays straight up, pretty much a lot. I like to squeeze the gap anyway so that's not going to be a problem leaving us a big hole.

"I just try to communicate. Once we get in the games, we'll see how it's all going to work out. It's going to be fine. It's playing baseball. He's a great outfielder and I think I'm a pretty good one, too, so, it's going to work out."

The only problems Wilkerson foresees is on runners tagging from second to third, or a ball in the gap where he has a better angle on it. Wilkerson did concede that Ichiro "has a great spin move," so Ichiro might still have the better chance of fielding those gap drives and throwing someone out — even with the poorer angle.

The Mariners aren't looking for defense to be the biggest contribution from Wilkerson, who turns 31 in June. Wilkerson hasn't exceeded 338 at-bats in either of his past two seasons, but before that, he posted an on-base-plus-slugging percentage of .850 or higher every year.

That would have made him the Mariners' team leader last season, and it's something the club hopes he'll rediscover now that he's fully healthy.

"He's a veteran guy, he's got some pop in his bat," manager John McLaren said of Wilkerson, who hit 20 home runs in 338 at-bats last season. "He's a hard-nosed guy."

McLaren mentioned that first-base coach Eddie Rodriguez, who had Wilkerson on his clubs with both the Washington Nationals and Montreal Expos, was a big fan. He added that Wilkerson should benefit from being a left-handed power hitter at Safeco Field.

Wilkerson struggled through shoulder pain his first year with the Texas Rangers in 2006, then had season-ending surgery that August. He spent much of last year trying to regain his form, missing nearly a month with a hamstring injury in the process.

"I went through an offseason of rehabbing my shoulder," he said. "I think this year is going to be different because there's a big difference between rehabbing for a season and getting ready for a season."

Wilkerson says he started hitting more line drives late last season, the kind of stroke that helped him average 38 doubles annually the three years before going to Texas. He thinks that if he can exceed 500 at-bats, as he consistently did before 2006, that doubles total is well within reach.

"I think I'll be ready to go 155-plus games," he said. "That's my goal. If I get those at-bats, the numbers are going to be there. I've prepared myself mentally — and more importantly, physically — to endure that kind of season."

And if he can avoid getting run over by Ichiro, he might get to test that theory over an entire season.

Notes

• McLaren said he'll likely announce today the final three slots in his starting rotation.

• Seattle hitters took their first live batting practice against newly acquired starter Erik Bedard on Friday. None took swings.