M's pitcher Carlos Silva can take a joke — but can't take a loss

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Maybe it was the contingent of Latino players. Or teammate J.J. Putz's affinity for cracking jokes. Or maybe it was that the Mariners' pitching staff needed someone fiery, someone who gets amped up for games and pitches with a passion and absolutely hates to lose.

Whatever the case, Carlos Silva couldn't be happier to be a Mariner, and his $48 million contract over four years is another reason to smile.

Even though he's all business when it comes to infield practice, pitching and hitting the weight room, Silva still keeps it loose with his new teammates.

"When I signed here, the only thing I was thinking was that I wanted to go to a winning team, no matter if its Latin, African, whatever," Silva said. "The only thing I wanted was to win. I think this team has a lot of opportunity to win the whole thing."

Silva, a mountain of a man built more like an NFL defensive lineman, doesn't look like someone who takes jokes well and admitted he's a bad loser.

"If I'm playing with my brother right now and I lose, I get upset. I always like to win," he said.

But teammate Felix Hernandez pokes fun at the beefy Silva for his weight, generously listed at 246 pounds. And Silva smiles and laughs, the sign of a guy fitting in.

Silva thrives on pitching with emotion. Even in spring training, when games theoretically don't count. To Silva, it's just like a regular-season game.

On Sunday, Silva -- the equally as important but less-heralded addition to the Mariners starting rotation this offseason -- made his Seattle spring debut, and it was a success. He said he couldn't wait to get on the mound, even watching the clock all day until it was time to pitch.

Silva threw just 23 pitches in two shutout innings in a 6-2 Seattle win over San Diego, allowing a hit and a walk, and striking out two. Fourteen of his pitches were strikes.

"No matter what team you're playing, you have to go out there and compete," Silva said.

Silva has a reputation as an innings-eater. He has pitched 180 or more innings in each of his past four seasons (all with the Minnesota Twins) and surpassed 200 innings twice.

Mariners manager John McLaren knew Silva was a competitor when he saw a much younger Silva pitch for the Caribes team in Venezuela's pro league.

"Just always throwing strikes. Always had his team in the game. Gave them a chance to win," McLaren said. "Workhorse. Just watch him in the weight room every day. He really gets after it."

Rehabilitating

Relief pitchers Chris Reitsma, Mark Lowe, Arthur Rhodes and Jon Huber threw to live hitters in a rehabilitation session Sunday morning, and afterward, Reitsma and Lowe, against whom the hitters swung and made contact, pronounced themselves ready to appear in games.

Lowe, who shined as a rookie with Seattle in 2006 before his injury, has a bullpen session next.

"I think they were all outs," he said of his pitches that were hit Sunday. Coming off major elbow surgery, Lowe is focusing on location over velocity on his pitches.

Reitsma had right-elbow surgery last July that forced him to the 60-day disabled list, and his option wasn't picked up for this season. So he signed a minor-league deal with the Mariners and was invited to spring training. Reitsma and Lowe, both right-handers, are top candidates for roster spots in the bullpen, though McLaren labeled the session "another step" for the pitchers and doesn't want them trying to do too much in order to be on the roster in time for opening day March 31.

"They're making excellent progress, and that's all we're concerned about right now," McLaren said. "I don't want them to try to take too big a step; I want them to take small steps, and let's just see where they are and when they are."

Notes

• Richie Sexson had two hits and the go-ahead run batted in in the fifth inning Sunday.

• Putz, the Seattle closer, threw one inning, allowing an unearned run in the fifth on one hit. Sexson's throwing error led to the run. Putz isn't likely to see too much game action this spring -- but enough to be in shape, McLaren said.

• The Mariners roughed up two of the Padres' best pitchers: starter Jake Peavy allowed two runs on four hits in two innings, and closer Trevor Hoffman gave up two runs on four hits in two-thirds of an inning.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com