Notebook | Reliever Sean White showing promise

OAKLAND, Calif. — Sean White has been a consistent yet hardly noticed part of the Mariners' bullpen.

The Mercer Island product is putting together quite a season, sporting a 1-0 record and 1.90 earned-run average over 23-2/3 innings. His eight strikeouts and 12 walks don't raise eyebrows compared to the more heralded, hard-throwing relievers in his group. But he's getting things done.

White was a Rule 5 draft pick from the Atlanta Braves two years ago, spending a couple of months with the team before an injury. Last year, he went 6-11 with a 5.47 ERA in 22 starts at Class AAA Tacoma, but missed the last month of the season with a right shoulder strain.

He was no longer on Seattle's 40-man roster, but he got a spring training invite and knew he had to leave an impression with new general manager Jack Zduriencik and incoming manager Don Wakamatsu.

"My goal was to put out a good impression," he said. "I knew there were some new guys here, and I wanted to at least at some point give myself an opportunity to be here on the team."

So that meant going to work this past winter.

"I spent some time trying to get back to where I felt I'd been in the past," he said. "I never really recognized or understood my delivery, so I tried to spend some time kind of learning the process. It definitely helps me along the way with making adjustments too."

There were no coaches prodding him.

"It was just me," he said. "I took my time looking at video, and then I'd just sit down and think about what it would take to make me successful."

In a nutshell, it boiled down to a change in his delivery.

"For me, that's just staying closed a little longer and having better direction towards the plate," he said. "I think it helps with everything. I feel like when I used to open up a bit, it took energy away from what I'm trying to do."

Now, he's throwing 95 mph and getting tighter control of where he puts the ball.

"I don't necessarily know if I'm throwing harder," he said. "But it feels better. It feels more in sync."

Note

• Wakamatsu held Mike Sweeney out of the lineup after he left Tuesday's game with back spasms. He is day to day.

For the record

Streak: W1

Home: 12-12

Road: 10-14

v. AL West: 11-13

vs. L.A.: 5-5

vs. Oakland: 6-3

vs. Texas: 0-5

vs. AL East: 4-2

vs. AL Cent.: 5-10

vs. NL: 2-1

vs. LHP: 10-6

vs. RHP: 12-20

Day: 10-8

Night: 12-18

One-run: 12-9

Extra inn.: 3-2