Mariners Blog

Geoff Baker covers the Mariners for The Seattle Times. He provides daily coverage of the team throughout spring training, and during the season.

May 15, 2009 at 4:39 PM

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Brandon Morrow out as Seattle Mariners closer for time being

Posted by Geoff Baker

Remember, Geoff Baker Live! is on-location at 6 p.m. right outside Safeco Field. Be sure to tune in.
Just got up from the field, where Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu confirmed that Brandon Morrow is no longer the closer. Morrow moves to a middle relief role until he can find command of his pitches. For now, a committee of arms will be used, including perhaps, the newest one to wear the uniform, none other than Larry the Cable Guy.

Hey, what did you expect? The team has lost nine of 10. You aren't going to draw the A-list celebs that way.

Anyhow, I doubt Larry will be closing games. I hear he likes to set everything up nice and straight. No winding curves, Even if Miguel Batista did offer him a few pointers.

By the way, David Aardsma will likely get the first shot at closing. Wakamatsu also said Batista and Mark Lowe are in that mix.

"I talked to Brandon today and told him what we're going to do is put him in the bullpen -- not in the closer role, but get him some innings,'' Wakamatsu said. "Get him to where he feels he can command the baseball a little bit better. Obviously, the last couple of weeks have been awfully hard on this bullpen. The loss of (Shawn) Kelley and (Roy) Corcoran before that. We're going to end up seeing, on each individual game, who's best available to close the game out. Obviously, Aardsma will be in there when we have an opportunity, but we'll look at other guys to step up also.''

There is no timeframe. Wakamatsu and Morrow talked at length about a variety of things and the scenario that would see him work the ninth inning again.

"Again, obviously the devastation of the last two games, but what we talked, more importantly, about is that if those two pitches were in a better location and he commands it, it's a different outcome,'' Wakamatsu said.

In other news, Erik Bedard is officially scratched from tomorrow's game. Garrett Olson will take his spot, going up against an AL East team just like he did when starting for the Baltimore Orioles. Olson is 0-4 with a 7.76 ERA in six outings against the Red Sox.

Mariners Blog

Brandon Morrow out as Seattle Mariners closer for time being

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