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.

March 12, 2010 at 10:16 AM

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Hannahan hoping for enough time to state his case

Posted by Bob Condotta

While the rest of the Mariners were out taking early batting practice and infield this morning, Jack Hannahan sat at his locker, forlornly fiddling with a new glove that had just arrived.

The Mariners' utility player won't be able to use it for 7-10 days or so as he recovers from a groin strain that occurred March 4 in a game against the Padres --- the day he turned 30. Hannahan tried to fight through it and no one really knew of the injury until the last day or so. Hannahan had hoped to return to the lineup yesterday but when he still felt pain, an MRI diagnosed the injury.

"It was just on a foul ball and I just kind of planted to turn and pushed off,'' he said. "I didn't feel it pop or anything, but it stretched a lot and I felt that pain. And then we gave it a rest and a break, but I kept hitting and doing stuff, staying active on it, but it just didn't heal up. So then I got that MRI and it explains a lot. It's 7-10 days (he'll be out). It's disappointing because I worked real hard in the off season to come in and get ready, and for this to happen it's disappointing.''

Any spring training is a tough time to be injured, but the Mariners seem to have more competition than the last few years for utility infield roles with Josh Wilson playing well so far and Matt Tuiasosopo getting long looks at shortstop to see if he could handle that job, as well.

Hannahan hopes that he'll have about two weeks to state his case and make the Opening Day roster.

"That's my plan,'' he said. "I'm going to have about hopefully two weeks to show them I can play short and just get some at-bats, too. That's just biggest thing for me is just to get on the field and see some more pitching and get more at-bats, and wherever they put me, I'll go play. It's just a matter of getting out there.

"You never want to ever get hurt or miss any time. It's something I was trying to play through and it just didn't allow me to. I've got a tear in my muscle and it's just something that needs time to heal and it's something that right now, I dont feel I have a lot of time. I need to get out there and play.''

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Hannahan hoping for enough time to state his case

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