On paper, another sloppy defeat for the Mariners today --- 5-4 to the Colorado Rockies here in Tucson, Seattle committing three errors along the way.

But as always, you need to look more closely at Spring Training games to see what's really going on.

The lineup today featured mostly guys who wouldn't be projected to be in the Opening Day lineup as the Mariners are giving some guys looks here ---- and letting some regulars rest back "home'' in Peoria.

The errors were by Ryan Garko when he didn't get a pickoff throw, and Chris Woodward booted a couple of balls in the infield.

The more relevant story, obviously, was the spring debut of Felix Hernandez, as well as the fact that he was throwing to Adam Moore --- who could end up in the Opening Day lineup if Rob Johnson isn't done recovering from his off-season hip surgery (and who could eventually enter the lineup to stay sooner rather than later).

And while Hernandez understandably and predictably wasn't in mid-season form, it all went well enough. He didn't allow a run and only four singles (one that probably should have been an out) and threw 32 strikes in 53 pitches. And he seemed to be getting better as the third inning was his most efficient --- eight strikes in 11 pitches, ending in a strikeout of Brad Hawpe.

"Felt okay for me,'' Hernandez said. "I'm not happy with the performance --- gave up four hits, don't like that. But I felt pretty good. That's what I was looking for.''

He said he threw all of his pitches, and as noted earlier, the gun showed 93 or so on his fastball, 86 or so on his breaking. More importantly, he seemed to have lots of movement.

"Again, it's his first outing of the year and against competition and I know he was a little pumped up,'' said manager Don Wakamatsu. "I like the fact we were able to get him out there, get 53 pitches, and continue to get him ready. I saw some great pitches mixed in there --- thought his ball moved well. But he's a feel guy, he needs to get out there, pitch a little bit. Overall he threw well.''

He also liked what he saw of Moore catching Hernandez. He didn't seem to have any issues other than when crossed up once on a pitch --- Hernandez said the glare of the sun and a quick call from Moore had him getting it wrong. Moore was expecting a curve and got a fastball.

Said Wakamatsu: "(Moore) did good. He was pretty pumped up about catching Felix. The ball was moving back there and that's a good test for him and I thought he did a phenomenal job. He just had a half drop on a mix up.''

Said Moore: "Felix looked great out there. It was good to get back there the first time for myself catching him in a game situation and he looked great out there in command of all of his pitches and he threw really well. ... If Rob's not ready and I have to get out there and catch him, I feel comfortable. Today we got on the same page and everything went well.''

What didn't go so well for Moore was a seventh-inning head-first slide into third in which he kind of just stopped and plopped to the ground, cutting his chin requiring 3-4 stitches (he couldn't remember). It was similar to Eric Byrnes' self-described "head-butt'' of second the day before.

Asked what he was doing on the play he said "good question. I was asking that myself. ... Right when I took off I stumbled and face plant. Beautiful. ... The dirt was really soft out there and my foot just got caught when I went to slide. My hand went down to catch myself and it didn't work.''

He joked that he and Byrnes will teach sliding lessons later.

Wakamatsu said that there is a serious note to it that players need to slide and not get hurt. But he said he wouldn't put rules limiting head-first slides or anything saying that he wouldn't want to take away their aggressiveness.

IN OTHER NEWS. ...

--- Matt Tuiasosopo went 2-4, stole a base and scored a run to raise his averaging to .458 with Wakamtsu saying that "he continues to play extremely well.'' Tui showed some of the old QB speed on the steal and Wakamatsu said he runs well enough to steal some bases regularly.

--- None of the pitchers were great today. Jason Vargas had three innings in which he didn't allow an earned run but gave up three hits and an unearned run, and Wakamatsu said that "he was up in the zone. Nothing was real crisp.''

--- Neither were Brandon League, who gave up a three-run HR that decided the game, or Kanekoa Texiera (one hit, one run, one walk in one inning). "Both those guys, we were trying to stretch them out and didn't really have an opportunity. Chalk it up to getting work in. Nothing really stood out with those guys.''

--- Dustin Ackley hit a screaming liner on an 0-2 pitch that was caught at third to end the game and while he's hitting just .167, he's impressing Wakamatsu. "This being really his first first stint in major competition at the big league level, you would think it's overwhelming for him. But it doesn't seem to affect him. I think he's facing tougher pitches than he's used to, but he put a good at-bat right there and I think he's a professional hitter. I've been pleased with what I've seen. There's a calmness to his game for a young player and even at second base, he doesn't look all jittery out there. It's like he's starting to get some confidence for it, a good feel for it.''

--- M's play here tomorrow at 1 against Arizona with Cliff Lee on the hill.

All for now.