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Geoff Baker covers the Mariners for The Seattle Times. He provides daily coverage of the team throughout spring training, and during the season.
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Jose Lopez-Chone Figgins experiment is final: Lopez will play 3B, Figgins 2B to start season
Posted by Geoff Baker
Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu has let both Jose Lopez and Chone Figgins know that he's pleased with the progress they've made at their respective positions at that they will open the season at third and second base respectively.
"(He told me) a couple of days ago,'' Figgins said this morning when I spoke to him prior to his getting on the bus for a game in Tempe against his former Angels squad. "I come prepared anyways. I've said all along I was prepared for anything and so, this doesn't come as a surprise. It's a little different than what I've done before at second because it's going to be on a consistent basis right now.''
The Mariners have yet to officially announce anything. I had been talking with Figgins about his second base work this spring when he let the news slip after I'd asked him whether the team had said anything about the move being permanent.
You can hear the pertinent part of that exchange by clicking on this link I've provided.
Lopez told me he's "playing happy" now, much more so than in his nervous debut game in which only one grounder was sent his way at third. He plans to start taking extra ground balls at third before and after games.
"I'll probably start that tomorrow, just to work on some things,'' he said.
Lopez said he was pleased when Wakamatsu told him he's sticking with the switchover on a permanent basis. There had been some plans to move the two back to their original positions on an infrequent basis starting this weekend, but that has apparently been scrapped since Lopez is at third today and Figgins at second.
UPDATE - 1:32 AM
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