Mariners
Notebook: Putz takes Thornton's place on Detroit visit

By Bob Finnigan
Seattle Times staff reporter

E-mail this article Print this article Search archive Most e-mailed articles

BALTIMORE — When Matt Thornton got word yesterday that he was being sent back to Tacoma after two days and two bullpen warmups, Mariners bench coach Rene Lachemann couldn't help kidding him.

"They called you up for a cup of coffee," Lachemann said, "and you weren't here long enough to drink it."

While Thornton accepted the quick turnaround with understanding, he didn't much feel like laughing.

Not only was the Michigan native going to miss having his mother and father see him in the big leagues for the first time, but he would miss seeing a nephew that hadn't even been born when Thornton spoke of him early yesterday.

Before he was told of the swap, in which J.J. Putz was recalled and put in the bullpen because the team needed a right-hander for relief, lefty Thornton was talking of his family's delight to see him at Comerica Park.

Thornton's sister, Tara, had been induced and the baby was expected to be born yesterday or today.

The baby's name is Braden Matthew.

"My name for his middle name, which is an honor," Thornton said. "She told me she'll be at the ballpark the day after the baby is born.

"Actually, I'm a little disappointed it's not Tiger Stadium," Thornton said of the old park at Michigan and Trumbull which has not been used by the Tigers since 1999. "I went in there for a high-school tryout when I was 17, and I still remember how excited I was.

"I was always a big baseball fan. After church on Sundays, I'd always go to Grandma's house. She was a Tiger junkie and always had the game on TV."
 
Thornton called his family later to tell them the three-hour trip from their home in Allendale, Mich., was off.

"It's tough, but that's the way it goes," he said. "I'll be back. I'll get there another time."

After spending 18 hours flying from Edmonton through Calgary and Toronto to join the team in Baltimore, Thornton will fly with the team to Detroit, then on to Salt Lake City, where he will start Sunday for Tacoma.

Mariners manager Bob Melvin said the righty-for-lefty swap was necessary because Julio Mateo was not available last night and Shigetoshi Hasegawa has pitched a lot recently.

Thornton's miss is Putz's hit. The right-hander is from Trenton, Mich.

"The family will be there, but I don't have to buy tickets for them," Putz said. "When I was called up before, they all went out and bought tickets, expecting me to be there. Then I got sent down, but they still had the tickets, so I shouldn't be on the hook for too many when we get there."

Cabrera plays for Olerud

With left-hander Eric DuBose starting for the Baltimore Orioles yesterday, Jolbert Cabrera and his right-handed bat were back in the lineup, giving John Olerud a rest at first base.

Cabrera had two hits and will play more in Detroit.

"I'm not saying he'll get three games, but he does appear to swing the bat well," Melvin said.

Melvin said Olerud's right leg had swelling from being hit by a pitch in Wednesday's game.

Ichiro isn't saying

Asked if his 3-for-22 swoon is the result of being pitched well or not swinging the bat well, Ichiro declined a specific response.

"It's probably something I can't tell you," he said. "The media sees the results of what the players do, but I feel we shouldn't tell you why those are the results."

The outfielder did admit to pressing.

"You press because as a player you want to do good," he said. "You think of what is going on. Sometimes you don't, but you can't forget it. You can't have that attitude."

Notes

• Baltimore's Miguel Tejada, playing in his 614th consecutive game, left the game yesterday in the eighth inning after being struck in the face by a throw from first baseman Rafael Palmeiro. The toss deflected off the helmet of Seattle baserunner Randy Winn. "I was scared," said Tejada, who received a small cut under his eye. "I'll be OK."

• Vanna White, co-host of the game show "Wheel of Fortune," will throw out the ceremonial pitch before the Mariners' game against the Minnesota Twins next Thursday at Safeco Field. "Wheel" will hold auditions for contestants at Seahawks Stadium Exhibition Center, 2-6 p.m.

• With 72 bids, the auction price on eBay for Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln reached more than $2 million yesterday before he was removed from the site.

Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.