Mariners | Burke's start encouraging, more rain isn't

ARLINGTON, Texas — They huddled together on clubhouse stools while other teammates lounged on sofas watching a movie.

The veteran minor-league catcher from a town of 20,000 in Oregon sat on one, while the other was occupied by the young minor-league pitcher from South Korea. Both nodded their heads constantly as they spoke in hushed tones, trying to make sense of what the other was saying.

It has been two months of rapid transition for Mariners catcher Jamie Burke, who at age 35 feels like a rookie again as he visits the ballparks and faces opposing pitchers he'd only seen previously on television. But if one thing hasn't changed for Burke, no matter what the styles or language barriers involved, it's keeping a clear line of communication with his own men on the mound.

"As long as you can do that, you're going to be on the same page with them," said Burke, a Roseburg, Ore., native opening a season in the majors for the first time in his 15-year professional career.

The Mariners and Texas Rangers were rained out Tuesday as golf-ball sized hail moved through the area along with tornado warnings. It was the sixth time this season the Mariners have seen a game postponed by inclement weather — breaking the team record of four.

Both clubs will play a doubleheader the next time the Mariners visit Texas in late July.

Burke wasn't scheduled to play Tuesday, with Kenji Johjima apparently recovered from a bruised calf. In the three straight games Burke replaced Johjima — including back-to-back starts — Burke was 3 for 7 with a double and two runs scored.

He has hit in all four games he's batted in this season, lifting his average to .364. For a team that saw backup catcher Rene Rivera hit just .152 last year, that's an encouraging start in a spot they'd hoped to upgrade.

But Burke is more focused on what he does behind the plate. His pregame conversation on the stools took place Monday night, with Class AAA call-up Cha Seung Baek before his start that night.

"We communicate pretty good," Burke said. "I felt like he understood what I said and I understood what he said. That's very important and that's what I take pride in — making sure I talk to my pitchers before the game.

"I might go up to him two or three times before the game and ask him questions. I'll just ask him about his pitches. If he's going to use all four of them at any time in the count. What's his go-to pitch? How does he want me setting up on the plate? Where does he want me to set up on his curveball? Things like that. Because I want him to feel comfortable out there."

Baek looked very comfortable the first few innings. He then got a little too fine with his stuff and was smacked around before leaving in a 4-4 tie with one out in the fifth inning. But Baek showed enough to the Mariners that they have him penciled in to start four days from now.

Burke has also showed the Mariners something these past few days.

"Jamie's done a good job when we've put him in there," Mariners manager Mike Hargrove said. "It's not an easy thing to do, playing as sporadically as he does. But he's been there when we need him, and that's all you can ask for."

Burke is making the most of his playing time. He's also soaking in as much as he can of his big-league experience, having been limited to just 73 previous games with the Angels and White Sox compared to more than 1,000 games in the minors.

"Obviously, you're going to get the quality pitchers and hitters, that's obviously the difference," he said. "You've got grown men out here that know the game. In Triple-A sometimes you've got young kids out there who are still learning the game.

"I look at it like a baseball game anywhere. That's how I focus on it. I don't look at how big a stadium is, or how many people are in it. I just try to focus on me and the pitcher and getting the job done."

Geoff Baker: 206-464-8286 or gbaker@seattletimes.com.