Baseball Guru
04-04-2002, 05:15 AM
By JANIE McCAULEY
AP Sports Writer
April 3, 2002, 10:27 PM EST
SEATTLE -- Mariners manager Lou Piniella has changed his mind about his No. 5 starter.
Piniella picked left-hander John Halama as the fifth starter Wednesday, moving right-hander Joel Pineiro to a relief role.
"We feel Pineiro is very valuable and he enhances our bullpen," Piniella said. "At the same time, it puts Halama in the rotation where he wants to be."
With Halama, the Mariners have two lefties in the rotation, along with No. 2 starter Jamie Moyer. Seattle has the option to use righty Ryan Franklin in the rotation, too, in order to not pitch Moyer and Halama on consecutive days, Piniella said. They have similar pitching styles.
Pitching coach Bryan Price said the fifth starter will only make two starts in the first two months of the season.
"This is kind of a way of figuring out what we really have with both John and Ryan as starters," Price said. "And it allows them to do something they both like to do."
Halama, 30, is scheduled to make his first start of the season Tuesday night in Anaheim, which would have been Pineiro's day to start.
"I'm sure everybody wants to start," Halama said. "But there's only one spot available. It's Lou's call. All I can do is do what I can do."
He said he won't put pressure on himself to have two perfect games in his two starts. But he said he is confident after a strong spring training.
"Who knows how long it will last?" Halama said. "All I have is two starts. It's what I want to do. I don't want to be in the bullpen. But nothing is etched in stone or carved in concrete."
The 6-foot-5 Halama was 6-6 with a 5.78 ERA in 17 starts last year, and 4-1 with a 1.84 ERA in 14 relief appearances.
In half a season in Seattle last year, Pineiro had a 6-2 record with a 2.03 ERA in 17 games, 11 of them starts, and 75 1-3 innings.
Franklin pitched poorly in Monday's opener, allowing three runs on three hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning.
AP Sports Writer
April 3, 2002, 10:27 PM EST
SEATTLE -- Mariners manager Lou Piniella has changed his mind about his No. 5 starter.
Piniella picked left-hander John Halama as the fifth starter Wednesday, moving right-hander Joel Pineiro to a relief role.
"We feel Pineiro is very valuable and he enhances our bullpen," Piniella said. "At the same time, it puts Halama in the rotation where he wants to be."
With Halama, the Mariners have two lefties in the rotation, along with No. 2 starter Jamie Moyer. Seattle has the option to use righty Ryan Franklin in the rotation, too, in order to not pitch Moyer and Halama on consecutive days, Piniella said. They have similar pitching styles.
Pitching coach Bryan Price said the fifth starter will only make two starts in the first two months of the season.
"This is kind of a way of figuring out what we really have with both John and Ryan as starters," Price said. "And it allows them to do something they both like to do."
Halama, 30, is scheduled to make his first start of the season Tuesday night in Anaheim, which would have been Pineiro's day to start.
"I'm sure everybody wants to start," Halama said. "But there's only one spot available. It's Lou's call. All I can do is do what I can do."
He said he won't put pressure on himself to have two perfect games in his two starts. But he said he is confident after a strong spring training.
"Who knows how long it will last?" Halama said. "All I have is two starts. It's what I want to do. I don't want to be in the bullpen. But nothing is etched in stone or carved in concrete."
The 6-foot-5 Halama was 6-6 with a 5.78 ERA in 17 starts last year, and 4-1 with a 1.84 ERA in 14 relief appearances.
In half a season in Seattle last year, Pineiro had a 6-2 record with a 2.03 ERA in 17 games, 11 of them starts, and 75 1-3 innings.
Franklin pitched poorly in Monday's opener, allowing three runs on three hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning.