Thornton's career with M's in peril

He came back from that to have a decent game last night, with the Mariners beating up on Colorado 12-4. He took over for starter Gil Meche in the fifth inning with runners on first and second and two out.

Thornton gave up a broken-bat single to Greg Norton. That shouldn't have gotten the run home, but Ichiro Suzuki, who had four more hits last night, bobbled the ball in right field and Norton scored an unearned run.

Thornton then struck out cleanup hitter Preston Wilson to end the inning and pitched a hitless, walkless sixth inning.

"If I do it again (tomorrow), I'll feel good about it," Thornton said. "I need to do it back to back. It's what I expect to do."

The Mariners had hoped, after Thornton seemed to master his control troubles during a stint in winter baseball in Venezuela (four walks, 14 strikeouts and a 1.54 ERA in 10 games), he was ready to step up and take his place as the Mariners' situational left-handed reliever.

The 6-foot-6 Thornton throws hard enough that he could fill the kind of role that Norm Charlton did toward the end of his career in Seattle.

He's out of roster options, meaning if Thornton doesn't make the team, he has to be put on irrevocable waivers. And some team is certain to take a shot at lefty who can throw 95 mph.

"You don't see many lefties who do that," general manager Bill Bavasi said.

At that same time, Bavasi named Thornton as one player who was a cause of concern given his spring performances. The Mariners want him to earn a spot on the team, and that hasn't happened.

Bavasi and manager Mike Hargrove have said they don't want players to make the team simply because they are out of options.

"I hate to see it, but it happens," Bavasi said before last night's game. "It's not so much that you have to keep a guy like that, but it precludes someone else being on the club who (otherwise would have) made it."

HE'S NO. 2? For the 14th time this spring, Jeremy Reed batted second for the Mariners last night.

Hargrove is divided between having the center fielder hit there, between Ichiro and Adrian Beltre, or having left fielder Randy Winn do it. Winn, who has a track record hitting behind Ichiro, has batted second only three times in Cactus League play.

"I'm doing everything I can to be there," Reed said after last night's win. "These guys, Ichiro, Beltre and (Richie) Sexson can only make me better. I like it there."

The manager has said from the outset he was leaning toward Winn. But Reed, who tripled and hit a sacrifice fly in four plate trips, is averaging .292 with two doubles, two triples and a home run. He clearly is getting a chance to bat near the top of the lineup.

Winn's other home in the lineup for Seattle has been seventh, and he's been productive with men on base in Seattle, getting 75 RBIs in 2003 and a career-best 81 last season.

"I may be leaning (toward Reed) more than I did at the beginning," Hargrove said. "But I haven't made up my mind yet."

Hargrove did say that if the left-handed Reed batted second, it would be only against right-handed pitching. Winn would probably move up there against lefties. If Winn, who is a switch-hitter, gets the job, he could keep it regardless of the pitcher.

HITTING MACHINE: Ichiro went 4-for-4, singling in his first three times up, then hitting a triple.

It's been an amazing spring for the right fielder, who has hit safely in all 12 games in which he's played.

He has 22 hits in 38 at-bats, a .579 average that is off the boards, even for Ichiro.

A SPOT FOR JOEL: Joel Pineiro probably will start the season on the disabled list.

For once, that's not a bad thing.

Thanks to two scheduled off days in the first week-plus of the season, the Mariners don't need to use a fifth starting pitcher until April 16. Pineiro pitched in a minor league game yesterday, his first game since March 4 after having some muscle stiffness in the back of his shoulder.

So the Mariners can put Pineiro on the disabled list and have him pitch on injury rehabilitation assignment, making him ready when the Mariners need the boost.

All that, of course, is based on Pineiro coming to the park in Peoria this morning feeling good a day after getting his fastball up to 89 mph.

"(Today) is a big day for Joel," pitching coach Bryan Price said after Pineiro threw 26 pitches in two innings. "When he had the injury initially, it was the next morning that he felt it.

"I'm optimistic that he'll come out of this feeling fine. If that's the case, we can pitch him the 26th and 31st and go from there to build up his arm strength. For him to start for us, we have got to get him to 85 or 90 pitches, and that's probably going to take five appearances, including today's."

If Pineiro does start the season on the DL as he recovers, the Mariners would probably go with another reliever in his spot.

EDDIE READY? Price said if closer Eddie Guardado, who pitches in a simulated game today, suffers no more setbacks, he should be adequately prepared to start the season with Seattle.

Guardado, who missed the last two months of last year because of a tear in his left rotator cuff and had knee surgery, came to Arizona healthy.

But he suffered a setback thanks to a strained right hamstring, and he hasn't pitched in a game since.

"Eddie's arm is in shape, and his pitching mechanics are getting better," Price said. "It's realistic, if there are no more setbacks, that he would be ready to start with us. But he does need the reps.

"I think he's going to pitch and pitch healthy."

TRADES? ALL'S QUIET: A report that the Mariners and Washington Nationals were in trade talks was scuttled by Bavasi.

"There's nothing happening right now," Bavasi said when asked about a report in the Washington Times that suggest the Nationals had called about Pokey Reese.

The shortstop is having a tough spring offensively, coming into last night 3-for-21 (.143) for the spring.

His competition for the Seattle starting job is Jose Lopez, a better offensive prospect who has had a strong spring but who at 21 is young enough that the Mariners believe needs more time in the minor leagues.

NOTES: Bavasi said the club would wait until the last minute to make decisions on veteran free-agent pitchers Aaron Sele and Jeff Nelson. In their contracts, there is a clause saying they have to be notified of whether they've made the roster by March 30. The early notification is a courtesy given veterans to enable them to hunt for another job before the season opens. ... Opening Day starter Jamie Moyer will pitch in a minor league game in his next start, Friday against Kansas City.

P-I reporter John Hickey can be reached at 206-448-8004 or johnhickey@seattlepi.com

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