PEORIA, Ariz. — Seattle Mariners shortstop Chris Taylor said he’s “starting to get my strength back. I’m starting to actually do some stuff with it. It’s really encouraging.”
An examination last Friday showed Taylor’s right wrist to be healing and cleared him for increased on-field activities.
“I took 15 swings off a tee (on Monday),” he said, “The first 10, I could still feel it. Then it got loose. The last five felt good. It’s still there, but it’s getting better.”
In all likelihood, Taylor will open the season on the 15-day disabled list.
Correia released
The Mariners released veteran right-handed pitcher Kevin Correia and face a Tuesday deadline on three other veteran players they’ve already reassigned to the minor leagues.
Like Correia, outfielders Endy Chavez and Franklin Gutierrez, and left-hander Joe Saunders were in camp as minor-league invites but held the status of Rule XX (B) free agents.
That means a club must notify them at least five days before the season starts as to whether they will make the 25-man roster or enter the season on the major-league disabled list.
In the Mariners’ case, that would mean recalling them to big-league camp and adding them to the 40-man roster. They are not expected to do that with any of the three players.
That leaves the club with two options: They can release the player from his minor-league deal or pay a $100,000 retention bonus. If they pay the bonus, the player also receives a June 1 opt-out clause to become a free agent.
The Mariners, as they did with Correia, are expected to release Chavez, Gutierrez and Saunders, but they might offer to re-sign them to deals not covered by the Rule XX (B) provisions.
Players who receive such offers typically assess other opportunities for a day or two before making a decision.
Security chief
Christopher Ellis is the Mariners’ new director for safety and security and will begin his duties next Monday when the club opens the season against the Los Angeles Angels at Safeco Field.
Ellis previously coordinated security and operations for Major League Baseball’s “Jewel Events,” and handled logistics for events involving President George W. Bush.
Ibanez joins Fox as studio analyst
Raul Ibanez is moving from the field to the broadcast studio.
The former Seattle Mariners outfielder will be a studio analyst for Fox this season, the network announced Monday.
A 19-year veteran who hit 305 career home runs, Ibanez was among the finalists to become Tampa Bay manager, then withdrew from consideration. He played last season for the Los Angeles Angels and Kansas City.
Fox also hired Joe Davis and Aaron Goldsmith as play-by-play announcers. Both have broadcast college football and basketball for Fox. Goldsmith is in his third season with the Mariners broadcast team
Fox’s lead crew is unchanged, with play-by-play announcer Joe Buck joined by analysts Harold Reynolds and Tom Verducci, and reporters Ken Rosenthal and Erin Andrews.
Newly elected Hall of Famer John Smoltz, Eric Karros and C.J. Nitkowski return as analysts.
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