PEORIA, Ariz. — Shortstop Brad Miller returned to the Seattle Mariners’ lineup on Monday after a tough weekend of battling severe flu-like symptoms and … wait … we’ve got news.
Miller revealed he’s planning to ditch the long flowing locks that conjured up images of cover-shot heroes on romance novels. He never quite reached Fabio-level, but Miller’s hairstyle attracted lots of attention earlier in camp.
Alas, it will be but a spring fling.
“I have to cut it,” he said. “It was not my decision, no. But I have to cut it. I’ve got to cut it here soon.”
That’s all Miller offers to enquiring minds in terms of details. He says he’s uncertain as to how short his new look will be. A marine-style buzzcut, maybe, like he sported at times in the past?
“I’m not sure,” he hedged. “I haven’t thought about that.”
Now back to regular programming … Miller has a week to recover from a miserable, strength-draining weekend before the Mariners open their regular season next Monday against the Los Angeles Angels at Safeco Field.
“Friday, I woke up in the middle of the night and lost everything,” he said. “We had a night game. I came to the (complex) around 10, and they immediately hooked me up with an IV.
“I was there for an hour and a half, just getting filled up. I’m trying to build back up. I probably lost five pounds. Hopefully, in three or four days, I get back to normal.”
Miller entered camp ticketed for a competitive battle with Chris Taylor to determine the club’s starting shortstop. Miller emerged as the winner by default when Taylor suffered a broken right wrist on March 13.
While Taylor shows signs of beating the projected recovery period of four-to-six weeks, Miller still has an opportunity, in the interim, to solidify his hold on the job.
His spring priority: Focus at the plate.
“You might only get one (pitch to hit),” said Miller, who had a walk and a line-out in Monday’s 5-3 victory over the Angels. “It might be the first pitch. It might be with two strikes. It doesn’t matter. You’ve just got to move it.
“My focus is, literally, after every at-bat, I go back and say, ‘OK, I saw five pitches. How many of those were I genuinely ready to hit?’ On good days, like when I hit the two home runs, I saw four pitches, and I was ready every time.
“Other days … I can remember when we faced (Colorado’s) Kyle Kendrick, I struck out looking. I got three pitches and didn’t swing at any of them. So it’s easier said than done, but that’s been my focus. Every pitch, be ready.”
Miller is seeking to build on his second-half rebound a year ago after a miserable start. He compiled a .268/.330/.464 slash after the All-Star break, which boosted his final totals to .221/.288/.365.
“I believe there’s a lot more in the tank,” he said. “I felt my second half was more indicative of my play than my first couple of months. But I just think the ability to get out of that first month-and-a-half was enormous.
“It’s maturity. I just feel much more mature. Not saying I’m not going to have some bad stretches, but it’s knowing how to handle them, how to handle a bad at-bat.”
That work can resume now that he’s upright again after a rough weekend.
“It took me off my feet,” Miller said. “I was done. The last couple of days just nothing. The first day, I was throwing up and had three IV bags put in me here at the (complex). I was done.
“I felt weak just because I haven’t really eaten in a couple of days. I’ve got a couple of meals in me now, and I’m just excited to be living and breathing.”
As for his hair … we’ll keep you posted.
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