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Geoff Baker covers the Mariners for The Seattle Times. He provides daily coverage of the team throughout spring training, and during the season.

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July 3, 2008 5:45 PM

Hernandez throws, Rowland-Smith blogs, Clement struggles

Posted by Geoff Baker

A shot of Mariners manager Jim Riggleman, above, chatting with some players during mandatory pre-game fielding practice. That's one new addition to this M's team since it got beaten by the Detroit Tigers in a pair of series about six weeks ago. We'll see if the M's look a little better prepared this time. Some good news on Felix Hernandez today. He threw for 10 minutes on flat ground from a distance of 90 feet and felt good. There's a big chance he'll see a start before the all-star break.

"He didn't experience any problems so that's very encouraging,'' Riggleman said. "It makes us feel better about, well, any time he's eligible to come off the disabled list, he would be able to pitch right then.''

Before I go any further, Ryan Rowland-Smith has started blogging for a new site. Check it out right here. OK, back to the post...

Riggleman was asked about the struggles of catcher Jeff Clement, who is behind the plate again tonight. Clement is hitting just .179 with a .286 on-base percentage and a .310 slugging percentage over 84 at-bats with the M's this season. He's gone 7-for-36 (.194) since being recalled for his second go-around with the team.And he's struck out in 12 of those ABs, which is slightly better than in his first shot with the club, but not all that great.

"What you see happening there, that's what's happened,'' Riggleman said with a shrug. "We're just giving him every opportunity to get it going. It's tough. It seems lkike they're making great pitches on him. And it goes that way sometimes. Guys are getting their hits, but you step up there and you're the guy that he makes all his great pitches of the night on. And that seems to be happening to him. He's just really not getting that many pitches in the center of the plate that he can just jump on and get it going.

"If he does, you want to build on it but then they continue to make good pitches on him. He just hasn't gotten on track. But we know he's a good hitter. We know he's going to hit. But it's tough. It's tough for a guy coming up trying to establish himself in the big leagues.''

The lineup:

TIGERS (42-42)

28 Curtis Granderson CF
14 Placido Polanco 2B
9 Carlos Guillen 3B
24 Miguel Cabrera 1B
20 Matt Joyce RF
3 Gary Sheffield DH
36 Clete Thomas LF
7 Ivan Rodriguez C
46 Michael Holliman SS

35 Justin Verlander RHP

MARINERS (33-51)

51 Ichiro RF
4 Jose Lopez 2B
28 Raul Ibanez LF
3 Jose Vidro DH
29 Adrian Beltre 3B
8 Jeremy Reed CF
44 Richie Sexson 1B
9 Jeff Clement C
5 Yuniesky Betancourt SS

52 Carlos Silva RHP

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