One still standing on “Survivor Island”
All of the original inhabitants of “Survivor Island” in the Mariners clubhouse are gone.
But the row of lockers located between the laundry and shower rooms aren’t completely deserted. Right-handed pitcher David Pauley sits alone, passing this morning quietly.
The 26-year-old pitcher with 84 days of Major League experience was moved to his new “home” last week, after all the others — pitchers Mike Koplove, Nick Hill, Steven Shell, Ricky Orta and catcher Luis Ontiveros were re-assigned to the Minor League side of the facility.
Pauley’s locker was in the middle of the clubhouse.
“I came in one day and the stuff in my locker was gone,” he said. “I thought ‘Oh, man’. But I found out all my stuff had been moved over here.”
Pauley has heard the “Survivor Island” stories and how right-handers Shawn Kelley and Chris Jakubauskas made it all the way through Spring Training last year.
“It’s good to still be here,” he said. “I am trying to hang around, compete and do the best I can. So far so good.”
Signed as a Minor League free agent and invited to camp as a non-roster player, Pauley is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA after five Cactus League appearances, including a solid three-inning relief stint on Monday against the Athletics.
And with slightly more than a week to go, he remains a viable option for the 12-man Opening Day pitching staff.
“I can’t treat the last week any differently,” he said. “I have to take the same mindset I have had all spring, continue to improve on what I’m doing, and just kind of hang around and see what happens. Let the cards fall where they may.”
In other early-morning camp news, left-hander Cliff Lee is scheduled to play catch and test his ailing right abdominal muscle.
He said he felt much better today than he did a couple of days ago, but he would know more during and after playing catch. Even so, it appears likely that he’ll begin the regular season on the 15-day disabled list because the organization wants to make sure he is 100 percent healthy before he makes his first start.
And here is today’s starting lineup for the Mariners for their home game against the Angels:
1. Ichiro, RF
2. Chone Figgins, 2B
3. Casey Kotchman, 1B
4. Ken Griffey Jr., DH
5. Jose Lopez, 3B
6. Eric Byrnes, LF
7. Franklin Gutierrez, CF
8. Adam Moore, C
9. Matt Tuiasosopo, SS
LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith
— Jim Street