Boston @ Seattle preview
T-Mobile Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 23, 2010 ) Boston 2, Seattle 1
The Seattle Mariners are far out of playoff contention, but they are not going down without a fight.
A season of frustration has boiled over on Friday night at Safeco Field when a scuffle broke out in the Mariners’ dugout during the fifth inning in a 2-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox.
Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu benched Chone Figgins after the second baseman failed to back up a relay from left fielder Michael Saunders on Mike Cameron’s double in the top of the fifth inning.
As the players headed to the dugout after recording the third out, Wakamatsu told Figgins he was being pulled from the game. They got into a verbal exchange that quickly escalated with several players trying to be restrained by fellow players and coaches.
Jose Lopez lost his jersey in the fracas, but it was difficult to ascertain how that happened on video replays. Russell Branyan was seen walking along a dugout bench to try to restrain either Figgins or Lopez. No punches appeared to be thrown.
Branyan said he talked with Figgins in the clubhouse, where Figgins watched the rest of the game. Branyan said the second baseman did not get to explain his version of what happen on the relay throw. Figgins left before reporters were allowed in and Lopez also was not available.
Wakamatsu was very reserved in postgame comments, but said Figgins’ mistake was “cut and dried” without expounding. He said Figgins would not be suspended, but was mum on whether Figgins would play in Saturday’s night contest.
Earlier this season, Figgins expressed his displeasure when Wakamatsu dropped him from second in the batting order to No. 9 before moving him back again.
Figgins, who is batting .229 but has a team-best 54 walks, played third base most of his career with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and also was their leadoff hitter. He has had trouble adjusting to a new position and spot in the batting order in Seattle, where he is in the first of a four-year, $36 million deal he signed in December.
Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik was at Triple-A Tacoma on Friday night but told media he would meet with Wakamatsu and Figgins - and likely others - before Saturday's game.
The loss dropped the Mariners (37-60) a season-worst 23 games under .500. They trail AL West-leading Texas by 20 games.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox (55-42) will try to win the series Saturday night when left-hander Jon Lester (11-4, 2.81) opposes right-hander David Pauley (0-2, 2.40).
Lester allowed four runs and nine hits in eight innings in Boston’s 4-2 loss to Texas on Sunday.
Pauley, who played with the Red Sox in 2008, is 0-5 in seven career starts. He has never started against the Red Sox.
Mariners’ left-hander Erik Bedard also said Friday he would seek a third doctor’s opinion on his sore left shoulder. He was nearly ready to make his first start of the season earlier this month, but had another setback and said earlier this week he might not pitch this season.