J-Rod celebrates slam with emphatic point ... to wrong bullpen

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Spring Training is all about sorting out kinks in preparation for the long season, and even Julio Rodríguez needed a quick refresher for his home run nods to the Mariners’ bullpen after blasting a grand slam during Wednesday's 7-6 loss against the Royals.

That’s because he pointed at the wrong one.

“I pointed to the [right-field] side and was like, ‘Ope, that’s the Royals!” Rodríguez said. “That’s OK, it takes some getting used to.”

The humorous mis-gesture might be the only thing that Rodríguez still needs to tweak, because everything else appears to be in midseason form.

Seattle’s center fielder ambushed a first-pitch breaking ball from Ross Stripling in the second inning with the bases loaded for his third homer in Cactus League play, a 412-foot shot that left his bat at 107.6 mph. He also ripped a 104.8 mph single to the opposite field in the first.

On the slam, Rodríguez was hunting middle-middle early in the count and was on time for the breaking ball after the Royals threw a ton at him last Wednesday, when he homered twice.

“That's something I want to carry into the year,” Rodríguez said. “In those situations like that, or any particular at-bat, to just have a clear approach and just go out there and execute.”

In a spring that -- for him -- has been defined by more volume, Rodríguez has a .679 slugging percentage in 28 at-bats.

“It's a very difficult game, but the more you can simplify, the better,” Rodríguez said. “And I feel like, right now, obviously, I'm having the right intent and looking for the right pitches, and I've been putting good swings on the ball.”

Brash has ‘butterflies’ in live BP
Matt Brash cleared another benchmark in his return from Tommy John surgery with a live batting practice session against righty-hitting Ryan Bliss twice and Luke Raley over roughly 25 pitches. Hitters were instructed not to swing, as the exercise was more about getting Brash back on a field mound instead of a bullpen, and with someone standing in the batter’s box.

Still easing in, Brash was in the 93-95 mph range with his fastball, but he also mixed in his breaking stuff.

“I was a little nervous this morning, honestly, and not because I was nervous how I was going to feel or anything like that,” Brash said. “It was just like excitement before you get into a game.”

The next step for Brash -- who remains on target for a late-April return from the injured list -- is against swinging hitters. Then if that goes well, he could be inserted into Minor League and/or simulated games on the backfields.

Garver at ‘80 percent’ after HBP
Mitch Garver still had a bruise on his right hand/wrist area two days after being hit by a pitch from Minor Leaguer Kaleb Bowman in Monday’s game against the Brewers, which forced the Mariners’ backup catcher and designated hitter to exit.

Garver spent Tuesday’s off-day at the complex receiving treatment but said he improved from “50 percent” then to “80 percent” on Wednesday, and that he should return in the coming days.

Garver is having a strong spring, hitting .444 with a 1.420 OPS and three homers in 18 at-bats.

Big Unit sighting
Hall of Famer Randy Johnson was the latest Mariners star of yesteryear to drop by this spring, joining the likes of Ichiro Suzuki and Alvin Davis, who are here throughout camp each year, along with Ken Griffey Jr. and Jay Buhner, among others.

For the Mariners’ starting pitchers, though, Wednesday’s visit carried extra weight.

“He said a couple of things that were kind of pivotal to him and changes in his career,” said Bryan Woo, who had five strikeouts vs. K.C., after meeting with Johnson. “I think the pieces that I took away from it, though, were more of the preparation parts and coming into his own, it took him a couple years and then obviously he took off. So it takes time. So just kind of keep chipping away.”

Rizzs back in booth
Longtime radio broadcaster Rick Rizzs was back on the call two days after a scary incident in which he was hit on the back of his head by a screaming line drive in the middle of a play-by-play call.

Rizzs, who has been examined by the Mariners’ medical staff the past three days, was good-naturedly gifted a catchers’ helmet by Mariners general manager Justin Hollander, waiting for him in the booth.