Spring Training Highlights

The Mariners wrapped up Cactus League play yesterday with an 7-2 win over the Rockies. Now the club will resume the 2012 regular season Friday night (7:07 p.m.) against the Oakland A’s at Oakland Coliseum (710 ESPN Seattle/ROOT Sports). Here are some highlights from spring training play…

• The Mariners finished with a 16-9-1 record (.635), the 12^th winning spring in club history…3^rd-best spring winning percentage in club history (21-9/.700 in 1994, 18-10-1/.638 in 2004).
• Seattle led all MLB teams with a .297 spring batting average (269×907, 2B – 55, 3B – 11, HR – 28).
• Munenori Kawasaki won spring batting title, leading both the Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues with a .455 batting average (20×44, 2B, 3B, 13 RBI).

Munenori Kawasaki won the spring training batting title (AP Photo)

• Alex Liddi was named the Peoria Sports Complex Rookie of the Year after batting .370 (17×46, 13 R, 7 2B, HR, 11 RBI).
• Felix Hernandez went 3-2, 3.68 (9 ER, 22.0 IP) in 5 starts and was T9th in the Cactus League with 23 strikeouts.
• Kyle Seager ended the spring with a 8-game hitting streak (.400/12×30)…overall hit .360 (18×50, 12 R, 4 2B, 3B, 4 HR, 7 RBI) in 15 Cactus League games.
• Jesus Montero tied for the team lead with 13 RBI (with Kawasaki/Peguero), batting .326 (14×43) with 5 extra base hits (2B – 3, HR – 2) in 13 games.
• The Mariners ended up using 88 players during the 26 games in official Cactus League play (2^nd-most in club history), including a record 52 position players.

And here are the upcoming probable starting pitchers…

- JE