One of manager Jim Riggleman's biggest challenges is to find enough at-bats for catcher Kenji Johjima, DH Jose Vidro and first baseman Richie Sexson.
The Mariners have decided to give rookie Jeff Clement most of the starts behind the plate, which has pushed Johjima from his regular role at catcher. Riggleman says Johjima will get his at-bats at DH when he's not catching, but also that Clement will play at DH as well. That creates a problem for the switch-hitting Vidro, who has started 52 of the Mariners' 82 games at DH. Riggleman's solution is to play Vidro more at first base.
That creates a crowd at first, where the Mariners have Sexson. His effectiveness as a run producer has fallen considerably, and there's been speculation that the Mariners may trade or release him. He's batting .226 and with one extra-base hit and no home runs since May 24.
"I can't put both out there at the same time," Riggleman said of Vidro and Sexson. "If I play one of them at first base and DH the other, that means Kenji or Clement is sitting. Somebody's going to get the short end every day, there's no way around it."
BLUE JAYS 2, MARINERS 0: The Mariners managed four hits off Blue Jays RHP Roy Halladay in their fourth shutout loss of the season. 1B Richie Sexson had two of the hits, both singles. RHP R.A. Dickey gave up nine hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings but allowed runs in only the fifth and sixth.
