Meche might pitch in relief
NEW YORK - When the Mariners scored twice in the 13th inning Saturday, a strange figure began hurriedly warming up in the Seattle bullpen.
Gil Meche.
Once Seattle tacked on six runs that inning, Meche sat back down and closer Eddie Guardado worked his second inning to finish it up.
But if the Mariners hadn't scored that inning, Meche - the starter who lasted just two-thirds of an inning a night earlier - was going into the game.
"He volunteered," manager Bob Melvin said.
The Mariners were out of relievers by the 13th inning, with only Ron Villone left in the bullpen - and he'd pitched 3 2/3 innings Friday so he was off limits.
So today's starting pitcher, Joel Pi?eiro, was told to go from the dugout to the bullpen and start warming up. Meche interceded.
"I didn't want Joel to lose a start because I didn't do my job a night earlier," Meche said. "I told them I wanted to pitch, and they sent me out to get loose."
On Friday, Meche walked four consecutive Yankees to force in three first-inning runs in what became a 9-5 loss. He'd thrown 38 pitches, and having watched the video of each one of them, couldn't wait to get back on the mound.
That could happen as soon as today.
"If we need a long reliever (today) for any reason, it's Meche," Melvin said. "We've got a couple pitchers going on fumes now."
Meche wants to pitch. He thinks he spotted a correctable problem.
"I was pushing my pitches three, four inches and missing the strike zone and I couldn't figure out why," Meche said. "Next time out, I'm going to put my plant foot on the rubber a few inches over. There's no excuse for what I did, but I think there's an answer."
