For veteran players with a roster spot secured, spring training is less about proving themselves and more about getting the necessary reps needed to make sure they are sharp and ready for opening day. That’s the case for Rickie Weeks.
Weeks signed a one-year contract with the Mariners last month but has been slowed this spring by a hamstring injury. He recently returned to action after missing two games, and manager Lloyd McClendon wanted to get the 32-year-old three at-bats Wednesday against the A’s. To do so, McClendon penciled Weeks into the leadoff spot in the lineup. It wasn’t because that’s where McClendon envisions Weeks to hit during the season; the decision was due to an appointment Weeks had scheduled.
“He’s got a 4:30 dentist appointment,” manager Lloyd McClendon explained, according to the Tacoma News Tribune. “He needs to get three at-bats pretty quickly. Really, that’s the only reason he’s up there.”
Weeks is no stranger to the leadoff spot in the lineup. He’s hit there quite often during his major career. However, today is another example of why it’s often tough to make much away from spring training games. Sometimes the reasons for managerial decisions are ones you can’t make up.
