There was a time two weeks ago when David Aardsma was content to be the fill-in as the Mariners closer and Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu was OK with that.
That was two weeks ago.
Wakamatsu now is convinced not only that the right-handed Aardsma could close, but that he should close.
Brandon Morrow had the job coming out of spring training, based on the job he did filling in for J.J. Putz last year and the fact that the Mariners didn’t have anyone in the bullpen with extensive closing experience.
Certainly Aardsma didn’t have the experience – he didn’t even have a save despite having pitched for in 128 games worth or relief for the Giants, Cubs, White Sox and Red Sox since 2004.
What Morrow didn’t have was lots of innings in the spring. He was hurt for the second spring in a row. But he was the choice to close as the season started, and in his first chance, he battled control issues, walked the bases loaded and couldn’t close it out.
Later Morrow came up with right biceps tendinitis, and that forced him onto the disabled list. Once he was deemed healthy again, he blew back-to-back saves in Texas, which led Wakamatsu to move Morrow into middle relief ``while he builds up his arm strength.’’
Morrow is doing that, and while he is, Aardsma is throwing shutout innings, including getting a win and three saves in the dozen days since Morrow was moved to middle relief, days in which other parts of the Mariner machine, and not just Morrow, are struggling to hold it together.
And so Aardsma is the closer.
``Aardsma is getting into the role; he’s the closer,’’ Wakamatsu said. ``I see interchangeable pieces with Brandon and (Mark) Lowe, but I (also) see (Aardsma) going out and getting better and better.
``We’re in a situation with Brandon where it’s just better to get him innings and have him build up his arm strength. I foresee by the end of the year having three guys capable of closing.’’
Right now, and for the foreseeable future, however, it’s Aardsma.
When Morrow first was moved to middle relief Aardsma said that he was just keeping the role warm. At the time, he said ``until they tell me different, Brandon is still the closer.’’
Much can change in the space of a couple of weeks.
``I’ve always felt that it’s not really important what role I have, just that I have a role and know what it is,’’ Aardsma said. ``Right now we’re in a situation where they’ve pretty much said I’m going to be the closer. That’s the reality right now.
``If there comes a time that I struggle and we need to go another way, I’m OK with someone else doing the job.’’
But not right now.
``I like doing this,’’ Aardsma said. ``I’m not going to give up this job easily.’’
And, in fact, Wakamatsu won’t rule out moving Morrow back into the rotation, which is where he was supposed to be when the spring started.
``I’m not ready to go there yet,’’ the manager said.
