PitchingArticle

PEORIA, Ariz. -- It became apparent right off the bat Friday morning that if they expect to repeat as the one of the best pitching staffs in the American League this season, the Seattle Mariners must remember exactly what got them there.

"I told them today that success breeds success, but it also can breed lackadaisical behavior and false expectations," pitching coach Bryan Price said after the first day of Spring Training for the defending AL West champions. "If we think we can just roll out there on Opening Day, thinking we can beat everybody in the American League, we are badly mistaken."

Just like that, the motto for Spring Training was introduced.

"The reasons we are successful are attitude, character and athleticism, probably in that order," added Price, "not because we were the best physically. We were the best prepared and focused. If we lose the focus, we lose the edge. And we can't do that."

Camp opened with 24 pitchers -- one fewer than expected -- and six catchers.

Right-hander Rafael Soriano is still in the Dominican Republic because of visa problems.

The days of rushing young pitchers to the Major Leagues are a thing of the past for the Mariners. The new approach stresses patience and preparedness.

With veterans practically assured of occupying four of the five rotation spots, and the seasoning just as strong in the bullpen, the younger guns in camp are here to improve at a reasonable pace, instead of competing for an Opening Day introduction at SAFECO Field.

"We have a lot of good, young arms," manager Lou Piniella said, "and my message to them is don't get over-enthused early. We have a long time here."

Fewer than half of the pitchers who started the six-week camp at the Peoria Sports Complex Friday morning will be with the team on April 1 when it begins defense of its third division championship since 1995.

Even so, Price wants each of the pitchers to plan on being there.

"It looks on paper like this club is set," he said, "but strange things happen over the course of a spring."

Barring something totally unexpected, right-hander Freddy Garcia will emerge as the Opening Day starter against the Chicago White Sox. The rotation most likely will include left-hander Jamie Moyer and right-handers Paul Abbott and James Baldwin.

The fifth spot is wide open.

"We'll give them the ball and let them compete," said Manager Lou Piniella when asked how he would fill the vacancy. "There is a job there for whoever wants it. We are going to let them compete."

The candidates include left-hander John Halama and right-handers Joel Pineiro, Ryan Franklin and possibly Ken Cloude, who is coming back from three surgeries -- two on his right elbow and another on his right Achilles -- in the past four years.

Price wouldn't discount anyone from emerging as a surprise -- someone who could either compete for a job on the 25-man roster or make such a good impression for later consideration.

"You want to be impressive so if there is a job open at the end, you can take it," Price said. "Secondly, if you aren't on the team coming out of Spring Training, you can be a guy who leaves a pretty good taste in the mouths of the coaching staff."

If Halama, Pineiro or Franklin don't emerge as the fifth starter, they will become part of a bullpen that includes right-handers Jeff Nelson, Shigetoshi Hasegawa and Kazuhiro Sasaki and left-hander Arthur Rhodes.

Piniella would like a second lefty in the 'pen, someone to replace Norm Charlton, out for the season because of torn rotator cuff.

The search is on.

"In the meetings we had the other day, the kid with the best chance is (Matt) Jarvis," Piniella said. "The reports say he has a good arm, good breaking ball and is a tough kid. We'll see. We have gotten many of those reports before."

The Mariners signed Jarvis, 30, as a minor league free agent in 2001 and he played for Double-A San Antonio (1-1, 5.09) and Triple-A Tacoma (2-0, 1.56).