Servais, Mariners living the dream as White Sox endure nightmare
The last Seattle Mariners manager to receive a contract extension was Lou Piniella in 2000. That puts Scott Servais in select company. Servais, who has managed the Mariners for the past 2 1/2 seasons, was signed to a multiyear contract by the club on Friday before the opener of a three-game series with the Chicago White Sox. "We talked about it for many, many years," Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said. "We always talked about, 'What is your dream job?' This is my dream job, what I do today. And managing is Scott's dream job, and I've known about that for 15-20 years. "This was always what he wanted to do, it was just a matter of if he'd ever get that opportunity. And when this came to be, he got the opportunity and he's run with it. I think he's done a great job." Servais has posted a 223-199 record. His .528 winning percentage is second in franchise history behind only Piniella's .542, and he trails only Piniella (840), Jim Lefebvre (233) and Darrell Johnson (226) in career victories. "Ultimately, the game is about the players," Servais said. "We have a special group here. And what our coaching staff has been able to do with that group should not go unnoticed. I would not be here without them. I love our guys and how we prepare and how we go about things." With Friday's 3-1 victory over the White Sox, the Mariners (59-39) have a four-game lead over the Oakland Athletics in the chase for the American League's second and final wild-card berth. While the Mariners were holding a news conference to announce Servais' extension, All-Star first baseman Jose Abreu was standing in the visiting clubhouse at Safeco Field, being asked about the possibility he'll be dealt before the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline by the White Sox (33-63). "We don't talk about things we can't control," Abreu told MLB.com through an interpreter. "We talk about the positive things. We talk about motivational things. ... "I'm really glad to be in this organization. I would like to stay in this organization forever. As for rumors, we don't talk about rumors." The White Sox could get a boost this weekend from the return of outfielder Avisail Garcia, who has been out since July 9 with a right hamstring strain. "For sure this weekend," Garcia told MLB.com. "I'm ready to go." Garcia has twice been sidelined this season with a right hamstring strain, also missing April 24 to June 22. White Sox manager Rick Renteria said Garcia did some work in the outfield before Friday's game. "He's going to go through (batting practice) and then we'll see how he responds from that," Renteria said. "But he's been feeling good." The White Sox are scheduled to send right-hander Dylan Covey (3-5, 5.69 ERA) to the mound Saturday night against Mariners right-hander Felix Hernandez (8-7, 5.13), who will be making his first start since a stint on the 10-day disabled list with lower back stiffness. In 20 career starts against the White Sox, Hernandez is 7-6 with a 3.76 ERA. He got a win April 25 in Chicago when he allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings of a 4-3 decision. Covey has made one previous start in Seattle, getting a no-decision on May 18, 2017, when he went six innings, allowing four runs and five hits. |