M’S Charlton Tips His Hand

The way the Boston Red Sox hit Norm Charlton in two games over the weekend, he began to suspect they knew what pitches were coming. He was right.

Alvaro Espinoza, the utility infielder who spent much of last season with the Cleveland Indians, was calling Charlton’s pitches Sunday from the Mariners bench before the left-hander threw them.

“The Indians owned me last year, and Alvaro knew why,” Charlton said. “I ran back in the video room (Sunday) to see what I could find, and he came back and told me what Cleveland looked for.”

When Charlton held the ball in his left hand while looking for a sign from the catcher, he held it with a fastball grip. Before pitching, Charlton brought his hands together in front of him.

“I didn’t need to change a fastball grip, so my elbows would be down and my hands up before I delivered,” Charlton said. “But when I threw a split-finger, I had to change the grip in the glove, and I’d force the ball between my fingers with my glove - and in the process, my elbows would point out, not down.”

From the plate, hitters could tell which pitch was coming, and instead of chasing split-fingered pitches that looked like fastballs but sank, they would often lay off that pitch.

Now Charlton is eager to try a new setup, one in which he will start with a split-finger grip when the ball is at his side.

“Then, if I change it, there’s no pushing involved, and if I throw a split-finger, I’ve already gripped the pitch.”

As for Espinoza, he shrugged when asked about helping Charlton.

“Last year, it was my job to help beat him,” he said. “This year, he is my teammate.”

Mariners give up on Torres

Like the San Francisco Giants before them, the Seattle Mariners have given up on promising right-hander Salomon Torres.

On Tuesday, the Mariners designated Torres for assignment to make room on their 25-man roster for 41-year-old Dennis Martinez, who was listed as Tuesday night’s starter against Cleveland.

Torres, 25, came to spring training in Peoria, Ariz., to be manager Lou Piniella’s No. 5 starter. He left Arizona in the Mariners’ bullpen and pitched himself off the staff Monday night when he gave up three runs on four hits and a walk in three innings in an 8-3 loss to Cleveland.

The Mariners acquired Torres on May 21, 1995.

Mariners 14, Indians 8

Cleveland Seattle ab r h bi ab r h bi Grssom cf 5 1 2 1 Cora 2b 5 2 0 1 Giles cf 1 0 0 0 ARdrgz ss 3 2 2 1 Seitzer dh 6 1 1 0 Grfy Jr cf 5 3 3 4 Thome 1b 2 1 2 0 EMrtnz dh 4 2 3 2 MaWm 3b 5 1 1 1 Buhner rf 4 1 3 4 Justice lf 3 0 1 0 Srrento 1b 5 0 1 0 Curtis lf 0 0 0 0 DaWlsn c 4 1 0 0 Rmirez rf 5 2 3 1 Gates 3b 5 1 3 0 JuFrco 2b 5 1 3 1 Tinsley lf 5 2 2 1 SAlmr c 5 1 4 4 Brders pr 0 0 0 0 Vizquel ss 4 0 0 0 TFrndz ss 1 0 1 0 Totals 42 8 18 8 Totals 40 14 17 13

Cleveland 410 030 000 - 8

Seattle 400 440 20x - 14

E-Cora (2), Martinez (1). DP-Seattle 2. LOBCleveland 12, Seattle 8. 2B-Grissom (1), MaWilliams (4), Justice (1), ARodriguez (4), Griffey Jr (3), Gates (1). HR-Grissom (1), SAlomar (5), Griffey Jr (6), EMartinez (3), Buhner (1).

Cleveland IP H R ER BB SO Hershiser 3-2/3 10 8 8 1 5 ALopez L,0-1 2-2/3 6 6 6 5 2 Shuey 2/3 0 0 0 0 2 MJackson 1 1 0 0 0 0 Seattle IP H R ER BB SO Martinez 4 11 7 7 4 1 Hurtdo W,1-0 2-1/3 3 1 1 1 2 Manzanillo 1-1/3 2 0 0 0 0 Ayala 1-1/3 2 0 0 0 0 Martinez pitched to 2 batters in the 5th.

WP-ALopez, Manzanillo.

T-3:37. A-24,348 (58,879).