PEORIA, Ariz. -- Shawn O'Malley, who is in a battle for the utility infield job with the Mariners, was scheduled for an appendectomy Tuesday evening after being taken to the hospital earlier in the day with stomach cramps.
The 29-year-old from Richland, Wash., is competing with Taylor Motter for the utility job this spring after playing in 89 games and posting a .229/.299/.319 line in 210 at-bats last year.
It's not certain yet how much time O'Malley will miss. The Mariners are less than two weeks away from Opening Day on April 3 in Houston.
"I don't know a time frame or anything like that," manager Scott Servais said. "He's doing OK, but he had to take care of that. It's unfortunate, the timing. But he has to take care of himself."
Smyly gets his work in
It was a long way from an emotional 4-2 win over Venezuela on Wednesday in the World Baseball Classic to a quiet backfield at Mariners camp pitching against Triple-A hitters in a Minor League contest, and Drew Smyly showed the effects in a five-inning outing Tuesday.
After striking out eight with three hits and just an unearned run in 4 2/3 innings against Venezuela in a key win for Team USA, Smyly rejoined the Mariners and gave up seven hits and six runs (four earned) with two walks and three strikeouts against the Padres' Triple-A club.
The Mariners were fine with Smyly getting his pitch count up to 90 and didn't worry about anything else.
"There weren't 30,000 people in the stands. It's a little bit different," manager Scott Servais said. "It's an adjustment, there's no doubt. There's no adrenaline; that's a big part of it. Especially when you've been in the league and been around a little bit, it's going to be a little different on the backfields."
Worth noting
• Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. was in camp Tuesday, chatting up players and coaches in his annual drop-in as part of his role as special consultant. Jamie Moyer spent Friday through Sunday working with pitchers in a similar role.
• A group of current pitchers beat a five-man coaching team in a throwing competition during Tuesday's workout that Servais lined up after pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. said players shouldn't have such a hard time hitting targets at each base during a fielding drill.
The coaches group, which included GM Jerry Dipoto and two other former big league pitchers in Mike Hampton and Pete Harnisch, survived the event with only bruised egos.
"My arm is fine," said Hampton, who won a Gold Glove for the Braves in 2003. "But my feelings are hurt."
• Veteran right-hander Micah Owings was reassigned to Minor League camp, which leaves the Mariners with 44 players still competing for the final 25-man roster.