The Mariners have reassigned catcher Josh Bard and utility player Chris Gimenez to minor league camp. Seattle is looking to get their roster down to 25 players prior to Opening Day.

Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki is donating 100 million yen, which equates to about $1.25M, to the Japanese Red Cross for earthquake and tsunami relief efforts, according to the Kyodo News Agency. Ichiro has yet to comment publicly on the situation in his homeland, according to the ESPN.com report on Friday.

Ken Griffey Jr. issued a prepared statement when he suddenly retired from last June, and didn't say another word about it. Wednesday, at spring training with the Mariners, Griffey discussed his reasons for leaving the game and the way he did, insisting it would be the only time he will address it, according to an ESPN.com report.

The Mariners may get a boost in their starting rotation if Erik Bedard is finally healthy. "We'll see during the season, but right now, health-wise and stuff-wise, I feel the same as I was before," the left-hander said. Bedard has had three shoulder surgeries in recent years. "He's one of the premier left-handers in the game," said teammate Jason Vargas. "If we can get him back at half of that, it's pretty exciting. If he's healthy, that makes our rotation extremely good."

Team have called the Mariners about pitcher Felix Hernandez, but the answer remains the same. Seattle isn't interested in moving the right-hander. "He's not going anywhere," Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik said. "We've got him. We'll keep him. We're not going to move him." Hernandez, the 2010 AL Cy Young winner, is signed to a reasonable long-term contract.

An MRI has revealed that Mariners catcher Miguel Olivo has suffered a strained adductor muscle. There is no timetable for his return. Olivo was injured in Saturday's Cactus League game against Cleveland as he tagged up on a fly ball and scored from third base.

Mariners ace Felix Hernandez is ready to go after throwing 33 pitches in a simulated game on Thursday. He'll make his first Cactus League start on Monday. "I'm ready," he said. "I'm feeling so good, man. I was throwing strikes, the ball was in the bottom of the zone, the breaking ball was good, the changeup was alright. Everything looked good." Hernandez and fellow starter Jason Vargas are on slower schedules this spring than the rest of Seattle's pitchers. He threw AL-leading 249 2/3 innings last year and will see limited action this spring.

The Indians have traded left-hander Aaron Laffey to the Mariners for minor league infielder Matt Lawson. Laffey split time between Cleveland and Triple-A Columbus last season, and he bounced back and forth between the rotation and bullpen.