PEORIA, Ariz. — Midview High product Ryan Feierabend is on the comeback trail with the Mariners.

Feierabend

Feierabend, a rising left-hander in the Seattle organization before undergoing Tommy John surgery last spring, said he is back on track with no limitations, which he hopes translates into him breaking camp with the big league club.

“The first couple months (after Tommy John surgery) definitely took a lot out of me, physically and mentally,” said the 24-year-old Feierabend, who appeared in 25 games (19 starts) for Seattle from 2006-08. He missed all of last season, following surgery. “It showed me how much mental capacity I had.”

Feierabend, an All-Ohio pitcher and two-time Lorain County Player of the Year during his high school days with the Middies, had something to take his mind off baseball last summer — the birth of his son Trey.

“That made the summer go fast,” he said.

The post-surgery rehab process wasn’t quite as quick.

“It took a few months to feel normal again,” Feierabend said. “It still hurt and it felt like I just had surgery. They said that was part of the process. Then six or seven months later it was all right. One day I came in and I haven’t had any soreness since.”

Feierabend, Seattle’s third-round draft choice in 2003, was the picture of health for his first five years with Mariners. Elbow injuries struck shortly into the 2008 season, a slight muscle tear sidelining him for more than two months. Bypassing offseason surgery, Feierabend was working toward last year when he re-injured the elbow and wound up undergoing Tommy John.

Not surprisingly, his goal for this season is to remain injury-free.

“The main thing is staying healthy,” he said. “I haven’t been healthy since April of ’08. Then, I want to pitch well and hopefully make the club.”

The Ryan Feierabend file

• HEIGHT: 6-3
• WEIGHT: 220
• AGE: 24
• HIGH SCHOOL: Midview
• POSITION: Pitcher
• TEAM: Seattle Mariners
• THROWS: Left
• BATS: Left
• MAJOR LEAGUE RECORD: 2-11
• ERA: 7.22
• GAMES: 25
• GAMES STARTED: 19
• INNINGS PITCHED: 106
• STRIKEOUTS: 64
• WALKS: 44

Indians (4-0) 6, Mariners (3-4) 4

Hits: Second baseman Luis Valbuena and first baseman Wes Hodges accounted for half of the Indians’ 10 hits. Valbuena had three hits, scored two runs and drove in one, while Hodges had a pair of two-run doubles. … Aaron Laffey didn’t allow a run and just one hit over two innings in his first start (second appearance) of the spring. … Reliever Rafael Perez got the win, striking out two of the three batters he faced in the fifth inning.    

Misses: Two innings was too much for reliever Tony Sipp, who pitched a scoreless seventh but loaded the bases without recording an out in the eighth. He allowed a run on two hits, a walk and a hit batter. … A day after coming a home run shy of the cycle, center fielder Michael Brantley went 0-for-3 and grounded into a double play after Asdrubal Cabrera started the game with a single. … Justin Masterson followed Laffey but was unable to last two innings, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk in 1 2/3 innings.

PEORIA, Ariz. – Midview High product Ryan Feierabend is on the comeback trail with the Mariners.

Feierabend, a rising left-hander in the Seattle organization before undergoing Tommy John surgery last spring, said he is back on track with no limitations, which he hopes translates into him breaking camp with the big league club.    

“The first couple months (after Tommy John surgery) definitely took a lot out of me, physically and mentally,” said the 24-year-old Feierabend, who appeared in 25 games (19 starts) for Seattle from 2006-08, before missing all of last season, following surgery. “It showed me how much mental capacity I had.”

Feierabend, an All-Ohio pitcher and two-time Lorain County Player of the Year during his high school days with the Middies, had something to take his mind off baseball last summer – the birth of his son Trey.

“That made the summer go fast,” he said.

The post-surgery rehab process wasn’t quite as quick.

“It took a few months to feel normal again,” Feierabend said. “It still hurt and it felt like I just had surgery. They said that was part of the process. Then six or seven months later it was all right. One day I came in and I haven’t had any soreness since.”

Feierabend, Seattle’s third-round draft choice in 2003, was the picture of health for his first five years with Mariners. Elbow injuries struck shortly into the 2008 season, a slight muscle tear sidelining him for more than two months. Bypassing offseason surgery, Feierabend was working toward last year when he re-injured the elbow and wound up undergoing Tommy John.    

Not surprisingly, his goal for this season is to remain injury-free.

“The main thing is staying healthy,” he said. “I haven’t been healthy since April of ’08. Then, I want to pitch well and hopefully make the club.”

Indians (3-0) 3, Diamondbacks (1-5) 2

Hits: Center fielder Michael Brantley was a home run short of the cycle, accounting for three of the Indians’ seven hits. He scored a run, drove one in and started the game with a triple off Arizona starter Rodrigo Lopez. … Right-hander Yohan Pino, who was acquired in a trade with the Twins for Carl Pavano, tossed two scoreless innings and struck out two.

Misses: Jake Westbrook was predictably rusty in his exhibition debut, the right-hander allowing a run on one hit, three walks and a hit batter in 1 2/3 innings. He hit the second batter he faced. … Touted catching prospect Carlos Santana was hitless in three at-bats with one strikeout. … Left fielder Trevor Crowe went 0-for-3 and left three on base.