Benji

Gil

Gil has worked on the Angels’ coaching staff the last two seasons and also served earlier this year as the manager for Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. The 51-year-old, who spent eight years in the majors between the Rangers and Angels from 1993-2003, would be a first-time manager, if the Padres elect to put him at the helm. The organization has also reportedly expressed interest in Yankees bench coach Carlos Mendoza, while Mike Shildt and Ryan Flaherty are considered the top internal candidates to fill the void.

Gil will start the season at Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs are unlikely to ever call him up.

The 32-year-old Gil isn’t the reserve infielder the Mariners need. They’ll keep looking for a primary backup for Pokey Reese and Bret Boone.

Triple-A Toledo needs a shortstop to replace Danny Klassen, who will play for Canada in the Olympics.

Chone Figgins got the start at second base.

Chone Figgins is on the bench.

Gil remains day-to-day.

Spring training box scores have been known to have errors, but we’ll accept this as fact for now, mainly because Gil has always displayed an excellent arm. If he’s going the Brooks Kieschnick-David McCarty route and shows he can be an emergency pitcher, he’ll have a better chance of winning a spot as the team’s 25th man.

Gil adds some depth to Triple-A Norfolk’s roster. He was 7-for-23 for the Mariners this spring.

Sean Green, the prospect the Mariners acquired from Colorado in the Aaron Taylor trade, worked the scoreless inning. Gil will attempt to make the Mariners by showing he can play most positions, but pitcher apparently isn’t one of them.