The Associated Press

PEORIA, Ariz. - Bob Melvin has spent the last three months shaking hands and posing for photos. Finally, it's time to put on his new uniform as manager of the Seattle Mariners and get to work.

"I've done everything except what they hired me to do," Melvin said. "I'm very, very anxious to get on the field."

The Mariners are getting an early start on spring training. Catchers and pitchers reported Sunday, and workouts begin today as Seattle prepares for a season-opening series in Japan against the Oakland Athletics.

For Melvin, hired to replace the departed Lou Piniella, this day couldn't have come soon enough.

"I'm still sleeping, but not as much," he said.

Melvin takes over the Mariners after four seasons as a major-league bench coach, the last two with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He played 10 years in the majors with seven teams, a journeyman catcher who had a career .233 batting average.

Now, he's managing at age 41, only one year older than Mariners players Edgar Martinez and Jamie Moyer. And he's replacing the colorful Piniella, who left for Tampa Bay after last season to live closer to his family.

Melvin was asked if he will throw hats or kick bases, as Piniella sometimes did.

"I really don't know," Melvin said. "I know I'm going to be very positive and upbeat. I know I'm going to stick up for our players. How upset and what I'm going to do, that's uncharted waters."

For months, Melvin has had the Mariners on his mind.

"It almost makes your head spin," he said. "You have so many left-right options here. You have so many guys who can play different positions. I had a whole notebook. I finally quit doing it."

Melvin asked the front office to pursue versatile bench players like Gregg Colbrunn and John Mabry to improve team depth, and the Mariners landed All-Star outfielder Randy Winn as compensation for releasing Piniella.

At the same time, Melvin knows better than to tinker too much with a successful formula. Ichiro Suzuki is still expected to bat leadoff, and Melvin is counting on gold glove infielders like Bret Boone and John Olerud.

"You've got to run this team the way they're able to do things," Melvin said. "For me to come into a winning situation and say I've got to put my stamp on it, I don't think that's the right thing to do."

He plans to delegate to friends, bringing in former Mariners manager Rene Lachemann as bench coach. He also trusts incumbent pitching coach Bryan Price, who's entering his 14th season in the Seattle organization.

"He's almost going to be like a bench coach," Melvin said. "The most important thing in the American League, as far as the manager is concerned once the game has started, is the pitching changes."

Melvin knows expectations haven't changed in Seattle, where 116 wins two years ago wasn't good enough to reach the World Series. And 93 victories last season didn't even get the Mariners into the playoffs from the AL West.

Perhaps his time with the Diamondbacks, which included a ring from the 2001 World Series, can provide an intangible boost.

CARIBBEAN SERIES

AL MVP Miguel Tejada tripled, doubled twice and singled to lead the Dominican Republic's Cibao Eagles to the Caribbean Series championship with a 7-3 win over Puerto Rico's Mayaguez Indians Saturday night.

Tejada also scored three runs and David Ortiz drove in two. Ortiz, who recently signed with the Boston Red Sox, was picked as MVP of the tournament after leading in batting average (.480), RBI (11), runs scored (8) and doubles (5).

The champions finished with a 6-1 record and the Indians were 5-2. The Caguas Creoles, also from Puerto Rico, were 2-4 and Mexico's Caneros of Los Mochis were 0-6.