OUT AND ABOUT with STEVE CAMERON: Traveling a new road, around and about

The readers have spoken.

More or less.

You might remember that a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that I need a name for our “notes” column — a merry-go-round of items about different subjects and people.

The number of responses was surprising.

And they led to a title.

OK, not exactly straight to it, but your emails made the result pretty obvious.

There were two common suggestions, starting with: “Around and about.” 

Then, with just one or two more votes, you liked: “Out and about.”

My stepson was the only voter to chip in with my favorite: “A Road Less Traveled.”

Sorry, can’t go with a single voter — even inside the family.

Patrons of The Press shall be heard.

Choosing from the two most common titles, I’m picking “Out and About” for a really practical reason.

If the folks who put together artwork and so forth want to be kind enough to give us something neat for the newspaper and web site, “Out and About” is the choice because it’s slightly shorter and easier to manipulate.

So, there you have it.

Now, I’m going to stitch together the first official “Out and About” for today.

This won’t be a normal format, but for the opener we’re peering entirely at the Mariners.

ITEM:  We’ve looked and looked and looked to see what the heck was wrong with Julio Rodriguez.

Even more critically, Julio himself has looked and looked and looked.

Result: He’s been swinging too late to catch up with fastballs, and too soon to handle breaking pitches.

Pitchers have been getting him out with both.

Heading into last weekend, Julio had one extra-base hit (a double) over his previous 66 plate appearances, with a .233 average, a .303 on-base percentage and a .250 slugging percentage.

Those are laughable numbers for Julio Rodriguez, but nobody around the Mariners was chuckling over them.

Oh, one other issue: Julio’s launch angle has been too low, so that when he’s driven the ball with authority (over 100 miles per hour off the bat), he’s producing way too many hard ground balls.

“He needs to get the ball in the air,” manager Scott Servais said. “When Julio lifts it, the results are electric.”

What Julio’s done to turn on that switch is simply to work.

And work some more.

“People wouldn’t believe how much he does,” Servais said.

The first critical goal?

“I have to catch up to the fastball,” Julio said. “If you do that and feel comfortable with it, you can adjust to the other things.”

J-Rod has been working with Mariners coaches, getting them to turn up the pitching machine to four zillion miles per hour (OK, some ridiculous speeds).

At last, he’s now feeling “on time.”

On Sunday, Julio drove a ball over the center field fence for his second home run of the year — in 41 games — and then pounded another one that missed the top of the wall by inches.

Has he “found it”?

Umm.

“It’s always about work,” he said. “You have to stay with the process, make sure you’re set up correctly.

“For me, I’ve got to get my legs into the swing. So, I keep working on that balance.

“You can never take it for granted.”

ITEM: Let’s assume the Mariners are in a pennant race later on this summer.

Their farm system has been reloaded, so they have the ammo to make a trade or two before the deadline.

What’s your advice to club president Jerry Dipoto and GM Justin Hollander?

What does this team need?

I know, I know.

You’re going to go for a bat — or maybe two, a contact guy and somebody with power.

You’ve also GOT to cut down on the strikeouts.

That was a goal in the offseason, and yet now the Mariners lead all of MLB in whiffs.

Where do they find reinforcements?

Hitters in the farm system are exciting, but probably a year away.

Thus, we’re talking trade, but I’m ALSO thinking this team needs help in the bullpen to do business in the playoffs.

They eventually are going to miss Matt Brash — out for the season with Tommy John surgery — and Gregory Santos, who was acquired from the White Sox before the season to complete the power end of Seattle’s relief corps.

BRASH led all of MLB with 78 appearances last year, and he was Servais’ firefighter, the guy who could get out of 

any kind of jam in any inning — overwhelming hitters with his 99 mph fastball and the game’s most vicious slider.

Santos, meanwhile, found a groove near the end of last season and became the Sox closer (five saves and a 3.39 ERA).

Given the Mariner instructors’ ability to find magic in almost anyone — Brash is a great example, as he was moved from a starter role — Santos figured to add even more fire to a loaded pen.

Now Brash is gone until 2025, and Santos has struggled to recover from a strained lat muscle that’s bugged him since spring training.

Will the Mariners trade for another reliever or two, pluck a future star off the waiver wire, or promote somebody from the minors who looks promising?

In any event, while everyone else is fretting about the offense, feel free to be nervous about a VERY thin bullpen.

Clip and save: The Mariners will score enough to reach the World Series.

Yep, really.

But.

They’ll need a hot arm for that seventh inning down the road (less traveled).

Maybe the eighth, too.

Email: scameron@cdapress.com

Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns appear in The Press four times each week, normally Tuesday through Friday unless, you know, stuff happens.

Steve suggests you take his opinions in the spirit of a Jimmy Buffett song: “Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On.”

Also, for today: Apologies to the spirit of Robert Frost, for use of that line (paraphrased) from his iconic poem. Yes, I do know the actual title is “The Road Not Taken.”  A nod also to M. Scott Peck, who DID write a meaningful book titled “The Road Less Traveled,” on the psychology of love, values and spiritual growth.

So, there.