5/13: Will Jake Locker or Christian Ponder have a bigger impact rookie season?

–ESPN NFL bloggers Paul Kuharsky and Kevin Seifert debate whether Jake Locker or Christian Ponder will have a bigger impact in 2011. Kuharsky’s case for Locker over Ponder includes Locker’s durability, the easier competition in the AFC South and the not-so-lofty bar set by his predecessor in Tennessee Vince Young (compared to future Hall of Famer Brett Favre, who Ponder is replacing).

–Paul White of USA Today writes about Mariners pitcher Michael Pineda. White says that Miguel Cabrera and David Ortiz have sought out Pineda before games this year to compliment him.

–Mariners manager Eric Wedge tells Larry Stone of The Seattle Times that he hasn’t given much thought to returning to Cleveland, where he managed for seven seasons. The Mariners open a three-game series against the Indians tonight at 4 on 710 ESPN Seattle.

Wedge: “Obviously, I was there for a long time,” he said. “I’ll see, I’m sure, quite a few familiar faces, and friendly faces. I really haven’t given it a great deal of thought yet. I’m sure tomorrow I will.”

–Mike Curto, the play-by-play announcer for the Tacoma Rainiers, writes on the Tacoma News Tribune that Franklin Gutierrez had two hits and robbed a home run Friday in his second rehab start with the Rainiers. Curto says Gutierrez is expected to play again today.