| By Jason A. Churchill |  | By 03-30-2009 |
This is going to be quick, random, and from the hip, but this is what I'd do with the M's from today until the day the season starts. Not beyond, and I'm not going to talk about the Morrow thing. They say he's a reliever, I'll treat him as a reliever for now.By the way, these are in no particular order.
1. Release Batista
He can't pitch, and I'd rather pay him to do nothing to hurt the club and take a roster spot of someone who could help them now and in the future.
2. Place Morrow on the DL or keep him in XST
If he's ready to roll, fine, he can come north. But that's going to be tough to say in less than a week. Start him on the disabled list or keep him behind in extended spring training and get him right.
If Morrow does not come north on the 25-man, here's my bullpen:
Aardsma, Kelley, Jimenez, Lugo, Lowe, White and Jakubauskas
When Morrow is right, either White, or Jakubauskas goes down, but Jakubauskas leads the long-man group with Batista out and RRS in the rotation.
When Tyler Johnson is ready, he's in, too, probably in place of Jimenez. The M's are likely going to carry Roy Corcoran, but I wouldn't right now. Send him down, hope he gets right and if there's use for a strike thrower, call him up then.
Side Note: RRS was 87-89 today in the third inning, a sign that he's just working through some issues and not necessarily hurt after topping out at 87 and hitting a lot of 85s and 86s in his two previous starts.
3. Since Clement has already been sent down, I'm releasing Jamie Burke and making Rob Johnson my backup catcher.
4. Buy Clement a first baseman's glove, release Bryan LaHair
These go hand-in-hand with having better options at first base than LaHair, who has no future in the organization beyond Tacoma. This means Carp has to give way to Clement at first once in awhile, but Carp can DH some, too. The M's are strongly considering sending Carp to AA West Tenn, but I don't like the idea. There's no reason to believe Carp isn't better than LaHair, Javier Brito or Thomas Hubbard, though Hubbard has more raw power.
Clement catches twice a week, plays first once or twice a week and DHs once or twice a week, which allows Adam Moore to catch 4-5 times per week and DH on occasion as well.
5. Release Mike Sweeney
The Mariners aren't likely to do this, instead, they'll send Carp to AA, use Shelton-Clement at first in Tacoma and keep Sweeney for the April 6 opener, at least until April 7
when the veteran gets hurt and heads to the DL.
6. Place Mike Morse on waivers, hoping, for his sake, that someone claims him and gives him a shot, or, for the team's sake, he clears and can be used in Tacoma in some capacity. My guess is that he's traded for an A-ball kid or another out-of-options player that maybe the M's can use.
7. Name Ronny Cedeno the starting shortstop
Betancourt can backup Cedeno and Lopez for awhile and see if that wakes him up. Again, Wak and Jack or not likely to do this right now, but I would. If Betancourt, who did draw a walk today, is not going to listen and do the work the way the club wants him to, he has no place here, even if he can hit .350 in Peoria.
8. Try and work out a reasonable deal with the Yankees for Reegie Corona. He's interesting, can play short and second and has some skills offensively. Keeping him on the 25-man isn't good for player or team right now, but the club could use him in Tacoma where Callix Crabbe is the lone second baseman.
Maybe the Yankees have interest in a Luis Pena, Luis Munoz or someone of that nature.
9. MiLB style - Halman to West Tenn, Triunfel to West Tenn, Aumont, Adcock, Pineda, Ramirez to High Desert, Cleto to Clinton (he hasn't been able to throw, since he's not in Peoria, apparently. Working on getting some info on that).
Noriega and Martinez to Clinton, too, Valdivia and Morban in the rookie leagues - Peoria or Pulaski.
Can't wait for the Alex White era to begin, since upon being drafted and signed, White would immediately become the most likely arm in the system to help the big club in the rotation before 2011.
Photo of Gabriel Noriega by Mike Andruski
seriously
Comments
The following 24 comment(s) for this article are shown below:
| 1. By: Blowgun7 on 03-30-2009 17:30:19 Im down with the bullpen, although i anticipate Morrow will head North, bumping White out... I also think they'll keep Corcoran and Batista at the expense of Kelley and Jakubauskas.. I think we're probably looking at: Batista, Corcoran, Lowe, Morrow, Lugo, Jimenez, Aardsma. Im hoping Kelley can somehow impress enough over these last few days to get on the big club for opening day. As for Clement, wish they'd take his catchers mitt and throw in the trash bin because if he doesn't know how to catch by now to meet their standards, I don't think he ever will.. time to deal him or convert him |
| 2. By: Gustafson on 03-30-2009 17:37:44 Re: Alex White, You say he's the most likely to be ready BEFORE 2011. So you think he gets to the Bigs in 2010 sometime? Wow. That would be great... |
| 3. By: stickball on 03-30-2009 18:10:45 Re: Jakubauskas Haha. I thought you said spring training performances are meaningless. |
| 4. By: marinerdan on 03-30-2009 18:13:27 This seems like the most depressing post since Adam Jones was traded. Morrow's value is 1/10 in the bullpen of what it could be as a starter, we are considering Cedeno as a starting shortstop. But most depressing of all, that Alex White would be the most likely pitcher to help in the rotation before 2011. Its amazing how one office can screw over a ballclub so much with one trade. |
| 5. By: Blowgun7 on 03-30-2009 18:25:22 We could be looking at an outfield right now of Shin Soo Choo, Adam Jones, and Ichiro. Not to mention this Morrow news could be blunted if we had Tillman knocking on the door... furthermore, maybe Morrow doesnt move to the pen if George Sherill is back there providing some stability.. Maybe we dont deal Putz if we had those aforementioned players.. I cant believe how badly Lincoln/Armstrong along with Bill Bavasi screwed this franchise |
| 6. By: Slurve on 03-30-2009 18:31:19 what do you think of the M's signing 3B/C Choi Ji-man from Korea? |
| 7. By: Jason A. Churchill on 03-30-2009 18:42:20 stick, The results are meaningless. I knew it. You had no comprehension of the entire discussion. re: Alex White I said the most likely arm to help in the rotation before 2011, that was a prediction of his ETA. |
| 8. By: Gustafson on 03-30-2009 18:47:37 Right. I was just surprised you thought he'd arrive in the Majors that quickly. |
| 9. By: stickball on 03-30-2009 18:51:55 Haha, no. I used the term performances, not results. |
| 10. By: stickball on 03-30-2009 19:15:28 Keep Jaimie Burke in AAA to mentor Clement on defense. I would put Clement second or third in the Tacoma order to get him more at-bats. Morse is suited for the NL where he can fill-in the pinch hit double switch role. Trade him for a LOOGY, Will Ledezma perhaps. Agreed on Corona. |
| 11. By: Jason A. Churchill on 03-30-2009 19:45:37 performance = results, statistics. The only things that matter in ST are approach, responding positively to instruction, showing improvements from said instruction. Again, this is why Betancourt is being shopped and could lose his job to a player that doesn't have the numbers he has. It's not about performance. The performances/results are incidental. re: Clement If Burke goes to Tacoma, you either have three catchers or you have one less pitcher or only two reserve position players. None of which is happening, unless Clement is THE first baseman or DH and isn't going to catch, which would defeat the mentoring purpose of Burke. |
| 12. By: stickball on 03-30-2009 19:57:53 Moore could start the year in AA. Phillips could start in Tacoma too. Phillips plays 1B too, Burke also. Definition of performance - the execution of an action; something accomplished : deed , feat. I don't see statistics and I didn't say that Jakubauskas should make the Tacoma (or Seattle) team solely due to statistics. |
| 13. By: slick on 03-30-2009 20:03:03 any chance the m's look at signing Lackeyin 2010 if he is healthy, Bedard Batista Washburn come off the books and we are kind of light on righthanders. |
| 14. By: stickball on 03-30-2009 20:03:34 EDIT: Delete the sentences about Phillips. |
| 15. By: rightwingrick on 03-30-2009 22:45:44 OK, let's forget Jakubauskas and his spring training performance, stats, results, or whatever....even if he has been the M's best pitcher all spring. Forget that consistency. How about this: in AA and AAA in 2008, he was 8-1 with a 1.88 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. OK, NOW factor in his consistently good spring performance COMBINED with his consistently good (very similar numbers) spring. If none of THAT counts, why do we play the game? Jakubauskas has earned his way. IMHO, he should start, Silva should work out his problems in long relief. |
| 16. By: Jason A. Churchill on 03-30-2009 23:10:08 Your mixing apples and oranges, rick. His minor league performances can be quantified,not to mention the fact that W-L and ERA are not good indicators of future potential or present performance. and I never ever once said Jakubauskas hasn't earned anything, and as you see above, I just said he deserves to make the big club, but I based that on the fact that Corcoran sucks, Johnson is hurt and I would release Batista... The one thing he's done is throw strikes, always has, and he's throwing strikes with TWO breaking balls right now. I don't care what his numbers are, he's shown enough stuff to be useful in the pen, especially since he can cover multiple innings. Stick, Why would you send Moore, who is a better catching prospect than Clement, back to AA to stunt his growth? |
| 17. By: huhwhat on 03-30-2009 23:44:52 Jason, Any chance the M's are shopping Clement right now? My pipe dream would be packaging Clement and even Yuni to try and get back a Lars Anderson type. Highly unlikely, but man, it's kind of depressing thinking about how the M's first round draft picks are turning out. |
| 18. By: stickball on 03-31-2009 00:14:33 From what I've read, the difference between AA and AAA pitching isn't as large a jump as the difference between AAA and the big show. Moore still needs work on his defense. I'd expect Moore to spend a couple months in AA and a move to be made, probably a trade of Rob Johnson. |
| 19. By: Edman on 03-31-2009 00:48:59 Why in the world would they trade Rob Johnson? Are you assuming Clement suddenly decides to hit? It makes no sense to trade Johnson. Some of you seem to think that trading is cool. They have no idea if Johnson will adapt. If he shows he can defend his position (which isn't a stretch for one of the minor leagues best defensive catchers) and swing an average or better bat, they'd be foolish. There's no rush to move him. Some seem to think the M's are obligated to make space for some kids in the minors. Frankly, they don't have ANY stellar bats that you'd make that move for. Moore needs at least most of this year at AAA. He has a lot of promise, but he's not an uber prospect, he's just a very nice one. You're putting the cart way before the horse. If anyone's going, it's Clement, IMHO. Wak has already stated defense is important behind the dish. So, for Clement to make it, he HAS to hit major league pitching. He has no choice. I've been reluctant to see him moved to first, but I see little other choice. At best, he's a platoon option, but probably not before August, unless he catches fire. Rob Johnson deserves a chance to prove himself. Clement has been given over a year to show anything. He had a brief hot streak after being a September call up, two seasons ago. That's it. Hardly worth throwing your investment in Johnson away for. I'm as big a fan of Clement as anyone. But, you have to face reality. He's lost all the grace period he's going to get. Now, he has to force someone out. |
| 20. By: bigmook on 03-31-2009 00:59:42 JASON- What the hell are we to make of Mike Wilson's homer thing? Please give me your take on his defense and offense. Thanks. |
| 21. By: SvhoopsStar5 on 03-31-2009 09:27:48 Jason, This might get a little too far into what I'm assuming you mention in the Handbook but if you were to build a starting lineup and rotation out of the Mariners Prospects what would it look like? I'm thinking something along the lines of this: C- Moore DH- Clement 1B- Carp/Raben 2B- Corona (if he stays) SS- Triunfel 3B- Tui/De Jesus/Martinez LF- Saunders CF- Halman RF- Gillies SP- Aumonte SP- Ramirez SP- Cleto SP- Pineda SP- Adcock SU- Kelley CL- Fields Sound reasonable?? |
| 22. By: stickball on 03-31-2009 09:50:54 Trading Clement would be selling low, trading Rob Johnson could be selling high. Moore is the future catcher. Do you keep Rob Johnson to play backup catcher? After Wednesday's game the Mariners should place Delgado on waivers for the purpose of outrighting him to AAA. If he doesn't clear waivers or if he refuses assignment then this opens up a spot on the 40 man roster, which can be filled by Jakubauskas or Kelley. If Delgado clears waivers and accepts the outright then they need to clear a roster spot on the 40 man roster before opening day. |
| 23. By: stickball on 03-31-2009 10:10:55 If anyone's going, it's Clement That's a Bavasi move. Clement's not going to get much at this stage, not the amount you would expect a high first round pick would return. Since you know everything, what is this huge investment in Rob Johnson? |
| 24. By: candasharp on 03-31-2009 11:49:24 Unless high value is obtained in return, I doubt if any of the young catchers are going anywhere. Clement's bat is still valuable to the team, especially if Branyan plops out, and you can't trade him as a cather right now. Johnson is the best defensively of all the catchers and could still have a Dan wilson type of offensive upside. Given Johjima's defensive issues, I can't see Johnson going anywhere. Moore needs to prove himself at AAA before they trade him because if he taps his potential both offensively and defensively, his overall skill set probably gives him the long term edge as the starter (not as high offensively as Clement or defensively as Johnson but a very acceptable blend). I'm sure this issue will be revisited at the trade deadline but it seems pretty moot right now. |
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