Seattle Mariners notes

[shawn555]

Mariners Notebook: Morrow stays in bullpen

07:31 AM PST on Thursday, February 14, 2008

Associated Press


PEORIA, Ariz. - Brandon Morrow pitched in Venezuela this past winter with the hope of landing a spot in Seattle Mariners' starting rotation.

Instead, the young right-hander will be in the Mariners' bullpen for a second straight year.

Manager John McLaren called the 23-year-old Morrow to inform him of the decision before pitchers and catchers reported to the team's spring training facility on Wednesday.

"I didn't want him having any gray area about what his role was," McLaren said. "(We sent him) to Venezuela with the thoughts of him being a candidate for the starting rotation. We had to build his arm strength up, we had to build his pitch count up. With that said, we made a couple moves in the offseason and the way Brandon throws the ball, he's a big part of our staff."

The Mariners acquired two starting pitchers in the offseason, signing Carlos Silva in December, then last week trading for Baltimore ace Erik Bedard. With Felix Hernandez, Jarrod Washburn and Miguel Batista already in the rotation, there was no room left for the hard-throwing Morrow.

The Mariners drafted Morrow with the sixth pick in the 2006 draft believing Morrow would be a starter in the majors. That may eventually happen but for now he'll continue to work out of Seattle's bullpen as a potential set-up man for closer J.J. Putz.

Morrow went 3-4 with a 4.12 ERA in 60 relief appearances for Seattle last season, striking out 66 in 63 1-3 innings.

"Brandon was happy to know exactly what his role was coming into camp," said McLaren, who praised Morrow's work in Venezuela. "The thing he really did was he worked on his secondary pitches. Last year he kind of just relied strictly on his fastball because the game was on the line. This year we feel he can use all three pitches and be a better pitcher because of it."

ENJOYING THE VIEW FROM ON TOP: McLaren didn't get much of a chance to appreciate his status as a major league manager in 2007 after being handed the job in July when Mike Hargrove abruptly quit. This season, McLaren is taking it all in.

Leaning back in a chair in his office Wednesday, McLaren smiled and casually joked with reporters while talking about the Mariners' upcoming season. That was in stark contrast to the short-tempered Hargrove, who was often sullen and said he could no longer match his players' energy at the time he quit.

That's not the case with McLaren, who finally landed a manager's job after 21 years as a coach.

"I'm real excited," McLaren said. "Last year at this time we were talking about we wanted to win. We were good enough to win, why shouldn't we be winning? I think our thoughts (now) are how do we win more games? We know we can win, now we want to win more games. We want to make the playoffs, we want to win the (AL) West."

Seattle won 88 games last year but is primed to make a strong run at the Los Angeles Angels in the AL West after a busy offseason revamping the roster. To help, McLaren assembled a strong coaching staff.

Pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre, bench coach Jim Riggleman, first base coach Eddie Rodriguez, third base coach Sam Perlozzo and bullpen coach Norm Charlton are all newcomers, joining hitting coach Jeff Pentland -- the lone holdover from Hargrove's staff. In addition, Seattle hired Lee Elia as a special assistant to McLaren and brought in former major leaguer Tony Phillips to help tutor the Mariners' infielders.

"I've got history with these guys," McLaren said. "I think it's one of the better staffs in baseball. It's not a reflection on our staff from last year, because they did a nice job, there's no question about that. These are more or less my guys."

SHORT HOPS: The Mariners signed veteran switch-hitting first baseman Greg Norton to a minor league contract Wednesday and invited him to spring training. Norton, 35, has been among the top pinch hitters in baseball since 2001 but played in only 75 games last season for Tampa Bay after undergoing surgery on his right knee. He hit .243, with four home runs and 23 RBIs. ... Pitchers and catchers will hold their first workout on Thursday with the rest of the squad due in Arizona next week.

 

[shawn555]

For Mariners, it's Erik Bedard at No. 1

By Geoff Baker

Seattle Times staff reporter

PEORIA, Ariz. — Even filling out medical forms, lean-and-mean Felix Hernandez was the center of attention.

Hernandez had already lost his job as the Mariners' No. 1 starter before the first pitch of spring training had been thrown. As he sat quietly at a clubhouse table Wednesday, patiently handling paperwork in triplicate, he kept being interrupted by teammates, coaches and trainers.

"Did you lose more weight?" they asked.

Yes, the 21-year-old would nod with a smile. Hernandez says he's down to 218 pounds, nine less than last February, when his weight loss generated headlines across baseball.

"I was working out like I did last year," Hernandez said. "It gets easier."

Weight-loss stories are about as common to spring training as palm trees and soon-to-be-broken promises. But when anything happens to Hernandez that suggests improvement to a precocious r?sum?, it stops folks in their tracks.

As pitchers and catchers reported to spring training Wednesday, there was a quiet optimism in camp that last week's trade for pitcher Erik Bedard, officially named the team's opening-day starter on Wednesday, will hasten the progress of another potential staff ace-in-waiting.

"You know who's going to benefit the most from Bedard being here, besides us [relievers]?" Mariners closer J.J. Putz whispered, pointing in Hernandez's direction. "That guy sitting right there."

The theory that adding Bedard will take the pressure off Hernandez is shared almost universally by players and coaches. Losing his designation as the No. 1 starter appears to have had little impact on Hernandez, probably because 21-year-olds are not really supposed to be staff aces anyway.

"They told me yesterday," Hernandez said of making Bedard No. 1, "and I said 'fine.' "

Hernandez won't flat-out say that he'll do better with Bedard taking the heat off him. But he does believe the bullpen should benefit tremendously from starter upgrades of Bedard and Carlos Silva.

"We've got a good rotation this year," Hernandez said. "I think one of the best rotations in the major leagues. The bullpen is going to be better because we can throw a lot of innings ... Last year, we used the bullpen a lot, every day. And those guys were tired. Sean Green was tired at the end of the season. And I think those two guys are going to help."

Bedard took the opening-day designation in stride when informed of it by manager John McLaren Wednesday.

"We haven't finished the physicals," he said with a chuckle when asked if he was surprised by the news.

Anointing Bedard the team's No. 1 was hardly a shock. Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi has called Bedard a "No. 1 guy" all along and just gave up five players to get him.

McLaren said Hernandez handled the news like a pro.

"He's a quality person," McLaren said. "There's no doubt in my mind about it. He's such a solid person. He's a great teammate. He showed that last year when he gave J.J. [Putz] that ball, handed it to him with two outs in the ninth inning last year and let J.J. get his 40th save."

Shortly after taking over as manager last season, McLaren issued a challenge to Hernandez. The pitcher had lost his temper on the mound twice, costing his team wins against the Orioles and Blue Jays.

McLaren told Hernandez he wanted him to become the game's best pitcher from Venezuela.

That's a tall order, considering the list from Venezuela includes Johan Santana, Carlos Zambrano and Kelvim Escobar. Each has carried playoff teams and won 18 games or more in a season.

Hernandez was 14-7 last season, shaving his earned-run average to 3.93. He hopes to improve on that by throwing inside more, something new pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre is already preaching to him.

"I love throwing inside," Hernandez said. "I'm going to prove it this year."

If he can back up those words, it may not be long before folks again refer to Hernandez as a No. 1 starter.

 

[IE]

New ace Bedard agrees to 1-year deal with Mariners, avoids arbitration
February 15, 2008

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) -- Erik Bedard has agreed to a $7 million, one-year contract with the Seattle Mariners, avoiding arbitration with the team that acquired him last week.

The two sides are believed to have already started negotiations on a long-term deal. General manager Bill Bavasi, who still has not had a contract go to arbitration since he joined the Mariners in 2004, indicated last week that the team was exploring a multiyear extension for the left-handed ace.

"We are pleased to have Eric signed for 2008 and to avoid the arbitration process," Bavasi said. "It was important to the club to get this done quickly and fairly to avoid any distraction as we prepare for the season."


Mariners manager John McLaren already has picked Bedard to start on opening day. Bedard was 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA last year for Baltimore.

The 28-year-old was asking for $8 million in arbitration. Seattle's offer was $6 million.

Bedard made $3,425,000 last year.

 

[Trampled Underfoot]

What the hell is Bavasi doing? Morrow should be in AAA as a starter. This GM has to go. What a damn moron. Bavasi is doing anything to keep his job while pissing away the long term interests of the franchise. I wish I had a voodoo doll.

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

What the hell is Bavasi doing? Morrow should be in AAA as a starter. This GM has to go. What a damn moron. Bavasi is doing anything to keep his job while pissing away the long term interests of the franchise. I wish I had a voodoo doll.

Couldn't agree more. I read in the Times the other day that the M's were considering having Morrow start this year, but they got Silva in a trade so that's why they're sending Morrow back to the pen. Wow. Really? You're going to move your 1st round pick, who was a dominant starter in college, back to the pen in place of a guy who is lucky to be a #5 starter, at best? Brilliant.

Like you said, Bavasi is just trying to win as many games as he can in the short-term to keep his job. It's one thing when a GM makes bad moves because they can't evaluate talent, it's a whole different ballgame when they knowingly sabotage a team's future just to save their job.

 

[shawn555]

Mariners claim RHP off waivers





Associated Press - February 16, 2008 9:25 PM ET

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) - The Seattle Mariners have claimed right-hander Anderson Garcia off waivers from Philadelphia, adding him to their 40-man roster.

The Mariners say the 26-year-old Garcia will report to their spring training camp tomorrow in Peoria, Ariz.

General manager Bill Bavasi says the Mariners scouts have liked Garcia in the past and the team felt getting him was an opportunity to add some pitching depth to its organization.

Garcia has spent parts of 7 seasons in the minor leagues with the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, Baltimore and Philadelphia.

In his minor league career, Garcia has a 29-31 record with a 3.85 ERA in 221 games, including 39 starts.

He has pitched in one major league game ... with the Phillies last season, going two-thirds of an inning.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

 

[shawn555]

38-year-old looks fine in first M's workout of the spring
The Associated Press


PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) — Seattle reliever Arthur Rhodes, who missed all of 2007 after having elbow ligament replacement surgery in May, threw for nearly 10 minutes Thursday in his first appearance of the spring.

The 38-year-old lefty didn’t work off the mound like the rest of the Mariners’ pitchers but threw several pitches from a slightly shorter distance under the watchful eye of pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre.

“He’s made good strides,” Seattle manager John McLaren said. “We’ve emphasized to him and to all these guys, don’t do too much too soon. He’s somebody that we know when he’s healthy is a very productive pitcher. We know he’s getting up in age. We don’t want him doing too much too soon because if he has a setback, it’s not going to do him any good or the ballclub any good.”

Rhodes is in camp as a non-roster invitee after having signed a minor league contract in January. If he makes the major league roster, Rhodes will get a $1 million, one-year contract.

Team officials have said they don’t expect the veteran pitcher to be fully ready until May, though his progress has been encouraging.

“We don’t have a timetable,” McLaren said. “We just want him to go slow and see how he progresses. We’re going to monitor him pretty close.”

COACH HOSPITALIZED: Minor league coach Scott Budner was taken by ambulance to a local hospital Thursday morning after complaining of lower back pains.

According to a team spokesman, Budner was at the team’s training facility when he began suffering pain in his back that prevented him from walking. An ambulance and fire truck arrived and Budner was taken away on a gurney.

“We’re anxious to see what happens,” McLaren said.

Budner is the pitching coach for Double-A West Tennessee and is in his seventh season with the Mariners’ organization.

SHORT HOPS: The Mariners are considering keeping only 12 pitchers on their 25-man roster after solidifying their rotation in the offseason by acquiring starters Erik Bedard and Carlos Silva. “We’re going to have an open mind about everything,” McLaren said. “I don’t believe we have a whole lot of off days the first month where we had before. We’ll see how it unfolds. It’s something we can talk about, absolutely.” ... C Kenji Johjima has always used his trademark red catcher’s glove but he’s added a new spin — or stitch — on it now. Johjima had a mini-Japanese flag stitched into his glove in the offseason and proudly showed it off to teammates and coaches during Thursday’s workout. ... Former Seattle RF Jay Buhner is one of three ex-major league players McLaren has invited to camp to help tutor and mentor Seattle’s younger players. Buhner, who isn’t expected to arrive in Arizona until March, will join Rich Amaral and Tony Phillips. “I already told Buhner he’s not going to be happy at the end of the day because he’s going to be tired and it’s not going to be from signing autographs,” McLaren said. “I don’t know if he believes me or not but he will.”

 

[shawn555]

Mariners' revamped rotation looks to Stottlemyre for guidance
By Jerry Crasnick
ESPN.com

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Mel Stottlemyre's doctors tell him that multiple myeloma -- the form of cancer that first attacked his system in 1999 -- is still classified as "incurable." But with modern medical advances, a tenacious patient and a little good fortune, it's not necessarily a death sentence.

"I think I'm living proof of that," Stottlemyre said.

For the past two years, since he resigned as New York Yankees pitching coach amid criticism from owner George Steinbrenner, Stottlemyre has kept his head in the game watching baseball on television and doing some instructional work on the side for the Arizona Diamondbacks. That regimen seemed fulfilling enough until the Mariners approached him with an offer this past fall: Would he be willing to end his semi-retirement for a final run as pitching coach in Seattle?

While pitching for the Orioles last season, Erik Bedard was third in the AL with 221 strikeouts.

The baseball lifer in Stottlemyre couldn't resist. Little did he know the Mariners would spend the next few months sweetening their offer in ways totally unrelated to salary and benefits.

Most years, the Mariners rank down the list of Arizona spring training attractions. If they're not overshadowed by Barry Bonds dressing up as Paula Abdul in "Giants Idol," they're a mere afterthought to the Lou Piniella & Alfonso Soriano Show at Cubs camp in Mesa.

Not this spring. Although Kosuke Fukudome and Ryan Dempster made for an interesting first week in Cubs land and the Dan Haren-Brandon Webb combination is rife with promise down Interstate 10 in Tucson, Seattle has a chance to be the talk of the Cactus League.

After winning a surprising 88 games last year, the Mariners approached the offseason with a genuine sense of urgency. In December, they signed Carlos Silva to a four-year, $48 million contract. The deal was particularly generous considering that Kyle Lohse, the closest thing to Silva on the free-agent market, still hasn't found a job.

In early February, Seattle general manager Bill Bavasi raised the stakes. After weeks of false alarms and reported changes of heart by Baltimore owner Peter Angelos, the Mariners traded outfield prospect Adam Jones, reliever George Sherrill and three minor league pitchers to the Orioles for strikeout artist Erik Bedard.

Seattle's new, upgraded rotation combined for a 66-52 record and 960 innings pitched last season. And it's a melting pot in the truest sense. The group includes a native Canadian (Bedard), two Venezuelans (Felix Hernandez and Silva), a Dominican (Miguel Batista) and the pride of La Crosse, Wis. (Jarrod Washburn).

Talk about eclectic. Bedard is a taciturn lefty who works out each winter at his uncle's chicken coop in Ontario. Washburn, a lefty finesse guy, is partial to bow hunting. Hernandez is Seattle's resident Cy Young Award winner-in-training; Silva is the durable ground ball machine; and Batista throws the kitchen sink and a few extraneous bathroom fixtures at hitters in a typical start. He also has written poetry and a novel on the side.

Over the next six weeks, as Seattle's starters bond as a unit in Arizona, Stottlemyre and coaching sidekick Norm Charlton will be pushing and prodding each step of the way.

Seattle manager John McLaren entrusts his financial investments to Todd Stottlemyre, a former big league pitcher who works for Merrill Lynch. He's equally comfortable letting Dad oversee the Seattle staff.

"When Mel speaks, you can see how much respect he gets in return," McLaren said. "His reputation precedes him."

Felix Hernandez


Starting Pitcher
Seattle Mariners

Profile
2007 Season StatsGM IP W-L BB K ERA
30 190.1 14-7 53 165 3.92


Stottlemyre is an old-school, avuncular type at heart, talking the nuances of baseball with anyone who'll listen and patting backs to help his pitchers through the inevitable ruts and crises of confidence. Patience was his trademark during his decade-long run under Joe Torre in New York.

Charlton, Seattle's new bullpen coach, is a former Cincinnati "Nasty Boy" who walked the line between studious and unhinged in a 13-year playing career. Charlton can break down the game with a diligence befitting a former Rice University triple major. But he also cultivated an air of unpredictability as a player -- whether he was steamrolling Mike Scioscia at home plate or playing coy to mess with hitters' heads when Giants manager Roger Craig suggested he might be doctoring his pitches.

Last year, the Seattle pitching staff ranked in the bottom third among MLB clubs in ERA, strikeouts and quality starts, and it surrendered far too many two-strike hits for McLaren's liking. When Stottlemyre and Charlton sat down in the offseason and discussed priorities, two things immediately came to mind. They wanted their pitchers to focus on: (1) throwing strike one and (2) pitching inside.

"When you pitch inside, it obviously opens up the outside part of the plate," Charlton said. "But more than anything else, I think your pitch counts go down. You get more called strikes and a lot of broken bats and jam shots. If I'm a starter and I can save myself 10 pitches a game, over 30 starts, I've just saved myself three games."

In a perfect world, Seattle's offseason additions will have a ripple effect. A stronger rotation will ease the strain on a bullpen that showed signs of wear in September. And Bedard's arrival should take some focus off Hernandez, who somehow has been classified as a tease for failing to pitch to his potential. When you're dubbed "King Felix" on the blogosphere at 19, there's not much room for a learning curve.

"People were labeling him 'The King' and saying he's going to be the next Dwight Gooden," Washburn said. "Yeah, he has that potential, and I think he's going to get there. But to expect that at 20 years old was a little bit too much pressure. It's ridiculous for people to be disappointed over what he's done so far. He's accomplished quite a bit already at this level, and he's only going to get better."

Hernandez, whose commitment to conditioning has waned on occasion, arrived in camp in good shape last spring and looks even fitter and trimmer this year. Now. it's simply a matter of staying healthy and harnessing his otherworldly stuff from one outing to the next.

"He's had to learn some things on the major league level," McLaren said. "It's called trial and error. He gets excited sometimes and his emotions get the better of him, and we've talked about it. It's been addressed, and he's working hard at it."

Good luck finding an American League lineup that's enthused about the prospect of facing Bedard and Hernandez back-to-back in a series. With the possible exception of C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona in Cleveland, Webb and Haren in Arizona and Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum in San Francisco, there might not be a one-two combination in the majors that elicits more discomfort.

Of course, pitching alone won't get the Mariners over the hump. Seattle's 794-813 run differential last year was not a good thing, Pythagorean theorem-wise. The team's main power threat, Richie Sexson, batted .205, and designated hitter Jose Vidro contributed six home runs in 548 at-bats. The Mariners tied for 11th in the majors in on-base percentage while ranking 30th in walks, so this is a team that has to hit its way on base.

Those are concerns for hitting coach Jeff Pentland to address. As for Stottlemyre, he might be paying dividends already. Washburn, by his own admission, has had a devil of a time developing a consistent changeup in his career. On the first day of spring training, Stottlemyre showed him a new changeup grip that yielded promising results.

"It's been a career-long problem for me, but hopefully Mel can help me fix that," Washburn said. "So far, it feels pretty good."

Stottlemyre realizes he has lost a step at age 66, but he's not lacking in enthusiasm. Although it's been 7? years since he underwent a stem cell transplant and his first round of chemotherapy, he continues to take a cancer-fighting medication called Revlimid and have his white blood cell count checked monthly as a precaution. Although Stottlemyre maintains that his health is "good," he makes a point of knocking on the wood clubhouse door for luck.

He finds that the routine of putting on a uniform again and teaching is invigorating. Doing it for a club with postseason aspirations is gravy.

"It's like I told these guys in my opening talk, 'I didn't join this ballclub expecting any less than for us to reach the next level,'" Stottlemyre said.

The old master has a lot of knowledge left to share. And his pitchers are all ears.

 

[shawn555]

Mariners catcher Johjima could be looking at free agent market

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Kenji Johjima likens Seattle in many ways to his hometown of Sasebo, Japan. But that doesn't mean the Mariners' catcher is sold on staying in the Pacific Northwest.

Entering the final year of a three-year, $16.5 million deal he signed with Seattle in 2006, Johjima isn't certain what his future holds or where he'll be playing a year from now.

"That's a tough question," Johjima said through an interpreter Thursday following Seattle's first workout with pitchers and catchers. "I leave all of that up to my agent. But I like Seattle, I like my teammates, I like my team, I like my coaches, and of course, the manager. But that's different from contracts so we'll see what happens.

Johjima can hardly be faulted for not wanting to commit beyond this season. The 31-year-old, who signed with Seattle after 11 seasons in Japan, figures to be one of the top free agents next year if he doesn't sign an extension with the Mariners.

"All I can say right now is that I'll play hard this year," Johjima said.

While he hasn't ruled out a return to Seattle, it's clear that the prospects of being a free agent in the major leagues for the first time has the veteran catcher intrigued.

In the meantime, Johjima is content trying to get the Mariners back into the postseason after a six-year drought. He spent his offseason in Japan but stayed away from baseball and instead used the down time to hit the weight room.

"I did a lot of weight training in the gym and I didn't throw and hit as much as I would," Johjima said. "When you're back in Japan the weather is not as good as it is over here. It's pretty similar to Seattle but it doesn't rain as much, so it's kind of hard to throw and hit during the winter season, especially where I'm from."

Johjima will get plenty of work in the coming weeks. Seattle brought in two new starting pitchers, Erik Bedard and Carlos Silva, and have a new pitching coach in Mel Stottlemyre, along with a new bullpen coach.

Getting the newcomers on the same page with the holdover catcher is a prime concern of Seattle manager John McLaren.

"He gets frustrated when pitchers go against the game plan so we need to do a better job preparing everybody as far as our game plan is concerned," McLaren said. "To his credit, he's so conscientious that he's not afraid to say that he called a wrong pitch or something. I just want us all to be on the same page and I think sometimes we got off the same page last year as a staff and as a catching unit. We need to get everybody thinking together."

Part of the problem, Johjima acknowledges, was the language barrier that existed between himself and American pitchers. There's also a different style of pitching in the United States as opposed to Japan, something that has taken some time for both Johjima and his teammates to adjust to.

"Last year he definitely learned the American game," Mariners closer J.J. Putz said. "In Japan I think everything is backward the way they pitch. Not the game but the way they pitch. Here everybody pitches off their fastball. Over there they use their breaking ball to set up the fastball.

"For some guys it helped them a lot, like me, but I know there were some guys that didn't necessarily like him calling the games that way," Putz continued. "But all it took was a sitdown to talk it over."

Johjima hit .287 with 14 home runs and 61 RBIs last year, numbers that were slightly lower than in his first season with Seattle. Part of that might have been due to the heavy workload he's carried since coming to Seattle. Over the last two seasons, Johjima caught 2,279 1-3 innings, second in the majors to Jason Kendall's 2,400.

The Mariners aren't planning any drastic changes in Johjima's schedule this year. Jamie Burke, who played in 50 games in 2007, will again be Johjima's main backup while Jeff Clement, the third overall pick in the 2005 draft, is likely to start at Triple-A Tacoma.

Seattle is high on Clement, which could affect the team's decision whether to re-sign Johjima. But McLaren doesn't want the 24-year-old prospect sitting on the bench this season.

"We're not going to carry Jeff Clement as an extra catcher, as a pinch-hitter," McLaren said. "He's going to have to be an every day player at a position. I'm not saying he can't make this ballclub but I'm not going to have him as a third catcher or a backup catcher. He's got too high a ceiling and he needs to play."

McLaren believes Johjima is on the cusp of being an All-Star and is pushing for his catcher to be more patient at the plate, saying the free-swinging slugger needs to be more selective with the pitches he attacks.

Johjima says that might be easier said than done considering his aggressive batting style.

"Because I am very aggressive, it's just a natural thing that makes me swing," Johjima said. "I don't know if you can control that. I know in my mind but when that ball comes I have a tendency to swing."

 

[shawn555]

Mariners’ Clement is hard worker, lots of talent, but probably back in Tacoma


RYAN DIVISH; ryan.divish@thenewstribune.com
Last updated: February 15th, 2008 06:44 AM (PST)
PEORIA, Ariz. – The first home run of the Seattle Mariners’ spring belonged to Jeff Clement. It was a majestic, towering moonshot that easily cleared the right-field fence on field No. 1 of the team’s spring training complex.

Maybe it was just batting practice, and maybe the only players taking batting practice Thursday were catchers, but it was impressive nonetheless and good enough to draw a few nods from teammates and coaches.

As if to prove it was no fluke, Clement pulled the next pitch down the line, this time a laser line drive that wrapped around the right-field foul pole.

Blessed with a compact, smooth and efficient left-handed hitting stroke, Clement has slowly worked himself into the hitter the Mariners hoped he could become after drafting him third overall in 2005.

But hitting was never the knock on Clement. He could always hit in all respects – average, power, driving in runs. Even when he struggled a little with injuries and lack of power early in his career, the Mariners believed it would only be a matter of time before that sweet swing would take over. Last season, playing in Tacoma, he hit .275 with 35 doubles, 20 home runs and 85 RBI.

His defense has been another matter. As a catcher, Clement was always a pretty good hitter.

“The first time I saw him was when he was playing at USC and they were up playing the University of Washington,” said M’s catching coordinator Roger Hansen. “I think he ran a trail from home plate to the backstop chasing down all the balls that got by him.”

But that didn’t bother Hansen, who is one part catching shaman and one part drill sergeant. Raw was possibilities, raw was workable, raw was a starting point.

“You don’t mind getting kids that are raw because then you can start teaching them from square one,” Hansen said.

That’s where he started with Clement, modifying his approach behind the plate.

“When I first signed, I had no idea what I was getting into,” Clement said Thursday.

He embraced the changes and worked to implement them … even if at times it seemed the improvement would never come.

“What happens is they learn so much so fast, sometimes they take a step backward before they take a step forward,” Hansen said.

But last season, Clement took a sizable leap forward. While he wasn’t exactly Johnny Bench or Pudge Rodriguez, he was vastly improved. He committed just three errors in 74 games behind the plate with Triple-A Tacoma, while throwing out 27 percent of runners trying to steal on him.

Yet it was the poise and confidence Clement showed behind the plate that stood out most.

“I’m so much different behind the plate than I was back when I first signed,” Clement said. “I’m a lot more confident back there and the big reason is that I know I’m better than I was.”

Hansen credited Clement’s work ethic and willingness to be coached.

“All he wants to do is keep learning, because he wants to be the best catcher there is,” Hansen said. “It’s a great asset to him, and he’s not going to stop till he gets to that point.”

It’s why Clement believes he still can get even better from a consistency standpoint.

“I feel like I can do a lot of things well, it’s just a matter of repeating them time and time again,” Clement said.

It’s that tenacity that leads Hansen to compare Clement to Red Sox catcher – and one-time Mariners prospect – Jason Varitek.

“I see some similarities in them,” Hansen said. “Just in their attitude and willingness to work.”

Some fans were worried Clement might be lost in a trade like Varitek was back in 1997. But he’s back for another season. What remains to be seen is where he spends the coming season – with the Mariners or back in Tacoma.

His performance at the end of last season as a September call-up for the Mariners didn’t hurt. Clement appeared in nine games, hitting .375 (6-for-16). Against Cleveland on Sept. 26, he hit his first major league home run, a game-tying solo shot off Cleveland closer Joe Borowski. Two days later, he hit a two-run walk-off home run to beat Texas – just the sixth rookie in team history to do so.

“I have no idea,” Clement said of his chances of making the team. “It’s not up to me.”

It’s up to manager John McLaren, who was to the point in speaking about Clement’s future.

“We’re not going to carry Jeff Clement as an extra catcher or a pinch hitter,” McLaren said. “He’s going to have to be an every day player at a position.”

Realistically, it does no good for Clement to sit on the bench and get an at-bat every couple of games when he could get quality work in with Tacoma.

“He’s got too high of a ceiling and he needs to play,” McLaren said. “If he’s a starter, he’ll be on the club, if not he’ll be in Tacoma.”

With Kenji Johjima coming off his best season, the starting catching spot is all but decided. Perhaps Clement could push Jose Vidro for the designated hitter spot. Plenty of fans expressed interest in Clement seeing some time at first base.

But McLaren shot down that idea with an abrupt, “No.”

Clement agrees.

“(Catching) is the position I’m most comfortable with, and it’s what I’ve always played,” Clement said. “I’m a catcher until somebody tells me I’m not one anymore.”

Hansen believes Clement will be a good major league catcher.

“He’s going to be a starting catcher for 10 to 15 years and help win this team win two or three World Series,” Hansen said.

 

[shawn555]

Clement's ceiling too high to ride bench
02/16/2008 6:15 PM ET
By Jim Street / MLB.com

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Now that outfielder Adam Jones is gone, traded to the Orioles for left-handed starter Erik Bedard, the Mariners' most-watched first-round Draft selection becomes catcher Jeff Clement.

The 24-year-old catcher out of University of Southern California, selected first by Seattle and third overall in the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, is into his third Spring Training with the team.

But unlike Jones, Clement might have to be watched from afar again this season.

While Jones was in line to become the starter in right field, Clement will probably start the regular season in the Minor Leagues.

"We're not going to carry Jeff Clement as an extra catcher, or as a pinch-hitter," manager John McLaren said. "He's going to have to be an everyday player at a position. I'm not saying he can't make this ballclub, but we're not going to have him as a third catcher or as a backup catcher. He has too high a ceiling and he needs to play. If he's a starter, he'll be on the club. If not, he'll be in [Triple-A] Tacoma."

The only two positions available to Clement are catcher and designated hitter and there are no plans to give him playing time at first base or in the outfield.

And neither looks promising.

"I'm looking at [Jose] Vidro as our DH and Kenji [Johjima] as our catcher," McLaren said. "We're pretty well set with those two guys."

Also, pretty much set is Jamie Burke as Johjima's backup.

Clement hasn't been told anything so far this spring. He just goes about his daily routine, showing up early and participating in drills that eventually will help him become a regular big league catcher.

As for the probability of him returning to Tacoma, where he spent most of last season, he said: "I have a lot of faith in the people making those decisions. This is my fourth year in the organization and they have done nothing but positive things with me. Whatever decision they make will be the right one for me. It will work out the way it's supposed to."

Clement is making progress behind the plate, but still needs more work to become Major League-ready.

"Obviously, my goal is to play in the big leagues and help the team win," he said. "That's what I want to do, but at the same time, if I don't make the team this spring, if I don't and have to go back to Triple-A and catch there, I'll show up and work hard."

Regardless how good Clement gets on defense, it's his offense that draws the most attention.

That part of his game is big league-ready, as evidenced by what he did the final month of last season.



After batting a solid .275 with 20 home runs and 80 RBIs, Clement was among the late-season callups and had a personal September to remember.

He made his Major League debut at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 4, striking out in a pinch-hit appearance. He would make outs in his next three at-bats before getting his first Major League hit -- a double against the Indians in the opener of a doubleheader at Safeco Field.

He sat on the bench for most of the nightcap, appearing as a pinch-hitter with two outs, none on and the Mariners trailing the Indians by one run in the bottom of the ninth inning.

One of his smooth, level swings made contact with a Joe Borowski fastball that landed in the right-center-field bleachers. Seattle eventually won the game, 3-2.

Two nights later, against the Rangers, he delivered a two-run walk-off home run, becoming the sixth rookie in Mariners history to hit a game-ending home run. Clement finished the season with six hits in his final 12 at-bats and scored four runs.

"I really don't know how close I am to making it to the big leagues [for good]," he said. "The more I play, the better I'll get. I had a full season of playing well last season and that helps. I also know I can play better than that.

"I still need to be more consistent. Once I do that, I feel that I can be successful up here."

The big question is when, not if.

"I'll tell you this," McLaren said. "Power-hitting left-handed-hitting catchers are worth their weight in gold. And Jeff will be one of those guys."