If the team isn’t going anywhere in 2008(as you believe), Clement could use this season to develop his knowledge of the M’s pitching staff, as well as opposing hitters, base stealers, etc. Ditto for getting to know AL pitching as a hitter.

It won’t matter. This team isn’t likely to win anything this season, so why waste Clement’s service time?

On the other hand, it would be nice to have Clement’s bat and plate discipline immediately.

“He’s really a different guy back there now,” an American League scout said. “I was a cross checker for that draft and saw him in college, and he’s not the same guy. A lot of us were sure he’d have to move off the position, but I don’t see any reason why he can’t hold down a big-league job in a year or so.”

I agree with the scout. Clement will be a great September call-up and I’d like to see him break camp with the club next year. I don’t pretend to know much about battery chemistry. I just think it might be better for the pitching staff to have the continuity with Kenji/Burke for the rest of the year.

The Mariners’ catching coordinator, Roger Hansen, thinks Clement is ready to catch in the big leagues:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/360219_mfarm23.html

AB H R RBI BB SO LOB
12 0 0 1 5 0 8

These guys had the table set for them and absolutely blew it. I will give Vidro credit though, he did get the lucky RBI – however, it was’t too far from being a double play.