Bret Boone: $8 million dollars
John Olerud: $6 million dollars
Mike Cameron: $7 million dollars
Getting to finally cheer as Jose Mesa gives up a 9th inning lead with a home run: Priceless
Minor League Highlights for Wednesday, June 4th
The Rainiers did not play as the entire PCL took the day off. Ken Cloude will take the hill for Tacoma in his return from the DL this evening.
San Antonio 3, Frisco 0. RHP Rett Johnson tossed a complete game one hit shutout to pick up his 5th win of the year. Johnson allowed just one single, walked three, and hit a batter while striking out seven to earn the win. He now has a 1.42 ERA over his last 5 starts and has allowed just 36 base runners in 37 innings over that span. He’s pitched into the 9th inning three times, and appears ready for a move to AAA. Offensively, 2B Jose Lopez went 2-4 with a pair of doubles and 1B A.J. Zapp launched his 14th homer of the year to provide the run scoring. Our own Jason Michael Barker was at this game and will provide full details when he returns.
Stockton 7, Inland Empire 4. LHP Troy Cate got touched up in his return to the Cal League after making a spot start for Tacoma last week. He lasted just 4 2/3 innings, allowed five runs on six hits, had one walk and two strikeouts. LF Shin-Soo Choo went 3-5 and 2B Evel Bastida-Martinez went 2-3 with a run and an RBI, but it wasn’t enough for the 66’ers to overcome the early deficit.
Wisconsin 2, Fort Wayne 1. This 14-inning affair finally went to the T-Rats after an error by Fort Wayne first baseman Paul McAnulty allowed Corey Harrington to score the winning run. Wisconsin didn’t generate much offense with 3B Matt Hagen being the star performer. He went 2-6 with the only extra base hit of the game for the Mariners affiliate. RHP Juan Sandoval continues to improve as the season goes on, working 8 solid innings and allowing just one run. LHP Oscar Delgado followed with 4 scoreless innings of his own, and then RHP Renee Cortez tossed two more blank frames to earn the win.
Also, on a semi-related note, let me correct something I posted last week. The Mariners did end up signing draft-and-follow RHP Brad Rose after they were granted an extension because his JC team advanced in their playoffs. Welcome to the club, Brad. He’ll likely be assigned to the M’s rookie league team in Peoria, whose season starts in two weeks.
Newsflash:
This team is pretty good.
Ichiro’s hitting .400 since the beginning of May. Jamie Moyer and Gil Meche are a combined 17-4. Bret Boone has been the most valuable player in the American League to date. Kazuhiro Sasaki hasn’t given up a run since coming off the disabled list. The last time they lost a road game was May 14th, 13 games ago. They are one win away from their 6th sweep of the year. To put that in perspective, they’ve only lost 4 series’ all year.
Not a bad start.
Mariners Draft Recap: Rounds 6-10
Sixth Round (#176): Eric O’Flaherty, LHP, Walla Walla HS (Walla Walla, WA)
The M’s grabbed the best arm in the home state this year with their fourth consecutive selection of a left-hander. At 6’3, he fits the M’s profile of big kids with big arms, though he doesn’t have standout velocity yet. He pitched most of his senior year at 86-88, but has been clocked at 90-91 in the past. The key for him is the above average movement he gets on his fastball and his feel for a curveball. His ceiling is every bit as high as Fagan and Feierabend, and he was a steal in the 6th round.
Seventh Round (#206): Jeremy Dutton, 3B, North Carolina State University
The M’s add another college third baseman to the mix, though that may not be his position as a professional. Dutton has above average gap power and a solid approach at the plate, and you’ll hear him described as a professional hitter. Along with that label usually comes the stigma that you’re not much of a fielder, and that applies to Dutton. His actions at third are questionable and there’s a decent chance he ends up at first base or in the outfield. His bat will have to carry him to the show.
Eighth Round (#236): Tom Oldham, LHP, Creighton University
Oldham is a break from the big southpaws the Mariners had been selecting. He’s a 6’2 pitcher with below average velocity who gets by on movement and command. He’s not likely to get into the 90’s with his fastball, and he’s not the most projectable kid in the world. His strength is his understanding of how to work both sides of the plate and set up hitters. He’s somewhat similar to Troy Cate, last years 6th round selection, though Cate’s stuff is a notch better.
Ninth Round (#266): Justin Ruchti, C, Rice University
A cost-conscious pick as much as anything else, Ruchti won’t demand much money as a college senior. He doesn’t have any standout skills, but can do everything well enough. His work behind the plate is what got him drafted, and his bat may struggle in pro ball. He’s likely an organizational player and a longshot to reach the majors.
Tenth Round (#296): Michael Cox, 3B, Florida Atlantic University
If everything breaks right for Cox, the M’s have another David Bell. He’s an above average defender at third base who has the actions to play second in a pinch. He’s a spray hitter with occasional pull power but won’t be a middle of the order hitter. He’ll work hard and outperform his tools, but there isn’t a lot of upside here. He’s got a better shot at making the big leagues as a second baseman.
Minor League Highlights for Tuesday, June 3rd
Tacoma 1, Sacramento 0. 3B Luis Figueroa singled in OF Jalal Leach in the fourth inning to give the Rainiers the only run they would need. Behind stellar pitching from RHP Brian Sweeney (6 1/3, 3 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, 7 strikeouts), the Rainiers shut out the Rivercats. After a short bump in the road, Sweeney appears to be back on track. RHP J.J. Putz tossed yet another scoreless inning of relief and hasn’t been scored on in nearly a month. RHP Aaron Taylor tossed a perfect ninth for his 14th save of the year. 1B J.R. Phillips (yes, that J.R. Phillips) went 0-4 in his debut.
San Antonio 2, Frisco 0. LHP Matt Thornton continues to show no ill effects during his rehab, tossing 7 shutout innings and lowering his ERA to 0.47. He gave up just 3 hits, walked 2, and struck out 5. He’s now allowed just 12 base runners in his 19 1/3 innings of work at AA. 3B Justin Leone’s remarkable year continued as he went 2-3 with 2 more doubles (giving him a league leading 22) and a walk. He is now 10th in batting average, 2nd in on base percentage, 2nd in slugging, 1st in extra base hits, and 1st in runs in the Texas League. Considering that Woolf Stadium is the toughest park for hitters in the Texas League (Leone is hitting .364 on the road, just .302 at home), he’s having a true breakthrough season.
Inland Empire 4, Stockton 3. RHP Kevin Olore continued to set the league on its ear with 6 1/3 strong innings, but LHP Justin Blood got the win in relief. Olore gave up just 2 runs in 6 1/3 innings and struck out 9. He really belongs in AA, but there just isn’t a spot for him on the Missions staff. RHP Mike Steele got his 14th save and lowered his ERA to 1.99 by getting the last four outs of the game. Offensively, OF Cristian Guerrero got 3 hits while 3B Hunter Brown and 1B John Castellano both hit home runs.
Wisconsin 7, Fort Wayne 4. The T-Rats made it a perfect day for the M’s organization behind the bat of Rene Rivera. The catcher went 2-3 with 2 doubles and a walk, scored twice, and drove in a run, as Wisconsin managed to get 7 runs out of just 7 hits. RHP Tanner Watson got his first win of the year, giving up 2 runs in 6 innings, though he failed to strike anyone out and walked two. Bryan Heaston got his 6th save with a perfect 9th.
Draft coverage
Quick note — interested parties should check out this link for a list of which players the M’s have drafted so far.
Mariners Draft Recap: Rounds 1-5
Supplemental First Round (#37): Adam Jones, SS, Morse HS (San Diego, California)
Jones made waves as one of the best two-way players in southern California, but the consensus heading into the draft was that he had a brighter future on the mound. At 6’3 and able to hit 94 MPH with his fastball, Jones was the classic projectable right-handed pitching prospect. However, the Mariners preferred his abilities with the bat and glove and selected him as a shortstop. His actions in the field are good and he has a chance to remain at the position despite his size. The questions surround his bat, however. He wasn’t a dominating hitter with aluminum and there are concerns that his power won’t translate well to wood. He was projected as a 3rd round pick as a position player and should settle for slot money to sign.
Second Round (#56): Jeff Flaig, SS, El Dorado HS (Placentia, California)
The Mariners drafted Flaig as a shortstop, but it’s a given that he won’t play the position in the big leagues. He is still recovering from a particularly nasty rotator cuff tear that hurt his value going into the draft. Before the injury, he was viewed as one of the premier high school hitters in the country with exceptional power potential. However, the damage to his shoulder not only robbed him of his development, but is severe enough to be a long term question. If his arm strength doesn’t recover, he will likely have to shift to left field instead of third base, and its unknown how his power will recover from such a serious injury. Flaig shouldn’t be a terribly difficult sign, but his pro debut will likely wait until 2004.
Third Round (#86): Ryan Feirabend, LHP, Midview HS (Grafton, Ohio)
Seattle adds another tall southpaw to the mix, snagging the 6’3 prep left-hander who was projected as a supplemental first round pick. Like most high school pitchers, he’s a work in project and will require some patience before he develops a workable off-speed pitch and command of his fastball. However, with his size and solid mechanics, he defines the world projectable. He could be the toughest sign of the draft for the M’s, as he’ll likely be looking for closer to the $1 million bonus for where he was projected than the $250,000 that will slotted for the 86th pick in the draft.
Fourth Round (#116): Paul Fagan, LHP, Bartram Trail HS (Jacksonville, Florida)
Continuing with the tall left-hander theme, Paul Fagan is selected about two rounds later than expected. Fagan was considered one of the better southpaw pitchers in the country, with an ability to control four pitches and throw strikes. His velocity is 88-90 now, but with a 6’5 frame, it isn’t hard to imagine him adding a few ticks to that fastball in a few years. Like Freirabend, Fagan will likely seek more than his allotted slot bonus and could be a somewhat difficult sign. The Mariners may end up choosing between the two of them and letting the other attend school. If they get them both under contract, they’ll have done well in the third and fourth rounds.
Fifth Round (#146): Casey Abrams, LHP, Wright State University
The string of tall southpaws continues, but the M’s move away from the prep ranks for the first time with Abrams. Abrams is a project, to put it nicely. He racked up tremendous strikeout numbers while working a pretty heavy workload last year, but his mechanics need quite a bit of work. He puts far too much pressure on his arm, and may have problems staying healthy as a professional. Most teams projected him as a reliever in the major leagues, and he has an intense persona that profiles as a typical closer. He doesn’t throw as hard as your typical relief ace, but his arms and elbows delivery provides quite a bit of deception. At worst, he should be murder on left-handed hitters. If he can find some command and develop a more consistent delivery, there’s potential for more.
As usual, the M’s throw everyone a curveball and select Adam Jones as a 6’3 shortstop from high school in San Diego. Most teams preferred him as a pitcher after he touched 95 this spring, but the Mariners are banking on his offensive game coming around. He’s a pretty clear overdraft, as most teams had him in the third round area. There’s a decent chance the M’s got him to reach a predraft deal in order to be selected this high. More analysis to come after the first five rounds.
Minor League Highlights for Monday, June 2
Tacoma 7, Sacramento 5. The Rainiers used a six-run 4th inning beat Sacramento starter Erik Hiljus and help RHP Jeff Heaverlo (6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) to his 4th win of the year. Tacoma pounded out ten hits in the game, as C Julio Mosquera and 3B Luis Figueroa led the way with two each, including a double for Mosquera. CF Adrian Myers, 1B Chad Meyers (yes, he played 1B last night) and Mosquera each drove in two runs and Figueroa scored twice. RHP Aaron Taylor wasn’t perfect (1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) but did record his 13th save of the season.
San Antonio 3, Arkansas 1. LHP Travis Blackley (8 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 11 K) allowed a leadoff homer to start the game, but was more or less untouchable after that in running his record to 7-2 on the season. Blackley now sports a 2.06 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 65 2/3 innings, with only three homers allowed. The Missions managed only six hits in the game, but they proved to be more than enough. LF Jaime Bubela was 2-4 with a double and a steal, and 3B Justin Leone hit his 20th double of the year and scored twice. Speedster CF Michael Curry, who has been quiet on the basepaths lately after a blistering start, swiped his 22nd base of the year.
As I mentioned yesterday, Inland Empire had a much needed day off yesterday after their 14-inning, seven-pitcher win on Sunday. The 66ers have yet to name a starting pitcher for today’s game, but both Kevin Olore and Enmanuel Ulloa are available to start on full rest.
Wisconsin 8, West Michigan 4. RF T.J. Bohn nearly beat West Michigan all by himself Monday, driving in five runs on a three-run homer, an RBI single and a sacrifice fly to lead Wisconsin to their 5th straight win. All that offense was more than enough for LHP Cesar Jimenez (6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K), who moved to 4-3 on the year with a sparkling 1.85 ERA. CF Gary Harris, moved down to 3rd in the batting order, added three hits, two steals, three runs scored and an RBI. DH Blake Bone, who really shouldn’t be at this level, went 2-4 and is now 4-10 with two doubles since being activated.
While I’ve got you here, just a quick note to let you know these will be my last Minor League Highlights for a few days. I’m off to San Antonio late tonight, courtesy of the Grand Salami, to cover the Missions for a few days (and maybe squeeze in an NBA finals game if I can find the time). Watch this space upon my return for some in-depth coverage of the most prospect-laden team in the system… Clint Nageotte and Chris Snelling and Jose Lopez — oh my! Not to mention Rett Johnson and Travis Blackley.
Dan Wilson: A History and Evaluation
Dan Wilson was plucked from the Reds organization when former Reds manager (and Dibble-whupper) Lou Piniella came over to Seattle. Piniella had two apples, one for each eye: Dan Wilson and Bobby Ayala. The M’s gave up long-swinging Bret Boone and Erik Hanson. Boone had a great first season (.320/.368/.491) and then got worse for a while, Hanson had an average year for a starter. Ayala.. let’s not get into Ayala.
Anyway, Dan becomes the full-time catcher for the next 9 years. He’s amply paid for his troubles, while the team screws over Edgar repeatedly.
Dan’s lines:
1994 .216 .244 .312
1995 .278 .336 .416
1996 .285 .330 .444
1997 .270 .326 .423
1998 .252 .308 .394*
1999 .266 .315 .382
2000 .235 .291 .336*
2001 .265 .305 .403
2002 .295 .326 .396
Car. .265 .313 .392
* 96, 90 games that season
Wilson over his career’s been about a league-average hitter when in the Kingdome, which isn’t good, and since then has been really bad and then, for a catcher, decent. Last year he was worth about 10 runs with the bat more than an average catcher. There’s no evidence at all that he’s any better defensively than a league-average catcher today. He’s well-regarded based on a reputation earned years ago.
Dan’s never drawn walks in 10% of his PAs and his BB:K rate runs about 1: 1.5-2. He’s a put ’em in play kind of hitter, and you can see on those likes that his overall value depends almost entirely on whether he’s hitting .260 or something closer to .300. If you believe that a hitter’s batting average is the most-lucky part of their line (and you should), that’s something to note. Wilson has never developed old hitter skills: his plate discipline hasn’t improved, he hasn’t developed power. As his bat speed declines, and it always does with age, Wilson’s entire offensive game goes to heck with it.
Dan’s been overrated offensively because of this dependence on batting average. He could run with Buhner on average, but who’d you rather have in the DH slot? Dan Wilson’s sort of a Brain Hunter behind the plate, without the speed and the threats to beat me up. Wilson’s also been consistently overpaid based on his production (and especially considering his age, skill set, and replacability), in large part because he’s a pillar of the community, a good guy who’s handy with the press, and the women love him (and women, I don’t mean that in a bad way at all, but it’s true Dan has more than his share of female admirers). There is no way that Dan Wilson is worth $3.5m to this team, or to next year’s team, especially given the free-agent freeze-out, and especially given the number of replacement candidates out there. The Mariners could have snagged Corky Miller from the Reds, for instance, and plugged him in to back up Davis, and we’d be better off (um, except that Miller’s not hitting well in the minors, post-having-the-Reds-break-his-spirit), or if they’d been willing to punt a little offense for better glove work, picked off any second-third string catcher floating across the transaction wire coming out of spring training.
This season Dan’s off to a slow start, or so we’d believe. Except that his .255/.295/.349 line is pretty much his 1998 (Kingdome) or 2001 (Safeco) line, and right in line with his career averages. The only reason we should expect to see improved production from Wilson is that he’s getting more rest this year, and that may help keep him fresh, which particularly would show up in his power numbers… and hasn’t.
That the Mariners have consistently seen fit to extravagently reward Dan Wilson for his popularity while at the same time playing hardball with fan favorite Edgar Martinez at every turn speaks a great deal about the organization’s biases and priorities when it comes to making decisions on what kind of a team they’re going to field, and how pound-foolish they really are.