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Every Hole Can Get Deeper

Tiny by Jeff on in Bad News

The Impossible Dream, yesterday morning:

C: Clement
1B: Teixeira
DH: Griffey
LF: Someone awesome

The Impossible Dream, today:

C: Johjima
1B: Clement
DH: Griffey
LF: Someone awesome

This extension even made my fantasy world worse. I can no longer dream as big as I could a day ago. That's...really depressing. But you know what? I found out about this at 1:55 and was over it by 2. I don't like what this organization has done to me as a person, but I suppose there's a certain resilience in being in being spiritually and emotionally dead.

For the record, this isn't as bad as a lot of people think it is (that being "one of the worst moves ever"). Not in isolation, as Kenji's still a decent catcher. It's the context and the way this fits so perfectly into the front office's established pattern of behavior that makes this dumb. A move like this just reinforces the impression that no one upstairs understands aging curves or the benefits of cheap young talent. So instead of being able to look forward to an offseason of potential awesome, now we've been shaken right back into awaiting the Ibanez extension and Clement trade for Octavio Dotel. Because, why wouldn't those happen? What reason do we have to expect otherwise?

We weren't born pessimistic. We were made this way.

Onward, broken soldiers.

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Any truth to the rumors that

Clement’s on his way up, bumping Vidro to the bench?

by sammy on Apr 25, 2008 3:11 PM PDT   0 recs

Yeah, I'm ready to move on

Kenji is going to be terrible pretty soon, but that’s what precious, delicious, mid-numbing alcohol is for.

I worry about Clement at 1st, but whatever… its better than Sexson and cheaper than BigTex

by thenatural on Apr 25, 2008 3:12 PM PDT   0 recs

To Be Fair...

...an Ibanez extension and trading Clement for Dotel are worlds apart. Ibanez leads the AL in RBIs (I know, not a super stat, but not completely worthless either). Clement and Dotel are different in every respect.

Despite how Ibanez was looking in the first half of ‘07, he’s really not as bad as his reputation around here. Though, yes, his defense is marginal.

Pigs flying. Hell getting chilly. Bavasi having a good off-season. If the M's can't win this year, there's really no hope.

by EireDuck on Apr 25, 2008 3:12 PM PDT   0 recs

While I Understand Your Point...

...this is an oversimplification. RBI’s are partially about the team, but also about a player’s ability to get timely hits. If they hit better with RISP, they are more likely to get more RBI’s, for example.

Pigs flying. Hell getting chilly. Bavasi having a good off-season. If the M's can't win this year, there's really no hope.

by EireDuck on Apr 25, 2008 7:23 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Uh oh...

Hmm... Needs more Bonds.

by Double06 on Apr 25, 2008 8:46 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I admit that I'm completely irrational about Clement

I don’t think this is one of the worst moves ever, I just think it’s one of the stupidest moves ever.

by Graham on Apr 25, 2008 3:13 PM PDT   0 recs

Well... yeah...

that was sort of my problem with it as well. Its stupidity.

...and now I'm here

by Librocrat on Apr 25, 2008 3:21 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

May I counter?

Tex- 1B
Griffey- RF
Clement- DH / traded for Brian Fuentes or someone similar

by JI on Apr 25, 2008 3:13 PM PDT   0 recs

Can't be worse than what's out there already.

Plus, you really think he’s itching to DH?

by JI on Apr 25, 2008 3:25 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I think Griffey is worse

although it’s worth pointing out that we’re currently not in playoff contention

by Jeff on Apr 25, 2008 3:45 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Griffey can't be worse

he’s faster (at least faster than Raul) and his routes aren’t nearly as wonky.

by JI on Apr 25, 2008 3:47 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Can we hope for Wlad in one corner Griffey in the other, Raul gone?

If so, does that keep us in contention despite sucking at deciding who should be the catcher and forcing Griff to play the field?

So…

LF Wlad
RF Griffey
1B Teix
DH Clement

...?

God I hate having to alter impossibly awesome dreams

Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.

by BrettJMiller on Apr 25, 2008 4:26 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Don't we somewhat have tthat now?

Wilkerson may have come in ~average, but his legs don’t work anymore AND he takes bad routes.

...and now I'm here

by Librocrat on Apr 25, 2008 4:28 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I think Clement's gone, and soon.

Like, before the end of May. This belief is quite terrifying.

Support local music.

by acblue on Apr 25, 2008 3:14 PM PDT   0 recs

Why did we draft Clement if we weren't looking to use him?

Clement was drafted on a needs-based purpose, when usually you draft the best talent available in baseball. Ryan Braun would look real good in LF or RF at the moment. But hey, he wouldn’t have been called up yet anyway.

by Wilder. on Apr 25, 2008 3:17 PM PDT   0 recs

Yes he was.

Clement was not considered the top talent available when we drafted him. But he fit perfectly for what this organization was looking for.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050607&content_id=1079469&vkey=news_sea&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea

by Wilder. on Apr 25, 2008 3:27 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

He was a left handed power bat at catcher, which is why he was drafted when he was

He was not picked because we thought we’d need a catcher 4 years from the draft.

by Graham on Apr 25, 2008 3:30 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Yeah, not 4 years down the road, but immediately, yes.

“Miguel Olivo, designated as the organization’s catcher of the present and future in Spring Training, has struggled so much this season that he was sent to the Minor Leagues two weeks ago. Furthermore, there isn’t another catcher in the system ready to step in and give the Mariners what they need—run production.”

There is no way denying Clement wasn’t a needs-based pick. Kenji Johjima just happened to be available in the offseason to give Clement more time in the minors. Look how far we have come. :-/

by Wilder. on Apr 25, 2008 3:35 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

This is silly

Catchers are notoriously slow to develop, and nobody in their right mind thought Clement would be able to make an immediate impact (especially with concerns about defence). The fact that MLB.com thinks the pick was made because Miguel Olivo is just indicative of the fact that have no idea what they’re talking about.

by Graham on Apr 25, 2008 3:41 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Jim Street was the Mariners beat reporter. We know he wasn't the greatest, but there are plenty of other quotes from the Mariners FO in that article that proves my point.

I am not trying to antagonize you, but stop denying it. Clement was drafted out of college. His development was far-and-above high school talent and was expected to make the leap within a short period of time (1-2 years).

by Wilder. on Apr 25, 2008 3:47 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

It doesn't mean Clement wasn't a needs-based pick.

There was clearly better talent available for the 3rd overall pick, but the Mariners decided to go another direction and find their catcher of the future.

Are we debating two different things here or are we on the same page?

by Wilder. on Apr 25, 2008 3:54 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I don't accept that there was clearly better talent

Leading up to the 2005 draft, there were two picks head and shoulders above the rest – Justin Upton and Alex Gordon. Below them were guys like Clement, Tulo, Braun, Zimmerman, Maybin, etc, but arguments could have been made to take any one of them based on talent.

Now the way the draft turned out, a lot of the players picked immediately after Clement have turned out awesome, but at the time of the draft Clement was a defensible 3rd pick just based on talent (which of course includes his ability to play catcher), signability, and ballpark fit. I think calling him a needs-based pick is overstating things, especially with everyone and their mother predicting the Johjima signing that year.

by Graham on Apr 25, 2008 4:00 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I am tired of this analogy.

And a 1st round pick is quite more obvious than a 13th round pick.

by Wilder. on Apr 25, 2008 3:28 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Also, are we ever going to find out Pujols' real age.

I expect this now that Tejada (coughTejedacough) has been exposed.

by Wilder. on Apr 25, 2008 3:38 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

He's 19

he just looks really haggard.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Apr 25, 2008 3:42 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Would a one year deal for Johjima been fine?

With Clement splitting time between catcher and DH?

Cheeseburgers are delicious.

by Coach Owens on Apr 25, 2008 3:24 PM PDT   0 recs

Nope.

Letting Johjima walk at the end of this season would most likely result in a better draft pick.

by BrianL on Apr 25, 2008 3:26 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

fine is a loaded word

It would have been much less sucky, but likely still unneeded.

by Matthew on Apr 25, 2008 3:56 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Again

IF this move means they’re abandoning Clement-for-C, then yeah, it’s immensely stupid.

But we don’t KNOW this yet. Yeah, it seems like a hell of a commitment in time and money for a back-up/part time catcher, but if that’s what it is, I’ll take it.
Joh gets on well with a number of pitchers, including Felix and Putz. He doesn’t get along with Washburn. All of this makes me like him more.

If the idea is to bring Clement up now to play some DH, to watch Joh/Burke catch and to catch the odd game, great. Burke’s gone, Sexson’s gone, (pleasepleaseplease) Vidro’ll be gone – then you can have Clement/Johjima split time at C, and have Ibanez/Clement split time at DH. This is not so bad.

It would be an overpay, but a defensible one.

by marc w on Apr 25, 2008 3:37 PM PDT   0 recs

I agree

I think the key line is:

“This extension allows us to feel very comfortable with our catching depth for the foreseeable future.”

Depth = if Clement’s ready, great, if not, we have a backup plan other than Burke

by saltydog75 on Apr 25, 2008 3:43 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

yeah, I know

I didn’t say it was terribly likely, but seriously – this would be HARD to screw up if you were a team with any intelligence.
Hey, this guy hits lefty, this guy hits righty. How about that?

by marc w on Apr 25, 2008 3:47 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

If it were any other team

I don’t think we’d gone apeshit over this.

by JI on Apr 25, 2008 3:48 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Weird move

What’s new?

by chaney on Apr 25, 2008 3:55 PM PDT   0 recs

It's been in the works for a long time, actually

I don’t know, I guess I could see Fallon being all right in that role. I’m more worried that Conan is going to start sucking when he takes over the Tonight Show.

by Teej on Apr 25, 2008 4:39 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

no more masturbating bear :(

Or fights with Colbert and Jon Stewart

No matter how bad Wilkerson is, We can always remember the Jeff Manto suckfest.

by PhilKenSebben on Apr 25, 2008 4:43 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

At least it's not Carson Daly like I feared.

And at least Jimmy Fallon will have a job where he’s actually encouraged to always keep eye contact with the camera instead of doing it anyway.

Hmm... Needs more Bonds.

by Double06 on Apr 25, 2008 7:19 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

And Bavasi says

“I would guess that at some point along the way, because of Jeff’s bat - and asusming Kenji plays the way he can - Jeff’s going to get exposed to another position at some point,’’ Bavasi said. “But we have not given up on him as a catcher. A lefthanded hitting catcher with power, those are real tough to find. So, this doesn’t change Jeff’s track to the big leagues much at all. Because his track to the big leagues is with his bat more than his glove anyway.’‘

Thank you Geoff Baker for asking him about it, since most other beat writes would not take the time to bother.

Go Fo Broke!

by eknpdx on Apr 25, 2008 4:43 PM PDT   0 recs

And thank you Bavasi

for giving an answer that both contradicts itself and doesn’t answer the question.

...and now I'm here

by Librocrat on Apr 25, 2008 4:50 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

I'm guessing

That we won’t see Clement in a big league uniform until right around the trading deadline, if at all this year.

Midnight Baseball - No Lights - Only in Alaska!

by MfaninAlaska on Apr 25, 2008 4:50 PM PDT   0 recs

unless there's an injury.

Midnight Baseball - No Lights - Only in Alaska!

by MfaninAlaska on Apr 25, 2008 4:51 PM PDT to parent up   0 recs

Is it just me

or have we lost the upco