Don't Expect Any September Call-Ups For A Little While

by Jeff Sullivan on Aug 31, 2010 9:41 AM PDT in Seattle Mariners News, Regular

In other news Daren Brown today said that they would most likely hold off on September callups until Tacoma season and post season is over. If there were a specific need at the big league level I have no doubt someone would be called up but as it is now they would like the Rainiers to stay together and win as many games possible.

The Rainiers have seven games remaining in their regular season, and given that they hold a 3.5-game lead over second place Salt Lake, they're looking good to make the playoffs, too. So those of you hoping to see some Justin Smoak, Dustin Ackley, Mike Carp, Rob Johnson for some reason, Greg Halman, Josh Lueke, Mauricio Robles, Matt Mangini, and/or Dan Cortes will have to wait.

It's worth noting that none of Robles, Lueke, or Mangini are on the 40-man roster, although spaces are available and more bits could be trimmed. For example, Chris Woodward is on the team.

There are two components to this. For one, no team wants to piss off an affiliate. The Rainiers are important to the Mariners, so the Mariners would like to see to it that the Rainiers stay happy, and a sure-fire way to make the Rainiers unhappy is to take away a bunch of their best players during the playoffs. The second component is the team-building aspect. You and I don't really care about the minor league playoffs, but the players do. For many of them, AAA is the highest level they've ever seen, and they'd like to win it all. So the experience of going to the playoffs and the bonding that comes along with it are absolutely positive. It kind of helps lay the groundwork for a good clubhouse environment in Seattle a year or three down the road.

It should come as little surprise that Daren Brown has the Rainiers' best interests at heart.

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Matt Mangini is someone I'm mildly excited to see when if/when he getz called up

by Dewey N on Aug 31, 2010 9:52 AM PDT reply actions

Me too, mostly on account of he would make Tui redundant

De Gutibus non disputandum est

by Bearskin Rugburn on Aug 31, 2010 10:01 AM PDT up reply actions

I bet he would be terrible

by Jeff Sullivan on Aug 31, 2010 10:02 AM PDT up reply actions

Probably a left-handed Tui.

You got slurved!

by Slurvey on Aug 31, 2010 10:11 AM PDT up reply actions

Yeah but what if he came up and surprised us by being good at offense

by Dewey N on Aug 31, 2010 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions

There may be an opening for the next 'give this guy a chance' fan favorite that we wouldn't want on the team.

by Janic on Aug 31, 2010 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions

They should do some targeted September call-downs

Let’s win this thing!

by lemonverbena on Aug 31, 2010 10:12 AM PDT reply actions 12 recs

This explains Chris Woodward's promotion

by Matthew on Aug 31, 2010 1:24 PM PDT up reply actions 7 recs

Playoffs!

Karma police, arrest this man.

by wyte_lightning on Aug 31, 2010 10:19 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs

Any thoughts on Scott Patterson?

He’s only been on the Rainiers since July, and he’s an oldie at 31. But he’s been dominant with a 33:9 K:BB ratio in 29 innings. I saw in him Friday’s Rainiers game, and he totally blew away the Beavers.

Is he a guy we picked up as prep for next year, or what?

I am going to come into your house at night and rec up the place.

by HititHere on Aug 31, 2010 10:32 AM PDT reply actions

They probably got him because Tacoma needs a bullpen and the Ms were raiding it

His career AAA numbers aren’t spectacular and I don’t expect him to make the roster ahead of Kelley, Cortes or Lueke. Especially with the dearth of 40man spots.

De Gutibus non disputandum est

by Bearskin Rugburn on Aug 31, 2010 11:07 AM PDT up reply actions

He was ok on the Gilmore Girls.

and as the self-centered pitcher in Little Big League.

by msb on Aug 31, 2010 11:41 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs

A financial aspect for the player

A big reason why it’s nice to bring a player up, even if he’s just going to sit on the bench, is because when they are with the big league club they draw major league minimum, get travel money, and can take advantage of the post-game meals.

For guys who are on minor league contracts, the financial benefits are huge. In fifteen games on the big league roster they can probably double their salary for the year. It makes a nice bonus and reward. For the relatively paltry amount of money it costs, I think teams should call up to the bog league club every player on the 40-man roster whose team isn’t involved in the playoffs and who is playing on a minor league contract. Then as teams are eliminated in playoffs are eliminated, call up the guys whose seasons have ended.

Let them sit, take in the atmosphere, and get a nice end of season bonus.

"Most all good Americans hate the Yankees. It is a value we cherish and pass on to our children like decency and democracy and the importance of a good breakfast." - William B. Mead

by Steve Nelson on Aug 31, 2010 10:41 AM PDT reply actions

Aaaaaand then theres the whole being in the bigs thing

which they pretty much all have dreamed about since they could remember their dreams. I think that probably trumps the money.

De Gutibus non disputandum est

by Bearskin Rugburn on Aug 31, 2010 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions

Anyone remember Mickey Lopez?

I remember Mickey Lopez.

by Double06 on Aug 31, 2010 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions

Wouldn't the "they'll get paid more" be a disincentive to the team to bring them up?

It seems like teams watch the service time clocks like hawks.

by yuniform on Aug 31, 2010 2:25 PM PDT up reply actions

The few weeks at the end of the season aren't of any real significance.

If a guy is likely to be a regular in the near future, 20 games isn’t going to have any affect on his service time clock. It’ will still kick in after the same number of seasons. And if he doesn’t project to be a big league regular, he won’t accumulate enough time anyway for service time to be an issue.

But joining the big league club is a treat. Yes, it’s the big league club, but the point I think we need to remember is that the financial part is pretty significant for those guys as well.

"Most all good Americans hate the Yankees. It is a value we cherish and pass on to our children like decency and democracy and the importance of a good breakfast." - William B. Mead

by Steve Nelson on Aug 31, 2010 4:44 PM PDT up reply actions

Except it will affect their service times.

Three weeks of Ackley this September = three extra weeks you need to keep him in Tacoma next year in order to game that extra season down the line.

by Matthew on Aug 31, 2010 5:57 PM PDT up reply actions

Don't forget the fans

I remember being in Vancouver the year the Canadians won the AAA World Series — we were at the Nat a bunch down the stretch, and every home game in the PCL playoffs. Even in Vancouver, where the fanbase wasn’t exactly huge or hardcore (and the team was moving to Sacramento in the winter and everyone knew it), it made a difference.

by The Ancient Mariner on Aug 31, 2010 10:47 AM PDT reply actions