The Tacoma Rainiers season is now over, finishing with a 12-9 loss at home symbolic of most of the season for them in their first go around at the renovated Cheney Stadium. With the conclusion of their season, the Mariners are free to poach as many of their players as they feel compelled and they have issued some recall notices.
I had thought that given the loss of Franklin Gutierrez and Casper Wells hit-by-pitch foibles that the Mariners would draw on the four available outfielders in Tacoma all currently on the 40-man roster in Carlos Peguero, Michael Saunders, Greg Halman and Mike Wilson. Instead, for now, only Saunders have been promoted. Joining him is Alex Liddi pleasing Rick Rizzs heart to an immense, meatball-sized degree [ed note: this is only the start of many, many dumb Italian jokes to come] and curiously, RHP Steve Delabar.
Delabar is a former Independent League player, signed by the Mariners this spring. Somewhat akin to Tom Wilhelmsen, Delabar was voluntarily out of the game for a while, those his absence was predicated on an elbow injury, and then returned with a plus (reports of 95mph) fastball. He's 27, but he's worked his way through four levels now this season, starting with High Desert. You will recognize him by his inability to throw strikes consistently.
I'm not sure how much Saunders or Liddi will get to play given there's few games left and both are probably behind the current young starts on the depth chart. Also, haha, Figgins. Additionally, the Mariners need to make a 40-man roster move to get Delabar up and the most likely one is to place Gutierrez on the 60-day disabled list, but there's also the chance that Yoervis Medina's time has finally come.