GM Bill Bavasi may have had us all fooled.  We’ve all been sitting around debating why the hell Jeff Clement hadn’t been called up, but Bavasi might have been just doing his job. 

How this slipped past everyone I will never know, but a Seattle based radio program was reporting that by leaving Clement in the minor leagues until May 8th it should delay his free agent or “Super 2″ eligibility by one year.  While I have verified nothing, it makes perfect sense.  Tampa Bay Rays super prospect Evan Longoria went through the same thing at the beginning of this season, starting in AAA despite being best option to start at third base.  With all the attention directed at him at the start of the season, you’d think SOMEONE would make the connection with Clement.  Instead, just about everyone in the Mariner blogosphere, including the newspaper writers who are paid to know what’s going on, have been livid about Clement’s minor league status. 

I’m not certain on specific rules when it comes to player arbitration and free agency, but I’ll do my best to find some more info.  If this information proves to be correct, Clement could be with the ballclub during their next homestand.  With this new revelation sweeping through Mariner-land tonight, I’m sure there will be some more specifics in the coming days.  (Thanks to Rob T. for the tip.)

NOTE: This date is not confirmed by and Mariners officials, as far as I know, but I’ll get you updated as soon as some more info surfaces.

Related Content: Clement Not the Answer, but a Start (4/28), What Happens with Jeff Clement? (4/25)

UPDATE 9:24 am PST 4/29/08: Geoff Baker explores the subject, and it seems like all the discussion was to keep Clement from earning “Super 2″ status rather than delaying free agency.  (The simple explaination of “Super 2s” is that they’re players in a certain percentile at their position after just two years of service time, making them arbitration eligible one year earlier than most players.  Ryan Howard and George Sherrill are both examples of “Super 2″ players that received early raises.) Either way, Baker determined that Seattle would likely have to keep Clement in the minor leagues until mid-June to avoid “Super 2″ status, which is why I think this mystery date may have something to do with free agent eligibility.  Either way, Clement will be up sooner than later, presumably. 

UPDATE 2:00 pm PST 4/29/08: Looks like I was correct (score one for the home team!) in assuming it was an issue of free agent eligibility and not of “Super 2″ status.  Geoff Baker confirms this by updating the link above: “Yes, Jeff Clement will be a free agent one year earlier if he is called up before May 7. For the sake of one-more-week-plus, though this team is hurting now, I do agree it is probably worth it to avoid Clement’s free agency a year ahead of time.“