Clement and Wlad to be Called Up [Updated]
by Jon Shields ~ April 29th, 2008
Manager John McLaren told reporters pre-game that top prospects Jeff Clement and Wladimir Balentien will be called up to the big leagues “sooner than later.”
This was obviously expected considering the struggles of the Seattle Mariner offense. This also seems to fit in well with the discovery that Clement’s free agent eligibilitycan be pushed back one year by making him wait until May 8th. The same thing applies to Wlad, by the way.
While Clement’s bat is much needed and his callup expected, Wlad may not be ready. While he is coming off a three homer game, his batting average is still low and he’s prone to the strikeout. The thought process behind calling him up, undoubtedly, goes something like this: “Well, he can’t do any worse than Wilkerson.”
While true, I don’t expect Wlad to be a major contributor right off the bat. I hope I’m wrong, and I very well could be, but he very well may put up Richie Sexson type numbers during his first few weeks with Seattle: low .200s batting average, glimpses of power, lots of strikeouts. Of course, some hitters seem to up their game and focus better when they make it to the bigs (See: Mike Morse). Wlad, like Clement, certainly impressed during his brief September callup last season.
Look for at least one of these guys, if not both, to be with the club during the next homestand and to be placed immediately in the starting lineup. “If we bring them up, we’re going to play them,” McLaren added.
Source: Geoff Baker
UPDATE 8:01 pm PST 4/29/08: Dave at USSM notes that both Clement and Balentien were absent from the Rainiers lineup today and implies that they are on their way to join the Mariners. Geoff Baker reports that Wlad was taking a day off to rest his previously injured knee.
In other words, we still know nothing. Baker does bring up an interesting point in that Seattle could call the duo up now and send them back to the minors at some point of the season for 10 days to extend their free agency eligibility a year, but I find it hard to believe Seattle would do that. If the offense is clicking come July or August, do you really think Seattle would remove either of them, even for a short while?
I’m still guessing that Wlad and Clement will be called up on or after the 8th, but nothing that this ballclub does surprises me.
4 Responses to Clement and Wlad to be Called Up [Updated]
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1 April 29th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Do you think Clement will play mostly catcher or a mix of fist base, DH, catcher like youve said in the past
2 April 29th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Do not expect him to play any 1st base. He’s never played there before. He could start learning when he gets up to the big club, but don’t expect him to log any innings there until late in the year.
I’d expect him at DH and very rarely at catcher.
3 April 29th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Does Tacoma’s manager realize what kind of outburst he created in the blogosphere by giving both players rests on the same day. Its like he did it on purpose to screw with everybody.
4 April 29th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
I would rather keep Vidro in the lineup than Sexson.