Welcome to the club, Clement and Balentien!

After the M’s 4-2 loss to the A’s on Sunday, manager John McLaren hinted at possible changes to the Mariners line-up.  Regarding his team’s early-season struggle to score runs, McLaren stated: “There are some positives, but we are still not running on all cylinders.  Too many guys (are) not swinging the bat well, not driving in runs when they are out there.”

Well, a month into the season and the M’s limping along to an underwhelming 13-14 record- propelled by a 1-7 record in one-run games, resulting in strong pitching performances being wasted by a combination of inept offensive contributions with runners on base (.254 AVG and .405 SLG) and late-inning bullpen meltdowns- those changes are being realized, with the M’s announcing the promotion of hot-hitting Wladimir Balentien and Jeff Clement to the big league roster.  To make room for Balentien and Clement, the M’s dropped Greg Norton and Brad Wilkerson, designating both for assignment, meaning that the club has ten days to trade either players, release them, or assign them to the minors.

The promotion of these two young future stars wasn’t entirely unexpected.  Instead, what is surprising is that the moves occurred a day after the M’s offense broke through for five runs in the ninth inning of a 7-2 victory over the Cleveland Indians, just the third time since April 17 that the team has scored more than seven runs.

Its not much of a surprise that Wilkerson was dropped.  His signing was a mistake but forced, as the M’s were aware that the Adam Jones-Erik Bedard deal was all but completed, and with Luis Gonzalez signing a contract with the Florida Marlins, the pool of available outfielders to step into the void being vacated by Jones’ absence was diminishing.  With Wilkerson, the Mariners were hoping to strike gold again with another one-year contract, as they had with Jose Guillen, who provided 23 home runs and 99 RBIs in a similar signing last year.  Guillen’s free agent defection to Kansas City, plus the trade of Jones to Baltimore, necessitated the signing of Wilkerson, but the M’s were unable to have lightning strike twice, as Wilkerson struggled in his short stint with the Mariners.  In only 19 games, Wilkerson hit .232 with no home runs and five RBIs, and had been waylaid recently with a sore knee.  If Wilkerson signs on with another team, the Mariners will be on the hook for his contract, minus a pro-rated share of a minimum salary that WIlkerson would be paid by the team he signed with.

The dropping of Norton was another manner.  Switch-hitters batting .438 in limited playing time are a rarity in baseball, and Norton could’ve easily split time at DH, considering that Jose Vidro, the other switch-hitter available to the M’s, is batting nearly 230 points lower in about five times the number of plate appearances.  Instead, five days after knocking in three runs in a 5-3 victory over Oakland, Norton was unceremoniously dumped by the club.  I guess when considering which switch-hitting DH to keep, the one who is struggling to keep above the Menodza line is the preferred option, especially when the sub-Menodza option is on the books for roughly ten times as much in salary.

So, instead of Norton, Jeff Clement will be challenging Vidro for at-bats as DH.  Clement has been on a tear in the early going for Triple-A Tacoma, compiling a 1.227 OPS in 78 at-bats, with a ludicrous 22-to-12 walk-to-strikeout ratio that makes you feel sorry for the future.  Drafted as a catcher, and all but ensured of being the M’s catcher of the future until they signed Johjima to an extension last week, Clement will probably get a few spot starts behind the plate, as well as perhaps spell Sexson at first whenever Richie needs a mental day-off.  Like after being booed repeatedly at Safeco.

With his six home runs and .619 slugging average (despite a .254 batting average), Balentien provides a bat with thump in right field, and displaces WIllie Bloomquist to his most natural position- the bench.  Just 24, Balentien has exhibited power and speed at all levels of the minor leagues he’s played, never hitting fewer than 16 home runs at any stop, and not tallying less than nine stolen bases in any full minor league season.

The promotion of these two players make me feel like the front office is recognizing that not only do they recognize that the team as was constructed would fail to be an October team, but were also willing to take the steps necessary to ensure that the team would become as close to an October team as possible.  The youth injection Balentien and Clement provide to the team’s moribund offense will be greatly appreciated, and I cannot wait to see the results.  AS the shrunken head in the Harry Potter films said: “Hang on to your hats, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”