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Be patient, Mariners

By Ben Miller

It really seems like it’s been a long time since I’ve been able to say this, but the Seattle Mariners made the right move on April 30. By calling up former Rainiers Jeff Clement and Wladimir Balentien to fill some glaring holes in their lineup, the Mariners made a move that could help dust off the slow start to a season that began with so much hope. Now, it’s just time for them to remain patient.

Maybe Balentien and Clement haven’t gotten off to the hottest starts in their time with the big club, but that doesn’t mean the Mariners should think about giving up on them anytime soon. After Balentien’s breakout season last year and Clement’s absolute torching of Pacific Coast League pitching during his time down here in Tacoma to start this season, it was time for the farmhands to have a chance to turn the title of “prospect” into one of “major league regular.”

So far, the Mariners have been allowing them to do that, and even though there is still hope of making the playoffs, it is vitally important to let the two players struggle and learn how to hit in the majors now, rather than to wait for later.

While being in a pennant race would usually cause most clubs to think twice about bringing up untested minor leaguers, the Mariners really had no other choice. What Brad Wilkerson and Jose Vidro had been giving them at the right field and designated hitter spots was downright abysmal. Cutting ties with Wilkerson and seating Vidro on the bench more than half the time was the only way to go.

It seems that, possibly, the Mariners have learned from past mistakes. Starting with hanging onto Carl Everett longer than they ever even should have considered in 2006 – who, by the way, posted an OPS of 651 in 92 games that year, compared to Vidro’s 546 at the same position so far this season – and including not bringing up Adam Jones until much later in the season last year than they should have.

The Mariners are giving the youngsters a chance, which is a step in the right direction. But now it’s time to let them grow. Clement’s bat is going to be potent at the Major League level as it was with the Rainiers, and while his struggles now might have a negative impact on the current race – though at 7.5 games back as I write this, race might not quite be the right word – with the Angels for the A.L. West, it will pay dividends in the future.

It is better that Clement learn how to face real, major league caliber pitchers now than to wait until later in the season or even next year when the Mariners might really need him to be able light things up with his bat.

Same with Balentien. Right now, the outfielder from Curacao already has two home runs and a slugging percentage of .560 in a week’s worth of playing time, but even if he starts to struggle or still can’t seem to draw a walk by the end of the month, the Mariners have to stay with him.

Clement and Balentien are the future of the Mariner lineup. There is absolutely no point in pushing that reality out of the picture right now. I’m glad the Mariners made the right choice of bringing them up the Majors when they did, now I just hope they don’t make the wrong one in the coming months.

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