Saunders Sent Down
Dave · March 18, 2010 at 10:17 am · Filed Under Mariners
Not much of a surprise here, as the writing was on the wall once the team traded for Milton Bradley, but Michael Saunders was sent to minor league camp today and will begin the season with Triple-a Tacoma. With Bradley and Byrnes expected to split time in left, there just weren’t going to many at-bats for Saunders on the big league roster. If he plays well in Tacoma, he’ll be first in line for a recall when Bradley or Griffey land on the DL, but until there are regular at-bats for him in Seattle, he’s better off in the minors.
Mike Koplove and Levale Speigner were also sent to minor league camp, but neither of them had any real chance of making the team. They’re just bullpen depth for the Rainiers.
especially after Cockrell mentioned it on-air last night 🙂
Shoot.
I was hoping that Saunders had a monster, “I’ve forced my way onto the team” kind of spring and carried that into the season. He’s a good player, and I’m excited for him to show that on the major-league level.
That said, it doesn’t make sense to bring him up and let him ride the pine. But if he’s starting in LF for the M’s in June, this will be a better team.
These things don’t bother me, because they don’t make much difference. He’s going to get just about the same number of PA for the Mariners this season whether he starts there or here. We’ll see him soon enough.
Certainly would lend a silver lining to a Griffey injury. Simultaneously reducing Bradley’s injury chances (by getting him more DH ABs) while upgrading our defense in LF.
Not that I would ever hope for a Griffey injury.
This is definitely due to the off season plan, whereby the M’s put themselves in a position where they do not depend on good seasons from any of their youngsters (Saunders, Tui, Carp, Moore) by acquiring people that, at least for this season, make them redundant.
Over/under on Saunders being called up? I’d like to offer May 15.
I don’t think that was possible even if he put up Bondsian numbers this spring. His only chance was if Byrnes had shown up out-of-shape or hurt or got hurt in ST. And given his history and the way he plays (“with hair on fire”) that could still happen at any time… in addition to the chances of a Bradley injury (or suspension) or a Griffey injury that Dave already mentioned. Though depending on how things shake out it’s possible Tui is first in line in Tacoma rather than Saunders, if he’s not already on the roster when they break camp.
The lineup blockage isn’t Bradley, it’s Griffey.
Any way you slot Bradley/Griffey/Saunders, the team is better without Griffey in either of the LF/DH roles.
And I presume other people heard Griffey announce on his ‘special’ before the game last night that he intends to play ‘a couple more years’.
He runs the team.
Yes, yes, we know, you have a deep seeded hatred of Ken Griffey Jr. Do you have to announce it in every thread?
I don’t think I’d have to if the local media–including you and Derek–stopped seeing The Emperor’s New Clothes every time you look at him.
If it’s fair game to call out the shortcomings of people like Lopez and Johnson, what’s the reason for the kid gloves treatment for Griffey?
If you’ve got the worst DH in baseball and then (apparently) slot him into the cleanup slot, isn’t that worthy of comment?
Here’s what happens when you “mention” it, though. The entire comment thread turns into a debate about Griffey, regardless of what it was intended to be about. We’ve already had about 382 million of them.
I’m not real happy about Griffey being on the team myself, but at a certain point it’s not really productive to keep bringing it up over and over again. He’s here and he’s not going anywhere.
Although it would be great if his subsequent career merited it, I don’t think we’re going to be using “Eric Byrnes” (or anyone else) as the shorthand equivalent of why Michael Saunders’s numbers didn’t quite get him to the Hall of Fame, a la Jim Presley.
This is not true.
Yeah, if you’ve deluded yourself into thinking that Derek and I are Griffey fanboys, you’re too far gone to talk to rationally.
Strike two.
Does this mean the gloves are off? I’d considered snarky and inappropriate comments to that post originally, but then I remembered that this isn’t Lookout Landing.
I suppose just discussing Michael Saunders is probably out the window at this point, huh?
Probably, but I’m a bit of a Michael Saunders fanboy, so I can get right back on that track. CHONE thinks he’s a 1 WAR player this season, with a 251/318/389 line and a break-even SB rate.
I can’t help but think he’s a better player than that. If he can stay on the ball and whack a bunch of doubles, plus keep his OBP up with an occasional bunt and a few walks, I think he can be a league average hitter. He already plays plus defense.
What does he have to do in Tacoma to force his way onto this team? If he comes out and hits 300/400/500 over the first 4-6 weeks in Tacoma, do they call him up? Or would we have to see an injury to put Saunders in the lineup regularly?
What is Saunders’ realistic upside? Because when I see him, last year notwithstanding, I still imagine Dwight Evans – awesome D, a developing batting eye, 20hr power and a few possible all-star appearances. Too optimistic?
In Tacoma? Make a phonecall to put a hit out on Bradley and/or Byrnes?
Saunders went .364 / .438 / .586 over 99 AB in May last year, and it didn’t get him called up. And when they did finally call him up, they had him spend most of his time in the cages working on hitting to all fields.
In 2009 with the Rainiers he went .310 / .378 / .544, which this MLE calculator suggests would translate to .270 / .325 / .448 with the M’s. I’m sure his long-term ceiling is that good (or better), but it’s a lot to ask of a rookie, and the guys in LF would have to be looking like they were going to suck over the course of the entire season for the team to take that gamble — and Zduriencik isn’t going to decide that based on April. Which for Saunders means the only quick route to the majors is an injury.
Not yet sold on Saunders.
Been around long enough to see this level of potential sink or swim. But at some point you got to run the kids out there and see what they can do. Speaking of kids…
Hate to reGrif, but this really does seem a relevant question to the topic: what do you think the chances are Saunders stays up if Griffey had not been resigned?
I love Saunders’ potential, but last year as soon as the opposition started throwing to the inner half of the plate, it exposed a huge hole in his swing. Like a lot of long-armed hitters, it’ll take him a while to overcome this weakness. A couple of dozen games in AAA isn’t likely to be enough. He needs to develop an effective technique to deal with them. His chances of being called up as an injury replacement might depend on the “handedness” of the injured player. The M’s are very left-handed right now, which is great for Safeco, but half their games are on the road and if it’s Byrnes or Sweeney that gets hurt, the choice might be a right-handed hitter.
Saunders’ development is on its own timeline. He’s blocked more by Byrnes and Bradley than He Who Shall Not Be Named.
Also, I neglected to mention that Rob Neyer’s blog on ESPN (Thursday, IIRC)had some interesting comments about the connection between this move and the M’s new training system; conversion of horizontal to vertical power, etc.
Dr. Marcus Elliott showing the force time curve of Dustin Ackley (good) compared to Michael Saunders (bad).