M's bring up Cha Seung Baek from Tacoma, Jones sent down

SEATTLE – The struggling Seattle Mariners juggled their roster again, sending center fielder Adam Jones to Triple-A Tacoma and calling up right-handed pitcher Cha Seung Baek to start Tuesday night against the New York Yankees.

Baek took the spot on the Mariners' 25-man roster of pitcher Jamie Moyer, who was traded to Philadelphia on Saturday. Outfielder T.J. Bohn was called up from Tacoma to take Jones' roster spot.

"Adam needs to play and we think Adam's going to be a very special player in the big leagues," manager Mike Hargrove said. "He needs at-bats and sitting around here, he's learned a lot even not playing, but there comes a point in time that nothing replaces the fact that at-bats make you better."

Right-hander Gil Meche was originally slated to start Tuesday's series opener against the Yankees, but was skipped in the rotation to rest a sore forearm on his pitching hand. He's next scheduled to throw Saturday against Boston. Seattle entered Tuesday's game having lost 11 straight.

Jones is one of Seattle's top young prospects and just turned 21 on Aug. 1. He was Seattle's minor league player of the year in 2005 and was called up on July 14.

Jones played well defensively, but struggled at the plate, hitting .208 in 25 games with Seattle. His role was brought into question on Seattle's recent 11-game road trip after he started the first three games, and then sat for five straight days while Willie Bloomquist played center.

Jones was benched because Hargrove believed Jones would be overmatched by some of the pitchers and that Bloomquist gave Seattle a better chance to win, Hargrove said.

Jones said he was never given an explanation as to why he sat.

"That was hard," Jones said. "That was just the situation that was going on. There are moves that have been made and it's out of my hands."

Jones' future is center was also muddled by Ichiro Suzuki's move to center field. Suzuki started his second consecutive game in center on Tuesday night.

"I understand the situation, so I'm disappointed, but I'm not angry," Jones said. "I still get to play every day and that's all I wanted."

Hargrove wouldn't answer if he sees Jones as Seattle's future center fielder.

"I'm not going to talk about that. It's a question for down the road," Hargrove said.

Baek was 12-4 with a 3.00 ERA in 24 starts at Tacoma. It's been a stark turnaround from last year, when Baek was taken off Seattle's 40-man roster after struggling to an 8-8 record and a 6.41 ERA.

Baek re-signed with Seattle as a minor-league free agent on Feb. 3 and won his last seven decisions at Tacoma. He made six starts with the Mariners at the end of the 2004 season, going 2-4. In his final start that season, Baek pitched eight shutout innings in a 9-0 win over Texas.

"He's been throwing well and this gives us a chance to look at him," Hargrove said.

Bohn was hitting .275 with eight homers and 39 RBIs in 82 games at Tacoma. He missed much of June and July after breaking his right thumb.