M's Farm Report | After hot start at Tacoma, outfielder Michael Saunders has cooled off

TACOMA — It began with an RBI double in his debut. Then a three-hit game, with a bunt single and a home run to right-center field. And before Michael Saunders could return to Tacoma — not to mention reality — he put up two more hits, with four RBI, in his third game at Class AAA.

After one road series with Tacoma, Saunders looked more like the Mariners' solution in center field than a 21-year-old just promoted from AA West Tenn in an aggressive move by the front office. The 11th-round pick had six hits in 13 at-bats (.462), with seven RBI, three extra-base hits and two walks.

"I don't think I could have started any better," Saunders said.

He showed power. He showed speed.

He has not shown much since.

Saunders' average has dropped to .256 after 10 games in Tacoma. Those belt-high fastballs he saw in Tennessee? They have turned into sinkers and cutters in on the hands.

"The pitchers have a really good idea of what they're doing up there, and as soon as they see a weakness, they exploit it," Saunders said. "They make a lot less mistakes, I've found."

The Mariners moved Saunders to Tacoma after just 67 games at West Tenn, where he hit .290 with eight home runs and 30 RBI. Saunders has never spent more than a full season at any of his stops since being drafted in 2004.

"I never expected to be here," Saunders said. "I'm just really excited."

The 6-foot-4, 205-pound outfielder has an graceful left-handed swing when it connects. But throughout his career, Saunders has never been a sure thing to connect.

He has 392 minor-league strikeouts, more than one every four at-bats. In a four-game series against Salt Lake last weekend, Saunders struck out nine times — with just three hits.

"They pretty much hammered him inside the whole series," Rainiers manager Daren Brown said.

Saunders said he has fallen behind in several counts searching for the perfect pitch. Hitting coach Alonzo Powell has urged him to be more aggressive early in the count.

"It's a game of adjustments, and he'll figure it out," Brown said. "I don't like to pick a kid apart that has the tools that he has."

Saunders has confidence that he can work through his strikeout issues with more at-bats in Class AAA.

"I'm really starting to learn the game with some of these guys," he said. "Within a week and a half, two weeks, I've already learned a lot."

Saunders' ability to start in each outfield position will allow him to find more playing time in Tacoma's crowded outfield. But the Victoria, B.C., native will miss nearly a month while playing for the Canadian national team in the Olympics. He'll return for the final eight games of the Rainiers' season.

"He's got a chance to be a good player," Brown said.

Tom Wyrwich: 206-515-5653 or twyrwich@seattletimes.com