The Seattle Times: The Hot Stone League

Mariners have five players in ESPN's top 100 prospects list

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:42:22 PST

Here is a nice story about Danny Hultzen donating $100,000 to the University of Virginia baseball program.

Yes, another ranking of prospects is out today (hidden behind ESPN's pay wall). This one is by Keith Law, who yesterday had his organizational rankings (the Mariners were 11th), Law, who used to work for the Toronto Blue Jays (and recently turned down a job offer with the Houston Astros), is one of the most well-connected evaluators in the biz, so his rankings are ones I look at a little more closely.

Law gave a clue yesterday how the Mariners would end up, with his comment that their top 5 prospects are outstanding, but that there's a fall off after that. Sure enough, the Mariners have five players ranked in Law's first 57, and none thereafter -- and none in the list of 10 prospects who barely missed the list. In other words, no one in the Seattle organization ranked from 58 through 110.

The five Mariners he names are easy to figure out: Jesus Montero at No. 9 (one of three catchers in the top 10, though Law is not kind in evaluating his catching skills), RHP Taijuan Walker at No. 24, LHP Danny Hultzen at No. 30, LHP James Paxton at No. 51, and shortstop Nick Franklin at No. 57.

Mariners might not be as young as we thought -- at least not right away

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:31:05 PST

(Carlos Guillen, photo by Associated Press)

For the Mariners, this is a season predicated on youth. It's the essence of "The Plan" that's going to lead the Mariners out of the darkness (they say). It's the reason that Jack Zduriencik pleads for patience while all this young talent coalesces. It's the central meme for 2012: the Mariners are going young, with all the pitfalls and all the payoff.

Obviously, the shining hope for the future is the young core of players that broke in last year (Dustin Ackley, Justin Smoak, Casper Wells, Mike Carp et al, with new addition Jesus Montero), backed up by the wave of young pitchers knocking on the door (Danny Hultzen, James Paxton, Taijuan Walker).

But a flurry of late signings makes it apparent that the M's aren't quite ready to turn this thing over to the kids, lock, stock and bat barrel. Kevin Millwood was signed on Jan. 24, and if I were a betting man, I'd wager that the old warhorse is going to be in the rotation if he doesn't completely self-destruct in spring training. Manager Eric Wedge said recently that he's never seen a veteran provide more leadership than Millwood did when he pitched for Wedge in Cleveland. It sure sounds to me like he wants Millwood, now 37, to win a job, and I expect him to do just that.

ESPN's Keith Law ranks Mariner farm system No. 11

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:31:04 PST

(Taijuan Walker and James Paxton answer questions at the recent FanFest at Safeco Field. Broadcaster Rick Rizzs is far left. Seattle Times photo by Alan Berner).

Keith Law's annual organizational rankings were released today, and the Mariners fared pretty well. They are No. 11, which is actually down a spot from his rankings heading into the 2011 season but still indicative of improvement in a farm system he ranked 21st in 2010. Note that Law's rankings are behind ESPN's pay wall.

Also, FanGraphs today released their Top 15 Mariners' prospects, which is also worth a look. The one surprise (to me, anyway) was shortstop Martin Peguero, ranked No. 9.

Remembering when Chris Gimenez took one (literally) for the team

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:46:04 PST

(Seattle Times staff photo)

Glad to see that Jamey Wright has landed a job, signing a minor-league contract with the Dodgers. Wright gave the Mariners a solid performance last year -- a 3.16 ERA in 60 games. The Dodgers are the 11th organization for Wright, who turned 37 in December. The list: Rockies, Brewers, Cardinals, Royals, Giants, Rangers, Indians, Cubs, A's, Mariners and Dodgers (including two separate stints with the Royals, Rockies, Mariners and Rangers).

So Chris Gimenez has been designated for assignment, which is the plight for players like Gimenez, who has spent most of his career on the shuttle between Triple-A and the major leagues. I wouldn't at all be surprised if he signs back with the organization, because manager Eric Wedge has a soft spot for him, and his versatility is appealing. But the road back to the majors is considerably more difficult, of course, as a non-roster player, because Gimenez's ascension would then necessitate clearing a spot on the 40-man roster.

Either way, I think one of the more memorable performances of last season for the Mariners was provided by Gimenez, and deserves mention if he is indeed parting ways with the organization. Or even if he's not.

The date was June 28, and the Mariners were playing an interleague game against the Braves at Safeco Field. They began the day with a 39-40 record, just two games out of first place. Hope still ruled the day, though their massive collapse -- a 17-game losing streak beginning on July 6 -- was just around the corner.

On this night, Michael Pineda opposed Tommy Hanson, an enticing matchup of rising young pitchers. In batting practice, Gimenez tweaked his left oblique muscle but wasn't too concerned, since Miguel Olivo was catching that night.

Well, in the fourth inning, Olivo had to leave the game with leg cramps. Out of necessity, Gimenez entered the game (it was either him or emergency catcher Adam Kennedy, who had never actually caught at any level of baseball and whose experience was limited to warming up Brandon League between innings once).

In his first at-bat, Gimenez swung twice and aggravated the oblique injuury even more. "It felt like someone stabbed me,'' he would say after the game.

He insisted on toughing it out, but the Mariners told him not to swing the bat so he could remain in on defense. Wouldn't you know it, with the game hanging in the balance in the seventh inning -- runners on first and second, two outs, Braves leading 5-4 -- who should come to the plate but Gimenez? Wedge stuck with him, but the crowd of 21,769 was perplexed when Gimenez tried to drop down a bunt. And they were annoyed when, after working the count full (without a swing), he struck out looking on a fastball down the middle.

New Mariner Hong-Chih Kuo has had a fascinating career

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:16:05 PST

Hong-Chih Kuo was 17 years old when the Dodgers signed him to a $1.2-million bonus in 1999, making him the first Taiwanese player signed out of high school by a major-league team.

It's been a wild ride ever since for the left-hander, who today signed a one-year, major-league contract with the Mariners.

In his very first professional game, pitching for San Bernardino in the California League in April of 2000, Kuo struck out seven of the 10 batters he faced. He was completely overpowering. Only two batters put the ball in play, and those were weak grounders. The Orange County Register quoted Scott Akasaki, an assistant in the Dodgers' Asian operattions department, on the performance: "I remember calling my dad after the game. His favorite player was Sandy Koufax. I said, '"Dad, I know I never saw Sandy Koufax. But I just saw Hong-Chih Kuo'"