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By Shannon Drayer
Less than a week after Eric Wedge essentially put his team on notice, we saw our first change Thursday morning. Hector Noesi down, Carlos Peguero up.
Wedge gave every indication after Noesi's last loss – a Major League-leading 11th loss – that Noesi had made his last start in Seattle for a while, so the move was hardly a surprise. What I find interesting is that with all the struggles we have seen with the hitters this season, the moves that we have seen related to performance have all involved the pitchers.
Shawn Kelley was optioned to Tacoma after throwing a poor slider in Tokyo. In reality, he had an inconsistent spring and the pitch was not the only reason he was sent down, but it was the tipping point. Steve Delabar made his trip to Triple-A after giving up too many home runs and having more and more difficulty in getting right-handers out. Blake Beavan had an even shorter leash than Noesi. Four moves, four pitchers.
Yes, Casper Wells and Alex Liddi were sent down too, but neither were close to being full-time players and Wells, for all intents and purposes, found himself in a bit of a numbers crunch. It would appear that the young pitchers are being handled differently than the young hitters. To some extent they should be, but this seems a little extreme in light of what we are seeing with several of the hitters.
I talked with pitching coach Carl Willis two weeks ago in Arizona about what he was seeing in Noesi, who was coming off a seven-inning, one-run performance against the Giants. Willis indicated that it was still a work in progress and noted that there had been multiple conversations with Noesi about his focus. Another concern that the coaching staff had was that Noesi had not shifted out of the prospect mindset. To that end, they had a sit down with him.
"When you arrive at the Major Leagues, my feeling is you are no longer a prospect, you are a Major League player," Willis said. "Regardless of your status in the minor leagues, prospect or not, you are creating what type of Major League player you are going to be. The time for being a prospect is over. I think not creating a sense of urgency (with Noesi), but just a sense of how important this is. This is your life, this is your career. No one wants to hear you were a prospect; they want to know what were your numbers in the big leagues? That's what's important, and did you contribute to a club's winning a game."
I don't know if any of the hitters need this talk. With them it is different as they play every day. They don't have four days off to think of their success. I will say, however, that a concern of mine for a while has been that the Mariners would have to guard against creating an environment that is too safe for them. It has been announced loud and clear that this is the year of youth for the organization. This is the year where the prospects will get a long look. Wedge has been patient. Zduriencik has stressed the importance of learning at this level. Hardly a hitter has had to look over their shoulder or listen for approaching footsteps. It has been a very nurturing environment, for lack of a better word.
Whether this is hurting or helping them in some is the question I think has to be asked. Four pitchers have been sent down for performance issues. Two have returned and are doing well. Why the hesitance to do the same with some of the hitters?
Wedge said everything will be evaluated at the All-Star break. Despite the desire to get this group to improve and grow at this level while seeing Major League pitching, I think we will see at least one move with a hitter after the break. I think that there are a few guys who are looking at a crucial three games in Oakland – provided they are in the lineup – to show that a trip to Tacoma would not be the best thing for their development at this time.
Less than a week after Eric Wedge essentially put his team on notice, we saw our first change Thursday morning. Hector Noesi down, Carlos Peguero up.
Wedge gave every indication after Noesi's last loss – a Major League-leading 11th loss – that Noesi had made his last start in Seattle for a while, so the move was hardly a surprise. What I find interesting is that with all the struggles we have seen with the hitters this season, the moves that we have seen related to performance have all involved the pitchers.
Shawn Kelley was optioned to Tacoma after throwing a poor slider in Tokyo. In reality, he had an inconsistent spring and the pitch was not the only reason he was sent down, but it was the tipping point. Steve Delabar made his trip to Triple-A after giving up too many home runs and having more and more difficulty in getting right-handers out. Blake Beavan had an even shorter leash than Noesi. Four moves, four pitchers.
Yes, Casper Wells and Alex Liddi were sent down too, but neither were close to being full-time players and Wells, for all intents and purposes, found himself in a bit of a numbers crunch. It would appear that the young pitchers are being handled differently than the young hitters. To some extent they should be, but this seems a little extreme in light of what we are seeing with several of the hitters.
I talked with pitching coach Carl Willis two weeks ago in Arizona about what he was seeing in Noesi, who was coming off a seven-inning, one-run performance against the Giants. Willis indicated that it was still a work in progress and noted that there had been multiple conversations with Noesi about his focus. Another concern that the coaching staff had was that Noesi had not shifted out of the prospect mindset. To that end, they had a sit down with him.
"When you arrive at the Major Leagues, my feeling is you are no longer a prospect, you are a Major League player," Willis said. "Regardless of your status in the minor leagues, prospect or not, you are creating what type of Major League player you are going to be. The time for being a prospect is over. I think not creating a sense of urgency (with Noesi), but just a sense of how important this is. This is your life, this is your career. No one wants to hear you were a prospect; they want to know what were your numbers in the big leagues? That's what's important, and did you contribute to a club's winning a game."
I don't know if any of the hitters need this talk. With them it is different as they play every day. They don't have four days off to think of their success. I will say, however, that a concern of mine for a while has been that the Mariners would have to guard against creating an environment that is too safe for them. It has been announced loud and clear that this is the year of youth for the organization. This is the year where the prospects will get a long look. Wedge has been patient. Zduriencik has stressed the importance of learning at this level. Hardly a hitter has had to look over their shoulder or listen for approaching footsteps. It has been a very nurturing environment, for lack of a better word.
Whether this is hurting or helping them in some is the question I think has to be asked. Four pitchers have been sent down for performance issues. Two have returned and are doing well. Why the hesitance to do the same with some of the hitters?
Wedge said everything will be evaluated at the All-Star break. Despite the desire to get this group to improve and grow at this level while seeing Major League pitching, I think we will see at least one move with a hitter after the break. I think that there are a few guys who are looking at a crucial three games in Oakland – provided they are in the lineup – to show that a trip to Tacoma would not be the best thing for their development at this time.
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- michael_matherne wrote..."All intensive purposes"???July 6, 2012 2:01 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }0ReplyReport this as abuse
- Merrill wrote...Agreed....July 6, 2012 4:09 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }0ReplyReport this as abuse
- outsider wrote...hittersJuly 6, 2012 4:56 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }0ReplyReport this as abuse
- Ed Altizer wrote...SmoakJuly 6, 2012 6:42 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }0ReplyReport this as abuse
- JBWilcox wrote...Smoak and OthersJuly 6, 2012 7:29 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }0ReplyReport this as abuse
- shannon drayer wrote...EditorsJuly 6, 2012 9:12 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }0ReplyReport this as abuse
- Marinerman87 wrote...Lay off Shannon you toolbags!July 6, 2012 9:40 am{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }0ReplyReport this as abuse
- { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }ReplyReport this as abuse
