M's Mailbag

Corey Brock's M's latest mailbag is at the Mariner website. Here are the Q & A's involving ex-Timber Rattlers:

What are the Mariners going to do when Jeff Clement comes up to the Majors? Rene Rivera has the potential of being a star player, the same with Clement. What are they going to do with these two young stars with Kenji Johjima staying with the team? -- Andrew K., Bellevue, Wash.

The Mariners certainly aren't in a big hurry to push Clement to the Major Leagues -- not with Johjima having two more seasons left on his contract. Clement split the 2006 season between Double-A San Antonio and Triple-A Tacoma. Clement hit .288 at San Antonio and .257 in 67 games with Tacoma. He'll likely start the season at Tacoma, where he will catch and also serve time at designated hitter. Clement hit just .189 in Hawaii Winter Baseball. It will be interesting to see what kind of season he has. As for Rivera, he's a nice fit as a backup to Johjima, but from what I hear, he doesn't project as a frontline catcher.
Do you think Bryan LaHair will or should get a shot this year at first base? He has shown signs of power and doesn't make too many errors. -- Bill J., Seattle

On the prospect meter -- well, if there truly was such a thing -- LaHair isn't regarded as one of Seattle's top 10 prospects, according to Baseball America. But LaHair has certainly opened some eyes with his performance the last two seasons, especially in 2006, when he hit a combined .309 with 16 home runs and 74 RBIs in 424 at-bats between Double-A San Antonio and Triple-A Tacoma. LaHair even played last summer with Team USA in the Olympic qualifier tournament. Not too bad for a guy who was a 39th-round draft pick. He'll start the season with Tacoma and from there, who knows? The guy has surprised just about everyone.