Swiping from Mariner Minors

Plenty of stuff in one post at Mariner Minors.

There is a link to an ESPN.com article about some top prospects. Mainly about Royal farmhand Alex Gordon, but ex-Rattler Jeff Clement (WI '05) gets a sidebar.

Jeff Clement was the third pick in the 2005 draft, ahead of big leaguers like Ryan Zimmerman (nearly the NL Rookie of the Year in 2006 for the Nationals) and Troy Tulowitzki (already in the majors with the Rockies) as well as top prospects like Jacoby Ellsbury (Red Sox), Cameron Maybin (Tigers), and Andrew McCutchen (Pirates). Clement went that high because he has big pull power and was expected stay behind the plate, although he was never pretty back there. Now he's already had his first knee surgery, he didn't hit for power in the power-friendly Cal League, and was awful in the Hawaiian Winter League.

At 23, he has plenty of time to put his career back on track, but it looks likely that he's more evidence that drafting for need is usually a bad strategy in the first round.

Greg Dobbs (WI '02) is no longer in the Mariner system. The Phillies picked him up off waivers.

Dobbs, 28, split last season between triple-A Tacoma and Seattle. He hit .370 (10-27) with three doubles, one triple and three RBI in 37 games with the Mariners. As a pinch-hitter, he went 5-for-17 (.294).

Dobbs began the season at Tacoma and hit .314 with nine home runs and 55 RBI in 99 games. With the addition of Dobbs, the Phillies' 40-man roster stands at 38 players.

Matt Tuiasosopo (WI '05) gets a mention in this post by John Sickels at MinorLeagueBall.com. It isn't flattering.

Lastly, Michael Saunders (WI '06) has this bit of news in the off-season:

Ballplayer named MVP

Mike Saunders of Victoria thought he knew all about inspiration until he put on a Team Canada baseball uniform last year for Olympic qualifying for the 2008 Beijing Summer Games.

"I took a lot of pride in playing those games for my country," said Saunders, whose blazing .448 average at the plate helped Canada finish fourth in the Americas regional tournament last fall and advance to the next round of qualifying in 2008.

Saunders was named 2006 Senior National MVP. Infielder Brett Lawrie of the Langley Blaze was honoured as the the junior national MVP by Baseball Canada at its annual awards banquet Saturday in Toronto.
...
Saunders, who pitched during his formative years with the Victoria Mariners in the B.C. Premier League before being selected as a position player by the Mariners in the 11th round of the 2004 draft, said he hopes to graduate from the low-A Timber Rattlers of the Midwest League to play this year for the Mariners' high-A minor-pro High Desert Mavericks of the California League.

"I want to move up each year and not be stuck on any level," said Saunders, who said he underperformed and wasn't satisfied with his .240 average in Wisconsin.

Asked if he has a target date in mind for the majors, Saunders replied "by age 23 or 24."