Latest M's Mailbag

Corey Brock takes your questions and Rattler Radio posts his answers (the ones involving ex-Rattlers).

You have talked about Jeff Clement catching for Triple-A Tacoma this year. So what happens to Rob Johnson, who caught the majority of games last year for the Rainiers?-- Matt S., Stockton, Calif.

I would expect Johnson to return to Tacoma this season. What I can't understand is why he was there last season, splitting time with Clement and Guillermo Quiroz. Johnson is regarded as a very strong defensive catcher. He threw out 45 percent of basestealers in 2006. Now, I understand the Mariners are proactive about moving their prospects up the chain, but Johnson -- a career .254 hitter in the Minor Leagues -- probably should have spent the season at Double-A San Antonio instead of skipping that level. He hit just .231 in 337 at-bats with Triple-A Tacoma. I imagine that he and Clement will split catching duties, with Clement also seeing time at designated hitter.

Will the Mariners take the baby gloves off Hernandez this year? Or are they going to try to keep him under the 200-innings mark again? -- Soren S., Seattle

Actually, though the magic number the Mariners touted all last season was 200 innings, he ended up with 205 innings (including 14 innings in Spring Training) after the Mariners gave him one extra start during the final week of the season. The Mariners have said they won't put a cap on his innings this season, though they'll pay close attention to his pitch counts. Look for Hernandez to be more economical with his pitches like he was in the second half of the 2006 season when he turned into a veritable ground-ball machine.