A few Mariner roster moves

This is from a few days ago, but I'm just getting around to it.

In their second round of spring training cuts today, the Seattle Mariners optioned four players, including catcher Jeff Clement, to Triple-A Tacoma.

The others were pitchers; right-handers Jon Huber and Sean White and, left-hander Cesar Jimenez.

Of those four players, three have worn a Rattler uniform. Clement in 2005, Jimenez in 2003, and White on a rehab assignment in 2007.

Then later that same day.

Re-assigned to Minor League Camp (2):
Infielder (1): Matt Tuiasosopo
Left-Handed Pitcher (1): Phillip Barzilla

Tuiasosopo was a Rattler in 2005.

I'll head over to Jay at Mariner Minors for analysis on both the first and the second. Here are some bits on the Jimenez, Clement, and Tuiasosopo.

Jimenez had pitched significantly worse than the other left-handers, both in the running and on the fringe, and since his main weapon, the change, is more effective against right-handed hitters, using him as a left-handed setup man doesn’t make sense. I see him as a long or middle reliever, if anything, but he’s not the kind of pitcher the team should be planning around. For a time earlier in camp, it looked like they might be.

There were suggestions at the beginning of camp that Clement would have to play himself into a full-time role to get a job at all, and whether that assessment was the right one or not, he did little to stand out.

Tui hit only .250./280/.333 in the big camp this year, but it’s a step up from the cumulative .156/.182/.188 line he had been running in spring before now. We’ll see how he fares in Tacoma this year.

Thanks, Jay.