Seattle Mariners – Prospect Report

The Mariners are an interesting farm organization in that there is talent here, but it’s harder to get a read on it because the Mariners tend to push their kids pretty quickly.  While I have nothing against organizations that challenge their young players, the Dodgers did it with Clayton Kershaw, Texas did it with Eric Hurley, New York did it with Phil Hughes, the Mariners have maybe killed some talent by being a bit overzealous in it.  A few years ago, they were thought to have much of the top young pitching prospects in baseball.  Of that bunch, only King Felix became an elite player.  Of course, that’s not saying much.  ####, put Hernandez with a bunch of other, good pitching prospects and see how they look compared to him.

That said, there are some good prospects to check out in the Mariners’ systems and a couple of potential superstars in the mix as well, which is more than some organizations I’ve reviewed have (I’m looking at you, Florida!).  One trend that I have noticed, however, is that Seattle finds a lot more success in terms of the International Signing Period than in the draft, which is either a sign of Bill Bavasi signing away too many picks for them to be of use or a sign that Seattle needs better scouts stateside, but overall there are some talented kids here that you should keep an eye on. 

Mariners Top 15

1 – Carlos Triunfel (SS)

• DOB: 2/27/90
• Signed: 2006, Dominican Republic
• 2008 Club:  Too Tough To Call Right Now
• Height/Weight: 6-2/175
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny:  Triunfel is one of the faster rising players in terms of hype, potential and performance.  He signed with Seattle during last year's International Signing Period for  $1.3 million last summer and was one of the top international talents available in a class that was full of them (Jesus Montero – Yankees, Oscar Tejeda – Red Sox, and Engel Beltre – Rangers, just to name a few).  He tore up the lower minors and has risen quite rapidly, remarkable considering his age. 
• The Good:  Obviously Triunfel is a special talent, as he is a five-tool player that often gets compared to Dodgers Shortstop Rafael Furcal.  Triunfel has good contact ability and an excellent approach to hitting, as seen from his impressive numbers so far.  His body frame screams power potential.  As a defender, he has good hands, a strong arm and his range is good for short.  He also has some speed as well, allowing him to get to the ball quickly.  All in all, he’s off to a great start.  If the Mariners develop him right, he could be a star.
• The Bad:  Unfortunately, Triunfel has some downside.  In spite of his power potential, he hasn’t hit for any power at all, though that may have been because he’s been so aggressively promoted.  He’s also got no plate discipline and hasn’t drawn many walks.  He’s having trouble playing shortstop and has made over 30 errors at the position, but that’s not really a concern when you consider that he’s not long at the position.  If you see photos of the kid (and his video on Youtube), he’s got a big body frame and as he gets older, he’ll begin to fill out, losing range, speed, and eventually having to move over to Third Base, though that’s not a bad thing.  He’ll probably be a very excellent third baseman.
• Projection:  Very High, but I’m wondering if the Mariners will restrain themselves from their usual practice of rushing prospects, which has probably ruined a lot more prospects than it’s gained.  Triunfel has proven to be quite more advanced than advertised, but it makes no sense to send him to Double A where he’ll probably be destroyed.
• What He Can Be:  An All-Star Third Baseman, Possibly Along The Lines Of Miguel Cabrera
• 2008 Course Of Action:  Triunfel proved that he could handle the lowest levels of the minors, but he probably should remain in High A for next season.  Seattle might have other ideas and could send him to Double A, again, which I think is a really BAD idea.

2 – Adam Jones (CF)

• DOB: 8/1/85
• Drafted: 1st round, 2003, California High School
• 2008 Club:  Seattle Mariners (MLB)
• Height/Weight: 6-2/180
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny:  One of the better outfield prospects in the AL West, Jones had a rocky intro to the majors in a limited call up last September.  Since then, Jones has become one of the top prospects in baseball and has improved by leaps and bounds. 
• The Good:  Jones is loaded with tools, his best are his speed and his power, plus good bat speed.  He's also got one of the best arms in the system, not surprising considering he touched the mid 90's off of a mound in high school.
• The Bad:  Jones will always strike out a lot, but he still doesn’t draw enough walks, though in his defense, he has increased his walk total from last year.  Jones still has problems hitting lefties and needs to fine tune his base stealing and his outfield instincts.
• Projection:   Low.  There are some holes in Jones' game, but he really has nothing else to prove down in the minors and should get a decent shot, in spite of the fact that he has probably been rushed at several points in his career.
• What He Can Be: An power hitting, speedy outfielder.
• 2008 Course Of Action:  With Ichiro in center locked in long term and Jose Guillen now in Kansas City, Jones is now going to be the man in right field for the Mariners, giving them a very good outfield defensive unit.

3 – Jeff Clement (C)

• DOB: 8/21/83
• Drafted: 1st Round, 2005, University of Southern California
• 2008 Club:  Tacoma Rainers (Triple A)
• Height/Weight: 6-1/210
• Bats/Throws: L/R
• The Skinny:  Drafted third overall in the 2005 draft, Clement has managed to shut up many of the doubters that criticized his selection by improving greatly since the year began.  Last season, he tore up the Texas League, but was inexplicably promoted to Triple-A following minor knee and elbow surgery, and struggled while splitting time between catcher and designated hitter.  Clement has since returned with a vengeance and is already looking to be a factor for the Mariners next season.
• The Good: Clement’s bat has finally come alive after years of being unnecessarily rushed through the system.  He’s got natural power that allows him to hit to all fields and he’s got a solid approach to the plate.  He also works the count and waits for his pitch, but is cool with drawing the walk. 
• The Bad:  Okay, let’s get this out of the way.  I like Clement a lot, but one thing I did notice during an Isotopes game is that he has a lot of trouble controlling the running game.  His defense isn’t the greatest either and his arm isn’t accurate.  Another common knock on Clement is that he also tends to lengthen his swing when trying to hard to hit the long ball, which results in increased K rates.  Still, K’s aren’t too much of a problem, as long as he can begin to take more walks, which he has begun to do.
• Projection:  Low.  Clement would be able start on several teams already and should have a bright future, whether it's for the Mariners or if it's with someone else.
• What He Can Be: A Catcher That Hits Cleanup
• 2008 Course Of Action:  A wild idea I would decide to do if I were the Mariners would be to split Clement and Johjima between catcher and DH in order to keep both fresh and keep their bats in the lineup.  More likely, Clement will be back down to Triple A, but not for long.  Johjima is entering his last year and likely won’t return to Seattle next year, leaving the backstop role all to Clement.

4 – Juan Carlos Ramirez (RHP)

• DOB: 9/21/89
• Signed: 2006, Nicaragua
• 2008 Club:  Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Low A)
• Height/Weight: 5-11/175
• Bats/Throws: S/R
• The Skinny:  Ramirez was the talk of the Venezuelan Summer League in 206, year, earning Pitcher of the Year honors thanks to a 1.66 ERA in 65 innings while limiting opposing hitters to a .191 average and no home runs.  He then followed it up with a solid showing in the Arizona Rookie League, giving Seattle another young high ceiling arm to go with Phillipe Aumont.
• The Good:  The Mariners feel that Ramirez could be their first real solid pitching prospect produced by the system since Hernandez graduated from the farm.  He's got a mid 90's fastball and a solid curveball that is already regarded to be a plus pitch. 
• The Bad:  Ramirez needs a third pitch, most likely a changeup or a slider, to make him real effective.  
• Projection:  High.  The Mariners feel that in the future, Ramirez will tag team with King Felix to give them one of the best one-two punches in baseball.
• What He Can Be:  A Top Of The Rotation Starter
• 2008 Course Of Action:  Ramirez did fairly well in the Arizona League, but before Mariners fans begin to jump on the Ramirez Train, keep in mind that he's not going to rise as fast as Hernandez did, so he's going to be a ways off.  I would think that he'd be retained in Extended Spring Training before being sent to the Northwestern League.  However, it's ore likely he's headed to WIsconsin to begin his full season stint in the Midwestern League.

5 – Philippe Aumont (RHP)

• DOB:  1/07/89
• Drafted:  1st Round, 2007, Canadian High School
• 2008 Club:  Arizona Mariners (Rookie)
• Height/Weight: 6-7/225
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny:  Rated the top Canadian prospect in the draft, Aumont rose up a lot of draft boards, though none seemed to be targeting him directly except for Florida, who loved his potential and would have fit in great in their system.  Unfortunately for them, several near ready college arms were taken before Seattle, who took him 11th overall, just before Florida.  I absolutely loved this pick for the Mariners and it gives them another solid arm to look forward to in the future.
• The Good:  Growing up in a troubled home, Aumont gets rave reviews from his maturity.  He throws a sinking fastball that hits the mid 90’s while hitting 98 at times with plenty of sink.  He throws a very nice slider that gives him a effective secondary pitch.  His delivery is excellent and his size gives his stuff more movement.  He has a solid understanding of pitching and locates his stuff well.  All in all, the tools are here for success.
• The Bad:  Aumont is also inconsistent and many feel that he has a high risk of bust potential as well.  He has worked on a changeup and while it has the potential to be a good pitch, it’s far behind his slider and sinker.
• Projection:  Very High.  Aumont is your classic high risk/high reward project.  He has high bust potential, but he’s was also one of the best talents in the draft.  If the Mariners take their time with him and get him to harness his raw stuff, he’ll yield some fantastic results. If he’s never able to master the rotation, he’d be a good closer.
• What He Can Be: A Top Of The Rotation Starter.
• 2008 Course Of Action: Aumont, because he missed time last year, will likely be checked out during extended.  The Mariners will decide then where to assign him in the system.  I have him right now in Arizona, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see him sent to short season ball.

6 – Wladimir Balentien (RF/CF)

• DOB: 7/2/84
• Signed:  2002, Curaco
• 2008 Club:  Tacoma Rainers (Triple A)
• Height/Weight: 6-2/180
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny: For all the press given to Adam Jones, Balentien certainly deserves a good deal of press himself.  He had arguably a better year than Jones and has fixed some of his flaws that had kept him down.
• The Good: Potentially the best power hitter in the system, even better than Clement, Balentien is starting to put it all together.  He’s showing more and more than he’s a potentially a 30 home run guy and he’s also shown good speed as well.  He’s improved his approach at the plate and is starting to come into his own as a defender.
• The Bad: Balentien still isn’t without his flaws.  He needs to lay off the breaking pitches and his K rate will always likely be high.  He won’t hit for a high average and there are many that feel that he coasts on his natural talent. 
• Projection: Fair.  Balentien is definitely coming into his own and the power is legitimate.  He’s got All Star potential within him and if he continues to improve, he could force his way to Seattle sometime next year.  Still, he’s a completely different guy than he was two years ago.
• What He Can Be: A slugging outfielder corner that hits cleanup.
• 2008 Course Of Action: With the outfield situation in Seattle full up thanks to Ichiro and company, Balentien will likely head back to Tacoma, Balentien will likely head back to Tacoma to get regular work in.  However, he’s nearly ready and it’s going to be hard for Seattle to keep him back for much longer.  Something’s gotta give here and it all depends on what the Mariners decide his future is in the organization.

7 – Michael Saunders (LF)

• DOB:  11/19/86
• Drafted:  11th Round, 2004, Canadian High School
• 2008 Club: West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx (Double A)
• Height/Weight:  6-4/205
• Bats/Throws:  L/R
• The Skinny:  Saunders is another young centerfielder in the system and while he doesn’t have the press that Jones or Balentien does, he’s a fast rising prospect who has an impressive set of skills.
• The Good:  There’s a lot to like from this big, athletic Canadian.  He’s got a nice, clean swing and shows the ability to eventually hit for power in the future.  He’s got above average speed and has good range for centerfield if you want it o stick him there.  Overall, Saunders is a nice, developmental prospect that could be a good big leaguer in time.
• The Bad:  Saunders has a weak arm that isn’t good enough for center, which is why he’s in left for the moment.  And from what I’ve read about him, he also gets pull happy when trying to hit for power.
• Projection:  Average.  Mariners prospects are hard to get a read on because of their aggressive promotion process, but overall it looks like his breakout is real and he should be taken seriously by prospect nuts.
• What He Can Be:  A starting left fielder
• 2008 Course Of Action:  I expect the Mariners to leave Saunders in Tennessee to start the year, though it’s hard to tell where he could be, especially since there is an opening in Tacoma right now.

8 – Matt Mangini (3B)

• DOB:  12/21/85
• Drafted:  2nd Round, 2007, Oklahoma State
• 2008 Club:  High Desert Mavericks (High A)
• Height/Weight: 6-4/222
• Bats/Throws: L/R
• The Skinny:  Mangini had two great years at North Carolina State, but transferred to OSU, partially because of his relationship to current Cowboys assistant coach Billy Jones.  Mangini had a solid season in the 2006 Cape Cod League, where ranked as Baseball America’s #5 prospect.  However, a lackluster year resulted in Mangini falling to the second round, where Seattle saw him as a good value pick.
• The Good:  Mangini gets rave reviews about his smooth swing and the fact that he’s a lefty helps out a lot.  His plate discipline is pretty good and he has some power, making him a home run threat.
• The Bad:  Mangini is far from being a perfect product.  For starters, he’s got trouble hitting left handed pitching.  The second reason is that he’s a subpar defender at third base, making it almost a lock that he’ll be moving to first base at some point in his career.
• Projection:  Low, though it’s possible that as he rises through the system he’ll tap into more of his untapped power as he progresses.
• What He Can Be: A Power Hitting First Baseman Who Will Hit Enough For A Club To Ignore His Defense
• 2008 Course Of Action:  Mangini will be sent to High Desert, where he should put up some excellent numbers in the California League.  As far as his long term future, Mangini will probably finish the year in Double A, as the Mariners may be looking at him to be their first baseman next year, with Sexson’s contract up and Ben Broussard not a long term fit.

9 – Matt Tuiasosopo (3B)

• DOB:  2/21/85
• Drafted:  3rd round, 2004, Washington High School
• 2008 Club:  Tacoma Rainers (Triple A)
• Height/Weight: 6-2/220
• Bats/Throws:  L/R
• The Skinny:  Due to the signings of Eddie Guardado and Raul Ibanez, the Mariners found themselves without first or second round pick.  Hence, they made a splash by taking local boy Tuiasosopo, who was committed to the University of Washington as a quarterback, but changed his mind after a signing bonus of over $2 million dollars.  The gamble has yet to pay off so far, as Tuiasosopo has been unnecessarily rushed through the system and has been playing in levels far above his age group, but a solid 2007 has restored some of the luster to his stock.
• The Good:  Tuiasosopo has recovered from an awful 2006 to evolve into a decent third baseman.  He’s shown vast improvement in his plate discipline and has solid line driver power.  His defense is vastly improved and he shows good range at third and is accurate on his throws.
• The Bad:  Tuiasosopo power potential, once thought to be sky high, is now likely never going to come.  A good portion of the blame is probably on Seattle, as they aggressively promoted him and hurt his stock a lot.  It’s likely he’ll never become that middle of the order threat the Mariners hoped he would be.
• Projection: Average.  Tuiasosopo would have a lot better shot of a long term career in the bigs if the Mariners would just leave him alone and allow him time to develop.  We’ll see what happens, but his future looks bright.
• What He Can Be:  A Solid Third Baseman
• 2008 Course Of Action:  With Adrian Beltre in the last year of his deal, the Mariners will probably send Tuiasosopo back to Triple A, where he'll benefit from another year of development and learning.

10 – Tony Butler (LHP)

• DOB: 11/18/87
• Drafted: 4th Round, 2006, Wisconsin High School
• 2008 Club:  High Desert Mavericks (High A)
• Height/Weight: 6-7/205
• Bats/Throws: L/L
• The Skinny: After putting up dominating numbers in Rookie and Short Season Leagues respectively, Butler was sent to the Midwestern League, where he started the year badly (0-6, 30 BB, 29 K, 7.02 ERA) before rebounding spectacularly in the second half (4-1, 16 BB, 44 K, 3.29 ERA). 
• The Good: Butler’s got solid velocity, pitching in the low 90’s with good sinking and being able to dial it up to 94-95 mph.  He has a good curveball that has late break and is a plus pitch.  His changeup is a potential third pitch, giving him a decent arsenal to work with.  His height gives his fastball a bit of sink to it and his makeup is great.  All in all, not bad.
• The Bad: Butler’s mechanics and delivery are inconsistent and as a result, he’s got problems with control.  He also works high in the zone, resulting in him being flyball friendly. 
• Projection: High.  Butler’s got promise and his second half of the season is a sign that he’s starting to get things a bit.  All in all, he could be a very good addition to the Seattle rotation in four years, provided that Seattle doesn’t decide that Butler could be ready in two. 
• What He Can Be: A Number Two or Three Starter
• 2008 Course Of Action: Butler probably will get promoted to High A High Desert, where he should remain for the year, although if he shows some dominance, the Mariners could decide to promote him quickly in order to limit his exposure to the California League.

11 – Ryan Feierabend (LHP)

• DOB: 8/22/85
• Drafted: 3rd Round, 2003, Ohio High School
• 2008 Club:  Seattle Mariners (MLB)
• Height/Weight: 6-3/190
• Bats/Throws: L/L
• The Skinny: After putting up reasonably good numbers for Seattle in a big league call up, Feierabend returned
• The Good: Southpaw with consistently improving stuff to complement ever-present plus pitchability. Lively fastball sits at 88-90 mph with excellent location, and hitters are kept off balance with the best changeup in the system. He's very mature, and pitches fearlessly.
• The Bad: Feierabend doesn't have a usable breaking ball at this point, and its development will be the key to his career, as he has the body, delivery, and stamina of a starter, and has only marginal value as a reliever who doesn't miss a lot of bats.
• Projection: Low.  Feierabend was young for his level, and has undoubtedly been rushed.  His shellacking was probably a blessing in disguise, as it allowed him time to continue his development. 
• What He Can Be: An effective innings eater in the rotation.
• 2008 Course Of Action: The Mariners should really allow Feierabend a second chance at the rotation.  Aside from trying to pursue the Jeff Weavers and Horacio Ramirez’s of the world, why not give a guy that can give you roughly the same performance at a 1/10 of the price? 

12 – Chris Tillman (RHP)

• DOB: 4/15/1988
• Drafted:  2nd Round, 2006, California High School
• 2008 Club:  High Desert Mavericks (High A)
• Height/Weight: 6-5/195
• Bats/Throws: R/R
• The Skinny: A young power arm that had a solid debut, Tillman was sent to the Midwestern League, where he did okay, but not enough to merit a promotion to the California League after 8 starts.  What happened was predictable.  Tillman was beaten with the whupass sticks in Cali, though he did show some signs of improvement in the last month or so.
• The Good: A power arm, Tillman’s fastball sits in the low 90’s and can touch 96, plus features some sinking action.  Some feel that as he ages, he could possibly add a couple of more ticks on the ball.  He’s got a nice, hard slider that is a solid out pitch and his mechanics are flawless. 
• The Bad: Tillman can overthrow at times, resulting in him getting pounded hard when he does so. 
• Projection: High.  Like Saunders, it’s hard to rate Tillman because of Seattle’s promotion schedule.  Still, he does look to be an elite talent and could be something good, especially if he develops a good enough pitch to match up with his sinker and slider. 
• What He Can Be: A Middle Of The Rotation Guy
• 2008 Course Of Action: After his destruction in the California League, Tillman is going to have to repeat and show some improvement from his losing record and high ERA.

13 – Justin Thomas (LHP)

• DOB: 1/18/84
• Drafted: 4th Round, 2005, Youngstown State
• 2008 Club:  West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx (Double A)
• Height/Weight: 6-3/228
• Bats/Throws: L/L
• The Skinny: Despite a decent performance in High A, Thomas was promoted to Double A to being the year.  It was there that his control abandoned him and that the level of competition may have caught up with him, as Thomas was virtually destroyed after the All Star Break.
• The Good: An aggressive southpaw, Thomas attacks the strike zone with a sinking fastball that ranges between 88-93 mph.  He has a lot of deception thanks to his odd delivery and pitches to contact, inducing ground outs.  His slider is okay and is workable, but his changeup is the out pitch and it’s nasty.  He’s also able to log in innings.
• The Bad: Thomas really isn’t going to get much better than he is.  Some improvement on his slider could help, but more importantly he needs to improve his effectiveness against right handers, who destroy him.
• Projection: Fair.  Thomas needs experience, but he’s not going to get much better than he is now. 
• What He Can Be: A decent back of the rotation starter.
• 2008 Course Of Action: Something went seriously wrong with Thomas in the second half, whether it was him hiding an injury, a loss of control or just the league catching up to him, but he needs to stay in Tennessee to figure out what the hell happened.

14 – Yung Chi Chen (2B)

• DOB:  7/13/83
• Signed:  2004, Taiwan
• 2008 Club:  Tacoma Rainers (Triple A)
• Height/Weight:  5-11/170
• Bats/Throws:  R/R
• The Skinny:  Signed during the International Signing Period, Chen has done somewhat well for himself, rising quickly and earning spots on both the 2006 Futures’ Game World Squad and on the 2005 World Baseball Classic squad.  However,  necessary sholder surgery limited him to 15 at bats for the Rainers, which is why he was assigned to the Arizona Fall League. 
• The Good:  Chen has the ability to hit for a solid average in the majors and has a little bit of pop on him.  He’s also improved somewhat on his plate discipline and can hit at the top of the order. 
• The Bad:  Chen doesn’t have much power in his frame except for the doubles variety and isn’t likely going to get much more.  He’s also not an inspiring defender.
• Projection:  Low.  Chen isn’t a real special player and likely doesn’t profile as a regular unless it’s with a real #### club.  Hence, I feel he’s likely destined to be a backup or utility guy.
• What He Can Be:  A very good utility infielder.
• 2008 Course Of Action:  With the shoulder now healed, Chen will play full time in Tacoma unless something happens at the big league levels that would require him to be called up.

15 – Mark Lowe (RHP)

• DOB:  6/7/83
• Drafted:  5th Round, 2004, University of Texas-Arlington
• 2008 Club:  Tacoma Rainers (Triple A)
• Height/Weight:  6-3/190
• Bats/Throws:  R/R
• The Skinny:  Hunter Pence’s former teammate, Lowe was drafted much later than Pence (whom I believe Seattle had a chance to get, had they not gone apeshit on free agency signings.  Still, Lowe rose rather quickly, as in he was tied to a rocket and then launched quickly, but that rushing caught up to him as he was hit hard last season, and was shut down after he required a second surgery to his pitching elbow.
• The Good:  Lowe has possibly the best slider of the pitching and is a solid #### pitch.  His fastball is okay, but nothing special, but it has some good sinking action to it.  His control and command were good before the surgery.
• The Bad:  A second elbow surgery doesn’t bode well for Lowe’s future, but some have come back from worse.  However, it will take some of the punch out of his stuff and he may wind up being only a capable middle reliever, nothing more.
• Projection:  Low.  There’s not much else we can project on Lowe.  It all depends on how well he comes back from surgery.
• What He Can Be:  A very good middle reliever.
• 2008 Course Of Action:  Now fully healthy, Lowe will likely head back to Tacoma where he will hopefully regain some of his past success and head up to Seattle when someone else goes down.

Final Thoughts

All in all, this is a odd organization of sorts, mostly because they’ve blocked themselves in several positions where they could have benefited from moving kids up by signing free agents.  They’ve also given some talent away, via waivers or stupid trades.  However, the one thing I can say is that the Mariners seem to have had success in spite of themselves.  I’m not sure how long that will last, as there are just too many if’s in the Seattle rotation and lineup that won’t last for much longer.  However, they have a enviable wealth of outfield talent and Clement can be a solid trade chip in a market lacking in young backstop talent, which could help fill some needs.  Provided that the organization hold off on their obsessive compulsive need to push and just sit back and allow the kids to develop, I believe the Mariners may be able to reap the benefits of their farm to sustain their newfound winning, provided that they don’t destroy more talent because of their player development process.

Before I start, Friday Morning Closer will now be posted on Sundays as Sunday Strikeouts - Notes Around The Major Leagues.  Reason being that I'm now much too busy on Friday's to post notes for the Closer.

The Mariners are looking more and more like a contender, but there is one weakness that needs to be fixed.

Starting Pitching.

The Astros are falling further and further out of the playoffs and despite competing in the weak NL Central, they've got no shot whatsoever and need to start looking at the future, with several key veterens approaching free agency or entering their declien phases.

I think they both can help out here.

Here's a trade idea I think might work for both sides:

Seattle Gets

• RHP Jason Jennings
• RHP Brad Lidge

Houston Gets

• RHP Jeff Weaver
• C Prospect Jeff Clement

Okay, now before PF and Sleepless jump on me, let me explain.

Clement is roadblocked by Jose Vidro and Kenji Johjima as far as catcher and DH are concerned.  They also need to find a way to get rid of Weaver, as he's been almost historically bad this season and isn't going to get much better.

Jennings, like Weaver, is a one year rental that has had some injury issues, but is also a proven horse.  He'd greatly benefit from a solid infield defense and pitching friendly parks.

In this trade idea, Seattle gets a proven starter, a quality setup man while ridding itself of a headache.  Houston gets a catcher that they sorely need and they begin the rebuilding process shortly after.

And, should the Mariners not re-sign Jennings, they'll acquire two draft picks for his status as a Type A Free Agent, which will be quite valueable.

It's a trade that benefits both sides, but won't ever happen because Seattle perhaps overvalues Clement and because Houston won't throw in the towel.