Didn’t See That Coming

by ~ February 21st, 2009 at 1:16 pm

To make room for Ken Griffey Jr. on the 40-man roster, the Seattle Mariners placed OF Mike Wilson on release waivers.

Wilson can be claimed by other teams for 72 hours.  If no one wants him he’ll become a free agent, at which point the Mariners can re-sign him to a minor league deal.  Wilson has a lot more upside than someone like Bryan LaHair or Mike Morse, so I’m not very happy with this move (unless he clears and is re-signed).  Still, it’s nothing to cry about.

I had Wilson preliminarily ranked 18th on BBT’s Seattle Mariners top prospects report due out sometime around Opening Day.

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  • section331

    Hrm. I wonder why they’re so tenacious about hanging on to LaHair…what’s the highest level this Wilson fellow has played? Age? I wonder if that has anything to do with it…

  • StandinPat

    Wilson played at AA last two years at ages 24/25. Kinda old for the league, but one of the years was basically lost due to injury and he was drafted as more of a raw athlete and those types of players typically take longer to develop if ever.

    Wilson is built like a linebacker, but can really run, and has been a plus defender in the corner. He has a ton of raw power, but is also one of those guys that strikes out in bunches. This past year he did make a huge jump in the walks department. Probably tops out as a situational player, either a 4th OF or the RH half of a platoon. Still, it would be interesting to see what he could do at AAA this year and has more upside than a couple of folks that stayed on the 40 man instead of him.

  • StandinPat

    Excuse me, Wilson actually has been in AA three years in a row now.

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Jon Shields

    He seems to be on the right track now that he’s gotten past the injuries and abandoned switch hitting. Chances of him turning into a regular seem slim, but his raw power is ridiculous.

    I’m surprised because he seems to fit right in with the type of players Zduriencik has traditionally liked. Big power, lots of walks.. and the plus defense is gravy.

  • micahjr

    Given that we have Saunders who is more likely to develope as an OBP guy, and that we still could draft Dustin Ackley, Mike Wilson might not have had a position in the organization.

    I do agree that getting rid of guys like Mike Morse, or Bryan LaHair make more sense. Morse is likely to be gone by the end of Spring anyway, as he has no more options and both Shelton and Sweeney could push him out. He needs to be lights out to have a chance of making the team.

    Someone will pick Wilson up. I’m not sure that they will get the patient hitter he was last year in AA, though.

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Jon Shields

    He’s always shown above average patience, but last year he definitely stepped it up a notch.

    I agree that he will get claimed.

  • micahjr

    I’d like to read into this that Ackley is now their leading draft candidate. He is a lefty bat, and has been absolutely tearing it up in college. I would not mind him as our starting left fielder at all in 2011 or 2012. Dude is a hitting machine. Let’s just hope he shows that he can field as a junior down there in NC.

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Jon Shields

    I think that’s reading too much into it. Dropping a fringy outfielder is not a sign that they’re going to use their #2 pick on Ackley or another outfielder.

    He is good, and if he can play CF he’s a very valuable player. I see us taking a SP with the #2 though. That’s just how the top of the first round seems to be weighted right now. Granted, there is a lot of time for the names to shuffle around and new names to be added.

  • Slurve

    Well if Ackley might play 2b this year and if he could play it averagely(some people thinks he can due to his athleticism) his value just rose a lot. Hopefully he can rebound from the TJ surgery that prevented him from playing the OF. WHoever we choose with the 2nd round pick though better be a good one.

  • Slugoben

    I don’t think that Wilson was really needed. I mean the organization has Ichiro until 2012. Gutierrez might me sticking around for a while. Then the M’s still have Saunders and Halman.

  • ppl

    The M’s must be afraid of Branyan really struggling and/or Griffey having injury issues. Both of these are legitamate concerns and it would appear they regard Lahair as an insurance policy in case of that. Because Tug basically was a better player in AAA last year and is useful at multiple positions. Wilson was a surprise, because they seemed to have high regards for him. These moves have to happen, so I am not going to start thinking this is more of the same Bavasi era organizational movement.
    But I really don’t understand it all around, because they seem to have a surplus of outfielders bubbling under and one of them could become a better hitting 1B than Lahair, and Wilson certainly has the power going for him.

  • Slurve

    If you saw Wilson at a AA game and he wasn’t wearing a uniform you think he was the security guard or something.

  • http://www.marinercentral.com Lonnie

    What this may be (this is an effort to make the move look good) is a wake up call to Wilson. Sure, he has made some progress, but 7 years in the minors is a freakin’ career…

    Lonnie

  • StandinPat

    Waiving Morse instead of Wilson doesn’t really gain you anything. Even if you feel like Morse has zero chance of making the 25 man, his spot on the 40 man is basically the place-holder for our RH 1B. You could have waived Morse, but then you still would have needed to make another move to make room for either Shelton, or Sweeney once the team heads back north. Since someone will be in Morse’s spot once camp breaks, might as well let him compete, it’s not like Shelton and Sweeney are light years better than him anyway.

    LaHair would have been the smart move IMO. He’s now behind like 6 other 1B on the depth chart and has never shown anything besides slightly below average power and plate discipline for a 1B and he strikes out a ton. I don’t see any scenario where LaHair is any kind of solution…..unless Sexson was your starter at the beginning of the season ofcourse.

  • Slugoben

    I REALLY hope Sweeney gets the job at 1B. Him and Griffey together could be great.

  • Mariners121212

    I would rather have a Branyan/Shelton Platoon.

  • Slugoben

    You have to think about team chemistry. I would love a Branyan/Sweeney platoon.

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Jon Shields

    Talent/production has to be more important than a player’s impact on the team chemistry. It is bad GMs (such as Bill Bavasi) that choose intangibles over talent.

    If Sweeney proves to be healthy and the best option out of the Sweeney/Shelton/Morse competition, then great. But if someone else proves to be a better fit, then his supposed positive impact on the team’s chemistry shouldn’t be what gets him in a Mariner uniform.

    I’ve said this before, but Sweeney seems like a pretty good lock to make this team barring something unexpected, based on his relationship with Wakamatsu and the manager’s comments thusfar. We’ll see.

  • ppl

    I hope that Sweeney does make it, and puts up a decent offensive season in the limited righty platoon role. Sweeney and Branyan combined could out produce a lot high paid first sackers out there. It doesn’t matter whcih one Branyan platoons with, Shelton, Morse, or Sweeney: The production from that position will exceed the last couple years. The M’s managed to win 88 games getting a .295 OBA out of that postion in 07. And if I recall correctly there was a month last year that the “Big guy” failed to produce an extra base hit. I also recall Lahair not hitting for a great average in AAA, still looking like a gem to step up at the time, as there was no way he would go that long without at least four doubles. Anything propsed tops the last two years.

  • Slugoben

    I really hope Sweeney makes it. Whether or not he plays a lot I don’t care. But I want him and Griffey in that clubhouse on April 6, 2009.

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Dustin Shires

    “I really hope Sweeney makes it. Whether or not he plays a lot I don’t care. But I want him and Griffey in that clubhouse on April 6, 2009.”

    Wow screw that. I don’t want Sweeney in the clubhouse if he isn’t going to play. That’s a waste of a roster spot that could be used on somebody far younger, who has played recently, and who still has room to grow.

    Sweeney has posted a “full” season since 2005… We would be far better off just letting him go if he’s not going to be going at it 100% all year.

  • Slurve

    Sweeney if he’s healthy can be an asset since for most of his career he’s hit .300 with a .350+OBP and a .450+ SLG but if there is someone better than him he’s outta here. It would be nice to have him contribute both on and off the diamond though since he’s a great clubhouse guy and he could hit for power but we’ll just have to wait and see.

  • SABR Matt

    Mike Wilson is terrible. I don’t know why it seems like so many Mariner fans in the blogosphere like him. 25 years old, repeating AA, and showing no signs of improving whatsoever. I’d rather keep LaHair. Not that that says much since I’d have rather kept Hulett than either of them.

  • micahjr

    I’m with Slurve on Sweeney. If he shows that he is healthy and can produce heading into the season, great. You still have Shelton down in AAA if that doesn’t end up being the case. Two really nice upbeat guys in the clubhouse with outgoing personalities could really help the team not tear into each other over petty stuff.

    On the draft: I think if Ackley hits around .400 again, and shows some ability in the outfield and/or has a power surge he becomes can’t miss and a lot higher probability to make the majors than Alex White. The rep is that this is a pitcher heavy draft, so we could still pick up a guy in the late first round or the supplemental round with a ton of upside as a starting pitcher.

  • micahjr

    Problem is, the Nats would then draft him… and we would end up having to take Strasburg :(

  • Mariners121212

    I would much rather have Strasburg!

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Jon Shields

    Yeah.. I don’t see Ackley going 1 or 2 unless something completely unexpected happens. Especially since he has played 1B so far in 2009 from what I’ve heard (haven’t checked it out myself). To be a high pick he has to go back to CF. As things stand now, Ackley should fall between Seattle’s first and second pick, but (and I can’t emphasize this enough) a lot can AND WILL change between now and draft time. Dennis Raben was expected to be a first round pick at this point in the season but injuries and a slight down year bumped him down to Seattle at the 66th pick.

    @ SABR Matt – I can agree that Hulett would have been someone worth keeping over Wilson and LaHair.

    I do like Wilson though, for obvious reasons that go beyond stats. He wasn’t drafted as a ballplayer, he was drafted as an athlete, so it will take him a while. I would gladly give him another 2 years in the system and see if he can become a late bloomer power threat.

    But, as I said in the initial post, it’s not a big deal and nothing to cry about.

  • Bilbo

    Ackley played CF over the w/e in the late innings. As the season rolls on he will be out there more and more. I don’t know if he is a good defender out there, but his speed rating is very high so he probably can hold his own. If he can’t stick at CF then the talk is of him as a 2B. Either one is very valuable especially with his bat so I can definitely see him going top 2. My only question is his arm in CF because I understood it to be pretty weak but that was before TJ.

    I reeeeeeeally hope a couple of position players take crazy leaps forward this year ala Beckham, Longoria, etc.

  • Bilbo

    as for Wilson, yes he is 25 and repeated AA, but is finally starting to put it together. 276/388/549. 2:1 K/BB though the K’s are a bit high he is a TTO player who destroys lefties. In fact, I would have given him a chance to earn the platoon spot in LF/1B. Z stated when he added him to the 40 man that they needed more power in the system and that is why they kept him. I really hope he clears waivers and gets to Tacoma.

  • micahjr

    I was making a joke about the Nats picking Ackley #1, since they seem to love stockpiling outfielders. They have like 11 of them right now who are mlb ready. That GM is a doofus.

    I don’t have any problems with Strasburg either. Guy throws 100 and has repeatable mechanics.

    I do think Ackley is a top 5 talent. Lowest projection for me would be top 10. I also don’t see him sticking in CF, I project him in LF.

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Jon Shields

    You have to like Strasburg after his amazing coming out party last season, but there is some cause for concern (injury-wise) when it comes to his delivery.

    http://www.drivelinemechanics.com/2008/11/18/665018/quick-note-stephen-strasbu

    http://www.drivelinemechanics.com/2008/9/5/607023/on-strasburg

  • Walrus

    Per Geoff at the Times, Wilson has cleared waivers and has now been re-assigned to minors.
    This seems awfully fast to clear waivers though isn’t it?

  • Slurve

    “I also don’t see him sticking in CF, I project him in LF.”

    He certainly got the speed to play CF the main worry whether he would stick or not was if he could recover from TJ surgery on his arm. Also if he makes the switch to 2nd base also he value goes up as well. Grant Green didn’t do so well this past weekend however while Ackley is still lighting the league on fire.