Where’s Victor Diaz?

by ~ September 1st, 2008 at 1:07 pm

It’s looking like the only position players getting September callups will be 2B Luis Valbuena, 3B Matt Tuiasosopo and C Rob Johnson, as mentioned before, but why isn’t OF Victor Diaz getting one?

The 26 year old is entering Tacoma’s final game of the season hitting .283 with 25 homers and 107 RBI, walking 61 times for a .368 OBP and registering 40 doubles in 128 AAA games.

Why wouldn’t this guy get a callup?  I understand that he’s not a legitimate prospect considering his age and the 147 MLB games he’s registered over the years, but there isn’t a reason in the world for him to not be in Seattle this September.  In fact, there’s no reason Diaz shouldn’t have become the team’s everyday DH a month ago when Jose Vidro was finally cut loose. 

Diaz’s career line over 147 big league games with the New York Mets and Texas Rangers stands at .256/.309/.487 with 24 homers and 74 RBI.  Wouldn’t Seattle’s lineup benefit from the production somewhere between these big league numbers and his 2008 AAA line?  I think it’d be safe to say that it would be better than what the carousel of ten different DHs have produced since Vidro logged his last game as a Mariner on August 4th. 

Diaz, a former top prospect for the Mets, probably doesn’t project as much more than a spare part at this point of his career, and there’s little chance that he’d crack the everyday lineup on a good team.  Seattle isn’t a good team, however, and probably won’t be next year.  I understand that guys like Wlad Balentien, Michael Saunders and Greg Halman are the future outfielders of this organization, not Diaz.  That said, what’s the point of having him if you’re not using him?  He’s too good to be considered a AAA roster filler, so what gives?

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  • Brandon

    So this guy is kind of “washed up” at the age of 26?
    He sounds like a fairly solid ball player. I like his numbers, but i’m wondering if perhaps he whiffs a lot at the plate?

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Jon Shields

    That is exactly his problem, and the reason why he probably can’t hold down a decent average in the bigs. 135 Ks in 147 big league games, and even worse, 167 in 128 AAA games this year.

  • Brandon

    Sounds like Big Ritchie…we could at least call him up, hope he pops a couple homers and try to trade him for something…

  • Slurve

    I don’t see how we can’t give him a shot seeing the DH spot is empty and completely open. I can’t wait till Saunders hits the majors though good speed, power almost like Josh Hamilton.

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Jon Shields

    I love Saunders. Seattle could have two 20/20 guys in the same outfield in a couple seasons with Saunders and Halman. (Though Halman has the same problem as Diaz currently.)

  • Humongo

    Who’s better defensively of the two? (I’m talking Saunders and Halman).

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Jon Shields

    Both would make plus defenders in center field. Halman has the best outfield range of anyone in the system, but Saunders has the better arm. We’re looking at Halman in CF, Saunders in one of the corners (Balentien has an equally if not more impressive arm), if that is what you were getting at.

  • http://bleedingblueandteal.com Dustin Shires

    We saw Balentien’s arm, but then again we also saw his decision making. On a ball hit to center with Marlon Byrd on 2nd, Byrd was around 3rd by the time Balentien launched a throw. He overthrows his cut-off man and the runner goes to 2nd base. Hopefully that changes with playing time…