The Seattle Mariners have struggled to score this season, and Monday the M's designated outfielders Milton Bradley and Ryan Langerhans for assignment, with Bradley almost certainly leaving the organization and Langerhans perhaps heading to triple-A Tacoma.
Mariners Cut Milton Bradley, Ryan Langherhans
With the exception of Justin Smoak, Ichiro Suzuki and (arguably) Adam Kennedy, nobody on the roster has hit much this season. Bradley actually has one of the better OPS's on the team, but his .218/.313/.356 is hardly acceptable for a left fielder ... and particularly for a left fielder with a penchant for fits of temper and the defensive range of a cement truck with a flat tire.
It probably doesn't help matters that Bradley's earning $12 million this season (the Mariners are paying $5.5 million, the Cubs the rest). It certainly doesn't help matters that Bradley's limited range in left field is utterly obvious to everyone in the stands; in last Friday night's game alone, he was booed three times for his defensive efforts. And it doesn't help that Bradley's only real position, DH -- assuming he could hit, of course -- is manned by Jack Cust, who's been even worse than Bradley this season but at least has some recent (2010) history of success.
To replace Bradley and Langherhans, the Mariners have summoned outfielders Mike Wilson and Carlos Pegeuro from Tacoma.
Wilson will make his MLB debut nearly 10 years after the M’s made him a second-round draft pick. He finally reached Class AAA in 2009, and struggled badly. He played there again in 2010, and played well. And this spring with Tacoma, he’s got a .381/.423/.689 line in 16 games.
Meanwhile, Peguero’s only 24 and does qualify as something of a prospect. Most interesting, according to Baseball America he’s “a freakish athlete for a 6-foot-5, 247-pounder, surprisingly possessing plus speed.”
Like Wilson, Peguero’s going to strike out quite a bit more than he walks. But all things considered, the Mariners should get more out of Wilson and Peguero than they’ve been getting from Bradley and Langerhans. Except boos. They’ll get fewer boos.
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