Updated Jul 6, 2012 - 3:24 pm
Law: AAA isn't the answer to young Mariners' struggles
Special to 710Sports.com
With once-heralded prospects Dustin Ackley, Justin Smoak and Jesus Montero all struggling at the plate, Mariners management is left to decide whether to take action or chalk the poor play up to growing pains.
ESPN baseball analyst Keith Law joined "The Kevin Calabro Show" on Thursday to weigh in, saying that sending a player down to Triple-A because he's struggling isn't necessarily the right move.
"You don't send a guy to Triple-A just to get him out of the way," Law said. "Sending a guy down to Triple-A isn't automatically going to fix him."
 Justin Smoak has hit for power this season but his batting average has dropped to around .200. (AP) |
The problem is clear: players aren't producing the way general manager Jack Zduriencik and manager Eric Wedge envisioned. Smoak is barely hitting above the Mendoza Line, Ackley has yet to prove why he was the second overall draft pick in 2009, and Montero had a miserable June.
The root of the problem is less clear. Whether it be the daunting dimensions of Safeco Field, the unseasonably cool weather or just poor performance, the Mariners simply can't hit at home.
"It's just depressing run scoring," Law said. "They're essentially hitting like little leaguers at home."
Law said he doesn't buy into changing the dimensions of the field to cater to this offense. He believes the construction of the team should be the primary concern.
In any case, the Mariners' youngsters have failed to deliver tangible evidence of a playoff-bound ballclub thus far. What makes the offensive woes more puzzling is the collectiveness of the struggles.
Law said he wonders if the root of the problem lies outside the difficult ballpark.
"What if it's not the ballpark? What if it's the coaching staff," Law asked. "Why are all these guys who were supposed to rake not hitting at all when they get to the big leagues?"
"When it starts happening up and down the lineup, then it's fair to ask if there's a systemic reason," Law continued. "There's more likely a common cause behind all of these guys falling so short behind expectations."
Related audio: Baseball America's Jim Callis discusses Ackley's struggles, Mariners' prospects
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ronzilla wrote...'The daunting dimensions of Safeco Field.'July 6, 2012 4:28 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }- Reply
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Newton wrote...Pin point The Problem on the Mariners.July 6, 2012 8:39 pm{ "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }- Reply
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Jim Moore has co-hosted "The Kevin Calabro Show" since 2009. He also co-hosts "The Northwest Golf Show" with Shon Crewe and writes weekly columns for 710Sports.com and for the Kitsap Sun. Jim spent 26 years as a reporter and columnist at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, where he developed his nickname, "The Go 2 Guy."
Jessamyn McIntyre is the executive producer of 710 ESPN Seattle and has produced "The Kevin Calabro Show" since 2009. Previously, she spent four years at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn. She freelances as a producer for ESPN Radio and ESPN TV and will be the sideline reporter for Washington State football games on 710 ESPN Seattle starting this fall.
