Seattle Mariners Trim Roster Down to 44

Mar 11, 2014; Tempe, AZ, USA; A general view of game action between the Los Angeles Angels and the Seattle Mariners at Tempe Diablo Stadium. The Mariners won 10-6. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The Seattle Mariners have trimmed some more players from the roster, as we get closer and closer to the start of the season and the inevitable 25-man roster.

LHP Bobby LaFromboise, RHP Logan Bawcom, C Jesus Sucre, 1B Ji-Man Choi and IF Carlos Triunfel were all optioned to Triple-A Tacoma. RHP Logan Kensing, RHP Matt Palmer, LHP Nick Hill, C Mike Dowd and infielders Ty Kelly and Nate Tenbrink were the six players sent to the Minor League camp.

From MLB.com

"“They’re all tough,” McClendon said of the cuts. “Any time you’ve got to tell a young man that his dream is not going to come to fruition at this particular time, that’s tough. They all work hard, they give us all they’ve got. I was very pleased.“Like I told all of them, it wasn’t performance based. The numbers are such that we have to start moving guys out, but their performances will not be forgotten, and at some point, they’ll be back.”"

Not performance based? Say what you will about Spring Training games not mattering, several of the players sent to Minor camp or optioned to Tacoma were not doing themselves any favors in Peoria.

Bawcom for example, has the second-highest ERA of the Spring on the staff. He has a 15.43 ERA in three appearances. Batters are hitting .364 against him.

Nick Hill showed wild inconsistencies, striking out the side on nine pitches in his first appearance, allowing three hits and two runs in his other two innings of work.

Ji-Man Choi doesn’t surprise me. Justin Smoak has been given the job at first, with Logan Morrison there to back him up. There is simply no room for Choi currently.

I’m a little surprised by LaFromboise. When the Mariners failed to re-sign Oliver Perez, I figured that LaFromboise would be that left arm out of the pen. I’m also surprised by Logan Kensing. In his three appearances, he has pitched five innings, scattered four hits and a walk while striking out four. He did not allow a run.

If anything, with the uncertain nature of the starting rotation in the early weeks, I would’ve had Kensing around as a long reliever. But, that’s why I don’t run the show, Lloyd McClendon does.

There are now 44 players at the Big League camp. Twenty-three are pitchers, three catchers, nine infielders and nine outfielders. Of them, there are still 12 non-roster invitees.