Lookout Landing On Lueke Not Being Called Up

Nobody was shocked when Josh Lueke wasn’t called up after rosters expanded and the Tacoma Rainiers finished out their season. Lookout Landing took a look at why Lueke may have been left out. Among the reasons, legal trouble (M’s are in Canada), the PR nightmare and rest.

Jeff Sullivan also weighs the long-term future of Lueke.

We’ll see. I don’t even know where I stand. I like talented players, but ultimately, I want what’s best for the team, and if the organization determines that promoting Josh Lueke isn’t what’s best for the team, then that’s significant, as they’re in a better position to figure that out than I am. What I will say is that, should they decide that Lueke isn’t worth it, they’re not going to get much back. No other organization is going to surrender much talent to relieve the M’s of their problem. What this might as well boil down to is talent + trouble versus nothing at all.

Mariners Call-Ups: Ackley, Lueke Left Out

With the playoffs over and the AAA championship game in the books, the Mariners added a few more players to the roster last night.

The Tacoma News Tribune's Ryan Divish posted the roster moves on twitter yesterday.

Missing are second-overall draft pick Dustin Ackley, who will begin play in the Arizona Fall League soon, and pitcher Josh Lueke. Ackley gets a break in his first season while the Mariners appear to be sidestepping the PR nightmareby leaving Lueke off the expanded roster.

Carp, Halman, Mangini and Varvaro will join the Mariners today, flying-in directly from last night's championship game.

SB Nation Seattle Commentary: Justin Smoak Is A Positive For M's Future

SB Nation Seattle's Kirsten Schlewitz writes that Justin Smoak, who was recently called up by the Seattle Mariners, was a key piece of the Tacoma Rainiers team that won its first Pacific Coast League Championship since 1969.

Michael Pineda, Justin Smoak and Dustin Ackley-who hit a solo home run to tie the game last night-have all had fine runs in Triple-A. Excepting Felix Hernandez, Mariners fans don't have many positives to take from the major league team right now. The Rainiers give us just a bit of hope.

Mariners Call Up Justin Smoak And Danny Cortes From Tacoma

Matt Pitman of ESPN 710 AM reports on Twitter that the Seattle Mariners have called up two minor league prospects from Tacoma.

Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times writes...

First baseman Justin Smoak is back up here tonight, playing first base and batting fifth, for the first time since late July.

And in the bullpen, you'll have reliever Dan Cortes, the onetime starter-turned-reliever, with a 102 mph fastball. Cortes was acquired last year in the Yuniesky Betancourt swap and will be making his MLB debut whenever he gets used.

Greg Johns of the Seattle PI notes that Smoak helped the Tacoma Rainiers win the Pacific Coast League championship.

While 2010 has been mostly a season of frustration for the Mariners, the future continued to look bright Friday as top prospects Dustin Ackley and Justin Smoak helped the Tacoma Rainiers clinch the Pacific Coast League championship with a 10-6 victory over the Memphis Redbirds.

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Smoak, acquired in the Cliff Lee trade this July, added a two-run single later in the 11th to cap the scoring. The big first baseman also went 2-for-5 and is now hitting .423 in the postseason.