The Mariners are in the thick of Spring Training and have put together a formidable 11-6 record in the Cactus League. Although it's far too early to start making declarations about whether this team can put together a winning season, let alone be a threat in 2012, it's never too early to talk about which players have already been removed from the dicussion of starting the season on the 25-man roster.
Jeff Sullivan at Lookout Landing reports that the Mariners cut seven players on Saturday.
Yes, seven players who as of a few hours ago still possibly harbored the dream of breaking camp with the Seattle Mariners will no longer have that opportunity. Matt Fox, Aaron Heilman, Sean Henn, Josh Kinney, Jeff Marquez, Oliver Perez and Trayvon Robinson are all now property of the minor league peeps in Peoria, or wherever. In case you don't notice, all but Robinson in that list are pitchers.
If nothing else (and there's been plenty else; come on now), the pitching staff is coming together and getting near a final bullpen and starting rotation. But the sending down of Trayvon Robinson likely rankles the outfielder, who was none too happy about being traded away from the Dodgers in the first place.
Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times posted a story last week about Robinson's being hurt by the trade and the way it was conducted. Here's a snippet:
Still, the initial news of the trade "really hurt me," he said. The Crenshaw High alum was hitting .293 with 26 home runs for the Dodgers' triple-A team, one step from taking the field for his hometown team.
"Everything they told me to do, I did it," he said. "I didn't disrespect the uniform.
"I always tried to wear the Dodger jersey the way Jackie Robinson did, with a lot of pride and courage."
Hopefully Robinson can soon develop into a major league player and carve out a niche for himself with the M's. Seattle fans would enjoy nothing more than for L.A.'s loss to be their gain.
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