Us Mariner fans have had very few bright spots to talk about as we approach the all-star break in this very forgettable 2008 season. Well we had one last Saturday. For those of you who didn't watch the M's 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers last Saturday you missed out on something special; so special this rarely happens to rookies.
Ladies and gentlemen, meet Jeff Clement; the catching phenom from USC the Seattle Mariners selected with the third overall pick in the 2005 draft. He actually made his major league debut last Sept but only registered 16 at-bats in 9 games. So far this year the numbers suggest he has been struggling as his batting average is a mere .185. I've watched him quite a bit so far this year and I'll tell you that number is deceiving. I can recall numerous occasions where's hit some balls very hard but right at the defense. He's been waiting for his 'break-out' game so to speak. He may have just had that game on Saturday. With runners on first and second and the Mariners already trailing 2-0, Placido Polanco singled into left field. Dane Sardinha was waved home by the third base coach as Raul Ibanez came up firing. By some unexplainable miracle his throw was online and almost in time to get Sardinha. It was only a perfectly executed block of the plate by Clement that prevented the Tigers from extending their lead. Later in the game Clement came to bat against Detroit starter, Armando Galarraga, who was still working on his shutout. Clement promptly spoiled his shutout attempt by connecting with a down-and-in fastball that was his third home run of the season. In the eighth inning Clement came to bat with the tying run on second, this time against reliever Fernando Rodney, with the M's still down 2-1. This time he hit a mistake change-up that drifted down and in, a very bad place to miss to a lefthander with power, 395 feet into the right field stands for his second homer of the game and one that propelled the M's into the lead. Morrow closed the ninth for his 7th save. Clement's final line; 2-4, 2 home runs, 2 runs, 3 RBI in a 3-2 win. He was the Mariners' offense that night. He also was greeted with his first major league curtain call and his first shaving-cream-pie-to-the-face during a postgame interview.
Hopefully this game boosts his confidence and acts as a turning point for him. Feel free to go on a hitting tear like we know you can for the rest of the season and prepare yourself to become a perennial figure at future all-star games. With that I leave him with this, "Welcome to the big leagues kid. You've earned it." You are the future of the franchise and hopefully your career includes many, many more special nights like this one.
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