6-4-2 — an Angels/Dodgers double play blog

Mariners Moot Giving Sexson The Boot, Call Up Jeff Clement

One of the stupidest moves I can think of in recent memory by the M's was when they sent down highly touted catching prospect Jeff Clement so that Kenji Johjima could get more playing time. Well, now that Bill Bavasi is out of the picture, what happens but that decision has been reversed, with Seattle actively promoting the idea that Richie Sexson will get cut, $7M salary remaining on his 4-year deal or no. Johjima was seen taking balls at first, which seems like an odd thing considering he's hitting .224/.265/.299; manager John McLaren says Clement "will catch a lot" in the upcoming days.

OT: Cedar Rapids Flood

Stephen Smith has a pretty good idea about drumming up support for Cedar Rapids flood relief:

If Arte Moreno would step up now and make a public announcement the Angels are starting a disaster relief fund, it would send a message to Cedar Rapids to have hope because help is coming.

He gripes a bit that he "[hasn't] found [an Angels website] that even mentioned the disaster in Cedar Rapids", which is blankly untrue, though I confess I could take more steps to put this on the front burner.

Giants May Hire Rick Peterson To Work With Barry Zito

The Giants may hire fired Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson to work with Barry Zito:

Zito declined to comment on the idea of hiring Peterson. In fact, Zito did not even know the Mets had fired him.

However, when asked what type of relationship they had, Zito noted that as far back as college, he and his family hired Peterson for private coaching. When the A's drafted Zito, Peterson was their pitching coach.

"I had success from the start there in Oakland," Zito said. "There's a lot to be said for your first coach in the big leagues, too. He moved me on the mound and did something also with my hands, stuff like that, stuff I still do today."

The Giants have previously had special instructors from time to time.

Looking Forward At The Pioneer League

Something that missed this morning's Minor League Scorebook post, some things to look forward to in the Pioneer League:

Ogden Raptors
2007 Results: 34-41
2008 Manager: Mike Brumley
Things to look forward to: Chales Dasni, who has appeared in 20 games with Ogden over the last two seasons, is back with the Raptors for a third consecutive year. The right-hander has 132 strikeouts in 110 career Minor League innings. ... On June 20, students of Stevens-Hanager College will have free admission into the Raptors' second home game. ... July 25 will be Jimmy Buffett Night against Idaho Falls at Lindquist Field. The team will honor the Grateful Dead with a similar night on Aug. 9 against Missoula. ... Tickets for the July 13 game against Great Falls will be given away for free at Layton Hills Mall. ... The Osprey will look to honor banks all season long, with three different promotions hosted by participating banks. Wells Fargo Weekend will begin on July 12, with America First Credit Union and Bank of Utah each hosting weekends later in the season. ... The Osprey will finish August with a pair of games called The Truth About Tobacco Weekend, in which free tickets will be given away. ... On Aug. 8, the Raptors will honor U.S. military members with a Military Affairs Night against Missoula.

Orem Owlz
2007 Results: 37-38
2008 Manager: Tom Kotchman
Things to look forward to: The Owlz finished a game under .500 last season yet still managed to claim the league championship. Returning skipper Tom Kotchman aims to improve Orem's record and get back to the finals. ...The Los Angeles Angels' first choice in the 2007 Draft, Jon Bachanov, will be on the Owlz' Opening Day roster. ... After starting just three games for the Owlz in 2007, South Korean prospect Young-Il Jung should see time in Orem this season. He is slated to open the 2008 season on the 7-Day DL. ... On July 31, the Owlz will honor long-time manager Tom Kotchman with a mini-bat giveaway to the first 1,000 fans in honor of the skipper's 1,500th win. ... Orem will host Minor League Baseball Night on July 21 as the first 1,000 fans will be given an Angels commemorative bag. ... In Orem's second-to-last game on Sept. 4, the Owlz will host High School Guitar Hero Night against the Ogden Raptors. ... Giveaways this season include a Tison Painting Hat on July 1, a noisemaker on July 8, a RevenueWorx Key Chain on July 10 and a Duffle Bag on Aug. 12. ... Former Owlz outfielder Chris Pettit will be honored on Sept. 2 with a bobblehead giveaway to the first 1,250 fans.

Escobar Returning Very Soon, Aybar Activated

• Some wonderful news from last night: Kelvim Escobar will be returning very soon, throwing two good simulated game innings yesterday with a low-90's fastball (he's normally mid-90's when he's 100%). He felt he could start a rehab stint within the week.
• The Angels optioned Sean Rodriguez to AAA Salt Lake to make room for Erick Aybar, who has been called up and will be on the 25-man for tonight's finale against the Mets. How much playing time Aybar will get is likely to be a function of Izturis' currently hot bat, which is to say, don't hold your breath.

Labels: angels, coaches, dodgers, giants, mariners, minors, offtopic