Rainiers season preview: Loaded at some positions, team will mix and match in the field

Unless you're a top prospect being groomed and coddled for big league stardom, little things such as what position you are playing matter little to baseball players exiled to the minor leagues.

Because to a man, their goal is to reach the big leagues, and it doesn't matter where they bat in the order, what position they have to play or what uniform they have wear to get there.

Whatever it takes, whatever is asked, that's what they'll do.

So when Tacoma Rainiers manager Daren Brown looks at the roster of players that will open the 2009 Pacific Coast League season for him today in Sacramento, he may see five guys that now play, have played or need to play some first base, and really only three true outfielders. Yet Brown isn't panicking, or at least letting panic come through his thick Oklahoma drawl.

"I thought we had eight first basemen on this team," he quipped. "Nah, it'll be fine."

Why?

Well, sometimes that's how you have to do it in the minor leagues. If a player has to play out of position, you adjust. Besides, if learning to play another position will give a player the slightest edge in reaching the bigs, most will do it, gladly.

"We've got guys that are comfortable playing more than one position," Brown said. "Which is good, cause they are going to have to."

So of the group of normal first basemen — Bryan LaHair, Chris Shelton and Mike Carp — both LaHair and Carp will see some time in left field.

"LaHair is going to see quite a bit of time out there; he's played there before, and Carp is fine out there," Brown said.

Shelton could play a little third base if needed, and all three could DH. Mike Morse spent all offseason working at first base and will need to see some time there to stay sharp, but he'll also have to see some time in the outfield as well as playing third and shortstop.

The fifth member of the group is catching prospect Jeff Clement. The Mariners have decided to work him into games at first base to help his chances of returning to the big leagues.

"It's to his benefit if he can play over there as well as slide behind the plate," Brown said.

Clement started working out at first toward the end of spring training, and Brown said he's still needs some polish.

"He's still trying to get accustomed (to the position)," Brown said. "He's not there. It's going to be a continual thing, but I know how hard he works."

There is still no exact date or plan for when or how much Clement will play.

"I don't know when we'll play him there," Brown said. "We'll go when he feels confident and comfortable. He's still learning there."

But Brown emphasized that Clement's first responsibility is catching, and working on improving the defensive skills that might have kept him from being with the Mariners.

"He's still going to catch plenty," Brown said. "He's starting there opening day."

When Clement doesn't catch, veteran Jamie Burke will handle the duties.

Burke, who spent all of the last two seasons with the Mariners, is a veteran guy who Brown said his coaching staff will lean on.

"He's a guy you don't have to worry about," Brown said. "It's good to have guys like him around to set an example. Sometimes the young guys get tired of hearing the coaches say the same things over and over, but it means a little more coming from a player."

The remainder of the infield is mostly utility guys that can play all three positions. Chris Burke and Chris Woodward have both played infield in the big leagues, and Burke has also seen some time in the outfield. Both give Brown some options. Morse, whose natural position is shortstop, will play some third base, particularly until Matt Tuiasosopo gets sent back when Ichiro Suzuki comes off the disabled list.

Outfield prospect Michael Saunders is also going to be late to join the Rainiers as he recovers from an injury. Brown doesn't figure to see Saunders for almost three weeks. But he was confident other players will step in and is hoping Mike Wilson will continue to hit the ball with power as he did in spring training when he hit a team record eight home runs.

"He's a guy that has some confidence right now," Brown said.

Overall, Brown knows his lineup won't be the same every day, but he's fine with that.

"We've got some versatility," Brown said. "These guys can do a lot of things and I'm pretty comfortable with what we can do with them."

The pitching staff features four left-handers, including three in the starting rotation. Lefty Jason Vargas will get the opening day start. He'll be followed by fellow lefty Garrett Olson, right-hander Gaby Hernandez, lefty Chris Seddon and right-hander Andy Baldwin.

"It's never easy for pitchers throwing in the PCL, but I like our staff," Brown said.

The bullpen will feature some veterans in Denny Stark and Eric Hull and Randy Messenger. Lefty reliever Justin Thomas will be used in relief, while both Messenger and hard-throwing Jesus Delgado will likely be the closers.

The Rainiers open with four games in Sacramento, and four more against Fresno before heading north. They play their first game at Cheney Stadium on April 17.