Seattle Mariners: 7 Reasons to Wait on Calling Up Dustin Ackley
The Seattle Mariners have found themselves starting the month of May at 13-16, only three games back of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Texas Rangers, in what is looking like a highly-competitive AL West.
This is a much better start for the M's than anyone was truly expecting, so now a question that seemed to have an obvious answer before the start of the season has gotten a little murky:
What should the Mariners do with Dustin Ackley?
Here are some reasons he should stay in Tacoma for the time being.
Arbitration
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If the Mariners wait until June to call up Ackley, then they can push his arbitration period back a year, most likely saving the Mariners quite a bit of money.
Seattle's payroll is probably already a little higher than they want it to be, so giving Ackley a raise a year earlier is not something they would like to do.
Arbitration is probably the No. 1 reason Ackley isn't in the majors yet, and won't be until at least June.
Minor League ABs (the Justin Smoak Factor)
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Last year, the Texas Rangers brought Justin Smoak to the majors after just 599 total plate appearances in the minors. While he is certainly a talented hitter, he wasn't ready yet, and struggled with both the Rangers and M's.
Similarly, Dustin Ackley currently has only 712 plate appearances in the minors and may not be ready, either. It took Smoak an entire off-season and Spring Training to apparently find his groove, so Seattle might be better off waiting on giving a call-up.
Offensive Stats
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Offense was supposed to be Ackley's strong suit, but he hasn't impressed throughout the first month at Tacoma.
Through 25 games, Ackley is hitting a mere .221 with two home runs and eight RBI. While those numbers are quite underwhelming, he has shown good patience, as he leads the Pacific Coast League with 20 walks. So, there is still promise for Ackley. However, he needs to show he can hit in the minors before getting called up
Also, Ackley has proven himself to be a bit of a slow starter, so we'll see if he can heat up as the weather does.
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Defense
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Simply put, the Mariners were just hoping for him to be a decent—not spectacular—defender, because his offense was going to make up for his lacking defensive skills.
However, with his bat yet to appear, Ackley's defense is nowhere near good enough to merit a call to the big leagues.
Again, more time is needed.
The Mariners Are 13-16
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"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."
These are the words that the M's should be living by, and so far, things aren't broken. The Mariners are playing their best baseball in a long time, and as long as they continue to be successful, they need to keep Ackley in the minors.
If things go south by June or July, then that will be a different picture. We would be able to let Ackley work out his kinks without any real pressure in the majors.
But, if we are still in the race, and we bring up Ackley as the "missing piece," that might be a little too much for the kid to handle.
Our Middle Infielders Are Holding Their Own
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While they aren't the most spectacular or exciting bunch, Jack Wilson, Brendan Ryan, Adam Kennedy and Luis Rodriguez have done their jobs.
After a rough start to the season, Wilson and Ryan have been terrific on defense. Jack continues to get better at second base, and is starting to look like he's been there all year.
Kennedy and Rodriguez have been the most important pieces off the bench. They can move all around the infield, and they have both contributed to wins in major ways.
While this foursome hasn't put up the best offensive numbers, they are pretty much in line (not great averages, good walk rates) with what Ackley is doing in the minors right now. Pair that with their stellar defensive play, and they are simply better options than Ackley.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Age
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Ackley just turned 23 in February.
He is still right smack dab in the middle of his prime, and has plenty of good years in front of him. If that isn't an understatement, I don't know what is.
He's still young enough that he might be effected in a major way if he struggles in the majors. The M's need to continue to take things slow.
Conclusion
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Waiting until next year to bring Dustin Ackley to the majors wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. I realize he is our top prospect and most people will begin to grow impatient, but he is showing that he isn't quite "there" yet.
Things are working just fine right now, and the Mariners need to wait either until they fall out of the race or until next year to put Dustin Ackley in a Mariners uniform.
If he catches fire, of course, all bets are off.
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