SEATTLE (AP) -Slumping young catcher Jeff Clement was optioned back to Triple-A Tacoma by the Seattle Mariners after Sunday’s game, with the team hoping the young star can rediscover his swing playing every day in the minors.
“He was stressing a little bit, trying to do a little too much,” Mariners general manager Bill Bavasi said. “ I think he was trying to hit the five-run home run every time at the plate.”
Clement was recalled by the Mariners, along with outfielder Wladimir Balentien, on April 30 after hitting .397 with five homers and 20 RBIs in 23 games at Tacoma.
He was immediately inserted in Seattle’s lineup at designated hitter, and catching occasionally, but never found the groove he had in the minors. In 15 games with Seattle, Clement hit just .167, with two RBIs, and went hitless in nine of the 15 games.
The Mariners are expected to announce a corresponding roster move before opening a six-game trip beginning Tuesday in Detroit.
Clement didn’t disagree that he was pressing in his brief stint, trying to live up to the lofty expectations fans and media placed on him as the solution to Seattle’s offensive woes.
“I got here and I struggled a little bit early and then forgot what it took for me to be successful personally,” Clement said. “Started listening to too many different things than focusing on what I needed to. That’s probably the most disappointing thing, just that I didn’t stick to what had made me successful before.”
With Clement headed back to the minors, the Mariners will start using Jose Vidro again as their primary designated hitter. Vidro has been bothered by back problems, but is getting closer to being fully healthy. Vidro had a pinch-hit single in the bottom of the eighth to start Seattle’s rally for a 3-2 win over San Diego on Sunday.
“Sometimes it takes a couple of times coming up here. We thought he was pressing a little bit and we thought it was best that Jeff go down and get some at bats and get his confidence,” Seattle manager John McLaren said. “He’s going to be a fine player for us.”
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