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2007 Stop us if you`ve heard this one before: Baby Tui was rushed to Double-A. Rushed, as in, he was the youngest player in the Texas League aside from a couple of kids who got one-game shots of espresso. Among the whippersnappers who got substantial playing time, Tuiasosopo was 22 days younger than the next youngest guy, Wichita`s Billy Butler. This illustrates the problem in the Mariners system: Butler was young for Double-A as well, but he had the distinction of having hit very well at every stop along the way--whipping the Pioneer League and overpowering the California League with a .348 batting average and 25 homers--earning his promotion. In contrast, the Mariners ignored Tuiasosopo`s double-digit isolated power at Inland Empire (.073), blindly kicking him up to San Antonio based on an empty .300 batting average. Beyond the M`s questionable player development policies, there are plenty of questions about whether Tuiasosopo has the basic baseball talent to justify the money the team spent to keep him away from football. 2006 The local boy picked in the 3rd round in 2004 out of Woodinville High improved on his debut campaign in Everett, but Tui`s still got lots of holes to plug. Projections of power potential are based solely on his athleticism and not results, and his defense is atrocious. The M`s could move him to third or the outfield, but then would his bat be able to carry the position? He doesn`t turn 20 until May, but it`s hard to see much there, even if you squint. 2005 Even tools mavens thought this was a stretch pick, and the Mariners spent heavily to sign him—just as they did with Michael Garciaparra the year before. You could put a pitch-back screen between second and third, aim it at first, and it would have been as effective in the field. And the hitting—he's got a bat, but his approach this year in Everett…more pitch-back screen. At some point, he's going to move to the outfield, or at least third.
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