Jeff Clement sent to Triple A Tacoma

[gbill2004]

What impact does this have on Johjima?

Mariners optioned catcher Jeff Clement to Triple-A Tacoma.
Clement may yet be one of the Mariners' top offensive players this season, but it's not such a bad idea to send him down for a month and see what happens with Kenji Johjima. Ideally, Johjima would build up some trade value and the Mariners would be able to move him, even though it'd mean taking another fairly expensive player in return. Clement will catch regularly at Tacoma, so it makes tons of sense for the Mariners to keep Rob Johnson as Johjima's backup over Jamie Burke. With Clement out of the mix at DH, it looks like Endy Chavez and either Chris Shelton or Mike Sweeney will share playing time, with Ken Griffey Jr. DHing when Chavez plays. Wladimir Balentien may also be looking at more at-bats.