Josh Fields has progressed through his first pro season with so-so results — a 2-2 record and a 6.48 ERA in 31 relief appearances at Class AA West Tennessee. But just getting the right-handed reliever through the season unscathed would be an accomplishment for the Seattle Mariners, who drafted him with their first-round pick in 2008.
Well, scratch the unscathed part.
Fields is on the disabled list after tweaking his left oblique last Thursday. The Mariners say it’s not a severe strain and they’d like to get him pitching again before the end of West Tennessee’s season. However, that could be difficult because West Tennessee has only 25 games remaining and there may not be enough time for Fields to get back by the finale on Sept. 7.
“It’s not a complete oblique strain where it’s a month and a half, and he’s feeling a lot better,” said Pedro Grifol, the Mariners’ minor league director. “We’re going to try to get him back.”
The Mariners won’t rush it, but they also want Fields to be healthy enough to pitch for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League, which runs Oct. 13-Nov. 21.
They also wouldn’t mind having Fields available for the stretch drive in West Tennessee’s season. The DiamondJaxx entered Tuesday 23-22 and trailing Chattanooga by two games in the Southern League North.
Right-hander Phillippe Aumont, who didn’t pitch for nearly a month after going home to Canada to deal with a personal issue, has pitched five games since returning, allowing three earned runs with two walks and eight strikeouts in 61/3 innings. For the season, Aumont is 1-2, 3.68 since being called up from Class A High Desert.
Elsewhere around the Mariners’ minor league system:
Class AAA Tacoma Rainiers
The Rainiers went 7-3 in a 10-game stretch entering Tuesday, pulling to 57-60 and within five games of first-place Colorado Springs in the Pacific Coast League Pacific North. Outfielder Jerry Owens was batting .330 and had gone 7-for-17 in his previous four games. First baseman Mike Carp continued to struggle since returning to Tacoma from the Mariners, batting .189 this month to drop his average to .265. Bryan LaHair’s 23 home runs were tied for third in the PCL.
Closer Randy Messenger’s 24 saves were tied for second in the league, and he’s 0-2 with a 2.96 ERA this season.
Class A High Desert Mavericks
Third baseman Alex Liddi went 11-for-21 in a five-game stretch to take a sizable lead in the California League batting race, pushing his average to .356. High Desert teammate Tyson Gillies is batting .343 and is tied for second in the league with Lancaster’s Koby Clemens (son of Roger Clemens). James McOwen is tied for fifth with a .329 average.
The Mavericks were 23-21 and led the South Division by one game over Rancho Cucamonga going into Tuesday’s games.
Class A Clinton LumberKings
Right-hander Kenn Kasparek has won his past five decisions and is 9-5 with a 2.29 ERA. Second baseman Luis Nunez was batting .309 for the LumberKings, 21-22 and third in the Midwest League Western Division, four games behind first-place Peoria.
Class A Pulaski Mariners
Left fielder Dwight Britton was tied for third in the Appalachian League with seven home runs. The Mariners were 18-25 and fourth in the East Division, 11 games behind first-place Danville.
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