I suspect (well, I'm pretty sure) that there was really no bat-related need to put Ackley in Tacoma this year at all. He's probably been a major league bat (of had a MLB batting skill set) since about July of LAST year.
Doc is right. Ackley recognizes pitches, commands the strike zone, gets solid wood on it when it is a strike, and rips it well more than enough. That's a heck of a productive offensive skill set. Once he's adjusted to a more refined strike zone (which takes a few games for an Ackley), a borderline pitch is a borderline pitch, AAA or MLB. He's faced guys who throw 97mph already, and guys who snap off wicked curves. By results, it looks like he doesn't have a hole in his swing.
He's an MLB batter right now. A 6 for 12 series against Portland and then a 4 for 9 against Albuquerque won't make him any more of a MLB batting talent than he is right now.
Seasoning? Didn't seem to make much difference for Yount and Olerud. Ackley is one of those guys.
Fieldingwise, I suppose a bit more 2B time was fine. But I suspect he was a sufficient MLB 2B in Arizona during ST.
Now it looks like a delay in calling him up is all about a million $ (or so) of future contract, perhaps. Not calling Ackley up this year would be amazingly rediculous...so now that you've saved the arb year, just do it. The stupid thing is looking at Ackley as a 6-year Mariner, which assumes you can't sign him long term.
Heck, bring him up now....and sign him long term during his 1st arb year. He's going to be worth it.
Remember that Pete Rose came up as a 2B guy, then moved to LF. To tell you the truth....I wouldn't be surprised by such a move down the line. Not that he can't handle the glove at 2B but that I just love the idea of Ackley as a Lonnie Smith type leadoff LF'er.
Fall in love with the bat. That's what Ackley brings to the table. Let him play out in LF and chase flyballs and rip doubles.
As a LF'er, he should have started with the M's lat July.
moe
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