Tacoma manager Daren Brown pleased with progress of Ackley, Carp
May 20, 2011, 6:24 PM | Updated: May 21, 2011, 9:47 am
By Michael Simeona
Are Dustin Ackley and Mike Carp ready to play in the Major Leagues?
Tacoma Rainiers’ AAA manager Daren Brown joined Friday’s Kevin Calabro show to discuss whether or not they should be called up to the Mariners ballclub sooner rather than later.
“There’s a lot of intangibles and a lot of things that go into when you think a guy is ready,” Brown told Kevin and co-host Jim Moore. “You know what you’re going to get everyday, and if he has some failure(s) you know he’s going to be able to handle it.”
Ackley, 23, is the most noteworthy of the bunch, listed as the top overall prospect in the Mariners organization by Baseball America.
Drafted with the second overall pick in 2009, Ackley struggled at the beginning of the season despite leading the Pacific Coast League (PCL) in walks. Adding to his struggles, Ackley (pictured above) has been adjusting to a new position this season, as the organization wants him to be their future second baseman.
While adjusting to the middle infield has proven to be a work in progress, Brown is pleased with Ackley’s progress so far.
“I think he’s feeling more comfortable there (2nd base) which is big for me cause I think you have to have a kid that’s got a little confidence in himself and feels comfortable where he’s at and I think he’s getting that. Everyday he’s working at it and when the time arises, whenever that is, he’ll be ready.”
DH Mike Carp already knows the feeling of playing with the big ballclub at Safeco Field. Despite limited success, Carp has played 35 games across two seasons in his short time in Seattle.
Carp has started off strong in AAA, hitting .303 with 10 HR’s in just 38 games so far this season.
“You’re looking at a guy, you know, 24 or 25 years old that he’s just kinda figuring out what kind of hitter that he’s going to be,” Brown said. “He’s a patient guy that runs up a quality at bat. We saw some of the power down here in Tacoma last year that we thought he might be capable of, and he’s kind of taken off this year right where he left off last year.”
Both Ackley and Carp have made instrumental strides down on the farm in Tacoma, and it should only be a matter of time before they play beneath the bright lights at Safeco Field.
