Major League Baseball has suspended 25-year old righty reliever/starter Chaz Roe for the first 50 games of the 2012 season due to a positive test for amphetamines. Roe pitched in 33 games (10 starts) in AAA-ball for the Mariners last year and he was 0-7 with 2 saves, a 6.59 ERA and a 1.72 WHIP. He has now pitched in 159 games (136 starts) in his first 7 years in the minors and he is 42-45 with 2 saves, a 4.73 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. This is not much of a loss for the Mariners as Roe wasn’t expected to make their pitching staff in 2012.

The Mariners have released 25-year old righty swinging 3B Matt Tuiasosopo. He played in 116 games in AAA-ball this year and he was 99 for 439 (.226 avg, .735 OPS) with 73 runs scored, 14 homers, 77 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Tuiasosopo played in 71 games in parts of three years for the Mariners and he was 34 for 193 (.176 avg, .540 OPS) with 15 runs scored, 5 homers and 15 RBIs. He whiffed 70 times while only walking 13 times for the Mariners showing an utter lack of discipline. Tuiasosopo is still young, so maybe a change of scenery will do him some good down the road, but the Mariners got sick of waiting for him to come around.

The Seattle Mariners have shut down 22-year old lefty starting pitcher James Paxton. He is suffering from a case of back soreness plus he has reached his innings limit that the Mariners set for him in 2011. Paxton pitched in 17 games (all starts) in A+AA-ball this year and he was 6-3 with a 2.37 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP. He only gave up 73 hits in 95 innings this year while whiffing 131 batters, which is impressive. Paxton also walked 43 batters this year, so he will need to work on his control before he gets to Seattle down the road. Paxton has now pitched in 21 games (21 starts) in his first two years in the minors and he is 7-5 with a 2.64 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP.

The Mariners have designated 25-year old lefty starting pitcher Luke French for assignment. French pitched in 23 games (all starts) in AAA-ball this year and he was 8-8 with a 6.12 ERA and a 1.72 WHIP. He pitched in 24 games (20 starts) in his first two years with the Mariners and he was 8-10 with a 5.37 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. The Mariners would probably like to keep French if the clears waivers and would accept a outright assignment to AAA from them.

UPDATE: (8/19/2011) - The Mariners have sent Luke French outright to AAA.

24-year old lefty swinging 1B Dennis Raben was not regarded as much of a prospect coming into this season, but that is about to change. Raben has played in 76 games in A-ball so far this year and he is 101 of 309 (.327 avg, .979 OPS) with 61 runs scored, 18 homers, 75 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. He has now played in 185 games in his first three years in the minors and he is 217 for 709 (.306 avg, .963 OPS) with 146 runs scored, 43 homers, 155 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. With the Mariners utter lack of hitting at the major league level, Raben will likely get put on the fast track now.