Zen Dayley: How do you spell relief? A-u-m-o-n-t

Paraphrasing a Seinfeld rerun that was on yesterday, "That's a hell of an organization they're runnin' up there. I can't understand why they haven't won a pennant in thirty-two years."

Bleeding Blue And Teal is apoplectic over the Seattle Mariners moving Hull native Phillippe Aumont to the bullpen. A real red flag, which comes via Geoff Baker:

"Aumont is said to be quite anxious to get to the big leagues. So, he's apparently on-board with this plan.

" 'If he's going to start, then he'll have to learn a whole bunch of other pitches,'' (Mariners GM Bob) Zduriencik said. "He'll have to perfect a bunch of different pitches and that could take some time. Going this route, we'll see if it's his ticket to getting there and doing something much more quickly.' "

The point is why the Mariners would do this with a 20-year-old with only one year of minor-league ball under his belt and limiting his ceiling. It seems odd.

Bleeding Blue and Teal ain't happy, pointing out the Mariners have three recent first-round picks who have been converted to the 'pen:

"Brandon Morrow is the closer right now and Josh Fields should be big league ready next season. You’ve also got a promising young arm in Shawn Kelley who just made the big club, and a couple other young-ish power arms currently in the ‘pen. Why do you need Aumont on the fast track? Who cares if he takes four years to get his secondary stuff worked out? This is just dumb.

Zduriencik told the Seattle Times that they believe Aumont has a chance to be "one of the big bullpen arms" in the game.

The part about Aumont being onside with the move because he's "anxious" to get to the big leagues is troublesome. He got a big bonus from the Mariners in the 2007 draft and ultimately good things will come to him in time, right?

He only turned 20 on Jan. 7. Aumont, one would think, has plenty of time to refine his command and control and become a front-end starter. Granted, as most of you saw during the World Baseball Classic, he offers some unique possibilities as a reliever.

Related:
Intro to Aumont Debacle (Jon Shields, Bleeding Blue And Teal)
Aumont to bullpen role (Geoff Baker, Mariners Blog)
More Zdurencik on Aumont (Geoff Baker, Mariners Blog)
New Front Office Trying To Make Us Stop Saying Nice Things (U.S.S. Mariner)