With the Mariners only 1.0 game out of the AL Wildcard and 3.5 out of the lead in the AL West, you might think that a team and players accustomed to losing might take the call up of Adam “not Pac Man” Jones as a challenge to step up their game; use the call up to reach for the extra motivation needed to keep going in a long season. Jose Guillen tends to disagree.

“I just hope they understand this is not Triple-A,” Mariners right fielder Jose Guillen said of management after the Jones move was announced. “This is the big leagues.”
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“I guess they have something to do, but this is a totally different league,” Guillen said. “I understand he’s a good prospect and if they think he’s ready, then hey, we’ll see. He’s going to have to come here and prove that to us.

“Because this team has been good with what we have and I don’t think that’s what we need. … I just completely don’t understand that move right there.

“I don’t know what they’re trying to do,” Guillen summarized. “I hope they don’t do something stupid to mess with the lineup that we have. Because I believe we have a pretty good one.”

Yea, wouldn’t want to mess with a lineup that’s 21st in runs scored since the All-Star break and 26th in OPS during the same time period. For a team on the verge you would think that the addition of someone playing his way to becoming Minor League Player of the year would be a welcome addition to the clubhouse. Jose, try not to be so hard on the kid just because they already have his name penciled into your slot for the 2008 lineup… it’s not his fault.

• M’s right fielder questions Jones’ call-up (Seattle Times)