Mark McLemore will undergo surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow today. Although he's suffered from the problem for most of the season, McLemore was able to play through the discomfort. Unfortunately, when he made a diving catch in the Mariners August 31st game against the Royals, he hyper-extended the elbow, causing it to lock up on him.

Seattle hopes he'll be able to recover from the surgery and resume play in two weeks. They will not place him on the DL, so he'll be able to return to active duty as soon as he feels ready. Hopefully, the enforced rest caused by his elbow injury also will allow his sore back and hamstring to recover.

The Mariners have added five players to their roster for September, including UT-R Willie Bloomquist, C-R Pat Borders, LHP John Halama, OF-L Scott Podsednik, and Luis Ugueto. Borders and Podsednik were not on the 40-man roster, so Seattle also promoted OF-R Kenny Kelly in order to place him on the 60-day DL with shoulder tendinitis to make room on the 40-man. They opened the second spot by designating Justin Kaye for assignment. Kaye spent most of this season repeating AAA aside from only a brief major league call-up, and he experienced control problems that hadn't bothered him in the past. However, there's little reason to cast the 26-year-old to the wind when they likely could have called up Jeff Heaverlo and made the same move with him that they used with Kelly.

Seattle drafted Bloomquist out of Arizona State University in the 3rd round of the 1999 draft. The Mariners assigned him to Everett in the Short-Season Northwest League after he signed and then moved him up to A+ Lancaster in the California League to start 2000. Although they briefly promoted him to AAA Tacoma in the Pacific Coast League at the end of 2000, he spent all of last season with AA San Antonio in the Texas League. Bloomquist spent this season at AAA Tacoma prior to his September promotion. In 337 AB, he had 91 H, 14 2B, 3 3B, and 6 HR with a 29:44 BB:K and 20/30 SB% for a .270 BA, .331 OBP, and .383 SLG. He needs to improve his plate discipline a bit more to fully take advantage of his moderate speed skills, but he did show better strike zone judgment in the low minors, so he should be able to resurrect the skill. Seattle's developed him as a utility player, having him spend 30 G at 2B, 25 G at 3B, 19 G at SS, and 39 G in the OF at AAA this year. He'll work as a pinch hitter and utilityman with the Mariners this month and likely continue in that role into next season.

The 39-year-old Borders will be the Mariners' third catcher in September for the second straight year. Dan Wilson and Ben Davis should continue to catch most games, but Borders will allow Seattle to freely pinch-hit and pinch-run for them.

Seattle sent Halama to the minors to open up a roster spot for the acquisition of Ismael Valdes. Now that he's returned to the majors, he'll provide the Mariners with a left-handed reliever capable of pitching multiple innings and spot starting.

The 26-year-old Podsednik has outgrown any prospect status he possessed when the Rangers drafted him out of high school in the 3rd round of the 1994 draft. However, he's demonstrated moderate power and speed skills at AAA with passable plate discipline for a AAAA outfielder. If he can recover the strike zone judgment he displayed below AAA, Podsednik could upgrade his status from AAAA player to regular major league reserve. He should assist the Mariners this month as an extra left-handed bat and reserve outfielder, which could be particularly useful with McLemore out.

Rule 5 pick Luis Ugueto's conveniently sprained wrist shouldn't prevent him from playing about as much in September as he has the rest of the year, meaning he'll appear in less than 10 games and have a maximum of 5 plate appearances.

Due to the number of non-major league ready players the Mariners possess on their 40-man roster, they aren't able to add as much to their team in September as many teams pushing for the playoffs. However, provided their core 25 players are healthy and effective this month, they should remain in contention for the Wild Card.

Elsewhere in the AL West, Anaheim activated four players this September, including LHP Dennis Cook, LHP Mark Lukasiewicz, OF-R Julio Ramirez, and Tim Salmon.

Cook went on the DL in mid-July with a torn labrum and partially torn rotator cuff. However, he opted for rehab rather than surgery and now feels ready to resume pitching. I wouldn't expect Anaheim to use him heavily, but he will provide them with an extra lefty in the pen this month.

Lukasiewicz was only in the majors for four days as Aaron Sele's replacement on the roster before Anaheim demoted him when, as expected, they promoted Mickey Callaway to fill Sele's spot in the rotation. He gives the Angels another quality left-handed reliever. Meanwhile, reports indicate that Sele may only be able to return in a relief role this season instead as a starter.

Ramirez went on the DL in mid-June with a strained left calf. He's returning to the Angels after an extended rehab assignment and should provide them with another solid reserve outfielder and right-handed pinch hitter.

While Salmon rejoined Anaheim a few days ago, tonight is expected to be the first game he'll start following his hand injury. The bruise hasn't completely healed so he probably won't produce at his typical levels for another week or more, and the Angels will likely give him extra rest. However they need him back in the lineup as soon as possible despite their favorable position in the Wild Card race.

Anaheim's AAA franchise at Salt Lake made the playoffs, so they're likely delaying some of their call-ups for that reason. The Angels are in the middle of a 12-game stretch facing Baltimore and Tampa Bay, so expanding the roster hasn't been vital. However the major league race is far more important than the AAA playoffs, and if they haven't added the above players to their roster by Monday when they start a series against Oakland, the organization will be making a big mistake that could seriously impede their Wild Card pursuit.

The Angels grabbed Barry Wesson off waivers from the Astros yesterday. We discussed Wesson last month when he spent a few days with Houston and he should be a helpful reserve outfielder for the Angels this month, though they've sent him to AAA for now. Other players that should receive call-ups soon include SS-S Alfredo Amezaga, RHP Lou Pote and OF-R Robb Quinlan. If RHP Matt Wise and OF-S Jeff DaVanon are healthy, I would also expect them to join the Angels this September.