Kazmar finds footing with new ballclub

After playing four positions for Triple-A Portland last year in the Padres organization, Sean Kazmar jumped at the chance to play shortstop this season for Tacoma, the Mariners' top affiliate.

The former Las Vegas High School and College of Southern Nevada player signed with Seattle in November after being waived by San Diego, the team that drafted him in the fifth round in 2004.

"I talked with a couple different ballclubs, but Seattle was pretty strong on me playing shortstop," Kazmar said. "I really liked hearing that. That's where I want to play on the field. But if it comes to it, I'll be ready to play anywhere."

Kazmar, 26, split time between shortstop and second base and made one start each in center field and left field for Portland last year. Over the final 33 games, he hit .328 with four homers and 16 RBIs, boosting his season numbers to .275, eight homers and 53 RBIs.

Despite arguably the best season of Kazmar's eight-year career, the Padres didn't call him up in September and they let him become a free agent Nov. 6.

Kazmar had his only major league stint for San Diego in 2008, when he hit .205 with two RBIs in 19 games after a call-up from Double-A San Antonio.

"It definitely was tough to leave the Padres after being with them for so long, but I'm a Seattle Mariner now," Kazmar said. "Hopefully I can get a little more consistent at the plate and maybe get a chance to get called up there."

The right-handed hitter went 0-for-4 Monday in Tacoma's 8-5 win over the 51s at Cashman Field.

He's batting only .236 with two homers and 17 RBIs, but is heating up. Kazmar went 3-for-5 with two doubles in Sunday's 10-6 victory over Las Vegas and is 12-for-35 (.343) in his last 10 games.

"He's swinging the bat quite a bit better," manager Daren Brown said. "He's got it going a little bit after a slow start."

Kazmar also is rounding into form in the field, where he's made an uncharacteristic 14 errors in 48 games after only 16 miscues in 127 games last year.

"I've never really had anything happen like that," Kazmar said. "I've gone through offensive struggles before and have been able to get out of it, but I've never really struggled defensively.

"I've been working really hard to get through all that and I feel like it's definitely changing for the good."

So does Brown, who saw Kazmar emerge as one of the best defensive shortstops in the Pacific Coast League the past two seasons in Portland.

"Some of (the errors) might've been putting a little bit of pressure on himself with a new organization, trying to show us a little bit right off the bat," he said.

■ NOTES -- The 51s (31-21) put the tying runs in scoring position with no outs in the eighth inning, but Dan Cortes struck out the side to preserve Tacoma's 5-3 lead. … 51s first baseman David Cooper went 2-for-3 to lift his PCL-leading average to .393. … Right fielder Adam Loewen was 12-for-18 with a homer, four doubles and four RBIs in the four-game series with Tacoma (23-29). … Infielder Craig Stansberry was promoted to Las Vegas from Double-A New Hampshire.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.