Mariners cut ties with Everett, then trade for Broussard

SEATTLE – On the day the Seattle Mariners became convinced that Carl Everett wasn’t the designated hitter they needed, they obtained a player who just might be.

Hours after the Mariners designated Everett for assignment, they acquired 29-year-old Ben Broussard in a trade with the Cleveland Indians. The Mariners, who will use the left-handed-hitting Broussard at DH against right-handed pitchers, sent the Indians minor league outfielder Shin-Soo Choo and a player to be named later, who by rule must be a minor leaguer.

The Mariners also called up left-handed-hitting Chris Snelling from Class AAA Tacoma, although his time with the team could last only a day.

Snelling was on the bench Wednesday, but the Mariners must move another player off the roster by Friday when Broussard joins the team in Cleveland. The likely candidates for a trip back to Tacoma are Snelling and utility player Greg Dobbs.

Dobbs, a left-handed hitter who started at DH Wednesday, can play first base, third and left field, versatility that may keep him with the Mariners. Snelling plays left field, but his playing time in the field has been limited as he regained his strength after knee surgery last year.

Wednesday’s trade reunites Broussard with Eduardo Perez, who the Mariners acquired from the Indians on June 30. Broussard and Perez will platoon at DH for the M’s just as they did for the Indians.

“We made jokes about this happening, and sure enough it happened,” Broussard said in a conference call with reporters. “It’s kind of a strange thing to get traded. I’m excited to be in the middle of the race. Things weren’t going so well for us in Cleveland. I’m excited.”

Broussard, 29, is hitting .321 with 13 home runs and 46 RBI. More enticing to the Mariners are his numbers against right-handed pitchers – a .360 average with 14 doubles and all of his homers and RBIs.

“I’ve always liked Ben,” said Mariners manager Mike Hargrove, who saw plenty of Broussard in 2004 when he was a special assistant to the general manager with the Indians. “I’ve always liked the way he swung the bat. He’s a productive left-handed hitter and he’s young. He’s not a guy who’s on the downhill side.”

DH has been a troubling position all season for the Mariners. Everett, a switch hitter, stalled badly at the plate, batting .227 overall with 11 home runs and 33 RBI. He batted .203 against left-handed pitching, numbers that caused the Mariners to start looking elsewhere.

Last month they traded their top minor league shortstop, Asdrubal Cabrera, to the Indians for Perez, who is hitting .330 with nine homers and 24 RBIs against left-handed pitching.