Endy Chavez done for year with torn ACL; Michael Saunders "needs more time" in AAA and won't be called up

Just got the official word on Endy Chavez, that he has a torn anterior cruciate ligament -- which explains the thigh-to-ankle cast we mentioned earlier -- and other internal damage that effectively finishes off his 2009 season. Chavez also apparently damaged other ligaments in the knee and may have fractured a bone as well, but the ACL is the primary concern. As we mentioned last night, when you plant a leg as he did and then get slammed into right at the kneecap, there is a risk of hyper-extending the knee and blowing the ACL, which is what manager Don Wakamatsu suggested today was the primary cause of the damage. Chavez is to undergo surgery. For now, the Mariners will go with Wladimir Balentien as the primary left fielder and use Ronny Cedeno, Ken Griffey Jr. and even Chris Woodward as backups. You can see the problem already. Not one of those backups qualifies as a pure outfielder any more with the exception of Griffey, who was to be in tonight's lineup but has now been pul...