Dustin Ackley moves to No. 2 spot in Mariners’ lineup as Chone Figgins’ role shrinks

Dustin Ackley is batting second in the Mariners’ lineup today, which might end up being his spot for the next decade or so and points to Chone Figgins’ role continuing to shrink.

Figgins has been the No. 2 hitter for most of the past season-and-a-half and still has another two years and $17 million left on his contract, but he’s been so abysmal that Adam Kennedy is taking his playing time at third base since Ackley was called up to play second base.

Asked specifically about Figgins’ role, manager Eric Wedge told Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times:

He’s just not going to get as much playing time. He knows that. He wants to get going more than anybody. I want him to get going more than anybody, but he’s in between right now. That’s not where you want to be. We’ll pick our spots to get him in there, and hopefully he can start heading in the right direction.

Regardless of what you thought of the Mariners’ decision to give Figgins a four-year, $36 million deal as a free agent his complete collapse since signing the deal has been shocking. Figgins hit .291 with a .363 on-base percentage in 936 games for the Angels, but he’s hit just .239 with a .312 on-base percentage in 225 games for the Mariners. And even his base-stealing has fallen apart, as he’s just 8-for-14 on steals this season after going 42-for-57 in 2010.