'Little Unit' resurfaces in Florida

Ryan Anderson, formerly the Mariners top pitching prospect but released by the team in April, has resurfaced in the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

Nicknamed the 'Little Unit', the 6-foot-10 Anderson was signed as a free agent and relocated to the Brevard County Manatees of the Class A Florida State League.

He was originally drafted by Seattle eight years ago as a Randy Johnson look-alike and was penciled in as a future anchor of the Mariners rotation. But it never happened.

The overpowering southpaw left a trail of strikeout victims in his first couple of years as a Seattle farmhand, but several injuries put him on the disabled list in 1998 while he was pitching for Class A Wisconsin.

He recovered, went to Double-A New Haven and then led the Eastern League in strikeouts in 1999 (162 in 134 innings). He earned a promotion to Triple-A Tacoma in 2000.

After making 20 starts for the Rainiers, striking out 146 batters in 104 innings, Anderson seemed destined for stardom in the Majors. But a torn rotator cuff sidelined him for the entire 2001 season, a torn labrum ended his 2002 campaign, and he spent 2003 recovering without throwing a pitch.

Anderson finished his Mariners career with a 19-26 record and a 3.94 ERA in 66 Minor League games.