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Thread: Six-Year Minor-League Free Agent Rundown (Long)

  1. #31
    Lover of Trivialities Doc. Scott's Avatar
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    Re: Six-Year Minor-League Free Agent Rundown (Long)

    11/13: Cincinnati also inked another minor-league veteran, ex-Yankee lefthander Randy Keisler. A 2nd-round pick in 1998 out of LSU, the 6'3", 190-pound Keisler made it to the big leagues with New York by 2000. He struggled in big-league stints that year and in 2001 before missing 2002 with an injury (presumably arm surgery). He spent 2003 in AAA with the San Diego, Texas, and Houston organizations, pitching well in Portland (5-1, 2.61, 41.1 IP) and okay in New Orleans (2-3, 4.28, 48.1 IP), but badly in Oklahoma City (0-2, 8.53, 12.2 IP). He again made it to the big leagues that year with San Diego, but was beaten around in both of his starts. 2004 saw him move to the Mets organization, and after starting the season late due to more injuries, he settled in at AAA Norfolk and put up a 3.81 ERA in 22 games (21 starts). He allowed 145 hits in 130 innings, but walked just 45 and struck out 110. Seventeen unearned runs did help his ERA a little bit. Keisler will be 29 by Opening Day, and while he hasn't been successful as a starter in the bigs, no one's ever tried to convert him to the bullpen, either. Perhaps the Reds might give that a shot.

    http://www.thebaseballcube.com/profiles/KE/tbc4307.asp

    In addition, Los Angeles signed catcher Mike Rose (#2) and ex-Reds farmhand Mike Edwards, a third baseman.


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  3. #32
    Lover of Trivialities Doc. Scott's Avatar
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    Re: 6-yr Min-Lg FA Lists; Reds Min-Lg Signings

    According to Baseball America’s Transactions page, the Reds have re-signed minor-league pitchers Lance Caraccioli and Tom Shearn, as well as utilityman Aaron Holbert.

    Caraccioli was picked up mid-season out of the Mets organization, and despite a 5.36 ERA in middle relief with them, he put up a 3.00 mark in 39 Chattanooga innings, despite 29 walks. Originally a Dodger draftee, Caraccioli looked like a good bet to make the bigs a couple of years ago after going from Los Angeles to Cleveland in the Jolbert Cabrera trade, but he faded in the Indians organization in 2003 and was demoted to AA when picked up by New York before the ‘04 season. He’s 27 for 2005, and may move back to AAA to start the year.

    Shearn, out of Columbus Briggs High School and a draft-and-follow signing by the Houston Astros in 1996 (bingo! Dan O’Brien connection!), also looked at one time like an excellent bet to make the majors after he put up a 2.92 ERA in 2002 at AAA New Orleans. But what I presume were arm injuries sidelined him for all of 2003, and he was assigned to Chattanooga when the Reds signed him before last year. He started off very slowly in middle relief, but turned it on in the second half of the season and earned a promotion back to AAA for the final month of the regular season. Shearn didn’t disappoint, posting a 2.55 ERA in 11 Louisville appearances. He’ll be 27 for 2005 as well.

    I like both of these signings. Both pitchers are darkhorses to make the majors at some point if they get to the right place at the right time. The Reds’ pitching staff has a solid chance of being that right place.


    Holbert is a former #1 draft pick of the Cardinals wayyyyy back in 1990. He batted .271/.349/.361 for Louisville in 2004, playing a whole bunch of positions, and has solid versatility, speed, and plate discipline, albeit very little power. He did once reach the major leagues, in 1996 with St. Louis, but is 0-for-3 lifetime.

    This signing doesn't really excite me, given the wealth of six-year talent out there. What about a guy like Bryant Nelson (see List of 22)?

  4. #33
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    Re: Six-Year Minor-League Free Agent Rundown (Long)

    In other news according to BA:

    -Pittsburgh has signed RHP Brian Reith to a minor-league deal.

    -St. Louis has activated ex-Reds farmhand RHP Nate Cotton from the inactive list. Cotton, now 25, put up a 1.96 ERA and 34 saves for Dayton in 2002, and 28 more saves for Potomac in 2003, but hurt his arm and was released. The Cards picked him up, but he appeared in only one game in 2004.

    http://www.thebaseballcube.com/profiles/CO/tbc4987.asp

    -Ex-Reds farmhand Chris Piersoll has re-upped with Baltimore. You may remember Piersoll from his cup o' java with the Reds in 2001. He hurt his arm and missed all of 2002 and 2003.

    http://www.thebaseballcube.com/profiles/PI/tbc1409.asp

  5. #34
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    Re: Six-Year Minor-League Free Agent Rundown (Long)

    Unfortunately, B&B fans, PJ Bevis is now showing up on the Mets' 40-man roster.

  6. #35
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    Re: Six-Year Minor-League Free Agent Rundown (Long)

    Trying to keep all this info in the same place:

    The Mets have signed RHP Juan Padilla to a minor-league deal + NRI. I thought Padilla was a good guy to pick up when Cincinnati claimed him last year (great ratios) but it didn't work out. Interesting to see if he has more success back in the Big Apple.

  7. #36
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    Re: Six-Year Minor-League Free Agent Rundown (Long)

    12/1 update:

    -Boston signs Chip Ambres and Josh McKinley off the list at the top of the thread.

    -Atlanta brings back Sam McConnell.

    Florida signs ex-Reds prospect Jim Crowell, a LHP.

    Philadelphia signs RHP Aaron Myette. Will he throw strikes this time?

    RHP Shane Bazzell, mentioned earlier in this thread, signs with Texas.

  8. #37
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    Re: Six-Year Minor-League Free Agent Rundown (Long)

    After a long period of general inactivity:

    Cincinnati Reds

    Signed RHP Jason Andrew, OFs Geraldo Cabrera and Pedro Swann, IF Norris Hopper, 3B Alex Palaez and SSs Rich Aurilia and Santiago Perez. Released OF Tiago Campos, RHPs Phillip Ellison, Carlos Herrera and Luis Noriega and LHP Jacobo Meque. Released RHP Luke Prokopec.
    ---

    I kinda figured about Campos. He just couldn't hit anywhere but Billings. Ellison was an indy pickup. Herrera struggled in rookie ball at 23. Noriega had control problems. Meque was young, but had similar issues. (15 WPs and 36 BB in 49 IP at Billings). Prokopec we knew about- injuries.

    As for the pickups:

    Andrew, 25, is a right-handed reliever who was originally picked up as a NDFA by Texas. In three seasons, he never had higher than a 3.51 ERA at any level and cracked AAA for one game at the end of 2004, but can't be too well-respected by scouts. His numbers show lots of hits and few walks. I'm betting he's the mopup guy at Chattanooga this season.

    I can't find anyone named "Geraldo Cabrera", although there's a Gerardo Cabrera. Rico suave?

    Pedro Swann is a very interesting pickup. A 34-year old veteran of fourteen minor-league seasons, Swann was originally drafted by Atlanta in 1991, but went to Detroit as a six-year FA following the 1997 season. He went back to Atlanta in 2000, and finally cracked the majors after hitting .305 at AAA Richmond that year. He struck out in both of his big-league at-bats. Following another year stuck at AAA, Pedro signed with Toronto for 2002 and managed another MLB stint, going 1-for-12. 2003 saw another new organization, Baltimore, and another cup of big-league coffee (3-for-14). He hit .277/.339/.443 for AAA Ottawa in 2004, but did not get the call this time around. Swann plays the corner outfield positions and hits lefthanded. He's got a lifetime batting average of .287, and is usually good for an OPS around 800 or so- walks around 10% of at-bats and 10-15 HRs. The Reds are his fifth organization.

    Hopper, 26, was picked up as a six-year FA from the Royals organization. Drafted in the 8th round in 1998 as a high school outfielder, the five-foot-nine, 200-pound Hopper has hit .278 in his career but has very little power (two homers in 655 games). Naturally, he makes his living with defense, speed, and contact hitting. I would imagine he's the backup outfielder at Chattanooga this season, replacing Ramon Moreta. He did appear in four games at 2B for AA Wichita in 2004, but I don't know why he's being listed as an infielder.

    Pelaez, 29, was a 42nd-round pick out of San Diego State by the Padres in 1998. With plenty of line drives and few strikeouts but mediocre power, little patience, and short stature (five-foot-nine), Pelaez rose to AAA by 2000, got a cup of coffee in 2002 (two for eight) and departed the SD organization for Anaheim after missing half of 2003 with an undisclosed injury. He appeared in just 92 games in 2004, but hit well for AAA Salt Lake (.317/.349/.456). Alex can play first, second, and third, and has hit .298 in his minor-league career and struck out only 320 times in more than 2,600 at-bats... but walked only 185 times. I'd think he's the new Jim Chamblee at Louisville.

    Another utilityman, Perez, 29, spent most of 2003 in the Reds' organization. Signed as a free agent out of the DR in 1993, the switch-hitting Perez spent five years in the Detroit system and three with Milwaukee before getting the call in 2000 to MLB, hitting .173 in 24 games. San Diego picked him up for 2001 and he spent the entire year that year with the Padres, but injuries limited him to 43 games and a .198/.320/.210 line. He then proceeded to get signed by Texas, but missed most of 2002 with injuries as well. After the aforementioned 2003 with Chattanooga and Louisville (and a stint with Baltimore), Perez had a healthy 2004 in Texas, slaying the Texas League to the tune of .387/.452/.694 in 28 games, then hitting .265/.374/.416 in 89 games at AAA Oklahoma City. Santiago appeared at second, shortstop, third, and the outfield in 2004, but committed a total of 28 errors. He's a high-walk, high-strikeout hitter, but he set his personal best this past year with just fourteen homers. He does have some speed, stealing eighteen bases (career high: 31 in 2000). Meet Jermaine Clark's replacement.

  9. #38
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    Re: Six-Year Minor-League Free Agent Rundown (Long)

    Other news:

    -Arizona signed 11th-round 2004 pick Darryl Lawhorn, brother of 2004 Reds' 9th-round pick Trevor.

    -Balitmore signed Reds' minor-league stalwart Bobby Darula, now apparently going by "Rob".

    -Detroit has made it five organizations for ex-Red Gookie Dawkins.

    -LA has picked up ex-Red farmhand and right-handed reliever Jorge Cordova, who was part of the deal that sent David Espinosa to the Tigers for Brian "Scuffy" Moehler back in '02.

    -Philadelphia sold the contract of the newly-signed Aaron Myette, stalwart 2004 Louisville Bats and Canadian Olympic team closer, to the Sendai Golden Eagles of the Japanese Pacific League.

    -Toronto picked up the Reds' #1 draft pick (fifth overall) from 1992, outfielder Chad Mottola. Mottola, now 33, is a veteran of eight organizations and thirteen minor-league seasons. He's appeared in parts of four seasons in the bigs (49 games total). Chad is nearing two hundred minor-league homers.

    And finally, just to show how the jokes write themselves, the Washington Nationals have signed left-hander Ed Yarnall.

  10. #39
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    Re: Six-Year Minor-League Free Agent Rundown (Long)

    Great stuff, Doc. Thanks.

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    Re: Six-Year Minor-League Free Agent Rundown (Long)

    Quote Originally Posted by Doc. Scott
    -Toronto picked up the Reds' #1 draft pick (fifth overall) from 1992, outfielder Chad Mottola. Mottola, now 33, is a veteran of eight organizations and thirteen minor-league seasons. He's appeared in parts of four seasons in the bigs (49 games total). Chad is nearing two hundred minor-league homers.
    Better known as, the reason the Reds don't have Derek Jeter.

  12. #41
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    Re: Six-Year Minor-League Free Agent Rundown (Long)

    Yeah, good point. But at least he hit some jacks somewhere, right?

    Also, by leaving the Mottola capsule facts-only, I thought I might get this thread blessed with a few more punctuation-less bits of wisdom from Mr. Princeton. It's like holy water.

  13. #42
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    Re: Six-Year Minor-League Free Agent Rundown (Long)

    St. Louis signed ex-Reds Kevin Jarvis and Hector Mercado to minor-league deals. I'd been wondering what happened to Hector.

    http://www.rotoworld.com/content/clu...LB&majteam=STL

  14. #43
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    Re: Six-Year Minor-League Free Agent Rundown (Long)

    BA's latest transactions page has the Reds releasing two minor-leaguers: the interestingly-named Wellington Alvarado, a 1B, and RHP Francisco Olivares. Alvarado started with the Phillies in 2003 and struggled again in the GCL in 2004 and Olivares pitched a few games for that same club.

  15. #44
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    Re: Six-Year Minor-League Free Agent Rundown (Long)

    Recovering fireballer Luis Pineda was in spring training with the Nationals this spring, because they just reassigned him to the minor-league camp.

    He's still pitched only about 35 innings since having shoulder surgery in 2002. Washington is also his third organization since leaving Cincinnati.

    http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...s_pineda.shtml

  16. #45
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    Re: Six-Year Minor-League Free Agent Rundown (Long)

    He could bring it. If I recall right,he touched off a little donnybrook against said Expos/Nats early in 2002. I nearly froze to death that night up in the cheap seats.
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