MINOR LEAGUE FREE AGENTS
Please see the other thread on these players for further discussion:
http://www.redszone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29241
Full list of six-year guys (take Etherton, Clark, Caraccioli, Shearn, Barreto, Kelly, Beattie, Stratton, and Rose off Reds' list):
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today...028falist.html
Now, I’ve tried to take the Reds’ current organizational depth into consideration when compiling this list; for example, we know that Jesse Gutierrez will be a solid AAA 1B-DH type, so I’ve not wasted much time picking all the 30-year-old veterans who slugged .550 in the Pacific Coast League. Therefore, you’ll see a preponderance of left-handed pitchers, catchers, relievers with strikeout power, and utilitymen who can hit. I didn’t see much point in amassing fifth outfielders, first basemen, or slick-fielding shortstops. Originally I was going to try to knock this list down to 20 players, but I find myself stuck at 22.
These guys aren’t in any particular order.
1. Sam McConnell, LHP (Atlanta)
Lefty cracked the majors at 28 after back-to-back solid years at AAA. Control pitcher, born in Middletown.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe....asp?Name=GBJD
UPDATE: Re-signed by Atlanta, 12/1.
2. Mike Rose, C (Oakland)
Draws a very impressive number of walks and switch-hits, but doesn't drive the ball too much. He's still one of the better AAA catchers out there, for sure.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe....asp?Name=GIDJ
UPDATE: Signed by Los Angeles to a minor-league deal + NRI.
3. Chip Ambres, OF (Florida)
Has power and speed (20 HR, 26 SB), but also a pretty damn good batting eye (76 BB in 2004, 72 in 2003). He just struggles to hit for average (.253 career). He'll be 25, and has two decent seasons in AA under his belt. http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=4387
UPDATE: Signed by Boston, 12/1.
4. Mike Nannini, RHP (Florida)
Will be just 25, and pitches to contact quite well (2.5 walks per nine, 2.64 for his career). Gave up a ton of homers in the PCL, but did much better in 2003 in AA. He's a former first-round pick of the Astros.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=6401
UPDATE: Signed by Toronto to a minor-league deal + NRI, 11/11.
5. Esteban German, 2B (Oakland)
I've always liked German, who seemed to have D'Angelo Jimenez-type skills (minus the power), but Oakland's yo-yoed him between the big-league bench and AAA for three seasons now. He'll be 26, and if Juan Castro is (hopefully) not back and Felipe Lopez or Anderson Machado find themselves jettisoned, German would be a very useful guy to have at AAA or on the bench.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=4249
UPDATE: Signed by Texas, 11/19.
6. Jeff Bailey, 1B (Boston)
He was actually used primarily as a catcher in AA, although he also plays first and the outfield, and hit .294/.404/.526 at age 25.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=4458
7. Andy Dominique, C (Boston)
Surprised the Sox let him go- he hit a very solid .267/.360/.442 in AAA last season, and has a career minor-league OPS over 800. Six-year catchers usually don't hit for crap.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=5154
8. Oscar Alvarez, LHP (Cleveland)
24-year-old lefty went 7-2, 3.36 as a swingman in AA, walking only 24 in 67 innings.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=4382
9. Tony Schrager, 2B (Boston)
A utilityman with a little power and a very solid batting eye; will be 28.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=6949
UPDATE: Signed by LA, 11/17.
10. Chris Mowday, RHP (Chicago Cubs)
23-year-old Aussie whiffed 61 in 57 IP at High-A with a 1.89 ERA and 41 hits allowed.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=6372
11. Kevin Tolar, LHP (Chicago Cubs)
Will be 34, but the veteran lefty has struck out 77 in 57 IP in 2004, 34 in 31.2 IP in 2003, 82 in 78 IP in 2002, and 73 in 56 IP in 2001, all in AAA. And his highest ERA in that span is 3.45.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=7628
12. Bryant Nelson, 2B (Chicago White Sox)
Veteran returned from Japan to hit .288/.350/.486 starting all season at second base, walking more than he struck out and stealing 13 bases to boot.. Also plays third and the outfield, and switch-hits. Has a pretty darn solid minor-league track record with the stick, too. Bryant will be 31 come 2005.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...e.asp?ID=20144
13. Michael Bumatay, LHP (Colorado)
Only 25, and misses bats effectively from the left side over his career, but couldn't handle the elevation in Colorado Springs.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=4721
UPDATE: Signed by Detroit. (11/19)
14. Les Walrond, LHP (Kansas City)
27-year-old had surprising success moving from the bullpen to the rotation at Omaha, throwing up 11 wins and a 3.06 ERA.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=7382
15, Jesse Carlson, LHP (Houston)
After two consecutive seasons in relief with an ERA under 2, Carlson turned in a 5.04 in his first year in AA at age 23- and got released? Huh? A 21/51 BB/K ratio in 57 innings isn't bad, either. I wonder what happened here?
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...e.asp?ID=21480
UPDATE: Signed by Toronto to a minor-league deal + NRI, 11/11.
16. P.J. Bevis, RHP (New York Mets)
Threw flames as a 23-year-old reliever in AA in 2003, K-ing 100 in 71 innings and allowing only 55 hits. After a midseason promotion to AAA in 2004, however, Bevis walked 23 in 26.2 innings. He'll be 25 in midseason '05.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe....asp?Name=EBFJ
UPDATE: Mysteriously appeared on the Mets' 40-man, so I guess he's re-signed. FURTHER UPDATE: I think that might be wrong.
17. Wilton Chavez, RHP (Montreal)
Will be just 24 in 2005, and has back-to-back seasons in the PCL under his belt; he posted ERAs of 4.24 and 4.64, and walked only 2.35 per nine in 2004.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=4873
18. Josh McKinley, C (Montreal)
McKinley is the Expos' #1 pick from 1998 (their #1 pick from '97, 3B Scott Hodges, is also on the freebie list), and after a promising enough 2003 in AA, he fell apart after a trade to the Texas organization. Returning midway through for his third stint at AA Harrisburg, the results weren't pretty. McKinley will be 26 and has a few intriguing skills- he switch-hits, can draw walks, and plays outfield and third in addition to catcher (mostly the OF in 2004).
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=6220
UPDATE: Signed by Boston, 12/1.
19. Pat Strange, RHP (New York Mets)
Originally set to come to the Reds late in the 2000 season along with Alex Escobar for Barry Larkin before Carl Lindner made Barry Publishers' Clearing House's newest winner, Strange reached AAA in 2002, but has stagnated there ever since. The Mets didn't bother calling him up in 2004, either. Strange is 6-5, 247 pounds, a former second-round pick, and will be 25 in 2005. A change of scenery might do wonders.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=7155
20. Martire Franco, RHP (Philadelphia)
Just 23 in 2004, and put up a 3.30 ERA and 15 saves (and walking but 2.13 per nine) in the AA Reading bullpen after struggling in previous years as a starter.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=5344
UPDATE: Re-signed by Philadelphia and given an NRI. (11/9)
21. Jeff Urban, LHP (San Francisco)
Ex-#1 pick (1997) out of Ball State who's held his own in the PCL three years running. 2.6 walks per nine for his career, three per nine in the PCL- not bad for a lefty.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=7298
22. Aquilino Lopez, RHP (Toronto)
2003 Rule 5-er triumph for the Jays fell apart in '04, grooving way too many. Only 24.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=6022
Finally, a couple of wildcards that Dan O’Brien is probably familiar with. I don’t necessarily condone picking these guys up, but we’ve seen from Jason Romano and Ben Kozlowski that D-Train is partial to guys he participated in drafting. Unfortunately, none of them are named Aponte or Coxstein.
W1. Jose Morban, SS (Baltimore)
Ex-Rule 5er (2003) that DanO should be familiar with (the O's stole him from Texas before that season), he hit under .250 at both High-A and AA. Don't be surprised.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=6349
UPDATE: Signed by Cleveland, 11/19. DanO is foiled!
W2. Reynaldo Garcia, RHP (Boston)
Ex-Rangers fireballin' reliever who didn't pitch in '04. Don't be surprised.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...e.asp?ID=20133
W3. Hayden Gardner, RHP (Philadelphia)
Another 23-year-old ex-Ranger who just started walking people in the past couple of years. Don't be surprised.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=5398
W4. Spike Lundberg, RHP (Philadelphia)
Ex-Ranger six-year FA who pitches to contact (2.5 walks per nine for career). He'll be 28. Don't be surprised.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/playe...le.asp?ID=6055
UPDATE: Signed by Toronto to a minor-league deal + NRI, 11/11.