2007 Six-Year and Minor-League Free Agent Report (Part 1)

[mth123]

Originally Posted by cincinnati chili

I got directed here from the main forum, and echo the compliments to Doc Scott. Great list.

Scott Patterson should be high on these lists.

I think he's worth a shot. He dominated AA for two years, but he was 27 and 28 years old during those seasons. He was playing in independent leagues prior to that but maybe he just fell through the cracks or figured it out late. For a minor league contract he's a perfect risk. Really, he's not much older than McBeth who we consider a young option for the future. Good call.

[chicoruiz]

Sometimes tall guys take a little longer to smooth out their deliveries. I'd like to see him in Louisville.

[Jay Bruce]

From Rotoworld:

Yankees purchased the contract of RHP Scott Patterson from Double-A Trenton.

The 28-year-old Patterson gets his 40-man spot after all. He earned it by posting a 1.05 ERA and striking out 92 batters in 77 1/3 innings, most of them coming at Double-A. If he had better stuff, the Yankees would have taken a look at him in September, if not before. Still, it's worth the roster spot to see if he can succeed in middle relief.

That's too bad. His numbers in AA and AAA were very interesting as a potential minor league FA signing.

[mth123]

Originally Posted by mth123

Unless the Reds are going to rush some guys to AAA, the Reds probably need a couple starters for Lousiville. Though not starters, I like Flores, Cruceta and German.

A guy who didn't make Doc's list that interests me a lot is Steve Shell. He has some HR tendancies that may be a problem in Cincy but he'll be 25 next spring, has a decent K Rate (6.65/9 in Salt Lake in 07) and a pretty good walk rate (2.43). He has spent most of minor league career as a starter and worked as a swing man in 2007. I'd like to see him stashed at AAA working solely as a reliever and see what happens. He may be a guy that gets hit too much, but looking at his K's and Walks I think relief where he would drop his worst pitch and air it out for an inning might allow him to emerge.

Some others not on the list. Chris Narveson, Sandy Rleal.

It looks like Jimbo signed Shell who I think adds to the bullpen depth in Washington.

Concerning Doc's list of interesting players, the Cubs signed Closser, Washington signed De Caster, The Pirates Signed Micheal Hernandez, The A's signed Justin Knoedler, the Mariners re-signed Roman Martinez, and as was noted earlier the Yankees re-signed Scott Patterson and added him to the 40 Man Roster.

Meanwhile the Reds re-signed Ricky Stone and signed Jon Adkins - players who will be 33 and 30 respectively on opening day 2008. I thought Krivsky had a stated goal of getting younger in the minor leagues.

[Ron Madden]

Originally Posted by mth123

Meanwhile the Reds re-signed Ricky Stone and signed Jon Adkins - players who will be 33 and 30 respectively on opening day 2008. I thought Krivsky had a stated goal of getting younger in the minor leagues.

Good God. Seems par for the course doesn't it?

[Doc. Scott]

mth123 covers most of it to this point, but the Red Sox have signed Lee Gronkiewicz as well. There should be a bunch more signings announced here this week.

[jcummins100]

Well after talking to Asadoorian, the reds haven't even contacted him about a contract. From what he says the dodgers are the front runners. He says its early though.

[dougdirt]

Originally Posted by jcummins100

Well after talking to Asadoorian, the reds haven't even contacted him about a contract. From what he says the dodgers are the front runners. He says its early though.

Thats actually pretty disappointing to hear.

[Javy Pornstache]

Bumping this to note that the Tigers signed my personal favorite target of the minor league FA list, and one many others liked as well, Francisco Cruceta. On a different subject, also in Detroit's transactions, I noted that they DFA'd Chris Shelton. It wouldn't hurt to have someone with right-handed pop off the bench, and Shelton provides that, and just was lost in the shuffle in Detroit after cooling down from his ridiculously good start a couple seasons ago.

[camisadelgolf]

Chris Shelton's a nice guy. He was very happy to give autographs while he was playing for the Mud Hens last year.

[zjr1717]

I definitely think we should go with a few of the relievers on the list. But I would look at J.D. Closser as well, he couldn't hurt as a back up or third option at AAA. And who knows, he could put it together and be a decent starter.

[Doc. Scott]

Weekly batch.

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=673

The Reds have added 30-year-old RHR Justin Lehr, who spent 2007 with AAA Tacoma (SEA) posting a 7-1 record and 3.99 ERA, but only 61 strikeouts in 119.2 innings. Lehr appeared in the bigs in each of the 2004-2006 seasons with Oakland ('04) and Milwaukee ('05-'06) and has a career 5.31 major-league ERA in 83 IP.

He seems to be able to consistently do well in the Pacific Coast League (ERAs of 3.73, 2.65, 3.99, 3.94, and 3.99 in stints covering the last five seasons) but can't miss big-league bats. A familiar refrain.

In other news, the Mets signed the immortal Anderson Machado and the Cardinals added ex-Rays washout Dewon Brazelton as well as John "Way Back" Wasdin.

[Doc. Scott]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=694

Granadillo (see main list) has returned to the Red Sox organization. Val Pascucci went to Philadelphia. Bobby Scales to the Cubs.

Rick Asadoorian and Brian Shackleford to the Dodgers, as was rumored or reported. LHR Charlie Manning, once traded to the Reds for Gabe White and then back to the Yankees, was signed by (surprise!!) Washington.

Cincinnati, of course, inked RHP Jim Brower and re-upped RHS Tom Shearn and C Alvin Colina. C Chris Kroski, who hit well in High-A Sarasota last season (albeit at age 25), was also brought back.

So between Jon Adkins, Justin Lehr, Shearn, Brower, Brad Salmon (resigned to a minor-league deal) and Justin James, that's half of a not-terrible-but-not-great AAA pitching staff. I really hope Josh Roenicke, Pedro Viola, et al. can take a step forward to give the Bats' bullpen options some big-league upside.

[Doc. Scott]

Originally Posted by AvesIce51

Ron Flores in a second. Small control issues, but he can be nasty. Probably a more developed Coutlangus type.

Almost forgot- the Cardinals got Flores, so he'll be the guy coming in to get Junior or Adam Dunn to ground to second with two on and two out in the seventh inning in 2008.

[Mario-Rijo]

Originally Posted by Doc. Scott

Almost forgot- the Cardinals got Flores, so he'll be the guy coming in to get Junior or Adam Dunn to ground to second with two on and two out in the seventh inning in 2008.