The other day BaseballAmerica.com released its "big list" of minor league free agents. These basically are guys that have been in the minors for more than 6 seasons and that were not placed on the 40-man roster, making them eligible to be free agents. A bunch more players will either be released, non-tendered, etc., but this here is a large chunk of them.
The link to the releases can be found here.
Obviously none of these guys are huge names. But every once in a while a team will get lucky with a guy. For example, last year the Pirates signed Garrett Jones to a minor league deal in the offseason; he returned the favor by putting up a .938 OPS in 314 at-bats. For comparison's sake, that is over .020 points higher than the career high of Hideki Matsui. Obviously however, the odds are not that great of getting someone that great. But it happens once in a while. And if a team is good at picking up these cheap superstars, I would say that they are either lucky or good a betting. I would even suggest they check out the online football odds at BetUS.
The following is the list of the Yankee players that became minor league free agents.
New York Yankees (17)
RHP: Paul Bush (AA), Michael Gardner++ (AA), Justin Pope++ (AA), Humberto Sanchez (AAA), Jay Stephens (AA), Jose Valdez (AAA)
C: Brian Peterson (AAA), Chris Stewart (AAA)
3B: Eric Duncan (AAA), Carlos Mendoza+ (AA), Cody Ransom (AAA), Marcos Vechionacci (AA)
SS: Doug Bernier (AAA)
OF: Edwar Gonzalez (AA), Freddy Guzman (AAA), Richie Robnett (AA), John Rodriguez (AAA)
RHP: Paul Bush (AA), Michael Gardner++ (AA), Justin Pope++ (AA), Humberto Sanchez (AAA), Jay Stephens (AA), Jose Valdez (AAA)
C: Brian Peterson (AAA), Chris Stewart (AAA)
3B: Eric Duncan (AAA), Carlos Mendoza+ (AA), Cody Ransom (AAA), Marcos Vechionacci (AA)
SS: Doug Bernier (AAA)
OF: Edwar Gonzalez (AA), Freddy Guzman (AAA), Richie Robnett (AA), John Rodriguez (AAA)
The only people here that might be of any real value to a team in the future in Humberto Sanchez, assuming he can ever be healthy. John Rodriguez could help a team looking for some sort of back-up outfielder. Chris Stewart maybe could be a decent backup. Freddy Guzman is a good designated pinch-runner.
Also worth mentioning: Chad Jennings of the Lohud Yankees blog (congrats to him by the way) had it confirmed that Noah Hall also became a free agent. More importantly however, SP Jason Hirsh did not - although he is Rule V Draft eligible.
Expect some more analysis on these guys, as well as the better minor league free agents out there very soon.
Before I go I leave to you this question: Who was the biggest disappointment: Humberto Sanchez, Eric Duncan, or Marcos Vechionacci?
2 comments:
I'd go with Eric Duncan. He came in with a bunch of hype as a can't-miss prospect. And considering Adam Jones and Carlos Quintin were taken after him.....major disappointment.
Eric Duncan by far
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