Hangin' around: mordant rubbernecking at the minor-league free agent list
by monkeyball on Nov 8, 2008 10:38 AM PST
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PrintHere's the thing about minor-league free agents: if you've heard of any particular MiLFA (some terms just shouldn't be acronymized) minor-league free agent, odds are he's a washed-up marginal major-leaguer who can't bring himself to concede that his glory days are over. Or, occasionally, a highly-touted prospect who flamed out (or rusted) early.
And, hey, who can blame 'em? We all like to think there's that late-in-life shot we have to finally make it big, in whatever field of endeavor. And this forced obsolescence comes earlier in life for professional athletes than it does for other folks. It's hard to face career mortality at age 30.
What's more, it's a really thin line (a semi-permeable membrane, sometimes) separating steady employment at the left-most edge of the MLB talent curve from the self-delusion of AAAA status. All of these guys are in the top percentile of baseball players in the world (or at least in the Western Hemisphere). The absolute difference in talent at this level doesn't add up to a whole lot.
In any event, those are the thoughts running through my head as I peruse this list.
Now, obviously, someone like grover or PT or devo or David Forst is going to be able to glance at this pile of poo and pick out the few undigested kernels of corn. But a primate like myself, all I see is the human waste.
He's Still Alive?!?
Pokey Reese, Eric Milton, Ben Broussard, Jeff Weaver, John Halama, Morgan Ensberg, Todd Linden
One-Hit Wonder
Bret Batflip Boone
Hey, Didn't We ...
Brant Colamarino, Kiko Calero, John Wasdin, Ron Flores D’Angelo Jimenez, Mike Rouse, Ruddy Lugo, Marcus McBeth, Keith Ginter
Wait: Who? Aw, Darn.
Rob Cosby
This has been your "There but for the grace of God ..." public-service post for the offseason. Count your blessings, folks. Now is the Ginter of our discount tent.
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I have looked at that list way too much.
Let’s find platoon guys and send Hannahan off for good?
This.
561 minor league free agents
Your instincts are right, simian, mostly human waste.
However, two of the tastiest kernels of corn to be picked Jesus Guzman and Jose Garcia… who the A’s just let go.
The monster at the end of this blog.
I was surprised to see Guzman let go
I presume that the A’s can re-sign him, right?
Did you overpay for those eggs? @('.')@
I certainly hope they try
Thing is, the A’s only have 38 players on the 40 man roster. Chavez, Ellis and Brown are still officially on the 60 day DL but when that changes they’ll be taking the spots of Thomas, Foulke and Brown.
The A’s could have kept Guzman and Garcia simply by adding them to the 40 man roster.
The monster at the end of this blog.
Yes
He wasn’t released, just granted free agency.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
Add Matt Watson to the list of former A's
back from his Japanese excursion
by CapgrasDelusion on Nov 8, 2008 11:02 AM PST reply actions
the guy with a better than 8>1 k/bb ratio
53 ip (primarily in AAA), 67Ks 8BB 1 HR. R.J.Swindle
Don't trust him. Sounds like a shady character.
It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver
by WaddellCanseco on Nov 8, 2008 11:30 AM PST up reply actions
I'd tap that.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
More former A's and farmhands
Mark Kiger, Caonabe Cosmo, Adam Morrissey, Dee Brown, Brian Stavisky, Eric DuBose, John-Ford Griffin, Erasmo Ramirez, Jeff DaVanono, Joe Valentine, Joe Gaetti, Marshall McDougall and Randy Keisler.
In addition to Garcia and Guzman I wouldn’t mind a flyer on McBeth and Joel Guzman.
It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver
I want Adam Piatt back...oh wait, not i dont...the guy wouldn't give me his autograph, then did 'roids...
'That's something we do...thirteen hits and not score'-Terrence Long
by DyeLongJustice on Nov 8, 2008 1:39 PM PST up reply actions
you shoulda stopped at
“autograph”
"If you hit .440 with 20 bombs, you don't have to do s---. You don't have to bring a glove to practice, just hit and leave whenever you want. You can bring a 40 and smoke a cigarette and call me from the parking lot asking me what time the game is, and I'll tell you. You can even say 'F--- you, Steve!' Actually, don't say that, that wouldn't be very nice." -Steve Friend, Head Coach, Chabot College Gladiators Baseball
i'm a little surprised to hear about Guzman
since he’s still young and has yet to get a real shot at AAA , let alone the majors. I thought he performed well enough this past year to at least remain in consideration. Hopefully the A’s feel they can still sign him.
Seemed to be little interest in Guzman by A's...
Color him gone as all they had to do was add him to the roster. Someone else will snatch him up quickly.
Charlie Brown GO A'S WIN
by Charlie Brown on Nov 8, 2008 4:42 PM PST up reply actions
Why not take a shot at Calero as a minor leaguer? Also, what about a flyer on the ever dissapointing Ensberg...should he looks like he's got nothing left
but thats why its a flyer.
'That's something we do...thirteen hits and not score'-Terrence Long
Calero had at least one good season with the A's
but he’s on the wrong side of 30 with injury problems, so I doubt we’ll see him back.
Can you imagine a 25-man roster
made up entirely of these guys? Scary.
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
I imagine a lot of AAA GMs can imagine that very easily
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
I thought we had one of those rosters this year.
"If I've got baggage, he's got a whole set of Louis Vuitton." ~ Milton Bradley on Barry Bonds
Remember when a lot of us were pissed when Mike Rouse left?
Yeah.
Get me some Ginter.
Ryan Sweeney: I probably irrationally embraced him before you did.
Mainly because it meant Mark Kiger in the ALCS
It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver
by WaddellCanseco on Nov 8, 2008 4:48 PM PST up reply actions
No one was sad to see Ginter go as I recall.
Charlie Brown GO A'S WIN
And then there is first rounder Mark Kiger...
Hollywood Oz got into a contest with he and his wife over Kiger having no talent. It was the A’s handling of him that caused all the problems Kiger said… all those balls he had to take and not being aggressive at the plate. Guess he was still in AA last season and another club made him available. Shame as I wanted him to make it, but with the A’s…
Charlie Brown GO A'S WIN
He really should have been traded to Ketroit
I like Cindi. A. She never pretends to know more than she does. B. She has unbridled enthusiasm for her "Hotties," and isn't afraid to show it. -IM4Oakgal
"pile of poo" .... "human waste"
nasty tone with undertones of vulgarity .
“you’re only as pretty as you feel . you’re only as pretty as you feel inside.” (grace slick)
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