Scrap HEaps BACk ALRIGHT!

by Lawless on Nov 3, 2007 5:03 PM EDT

Welcome welcome welcome,

The minor league free agent list has been posted at Baseball America and as always I feel as though I need to comb through and provide my feelings on possible hits and misses.

I wrote about this last year and would venture to say my hits and misses were as follows:

Hits!

JR House - Switching Hitting Catcher who continues to mash with an 830 OPS in AAA this last year - can you say better/cheaper than Bennett?
Cory Doyne - 12 K/9, Sub 200 BAA, Call up to Majors - Good Arm - Would have been a good use of a 40 man roster spot
Al Reyes - We all know the story --- this would have been a Grrreeeaattt pick up...

Misses

Kurt Ainsworth - didn't throw a pitch
Dewon Brazelton - 3.5 ERA with his second team... Filler at this point...
Sean Burroughs - Got a total of 12 ABs... Huh?

As for this year READ MORE and let me know your thoughts...

Interesting but no longer relevant....

Francis Beltran
Zach Day
RA Dickey
Charles Thomas
Jerome Williams
Clint Nageotte
Dewon Brazelton
Craig Wilson....

As for my picks for a flyer

C - JR House - Bring him in! A switch hitting catcher that "I think" will have an 800 OPS next year - at league minimum? Awesome!
C - JD Closser - Great OBP - Horrible AVG - 768 OPS last year - 802 against RHP - Another good backup catcher option or AAA fodder imho
SP - Jesse Foppert - 27 - 12 IP in two years - Alot like Ainsworth - Could be really good - likely flameout...
SP - Bobby Brownlie - 27 - Another washed up cubs pitcher - but had a 227 average against last year and always was thought to have a great arm... again NRI for spring training...
OF - Joe Borchard - 29 - 1162 OPS last year in AAA. Flamed out many times but always worth a flier in my eyes. Again NRI and give him a shot to hack in the OF - Ryan Ludwick type Pokemon
OF - Tim Raines Jr - 29 AAA- 888 OPS 25 SB - Not a bad fifth outfielder and leadoff hitter?

All in all, we are talking about 2nd catchers and 5th OFers? I know, not horribly important, but if you had Al Reyes last year at the trading deadline that would be worth a B level prospect from a few teams....so.....at least intersting to me.....

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Comments

The list

is here.

by liam on Nov 3, 2007 5:32 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks.

I knew I was missing a link!

by Lawless on Nov 3, 2007 6:38 PM EDT up reply actions

You have

some good names, that I like too, mostly Foppert, just because I would love to see what happens if he ever gets healthy.

But I don't think JR House is a minor league free agent, at least he's not on the BA list, but if he was, yeah I would be all over him too.

by bigboy1234 @ Viva El Birdos on Nov 3, 2007 5:44 PM EDT reply actions

didn't see him either...

but while reading Baseball Amercia today I saw that the Orioles cut him lose in the Baltimore Orioles team report...

by Lawless on Nov 3, 2007 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions

I like Closser

I'd give him a guaranteed contract -- maybe 1/2 a million? He'd have been better than Bennett was last year.

by chuckb on Nov 3, 2007 7:14 PM EDT reply actions

tony granadillo

tony granadillo tony granadillo tony granadillo tony granadillo tony granadillo. http://firstinning.com/players/Tony-Granadillo-a/ was a cardinal, selected in rule 5 back in 2004 by the red sox. good plate discipline, pop for a middle infielder and is only 23. would be a top 30 prospect in our system, and he's there for the taking.

Future Redbirds

by erik on Nov 3, 2007 7:34 PM EDT reply actions

+1

A little old for the CA league but I'll take him for sure... Maybe 2B next year in Springfield?

by Lawless on Nov 3, 2007 8:05 PM EDT up reply actions

I'd rather see him

in Memphis and the hoff as the new miles.

Well, let's go to the old mill anyway -- get some cider!

by Alxfritz on Nov 3, 2007 8:09 PM EDT up reply actions

There are a few guys on this list

First time poster here guys. Is anyone else intrigued with some of the pitchers on this list? There are plenty of guys who could be worth inviting to spring training with the possibility of winning a spot on our club and possibly the 5th spot in the rotations. Guys like Shawn Estes, Casey Fossum, Chan ho Park, Brandon Claussen could even be worth taking a look at. I also like the possiblity of Closser or Antonio Perez, the shortstop from the A's. I thought he was up in the bigs over this last season. He seems like a guy who could possibly come in and give Ryan some competition considering the Cards probably won't re-up with Eck. And if he isn't good enough for the big club just yet, send him to Memphis. Also, who would have thought that Luis Ordaz is still in baseball?

Bill DeWitt needs to stop holding out and let Mo sign quality players!

by Ibeatanorexia06 on Nov 4, 2007 1:59 PM EST reply actions