Let's take a look at some items related to the Junior Circuit..
- A rival executive described the Royals' young talent as "an embarrassment of riches" to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
- Speaking of Kansas City, Jonah Keri of Fangraphs examines the one-year, $2.5MM deal given to Jeff Francoeur. Even though the deals given to Francoeur and fellow outfielder Melky Cabrera (one-year, $1.25MM) are puzzling for many reasons, Keri notes that the one-year deals don't block any of the club's prospects.
- The Red Sox are hopeful that Andrew Miller will resurrect his career after signing a minor league deal with the club this winter writes Brian MacPherson of The Providence Journal. According to Miller's agent, the lefty recieved big league offers from three other teams but preferred the BoSox.
- Two ex-Mariners, Endy Chavez and Brett Tomko, are looking to make it back to the majors with the Rangers, writes Kirby Arnold of The Daily Herald.
- Now in Texas, Mike Napoli says that he knew that the Angels would trade one of their talented catchers, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. The Halos had a glut at the position with Napoli, Jeff Mathis, Bobby Wilson, and Hank Conger waiting in the wings.
- White Sox veteran Omar Vizquel Is a reminder of what might have been for the M's, writes Tyler Kepner of the New York Times.
- The Pirates are likely still in search of two lefties out of the 'pen, writes Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Napolis a funny guy. “Talented catchers”, the guys a riot!
What is all this talk about Andrew Miller? Seriously? He’s was a highly rated prospect that never did anything. “Resurrect his career”? Sox fans better hope he DOESN’T resurrect his career. I mean what are they hoping for the 5.63 ERA he posted a few years back? Enough about Andrew Miller.
The kid has a chance. May be slim, but he has a chance.
He signed a major league deal right out of HS so the Tigers and Marlins felt they had to rush him. A minor league deal with the slick vesting option Theo gave him assures he’s not rushed again and he can take his time to properly develop as a pitcher.
That fact that he’s only 26 is reassuring. As blackcourt pointed out, it took a while for Lee to figure it out, I’m hoping the same is true about Miller. I also think his willingness to go back to the minors is telling about his own commitment.
By the way, he didn’t sign out of high school. He spent a couple of years at North Carolina where he was a teammate of Daniel Bard. So hopefully Bard will be a factor in his development.
Damn, so I had it right the first time when I wrote “right out of college”.
“Now in Texas, Mike Napoli says that he knew that the Angels would trade one of their talented catchers…”
This has to be just a bad typo. No worries.
The Francoeur and Cabrera signings are easy. They were both done before the haul from the Greinke trade came in, and both players will see some at bats and then be flipped for prospects (see Scott Podsenek, Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth), or they will be cut (see Jose Guillen). No loss.
the rangers should try to trade Napoli as well he’s never been great slightly above average at best.. he has no place with the Rangers