In addition to their release of Melky Cabrera earlier today, the Braves have also released reliever Takashi Saito and dropped catcher J.C. Boscan from the 40-man roster, reports David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Though Saito still has a year of arbitration eligibility left, the one-year deal he signed with Atlanta last winter stipulated that he be granted free agency at its conclusion. Most Japanese veterans have similar clauses in their contracts allowing them to pursue free agency rather than go through the arbirtration process. His official release is a procedural move that was widely expected — MLBTR's Tim Dierkes even examined Saito's stock on the free agent market last week.
Boscan began his pro career in 1997 at age 17. After 14 years in the Atlanta, Milwaukee and Cincinnati systems, Boscan finally made his major league debut this season, walking and scoring a run in his only plate appearance. O'Brien points out that the Braves could re-sign Boscan to a minor league deal.
I could be wrong, but isn’t Saito type A? Good move by the Braves to release him then.
I believe so, but it doesn’t matter. Saito’s contract said he had to be dropped.
He’s a type B I think, but regardless the Braves won’t receive draft compensation for him because they didn’t offer him arbitration.
He’s a type B I think, but regardless the Braves won’t receive draft compensation for him because they didn’t offer him arbitration.
Melkymania is offically over in the ATL….wish he would have had a better year, I love saying “The Melk Man Delivers!!!!”
Well if the Yankees re-sign him then you’ll have that chance. I still think he might have a good season next year. I’d like to see a team like the Padres maybe pick him up.
God I hope they don’t re-sign him.
Not SD
he never delivers though
I have a feeling Boscan is not done in the Braves organization. He could be the Braves bullpen coach when Eddie Perez gets a big league managerial job in the future.
I rather have Perez as the Braves manager.
I would too, but any chance of that is probably finished with Fredi Gonzalez now at the helm for the long term. It’s possible we could see Eddie as bench coach for 2011 is Carlos Tosca gets hired as Pirates manager. I’m rooting for Tosca to get that job just so Perez can have a bigger influence on the team overall.
I hope Perez sticks around with the Braves. That would be cool if Boscan was offered a management job, he has spent almost half of his life in the Braves minor league system, I would imagine by now he would be a pretty good teacher.
So.. who’s going to close for Atlanta next season?
Kimbrel or Venters, possibly both.
Both of them looked very good this year. Kimbrel probably has the more natural closer stuff, but Venters performance this year was spectacular, especially considering the workload.
I feel bad for Melky, he was really promising, he could be a buy low high reward candidate, he really played with a lot of heart and had such upside.
no he really was one of the worst players in baseball last season.
Yeah his stats were bad last year hence the word promising and the phrase had a lot of upside, but I believe if he works out some mechanical issues he can be a low risk high reward guy.
I really could see Melky doing good things in NY, but with the Mets. Assuming the Mets move Pagan or Beltran, Melky could be a great 4th OF for them next year
Or we can all be realistic and realized that Melky Cabrera is a horrible baseball player.
I don’t see the Mets moving Pagan. Too much production for the price, especially considering the scarcity of quality outfielders this year. According to WAR, Pagan was the Mets most valuable player in 2010. How sad is it when your WAR leader OPSed .765?
Melky and “great 4th OF” don’t belong in the same sentence. His defense is atrocious, and would play even worse at Citi Field than at Turner.
But hey, I’d love to have Melky victimize the Mets rather than the Braves for the foreseeable future…