The Rockies announced that Joe Crede, who had signed a minor league deal with Colorado, decided not to report to Spring Training (Twitter link). He has become a free agent again, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (on Twitter).
Crede, a Scott Boras client, missed the 2010 season after dealing with back, shoulder, forearm, leg, knee and hand injuries with the Twins in 2009. The former All-Star and Silver Slugger winner played strong defense (+21.6 UZR/150) and showed some power (15 homers in 367 plate appearances) with Minnesota. Crede has a .254/.304/.444 career line.
As MLBTR's Free Agent Tracker shows, Crede and Willy Aybar are the two third basemen remaining on the open market.
cue comment about how the rockies will push harder for Young…
I expect Cleveland to kick the tires and take a look.
Interesting…I guess the Marlins might look like a better option given their uncertainty at the hot corner down in Miami.
Colorado was overloaded with corner infield types anyway.
What is wrong with this guy? He has a mental injury as well?
That’s about the only part of him that wasn’t listed as injured last year.
I’m sure he’ll be on a major league team this season… It’s only a matter of time before he hangs it up, some people on here think he’s still an impact player though and it’s kind of baffling to me.
Could make sense for the Jays. Provide a potential stop gap at third until Lawrie is ready. At least it would push Bautista back into the outfield and prevent Podsednik or Rivera from being a starting option.
Came to post exactly this.
His career line is worse then rivera’s lol not sure its an upgrade regardless if it allows to put bautista back to rf.
i’d say at the very least it would be a defensive upgrade
I completely agree that he’d be a good addition, but his health wouldn’t allow for him to play third on a regular basis, so you would need a lefty hitting platoon partner (which the Jays are short on these days).
I also don’t see how they can get out from under Rivera and likely wouldn’t move Bautista to the outfield and further complicate the outfield picture unless they can find a home for Rivera. That said, its hard not to allow your new $10+m face of the team to play the position that they prefer….will be interesting to see what happens and what the final 25 man roster looks like heading into the season.
I wouldn’t mind the Angels giving Crede a look. He may be done, but he also may be an improvement over anyone they have currently. Little risk for a guy that might help out.
wish the dbacks would give him a shot,he would be a decent backup for mora..or mora would be a decent backup for crede,i’d rather have mora/crede over blum/bloomquist/abreu.
Odd no? to agree to a job then back out without something else lined up…
maybe he realized he wouldn’t have much playing time on a team with so many corner infielders. then again, he could have known that before signing with the Rockies…
[edit: changed released to realized]
Marlins?
I am guessing he left the Rockies because he knew he had little chance of making the team. Considering that the Rockies also have Wiggington, Young, Herrera, and Lopez, its a fair assumption. He wants to go to a team where he has a better shot at making the big league roster. As VegasANGELSFan said earlier, the Angels would be a good fit, but I could also see the A’s making a move on Crede. After all, they did try to get Beltre.
It seems like a class move for Crede. He’s allowing for potentially younger players to see some spring training at bats in the Rockies camp. Maybe there’s a better chance for him to serve on a 25man roster somwhere…rather than eating up at bat in Colo. Springs.
cmon man he’s not doing it out of the goodness of his heart
Joe, it’s time for you to retire.
Crede is done!
Normally I’d say “Too bad. He put up some nice years. If only he hadnt had all those injuries.” Be he chose to skip spring training so it’s his own fault
Too bad teams cannot simply back out of a contract because they don’t feel like overpaying an underachiever. Seems only fair if the players can do it. just a thought.
I think its obvious that he’s had another injury and if he reports to ST that it will get reported which would ruin any chance he has of playing this year. Best to sit out until the glue drys on whatever joint has become disconnected and then hope some team puts you on their 25 man later on in the season so he can collect the extra money while being on the 60day dl.
I was thinking he’d be a nice insurance policy for the oft injured David Freese
i think creede is over rated…he is way out of his prime and is consistant…consistantly injured. he needs to retire and just give up cuz he cant preform a full season
It is the new Odalis Perez!
Good one, Didn’t he sign with the Nats a couple years ago and then decided it was not enough $$. Hasn’t played since
Man I hope who gets him has like 450 rolls of duct tape handy
So if I’m to read his list of injuries correctly, the only things good on him are his biceps, triceps, pecs, abs, neck, head, and butt?
The Dodgers should give him a shot since they were willing to sign Eric Chavez, but only if he is willing to agree to a minor league deal.
Minor league deal back with the Twins and have him as a PH righty off the bench if he makes the roster.
Crede is like his former teammate Jermaine Dye. He doesn’t get that he has already retired.
Teams might try to give Crede a chance – just like they did with Dye – but he hasn’t been physically able to play full time in 5 years, and all he has done in that span is get older…
The guy gave it all. I like to see if he can come back and play like he didin 2005
Retire, Crede.
And thanks for 2005. You should have been the World Series MVP.
The sox ask him to do more then any other player has ever done for them. they said they should never have replaced joe. Guys like this who go out and play hard make the game. I wish he come back even if it was for half the season. with joe they hade joe and one good back up but hes gone to. Now we have 5 bad 3rd baseman.
I really hope Toronto signs him to take over at third so they can move Bautista back to Right Field where he prefers to play. Crede is great defensively and in that power lineup he’ll get some great pitches to swing at. I think right now TO and the dome is Crede’s best fit.
I think he has value as a PH on a NL team, but should work on playing 1st base to increase his value
I think he has value as a PH on a NL team, but should work on playing 1st base to increase his value
If the Indians hadn’t’ve signed O-Cab, I (or they) would’ve bee interested. Tthey need to see if they can find a useful tool in the bunch of Nix, Donald, Valbuena. Already they’ve signed Hannanan and Everett – veterans know for defense. Enough!
-sp Hannahan, Everett -vets known
It’s such a shame Crede has had several bad/unfinished seasons due to his back. He was such a key player in the 2005 White Sox season.
Whichever team picks up Joe is lucky!!
he definitely is one of the best 3B-men out there.