We'll keep track of today's minor moves right here..
- The Pirates announced that they signed right-hander Logan Kensing to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to Spring Training. The 29-year-old spent the 2011 campaign with the Yankees' top affiliate after recovering from elbow surgery in 2010.
- The Reds signed catchers Brian Esposito and Brian Peacock to minor league deals, tweets Matt Eddy of Baseball America.
- The Tigers signed utility player Eric Patterson to a minor league deal, tweets Eddy.
- The Mets signed right-hander Jeff Stevens and utility player Corey Wimberly to minor league deals, tweets Eddy.
- The A's signed right-handers Travis Schlichting and Merkin Valdez and left-hander Fabio Castro to minor league deals, Eddy tweets.
- The Yankees signed right-hander Adam Miller and outfielders Cole Garner and Dewayne Wise to minor league deals, Eddy tweets.
- The Diamondbacks signed first baseman Mike Jacobs to a minor league deal, tweets Eddy. Before playing, Jacobs still must serve a 50-game suspension for positive a HGH test in August. He was cut by the Rockies following the test.
- The Marlins picked up right-handers Chad Gaudin and Rob Delaney on minor league deals, Eddy tweets. In nine big league seasons, Gaudin has a 4.63 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9. Delaney spent most of 2011 with the Rays' Triple-A affiliate, posting a 1.86 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9.
- The Dodgers signed third baseman Josh Fields, according to Goldstein (via Twitter).
- The Cubs signed Joe Mather as Triple-A outfield insurance, according to Goldstein (via Twitter). Mather spent 36 games on the Braves' major league roster in 2011.
- The Nationals have signed right-hander Dan Cortes, according to Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus (via Twitter).
- Speaking of the Braves, Atlanta released former Rangers draftee Marcus Lemon, Goldstein tweets. Lemon was acquired in a March trade for a PTBNL.
- P.J. Phillips, the younger brother of Brandon Phillips, agreed to a deal with the Reds, tweets Goldstein. The younger Phillips' career never got going due to plate discipline issues.
- The Blue Jays signed former Angels/Braves relief prospect Stephen Marek, Goldstein tweets. The right-hander was outrighted by Atlanta in November and underwent Tommy John surgery in May.
- The White Sox signed 2000 first-round pick Corey Smith, Goldstein tweets. The 29-year-old has never reached the Majors.
I was going to say that the Braves can’t even get in on this kind of action but then I remembered that they signed like 13 of these type of guys in one day a couple months ago
haha yeah even when they are mentioned it’s not even a signing but a release. what a BORING offseason the Braves have had thus far =(
PJ Phillips + Brandon Phillips…Hmm. This reminds me of Carson Palmer needing his little brother Jordan Palmer to be on the team as the backup QB. Oh well.
Must be a Cincinnati thing…
Doesn’t that make you wish your big brother played in the pros so you could get an easy 100K-500K salary depending on the sport. Welcome to Cincinnati! Need to attempt to ressurect your career after no other team will sign you due to legal problems? We’re you guy! (At least when it comes to the Bungals)
Tigers signed 2b/OF Eric Patterson to a minor league deal according to Chris Iott of MLive
Here’s a minor move, to me at least that didn’t happen. Rays were going hard after Coco Crisp and only didn’t get him because he decided to stay in the West so… A) Why? B) If we were willing to give Crisp 7 million a year, we have to be able to afford Pena, you would think, right?
Sorry about the OT
Jacobs is not a bad guy to grab as a PH for an NL team. makes as much sense as Giambi and anyone who signs (or ever did sign previously) Jonny Gomes. especially since can stick him at AAA, then call him up in case of emergency.
That long swing of his, paired with swing at anything in the area code of the strike zone probably has not changed since his time with the Fish, shame cause liked the guy.
Jonny Gomes is a very up and down player. In the first half of 2010 he was an RBI machine and .285 hitter, and also led the majors in walks like a month into the season last year. You just got to hope he gots hot for a few weeks, and when he does he can carry a team.
yeah. I remember when cincy fans were hot on Jonny. he can have those spurts like that and as a Reds fan (I presume) ou probably recall those other streaks.. like the 17-20 k streak i remember him on with the Rays.. he can look 100% lost at the plate for days at a time also.
Gomes and Willy mo pena had a lot in common didn’t they? throw the ball straight.. as in FB down the middle and they can hit it a country mile.. both put on a terrific batting practice show also.
Even the fans knew what the pitcher was going to throw to Gomes during his bad streak. Fastball high and away. It got him every time. Gomes has more plate discipline than Willy Mo, but it’s not by much.
am I crazy for wanting Gomes to platoon with Adam Lind at 1st? could he even play a passable 1st? has something like a 133 ops+ against lefties in his career…
Jacobs is a cheater and should stay in minors…for life!
Does Mike Jacobs’ 50 game suspension start in the minors? or does it begin only if he reaches the majors? or is it 50 gamnes regardless of where he is??
i was wondering the same thing, im guessing the Majors
Seems that since I had a link, my previous comment needs to be approved. I’ll just paste what it says, copied from Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program:
For purposes of this Section 8, a “game” shall include all championship season games, the All-Star Game and post-season games in which the Player would have been eligible to play, but shall not include spring training games. For a Player whose contract has been assigned to the Minor Leagues, a “game” shall include all Minor League regular season games for which he would have been eligible to play. A Player shall be deemed to have been eligible to play in the All-Star Game if he was elected or selected to play; the Commissioner’s Office shall not exclude a Player from eligibility for election or selection because he is suspended under the Program. A Player shall be deemed to have been eligible for a post-season game if he was on the Club’s active roster (as that term is used in Article XV(E)(1)) immediately preceding his suspension; a Player on a Club’s Disabled List immediately preceding his suspension shall be deemed to have been eligible for a post-season game if it is reasonable to conclude that he would have been eligible but for his suspension. A Player whose suspension begins during (or extends into) the off-season shall begin (or resume) serving his suspension with the next “game” for which he otherwise would have been eligible to play.
Of all the moves the Mets have made this offseason, the Wimberly signing actually has risen my eyebrows. The guy is a career minor leaguer with NO big league at bats, but take a look at his minors numbers (.297 career ba in minors, .271 in two AAA seasons… and look at all those STEALS!). he plays SS, 2B, 3B, OF, and even PITCHED in a game. He just never had a window to break into the bigs until now. Look for Wimberly to join Turner, Johnson, Quintanilla (or maybe Josh Satin finally?), and one of Martinez/Baxter/Loewen on the bench for opening day. Maybe pry away the CF job from Torres. He could be one of the surprise players of the year.
Jeff Stevens, aka the PTBNL the Indians got back in exchange for Brandon Phillips.