Headlines

  • Carlos Martinez Receives 80-Game Suspension After Positive PED Test
  • Yankees Sign Matt Carpenter To Major League Contract
  • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent Power Rankings
  • Alex Reyes To Undergo Shoulder Surgery
  • Counsell: Freddy Peralta To Miss “Significant” Time
  • Dodgers Extend Blake Treinen
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2022
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

The 10 Best Minor League Deals Of The Offseason

By Tim Dierkes | February 21, 2012 at 10:15am CDT

Some quality free agents may yet sign minor league deals, but let's take a look at the ten best of the offseason so far.

  1. Jeff Francis, Reds.  I ranked Francis 32nd on my top 50 free agents list, ahead of Chris Capuano, Freddy Garcia, Aaron Harang, Jason Marquis, Bruce Chen, and Chien-Ming Wang.  Three of those pitchers received two-year deals, yet Francis didn't get a roster spot.  He was a bigger health risk a year ago, when he received $2MM guaranteed from the Royals.  Francis and his wife reside in Denver, so it doesn't appear to be a hometown decision.  The Reds' rotation isn't full of openings, either, making Francis' minor league deal a mystery.
  2. Juan Pierre, Phillies.  It's fair to suggest Pierre isn't a big league regular anymore, but he's a valuable bench player.  Nate McLouth and Mark Kotsay received Major League deals, but don't seem to offer much more.
  3. Joel Pineiro, Phillies.  Pineiro ranked 46th on my list, a few spots ahead of Chen.  Wang didn't even make the list.  Pineiro's second year with the Angels was disappointing, but the groundballer was useful as recently as 2010.  Like Francis, he's attempting to join a pretty full rotation.
  4. Dan Wheeler, Indians.  Wheeler seems to have the same skill set the Red Sox valued at $3MM a year ago: good command and a lot of flyballs.  Does Jon Rauch do something better?
  5. Manny Ramirez, Athletics.  Manny marks the point on this list where I am no longer surprised the player did not receive a big league deal.  Ramirez will only provide two-thirds of a season at most, but he's a year removed from an .870 OPS.
  6. Jon Garland, Indians.  He missed most of 2011 with shoulder surgery, but his ability to soak up innings had been worth at least $5MM a year.
  7. Kevin Millwood, Mariners.  The Red Sox and Yankees were content to let Millwood work in Triple-A last year, but he provided nine decent starts for the Rockies.  He might be able to provide the value of a Marquis or Chen.
  8. Vicente Padilla, Red Sox.  Despite off-the-field concerns and an inability to stay healthy, Padilla can still get hitters out as a starter or reliever.
  9. Juan Cruz, Pirates.  Cruz allows too many walks and flyballs, but the same can be said for Jose Veras, who gave the Pirates a nice 2011 season after signing a minor league deal.
  10. Jamey Wright, Dodgers.  The Dodgers gave Mike MacDougal a roster spot to provide the same skill set with a harder fastball.  At any rate, Wright's a good guy to call when a groundball is needed.

Honorable mentions: Scott Linebrink, Juan Gutierrez, Angel Guzman, Koyie Hill, Ronny Paulino

Share 1 Retweet 30 Send via email0

Uncategorized

Epstein Compensation Deal Is Close
Main
Red Sox Receive Chris Carpenter, PTBNL From Cubs For Epstein, PTBNL
View Comments (26)

Comments

  1. jbryant93

    10 years ago

    In regard to Francis, I think the drop in velocity in ’11 has teams concerned:

    http://www.fangraphs.com/pitchfxo.aspx?playerid=4684&position=P&pitch=FA

    Reply
  2. Aaron Steele

    10 years ago

    No love for Linebrink? I thought it was pretty good signing.

    Reply
  3. Jesse

    10 years ago

    Went to college with Linebrink go bobcats

    Reply
  4. Vance Macdonald

    10 years ago

    Everyone, and I mean everyone, is touting Manny as “no risk”.  Everyone is wrong.  

    Reply
  5. Thizzie

    10 years ago

    Brad Hawpe will probably hit over 20 bombs for the AL Champion Rangers this year on a minor league deal.  Thinking that will top the list at the end of the season…

    Reply
    • Jason_F

      10 years ago

      Hawpe will have a hard enough time making the team, much less getting the number of at bats needed to hit 20 home runs.  There are a lot of players ahead of him in the pecking order.

      Reply
    • Rangersfan32

      10 years ago

      As much as I’d love that, he has 3 guys ahead of him at 1B and our OF is stacked. Unless he can play CF, I don’t see it working.

      Reply
  6. Tim Dierkes

    10 years ago

    I did think about Hawpe, maybe I could have been more liberal with the honorable mentions. Although if Hawpe gets 400 PAs for the Rangers it probably means something went wrong with other players.

    Reply
  7. Hordak Sanchez

    10 years ago

    Its Manny time in Oakland (after 50 games)!!!  Finally the A’s will have someone who can drive in Weeks and Crisp and Barton (walk master 5000)

    Reply
    • Rangersfan32

      10 years ago

      Lol, the A’s are scraping the bottom of the barrel with that one. Doubt Manny makes much of a useful impact at all.

      Reply
  8. nm344

    10 years ago

    How about Dontrelle Willis?

    Reply
    • JPH_GSG

      10 years ago

      Willis is on a non-guaranteed major league deal.

      Reply
  9. Orlando Cabrera County

    10 years ago

    It really makes me wonder how Manny and now Cristian Guzman got minor league deals before Dmitri Young. At least Dmitri looks serious about a comeback.

    Reply
  10. Willjhull

    10 years ago

    Ankiel should be on this list, he had major league deal offers but wanted to stay on easy coast and pref in DC

    Reply
  11. Alison Lurie

    10 years ago

    Padilla?? Really- I guess he can be the one to go on the Beer and Chicken runs… 

    Reply
  12. Philley11

    10 years ago

    Koyie Hill as a honorable mention? Really? Gotta be scraping the bottom of the barrel there. Dude couldn’t hit his way out of a paper bag.

    Reply
  13. James S

    10 years ago

    The Pirates were smart to sign Former Met farmhand Nick Evans, (who plays first base and outfield), and invite him to spring training. He could win a bench spot on the major league roster, or if nothing else, be a very good call up later on for any injury.
    Evans has the potential to be another Garrett Jones type of buy-low hitter.
    He seems to at least be better than some of the other honorable mentions.

    Reply
    • jimboslice9

      10 years ago

      I’m not sure if he would make this list, but he could definitely be a great pickup for the Pirates at 1B/3B/OF.  He can do a decent job coming off the bench with some defensive versatility.  I wanted the Mets to keep him, but he was out of options, and with Murphy and Duda, Evans was basically redundant.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.
Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Carlos Martinez Receives 80-Game Suspension After Positive PED Test

    Yankees Sign Matt Carpenter To Major League Contract

    2022-23 MLB Free Agent Power Rankings

    Alex Reyes To Undergo Shoulder Surgery

    Counsell: Freddy Peralta To Miss “Significant” Time

    Dodgers Extend Blake Treinen

    Brewers To Place Freddy Peralta On Injured List Due To Shoulder Tightness

    Mariners Sign Justin Upton

    Chad Green To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Orioles Promote Adley Rutschman

    Luis Gil To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Carter Kieboom To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Cardinals To Promote Nolan Gorman, Matthew Liberatore; Tyler O’Neill To IL

    Max Scherzer Likely Out Six To Eight Weeks Due To Oblique Strain

    Chris Paddack Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

    Recent

    Athletics Designate Justin Grimm, Select Austin Pruitt

    Cardinals Release T.J. Zeuch

    Orioles Designate Jahmai Jones, Select Cody Sedlock

    Rockies Select Chad Smith

    Red Sox Announce Several Roster Moves

    Braves Promote Michael Harris II

    Angels To Place Anthony Rendon On 10-Day Injured List Due To Wrist Inflammation

    Anaheim City Council Votes Against Sale Of Angel Stadium

    Carlos Martinez Receives 80-Game Suspension After Positive PED Test

    Orioles Outright Anthony Bemboom

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Trevor Story Rumors
    • Frankie Montas Rumors
    • Michael Conforto Rumors
    • Arbitration Tracker
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • MLB Player Chats
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent Tracker
    • 2021-22 MLB Free Agent List
    • Top 50 Free Agents
    • 2022-23 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2022
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top
    Close

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version