Headlines

  • Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Diagnosed With Torn ACL
  • Braves Claim Ha-Seong Kim From Rays
  • Jason Adam Likely Headed For Season-Ending Quad Surgery
  • Mariners Promote Harry Ford, Release Donovan Solano
  • Phillies Sign Walker Buehler To Minors Contract
  • Red Sox Extend Aroldis Chapman
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • 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
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction 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

Poll: The Best Minor League DH Deal

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | May 1, 2012 at 10:06am CDT

At least three teams are looking forward to a midseason infusion of offense from a veteran designated hitter. If all goes according to plan this summer, the Indians, Rays and Athletics will each add a DH nearing the end of his career. Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui and Manny Ramirez agreed to play on minor league deals and Vladimir Guerrero is in line for a similar contract if his workouts impress interested teams.

Teams take on minimal risk with these contracts, but there’s no guarantee that the players can hit enough to earn a 25-man roster spot. Damon, Matsui, Ramirez and Guerrero were once Hall of Fame caliber contributors, but they’re all at least 37 years old now, well into their decline. Which minor league deal will turn out best?

Share 1 Retweet 14 Send via email0

MLBTR Polls

Dodgers Notes: McCourt, Mattingly, Kemp
Main
Rockies Notes: Cantu, Oswalt
View Comments (17)
Post a Comment

17 Comments

  1. ferrets_bueller

    13 years ago

    If vlad plays, he’ll be most productive. However, that’s a big if. Damon is the safest choice because of this.

    Reply
  2. michael bluth

    13 years ago

    None of the above.

    Reply
  3. Andrew Casey

    13 years ago

    Manny may be able to put up Solid Numbers

    Reply
  4. melonis_rex

    13 years ago

    I vote Manny.

    Manny at DH >> Damon in the field.

    Also, Vlad and Matsui were pretty bad last year.

    Reply
    • Snoochies8

      13 years ago

      I voted Damon partly because of wishful thinking on my part.

      I don’t want manny on the big league squad

      Reply
  5. mikefichera

    13 years ago

    I like Matsui, if the time off helped his knees at all he can be a real force, even at his advanced age.

    Reply
  6. ctownboy

    13 years ago

    All I have to say is this; for those not old enough to have been able to watch MLB BEFORE the Steroid Era, THIS is how OLD ball players were supposed to be.

    Guys weren’t out there at 38 playing every day and putting up numbers like they were 28.  No, they were barely hanging on to their careers.

    As far as fans back then where concerned, we just HOPED that our favorite guy who used to be really good (or even great) had ONE MORE decent year in them before they retired (and if they didn’t we HOPED they didn’t embarrass themselves too badly before they realized it was time to retire).

    Reply
  7. bigmike04

    13 years ago

    none of them above seeing as Damon just recently signed his minor league deal & Matsui did same thing yesterday.. It too early to judge out of the choices who was better minor league signing until they get to major & when season is over.

    Reply
  8. Fizzzay

    13 years ago

    It’s Branyan.

    Reply
  9. Bernaldo

    13 years ago

    All of these guys should retire with dignity instead of hanging on.  They’ve had very successful careers and earned a boatload of money – now it’s time to leave.  I think there is something pathetic about once great players who won’t walk away when it is obvious that they are only a shell of their former selves. 

    Reply
    • Infield Fly

      13 years ago

      A very valid point – and one that’s been made many times on this site, but these days players have more in₵entive than ever to $tay in the game as long as po$$ible – even when realistically it is time to hang ’em up. :/

      Reply
  10. BWillie

    13 years ago

    That’s a pretty pitiful list, if you ask me.

    Reply
  11. Peter Francis Schneider

    13 years ago

    None of them will have any impact. Time to hang em up boys!

    Reply
  12. Alex

    13 years ago

    Uh, I guess Damon? Manny can’t play for another month, Matsui just signed his deal, and Vlad doesn’t even have a job.

    Reply
  13. Double_Up

    13 years ago

    Once Vlad gets in games, I’m sure he’ll be the best.  Arizona is an odd choice but obviously GM’s know more than we do about what they need and want.  Some want to win, some want to get fans in any way they can, some have ulterior motives, some are trying to save their job.

    Reply
  14. ctownboy

    13 years ago

    For a real crapola list they should add Jermaine Dye, Maglio Ordonez, Derek Lee and Bobby Abreu…..

    Reply
    • Double_Up

      13 years ago

      Maybe, maybe, but I’m a bit surprised Lee is still out there, I thought Cleveland, Pittsburgh, or Atlanta would have signed him long ago.  Money or maybe he doesn’t really want to play yet?

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Diagnosed With Torn ACL

    Braves Claim Ha-Seong Kim From Rays

    Jason Adam Likely Headed For Season-Ending Quad Surgery

    Mariners Promote Harry Ford, Release Donovan Solano

    Phillies Sign Walker Buehler To Minors Contract

    Red Sox Extend Aroldis Chapman

    Administrative Leave For Emmanuel Clase, Luis Ortiz Extended “Until Further Notice”

    Cubs To Sign Carlos Santana

    Red Sox Release Walker Buehler

    Pirates Place Isiah Kiner-Falefa On Outright Waivers

    Randy Rodriguez Recommended To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Padres Place Xander Bogaerts On IL With Foot Fracture

    Cardinals To Promote Jimmy Crooks

    Red Sox To Promote Payton Tolle

    Corey Seager To Undergo Appendectomy, Not Ruled Out For Season

    Frankie Montas To Undergo UCL Surgery

    Guardians Release Carlos Santana

    Brewers Place Trevor Megill On IL Due To Flexor Strain, Sign Erick Fedde

    Guardians Place Carlos Santana On Outright Waivers

    Astros Reinstate Yordan Alvarez From Injured List

    Recent

    Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Diagnosed With Torn ACL

    Rangers Notes: Garcia, Latz, Mahle

    Twins’ David Festa Suffers Season-Ending Shoulder Injury

    Cubs Sign Austin Gomber To Minor League Deal

    Jesse Winker Shut Down, Likely Out For Season

    Orioles Designate Corbin Martin, Elvin Rodríguez For Assignment

    Tigers Move Chris Paddack To Bullpen

    Diamondbacks Outright Tristin English

    Blue Jays Select Ryan Borucki

    Reds Designate Joe La Sorsa For Assignment

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

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Every MLB Trade In July
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • 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

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter 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

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version