Here are a few of the day's minor transactions…
- The Angels signed Mitch Stetter to a minor league contract, reports Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. The 31-year-old southpaw last pitched in the majors in 2011 with the Brewers, and he has a 4.08 ERA, a 9.3 K/9 rate and a 5.4 BB/9 rate over 86 career Major League innings since 2007. Stetter spent last season pitching in Milwaukee's minor league system.
- Left-hander Bill Bray and infielder Wilson Valdez have elected to become free agents, according to MLB.com's transactions page. With Valdez entering his second year of arbitration-eligibility and Bray his third, both players were seen as non-tender candidates by MLBTR's Tim Dierkes following their disappointing seasons for the Reds. Valdez, 34, posted a .463 OPS in 208 plate appearances as a backup infielder. Bray was limited to just 14 games due to groin and back injuries, but he'll surely draw interest from teams looking for lefty relief help; Bray posted a 2.98 ERA and recorded 44 strikeouts over 48 1/3 innings for Cincinnati in 2011.
- The Indians re-signed right-hander Hector Rondon and signed infielder Luis Hernandez to minor league contracts with invitations to Major League Spring Training camp, reports Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Rondon originally signed with the Tribe as an 18-year-old in 2006 and has a 4.16 ERA, an 8.1 K/9 rate and a 4.17 K/BB ratio in seven minor league seasons, though he has only pitched in 13 games since 2010 due to a fractured elbow and Tommy John surgery. Hernandez appeared in two games for the Rangers last year and has a .580 OPS in 292 career PAs with the Rangers, Mets, Royals and Orioles.
bray has been a long time red reliever. Anyone know the kind of market for a left handed reliever this year?
There’s always a market for left handed relievers
Nats need a lefty. Come back to the fold Billy boy.
So, I think its safe to say the Phillies won the Wilson Valdez-Jeremy Horst trade. Valdez has barely hit at all, and was just let go by his team, while Horst pitched 31 innings with a 1.15 ERA and a 11.5 K/9 rate, and will be basically guarenteed a spot on next year’s MLB roster.
Thank you Cincinnati, and good night.
The Reds bullpen didn’t miss him too much, considering they had the bet Bullpen ERA in baseball. It was a deal from a position of depth (bullpen) for a need (backup infielder). Sure, they won the trade, but it wasn’t too big of a deal from the Reds standpoint.
If Bray is healthy I hope the Sox consider going after him.
2011 Bray was really good. The guy is a quality reliever when healthy.
mitch stetter is a good pickup for the angels…very good verses lefties one of those late blooming relievers. he was ready to go for the brewers but got injured and lost effectiveness. but 2011 he had it figured out
Bray is healthy half the time. I guess that’s worth something. Dunno if hes worth $2m to pitch 40 innings