The Tigers announced today that they will invite 16 non-roster players to Major League Spring Training, including outfielders Trevor Crowe and Ezequiel Carrera and right-hander Eduardo Sanchez.
Crowe, 30, was selected 14th overall by the Indians in the 2005 draft. The switch-hitter spent the 2013 season with the Astros organization. A .304/.364/.368 batting line in 60 minor league games earned him a shot with the big league club, but Crowe batted just .218/.287/.291 in 181 Major League plate appearances. Though he has 888 Major League innings in center field, he has a -19.3 UZR/150 mark there for his career to go along with a -3 Defensive Runs Saved total. He does have positive defensive marks at each corner outfield position.
Carrera, 26, is also a product of the Indians organization, though he spent a month with the Phillies last season after being claimed on waivers. Cleveland claimed him back from Philadelphia exactly one month after losing the fleet-footed outfielder. Carrera had three hits in 21 big league plate appearances last season and owns a career .251/.306/.339 batting line in 405 Major League plate appearances. He's also stolen 18 bases in 24 tries. Most of his 2013 campaign was spent in Triple-A Columbus, where he has a career line of .275/.340/.365 with 124 stolen bases in 389 games.
Sanchez, 24, made an impressive Major League debut with the Cardinals in 2011, posting a 1.80 ERA with 10.5 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9 in 30 innings of relief. His high walk rate got the best of him, however, as he's walked 18 batters in just 21 1/3 big league innings since (coming between the Cardinals and Cubs). Sanchez spent most of 2013 in the Cubs organization, and although he posted a solid 3.38 ERA in 40 innings at Triple-A, he also averaged 5.2 walks per nine innings.
I like these moves.
Eduardo Sanchez was a great minor league signing.
the rooster “Crowes” one last time for Trevor, let’s see how this goes…
strange seeing the tigers sign the indians’ old scraps..
Sanchez had some of the most electric stuff i’ve ever seen from a cardinals pitcher, right up there with Martinez and Rosenthal. Shoulder problems got the best of his promising career..
Sounds like a poor man’s Al Al, who has probably THE most electric stuff I’ve ever seen, but walks are the issue with him too.
But as long as he’s striking out 13/9, he’s still a valuable piece. Especially if the new manager will use him in select spots where a strikeout is needed and a walk doesn’t hurt so badly (i.e. man on 3rd, less than 2 outs, with an open base), which is something Leyland never did.
Always like Carrera but not when he broke up Fisters no no with a triple.
Damn. Hate to see Carrera sign with the dreaded Tigers. He is a burner and hit pretty well in Cleveland last year.