The Indians announced Thursday that they’ve signed right-hander Asher Wojciechowski and catcher Tim Federowicz to minor league contracts with invites to Major League Spring Training.
Wojciechowski, 30, will give Cleveland some depth in both the rotation and the bullpen. He’s struggled to a 6.64 ERA with 9.2 K/9 against 3.0 BB/9 in 78 2/3 MLB innings, most of which came with the 2017 Reds, but he has plenty of experience at the Triple-A level. In 550 1/3 innings at the top minor league level, Wojciechowski has a 4.37 ERA with 7.6 K/9, 3.1 BB/9 and 1.2 HR/9, with all but 15 of his 108 appearances there coming as a starter. He split last season between the Triple-A affiliates for the White Sox and Orioles, working to a combined 4.53 ERA in 119 1/3 frames but with a 126-to-37 K/BB ratio. Wojciechowski’s ability to miss bats has jumped considerably in the past two seasons, and his walk rate has dropped along with that spike, which likely piqued Cleveland’s interest.
As for Federowicz, the 31-year-old has appeared in parts of seven MLB seasons split between the Dodgers, Giants, Reds, Cubs and Astros. He’s never hit much as a big leaguer, managing just a .199/.247/.323 line in 360 plate appearances. That said, he’s an accomplished (and then some) hitter in Triple-A, where he owns a terrific .303/.374/.501 line in nearly 1900 plate appearances.
With Yan Gomes traded to the Nationals, Cleveland is relying on some combination of Roberto Perez, Eric Haase and trade acquisition Kevin Plawecki to shoulder the bulk of the workload behing the plate in 2019. Federowicz will add another depth option to the equation, though it’s unlikely that he’ll emerge as a viable candidate to crack the Opening Day roster with his new organization.
How do AAAA players consistently shred AAA but can’t figure out how to hit in the majors?
They get regular playing time in AAA then sit for days at Mlb level.. tough to be consistent with little playing time when called up in short stints
Bingo!
It varies. A triple a hitter in the pcl may destroy the pitching but struggle in the il
I think this is just a ceiling issue; for as long as there’s been baseball there have been 4-A players; there was actually a time, way back in the 30s and 40s, when a player could actually make more money in AAA in the PCL than in the majors (because the PCL season back then was 200 games). Obviously making the majors is magnitudes more lucrative now, but with small rosters it’s hard to have patience with a newly-arrived player, especially if you’re a team in contention. Unless it’s a top prospect, a guy called up from AAA is mostly just depth. Certainly there are more than a few hitters who needed some time to acclimate to the majors – check out Mike Trout’s first season, for example. You do sort of wonder how many careers could have been better had the team had more patience with a player.
David, thank you for the response. I always appreciate your comments because it’s obvious you know a little bit about what you’re talking about unlike the homers and trolls that crash this place.
Yes, I appreciate it as well. Thank you.
These guys aren’t 25, they are way beyond prospects. They are marginal players who cant hit MLB sliders, curve balls and change ups. Thats the difference between everyday MLB players and good PCL guys. Besides the PCL historicly
Historically is brutal on pitchers.
Wow, that whole conversation was amazing. Trolls seriously need to help themselves medically. They have a mental illness.
Shoulda signed Asher Lazado
Looks like the Indians are going for the guys whose names nobody can pronounce
They managed just fine with Rzepczynski; they’ll figure out Federowicz and Wojciechowski.
Actually, these guys have good ethnic Cleveland names.
The clubhouse manager fainted upon hearing the news.
I think Terry Francona will be fine as he did have Jarrod Saltalamacchia on the team.
The clubhouse manager takes care of the uniforms, that’s not Francona.
Especially since they are changing how the names go on their jerseys in Cleveland. They’ve been using name plates for years, but are switching to a direct stitch.
You beat me to it.
ohh no we’re talking about backup catchers everyone better freak out like they did on the Red Sox post.
Would that be the battery with the most letters in their name in MLB history?
At least in recent history. I don’t believe Jarrod Saltalamacchia ever caught Asher Wojciechowski.
Hopefully if that happens, it will be in September and not due to injuries.
Why did a guy like Jose Martinez who hit .382 in AAA not intrigue the Royals enough to put them on there MLB squad, I don’t get. Just curious.
Indians need to buy a vowel…..
….plus more needles and thread.
If your last name is long, we want you! – cleveland.
A name even harder to spell than Saltiamacchia’s. I probably butchered his and won’t even try this one.
I looked both of them up out of curiosity after I read you comment. Per BBRef, it’s Asher “wo-juh-HOW-ski” and Tim “fehd-er-oh-vich”. Since it doesn’t tell us which syllable to emphasize in Tim’s name, I think that should mean that we get to pick which one.
“I’d like to buy a vowel, Pat”
Wojciehowicz, spelled just like it sounds.
Exactly and you spelled it wrong.
Wojciechowski
Barney Miller reference. Check it out someday if you haven’t had the pleasure.
OK, I remember the show but didn’t really watch it too much.
Those names roll right off the tongue
I’m finished with your petty and vain attempt to try and trigger me. Some Serious questions, do you need help? Medically? Is that your goal on this forum? Are you not happy? I hope you get some help and make ‘19 the year to better yourself as a person. God help you!
What is it with the Indians signing all these catchers? Are they going to move Haase to DH or something? There isn’t room for them all.
Contingency for Haase not being up to snuff for the majors just yet.
But the acquisition of Plawecki fills that role. Haase is not going to start the year in Cleveland. We have Haase, Federowicz and Navarro in AAA.Maybe they are setting up Navarro to be a coach or something, but at the moment, they have too many catchers.
Good point, maybe just another spring training body to them provide some guidance at AAA.
You can never have too many catchers in spring training. Unless someone gets hurt, I’ll bet one of Navarro or T-Fed gets released at the end of spring training so they can latch on elsewhere.
Indians scored like 2750 scrabble points today
I upvoted you not just for the original comment, but for the screen name. Sammy Khalifa, the young buck hopeful from that all-time awful 1985 Pirates team.
I upvoted him for the comment.
You win