In a great piece at MLB Trade Rumors, Jeff Todd points out that unlike last year when there were 20, February of 2015 should see very few MLB-level contracts given out by the league’s teams. This is an issue I think many observers and writers have conceptualized but not put into words.
Of course, as Todd mentions, players like James Shields, Frankie Rodriguez, Rafael Soriano and a few others will get major league contracts before the season starts (barring something catastrophic in the latter cases). Brandon Beachy may sign one too, although reportedly he’s said he isn’t worried about signing a deal at all until perhaps after the season begins, as he’s on the mend from surgery and isn’t ready anyway. Others, too, might get MLB-level deals. Might.
As for the Milwaukee Brewers, Assistant GM Gord Ash reportedly said in late January that the team is still on the lookout for relievers (and most likely still are, even after signing Chris Perez). Ash specifically mentioned minor league deals: “But you can do minor league deals at any time. We’re open to that…”
Less than a week after uttering those words the Brew Crew signed Perez to a minors deal. And there may be more to come. Minor league deals provide clubs with insurance against the risk of unpredictable performance and injury. If teams don’t like what they see in spring training, the player can be cut at minimal cost. There are also no urgent worries regarding 40-man roster spots with minor league deals.
The remaining free agents out there have talent, but 99 percent of them carry question marks and unknowns regarding how they’ll fare in 2015. Many of them are over 30, some well over. We all get old, but teams are understandably reluctant to shell out guaranteed millions for players over 35, particularly relief pitchers.
So, which of these players could the Brewers add on minor league deals?
Looking at MLB Trade Rumors’ 2015 Free Agents list, there are a lot of old or recently injured guys still out there with precious few spots on teams’ rosters available only a couple weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting.
Here are those players, their ages, and whether I think it will be a majors or minors deal (if anything):
CATCHERS
Ryan Doumit (34) Minors
Jose Molina (40) Minors
FIRST BASEMEN
None
SECOND BASEMEN
Mark Ellis (38) Minors
Rafael Furcal (37) Minors
Rickie Weeks (32) Majors
SHORTSTOPS
Everth Cabrera (28) Majors
THIRD BASEMEN
Donnie Murphy (32) Minors
Jayson Nix (32) Minors
LEFT FIELDERS
Tony Gwynn, Jr. (32) Minors
Scott Hairston (35) Minors
Reed Johnson (38) Minors or Retirement
Jason Kubel (33) Minors
Dayan Viciedo (25) Majors
Eric Young, Jr. (30) Minors
CENTER FIELDERS
None
RIGHT FIELDERS
Nate Schierholtz (31) Minors or Split Contract if applicable
DESIGNATED HITTERS
Jason Giambi (44) Retirement
Raul Ibanez (42) Retirement
STARTING PITCHERS
Brandon Beachy (28) Majors (eventually)
Bruce Chen (38) Minors
Kevin Correia (34) Majors
Roberto Hernandez (34) Minors
Franklin Morales (29) Minors, might be Majors
Joe Saunders (34) Minors
James Shields (33) Majors
Randy Wolf (38) None
Chris Young (36) Minors
CLOSER-TYPE RELIEVERS
Frankie Rodriguez (33) Majors
Rafael Soriano (35) Majors
RIGHT-HANDED RELIEVERS
Mike Adams (36) Minors
Matt Albers (32) Minors
Burke Badenhop (32) Majors
Jared Burton (34) Majors
Joba Chamberlain (29) Majors
Kyle Farnsworth (39) Minors
Matt Guerrier (36) Minors
Matt Lindstrom (35) Minors
Dustin McGowan Majors
Jose Veras (34) Majors
Brian Wilson (33) Minors
Jamey Wright (40) Minors
LEFT-HANDED RELIEVERS
Joe Beimel (38) Majors
Sean Burnett (32) Minors
Phil Coke (32) Majors
Joe Thatcher (33) Minors
***
Just going by a gut reaction, I came up with 15 out of the 44 listed remaining players receiving major league deals this offseason. To be honest, that’s more than I would have expected out of this group. Still, it mirrors Jeff Todd’s thoughts that we will see fewer MLB deals this February.
In addition, many of the players who sign minor league deals with major league spring-camp invites will end up on Opening Day rosters. They just need to earn it first. Others may spend some time in the minors with one team or another before getting the call to The Show later.
I agree with Todd in that James Shields, Frankie Rodriguez, Rafael Soriano, Burke Badenhop, Joba Chamberlain, Brandon Beachy and Dayan Viciedo will be sought after enough to receive major league deals.
I also think relievers Phil Coke, Joe Beimel, Jose Veras, Jared Burton, Dustin McGowan and starter Kevin Correia will find their way onto MLB rosters as spring training begins, though it’s a coin flip with most of these relievers.
Personally, I wouldn’t mind the Brewers signing Correia if they can nab him on a minor league deal. He’s aged since the days when Milwaukee was reportedly interested in his services, but he can still take the mound every fifth day as a No. 5 starter, particularly in the National League. He might be worth a flyer for depth reasons unless they can sign Beachy (or Shields) to a deal.
Finally, I’m a little more optimistic, if that’s the word, about the chances of MLB contracts for shortstop Everth Cabrera and former Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks. Their chances, especially those of Weeks, seem slim right now but for some reason I think both will get low-salary short-term major league contracts within the next two weeks or so. Of course neither with be signed by Milwaukee.
As for the Brewers, I think they could be one of the more active teams signing players to minor league and major league deals in the next few weeks. They may sign K-Rod to a major league deal to return as an option at closer. There’s a slim chance they could sign Shields. But there’s a large chance they sign one or more of the remaining relievers out there to minor league deals and see who performs well throughout camp.
Hopefully, as far as the Brewers’ depth is concerned, Ash is still “juggling a lot of balls right now.”
What are your thoughts? Am I way off on some of these? If you have any comments hit us up on Twitter (@TheBrewersBar and @MichalskiNick).
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
