Official 2010-2011 Minor League Offseason Thread

[PaulFolk]

Aubrey Huff to the Nationals

I think you mean Michael Aubrey.

[DrShorebird]

Thanks Paul. At least I got the team right. Glad someone is paying attention.

I must have gotten brain dead reading all those "Who's On First" posts.

[Who's On 1st]

Thanks Paul. At least I got the team right. Glad someone is paying attention.

I must have gotten brain dead reading all those "Who's On First" posts.

Yeah, Who is On First? :rofl:

[DrShorebird]

To save time and a number of posts

"Costello: Well then who's on first?

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: I mean the fellow's name.

Abbott: Who.

Costello: The guy on first.

Abbott: Who.

Costello: The first baseman.

Abbott: Who.

Costello: The guy playing...

Abbott: Who is on first!

Costello: I'm asking YOU who's on first.

Abbott: That's the man's name.

Costello: That's who's name?

Abbott: Yes.

Costello: Well go ahead and tell me.

Abbott: That's it.

Costello: That's who?

Abbott: Yes."

Actually, Who now coaches occasionally at Delmarva and I hope to be able to post a photo later when I remember how to post photos.

[DrShorebird]

http://s745.photobucket.com/albums/xx94/DrShorebird/Coach%20Who/

[bobmc]

The Chiba Lotte Marines announced the signing of Bob McCrory, writes NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman. McCrory, 29 in May, had labrum surgery in October of 2009, became a minor league free agent, failed a physical for the Red Sox, and ended up making 19 appearances for Baltimore's Double-A affiliate ! :clap3:this year.

Sayonara bobmc! We tried to love you but things just didn't work out. I'm bowing to you right now and hoping that blazing heater resurrects with some late life and you make it back.

[Oldorioles]

According to Baseball America, the Orioles re-signed four of their minor league FAs. These are Lerud, Castillo, George, and Diaz (who I'm particularly pleased to see back with the O's).

[Oldorioles]

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=10797

According to Baseball America, the O's re-signed Armando Gabino.

[Crazysilver03]

Orioles add:

RHP Mitch Atkins: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/2010/11/os_sign_pitcher_atkins_to_mino.html

RHP Josh Rupe

Orioles re-sign:

RHP Raul Rivero

LHP Will Startup (re-signed)

1B Austin Rauch (re-signed) Note: Apparently, if you are released before you reach six years of minor league service, you are subsequently a free agent every season following. Thus, Rauch was with the Rockies for 4 seasons and released before signing with the Orioles, so he only has 5 years of service. But being released before let him become a fee agent this off-season as well.

Edit/Delete Message

SS Carlos Rojas (re-signed)

C Zach Booker (re-signed)

RHP Armando Gabino

Orioles release:

OF Jaynnertt Melenciano

RHP Dustin Carder

RHP Jairo de la Cruz

RHP D.D. Hanks

RHP Travis Keating

RHP Eiris Ramirez

RHP Jesse Rasner (ironically enough, we drafted his twin brother in the Rule 5)

RHP Jean Carlos Reyes

LHP Blake Mechaw

LHP Tyler Sexton

1B T.J. Baxter

1B Preston Hale

SS Brad Decater

SS Javier Santana

OF Edwin Cintron

OF David Rivera

2B Omar Casamayor

3B Levi Carolus

SS Jason White

RHP Brian Parker

RHP Andrew Huebner

RHP Thomas Phelps

3B Matt Tucker

Signing elsewhere:

Hinckly to BJs, Mata to Marlins, Aubrey to Nationals

Sarfate: Hiroshima Toyo Carp of the Nippon Professional Baseball League

McCrory: The Chiba Lotte Marines announced the signing of Bob McCrory, writes NPB Tracker's Patrick Newman. McCrory, 29 in May, had labrum surgery in October of 2009, became a minor league free agent, failed a physical for the Red Sox, and ended up making 19 appearances for Baltimore's Double-A affiliate this year.

Trade Acquisition:

Brendan Harris

Rule 5 selections: RHP Brent Allar (AA, Marlins), RHP Pedro Beato (MLB, Mets), RHP Pat Egan (MLB, Brewers), C Dashenko Ricardo (AAA, Giants)

[bmor34]

According to latest Baseball America transactions signed: LHP Michael Ballard

Plus another round of releases...

Released: RHP Jose Barajas, RHP Luiyi Batista, RHP Andy Deain, RHP Mick Mattaliano, RHP Brian Parker, LHP Justin Anderson, LHP Cory Ast, C Janensis Guerrero, C Xavier Lopez, C Greyson Schram, 3B Tyler Stampone

[Oldorioles]

According to MLBtraderumors....

The Orioles signed Clay Rapada to a minor league deal and invited him to Spring Training, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun.

The 29-year-old appeared in 13 games for the Rangers last year, but hasn't spent considerable time on a big leaugue mound since 2008. The left-hander posted a 4.22 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 5.9 BB/9 in 21 1/3 innings for the Tigers that year.

The Rangers released Rapada earlier in the month after designating him and Max Ramirez for assignment.

[Oldorioles]

According to latest Baseball America transactions signed: LHP Michael Ballard

Plus another round of releases...

Released: RHP Jose Barajas, RHP Luiyi Batista, RHP Andy Deain, RHP Mick Mattaliano, RHP Brian Parker, LHP Justin Anderson, LHP Cory Ast, C Janensis Guerrero, C Xavier Lopez, C Greyson Schram, 3B Tyler Stampone

I think we knew more cuts were on the way given the contraction of the Bluefield team, but for the diehard followers of the minor league O's there are some interesting names here:

Brian Parker - seems to generate great numbers every year, I wonder if the writing was on the wall after his suspension this year. Then again, he wasn't released after the suspension. The O's stuck with him and he put up darn good numbers (of course, that was as a 24 year old in Aberdeen and Delmarva).

Mick Mattaliano - I guess he never got past the injury that kept him out all year.

Justin Anderson - Wasn't he picked as the starter for the season opener just last year? Still, I think this move is completed justified given the numbers for his season.

I always enjoy rooting for the undrafted players, trying to beat the odds.

Tyler Stampone- While Stampone won't remind anyone of a top prospect, he was fun to watch. A year removed from an 800+ OPS season, I thought he had much more pedestrian stats (although not embarrasing himself) while playing multipe positions. I'm a little surprised he was released given a few of the people still kept at this point.

Andy Deain - Undrafted out of Northern Illionos, I thought he did a good job at three different levels last year. He was everywhere from the Gulf Coast League to Aberdeen and gave up fewer hits than IP, had more that a 4:1 K/B ratio, sturck out more than a batter an inning, and only walked 10 batters all year. Again, I know he was old for where he played and he's no great prospect, but I thought he did about as good as you could expect.

Cory Ast - Five walks in 20+ innings coupled with 26 K's as a 22 year old (mainly in Bluefield). It would have been fun to see what happened this year for this long shot...

[Oldorioles]

This from MLBTradeRumors...

The Orioles have signed left-handed pitcher Nick Bierbrodt to a minor-league deal, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

Bierbrodt, a former first-round pick, is something of a blast from the past, at least on the Major League scene. He spent all of 2010 in the Rockies' organization, according to Rosenthal, and last appeared in the bigs with the Rangers in 2004.

For his career, Bierbrodt has a 6.66 ERA in 144 2/3 innings, with 7.0 K/9 and 5.3 BB/9.

There is a connection here, as Rosenthal notes, as O's skipper Buck Showalter is familiar with Bierbrodt from his days as Arizona's manager. The Diamondbacks drafted Bierbrodt in 1996.

[Oldorioles]

The Orioles signed infielder Nick Green to a minor league contract...

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/01/orioles-to-sign-nick-green.html

[Oldorioles]

Jeff Fiorentino returns on a minor league contract...

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/2011/01/fiorentino_returns_to_organiza.html