Yesterday I left you with just a small teaser for today’s post. I looked at the minor league signings of a few players that have had their day in the sun and are looking for the sun to rise again. Today will be no different. Each of these players also have a bit of a different path and/or story of how they singed on where they did.
And yes, corny tag lines will be used.
I’m solely focusing on pitchers today. Four pitchers, four peculiar roads.
Where do I Fit? – Jeff Suppan
Image via Wikimedia by Spaluch1
Here’s a remarkable fact. Between 1999-2009, Suppan started 30 or more games each season. In six of those eleven seasons, he threw 200+ innings. Despite those somewhat impressive numbers, Suppan as a career record of 138-143 (.491), 4.69 ERA and a 1.460 WHIP. Those numbers on their own tell me one of two things: Suppan was willing to take one for the team or Suppan wasn’t as advertised.
After the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series in ’06, Suppan inked a multi-year deal with divisional rival Milwaukee Brewers (four years, $40 million). Um, didn’t work out all that well in Milwaukee. In fact, the Brewers released Suppan in early June of last season. He was reunited with the Cards and pulled a few starts for St. Louis (13 starts in 15 games). For 2010, he was 3-8 with a 5.06 ERA and 1.648 WHIP. The Cards, once again, granted Suppan free agency, albeit a bit different than the time before.
Enter the 2010 Champs. The San Francisco Giants have Suppan under a minor league deal. I would think this may be one of the last organizations Suppan would have chosen because of the depth the Giants have in the starting rotation. Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, Madison Bumgarner and, dare I say, Barry Zito all have grips on their slots.
Or do they. Or shall I say one as in Zito. Yes, I’m bringing up those two words no one wants to hear, albatross contract. I think we saw during the playoffs last season that the Giants brass was unafraid of his deal and indirectly admit that deal is behind them. That very well might spill into this spring. If it does, Suppan has a slim chance of sliding into the starting staff as the #5. For that to happen, he must first show some form of what he was in ’06. And even if he doesn’t would Suppan be willing to take a reliever’s role like he did in 2010? Either way, his veteran presence, even on the champs, could only bode well.
It would be easy to say that the tread has worn off the tire here.
Another Brooks Kieschnick? – Micah Owings
Image via Wikimedia by EliseLotz
Owings owns (had to say it) two claims to fame. One is notable, the other can be a sore spot for a certain team. First is his ability to hit as a pitcher. His rookie season of 2007 saw Owings collect the Silver Slugger for pitchers. Look at this line:
Year PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG 2007 64 60 9 20 7 1 4 15 2 16 .333 .349 .683
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 1/26/2011.
There are backup players that would love to hold that. An OPS of 1.033? Are you kidding me?
His other “moment” was being a PTBNL in the deal that sent Owings from Arizona to Cincinnati in the Adam Dunn deal.
So Owings is going back to the D’backs. Big deal, you say.
Well, there’s a twist in all this. Owings has been invited to spring training for a chance to make the big squad. That is a possibility. But according to Nick Piecoro of AZCentral.com, there’s something else in the works regarding Owings:
"But his bat might help him remain in the big leagues.The Diamondbacks believe Owings has the potential to be a valuable and versatile player, particularly on a National League roster. Along with having him compete for a long-relief job out of their bullpen, they plan to get him at-bats in spring training by playing him at first base."
That bat is almost too good to be true, especially for a pitcher. And the Diamondbacks, as well as Owings, realize that could extend his playing days. Owings isn’t willing to “retire” from pitching just yet. He did have one club approach him with the sole purpose of being converted to a position player.
Making the D’backs as a starter will be a big hill to climb for Owings. It’s even bigger than the road Suppan faces in San Francisco with Arizona sporting the likes of Joe Saunders, Daniel Hudson, Ian Kennedy and Barry Enright along with the acquisitions of Zack Duke and Armando Galarraga on the 40 man. A relief role may be more in the offering. The D’backs bullpen last year was abysmal and Owings could shore it up a bit.
And there’s always his bat.
Another Colby Lewis? – Marc Kroon
Giants
, but he can make the bullpen right out of camp if he pitches well enough. It will be a matter of readjusting to the American game. If Kroon can speed that process, he can stick. There is another issue. Kroon wanted to stay in Japan. This is a major “wait and see”. You only hope that doesn’t set him back.
Yipes Stripes – Bartolo Colon
Image via Wikimedia by User Keith Allison on Flickr
Just today it was announced that the New York Yankees had agreed to a deal with Bartolo Colon. What? This is what the Yankees got for losing the Cliff Lee derby? The 2005 Cy Young winner in pinstripes? All you can say is “Uh…OK”.
The New York Posts’ Joel Sherman tweets that Colon will make $900,000 if he breaks camp and heads north. If he doesn’t, Colon holds the right to be released. It is a “win-win” for the Yankees. Seriously. Minimal, if any, investment. What’s funny is if Colon can get into shape, he can make the starting rotation. Hard to believe I just admitted that.
CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Phil Hughes hold down 1-2-3. Ivan Nova is listed as #4 and Sergio Mitre as #5. If Colon can only muster 80% of what he was a handful of years ago, being that #5 is not beyond reason here. The thing working against Colon is he hasn’t pitched since 2009 when he donned a White Sox uniform.
A stretch? In more ways than one.