Mets Re-Sign Feliciano

by Rob Castellano on Feb 20, 2011 12:45 PM EST

The other one.

That's right the Mets announced today that they've re-signed OF Jesus Feliciano to a minor league deal. The 31-year old likely be assigned back to Buffalo where he's becoming quite the hometown hero; Feliciano was the Bisons' MVP in '09 after he led the International League in hits and led the league in hitting for most of 2010 when he made a pretty good run at batting .400.

Feliciano was a nice story out at Citi Field last summer starring as 'the 31-yr old rookie' and sparking the club with a couple of game-winning efforts early on. Unfortunately, overall Feliciano was underwhelming to say the least. He played a decent OF between left, right and center but his final triple slash line was .231/.276/.287; in 108 ab's he was a glorified singles hitter who posted just five extra-base hits and a Pelfrey-esque .056 ISO. At the very least, he'll provide veteran depth on a prospect-laden Buffalo roster.

The Mets also announced minor league signings of 30-year old power-hitting journeyman and Rusty Staub look-a-like 1B Chris Shelton and random-ass 22-year old reliever Kent Tsujimoto . You may remember Shelton making a name for himself back in '06 with Detroit as he became the fastest player in AL history to reach 9 home runs (13 games). And though he looked like a budding power-hitting first baseman he proved that regularly striking out in over 30% of your ab's makes it hard to stay in the majors. He's crushed the minor leagues over the last few seasons, much in the way Mike Hessman did.

Tsujimoto pitched in 2010 for Maui in the independent Golden League (of Gary Carter fame), posting a 2.88 ERA with a 12+ K/9 in 34.1 innings in relief. Here's a video of him throwing/talking.

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tsujimoto seems intriguing

he’s young, and the strikeout number really made me wonder. obviously the competition probably sucks, but it’s still intriguing.

What Would Matt Szczur Do?

Fact on Villanova Sports

by Hoyadestroya85 on Feb 20, 2011 12:47 PM EST reply actions

Same here.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 453 posts (10/03/10)

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Feb 20, 2011 2:05 PM EST up reply actions

His pitching style is...I don't know.

Something about it looks weird to me, and I can’t really place it.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 453 posts (10/03/10)

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Feb 20, 2011 2:08 PM EST up reply actions

it looks to me like he shortarms his throws

not necessarily a bad thing, but I feel like you see it more with infielders than pitchers

Hey, wait! I'm having one of those things. You know? A headache with pictures?

by KeithsMoustache on Feb 20, 2011 2:35 PM EST up reply actions

Looks like Keith Foulke.

Thus Spoke Keith Hernandez

Twitter: ThomasTSKH

"Everything's gonna be awesome." -Ken Oberkfell
"ARSHAVIN IS MAGIC" -Brooks Peck

by Thomas Wachtel on Feb 20, 2011 7:51 PM EST up reply actions

Tsujimoto is a switch pitcher

Not many who can boast that particular skill set but thanks to the couple knuckle heads in the Cyclones vs. SI Yanks fiasco he’ll have to announce his handedness as well as the hitter to avoid exploitation of that exact situation.

by Wright of passage on Feb 20, 2011 2:56 PM EST up reply actions

Here's a clip of Tsujimoto

pulling off a Mister Koo..

by Wright of passage on Feb 20, 2011 3:02 PM EST up reply actions

Where'd you read that, about Tsujimoto?

And, if he ever becomes decent and makes the ML team, we’re going to need a nickname.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 453 posts (10/03/10)

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Feb 20, 2011 9:18 PM EST up reply actions

Early frontrunner: "Switchie"

Thus Spoke Keith Hernandez

Twitter: ThomasTSKH

"Everything's gonna be awesome." -Ken Oberkfell
"ARSHAVIN IS MAGIC" -Brooks Peck

by Thomas Wachtel on Feb 20, 2011 9:30 PM EST up reply actions

Oh shannanigans..

I thought I was being observant but its was some other south paw throwing with the same short arming action in the middle of Tsujimoto’s youtube clip that threw me off making it appear as though he was switch pitching. Here’s what a quick googling turned up for him though.

by Wright of passage on Feb 20, 2011 10:34 PM EST up reply actions

what level of minors is the Golden League

Any task BIG or small, Do it well or not at all

by Rickfansince76 on Feb 20, 2011 3:08 PM EST up reply actions

it's an independent league

according to Wikipedia, it says that the level of play is around the equivalent of Double A.

Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!

by Steve Schreiber on Feb 20, 2011 3:10 PM EST up reply actions

Hey, if that's true

and the guy is 22, has an ERA to the tune of 2.88, and a K/9 rate of 12.6, that’s not bad. On the down side, though, his BB/9 rate is a hefty 3.9.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 453 posts (10/03/10)

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Feb 20, 2011 3:57 PM EST up reply actions

I like the signing because its zero risk, the kids is a probably going to make 30k.

The high walks is a bit concerning for someone who is a switch pitcher. It means he’s not pitching around opposite handed hitters like most middle relievers would. I guess he has no idea himself where the ball is going to end up.

by FrancoTAU on Feb 20, 2011 8:04 PM EST up reply actions

Wait

is he really a switch pitcher? I was looking around the web and I couldn’t find anything to confirm that. Is it true?

Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!

by Steve Schreiber on Feb 20, 2011 8:20 PM EST up reply actions

FWIW, the Golden League's website says he's a righty.

NPBTracker.com doesn’t mention anything about him throwing with both hands. It does say that he was the youngest player in NPB history (15). Here’s the article they link to, in case anyone reads Japanese. And here’s his numbers in the Golden League, if you’re interested.

"And that's why anybody who invested with Lenny Dykstra should really call that number. Lawyers are standing by."

by BobbyV_Incognito on Feb 20, 2011 9:18 PM EST up reply actions

As I understand it,

if he played with the NPB, he wouldn’t be eligible to be playing elsewhere. The way things work, if you’re drafted by a NPB team, in essence, you’re “stuck” in the NPB until (A) you get posted by your team, or (b) you become an international free agent, which usually happens around age 30 or so. Hisashi Iwakuma, the guy that the A’s failed to sign, he was posted (but didn’t get signed, negating the posting bid) is going to be an international free agent, and he’s turning 31. There was a loophole, where a NPB player could “retire” from the NPB, and then “unretire” in the MLB (Alfonso Soriano did that), but I’m sure that that loophole has been removed, because of the closer interaction between the MLB and the NPB, and the institution of the posting system.

So, him being the youngest player in the NPB, I find that highly suspect. Plus, 15 is damn young.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 453 posts (10/03/10)

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Feb 20, 2011 9:24 PM EST up reply actions

Aha.

He was the youngest guy to ever be drafted by an NPB team (The Hanshin Tigers). I am assuming, based on the above, and the fact that was playing in the Golden League, and is now with us, that he was not actually signed, or was in some other way released from his contract.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 453 posts (10/03/10)

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Feb 20, 2011 9:27 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, I should have worded that more accurately.

BTW, Alfonso Soriano was in the NPB? When was that? I’ve never heard about that before.

"And that's why anybody who invested with Lenny Dykstra should really call that number. Lawyers are standing by."

by BobbyV_Incognito on Feb 20, 2011 11:20 PM EST up reply actions

When he first started playing baseball

He was drafted out of the Dominican Republic by the Hiroshima Carp. Just like MLB teams have scouting schools/whatever you want to call them in the Caribbean, so do the various NPB teams (and, probably other less known leagues/teams across the world). He didn’t like Japan, and knew he could make more money in the MLB, so he “retired” at the age of 21, and then came to North America and then decided to “unretired”. Hideo Nomo and Hideki Irabu did the same thing, and when Soriano did that, that was the ‘final straw’, so to speak, that the NPB would stand for. So they got together with the MLB and formed the posting process that exists now.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 453 posts (10/03/10)

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Feb 20, 2011 11:38 PM EST up reply actions

I was just parroting WoP on the switch pitcher part.

He’s listed RHP everywhere I look, but their is a video on Youtube that I think might’ve confused some people.

by FrancoTAU on Feb 20, 2011 9:46 PM EST up reply actions

Greg A. Harris lives

What's the score, boys?
What did Bugs Bunny do?
What's with the Carrot League baseball today?

by StorkFan on Feb 21, 2011 5:28 PM EST up reply actions

The Bisons’ outfield is growing: F-Mart, Nieuwenhuis, Duda, Pridie, and now Feliciano. I really wonder if Ratliff is going to be here from the get-go. I think he should be, but the signing of Feliciano makes me think he starts in AA.

Position Players
C: Ryan/Nickeas/whoever
1B: Duda
2B: Turner
SS: Tejada
3B: Lutz
LF: Ratliff
CF: Nieuwenhuis
RF: F-Mart
DH: Pascucci

Bench
INF: Adams
OF: Pridie
OF: Feliciano
INF/OF: Shelton or Evans
C: Nickeas or whoever

I just realized I’m missing Luis Hernandez, so that complicates things more. And come to think of it, Josh Satin should be in AAA too in some sort of utility role that could net him 300+ PA. We’ll see what happens, but I think room needs to be made here.

Anyway, regarding that above roster formation, I think that’s do-able, with Duda also playing some LF occasionally with Ratliff DH’ing, and you can probably figure out a way of getting Ratliff some games in CF too with Kirk in a corner or at DH. If Evans clears I think you’d want to find a starting spot for him, but he probably won’t clear. The only issue is playing time would be quite difficult to come by for guys like Pridie, Shelton, and Feliciano. Heck, even Russ Adams managed 400+ PA last season. If you plan on really limiting their PA for the younger players, it works, I think. If not and you have an obligation to get some of these guys playing time, then Ratliff doesn’t seem to fit from the start… and as I mentioned above, some room needs to be made either way, I think.

by nmigliore on Feb 20, 2011 1:21 PM EST reply actions

I get the feeling that Ratliff goes back to AA

just to prove that his numbers there weren’t a fluke (because they seem pretty fluky to me), considering he put up a minor league career best .933 OPS and did it while walking just 23 times. Maybe he suddenly started making a lot of really hard contact that’s caused his batting average “skills” and power to blossom, all while going up a level. However, I have to imagine that’s not the case and that it may have been a long hot streak.

Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!

by Steve Schreiber on Feb 20, 2011 1:45 PM EST up reply actions

what bout Havens?

Any task BIG or small, Do it well or not at all

by Rickfansince76 on Feb 20, 2011 3:09 PM EST up reply actions

He's only got 68 at bats at AA

so he’s going to start in Binghamton again.

Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!

by Steve Schreiber on Feb 20, 2011 3:11 PM EST up reply actions

God damn you.

I got excited for a second. I thought that somehow RA Dickey led an elite squad of Met players into the Yankee Death Star and stole the plans (Pedro’s contract) and brought Pedro back to the Mets.

"go watch another episode of dahrma and greg you butt nutt"
-lohaus#54
The fan formely known as 0(+> (pronounced MetFanWithaPlan)

by JoeBighead on Feb 20, 2011 1:40 PM EST reply actions 4 recs

But then we'd have to fend off an attack

on Citifield by the Yankees to prevent us sharing the knowledge of how to raid their roster. Nonetheless, rec’d

"I reject your reality and substitute my own"
-Adam Savage

by blueandorange4life on Feb 20, 2011 1:52 PM EST up reply actions

In the end, though

we’d beat the Evil Empire, and that Mr. Met guy would return.

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 453 posts (10/03/10)

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Feb 20, 2011 2:04 PM EST up reply actions

if a pitched battle was fought in Willets Point would we be able to pick the destruction from the standing buildings?

Some of the inhabitants do look like cast offs from the pirate bar in Mos Eisley.

by ScottfromPeekskill on Feb 20, 2011 2:05 PM EST up reply actions

I've definitely seen more wretched hives of scum and villany

than Willets Point and the Iron Triangle

"I reject your reality and substitute my own"
-Adam Savage

by blueandorange4life on Feb 20, 2011 5:07 PM EST up reply actions

Here's to this

being the last we here of Feliciano.

I bet Jerry Manuel just bunted.

by GilbertP on Feb 20, 2011 2:16 PM EST reply actions

Quick Question - are all these signings of tripleA guys unique to Sandy or is

this what other teams do when they want to get depth.
Did these signing happen before and they just went under the radar?
You guys must track TAPSFMLC right?
(Triple A Players signed to a minor league contract)
Isn’t there a fan graph for that?
If not, please give me credit for the innovation

by dantyre on Feb 20, 2011 2:30 PM EST reply actions

My brain hurts

by MetsKnicksRutgers on Feb 20, 2011 2:53 PM EST up reply actions

we lead the majors in TAPSTMLC

I have no idea what TAPSFMLC is

by fxcarden on Feb 20, 2011 6:50 PM EST up reply actions

Side effects of TAPSTMLC include

dizziness
diarrhea
headaches
sids
double vision
and
scurvy

by JavaJoe on Feb 20, 2011 7:20 PM EST up reply actions

I do not like Tapstmalac

That is how I pronounce it.

And I do not like it one bit, sir.

by Jonathan. on Feb 20, 2011 7:55 PM EST up reply actions

He said TAPSTMLC is

Triple A Players signed to a minor league contract

"Blinding ignorance does mislead us. O! Wretched mortals, open your eyes!"
Gil Hodges IS a Hall of Famer.

AA Gamethread Embiggening Record Holder- 453 posts (10/03/10)

by Brooklyn Dodgers Mets Fan on Feb 20, 2011 9:29 PM EST up reply actions

I think it would be great to reunite Trump as Owner with Chris Shelton on the team

he’s said this about him before

The real estate mogul and “Apprentice” star also said he felt “very badly” for Chris Shelton, who was arrested early Sunday for disorderly conduct at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tampa, Fla. Trump even offered to “be there” for Shelton.

“He’s got a problem,” said Trump. “He’s got an anger management problem. He truly is an angry guy.”

Shelton was arrested in Florida after “causing a scene” over being asked to pay a $20 cover charge to enter the hotel bar. After several attempts by staff to calm Shelton, he continued to yell and curse, a police report said. He was released after posting $250 bail.

"I only wanted a few things out of life -- a wife, children, to play baseball and to hunt deer." - Turk Wendell

by Rey-O on Feb 20, 2011 6:23 PM EST reply actions

With a $20 cover, it sounds like the hotel deserved whatever Shelton did.

Save Jenrry Mejia!

by Ogre39666 on Feb 20, 2011 7:30 PM EST up reply actions

I can't think of any bar that's worth $20.

Hell, most of the time $5 is too much, considering drink prices.

Thus Spoke Keith Hernandez

Twitter: ThomasTSKH

"Everything's gonna be awesome." -Ken Oberkfell
"ARSHAVIN IS MAGIC" -Brooks Peck

by Thomas Wachtel on Feb 20, 2011 7:54 PM EST up reply actions

this, this, and this.

by fxcarden on Feb 20, 2011 8:14 PM EST up reply actions

This.

Covers suck. Last time I went out, they not only had a cover, but also a mandatory coat check.

"And that's why anybody who invested with Lenny Dykstra should really call that number. Lawyers are standing by."

by BobbyV_Incognito on Feb 20, 2011 9:19 PM EST up reply actions

Kilroy's in Bloomington is worth it on Tuesdays

because everything (including cover) is $2, so around ten bucks can get you…well, you get your money’s worth. Of course, that works a lot better if you’re in college, and don’t have Wednesday classes until noon.

Thus Spoke Keith Hernandez

Twitter: ThomasTSKH

"Everything's gonna be awesome." -Ken Oberkfell
"ARSHAVIN IS MAGIC" -Brooks Peck

by Thomas Wachtel on Feb 20, 2011 9:39 PM EST up reply actions