Additions to the MLB non-tender list are trickling in. Here's what we've got so far:
American League
Angels
- Dallas McPherson, 3B - Formerly a "can't miss" prospect, McPherson's stock has fallen incredibly after failing to establish himself in limited playing time with the Angels in parts of 2005 and 2006. He underwent back surgery last January and missed all of the 2007 season. Nevertheless, he is still just 27, is a career .301/.381/.578 hitter in 481 minor league games, and he showed decent power in the bigs, notching 39 extra-base hits in 384 plate appearances. I would definitely bring him on and see if he can get healthy again. There's no room for him at the hot corner, but his minor league track record is such that he could be a credible big league first-baseman.
- Kiko Calero, RHP - Acquired by the A's in the Mark Mulder deal three offseasons ago, Calero had a rough 2007, posting a sub-8.00 strikeouts-per-nine for the first time in his career (6.86 K/9). He turns 33 in January and has seen his walk rate increase each of the last three seasons. He's probably worth at least an invite to spring training, but some team will offer him a big league contract.
- Jose Garcia, RHP - I have no idea who he is.
- Josh Towers, RHP - Not a terrible starting pitcher, and could benefit from a switch to the National League. He has very good control and, despite unimpressive strikeout marks, has a very solid 3.17 K/BB for his career. Might be an interesting guy to bring in for a crack at the fifth starter spot.
- John Parrish, LHP - Meh, nothing to see here.
- Akinori Otsuka, RHP - Otsuka was shut down in August of this year with elbow soreness. He began throwing again at the beginning of November and expects to be ready for spring training. He has been a very good reliver over the past four seasons with the Padres and Rangers, and the Mets should definitely be in on this one.
- Brendan Donnelly, RHP - Turned 36 in July and isn't as dominant as he once was, but he might be a decent middle-innings guy for some clubs. He made $1.4 million last year and the Red Sox had no interest in giving him any more than that this year.
- Emil Brown, OF - Brown was surprisingly not terrible for a couple of seasons with the Royals, but he turns 33 in a couple of weeks and is a career .262/.329/.401 corner outfielder. He made $3.45 million in 2007 and figures to make far less than that now that he's a free agent.
- Chad Durbin, RHP - Durbin turned 30 last week and has never posted an adjusted ERA better than the league average. He split time between the rotation and the bullpen with the Tigers in 2007 and wasn't particularly noteworthy in either capacity.
- Jason Tyner, OF - Originally a first round selection by the Mets in 1998 (21st overall), Tyner has shown zero power or on-base ability over the course of his 439 big league games. He'll probably get a minor league deal somewhere, but he really doesn't have much in the way of marketable baseball skills.
- Andy Gonzalez, IF - Showed decent plate discipline as a minor leaguer, but hit for neither average nor power. He didn't hit a lick in 189 at-bats with the White Sox this year.
- LHP Heath Phillips, LHP - Not much here. Phillips had a solid season in Triple-A in 2006 but wasn't very good in either the minors or the majors (7.1 innings with the Sox) this year.
Astros
- Adam Everett, SS - Winds up on the short end of the shortstop stick after the Astros' acquisition of Miguel Tejada on Wednesday. Everett is a phenomenal fielder who has never been much of a hitter. His career .248/.299/.357 batting line will render him as little more than a defensive replacement on some team.
- Willie Harris, IF-OF - Harris draws a decent number of walks but is otherwise replaceable as a hitter. He lacks the offensive skills to make any kind of impact as a big league outfielder.
- Kevin Mench, OF - I talked about Mench couple of days ago; not much else to say on that particular topic.
- Matt Wise, RHP - Wise isn't a terrible reliever, but he isn't especially good, either. He doesn't strike out a ton of batters, but he doesn't kill himself with walks, either. His BABIP was .341 last year, but he also just turned 32.
- Aaron Miles, 2B - Larry Borowsky gave Miles a eulogy even before he was cut; Miles is pretty much terrible at everything. He might be a great fielder; I don't know because I didn't look it up. I care that little about Aaron Miles.
- Mark Prior, RHP - This is the one everyone was waiting for. Prior was going to get a raise over his $3.65 million salary despite not even making a start last year and appearing in only nine games since the 2005 season ended. Prior was phenomenally good in 2003 as a 22-year-old, striking out 245 batters while walking just 50 in 211.1 innings. Since then he has mostly been phenomenally injured, and underwent arthroscopic surgery on his pitching shoulder last April. He began a throwing program in September and is expected to return no sooner than mid-May of 2008. He's probably worth signing to a low-risk, high-reward type deal, though I have a feeling that some team is going to overpay for him based on his once-greatness.
- Mark Hendrickson, LHP - He's 6'9", so he's got that going for him. Little else, unfortunately.
- Miguel Olivo, C - Good power, swings at everything, never walks.
- Johnny Estrada, C - Never played a game for the Mets after being acquired for Guillermo Mota back in November. Figured to make $4 million or more, which is a bit more than the Mets were hoping to pay for a third-string catcher. He will catch on somewhere else for less money.
- Ben Johnson, OF - Now the Mets officially have nothing to show for practically giving Heath Bell to the Padres last offseason. Bravo.
- Juan Padilla, RHP - Hasn't pitched in two years, and the Mets clearly didn't want to stick around to find out what he could do. No big loss here.
- Nook Logan, OF - Logan is a burner, but he doesn't really have the hitting chops to cut it as a big league outfielder, even in center field. He has no power to speak of and doesn't walk enough to make up for the lack of punch.
- Mike O'Connor, LHP - Many Met fans will remember this game on May 2, 2006, in which O'Connor allowed just two hits over seven innings in his second career start. Most forget this start four-and-a-half months later, also at Shea Stadium, when O'Connor allowed eight hits and six runs in 4.2 innings. He made just one more start in the big leagues that season and spent all of 2007 in the minors. He actually has pretty solid numbers as a minor leaguer, excepting his disastrous 2007 in which he posted a 7.07 ERA in 71.1 innings. Could be an interesting pickup.
- Jack Cassel, RHP - Nondescript mostly minor league pitcher with pretty good control and underwhelming strikeout numbers. Turned 27 in August.
- Ryan Ketchner, LHP - Turns 26 in April, never played a big league game, but has pretty okay numbers as a minor leaguer. Dominated the lower levels with the Dodgers before struggling at Triple-A with the Padres last year.
- Morgan Ensberg, IF - Another interesting name, Ensberg has two terrific seasons and one solid season with the Astros on his resume to go along with a couple of stinkers. He turned 32 in August, but he has pretty good power and very good plate discipline. Might be a good fit in Philadelphia.
- Jason Lane, OF - Once a hot commodity, Lane clubbed 26 homeruns with the Astros in 2005. He hasn't done anything since.