More Minor-League Signings (UPDATED)
While perhaps stealing the thunder from the next Baseball America transactions post, its primary author Matt Eddy relayed the following signings via the twitters yesterday:
- RHP Daniel Stange
- IF Melvin Dorta (re-sign)
- RHP Chris Young (re-sign)
- C Jeyner Baez
- RHP Gabriel Alfaro
OK, now put down your beverage because Stange was originally drafted by… wait for it… the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 7th round of the 2006 Draft. He spent 2013 in the Angels organization, making 26 appearances for AAA Salt Lake with a record of 4-1 with five saves and an ERA of 5.06. He allowed 16 runs on 31 hits over 26⅔ innings while while walking 13 and striking out 30. He made three relief appearances for the Angels in his second MLB stint (the first was in 2010), and was hit hard in his first outing, walking a pair and giving up a walkoff blast in a 14-11 loss to Texas. His second and third outings were scoreless, pitching an inning in an 8-2 win and getting the last out in the top of the 9th in a 6-5 loss (both games vs. Toronto).
Dorta, like Sean McCauley last week, was a player-coach for the Senators in 2013 and looks to be re-upping for the same duty in 2014.
Young, who was signed to a similar deal last offseason, made seven starts for Syracuse and was pounded like a drum to the tune of 31 runs on 50 hits (including nine HR) over 32 innings before going on the DL for most of the season (he made one appearance in the GCL and one in the NYPL in August and September respectively). He reportedly has had surgery to repair thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition in which nerves and/or blood vessels become compressed in the space between the collarbone and the first (thoracic) rib and causes pain and weakness in the shoulder.
Finally, as noted by Eddy first, the Nationals have released RHP Yunesky Maya after four less-than-stellar seasons. Signed as an IFA in July 2010 to a four-year/$6M contract, Maya made just 16 appearances in the major leagues, 15 of which came in 2010 and 2011. He made 76 of his 79 starts in the minors for Syracuse over the past four seasons and went 24-28 with an ERA of 4.13 over 453⅓ innings with 456 hits and 44 HRs allowed.
UPDATE:
The latest BA transaction post was published on Monday. Additions are in blue…
…The presumption is that Baez is an IFA, given the surname and the lack of an entry on baseball-reference.com.
…WaPo Nats beat writer Adam Kilgore had the story on Alfaro last week, along with details on the Young contract.
What will Rizzo do in a year or two? He’s been with the Nats since 2006, eventually there’s going to be no more of his Arizona guys available anymore. Maybe we’ll have to invest in scouting other teams?
Or, more likely, Matt Williams was signed for the sole purpose to bring with him detailed knowledge of their farm system so we can keep this washed-up-former-Diamondbacks pipeline flowing.
Manager carousel:
Beasley to field coordinator gig
Prompts me to raid the name Gary
Cathcart for SYR- maybe hire Jason
Camilli to manage in the lower minors.
Ole ex- po farmhand .
Or maybe Greg Gross for SYR since he
Is old friends with Boone from Philly
Days and snake time in Reno??
What would Bryan Minniti do?
Peric: so Bryan M is overseeing the
Staff hirings?
All these assts to the GM long
And unknown to actual assignments
Was Bryan previously with another org??
Many fans are hoisting an ale in
Celebration of the Maya release ???
Hi Luke. A rather stupid question, but can you eplain how the “player-coach” type signings work? Do the guys like McCauley and Dorta actually get into any games? If not, why not just hire them as full time coaches instead of them taking up roster spots?
McCauley, Dorta, and Jason Michaels were player-coaches last season and none were activated. Michaels played for part of 2012 before evolving into the role. As for why they’re not full-fledged coaches, best I can do is relay what Doug Harris told Geoff Morrow in a “mailbag” column earlier this year:
Dorta, 31, who retired after the 2011 season, is what they call a player/coach, and they’re becoming a lot more popular in minor league baseball these days. You can find them at nearly every level, and here’s why, explains Harris: “We actually have three under player/coach contracts [in our organization], but they will not play. They’ll strictly coach. It’s a way for you to get a feel for potential coaches and for them to learn the trade and learn the organization. The contract is for a year, and we’re very pleased with the work [Dorta] has done. He’s worked really well with the staff and players. Though he jokes with me that he’s at 299 career hits with the Senators and wants one more, but that ain’t happening! We like to poke fun at that, but his playing days are behind him.