Catching Up On Transactions

With the signing of OF Nat McLouth, OF Corey Brown has been designated for assignment, perhaps ending a three-year run as talk radio’s “that guy in Syracuse we should call up.” Brown was acquired along with H-Bomb, er, Henry Rodriguez in December 2010 for OF Josh Willingham in one of the first A’s-Nats trades executed by GM Mike Rizzo.

Brown, of course, could be outrighted which has been the fate of several of the last few DFAs, including Tyler Robertson, who was moved along with Fernando Abad to make room for the trio of Aaron Barrett, Steve Souza Jr. and Michael Taylor at the Nov. 20 deadline.

Yesterday, the Nationals formally announced the signings of RHP Manny Delcarmen, 1B Brock Peterson, and C Brian Jeroloman to minor-league contracts with invites to spring training. Since our last transaction post, the Nationals have also signed 2B Oscar Tejeda and RHP Kelvin Perez.

Delcarmen is arguably the most notable of the bunch, thanks to his tenure with the Boston Red Sox and having once possessed an upper-90s fastball, that has eluded him since his trade from Boston to Colorado in August 2010. Not coincidentally, the 31-y.o. (turns 32 in February) has bounced from the Mariners to the Rangers to the Yankees to the Orioles over the last three seasons, pitching at the AAA level. His 48 appearances for Norfolk is the most since his final MLB season in 2010.

Tejeda, who turns 24 on Boxing Day, is the youngest of the bunch and is most likely ticketed for Harrisburg while the 30-y.o. Peterson seems a near-lock to assume 1B/DH duties for Syracuse. Perez and Jeroloman fit the description of interchangeable between AA and AAA, though both 28-y.o.’s have spent more time AA than AAA thus far in their careers.