Non-roster guys with a chance to stick - Part Three (The Finale)

The final installment features a Sal Fasano sighting and a bunch of old dudes in San Francisco - shocking, right?









Philadelphia Phillies: Kris Benson, SP









This is a pretty obvious fit; the Phillies are starved for starting pitching and Benson was starved for a job. On paper the Phils rotation lines up as Brett Myers, Cole Hamels, Jamie Moyer, Kyle Kendrick, and Adam Eaton. Does that look like a starting 5 that can compete with the Mets - or even the Braves, for that matter? That's before even considering that Kendrick struck out an appalling 49 hitters in 121 IP, Jamie Moyer is 45 years old and had an ERA+ of 92 last season, Myers spent last season in the bullpen, Cole Hamels finished the year with elbow problems and a drop in velocity, and Adam Eaton is Adam Eaton (6.29 ERA, 73 ERA+, 1.627 WHIP). And the Mets have Johan Santana. Do I think Benson is going to cure all that ails the Phillies? Absolutely not. But someone has to start games for the Phillies and all five of their guys have significant question marks. Things could get real ugly in Philly this season. Or they could hit enough to make it not even matter. Count on the ugly.









Pittsburgh Pirates: T.J Beam, RP








Beam is a hard throwing former Yankees prospect who ran afoul of Joe Torre by not being immediately awesome. And if he had been immediately awesome, Torre would have ran afoul of Beam's career by using him for the next 46 consecutive games and personally scheduling him an appointment with James Andrews. So consider it a blessing in disguise, Mr. Beam, that Carl Pavano is the stand-up guy that he is - if he had accepted minor league deal instead of insisting that he remain on the major league roster (even though he has no hope or intention of pitching for the Yankees ever again) - you never would have been bumped from the 40-man and wound up in Pirates camp. Beam struck out 45 in 47.1 IP at AAA last season, while walking only 10, and he's with an organization starved for pitching. Good match.









Seattle Mariners: Greg Norton, 4C









The Mariners are positioning themselves to have a bench with only one left-handed bat - and that's Brad Wilkerson, who might become a starter if the Mariners determine that Wladimir Balentien isn't ready. Norton is a switch-hitter, plays all four corners, and in 2006 with Tampa Bay hit .296/.374/.520 in nearly 300 ABs. Norton has always had some pop and some patience which is why it's puzzling that he's so rarely employed at the major league level. I think he's a good fit with this team, particularly with Richie Sexson having just "hit" .185/.293/.392 against righties last season.









St. Louis Cardinals: Colby Rasmus, CF









Who plays in the outfield for this team? Jim Edmonds' departure and Juan Encarnacion's reportedly career-ending eye injury have left the Cards riddled with holes. Of all the outfielders on their 40-man, the only natural center-fielder I see is Skip Schumaker. Do you want Skip Schumaker starting in center for your team, especially if you insist you intend to contend? LaRussa may intend to have an adventure with Rick Ankiel in center and start Chris Duncan and Ryan Ludwick at the corners, but that looks like an awfully unproductive group, particularly if you're as convinced as I am that Rick Ankiel will be exposed badly this year. And I'm not even going to comment on the absurdity of Juan Gonzalez being in anyone's camp. So that leaves super-prospect Colby Rasmus, a 21 year-old center fielder who hit .275/.381/.551 at AA last season. He walked 70 times and swiped 18 bases while being caught just 3 times. If any team is likely to sign an unemployed guy like Corey Patterson or Kenny Lofton before spring is out, it's the Cardinals. But I take the chance on the young guy with power, speed, and patience.










San Diego Padres: Jeff DaVanon, OF








I still like DaVanon as a switch-hitter who can play all three outfield positions well and run a little bit. To me, that's your ideal bench player. The Padres acquired Jim Edmonds to play center every day, but Edmonds is nearly a lock to miss some time this year and he hit .198/.286/.346 against lefties last year. Scott Hairston might also be exposed as an everyday player and he's not a natural OF. In addition, the Padres may try to push another natural IF in Chase Headley into left field. I think with an outfield like that, you need a competent defensive sub who can fill in at all three corners and spell Edmonds against lefties once a week or so. DaVanon is the closest thing to that guy in the Padres camp.









San Francisco Giants: Scott Williamson, RP








Do I have to pick anyone here? Even the Giants spring training invitees are old and devoid of upside - reliever Keichi Yabu is 40, 1B Scott McClain is 36, RP Bartolome Fortunato is 34 (what a name!) and RP Scott Williamson is 32. I'll pick Williamson because he's a spring chicken by comparison and his career never seems to die despite the fact that he hasn't been healthy for 4 years. I understand the intrigue with his arm because he strikes out a ton of guys, but he's almost never on the mound. I guess he's the closest thing to an upside play the Giants have in their camp. Sorry, Giants fans. Long year ahead.









Tampa Bay Rays: Evan Longoria, 3B









Akinori Iwamura has already begun his transition to 2B (where his bat plays a lot better anyway) in preparation for the arrival of perhaps the most highly-regarded prospect in baseball. The Rays are going to be a lot of fun to watch this year and a real pain to play. No team will be looking forward to a three-game series that lines up Scott Kazmir, James Shields, and Matt Garza. BJ Upton is only getting better, Carlos Pena has established himself as a force, Carl Crawford, who seems like he's been around forever, is still only 26...and then there's Longoria. The 22 year-old was the first overall pick by the then Devil Rays in 2006 and here he is two years later, ready to inherit the everyday 3B job after hitting .304/.388/.546 with 44 home runs in just 2 minor league seasons. I think it's safe to say he'll be real good, and as soon as this year.









Texas Rangers: Chris Shelton, 1B








The Rangers picked up Ben Broussard this offseason, and Broussard has, correctly, been identified by all of his past employers as a platoon player (.227/.290/.399 career against southpaws). But looking at the Texas' 40-man roster, it looks at first glance like they might play Big Ben everyday due to lack of other options. But among their non-roster invitees is forgotten man Chris Shelton. Remember in 2006 when the Tigers hit the ground running and Shelton was leading the majors in basically every hitting category through April? Seems like a long time ago. When Shelton regressed to the mean, Jim Leyland and staff got impatient and banished Shelton to the minors while acquiring Sean Casey. Has that move ever made sense to anyone? Anyway, aside from drawing 83 walks, Shelton wasn't all that impressive in AAA last year, but if any player besides Elijah Dukes screams "change of scenery" more than Shelton, I don't know who he is (actually, I think I misheard; Dukes was screaming "incarcerate me!"). I think he could form a pretty good two-headed monster with Broussard and give the Rangers at least league-average production at 1B.









Toronto Blue Jays: Travis Snider, OF









Sal Fasano is in the Blue Jays camp. I root for no man over Sal Fasano. I lived in Philadelphia during the "Sal's Pals" craze, when Fasano had an epic Fu Manchu and sent free pizza up to his fan club in the upper deck every night. He was traded to the Yankees right before the deadline that year (2006) and the hearts of thousands of cheesesteak-eaters broke, especially when pictures of Sal, sans beard due to Yankee facial hair rules, were seen in Philadelphia newspapers. As much as I love Fasano and want him to succeed, I'd have to put him at least fourth on the catching depth chart in Toronto behind Gregg Zaun, Rod Barajas, and Curtis Thigpen. To be honest, this Toronto roster looks to be competition-free for the most part. I suppose there's a possibility that the Blue Jays stop calling Matt Stairs an outfielder, Reed Johnson isn't healthy or good, and Travis Snider passes Adam Lind on the Blue Jays depth chart, but it's remote. For the record, Snider is a 20 year-old lefty who has posted a .316/.388/.538 line in 2 minor league seasons. He's a good bet to make an impact in the future, but I don't think his time is now.









Washington Nationals: Humberto Cota, C









The Nats have a dude named Jim Ed Warden, and true to the mental image that popped in my head the second I saw that name, he's 6'7" and from Tennessee. Unfortunately, he's 28 and not much of a prospect. I think the most likely man to make the opening day roster is Humberto Cota, a catcher who has spent parts of seven years in the majors with the Pirates. The Nationals signed Paul Lo Duca, but his offseason knee surgery was enough of a worry to encourage them to pick up Johnny Estrada. Obviously if both of these guys are healthy come Opening Day, the Nats are covered in the catching department. But if Lo Duca isn't ready to go by then, Cota is the most experienced backup catcher they have. I'd imagine they'll want Jesus Flores to get a full year of at bats in the minors after snatching him from the Mets in the Rule V last year and storing him on the 40-man all season. That would make Cota the token backup. Not an exciting choice, but there it is.









That concludes my nerdy and exhaustive look at non-roster invitees this spring. Let the competition begin.