Posted November 7, 200717 yr Jason Bourgeois, 2B/OF 2007: Hit a combined .306 between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte (White Sox) with 38 stolen bases, playing second base, third base, left field and center field. He also added nine homers and 54 RBIs. It's hard to believe that Bourgeois, just 25, has yet to get a taste of the big leagues, no less finds himself looking for a job this offseason. A second-round pick in 2000 by Texas, he is one of those do-it-all kinds of guys who can play practically any position, fly on the bases and deliver that clutch hit. He is also a clubhouse leader off the field. He followed up his best season to date by heading down to the Mexican Winter League where he was hitting .276 with 10 steals for Mochis. Ambiorix Concepcion, OF 2007: Hit .256 with 37 runs, three homers, 45 RBIs and 12 stolen bases at Class A Advanced St. Lucie. Concepcion, at one point, was very high on the Mets' list of prospects. He was a New York-Penn League All-Star in 2004 and a Florida State League All-Star in 2006 but has fallen far behind Fernando Martinez, Carlos Gomez and Lastings Milledge, each of whom has more cache and talent than Concepcion. John Hattig, 3B 2007: Hit .268 with 11 homers and 52 RBIs in 100 games for Triple-A Syracuse. The first player ever from Guam to play in the big leagues in 2006, Hattig was removed from the 40-man this past April, but cleared waivers and stayed with the Jays. When healthy, he's shown ability to hit from both sides of plate as a third baseman. Joe Hietpas, RHP 2007: Went 4-3 with a 2.47 ERA in 27 relief outings for Class A Advanced St. Lucie. After toiling for six years as a defensive-minded catcher who could barely hit his weight, Hietpas converted to the mound full-time in 2007 at age 28 and had very good results. Could the arm strength result in a big-league job as a reliever? Someone will surely sign him to find out. Warner Madrigal, RHP 2007: Was 5-4 with a 2.07 ERA with 75 strikeouts in 61 innings over 54 appearances at Class A Cedar Rapids. The former outfielder seems like he might be a much better pitcher than he ever was a hitter. Sure, it was only the Midwest League, but he had 20 saves and allowed only three home runs. Lou Merloni, INF 2007: Hit .254 with three homers and 39 RBIs in 110 games for Triple-A Sacramento. RiverCats manager Tony DeFrancesco loved the 36-year-old so much, he named him captain for the Bricktown Showdown. There has to be a team somewhere in the bigs who could use that kind of leadership in a scrappy guy who can play all over the diamond, doesn't there? Scott Patterson, RHP 2007: Posted a 1.09 ERA in 43 games at Double-A Trenton (Yankees), striking out 90 in 74 1/3 innings while allowing 45 hits and walking just 15, limiting Eastern League hitters to a .170 average. One of the great unsung heroes in the Minors in 2007, the 6-foot-7 Patterson signed with the Yankees midway through 2006 out of the independent leagues, where he'd been pitching since 2002. A move to the bullpen in '05 set him on a new path and he posted a 2.26 ERA for Trenton that summer. The Yankees would like to resign him, but he's hoping he can find a 40-man spot somewhere and with his numbers one would think that could happen. Meanwhile, he's been pitching for Lara in the Venezuelan Winter League and had yet to give up a run in his first eight innings since Oct. 26. Tim Raines Jr., OF 2007: Hit .313 with 58 runs, 12 homers, 56 RBIs and 25 stolen bases while splitting time between Double-A Corpus Christi and Triple-A Round Rock. His dad was "Rock," but he's more of a pebble. Still, a pebble in your shoe can be irritating and that's what he was to the opposition this season in the Pacific Coast League. Raines has some Major League experience (75 games) and would serve well as a fourth or fifth outfielder while providing some speed off the bench. Todd Williams, RHP 2007: 2-1, 2.25 ERA, one save in three Minor League stops; 0-2, 7.53 ERA in 14 MLB games for the Orioles The all-time Minor League saves leader with 215, Williams started with the O's and saw some big-league time, then got released and picked up by the Rockies. With 626 relief appearances in the Minors, 227 in the bigs and the gold medal from being the closer for the 2000 Olympic team, someone is bound to sign that kind of experience as a bullpen insurance policy. Ernie Young, DH 2007: Hit .214 with 13 homers and 42 RBIs for Triple-A Charlotte. At 38 and having just finished his 18th pro season since being drafted in the 10th round of 1990 by Oakland, Young is the active career Minor League leader in homers (319) and RBIs (1,136). While his batting average is not what it once was, he provides a great deal of leadership for the players around him and while a coaching career is likely not far off in his future, it would be nice if he could stick around and pursue 400 homers as long as he wants to. Frank Diaz, OF 2007: Hit .255 with 55 runs, 14 homers, 56 RBIs and 20 doubles at Double-A Harrisburg. Diaz was once the dandy of the Washington/Montreal system, hitting .312 in his breakout year at Class A Advanced Potomac in 2005. He's stalled the past two seasons in the Eastern League, though, hitting .257 while showing a lack of patience at the plate. A change of scenery and new voice could get him back to where he was in the Carolina League. Casey Fossum, LHP 2007: 0-2, 8.10 in three starts for Triple-A Portland; 5-8, 7.70 ERA in 40 big-league games with Devil Rays Have left arm, will travel? He'll be 30 next season and was released by the Rays before being picked up for three late Pacific Coast League starts by the Padres. He's got over 200 games logged in the bigs, so undoubtedly someone will give the former supplemental first-round pick of the Red Sox another shot. Jesse Foppert, RHP 2007: Allowed five earned runs on one hit and four walks in one total inning (three stints of one-third of an inning each) with the Giants' Arizona League complex team in late June. Flash in the pan or hope springs eternal? Five years ago he was the top prospect in the Giants system, having struck out 182 batters in 140 innings in his first full season between Double-A Shreveport and Triple-A Fresno. By the end of the '03 season, he had undergone Tommy John surgery and he's never been the same. He's pitched fewer than 100 innings since then, been traded to Seattle in the Randy Winn deal and then re-signed with San Francisco after Seattle released him this past spring. Bobby Scales, IF/OF 2007: Hit .294 with 11 home runs, 57 RBIs and 14 steals at Triple-A Pawtucket (Red Sox) playing every position except center field and catcher. Scales is much like the aforementioned Jason Bourgeois except with a little more power and less speed. He's a switch-hitter who can play just about any position serviceably, hit for high average and play his butt off. One of the most popular guys in the clubhouse wherever he goes, he may be a late bloomer at age 30 as he's had his three best seasons dating back to 2005. Originally a 14th-round pick out of Michigan in 1999 by San Diego, he had a career .277 average coming into '07. RA Dickey, RHP 2007: Went 13-6 with a 3.72 ERA for Triple-A Nashville. The Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Year in 2007 is 33, but showed he can still pitch a little bit. A first-rounder way back in 1996, Dickey also has 266 big-league innings to his credit and should at the very least give someone an ace for their Triple-A affiliate. Brett Harper, 1B 2007: Hit .296 with 69 runs, 24 homers, 88 RBIs and 25 doubles at Double-A Binghamton. Harper is slowly moving from the prospect to the suspect side of the ledger despite putting up fairly impressive power numbers in two of the past three seasons. He hit 36 homers and drove in 102 runs in 2005, splitting time between St. Lucie and Binghamton before missing all but 19 games in 2006 with a shoulder injury. Lee Gronkiewicz, RHP 2007: Was 6-3 with a 2.41 ERA while splitting 47 games between Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Syracuse. He finally realized his dream and reached the Major Leagues this season, albeit for only one game. Still, he allowed only one run over four innings in that outing and is now pitching for Team USA. He struck out 83 and walked only 10 while saving 13 games. John Gall, OF/1B 2007: Hit .300 in 413 at-bats for Triple-A Albuquerque; 0-for-4 with the Marlins. The real gall is that this sweet-swinging 29-year-old hasn't gotten more big-league time. He's got a .296 career batting average in the Minors and has shown at least some gap power over the course of his career, yet has just 53 Major League at-bats on his resume. Franklyn German, RHP 2007: Collected seven saves and posted a 3.49 ERA in 47 games out of the pen at Triple-A Oklahoma (Rangers), striking out 72 in 59 1/3 innings and limiting Pacific Coast League hitters to a .206 average. The 27-year-old German is big (6-7, 260) and throws hard. While he is no longer the heir apparent to a closer role with Detroit, when he posted 27 saves for Triple-A Toledo in 2004, he's logged 138 games in the big leagues with a perfectly respectable 4.60 ERA. Control issues and inconsistency had plagued him, but if he can show his best stuff he would seem to be a fit for one of the last slots in several Major League bullpens right now. Luis Montanez, OF 2007: Hit .288 with 51 runs, 10 homers, 37 RBIs and a .356 on-base percentage while splitting time between Triple-A Norfolk and Double-A Bowie. This was Montanez's first year with the Orioles after having spent seven years in the Cubs system. He's closing in on 1,000 Minor League hits while sporting a .274 career average in eight seasons. Carlos Perez, LHP 2007: Went 9-9 with a 3.98 ERA with Class A Advanced Frederick and Double-A Bowie. A 25-year-old lefty, it's true that Perez has had much long-term time above A ball. It's also true that he had an 0.62 ERA as a reliever with Frederick, a 2.68 ERA overall in the second half there and, more importantly, held left-handed hitters in the Carolina League to a .190 average. Can you say specialist? Fernando Tatis, 3B 2007: Hit .276 with 21 homers, 67 RBIs and 31 doubles for a .485 slugging percentage at Triple-A New Orleans (Mets). At age 32, Tatis may no longer be the feared up-and-coming slugger he was in 1999 when he hit .298 with 34 homers and 107 RBIs for St. Louis. But he showed this year that he can still flash the power bat. In a career that's spanned big-league time with the Cards, Rangers, Expos and Orioles, he's hit a combined .260 in 691 Major League games and certainly put up the numbers in 2007 that should earn him a shot at a return trip. Ovandy Suero, OF 2007: Hit .252 with 58 runs, a homer, 23 RBIs and 75 stolen bases at Class A Advanced Lakeland. Speed is never a guarantee of anything. He has 203 steals over the past four seasons, and also sports a .302 on-base percentage. The speed is nice, but getting on base to use it and knowing when to use it -- he was caught 21 times this year -- is just as important. Corey Thurman, RHP 2007: Went 5-8 with a 4.36 ERA in 30 games -- 12 of them starts -- for the Double-A Huntsville Stars (Brewers), with a 2.19 ERA in relief. But it was as a starter that he tossed the first six innings of a combined no-hitter in the Southern League playoffs. Thurman, who turned 29 this week, was originally drafted by Kansas City in the fourth round of 1995. Taken by Toronto in the Major League Rule 5 Draft in 2001, he spent all of '02 in the big leagues, posting a 4.37 ERA out of the 'pen before shoulder woes started to slow him the next summer. He lost virtually all of 2004 and 2005 to shoulder surgery, but has come back strong over the past two seasons with the Brewers. Luis Antonio Jimenez, 1B 2007: Hit just .148 with a home run and seven RBIs in a month at Triple-A Pawtucket (Red Sox) before being released, but then hooked on with Baltimore where he batted .328 with 22 home runs and 79 RBIs at Double-A Bowie between May 15 and the end of the season. Jimenez, 25, was signed out of Venezuela at age 16 in 1999 by Oakland, but did not play above Class A until 2005 when he signed as a Minor League free agent with Minnesota. In the past three seasons, he's put up good power numbers in the Eastern League with the Twins at New Britain, the Red Sox at Portland and most recently the Orioles at Bowie. The left-handed hitter is listed officially at 6-4 and 200 pounds, but he appears to have packed on a few extra pounds since his vital stats have been updated
November 7, 200717 yr What's intruiging about Gall or Merloni, or several of these other guys? Wierd article!
November 7, 200717 yr Author What's intruiging about Gall or Merloni, or several of these other guys? Wierd article! i think its more like out of all of the minor league free agents these players should be given a long look? i mean gall had a good minor league season and merloni is on there just because he could provide some kind of veteran leadership
November 8, 200717 yr There are some names to think about up there... Hell, I'd rather have Tim Raines, Jr. roaming center than Reggie Abercrombie (thank god he's gone).
November 8, 200717 yr Ernie Young, DH 2007: Hit .214 with 13 homers and 42 RBIs for Triple-A Charlotte. At 38 and having just finished his 18th pro season since being drafted in the 10th round of 1990 by Oakland, Young is the active career Minor League leader in homers (319) and RBIs (1,136). While his batting average is not what it once was, he provides a great deal of leadership for the players around him and while a coaching career is likely not far off in his future, it would be nice if he could stick around and pursue 400 homers as long as he wants to. This guy is a DH? For a professional team? And he intrigues you?
November 17, 200717 yr I was reading JR House is available as a F/A. That is one catcher I would sign in a heartbeat
November 17, 200717 yr This list fails without Jonathan Van Every. He strikes out too much, but he's awesome defensively and he can hit.
November 18, 200717 yr Jason Bourgeois, 2B/OF 2007: Hit a combined .306 between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte (White Sox) with 38 stolen bases, playing second base, third base, left field and center field. He also added nine homers and 54 RBIs. It's hard to believe that Bourgeois, just 25, has yet to get a taste of the big leagues, no less finds himself looking for a job this offseason. A second-round pick in 2000 by Texas, he is one of those do-it-all kinds of guys who can play practically any position, fly on the bases and deliver that clutch hit. He is also a clubhouse leader off the field. He followed up his best season to date by heading down to the Mexican Winter League where he was hitting .276 with 10 steals for Mochis. Bourgeois is continuing his 2007 minor league career year in Mexico this winter putting up another string of good numbers, .304/.377. Went 11 for the last 25 including I think it was a one inning, six rbi game in the last few days. He may never have another year like this but if you're a 25 year old minor-leaguer looking to get noticed by someone in the MLB he did a pretty good job. Considering he plays inf/OF he could be the next Alfredo Amezaga-type (versatile) for some team although he stole many more bases and OF is his best position. I can only comment on what I read but a few things of note: He only struck out 69 times in 569 ABs last season, he's not a part of the MLB-generated organizational review for the White Sox and he's a peanut, 5'9" and either 170 or 185 lbs depending on the source. It appears he may or may not be taken in the MLB rule 5 draft and could fall to the AAA draft. Interesting guy. Maybe he's maturing late, maybe this is his career year, but if you read game summaries and minor league local newspaper coverage he's got a lot of tools and conceivably makes a pretty well-rounded fifth outfielder off someone's bench. -------- Scott Patterson mentioned above is also doing well this winter. 12 appearances, 14.2 innings, ten strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA in Venezuela. Being used in a setup role from what I can tell. Has zero saves. He is on the Yankees 40 man roster as of today but it will be interesting to see if he still is come Nov 20th.
November 18, 200717 yr Jason Bourgeois, 2B/OF 2007: Hit a combined .306 between Double-A Birmingham and Triple-A Charlotte (White Sox) with 38 stolen bases, playing second base, third base, left field and center field. He also added nine homers and 54 RBIs. It's hard to believe that Bourgeois, just 25, has yet to get a taste of the big leagues, no less finds himself looking for a job this offseason. A second-round pick in 2000 by Texas, he is one of those do-it-all kinds of guys who can play practically any position, fly on the bases and deliver that clutch hit. He is also a clubhouse leader off the field. He followed up his best season to date by heading down to the Mexican Winter League where he was hitting .276 with 10 steals for Mochis. Bourgeois is continuing his 2007 minor league career year in Mexico this winter putting up another string of good numbers, .304/.377. Went 11 for the last 25 including I think it was a one inning, six rbi game in the last few days. He may never have another year like this but if you're a 25 year old minor-leaguer looking to get noticed by someone in the MLB he did a pretty good job. Considering he plays inf/OF he could be the next Alfredo Amezaga-type (versatile) for some team although he stole many more bases and OF is his best position. I can only comment on what I read but a few things of note: He only struck out 69 times in 569 ABs last season, he's not a part of the MLB-generated organizational review for the White Sox and he's a peanut, 5'9" and either 170 or 185 lbs depending on the source. It appears he may or may not be taken in the MLB rule 5 draft and could fall to the AAA draft. Interesting guy. Maybe he's maturing late, maybe this is his career year, but if you read game summaries and minor league local newspaper coverage he's got a lot of tools and conceivably makes a pretty well-rounded fifth outfielder off someone's bench. -------- Scott Patterson mentioned above is also doing well this winter. 12 appearances, 14.2 innings, ten strikeouts and a 0.00 ERA in Venezuela. Being used in a setup role from what I can tell. Has zero saves. He is on the Yankees 40 man roster as of today but it will be interesting to see if he still is come Nov 20th. I like both of these guys. Patterson is 6'7" and Burgeois sounds like another Ryan Freel.
November 19, 200717 yr Author I was reading JR House is available as a F/A. That is one catcher I would sign in a heartbeat thinkin the same thing... :thumbup
November 29, 200717 yr We should sign Concepcion and Montanez. Luis Montanez? Isn't this the same guy that played shortstop years ago, and was a top prospect? I think we should give R.A Dickey and Casey Fossum just a little look.
November 30, 200717 yr We should sign Concepcion and Montanez. Luis Montanez? Isn't this the same guy that played shortstop years ago, and was a top prospect? I think we should give R.A Dickey and Casey Fossum just a little look. Monta?ez is that very same
November 30, 200717 yr We should sign Concepcion and Montanez. Luis Montanez? Isn't this the same guy that played shortstop years ago, and was a top prospect? I think we should give R.A Dickey and Casey Fossum just a little look. Monta?ez is that very same I thought that name looked familiar. He's from the era where I use to follow baseball 100% before my job took over!
November 30, 200717 yr We should sign Concepcion and Montanez. Luis Montanez? Isn't this the same guy that played shortstop years ago, and was a top prospect? I think we should give R.A Dickey and Casey Fossum just a little look. Monta?ez is that very same Was he ever really a top prospect? I know he was a first rounder and all but I never really knew he was rated all that high.
December 1, 200717 yr BTW, Scott Patterson who re-signed with New York and is on their 40 man roster now continues to be lights out in Winter League play. Too bad he won't be available in the draft as earlier thought.
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