Reclamation project and minor league FA thread

With the Winter Meetings approaching, agents are Xeroxing client resumes in hopes of one final payout from baseball's fringe players.

I hated homework, and I'm a big believer and letting Beerleaguers engage "organically," but here's a fun assignment you're sure to love. Peruse this comprehensive list of notable free agents and identify the reclamation project or washed up veteran who would be worth a minor league flier. The Phils almost always take a shot on a noteworthy project player who was once considered "elite" talent - think Kris Benson in 2008. My selection follows in the Antonio Alfonseca mold as someone who could be signed cheaply and add instant credibility to the bullpen, even for half a season. Recall that Alfonseca, who was scouted on the comeback trail in the Dominican Winter League, pitched to a 3.93 ERA and six saves as a stop-gap set-up man and closer in the first half of 2007. Soon after, he was cooked, and he never pitched in affiliated ball again.

So here's my choice from the list. a minor league deal to Vicente Padilla. At 34, and having missed most of the last two seasons with injury, Padilla may be done as a starter but could be poised for a Jose Contrera-like second life as a reliever. Padilla was a formidable force as recently as 2010 and his K/9 numbers were actually the best of his career in his three years with the Dodgers. Joe Torre and company loved that he had matured into a pitcher who relied as much on guile as pure stuff. And there's always been the notion that Padilla could thrive in the bullpen.

Padilla missed most of the season with surgery to repair a bulging disk in his neck and is a free agent. As far as I can tell, there hasn't been an update on his status. He typically returns to his native Nicaragua in the offseason where he's - how shall we say - "off the grid."

Update: We'll have the big Pat Misch, Kevin Frandsen and Scott Mathieson posts coming up shortly. Of course the Phillies can't scatter these transactions over a couple of days. There's, like, six days worth of offseason material right there ...

Comments

[Willard Preacher]

Mathieson released?!?!?! Oh no!!! Beerleaguer may never be the same.

[Bedrosian's Beard]

I like the idea of Padilla on a minor league deal.

[Scotch Man]

Didn't Padilla get shot last off season?

[NEPP]

I think Padilla had several shots last season...usually during each game unfortunately.

[Scotch Man]

I say the Phils fill out the Iron Pigs rotation with Zach Duke

[bay_area_phan]

My Top 5 Reclamation Projects worthy of a minor league deal/spring training invite:

1. Brad Hawpe -- still only 30

2. Felipe Lopez -- .724 career OPS and, most important of all (in the Phillies' eyes) extremely versatile

3. Brandon Webb -- we're talking REAL long-shot, but huge upside.

4. Aaron Cook -- probably cooked, but worth stashing at AAA.

5. Chad Durbin -- why not?

[NEPP]

You know what's crazy? Brandon Webb hasn't really pitched in the Majors since 2008. He had 1 start in 09 and then hit the DL since then. He got destroyed in a couple starts in AA last year too.

Still, I'd go the Kris Benson route on him.

[MG]

Padilla - No shot he is back here although it wouldn't surprise me if he could be an effective reliever yet in MLB.

Harden is a guy that really interests me but as a middle reliever. Some foolish team will sign him as a starter only to have him break down yet again.

There are several potentially interesting relievers who might not get tendered including a couple of LHP. Wouldn't be surprise at all if the Phils look there to sign there veteran LOOGY is they don't like Miller or Grabow & think they are too expensive.

[gobaystars]

Re: Nakajima
I've seen him play a few times in person and quite a bit on tv/the internet over the years and he is good but unless you are talking about a hulking Hideki Matsui type all NPB power numbers get thrown out the window (Tad Iguchi was a power hitter in Japan). That leaves a speed guy who played on turf and even then didn't steal a ton of bases. So offensively I'm not convinced.
As for defense, he is good but prone to errors. He plays on turf and that highlights his flashiness and penchant for highlight reel plays. The guy will plenty of excellent plays over the course of the year. His arm is major league quality but not on par with guys like Valdez and he isn't as steady as Jimmy Rollins. So he could play in the bigs but he'd be something like a league avg SS.

[Scotch Man]

I think Webb's fooled enough people into thinking he'll return to his Cy Young form. I'd give him the Benson Experiment but that's it.

[bay_area_phan]

My guess: Vicente Padilla will get a major league contract from someone.

[Edmundo]

There's, like, six days worth of offseason material right there ...

:)

[MG]

Good luck to Mathieson if he ends up in Japan. I don't think he got 'mistreated by the Phils' but he did go through a lot to come back from two TJ surgeries.

Kind of why I am really rooting for Savery to make the roster next year and stick around as an effective situational LHP reliever. Literally besides becoming a player/manager, he has done everything & anything to get a crack at making the MLB roster.

[Dragon]

Did somebody say Chad Durbin? I'm for it! We gotta have more Durbin, baby! Guess what? I got a fever. And the only prescription is...more Durbin!

[J. Weitzel]

Durbin doesn't do it for me.

[cookierojas16]

Chad Durbin = stomach disturbin'

[GM-Carson]

Chad Durbin was horrible in Cleveland last year. On a minor league deal I'm for it though. I love stocking AAA with hasbeens.

[meaningfulchance]

Here's a few former Phils I'd like to see back in the fold on a MLC/ST flyer:

Taylor Buchholz (Researched his improvement from depression/anxiety issues, get the sense he'd be more likely to come back to baseball for his hometown team.)
Chad Durbin
Nick Punto
Pat Burrell (Just so the Grapefruit girls can break out their #5 jerseys again for a month or so.)

And what happened to Aaron Rowand? Did he fall off the face of the earth after he was released by the Giants?