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Frank Catalanotto has signed a minor league deal with the New York Mets. The 35 year old was somewhat productive last season after signing a minor league deal with Milwaukee finishing with a .278/.346/.382 line with one home run and nine RBI while wrestling playing time away from Corey Hart.

With the Mets he’d figure to be used primarily as a pinch hitter and may see some playing time at first or the corner outfield positions. A left handed swinger he’s got a .819 career OPS against right handed pitchers.

Despite Catalanotto’s short comings it’s quite surprising he couldn’t get a guaranteed contract entering this year, then again I suppose I said the same following his release at the end of spring training last year.

While the Mets had still occasionally been linked to Carlos Delgado this likely closes the door on that as the Mets likely would be better off with Catalanotto occasionally appearing in the lineup opposed toe Delgado who apparently cannot field grounders without hobbling

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Popularity: 8% [?]

Last year one of my favorite times to write was during spring training. It was during that time that I began a little segment entitled the non-roster invitee report. At that time I continued what I had started the year before by selecting a player on each team I predicted would make the major leagues.

Looking back I am proud to note that I was correct on 26-of-30 or 86.6% of my picks. Considering I also guessed an extra 5 for the Texas Rangers I could say I was 31-of-35 for a success rate of 88.6%

Some would say it’s easy to predict a non roster invitee who will make the team. Well tell that to me as Brad Wilkerson retired,  Jailen Peguero got released and how exactly does someone pick anyone on the Los Angeles Angels considering the talent level was baron from the start. Though looking back I’ll admit picking Gary Majewski was probably silly.

Oh I won’t complain though. I don’t know what my success rate will be in 2010 but if it’s near the 90% of last season I’ll have to give myself a pat on the back again.

Matt Wieters – Baltimore

Brad Wilkerson – Boston
Mike MacDougal – White Sox
Vinnie Chulk – Indians
Fu-Te Ni – Tigers
Lenny DiNardo – Royals
Ben Johnson – Angels
R.A. Dickey – Twins
Shelley Duncan – Yankees
Edgar Gonzalez – A’s
Chris Shelton – Mariners
Jason Isringhausen – Rays
Andruw Jones – Rangers also predicted Omar Vizquel, Jason Jennings, Kris Benson, Elvis Andrus and Eddie Guardado would make team
Kevin Millar – Blue Jays

Jailen Peguero – Diamondbacks
Jordan Schafer – Braves
Chad Fox – Cubs
Jonny Gomes – Reds
Randy Flores – Rockies
Kiko Calero – Marlins
John Gall/Chris Johnson – Astros
Doug Mientkiewicz – Dodgers
Chris Duffy – Brewers
Livan Hernandez – Mets
Gary Majewski – Phillies
Craig Monroe – Pirates
Shawn Hill – Padres
Rich Aurilia – Giants
Colby Rasmus – Cardinals
Jordan Zimmermann – Nationals

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Considering I hadn’t heard his name since the 2009 season ended I figured Garret Anderson may be headed for retirement. Anderson apparently is being looked at by the Los Angeles Dodgers as a fourth outfielder.

As the left fielder of the Atlanta Braves the 37 year old hit .268/.303/.410 with 13 homers and 61 RBI. Anderon has regressed largely since his prime days in Anaheim and would best be kept out of the field.

Should he land with the Dodgers Xavier Paul and Jason Repko would figure to battle it out for the final spot in the outfield.

A fan favorite during his time with the Angels, you have to give Anderson some credit for realizing he’s not an everyday player anymore.

Popularity: 10% [?]

It’s been years since Livan Hernandez has been a quality arm at the big league level but that didn’t stop the Washington Nationals from bringing him in for eight gruesome starts last season. It also hasn’t diminished the belief that he is a work horse even if much of his work is being left on the base paths for someone else.

I’m not a Nationals fan by any means and I’ve usually suggested that veterans can still be productive but it’s best for everybody if Livan Hernandez stays out of the clubhouse this year.

I’ll spare you the pastry jokes and say that the last time Hernandez was truly productive was back in 2005 when the Montreal Expos had just moved to Washington. Under the auora of a new team in the nationals capital Hernandez went 15-10 with a 3.98 ERA while pitching  a league high 246.1 innings.

Hernandez got a reputation as a innings eater midway though his career which is probably a bit unfair since he was actually a pretty good starter during his time in San Fransisco and Montreal/Washington. Though since then he’s been nothing more then a guy you let pitch if you don’t care how many runs your team allows every fifth day.

Since the 2005 season Hernandez has made 129 starts and averaged 196 innings. He’s also compiled a 5.28 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP during that span. That he is somehow 46-47 during that time on teams that were less then contenders speaks volumes about how fickle wins and losses are in baseball.

Always hit around against throughout his career Hernandez has seen his strike out numbers fall off the board and his walk ratio climb over the last four seasons which combined with a increase in gopher balls is like pouring gasoline down your throat and then lighting a cigarette.

Of all the reunions of teams and recent players you would have had me on Livan Hernandez rejoining the Nationals. Jerry Crasnick of ESPN said the Nats were looking for a “Livan Hernandez type” as insurance for the rotation a few days ago. But this is for the best.

The two need to move on.

Already a big guy, Hernandez has grown wider and wider in recent years while Washington has amassed a number of arms capable of starting that they have questions about.

Since we know what Hernandez will bring to the table, 200 innings, mid-5 ERA and a lot of swearing from National fans, the team would be best to at least give someone else a shot.

I know Garret Mock (3-10, 5.62) Shairon Martis (5-3, 5.25) and Collin Balester (1-4, 6.82) aren’t exactly your ideal solution at the back end of a rotation that is already weak but at worst they approach what Livan Hernandez did in 8 starts with the Nationals last season.  (2-4, 5.36) Of course there’s also Chuck James who missed all of 2009 following rotator cuff surgery in 2008.

The beauty of replacing Hernandez with the above options is unmistakable. It’s one rotation spot. If Mock struggles you hand it over to Martis and then Balester and so on down the line. Start with Balester and go the other way if you like. If neither proves worth a turn in the rotation call up Chuck James if he has success following a minor league stint. Call up any live arm for that matter, it doesn’t matter much because it all comes down to one thing.

That Livan Hernandez will be out of the equation would be enough to sell me on this.

Should I underline it and add explanation points as well?

Plus you won’t have to hear the question of when will you replace Hernandez from the media. You will save everyone from having to watch the Sport Center highlights of a man trying to hang on to something that hasn’t been there for years.

If you go with one of the options currently on the active roster or maybe even some guy bobbing around at Triple-A then there won’t be any talk of when they fail.

Of course that could also be negative because well this is the Nationals and if they aren’t on a  losing skid with despicable playing habits then they aren’t relevant.

I guess ultimately it doesn’t matter if the Nationals sign another aging veteran to compete for the rotation or if they go with someone on the club. Not much will be expected out of the fifth stater either way. It’s just that by going with a younger guy the organization is still evaluating then they at-least get to see if they have something in any of them instead of putting the issue off until the home stretch of the year.

Oh the joy of being a 59 win team stuck in last place for two years in a row.

Popularity: 6% [?]

Well Friends of Animals is at it again this time complaining about US Skater Johnny Weir wearing fox fur on one of his costumes.

Well I gotta tell you I am offended as well. I am offended that Johnny Weir looks like a woman.

Now I don’t know anything about Johnny Weir other then he’s a skater trying to be in the Olympics but I gotta tell you he looks like a woman to me.

The story about Weir of course is the fur on his costume. I don’t really care if people wear fur or not. Also let me be clear here: I have no problem with men skaters on ice, pavement or any other surface.

Bbut that people think it’s ok for men to dress this way as long as there’s no fur then well you got my water boiling.

Frankly someone should just step in and tell the man how to dress.

Then again I guess the man is gay.

On his site, Johnny Weir Online, Weir talks about the rumors surrounding his sexuality.

“People talk. Figure skating is thought of as a female sport, something that only girly men compete in. I don’t feel the need to express my sexual being because it’s not part of my sport and it’s private. I can sleep with whomever I choose and it doesn’t affect what I’m doing on the ice, so speculation is speculation.”

Weir continued, “I like nice things, and beautiful things, so if that is the only way people are determining that I swing one way or the other, then to me, that’s sad. You can’t judge a book by it’s cover, ever. I never get angry about things because it’s human nature to be jealous and rip people to shreds if you don’t like them, regardless of the subject. I am who I am, and I don’t need to justify anything to anyone.”

Popularity: 15% [?]

Randy Winn, 35, has signed a contract with the New York Yankees.  The signing of Winn at $2 million could be the biggest sign to date that a reunion of Johnny Damon and the Yankees is not in the cards.

Of course until Damon does sign elsewhere there will always be those rumors.

Winn finished his fifth year in San Fransisco with a .262/.318./353 line with a career low 2 home runs. He is still known as a good defensive outfielder and can offer some team speed with steal totals of 16, 25 and 15 over the last three seasons.

Not known for his power Winn has been able to hit and walk his way on base to be a productive member of a ball club. In 12 big league seasons he has a career .344 OBP including .353 and .363 in 2007 and 2008 while with the Giants.

In New York he figures to share the left field job with Brent Gardner likely seeing the majority of his playing time against right handed pitching.

The combination of Garnder and Winn likely would bat at the bottom of the order.

Brian Cashman and the Yankees held firm with Damon and agent Scott Boras insisting they would only sign the outfielder to a deal worth $2 million.

For what it’s worth the Oakland A’s are still believed to be interested in Damon at a lesser salary. Boras and David O’Brien have done a good job of keeping the option of Atlanta in the press and the Detroit Tigers have reemerged as a possible destination over the last week.

If the Yankees are indeed out of the running for Damon then his anticipated contract for 2010 drops dramatically. The Yankees were the one team that was believed to be able to pay $4-5 million for Damon. It’s possible that Damon may end up signing for the same amount as Winn has. That would have been unbelievable

at the start of this winter.

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The Jim Thome saga is over. He’s headed to Minnesota. I had made multiple posts on why the Chicago White Sox would have been wise to bring back the left handed hitter but alas he won’t be coming back.

In Minnesota he’ll have to battle for at-bats but could get the bulk of playing time at DH based on what happens in the outfield with Delmon Young.

Thome, who turns 40 later this season, hit .249/.366/.481 last year with 23 homers. He was traded to the Dodgers late in the year where he played primarily as a pinch hitter.

The Twins were known to have interest in Thome but the slugger was perhaps hoping for a reunion with the White Sox that never came to be. It was a back and forth to whether the White Sox were truly interested in Thome with the latest comments coming from manager Ozzie Guillen that it would be hard to find the big man at-bats and that the team would have no problems bringing him back in spring training if their current trio of DH candidates didn’t work out.

Those comments were all Thome and the Twins needed to make this official.

We likely won’t have to wait long to see if the White Sox made the right decision on Thome.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Brad Ausmus continues to put off retirement resigning with the LA Dodgers for a second straight year. Ausmus, who will turn 41 in April, hit .295/.343/.368 with a home run and eight RBI in 95-at-bats last year.

Brad played in 36 games last season, his total should be roughly the same this year as he’ll continue to back up Russell Martin.

Known as one of the nicer guys in the game, Ausmus will enter his 18th season in the majors.

Frankly I don’t have much else to say about this but felt like at-least acknowledging it since I consider Ausmus one of my favorites.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Before I head out to church and Wal-Mart I figured I’d take the time to make a blog post before the AFC Championship game. Obviously here in Indiana the game is a big deal.

I can’t help but repeat something I head on the radio the other day.

On 670 the Score they were talking about how you never hear any backlash against Peyton Manning like you do of players like Brett Favre and Phillip Rivers etc.

Obviously Peyton has kept himself out of the negative headlines and has someone eluded the backlash of simply being the best player at his position in his sport.

Anyway one caller called in and said the following.

“I don’t like Peyton Manning. The whole family looks like they are missing a chromosome.”

Now that is funny.

The Colts aren’t my favorite team though they are my wifes. I gotta admit I am a Peyton Manning fan though. I’d wear a Peyton jersey, which is odd considering I would never wear a Tony Romo Cowboys jersey even though they are my favorite team.

Now that’s character.

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Anyway you may have noticed that I removed the glider that featured hot topics. Mainly because it had become a pain to update and always seemed to have a story that was nearly two weeks old at the end of it.

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Call it another one of them deals you knew would happen but didn’t think would take so long.

The Baltimore Orioles have signed Miguel Tejada with the intention of playing him at third base this year.

Garret Atkins will move across the diamond to first base.

Last season as the short stop in Houston he hit .313/.340/.455 with 46 doubles and 14 home runs.

Tejada, 35, was traded to Houston in December of 2007 a day before he was named in the Mitchell Report as a steroid user. The news wasn’t exactly surprising as former teammate Rafael Palmerio had said the two used to inject each other while on the Orioles.

There’s also the chance Tejada could see some playing time at shortstop but the O’s thus far seem alright with Cesar Izturis starting at the position.

The terms of the deal are unknown and while Tejada may be a polarizing figure based on his first stint with the O’s he does upgrade the offense. Ty Wiggington figures to now be used primarily as a corner infield replacement.

Make no mistake of it. This signing helps the Orioles continue to move in the right direction. You can only market the idea that the club is young for so long. It’s time the Orioles started to win some games and you need guys who can play baseball well to do that.

Baltimore won 64 games last year and 68 the year before. The last time they won more then 70 games came in 2007 when Tejada was still with the club.

Tejada can still hit, his defense at third may be a little shaky to start the year but the Orioles haven’t locked themselves into anything long term here. Tejada will get to play daily and the Orioles won’t be locked into anything long term at third like they were in previous years with Melvin Mora.

Popularity: 18% [?]