MLB Off-Season Thread

[Bobbob1313]

The Nats seem to have a lot of "Decent control, slightly above average strikeout rate" guys in the minors. A lot of those guys remind me of Aaron Thompson just looking at their numbers.

[FishFanInPA]

Kiko Calero signed a minor league deal with the Mets.

[DColts]

Times for a Spring Training thread.

[m26555]

The Nationals released outfielder Elijah Dukes, according to a team press release. No reason was provided. This is very surprising news, as Dukes projected as the team's starting right fielder. Dukes' time with Washington was marked by injuries and a disappointing '09 season.

Dukes, 25, hit .250/.337/.393 in 416 plate appearances last year, playing a below-average right and center field (according to UZR). He also played 22 games in the minors. Dukes has avoided off-the-field problems since Jim Bowden acquired him from the Rays in December of '07, with a June '08 dugout confrontation with Manny Acta probably his worst offense. Just a couple of weeks ago MASN's Ben Goessling noted that the Nationals had "taken the reins off Dukes -- letting his personal adviser go and allowing him more freedom with the media."

Pretty surprising.

[Bobbob1313]

Snatch him up.

I don't care that we have no room for him.

[Namaste]

Ron Washington (TEX manager) knows how to handle a mistake without turning it into a gigantic clusterfuck.

[Beef]

Well, interest in his mistake is different than interest in mistakes by players (mistakes meaning they used steroids I assume), so it is much easier to handle

[Namaste]

[Party]

We have a ST thread.