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November 18, 2005
Transaction
Texas acquired reliever Jon Leicester for a Player To Be Named Later or cash. Texas also signed pitchers Jesse Carlson and Kevin Walker to minor-league contracts.
The 26-year-old Leicester pitched pretty well as a rookie reliever for the Cubs in 2004 (3.89 ERA, 7.6 K/9, but also seven homers in 43 innings). In 2005, Chicago banished him to Iowa after a rough start, where he struggled as a swingman. Leicester has rarely shown good control in the minors, though he did begin striking out hitters at a dandy pace once he turned 24. He’ll get a chance to start the season in Arlington. He’s on the 40-man roster.
Carlson is 24 and is now on his fourth organization. He floundered in his first attempt in AA in 2004 and likewise struggled in AAA for Toronto the following season. The Jays demoted him to AA, where he pitched magnificently (1.83 ERA, two homers, five walks and 42 strikeouts in 42 innings). Carlson has an ERA of 2.81 and K rate of 10.1 per nine innings in the minor leagues, all in relief. I’d guess that Texas will start him in AA with a quick promotion to AAA if he shows results.
The aptly named Walker has six years of MLB experience, most of it coming in his rookie season in 2001. He has a terrific hit rate of just 7.5 per nine innings and an 8.5 K/9 ratio. Alas, hitters don’t need to swing the bat much against a pitcher who allows 5.6 walks per nine innings. Walker’s walk rate in the minors registers at a far more reasonable 3.3 per nine. He looks like AAA filler.
Posted by Lucas at November 18, 2005 12:04 AM