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April 01, 2007
Transactions For Opening Day
Texas designated for assignment pitcher EZEQUIEL ASTACIO, catcher GUILLERMO QUIROZ, and outfielder MARLON BYRD.
Astacio had the thinnest of opportunities to make the roster and pitched poorly. Quiroz was out of options but probably would have been waived anyway, as four catchers are an awfully tight fit on a 40-man roster. The surprise, in terms of incoming expectations, is Byrd, who only needed to beat out NRI Matt Kata for a roster spot and could not. Byrd would have made a fine fifth outfielder and 25th man.
Texas has placed reliever ERIC GAGNE on the 15-day Disabled List.
Ostensibly this move is precautionary, simply to insure Gagne gets enough innings prior to pitching in a real game. Frankly, I’m a little worried. Maybe needlessly, but there it is.
Texas has purchased the contracts of relievers BRUCE CHEN and MIKE WOOD, super-duper utility guy JERRY HAIRSTON JR., utility guy MATT KATA, and outfielder SAMMY SOSA. All are new additions to the 40-man roster.
With Gagne disabled and fifth starter Jamey Wright not needed for a little while, both Chen and Wood get to fly to Anaheim. If Chen pitched well, I wonder if management might give him or Kam Loe the back end of the rotation and sheepishly tell Wright, “Ummm, I know we promised you a roster spot and everything, but… well… no.�
As for Kata, his spring was inspirational and all that, but what exactly does he bring to the table? Is there anything he does better than Hairston, which is to say, is he not completely superfluous? Okay, he does hit for a little more power, but he and his .392 career slugging percentage aren’t going to be pinch hitting for anyone. Why not keep Jason Botts instead? Botts is one-dimensional, but that dimension would be awfully handy whenever the opposition inserts a lefty reliever to face Kenny Lofton or Frank Catalanotto (or, dare I say it, Hank Blalock). Use Botts as a designated pinch-hitter, then use Hairston, Cruz or Wilkerson (or whoever’s on the bench that night) as a defensive replacement.
Posted by Lucas at April 1, 2007 01:23 AM