Say Hello Waive Goodbye

[Edgy MD]

Dudes recently hitting or clearing the waiver wire, or just being released outright:

• Tony Sipp (rp, L/L, Nats)


• Jonathan Lucroy (c, R/R, Angels) — Cubs reportedly kicking tires with Contreras hamstrung


• Brad Brach (rp, R/R, Cubs) — from Freehold, NJ


• Jung-ho Kang (3b, Pirates) — plays some shortstop too

Also, wide receiver/kick returner Quadree Henderson, who might make a nice pinch-runner, was waived by the Jets.



Yeah, obviously they wouldn't have been waived if they weren't having shite seasons, but all were not so bad not so long ago and might yet be again. The Phils recently signed Blake Parker after he cleared waivers and was released by the Twins. Could a similar move make sense for the Mets? Will the Cards or Brews or somebody try to sign Lucroy just to keep him away from the Cubs?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Sipp was rumored as a potential free-agent signing by the Mets an offseason or two ago, wasn't he?

[A Boy Named Seo]

I think I would have some level of interest in Sipp, Brach and maybe a little in Zack Godley, who was just DFA'd by the DBaggs.



Brach's velocity is still the same, his BABIP is .375 and his FIP is 2 full runs below his ERA. That said, he's still been walking everyone and it's not just bad luck here. Godley's velo has dropped off, but if there's something mechanical, he was > 9 K/9 the last 3 seasons as a starter. He could be a relief pitcher/SP depth reclamation project.

[G-Fafif]

Joe Panik DFA'd by SFG.



PANIK CITI just waiting to be set in 72-point type.

[Edgy MD]

Panik's bat has been lost for a while now, but he's still got defensive skills, no?

[Centerfield]

We need hitting. Go get Dilson.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Greg Holland dropped by the DBaggs but that looks to be very warranted.

[smg58]

Holland was super the first two and a half months of the season. I would definitely check if it's an injury issue or if it's just a fixable mechanical issue.

[nymr83]

Jung-ho Kang (3b, Pirates) — plays some shortstop too

Drives drunk too.

[Edgy MD]

The Cards have designated lefty Adalberto Mejia for assignment. Terrific last year. Horrific this year. The Nats have similarly cashiered Kyle Barraclough.

[Edgy MD]

You can cross out Lucroy, who has signed with the Cubsy-Ubsies.

[Guest 41Forever]

Tigers have waived Trevor Rosenthal. Just 29, was once a closer but struggled since missing the entire 2018 season due to injury. Tigers -- with the worst record in the bigs -- had him pitch nine innings. He struck out 12, but also walked 11, hit a batter and threw four wild pitches.

[A Boy Named Seo]

Brad Brach is a Met, per the internet!

[LWFS]

We need hitting. Go get Dilson.

SO... middle-infield-ish https://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=6848&position=3B/SSpotential bat on the cheap, eh? The glove's poop, but he's just two seasons removed from helping carry the Red Sox down the stretch with 8 HRs in the last month, and you can stick him pretty much anywhere but CF or C in a pinch. Or maybe something with a bit more https://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=6364&position=3Bpower?



Personally, I think we could use a late-inning PR-type, if only to distract a DooLittle or Jansen as he tries to wrestle with a Polar Bear.

[G-Fafif]

Five years ago, Jacob deGrom caught and passed the speedy Billy Hamilton for NL Rookie of the Year honors. Perhaps anticipating the trauma defending NL Cy Young winner deGrom's Saturday night appearance on the Kauffman Stadium mound would cause the flamed-out speedster, the Royals have DFA'd the former Reds phenom.

[Edgy MD]

Valencia has me curious. I'm not quite sure where he'd play, but ... well, who says he has to play?

[Frayed Knot]

Hamilton OPS'd 648 during his first full season, the above-noted ROY silver medal year of 2014, although his SB success that year was actually sub-par [56 in 79 attempts - 70.8%].

The running kicked into gear after that [57 of 65, 58 of 66] but only once since then did he match that rookie year OPS despite playing all or most of the time. Mostly he's gotten

just a bit worse w/the bat each season -- OPS = 664, 634, 626 -- until crashing and burning down to 544 this year w/KC



You gotta feel that some contending team will pick him up when rosters expand in September figuring that his pinch-running and/or late inning defense skills just might win them a

game or two down the stretch. After that though I suspect that this is probably the end of the line for this unique, though limited, talent despite not turning 29 until next month.

But .211/.275/.269 [305 PA] just ain't gonna cut it, even if that bat comes with golden feet and flashy leather.