Same Guy, Different Flag: Continuing Careers in 2015

[Edgy MD]

Late of the Mets' third base line, Razor Shines stays in the Dodger system to take over the Tulsa Drillers.

Five-game Mets infielder and unfortunate former Diamondback manager Al Pedrique is bringing new blood to the Trenton Thunder.

Always with his heart on his sleeve, and still seemingly believing that he has a great track record of making winning happen, Willie Randolph is disappointed that he has not been rehired by the Yankees.

Fresh off of a tour of Japan with the Rakuten Golden Eagles, Zach Lutz its jumping the Sea of Japan to join South Korea's Doosan Bears.

[Edgy MD]

John Buck humbly accepts a minor league offer from the Braves.

He'll probably have to learn his way around Gwinnett, but the Braves catching picture, while set, isn't that impermeable, as Christian Bethancourt still has perhaps too much dew on him and A.J. Pierzynski too little.

[Edgy MD]

Rob Carson, who you may or may not remember from 2012 and 2013.

Suspenderino.

Doperino.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

The only thing higher than Rob Carson were the 3 dozen home runs he surrendered in his 15 innings of work with the Mets.

[batmagadanleadoff]

The only thing I remember about Carson is that his appearances always reminded me of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[fimg=655]http://www.hwdyk.com/q/images/goodbadugly_12.jpg[/fimg]

[Edgy MD]

I would've guessed Carson still had a future as a lefty specialist. But he probably had about five DFAs in his future before he learned to stay away from the wheelhouse. The Tim Byrdak career track.

Now, who knows? The indy minors beckon.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

He probably shouldn't have bought the kind of PEDs that make your pitches fly faster and higher when bats hit them.

[MFS62]

Omar Minaya leaving his VP post in San Diego to become an adviser to the MLBPA.
http://espn.go.com/newyork/mlb/story/_/id/12247762/omar-minaya-leave-san-diego-padres-join-mlbpa-special-adviser

Later

[G-Fafif]

Bobby Ojeda wondering whether his fate will find its way into this thread or the Rico Brogna one. It's more confusing than trying to figure out Jerry Manuel's lineup decisions, says the former studio analyst.

[Frayed Knot]

Minor league deals abound:

Catcher Jesus Flores - never really a NYM but an original signee - hooks on with the Braves for a ST invite
and
perpetual backup SS Omar Quintanilla does similarly with the Rockies

[G-Fafif]

Pedro Feliciano's left arm reportedly to accept a minor league deal with the Cubs. Pedro's heart and soul belongs Perpetually to the Mets.

[G-Fafif]

Moises Alou will be special assistant for player development in the Padre system...as soon as he's off the 15-day DL.

[G-Fafif]

Julio Franco: totally not a Met in retirement, but in a ballgame in Japan soon!

[batmagadanleadoff]

Ike Davis was still suffering from Valley Fever as of last season. (Doesn't surprise me. I always guessed that the lingering effects of the illness were the main, if not sole cause of his on the field struggles.

Excerpt:

The 2014 season was supposed to be better, but a physical exam showed that he still had traces of the disease, which can linger in some patients. He hit just one homer in 24 at-bats before the Mets traded him to Pittsburgh, where he rebounded some, hitting 10 more homers in 336 at-bats. "Valley fever is a nightmare," said Davis, who turns 28 in March. "You have no energy, no nothing. It was definitely a weird one. It's supposed to go away on its own, but when I had an X-ray last year, it showed I still had it. I'm hoping that's over and done with." If he is free of the disease -- and Davis said he's feeling stronger than he has in several years -- the A's could be in position to make up for some of the many home runs they lost in the trades of Josh Donaldson and Brandon Moss over the winter. Of course, he'll need to get sufficient playing time.

http://www.mercurynews.com/athletics/ci_27491965/new-first-baseman-ike-davis-hopes-bounce-back

[Edgy MD]

This statement is an annual event, isn't it? "I was really suffering last year, but didn't want to say so, even when asked directly. But I'm really 1000% better this year, honest."

[batmagadanleadoff]

Edgy MD wrote: This statement is an annual event, isn't it? "I was really suffering last year, but didn't want to say so, even when asked directly. But I'm really 1000% better this year, honest."

Could be. But I've never seen a player so good and so bad all at the same time all the time.

(I guess you wait for a player to don another team's kit before criticizing him).

[Edgy MD]

Wow, a parenthetical sarcastic attack! You are starting to like me!

[batmagadanleadoff]

Sarcasm?

[Edgy MD]

Be a mensch.

[batmagadanleadoff]

I've spent too many years cultivating this schtick. I'm not gonna suddenly go out of character over Ike Davis.

[Edgy MD]

Do it for me and the love we share.

[Edgy MD]

Tom Seaver once borrowed my soap and didn't give it back.

CRITICISM!

[batmagadanleadoff]

Why did ol' Tom need to borrow your soap?

[G-Fafif]

Proper assignment of Mr. Escuela's complaints belongs as in many thread as applicable.

Tom Seaver: “Always take up two parking places.” Yogi Berra: “Berry, berry bad card player.” Ed Kranepool: “Borrow Chico’s soap and never give it back.”

"I can't forgive him for that," lamented Spring Training invitee Nelson Briles when the furor over Chico's tell-all,
Bad Stuff 'Bout The Mets, reached Butterball Field in 1979. I surely hope Nellie made his peace with the social leper Escuela before Briles died in 2005.

[Frayed Knot]

Johan inks a minor league deal w/Toronto

[Edgy MD]

Ike Davis still feels ill-served by the Mets. It still burns!

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

That's a Tracky story given the click-us-instead treatment by Fox.

The funny thing with Ike is that the Valley Fever is never a present issue, but always a past issue. And I'm taking MetIrish's word on his closing every bar on the Upper East Side vs. his denial of the Mets admittedly slimy anonymous hit job.

[Edgy MD]

Yeah. Switching to the tracktastic link.

I think Ike has been the gift that keeps giving for Martino. He's always ahead of the crowd for the Daily Davis.

[Frayed Knot]

Chris Young (the tall, white, pitching variety) signs a one year deal with Kansas City.
Let's hope he gets some strikeouts this year of Chris Young the MFY OFer

[G-Fafif]

Papi Valdy!

[youtube:2yys32km]WjjibOBQzcI[/youtube:2yys32km]