Astonishing Number of Players

In my last post, I touched base on the issue of steriods and that effect it may have on some minor league baseball players and their "chance" at getting into the MLB. I came across this list of suspended players in Minor League Baseball.

This list runs from April 2005 through the beginning of May 2008 (so there has been even more suspensions since then). http://thesteroidera.blogspot.com/2006/09/list-of-minor-league-suspensions-for.html

Fairly or unfairly, I noticed no Red Sox minor leaguers listed on this initial list while the Yankees for what its worth had 5 players on this list. A number of other teams including the Seattle Mariners, Oakland Athletics, San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates had a number of players suspended according to this list.

My next couple of posts will continue to further breakdown this list and what has since been added to the suspension list to provide a breakdown in players according to the team they played for to see if there has been a disparity between teams and between the AL and NL Leagues respectively.

I will go into further detail to see what players from this list have since played in the MLB.

Steriods: for or against

It is interesting to read the number of articles that have come out recently, about minor league players considering to sue MLB because they feel cheated that by not taking steriods they may have missed out on there chance to play in the bigs.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/2008/01/06/2008-01-06_exminor_leaguer_may_sue_mlb-2.html

The link above for this individual doesn't necessarily make the best case for, but it does continue to raise the question.

Shawn Garrett & Mitch Jones

Example A)

Shawn Garrett

Has played in Minors since 1998; playing as high as AAA in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Take a look at some of his numbers (combined from all levels of play). He has played the most games in the minor leagues without a call up to the big leagues.

BA: .290
OBP: .348
SLG: .449
HR 105
RBI 595

It is worth noting in 2004 in AAA he hit .371 over 30 games or 116 at bats (a fair sample size).

*The Colarado Rockies finished 68-94 this year (4th in division); Garrett would have been worth of at least a September call up.

In 2005, he appeared in 131 games or 508 at bats hitting for a total average of .295

*The Oakland Athletics finished 88-74 (2nd in AL West); the case could again be made they he would have been worth a September call up.

Example B)

Mitch Jones

BA .247
OBP .335
SLG .491
HR 201
RBI 658

Jones was drafted 4 times. In 2000, the New York Yankees took him in the 7th round. He has played minor league baseball now for 9 seasons including a stint in Japan. He has hit as many as 39 homeruns (AA) and 27 (AAA).

*There surely are a number of teams who could be attracted to his power potential, especially the low market teams. While playing in NY farm system he was stuck behind the likes of Sheffield and Giambi.

ESPN the Magazine - Life of Reilly

Upon reading Rick Reilly's "Life of Reilly" piece in the September issue of ESPN the Magazine, I got the idea to do this blog focusing on minor league athletes who haven't been given their fair due at the MLB Level.