Orioles sign Ponson

[nyy26wc]

1) The Orioles signed free agent P Sidney Ponson to a 3 year, $22.5 million contract.

After 4.94 ERA/-12 RSAA and 4.09 ERA/6 RSAA seasons, Ponson had a 3.75 ERA/13 RSAA in 31 starts with the Orioles and Giants. It was his first year with more than 6 RSAA and he has a 4.54 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.66, and -8 RSAA in 177 games.

2) According to the Detroit Free Press, the Tigers are the frontrunners for free agent C Ivan Rodriguez. Meanwhile, Rodriguez's agent says he's talking to "a couple of clubs", with the team reporting that the Cubs are believed to be the other one.

3) Astros GM Gerry Hunsicker denies rumors that he's trying to trade RF Richard Hidalgo.

4) According to the Houston Chronicle, the Astros will announce the signing of free agent OF Orlando Palmeiro today.

After -14 RCAA/.641 OPS and 1 RCAA/.722 OPS seasons, Palmeiro hit .347 SLG, .336 OBA, .683 OPS, -6 RCAA in 141 games with the Cardinals. He has a .705 career OPS, compared to his league average of .776, and -34 RCAA in 786 games.

Palmeiro had one of the lowest PA figures of any player with at least 140 games in a season--

PLATE APPEARANCES             YEAR     PA        G     
1    Mike Squires             1983      180      143   
2    Jolbert Cabrera          2001      312      141   
3    Rafael Belliard          1992      315      144   
4    Lenny Green              1963      319      145   
5    Michael Tucker           2000      323      148   
6    Bob Zupcic               1993      326      141   
7    Jim Holt                 1970      341      142   
8    Mike Felder              1992      351      145   
9    Orlando Palmeiro         2003      364      141   
10   Aurelio Rodriguez        1980      365      141   

5) The Braves re-signed INF Mark DeRosa to a 1 year, $725,000 contract.

After having -2 RCAA/.740 OPS and -1 RCAA/.768 OPS in his first couple of years with more than 22 games, DeRosa hit .383 SLG, .316 OBA, .699 OPS, -7 RCAA in a career high 103 games. He has a .725 career OPS, compared to his league average of .772, and -12 RCAA in 275 games. He's currently penciled in as Vinny Castilla's successor for the starting 3B job.

6) On Tuesday, Mike Goliat died at the age of the 82.

Goliat had a .648 career OPS, compared to his league average of .758, and -42 RCAA in 249 games with the 1949-51 Phillies and 1951-52 Browns.

7) The Reds invited Ps Dustin Moseley, Chris Booker and Brian Shackelford to spring training.

8) The Mets are reportedly close to signing free agents OF Karim Garcia and 3B-1B Todd Zeile.

9) The Angels signed free agent INF Shane Halter to a 1 year, $575,000 contract.

After 4 RCAA/.811 OPS and -9 RCAA/.704 OPS seasons, Halter had a .342 SLG, .269 OBA, .611 OPS, -23 RCAA in 114 games. He's spent the past 4 years with the Tigers and has a .694 career OPS, compared to his league average of .768, and -62 RCAA in 644 games.

10) The BlueJays re-signed P Ted Lilly to a 2 year, $5 million contract.

Lilly was acquired in a trade with the A's in November. After starting his career with 5.37 ERA/-12 RSAA and 3.69 ERA/8 RSAA seasons (he also pitched in 16 games in 1999-2000), Lilly had a 4.34 ERA/-2 RSAA in 31 starts (32 games). He has a 4.68 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.51, and -13 RSAA in 96 games.

11) The Rockies signed free agent P Turk Wendell to a minor league contract, with an invitation to spring training.

After missing the 2002 season, Wendell had a 3.38 ERA/5 RSAA in 56 games with the Phillies. He has a 3.85 career ERA, compared to his league average of 4.34, and 28 RSAA in 540 games.

12) The Tigers signed INFs Greg Norton, Pablo Ozuna and Juan Llames, OF Kurt Airoso, C-OF Ben Petrick, Cs Bobby Estalella and Brandon Harper and Ps Craig Dingman, Jason Karnuth and Alex Lontayo to minor league contracts.

After -5 RCAA/.837 OPS and -11 RCAA/.719 OPS seasons, Norton hit .447 SLG, .325 OBA, .772 OPS, -4 RCAA in 114 games. He's spent the past 3 years with the Rockies and has a .756 career OPS, compared to his league average of .780, and -43 RCAA in 681 games.

Ozuna has -7 RCAA/.630 OPS in 65 career games, including a .225 SLG, .273 OBA, .498 OPS, -4 RCAA in 17 games with the 2003 Rockies.

Petrick has -21 RCAA/.785 OPS in 240 career games, including a .369 SLG, .269 OBA, .638 OPS, -5 RCAA in 46 games with the Rockies and Tigers in 2003.

In his first year with more than 40 games since 2000, Estalella had a .400 SLG, .294 OBA, .694 OPS, -9 RCAA in 46 games with the Rockies. He has a .757 career OPS, compared to his league average of .778, and -18 RCAA in 298 games.

Dingman had a 9.33 ERA/-9 RSAA in 17 games with the 2000 Yankees and 2001 Rockies.

Karnuth had a 1.80 ERA/1 RSAA in 4 games with the 2001 Cardinals.

13) According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates and Expos are talking with free agent P Ugueth Urbina.

14) Twins P Horacio Estrada is expected to miss the entire season, after breaking his leg in 4 place during a car accident on Sunday.

Estrada had a 7.50 ERA/-11 RSAA in 15 games with the 1999-2000 Brewers and 2001 Rockies.

15) The Orioles signed C Keith Osik to a minor league contract.

After -8 RCAA/.591 OPS and -13 RCA/.461 OPS seasons, Osik hit .324 SLG, .342 OBA, .665 OPS, -10 RCAA in a career high 80 games with the Brewers. It was his 3rd double digit negative RCAA in the past 5 years and he has a .642 career OPS, compared to his league average of .776, and -58 RCAA in 439 games.