The Futility Infielder

The Futility Infielder Sweepstakes

Right now, the most amazing thing about the Yankees' offseason activity isn't the big-name free agents they've signed, the money they've spent, or the way they've retooled their offense. It's their bizarre attempt to corner the market in futility infielders (and if I know a trend when I see it, it's this one). It's as if Brian Cashman, having bought a Ferrari, a Lexus, and a Jetta to go along with his BMWs and Porches, decided his parking lot wouldn't be complete without a used Mustang that leaks oil and a couple of rusted-out Buicks he can prop up on concrete blocks.

This isn't exactly a new tendency. Think back to the Yanks' postseason roster, which included Luis Sojo, Enrique Wilson and Clay Bellinger, plus Randy Velarde (as a hitter, a significant cut above all three). Having all of those glove men at the expense of a bat like Nick Johnson may have cost them their only shot at a rally in Game 2 of the World Series. Pinch-hitter Sojo, overmatched against Randy Johnson, grounded into an inning-ending double-play in the eighth.

Sojo had plans to retire after the World Series to return to Venezuela. With his World Series-winning hit in 2000, and two game-winning hits last season (including one against the Red Sox on June 4 which may have been the turning point of the season--Pedro Martinez didn't win a game after that and the Red Sox were doomed), he's among the unlikely heroes of this Yankee run (move over, Jim Leyritz, and tell Graeme Lloyd the news). If Looie's not quite qualified for a plaque in Monument Park, he's at least earned a Bobble-Head Doll day in his honor. But hold the festivities--the 36-year old infielder trapped in a third-base coach's body recently reconsidered. Or maybe he was just misunderstood when he said he was retiring to the couch in his Venezuela home. Either way, he's bound for spring training. One can only hope he 's kept in "shape" during "retirement."

Just before Christmas, the Yanks signed 34-year old F. P. Santangelo to a minor-league deal. Once a versatile everyday utilityman, Futility Player Santangelo's hitting has declined considerably over the past two seasons: .197 AVG/.321 OBP/.249 SLG. But he is good at drawing the occasional walk (a career .364 OBP despite a .245 AVG), and he can play the outfield. If he shows he can still hit to any extent, he may find a spot with the Yanks.

Wilson, a soft-handed 26-year old, re-signed the other day, to the tune of a one-year, $720,000 contract. God forbid they should let such a hot commodity escape. Once a highly-regarded prospect, he looks like he's trying to beat Sojo in the bad-body sweepstakes, and he's nearing his prime years still somewhat mystified by big league pitching.

On the day they signed Wilson, the Yanks released Bellinger, a favorite of mine. After ten years of bouncing around the minors, Bellinger made the club in 1999, and he's stuck around because he's been a model scrub. Playing seven different positions, pinch-running, hustling out of the dugout to warm up the pitcher after Jorge Posada made the last out, and riding the Columbus Shuttle whenever a roster move necessitated it, he's been the organization's human cannonball, and he's earned his three trips to the World Series. When Scott Brosius went down in August with a broken hand, Bellinger stepped in ably, hitting four homer in ten games while playing some sparkling defense. But he's 33, and still can't hit big-league breaking balls. Still, here's to hoping that he catches on someplace.

Just before they signed Wilson and released Bellinger, the Yanks also signed Manny Alexander to a minor-league contract. Alexander is best known for replacing Cal Ripken Jr. as the Orioles shortstop and for being connected to a load of anabolic steriods and syringes found in his car by Boston police in the summer of 2000. The police were unable to connect Alexander to the drugs (the car had been loaned out and he was on the road with the Sox), and the charges were dropped. Alexander spent last year playing AAA ball in the Mariners' chain. He's 30 years old, and has a chance to turn 31 before the season opens.

Concerned that they hadn't yet found the right replacement-level ballplayer, the Yanks then invited Kevin Polcovich and a retired Kevin Elster to camp as non-roster players. Polcovich spent two years with the Pirates in 1997 and 1998. He didn't charm them enough for a third shot. He spent last year in Memphis, with the Cardinals AAA team. Elster, the regular shortstop for the 1988 Mets (he even saw action in the 1986 World Series as a reserve), is coming out of his THIRD retirement. After laying off for all of 1993, he appeared with the Yanks in parts of two season, going 0-for 20 (!) in 1993 and 2-for-17 in 1994 (he did rebound from all of this to hit 24 homers as Texas's regular shortstop in 1996). His comeback with the Dodgers in 2000 was much more successful; he showed surprising power, hitting three homers in the first game played at Pac Bell Park and finishing the year with a .455 slugging percentage and 14 homers. Still, his best days are behind him, and they ain't all that great to begin with.

Taken together, it's an uninspriring collection of players, though Santangelo sticks out in the chart below because of his high On Base Percentage:

             AGE   G   AVG   OBP   SLG   OPS

Alexander    31  541 .234  .285  .328   613

Bellinger    33  181 .194  .258  .365   623

Elster       37  940 .228  .300  .377   677

Polcovich    32  165 .234  .307  .326   633

Santangelo   34  665 .245  .364  .351   715

Sojo         36  845 .261  .298  .353   651

Wilson       26  324 .264  .305  .364   669

The kicker is that by signing all of these guys, the Yanks may hinder the development of one of their own prospects. Erick Almonte (no relation to Danny), the Yanks AAA shortstop, had a fine season in Columbus (.287 AVG/.369 OBP/.464 SLG), and even got a taste of the Show in September. The 24-year old has more promise than any of the futilitymen above, and he could stick if there's an injury. But he may be groomed for the D'Angelo Jiminez trade-fodder sweepstakes if the Yanks need help in July.

No doubt about it. March in Tampa is gearing up to be the site for the Futility Infielder sweepstakes. Stiff competition, or competition of stiffs? Don't think I won't keep you posted.

A few other notes:

• During the Hall of Fame ballot build-up, I discussed the merits of Jack Morris in this space, but ultimately I left him off my ballot. Over at Baseball Prospectus, Michael Wolverton does a good job of summarizing the case against Morris. Using a stat called Wins Above Replacement, which is based on the runs a pitcher allows relative to a park-adjusted league context, Wolverton places Morris well behind solid but unremarkable inning-eaters such as Rick Reuschel, Frank Tanana and Dennis Martinez, as well as more effective but shorter-lived pitchers like Dave Stieb and Jimmy Key. Wolverton also points out Morris's high level of run support, but he doesn't provide too much in the way of hard numbers on that topic.

• Jim Caple has a nice piece on one of the game's lifers. Wayne Terwilliger, the 76-year-old first-base coach for the St. Paul Saints of the independent Northern League, is under consideration for the managing job in St. Paul. Twig's spent 53 years in the game; he was in the Dodger dugout when Bobby Thomson hit his famous home run, and coaching first base for the Twins when Gene Larkin drove in the winning run in Game 7 of the '91 World Series (winning pitcher: Jack Morris). Twig's gotten himself a little publicity along the way--he's the first player profiled in the classic Great American Baseball Card, Flipping, Trading, and Bubble Gum Book, and a key figure in Neal Karlen's excellent book on the Saints, Slouching Towards Fargo. The St. Paul managerial job is contingent on a couple of leading candidates finding work elsewhere, so it may not come to pass. But it's a pretty good bet he'll still be hitting fungoes to St. Paul outfielders next summer nonetheless.

• A reader sent me an email last week, asking if I knew whether Rickey Henderson had retired or was still looking for work. I told him Rickey was still hitting the phones trying to drum up some interest (trust me, when Rickey retires, Rickey will tell you all about it), and suggested that a fifth and final go-round with the Oakland A's might be in order. Apparently I'm not the only one who feels this way. Marcos Bréton, a writer for the Sacramento Bee, wrote a column calling for the A's to sign Henderson, pointing out that they have a need for a true leadoff hitter and could use a connection to their glory days as well. Food for thought, given that Henderson's .366 OBP at age 43 with the Padres was 31 points better than projected leadoff Terrence Long. Henderson could probably steal some at-bats from Long, DH David Justice and a recovering Jermaine Dye. The A's are going to need all the help they can get this year in filling the void left by Jason Giambi's departure. God knows they could do much worse than having the Best Leadoff Hitter Ever on hand.