Two days late
Posted by Carl on December 9, 2007
But you had better stuff to do this weekend anyway, right?
From ESPN.com:
Signed pitchers Jason Anderson, Matt Childers, Justin Pope, Kris Wilson and R.J. Swindle, catchers Orlando Guevara and John Suomi, infielders Gookie Dawkins, Joey Hammond and Juan Tejeda and outfielders Jake Blalock, Branden Florence and Mike Spidale to minor league contracts.
and from the Phillies website, a little more detail:
The Phillies signed 13 Minor League free agents, Steve Noworyta, Director, Minor Leagues announced today.
The list is made up of five pitchers, three infielders, three outfielders and two catchers: right-handers Jason Anderson, Matt Childers, Justin Pope and Kris Wilson and lefthander R.J. Swindle; infielders Gookie Dawkins, Joey Hammond and Juan Tejeda; outfielders Jake Blalock, Branden Florence and Mike Spidale; catchers Orlando Guevara and John Suomi.
Blalock, 24, the younger brother of Rangers’ third baseman, Hank, was originally selected by the Phillies in the fifth round of the 2002 draft. Dawkins, 28, appeared in 31 games for Triple-A Ottawa last season and has played in 55 Major League games between the Reds (1999-2000, 2002) and Royals (2003).
Childers, 28, who went 7-4 last season for Triple-A Ottawa, has appeared in 11 Major League games between the Brewers (2002) and Braves (2005). Anderson, 28, has a 3.39 ERA in 582 career Minor League games and has appeared in 32 Major League games with the Yankees (2003, 2005), Mets (2003) and Indians (2004).
A first-round selection of the Cardinals in 2001 (28th overall), Pope, 28, spent parts of the last five seasons in the Yankees’ Minor League system and has a 3.41 ERA in 225 Minor League games. Wilson, 31, has a 14-9 career record in 95 Major League games (20 starts) between the Royals (2000-03) and Yankees (2006).
Originally selected by the White Sox in 2000, Spidale, 25, split last season between Single-A Clearwater and Reading where he combined to hit .296 in 126 games. Tejeda, 25, a career .283 hitter with 95 home runs and 570 RBI in 865 Minor League games, spent last season with Double-A Reading.
Hammond, 30, spent last season between Reading and Ottawa, hitting a combined .297 in 117 games. Florence, 29, a career .312 hitter in 540 Minor League games, hit .350 (7-20) as a pinch-hitter for Reading in 2007.
Nice to see that Jason Anderson, Matt Childers, Joey Hammond and Gookie Dawkins all made it back. We’re hoping that Mr. Hammond at least gets a shot at something in Philly; and certainly more than just the shuttle bus between Reading and [cough] the other place. We liked what we saw of Gookie - even if we weren’t too sure about the nickname.
Matt Childers gets set. (photo credit: Zechariah Kiiffner)
