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Before the Rule 5 Draft
GM Thoughts - Thankfully the Winter Meetings are in the rear view mirror and we are moving forward. Tomorrow is the Rule 5, where we are not expected to be very active, or at least as active as we have been. I won't rule out picking a player in Round 1 and there is one "special" fit player I am looking at in Round 2, so it is possible we could get 2 players or just as easily since we are picking 3rd that we could get just 1 player.
To get the roster down to 38 we had to make some decisions, and as the club is slowly getting better, those decisions are becoming tougher and tougher to make. But make them we did.
Players DFA
1B Ralph Conner (age-26 B-L and has 1 option year left) Conner came up and played the forgettable 1935 season with the Dynamo's. Playing in 119 games he hit 263/348/717 with 4 homers and 57 RBI's. Not terrible numbers, but certainly not the type of bat we were looking for. Part of the issue was the lack of power as a lefty hitter at Thompson Field which prefers right handed hitters. He tore up AA in 36 and A in 37 hitting 343 and 383 respectively but slumped badly in the 2nd half last year at AAA Newark.
2B/IF Harry Fuller (age-32 B-R) Fuller was a late waiver claim pick up as a player I had always liked and was going to draft in the Indy draft at one time in Cleveland. He didn't fall to us and unfortunately for his career he didn't follow up on his 1935 season with Montreal where he hit 278. He only appeared in 31 games for us in the minors last year, hitting 373 at Class A but then in just 12 games between AA/AAA hit just 108.
P Donie Scheurmann (age 28 T-L) He was up with the Dynamo's in 35 after we traded veterans Ray Calfee, Wayne Robinson and Jack Beach in deals early in that season. He struggled going 5-10 with a 6.12 ERA in 25 and 16 starts. He moved to more of a bullpen role with AAA Newark in 36-37 and pitched respectably last season with a 3.57 ERA in 100.3 IP saving 11 games and going 3-5. He was being considered as a left hander out of the bullpen next season but was out of options. Scheuermann was a former 1st round draft pick of the Dynamo's in 1930.
We are considering a few more cuts over the weekend.
Players We Moved up and Protected
RP Jim Hawkins (age-28 T-R) Hawkins was up in 36 as a SP and had a rough couple of games before he was DFA in 36. He remained with the club but started working almost exclusively in the bullpen in 36 and then exclusively in 37. In 37 he threw 109 IP in 60 games with a 9-5 record, 15 saves and a sparkling 1.98 ERA. He is out of options so he has to show well in the spring or he will likely be DFA again or traded. He does have some value as several teams have inquired.
C Packy Peck (age 23 B-R) was protected to be the #3 catcher on the 40-man roster. He hit 270/361/742 at AA Akron but is clearly the 3rd catcher. We will see what he can do in spring.
RP Eddie Sequin (age-23 T-R) The scouting at the national headquarters has never been in love with him but he has pitched well in the minors and is only 23. My scout feels he will be an average RP someday and we have some age in our bullpen so Sequin might get the shot...someday. He saved 16 games at AA and 9 more at A ball last year. He has 59 total saves in his minor league career.
2B Arnold Allen (age-23 B-R) hit 381 in 77 games at AA but mostly off the bench. He will get shot at playing everyday this season at either AA or AAA. We have a glut of 2B currently and it might get even more so that way in the next few days with the Rule 5 draft. His promotion has put veteran IF Red Combs (33) in danger during the spring, or we will look to trade 2B Homer Ray.
SS Rich Conway (age 23 B-R) Protected for now after hitting 280 last season in A/AA ball. It is a shaky promotion and was done before the acquisition of SS Gil London who is the #69 prospect and also needed to be protected.
OF Woody Roseberry (age-23 B-L) Not a highly ranked prospect but hit well (348) last year in AA so he will get a look.
Next - Rule 5 Draft
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