Atomic RoadRunners

This is the final installment of the 2010 Atomic Roadrunner Protected List preview series. Protected lists are due for submission this Monday, February 1st, by midnight, Eastern. Here are the folks that are saying goodbye, as they will not be protected for 2010:

Kyle Blanks
2 Years – $10
.250 Average, 24 Runs, 10 HR, 22 RBI, and 1 steal
Blanks was a top 1B prospect for the Padres, but was moved to the outfield due to the presence of Adrian Gonzalez. To give you a vision, Blanks is like a fatter Frank Thomas in the outfield. He can slug, but he probably should be tethered to first base. He was lost for the season in August with plantar fasciaitis, and just isn’t worth protecting for $10, as he was originally drafted by Misogynistic Padres in the third round of the minor league draft.

Kiko Calero
2 Years – $5
2 Wins, 1.95 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 69 K’s (in 60 innings)
Still a free agent as of this writing, Calero strung together a good season in the Marlins’ pen, but is not a player anyone should consider protecting. No save chances, just some decent WHIP if you need it.

Nick Masset
2 Years – $5
5 Wins, 2.37 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 70 K’s (in 76 innings)
Like Calero, Masset is another guy that was picked up for ERA and WHIP assistance. The problem with relievers is you can usually never bank on them repeating their performance from year-to-year. One bad outing will taint the stats for three months. Meanwhile, some other scrub is mowing them down, and thus is worth the FAAB flyer in May. Masset just signed a two-year, $2.58 million extension, and will likely be one of the top Reds set-up guys, but not for $5.

Steve Peace
2 Years – $5
.206 Average, 19 Runs, 4 HR, 16 RBI, and 1 steal
Originally picked up by The Pi Train in 2009, Pearce was a second-hand pickup in August. Pearce’s career is at a crossroads, and may already be over, though the Pirates will keep paying him for another year or two. Pearce had a tremendous season in 2007 in AAA as a 1B/OF, but he couldn’t repeat the magic. Pittsburgh got tired of waiting for him to develop, and now he’s behind Garrett Jones and possibly Jeff Clement at 1B, and also may lose out to Jones, Ryan Church, and Brandon Moss in right field (assuming Milledge and McCutchen occupy left and center, respectively). And he keeps getting worse at the plate. Pass.

Ryan Roberts
2 Years – $5
.279 Average, 41 Runs, 7 HR, 25 RBI, and 7 steals
Picked up after the Roadrunner trade of Brandon Phillips, Roberts pretty much was the starting 2B for the Diamondbacks after the deadline trade of Felipe Lopez to Milwaukee, and he filled in rather well. At the end of the season, it was thought that Roberts might have a shot as the starting 2B for 2010, but then the D’backs received Tony Abreu from the Dodgers to complete the Jon Garland deal, and then signed a below-market-value Kelly Johnson in January. Now either Roberts or Abreu is the primary middle-infield backup, assuming the D’backs can move Augie Ojeda. Roberts also can play 3B and OF, so he’s a handy guy to have around. Obviously, not worth protecting.

Rusty Ryal
2 Years – $5
.271 Average, 11 Runs, 3 HR, 9 RBI, and 0 steals
If Ryan Roberts isn’t worth protecting, what does that mean for Roberts’ backup in Rusty Ryal? Bad news, that’s what. Ryal was called up in August to help out, and to his credit, he filled in at first and second base once it was clear the Diamondbacks were phoning it in. He did hit 17 homers and 70 RBI with a .290 average at AAA Reno, but quite obviously, there’s no protections here.

Delwyn Young
2 Years – $5
.266 Average, 40 Runs, 7 HR, 43 RBI, and 2 steals
Young was given every chance to earn the 2B job after the Pirates traded Freddy Sanchez to the Giants at the deadline. The fact that Pittsburgh traded for Rays 2B Akinori Iwamura is an indication of how that experiment went. Pirates GM Neal Huntington has announced that Young will be on the squad in a utility role, as he can play OF corners, 2B, and a passable 1B (though he’d be forth or fifth on that depth chart). Not really protectable material.

Reds signed RHP Nick Masset to a two-year, $2.58 million contract. Masset, who turns 28 in May, will make $1.035 million this season and $1.545 million in 2011, buying out his first two years of arbitration. He’ll have a chance to make more with performance-based incentives. Masset emerged as an important contributor out of the Reds’ bullpen last season, posting a 2.37 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in 76 innings. Armed with an impressive sinker, he was among the league-leaders with a groundball rate of 54.1 percent. He should continue to be a fixture in the back-end of Cincinnati’s bullpen. (Rotoworld)

Elsewhere:

MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon has the initial story of Cincinnati’s new contract agreement with reliever Nick Masset. The club avoided arbitration with a two-year deal worth

Masset posted excellent numbers setting up Reds closer . He earned five wins in relief with a 2.37 ERA. He limited baserunners, allowing just 78 players to reach via hit or walk in 76 innings pitched, while notching 70 strikeouts. He also stranded men on the bases, preventing 34 of the 50 runners he inherited from coming around to score.  Cincinnati acquired Masset and Danny Richar from the White Sox in 2008 for Ken Griffey Jr..

Masset’s signing continues the hectic pre-arbitration signing period and reduces the number of players whose cases are pending to 126. The Reds remaining arbitration eligible player is Jared Burton. Reds GM Walt Jocketty indicated the club wanted to resolve their arbitration cases before the club and players exchanged figures on January 19th. Please visit the salary arbitration page for more information.

Up:

• OF Kyle Blanks
• RP Matt Lindstrom

Down:

• OF Matt Diaz
• RP Nick Masset

Notes:

• On July 31st, 1B Casey Kotchman was traded to the Boston Red Sox for the recently-acquired Adam LaRoche.  Kotchman is no longer protectable due to the trade.
• I bid $27 on new Reds 3B Scott Rolen, but was outbid.  Results: $82 Pirate Smokers, $81 Cover Zero, $45 X-Men, $45 Misogynistic Padres, $27 Atomic RoadRunners, $22 Get Off Kong!, $7 Stanimals
• I bid $27 on new Phillies starter Cliff Lee, but was outbid. Results: $100 Cover Zero, $82 Pirate Smokers, $81 Misogynistic Padres, $68 Shoeless Jews, $49 The Pi Train, $45 X-Men, $44 Get Off Kong!, $27 Atomic Roadrunners
• I bid $21 on new Giants 1B Ryan Garko, but was outbid. Results: $55 Misogynistic Padres, $45 X-Men, $21 Atomic Roadrunners, $20 Get Off Kong!

FAAB Acquisitions:

• OF Angel Pagan, Mets ($0 bid, active at UT)
• RP Kiko Calero, Marlins ($0 bid, active)
• RP Nick Masset, Reds ($0 bid, active)

Down:

• C John Baker (was UT)
• SP Edinson Volquez

Cut:

• SP Todd Wellemeyer
• OF Reed Johnson
• RP Clay Zavada

Notes:

• I bid $0 on Nationals MI Alberto Gonzalez, but Goodfellas won (also with a $0 bid)
• Phillies P Pedro Martinez was a backup $0 bid for both the Calero and Pagan acquisitions.  Pedro went to X-Men for $12
• Nick Masset re-joins the squad, having been released just five days ago.
• 3B Mat Gamel was sent down to AAA Nashville on Monday, July 20th

Trades:

Trade 1:

• Atomic Roadrunners receives: Reds SP Edinson Volquez (active), Brewers 1B Prince Fielder (active at 1B)
• Get Off Kong! receives: Giants SP Tim Lincecum, Mets SS Jose Reyes

Trade 2:

• Atomic Roadrunners receives: Giants AAA C Buster Posey
• Shoeless Jews receives: Cubs SS Ryan Theriot

FAAB Acquisitions:

• John Bowker, 1B/OF Giants ($5 bid, active at OF)
• Mat Latos, SP Padres ($5 bid, reserve)
• Brooks Conrad, 2B Braves ($0 bid, active at 2B)

Up:

• OF Chris Duncan

Down:

• 3B Mat Gamel

Move:

• CM Emilio Bonifacio (to 3B)
• 2B Brendan Ryan (to SS)
• SS Alex Cora (to MI)
• 1B Casey Kotchman (to CM)

Cut:

• RP Nick Masset
• OF Andres Torres
• OF Alex Romero

Notes:

• Lost on bidding for Pirates 1B/OFGarrett Jones.  I bid $5, The Pi Train bid $16
• Minor league starter Mat Latos re-joins the Roadrunners, as he was cut June 30th
• Giants OF John Bowker re-joins the Roadrunners.  He was on the squad for several months in 2008.

FAAB Acquisitions:

• SS Alex Cora, Mets ($0 bid, active at MI)
• SP Ryan Sadowski, Giants ($0 bid, active)
• OF Reed Johnson, Cubs ($0 bid, reserve)

Up:

• C John Baker (to DH)
• RP Jon Rauch

Move:

• 2B Brendan Ryan (from MI)
• OF Alex Romero (from DH)

Down:

• RP Nick Masset
• SP Sean West
• OF Chris Duncan

Cut:

• 2B Matt Downs
• SP Shairon Martis
• SP Antonio Bastardo

Notes:

• Misogynistic Padres also bid $0 for Sadowski, but he was awarded to AaRr due to tie-break rules
• Reed Johnson was originally a 9th-round Minor League selection by X-Men, who then released him May 12th
• With the release of Shairon Martis, 10 of the 11 AaRr Minor League selections in 2009 have been released.  Only second-round selection Emilio Bonifacio remains (along with protected minor leaguer Mat Gamel).

Trades:

Trade 1:

• Atomic Roadrunners receives:  Reds SP Johnny Cueto
• Cover Zero receives: Nationals OF Adam Dunn

Trade 2:

• Atomic Roadrunners receives:
  • Diamondbacks SP Max Scherzer
  • Dodgers SP Clayton Kershaw
  • Cardinals 3B Prospect Brett Wallace
• Misogynistic Padres receives:
  • Braves 3B Chipper Jones
  • Reds 2B Brandon Phillips
  • Giants Closer Brian Wilson
  • Braves SP Kenshin Kawakami

FAAB Acquisitions:

• Jon Rauch, RP Diamondbacks ($0 bid, reserve)
• Alex Romero, OF Diamondbacks ($0 bid, active)

Up:

• CM Emilio Bonifacio
• RP Nick Masset
• OF Andres Torres (to DH)

Down:

• RP Matt Lindstrom
• SP Shairon Martis

Move:

• 2B Matt Downs (from DH – replaces Brandon Phillips)
• 3B Mat Gamel (from CM – replaces Chipper Jones)

Cut:

• SP Mat Latos (prospect)

Notes:

• RP Matt Lindstrom was placed on the 15-Day DL on June 25th with elbow inflammation.  Will be out at least six weeks
• SP Shairon Martis was optioned to AAA Columbus on June 28th
• SP Antonio Bastardo was placed on the 15-Day DL on June 30th with a left shoulder strain
• Jon Rauch was originally protected by Misogynistic Padres for 2009, and was released on May 12th.  He retains his contract and salary – signed through 2010 for $1.
• Former RoadRunner Chad Gaudin was selected by X-Men for $6.  I had bid $5 to re-acquire Gaudin after two stellar outings.
• Former RoadRunner Jake Fox was selected by X-Men for $11 due to his strong interleague performance.
• The first big AL Free Agent joined the NL.  In this case, Mark DeRosa was traded to the Cardinals on Thursday.  Bidding was as follows:
  • $70 Stanimals
  • $46 X-Men
  • $45 Atomic Roadrunners (max bid)
  • $43 Shoeless Jews
  • $33 Get Off Kong!
  • $25 Cover Zero

Free Agent Acquisitions:

• Kyle Blanks, OF/1B Padres  ($17 bid) reserve
• Ryan Hanigan, C Reds ($5 bid) up to C
• Matt Downs, 2B Giants ($0 bid) 2B, active at UT
• Drew Stubbs, OF Reds ($0 bid) reserve

Up:

• CM Mat Gamel
• SP Kenshin Kawakami
• RP Matt Lindstrom

Down:

• RP Nick Masset
• OF Andres Torres
• CM Emilio Bonifacio
• C John Baker

Cut:

• John Grabow
• Carlos Ruiz
• Fernando Tatis
• Matt Maloney

Notes:

• Missed out on bidding for Kevin Correia.  I bid $2, and X-Men bid $1 and Misogynistic Padres bid $0, but Get Off Kong! bid $7.
• Blanks was originally a 3rd round pick by Misogynistic Padres, but was released last week.
• Blanks’ nickname is apparently the “Pillsbury ‘Fro Boy” – at least online

FAAB Acquisitions:

• RP Nick Masset, Reds ($1 bid, Add to Actives)
• OF Andres Torres, Giants ($1 bid, Add to Actives at DH)

Up:

• 1B Casey Kotchman
• P Shairon Martis

Down:

• C Carlos Ruiz
• 1B Fernando Tatis
• P Todd Wellemeyer
• P Antonio Bastardo

Cut:

• P Chad Gaudin
• DH Jake Fox

Notes:

• Get Off Kong! also bid on Nick Masset($1 bid) but AaRr won due to standings.
• 1B Casey Kotchman is scheduled to be activated from DL today, June 16th.