Dave at Fangraphs passed along a link to this year's crop of minor league free agents. A popular thing to do with this information is pick out a handful of guys that would make interesting and potentially worthwhile pick-ups. This is not that. This is a full team made up of guys who, years ago, were supposed to go on to do some big big things, only to end up on the fall 2009 list of mlFA's. Consider this just another reminder that you should never ever ever take a prospect's future for granted.* 

C: JR House
1B: Ryan Shealy
2B: Josh Barfield
SS: Antonio Perez
3B: Dallas McPherson
LF: Wes Bankston
CF: Joe Borchard
RF: John-Ford Griffin
DH: Josh Phelps

BENCH-C: JD Closser (does Ben Davis still count?)
BENCH-INF: Eric Duncan
BENCH-OF: Dave Krynzel
BENCH-UTIL: Donnie Murphy

SP: Jerome Williams
SP: Greg Miller
SP: Kenny Baugh
SP: Humberto Sanchez
SP: Bobby Brownlie

RP: Jose Capellan
RP: Wes Littleton
RP: Casey Fossum
RP: John Van Benschoten
RP: Chad Orvella
RP: Clint Everts
RP: Andrew Brown

If there were a 26th spot, I'd give it to Dee Brown, but it would just be so damn easy to include him that I had to find an alternative. Also among the free agents are formerly established Major Leaguers like Chris Capuano and Chad Cordero, along with the astonishingly driven Jolbert Cabrera. Jolbert just wants to win. Come on, Yankees. Take the plunge. Win one for Jolbert.

If there were a 27th spot, I'd give it to Mark McGonigle, because, really? McGonigle?

* never take any player's future for granted

Given the following information:

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32 year old injury-prone shortstop

UZR

+14 runs in 105 games in 2009, +23.6 in 316 games since 2007

Plus/Minus

+27 runs in 2009, around +48 since 2007

Revised Zone Rating

+15 runs in 2009, around +50 since 2007

Fan Scouting Report

#7 SS in 2009, average 7th or 8th since 2007

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How would you project his defense in 2010?

Chip Ambres thinks you tell some pretty lame jokes.

Let's see what we've got here...

Zobrist posts the highest (position player) WAR in the American League and is absent from six ballots.

Mark Teixeira gets two first-place votes despite being an average first baseman and having one of the lowest clutch scores in the league, for whatever that's worth.

Assorted other ridiculousness.

Mauer's (probably) the smart pick, so in terms of what matters the network got this one right, but there are some stupid bloggers out there.

Damn you, Griffey, for making the audience wait to see this table of critically important information.

Looks about right. The top six arms in ERA, and the top six arms in FIP. I'm not certain that Felix deserved second over Verlander and Halladay, each of whom threw just as many innings with comparable results, but it's not second place that matters here. A real shame that Greinke's contract expires before Dayton Moore's does. A real shame.

Over 915 plate appearances, Greinke held opponents to a .269 wOBA. Zack Greinke vs. the Major Leagues was like an average pitcher vs. Robb Quinlan.

When the Padres hired Jed Hoyer, I was joking with a friend of mine that the Red Sox were working to get one of their guys into as many front offices as possible such that a few years from now Epstein could yell "ACTIVATE" and all of his splinter cells would work to turn Boston into a super team.

Turns out Boston wouldn't be the first team to try using a mole.

(via pictopia.com)

This has to be some kind of breach of contract.

Blah blah, they don't matter. I know. People will still talk about them, so talk about them in this meaningless thread. Feel free to not talk about them too. Or whatever.

Just for fun, I listed each player's rank in UZR amongst qualified players at his position for 2009.

P - Mark Buehrle
C - Joe Mauer
1B - Mark Teixeira (7th of 9)
2B - Placido Polanco (1st of 9)
3B - Evan Longoria (1st of 8)
SS - Derek Jeter (5th of 10)
OF - Adam Jones (17th of 34)
OF - Torii Hunter (13th of 34)
OF - Ichiro Suzuki (12th of 34)

Jeff's note: emphasis on "they don't matter." They don't. They don't matter. Do not get up in arms over poor selections, because they don't matter. Matter, they don't. You may think that they matter, but further investigation will reveal that they do not.

Congratulations, Derek Jeter!

I'm looking at this for the first time, just like you guys. Let's see what we've got.

Among AL starters with at least 100 IP, Brett Anderson posted the 9th-best FIP at 3.69, between Josh Beckett and John Lackey and behind zero rookies. His K/BB was excellent, he made 30 starts, and he threw a solid 175.1 innings. Somehow this was good enough to get him on all of nine ballots, while Rick Porcello came out better despite pitching like a pile of crap. Democracy! Don't know how Niemann finished above him either, but I guess there are still people who love them some W/L and ERA.

Kudos to Andrus and Bailey for being awesome, Andrus at defense and Bailey at everything. Again, hey, Anderson, but there's nothing wrong with rewarding guys who were legitimately great at what they did. Andrus is going to be a pest, and God help us if he learns how to hit.

No love for Rob Johnson or the Jakubaustrich.