Cardinals Sign SS Freddie Bynum to Minor League Deal
Posted on January 19th, 2011 by Jeff in Minor Leagues, tags: Freddie Bynum
The Cardinals are really serious about adding to their middle and left-sided infield defense. They added Freddie Bynum who played in MLB last in 2008 with the Orioles and he has been in Japan with the Orix Blue Wave. Per Matt Eddy on Twitter.
His last season in MLB he OPS’ed .444 and his career OPS is .654, so don’t think too much of him.
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Recognizing that there is no such thing as a “bad” minor-league deal (because the financial outlay is negligible and there is no guarantee or even expectation of an appearance in MLB), this still gives me a cold chill. This is a TERRIBLE player. And it isn’t like he’s a defensive whiz (subpar RF/9 for his MLB career) or a candidate to become a manager some time soon (he’s only 30). Is the farm system THAT desperate for middle-infield help? Apparently so.
The major league team started Schumaker/Theriot in the MI and seems happy with it. It’s no surprise the minor league system offers no help.
The flip side to this is that signing Bynum only makes sense as filler at Memphis, which can be interpreted as the Cardinals being serious in giving Descalso (who LaRussa seemed to like in his callup) and Greene (who’s been talked about recently by the coaching staff as having a MLB role) a real go in St. Louis. Who does Memphis have otherwise besides Solano?
I thought Jose Garcia might be given the AB’s that Kozma and Solano didn’t get.
I seriously doubt that Kozma will be in Memphis, at least to start the year.
Hoo boy, do I hope this analysis is right.
Descalso, Vazquez and Bynum seem to be the MI for Memphis right now. Guessing Cardinals sign someone (Eckstein) that will knock Greene back to AAA.