Myers is among 16 non-roster players who have been invited to spring training with the big club. They are as follows:
LHP: Craig Anderson, Travis Blackley, Mike Myers, Jose Nunez, George Sherrill, Randy Williams
C: Pat Borders, Luis Oliveros, Rene Rivera
OF: Hiram Bocachica, Shin-soo Choo
INF: Bucky Jacobsen, Adam Jones, Jose Lopez, Mickey Lopez, A.J. Zapp
I don’t know about you, but I’m starting to get excited for spring training.
The M’s inked veteran LHP Mike Myers to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. My guess is that he’s the front-runner to take the Kevin Jarvis memorial spot if he they decide to eat his contract. Myers is an odd pitcher, coming off a bad year, but was reasonably effective from 2000-2002, including posting a 1.99 ERA in Coors Field four years ago. His sidearm delivery makes him extremely vulnerable to right-handers, and his command isn’t very good, which is why he’s not getting a major league contract. The key will be for Melvin to understand how to use him; strictly against tough LHP’s, and never against RHP:
2001-2003:
Vs Left: 246 AB, .236/.326/.366
Vs Right: 183 AB, .279/.406!/.372
Last year, he was even worse, giving up a .430 on base percentage to righties. Thats just a level of suckness that you can’t allow in any kind of semi-important matchup. However, if you’re facing the A’s, and they’re running Kotsay/Chavez/Durazo/Hatteberg out there consecutively, Myers wouldn’t be a bad choice. As soon as a team brings in a right-handed bat off the bench, though, Myers needs to get the hook.
As the quintessential Lefty-One-Out-GuY (LOOGY, as coined by John Sickels) on a minor league contract, its not a bad deal. If he makes the roster instead of Kevin Jarvis, it might even help the team. In any case, we should be encouraged that the M’s didn’t throw a major league roster spot at him. This is a no-risk move.