
Tis the season for free agent signings. Names such as Victor Martinez, Jorge de la Rosa, Juan Uribe, and Jake Westbrook are grabbing the headlines due to their multi-year, multi-million dollar contracts. Going relatively unnoticed are a bunch of minor league contract signings. The list below is a collection of players from the 2010 season that were signed to minor league deals and made an impact/significant contribution to their team. Some playoff teams would have been lost without the contributions of some of these players (Valdez/PHI, Thames/NYY, Benoit/TBR, Casilla/SFG). There's a pair of 200 innings-eaters, a few star relievers, and even a couple useful bats. One member of this list flipped his minor league signing last winter into a lucrative guaranteed deal this offseason. Wonder what 2011 minor league contracts will make the list next year?
Batters:*(AVG/OPS)
Laynce Nix/OF/Reds- 97 G, 165 AB, 16 R, 48 H, 11 2B, 4 HR, 18 RBI, .291/.805.
Marcus Thames/OF/DH/Yankees- 82 G, 212 AB, 22 R, 61 H, 7 2B, 12 HR, 33 RBI, .288/.841.
Miguel Cairo/UTL/Reds- 91 G, 200 AB, 30 R, 58 H, 12 2B, 4 HR, 28 RBI, 4 SB, .290/.763.
Corey Patterson/OF/Orioles- 90 G, 308 AB, 43 R, 83 H, 16 2B, 8 HR, 32 RBI, 21 SB, .268/.721.
Austin Kearns/OF/Indians/Yankees- 120 G, 403 AB, 55 R, 106 H, 21 2B, 10 HR, 49 RBI, 4 SB, .263/.746.
Mike Sweeney/1B/DH/Mariners/Phillies- 56 G, 151 AB, 21 R, 38 H, 5 2B, 8 HR, 26 RBI, 3 SB, .252/.765.
Wilson Valdez/UTL/Phillies- 111 G, 333 AB, 37 R, 86 H, 16 2B, 3 3B, 4 HR, 35 RBI, 7 SB, .258/.667.
Matt Stairs/OF/Padres- 78 G, 99 AB, 14 R, 23 H, 6 2B, 6 HR, 16 RBI, .232/.781.
Darnell McDonald/OF/Red Sox- 117 G, 319 AB, 40 R, 86 H, 18 2B, 3 3B, 9 HR, 34 RBI, 9 SB, .270/.766.
Chris Denorfia/OF/Padres- 99 G, 284 AB, 41 R, 77 H, 15 2B, 9 HR, 36 RBI, 8 SB, .271/.769.
Shelley Duncan/OF/Indians- 85 G, 229 AB, 29 R, 53 H, 10 2B, 11 HR, 36 RBI, .231/.736.
Wilson Betemit/3B/Royals- 84 G, 276 AB, 36 R, 82 H, 20 2B, 13 HR, 43 RBI, .297/.889.
Jim Edmonds/OF/Brewers/Reds- 86 G, 246 AB, 44 R, 68 H, 23 2B, 11 HR, 23 RBI, .276/.846.
Pitchers:*(ERA/WHIP)
Joaquin Benoit/RP/Rays- 63 G, 60.1 IP, 75 K, 1.63/0.68.
Elmer Dessens/RP/Mets- 4 W, 53 G, 47 IP, 16 K, 2.30/1.21.
Livan Hernandez/SP/Nationals- 10 W, 33 GS, 211.2 IP, 114 K, 3.66/1.32.
DJ Carrasco/RP/Pirates/Diamondbacks- 3 W, 63 G, 78.1 IP, 65 K, 3.68/1.30.
Joe Beimel/RP/Rockies- 71 G, 45 IP, 21 K, 3.40/1.36.
Bruce Chen/SP/Royals- 12 W, 33 G, 23 GS, 140.1 IP, 98 K, 4.17/1.38.
Will Ohman/RP/Orioles/Braves- 68 G, 42 IP, 43 K, 3.21/1.50.
Guillermo Mota/RP/Giants- 56 G, 54 IP, 38 K, 4.33/1.32.
Rodrigo Lopez/SP/Diamondbacks- 7 W, 33 GS, 200 IP, 116 K, 5.00/1.42.
Miguel Batista/RP/Nationals- 58 G, 82.2 IP, 55 K, 3.70/1.33.
Dustin Moseley/SP/RP/Yankees- 4 W, 16 G, 9 GS, 65.1 IP, 33 K, 4.98/1.42.
Jamey Wright/RP/Indians/Mariners- 46 G, 58.1 IP, 28 K, 4.17/1.37.
Alfredo Simon/RP/Orioles- 4 W, 49 G, 17 SV, 49.1 IP, 37 K, 4.93/1.54.
Joel Peralta/RP/Nationals- 39 G, 49 IP, 49 K, 2.02/0.80.
Denny Bautista/RP/Giants- 31 G, 33.2 IP, 44 K, 3.74/1.55.
RA Dickey/SP/Mets- 11 W, 26 GS, 174.1 IP, 104 K, 2.84/1.19.
Santiago Casilla/RP/Giants- 7 W, 52 G, 55.1 IP, 56 K, 1.95/1.19.