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andruw jones wins 5th OF spot
Topic Started: Wed Apr 1, 2009 9:03 pm (14 Views)
CinciFan985
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Reds 45-57

The Rangers have released outfielder Frank Catalanotto to make room for Andruw Jones. Catalanotto was told of the move by general manager Jon Daniels in a meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
The Rangers are obligated to pay both Catalanotto's $4 million salary and a $2 million buyout on a 2010 option.

Texas was trying to trade Catalanotto but was unable to get any bites



The Rangers, strongly prodded by hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, wanted Jones on the team as a fifth outfielder and possible right-handed designated hitter.

"I feel good," Jones said. "I think in this situation it will be spread out how everybody gets in the game. But the best thing is having Rudy there. He's going to keep you focused. You just do all your work and when you get an opportunity to play, you let it happen."

The Rangers put some of the official finishing touches on the position player portion of their roster on Wednesday. Omar Vizquel has made the team and outfielder Brandon Boggs and Joaquin Arias are going back to Triple-A Oklahoma City. General manager Jon Daniels said the Rangers had some interest from other teams in Arias but weren't interested in moving him.

There were some clubs that were watching Jones -- including the Reds and Phillies -- but the Rangers preferred to keep him because of the need for a right-handed hitter in the middle of the lineup. He had a double and a ninth-inning home run on Wednesday that gave the Rangers a 5-4 victory over the Angels at Diablo Stadium.

"He's looking good," manager Ron Washington said.

Jones is now hitting .293 with three home runs and six RBIs in 22 games and 58 at-bats this spring. He was released by the Dodgers in January after hitting .158 with three homers and 14 RBIs in 209 at-bats last year.

"It's been a pretty good spring," Jones said. "I've been consistent even though I went a week without playing in 'A' games. I feel good. I'm not complaining about Spring Training because I didn't know what the situation would be. But I did all right. I did everything I was supposed to do."

Catalanotto, who was 1-for-5 on Wednesday, hit .317 for the spring. But it wasn't good enough to earn a spot on the team. He's a left-handed hitting first baseman, left fielder and designated hitter. The Rangers already have Chris Davis at first, David Murphy in left and Hank Blalock at DH.

They all hit left-handed. The Rangers need a right-handed bat. They found one.

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Deleted User
Deleted User

Eh, why not?
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Deleted User
Deleted User

Andruw Jones hit .158 last year with 3 home runs. The previous season he hit a whopping .222.

He has show a decline in each of his last three years and I thought his real age was in question. I don't mind taking a chance on a player that is coming off a bad year but I want no part of an aging player with 3 consecutive seasons of declining production.
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Deleted User
Deleted User

You might have found someone worse than Corey Patterson
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