Rays Sign Randy Choate and Julio DePaula

by R.J. Anderson on Jan 6, 2009 1:40 PM EST Comment 31 comments

Per the Heater, LHP Randy Choate and RHP Julio DePaula to minor league deals.

Choate is 33 and throws sidearm. The Brewers gave him a major league deal last season and Choate spent 2008 primarily in Triple-A, striking out 7.15 per nine and walking 4.62. His career numbers (in 165 innings) are pretty close to that, and his career FIP is 3.87. Choate's career OPS versus lefties is .680, slightly better than the .745 mark given up against righties, but do note his usually outstanding groundball rates which suggest he's a nice fit for the Rays infield. Choate throws an upper-80's fastball and mid-70's slider.

via mlb.mlb.com

DePaula is less encouraging. I would peg him to fill a spot in the Durham rotation based on his starting adventures in his previous two minor league seasons. DePaula spent 2008 with the Edmonton Cracker-Cats (an independent league team), his arsenal consists heavily of an upper-80's fastball, high-70's curve, and low-80's change. Given DePaula's strikeout and walk rates, he doesn't translate too well to the majors.

Wrong DePaula. Julio is a reliever who finally reached the majors last year. His fastball sits in the low 90's and complements it with a change and slider. DePaula has gotten a decent number of swinging strikes and groundballs over the years, and unlike the other J. DePaula, could be decent in the majors.

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Randy Choate

The lefty bradford, there is your LOOGY

by Tommy Rancel on Jan 6, 2009 1:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yay

Top Josh Paul Pornos- Big Navi Stroking, 2pitchers1cup, BJ to the Balls, Riggans Your Thingans

by SRQman on Jan 6, 2009 1:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i think that he has a great chance to make the team out of spring training

MLB-Rays,Marlins,Twins, and Reds
NFL-Vikings,Lions(i know Shut up),texans, and Bills
NBA-Timberwolves(also shut up),Cavilers(bye bye LeBron in '10)
NHL- Wild and Penguins
College-Gophers,Gators,Longhorns and Irish.
all of the above mentioned teams are in order by my favorites

by RaysOfHope on Jan 6, 2009 1:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Choate as a lefty is like....

Ziegler as a righty.

Choate has no business facing any right-handed batters but since 05 in the minors vs LH Batters: 2.66 FIP, .227 OppBA, 11.0 K/9, 2.9 BB/9, 0.34 HR/9, 62% GB rate

What's on my mind

by Jason Collette on Jan 6, 2009 1:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Woooie

Minor league deal, yay

Anyway, as I was lying in the puddle, I think I may have found a way for us to get Bonds and Griffey, and we wouldn't have to give up that much.

~George Costanza~

by Sandy Kazmir on Jan 6, 2009 2:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Like Miller had no business facing a right hander last season.

by Erik Hahmann on Jan 6, 2009 2:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

De Paula didn't start in any season from 2003 to '07 and in just 5 games in '08 ... or am I wrong R.J.?

by BurGi on Jan 6, 2009 2:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

In the minors he did.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1827&position=P

by R.J. Anderson on Jan 6, 2009 2:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Accoring to mlb.com the Rays signed JULIO DePaula from the Twins Organisation!

http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=19333

… and he is a reliever! … and not that bad (despite ’08) by the way!

by BurGi on Jan 6, 2009 2:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jesus I'm dumb.

by R.J. Anderson on Jan 6, 2009 2:38 PM EST up reply actions 7 recs

ha

by Erik Hahmann on Jan 6, 2009 2:39 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

mhmm

Brad Ziegler had a scoreless inning streak. Brad Ziegler had not met BJ Upton.

by P Brady on Jan 6, 2009 2:40 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I have complete faith in Andrew

Don’t be shocked for a closer-type to fall to them also

by Raymondo on Jan 6, 2009 2:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I like how you're suddenly the positive one.

by R.J. Anderson on Jan 6, 2009 2:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It's all in the name

PS—they haven’t played a game yet

I am imposing on myself a ban during GDT

by Raymondo on Jan 6, 2009 2:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

"PS—they haven’t played a game yet"

I had no idea.

by R.J. Anderson on Jan 6, 2009 2:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Just checking we actually do agree once in a while

Jesus I’m dumb.
by R.J. Anderson on Jan 6, 2009 11:38 AM PST up reply actions 2 recs

by Raymondo on Jan 6, 2009 3:05 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Ok, but only because you said so

by Erik Hahmann on Jan 6, 2009 2:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hopefully this question not out of order

Assuming they go with 12 pitchers as it sits does Gross, Perez or maybe Baldelli get the last spot?

by Raymondo on Jan 6, 2009 2:56 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Kapler

by Tommy Rancel on Jan 6, 2009 3:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Baldelli sucks. He sucks hard.

by kericr on Jan 6, 2009 4:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

how does Baldelli suck so hard?

by RaysOfHope on Jan 6, 2009 10:47 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Because he's a cripple.

by kericr on Jan 7, 2009 9:46 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Seriously

I’m getting tired of people trying to give a roster spot to Baldelli. If the team decides to give him a contract, and he decides to take it, it’s going to be a minor-league deal with a ST invite. And if he does happen to make the team, he’s going to have to earn it by proving he’s capable of playing just about everyday, and they’re going to have to make room for him. The Rays are probably going to take a healthy player, any healthy player, over Baldelli.

Why don’t we just go sign Joe Saunders? I mean, he’s a great team guy and I’m sure his arm has fully healed from the two spiral fractures he got because the torque of his arm snapped it like a twig. And I’m sure he’ll come cheap too.

by kericr on Jan 7, 2009 9:55 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs