Juan Castro Signed to Replace Eric Bruntlett
November 25th, 2009 | by joeb03 |When the Phillies decided to remove utilityman Eric Bruntlett from the 40-man roster last week, Philly fans everywhere rejoiced. The bearded bench player spent the last two seasons in Philadelphia, where he gained the reputation of being the worst hitter in the history of the game.
Every big league team needs to have a player capable of manning the shortstop position should an ejection or injury occur during a game. For the past two seasons, that man was Bruntlett. In 2008 Rollins went down with a badly injured ankle, forcing Bruntlett into the starting lineup. He ended up playing in 120 games, recording a .217 batting average with just two home runs and 15 RBI’s. While serviceable in the field, he was a miserable offensive player. That continued in 2009, where he batted just .171 in 72 games, with no home runs and seven RBI’s.
For some reason, Charlie Manuel loved Bruntlett. Often he would send him to the plate against a left-handed pitcher in a key spot, hoping somehow he would become something he is not, a hitter. Enough picking on the poor guy, I’m sure he was an asset in the locker room. That being said, happy trails, Eric! And at least he provided us with this triple play (sorry no good video with sound)….
Out with the old and in with Juan Castro, a 37-year old utilityman who spent last season in the Dodgers system. In 57 games with the big league club, Castro batted .277 with one home run and nine RBI’s. The deal is for one-year worth under $1 million dollars. A 2011 option is held by the Phillies.
In 15 major league seasons with the Dodgers, Reds, Twins, and Orioles, Castro batted .230 with 36 home runs and 220 RBI’s. So Phillies fans should not be looking at to much of an offensive upgrade here. Ruben Amaro Jr. is bringing Castro in to be a reserve infielder, capable of playing second, third, and shortstop. Should one of our infielders get injured, Castro will see extended time. Besides that, he will keep the bench nice and warm.
The bench as it now stands consists of Ben Francisco, Greg Dobbs, and Castro. Two more positions are up for grabs, one which will belong to the backup catcher. The other could be an in-house candidate, free agent, or a player like Matt Stairs, who could be signed to a minor-league deal.
With the Hot Stove season upon us, more and more signings will be announced in the coming weeks. Things typically gain speed after Thanksgiving, so expect Amaro to be persistent in his search for a starting third baseman, bullpen help, and additional bench help.
