Spring Training 2009: The "Released" Team (UPDATED)

(UPDATE 7): Added Chad Gaudin and dropped Ron Villone. That move should be good for another 2 or 3 wins right? Put me down for 61 wins.

(UPDATE 6): Added Frank Catalanotto and dropped Danny Graves...I honestly cannot believe that a player of Catalanotto's caliber got released. He's instantly my #2 hitter and a definite cause for optimism. I now believe that this squad can get 58 wins. Who's with me?

(Update 5): Added Mike Lamb to the roster...dropped David Newhan and his infectious eyes.
(Update 4): Added Wily Mo Pena to the roster for some much needed pop and strikeouts....gotta love a guy named Wily Mo....dropped Jay Gibbons. The McPherson-Sheffield-Jenkins-Pena middle of the order should be both powerful and frustrating at the same time. Can any of them stay healthy?

(Update 3): Added Dallas McPherson to the roster...dropped Morgan Ensberg. Roster is starting to look quite good! 55 Wins!

(Update 2): Added Geoff Jenkins to the roster...dropped Guillermo Quiroz. Too many catchers.

(Update 1): Gary Sheffield added to roster...dropped Yhency Brazoban. We found our cleanup hitter!

Spring training can be a cruel time. As players get overtaken on the depth chart, teams gradually begin the process of reassigning players to either a minor league camp, a minor league team, or granting the player his contractual release. For whatever reason, the player just did not stick.

So this season, I decided to field a 25 man roster simply based on players who were released over the course of spring training. I did not include players, who were released prior to the start of spring training (i.e Adam Kennedy), but I did include players who were signed after they were released. Bottom line: If you were outright released during spring training, odds are you made the roster.

The 2009 Spring Training "Released" Roster

C- Josh Bard (signed with Nationals)
1b- Daryle Ward
2b-Marcus Giles
3b- Dallas McPherson
ss-Esteban German (signed with Cubs)
OF- Frank Catalanotto
OF- Dave Roberts
OF- Geoff Jenkins
DH- Gary Sheffield
Bench- Wily Mo Pena
Bench- Rob Bowen
Bench- Mike Lamb
Bench- Trot Nixon
SP- Shawn Hill (signed with Padres)
SP- Odalis Perez
SP- Mike Maroth
SP-Adam Eaton (signed with Orioles)
SP- Chad Gaudin
RP- Aaron Fultz
RP- Jimmy Gobble (signed with Rangers)
RP- Duaner Sanchez (signed with Padres)
RP- Brendan Donnelly
RP- Tyler Walker
RP- Keiichi Yabu (resigned with Giants)
CL- Eric Gagne

What's the over/under on how many games I could win with this bunch over the course of a full season? I'd say 45. The offense would be terrible (no surprise), but I would have a wide array of pitchers to use at my disposal. I like the idea of using the absurd amount of relief pitchers on this team to lefty/righty the opposing team to death. Not to mention that the Shawn Hill/Odalis Perez top of the rotation should be very imposing...

At the same time, my shortstop has played only 6 games at the position in his career and my fifth starter (Villone) has not been a starting pitcher for years. Maybe I should lower the over/under down to 35...

'62 Mets anyone?

Food for thought: why were there so few position players released in 2009?

(Note: This roster is not set in stone. Since spring training has not yet ended, there are sure to be more released players to come)