Brendan Donnelley: Bullpen Help?

by Al Yellon on Nov 27, 2009 12:28 PM CST in The Next 100 Years

This MLB.com article mainly talks about how the market for veteran free agents (who aren't in the top rank) has dried up due to teams' budget considerations.

But the article also talks about 38-year-old reliever Brendan Donnelly, who was a key part of the 2002 Angels World Championship team, but declined after that and suffered injuries that led him to have Tommy John surgery before the 2008 season. He pitched briefly (and poorly) for the Indians in 2008, and then threw quite well for the Marlins in the second half of last year (30 games, 25.1 IP, 9 BB, 25 K, 1 HR allowed, 1.78 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 0.6 WAR).

Donnelly is not unfamiliar to the Cubs or Jim Hendry -- he pitched a year in the Cubs' farm system as a kid in 1993 and later, as farm director, Hendry reacquired Donnelly in 2000, when he threw half a season for Iowa, and not very well. But two years later he was in the World Series.

According to the article, Donnelly wants a major league contract. I'm not sure I would give him that -- and I don't think anyone else will, either. On a minor league deal with a spring training invite? Why not?

The article also has this interesting info on Jim Edmonds:

Paul Cohen, the agent for Edmonds, sat by in disbelief when his client -- who had hit 382 home runs, compiled a career .905 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, won eight Gold Gloves and made four All-Star teams in a fantastic 16-year career -- couldn't get a big league offer.

"And this was after he had hit 20 homers [for San Diego and Chicago] in the last four months of the previous season," Cohen said.

Edmonds didn't want to take a Minor League deal and ended up walking away from the game, presumably for good, although Cohen says Edmonds, "is in the best shape he's been in in 10 years," so never say never.

But for the veterans who might be forced to quit early before the 2010 season, it would serve them well to take a view similar to that of Edmonds when they exit the ballpark for that final time.

"Look, Jim made a lot of money in the game, and when it was his time to step away from the game, he moved on," Cohen said.

"There are no regrets. He's got a great life now."

Sure -- but as for Donnelly, if he wants to play in 2010 and all that's out there is a minor league offer with a spring training invite, I'd take it. And if I were the Cubs, I think I'd give it.

Tweet Comment 18 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Why not give him an invitation to spring, but pride might prevent him from accepting that, and at 38 he may well go the way of Edmonds and walk away from the game. Not sure how much his arm has got left after that TJ surgery he went through, but I guess that’s what Spring Training is for.

Writer/Assistant editor
Eternal optimist
New York Jets
Gang Green Nation
www.ganggreennation.com

by David_Wyatt on Nov 27, 2009 12:38 PM CST reply actions

Sometimes...

… it takes more than a year to recover from TJ surgery. That seems to be the case, he threw much better in 2009 than in 2008.

Donnelly spent a lot of time in the minors before making the major leagues at age 30. On a one-year deal — why not?

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Nov 27, 2009 12:42 PM CST up reply actions

Chad Fox, part deux

in my opinion. There really is no point in signing him given his age

Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010

by Chanman25 on Nov 27, 2009 1:11 PM CST up reply actions

Completely different story.

Donnelly has actually come back after TJ surgery and had major league success — last year.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Nov 27, 2009 1:19 PM CST up reply actions

My thoughts exactly...

The guys 38 year old, which isn’t old if you are a Office Manager or if you are golfer but as a Relief pitcher you are reaching the upper limits of useful age. Why not see if we can the result out of a younger guy?

That’s not true!!! WHY THE F*CK WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOU AHOLE!! Ok maybe your right but you gotta give a little something here for it to work. I don’t know what I’m going to do this is the worst thing I’ve ever read, this day could not get any worse. Fine, F*ck it, you’re right.

by Ditkavsworld

by gaclaudy on Nov 27, 2009 5:13 PM CST up reply actions

How about a more dependable righty?

I mean sure Donnelly sounds good but do the Cubs really need another reliever past his prime. What they need is a reliever to set-up marmol. So why aren’t they going after Rafael Betancourt or Rafael Soriano?

by cubbies1 on Nov 27, 2009 1:24 PM CST reply actions

we have 2 setup men

1 Aaron down, 1 to go

by jesus christos on Nov 27, 2009 1:30 PM CST up reply actions

yeah but we need another

we have 2 set up men but grabow and guzman probably are more fit for the 7th inning (lefty/righty matchups)

we need an 8th inning man.

by cubbies1 on Nov 27, 2009 1:47 PM CST up reply actions

grabow isnt a loogy

1 Aaron down, 1 to go

by jesus christos on Nov 27, 2009 2:16 PM CST up reply actions

Soriano would likely be quite expensive.

Catch my act on Twitter as @dat_cubfan_dave.

by daver on Nov 28, 2009 11:47 AM CST via mobile up reply actions

At 38 and after the surgery it sounds risky,

but sometimes these “gambles,” especially if the Cubs get him for a low price, can pay off handsomely, either in form of a good season on the mound and/or as a mentor for the less experienced kids on their way up.

Does anyone know if Brendan Donnelly is the mentor type? What kind of money would a minor league contract entail?

Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -

by eths on Nov 27, 2009 1:44 PM CST reply actions

A minor league deal is just that...

… if you make the ML roster, it’s likely at the major league minimum, or you get a split contract where you make ML minimum if you’re in the majors, less if you’re sent down.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Nov 27, 2009 2:11 PM CST up reply actions

Another Florida Marlin

Remember what happened last time the cubs signed a reliever from florida.

yeah i dont care if he is cheap, we cant afford a guy who will lose us games.

by cubbies1 on Nov 27, 2009 1:49 PM CST reply actions

So you'd reject anyone who was a Marlin?

Guess you’d have to say goodbye to Derrek Lee, then.

Did you even look at his numbers last year? They were better than just about anyone in the Cubs’ bullpen.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Nov 27, 2009 2:11 PM CST up reply actions

I'd kick the tires

A one year deal contingent on him making the MLB roster is fine. Let him show what he’s got left in the tank down in Arizona. Some of you are too quick to dismiss a player. As Al pointed out he was sucessful in the second half for the Marlins. Take it with a grain of salt, that ballpark can be deceiving on pitchers stats sometimes. Too bad that wasn’t taken into consideration before picking up Gregg.

by Nibbles on Nov 27, 2009 8:19 PM CST reply actions

38

years old? sounds like its right up the tampa rays alley. they love these old relievers.for the cubs NO.

by NOMAR on Nov 28, 2009 8:40 AM CST reply actions

can't see how it could hurt

on a minor league deal or even a one-year major league deal that is incentive-laden. when he’s been healthy he’s been a very useful pitcher. plus, he seems pretty open to cheating if he needs to and could maybe teach some of the cubs younger pitchers the pine-tar-in-the-glove trick.

by circuitclout on Nov 28, 2009 12:25 PM CST reply actions