The Royals signed Pedro Feliz to a minor league deal that includes an invitation to Spring Training, the team announced. Enrique Rojas of ESPNDeportes.com reports (on Twitter) that Feliz will earn $800K if he makes the team and will have the chance to earn $200K more in incentives.
The Astros signed Feliz to a $4.5MM deal last winter, then traded him to the Cardinals midseason. He didn't hit for either team, posting a .218/.240/.293 line in 429 plate appearances for the two NL Central clubs. Feliz, 35, has seen his slugging percentage and isolated power drop in each of the past four seasons. He once had 20-homer power, but it seems to have disappeared; his homer totals keep dropping and he hit just five long balls last year.
Feliz has a history of hitting lefties better than righties and a reputation as a strong defender, though he posted a below-average -4.9 UZR/150 last year. He'll join Mike Aviles and the surprising Wilson Betemit at the hot corner this spring.
Giorgi Almonte
good signing…
Jeff Weissbuch
Are you crazy this is a very typical Royal signing. I would have saved the $800,000 for scouting the draft.
lawrence267
he only makes $800k if he makes the team. there’s no risk so why not
Jeff Weissbuch
Because he will hit the ball a ton in spring training and nothing in the regular season. At best you guys might be able to dump him at the deadline at the end of july for a middle level minor leaguer or two.
Daniel Wesley
Can I borrow your crystal ball?
bigpat
That is 800K too much. He had an OBP of .240, there’s pitchers who’ve done a better job than him.
Giorgi Almonte
yeah!! thers no hgh risk here…and look what betemit did last year..
iheartyourfart
negative WAR ftw
Devern Hansack
Well, his OBP seems to fit the Royals lineup nicely.
Rick Garcia
Only a good signing if he gets back to hitting
Devern Hansack
He hasn’t hit since his 100 OBP+ in 2004. No chance he’ll “get back to hitting.”
Jeff Weissbuch
I agree a complete waste of time. If the Royals needed a guy off of the bench maybe ,but this is just a waste of time.
Moe Lester
by “off the bench” I take it you mean a typical Royals starter?
Jeff Weissbuch
.218/.240/.293 line in 429 plate doesn’t equal 800,000.
cedarandstone
Juan Pierre: 275/341/312 in 2010.
Jeff Weissbuch
Yes but unlike Pedro, Juan could be a difference maker on the base paths.
twenty1thirteen
This is purely a depth signing. Seriously people… Yost already said Aviles will be starting at 3rd.
royalsmakemesad
Like Ponson was?
twenty1thirteen
You just had to remember.. Lol.
$1639238
Do the Royals just sign players they feel bad for or something? I can’t think of any other logic for 90% of their moves.
matchmade
I’m not sure I understand this signing at all, he seems to be third at best on the depth chart for either corner infield spot. I wouldn’t put him ahead of Butler / Kila / Betemit at 1B or Aviles / Betemit at 3B and for that matter should Aviles AND Betemit go down Gordon could go back to third or perhaps that would be the time to go ahead and give Moustakas a chance at the big league level.
I understand it’s a “low risk” signing being a minor league deal and maybe they’re thinking he will make a good veteran leader backing up Moustakas in AAA and helping Moose improve his footwork.
BS
It’s gonna be a good battle between Feliz and Frenchy to see who makes more first pitch outs. One of them is going to find a way to break the mythical sub-one-pitch at bat.
Bob George
Complete waste of time for the Royals. And he’s going to get spring training ab’s that a kid could have used.
Cuddy Fox
Only problem is all the Royals are kids. They might sign him, just to have someone over 35 to rot on the bench, as a paperweight.
Kris Higdon
Some really dumb people post on this thread.
Moe Lester
Like you I see??
royalman23
Or they simply signed him to play 3B in Omaha when Moustakas comes up. 🙂 This is honestly nothing to even talk about. It is a minor league deal to build depth. What if last year was a complete fluke for Betemit and he falls off the face of the earth again or what if Aviles gets hurt?? Calm down and trust the process…Royal fans we are almost there.
hoagiebuchanan
Game 5 single up the middle to score Eric Bruntlett.
HallandOates
I’d say way higher on the list of stupid things to do for Pedro Feliz would be to trade a prospect for him mid-season, after he’s already established he sucks. Sorry Cardinals…
michaelseeley
This signing ac
michaelseeley
This signing actually makes some sense, if you look at it like a mentor standpoint. The one thing people knock Moustakas on is his defense (other than his arm, which is a cannon), specifically his footwork. This is something that Feliz has excelled at in his career and can help the young man get better at, hopefully. At best he’s a depth signing. At worst, they cut him after spring training. Not something to get worked up about.
Guest
He will be in LA come July for Dee Gordon and Chris Withrow.
setupunchtag
Haha. I would get in ANY trade involving the Dodgers, these days.