Antonio Alfonseca out, Bryan Corey up

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 9, 2006 3:04 PM CDT in News

Just saw a flash from Jamey Newberg that Antonio Alfonseca has been designated for assignment, and Bryan Corey has been called up.

Wow. Definitely didn't expect this. I was no big fan of the Alfonseca signing, but he seemed to have done a decent job in the bullpen, and until his injury, Buck appeared to have a lot of confidence in him in the late innings.

Bryan Corey has been terrific this year...for Frisco and Oklahoma combined, he's got a 1.39 ERA in 32 1/3 IP, with 35 Ks, 8 walks, 3 HBP, and 0 homers allowed.

Corey is a 32 year old career minor leaguer with 5 innings total in the majors. You can check out his career stats (majors and minors) here.

I have to think this is a short-term move...I have a hard time imagining Corey is viewed as part of the long-term solution in the pen for 2006. I'm guessing he's here until Francisco or Castro are ready.

Update [2006-6-9 16:20:38 by Adam J. Morris]: -- I'm not sure why Corey got the call, rather than Wes Littleton. I initially thought Littleton hadn't spent enough time in the minors since being optioned when John Rheinecker was called up, but by my count, Littleton has spent 11 days in the minors, which would allow him to be recalled.

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Comments

Alfonseca

Sad to see him go, but he was starting to look a bit dodgy even before his injury. It's a shame because he seemed like a great guy.

I'm not fickle, I just don't like you.

by shrinking violet on Jun 9, 2006 3:08 PM CDT reply actions

Big locker room

guy... This is a bigger loss than just him phisically playing...We will see..

Blalock for MVP

by miles on Jun 9, 2006 3:09 PM CDT reply actions

how do you know that

and he's almost assuredly getting picked up, right?

by ab03 on Jun 9, 2006 3:13 PM CDT up reply actions

I doubt it

I think he'll clear waivers.

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 9, 2006 3:16 PM CDT up reply actions

huge loss

i said earlier it looked like he spilled a shipment of HGH on his belly. i cant believe it is a good thing for his pitching to be as fat as he is.

by sanangelofan on Jun 9, 2006 3:13 PM CDT reply actions

conspiracy theory time

maybe he's in the affidavit

by ab03 on Jun 9, 2006 3:14 PM CDT up reply actions

Castro

Talk about sneaky. It's obvious that he's not major -league ready (and I'm not talking about his "injury"), so they're using the DL rules to keep him off the major league team.

-EFG

by EricG301 on Jun 9, 2006 3:19 PM CDT reply actions

Well, of course...

Sort of like how Bruno Sundov had back spasms the entire two years he was on the Mavs...

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 9, 2006 3:21 PM CDT up reply actions

The funny thing

about Alfonseca is he never wathced the game in the bullpen. He was always sooking at everyone in the crowd and handing out things to kids. The other thing he did was toss sunflower seeds at Benoit all game. Hes a real character.

Blalock for MVP

by miles on Jun 9, 2006 3:24 PM CDT reply actions

Littleton

I don't really understand either. Would they have concerns about not burning his options?

Jackie was a rich punk rocker -- silver spoon and a paper plate

by trza on Jun 9, 2006 3:24 PM CDT reply actions

Nope

The Rangers used the first option on Littleton when they sent him down at the start of the season.

They can move him back and forth between the majors and minors as many times as they want this year, and it still only counts as one option.

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 9, 2006 3:31 PM CDT up reply actions

gotcha

Thanks. I had almost forgotten he actually was a Ranger already this year, albeit for a weekend.

Jackie was a rich punk rocker -- silver spoon and a paper plate

by trza on Jun 9, 2006 3:39 PM CDT up reply actions

Just like

Doug Christie was a Mav this year. It sucks that he'll get a ring.

"I felt that I could've written it, so the fact that it already existed is really a technicality." - Walt Berkman

by orton1227 on Jun 9, 2006 3:40 PM CDT up reply actions

I think

in the NBA its the teams choise if they want to give him one. But if "he" gets one, his wife will be wearing it...It will be sized for her.

Blalock for MVP

by miles on Jun 9, 2006 3:53 PM CDT up reply actions

Actually...

...it wouldn't have been any different if Littleton hadn't been called up before. Since Texas put him on the 40 this winter, when they assigned him to Frisco during spring training, his first option was triggered.

Even if he spent the entire 06 season on the farm, one option would have been used, which is no different from if he gets called up half a dozen different times this year.

by Jamey Newberg on Jun 9, 2006 5:15 PM CDT up reply actions

tell the truth, JD

I know, it just bugs me that they won't come out and say it: "he's not ready for the big leagues, so we're gonna use the rules to our advantage and keep him in the minors just long enough so we don't have to send him back to KC."

-EFG

by EricG301 on Jun 9, 2006 3:26 PM CDT reply actions

Listen here, KC fan

you got your win last night. Leave us our Castro.

Buckrajas sucks

by WyoRanger on Jun 9, 2006 3:42 PM CDT up reply actions

He wouldn't go back to KC

He'd go back to Chicago, which is who he was drafted from.

Although, if we put him on waivers (which we'd have to do before we could offer him back to Chicago), he would likely be claimed by Kansas City, since they have first shot at anyone on the waiver wire.

by Adam J. Morris on Jun 9, 2006 3:47 PM CDT up reply actions

NM

For some reason I thought we got him from KC. I'm digging myself a bigger hole here...go Mavs.

-EFG

by EricG301 on Jun 9, 2006 4:07 PM CDT up reply actions

we did

get him from KC(for German), but it was through Chicago in the Rule 5 draft.

Just one of Morris's Minions

by BHill on Jun 9, 2006 4:19 PM CDT up reply actions

frankie frank

cant wait till he gets back. i would like to see Littleton up, but i dont mind giving Corey a shot since he has been good closing at AAA. i think there is little doubt the pen is where we need the most help at the trade deadline. right now we have Bauer and Benoit that also need to be replaced.

by sanangelofan on Jun 9, 2006 3:29 PM CDT reply actions

Castro

I would have activated him instead of adding Corey to the roster. With a three-man bench, I would think this would be a good time to get him back on the active roster.

He should then get injured again right after the All-Star break (make sure he gets those three free days on the active roster), go back on the 15-day DL for rest of July, rehab in August, go back on the roster in September and magically get exactly 90 days of active roster time by the end of the season.

by BurntOrange on Jun 9, 2006 3:53 PM CDT reply actions

Daily Oklahoman had a Corey article ...

... on June 3rd. Maybe we should watch what the org feeds Bob Hersom in the future in order to deduce their next move. Here's an excerpt, sez he had a recent mechanics epiphany ...
---------------------------------

"I was on my way to Mexico," he said, "if things didn't work out."

Things did work out for Corey, but only after pitching in Double-A for the first time in nine years. The Rangers signed him at the end of spring training and initially sent him to Frisco.

He was 1-0 with seven saves and a 2.08 ERA at Frisco. He's been even better with the RedHawks, allowing just one run in 12 innings, for an 0.75 ERA. He has converted all five of his save opportunities.

"He's done a real good job, and he's got that bulldog mentality," said John Lombardo, the Rangers' director of minor league operations. "He's great for that club."

Corey said: "I made a small adjustment in my mechanics, and it's been a lifesaver. I'm finally and truly having fun for the first time in awhile."

Corey's best pitches are his fastball and slider. His best friend is good control. He has walked only 247 batters in 773 1/3 minor league innings.

"He's been very impressive," Lombardo said. "He's a guy with some experience who has the potential to throw two 'plus' pitches. His pitch-ability is very good, and he's a strike thrower who's shown a good game-type arm, so we'll see where it goes."

Corey, a Thousand Oaks, Calif., native who resides in Mesa, Ariz., is in his 14th pro season. He has pitched in four major league games, three for the Diamondbacks in 1998 and one for the Dodgers in 2002.

"I'm closer to the end of my career than I am to the beginning," Corey said, "but I don't think I'm done with pitching. I know I can still pitch in the big leagues. If I didn't think that, I wouldn't be playing anymore.

"But I am trying to have fun. I have a different attitude now. It's just really been good. I like this organization a lot, and this is a good group of guys and a good coaching staff. I think this is a good fit for me."

Rangers Farm Probables

by shroomer on Jun 9, 2006 4:05 PM CDT reply actions

Corey vs. Littleton

I'm not sure there isn't a sequence here .. get Brian Corey today, and depending on use and abuse, add Littleton tomorrow or Sunday. The issue then would be, who gets dropped from the 25 for Littleton's spot? It seems there are a handful of alternatives.

by Ed Coffin on Jun 9, 2006 4:08 PM CDT reply actions

I think you're right

The way they burned through the pen last night, I think we're going to see some reinforcements during the Boston series.

by Dustin on Jun 9, 2006 4:51 PM CDT up reply actions

His stuff

was excellent the couple of times I saw him in Frisco. FB was well into the 90's, and his breaking ball was too much for AA'ers (I guess not surprisingly). It was funny because (I think it was the first game of the season) I was joking around to my brother as he came in that it might be time to hang 'em up for him, knowing his age and that he had regressed. Then he came in and dominated, and my brother looked over at me like "whatever you think." It will be interesting to see how his success so far translates.

by Brett Perryman on Jun 9, 2006 6:27 PM CDT reply actions