16 At Bats and Counting, What Is Velez Doing on the Roster?

Dodger “futility” infielder Eugenio Velez is now hitless in 16 at bats as a Dodger.  His ineptness is far from what Craig Counsell is experiencing over in Milwaukee, now going hitless in 45 consecutive at-bats.  Poor Craig is batting .145 and  is approaching the major league record for hitting futility, a record held by Brooklyn catcher Bill Bergen in 1909, at 46 consecutive at bats without a hit.

Eugenio Velez

Bergen’s career is chronicled in the New York Times today.  It’s a very interesting read,  LINKED HERE

I hope the 40-year old Counsell gets a knock in his next AB, he has had a fairly respectable career and I’d hate for him to be remembered for this horrible streak. 

Getting back to Velez.  Is there really a need to keep him on the roster?  He's another one of those guys that killed us as a Giant and really kills us as a Dodger.  Why not let Ivan DeJesus play everyday at the Major League level?  Let’s see what he can do.  Perhaps it answers some questions that will linger over the off-season about holes this club will have going in to 2012.  This move makes too much sense which is precisely why Colletti won’t make it.

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The trading deadline has come and gone.  Now I’m interested to know what Dodger players are dangling out there on the waiver wire.  

For those unfamiliar with the process, players can be dealt past the trade deadline if their team has placed them on waivers and another club attempts to pick them up.  So, for example, if the Dodgers placed Jamey Carroll on waivers and let’s say the Brewers express interest in him, the Dodgers would have three options: 1) arrange a trade within two days of the Brewers claim, 2) rescind the waiver request and keep him or 3) do nothing and allow the Brewers to pick him up and be on the hook for the remainder of his contract.

I am assuming that players with hefty contracts and/or in their final year with the team have been placed on waivers, (i.e., Lilly, Miles, Carroll, Loney, Blake, Kuo), but I have yet to see a list go public.  So there is still hope yet for a few more prospects to come aboard, or for Colletti to deal off what remains of our close to major league ready minor leaguers in a deal similar to the Trayvon Robinson trade.

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