Usually, spring coincides with change. But for nearly the entire roster of former LSU baseball players in Major League Baseball, the winter brought about a change of scenery before the first baseball was rubbed down for 2003 Spring Training.
Of the 16 Tigers who appeared on 40-man rosters in 2002, two were traded, nine were picked up as free agents and one was sold to a Japanese team.
On former Tiger, Ed Yarnall, has returned from Japan to sign a free agent contract with the Oakland A’s.
The Rundown (alphabetically, of course)
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| 32 | P | Kurt Ainsworth | 2 seasons | San Francisco Giants |
| The low-down: Ainsworth spent the middle of 2002 (April 24 – Sept. 3) with the Pacific Coast League’s Fresno Grizzles (AAA), as the Giants wanted to allow him to pitch on a regular basis rather than coming out of the bullpen.
He began the season at the No. 4/5 starter in the World Series runners-up rotation, but was beaten out for the final starting position by rookie 13-game winner Ryan Jensen when Jason Schmidt came off the DL in late April. While in the big leagues, he appeared in six games, including a one-inning relief appearance during Jensen’s 13th win in the season finale. Ainsworth started four games — all in April — and had a 1-2 record with a 2.10 ERA. He struck out 15 batters and walked 12, as opponents batted .237 against him. In Fresno, Ainsworth was 8-6 with a 3.41 ERA in 20 games and 116 innings pitched. He struck out 119 while walking 43. This Season: Ainsworth will again battle Jensen for the No. 5 starting role. Should he not be awarded this role, he will likely return to Fresno to get into a regular rotation. |
||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| 36 | P | Paul Byrd | 8 seasons | Atlanta Braves |
| The low-down: Byrd, 32, was signed as a free agent by the Braves — for which he played the 1997 and 1998 season — after spending the 2002 season with the Kansas City Royals. He was one of the few shining stars on a team that lost 100 games, as the right-hander led the team with 17 wins and a 3.90 ERA in 33 starts.
Although overlooked en lieu of teammate Mike Sweeney as the team’s, 2002 All-Star representative, Byrd accounted for 27 percent of the Royals’ wins and struck out 129 while walking on 38. Despite allowing the second-most home runs (36) in the major leagues behind the Angels’ Ramon Ortiz (40), he posted the best season of his career. This Season: Byrd joins a Braves pitching staff that lost Tom Glavine, Kevin Millwood, Mike Remlinger and Damian Moss. If healthy, he along with Russ Ortiz and Mike Hampton should give the Braves a chance to continue their dominance over the NL East. |
||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| 31 | P | Mark Guthrie | 14 seasons | Chicago Cubs |
| The low-down: After one outstanding season with the New York Mets — his eighth team in 14 seasons — this 37-year-old set-up man returns to the Cubs, for which he pitched a total of 30 games during the 1999 and 2000 seasons.
He will be a part of a revamped Cubs bullpen that was the worst in the NL last season. Guthrie, Dave Veres and Mike Remlinger — all new to the Cubs’ bullpen — are a trio of veterans that combined to post a 2.72 ERA last season while holding opponents to a .211 batting average. In 2002, Guthrie had a banner season, going 5-3 in 68 relief appearances with a save and a team-high 17 holds. He struck out 44 batters in 48 innings and was unscored upon in 60 of his 68 appearances. He went 33 games from May 25 to Aug. 3 without being scored upon. This Season: Despite his age, this crafty lefty will continued to be called upon to face one or two batters almost daily to get through the heart of an opponent’s lineup. His help will be needed immediately to keep the Cubs from posting their fourth 94-loss season in five years. |
||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| 45 | P | Trey Hodges | 1 season | Atlanta Braves |
| The low-down: Viewed as one of the top prospects in the organization, Hodges made his MLB debut on Sept. 10, 2002, earning a win in relief. He appeared in four games in relief for the Braves, going 2-0 with a 5.40 ERA.
Prior to being called up, Hodges led the Richmond Braves (AAA) with a 15-9 record and a 3.19 ERA in 28 games and 172.1 innings pitched. He struck out 116 with 56 walks. This Season: Hodges remains on the “Will Help Soon” list for the Braves, as he should get a change to make an impact in 2003. However, he will probably start the season in the minor leagues. |
||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| 25 | INF | Russ Johnson | 6 seasons | New York Mets |
| The low-down: After playing 45 games as a semi-regular at third base for the Devil Rays, Johnson spent the second half of the season working out personal problems. He was recalled in early September before being traded in the off season to the Mets.
Johnson batted only .216 in 111 plate appearances in 2002, with five doubles, one home run and 12 RBI. He has a lifetime .265 batting average. This Season: Johnson looks to start the season with the Norfolk Tides (AAA) as he was transferred from Class-AA Binghamton in January. |
||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| 25 | P | Randy Keisler | 2 seasons | San Diego Padres |
| The low-down: Keisler, who was once listed as a top prospect in the Yankees organization, was signed by the Padres on Feb. 15, 2003, to a minor league contract.
He missed the entire 2002 season after undergoing shoulder surgery before suffering a rattlesnake bite on the pinky finger of his pitching hand. Prior to that, he made 10 starts for the Yankees in 2001, going 1-2 with a 6.22 ERA. This Season: Keisler was invited to Spring Training in Peoria, Ariz., but was later released by the Padres on Feb. 6. |
||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| 16 | 3B | Brandon Larson | 2 seasons | Cincinnati Reds |
| The low-down: While fighting off a broken foot and a broken hand that caused him to miss parts of August and September, Larson made the most of a mid-July call-up. In 23 games, he batted .275 with four home runs and 13 RBI.
Prior to being called up, Larson dominated Class-AAA Louisville by batting .340 with 25 home runs and 69 RBI. This Season: Due to Larson’s success last season, the Reds moved Aaron Boone to second base — in place of former Tiger Todd Walker who was traded to the Red Sox — allowing Larson to be the projected starter at third base. He hopes to make an impact similar to Reds’ rookie Austin Kearns. |
||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| 33 | P | Curtis Leskanic | 9 seasons | Milwaukee Brewers |
| The low-down: Leskanic was expected to be the closer in the Brewers’ rotation, however, he missed the entire 2002 season recovering from surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff and frayed labrum. His mid-season rehab attempt from May 10-28 was unsuccessful.
In eight games with the Indianapolis Indians (AAA) and the Huntsville Stars (AA), he threw 9 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on nine hits with nine strikeouts and two walks. He aggravated his shoulder and decided to hang it up for the season. In his career, Leskanic has a 42-29 record with 49 saves in 499 games. This Season: Leskanic is throwing at about 80 percent velocity in Spring Training and looks to be on his way back. The Brewers will need him as a closer after a franchise-worst 106-loss season. |
||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| 30 | 2B | Warren Morris | 4 seasons | Detroit Tigers |
| The low-down: Although he began the 2002 season with the Minnesota Twins, he lasted only four games in the big leagues. He was hitless in seven at bats with one strikeout.
Morris played in 147 and 144 games in 1999 and 2000 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, however, his production diminished to only 48 games and a .204 batting average in 2001. He was signed to a minor league contract by the Tigers in December of 2002. In 2002, Morris played in the Twins, Cardinals and Red Sox minor league organizations. He combined to bat .281 (100-of-356) with seven home runs, 21 doubles and 45 RBI in 99 games. He finished the season with the Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA), batting .305 with 50 hits in 43 games including 11 doubles. This Season: Morris will attempt to work his way back to the majors via the Tigers’ minor league system. |
||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| 12 | C | Keith Osik | 7 seasons | Milwaukee Brewers |
| The low-down: Prior to being picked up by the Brewers in the offseason, Osik spent the better part of 2002 as a pinch hitter and backup catcher for the Pirates. He hit only .160 in 100 at bats while appearing in 55 games.
This Season: Osik signed a minor league contract with the Brewers and looks to start the season there. |
||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| 14 | INF | Jeff Reboulet | 11 seasons | Baltimore Orioles |
| The low-down: The oldest former Tiger in the majors, Reboulet continues to play a role on every team that he’s been on. Although he’ll be 39 on April 30, Reboulet was signed by the Orioles in late January 2003.
During his second of two seasons with the Dodgers, he appeared in 38 games mostly as a pinch hitter and pinch runner. He hit .208 in 48 at bats with two RBI and three doubles. This Season: Reboulet, who played in three season with the Orioles (1997-99), looks to once again make a roster as a backup infielder. With a .240 lifetime batting average in nearly 2,000 at bats, nothing seems to slow him down. Not even a back injury that put him on the DL for 40 days in 2002. |
||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| 7 | RF | Armando Rios | 5 seasons | Chicago White Sox |
| The low-down: Rios fought through a left knee injury throughout the 2002 season while with the Pirates to bat .264 in 76 games and 208 at bats. He produced one home run, 11 doubles and 24 RBI.
He was on the DL from May 19 until Aug. 1. During a 16-game rehab stint in the minors, Rios batted .241 with two doubles and six RBI. Rios was signed by the White Sox as a free agent during the offseason. This Season: Rios will be a backup outfielder, but may get a chance to play both right field and center field should the White Sox be hampered with injuries. |
||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| 4 | INF | Andy Sheets | 7 seasons | Hiroshima Toyo Carp |
| The low-down: Sheets batted .248 in 41 games with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays before being sold to the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of the Japanese Professional Baseball’s Central League.
He was called up to the majors in July of 2002 after batting .294 with 25 doubles, six triples and 14 home runs in 98 games for the Durham Bulls. He also added 69 RBI and scored 55 runs. This Season: If we could read Japanese, we would tell you more. |
||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| — | P | Mike Sirotka | 6 seasons | Chicago Cubs |
| The low-down: The 31-year-old pitcher spent the past two seasons on the Toronto Blue Jays’ disabled list after undergoing surgery to repair three tears in his left shoulder and a torn left rotator cuff.
Sirotka has gone 45-42 with 9 complete games and a 4.31 ERA during his major-league career. This Season: Sirotaka, once seen as a top pitcher for the White Sox, was invited to Spring Training as a non-roster player. After two years off, he has a lot of work to do to get back to form. |
||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| 60 | P | Brian Tallet | 1 season | Cleveland Indians |
| The low-down: One of the top prospects in the Indians’ organization, Tallet made his MLB debut on Sept. 16, earning the win after throwing six scoreless innings while allowing four hits and three walks.
He appeared once more on Sept. 25, getting a no-decision after pitching six innings and allowing three runs on five hits. Tallet finished the season with a 1-0 record and a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings pitched. Prior to being called up, he posted a 12-4 minor league record with the Buffalo Bisons and the Akron Aeros. In Class-AA Akron, he was 10-1 with a 3.08 ERA in 102 1/3 inning pitched. This Season: Tallet is among six young Indians vying for two spots in the rotation. He will compete with Cliff Lee, Rocardo Rodriguez, Billy Traber, Jason Davis and Lance Caraccioli. |
||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| 12 | 2B | Todd Walker | 7 seasons | Boston Red Sox |
| The low-down: After arguably his best major league season, Walker was traded from Cincinnati to Boston for the final year of his three-year, $6.55 million contract. He will make $3.4 million this season, which the Reds deemed to be too steep.
In 2002, Walker played in 155 games at second base, batted .299 — one hit away from .300 — hit 11 home runs, a career-high 42 doubles and drove in 64 runs while scoring 79 of his own. He committed only eight errors and led National League second basemen with a .989 fielding percentage. This Season: Now with his fourth team since 2000, Walker looks to take advantage of the “Green Monster” at Fenway Park to improve upon his 42 doubles from 2002. He may also be paired with his former Twins teammate, David Ortiz, who is battling for the starting spot at first base. |
||||
| No. | Pos. | Name | Exp. | Team |
| 68 | P | Ed Yarnall | 2 seasons | Oakland A’s |
| The low-down: After three years away from MLB including a stint in Japan, Yarnall was signed by the Oakland A’s as a free agent in the offseason.
He pitched in seven games for the Yankees during the 1999 and 2000 seasons with a 1-0 record and a 5.40 ERA in 20 innings. This Season: Yarnall will compete with John Halama, Erik Hiljus and Aaron Harang for the role as No. 5 starter for the A’s. |
||||