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Tony Clark & Doug Brocail Should Thank Me
Last month, I wrote here about how difficult I thought it would be for Doug Brocail to find another new deal, at least quickly, as a 41-year old this off season. Two days later, I had to write here about how I was wrong. He had just been re-signed by the Houston Astros. Now, another prediction of mine is in the process of being proven wrong.
Yesterday, I wrote something called Inside The Mind of The Unsigned Free Agent. Through my crack analysis, I determined that certain role players on a team, like Tony Clark, would continue to have a difficult time getting signed this off season. Lo and behold, I was in the mall yesterday getting a new cell phone (not an iPhone, which is the cool thing to get, only because Vanessa extended our plan with Sprint over the summer making, in effect, my contract with Sprint longer than my contract with an MLB team) when I saw this on MLB.com about, you guessed it, Tony Clark:
12/20/08 12:51 PM EST
D-backs looking to re-sign Clark
Free-agent first baseman in contract talks with team
By Steve Gilbert / MLB.com
"We've had some very positive discussions," Clark said. "I continue to be very optimistic that something will get done, though nothing is done yet."
After the two sides finish up the fine print, the final step would be a physical, which could occur as soon as early next week.
Clark was a key contributor for the D-backs from 2005-07, but reluctantly left as a free agent last year, signing with the Padres after negotiations with Arizona broke down.
The D-backs re-acquired Clark last July, and he hit .206 in limited playing time.
"My role, as I understand it, would be as it has been the last five years," Clark said. "I'll be coming off the bench and spot-starting at first base and whatever else they need me to do."
What that has entailed in his time with Arizona is leadership in the clubhouse. The D-backs have a young core of position players who look up to Clark, and he was widely credited with helping teach some of the younger players like Miguel Montero how to prepare for late-inning pinch-hit at-bats.
Steve Gilbert is a reporter for MLB.com.
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The bottom line is this: If you are a player and I write that you're going to have a hard time getting a contract, congratulations are in order. Within 24 hours, you'll get one.
Let's practice and see if I'm right. It's Sunday, December 21st. I think the Mark Texeira sweepstakes is going to take a while. He's not going to sign until after the new year.
That's a guarantee.
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