Taylor Featherston - back in the bigs

[disarcina]

Was looking over the MLB box scores tonight and ran across TAYLOR FEATHERSTON's name.

He is back up in the bigs now with the Tampa Bay Rays -- he played 2B in tonight's game and hit a homerun.

For those of you who don't quite remember Taylor Featherston, he's an ex-Halo who spent an entire season (2015 ?) as a Rule 5 guy (from Colorado).

If you don't remember him, there's a good reason why, the Angels hid him in pain sight on their bench all season long.  He hardly played the first half of the season and at one point I think he went something like 30 games between at bats............he may have gotten his first hit of the season just before the All Star Break.

the Angels sent other guys out, and either cut, demoted or outright release some players who could have helped the club but kept Featherston and some would say, wasted a roster spot all season.

If that wasn't bad enough, after doing that, and reserving a wasted 25 man roster spot on the guy - at the end of the season the Angels either traded or otherwise dumped him and got virtually nothing in return.......

I know the Angels have made some whopper of mistakes on roster moves and free agent signings......but this one -- for all season long 2015 -- seemed to me to be one of the strangest roster moves I've seen them make over the year..........didn't understand it then, still don't -- and the guy hit one out tonight for Tampa Bay.......oh well.

[Homebrewer]

Featherbat hit one out?  What's he been doing in his time away, hitting the gym?

I think a drug test might be in order.

[Slegnaac]

Didn't he also bean Beltre between innings by sailing one over the head of Pujols?

[Second Base]

Featherston was a solid middle infielder with surprising power and on base ability. Dipoto kept him on the roster because he felt Taylor would grow into a good major leaguer with time, but he wasn't ready. But as it goes with all Rule 5 picks, he has to stick on the roster.

The fact that the Phillies wanted him, and now the Rays speaks to his ability.

[TroutBaseball]

When I hear his name I'll always think of the ball that freakishly got stuck in his glove and cost the Angels an out against the Astros and kept them out of the playoffs.

[Richard]

Baby Jeets!

[ten ocho recon scout]

The title sounds like a rap album.

[Blarg]

4 minutes ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

The title sounds like a rap album.

Sorry but Taylor Featherston is more of a very pale Country Western name.

[AngelArcher]

4 hours ago, TroutBaseball said:

When I hear his name I'll always think of the ball that freakishly got stuck in his glove and cost the Angels an out against the Astros and kept them out of the playoffs.

It's not freakish when you're using a glove from the 80's. I still believe he had enough time to throw his whole glove to Aybar covering 2nd, but wasn't heads up enough. 

 

[ten ocho recon scout]

4 hours ago, Blarg said:

Sorry but Taylor Featherston is more of a very pale Country Western name.

So was Ice T.

 

Think about it...you only drink it in the south.

#central

[disarcina]

Featherston played college ball at some place like Georgia Tech (probably have that wrong) -- he was, apparently, a very good college MIF with some pop.

He never showed any part of that --'good MIF'  and 'with pop' at any time with the Halos. Of course, he rode the pine (now there's the country-western tune lyrics right there -- 'my lone, long time on the lone pine') and never really got the chance to show what he could do.

Yeah, yeah, Rule 5 guy and all - I think everyone understands the 'must be on the roster' all year. -- I think most of us get that -- the part that mystified me then and now about the Halos decision with Featherston - is that it makes sense to protect him on the roster all year if he's your starting 2B or SS the next year.........but he wasn.t.

In fact, it took the Halos all of about 10 days into off-season (after the end of the World Series) to ship Featherston off in a 'not get much in exchange' trade.  HUh?

So we got a no name player for a guy who took up a roster spot for an entire season?   If we were going to do that, why not give him back to the Rockies before trade deadline and open up a roster spot for a guy who could play a productive bench role down the stretch ?  Oh well, water way under the bridge........still a move/non-move that made absolutely no sense to me -- and that's with fully understanding Rule 5 conditions.....

[disarcina]

Featherston was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 2011 out of Texas Christian University.

perhaps the best known player from TCU in the bigs these days is Brandon Finnegan -- not sure where he is these days?  was drafted by the KC Royals. Now with the Cincy Reds? Not sure.

Finnegan made history by being perhaps the first player to play in the College World Series and the MLB World Series in the same season..

BTW TCU had six players drafted in this year's draft.