NL Non-Roster Invitees Who Could Crack Opening Day Rosters

Every year in baseball, there is a special breed of player.

The "Non-Roster Invitee."

He is a hard-working player, fighting every day to gain his ultimate goal: a spot on the Major League roster.

This is not a listing of promising rookies who are just a step away from cracking the roster (Andrew McCutchen of the Pirates, for example).

This is a listing of players who are flying under the radar—whose potential impact exceeds their precarious roster position.

First, the National League.

NL EAST

Jay Gibbons, OF, Florida Marlins

Gibbons has plenty of Major League experience, but his career has been derailed by some poor hitting and some off-field issues.  On a team lacking experienced bats, however, Gibbons has a good chance of cracking the Major League lineup.  If he can stay out of trouble and can start hitting again, maybe he will resurrect his career along the way.

Freddy Garcia, SP, New York Mets

Garcia is in a great position.  He's a starting pitcher in the Mets organization.  The Mets always seem to accumulate a few pitching injuries during a season, so Garcia, now fully recovered from surgery, should be able to crack the roster at some point if his experience does not land him the fifth starter's job out of camp.

Miguel Cairo, INF, Philadelphia Phillies

Cairo always seems to land a playing gig by the All-Star Break.  Last year, he was with Seattle.  This year, he'll try to break camp with the Phillies, who could use a second baseman until Chase Utley returns.  He can also play the corner spots, which could help his chances.

Marcus Giles, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies

He has seemingly fallen of the face of the Earth after leaving Atlanta to play with brother Brian in San Diego.  Giles has been either injured or ineffective the last two seasons.  A return to form could land him in Utley's spot instead of Cairo.  He's got the inside track because of his career numbers.

Pablo Ozuna, UTIL, Philadelphia Phillies

Ozuna, a career .282 hitter in a mostly part-time role, should come aboard as the super-sub guy who will get most of his at-bats in the outfield.  Ozuna has some speed and will get on base at a .318 clip.  Of the three Phillies, he has the easiest road to a spot.

Gustavo Chacin, SP, Washington Nationals

Pitching-starved teams are good landing spots for guys like Chacin, who is looking to resurrect a once-promising career.  His 25-15 career record seems to indicate he has talent, so he is one of the many pitchers who could find work every fifth day in Washington's maligned rotation.

Jesus Colome, RP, Washington Nationals

Colome has pitched relatively well in Washington, and it was a shock to several when he was not tendered an offer by the Nationals.  Now he's back to try to reclaim a roster spot.  With a weak stable of pitchers, he should latch on here or with someone else's bullpen.

Wilfredo Ledezma, SP/RP, Washington Nationals

A bit of a chameleon, Ledezma morphs back and forth from starter to reliever.  He also morphs from a decently talented pitcher to a disaster rather frequently, which could hurt his chances.  If he has a decent spring, look for him to set up shop in Washington's pen, not their rotation.

Odalis Perez, SP, Washington Nationals

The Nationals might have the most non-roster players in this listing, but it's no shock since people like Perez are on the list.  Perez started Opening Day last year for Washington, but is back on a minor league deal hoping to work his way into their rotation again.  Perez wasn't great last year (7-12), but he showed flashes of returning to being a stable starter.

Javier Valentin, C, Washington Nationals

Valentin isn't half bad.  He's a sound defensive catcher and also swings an OK bat.  He won't wow anyone, but he's steady.  Washington's other catchers behind Jesus Flores are sketchy at best, so Valentin will likely catch on as the team's backup backstop.

Dmitri Young, 1B, Washington Nationals

If he could only keep his weight under control, Young might still be a feared prospect.  He still hit .280 last season, not bad, but with the signing of Adam Dunn he'll likely be relegated to backup duty when Nick Johnson is unloaded in trade.  If not, he'll be somewhere getting his at bats.

NL CENTRAL

Danny Graves, RP, Houston Astros

Graves was once the closer for the Cincinnati Reds.  No more.  He's bounced around the minors and majors since 2005 and hasn't been with a big league club for two years.  If Graves could rediscover his stuff, he could be helpful as a middle reliever out of Houston's pen.  If not, he'll probably be gone for good.

Russ Ortiz, SP, Houston Astros

Houston, like Washington, is another one of those teams starved for pitching—particularly starters.  Ortiz was once a formidable right-hander with wicked stuff.  Then he became a home run machine.  Then he kept getting hurt.  Now, he's healthy and ready to resurrect himself.  If he does, he should be able to nail down a starting gig with the Astros.

Chris Capuano/Eric Gagne, SP/RP, Milwaukee Brewers

Gagne and Capuano are a lot alike, so it's easy to put them together.  Both are trying out for a team that needs a few good men to pitch.  Both have had some good years in the majors.  Both are coming off awful and injury-plagued seasons.  Both want to prove they still have it.  Capuano probably has the easier road since the Brewers failed to acquire two starters in free agency.  Gagne is determined, maybe more so than Capuano, which could make him very dangerous.

Chris Duffy, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Wasted potential.  He was once considered Pittsburgh's center fielder of the future.  His defense is spectacular and he possesses a potentially leadoff-caliber bat.  But his attitude and injuries derailed him there, and now he's struggling to fit in before it's too late.  If he can regain his September call-up potential of 2005, he will be a star.

Trot Nixon, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

Nixon is hungry for one last go-around.  He's one of those guys looking to rebound late in his career from an injury.  Milwaukee, especially if Duffy emerges, has a crowded outfield, so he may find himself facing retirement or the minors.

Mike Stanton, RP, Chicago Cubs

Stanton is another guy who's bounced around.  His career numbers (3.92 ERA) are decent, but his game has declined the last few years.  He could latch on as a middle-relief guy, but the Cubs have a pretty full bullpen, so he may have to go elsewhere.  At worst, he should be an injury fill-in for somebody.

So Taguchi, OF, Chicago Cubs

The Cubs' crowded outfield is not the ideal landing spot for Taguchi, but he could find his way onto the roster as a reserve.  After a poor year in 2008, Taguchi will need to regain his form to hang on, but he's a decent defensive player who can get on base occasionally, too.

Denny Bautista, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates

Does anyone in the NL Central beside Chicago have a stable pitching staff?  No.  The Pirates might have had the worst pitching staff in baseball last year.  Bautista pitched decently for them but struggled with control issues.  If he can hold his control, he should be back in the Bucs' bullpen.

Chris Bootcheck, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates

Bootcheck is competing with Bautista and could have the upper hand since he has better control.  His numbers aren't staggering, but Bootcheck could evolve into a serviceable reliever for Pittsburgh if he makes the team.  The Pirates have a lot of southpaws, so right-handers, for once, might be at a premium.

Craig Monroe, OF, Pittsburgh Pirates

Monroe is another of the players looking to revive a lost career.  After being rather prodigious with Detroit in 2005 and 2006, Monroe slumped badly in 2007 and 2008.  Now he's fighting for a job.  Monroe has power, which could help the starved Pirates.  He is a virtual lock to make the team as the fourth or fifth outfielder.

Daryle Ward, INF/OF, Cincinnati Reds

Ward has been a productive bench player for years now, but he slumped badly last year, hitting only .216 with four homers.  Now he will try to catch on with the Reds.  He should make the team off the bench, but won't be around long if he can't provide better numbers.

Jonny Gomes, INF/OF, Cincinnati Reds

Gomes, like Ward, slumped badly last year.  He has better defensive numbers, but bench players are needed more for bats than gloves.  He has an outside shot at making the team, especially if Ward flops.

Jacque Jones, OF, Cincinnati Reds

Jones bounced around last year after leaving Detroit.  He is a decent outfielder but couldn't find his bat last season.  He has more power potential than Gomes but not the versatility of either Gomes or Ward.  He is the biggest name of the three, but it seems as if his successes are far behind.  He may catch on somewhere else, or wait for an injury to get him onto a roster.

NL WEST

Jeff Weaver, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

Weaver has been terrible in his last two stops, but, as always, has the stuff to be a serviceable fifth-starter type.  The problem is his control and his psyche.  He will have a hard time beating out Jason Schmidt and others without injury help, but Weaver could catch on as a reliever.

Shawn Estes, SP, Los Angeles Dodgers

Estes had a career rebound of sorts last fall, making several starts for the Padres in the waning months of the season.  Estes will retire if he doesn't win a starting job in LA, which may be how it ends up.  He has a better chance than Weaver and could sneak in if Schmidt still has arm troubles.

Juan Uribe, INF, San Francisco Giants

Uribe was a decent player for the White Sox, but he had trouble getting a deal this offseason after he slumped to a .247 average in 2008.  If he shows potential, he could easily crack the Giants' weak starting lineup at second or even third.  He has a great chance to make the roster thanks to his experience.

Mark Prior, SP, San Diego Padres

Prior's career has been derailed by so many injuries.  He seems to finally be healthy and rehabbed, however, so it will be interesting to see if he can rebound into a rotation spot behind Jake Peavy and Chris Young.  Prior could be the best non-roster player this season.

Chris Burke, INF, San Diego Padres

Before the Pads brought David Eckstein on board, Burke had the inside track to not only make the roster but to start at second base.  He still could overtake Eckstein, but that is unlikely.  Burke has never lived up to his status as a prospect and is now on his third team.  If Burke can find his rookie form, he could be a surprise and at least a solid bench presence.

Josh Fogg, SP, Colorado Rockies

In 2007, as the Rockies marched unbelievably toward the playoffs, Fogg became known as the "Dragon Slayer."  Baseball's fabled karma caught him last season as he posted a 2-7 record and 7.58 ERA.  Now Fogg is returning to Colorado to see if he can regain his "Slayer" form.  He has a good chance to make the team, and could slot into the back end of the rotation.

Scott Podsednik, Colorado Rockies

Podsednik went from being a surprise with the Brewers and an all-star in his first season in Chicago to being a disappointment with the White Sox and Rox.  Now he's back again to see if he can regain form.  Podsednik is a good defensive outfielder who has at times shown great plate presence.  He lost his bat recently, but if he has a good spring he could be back roaming left field for the Rox.

NEXT UP: AMERICAN LEAGUE NON-ROSTER INVITEES