Atlanta Braves Sign Phil Coke

Late this afternoon Chris Lott and others reported that the Braves had signed left reliever Phil Coke to a minor league deal.

A Coke but no smile. . . or spring training invite.

In a seeming quest to sign every arm that won’t demand a major league deal, Coke looks like another in a long line of relievers who are . . .  what’s the cliché . .  .looking to rebound.

A stalwart of the Tiger bullpen from 2010 through 2014 Coke appeared in 299 games and posted a 1.523 WHIP and a 4.25 ERA with that looks a little like a bad defense let him down as he managed 3.63 FIP in Detroit.

During all of the bullpen machinations of then GM Dave Drombowski, Coke filled every role from starter to middle relief and set up man and seemed to be the one reliever who didn’t disintegrate when used like a plow horse.

Coke’s 2014 season was his best since his first year with Detroit. In his 62 appearances spanning 58 innings he posted a 3.88 ERA which closely matched his 3.98 FIP. The Tigers had new leadership and Coke was nontendered following the season.

He signed a one year $2.25M contract with the Cubs just a year and three days ago but his stay in Chicago was brief. He made 16 appearances for Joe Maddon covering just 10 innings   posting a 6.30 ERA and 1.700 WHIP but again his FIP was a respectable 3.53. On May 29 the Cubbies gave Coke his walking papers and five days later he signed a minor league deal with the Blue Jays.

He made two appearances in Toronto  going just 2 2/3 innings before the Jays cut ties with him on June 22nd. Oakland signed him five days later and he made 18 minor league appearances in the Athletics system but never received a call to join the major league team. Oakland released him on August 19th.

That’s A Wrap

Coke’s value is limited to being a minor league emergency LOOGY likely filling the spot Andrew McKirahan would have filled had he not torn his UCL.

The multitude of worn out arms the Braves have signed will be used and discarded and yet the Braves have now twice passed on a serviceable and effective LOOGY in Matt Thornton.

When the Nationals picked him up for minimum wage in 2014 Thornton made 18 LOOGY appearances throwing just 11 1/3 innings and posting a very stingy 0.00 ERA, 2.51 FIP and 1.059 WHIP.

Next: Just lookin for a home. . .

He backed that up last season  with 60 LOOGY appearances covering 41 1/3 innings, posting a 2.18 ERA, 3.52 FIP and 1.065 WHIP.  The Nationals decided that they didn’t need that kind of guy in their pen and let him walk.  The Braves ignored him and he signed with the Padres a week ago for $1.6M if he makes the big league team.

The minds of the traveling Johns when scraping the barrel for relievers continues to be a mystery, the addition of Phil Coke is just another example of what appears to be false economy.