Valencia Star Report: Off-Season # 1

[leejay56]

The Stars made some moves during the off season that hopefully will help the team during the season..A few area's that needed some help the Stars went after without breaking the bank and saw a few guys leave that didnt really contribute much anymore here...

STAR NEWS UPDATE:
The Stars said good bye to vet 34 year old DeMario Davis. Davis spent 9 seasons with the Stars hitting .266 and smashed 248 homers and drove in 871 runs...Davis also played in 4 playoffs series with the Stars.. Last year Davis numbers fell hitting .253 16 homers and had 72 RBI'S and his defense really struggled..He was waived and released in November.

The Stars also waived and released MR Kenneth Mathieu after back to back seasons with a 5.00 ERA...Mathieu played with the Stars for 5 seasons and ended up with a 12-11 record, he had 17 saves and and ERA of 4.28...

The Stars picked up OF Max 'The Hammer' Dubois to give the Stars some more power off the bench as they have been lacing in the power department...He has always been a 30 plus homer guy when playing full time and two seasons ago in a part time roll still hit 17 homers...Last year he only played in 66 games and hit only 7 homers...Dubois is the the same defender anymore so the Stars will use him as a number 4 outfielder and PH...

The Stars really needed help in the pen and first signed MR Johnny Ruffin to a one year deal for 550,000...Ruffin will get a shot but if he doesnt work out he was very inexpensive...Ruffin throws hard stiil hitting the 94 to 96 MPH range. Last season he did pitch 76 innings the most he ever has thrown and hopefully he will do good in a setup roll on the Stars this season...

The Stars also picked up CLO/MR Len Cortese.. Cortese 33 years old give the Stars a veterern MR/CLO type that has years of experance and last season is coming off one of his best years ever, 5-7 record, 37 saves and a 2.62 era....

The Stars are looking for another catcher and picked up free agent C Darius Rucker to a one year deal...The Stars will give him a shot during the spring to see how he does... Rucker could be a HOF one day and at 33 is at the end of his career..The Stars took a gamble on him because last year he still hit .291 8 homers..Last season the Stars catcher hit 19 homers and hit .226 and .250...He also can stay on the team as a righty PH....

[KCCardinalFan]

Cortese is a solid pickup. Given our issues at Closer, I am curious why Calgary's former GM ever let him go.