After almost 12 seasons with the Valencia Stars, centerfielder Habib bin Ameen was released after being designated for assignment over the last two weeks. Sources close to the front office say that the GM was pulled away for a family emergency once Habib was placed on assignment and the time elapsed before Greathouse could make an official decision on letting him go or keeping him.
The move of releasing Habib will cost Valencia the remaining salary of his $8.2M contract left this season and the player option for next season that Habib would have most likely exercised.
Over the course of the 11 plus seasons Habib hit 147 home runs in 4163 at bats while compiling a .236 batting average and a .298 on-base percentage. In the field, Habib was the recipient of 3 gold gloves in 2054, 2056 and 2058. Habib’s best year was in 2058 when he hit 17 homers with a .246 average to go along with his gold glove resulting in a WAR of 5.1. Unfortunately, the following three years saw Habib produce a combined WAR of 1.1.
