Worst Minor League OPS's in 2008

I've mentioned numerous times I like dubious records. To me, it's fun to see who's managed to hold onto a baseball job despite mediocre performance. The minor leagues have sort of an aura of hope about them. After all, a good season at one level could earn you a promotion to the next, and so on, until you're wearing a major league uniform. Unfortunately, this ideal isn't realized by many players and there are players at every level performing every day at a level below their peers. I want to find out who these stagnating souls are so far in 2008.

The minimum requirement to qualify for the major league batting title is 3.1 PA/game but the minor leagues use 2.7 PA/game; this is the number I used to calculate the minimum plate appearances needed in each league. I also calculated the average number of games played by each team in each league to find the number of "league games" used in the calculation of the plate appearances requirement. Each entry contains the player's name, his primary position this season, his minor league team (and its major league affiliation), his OPS, and his age in parentheses at the end of the line. Each player's name is linked to his current minor league statistics at Baseball-Reference.com.

Lowest OPS's In Each Minor League, 2008
(Through June 15)

AAA

• International League - 71 G, minimum 192 PA (Average OPS/Age: .729/27.4)

1. Brent Lillibridge, SS, Richmond (ATL) - .503 (24)
2. Derek Wathan, SS, Toledo (DET) - .554 (31)
3. Nick Green, SS, Scranton-Wilkes Barre (NYY) - .606 (29)
4. Brennan King, 3B, Lehigh Valley (PHI) - .611 (27)
5. Bernie Castro, 2B, Scranton-Wilkes Barre (NYY) - .620 (28)
   
6. Adam Rosales, 3B, Louisville (CIN) - .620 (25)
7. Jason Pridie, CF, Rochester (MIN) - .626 (24)
   
8. Matt Kata, 2B, Indianapolis (PIT) - .630 (30)
   
9. Chris Roberson, RF, Norfolk (BAL) - .632 (28)
   
10. Jerry Owens, CF, Charlotte (CHW) - .643 (27)

• Pacific Coast League - 70 G, minimum 189 PA (Average OPS/Age: .779/27.0)

1. Anderson Hernandez, SS, New Orleans (NYM) - .528 (25)
2. Matt Antonelli, 2B, Portland (SDP) - .578 (23)
3. Yordany Ramirez, CF, Round Rock (HOU) - .579 (23)
4. Yung Chi Chen, 2B, Tacoma (SEA) - .639 (24)
5. Casey McGehee, 3B, Iowa (CHC) - .654 (25)
6. Hernan Iribarren, LF, Nashville (MIL) - .664 (24)
7. Trent Oeltjen, RF, Tucson (ARI) - .665 (25)
8. Wilkin Castillo, C, Tucson (ARI) - .666 (24)
9. Clay Timpner, CF, Fresno (SFG) - .676 (25)
10. Argenis Reyes, 2B, New Orleans (NYM) - .684 (25)

AA

• Eastern League - 67 G, minimum 181 PA (Average OPS/Age: .740/24.6)

1. Emmanuel Garcia, 2B, Binghamton (NYM) - .557 (22)
2. Simon Klink, 3B, Connecticut (SFG) - .600 (26)
3. Jose Tabata, RF, Trenton (NYY) - .601 (19)
4. Carlos Rojas, 2B, Bowie (BAL) - .609 (24)
5. Tony Granadillo, 2B, Portland (BOS) - .620 (23)
6. Antoan Richardson, CF, Connecticut (SFG) - .620 (24)
7. Anthony Webster, OF, Altoona (PIT) - .623 (25)
8. Anthony Hatch, 3B, New Hampshire (TOR) - .628 (24)
9. David Maroul, 3B, Connecticut (SFG) - .630 (25)
10. William Bergolla, 2B, Harrisburg (WSN) - .646 (25)

• Southern League - 70 G, minimum 189 PA (Average OPS/Age: .734/24.5)

1. Kris Harvey, RF, Carolina (FLA) - .513 (24)
2. Javier Guzman, SS, Mississippi (ATL) - .545 (24)
3. Robert Valido, SS, Birmingham (CHW) - .547 (23)
4. Micah Schnurstein, 1B, Birmingham (CHW) - .552 (23)
5. Robert Hudson, 2B, Birmingham (CHW) - .607 (24)
6. Kyle Reynolds, 3B, Tennessee (CHC) - .618 (24)
7. Chris Rahl, CF, Mobile (ARI) - .623 (24)
   
8. Matt Camp, SS/LF, Tennessee (CHC) - .626 (24)
9. Cyle Hankerd, LF/RF, Mobile (ARI) - .637 (23)
   
10. John Raburn, LF, Montgomery (TBR) - .644 (29)
    

• Texas League - 68 G, minimum 184 PA (Average OPS/Age: .754/24.5)

1. Jose Martinez, 2B, Springfield (STL) - .588 (22)
   
2. Mario Lisson, 3B, Northwest Arkansas (KCR) - .591 (24)
   
3. Hainley Statia, SS, Arkansas (LAA) - .618 (22)
   
4. Lou Santangelo, C, Corpus Christi (HOU) - .632 (25)
   
5. Mitch Einertson, RF, Corpus Christi (HOU) - .637 (22)
   
6. Elvis Andrus, SS, Frisco (TEX) - .640 (19)
   
7. Jose Duarte, CF, Northwest Arkansas (KCR) - .645 (23)
   
8. Christopher Nelson, SS, Tulsa (COL) - .647 (22)
   
9. Justin Sellers, SS, Midland (OAK) - .647 (22)
   
10. Angel Sanchez, SS, Northwest Arkansas (KCR) - .655 (24)
    

A+

• California League - 70 G, minimum 189 PA (Average OPS/Age: .736/22.7)

1. Brad Miller, 1B, Visalia (ARI) - .514 (25)
   
2. Manuel Ferrer, 2B, Visalia (ARI) - .524 (23)
   
3. Jesus Lopez, SS, Lake Elsinore (SDP) - .570 (20)
   
4. Mauro Gomez, 1B, Bakersfield (TEX) - .583 (23)
   
5. Jay Cox, LF, Modesto (COL) - .586 (23)
   
6. Carlos Triunfel, SS, High Desert (SEA) - .594 (18)
   
7. Argenis Diaz, SS, Lancaster (BOS) - .598 (21)
   
8. Truan Mehl, RF, Bakersfield (TEX) - .606 (25)
   
9. Steve Mena, 2B/OF, Visalia (ARI) - .611 (23)
   
10. Sharlon Schoop, SS, San Jose (SFG) - .618 (21)
    

• Carolina League - 70 G, minimum 189 PA (Average OPS/Age: .713/22.9)

1. Greg Buchanan, 2B, Salem (HOU) - .516 (24)
2. Lee Cruz, LF, Winston-Salem (CHW) - .557 (25)
3. Salvador Sanchez, RF, Winston-Salem (CHW) - .589 (22)
4. Cesar Quintero, LF, Salem (HOU) - .592 (25)
5. Cirilo Cumberbatch, RF, Kinston (CLE) - .605 (21)
6. Angel Gonzalez, 2B, Lynchburg (PIT) - .623 (22)
7. Derrick Robinson, CF, Wilmington (KCR) - .626 (20)
8. Anthony Seratelli, 1B, Wilmington (KCR) - .628 (25)
9. Miguel Abreu, 2B, Frederick (BAL) - .632 (23)
10. John Drennen, RF, Kinston (CLE) - .640 (21)

• Florida State League - 67 G, minimum 181 PA (Average OPS/Age: .703/23.0)

1. Chuck Caufield, RF, Brevard County (MIL) - .541 (24)
2. Fidel Hernandez, SS, Clearwater (PHI) - .559 (22)
3. Jacob Blackwood, 3B, Jupiter (FLA) - .561 (22)
4. Josue Calzado, RF, Tampa (NYY) - .563 (22)
5. Nevin Ashley, C, Vero Beach (TBR) - .569 (23)
6. Ryan Royster, RF, Vero Beach (TBR) - .571 (21)
7. Ruben Tejada, SS, St. Lucie (NYM) - .580 (18)
8. Tuffy Gosewisch, C, Clearwater (PHI) - .584 (24)
9. Mitchell Hilligoss, 3B, Tampa (NYY) - .585 (23)
10. Luis Nunez, SS, Tampa (NYY) - .594 (21)

A

• Midwest League - 68 G, minimum 184 PA (Average OPS/Age: .690/21.7)

1. Pedro Baez, 3B, Great Lakes (LAD) - .503 (20)
2. Alwin Perez, 2B, Burlinton (KCR) - .544 (21)
3. Michael McDade, 1B, Lansing (TOR) - .561 (19)
4. Kevyn Feiner, 2B, Dayton (CIN) - .574 (21)
5. Yohermyn Chavez, LF, Lansing (TOR) - .576 (19)
6. Juan Diaz, SS, Wisconsin (SEA) - .577 (19)
7. Ramon Ramirez, 3B, South Bend (ARI) - .581 (22)
8. Domnit Bolivar, 3B, Quad Cities (STL) - .584 (19)
9. Ron Bourquin, 3B, West Michigan (DET) - .584 (23)
10. Matthew Ray, 2B/SS, Kane County (OAK) - .600 (24)

• South Atlantic League - 70 G, minimum 189 PA (Average OPS/Age: .702/21.6)

1. D'Arby Myers, CF, Lakewood (PHI) - .481 (19)
2. Mark Thompson, SS, Lake County (CLE) - .543 (23)
3. Helder Velazquez, SS, Asheville (COL) - .551 (19)
4. Freddy Galvis, SS, Lakewood (PHI) - .557 (18)
5. Adam Coe, 3B, Rome (ATL) - .565 (20)
6. Omar Luna, SS, Columbus (TBR) - .566 (21)
7. Michael McCormick, C, Columbus (TBR) - .579 (21)
8. Manuel Arambarris, 3B, Greenville (BOS) - .583 (22)
9. Brent Brewer, SS, West Virginia (MIL) - .604 (20)
10. Stephen Vogt, LF, Columbus (TBR) - .609 (23)

If you're curious as to how these numbers translate to the major leagues, you can use the Minor League Equivalency (MLE) calculator at MinorLeagueSplits.com. You'll have to look up each player's full stat line (each player's name links to their current minor league numbers) to use it, though. As a preview, here's D'Arby Myers' MLE for his parent club, Philadelphia:

199 AB, 16 R, 26 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 6 BB, 55 K, .131/.160/.168, 6 SB, 1 CS, 1 HBP

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess the 2006 4th-rounder won't be making the jump up to the show this year.