Josh Lindblom and Russ Mitchell Will Join Legion Of Worse Than Ordinary Veterans At Spring Training

Among the sea of crappy veterans the Dodgers have signed and invited to Spring Training comes good news: Josh Lindblom and Russ Mitchell will also be invited to Spring Training.

Lindblom, 23 in June, could make the team, and is certainly talented enough to, though I expect he won't because veterans are, well, veterany in their veteran-like goodness.


Mitchell, 25, would basically need a miracle to make the team. He's old for a prospect and has been bad in the minors, never having an OBP above .324 in his 4 minor league seasons. He's had some good seasons in terms of XBH, but if he learned the advantages of drawing a walk, he probably would have seen time in the bigs already. Not walking while striking out a ton is a toxic combination.

Russ Mitchell Named To AFL All-Prospect Team

This is Mitchell's second honor of the year, after having won the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award back in November.

I wouldn't call Mitchell a prospect though, as he's 24 (younger than I thought, I had guessed 26) and has never had a major league at-bat; he was drafted way back in 2003. The last player that I can remember still being a prospect, and in a similar situation to Mitchell's, who ended up making a major impact was Ryan Howard, and he came up so late simply because he was blocked at 1st base in Philly by future Hall Of Famer and recent Dodger Jim Thome.

Mitchell is only "blocked", and I use that term lightly, by James "Road" Loney. And I don't see a similar career path. Now Kyle Russell, that's a different story.

Either way, congrats to Mitchell for a season of recognition.

AFL All-Prospect Team.

Dodger Prospect Wins AFL Award

Russ Mitchell has won the Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award, awarded to the Arizona Fall League player who "exemplifies leadership, unselfishness and hard work".

Mitchell, 24, was selected by the Dodgers in the 15th round of the 2003 draft (451st overall). He has primarily played third base in his 7-year minor league career, but has also played first base, second base, and shortstop. He has never played above AA.

Congrats to Mitchell.