Tony Graffanino

Graffanino will stick with the Brewers after agreeing to salary arbitration. He might even work himself into part of a third base platoon with Corey Koskie, who isn't going to draw durability comparisons to Cal Ripken Jr. anytime soon.

Graffanino had a moderately successful run as Boston's second baseman to finish the 2005 season. He avoided arbitration and signed a one-year contract with Boston, but Mark Loretta will start at second base. Graffanino was placed on waivers in Mar. 2006 by Boston. He will likely end up with some team in need of second base help.

Signed as a utility infielder, Graffanino’s emotional play earned him a starting job at second base and shoved Desi Relaford to the bench. A selective hitter, Graffanino has virtually no power in his bat but walks a fair amount and even with a troublesome knee stole 10 bases. That knee ended his season early in 2004, but will be fully healed by spring. His contract is up at the end of 2005 so he could be pushed by Ruben Gotay, Andres Blanco and Donnie Murphy who are all capable of playing major-league defense. That may inspire Graffanino even more this season.

At various times last season he was platooned at short with Jose Valentin, in a time-share at second, and forgotten completely at the end of the bench. In the end Graffanino's numbers were a carbon copy of 2002; he seems to have found his level.

Graffanino's hot start (including a .972 May OPS in 48 at bats) earned him a regular spot in the lineup in June, but by the end of the month he was back on the bench, and by the end of August he was done for the year with a torn ACL. His final numbers (.262/.329/.428 in 229 AB) were about his usual. The presence of younger players like D'Angelo Jimenez, Willie Harris and Joe Crede would seem to leave no room for Graffanino in Chicago in 2003, so don't be shocked if he's wearing another uniform by the end of March.