Wes Littleton

A poor spring cost Littleton a role in the bullpen to begin the year and he spent the rest of the season shuttling back and forth between the minors and majors. While he still does an excellent job keeping the ball on the ground (2.10 G/F in the majors, 2.28 in the minors), it hasn't translated into extended success in the majors. A year spent in middle relief seems likely.

Littleton did a nice job out of the Texas bullpen in 2006 after starting the year in the minors. His strikeout rate plummeted once in the majors (17:13 K:BB ratio in 36.1 innings), but he does a nice job of keeping the ball on the ground. His September numbers (12.2 innings, seven hits, four walks, nine K) in a setup role were particularly good and his side-arm delivery was especially effective against right-handed batters (.157 average against in 25.2 innings). He has a future of a righty-eating late-innings reliever.

Littleton, who was added to the 40-man roster this winter, had a good year in relief at Double-A Frisco and continued the solid work in the AFL with 19 K, 20 baserunners in 18 2/3 IP. He figures to start the year at Triple-A Oklahoma City.