A NEW HOPE: PART VII

Full Name: Omar Quintanilla

Position: Shortstop

Born: October 24, 1981

Height: 5'9"

Weight: 190 lbs.

How acquired: Signed as a free agent from the Texas Rangers.

Uniform number: 6

MLB experience: 6 seasons, with Colorado and Texas.

Best season: 2008, when he posted a slash line of .238/.288/.348 in 234 plate appearances for Colorado. Ye gods.

Injury history: Elbow surgery (2010); Lower leg strain (2010); Elbow strain (2010)

2012 salary: Non-roster invitee. What do they get, Port St. Lucie Pizza Hut vouchers? I have no idea.

Actual scouting notes: Quintanilla raked in the minors (how does .308/.370/.445 grab you?), but has never been able to translate that to major league success. He’s never had much power, but he’s been a singles and doubles machine throughout his minor league career (a good portion of which was in the altitude of Colorado Springs). His defense is so-so, but he can play second, short, and third about equally well. With Ronny Cedeno, Daniel Murphy, Justin Turner, and Ruben Tejada already ensconced in the middle infield rotation, it would take a huge spring for Quintanilla to make the club. It’s likely he’ll bide his time in New Orleans this summer, waiting for an injury to one of those four. I wouldn’t mind playing ball and hanging out in the Big Easy, but I’m sure he has bigger plans. I guess the brain trust’s thinking here is that he’s a decent stopgap option if someone goes down, and they could get lucky and he could start hammering major league pitching the way he has minor league pitching.

Weird, wild stuff: Omar went to the University of Texas after growing up in El Paso. Unlike Jon Hamm, he stuck with it. No word as to whether Roger Clemens attempted to discourage him, in person or otherwise. In 2010, amid a season nearly lost to injury, Omar was suspended 50 games by the Commissioner’s office for testing positive for Methylhexeanimine, a banned stimulant. This season, try the chicory coffee from Café Du Monde, Omar. It’s awesome.