Xavier Paul Signed By Baltimore Orioles to ML Contract
Xavier Brooks Paul and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed to a minor league contract and invitation to spring training.
The left-handed hitting outfielder spent parts of the past five seasons with the Dodgers, Pirates, and Reds – the last of whom non-tendered him. Paul, who will be age 29 in February, was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 4th round of the 2003 amateur draft.
Xavier Paul is from Slidell, LA – a place I associate first in my mind with Hurricane Katrina, having done relief work there in the past, though he would have graduated from Slidell High School two years before that disaster.
A quick look at his stats shows a guy with an average average (see what I did there?), some speed and a decent on-base percentage relative to his BA. There are quite a few strikeouts also. Over nine years in the minors he had a career batting average of .294 with the final four years of AAA at .323.
Year |
Age
Tm
Lg
G
PA
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
SB
CS
BB
SO
BA
OBP
SLG
OPS
2009
24
LADNL
11
16
14
3
3
1
0
1
1
0
1
2
4
.214
.313
.500
.813
2010
25
LADNL
44
133
121
16
28
8
1
0
11
3
1
8
24
.231
.277
.314
.591
2011
26
LADNL
7
11
11
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
.273
.273
.273
.545
2011
26
PITNL
121
251
232
30
59
6
5
2
20
16
6
13
57
.254
.293
.349
.642
2012
27
CINNL
55
96
86
8
27
5
1
2
7
4
2
9
18
.314
.379
.465
.844
2013
28
CINNL
97
239
209
24
51
12
0
7
32
0
1
27
53
.244
.339
.402
.741
Totals
335
746
673
81
171
32
7
12
71
23
11
59
161
.254
.316
.376
.692
These sorts of signings totally annoy Orioles fans, as it seems like more of the old “throw it on the wall and see what sticks” philosophy of team building. Fans would like to see Duquette bring in someone whose name has at least been heard of in the past. Well, this is getting a new Xavier to replace the one who was previously traded away (Xavier Avery). And the guy’s middle name is Brooks, and that sounds strangely familiar in some way to Orioles fans. So there is that.
There is no recent news on Shin-Soo Choo coming to the Birds for a bargain price. I just always feel better when typing that name. And though Kendrys Morales might be a more likely acquisition, even so, it would involve giving up a draft pick … hence it is reported that the Orioles are unlikely to proceed in that direction.