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BP Annual Player Comments

Year		Comment
2011
2010		With Luis Sojo retired and Miguel Cairo otherwise engaged, Torre needed a pet utilityman to fill out his roster, preferably one close to his own age. By his own meager standards, Castro had a fabulous year with the stick, mainly spelling Rafael Furcal. The Dodgers will sleep easily knowing the Phillies are paying more than the minimum to own the regression-laden B-side to this happy little tale.
2009		When your shortstop isn't producing, you can always trade for Juan Castro and have him not produce for you, too.
2008		If you squint, Juan Castro looks a little bit like Neifi Perez. If Castro's on the Opening Day roster for the Reds, we'll know Dusty's squinting again.
2007		After starting the year playing to Batista`s left in Minnesota, Castro libre landed in a town not nearly so disappointed to have him as the Twin Cities had become. Slick in the field and slack at the plate, the Reds happily haven`t taken his 100 uncharacteristically robust plate appearances as reason to make him their starting shortstop.
2005		You have to figure there are a lot more Frankie Menechino types out there, overlooked players rotting away in the minors or independent leagues who could do a better job than non-productive chaff like Castro. Just because a player's been in the major leagues before doesn't mean he's any more major league material than a better player putting up better numbers elsewhere. The Reds didn't repeat the folly of the two-year extension they gave Castro in 2001; the Twins did it instead, pissing away $2.05 million in the process.
2004		The nine home runs scream "fluke" for a guy who'd hit 11 in eight seasons prior to 2003. Castro is a very good defender, however, and worth the roster spot on a team carrying infielders being played for their hats. Castro has more value if D'Angeln Jimenez and lim Hummel have starting jobs, as opposed to Rainer Olmedo.
2003		Early last season, the Reds gave Castro a two-year, $1.7 million contract extension. This move was designed to give the team some cost certainty as it moved into the new ballpark. The problem is that slick-fielding, banjo-hitting backup middle infielders like Castro are the very definition of cost certainty—they’re called “minor league free agents.”
2002		Castro’s value as a player is directly tied to Barry Larkin’s status as a shortstop. If the Reds stick with Larkin at short, then there’s room on the roster for a defensive replacement. If the Reds replace Larkin, Castro will need to start nagging teammate Jose Rijo about coaching opportunities in the Dominican Republic.
2001		If baseball really was all about pitching and defense, guys like Juan Castro would get more playing time and money. It's not, so Castro spends a lot of time in Motel 6s. He's an excellent defender who hits like an excellent defender.
1996		The Dodgers have a stockpile of these minor league infielders who don't hit much, don't run much and don't do much. Certainly, Chad Fonville isn't going to lose sleep wondering about these guys next spring, and Fonville's only a year removed from A-ball. Castro has been a shortstop, and was moved to second in the past year to make room for Wilton Guerrero.

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