Catching Up on Transactions, Haiku Style

I didn’t think I’d ever stoop to this level, but there have been a bunch of minor signings lately and I can’t write at length about all of them. But I’m pretty sure I can slap together some really bad haiku.

Shawn Estes still aches
Todd Greene will try one more time
to make the Padres

Alex Ochoa –
once a promising prospect
now a Cub spare part

He’s Lyle Overbay –
$24 million dollars
keeps him a Blue Jay

Rangers keep Benoit
to work out of the bullpen –
slight raise from last year

Mark Hendrickson signs
one-year deal with the Dodgers
for more than he’s worth

Houston signs Mike Lamb –
useful backup infielder
gets mighty fine raise

Marlins sign Willis
avoiding arbitration –
have you seen his keys?

Rockies sign Mabry –
the player once traded for
Giambi’s brother

Pitcher Paul Wilson –
former Mets first-round draft pick
hanging on with Reds

Diamondbacks bring back
right-handers Cruz, Julio –
each will get one year

Bauer, Otsuka
remain with Texas Rangers
as does Wilkerson

Devil Rays sign two –
one-year deals for Wigginton
and also Seth McClung

Cards sign Taguchi
to come back one more season
and sit on the bench

M’s sign Ben Broussard,
Horacio Ramirez –
why were they acquired?

Pirates sign Nady
who was real good in college –
maybe now’s the time?

Mets sign Schoeneweis
to a multi-year contract –
60 innings max

Brewers re-sign Mench –
halved his home runs last season
and still got a raise

Angels sign Quinlan,
relievers K-Rod and Shields
to play near LA

Astros re-sign Lidge –
the once-dominant closer
could bounce back this year

Marlins ink catcher –
Miguel Olivo will start
and draw nine more walks

Tigers sign several –
Rodney, Infante, Monroe,
and Nate Robertson

Four stay with Rockies –
Holliday and Sullivan
Affeldt and Lopez

Betancourt remains –
Venezuela represent
Cleveland will rock on

Reds bring back Kyle Lohse
to give up lots of base hits
and lose 10 more games

Joe Crede re-signs –
nearly $5 million
means Josh Fields stays blocked

Cubs re-sign Ohman –
$2.5 million
but does his head spin?

Still a few more to go, but now my head is spinning (probably yours, too — sorry ’bout that).