Dallas Dusted by The Fish

He was supposed to be great. He had the name of a star. He had the background of a champion. He was a pedigree, a military cadet at the Citadel from 1998 to 2001, and a second round draft pick by the Anaheim Angels in 2001. And when he stroked 42 homers last year for the Marlins, even in Albuquerque, I thought his time had finally come.

The Fish desperately needed a left handed power bat to replace Mike Jacobs, who they dealt to Kansas City. In fact, I thought one of the reasons they felt comfortable dealing Jake was to move Cantu to first, since he can't field, and move Dallas McPherson to the hot spot. So I thought this was his time. I was wrong. The Marlins let him go yesterday, following one more spring of unsubtle injuries.

He shot up the ranks from Double-A minor league affiliate Arkansas Travelers to the Triple-A Salt Lake Stingers. After garnering several minor league Player of the Year honors, Dallas McPherson was a September call-up by the Angels to fill their 40-man expanded roster. He made his Major League debut on September 10, 2004, against the Chicago White Sox. He was a fantasy player's dream.

With third baseman Troy Glaus limited to the designated hitter role due to a shoulder injury, McPherson started 11 games down the stretch beginning on September 20 and was the Angels' starting third baseman in their playoff series versus the Boston Red Sox.

Due to Glaus becoming a free agent and the bright future of McPherson, the Angels declined to re-sign their All-Star third baseman for the high salary he would have commanded and instead gave the job to McPherson for the 2005 season. In fantasy baseball books, he was deemed the next Mike Schmidt. He went like Matt Weiters this year, in some drafts for 20 bucks, in the top five rounds.

His rookie season in 2005 started out sluggishly, with his batting average usually around or below the Mendoza Line in April. Approximately one-third into the season, McPherson's bat heated up and he began hitting like he had been projected to do, including knocking in a pair of game-winning home runs in a series against the Kansas City Royals. His season was truncated by a hip injury, however. He underwent surgery in August 2005 to remove bone spurs.

Entering spring training in 2006, McPherson was expected to compete to be the Angels' starting third baseman. However, he did not hit well during the exhibition season, and that job fell to Chone Figgins, leaving no role on the team for McPherson. As a result, McPherson began the 2006 campaign in the minor leagues. After re-discovering his home run stroke at Triple-A Salt Lake, the Angels called McPherson back to the active roster in May.

McPherson spent the entirety of the 2007 season on the disabled list after choosing to have back surgery to fuse two vertebrate in his back. [1] [2] McPherson was not offered a new contract by the Angels and became a free agent on December 12, 2007.

He signed a one-year deal with the Florida Marlins on January 31, 2008. Playing for the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes, he batted .275 with 42 home runs and 98 RBI. His 42 home runs led the minor leagues in 2008. He was called up on September 1, 2008.

Dallas is 29 this year, and this cut has to hurt the most. Will the young military cadet who was once such a great prospect ever be given another chance? 42 homers last season. Not too shabby in any league.