In addition to confirming reports which emerged last night that said the Washington Nationals had signed veteran outfielder Rick Ankiel to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training, the Nats also announced this afternoon that they'd inked 30-year-old, 7-year veteran infielder/outfielder Mark Teahen to a minor league deal.
@NationalsPR: "#Nationals have agreed to terms w/ OF Rick Ankiel and INF/OF Mark Teahen on minor-league contracts that include Spring Training invites."
Teahen, a member of the so-called "Moneyball" draft class of 2002, was selected by the Oakland A's with a supplemental pick after the 1st Round of that year's draft. The A's had received the pick in return for losing Johnny Damon to the Red Sox when he signed with Boston as a free agent in December of 2001.
Teahen, a Redlands, California-born left-handed hitting utility man spent just two seasons in Oakland's system before he was dealt to Kansas City as part of the three-team trade that sent Octavio Dotel to the A's and Carlos Beltran to the Houston Astros. Teahen played just 78 games total in 2011, 51 with the White Sox and 27 with the Blue Jays after Toronto acquired him in the deal that momentarily got them Edwin Jackson (who was subsequently flipped). The Jays released Teahen earlier this winter. In 78 games and 177 plate appearances in 2011, Teahen had a .200/.273/.300 slash with four doubles and four home runs. In 831 games and 3,171 career PA's, Teahen has a .267/.327/.409 line. Competition for Stephen Lombardozzi?