Taylor Featherston had no business spending all of last season on the roster of a contender. But he did, because the Angels had to keep the infielder on the major league team all year or risk losing him to another team.
Featherston batted .162, the lowest of any major leaguer with at least 150 plate appearances. It wasn't his fault, of course. He never had played above the double-A level. But Angels General Manager Jerry Dipoto thought Featherston could survive a year in the majors as a backup infielder, on the strength of a good glove, then resume his development in the minor leagues this year.