The non-tender deadline is a fascinating time around baseball. Teams cut bait on failed prospects, fringe roster pieces, and once-promising players whose performance has taken a nosedive. Usually, what shakes free isn't of tremendous value. However, every once in a while, a gem does get cut loose. That's what happened when the Los Angeles Dodgers parted with righty reliever Evan Phillips.
Phillips had been a major development success story for the Dodgers. The 31-year-old began his career by bouncing from the Atlanta Braves to the Baltimore Orioles, posting ERAs of 5 or more each season while being used sparingly.