Alan

Zinter

Zinter is a definite nominee for most baffling use of a roster spot, but for one night, he more than justified his place. He’s now hitting .158 as a major leaguer.

Maybe Carlos Baerga isn’t enough. How does the team with the worst record in baseball needs another pinch-hitter in his mid-30s? It was a nice story when Zinter made it to the majors a couple of years ago. However, he has absolutely no business being on the Diamondbacks’ 25-man roster.

Zinter, 35, hit .254 with 17 homers and 57 RBI for Triple-A New Orleans last season. The 1989 first-round pick might have been a useful reserve in his prime, but he’s strictly a Triple-A player now.

Zinter made his major league debut at age 34 with the Astros in 2002, but he’s not a candidate to play for the team now. He hit .216/.293/.324 in 111 AB for Triple-A Tucson last season.

Zinter likely will be optioned to the minors once healthy.

Zinter will make major league money until mid-August. If not for the plantar fasciitis in his left foot, he’d be back in Triple-A right now.

The 36-year-old Zinter was batting .354/.418/.561 for Tucson. He’ll be used mostly as a pinch-hitter and shouldn’t have any fantasy value.