OAKLAND SENDS KOONCE TO THE MINORS
Graham Koonce, the SABRmetricians dream, was sent to the minor league camp today. Koonce is 29 and is blocked by the likes of Erubiel Durazo, Bobby Kielty, Scott Hatteberg, and Eric Karros for the 1B/DH spot with Oakland.
Koonce in 2003 (at AAA Sacrmento)
.277/.403/.542
480 AB, 23 2B, 1 3B, 34 HR, 115 RBI, 98 BB, 119 K

Koonce has basically been over or near .400 in OBP for the past few seasons
2003 in AAA .403 OBP
2002 in AA .440 OBP
2001 in AA .429 OBP
2000 in A+ .425 OBP
1999 in A+ .392 OBP

In 1998 Koonce played independant ball at Chico (.331/.426/.517).

This is how he did in the minors in the years before that.
1997 in A- .287/.422/.392 (3 HR)
1996 in A .238/.323/.345 (8 HR)
1995 in A- .280/.349/.374 (3 HR)
1994 in R+ .208/.364/.242 (0 HR)

It seems like Koonce had very little power when he was young. I'm interested to hear why he was released after a solid campaign in 1997.