Minor league free agents -- what are they good for?

Gotta love those minor league contracts.
Actually, there are a few players each year who stay in the game and get more major league playing time by agreeing to minor league contracts, which also save their new organization some money. But there are very few who make big contributions and extend their careers for a period of years.
That doesn't stop players from trying to hang on. And there are a number of free agents who have gone into that remaindered bin marked "minor league contracts," with or without invitations to spring training with the major league team. Most recently,
RHP Scott Baker with the Mariners
SS Ramon Santiago with the Reds
RHP Matt Guerrier, back with the Twins
1B/3B Chad Tracy with the Angels
Speaking of minor, here's a minor trade:
OF Carlos Peguero from the Mariners to the Royals for LHP Everett Teaford, or pretty close to nothin' from nothin' leaves nothin'.
Another trend this year that could help veterans cling to their career is the old I-haven't-played-in-a-couple-of-years-but-I-miss-the-payday routine. RHP Ryan Madson, who hasn't pitched in two years, will be auditioning Feb. 7 in Phoenix for major league teams.
Arbitration season is near, which means that the sign-before-it-goes-to-arbitration season is in full swing. The Cardinals did that with 3B/SS/2B Daniel Descalso, and the Cubs with OF Justin Ruggiano. When did the Cubs get him, anyway?
No longer hanging on is 1B/DH Lance Berkman. Last winter, the Rangers gave him an offer he couldn't refuse, but for most of the season his knees wouldn't allow him to perform. It would have been nice to see him come up in a pinch-hitting role at the end of the season, but that didn't happen. Now he has retired from a highly productive 15-year career. Berkman wasn't a Hall of Famer, but he was a very good player who contributed to championship-caliber teams and was a baseball solid citizen. He will be missed.
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Hockey. Just two forwards were active for my team Wednesday, and there was no change among those of us among the league's top three. My players didn't do much, but at least they both played more than 20 minutes so they didn't hurt my ATOI. Thursday's a bigger night in the NHL, which gives me a bigger roster to work with. And sue me for the preposition at the end of the sentence. But don't really, or I might go all Mr. T in "D.C. Cab" on you.
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Basketball. My first team is 7-0-1 this week, tied in rebounds at 95. It's really more like 6-0-2. Apparently, I'm ahead in field goal percentage if it's taken out to five decimal places, because we're both listed at .4581.
I had been concerned about rebounds, but Jared Sullinger -- who had been playing like, dare I say crap? -- pulled down 17 of them to go along with 24 points. Joakim Noah did return from an illness for a double double with 10 rebounds to go along with 10 points and 8 rebounds. Chris Bosh and Serge Ibaka also scored in double figures, with nine and eight rebounds.
I was at Wednesday's Rockets-Mavericks game, which featured a couple of double doubles. Not surprisingly, Dirk Nowitzki went off for 38 points to go along with a by-far season-high 17 rebounds. The surprise was Houston 7-footer Donatas Motiejunas, who had a double dozen in points and rebounds, with his boards the highest total in his two-year career. You might want to watch and consider him. He played much of the time with Dwight Howard also on the floor. The Rockets dressed just 10 players, but seven scored in double figures in a skin-of-their-teeth 117-115 victory. Jeremy Lin played well, and showed me more with his quickness and defense than I'd seen before.