SB Nation - Brendan Katin

Late-Night Weekend Mug

morineko — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:57:54 -0000

More photos » by Darren Hauck - AP

Hopefully Mike Rivera will end up as a backup with a team with a catcher willing to rest every fifth day.

This weekend's big news is related to the non-tender deadline. As seen in this FanShot, Mark DiFelice, Seth McClung and Mike Rivera were not tendered contracts by the Brewers. Adam McCalvy's article implies that the team was crowded with options for the bullpen and behind the plate and McClung and Rivera were squeezed out. DiFelice may later be signed to a minor league contract in order to rehab with the team, but this hasn't happened yet.

Tom Haudricourt spoke with McClung about the situation. He also notes that the Brewers have a tentative agreement to bring back Craig Counsell for 2010.

Matthew Pouliot believes that the Brewers should have non-tendered Jody Gerut and David Bush in order to save the team money that could go towards a better starting pitcher.

Our general non-tendered players open thread is here; there are loads of players set adrift for various reasons. The helpful bloggers at MLB Trade Rumors have compiled a big list of players. Circling the Bases has another list, pointing out injured players. One of the non-injured non-tenders happens to be Gabe Gross, just in case the Brewers may need yet another 4th outfielder to add to the amazing collection of them that's being built up this offseason. The 40-man will probably be at 40 after Counsell and Vargas sign, however.

The Brewers made a stealth minor league signing when we weren't looking, per Baseball America's weekly minor league transactions; it's A.J. Murray, a left-handed pitcher who has spent his entire career in the Rangers organization. He has major league experience and has been a starter before but he spent 2009 as a reliever. He missed all of 2004 and 2006 with shoulder injuries.

Around the Brewers blogosphere:

View from Bernie's Chalet thinks the Brewers have more work to do after the Winter Meetings, especially in regards to the starting pitching.
A Girl's View of the Brewers is happy with the Winter Meetings pitching moves but believes the Brewers need to upgrade the fourth outfielder position.
Lange at Wisconsin Sports Tap will be missing McClung, remembering the 2008 playoff run.

Kevin Correia, constant object of our delight and speculation, re-signed with the Padres on a one-year contract. Doug Melvin asked the Padres about trading for him but they decided to keep him.

If there's one thing in which the Brewers players in winter ball are exceptionally skilled, it's being hit by pitches. Carlos Gomez, Brendan Katin and Adam Heether look like worthy successors to Jason Kendall if their winter performance is any indication.

Speaking of Kendall, Joe Posnanski sees his signing as just one of the invariably bad moves the Royals could have made with the catcher position for 2010.

Don't forget to vote for the BCB all-decade team's center fielder before 4PM today.

I don't have a baseball book of the week this week, as I haven't read any baseball books since my last Mug. I did pick up a copy of Bill James' The Baseball Book 1990. The 1990 Draft Adviser section is a definite precursor to all the snarky comments in the Baseball Prospectus books. The only comment relevant to current players is the one about John Smoltz: "There is every likelihood that Smoltz will win 200 games in the major leagues." Well, that was right on. If you're more interested in current baseball, Keith Olbermann has an advance review of Dirk Hayhurst's new book (release date March 2010.)

Today in Brewers history, back in 1980, they acquired Rollie Fingers, Ted Simmons, and Pete Vuckovich in a trade with the Cardinals.

Happy birthday to Gorman Thomas, who turned 59 on the 12th.

Friday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:46:08 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

Randy Wolf: 2010 Brewer?

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Some things to read while combining restaurants.

There's been a (likely unsubstantiated) rumor floating around that the Brewers have reached agreement on a three year deal for Randy Wolf. Again, odds are it's nothing, but it's still probably the top story on a slow news day, so here's some reaction to it:

In-Between Hops says the move would "make the Brewers starting rotation 50% better than it is right now."
Jorge Says No! thinks "this deal could turn into Jeff Suppan 2.0."

My reaction to the deal would depend on the price. If it'll take Suppan money to sign Wolf, then I'm not interested. But if the price is the rumored 3 years/$27 million, then we're getting close to the acceptable range. A third season for Wolf might be a bit risky, but the price is low enough to not be crippling.

Meanwhile, the Brewers are also still rumored to have interest in Gregg Zaun. FanGraphs has targeted Zaun as one of the players they'd like you to stop by and project today.

Assuming the front office isn't preparing to announce a Randy Wolf deal, they're most likely getting ready for next week's Winter Meetings. Adam McCalvy has a preview, including the Brewer needs, and once again raises the possibility that Jason Kendall could be back next season. McCovey Chronicles ranked Kendall seventh in their Future Free Agent Mistake Power Rankings.

Could Manny Parra be more effective out of the bullpen? I'm not sure I'm sold on it, but Keith Law said the Brewers should think about it in yesterday's chat, as noted over at View From Bernie's Chalet. Law also isn't too high on either Mat Gamel or Casey McGehee as a long-term solution at third base.

I know at least one BCB'er is already in line to get in, but if you were still trying to decide on checking out the Clubhouse Sale at Miller Park this weekend, John and Cait have a preview of the items that will be featured. After seeing it, I wish I had time to go.

If you're looking to do some Christmas shopping but you're more of the minor league type, the Brevard County Manatees also have some holiday specials going.

Alcides Escobar and Hernan Iribarren will be back in the states this weekend, as the Venezuelan Winter League plays a two game series in Miami to showcase Venezuelan baseball in the US. Escobar and Iribarren's Lara team will take on a Zulia team which used to feature Brendan Katin. I'm assuming Katin has left the team, as he hasn't appeared in a game in over a month.

Elsewhere in the winter leagues, Mat Gamel went 0-for-2 with a strikeout in his VWL debut for Caracas last night. You can read about that and more in today's Winter League Update.

Around baseball:

Astros: Signed pitcher Ryan Sadowski to a minor league deal.
A's: Acquired Aaron Miles and Jake Fox from the Cubs for reliever Jeff Gray and two minor leaguers.
Braves: Signed Takashi Saito to a one year deal.
D-Backs: Removed reliever Kyler Newby and catcher Luke Carlin from their 40-man roster. (h/t AZ Snakepit)
Mets: Signed Henry Blanco to a one year, $1.5 million deal.
Phillies: Signed Placido Polanco to a three year deal worth $18 million.
Rays: Released pitcher Ramon Ramirez.
Red Sox: Signed Marco Scutaro to a two year deal with a mutual option for 2012.

If some of the Brewers' current pitching targets don't turn out, might they be interested in Gil Meche? MLB Trade Rumors says the Royals are expecting to receive offers for him once the free agent market starts to heat up. Meche is owed $24 million over the next two seasons, but has posted a sub-4.00 ERA in two of the last three years.

All three of these guys will probably come up in connection to the Brewers again at some point: Lookout Landing has a look at the upsides of Rich Harden, Erik Bedard and Ben Sheets, and explains why Harden is in a better position than Bedard for 2010.

Happy birthday today to:

Carlos Gomez, who turns 24.
Harvey Kuenn, who would have turned 79.

Oh, and no matter how disappointed you are in the offseason so far, at least we can all be glad Doug Melvin isn't responsible for these robocalls.

Drink up.

The Brewers' Rule 5 Draft Eligible Players

TheJay — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:15:08 -0000

As noted in my FanPost of Sunday night, the deadline for filing major league and minor league reserve lists is fast approaching. Eligible players not added to the major league 40-man roster by November 20 can be selected in the Rule 5 draft.

What does it take to be eligible?

If 19 or older on the June 5th before he signed his first contract, a player is eligible for the fourth Rule 5 draft after signing (usually after four years in the minors).
If 18 or younger on the June 5th before he signed his first contract, a player is eligible for the fifth Rule 5 draft after signing (usually after five years in the minors).
Any player who is eligible for one Rule 5 draft is eligible for all subsequent Rule 5 drafts.

(see ESPN Transactions Primer , Baseball America Rule 5 Draft column, MLB Rules summaries)

You may recall some Brewers being added to the 40-man roster last offseason to protect them from the Rule 5 draft. Omar Aguilar, Alexandre Periard, Mark Rogers, and Cody Scarpetta were the fantastic four. At the risk of undermining the above statements, Scarpetta actually became eligible for the draft through a little-known technicality: the Brewers voided his original contract because of an injury and later re-signed him, making him immediately eligible (link). That comes up probably once in a February blue moon.

I have attempted to make a comprehensive list of Brewers farmhands who are eligible for the Rule 5 draft. Obviously not all (or even most) of these players are realistic candidates to be selected. In addition, some of these guys may be minor league free agents. If you think I've made a mistake or missed someone, post a comment. Notable names are above the jump while you must click and scroll for the rest. Ages listed are for the 2010 season and levels listed are where the player spent the bulk of 2009:

Zach Braddock (22, LHP, A+/AA - one of the last draft-and-follow players, he did not sign until the spring of 2006 at the age of 18. This gives him one more year before becoming eligible.)
Lorenzo Cain (24, CF, AA)
Chris Cody (26, LHP, AA/AAA)
Nick Green (25, RHP, AA/AAA)
Taylor Green (23, 3B, AA - another draft-and-follow guy, brewerfan has him signing June 1, 2006. Since he did not turn 19 until November 2005, I think that puts him in the 18 and younger category and means he is not eligible until next offseason. Lorenzo Cain was in a similar situation last year.)
Dave Johnson (27, RHP, AAA)
Mike Jones (27, RHP, A+/AA/AAA - former #1 pick finally reached AAA, did not do well)
Brendan Katin (27, RF, AAA)
Mike Ramlow (24, LHP, Inj/A - yet another draft-and-follow, injured most of this season)
Amaury Rivas (24, RHP, A+)

The Brewers currently have 33 of 40 roster spots filled. I am not 100% sure of Green's exemption from the draft but the Brewers certainly have roster room if I'm wrong. We'll all find out together on Friday. Assuming Green does not need to be protected, I think only Lorenzo Cain and Amaury Rivas really need to be added to the roster. I don't think the other guys are tempting enough for any team to commit a 25-man roster spot in December. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the current talent and/or upside just aren't there.

As promised, the rest of the Rule 5 eligible farmhands.

Erick Almonte (32 in 2010, 1B, spent 2009 in AAA)
Patrick Arlis (29, C, AAA)
Mike Burns (31, RHP, AAA/MLB)
Chuck Caufield (26, LF/RF, AA)
Anderson de la Rosa (25, C, A+)
Ryan Delaughter (23, RHP, R - converted outfielder threw 5 innings in Arizona rookie ball.)
Chris Errecart (25, 1B, A+)
Jim Henderson (27, RHP, A/A+ - Canadian added veteran presence to low-minors bullpens.)
Robert Hinton (25, RHP, AA)
Mark Holliman (26, RHP, AA)
JR Hopf (27, C, AA)
Shane Justis (27, 2B, AA - was selected in minor league portion of last year's Rule 5 draft.)
Brandon Kintzler (25, RHP, AA - not sure how it works for these indy-league guys. Not sure it matters.)
Brock Kjeldgaard (24, 1B, A - converted pitcher known for power, strikeouts.)
Joe Koshansky (28, 1B, AAA)
Rafael Lluberes (25, LHP, A+)
Martin Maldonado (23, C, A+)
Michael McClendon (25, RHP, AA)
Sean McCraw (24, C, A)
Johnny Raburn (31, 2B/SS, AA/AAA)
Tike Redman (33, OF, AAA - former Pirate spent about as much time in Nashville as Jon Knott.)
Jose Romero (24, LHP, R - injury-marred career, presumably.)
Ivan Rusova (23, RHP, R - who? The Giants somehow drafted this Cuban in the in 26th round in 2005.)
Juan Sandoval (29, RHP, AA)
Adam Stern (30, OF, AA - O Canada!)
David Welch (27, LHP, AA - the lone representative from Australia.)

The following players would have been Rule 5 eligible but are already minor league free agents according to Brewerfan. A few names from the above list (i.e., Redman) probably belong down here, too:

Drew Anderson (29, LF, AA - he actually spent September 2006 in the majors.)
Chris Capuano (31, LHP, Inj/R)
Carlos Corporan (26, C, AAA - hitting only 1.000 in major league play.)
Ruben Flores (26, RHP, A - acquired for Bill Hall.)
Lindsay Gulin (33, LHP, AAA)
Ryan Houston (30, RHP, AAA)
Jon Knott (31, RF, AAA - spent about two weeks in a Nashville uniform.)
Wes Littleton (27, RHP, AA/AAA - best known for "saving" a 27-run game with the Rangers.)
Kevin Melillo (28, 1B/3B, AA)
Sam Narron (28, LHP, AAA)
Freddy Parejo (25, RF, AA)
Josh Wahpepah (25, RHP, AA)
Chase Wright (27, RHP, AAA - outrighted off 40-man roster on August 26.)

That's a lot of links about a bunch of guys no one will remember a few weeks from now. :)

Wednesday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:33:43 -0000

by Ed Andrieski - AP

Everyone's talking about John Lackey today. Should they be?

View full size photo »

Some things to read while launching a third party.

Thanks to Mark for filling in yesterday while I laid on the couch and drifted in and out of consciousness. My apologies for the late Mug today - I had hoped to be off my pain meds by now, but no such luck, so I'm having a hard time writing coherently. Also, as I was gathering news this morning, a delivery truck showed up with a whole room full of furniture from IKEA.

Before we go any further, you may want to just give up and find a new team or a new sport. Dave Begel of OnMilwaukee.com wants to make sure you know the Brewers are never going to compete (h/t BBTF). So abandon all hope, ye who remain here.

Meanwhile, for those of us who haven't jumped off a bridge, it's the time of year where we spend lots of time discussing players who may or may not even consider becoming a Brewer. Take John Lackey, for example.

Jorge Says No! wonders if the Brewers should be interested in signing him.
In-Between Hops has a visual representation of reasons they shouldn't.
When Buster Olney said the Brewers may have interest in Lackey, he also mentioned the Mariners as a candidate, prompting Lookout Landing to rip apart the logic involved in that statement.
Ken Rosenthal says the Angels are still interested in Lackey, too.
If/When Doug Melvin gets outbid for Lackey, Fire Doug Melvin has a statement for him to read. Melvin is already using similar language to complain about the draft.

There's also a flurry of discussion on catchers:

Just a few days after this vomit-inducer on Jason Kendall's likely return, new reports would suggest Kendall's return may not be so likely after all, and Jonathan Lucroy may be the leading candidate to take Kendall's place next season.
View From Bernie's Chalet is in favor of that move.
Project Prospect gave Lucroy a pretty nice review from the Arizona Fall League.
Big League Stew wonders why no one is searching for Jason Kendall's real age.

I'm planning on writing something more in-depth on Lucroy once my brain gets a little less fuzzy. In the meantime, here's a bunch of notes on Mike Cameron, too:

Dave Cameron of FanGraphs wonders if Cameron might be the second-best position player on the free agent market this offseason.
Evan Brunell of The Hardball Times thinks he'll end up with the Yankees.
Hot Foot hopes he doesn't end up back with the Mets.

A fair number of people are treating it as a foregone conclusion that Craig Counsell will either return to the Brewers next season or retire, but that may not be the case. Adam McCalvy thinks Counsell's surprising 2009 season should net him several offers, and may drive up the price for Whitefish Boy.

MLB Daily Dish has predictions for free agents #11-20 in their rankings, and thinks Rich Harden (ranked #12) may end up with the Brewers. They also have Felipe Lopez (ranked #14) signing with the Cubs.

Speaking of oft-injured pitchers who could get a phone call from Doug Melvin, FanHuddle thinks the Brewers could sign Brad Penny.

And, of course, as the Brewers look to spend their free agent dollars this offseason, one massive mistake overshadows all other deals: Jorge Says No! has a look at the logic and failure of the Jeff Suppan deal.

Finally, there's some continued reaction to the J.J. Hardy-Carlos Gomez deal:

Aaron Gleeman has a scouting report on Gomez from his former manager, Ron Gardenhire.
Real GM Baseball gave the Twins an A- for the deal, and the Brewers a C+.

On Monday, I mentioned having written a scouting report on Hardy for Nick Nelson of Nick's Twins Blog. In return, I asked for his scouting report on Gomez. Here it is:

"When it became clear that the Twins were working to move Johan Santana during the 2007-08 offseason, fans geared up for a marquis package in return. After all, Santana was arguably the best starting pitcher in baseball; a two-time Cy Young Award winner with devastating stuff and command from the left side who still hadn't yet turned 29. What the Twins got was a package from the Mets that included three promising pitchers but was headlined by Carlos Gomez, a raw 22-year-old center fielder who general manager Bill Smith envisioned as a future anchor in the lineup.

Because of the circumstances surrounding his acquisition, Gomez became saddled with massive expectations amongst the Minnesota fan base. This might have been his undoing. By the time the Twins sent him to the Brewers for J.J. Hardy last week, a sizable portion of local fans was more than ready to see Gomez go. His lack of progress at the plate and his repeated mental lapses on the field -- one of which was on display during the ALDS when he cost the Twins a crucial run by overrunning second base in New York -- became too much for a lot of folks to tolerate.

As a person who greatly values defense and appreciates players who display enthusiasm and emotion on the field, I was always a big fan of Gomez and I'm sorry to see him go. There's no doubt that he was failing to make meaningful strides on the cognitive end, but his physical tools are undeniable and he was at least making slight adjustments at the plate this past season, with a decreased strikeout rate and increased walk rate. Granted, he was still poor in both those areas and his overall hitting numbers dropped regardless, but it's something to keep in mind, especially considering that he's still only 24 years old.

As far as defense goes, get ready for a treat. I know Mike Cameron did some nice things for the Brewers, but Gomez is better. I watched the great Torii Hunter in center field regularly for about a decade, and can confidently say that Gomez gets to balls that Hunter in his prime never would have dreamed of reaching. Even though he occasionally makes bad reads, Gomez can very quickly make up for a missed first step and has closing speed on line drives and fly balls like I've never seen before. He's an exquisite defensive center fielder and will make any fly ball heavy pitchers on the Brewers staff very happy.

That tremendous defensive proficiency means that Gomez doesn't have to progress all that much offensively in order to transform into a highly valuable player. While he has failed to post even a .300 OBP during his three major-league seasons thus far, Gomez posted a .339 OBP in the minors despite being young for every level and he may benefit from a return to the National League. His dreadful lack of discipline at the plate may prevent him from ever taking the next step and becoming an adequate offensive contributor, but I could certainly see him turning a corner and becoming a Franklin Gutierrez type player. Even if he doesn't, his defense makes him a worthwhile starter in center field and at worst he'll settle in as a quality fourth outfielder and pinch-running option.

For all the negatives that have surrounded Gomez's tenure in Minnesota, my lasting memory of him will not be the baserunning muff against the Yankees or one of the hundreds of outside breaking balls whiffed on for strike three. It will be the 12th inning of this season's Game 163 against the Tigers, when Alexi Casilla sneaked a grounder between second and first to drive in Gomez with the winning run. Gomez came sprinting home, arms outstretched like the wings of an airplane, and dove across home plate despite the fact that the play was nowhere near close. After recording the game-winning, playoff-clinching run, Gomez lept into the air with the excitement of a kid in little league. He may not be the brightest guy in the world, but Gomez plays the game with a lot of heart and he absolutely has his strengths.

Appreciate Gomez for what he is, and you'll love having him on your team. Just try to be patient with the mental mistakes and often clueless offensive approach."

Meanwhile, NL Gold Glove winners are expected to be announced today, and Stan Musial's Stance is projecting J.J. Hardy as the winner at shortstop. It seems unlikely, but I suppose it's possible.

Over 1000 innings and nearly 1000 appearances into his career, we're still trying to figure out how exactly Trevor Hoffman has managed to be so successful. Dave Allen of FanGraphs has a look at one of Hoffman's strengths: pinpoint control that allows him to keep the ball out of power zones to left-handed hitters.

Hitting during day games at Miller Park might get a little easier next season: The team has removed the ivy in the center field batters' eye and replaced it with glare-reducing black paint. They're also adding some black mesh around the scoreboard.

In the minors:

Jonathan Lucroy, Zach Braddock and (to a lesser extent) Lorenzo Cain are having pretty nice seasons in the AFL, and the Peoria Javelinas are 16-8, the best record in the AFL. They lead their division by five games with eight to play. For more on their recent performances, check out today's Fall/Winter League Update.
FanGraphs has the Brewers' minor league season in review, with notes on one Brewer minor league graduate and four more prospects.
Project Prospect ranked Caleb Gindl as the 12th best corner outfield prospect in all of baseball.
Plunk Everyone noted that Adam Heether and Brendan Katin are still among the Venezuelan Winter League leaders in HBP. Heether hasn't appeared in a game since November 1, and I'm still not sure why.

Around baseball:

Blue Jays: Claimed utilityman Mike McCoy off waivers from the Rockies.
Orioles: Claimed pitcher Armando Gabino off waivers from the Twins.
Rays: Exercised Carl Crawford's option for 2010, declined options on catcher Gregg Zaun and Brian Shouse, and claimed pitcher Ramon Ramirez off waivers from the Reds.
Red Sox:Shortstop Nick Green and outfielder Joey Gathright both rejected outright assignments and will become free agents.
Reds: Outfielder Darnell McDonald rejected an outright assignment to the minors and will become a free agent.

If you're looking to sign Yorvit Torrealba to a deal this offseason (perhaps as a replacement for Jason Kendall), the baseline has been set: After the Rockies declined his $4 million option for next season, they reportedly offered him $4.5 million for two seasons, and he turned it down. I think the Brewers could easily beat that, and might welcome a 2 year$6-7 million deal for him. Brian McTaggart has a look at other available catchers.

Meanwhile, the Reds are reportedly looking to cut payroll into the $65-70 million range, which could be a challenge considering they owe $66 million to ten players for 2010. So, if you have a Red you're looking to acquire, you should get on the phone.

Looking for another buy-low pitching candidate? The Royals are reportedly monitoring the rehab of Runelvys Hernandez, who has pitched just four major league games since 2006.

We use WAR a lot to discuss the value of players, but are there cases where we're misusing it? Jeremy Greenhouse of The Hardball Times looks at misuses of the stat. We've definitely been guilty of some in the comments here.

I shuddered while reading this note: Garrett Broshuis, a teammate of Giants prospect and accused murderer Angel Villalona, has a look at the circumstances surrounding Villalona's release from prison, which included a roughly $50,000 payment to the victim's family and their decision to ask for charges to be dropped.

On a happier note, Brewerfan.net has an interview with former Brewer Junior Spivey, who remains a Brewer fan long after moving on from the organization.

A couple of cool notes from the SBN Network:

SB Nation celebrated its sixth birthday this week.
Sky Kalkman, formerly of Beyond the Box Score, represented SBN well by winning Dugout Central's prediction contest.

I don't have any Brewer related birthdays today, so we'll have to settle for wishing a happy birthday to UW-Stevens Point alum Scott May, who appeared in five major league games and turns 48 today.

Oh, and I have a new career goal: Leveraging BCB's Twitter (@BrewCrewBall) to get a CBS TV deal.

Drink up.

Friday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:40:29 -0000

More photos » by Pat Sullivan - AP

Former Brewers manager Ned Yost looks great with someone else's logo behind him.

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Some things to read while keeping your pimp hand fuzzy.

The search for a new pitching coach might be about to get much more interesting: Rick Peterson, considered by most the odds on favorite to get the job, is also interested in the vacancy in Florida. If Peterson turns out to be unavailable, the search may start from scratch.

Meanwhile, yesterday was interview day for Ned Yost in Houston. Inexplicably, Yost still doesn't seem to understand why he was let go in Milwaukee, and said this when asked about it:

"Don't lose 10 out of 13 games is the best thing I can figure," Yost told reporters in Houston, "and hope your offense stays on track so you don't struggle to score runs."

Alyson Footer also quoted him as saying the Astros are "one starter away from having a really good staff." If the Astros hire Yost, fans in Houston can look forward to a 2010 season full of "really battling" and "being one pitch away from getting out of it."

In yesterday's Mug, I noted that Mike Burns had been outrighted to AAA, but neglected to mention that he's injured: He presumably still has the labrum pathology that he was diagnosed with at the end of the season. It's a bit more challenging to demote an injured player, but TheJay has a look at the CBA's rules regarding such transactions.

I also mentioned Jon Heyman's decision to leave Prince Fielder off his MVP ballot. Thankfully, we're not the only ones upset about it: James Bailey of Hardball Cooperative has an in-depth look at Heyman's ballot, and the reasons Fielder should be on it.

Plunk Everyone has compiled a list of difficulty rankings for several stats around baseball: Follow the link to see where Jason Kendall, Ryan Braun, Dave Bush, Jeff Suppan, Prince Fielder, Braden Looper, Mike Cameron, Yovani Gallardo and Felipe Lopez rank among the best in baseball at the things they do.

If we learned one thing about Jody Gerut this season, it's this: he's miscast as a bench player. Among the 20 most frequently used pinch hitters in baseball this season, Gerut ranked 17th in OPS off the bench, ahead of only Mark Loretta, Greg Norton and Greg Dobbs. I have a feeling we'll have "Who is the real Jody Gerut?" conversations on more than one occasion this winter.

Further proof that it'd be really, really difficult to get fair value back in a deal involving Ryan Braun: Rowland's Office has a hypothetical deal sending Braun to the Braves for Jair Jurrjens, one of the game's top young pitchers. Even if you assume their expected values were exactly the same, Jurrjens has a few days over 2 years of service time, meaning he's under team control for four more seasons (through 2013), and will be arbitration eligible after next season. Braun, meanwhile, is under contract and cost controlled for two extra seasons (through 2015), and his salary never exceeds $12 million.

(I use Cot's Contracts all the time for info like that, and frequently forget to cite them. If you need contract info, Cot's is the place for it.)

In the AFL and on the farm:

Project Prospect's Friday topic of conversation is Lorenzo Cain, who's off to a pretty good start in the AFL and is expected to play roughly 4 times a week in an effort to bounce back from a rough 2009 season. They've also got a nice primer on what to expect from the AFL and they're looking for a scouting report on the speed of Taylor Green.
Wisconsin Sports Tap has a look at the season that was for the Huntsville Stars. It's kinda bleak down there, but Jonathan Lucroy is a nice bright spot.
Actually, statistics would suggest it was pretty bleak all over the Brewer minor leagues this season. Baseball America has the final batting leaderboards for 2009, and the only Brewer appearances are among the leaders in stolen bases (Eric Farris had 70) and strikeouts (Brock Kjeldgaard, Joe Koshansky and Brendan Katin all made the list).
As noted in BA's Minor League Transactions, the Brewers released 12 minor leaguers yesterday (FanShot). The most notable name on the list was 2004 third round pick Josh Wahpehpah.
Alcides Escobar, Mat Gamel and Angel Salome all made Baseball America's list of the top 20 prospects in the Pacific Coast League. Tom Haudricourt had mentioned this previously, but that link will take you to the team's press release.
John Sickels of Minor League Ball has a look back at his top 50 pitching prospects entering 2009, including a pre-suspension Jeremy Jeffress.

The Hendies tournament continues over at Brew City Sports: Follow the link to cast your vote in the Excrement Eight.

If you like your roundups of Brewer news, but wish there was less reading involved and maybe a bit more rambling, then you may be the perfect candidate to try out View From Bernie's Chalet's new video blog.

Or, if you like Brewer related fan fiction, you may want to try out Witrado's Quest and Doug Melvin's Hunt for October.

I'm sure this is exactly what Major League Baseball had in mind for the postseason: After a long delay between rounds, baseball is back and the main topics of conversation are weather and divorce. Jon Heyman thinks the Yankees and Angels will get the game in tonight, but could have a hard time tomorrow. Diamond Leung has the scoop on each side's attorney in the McCourt fiasco.

It could be worse, though: Fans in Texas aren't getting playoff baseball, and they're also not getting their playoff ticket money back until sometime in November. (h/t 6-4-2) The money is reportedly "tied up with MLB," and may already have been used to pay off some of the cash the Rangers reportedly had to borrow to make payroll this season.

If you ever doubted the usefulness of Twitter, doubt no longer: In amidst conversation about last night's NLCS opener, Jason of IIATMS presented me with a Nickname of the Year contender: Ronnie "Staypuft" Belliard.

On this day in 1982, the Brewers scored six runs in the seventh inning en route to a 7-5 victory over the Cardinals, evening the World Series at two games apiece.

Happy birthday today to Freddy Parejo, who spent the 2009 season patrolling the outfields in Huntsville and Nashville and turns 25 today. Birthday wishes also go out to Brian Harper, who spent the 1994 season as a Brewer and turns 50.

That's all I have for you today, unless you wanted to read about the rebound of Krispy Kreme or the rising price of chicken wings. I found both of those links via C. Trent Rosecrans.

Drink up.

Probably misusing MLE: Where could the Brewers have done better?

KLSnow — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:00:20 -0000

Looking for some idle speculation on the first Brewer-free Sunday afternoon since February? Here's something to play with.

Because of Jeff's brilliant work over at Minor League Splits, we can take any Brewer above rookie ball's minor league stats and get their MLE (major league equivalent), a baseline estimate of how they would have performed in the major leagues this season.

So without further adieu, here's a look at how Brewer minor leaguers might have performed in the majors in 2009, and how it compares to the players the Brewers actually used in their place.

Catcher

Player	Team (Level)	Avg/OBP/SLG	MLE A/O/S	MLE OPS
Jonathan Lucroy	Huntsville (AA)	.267/.377/.416	.219/.307/.327	.634
Angel Salome	Nashville (AAA)	.288/.338/.420	.249/.285/.342	.627
J.R. Hopf	Huntsville (AA)	.249/.318/.363	.206/.258/.291	.549
Corey Kemp	Wisconsin (A-)	.269/.364/.379	.182/.239/.245	.484
Carlos Corporan	Nashville (AAA)	.217/.262/.285	.192/.230/.250	.480

Brewers used: Jason Kendall, who hit .241/.331/.305 (.636 OPS), and Mike Rivera, who hit .228/.326/.342 (.668 OPS)

This is likely the most obvious position where you can make a solid argument that one of the minor leaguers should have played over the guy the Brewers trotted out there. Kendall had a nice finish to 2009, batting .271/.370/.391 after August 7, but still only out OPS'ed the hypothetical performance of Jonathan Lucroy by two points, with Angel Salome not far behind him.

Beyond Lucroy and Salome, it's a long way down to the next level, though. Corey Kemp's 2009 performance was pretty impressive in Wisconsin, but he's easily the third best catcher in the system above rookie ball right now, and he's still a long way away.

Follow the jump for the other positions!

First Base

Player	Team (Level)	Avg/OBP/SLG	MLE A/O/S	MLE OPS
Joe Koshansky	Nashville (AAA)	.218/.319/.441	.189/.267/.358	.625
Erick Almonte	Nashville (AAA)	.295/.367/.365	.253/.307/.301	.608
Kevin Melillo	Huntsville (AA)	.249/.344/.392	.207/.280/.309	.589
Steffan Wilson	Brevard Co. (A+)	.272/.352/.420	.208/.266/.308	.574
Brock Kjeldgaard	Wisconsin (A-)	.248/.340/.454	.167/.221/.278	.499

Clearly, none of these guys are even comparable to Prince Fielder, who posted a 1.014 OPS this season.

In fact, the complete lack of a viable first baseman in the upper levels of the minors is a little startling. If something were to happen to Fielder, the best internal options to replace him would almost certainly be in the big leagues now: Mat Gamel and/or Casey McGehee.

With that said, Steffan Wilson's performance in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League is notable, and Brock Kjeldgaard had a decent offensive season overshadowed by the fact that he led his league in strikeouts for the second straight season.

Second Base

Player	Team (Level)	Avg/OBP/SLG	MLE A/O/S	MLE OPS
Hernan Iribarren	Nashville (AAA)	.307/.360/.396	.269/.310/.335	.645
Shane Justis	Huntsville (AA)	.271/.339/.376	.225/.278/.309	.587
Eric Farris	Brevard Co. (A+)	.302/.344/.388	.238/.270/.304	.574
Brett Lawrie	Wisconsin (A-)	.275/.342/.438	.192/.232/.282	.514

These are the only four players above rookie ball who played a full season with second base as their primary position. The Brewers used Rickie Weeks (.857 OPS) and Felipe Lopez (.810 OPS) primarily at second, and obviously there's no comparison.

The upside is pretty low among the upper level guys: Iribarren had a nice season in AAA, but likely projects as little more than a utility/backup type in the majors. 2009 was Justis' first season as a Brewer. He's 26 years old in AA.

With that said, there's a lot of upside in the lower levels. Eric Farris had a very good season for Brevard County, and added 70 steals in 76 attempts. With that said, he's been leapfrogged in the organization by Brett Lawrie, who continues his rapid ascent toward the big leagues.

Third Base

Player	Team (Level)	Avg/OBP/SLG	MLE A/O/S	MLE OPS
Adam Heether	Nashville (AAA)	.300/.398/.506	.256/.334/.409	.743
Mat Gamel	Nashville (AAA)	.281/.368/.479	.242/.309/.388	.697
Taylor Green	Huntsville (AA)	.267/.344/.372	.220/.276/.308	.584
Zelous Wheeler	Brevard Co. (A+)	.263/.365/.383	.199/.273/.283	.556
Juan Sanchez	Wisconsin (A-)	.249/.308/.318	.172/.207/.221	.428

The Brewers used Casey McGehee (.859 OPS), Craig Counsell (.766 OPS), Bill Hall (.606 OPS) and Mat Gamel (.760 OPS) at third.

Behold Adam Heether. While most of the talk about Brewer minor leaguers this season revolved around guys like Alcides Escobar, Gamel, Salome, Lucroy and Lawrie, Heether quietly outhit all of them. And while Craig Counsell had an incredible and unlikely bounce back season, Heether's MLE line is nearly comparable. He also played five positions this season to keep his bat in the lineup while Mat Gamel played third.

Behind him and Gamel, Taylor Green had a season to forget, and Zelous Wheeler's ability to get on base made him valuable in the Manatees' lineup. Sanchez was one of the last players drafted in the minor league phase of last year's Rule 5 draft, and played all over the diamond for Wisconsin and Brevard Co. despite never having played above the Gulf Coast League.

Shortstop

Player	Team (Level)	Avg/OBP/SLG	MLE A/O/S	MLE OPS
Alcides Escobar	Nashville (AAA)	.298/.351/.411	.259/.301/.345	.646
Sergio Miranda	Brevard Co. (A+)	.297/.355/.380	.229/.272/.292	.564
Yohannis Perez	Huntsville (AA)	.262/.314/.353	.221/.259/.287	.546
Michael Garciaparra	Huntsville (AA)	.216/.302/.261	.184/.249/.223	.472
Brent Brewer	Brevard Co. (A+)	.226/.290/.291	.176/.224/.231	.455

The Brewers used J.J. Hardy (.659 OPS) and Alcides Escobar (.701 OPS)

Alcides Escobar's AAA performance and J.J. Hardy's service time status combined to be just enough to get Escobar into the big leagues for good back in August, and we'll see what happens from there.

Meanwhile, there's not much in the system behind Escobar. The next viable shortstop prospect behind him may very well be 2009 draft pick Josh Prince, who hit .263/.373/.313 between Helena and Wisconsin this season and stole 38 bases in 50 attempts. The Brewers have to be close to running out of patience with Brent Brewer, who repeated Brevard Co. in 2009 and was actually significantly worse in his second attempt.

Outfielders

Player	Team (Level)	Avg/OBP/SLG	MLE A/O/S	MLE OPS
Brendan Katin	Nashville (AAA)	.244/.306/.506	.214/.262/.413	.675
Drew Anderson	Huntsville (AA)	.290/.368/.439	.241/.303/.350	.653
Logan Schafer	Brevard Co. (A+)	.312/.374/.441	.242/.288/.335	.623
Caleb Gindl	Brevard Co. (A+)	.284/.366/.469	.217/.277/.345	.622
Adam Stern	Huntsville (AA)	.280/.350/.374	.233/.288/.303	.591
John Raburn	Huntsville (AA)	.263/.370/.345	.218/.301/.267	.568
Chuck Caufield	Huntsville (AA)	.248/.312/.337	.210/.259/.280	.539
Lee Haydel	Brevard Co. (A+)	.278/.307/.343	.219/.241/.262	.503
Freddy Parejo	Huntsville (AA)	.239/.280/.314	.204/.237/.259	.496
Michael Vass	Wisconsin (A-)	.240/.307/.384	.164/.204/.249	.453

The Brewers used Ryan Braun (.938 OPS), Mike Cameron (.795), Corey Hart (.753), Frank Catalanotto (.728) and Jody Gerut (.672) in the outfield this season. And if they'd had to dig much farther into the organizational depth, it likely would have been a problem. Brendan Katin can mash a mistake, but his exceptionally low plate discipline (35 walks, 164 strikeouts, .305 OBP) will likely keep him from ever being a serious prospect.

Meanwhile, the top two outfielders in the Brewer system might both have played for Brevard County this season, as Logan Schafer won the FSL batting title and Caleb Gindl provided the power behind the Brewers' most successful affiliate this season. Among the top prospects, Schafer is also the only true center fielder: Adam Stern also played primarily in center this season, but was terrible defensively.

Lorenzo Cain, meanwhile, had a terrible 2009 season, and didn't even make the top ten to appear on this list. Before suffering a knee injury and after returning, Cain posted a .213/.287/.317 line between multiple levels this season, posting a .448 MLE OPS. Hopefully Cain reports to camp healthy next spring and prepared for a huge bounce back season.

Wednesday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:16:23 -0000

More photos » by Nam Y. Huh - AP

Trevor Hoffman did his part last night, but Heath Bell couldn't follow suit. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

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Some things to read while repelling flies.

The combined efforts of three Brewers were not enough to power the National League to victory last night, making the league 12-0-1 since adding the Brewers. Tom H. wonders if the NL players sit around and think back to the glory days of 2002, when the game ended in a tie.

This extended streak of NL futility is certainly notable but hardly unprecedented. I had this in my inbox from TheJay this morning:

With the AL victory last night, the AL has won 12 of the last 13 all-star games and 18 of the last 22. Since 1960, though, the AL is 22-29-2 in the midsummer classic (two games each year from 1960 to 1962). From 1963 to 1985 the AL won a whopping two times.

By the way, if you see TheJay today, be sure to wish him a happy birthday. I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing to share a birthday with Nick Neugebauer. Also, happy belated birthday to Tristarscoop, whose birthday I missed yesterday.

As Tom H. noted, Trevor Hoffman pitched a scoreless inning last night but Heath Bell, his replacement in San Diego, gave up the winning run. Jeff Passan noted that Bell was the third Padre in four seasons to blow an All Star Game.

At least it wasn't a Pirate, I guess: Two Pirates were selected for the NL roster, but neither appeared in the game.

The JS has a look at the All Star experience for the three Brewers, which included meeting the President.

Hopefully Prince Fielder enjoyed the experience enough that he won't mind taking home less money than his teammates. I've previously mentioned that Braun received $50k for making the team and Fielder took home $25k. It turns out Trevor Hoffman got $50k too.

Of course, the All Star Game isn't just exciting for the players, it's also exciting for drunken, bandwagon fans, as Tyler Maas of Bugs & Cranks discovered.

Dave Bush is expected to start in Huntsville tonight in the final appearance of his rehab assignment, and could rejoin the starting rotation on July 20. Once he's back, he's got some serious work to do: he's hit ten batters in 2009, leaving him ten short of Jamey Wright's franchise record, set in 2001.

Want to get something cool for supporting a great cause? ESPN's V Foundation Auction is underway, and one of the items up for bid is a Brewers Batting Practice Experience, the opportunity for you and three friends to watch BP on the field at a Brewer game. The auction closes at 5:35 tonight, so time is running out.

The Brewers have two starters in tonight's AAA All Star Game: Alcides Escobar will play shortstop and bat second, and Brendan Katin will play right field and bat eighth. They'll both face International League starting pitcher Justin Lehr, a former Brewer.

The Brewers dropped another spot to 14th in WhatifSports' Power Rankings.

Around baseball:

Dodgers: Eric Milton had surgery to remove a herniated disk in his back and will miss the rest of the season.
Phillies: Signed Pedro Martinez to a one year deal worth $1 million, with up to $1.5 million in incentives.

Here are some non-Brewer related All Star notes:

Bernie Miklasz is still upset by Albert Pujols not winning the Home Run Derby, so he's proposing new rules.
Evan Longoria missed last night's game with an infected ring finger. That's the best euphemism for marriage I've ever heard.
I didn't realize it until this morning but, as Ryan Fagan points out, the Home Run Derby was actually 40 minutes longer than the All Star Game.
Despite having Sheryl Crow to sing the national anthem, and a cast of thousands on the field before the game, Major League Baseball didn't have anyone on hand to sing the Canadian national anthem.
Next year, homefield advantage in the World Series should be decided by a Mascot Relay Race. I'd rather watch that than celebrity softball.

So, let's say for a moment that you work in the front office of the Washington Nationals. You've got far and away the worst record in baseball, you recently fired your manager and you're quickly becoming a running joke around the league. How can you make this worse? Well, you could start by hiring Ned Yost to manage your team. He's reportedly a candidate for the job. (h/t William F. Yurasko)

Today we bid farewell to Chuckie Hacks, a Frosty Mug mainstay which has decided to shut down after several years of Wisconsin sports commentary. Thanks for the ride, guys.

Oh, and four years ago today Chris Magruder beat the Nationals, scoring the winning run in the tenth inning on a walk-off balk.

Drink up.

Tuesday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:24:49 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

Prince Fielder and his untucked shirt hold his trophy after winning the Home Run Derby in St. Louis, Monday. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

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Some things to read while your insurance premiums go up.

By the time you read this, tickets will likely already be sold out for the reduced price outfield loge seats for the Padres series in August. Prince Fielder hit 23 home runs last night on his way to winning the Home Run Derby, meaning those tickets will sell for $5 while supplies last. By the time I cleared the "virtual waiting room," tickets for the Wednesday game were no longer available. $48 seats one section over are still around if you want them.

My most sarcastic condolences go out today to ESPN and everyone else who was gravely disappointed that Albert Pujols, the national media's chosen star for last night's festivities, didn't actually win. The sentiment expressed by media coverage of the event is best summed up by Mike Bauman of MLB.com:

Every Home Run Derby takes on a life of its own, although in recent years, those lives seem to last longer and longer. This one was characterized by Pujols being the preordained star of the show and by what appeared to a widely varying amount of power among the contestants.

Here are some other notes on Fielder from today:

He actually hit most of his derby home runs with Ryan Braun's bat. Before that, he had been using one belonging to Rickie Weeks. I've lost the link somewhere, but Fielder said he last used one of his own bats sometime in May.
Viva Cerveceros and Baseball Digest Daily both say Fielder doesn't have to worry about a post-Derby slump.
Ryan Fagan of The Sporting News noted that Fielder and fellow finalist Nelson Cruz were minor league teammates in Nashville back in 2005.
David Pinto was worried about Fielder's decision to hit without a helmet.
Prince also drew notice for several expletives after misses that had to be muted out via seven second delay. Fielder must read Lifehacker, because they had a note yesterday on how expletives can help relieve pain.
Jeff Passan of Yahoo chronicled what he called "a lukewarm derby" and an awkward press conference question afterwards.

So what is Prince Fielder's value? FanGraphs started a series yesterday ranking major leaguers by their trade value, and Prince Fielder checks in at #50. We're The Team To Beat ranked Fielder #33 among position players (and Ryan Braun #11, with Yovani Gallardo #11 among pitchers) (h/t BBTF).

Moving on to tonight's game, Ryan Braun will bat cleanup and make his first start in right field. Braun will almost certainly be a better defensive right fielder than Raul Ibanez would have been, but it still could lead to some interesting moments.

Should the Brewers trade J.J. Hardy for pitching? Would your answer change if they got two major league starters in return? Dave Cameron of U.S.S. Mariner thinks the Mariners should offer Erik Bedard, Jarrod Washburn and cash to the Brewers for Hardy. I'd make that trade.

In the minors:

Adam Stern, Shane Justis, Drew Anderson, Jonathan Lucroy, Donovan Hand and Rob Hinton represented Huntsville in the Southern League All Star Game last night. The six Stars led the North to a 7-0 victory, with ten pitchers combining on a four-hit shutout.
Lorenzo Cain continues his rehab in Appleton. He says his knee is still around 80%, but I was at the game yesterday and he didn't seem to be having any trouble with it.
Rotoprofessor rated Alcides Escobar second on their list of Top 15 Prospects for the second half.
Brendan Katin is on pace to hit 36 home runs for Nashville, which would break the franchise record of 34. Katin hit 19 homers in AAA last season.
Chris Narveson accepted his assignment to Nashville and will join the team on Thursday.

The Brewers' change in ownership and winning trend have created some major growth in team popularity. A recent Harris poll ranked the Brewers as baseball's 14th most popular team, up from 24th in 2005. (h/t The Biz of Baseball)

The Brewers held steady at 11th in Inside the Majors' most recent power rankings.

If you've always wanted to spend millions on a beach house in California, you missed your chance this week. Jason Kendall sold his Manhattan Beach home for $5.45 million. He had originally listed it for $7.3 million, but lowered the asking price by a million to cover grit damage done to the carpet and hardwood floors.

Just one transaction note to pass along today: The Indians released Matt Herges, who they had designated for assignment last week. I'm really surprised they weren't able to work out some kind of deal.

While I was happy to see Prince Fielder succeed last night, part of me feels bad for Brandon Inge, who got shut out in the first round. He had a pretty good sense of humor about it, though.

I don't feel as bad for the guy with the mohawk and #5 shaved into his head that spent half the night last night trying to mop Albert Pujols' face with a towel. If you're curious, though, Mark Townsend of Bugs & Cranks knows who he is.

With most franchises, this would be surprising and disappointing, but with the Royals, it's to be expected: Dayton Moore, the Royals GM who just acquired one of the worst defensive shortstops in baseball, doesn't understand defensive metrics.

Happy birthdays today to Mike Burns, who turns 31, and former Brewers Jose Hernandez (40) and Derrick May (41).

And finally, on a sad note, today is the tenth anniversary of the crane collapse that killed three men working to construct Miller Park. Next time you head out to catch a game, be sure to take a moment to think of them and their families.

Drink up.

Thursday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:15:52 -0000

More photos » by Morry Gash - AP

Finally, we have a video highlight of this moment.

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Some things to read while cuddling up with Miguel Cabrera.

The Brewers finished off a good, but not great homestand with the Mets yesterday, and remain in sole possession of first place heading into a four game series in Chicago starting tonight. Seth McClung, who starts tonight, said he's looking forward to the atmosphere at Wrigley. "Atmosphere" is one of the few positive things visiting players have to say about the park.

Did you do your part this week by booing Gary Sheffield? Brian Costa of the Newark Star-Ledger discusses the reactions Sheffield receives on the road, including in Milwaukee, and quotes a blogger you might know.

Meanwhile, A Girl's View wonders why the Mets didn't just send a rookie starter to the mound this week. And Sports Rubbish has the video highlight you've all been waiting to see: Fernando Martinez' faceplant in center field.

Now that we're into July, Doug Melvin and company are intently watching the trade market for opportunities to improve the team, but working to lower expectations at the same time. Melvin also said he isn't interested in Brandon Backe.

In the minors:

Mat Gamel checked in at #13 in Project Prospect's Midseason Top 50, with Alcides Escobar nowhere to be found. Jonathan Mayo of MiLB.com said he'd take Gamel's upside over fellow 3B prospect Brett Wallace.
The international signing period begins today and the Brewers are expected to make a big splash by signing Dominican OF Jose Pena. Depending on who you ask, his bonus could be anywhere from $500k to $1.5 million.
Alcides Escobar, Brendan Katin and R.J. Swindle have been named to the PCL All Star team. Escobar was also selected to the MLB Futures Game. Swindle is making his first All Star appearance at any level.
The Brewers officially announced the signings of seventh round pick Khris Davis, 8th round pick Chad Stang, 25th round pick Demetrius McKelvie and two undrafted free agents yesterday. Some of that is old news: Davis was already in the lineup for Helena a couple of days ago.

This probably isn't news to you: Jason Kendall has caught a lot of games. Among those games, there has been the occasional close win. Kendall has caught 463 saves, sixth most all time.

On Power Rankings:

Beyond the Box Score moved the Brewers up from 17th to 16th.
MLB FanHouse dropped the Brewers from sixth to seventh.

This isn't actually a Power Ranking, but it fits in with them: ESPN the Magazine just completed their Ultimate Standings for 2009 for all North American major pro sports teams, and the Brewers are ranked #7, up from #13 last year. They rank in the top 20 in six of the eight categories measured and in the top ten in Affordability (third), Stadium Experience (third) and Bang for the Buck (seventh). On the other end of the spectrum, the Bucks rank 110th out of 122 franchises.

Around the League:

Cardinals: Mark DeRosa is day to day after being diagnosed with a strained tendon in his wrist.
Cubs: Have reportedly reached a deal to acquire utility infielder Jeff Baker from the Rockies.
Dodgers: Designated outfielder Mitch Jones for assignment.
Pirates: Released outfielder Craig Monroe, who had been designated for assignment.
Rockies: Designated catcher Paul Phillips for assignment.
Royals: Shortstop Mike Aviles will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss about 12 months.
Twins: Released reliever Luis Ayala, who had been designated for assignment.

Did you have any run ins with obnoxious Met fans this week? In a poll in the Baltimore Sun, 80% of voters rated Met fans the most obnoxious in baseball. I can't imagine that, because off the top of my head I'd list the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs and Phillies ahead of the Mets, without question.

As I mentioned before, the international signing period begins today, and with Jose Pena reportedly off the market, the top available talent might be Cuban lefty Aroldis Chapman, who reportedly has defected. Chapman is 21, throws 90+ and pitched for Cuba in the WBC.

Some days my attention span is painfully short. This morning, for example, I read this story and all I got out of it was the fact that Dr. Mark Schickendantz might be the coolest name I've ever seen.

Oh, and happy birthday to knuckleballer Steve Sparks, who pitched 202 innings for the 1995 Brewers and turns 44 today.

Drink up.

Friday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:59:30 -0000

Some things to read while making excuses for not doing anything today.

We open today with a Sabathia Smorgasbord:

Ken Davidoff, via MLB Trade Rumors, reports the Yankees might be willing to raise their offer to $150 million over six seasons if another team, like the Angels, offers Sabathia $130 million.
Rob Neyer says replacing Jon Garland with Sabathia would make the Angels 3-4 wins better next season, which doesn't sound like much but becomes more relevant when you realize the 2008 Angels already won 100 games. And if Jon Garland is as bad as projected in 2009, the difference is even bigger.
Everyone loves CC. Absolutely everyone. Not only is he friends with LeBron James, Mike Cameron and Nick Swisher, but Buster Olney says his best friend in baseball is David Riske.
Sabathia's midseason acquisition and the jersey rush that followed are probably a big part of the reason the Brewers sold more named jerseys than any other team in 2008.
FanGraphs says Sabathia had the single greatest pitching performance in 2008. (Ben Sheets had the second best.)
Kenny Doyle of Dugout Central says the Braves need CC Sabathia...because he's black. I tend to think he's valuable for reasons that extend beyond his skin color.
Over 10,000 people have voted, and so far the Yankees hold a slight edge in Ken Rosenthal's poll on CC Sabathia's destination.
Sabathia was second on The Brew Town Beat's Top Ten List of things to be thankful for.
Sabathia also made Big League Stew's list of 101 things, along with Ryan Braun's nickname, Bob Uecker, and the food and tailgating at Miller Park.

Of course, there is other movement on the free agent market. These two pieces of news were so huge, for example, that the mainstream media just assumed you knew about them and passed by: Mel Stocker is a Mariner and Callix Crabbe might be too.

Since they haven't signed any Type A or B free agents (yet), the Brewers still project to draft 27th in the 2009 draft. With two Type A free agents (Sabathia and Sheets) still out there, they stand to pick up several extra early picks.

Here's a mishmash of one sentence notes falling under the heading of "bullpen:"

The Rockies are reportedly targeting Brian Shouse.
Seth McClung made the final four candidates in FanGraphs' search for 2009's best mop up pitcher.
Salomon Torres hasn't officially retired yet. He still needs to turn in the paperwork.

Baseball Musings takes a look at how defense affected pitchers in 2008. Sabathia, Ben Sheets and Dave Bush were helped the most by the Brewer defense, while Carlos Villanueva was the only Brewer to be hurt by it.

While I'm on the subject of defense: I know fielding percentages and error counts are not the only or the best way to measure defensive ability, but Vinny Rottino, Brendan Katin and Tony Gwynn were all among the bottom of AAA in terms of fielding percentage and among the leaders in errors. Just saying.

I hope everyone remembered yesterday to be thankful for R.J. Swindle. He's Canadian, so his Thanksgiving is actually the second Monday in October, but Independent Baseball Chatter says he has extra reason to be thankful this season anyway.

If Balking Traditionalism's 2009 pitching projections are accurate, we may not have as much Brewer success to be thankful for at this time next year.

Rowland's Office thinks the Braves are making a mistake pursuing A.J. Burnett if the price is five years, $75 million, comparing Burnett to Pete Harnisch. He thinks the Braves should pursue Ben Sheets instead.

And if free agent pitching is too expensive for you, Baseball Analysts takes a look at some pitchers available in the Rule 5 Draft.

I didn't collect as many hot stove links as I normally do today, but here are a few:

Braves: Mike Hampton is reportedly shopping for a one year deal, but wants a straight salary, not an incentive-based deal. I can't believe I'm saying this, but on a one year deal he might be worthy of consideration.
Mets: The team is likely just posturing, but has publicly stated Brian Fuentes' request for a 3 year, $30-$33 million deal seems "a bit high."
Phillies: Matt Stairs is most likely the only current major leaguer spending the offseason coaching high school hockey in Maine.

So, if you're reading the Mug this morning, it's probably safe to assume you skipped the long lines and insanity of Black Friday shopping. If you did, and you're still looking for gifts, might I suggest a shiny new Wisconsin Timber Rattler hat? I'd wear one.

Finally, I've made a point of keeping my work and this blog separate for most of my tenure here, but today it's for a good cause so I'll break the rule. I've been ring announcing pro wrestling shows for 3XWrestling in Des Moines for the last 2 1/2 years, and tonight we have a show in Des Moines as a toy drive for Toys for Tots. If you're located somewhere near Des Moines and looking for something to do tonight, c'mon out with a new, unopened toy and help support a great cause. Even if you're not near Des Moines, Toys for Tots is a great cause to support, as is Child's Play, which is helping two hospitals in Wisconsin this year.

Drink up.