SB Nation - Caleb Gindl

Down on the Farm: Snippets from MLB.com

raygu — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:00:12 -0000

I've been waiting for the MLB.com beat writers to start writing their normal offseason Inbox articles, and today a bunch of them responded. The Mets beat writer Marty Noble and and the Marlin's Joe Frisaro were the only ones writing the Inbox articles until today.

Here are a few snippets regarding some of the top prospects:

Mark Bowman, Braves:

Can the Braves move Chipper Jones to first base and maybe look for a third baseman?
-- Edward G., Santiago, Dominican Republic

Chipper has said numerous times that he'd accept a move to the other corner if the Braves had a better third-base option. While they don't currently have a better option in their system, they could be tempted to make this move if they were to grab Chone Figgins, Adrian Beltre or Pedro Feliz off the free-agent market.

But with the strong possibility that Freddie Freeman could be ready to assume his role as the everyday first baseman by the start of the 2011 season, where would you then play Chipper during the final two years of his contract?

Ken Gurnick, Dodgers:

It sounds like the Dodgers already have no chance at trading for Roy Halladay. If their farm system is so good, why can't they swing deals for big-name players the way the Yankees, Mets and Red Sox do?
-- Seth F., Vero Beach, Fla.

Actually, they made one of the biggest trades for a big-name player in recent years in 2008 -- for Manny Ramirez. In the case of Halladay, if the Blue Jays insist on a Major League starting pitcher in return -- and why wouldn't they? -- then the Dodgers are not a fit. That's the Dodgers' need, not a surplus. General manager Ned Colletti has said he doesn't believe he can improve his starting rotation by trading away a pitcher out of that starting rotation. One thing you haven't heard in recent years is that the Dodgers have blocked young talent, because their young talent has become the nucleus of the team. So there isn't a surplus of Major League-ready players to trade for marquee players. And one who would qualify in that category, Blake DeWitt, is likely to get a shot to be the starting second baseman next year.

More after the jump:

Marty Noble, Mets:

Daniel Murphy is not the answer at first base. The club should re-sign Carlos Delgado for one year, allowing him to demonstrate whether he has anything left. I believe he is an all around better player than Murphy, who seems like he cares, but I'm convinced he at best is a bench player. They should wait for Ike Davis to develop.
-- John A., Whitestone, N.Y.

I'm not sure about Delgado. The Mets have questions about his ability to move at first base. Off what I saw in 2007 and the first half of 2008, I have questions about his willingness to move. His bat seemed potent in the games he played before his hip surgery developed in May.

I suspect you and the club aren't on the same page about Murphy. And I don't see how Murphy and Delgado fit in the same roster, particularly if a right-handed-hitting first baseman is needed. But you and the club seem to agree on Davis. And I have the same sense. Give him time to develop.

Carrie Muskat, Cubs:

Have you heard if Ryan Theriot has been working on his footwork at second base? I believe Jeff Baker has more value off the bench with Aramis Ramirez having his shoulder issues and such.
-- Aaron L., Chicago

Theriot has been told to dust off his second baseman's glove because he could be switching to second base if the Cubs decide top prospect Starlin Castro is ready for the big leagues. Theriot has played second before in the Major Leagues, last doing so in 2007 (37 games). I agree about Baker being a valuable player to have on the bench.

Adam McCalvy, Brewers:

How does the addition of Carlos Gomez affect Lorenzo Cain's future with the organization?
-- Michael Holyoke, Thiensville, Wis.

It slows Cain's progress to the Majors, though injuries in 2009 probably took care of that already. Cain missed time with a left knee injury and then struggled to trust the knee when he returned, according to Nichols. Cain will begin the year at Double-A Huntsville or perhaps Triple-A Nashville while Gomez gets a chance to dig a foothold in Milwaukee. Remember, Gomez is raw himself (at least offensively) so there remains plenty of opportunity for guys like Cain or Logan Schafer or Caleb Gindl.

Jenifer Langosch, Pirates:

Why can't we look at moving Ryan Doumit back to right field to fill our offensive needs rather than trade him? -- Bob, Fombell, Pa.

That would seem to be a viable possibility, but not one the Pirates have shown interest in really exploring further for whatever reason. When I asked Huntington about the possibility of Doumit playing right field, he said the organization sees it as a possibility right now only on days when Doumit is off behind the plate. As a result, don't be surprised if you do see Doumit make a handful of spot starts in right when he isn't catching, in order to keep his bat in the lineup. You'll remember Doumit did just that one time last September.

Keep in mind, too, that the Pirates' right fielder is likely to soon be Jose Tabata. So, if the Pirates do pursue a corner outfielder this winter, it would likely be for a short-term fit. It might not be the best option to move Doumit to right knowing that he wouldn't be able to stay there but for a few months.

Jenifer Langosch, Pirates:

Where does Milledge fit into next year's lineup? I think he played a pretty strong second half this past year, and showed some improvements in his game. Is he an outfielder of the future, along with Andrew McCutchen?
-- Jake C., Kent, Ohio

If the Pirates' starting lineup is made up of players currently within the organization (meaning no additional offseason adds), I could very well see Milledge slotting into the fifth spot in the batting order, behind Doumit. Milledge finished the season by hitting .311 in his final 44 games, and there's no reason to believe he can't sustain offensive numbers like that for a longer period of time. Also, both Milledge and the Pirates' staff expect him to show more power in 2010 now that his right hand has returned to full strength after an early-season injury.

I do think you can mention Milledge as one of the club's potential outfielders of the future. He was not brought in as a placeholder. In fact, at this time next year, I'd expect we'll be talking about a pretty intriguing outfield trio of Milledge, McCutchen and Tabata.

Tuesday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:30:24 -0000

More photos » by Darren Hauck - AP

Pretty much everyone except Doug Melvin seems to think the Brewers should offer arbitration to Felipe Lopez.

Browse more photos »

Some things to read while not getting what you hoped for.

The Brewers have until 11 pm tonight to finalize their plan to offer or decline arbitration to five free agents, and while Tom H. seems to think the Brewers will extend an offer to Felipe Lopez, Adam McCalvy is reporting the team is "leaning against" making the offer to any of the five (FanShot).

All of this is another episode in the "Doug Melvin Moments" series I think most of us are getting increasingly sick of. Doug, we get it. Times are tough for the ever-so-downtrodden small-to-mid market GM with the job many of us would kill for. If the system is really so unbearable, you're welcome to quit and be replaced by someone who will spend more time working with the tools they have and less time bitching about the ones they don't.

Assuming Melvin does eventually get off his soapbox and get back to the task of improving the team, Wisconsin Sports Tap has a guide for prospective new Brewers that can help them avoid becoming the next Jeff Suppan, Bill Hall or Johnny Estrada.

With that said, it might be a while before we have news on Mark Mulder. Roguejim uncovered a story yesterday that sheds some light on Mulder's rehab and situation, and raises the possibility that Mulder will decide not to come back if he's unable to perform at a level he's accustomed to.

We're also probably just about done discussing Kevin Millwood. Rangers beat reporter T.R. Sullivan had this to say about the rumors:

The Rangers wouldn't mind adding pitching but they don't want to subtract it so they are not trying to move Kevin Millwood. Word is the Brewers were interested but Rangers general manager Jon Daniels and Doug Melvin haven't spoke in weeks, That might change at the Winter Meetings but the Rangers still need Millwood's arm far more than they need to move his salary.

Adam McCalvy opened up the mailbag yesterday and answered reader questions on the possibility of a Prince Fielder extension, Dominican prospect Santo Aybar, Lorenzo Cain and Caleb Gindl.

Elsewhere in the minors:

Lisa Winston of MiLB.com has a review of the season for the Brewer minor leagues, and a look at the attempt to build pitching depth in the system.
Project Prospect has Jonathan Lucroy ranked ninth on their list of baseball's top 15 catching prospects. Angel Salome was not ranked.
The Baseball Chronicle has Alcides Escobar as a backup infielder on their 2010 All Prospect Team. Escobar is on the bench behind Rays prospect Reid Brignac and Cubs SS prospect Starlin Castro, who is playing out of position at second base.
Rattler Radio has photos of the construction at Time Warner Field, where they're hard at work adding the new beach seats, boardwalk and bullpens.

Up for some arbitrary list-making today? Miller Park Drunk has a list of the top ten Brewers of the decade. It's worth a click for the picture, if nothing else.

John Axford might have an outside shot at winning a spot in the Brewer bullpen next spring, depending on how rest of the offseason goes. In the meantime, he spent yesterday talking to college students about life in the big leagues and the importance of education.

On the transaction log:

Cardinals: Re-signed catcher Jason LaRue and signed infielder Ruben Gotay to a minor league deal.
Mets: Signed catcher Chris Coste, and re-signed infielder Alex Cora to a one year deal worth $2 million.
Pirates: Signed reliever Wil Ledezma to a minor league deal and released catcher Robinzon Diaz.

Wondering what it might take for the Brewers to acquire Edwin Jackson? Here's a hint: The Mariners reportedly turned down an offer from the Tigers would have sent Jackson to Seattle for pitchers Brandon Morrow and Shawn Kelley. So apparently the price is pretty high.

If the Brewers are serious about making an effort to sign Justin Duchscherer, they may have competition within the division: MLB Trade Rumors says the Pirates are one of the interested teams.

The Brewers probably won't be players in the Roy Halladay sweepstakes, but odds are the competition will heat up soon. Halladay has reportedly told the Blue Jays he won't accept any deal after reporting to spring training in February.

With the Winter Meetings coming up, we have more Rule 5 Draft notes: Baseball Time In Arlington has a look at the top ten unprotected pitchers, including former Brewer farmhand Will Inman.

Yesterday I mentioned the voting for the third baseman on the Timber Rattlers' 15th Anniversary team, and left a comment on Rattler Radio asking about the fate of top contender Bo Robinson, who had a few promising seasons in the Mariner organization before dropping off the map in 2002. Within 24 hours the answer was the subject of this week's Mehring Monday. Impressive turnaround time, to be sure.

I'm a few days behind on this one, but I recently discovered Cooperstown Chatter, the MLBlog run by the Baseball Hall of Fame, and this post on Rollie Fingers' 1981 MVP season. It's almost as impressive as Matt Stairs having a street named after him in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

By the way, if you've ever been to the Baseball Hall of Fame, or you haven't but would like to go someday, you can become a fan on Facebook. As an added bonus, Facebook fans get to help in the voting for this year's broadcaster induction.

On this day in 1967, Seattle was awarded an American League expansion franchise. I guess that makes today the Brewers' date of conception?

Happy birthday today to Tom Filer, who posted a 4.32 ERA in 39 appearances as a Brewer during the '88-'90 seasons and turns 53, and to Julio Machado, who spent parts of the 1990 and 1991 seasons as a Brewer before being arrested for murder in Venezuela. He turns 44.

Oh, and I haven't actually watched it yet (no sound on the computer where I write the Mug), but this video has Rammstein and Cookie Monster, so what could possibly go wrong?

Drink up.

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.

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.

Thursday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:10:57 -0000

More photos » by Al Behrman - AP

Ryan Braun isn't going anywhere. Let it go.

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Some things to read while getting a craving.

Doug Melvin held his post-mortem press conference yesterday, and while this comment in yesterday's Mug has the full list of topics discussed, some jumped out more than others:

Melvin does not expect to pursue the possibility of trading Ryan Braun or Prince Fielder this offseason, but the team also has yet to make a move to lock up Fielder long term.
Trevor Hoffman's contract, previously reported as being worth $8 million for 2010, is actually worth $7.5 million, plus a $500k buyout for 2011. That link also has a list of the incentives that would increase the buyout and potential 2011 salary.
Adam McCalvy also has notes on Jeff Suppan (not guaranteed a spot next season), Ben Sheets (may still be on the radar) and J.J. Hardy (unlikely to return).

Hopefully yesterday's press conference will be the end of speculation about the possibility of trading Braun. I usually avoid them, but I've heard the topic came up again in Anthony Witrado's chat this week, and Rubie Q is setting the odds on the origin of the rumor.

Even if Fielder isn't likely to be dealt, he's one of four faces on Amazin' Avenue's Offseason Met Rushmore. The Mets certainly seem like a team that would have interest in Fielder, but I don't think they have enough young pitching, which the Brewers would almost certainly need to get back.

Meanwhile, the Nats might be a fit for J.J. Hardy. FJB has a list of possible trade scenarios that all end with Hardy in DC. John Lannan is one of the players mentioned and if the Nats are offering him, the Brewers should be listening. Lannan just turned 25, has posted nearly 400 innings with an ERA under 4 over the last two seasons, and is under team control for four more years.

Elsewhere on the starting pitching front, Jorge Says No! has a hypothetical deal: Corey Hart to the Braves for Kenshin Kawakami. Kawakami is 34 years old, but has two relatively cheap years remaining on his deal with the Braves and posted a 3.86 ERA in 156.1 innings this season. I'd make that trade.

Chris Bosio's charity golf outing, which I mentioned earlier this week, is in Neenah today and it looks like the weather will cooperate. Leading up to the event, Bosio sat down with Brett Christoperson of the Appleton Post-Crescent to discuss the 2009 season at length.

Do you still have some residual bitterness from the season that was? Then you're the perfect candidate to participate in Brew City Sports' Hendies tournament. I went with chalk in most of the early round matchups, but there might be an upset brewing in the Bando division.

In the minors:

Matt Hagen of The Hardball Times handed out postseason accolades for the Florida State League yesterday, and named Caleb Gindl the league's top hitting prospect. Gindl's small frame continues to be his biggest challenge, but if he continues to hit people will have to take notice.
The instructional league season is just about over, with Eric Arnett tweeting that he'll be home in three days. There's not much coverage taking place in Arizona: that's the only news that's come out of instructional league in over a week.

With the regular season officially concluded, Andy Seiler has the 2010 draft order through the first three rounds. The Brewers are currently slated to draft 14th, 47th and 78th overall. The 47th pick is the Brewers' top unprotected pick, meaning it's the one they'd lose if they sign a Type A free agent. They're also likely to gain picks between #17 and the middle of the second round when Felipe Lopez and/or Mike Cameron sign elsewhere this offseason. The Brewers could also receive compensation picks for Braden Looper, Jason Kendall and David Weathers, but would have to offer arbitration to be eligible, and all three of those players would likely accept the offer and make significantly more than they're worth.

Yes, Ken Macha is returning for 2010, but here's a reminder that it could always be worse: Ned Yost is being mentioned as a candidate for managerial openings in both Houston and Cleveland. I think I speak for a lot of us when I say it'd be great to have him back in the division.

Speaking of managers, Hal McCoy has a great profile of likely NL Manager of the Year Jim Tracy, chronicling his two years in Pittsburgh and sudden resurrection in Colorado.

Happy birthday today to Bob Skube, who had cups of coffee with the Brewers in 1982 and 1983 and turns 52.

That's all I've got for you today, unless you'd like to read about 2002-2003 Beloit Snapper Jon Steitz's dad winning the Nobel Prize.

Drink up.

Monday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:40:51 -0000

More photos » by Darren Hauck - AP

Casey McGehee congratulates Prince Fielder after Fielder hit a home run against the Astros during the first inning Sunday.

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Some things to read while getting your vitamins and minerals.

Yovani Gallardo came into yesterday's game saying he was still feeling strong and he showed it on the mound, needing just 77 pitches to complete five innings and pick up his 13th victory in his final start of the season. Gallardo says he will accept the role as ace of the Brewers' staff next season, when he will still be just 24 years old.

Perhaps Trevor Hoffman will still be closing out Gallardo's wins in 2010. A few days after Hoffman said he'd like to remain a Brewer, Doug Melvin confirmed his interest as well. Perhaps the two sides will work something out soon.

Hoffman is still projected to be a Type A free agent in the most recent Elias Rankings, as is Felipe Lopez. Here's something I don't think we've discussed before: David Weathers projects to be a Type B free agent. It probably doesn't matter, though, as the Brewers would have to decline his option and offer him arbitration to receive any compensation for him. Weathers is making $3.9 million this season, and likely won't receive much less than that in arbitration.

Speaking of free agents, Matthew Pouliot of Circling the Bases is ranking the 111 free agents-to-be this offseason, and Jason Kendall checks in at #109. David Weathers and Craig Counsell are ranked 86 and 85, respectively.

It was a big weekend for Prince Fielder, who picked up his franchise record 127th RBI on Saturday night, and followed it up with his 40th home run and 100th walk on Sunday. The entire team was on the field for a ceremony honoring Fielder before yesterday's game, as was Astros manager and previous record holder Cecil Cooper.

Seth McClung has been activated from the DL but has yet to appear in a game. In the meantime, he's been passing the time on Twitter (FanShot). He's only been active for a few days, but he's already posted his thoughts on waiting to get into games, nicknames, Prince Fielder, Trevor Hoffman, Todd Coffey's contract incentives, the fans in Milwaukee, living with dyslexia, fantasy football, and this site. He's already much better with Twitter than Nick Barnett.

We might see McClung tonight, but we won't see Milton Bradley. The Cubs suspended Bradley for the remainder of the season for conduct detrimental to the team after he told a reporter "you understand why they haven’t won in 100 years here." Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald says the Cubs feel like a great weight has been lifted off their shoulders.

I looked at these numbers yesterday and can't decide if they're worth anything: maybe you can help me. Yovani Gallardo and Jeff Suppan are among the bottom ten in baseball in percentage of two-strike pitches fouled off. Any thoughts on how/why that happens?

In the minors:

The future of baseball in Huntsville remains in question, but Mark McCarter of the Huntsville Times asked some tough questions of Stars GM Buck Rogers in an attempt to shed some light on it. The interview gives a nice feel of the challenges facing the Stars and the small staff they have facing them. (h/t Rattler Radio)
Caleb Gindl may have vaulted into the upper echelon of Brewer prospects this season, but hopefully he learned something as well. Gindl missed Brevard County's brief playoff appearance with a broken hand, and it was recently revealed that the broken hand was sustained punching a door in frustration after grounding into a double play.

Since moving on with the Mariners, Bill Hall has hit just .221/.262/.379, and now he's starting to draw negative attention from people you don't want to draw it from: U.S.S. Mariner called out Hall for a lack of effort on a fly ball over the weekend.

From a past bad contract to a potential future one: Joel Pineiro is one of the free agent pitchers the Brewers may look into this offseason, but Jorge Says No! thinks he'll get a four year/$40 million deal, which is an awful lot to commit to a guy who's had one good season in his last five tries.

You probably didn't need a reason to be depressed on a Monday morning, but if you did, here's one: MLB Playoff Odds has released their most recent projections, and they give the Yankees and Red Sox a combined 51.2% chance of winning the World Series. Once the Brewers are eliminated and the playoffs begin, I'll be rooting for everyone else.

If that didn't depress you, perhaps your surprising lack of baseball knowledge will. It was pretty early this morning (and before caffeine) when I took this quiz, but I was still only able to name five of the 25 MLB win leaders by last initial. And, after seeing the results, I wouldn't have gotten several of them even if I'd had all day.

Zack Greinke isn't on that list but, as Joe Posnanski notes, he's on a better one: He's one of just nine pitchers in MLB history to pitch 200 innings with an ERA+ over 200 and 200 strikeouts. He's in incredibly elite company in that club.

The Reds have a nice group of young pitchers, and a manager with a reputation for ruining them. So how is it possible that Homer Bailey wants to pitch more? That one blew my mind.

Today we have another sad reminder that, no matter how excited you are about a prospect, and no matter how "can't miss" he is, something can always go wrong. Giants prospect Angel Villalona is a suspect in a murder in the Dominican Republic. Villalona is 19 years old and was given a $2.1 million signing bonus in 2007.

On this day in 1998, Jason Kendall stole his 26th base, setting a new National League record for catchers. The Pirates lost anyway, 8-1 to the Giants.

What do you give the man who could have had everything but smoked it all away? Today is Jeremy Jeffress' 22nd birthday. Also, happy birthday to Doug Davis, who seems like he should be much older than 34.

Oh, and maybe MS Word knows something the Royals don't.

Drink up.

Wednesday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 13:47:50 -0000

by Jeff Roberson - AP

Todd Coffey walks around the mound as Matt Holliday rounds the bases following a three-run home run Tuesday.

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Some things to read while pursuing other opportunities.

Walking Albert Pujols to get to Matt Holliday didn't work out so well for the Brewers last night. Todd Coffey is accepting blame for the loss, but David Brown of Yahoo wonders why the Brewers didn't just take their chances with Pujols.

I promise I'll limit myself to one paragraph on J.J. Hardy today, so if you're sick of hearing about him, feel free to skip ahead. He denied being asked to take ground balls at third, and says it makes sense for him to be traded this offseason. Miller Park Drunk is helping Alcides Escobar fill in the void by giving him some tips regarding interaction with the ladies.

I'm not banging my head against the desk yet, but I'm keeping a space clear in case I need to start. Adam McCalvy's game preview for today has a look at the catching situation for next season, and Jason Kendall says he'd like to return. Of course, Mike Rivera also says he'd like to play every day.

Buried in the "Notes" section of that preview might be the bigger news: Ken Macha is adjusting his rotation to bump Yovani Gallardo back a few days. Gallardo will now pitch on Saturday instead of Thursday. The move will get him one less start in September, hopefully saving his arm for a more competitive 2010 team.

We've been talking a fair amount about Prince Fielder lately, but Ryan Braun had a pretty good August too, and earned a spot on MLB Notebook's August All Star Team.

In the minors:

The Brewers have two prospects in the top 25 in Project Prospect's rankings of position prospects. Alcides Escobar (#14) is the no-brainer, but for the first time I can recall, it's actually Caleb Gindl joining him in the top 25. Mat Gamel and Brett Lawrie both earned honorable mention.
Lawrie is one of four Brewer prospects who either have left or will leave their minor league teams to play for Team Canada in the Baseball World Cup. He'll be joined by pitchers Nick Bucci and Jim Henderson and center fielder Adam Stern.
Glancing at Baseball America's Minor League Transactions, I noticed the Brewers released pitcher Tom Wilhelmsen. Wilhelmsen was a former 7th round pick and top prospect for the Brewers, but as a commenter noted in this Mug, he eventually fell out of the organization due to a substance abuse issue. Wilhelmsen was re-signed out of the independent leagues earlier this season, but his second run with the Brewers lasted less than a month.

With last night's loss, CoolStandings dropped the Brewers' playoff chances to 0.1%. They're so far out of the playoff race, they don't even appear in Baseball Musings' Massive Tie Scenario.

Around baseball:

D-Backs: Acquired pitcher Kevin Mulvey from the Twins as the PTBNL in the Jon Rauch deal.
Dodgers: Designated outfielder Jamie Hoffman for assignment.
Rangers: Designated pitcher Thomas Diamond, their #1 pick in 2004, for assignment.
Rays: Designated reliever Joe Nelson for assignment to make room for Sean Rodriguez, acquired from the Angels as the PTBNL in the Scott Kazmir deal.
Red Sox: Designated outfielder Jeff Bailey for assignment.

There are dozens of major league debuts and returns being made this week as rosters expand, but it's possible the best story is happening in Houston, where Aaron Boone has returned to the active roster just five months after undergoing open heart surgery.

On this day in 2002, Kerry Wood struck out four Brewers in the fourth inning and hit a two run home run as the Cubs beat the Brewers 17-4 in game two of a doubleheader. The Brewers won game one behind two solo home runs from Ronnie Belliard.

Happy birthday today to Wes Littleton, who has split 2009 between Huntsville and Nashville and turns 27 today, and to Rick Manning, who turns 55.

That's all I've got for you today, unless you're interested in meat market specials.

Drink up.

Tuesday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:56:01 -0000

by Morry Gash - AP

Fans go after a foul ball hit by Milwaukee Brewers' Jody Gerut during the sixth inning Sunday.

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Some things to read while finding a use for mini helmets.

As of this writing I haven't heard any news on September callups today, but it's widely expected that J.J. Hardy will join the team tonight in St. Louis. Hardy said he feels like he was being punished by the club, and definitely sounds disappointed and upset with the way things have gone. Keep Turning Up the Heat! says the timing of Hardy's return "makes it clear to everyone that service time was the primary factor in Hardy’s demotion."

The Brewers open a three game series in St. Louis tonight, meaning one of two things is about to happen:

They'll lose the series and more or less end any hope of playoff contention, or
They'll win, and we'll all spend the next week hearing about how "disrespectful" they are.

In fact, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch didn't even wait for the series to get started, sneaking some jabs about Ryan Braun into this interview yesterday.

At least the Brewers can look back at this season and remember dominating the Pirates at home. Andy Smith of Bugs & Cranks takes a look back to May 3, 2007, the last time the Pirates won at Miller Park.

Also at Bugs & Cranks today, Tyler Maas and Jack Moore have teamed up to take a look at some lesser known Brewer stats.

Over the weekend, I reported the Brewers and Giants' deadline to work out a deal on Trevor Hoffman had passed, and he wouldn't be moving. It turns out the deadline was actually yesterday. Weekend hours apparently don't count. If that's the case, why do they say "48 hours" and not "two business days?"

In the minors:

Alcides Escobar is representing the Brewers on the PCL Postseason All Star Team. He was the only Brewer selected.
Second baseman Eric Farris, outfielders Caleb Gindl and Logan Schafer and pitcher Amaury Rivas were selected to the Florida State League All Star Team, joining coach Mike Guerrero.
No Brewer farmhands were named to the Southern League All Stars. I was really hoping a Star would win Best Hustler.
With Efrain Nieves heading out to represent Puerto Rico in the International Baseball Federation tournament, long time BCB favorite Maverick Lasker started last night for Wisconsin, and pitched seven shutout innings in his A-ball debut.

WhatifSports moved the Brewers up three spots to 16th.
The Hardball Times has the Brewers at 19th.
The Sporting News has the Crew at 17th.
Jon Heyman listed the Brewers as this season's sixth biggest disappointment.
Sweeping the Pirates moved the Brewers from 12th to 14th in Andy Seiler's projected 2010 draft order.

Dodgers:

acquired Jon Garland

infielder Tony Abreu

placed Guillermo Mota on the DL

will lose about $12 million this season

concession-area fruit stands

C. Trent Rosecrans

Kevin Orie

Want to make a trade? What are you willing to give up?

KLSnow — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:05:10 -0000

More photos » by Brian Blanco - AP

Roy Halladay answers questions in front of what would be left of the Brewer farm system if he were acquired.

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At least five times a day I hear from someone who really wants the Brewers to make a move and pick up Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee. "This team is one starting pitcher away from contention," they say. "Make the move."

The problem is, this team is also one large, minor-league gutting trade away from spending the 2011-2013 seasons in full-out rebuilding mode. A package to get Roy Halladay would almost certainly include two of the three of Manny Parra, Mat Gamel and J.J. Hardy or Alcides Escobar, and wouldn't leave the Brewers any payroll flexibility for 2010 to fill impending holes at catcher or center field. Cliff Lee is a slightly less valuable pitcher but also has a slightly more affordable contract, meaning the Indians will probably want as much or more for him.

We went over this last year around the time of the CC Sabathia trade, but don't confuse last year's situation with this one. Last year, the Brewers traded Matt LaPorta and (eventually) Michael Brantley, but the organization was deep enough to remain viable after their departures. This year, the cupboard isn't as deep down on the farm. Follow the jump for a look at the 2009 seasons of the Brewers' top 11 prospects, as rated in our Community Prospect Rankings this spring.

1. Alcides Escobar. Almost certainly untouchable. Any move involving him would leave the Brewers desperately low on internal options at shortstop when J.J. Hardy becomes a free agent following 2010.

2. Mat Gamel. The odds-on favorite to start at third base next season. Gamel's bat is big league ready and may be needed to help the team yet this season. Probably untouchable.

3. Jeremy Jeffress. Suspended until early next season. Not a candidate to be traded, and would have pretty low value even if he was.

4. Angel Salome. Probably the highest rated moveable part. After missing most of spring training and getting off to a slow start in Nashville, Salome hit .315/.354/.511 in June and is hitting .278/.325/.404 overall. He could feasibly be seen as a trading chip, but he also could be needed to replace Jason Kendall, who will be a free agent at season's end.

5. Brett Lawrie. The 2008 1st round pick is the fastest rising prospect in the Brewer system. After moving to second base this spring, he's hitting .362/.348/.456 for Wisconsin, and a promotion to Brevard County is probably coming soon. He probably has the highest upside in the current farm system, won't turn 20 until January and could feasibly start 2010 in AA. If I ran the front office, he'd be untouchable.

6. Jonathan Lucroy. Probably a better defensive catcher than Salome, but not as close to being big league ready. Lucroy is hitting .244/.366/.376 in AA, with encouraging plate discipline (57/44 BB:K in 351 PAs). If the Brewers are confident Salome can stick at catcher, then Lucroy could feasibly be moved. With that said, having depth at catcher is a nice luxury.

7. Lorenzo Cain. Seen before the season as the possible heir apparent in center field, Cain is having a difficult and unlucky 2009. He's missed significant time with a torn knee ligament and has hit just .202/.320/.298 between Arizona, Wisconsin and Huntsville. He could bounce back strong and make us all forget about his struggles, but his value probably isn't exceptionally high right now.

8. Taylor Green. Green improved his value as much as any Brewer farmhand in 2008, having a nice season with Brevard County and a good showing in the Arizona Fall League before leaving early. Then he got a late start in 2009 due to a wrist issue, and was DL'ed again with a rib cage injury after returning. Green is still hitting when he plays (.305/.377/.439), but has appeared in just 52 games this season. If Gamel sticks at third base he could be expendable, but he'd also be a nice bat to keep around.

9. Jake Odorizzi. Odorizzi is 19 years old and pitching for the second season in Helena, where he's posted a 3.71 ERA in 26.2 innings and struck out 17 while walking just five. He's a nice young pitching prospect, but we may have overrated him at #9, and he's still a very long way from big league ready.

10. Cole Gillespie. Cole was already dealt in the Felipe Lopez deal.

11. Cutter Dykstra. After a brief stint in Wisconsin this spring, Dykstra was sent back to Helena to transition to second base, and hasn't hit well there either. He's hitting just .202/.323/.292 between the two levels this season, and his value has dropped considerably.

There are some rising stars behind these guys (Caleb Gindl, Evan Anundsen and Cody Scarpetta come to mind), but all three are at high-A or lower.

So, as you can see, if Escobar and Gamel are untouchable (and Lawrie also should be), and you factor in the present value decreases of Lorenzo Cain, Taylor Green, Jake Odorizzi and Cutter Dykstra, plus the fact that Cole Gillespie is already gone, you're left with a Brewer farm system that doesn't have a whole lot left to give away, and not much behind them to replace what may leave.

So what do you think? Are you prepared to give up what it would take to land Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee? If so, what would you offer?

Prospect Progress Report

battlekow — Thu, 28 May 2009 21:00:42 -0000

More photos » by Jim Mone - AP

Mat Gamel joins us in pondering his future. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

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After ranking the prospects in the offseason, it's time to check on their progress making the transition from Asatte Ultra Strike!!! to Ashita Mega Strike!!!

SS Alcides Escobar (22), AAA - Escobar started slowly but appears to be picking up steam; however, with a .379/.406/.500 line against lefties and just a .244/.299/.331 line against righties, there's still a lot of cause for concern. He also initially struggled with RHP last year before rebounding to post a .314/.341/.419 line against them, so perhaps he just needs an adjustment period at each level. Outside of the batter's box, Escobar has been running a lot, racking up 21 steals and only being caught 5 times. In the wake of Rickie Weeks' injury, he's also begun playing second base about 2/3 of the time, though Doug Melvin claims he's only an emergency option for the big club. We'll see about that, but he could definitely use some more seasoning with the bat.
MLE: .255/.291/.316

3B Mat Gamel (23), MLB - You've seen what he can do. Gamel hit .336/.428/.647 at AAA before getting the call and appears to have settled more or less into the starting third base job. His defense there will dictate his future. Gamel's shown increased selectivity at the plate this year, which is a great sign.
MLE: .295/.371/.533

RSP Jeremy Jeffress (21), A+ - Ah, our other J.J. Jeffress' control gremlins took over in his first extended trial at AA as he walked 33 in 27.1 innings, though he did strike out 34. Demoted to Brevard County, where he spent most of last year, Jeffress continued to struggle in his first appearance. It won't just be a quick tuneup and then back to AA for Jeffress; he'll be down there for awhile, as his control has regressed from poor to unworkable. Jeffress reportedly began throwing a two-seamer more frequently this year, leading to a large jump in his ground ball rate, though whether the new pitch has affected his command, I can't say. Despite all his travails, Jeffress is still just 21 and still has monster stuff, so don't get too frustrated. He's still the best pitching prospect in the system.
MLE: 31 IP, 8.68 FIP, 29/56 K/BB, 32 H, 4 HR, 58.2 GB%

C Angel Salome (23), AAA - Salome got off to a brutal start, hitting .191/.298/.234 in April, but has rebounded so far in May with a .291/.316/.436 line. It's easy to speculate that the back problems that hindered him in spring training lingered and affected his hitting early on, and recently he's also been dealing with a hand injury; once he's fully healthy, he'll most likely continue to hit like he always has. Like Gamel, Salome's defense was always the thing holding him back, and while I haven't heard any first-hand reports, his numbers have improved: only three passed balls and a 38% CS%, up from 26% last year.
MLE: .210/.254/.267

2B Brett Lawrie (19), A - Nobody seems sure where he'll end up playing, other than not at catcher, but ignore the reports of his defense at second base being laughably bad. If I had to guess, those still date from spring training, when Lawrie was just picking up the position; from all accounts, both team-affiliated and otherwise, he's been a quick learner, showing good range and a strong arm. If he's going to move anywhere, it might be to third base to take advantage of his strong arm, but it won't be because he's a disaster at second. As for the bat, it will play pretty much anywhere the Brewers choose to deploy Lawrie. He's hitting .277/.345/.493, a great start for a teenager getting his first taste of pro ball in the frigid Midwest League.
MLE: .194/.234/.303

Follow the jump for the rest of the list.

C Jonathan Lucroy (23), AA - Hot on Salome's heels entering the year as the potential Catcher of the Future, Lucroy has also struggled in '09. He hit .288/.368/.379 in April, but has cratered in May with a pitiful .185/.329/.262 line. Still, he's walked more than he's struck out (24/17), and Jeff's luck adjustment indicates that Lucroy is getting jobbed on balls in play and corrects his overall line from .237/.348/.321 to .291/.393/.382. The lack of power is still worrisome, but Lucroy wasn't considered the second-best hitting catcher in the 2007 draft (behind Matt Wieters) for nothing; his bat will come around. However, his defense, questionable when drafted but a surprisingly strong point last year, has slipped, at least going off the numbers: seven passed balls already and a CS% that has fallen from 45% to 29%.
MLE: .190/.278/.241

CF Lorenzo Cain (23), AA - Cain gets an incomplete, having only played in four games this year. He missed the beginning of the season due to a lingering hamstring injury and then tore the PCL in his knee diving for a ball in the outfield immediately upon returning; thankfully, the injury did not require surgery and he should be back on the field sometime next month. Cain remains a toolshed, but hopes of him taking over for Mike Cameron next year were probably dashed by all the time he's missed, and the earliest we can realistically hope to see him roaming center field for the Brewers is 2011.

3B Taylor Green (22), AA - Like Cain, Green missed the beginning of the year, having had surgery on his wrist in January. After a short week-long rehab in Wisconsin to get him back to game speed, Green took his place in the Huntsville lineup, where he's gotten eight games under his belt, too few to really form an impression yet. If he hits as expected and Gamel fields as feared, Green could end up as the Brewers' third baseman sometime next year. He won't be a star, either offensively or defensively, but he's shown a knack so far in his career for getting the job done.

RSP Jake Odorizzi (19), R - Odorizzi hasn't seen the field since we ranked the prospects, as the Brewers are being conservative with their premium prep arms. He's working out in extended spring training in Arizona, and we'll see him when the Pioneer League begins play in late June.

LF Cole Gillespie (25), AAA - Gillespie began the year DHing for Brevard County as the result of an elbow injury that prevented him from playing the field, but he's been at Nashville for a little over a month now. Likely limited to left field because of shoulder surgery in college that gimped his arm, Gillespie won't ever hit for the power expected out of a corner outfielder but tries to make for it with a patient plate approach. Though he's hitting just .221/.353/.337 so far this year, he's a nice guy to have around in case of injury, and he could be a fine fourth outfielder for the Brewers for awhile.
MLE: .188/.284/.287

2B Cutter Dykstra (20), R - Perhaps the most disappointing prospect on the list, Dykstra opened the year leading off and playing center field for the Timber Rattlers, but was displaced in both areas by Erik Miller after Dykstra hit just .212/.310/.303 and displayed some rather creative routes in the outfield. Also reportedly struggling with the blowback from his father Lenny's personal life falling apart, he was ultimately demoted to Helena and shifted to second base, his more natural position. Dykstra hit well at Helena last year, so hopefully he'll be back up to Wisconsin (with a concomitant promotion for Brett Lawrie) before the year is out.
MLE: .188/.284/.287

RF Caleb Gindl (20), A+ - Finally, a prospect that's hitting well! Despite concerns about his height and ultimate ceiling, Gindl continues to get it done, hitting .296/.375/.444 in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League. After striking out a ton last year, his BB/K ratio has improved, and he's plus defender with a strong arm in right field. He'd be in the top ten if we redid the rankings today.
MLE: .234/.293/.338

RRP Omar Aguilar (24), AA - Aguilar was returned to AA to improve his command, but he's gone backwards in that regard, and has been more hittable. He still throws really hard, but he doesn't have much to back it up with. Hopes that he can help the big league bullpen soon are fading.
MLE: 13 IP, 4.83 FIP, 12/15 K/BB, 15 H, 0 HR, 36.6 GB%

1B/OF Brad Nelson (26), AAA (Seattle) - 0-21

RSP Tim Dillard (25), AAA - Dillard continues to pitch in the starting rotation at Nashville, though the Brewers have admitted they view him as a reliever. His stuff is too mediocre to succeed as a starter, but his velocity was way up coming out of the pen last year; with his nice sinker, he could be a cut-rate Todd Coffey, or at the very least, he could take Jorge Julio's place and be a true long man.
MLE: 52.1 IP, 4.44 FIP, 18/25 K/BB, 52 H, 1 HR, 56.0 GB%

LSP Zach Braddock (21), A+ - Nobody has more helium this year than Braddock. He missed the start of the season after having his ulnar nerve transposed, but has come on like gangbusters, striking out 22 while walking only 2 in 12 innings for the Manatees. The walks are the most encouraging sign, since it allows us to somewhat write off his control problems last year as being related to the irritated nerve. Being eased back and having only thrown 71.1 innings last year, Braddock yet to go more than two innings in a game, but long-term, he's the best pitching prospect in the organization after Jeffress.
SS Brent Brewer (21), A+ - Hopes were high for the ultra-toolsy Brewer after he showed marginal improvement toward the end of last year, but he's been terribad: .203/.259/.273. Other raw, football-type guys like Daryl Jones provide a modicum of hope for Brewer, but the light switch better come on fast.
MLE: .165/.207/.220

Others:

Second-round pick Cody Adams has been very disappointing for a college starter in A-ball. He reportedly worked in the low 90s, touching 96, while at SIU, but he's barely touched 90 this season for the Timber Rattlers and has allowed a bunch of hits and walks.
Evan Anundsen threw a no-hitter for Brevard County earlier this year and has seen his peripherals take a strong step forward from last year. A groundball specialist, he only throws in the mid-80s, but it's working so far.
The Brewers' 9th-round pick last year, Michael Bowman has continued to build on his encouraging debut. As a college pitcher, a promotion to Brevard County at some point this year seems in order.
My man, Chris Dennis, was mysteriously left off the T-Rats' roster to begin the year. I don't know if he was injured or what, but he's made up for lost time, hitting .415/.468/.829 in the 12 games he's been there, including homering twice off Reds prospect J.C. Sulbaran last night. Lefty sluggers are a prized commodity, so keep your eye on Dennis.
Towering first-round lefty Evan Frederickson has regained some of his velocity from last year, though he's not the 97 mph fireballer he was reported to be--yet, anyway. No doubt he has the capability, but, as with many tall pitchers, his mechanics are wildly inconsistent, which also affects his command, as his 28 walks in 29.1 innings attest.
Since he's older, I was hoping that big Brock Kjeldgaard would get off to a strong start and earn a quick promotion, but he hasn't. Jeff's numbers suggest he's getting a little unlucky, and his power and patience are still intact (.237/.337/.442), but he's striking out a ton (52 in 156 ABs).
An outfielder in the Caleb Gindl mode (short and left-handed), Erik Komatsu Komalished the Pioneer League last year but has only played in one game this year, dealing with a concussion and wrist injury.
Wily Peralta is for real, posting a 40/10 K/BB in 36 innings for Wisconsin. He's got good control for his age, but he's not some pitchability guy dominating raw fastball hitters; he has legitimate stuff, a mid-90s fastball and good slider. After Alcides Escobar, Peralta is the best international prospect in the system.
Big righty Cody Scarpetta has also opened eyes at Wisconsin with his stuff (42 Ks in 32.2 innings), though his control lags behind Peralta's. It will be fun to watch those two climb the ladder together over the next couple years.
Goofy-looking Logan Schafer might be the outfield version of Escobar: a raw but gifted pure hitter with excellent defense at a premium position. The Brewers' third-round pick last year, Schafer has a .310/.338/.451 line at Brevard County. If he can learn a little plate discipline, he'll become a very interesting prospect.