SB Nation - Cody Scarpetta

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. :)

Tuesday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:23:45 -0000

More photos » by Darren Hauck - AP

Braden Looper reacts after giving up a home run to Justin Upton on Saturday, May 2. Looper is one of several below-replacement level players who spent significant time as a Brewer this season.

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Some things to read while establishing an acceptable salutation.

In the weeks following the 2009 season we've spent a fair amount of time discussing what went wrong, but this graph at Beyond the Box Score probably sums it up better than any other: The Brewers were the fourth worst team in all of baseball at keeping below-replacement level players off the field, losing 5.4 wins.

Looking forward, the Brewers have unveiled their spring training schedule (FanShot). Mark your calendar now: the first game will start at 1 pm Arizona time on Thursday, March 4. I've got roughly four months to figure out if Arizona time in March is one hour or two hours behind Central time.

Could Felipe Lopez have a tough time finding a home this offseason? Jorge Says No! has a look at the developing market for second basemen, and doesn't see many teams with money to spend.

Meanwhile, Milwaukee may not be the first choice for Wisconsin native Jarrod Washburn, who told a reporter he'd like to return to Seattle. Hopefully the front office won't overspend to convince him otherwise.

View From Bernie's Chalet is holding out hope for the return of Ben Sheets, and proposes a one year deal with an option for a second. I still think Sheets is going to disappoint someone next spring by reporting to camp out of shape and nowhere near ready to compete after a year off. If he can prove he's ready to pitch, I'd be willing to take him back...but I'm not sure how one can do that in a non-WBC season.

I'm operating under the assumption he'll be back until told otherwise, but Miller Park Drunk seems relatively confident that Mike Cameron is already gone, and has a look at Jody Gerut as a possible 2010 replacement. He presents three possible outcomes: Gerut is good, bad, or injured.

Jonathan Lucroy is tearing up the AFL, hitting .385/.407/.615 through his first seven games, but that wasn't enough to earn him a spot in the Rising Stars Showcase, which will be televised on MLB Network this Saturday. In fact, the only Brewer prospect on the roster will be Mark Rogers, who's posted a 12.27 ERA in 7.2 AFL innings. Zach Braddock was also snubbed, despite allowing just one earned run in 8.2 innings and picking up two saves.

Elsewhere in the minors:

Minor League Ball needs your help selecting a Community Top Five prospects for the Brewers. In the early going, guys like Cody Scarpetta, Jake Odorizzi and Eric Arnett, who all have high ceilings but are very far from the big leagues, are getting a lot of attention, while guys like Angel Salome and Jonathan Lucroy are not.
Project Prospect ranked Mat Gamel as baseball's sixth best third base prospect.
Rattler Radio has a look at some of the holiday specials the Timber Rattlers are working on, if you're looking for something to get that special someone in Appleton...or me.

I don't have any transactions to report today, so we'll jump straight into other notes: This might be one of the creepier things I've seen in a while, but superstition would suggest it now needs to happen for World Series Games 6 and 7: Todd Zolecki has a photo of The Harry Kalas Cake that was in the press box before last night's game. Kalas, a long time Phillies broadcaster, passed away earlier this season.

I haven't spent much time discussing the Cubs' sale because it moves at an excruciatingly slow pace and is covered well enough elsewhere, but I thought this milestone was worth noting: With the sale finalized, investor Laura Ricketts is Major League Baseball's first openly gay owner.

I link to Beyond the Box Score a lot, as you've probably noticed, as it's quickly developed into one of the premier places for stat-based baseball conversation and research. A lot of the credit for that development belongs to Sky Kalkman, who announced yesterday that he's moving on. If you've enjoyed Sky's work at BtB as much as I have, stop by sometime today to say thank you.

On this day in 1981, Rollie Fingers was awarded the AL Cy Young and a year later, Pete Vuckovich was awarded the 1982 version.

I was unable to find a Brewer birthday today (Fatter than Joey will probably point one out in the comments), so we'll have to settle for wishing a happy birthday to Hall of Famer Bob Feller, who turns 91.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention: I'm leaving on vacation in a few hours, and will be gone until Sunday. Fear not, though, I've left the site in capable hands with the moderators you all know and love and an All Star cast of Guest Muggers while I'm gone, and I've got some posts scheduled to appear during my absence, as well. All told, you probably won't notice I'm gone...or may wish I'd stay away. Either way, I'll be back on Monday morning.

Drink up.

Thursday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:22:47 -0000

More photos » by Jae C. Hong - AP

Jarrod Washburn: 2010 Brewer?

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Some things to read while testing the healing powers of bacon.

Jon Heyman is the latest to bring up the possibility that Jarrod Washburn could become a 2010 Brewer (as noted in Rumorville). Al says "he's been solid for far too many seasons to pretend he's not a good pitcher." With that said, he's also 35 years old and coming off surgery.

I'm having a hard time getting off the fence on this possibility. Obviously, Washburn's age and injury status would create the possibility that signing him could turn into a major mistake. With that said, his ERA in Seattle was never over 4.69, and when you adjust that for the NL he could very well be expected to post something in the 4.20-4.40 range next season. Giving him anything more than a two year deal would be a mistake, but to me he's worth considering in the short term.

Meanwhile, Jorge Says No! is still listing the Brewers as one of six teams that could trade for Gary Matthews Jr., but only if the Angels eat most of his salary. Every GM starts the offseason looking for players who are cheap and good: Trading for GMJ with the intent of playing him in center field would mean sacrificing the "good" part to get the "cheap."

Here's an unsubstantiated possibility I'll throw out there: The Mets are reportedly looking for a right-handed platoon partner for Daniel Murphy at first base next season. At first glance, Casey McGehee would make sense, as his versatility would allow him to fill in at other positions when he's not starting at first. Just a thought.

And while I'm out here on the rampant speculation train, View From Bernie's Chalet has a look at one potential Opening Day lineup for the 2011 Brewers. He presents a pretty encouraging possibility: A productive Brewer lineup with all eight position players under 30.

Earlier this week, the Milwaukee chapter of the BBWAA announced their postseason awards, but it's possible they didn't tell the whole story. Miller Park Drunk has the full list of awards presented.

By the way, to answer MPD's question: No, the Milwaukee BBWAA chapter isn't just the three writers from the Journal Sentinel. Six ballots were cast when voting on the awards: One of them was likely AP reporter Colin Fly, and I'm pretty sure the Madison Capital-Times and Racine Journal-Times also have active BBWAA members.

In the minors:

Bernie's Crew has short videos of the deliveries of three of the Brewers' top pitching prospects: Cody Scarpetta, Jake Odorizzi and Wily Peralta, if you haven't seen them before.
Baseball Intellect, at least partially spurred by this Battlekow interview, discusses Evan Anundsen's drop in velocity and the possibility that his high pitch counts in high school are to blame.
Baseball America has a report card for the Brewers' 2009 Draft. It's behind their pay wall, but Rattler Radio has several of the salient points.

Around baseball:

Astros: Outrighted catcher Chris Coste to AAA. Coste will be a minor league free agent.
Braves: Are expected to sign Tim Hudson to a three year contract extension worth $27 million.
Dodgers: Manny Ramirez exercised his $20 million player option to remain with the team next season.
Rays: Outrighted first baseman Chris Richard to AAA, making him a minor league free agent.
Rockies: Reliever Joel Peralta rejected an outright assignment to the minor leagues and will become a free agent.

Yesterday, Roguejim noted MLB Trade Rumors' Bad Contract Swap Meet. That's a good idea, but this one would be better TV: Dave Cameron of FanGraphs proposes the Bad Contract White Elephant. Clearly it's intended to be tongue in cheek, but I'd watch it.

Earlier this week, BCB endorsed the Phillies in the World Series, and we're off to a pretty good start. It appears not everyone got the memo, though: Ryan Grant is rooting for the Yankees.

I don't buy a lot of baseball books, but I gladly shell out the money for John Sickels' Baseball Prospect Book every year. It's easily my top resource for scouting reports on over a thousand prospects and it's great to have on hand when attending spring training or minor league games. I've probably consulted it 30-40 times in my work here during the 2009 season. Sickels is currently accepting pre-orders for the 2010 book, which help pay for its publication. If you're a minor league buff or just want to be one step closer to knowing what you're talking about when discussing prospects, I'd highly recommend picking up a copy.

Speaking of the minors, the Reds' decision to move spring training from Sarasota to Goodyear, Arizona has sent a ripple into the minor leagues: The Reds, who also own their Florida State League affiliate in Sarasota, are selling it to the Pirates, who intend to move it to their spring training facility in Bradenton. So, in one year's time the city of Sarasota may lose both their spring training presence and their FSL team.

On this day in 2002, Ned Yost was hired to manage the Brewers, and Ken Macha was named manager of the A's. We'll have more on Brewer managers later today.

Happy birthday to Dana Eveland, who pitched in 36 games as a Brewer in 2005 and 2006 and turns 26, knuckleballer and 2007 Nashville Sound R.A. Dickey,, who turns 35, and Narciso Elvira, who appeared in four games for the 1990 Brewers and turns 42.

Oh, and if you're feeling nostalgic, this description of Gabe Kapler's play should bring back some memories.

Drink up.

Milwaukee Brewers Top 20 PRE-SEASON Prospects in Review

John Sickels — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 14:00:17 -0000

by Jeffrey Phelps - AP

Milwaukee Brewers' Alcides Escobar bunts in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009, in Milwaukee. Escobar was out on the play. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

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Milwaukee Brewers 20 PRE-SEASON Prospects in Review

This list was originally published December 10, 2008. This is a review of the PRE-SEASON list for 2009, not a revision of that list. This is a REVIEW of the old list. I'm not doing new grades or lists until I start working on the 2010 book.

1) Mat Gamel, 3B, Grade B+: Hitting .277/.396/.482 for Triple-A Nashville, hit .239/.336/.407 in 48 games for the Brewers. Sharp season split, hit .336/.428/.647 in the first half, .224/.314/.336 in the second. This fast start/cold finish pattern is normal for him, though more extreme this year.

2) Alcides Escobar, SS, Grade B: Hit .298/.353/.409 with 42 steals in 52 attempts for Nashville, hitting .286/.327/.367 in 17 games for the Brewers. Progressing as expected.

3) Brett Lawrie, C, Grade B: Converted to second base. Hit .274/.348/.454 with 13 homers and 19 steals for Class A Wisconsin, promoted to Double-A where he's .269/.283/.308 in 13 games. Very young for Double-A.

4) Jeremy Jeffress, RHP, Grade B: Can't stay off the weed.

5) Jon Lucroy, C, Grade B: Hitting .273/.385/.428 for Double-A Huntsville, with 76 walks and 65 strikeouts in 407 at-bats. Love the plate discipline. Sharp home/road split. .912 OPS on the road, .694 at home.

6) Angel Salome, C, Grade B: Hitting .286/.334/.413 for Nashville, not duplicating stunning '08 numbers.

7) Lorenzo Cain, OF, Grade B-: Had injury problems, hitting .221/.280/.359 in 37 games for Huntsville, weak plate discipline an issue.

8) Jake Odorizzi, RHP, Grade B-: 3.57 ERA with 33/6 K/BB in 40 innings for rookie-level Helena in the Pioneer League. Sample is small but has performed OK.

9) Cutter Dykstra, OF, Grade C+: Hitting .240/.332/.331 with 11 steals in 13 attempts for Helena. Drawing walks, but not much pop.

10) Caleb Gindl, OF, Grade C+: Hitting .274/.363/.446 with 15 homers, 18 steals in 22 attempts for Class A Brevard County. Hampered by home park, and a breakthrough candidate for '10.

11) Cole Gillespie, OF, Grade C+: Traded to Arizona, hitting a combined .277/.373/.474 with 12 homers, 61 walks, 18 steals in 23 attempts between Brevard County, Nashville, and Triple-A Reno.

12) Wily Peralta, RHP, Grade C+: 3.38 ERA with 113/44 K/BB in 99 innings for Wisconsin, 84 hits allowed. Command needs work, but I love the strikeouts and the low hit rate.

13) Cody Scarpetta, RHP, Grade C+: 3.43 ERA with 116/55 K/BB in 105 innings for Wisconsin, 83 hits. Like Peralta, I like the Ks and the low hits, but needs sharper control as he moves forward.

14) Taylor Green, 3B, Grade C+: Hitting .261/.332/.361 for Huntsville. Contact hitter with good zone judgment, lacks power.

15) Omar Aguilar, RHP, Grade C+: Failed at Huntsville (7.71 ERA, 33/18 K/BB in 26 innings, 36 hits) but more effective back at Brevard County (2.28 ERA, 34/8 K/BB in 28 innings, 14 hits).

16) Alexandre Periard, RHP, Grade C+: Limited to just 37 innings between Wisconsin and Brevard County, 4.34 ERA with 23/16 K/BB, 41 hits combined. Not very exciting.

17) Josh Romanski, LHP, Grade C+: Hasn't played this year.

18) Evan Frederickson, LHP, Grade C: 5.30 ERA with 87/77 K/BB in 93 innings for Wisconsin. Very good stuff, but very poor control.

19) Erik Komatsu, OF, Grade C: Limited to just 79 at-bats, 66 at Wisconsin, by injury, hitting .253/.344/.316.

20) Efrain Nieves, LHP, Grade C: 5.70 ERA with 86/35 K/BB in 95 innings for Wisconsin, 116 hits. Not very attractive but he's just 19.

Gamel and Escobar can help in 2010 if they can find room for them. I don't buy Lawrie as a second baseman long term and I think they should just move him to the outfield and let him concentrate on his hitting. Jeffress drug problems are a sad case, but Peralta and Scarpetta look very interesting and 2008 supplemental pick Odorizzi has a ton of potential still. The 2009 draft looks intriguing on paper and will boost depth at the lower levels next year.

Wednesday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:32:35 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

Ken Macha talks with Willie Randolph during a loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates Tuesday. If the Brewers don't improve soon, Macha and Randolph may have something else in common.

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Some things to read while your arteries are clogging.

So, the Brewers have lost back to back games to the Pirates, who were 4-18 since taking two of three from the Brewers in their last meeting. The Grand National Championship says the Brewers are done and should look to sell off spare parts. Casa de Machado has a similar sentiment with significantly more NSFW language.

The Brewers allowed two more home runs last night to raise their NL leading total to 161, 17 more than the second place Reds. They're now on pace to allow 219 on the season, up from 175 a year ago. The Reds (201) were the only NL team to allow more than 200 last season. Ken Macha called the situation out of control.

So, it seems logical that the Brewers are still looking for answers to their pitching woes. Perhaps one of the answers will come from Dave Bush, who pitched three hitless innings last night on 37 pitches in front of a sold out crowd in Appleton. Cody Scarpetta relieved him and pitched six more shutout innings as the Rattlers beat Beloit, 1-0. Bush is expected to make one more rehab start in Huntsville before returning to the big leagues.

By then, the Brewers may also have worked out a trade. Doug Melvin says he's working on a deal involving Bill Hall, who needs to be traded or released by Friday. (Also noted in FanShot.) The Reds are rumored to be interested in Hall, and looking to deal one of two bad contracts they're stuck with: Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo. Scott Jensen of Dugout Central thinks a Hall-for-Arroyo swap makes sense for the Brewers, but Brewers Daily would rather have Harang.

Prince Fielder has a second post up on his blog with thoughts on roster moves, Alcides Escobar and Usain Bolt.

Brewer Paradise Lost is looking ahead to the center field situation in 2010. He doesn't expect the Brewers to offer arbitration to Mike Cameron, and thinks they should try a Jody Gerut/Jason Bourgeois platoon in center. I think the Brewers will offer Cam arbitration, but he'll likely reject it and head off to seek a multi-year deal in free agency. If that happens, the Brewers could do much worse than this platoon.

In the minors:

The Brewers promoted Brett Lawrie to Huntsville yesterday (FanShot), skipping over High-A entirely with last year's #1 pick. Doug Melvin told Tom H. that he expects Lawrie to DH in AA for ten days before leaving to play for Canada in the Baseball World Cup.
Jim Callis of Baseball America had some high praise for the Brewers' 2009 draft in his most recent chat, and especially seems to like Max Walla, Brooks Hall and 15th and 16th round picks Del Howell and Scooter Gennett. (FanShot)
For whatever it's worth, two Brewer draft picks (OF Scott Krieger and P Mike Fiers) appeared in John Sickels' shadow draft for the Twins.
The Brewers spent just over $6 million signing their 13 picks in the first ten rounds. That's the sixth highest total in baseball, but would rank much lower if the rankings were calculated by dollars per player.

At least this 2009 slide could net the Brewers a better player next June: Andy Seiler has updated his projected 2010 draft order, and has the Brewers picking 14th.

Could this slide cost Ken Macha his job? Ken Rosenthal lists Macha among 15 managers whose contracts expire by the end of the 2010 season, and notes that Mark Attanasio may not be patient with him.

On power rankings and playoff odds:

Inside the Majors moved the Brewers up one spot to 17th.
CoolStandings gives the Brewers a 1.3% shot at the playoffs.

Around baseball:

Astros: Placed Mike Hampton on the DL with a shoulder issue.
Cardinals: Are expected to sign John Smoltz when he becomes a free agent today.
Dodgers: Are expected to place Hiroki Kuroda on the DL with a concussion.
Rangers: Acquired Ivan Rodriguez from the Astros for two minor leaguers (three if the Rangers make the playoffs), and placed infielder Esteban German on the DL with a groin strain.
White Sox: Placed DeWayne Wise on the DL with a shoulder strain.

Felipe Lopez has been pretty good as a Brewer, but how much will the Crew miss Cole Gillespie? AZ Snakepit reports that the former Brewer farmhand is hitting .325/.448/.542 for AAA Reno, and could compete for a job with the D-Backs next spring.

A lot of money was handed out this week to draftees, but a fair amount is going overseas as well: The Twins signed German 16-year-old Max Kepler Rozycki this week, and his $800,000 bonus was the largest ever given to an amateur player outside of the US and Latin America.

On this day in 1985, Danny Darwin pitched a complete game one-hitter as the Brewers beat the Twins 4-1. And on this day in 1987, Rob Deer hit the first of his two grand slams in two days as the Brewers beat the Indians 13-2. Paul Molitor also picked up four hits in the game to extend his streak to 34 games.

Happy birthday today to J.J. Hardy, who turns 27, Chris Capuano, who turns 31, Ned Yost, who turns 54, and Paul Mitchell, who pitched in 35 games for the Brewers in 1979 and 1980 and turns 60.

Oh, and I know we've all spent a day inundated with news updates about a Wisconsin sports icon getting ready to return, but take a deep breath, everyone: Gorman Thomas isn't going to play for the Cubs.

Drink up.

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?

2009 Trade Deadline Preview: Milwaukee Brewers

Charlie — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 18:57:09 -0000

More photos » by Darren Hauck - AP

Will the Brewers be willing to part with a young player like Mat Gamel at the deadline?

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Buyers or sellers?

Buyers. The Brewers are just three games back of the Cardinals in the N.L. Central, and three games behind the Giants in the Wild Card race.

Short-term need

Whether or not they're ready to admit it, the Brewers' best chance of upgrading would be grabbing a catcher who can hit even a little. So far in 2009, the Brewers have wasted 309 punchless plate appearances on Jason Kendall, many from the leadoff spot. No amount of nice work with pitchers can make up for a .282 slugging percentage. Milwaukee might be wise to talk to a team like the Pirates, who need prospects and have two credible starting catchers in Ryan Doumit and Jason Jaramillo, but so far I haven't heard of any trade rumors involving the Brewers acquiring a catcher.

Instead, Milwaukee is likely to look for a starting pitcher--even with Manny Parra, who was tremendous in his return from injury against the Cardinals shortly before the All-Star break, and Dave Bush, who seems likely to finish his rehab assignment within a week or two, the Brewers' current rotation consists of Yovani Gallardo and a bunch of mediocrities. (Parra showed better velocity in his Cardinals start than he did earlier this season, and he should be able to bounce back after a poor beginning to the year, but I wouldn't count on him being any better than a league-average starter down the stretch.)

GM Doug Melvin appears unwilling to part with top youngsters Alcides Escobar or Mat Gamel, though, so he'll have to be creative to find a pitcher who could improve on the Brewers' back-end starters. They don't really need a starting pitcher who can just take the ball every fifth day; they need a starter who's good, and that generally takes real prospects to acquire.

The Brewers have been mentioned in rumors about Roy Halladay. Melvin hasn't denied the Brewers are interested, but he didn't seem aware of the details of Halladay's contract last week, so it seems unlikely the Brewers are seriously pursuing him.

Long-term need

Realistically, what Milwaukee needs most is for the rest of the division to stay mediocre. They're very much in the playoff hunt this season despite losing C.C. Sabathia and Ben Sheets from last year's squad. But their corps of young hitters is getting expensive, and costly deals for lesser players like Jeff Suppan, Bill Hall and David Riske aren't helping them. Gallardo, Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun may still be young, but this isn't really a dynamic young team anymore. Their time is now and the very near future.

They could also use a centerfielder--Mike Cameron will be a free agent after the season.

Big leaguers on the market?

Gamel's name will continue to come up if the Brewers continue to be connected to Halladay, but it's unlikely Milwaukee will trade anyone from its 25-man roster.

Minor league strength

The season hasn't been particularly kind to the Brewers' minor league system--a number of their best prospects (including Jeremy Jeffress, Cutter Dykstra, Lorenzo Cain, and Angel Salome) have been disappointing this season. But Escobar has handled Class AAA pitching fairly well and 2008 first-rounder Brett Lawrie has been terrific, and a number of starting pitchers have played well at age-appropriate levels in the low minors--Wily Peralta, Cody Scarpetta, Daniel Meadows and Evan Anundsen all bear watching. Also, the Brewers had five picks in the first two rounds of the 2009 draft, so they should be able to recharge fairly quickly.

Take on short-term money to win?

If last year's decision to take on salary for Sabathia wasn't the sort of bell that would get the Brewers' ownership salivating, then I'm not sure what would be. The Brewers also already took on salary when they traded for Jody Gerut in May. The issue for the Brewers isn't so much money, it's whether they'll be willing to part with the young players required to bring another star to Milwaukee. They already traded Matt LaPorta last year; the idea of trading Gamel, Escobar or Lawrie may be a bit much for the Brewers, who aren't the Yankees and really need a flush farm system to succeed.

For more coverage of the Brewers, check out Brew Crew Ball.

Monday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:28:03 -0000

More photos » by Jim Prisching - AP

Ryan Sadowski is the fourth pitcher in 2009 to lead his team to victory over the Brewers in his major league debut.

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Some things to read while trying out new games with your cats.

So, with yesterday's loss to the debuting Ryan Sadowski, the Brewers dropped to 0-4 when facing a pitcher making his major league debut. As if that wasn't enough, Sadowski was the first Giant to win his major league debut since Joe Nathan did it in 1999. Afterwards, he received a pie to the face.

Was Sadowski aided by the sun? Ryan Braun has some suggestions for improving the environment for hitters during day games at Miller Park. Prince Fielder, as you may recall, also complained about the glare through the outfield panels last week. The glare wasn't strong enough to prevent the Giants from going to town on Jeff Suppan, though.

Elsewhere in the Brewer rotation:

Seth McClung will get another shot to prove he belongs in the rotation full time. He'll start against the Cubs this weekend.
Keep Turning Up The Heat worries the Brewers are putting too much strain on Yovani Gallardo, who exceeded 110 pitches in his outing Saturday, the fifth time this season he's reached that mark.
Tyler Maas of Bugs & Cranks prefers the Brewers' internal options for the starting rotation.

Now that the Giants are out of town, the Mets will stop by today to open a three game series. Some Mets, though, don't want to stay in the Pfister Hotel, fearing paranormal activity. Sounds like we're going to have a story about the Pfister during every homestand for the rest of the season.

Of course, not all unusual activity in Milwaukee happens at the Pfister: Bengie Molina nearly had a close encounter of the sausage kind during his visit.

Craig Counsell is hoping to be back in the lineup for tonight's game with the Mets. Counsell sat out yesterday's game with a mild hamstring strain, but was available to pinch hit.

If Counsell isn't ready to go today, it'll probably mean more playing time for Casey McGehee, who has almost certainly been the most pleasant surprise of the first half of the season. Miller Park Drunk says McGehee has something in common with Pauly Shore and Kirk Cameron.

The Brewers appear to have gotten a pretty good deal on Trevor Hoffman, who Jon Heyman ranks as the second best free agent signing of the offseason. If the season ended right now Hoffman would be a Type A free agent, according to MLB Trade Rumors' Elias Rankings. The Brewers would also have three Type B free agents: Jason Kendall, Braden Looper and Mike Cameron.

Tom H. laments the Brewers lack of upper-level pitching prospects this morning, and lists the organization's top ten arms, with quick profiles and projected major league debuts. With the recent suspension of Jeremy Jeffress the ranks have become thinner than ever. Elsewhere in the minors:

Around 1 o'clock this morning, Eric Arnett tweeted that he'll be making his first big league start "tomorrow." I'm assuming he means tonight, but covering my bases in case he really meant tomorrow.
Alex Periard, who has missed most of the season after suffering shoulder soreness in spring training, has been promoted from Wisconsin to Brevard County. He was expected to spend 2009 in Huntsville, and could be there soon.
Taylor Green, meanwhile, is back on the DL, most likely with some kind of ribcage issue. Green is having a pretty forgettable 2009: He's been hitting very well when he's played (1.138 OPS in A, .833 in AA), but has appeared in just 39 games between Wisconsin and Huntsville.
John Sickels of Minor League Ball listed Cody Scarpetta as a potential sleeper before the season, and continues to project a bright future for him.
19th round pick Scott Krieger got his pro career off to a nice start, hitting three home runs last night in Helena's 15-10 win over Missoula.
Perhaps we already knew this, but it's new info to me: Brock Kjeldgaard's 113 strikeouts in 75 Pioneer League games last season set a new league record.

It's widely acknowledged that J.J. Hardy's early season struggles can be at least partially attributed to bad luck, but is it possible his skills are also declining at the plate? Brewed Sports noticed that Hardy's line drive percentage has decreased in each of the last four seasons, and a much smaller percentage of his fly balls are becoming home runs.

On power rankings:

The Hardball Times' Dartboard has the Brewers at #14.
Beyond the Box Score's Poor Man's Projected Standings have the Brewers finishing second in the Central.

Also, I'm not sure how the Racing Sausages missed the cut, but Bernie Brewer gets an early chapter in 30 Year Old Cardboard's latest book idea.

Around the majors:

Astros: Designated Brandon Backe for assignment.
Blue Jays: Placed catcher Rod Barajas on the DL with a hamstring strain.
Cardinals: Acquired Mark DeRosa from the Indians for pitcher Chris Perez and a PTBNL, and are expected to place Khalil Greene on the DL as he continues to deal with anxiety issues.
Mariners: Designated catcher Jamie Burke for assignment for the third time this season, and acquired Ryan Langerhans from the Nationals for infielder Mike Morse.
Orioles: Placed Koji Uehara on the DL with elbow tendinitis.
Rangers: Placed pitcher Matt Harrison on the DL with shoulder soreness.
Rays: Designated reliever Winston Abreu for assignment.
Tigers: Placed Nate Robertson on the DL with a mass in his left elbow.

Manny Parra had a rough outing in AAA last night, allowing seven runs (six earned) on five hits and five walks in just 4.2 innings. Meanwhile, Pirates starter Ian Snell reacted to his demotion the way we'd hoped Parra would react to his. Snell struck out 17 in his AAA debut, including 13 in a row at one point.

Not everyone was having a hard time making contact, though: in the California League, Lake Elsinore defeated (former Brewer affiliate) High Desert 33-18.

Oh, and happy birthday to Hernan Iribarren (25) and Cutter Dykstra (20).

Drink up.

Friday's Frosty Mimosa

roguejim — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 12:00:34 -0000

More photos » by Darren Hauck - AP

'I spy, with my little eye, something that is...a gopherball to Ian Stewart." (AP Photo/Darren Hauck)

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Some things to read while mustering enthusiasm for a team on a losing streak.

Hidden behind the hoopla of the baseball draft is that the Brewers are on a bit of a slide, having lost a season-high four in a row and seven of their last ten. If you're looking for a silver lining, though, these losses are far from blowouts: Thursday's 5-4 loss to the Rockies is the 5th straight where the winning margin was by only one or two runs; by comparison, each of their 3 June wins were by three runs or more. Plus, the rest of the NL Central has so far been unable to take advantage, with the Crew maintaining a half game lead in the division.

The loss at the hands of the Rockies continues what seems to me to be something of an anomaly: the Brewers have been involved in an inordinate amount of series sweeps over the last 6+ weeks. Starting on April 27th, the Brewers have played in 14 series, and half of them resulted in a sweep. Of the seven sweeps, the Cream City Crushers were the sweep-er 5 times and the sweep-ee only twice.

One person who isn't concerned about the Brewers' slide: Tim Brown at Yahoo! has the Crew at 6th place in his power rankings. Tom Haudricourt isn't panicking either, though Michael Hunt says it can't get worse.

The Brewer faithful seem pretty optimistic: in a JSOnline poll of nearly 3000, 83% feel the Brewers will be in the postseason.

If you don't like the small ball, you'll love this promotion: starting on June 15th, the Brewers will play Dollars for Dingers: for each home run the Brewers hit from June 15-25, the team will deduct $1 from the price of a $28 loge ticket for the July 7th and 8th games against the Cardinals. One week-long power binge, and we're talking free tickets.

Rambling Al smells a trade brewing, perhaps involving JJ Hardy for a starting pitcher. You can make the argument that Parra is still with the main club because we don't have a head-and-shoulders-better replacement (all apologies to Son of Clung). Al speculates that Erik Bedard might be a possibility, though Geoff Baker at the Seattle Times worries that trading Bedard would alienate the fan base. I wonder: wouldn't Russell Branyan be an attractive sell-high candidate for the Ms?

Bernie's Crew and BrewerFan.net are also in on the speculation, and are thinking Bedard or Cliff Lee but not Jake Peavy. There's also speculation that Melvin has a back-up trade in the works if the first one falls through, both for starting pitching. The timing would be a little odd, given that our starters have been pretty good (though not pitching deep into games), and our offense has been struggling. (Oof.)

Peter Gammons has noted that former Brewer Minor League Player of the Year Nelson Cruz is "seemingly a lock" to make the American League All-Star team. No, thanks, we'll upgrade to Kevin Mench.

Brian Anderson wants kids to know that each of them is special. Remember, Dash, everyone is special...which means no one is.

Don't forget to vote the Brewers into the All-Star Game. As of Wednesday, only Ryan Braun has enough votes to start, though Jason Kendall is 4th in the NL for catcher. Voting ends on July 2nd; let's make a mockery of the ASG and get Jason in there.

DRAFT RESULTS

Now that the draft is over, it's fun to pore over who we picked, like coming home from church on Christmas morning so you can play with your new toys. You can access a list of all of our new can't-miss prospects here, including scouting reports for the top 5 players. Two of our 53 picks hail from Wisconsin: Cullen Sexton from Stevens Point Area High School, with pick 1126, and Brad Schreiber from Kimberly High School, with pick 1276. Tom H. is tracking other Wisconsinites who were drafted as well.

As you undoubtedly have already seen, Battlekow has started his terrific BCB Interview series, including one with top pick Eric Arnett. Click here for a list of all of Tom Snyder's BK's interviews, plus one with pick 796 Felix Rutledge coming up later on Friday.

MLB.com writer Cash Kruth has noted one big difference between scouting director Bruce Seid from his predecessor: while Jack Zduriencik often went with high-ceiling/high-risk high school athletes, Seid seems to prefer collegians, who accounted for 21 of the Brewers' first 30 picks.

Adam McCalvey has a cute story on 12-year-old Aaron Ash, and his tryout as future Brewer scouting director.

If you like your prospects a little older, Between the Green Pillars is scouting some of the bigger names in our minor league system. Last week was Cody Scarpetta.

Ever wanted to pick the brain of Zack Minasian, the Coordinator of Pro Scouting/Manager of Minor League Personnel for the Brewers? Well, here's your chance.

COMING UP

On deck, the Brewers resume interleague play at home against the White Sox. Jeff Suppan takes on Clayton Richard, game time 8:05. The game is on in HD on FSN.

Good luck trying to get to sleep when a big trade might be in the works. Drink up!

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.