MARCH 29: Topa has a flexor tendon strain and is unlikely to pitch for at least the first half of the season, Counsell told Haudricourt and other reporters (Twitter link).
MARCH 28: Brewers manager Craig Counsell discussed some roster situations with MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy (Twitter links), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Haudricourt (Twitter links) and other reporters today, and Counsell revealed that right-hander Justin Topa will begin the season on the injured list. Topa underwent an MRI last night after he felt elbow discomfort during a simulated game, and the club is still waiting on the results.
Any sort of elbow problem is of particular concern for Topa, who has already undergone two Tommy John surgeries. Despite these injury setbacks, Topa battled through five seasons in the affiliated minors and an indy ball stint before finally making his MLB debut in 2020. Though Topa only tossed 9 2/3 total innings over six regular-season outings and one postseason game, the righty opened some eyes by allowing just two earned runs and recording 12 strikeouts against just a single walk.
Topa and Derek Fisher (hamstring) will both be on the 10-day injured list, but Counsell doesn’t believe the IL will be necessary for either Lorenzo Cain or Jackie Bradley Jr. The two veteran outfielders had missed some time in camp with quad and wrist problems, respectively, though Counsell indicated that he wouldn’t push Cain or Bradley hard in the early stages of the season. The Brewers were already planning to deploy something of a timeshare in the outfield in order to keep everyone fresh, and beyond Cain, Bradley, Christian Yelich, and Avisail Garcia, Billy McKinney might yet make the team in a bench role for further depth.
Speaking of Milwaukee’s bench, Counsell also said that Daniel Vogelbach made the Opening Day roster. Though the Brewers tendered Vogelbach a contract over the winter, there was some thought that the team could still cut Vogelbach (whose $1.4MM deal isn’t guaranteed until Opening Day) because Vogelbach doesn’t offer much in the way of bench versatility. The slugger is blocked by Keston Hiura at first base, and since the NL won’t have the designated hitter spot available this season, Vogelbach is likely just limited to pinch-hit opportunities and DH duty in interleague games. Still, the Brewers decided Vogelbach was worth keeping in the fold, considering his .987 OPS in 67 PA for Milwaukee last season.
It should be interesting to see how it works out
The Orioles will have all kinds of pitchers, the Brewers have all kinds of outfielders.
The Orioles will have all kinds of pitchers, except for the good kind.
Boom. Roasted.
as an Orioles fan this made my day. thank u
Don’t be surprised if the Orioles sign Odor. Texas is on the hook for his contract. It might feel the hole until a better option is available. I did Ruiz playing 2nd today though.
Here we go again not willing to get rid of players that don’t deserve it Vogel should be on the team go with Nottingham he can play first and catch. Hopefully he goes on IL and do extended spring training I guess for now but trade Garcia to Orioles and maybe Cain to the Astros. Heck go with an outfield of Yellich, JBJ, and Taylor ( he is ready) Brewers gotta quit retreading players they hope will workout. Time to trust the young guys. Rather watch guys who are hungry and willing to work hard. Last year was a disaster with guys that they should’ve cut bait with a lot sooner
Moving Cain and Garcia to make room for a 4th outfielder like Taylor would only happen if the Brewers decide to tank this season. In no universe is Tyrone Taylor even a replacement level starting outfielder.
Which players s
…Which players do you think the Brewers should’ve cut bait on sooner?
Vogelbach making another roster shocks me. His scouting report was short arms can’t bend well at the waist and those were the more positive ones. Not sure how much 1st base he played for the Seattle Pilots aka Brewers it will be treat if you haven’t seen him play yet.
He has everyone thinking he is an all star player/bat waitbhe did make the AS game. That was embarrassing he was the best guy perceived we had. Seager should have gone no matter his stats. Vogelbach made his name on a couple good months. Was not good the month or so before the AS game and worse after. His worth ethic has to be awful look at his body. Go on a diet.
If the Pilots are in need of an OFer Seattle has a couple to choose from. You will have to wait a few weeks into AAA ball. With Kelenic coming up either or both Haniger and Trammel should be available. Fraley can be the #4 OFer. It is going to cost not sure what you have for young pitchers that will probably be the top thing they ask for. Jump fast before there is a bidding war right before the deadline. Hate to see Haniger go but doesn’t fit in the long term plans.
Let’s see we kept Sogard, Morrison, Smoak, Holt, and a couple pitchers that shouldn’t have made the team last year.
Who would you have preferred they kept instead? The other options were: Tyrone Taylor, Lucas Ecreg, Jace Peterson, Mark Mathias, Jacob Nottingham Corey Ray or Ryon Healy. Which guys from this group deserved a spot over the ones you listed?
Well let’s see we could’ve made trade should have signed Duffy .
Trade for who and with what trade assets? Their farm system isn’t really stocked with high end talent. Also are you referring to Danny Duffy? It’s easy to speak in generalizations and hyperboles when being an armchair GM. Not every player wants to play for the Brewers for various reasons. So by saying we could’ve spent on player X who signed elsewhere for this amount doesn’t automatically mean the Brewers could’ve signed this player if offered a similar contract. This isn’t how free agency works.
You do realize Matt Duffy couldn’t even break camp with the Rangers and then was signed by the Yankees and proceeded to not even play a single inning in 2020. And this is the player who you think should’ve been signed instead of Holt, Sogard, Smoak and Morrison. Smh
Compass- If the situation was reversed: Dan Thickelback came over to Seattle late in the year after a Bi-Polar stint in MIL then had the exact same success he had in MIL late last yr.* You’d have a completely different perspective. Mariners fans are not very fond of Vogelbombs because they gave up a good pitcher to get him.
I have never been a fan even got called o out for calling him names. I have been consistent since the beginning. I read his scouting report and the things I mentioned above were in it. I am more old school because I am older but I don’t like the HR or K mindset. Get on base and be able to go from 2nd to home easily. I also would have my players drive or slug bunt down the line to beat the switch. To me few things are more frustrating than have nobody on the 3rd base side and you hit a hard line drive right at one of the guys supposed to be there. MLB is going to tweak the rule I think in AAA. They shouldn’t change the rule players need to be able to hit the ball to the open space. A little off topic but one of his short comings. I just don’t see him having value for a NL team. You bring him in to hit he gets on a close game on the 8th or 9th so you have to run for him. You use 2 players in a short bench already.
Boy your quite the person to attack others ideas but yeah we do have assets to trade and work with. Just because our minor league system isn’t ranked doesn’t mean we don’t have value in our minor league pitchers. Over the next couple of years I’m betting that your going to see about 10 pitchers in our system have decent major league careers. That being said Oakland had a third baseman in there system blocked we could have traded for there was other possible guys we could’ve drafted in rule 5 draft. Yes we have 2 minor league players the Brewers could’ve given a chance and see what would happen with them too. p
I wasn’t attacking your ideas just stating facts which disproved Duffy as someone who should’ve replaced Smoak, Sogard or Morrison. Sterns did attempt to sign Didi Gregorios and resign Moustakas but those two players decided to sign elsewhere (Didi wanted to play for his former manager and Moustakas went to the highest bidder).
I’m all for allowing our young player opportunities but to complain about signing proven veterans over rolling the dice on Rule 5 Draft picks or prospects who haven’t been very impressive in the upper minors seems like a much larger gamble than the former.
There are always players out there who you can take a chance on but the odds of them panning out or becoming a starting caliber player are extremely low.
Look at how many top ranked prospects never hit their potential or even worse are busts.
Chas McCormick cannot start the year as the Astros 4th OF. Derek Fisher would be a great pick up for them. Good speed/power without enough of a hit tool to make it as an every day guy, and a capable enough glove.
Wut?
The unicorn horn on Derek Fishers head says otherwise about his defence.
Derek Fisher sucks in all areas of the game.
i daresay in hindsight getting Appel was better then potentially getting him in the Giles/VV trade
I can’t believe they found a way to keep McKinney, Fisher, Robertson (presumably), and Vogelbach. At least for a couple more weeks.
Fisher is on the DL. McKinney probably won’t make the team unless someone else goes on the DL.
Hmmm. Can Vogelbach become the next John Vander Wal?
What a name from the past.. thank you for that.
I would imagine keeping vogelbach will allow hiura to get at bats at second too this season at times
They have Wong, Urias and Robertson to play 2b. As a Brewers fan, I hope to never see Hiura play 2b again.
Exactly. Hiura is an absolute disaster at 2nd base…and that’s as nicely as I can describe it. He evokes memories of Steve Sax and Chuck Knoblauch when they had their “yips” issues.
I’d imagine Vogelbach will be the first one to go once a need for a roster spot arises
The difference being that Knoblauch and Sax were actually good at the position once
The unicorn horn on Derek Fishers head says otherwise about his defence.
I don’t understand this comment, or the one just like it above
Fly balls bounce of his head. His defense is Les Nessman terrible.
m.youtube.com/watch?v=BecU5GY_VUA
Keeping Vogelbach as a strict PH and 1B is actually a fantastic idea. Hiura won’t play 162, and Vogelbach gets in during interleague, along with getting at least 1 PA a game via pinch hit and potentially staying on for more PAs. Injuries happen. Bad form happens. You need good players on your bench, not bad ones and the man can mash. Not a full season of PAs guaranteed for him, but he gets lots of opportunities. Loving the Brewers depth, it will play well for them over the course of 162. I think Milwaukee wins the NLC this year.
Brewers are a good team, could definitely win the Central. Quite a bit of pitching and improved defense. Like the BP especially.
Hella Vogelbombs bout to be launched this year. Dude carries the spirit of the great Bambino himself.
Hiura has some good potential but it’s not a sure thing he’ll be an everyday player all year long. He only hit .212 last year, he’s only in his 3rd year, and he’s playing a new position.
Arnold’s voice, from a Supernatural episode, when Dean says —
“That’s not a Topa”