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Brewers Notes: Topa, Fisher, Cain, JBJ, Vogelbach

By Mark Polishuk | March 29, 2021 at 4:48pm CDT

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.

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Billy McKinney Derek Fisher Jackie Bradley Jr. Justin Topa Lorenzo Cain Milwaukee Brewers Notes

Jose Leclerc To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
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38 comments
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Comments

  1. Lefty_Orioles_Fan

    2 weeks ago

    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.

    Like
    Reply
    • baseballpun

      2 weeks ago

      The Orioles will have all kinds of pitchers, except for the good kind.

      Boom. Roasted.

      17 Like
      Reply
      • birdsfan415

        2 weeks ago

        as an Orioles fan this made my day. thank u

        1 Like
        Reply
        • Cgoss

          2 weeks ago

          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.

          Like
          Reply
  2. stubby66

    2 weeks ago

    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

    Like
    Reply
    • bdpecore

      2 weeks ago

      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

      3 Like
      Reply
      • bdpecore

        2 weeks ago

        …Which players do you think the Brewers should’ve cut bait on sooner?

        Like
        Reply
        • compassrose

          2 weeks ago

          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.

          1 Like
          Reply
        • stubby66

          2 weeks ago

          Let’s see we kept Sogard, Morrison, Smoak, Holt, and a couple pitchers that shouldn’t have made the team last year.

          3 Like
          Reply
        • bdpecore

          2 weeks ago

          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?

          Like
          Reply
        • stubby66

          2 weeks ago

          Well let’s see we could’ve made trade should have signed Duffy .

          Like
          Reply
        • bdpecore

          2 weeks ago

          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.

          Like
          Reply
        • bdpecore

          2 weeks ago

          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

          Like
          Reply
        • ayrbhoy

          2 weeks ago

          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.

          Like
          Reply
        • compassrose

          2 weeks ago

          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.

          Like
          Reply
        • stubby66

          2 weeks ago

          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

          Like
          Reply
        • bdpecore

          2 weeks ago

          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.

          Like
          Reply
  3. itsgonnahappen

    2 weeks ago

    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.

    1 Like
    Reply
    • iverbure

      2 weeks ago

      Wut?

      Like
      Reply
    • Naylor01

      2 weeks ago

      The unicorn horn on Derek Fishers head says otherwise about his defence.

      1 Like
      Reply
    • jimmertee

      2 weeks ago

      Derek Fisher sucks in all areas of the game.

      Like
      Reply
      • DarkSide830

        2 weeks ago

        i daresay in hindsight getting Appel was better then potentially getting him in the Giles/VV trade

        Like
        Reply
  4. pmollan

    2 weeks ago

    I can’t believe they found a way to keep McKinney, Fisher, Robertson (presumably), and Vogelbach. At least for a couple more weeks.

    4 Like
    Reply
    • bazbal

      2 weeks ago

      Fisher is on the DL. McKinney probably won’t make the team unless someone else goes on the DL.

      Like
      Reply
  5. Rsox

    2 weeks ago

    Hmmm. Can Vogelbach become the next John Vander Wal?

    2 Like
    Reply
    • jay13

      2 weeks ago

      What a name from the past.. thank you for that.

      Like
      Reply
  6. 123Redsox

    2 weeks ago

    I would imagine keeping vogelbach will allow hiura to get at bats at second too this season at times

    Like
    Reply
    • bazbal

      2 weeks ago

      They have Wong, Urias and Robertson to play 2b. As a Brewers fan, I hope to never see Hiura play 2b again.

      4 Like
      Reply
      • KCJ

        2 weeks ago

        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

        3 Like
        Reply
        • Rsox

          2 weeks ago

          The difference being that Knoblauch and Sax were actually good at the position once

          2 Like
          Reply
  7. Naylor01

    2 weeks ago

    The unicorn horn on Derek Fishers head says otherwise about his defence.

    1 Like
    Reply
    • KCJ

      2 weeks ago

      I don’t understand this comment, or the one just like it above

      Like
      Reply
      • 1 Goose Man

        2 weeks ago

        Fly balls bounce of his head. His defense is Les Nessman terrible.

        m.youtube.com/watch?v=BecU5GY_VUA

        Like
        Reply
  8. A'sfaninUK

    2 weeks ago

    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.

    Like
    Reply
    • kevins

      2 weeks ago

      Brewers are a good team, could definitely win the Central. Quite a bit of pitching and improved defense. Like the BP especially.

      Like
      Reply
  9. Gk_holiday

    2 weeks ago

    Hella Vogelbombs bout to be launched this year. Dude carries the spirit of the great Bambino himself.

    Like
    Reply
  10. RonJohn00

    2 weeks ago

    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.

    Like
    Reply
  11. Gigorilla

    2 weeks ago

    Arnold’s voice, from a Supernatural episode, when Dean says —
    “That’s not a Topa”

    Like
    Reply

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