Brewers Rumors

Brewers Sign Blaine Boyer To Minor League Deal

By Steve Adams | February 24, 2016 at 5:24pm CDT

FEB. 24: Boyer would earn $950K in the Majors and has another $250K worth of incentives built into his contract, reports Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via Twitter).

FEB. 12: The Brewers announced on Friday that they have signed right-hander Blaine Boyer to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.

Boyer, 34, spent the 2015 season in the Twins’ bullpen and put up outstanding bottom-line results in spite of a notable lack of strikeouts. The Aegis Sports Management client appeared in 65 games with Minnesota, tallying 68 innings with a sparkling 2.49 ERA. He averaged 2.6 walks per nine innings and recorded a strong 47.6 percent ground-ball rate, but Boyer also averaged just 4.6 strikeouts per nine with the Twins. The lack of missed bats led metrics like FIP, xFIP and SIERA to peg him in the 4.00 to 4.40 range.

Those numbers aside, Boyer was an effective member of the Twins’ bullpen last season, marking his second straight year of quality contributions in a big league ’pen after a long layoff from the game. As Boyer explained to MLBTR’s Zach Links in Spring Training with the Twins last season, he actually retired from baseball following the 2011 season, but his love for the game brought him back to the Majors in 2014. Since resurfacing in the Majors, Boyer has a 2.91 ERA in 105 1/3 innings between the Padres and Twins. Considering the large number of open spots in the bullpen behind Jeremy Jeffress, Will Smith, Corey Knebel and Michael Blazek, Boyer seems to have a solid chance at cracking the big league roster if he enjoys a strong Spring Training.

West Notes: Rollins, Giants, Lucroy, Astros, Angels

By charliewilmoth | February 22, 2016 at 8:37pm CDT

The Giants had interest in Jimmy Rollins before the veteran infielder ultimately agreed to a minor league deal with the White Sox, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. Rosenthal adds that the Giants would have used Rollins as a super utility player, taking advantage of his ability to switch-hit. Via Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area (on Twitter), Giants GM Bobby Evans has confirmed the Giants were quite interested in Rollins, although they couldn’t promise the kind of playing time he would be able to get in Chicago (which has a considerably less stable shortstop situation). Here’s more from the West divisions.

In other news about player acquisitions that never came to be, Rosenthal tweets that the Astros tried to acquire Jonathan Lucroy from the Brewers last month but were not able to come to terms. Jason Castro is eligible for free agency following the 2016 and Lucroy is controllable for an additional year (and for a very modest $5.25MM or a $250K buyout), so perhaps it’s no surprise that David Stearns’ former employers called him about a possible trade.
The Angels would prefer to have more lefty relief help, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register writes. They’re without a lefty specialist, and the only lefty who currently figures to be in their bullpen is Jose Alvarez. The team does have additional lefty bullpen candidates in Lucas Luetge and Rob Rasmussen. “To have a lefty specialist available is a tool you’d like you to have in bullpen, but we’ll see where we are,” says manager Mike Scioscia. Fletcher doesn’t say whether the Angels actually plan to pursue more lefties, but even if they do, perhaps the issue isn’t so pressing. Unsurprisingly, the free agent market is a bit thin, and Scioscia and the Angels have gotten very good results with heavily right-handed bullpens in the past, such as their 2003 and 2004 ’pens, which were elite very limited contributions from left-handers.

Brewers Claim Sean Nolin

By Steve Adams | February 22, 2016 at 12:58pm CDT

12:58pm: Via Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, general manager David Stearns said that although Nolin has been developed as a starter to this point in his career, the Brewers will look at using him out of the bullpen, perhaps in a multi-inning role (links to Twitter).

12:44pm: The Brewers announced today that they have claimed left-hander Sean Nolin off waivers from the Athletics. Nolin had been designated for assignment by Oakland last week when the club acquired Khris Davis from the Brewers, so, while he isn’t a part of the trade, he’s technically an additional piece of compensation picked up by the Brewers as a result of the trade. (Nolin, after all, would not have been available in this manner were it not for the Davis trade.)

The 26-year-old Nolin was one of four players traded by the Blue Jays to the Athletics in the 2014 Josh Donaldson blockbuster. Long considered one of Toronto’s better prospects, Nolin ranked No. 8 on Baseball America’s list of top prospects just last offseason. BA has profiled him as a potential fourth starter in the past, praising his above-average command and mix of four average or better offerings. Nolin had sports hernia surgery last offseason though, and that may have contributed to an early groin injury that led to more than a month on the disabled list in 2015. When he was healthy enough to take the mound, Nolin made 14 appearances (12 starts) at the Triple-A level, logging an excellent 2.66 ERA with 7.2 K/9, 3.6 BB/9 and a 37.7 percent ground-ball rate. (BA did note that his high arm slot made him likely to end up as an extreme fly-ball pitcher).

In the Majors, Nolin struggled quite a bit more, making six starts and totaling a 5.28 ERA in 29 innings of work. Nolin managed just 14 strikeouts against 12 walks in that time, and his fastball sat at just 86.9 mph — a considerable drop from the low 90s heat he showed when healthy and rising through the Blue Jays’ farm system.

Milwaukee will hope for better health out of Nolin than the A’s received in 2015. If he is indeed back to form, he’ll give the Brewers another option in what would otherwise project to be an all-right-handed rotation. Nolin is out of minor league options, so he’ll need to crack the roster out of Spring Training or again be exposed to waivers and clear before the Brewers would be able to option him to Triple-A Colorado Springs.

NL Central Notes: Arrieta, Braun, Bruce, Waldron

By Mark Polishuk and Zachary Links | February 21, 2016 at 6:00pm CDT

The Cubs will keep an eye on Jake Arrieta’s workload this season to ensure that the Cy Young Award winner is still fresh for October, Joe Maddon tells reporters (including ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers). Arrieta threw 248 2/3 innings in the regular and postseason in 2015, far above his previous career high of 176 2/3 frames in 2014. While Arrieta takes pride in being a workhorse and finishing games, “there’s certain sacrifices that need to be made and I’m more than willing to make those sacrifices to be better for my team later in the season,” he said. Jon Lester and John Lackey will also have their innings monitored, Maddon said, as the Cubs clearly have their eyes set on being at full strength for the postseason. Here’s some more from around the NL Central…

Ryan Braun will indeed be moving back to left field this season, Brewers manager Craig Counsell confirmed to media (including the Associated Press). “We talked it over and discussed it, and I think with the players that we have on our roster this year, it’s an advantageous decision for both Ryan and the players we have involved,” Counsell said. Milwaukee’s left field spot was opened up when Khris Davis was traded to Oakland, and there had been speculation that Braun would be shifted to give highly-touted youngster Domingo Santana regular playing time in right.
Also from Counsell, he discusses his first Spring Training as a big league manager and many other topics as part of a Q&A with Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Jay Bruce has been the subject of several trade rumors this offseason but he’s taking everything in stride, the Reds outfielder told reporters (including C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer.) When asked if the trade speculation made it awkward to be in the Reds’ clubhouse, Bruce said “No, not at all. If it were somewhere else, it’d be awkward right now. This is what I know, this organization has been much more to be than just a baseball team. I’ve been here since I was 18 years old, and this is all I know. I look forward to still being here and if something does happen, I completely understand. It’s part of the business. I mentioned before, obviously, I truly believe the Reds have to do everything they can do improve the organization and if they end up feeling that making a move with me is part of that plan, I respect them for that.”
The Cardinals have shut down right-hander Tyler Waldron due to an impingement in his throwing shoulder, the team told media (including MLB.com’s Barry W. Bloom). Waldron, 26, was a non-roster invite to the Cards’ camp. He has a 4.54 ERA over 492 minor league innings in the St. Louis and Pittsburgh farm systems. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said Waldron was being shut down indefinitely and he wasn’t sure when the righty would be throwing again.

NL Central Links: Cubs/Cards, Leake, Walden, Brewers

By Steve Adams | February 19, 2016 at 3:43pm CDT

The storied rivalry between the Cardinals and Cubs has the opportunity to capture the nation’s attention in 2016 as both clubs enter the year with lofty expectations on the heels of excellent 2015 campaigns, writes Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Morosi opines that St. Louis vs. Chicago has added meaning this year with the Cubs prying Jason Heyward and John Lackey away from the Cardinals and the subsequent comments from Heyward and St. Louis skipper Mike Matheny adding to the feud. Morosi spoke to both Ryan Theriot and Mark DeRosa — two now-retired players that experienced both sides of the Cubs/Cardinals rivalry — about what matchups between the two teams were like from a player perspective and about what it would mean for a player to be on a team that finally succeeds in bringing a World Series victory to the Cubs for the first time since 1908.

Here’s more from the division…

Cardinals right-hander Mike Leake spoke to FOX’s Ken Rosenthal about his free-agent experience. As Rosenthal writes, stories about Leake wanting to sign with the D-backs were indeed true, although one significant detail of his motivation for that desire was kept out at the time. Leake’s father fell off a roof while constructing a cabin in Montana this past offseason, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down, and playing in Arizona would have allowed Leake the opportunity to remain close to his father, Rosenthal writes. However, while both Leake and Diamondbacks GM Dave Stewart tell Rosenthal that a deal was close at one point during the winter, Stewart said talks eventually “just broke down” between the two sides. Leake, too, discussed his talks with the D-backs. “It got close. It just never came to fruition,” the right-hander explained. “I felt like there were some that wanted it and some that didn’t in the organization.” Leake said the Cardinals were “quiet at first” before coming on “strong” in their pursuit that ultimately landed him in St. Louis. Leake’s parents both supported his decision to sign with the Cardinals even if it meant creating some distance.
Jordan Walden has thrown off a mound six times since completing a rigorous rehab process on his right shoulder and will do so again today, writes MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch. Today’s session will mark the first time the Cardinals have seen Walden throw since his injury. Walden now admits, in hindsight, that he tried to rush back too quickly from his initial injury last summer, embarking on a rehab stint in July that was cut short due to shoulder problems that ultimately ended his season.
The Brewers have turned over half of their 40-man roster since the final day of the 2015 season, writes Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. While GM David Stearns tells Haudricourt that he didn’t come into the offseason with a set number of transactions in mind but rather with a goal of accumulating as much controllable talent as possible. “We’re trying to aggregate as much young talent as we possibly can,” Stearns explains. “The 40-man roster is a way we can do that so we have tried to use that tool to add some talent. I don’t know if that exceeds my expectations but we’ve certainly been busy.” (Stearns was recently a guest on the MLBTR Podcast and offered more in-depth comments regarding that quest.) Manager Craig Counsell tells Haudricourt that center field is the most uncertain spot on the roster heading into Spring Training. Haudricourt notes that four of the new additions — Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Rymer Liriano, Keon Broxton and non-roster invitee Eric Young Jr. — have experience there.

Minor MLB Transactions: 2/18/16

By Jeff Todd | February 18, 2016 at 10:51pm CDT

Here are the day’s minor moves:

The Brewers have released southpaw Pat Misch to enable him to pursue an opportunity with Japan’s Orix Buffaloes, the club announced on Twitter. Misch, 34, had been set to spend big league camp fighting for a job with Milwaukee after hooking on with a minor league deal back in January. It’s been quite some time since he appeared in the majors, but that doesn’t mean that the veteran hasn’t enjoyed an interesting career of late, as detailed by Baseball America’s John Manuel. Since several rough seasons stateside and a Tommy John procedure, Misch has consistently put up good numbers since the start of 2014. Along the way, he’s appeared in winter ball, indy ball, Triple-A (with the Marlins), and Taiwan’s top league. And at that last stop, Misch spun a no-hitter in Game 7 of the Taiwan Series.

NL Central Notes: Cervelli, Pirates, Molina, Davis

By Steve Adams | February 18, 2016 at 8:40am CDT

Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli tells Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that there haven’t been any extension talks between the team and his camp. “I haven’t talked to the Pirates since the playoff last year,” said Cervelli. “…We haven’t talked to the Pirates. My agent, or me, nothing.” Cervelli, who is represented by the Beverly Hills Sports Council, is eligible for free agency following the 2016 season, though Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review recently reported Cervelli’s asking price in an extension to forgo his first opportunity at the open market. That $39MM asking price might seem steep to some, though if Cervelli replicates his 2015 production — .295/.370/.401, seven homers, elite receiving skills — he could be in line for a larger sum on the open market.

AL Central Notes: Park, Smith, Indians, Brantley, Tigers

By Steve Adams | February 17, 2016 at 6:06pm CDT

Nine different Twins talent evaluators saw Byung-ho Park in person before the team submitted its $12.85MM bid earlier this offseason, Minnesota vice president of personnel Mike Radcliff tells David Dorsey of the News-Press Media Group. Radcliff himself was among those who watched Park personally in South Korea, having been to Korea in four of the past six seasons, per Dorsey. “It’s a different style,” said Radcliff of Korean baseball. “They swing hard and often over there. There’s a transition. … But we think his swing is Americanized, if you will. He has less movement in his body, from head to toe. He will see velocities he hasn’t seen much of before. But we think the transition will be good, if you will. There just aren’t too many situations to compare him to.”

Here’s more on the Twins and their division…

The Twins continue to poke around the trade market for left-handed relief help and like Brewers left-hander Will Smith quite a bit, reports 1500 ESPN’s Darren Wolfson in his latest podcast (audio link, with Twins talk firing up around the 37:45 mark). There’s certainly no indication that Milwaukee is looking to move Smith, although as this winter’s Ken Giles trade showed, moving a controllable relief arm can certainly bolster a farm system in a hurry. The Twins have no shortage of minor league talent that could entice the Brewers, though GM Terry Ryan recently spoke about a number of in-house options that intrigue him as lefty options in the bullpen, calling out Taylor Rogers and J.T. Chargois by name.
The Indians have shuffled their Latin American Operations department, writes Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. After an “amicable” split between the organization and former Latin American director Ramon Pena, the Indians have promoted Koby Perez to that post and made a series of subsequent promotions. Previously, Pena had overseen all Latin American scouting, player development and operations, but those responsibilities will be spread out among different officials now, Hoynes continues. Hoynes spoke to Cleveland president of baseball operations about the team’s approach in Latin America and how the Indians plan to leverage their player development resources in that sphere.
Indians outfielder Michael Brantley has begun taking no-contact swings, writes MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian. Brantley, who underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder back in November and was said to have a recovery timeline of five to six months, reported to camp early and will need to progress to hitting off a tee and eventually taking batting practice before he’s ready for in-game action, Bastian writes. Bastian spoke to GM Mike Chernoff and hitting coach Ty Van Burkleo about Brantley’s progress and the possibility of a swifter-than-expected return. “…knowing him and his makeup and how hard he works, and our training staff, how diligent they are, I’m pleased, but I wouldn’t say I’m surprised [by his progress],” said Van Burkleo.
Right-hander Michael Fulmer, the key piece received by the Tigers in July’s Yoenis Cespedes trade, is viewed by the organization as a starter but could factor into the team’s bullpen in 2016, writes Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press. Justin Verlander, Jordan Zimmermann, Anibal Sanchez and Mike Pelfrey are locks for the rotation, with lefty Daniel Norris favored to land the fifth spot, but manager Brad Ausmus was open to the idea of Fulmer in a relief role this year. “Realistically, if he were to make the club, he would probably be a reliever,” Ausmus told Fenech. “If he were not to make the club, he would probably be a starter. … You have enough time in spring training that even if he’s coming out of the pen right now in big league camp, there will be a point where if you think he’s going to be a starter in Toledo, we can make the switch and get his innings up before the start of the season.”

Quick Hits: Granderson, Molina, Braun, Capps

By Jeff Todd | February 15, 2016 at 10:24pm CDT

Dave Cameron of Fangraphs provides his ten favorite transactions of the winter thus far, with the Braves’ haul in the Shelby Miller trade topping the list. For an additional look back at the market action that’s already in the books, Steve Adams and I discussed a few under-the-radar acquisitions that we liked in the most recent edition of the MLBTR Podcast.

Here are a few more notes as camp approaches:

Upon arriving at Spring Training today, Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson told reporters, including ESPN New York’s Adam Rubin, that team doctors have told him that his surgically repaired thumb is “all good to go.” Granderson went under the knife in November to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb and spent about a month and a half in a brace, but he appears to be mostly back up to speed now. As Rubin notes, Granderson is again projected to be the Mets’ primary leadoff hitter, though his struggles against left-handed pitching would seem to create a reasonable opportunity to get Juan Lagares into the lineup.
Likewise, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina has had his cast removed and is beginning to strengthen his own thumb, MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch writes. The veteran’s importance to his club is hard to overstate, and he says he’s going to try to be ready by Opening Day. He was delayed when the injured digit required a second surgery, so a full recovery by the start of the season may be a big ask.
The Brewers are weighing a move of Ryan Braun back to left field, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes. It seems as if the organization will weigh several options, but getting Domingo Santana and his live arm into right field would appear to have some appeal.
Right-handed reliever Matt Capps is preparing a comeback bid, agent Paul Kinzer tells Jon Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). The former Pirates, Nationals, and Twins closer hasn’t worked in the bigs since 2012 while struggling with health issues. He did not appear in the regular season at all last year after spending camp with the Braves.

NL Central Notes: Brewers, Lucroy, Molina, Cards, McCutchen

By Steve Adams | February 15, 2016 at 12:56pm CDT

Brewers GM David Stearns laughed when told by Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel that he’s earned the nickname “Dealin’ Dave” on the heels of making nine trades to acquire 16 new players this offfseason. Haudricourt runs down all of the names acquired by Stearns, who shared a bit of insight into his general offseason approach with Haudricourt. “There’s a strength-in-numbers approach with pitching,” explained Stearns, who has acquired six pitchers via trade this winter. “Part of that is due to the increased injury risk associated with pitchers. We’re trying to stockpile good arms. I think most importantly we’re trying to stockpile guys who’ve proven they can throw strikes. We’ve been able to do that through some of these transactions.” Stearns went on to add that Jonathan Lucroy’s status hasn’t been impacted by the addition of a fairly highly touted catching prospect in Jacob Nottingham, acquired in the Khris Davis trade over the weekend. As Stearns notes, Nottingham spent last season at Class-A and can’t be expected to contribute in the Majors in the immediate future.

More notes from the NL Central…

The Cardinals are open to adding another catcher as a depth option on the eve of Spring Training, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, but Yadier Molina and the team are both hopeful that he can be ready for the season opener. Molina, who underwent a second thumb surgery in December after his October operation did not fix the injury in his hand, tells Goold that he has no doubt that the second surgery healed the issue, citing improved performance in range-of-motion and strengthening exercises on the hand. Molina could still be two weeks away from catching, Goold notes, and that step will come before Molina progresses to hitting. If he’s not ready to open the season, offseason addition Brayan Pena will begin the year as the club’s starter. St. Louis has added veteran Eric Fryer on a minor league deal and could bring him north as the backup to Pena if Molina isn’t ready, and it stands to reason that any external addition to the catching mix would be cut from the same cloth.
Goold appeared on MLB Network’s Hot Stove show this morning and talked Cardinals (video link), discussing Molina, Adam Wainwright and the team’s mix of players at first base. If Wainwright is limited at all this season after missing much of last year due to an Achilles injury, the limitations will come in Spring Training as opposed to during the regular season, Goold said. He adds that the Cardinals “want to see if the Brandon Moss that they have is the Brandon Moss of a few years ago — the guy who over the last four years has averaged 24 home runs per year. “ Goold went on to add: “The guy who hits most is going to play most at first base. The guy who hits for the most power is going to play the most at first base.” Moss is joined by Matt Adams and Stephen Piscotty in the first base column on the depth chart.
Andrew McCutchen said again on Monday that his hope is to spend his entire career with the Pirates, tweets Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. McCutchen, who turned 29 in October, has been the face of the Bucs’ franchise for much of his career and is under contract for three more seasons at a total of $41.5MM (only $28MM of that is guaranteed; Pittsburgh has a $14.5MM club option with a $1MM buyout for McCutchen in 2018).

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