NL Central Notes: Cubs, Garza, Cardinals, Weeks
Tomorrow is the 30th anniversary of the infamous Lee Elia tirade against the Wrigley Field faithful where he unleased 37 "bleeps" in 187 seconds. Elia would remain as manager of the Cubs for just four more months. John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle chronicles how times have changed for Major League managers. Four reporters were present for Elia's rant and only one had a microphone which captured the event for all posterity. Shea reminds us today there are interview rooms, social media, and live post-game press conferences shown on regional and national sports networks. As a result, Shea says managers have to be more articulate, polite, and thoughtful. Giants manager Bruce Bochy echoes that sentiment, "It's different when you just see pen and paper. When there's a camera there, you have to remind yourself." Elsewhere from the NL Central Division:
- Cubs manager Dale Sveum refuses to name a closer telling reporters, including the Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan, "I'm not going to really mess with anything right now in our bullpen. It's about as good as it can be right now." The Cubs are 7-for-13 in save opportunites with three different relievers notching a save including Kevin Gregg, who leads the team with three despite being recalled only two weeks ago.
- Matt Garza, number seven on MLBTR's 2014 Free Agent Rankings, was scheduled to throw a bullpen session today and is on track to make three or four minor league rehab starts, reports David Furones of MLB.com.
- Speaking of Garza, Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald revisited the trade which brought the right-hander to Chicago and notes just one of the eight players invovled in the deal is currently playing in the Majors. Miles sees the trade as a wash, a viewpoint shared by MLBTR's Steve Adams who examined the Garza trade in a Transaction Retrospection last month.
- The Cardinals' imploding bullpen saw its ERA rise to 5.93 after surrendering six runs to the Pirates today. MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch tweets the status quo cannot continue, but the team does not have many in-house options. Langosch also tweeted injured closer Jason Motte played catch for the second consecutive day indicating his arm responded well to yesterday's session.
- For the second straight season, Rickie Weeks is off to a slow start offensively with only seven hits in his last 69 at-bats. Adam McCalvy of MLB.com speculates Weeks will have a long leash because no one in the front office wants to start the service clock of Scooter Gennett, the Brewers' sixth-best prospect according to MLB.com, just yet.
Minor Moves: Hoey, Curtis, Colon
On Tuesday, Corky Miller played in his first Major League game since 2010 and he didn't have to wait long for another, starting at catcher for the Reds tonight against the Nationals. The veteran backstop was added to the Reds' 40-man roster earlier this week, as noted by Baseball America's Matt Eddy in his roundup of the week's minor league transactions.
Here are the minor moves that took place today, with the latest at the top of the page…
- The Brewers released right-hander Jim Hoey earlier this week, Eddy reports. Milwaukee signed Hoey to a minor league deal in December. Hoey last pitched in the Majors with the Twins in 2011 and he owns a 7.02 ERA in 59 career innings with the Twins and Orioles.
- The Cardinals have purchased the contract of infielder Jermaine Curtis from Triple-A, the team announced. Curtis, a fifth round pick in the 2008 draft, has a .279/.384/.360 slash line over 1861 career PA in the Cardinals' system and he has spent most of his career playing second and third base. Curtis takes the roster spot of Matt Adams, who was placed on the 15-day DL in a corresponding move.
- On Wednesday, the Braves acquired Roman Colon from the Pirates in exchange for cash considerations. SB Nation's Talking Chop blog appears to have been the first to report the move. Colon, 33, has a 5.19 ERA in 187 1/3 career big league innings. In 1080 1/3 minor league innings, he's posted a 3.92 ERA, 6.2 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9. Colon, who was originally signed by the Braves in 1995, was assigned to Triple-A Gwinnett and struggled in his first outing with the club.
Rosenthal On Wells, Lee, Konerko, Rodriguez
In his latest edition of Full Count, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (video link) gives the Yankees credit for realizing that Vernon Wells still had a lot left. The big stumbling block in trade talks between the Yankees and Angels was how much of the $42MM deal the Bombers would pay for. Discussions stalled until the spring when the Yankees lost Mark Teixeira to injury and their interest was renewed. Here's more from Rosenthal..
- If the Phillies fall out of contention, Cliff Lee could become a trade target once again. They declined to trade him last August after the Dodgers claimed him on waivers, but it would make sense to make a deal if they're not winning. However, Lee is earning $25MM per season through 2015 and has a $27.5MM vesting option for 2016. On top of that, he can only be traded to nine teams without his permission. The Phillies may have trouble making a deal for Lee because of those issues, but a shortage of quality starting pitching could lead to a swap with a contending team. Rosenthal lists the Red Sox, Dodgers, and Cardinals as teams that could be interested, depending on their needs.
- Don't expect a Mariano Rivera-style victory lap for Paul Konerko as he won't make up his mind about his future until after the season. The decision will likely hinge on multiple factors, including how he plays, whether the White Sox want him back, and whether another club would be a potential fit. The D'Backs made a run at Konerko the last time he was on the open market, but that first base job now belongs to Paul Goldschmidt.
- Francisco Rodriguez could look elsewhere if he doesn't make the Brewers' roster in 30 days, but Milwaukee is probably his best option. He'll earn the prorated portion of a $2.25MM salary if he makes the squad, plus incentives.
NL Central Notes: Brewers, Price, Cubs, Cardinals
Earlier tonight, the Brewers picked up Francisco Rodriguez up on a minor league deal. Here's more on K-Rod and other notes out of the National League Central..
- Brewers GM Doug Melvin says that Rodriguez represents another option that they can go to if necessary and is a low-risk signing, writes MLB.com's Adam McCalvy. Melvin also said that he spoke to a prosecutor before re-signing Rodriguez to ensure that Rodriguez’s legal troubles were closed. The reliever was charged with misdemeanor domestic battery in September, but those charges were dropped.
- In an interview with Mut & Merloni of WEEI, ESPN.com's Buster Olney said that he sees the Cubs as the most likely team to trade for the Rays' David Price with the Cardinals also in the mix. In Olney's estimation, the Cards can blow everyone else out of the water if they decide to dip into their farm system to pull off a trade.
- Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) credited Melvin for picking up Yuniesky Betancourt late in the spring after he didn't hook on with the Phillies. The signing looks particularly good at the moment after Betancourt's grand slam last night and third inning home run earlier this evening.
Brewers Sign Francisco Rodriguez
6:08pm: Rodriguez will get $2MM or more if he makes the big league squad, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
5:23pm: The Brewers officially announced that they have signed Francisco Rodriguez to a minor league deal. Milwaukee has 30 days to assign the reliever, who will train at the club's spring training facility in the interim.
The 31-year-old Rodriguez appeared in 78 games for the Brewers last season and posted a 4.38 ERA, 9.0 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 72 innings. He initially came to Milwaukee from the Mets in a trade during the final year of the three-year, $37MM contract he signed to be New York's closer. The Brewers offered Rodriguez arbitration following the 2011 season, and he made the surprising decision to accept, leaving GM Doug Melvin on the hook for an $8MM salary.
In his 11-year career, K-Rod has a 2.70 ERA, 11.0 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 720 2/3 innings. His 294 saves rank 25th all-time, and he set the all-time single-season saves mark with 62 back in 2008 with the Angels.
MLB.com's Adam McCalvy first reported that the two sides were nearing a deal. Steve Adams contributed to this post.
Brewers Closing In On Deal With Francisco Rodriguez
The Brewers are nearing a minor league contract with right-hander Francisco Rodriguez, writes MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. Nothing has been finalized as of yet with the Scott Boras client, according to McCalvy.
The 31-year-old Rodriguez appeared in 78 games for the Brewers last season and posted a 4.38 ERA, 9.0 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 72 innings. He initially came to Milwaukee from the Mets in a trade during the final year of the three-year, $37MM contract he signed to be New York’s closer. The Brewers offered Rodriguez arbitration following the 2011 season, and he made the surprising decision to accept, leaving GM Doug Melvin on the hook for an $8MM salary.
In his 11-year career, K-Rod has a 2.70 ERA, 11.0 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 in 720 2/3 innings. His 294 saves rank 25th all-time, and he set the all-time single-season saves mark with 62 back in 2008 with the Angels.
NL Notes: Lohse, Lilly, Mets
The Brewers' Kyle Lohse visited with his old team in the Cardinals' clubhouse on Saturday, MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch reports. Lohse signed with the Brewers after a long offseason that began with Lohse and his agent, Scott Boras, declining the Cardinals' qualifying offer. There wasn't much of a market for Lohse after that, mostly because the team that signed him would have to sacrifice a draft pick. He finally signed a three-year, $33MM deal with the Brewers. Lohse reflects on the twisting path that led him to Milwaukee: "[Declining the Cardinals' qualifying offer] makes me look bad, [because] that's a lot of money. But is it fair value for what I had done? No," says Lohse. "Even going back on it, I'd still do the same thing. You have to go out and take your chances. Now, going forward, I don't know what other people in my situation are going to do." Here are more notes from the National League:
- Ted Lilly's status with the Dodgers is in question, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com writes. The Dodgers asked Lilly to make two more rehab starts, but Lilly declined, feeling he is ready for the majors. The Dodgers don't currently have a job available for him on their crowded pitching staff, however. The Dodgers would reportedly like to trade Lilly, who they owe $12MM in 2013.
- Mets GM Sandy Alderson denies recent rumors connecting his team to the Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton, Matt Balasis of MetsMerized Online reports. Alderson says his team has not had talks with the Marlins since early spring. Alderson also says the Mets will not trade catcher John Buck.
Brewers, Marlins, Others Interested In K-Rod
8:58pm: The Angels aren't interested in signing Rodriguez, MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez reports (via Twitter).
7:50pm: Right-hander Francisco Rodriguez is drawing interest from such teams as the Angels, Brewers, Marlins and a few others, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports. The free agent reliever drew little attention on the open market during the offseason, with only the Mets briefly being linked to Rodriguez, though Scott Boras (Rodriguez's agent) said two weeks ago that he expected his client to soon find a new team.
Rodriguez recorded an even 72 strikeouts in 72 innings with Milwaukee last season, posting a 4.38 ERA and 2.32 K/BB. It seemed as if a return to the Brewers was unlikely but given how the club's bullpen has struggled early this season, it isn't surprising that the Crew are checking in on a known quantity. Rodriguez could even find himself in line to become a closer again if he re-signs with the Brewers given that incumbent closer John Axford recently lost his job, though Jim Henderson is slated to receive the lion's share of the save opportunities.
The Angels and Marlins are also in need of bullpen help, owning respective bullpen ERAs of 4.94 (19th in MLB) and 6.31 (28th in MLB) heading into Friday's action. Angels righty Ryan Madson isn't expected back from elbow surgery for a few weeks while Miami closer Steve Cishek has a 15.43 ERA after three outings this season.
Quick Hits: Brewers, Diamondbacks, Marlins
As the year's first full weekend of baseball gets underway, take a look at the latest on the Cubs' efforts to rehabilitate Chicago's venerable Wrigley Field. Hal Dardick of the Chicago Tribune writes that, with the club and the city nearing a deal, the owners of the famous Wrigleyville rooftops are preparing to fight any moves that would obstruct their view. On to some roster shuffling notes:
- The Brewers have some difficult roster decisions coming up, writes Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. With Corey Hart already out, the club needs to address injuries to Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez. While the club is hopeful that Braun will miss little (if any) time due to his neck spasms, Ramirez's knee sprain is concerning and could result in a DL stint. With a full 40-man roster, however, Milwaukee is short on choices. Potential reserve infielders Taylor Green and Jeff Bianchi are on the roster but are also on the DL, leaving prospect Scooter Gennett as the only apparent infield option on the current 40-man.
- The Diamondbacks added shortstops Cliff Pennington, Didi Gregorius, and Nick Ahmed this offseason, and already had prospect Chris Owings in place at the position, writes Nick Piecoro of AZCentral Sports. With Gregorius returning soon from an elbow strain, the club faces a complicated choice in allocating playing time among the players at the big league and upper minor league levels.
- Another injury-related roster crunch is playing out in Miami, where the Marlins are struggling to replace multiple injured first basemen (most recently, Casey Kotchman). Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald explains that, without any healthy replacements on the 40-man roster, the club is essentially holding tryouts among its other position players. The results reportedly included Chris Coghlan asking whether he could use his outfielder's glove and Miguel Olivo trotting out with his catcher's mitt on.
Offseason In Review: Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers waited until the eleventh hour to make a splash, but they made a significant upgrade to put themselves in the playoff mix.
Major League Signings
- Alex Gonzalez, SS: one year, $1.5MM.
- Kyle Lohse, SP: three years, $33MM.
- Mike Gonzalez, RP: one year, $2.25MM.
- Tom Gorzelanny, SP: two years, $5.7MM.
- Total Spend: $42.45MM.
Notable Minor League Signings
Trades and Claims
- Acquired 3B Stephen Parker from Athletics for P Darren Byrd.
- Acquired P Burke Badenhop from Rays for OF Raul Mondesi Jr.
- Claimed P Arcenio Leon off waivers from Astros.
Extensions
- Carlos Gomez, OF: three years, $24MM.
Notable Losses
- Yorvit Torrealba, Fautino de los Santos, Manny Parra.
Needs Addressed
After trading Zack Greinke last July and losing Shaun Marcum to free agency, the Brewers seemed content to head into 2013 without making a significant upgrade to the rotation. However, Milwaukee decided to give Kyle Lohse a home last week by giving him a three-year, $33MM deal. Aside from the money, the deal also means that the Brewers have to forfeit their No. 17 pick in the June draft. 
You can debate whether or not it was worth it for Milwaukee, but there's no denying that it makes them a better team to open the season. Lohse joins Yovani Gallardo atop the rotation and their presence is especially important given the lack of experience on the rest of the staff. Marco Estrada pitched to a 3.64 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in 23 starts and six relief appearances in 2012 and the Brewers would love to see something similar this year, but he had just nine starts on his resume prior to last season. They'll also be counting on Mike Fiers in the No. 5 spot after slotting Chris Narveson in the bullpen.
The Brewers' biggest need was their bullpen and they made major changes in an effort to turn things around. First, Milwaukee traded Raul Mondesi Jr. to the Rays for right-hander Burke Badenhop. Then, they picked up a pair of former Nationals in free agent left-handers Tom Gorzelanny and Mike Gonzalez. All three should help the Brewers' cause this season and they should improve upon their NL-worst 4.66 ERA from last season.
Alex Gonzalez was picked up in February to provide an alternative to Jean Segura, but he'll be serving an even more important role to open the season. With Corey Hart sidelined until mid-to-late May and Mat Gamel out for the season, Gonzalez will start the season as the club's first baseman. Which leads us to..
Questions Remaining
The Brewers scored the most runs in the National League last season (third in the majors) but the Hart injury could hurt them depending on his recovery time. Hart's slash line of .270/.334/.507 was a big reason for their offensive surge last season but they'll have to get by with Gonzalez in the interim, a player who hit .241/.270/.372 in his last full campaign. It's cause for concern defensively as well. Gonzalez has 13,207 2/3 innings of experience of at shortstop but exactly none at first base.
The trio of Badenhop, Gorzelanny, and Gonzalez should improve the Brewers' bullpen but there are still plenty of question marks about their relievers. John Axford took a major step back in 2012, posting a 4.67 ERA (versus a 2.26 ERA in the three years prior) with 12.1 K/9 and 5.1 BB/9. They'll need better than that in 2013 to compete in the NL Central.
Deal of Note
In mid-March, the Brewers gave Carlos Gomez a three-year, $24MM extension that will keep him locked up through the 2016 season. The deal buys out the first three years of Gomez's free agency and could prove to be a bargain for the club if he continues to progress and hit right-handed pitching. It also came as something of a surprise since agent Scott Boras typically urges his players to test the market rather than sign an extension with a year to go before free agency. The 27-year-old posted a .260/.305/.463 batting line in 452 plate appearances with a career high 19 homers as Milwaukee's everyday center fielder last season. He also provides solid defense at the position, as his career 14.7 UZR/150 shows.
Overview
The Brewers finished the 2012 season in the middle of the pack with 83 wins – enough to claim a .500 record but not enough to play in October. While things looked stagnant for much of the winter, the Lohse addition gives their starting rotation a boost that cannot be overstated. As Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel recently noted, Lohse has 331 career starts to his credit, which is more than the combined 270 starts that the originally planned rotation of Gallardo, Estrada, Wily Peralta, Narveson, and Fiers have made.
On paper, Milwaukee's starting five should be strong enough to help reduce demand on their potent offense. If the bullpen can climb out of the cellar, then the Brewers should find themselves in the playoff hunt this year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.