June / July Transaction Thread -- Latest: Huntsville Times w/Injury Details

[Mass Haas]

First, a link to the April / May transaction thread.

 

Nashville catcher Eric Munson was placed on the disabled list prior to Monday's game with a left (non-throwing) shoulder injury. To fill Munson's roster spot, catcher J.R. Hopf was recalled from short-season Single-A Helena.

[JJHardy7]

Nashville catcher Eric Munson was placed on the disabled list prior to Monday's game with a left (non-throwing) shoulder injury. To fill Munson's roster spot, catcher J.R. Hopf was recalled from short-season Single-A Helena.

 

Is there a reason J.R. Hopf is being bounced around so much? I just fine it odd that he's going from Helena to Nashville and he's had this (or something similar) happen a few times now.

[go sounds]

As far as I can tell, Hopf hasn't really LEFT the Sounds. He's been in the dugout each time he's been "assigned" to Helena. I'd been wondering why he was always here even though he's assigned elsewhere.

[JJHardy7]

As far as I can tell, Hopf hasn't really LEFT the Sounds. He's been in the dugout each time he's been "assigned" to Helena. I'd been wondering why he was always here even though he's assigned elsewhere.

 

Yea I've seen him too when he's been assigned and talked to him once or twice. I guess that's kind of why I'm confused. It's not often in realistic terms that a player gets moved from AAA to Helena ball. Are the Brewers "abusing" the system here?

[pogokat]

doesnt it dramatically cut his pay to send him to rookie ball?

 

then again, he probably has a clause in his contract that pays him the AAA minimum or something no matter what goes on...

[yoda knows all]

Yea, I was wondering about that when we watched the Sounds in Vegas 3 weeks ago. The transaction log had Hopf transferred, but there he was in the bullpen. From my observations, Hopf is a more effective catcher than Munson at this point.

[DHonks]

Pogo, I believe that once a player has played at a level, they can be demoted but their contract remains at that higher level of pay . That's why it's important for placing players before the Rule V draft.

[DHonks]

I haven't seen Mike Jones' name in a while...is he active?

[TheCrew07]

He's in the bullpen now in AA... Mass linked audio yesterday or the day before with the pitching coach, who discussed Mike.

[JJHardy7]

He's in the bullpen now in AA... Mass linked audio yesterday or the day before with the pitching coach, who discussed Mike.

 

Did he recently move to the bullpen? I saw him start a game a few weeks back (Sorry I haven't listened to the audio portion if that is what was mentioned).

[TheCrew07]

Yes recently.

[JoeHova]

What happened to Munson this year? I've never been a fan but he really went in the tank. Small sample, but it's hard to have MLB pretensions when you're hitting .165 in the minor leagues.

[JJHardy7]

What happened to Munson this year?

 

He hasn't had a ton of at-bats and didn't get a ton of playing time until Branyan got called up. Since Rottino is the every day catcher Munson had a hard time getting in the lineup with Brad Nelson playing 1B. Now with Nelson seeing time at 3B Munson was set to get a lot more playing time at 1B.

[Mass Haas]

Almost invariably, when you see young pitchers head to the D.L., it is after one, or often several, subpar outings, as they may try to pitch through some ailment before fully disclosing things to the training staff. That's a generalization, and we're not saying that was the case here.

 

At Brevard, RHP John Axford heads to the seven-day DL retroactive to June 5th,

 

Submarining RHP E.J. Shanks is activated from the DL in his place.

[Mass Haas]

There's little doubt that the Brewers already have signed a lot more than the three draft picks we have media confirmations on (7th round RHP Trey Watten, 20th round RHP Liam Ohlmann, and 24th round LHP Brandon Ritchie), with their signings discussed in this thread on the Minor League Forum. It's just that the Brewers won't announce the signings until more are official.

 

In the meantime, as they always do, the Brewers will analyze their needs in a post-draft sense, and will sign non-drafted players as well.

 

First Non-Drafted Free Agent Signing Announced

 

Brandon Drespling Signs with the Milwaukee Brewers

 

NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - Former Westminster College baseball player Brandon Drespling (New Castle, Pa./Laurel) signed a contract as a free agent with the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday, becoming the first Titan baseball player since 1972 to sign with a Major League organization.

 

A 5-foot-10 outfielder, Drespling signed with the Brewers on Sunday and Monday he flew out to their spring training facility in Phoenix, Ariz. Drespling will likely be assigned to the team's Rookie League affiliate in Helena, Mont.

 

Drespling, who transferred to Westminster from West Virginia and UNC-Asheville, played and started in all 76 games for the Titans the last two seasons while twice earning first team all-Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) honors. Drespling batted .379 (108-285) with seven home runs, 60 RBI and 29 stolen bases, including a team-high .388 average in 2007 and a team-best .372 average in 2008 with 33 RBI.

 

The last Westminster baseball player to sign with a Major League organization was Darryl Jones who was drafted in the fifth round of the 1972 amateur draft by the New York Yankees. Jones wound up appearing in 18 games with the Yankees in the 1979 season.

 

About Westminster College...

Founded in 1852 and related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Westminster College is ranked 15^th among liberal arts colleges, according to the Washington Monthly 2007 Annual College Guide. Westminster is a national leader in graduation rate performance, according to U.S. News Guide to America's Best Colleges, and is one of the most affordable national liberal arts colleges in Pennsylvania. Westminster is also honored as one of "The Best 366 Colleges" and "Best in the Northeast" by The Princeton Review, and was recognized by the Templeton Guide as a "Character Building College."

 

Nearly 1,600 undergraduate and graduate students benefit from individualized attention from dedicated faculty while choosing from 41 majors and nearly 100 organizations on the New Wilmington, Pa., campus.

 

***

 

Pre-Season profile:

 

One-year letterman . . . second year on the team . . . returning starter as a right fielder ... one of two players (Donnie Womeldorff) to start all 38 games as a junior (2007) . . . only Westminster player voted first team all-PAC . . . ranked seventh in the PAC with a team-high .388 batting average . . . also team leader in hits (50), total bases (78), stolen bases (13) . . . tied for team lead in runs scored (27), ranked second on the team in on-base percentage (.432), doubles (12), walks (10), triples (2) and ranked third with 27 RBI . . . best game was going 4-for-4 with three RBI and a homer at Grove City (4/20/07) . . . personal: birthday is Dec. 9 . . . son of Carl and Mary Drespling . . . one sister . . . previously attended West Virginia and UNC-Asheville before attending Westminster

 

One-year letterman . . . second year on the team . . . returning starter as a right fielder ... one of two players (Donnie Womeldorff) to start all 38 games as a junior (2007) . . . only Westminster player voted first team all-PAC . . . ranked seventh in the PAC with a team-high .388 batting average . . . also team leader in hits (50), total bases (78), stolen bases (13) . . . tied for team lead in runs scored (27), ranked second on the team in on-base percentage (.432), doubles (12), walks (10), triples (2) and ranked third with 27 RBI . . . best game was going 4-for-4 with three RBI and a homer at Grove City (4/20/07) . . . personal: birthday is Dec. 9 . . . son of Carl and Mary Drespling . . . one sister . . . previously attended West Virginia and UNC-Asheville before attending Westminster

 

Class: Senior

Hometown: New Castle, PA

High School: Laurel

Major: Business Administration

Position: OF

Height: 5-10

Bats / Throws: R/R

 

 

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

PRO BASEBALL: Laurel grad Brandon Drespling signs with Milwaukee

By Ron Poniewasz Jr.

New Castle (PA) News

 

Brandon Drespling's dream became a reality yesterday.

 

Drespling, a 2003 Laurel High graduate, signed a free-agent contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

"I'm very excited to sign with the Brewers," Drespling said. "Ever since I was little it was always a big dream of mine to play professional baseball.

 

"I'm really excited to have the opportunity."

 

Drespling will leave today for Arizona to report to Brewers camp and will either remain there to compete for Milwaukee's Arizona Rookie League team or depart for Helena, Mont. to play for the Rookie League team there.

 

"Hopefully I'll do well wherever I go and get my chance to move up through the organization," Drespling said.

 

Should Drespling play for the Arizona Brewers, he would join 2006 Mohawk graduate Jesse D'Amico on the squad. D'Amico is a catcher.

 

Note: Baseball America had reported hat D'Amico was released about a month ago. Perhaps that has changed, we'll learn in the next two weeks. -- Jim (Mass Haas)

Versatility is a key advantage for Drespling. He can play any outfield position and played the majority of the time collegiately in center field. In high school, he competed at second base his freshman year before making the switch to shortstop his next three seasons.

 

"It didn't matter to me where I played; I just want to play," Drespling said.

 

After high school, Drespling moved to the outfield in his freshman year at Division I North Carolina-Asheville. He made the switch because of an injury to a teammate and it was a way to get in the game.

 

Drespling said he will work some in the infield in the Brewers organization.

 

"We're excited to give Brandon the opportunity to compete at the minor league level," said Jack Zduriencik, who is a New Castle native and a special assistant to the general manager and director of amateur scouting for the Brewers. "I'm excited about the opportunity Brandon has."

 

Drespling stayed at UNC-Asheville for one season before moving on to West Virginia University for another season. He hit .296 at UNC-Asheville and slightly above .300 at WVU before transferring to Westminster College for his final two years of eligibility.

 

"I think I did all right at the D-I level," Drespling said. "I left UNC-Asheville because I wanted to be closer to home and I didn't like the program at West Virginia and I wasn't happy there.

 

"I had a blast at Westminster. (Head coach) Carmen (Nocera) is an excellent coach and a great guy."

 

Nocera had a quality centerfielder in Drespling as he led the team in batting this year at .372 with three home runs and 33 RBIs.

 

"Brandon was one of the most unselfish players I've ever had," Nocera said. "He was a winner and a a tremendous team leader."

 

Drespling thought he had a great shot of being selected in last week's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft.

 

"I was expecting to go in the draft and I was pretty upset that I didn't," he said. "Right after the draft I got a call saying Milwaukee was really interested in me."

 

Brewers scout Tim McIlvaine noticed the tools immediately that Drespling possesses.

 

"He stuck out because he's such a great athlete; he can run and throw," McIlvaine said. "He's a good player and he's got a lot of tools to like.

 

"The intention was there to draft him but a couple of different things happened and we made it a point to get together immediately and get him signed."

 

Drespling, who will turn 24 in December, kept his skills sharp by competing for Mark Elisco's Summertime Heroes team in the North County League.

 

"The best baseball I've played has been playing for Mark Elisco," Drespling said. "Overall, his knowledge for the game and how much fun it is sets it apart."

 

"He's had good coaching and he's been schooled real well from the likes of Elisco and Nocera," Zduriencik said.

"He's been around serious baseball people and we're looking to bring that knowledge to the Brewers organization."

[Mass Haas]

Nothing yet but I may sign a few. Lorenzo Cain to AAA tonight. Enjoy the scoop.

Wow, really? I was wondering what they were going to do with him with all the OF spots at Huntsville taken up.

 

 

That's from Josh's DDSM agent thread (Josh is Cain's agent).

 

Wow, that's all about keeping Huntsville's squad together during their big playoff run this week, so it's Cain to fill Hernan Iribarren's spot. Nice thinking by the Brewers, and look for one of the AA guys to swap with Lorenzo next week.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes:

IRIBARREN CALLED UP BY BREWERS; CAIN JOINS SOUNDS: Outfielder Hernan Iribarren, who was riding a season-best seven game hitting streak (8-for-23, .348) for Nashville, was recalled by Milwaukee today to fill the roster spot of former Sounds second baseman Rickie Weeks, who was placed on the 15-day D.L. yesterday due to a left knee sprain. To fill Iribarren's roster spot, outfielder Lorenzo Cain, who was ranked as the Brewers' #9 prospect by Baseball America entering the 2008 campaign, joins Nashville from Advanced-A Brevard County, where he batted .276 (69-for-250) with 18 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 34 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases in 21 attempts to open the year. Cain's first Sounds appearance will mark his first career game played above the Class A level.

[And That]

Cain's promotion surely must be a placeholder until LaPorta's half season in Huntsville is over, right? LaPorta has nothing left to prove at the plate in AA and he can work on defense at AAA.

[Mass Haas]

At Nashville, LHP Chris Narveson (ankle) has been activated from the DL. OF Mel Stocker was placed on the Temporary Inactive List, which was another reason for the Lorenzo Cain call-up, otherwise you'd think Nashville could have covered the Hernan Iribarren promotion without Cain.

 

No news on how or when the Brewers will backfill Cain's spot at Brevard.

 

As for Narveson, he's not listed within the Nashville media notes in their upcoming five-game rotation, but Jeff Weaver, one way or another, makes his final start for Nashville on Wednesday the 11th (you'd think), so Narveson will slide into that spot.

[JJHardy7]

Cain's promotion surely must be a placeholder until LaPorta's half season in Huntsville is over, right? LaPorta has nothing left to prove at the plate in AA and he can work on defense at AAA.

 

Yea I think LaPorta gets called up when the half season ends. I just hope that if he rakes in AAA they wait on him until they need him (i.e. for a possible playoff push) in September. I'm of the opinion that he has a little ways to go yet on his defense and unless there's a trade/injury he won't play everyday in Milwaukee which won't help him improve his defense.

 

I'm assuming Cain will go down to Huntsville when LaPorta comes up?

[pogokat]

that would be my guess...there's no way Cain stays at AAA...

 

i guess there's an outside possibility that the call to AAA is Brantley...he's got the most ab's in AA and fills the CF role as a possibility for 2008...we'll call it a long shot...but i can see an argument being made..

[battlekow]

I thought Cain was stretched as a center fielder?

[pogokat]

Cain? he's a great defender...did you mean Brantley?

[battlekow]

No, I meant Cain. I know Cain is a good defender, but I didn't think he was a center fielder.