reliever market

[piccione88]

The biggest weakness on this team that I see is the relief pitching. Relievers flame out from year to year, even during the season, and the Brewers already have a pretty weak bullpen. I have never been big on giving up alot for relivers since they can flame out, and do not have as big a role on a team, as a guy that plays everyday, or a starting pitcher. So in my opinion a guy like Brian Fuentes who so many teams are after already, is just not worth the price. So who is available, that will not cost an arm an a leg?

 

J.P Riccardi has pretty much said they are sellers and they have an excess of pitchers if that is possible, so Tallet, Frasor, and Camp could possibly be had on the cheap. Other than that the only people I can think of that would be available that would not cost the brewers a top prospect would be Chad Bradford, Keith Foulke, and maybe Betancourt, and Ron Mahay. What relievers are available that could help us, but not require a ton of talent?

[BrewersNation]

I would like to see the Brewers go after Jon Rauch in Washington. He would be under the team's control through 2010, and he has proven to be extremely effective in the closer's role. Salomon Torres will be a Brewer through the 2009 season, so Rauch could presumably take over as closer in 2010.

 

His ERA is at a fantastic 2.38, and Washington still has Chad Cordero to reclaim the closer's role next season. Thus, Rauch is expendable. He will cost a lot though, and the Nationals are notorious for trying to pull a fast one on teams. They offered the Brewers a Cordero-Weeks trade in the off-season. I wonder if the team would be willing to part with Rauch and another prospect for Weeks. Doug Melvin could then acquire Ray Durham to man second base for the remainder of the year.

 

That is a far-fetched idea, but it would improve the team in multiple facets.

[dadofandrew]

Of those names, I see Bradford as being a real possibility. The others are either not any better than what we have or likely unavailable.