Sept. 1st call-ups? Latest: Ten Up including Gamel, Salome and Escobar (reply #127ish and after); Capuano to 60-day DL, Gardner DFA'd

[LouisEly]

Definitely:

DiFelice

Dillard

TGJ

Iribarren

Nelson

Pena

Rottino

 

Probably:

Escobar (perhaps not until Huntsville is finished)

Narron/Nix/Stocker/Turnbow (38 currently on the 40, plus can 60-day DL Capuano and outright Gardner)

 

Outside chance:

Choate

Hammond

Gamel

[dadofandrew]

Too many, at least for 9/1. 2-3 pitchers, a 3rd catcher, and a couple others, probably Stocker.

 

3-4 more as their seasons wind down. I don't know if they'd add Gamel or not...if they do, it could well be on 8/31...

 

I can't imagine Turnbow unless he turns it around.

[Kurt]

7 players does seem a bit much. It would be exciting to see Gamel do a little pinch hitting. Turnbow with his 9.19 ERA in 15.2 IP in AAA is close to being demoted to Single A. NIX is having a pretty good year in AAA and has the most MLB experience. I can see him being called up on 9/1.

[piccione88]

I cant see Stocker, since all he can do is run, Gwynn could fill that role, and actually swunt for a base hit. I have to imagine that Nelson is a lock, as well as Difelice, Dillard, and Gwynn as well. Beyond that Nix, Pena, and Iribarren could also get called up. I doubt that Gamel will be called up, I am sure the brewers want to wait until next year, when he is a regular to start his arbitration clock.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

If the Brewers are "going for it," it's tough to ignore Gamel's bat in September.

[BrewCrewForever]

I'd like to see Gamel get a taste this September. A nice look into the future.

[razzzorsharp]

Those that I would love to see....

 

Gwynn (Speed)

Gamel (Another LH bat)

Nix (Defensive OF replacement)

Escobar (Same as above)

Rottino (So we can PH for the catcher)

Nelson (LH pop off the bench)

Pena (Another arm)

Turnbow (Give him some more MLB experience in blowouts)

DeFelice (Another arm)

Dillard (Another arm)

 

That's a lot of players but you only need one of Gwynn/Nix, Dillard/Defelice, and I am sure both Escobar/Gamel won't be called up.

[endaround]

Nelson hits left handed. Which makes Gamel really redundant. No real reason to add him to the 40 man so he can get maybe 5 ABs. The only one that's currently on the 40 man and who is healthy I don't see them bringing up is Cap'n Lou with Escobar a toss up.

[jwill535]

I would take Nix for his power and defense. Rottino is a given. Nelson would be a good bat off the bench and I agree he would eliminate the need to add Gamel to the 40. I would bring Stocker up instead of Gwynn for the late inning PR. As for pitchers it would be Choate(another LH), Pena if he isnt up here by that point and possibly a toss up between Dillard and Defelice. There is no way that Turnbow gets a sniff of the majors unless he has a miracle second half.

[ClosetBrewerFan]

Gamel has to be added to the 40 man at the end of the year anyways, to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. So I don't see that as a problem. But you're right about him and Nelson. They both would be just a LH bat off the bench.

 

I'd say Dillard, DiFelice, TGJ, a LH power bat (see above) and a bC (either Rottino or Palmisano) are locks. The others are less likely. I'd be surprised if Stocker is called up. TGJ, Nix, and Iribarren can all fill his role (speed) and they can swing the bat a little.

[brewers4eric]

The Stocker call up was a surprise last year, but he fits the designated runner role very well. It reminded me of the days when Herb Washington played for the Oakland A's.

[1992casey]

Gamel has to be added to the 40 man at the end of the year anyways, to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. So I don't see that as a problem.

 

The potential problem would be cutting someone to make room for him. There'd certainly be options, but they may or may not be desirable.

[brwrsfan]

I have no issues with the Brewers bringing up Mel Stocker, he adds very good baserunning and speed to the team. Even with Gwynn, does it really hurt to have 2 PR's available at the end of the game? He's not much of a hitter, but he was 4-4 last year in SB's attempts, every one of which was of the PR variety. If we really have to have a steal, I'd much rather have him on the bases than Gwynn.

[Fatter than Joey]

If the Brewers are "going for it," it's tough to ignore Gamel's bat in September.

 

Barring injuries, I think the only call-ups you are going to see, are players that will help in later inning substitutions/double switches/pinch-hitting/etc....

 

This means a guy like Rottino who could catch should be called up, Stocker could be used to PR for Fielder/Rivera/Hardy, etc.. Nelson would be great (assuming some sort of pre-Sep. deal is not made), as a LH off the bench.

 

Of course some pitching depth would be nice for the BP as well.

 

Turnbow should be issued a restraining order not allowing him within 500 yards of Miller Park, as he has 37 BBs in 17 IP in Nashville.

 

I don't think bringing up Gamel would be smart, he is still too rough to play 3b, and you certainly don't want him getting ABs at the expense of Prince/Braun/Hart. It doesn't seem sensible to start his arby clock, for a handful of PH ABs, where a guy like Brad Nelson could probably give you a similar result over 20 or so ABs.

[TauPentaRei]

I have no issues with the Brewers bringing up Mel Stocker, he adds very good baserunning and speed to the team. Even with Gwynn, does it really hurt to have 2 PR's available at the end of the game? ...he was 4-4 last year in SB's attempts, every one of which was of the PR variety. If we really have to have a steal, I'd much rather have him on the bases than Gwynn.

yeah who's got the better head for base running? as stolen bases are about way more than speed.

- the contact play from third

- heck, missing a squeeze sign

- reading a flare off the bat to break from second

- sac bunting skills

 

I simply can not imagine the 8th ring of hell wrathful eruption of Mt. St. Brewerfan if Stocker or Gwynn were to make a AAA blunder on the basepaths during a "must win" situation. It would make the Motastrada loathing look like Branyan love. Trust in the Kremblas tutelage, I suppose.

 

[ClosetBrewerFan]

The potential problem would be cutting someone to make room for him. There'd certainly be options, but they may or may not be desirable.

There are two spots available on the 40 man right now. Two more could be opened up by transferring Capuano/Gallardo to the 60 man DL. Then there is Mota who I hope will be gone soon. That's five spots right there. You can also include Gardner who seems likely to be dropped at the end of the year.

 

We don't know what all could happen over the next 7 weeks, but that seems like more than enough spots.

[1992casey]

Things definitely look good now, but as you say, the next seven weeks will tell the story.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Wouldn't bringing Gamel & Escobar up start their service time clock? My guess is they want them under contract as long as possible. I bet they bring them along like they did with Braun last year. Maybe Gamel next year, but probably 2010...Escobar 2010 for sure. June 1 callups?

[dadofandrew]

A month of time is unlikely to matter to studs like Escobar and Gamel.

[TooLiveBrew]

Wouldn't bringing Gamel & Escobar up start their service time clock?

 

The clock only tracks MLB days, so once they were sent back down, the clock would stop. I doubt Gamel & Escobar will be called up, personally. I don't want to see them called up, even though they could probably help. For Escobar, right now Counsell works fine as the MIF whiz, and Craig is much more likely to carry a higher OBP. For Gamel, there's Nelson & Branyan as LH power sticks, and Iribarren as another LH stick.

 

Nelson, TGJ/Stocker, DiFelice, Iribarren, Rottino & Pena can all help this team in specific roles (as opposed to Gamel/Esco just being ungodly talented). Beyond that, I'd have a hard time expecting any more. Don't forget that it costs $ to call each guy up, and for a team that's already teetering on the brink of being 'in the red', that cost may factor in. Teams rarely call up more than 5 or 6 guys, iirc.

 

 

BTW, great topic, LouisEly. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

 

EDIT: Here's some tidbits from Keith Law, from the free part of an Insider article:

 

"Roster expansion used to bring a slew of call-ups as teams filled their dugouts to the bursting point. But the altered economics of the game have limited call-ups for most clubs to bench players and extra relievers. A one-month call-up can cost about $66,000 in extra salary, plus another $3,000 in per diems, as well as extra insurance costs, travel costs and so on. Adding a player to the 40-man roster also makes him eligible for the new minor league minimum salary, which runs about $65,000 (compared to $12,000 or less for minor leaguers who have yet to be added to a 40-man roster or reach minor league free agency). Recall a half-dozen extra players, and it's easy to exceed a half-million dollars in added expenditures -- roughly a third-round pick's bonus or a relatively expensive signing in Latin America."

 

A couple of older MLB.com articles on September callups by Jonathan Mayo:

 

8/30/2004

8/29/2006

[Madtown Bomber]

Gamel's arby clock doesn't really matter anymore this season as the Brewers are already past the 2 MLB Super 2 deadlines. It goes against service time but once you get to September it has no bearing on the arby clock. So that is why Gamel is being discussed so heavily. You would however have to add him on August 31st if you want him on the playoff roster dependent on whether you have a man go on the DL in September. Gamel is a likely canidate IF the Brewers do not trade for a left handed hitter for the bench by the August 31st deadline. Like said above Gamel will likely be added to the 40 man as soon as the season ends anyways to protect him from Rule 5.

 

Gamel though is a likely canidate to be brought up because he is the best "pure" bat in the system. PLUS he is left handed. Somebody brought up Brad Nelson, and while a possibility, is less likely because you have a guy who compares in 3TO.

 

It is a long time to the end of August and I think there will be guys in the system who won't even be in the organization come the end of August due to trades and such. If I am guessing I am saying:

 

Luis Pena - July 31st

Matt Gamel - August 31st

Tony Gwynn Jr. - September 1st

Mel Stocker - September 1st

Vinny Rottino - September 1st

maybe Mark DiFelice - September 1st

[TooLiveBrew]

Somebody brought up Brad Nelson, and while a possibility, is less likely because you have a guy who compares in 3TO

 

But Branyan is going to be starting most games, leaving a void in terms of a bench LH power bat. Gamel would fit here, too, but Nelson hasn't exactly blundered his chance in Triple-A (.305/.411/.492/.903). I'd guess Nelson over Gamel, but that's all it is -- a guess. It'd certainly be exciting to see Mat!

[LouisEly]

Too many, at least for 9/1. 2-3 pitchers, a 3rd catcher, and a couple others, probably Stocker.

 

3-4 more as their seasons wind down. I don't know if they'd add Gamel or not...if they do, it could well be on 8/31...

 

I can't imagine Turnbow unless he turns it around.

Uh, Al, 3 pitchers, a 3rd catcher, and a couple others equals 6-7. I said seven will definitely get called up. No such thing as "too many" if they are in a playoff run. If they were out of it then I'd say only 3-5, but last year they called up eight players:

Rottino, Villanueva, Spurling, Stetter, Stocker (9/2), Rivera (9/4), Vargas/Parra (9/9 & 9/22 - Vargas technically activated off of DL, but he went on the DL when Sheets was activated, and Parra was called up to replace Sheets, and the Parra was activated off the DL on 9/22, so one of those in that Lazy Suzan has to be a callup because not all were on the roster at the same time prior to 9/1), and Nix (9/11). Nashville was in the playoffs so that is the only reason why Nix wasn't called up until 9/11. Such will not be the case this year, so expect any and all Nashville callups to be on a flight to Milwaukee on 9/1.

 

So I don't think it is out of the realm to call up seven on 9/1, especially with Nashville out of it. They need more arms and at least one more long reliever (DiFelice) because the bullpen has been getting worked a lot lately with short starts by McClung, Sheets, and Suppan. And at this point I don't think it's a stretch to think that all of DiFelice, Dillard, and Pena are better options than Mota, so it could be argued that until Mota is replaced by one of those three that the Brewers are working with an 11 man staff right now. Narron would make a nice additional lefty to have in the pen too, so I think of the "probablys" he is the first one to grab an available 40-man slot. The others I don't think are as likely as Narron, but I'd say Nix as #9 for his LH bat and power, Stocker as #10, and Turnbow the least likely but only a possibility because of experience.

 

If I'm DM, the last thing I want to do is get caught short-handed in an extra inning game (or have my bullpen taxed the day after an extra inning game), so if it means a few bodies on the bench who may never see action then so be it. I think the extra half-million or so that it may cost to carry them for a month (and they are heavy on home games - 16 home vs 10 road - so less travel expenses) will be more than offset by the playoff revenue if they make it.

[TooLiveBrew]

Nashville was in the playoffs so that is the only reason why Nix wasn't called up until 9/11. Such will not be the case this year, so expect any and all Nashville callups to be on a flight to Milwaukee on 9/1.

 

I wonder, though, if Nelson would be a target to get called up, & the thinking was he'd be useful in the playoffs (if we get there), wouldn't it make more sense to get him up before then so he could be added to the postseason roster?

[kramnoj]

I admit to not being knowledgeable about minor leagues, but I've heard rumblings that Brad Nelson may be lost in the Rule V draft this offseason because there may not be enough 40 man spots to protect him. With Nelson putting up a 900 OPS at age 25, I would guess that he would be attractive to other clubs. If that is the case, would Melvin be trying to package him in a deal for a reliever or a PH bat?

 

I bring this up, just wondering what value Nelson would bring most to the Brewers: a September callup that gets a few ABs or used in a trade to acqure someone that the team feels can improve the club for the stretch.

 

Also, I have an arby question: If someone were to get called up Aug 31, how much service time would they get? Would it be 1 day, 31 days if they were here for all of September, or something different? According to the roster management link here, a player doesn't have to be on the major league roster Aug 31 to be eligible for the playoffs, just on the 40 man: http://www.brewerfan.net/ViewRosterManagement.do . If I understand it correctly, if Gamel were placed on the major league roster on Aug 31, that may use an option, but it really wouldn't affect Gamel's future FA status, because a player needs 6 full years of service time to earn FA. It would presumable affect future Super 2 status.