Aug. / Sept. Transaction Thread -- Latest: From Helena to W.V.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site:

Outfielder Laynce Nix had his contract purchased by the Milwaukee Brewers this morning and will join the club in San Diego for its game there later this evening.

 

The 27-year-old has spent the entire 2008 season with the Sounds and hit .284 (108-for-380) with 23 home runs, 22 doubles, and 60 RBIs.

 

Nix has been especially hot at the plate recently, batting .364 (28-for-77) with 15 extra-base hits (6 HR, 7 2B, 2 3B) in his most recent 20 games.

 

He hit safely in 17 of those 20 contests and is currently tied for 10th among Pacific Coast League sluggers with his team-leading 23 home runs this season.

 

In 260 previous Major League games over his nine-year pro career, Nix has batted .236 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs.

 

Nix's addition was necessary when the Brewers placed former Sounds infielder Russell Branyan on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to August 12, with a right oblique strain. Nix filled the last open spot on Milwaukee's 40-man roster.

 

Infielder Ozzie Chavez was reinstated from the temporary inactive list to fill Nix's spot on the Sounds' roster.

 

In another transaction on Wednesday morning, pitcher Mark DiFelice was placed on the disabled list due to the back injury that forced him to leave his Tuesday start early. Reliever Luis Pena was activated from the D.L. to fill the open roster spot.

[Mass Haas]

At Brevard County, 3B Taylor Green has been placed on the seven-day DL retroactive to the 13th. Tuesday night Green took a pitch to the wrist in the 13th inning. We believe the organization may be awaiting test results because no formal news has been released, although with minor leaguers, we rarely see formal injury updates. The Florida State League media coverage is so weak we'll hardly get updates there.

 

It sure seems like every monkey wrench is being thrown into the Cleveland Indians' decision, isn't it? What if it's a hamate? Does that affect their decision?

 

NOTE: I want to make it clear that we have no idea what the test results will indicate. The fact that Green remained on the basepaths that inning and that his DL stint is backdated are both good signs. It may just be general soreness and we'll see him in six days. We are hopeful that this will have Adam McCalvy or the Journal-Sentinel guys (heck, the Cleveland Plain Dealer) place a phone call or two to get an update from the Brewer front office, as we don't believe this has been reported elsewhere.

 

And let's not forget our agent friend Josh represents Taylor Green. Update, Josh?

 

Thank you to our unnamed fan in the Brevard stands. We received formal word from the Manatees on the DL stint, but since the game wasn't available via audio, we had a little help from outside the organization.

 

By the way, J.R. Hopf continues his world tour and joins the 'Tees to fill the roster spot.

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Press Release:

The Milwaukee Brewers announced today the release of Stars' RHP Jason Shiell. Also RHP Steve Bray has been reinstated from the Temporary Inactive list.

It wasn't a good sign for the 31-year-old Shiell when he underperformed at Nashville and found his way to AA earlier. The Brewers didn't hit many home runs with their veteran minor league free agent signings this past offseason.

[agent39]

Drilled by a pitch on the wrist, he thought he broke his hand, he's fine it's just a bruise. Stop reading into things :P

[LouisEly]

We're not reading into things - we're Brewers fans. We have come to expect the worst. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Mass Haas]

Couple of Helena injury updates:

Remember this July 31st post?

We've never seen position players get hurt like this at a single level in Link Report history -- again, it's a Helena position player, and not their pitchers, who have just been punished in '08 --

 

Helena Top 4th

• - Michael Marseco singles on a soft fly ball to left fielder Lyndon Estill.
• - Erik Komatsu singles on a soft pop up to shortstop Tyler Kuhn. Michael Marseco to 2nd.
• - Brock Kjeldgaard grounds into double play, shortstop Tyler Kuhn to first baseman Mike Grace. Michael Marseco to 3rd. Erik Komatsu out at 2nd.
• - With Christopher Dennis batting, wild pitch by Daniel Hudson, Michael Marseco scores.
• - Helena Brewers shortstop Michael Marseco left the game due to an injured head.
• - Christopher Dennis strikes out swinging.

Not sure we've seen it worded that way before, but hopefully he's OK. To listen to the Marseco play, click on the KCAP archive of July 31st (you'll need to click on "Select Month" to choose July) , then browse to the 01:04:00 hour / minute mark. Michael took the ball right in the face on the slide home, also a chance to listen to Steve Wendt talk about the kid for the next several minutes, good stuff...

 

***

 

UPDATE: Marseco has gone to Alabama to have facial surgery. Ouch -- our best to Michael.

 

On another note, 4th round LHP Josh Romanski is heading to Arizona for further tests. It may be that hernia surgery is a possibility, if not a likelihood. See you with a fresh start in '09, Josh.

[Mass Haas]

This is a Birmingham News update from August 6th on Marseco --

 

Injury ends Michael Marseco's pro baseball season

MIKE PERRIN

Birmingham News staff writer

 

Former Samford star Michael Marseco's first season in professional baseball came to an end last week when a thrown ball broke at least three bones in his face.

 

Marseco, playing for the Helena (Mont.) Brewers in the Pioneer League, was hit last Thursday as he was trying to score from third base on a wild pitch in a game against the Great Falls (Mont.) Voyagers. The Fort Lauderdale native said the pitcher did not touch the throw from the catcher as he was sliding home.

 

Marseco was to visit a specialist in Helena today and he expected to return to Birmingham later this week for surgery.

 

"I fractured two sinuses under my right eye," Marseco said from Helena on Tuesday, "and part of my eye socket right next to my temple. They told me the break of the bone at the temple was not a clean break and won't heal by itself, so that's why I'll have to have surgery."

 

Marseco said he was told that a plate would probably be inserted to promote healing of the bone.

 

The shortstop was on a roll with the Milwaukee Rookie League team when he was injured. After batting just .188 in June, he was hitting .369 in July. His overall average was .311 in 40 games. Marseco had scored 18 runs with 13 doubles, three triples with 24 runs batted in.

 

In July, he was batting .400 with runners in scoring position and had registered 38 of his 47 hits with 20 of his RBIs.

 

"I have been getting good feedback," he said. "The scout who signed me said he expected me to be a late-season call-up (to Class A).

 

"As soon as I get cleared and the swelling is gone and everything is in place on my face, I'll be back on the field."

[Mass Haas]

RHP Michael Bowman was placed on the West Virginia DL, retroactive to August 18th. RHP Wily Peralta has been promoted from Helena to take his place on the Power roster.

 

Hopefully Bowman will be fine soon, but it is exciting to see Peralta get the bump up.

[colbyjack]

Definitely nice to see Peralta given a chance. We've heard some pretty good things about his stuff this summer listening to the Helena broadcasts, and I know I'm not the only one that was waiting to see what he could do in the month of August to give him a Nieves-like bump in the P50.

 

Plus, it's always nice to see some of the Brewers prospects from their humble Latin American efforts succeed.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Gamel lands big promotion

Stars third baseman now headed to Triple-A as Huntsville beats Carolina

By BRAD SHEPARD

For The Huntsville Times

 

As one top prospect said goodbye to Huntsville on Saturday night, another one took his second step toward proving he belongs.

 

Stars third baseman Mat Gamel received word after the game that he would be promoted to Triple-A Nashville, effectively finishing his season with Huntsville.

 

Meanwhile, the top pitching prospect for the Brewers, Jeremy Jeffress, worked 5 2/3 effective innings to pick up the victory in a 4-1 win over first-place Carolina in front of 2,704 fans. The 20-year-old right-hander allowed one run on six hits and struck out seven in the victory.

 

But the news of the night was Gamel, who has scuffled during the second half of the season - and finished his Stars year going 1-for-4 with a sparkling defensive play - but still impressed Brewers brass enough to earn a promotion.

 

"I'm excited," said Gamel, who's been a man of few words all season. "I feel a lot better at the plate. I'm just starting to see the ball better again and taking better swings.

 

"A change of scenery may be a good thing. I've got to go up there, relax and just play my game."

 

Gamel's average has fallen 55 points during the past month and a half, but he has hit the ball better recently, batting .293 since Aug. 13.

 

His final statistics with Huntsville this season are MVP-worthy: .329 batting average, 19 homers, 96 RBIs, 35 doubles and a .540 slugging percentage.

 

Also, he's cut his errors to 30 from 53 last year and leads all Southern League third basemen in putouts and chances.

 

"Defensively, the best thing I can go off of is what I've seen this year," Stars manager Don Money said. "But (first baseman Chris) Errecart has played with him and caught his throws, and he said he's improved 200 percent."

 

***

 

No news on a Nashville roster move, they'll have to make room.

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Times:

 

Stars center fielder Lorenzo Cain is out for the year with a pulled hamstring suffered Thursday night in Birmingham.

[colbyjack]

The timing for Gamel's promotion is very interesting since there's just over a week before the season is over. Is this a way to reward him, give him a change of scenery as the the story above mentions, possibly try to have him get a taste of AAA since he will be spending it there next year, or do the Brewers want him to get a week's worth of AAA at-bats before possibly bumping him up to Milwaukee? During last night's telecast, Darron and Brian mentioned that the Brewers had meetings yesterday concerning the upcoming roster expansion.

 

I guess it's also a little interesting since Escobar, or even Salome, weren't called up as well, since they too are deserving.

[twobrewers]

Best of luck to Gamel.

 

Very interesting move. I didn't think he would have a shot at MLB this year - but I wonder if this move indicates that the Brewers are considering him as a September call-up. (The Brewers 3B play this year has really been horrible)

 

Of course, it is also possible they just want to try and jump start him a little as he has struggled at Huntsville since the LaPorta trade. (Ala a Brent Brewer bump)

 

If Gamel gets a September call-up, I would think Escobar and Salome would also get one. (I has assumed none of them would) Escobar at least has the advantage of playing plenty of games with the MLB club in Spring Training.

 

Edit: Upon further review, Gamel is probably better than Counsell or Hall at 3B and would make the Brewers a better team. He would be a step down defensively, but his LH bat and power would be a pretty large jump over Hall and Counsell. If the Brewers are "going for it", a September call-up would make quite a bit of sense.

[dadofandrew]

Seems odd unless he's coming up 9/1. Gamel is a LH bat, and the other AA guys are not. Matt could help by PHing or by playing some 3B.

[twobrewers]

From today's Journal Sentinel...

"We'll sit down and talk about that," said Melvin. "If there's a role, I'm going to use them. I'm not going to bring up guys just to hang out. Players at (Class AA) Huntsville will be considered, too."

I would think if Gamel gets the call, he would take away Counsell's starts at 3B.

[lexi881]

Not sure what the long term plans for the season are - but as of now he is coming home for a week or so after Nashville, then reporting to Arizona for the Fall league out there.

[Never Outhustled]

I agree with the others above that Gamel's promotion only makes sense if he's going to Milwaukee in September. Nashville is an easier place to hit than Huntsville, so he could build a little confidence before joining the bigs. Gamel is showing signs of finding himself at the plate, hitting 293 over his last 10.

 

The only other scenario I could see that might have prompted Gamel's promotion is if Lawrie is assigned to a team to finish out the season, and that might set off a chain reaction.

[DHonks]

I fully expect Escobar in the big leagues for a simple reason. If he is sent home after the season, and something happens to Hardy, then Escobar may not have been around baseball for a couple weeks. But having him in Milwaukee in case of an emergency makes sense.

 

I'd love to see Brantley or Salome, but I'm not sure that'll happen since neither is on the 40 man roster. Of course, if either has to be added after this year, then it would make sense to add them in Sept.

[dadofandrew]

Escobar will probably be up eventually, as he can PH, PR, and perhaps most importantly, PR for JJ.

 

Money is not an issue, so they'll probably have 35 guys at some point.

[trwi7]

Doug Melvin is saying this is basically an audition for a September callup.

To see if Gamel would be able to help against big-league pitching in September, when rosters can be expanded, the Brewers decided to see how he fares for a week against Triple-A pitching.

"We wanted to give him some guys with Nashville before we decide about a call-up," said Brewers general manager Doug Melvin. "He had been struggling, though he did have a 10-game hitting streak recently.

"We want to see how he makes the adjustment there. It's tough bringing guys up from Double-A to the big leagues. He's under consideration (to come up in September)."

 

Link

[TheCrew07]

While this is a surprise to a certain degree, I'm not floored it by it the same way I was when Brewer got promoted. He's made significant strides defensively, and maybe most of us were wrong and he's knocking on the door louder than we thought. I would have thought he'd be handled similar to Braun, but apparently they are looking at being more aggresive. I'm on the fence... on the one hand he deserves it, but if this makes him a super 2 I'm unsure if it will be worth it. I'd like Gamel around for as long as possible.

[LouisEly]

My guess is Green off the DL to Huntsville to replace Gamel, and Wilson to Brevard to replace Green. Makes too much sense.

 

In Nashville my guess is one of Chavez/Woodward gets sent to AA, with Heether playing mostly at SS now.

[kramnoj]

on the one hand he deserves it, but if this makes him a super 2 I'm unsure if it will be worth it. I'd like Gamel around for as long as possible.

 

Super 2 has nothing to do with how long a player is under team control, just how much money they will get. If Gamel helps the team get to the playoffs, it will be worth it (maybe not financially in this year, but in a franchise sense).

[dadofandrew]

I doubt Gamel opens '09 at 3B, as he has been terrible in AA for a couple months. As stated, this is not the time to worry about days of service, this is the time to set the team up to win...if that means having 36 guys to the opponent's 28, so be it.

[DHonks]

This move makes sense because in the past the Brewers have promoted players to give them a taste of the level they are bound to repeat the next year