Playoff roster (released: reply 40ish) [merged with Would you have chosen another pitcher over Nelson]

[Ennder]

Lee is not a bad OF at all, better than Dunn and guys like that. Carlos doesn't run any harder than he has to, but that's how he's stayed healthy all these years.

Statistically he is every bit as bad as Dunn and is approaching Manny territory in LF. Statistically speaking using DRS Lee rated as a -21.40 defensively in LF which is the worst season i think I've ever seen in LF.

 

Adding offensive and defense he rated as the 21st best LF in baseball this year just slightly better than Brady Clark and behind guys like Fred Lewis and Josh Willingham.

[nate82]

Adding DeFelice would be redundant when you have Parra, Suppan, McClung, and Villanueva already in the bullpen. All of those guys can go for as many innings as DeFelice could go.

 

Nelson is a left handed bat and is a better option if we need some runs than Counsell.

[ELCABALLO45]

Anyone who wants Nelson in right over Hart, I dunno what to say. Hart will be fine.

 

This is the playoffs, everything starts over. Its a new season.

[tigerbrew]

I'm ok with Nelson in the roster, he could make a useful lefty PH.

[dadofandrew]

I'd be tempted to go with 9-10 pitchers myself. With the days off and CC going twice, you don't need a lot of innings eaten. However, with Yo as a starter, you gotta add one to cover for him.

[rluzinski]

Having only gotten 7 AB in the majors this year, Brad Nelson has not had the opportunity to show us anything. He had a pretty nice year in AAA, though:

 

.286/.380/.480/.860 (475 AB)

 

I'm fine with giving him a couple of AB against righties, if needed.

[logan82]

dadofandrew[/b]]I'd be tempted to go with 9-10 pitchers myself.

I would too, but our starting pitching is in such disarray right now. Our best option is almost starter by committee right now. 12 pitchers when you only need 4 starters going on regular rest and off days to rest your best relievers would normally seem excessive.

[JoeHova]

Lee is not a bad OF at all, better than Dunn and guys like that. Carlos doesn't run any harder than he has to, but that's how he's stayed healthy all these years.

Statistically he is every bit as bad as Dunn and is approaching Manny territory in LF. Statistically speaking using DRS Lee rated as a -21.40 defensively in LF which is the worst season i think I've ever seen in LF.

 

Adding offensive and defense he rated as the 21st best LF in baseball this year just slightly better than Brady Clark and behind guys like Fred Lewis and Josh Willingham.

 

 

 

I'm no fan of Lee, but how can that be the case? Brady Clark got 11 PAs and played 16 2/3 innings in the field this season. He was also pretty bad in AAA, so I doubt you are including minor league translations.

[Ennder]

I'm no fan of Lee, but how can that be the case? Brady Clark got 11 PAs and played 16 2/3 innings in the field this season. He was also pretty bad in AAA, so I doubt you are including minor league translations.

Because Lee's defense was bad enough it almost completely negated his offense. They would have almost been better off with a league average player in LF. Granted when you are looking at stats vs 'average' you'll get some odd results for small playtime players since a guy who plays 1 game and hits a HR ends up being better than someone who played 162 games and was below average.

[battlekow]

Nelson selected to Brewers' 25-man NLDS roster

By JARED PATTERSON

PHILADELPHIA - Brad Nelson sat in his hotel room Tuesday night trying to soak everything in.

It was, in fact, still hard for the former Algona Bishop Garrigan star to comprehend exactly what the last month has been like.

First came the call he had waited for his entire life.

After spending nearly six years in the minors, Nelson got the September call-up and was thrust into the Milwaukee Brewers' pennant race.

He played sparingly in September, going 2-for-7 in pinch-hitting roles as the Brewers clinched the National League wild card on the final day of the regular season.

Now the 25-year-old finds himself in the midst of the Brewers' first playoff series since 1982 as he was placed on the the 25-man postseason roster.

"What a feeling," Nelson said.

Nelson was pulled aside by manager Dale Sveum after practice in Philadelphia Tuesday and was told he made the playoff roster.

If he hadn't made the roster Nelson had planned to head back to Algona to help his dad with the harvest before leaving to play winter ball in the Dominican Republic.

"It's always good to see family, but I hate to say once in a lifetime, but you never know," he said. "How many great players have played this game and have never made it here?"

Nelson won his spot over third baseman/first baseman Russell Branyan, who also bats left-handed but was on the disabled list for most of September with a strained right oblique, and utility man Joe Dillon, a right-handed hitter.

"We were a little concerned with Branyan's health, though he looked fine today in (batting practice)," Sveum said in a press release after the Brewers worked out at Citizens Bank Park. "Nelly is a combination; he's played the most outfield of anybody else right now of those guys.

"He's given us some really good at-bats. Knock on wood, I don't think he's had a poor at-bat since he's been here."

During Nelson's month-long stint with the Brewers he had a front row seat for a laundry list of dramatic events.

It started with the firing of Ned Yost when the team was still in first place in the wild card.

Then it was CC Sabathia, giving countless dominant performances for the season's final month to help the Brewers to their first postseason since 1982 - the same year Nelson was born.

Add in Ryan Braun's walk-off grand slam on the season's last weekend and the champagne celebration in the lockerroom on Sunday and it was a magical month for Nelson.

"I've thought about it," Nelson said of the playoff-clinching celebration. "You watch it when you grow up as a baseball fan, but to experience it is unbelievable."

Now it's to the playoffs, where the Brewers begin their best-of-5 series with the Phillies today at 2 p.m. (TBS).

"It's still the same game," Nelson said. "I just have to relax. I've been playing my whole life for this."

[TooLiveBrew]

"We were a little concerned with Branyan's health, though he looked fine today in (batting practice)," Sveum said in a press release after the Brewers worked out at Citizens Bank Park. "Nelly is a combination; he's played the most outfield of anybody else right now of those guys."

 

That part really stood out to me, and has me hopeful that Nelson's role will extend beyond just a smattering of PH appearances. Now, it could very well just be Sveum finding something nice to say about Nelson & nothing more, but I will continue to hope that some AB v. RHP will go to Nelson as opposed to all going to the scuffling Corey Hart -- who I agree 'will be fine', but is about as far from 'fine' as one could be right now.

[GormanHarvey]

"We were a little concerned with Branyan's health, though he looked fine today in (batting practice)," Sveum said in a press release after the Brewers worked out at Citizens Bank Park. "Nelly is a combination; he's played the most outfield of anybody else right now of those guys."

 

That part really stood out to me, and has me hopeful that Nelson's role will extend beyond just a smattering of PH appearances. Now, it could very well just be Sveum finding something nice to say about Nelson & nothing more, but I will continue to hope that some AB v. RHP will go to Nelson as opposed to all going to the scuffling Corey Hart -- who I agree 'will be fine', but is about as far from 'fine' as one could be right now.

I thought the same thing when I read it. If Hart continues to struggle as mightily as he has lately, what would they have to lose by letting Nelson get some AB's

[dadofandrew]

I can't see Nelson playing RF, barring injury. I would think Dale may well have been comparing Brad to Russ and Joe...and no doubt, Nelson played a lot more OF than either of them this year.

[LouisEly]

I think Al is right - he was comparing Nelson to Branyan and Dillon. I doubt we'll see Nelson in the field unless in case of emergency. And Hart did break up the no-hitter today.

 

With them unsure of Branyan's status, it sounds like they had to make a decision and went with the next best LH bat with pop.