Brewers Sign Jorge Julio- 1 year/$950,000: New Closer?

[BuckyTuba]

I really like this deal... very low risk for a guy who has closed in the past, and had success down the stretch last year. Hopefully he can give us 50-60 decent innings with an era around 4-4.5.

[Ennder]

Interesting look at the deal over at fangraphs.

 

http://www.fangraphs.com/.../jorge-julio-to-milwaukee

 

The basic conclusion is the deal is pretty much what he is worth.

[twobrewers]

we can cut him in March and not owe him a penny.....

Exactly. Not only that, but if we cut him in March - at that point, many teams already have their bullpens pretty set - so Julio might be willing to head to AAA.

[aracko]

Mota @ 3.2 Million

 

2007 33 NYM NL 2 2 52 0 0 0 10 0 59.3 63 39 38 8 18 47 2 2 261 2 0 5.76 4.26 74 1.365

2008 34 MIL NL 5 6 58 0 0 0 18 1 57.0 52 28 26 7 28 50 0 4 244 0 1 4.11 4.30 105 1.404

 

Jorge Julio @950K

 

2007 28 TOT NL 0 5 68 0 0 0 14 0 62.0 68 39 36 8 31 56 3 6 280 2 1 5.23 4.72 90 1.597

FLA NL 0 2 10 0 0 0 5 0 9.3 18 14 13 2 11 6 2 1 59 1 1 12.54 4.30 34 3.107

COL NL 0 3 58 0 0 0 9 0 52.7 50 25 23 6 20 50 1 5 221 1 0 3.93 4.79 122 1.329

2008 29 TOT 3 0 27 0 0 0 11 0 30.0 27 12 12 3 19 34 1 6 132 2 0 3.60 4.36 121 1.533

CLE AL 0 0 15 0 0 0 6 0 17.7 18 11 11 3 11 15 0 3 78 1 0 5.60 4.44 79 1.642

ATL NL 3 0 12 0 0 0 5 0 12.3 9 1 1 0 8 19 1 3 54 1 0 0.73 4.25 583 1.378

 

 

If Julio was signed to replace Mota, I think we have a pretty similar player.

[PeaveyFury]

If Julio was signed to replace Mota, I think we have a pretty similar player.

 

Yeah. I think the Brewers are replacing their 08 bullpen with guys who are similar yet cheaper. Julio and Swindle for Mota and Shouse is potentially similar production for about 3-4 million less in salary. Very astute moves to trim budget for an offseason where we could potentially be spending a lot of money.

[bullox]

Boolio

[DougJones43]

Honestly, I really can't believe this guy still has a job. He has to be gone after tonight, right??...

[hawing]

Honestly, I really can't believe this guy still has a job. He has to be gone after tonight, right??...

I'd say yeah...only I've thought this after other Julio outings too.

[Invader3K]

I certainly hope so. He looked horrible out there tonight.

 

Also noticed he seemed to snap at Kendall when Macha pulled him? Did anyone else see that?

[RyDogg66]

This guys needs to go. Although when he pitches once every 10 days it is probably hard to stay sharp.

[TooLiveBrew]

I noticed that too, Invader, and have noticed Julio appearing to grumble on many other mound visits. I mean, the guy can't really feel justifiably wronged when he's pitching so poorly... can he?

 

Heck, even if I overstated a bit, I used the phrase "many other mound visits" for a guy that's thrown less than 20 innings on the season.

[brewdude15]

It's hilarious that we once thought this guy would serve as a possible closer for us. Thank goodness we signed Trevor, that's all I'd like to say.

[BrewCrewForever]

If Julio was our closer I would feel 100% more nervous then when Gagne used to trot in at the beginning of last season.

[mothershipconnection]

Bye bye Julio.

[Gobias Industries]

It seems that there are certain "established major leaguers" that get wayyyy more chances than they deserve. Like Julio, or a guy like Adam Eaton for example. Julio has sucked pretty consistenly for about 7 years now. Time to let him go.

[Hate those Rodents]

Who would we replace him with? Swindle maybe? Dillard is starting now so I doubt he's an option. Riske is still hurt I am pretty sure. Chris Smith might be the best guy to bring up, but since he's not on the 40 man roster, I doubt that happens. I guess I'd have to say Swindle, and I'd be fine with that.

[Schmidlap]

Who would we replace him with? Swindle maybe? Dillard is starting now so I doubt he's an option. Riske is still hurt I am pretty sure. Chris Smith might be the best guy to bring up, but since he's not on the 40 man roster, I doubt that happens. I guess I'd have to say Swindle, and I'd be fine with that.

Smith can take Julio's spot on the 40 man....Problem solved.

[BrewPackBuck]

Who would we replace him with? Swindle maybe? Dillard is starting now so I doubt he's an option. Riske is still hurt I am pretty sure. Chris Smith might be the best guy to bring up, but since he's not on the 40 man roster, I doubt that happens. I guess I'd have to say Swindle, and I'd be fine with that.

Wow Smith isnt on the 40 man roster, didnt even realize that. I figured that he would be the one to get the call up but if they do move Julio Swindle will probably be the guy.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

I thought they would want to keep Dillard stretched out in case they needed another starter, but he would be solid in a long relief role. Swindle has been dealing at Nashville, but has had two rough stretches in Milwaukee. Either option is better than Julio. I'd sign Jeff Cirillo as a pitcher before I let that hack out there again.

[DuWayne Steurer]

As soon as Julio came into the game, I said to my wife "Macha must be punting this one".

 

Now, I'm not claiming clairvoyance, but seriously, if you can't bring a guy into a game with a 2 run lead and expect him to hold, what good is he? He can't be used in tight situations, and there's going to be times due to pen fatigue that that last guy down there is going to be counted on. Can't keep going like this, especially when our starting rotation is seemingly only good for 5 innings an outing.

[TooLiveBrew]

And it would be one thing if Julio displayed any command whatsoever tonight. He just hasn't given the Brewers a compelling reason to keep him around aside from the fact that he is capable of touching the mid-90s with his fb.

[lcbj68c]

As soon as Julio came into the game, I said to my wife "Macha must be punting this one".

I said the same thing to my wife, and we almost went to this game tonight, but had a softball game that I couldn't miss. Had I made the game, I would have been yelling into the dugout for sure. And with only 1,000 people in attendance, I'm sure I would have been heard. "Jorge Julio" in a 2 run game? My wife thought I was going to jump through the television the minute my rear end left the recliner. Then when Macha left him in after the first two batters reached, I was even more livid. I just went ahead and hit the triple fast forward on the DVR and couldn't watch. I told my wife, book it 7-4 by innings end and sure enough. I haven't said one time all year that a "loss" has been pinned on Macha, but this one sure seems to be. All these posts about him being gone from the roster, I wouldn't hold your breath. The good news is, he wasn't expected to be a late inning guy, so I doubt Macha makes another mistake with him, even though Melvin will leave him on the roster until atleast July.

[stoutdude04]

lcb...Julio was the only option. DiFelice is hurt, and McClung and Stetter were unavailable due to work loads. Instead of blaming Macha, we should be looking at the major league pitcher who cannot throw strikes consistently.

[bullox]

lcb...Julio was the only option. DiFelice is hurt, and McClung and Stetter were unavailable due to work loads. Instead of blaming Macha, we should be looking at the major league pitcher who cannot throw strikes consistently.

Or the GM who decides who is on the 25 man roster.

[trwi7]

McClung and Stetter were unavailable due to work loads. Instead of blaming Macha

 

Yet McClung pitched an inning which means he was available.

 

DiFelice - hurt, not available

Coffey - obviously available since he pitched

Villanueva - obviously available since he pitched

McClung - obviously available since he pitched

Stetter - not available

Julio - obviously (and sadly) available

Hoffman - available

 

So Suppan got through five innings, we had five pitchers available in the bullpen to bridge the gap and Macha chose the worst one. The smart thing to do would've been to use McClung, Villanueva and Coffey for the 6/7/8 and then hopefully they get us through with the lead (they had a much better chance than Julio did) and hopefully we can score some tack on runs and then Julio can start the 9th with Hoffman coming in if Julio can't get it done.