Sox and Brewers talking about Jenks?

[berniebrewer4life]

Paul White of USA Today was on XM radio and he mentioned that the Sox and Brewers are in some heavy talks about Jenks...

 

What would we have to give up to get him?

[phxMILWfan]

I'm guessing they'd need JJ in order to make the deal. I don't know what else we have that they would want. At one point I thought they may take Hall but he's not even close to enough to get Jenks.

[Invader3K]

Maybe Escobar is going to get traded?

[endaround]

Or Brewer

[JohnBriggs12]

The White Sox don't need a SS. They've made it clear that Alexi Ramirez will be their SS next year.

 

They have 2 needs: CF and back of rotation starting pitching. They also are not completely set at 3B. Cameron who came up with the White Sox might make some sense. I doubt he would be enough to get Jenks. I'm not sure who would fill the bill for their other need though I could see any team wanting Villanueva either as reliever or back end starter.

Williams in the past has expressed some interest in Hall but that was before his tough 08 season.

I'm very wary of Jenks. His K total went down last year. He's had some physical issues. The fact that the Sox are shopping him has be extremely suspicious.

[ILuvDaBush]

Villy/Brewer for Jenks. We give them two controllable pieces, with upside, for a piece with questionable control. I'm not a huge fan of Jenks, and I think Villy could be better than Parra, but the Brewz are in need of a closer.

[JohnBriggs12]

Villy/Brewer for Jenks. We give them two controllable pieces, with upside, for a piece with questionable control. I'm not a huge fan of Jenks, and I think Villy could be better than Parra, but the Brewz are in need of a closer.

 

I think Villy could be just as good closing as Jenks, for less money so I wouldn't make that deal.

[paul253]

Yeah I dont understand why, if you're trying to improve the bullpen, you trade one of your better arms. Yeah, Jenks is probably better than Villy, but Villy might be the best current pitcher we have in the pen.

[MNBrew]

The Brewers could certainly make worse moves than Jenks. He's solid but not perfect. But that could be a pretty good move if they give up something sane in return.

 

With the Brewers needing to build their bullpen, dealing Villanueva would be a further step in undoing what they're trying to build, so that doesn't make sense. Plus CV's quite valuable. He's proven himself as both a starter and reliever even though his success as a starter was in '07 and his '08 rotation time didn't go so well.

 

I could see Cameron as the main piece going back to the Sox in a deal like this. Cameron's going to contribute more day-in and day-out than Jenks, although he has his drawbacks. Melvin also said Cameron rates out as the 6th best statistical CF. Is Jenks the 6th best closer? Maybe the Brewers would have to eat a bit of Cameron's contract on a one-for-one deal, or else they'd need to pony up with someone else unless you could actually get Kenny Williams to take on Billy Hall in the deal, too, in which case you might have to throw in much more cash. Or maybe that would mean the Brewers would have to take on some of the White Sox' salary sludge if they have any.

[JoeHova]

I don't like the move for Jenks if it involves a major piece of the current team. If it does, than you are just creating one hole to fill another. This team has no depth. Losing Torres hurt the pen, but losing Cameron might mean Tony Gwynn is starting, which would be the death knell for the team's 2009 chances. Losing CV would hurt too because he is still young and already pretty good, arguably their 2nd best pitcher as of now. I like Jenks, but his plummeting strikeout rate is a huge concern, we saw what happens when a closer can't strike anybody out with Kolb. Meanwhile, Jenks will surely get a nice chunk of change in arbitration, I'd rather just sign a guy than have to give up talent. There has to be somebody out there who is cheaper than K-Rod will be but still a good bet for success. Truthfully, Jenks' reputation as a less than reliable guy also makes me hesitant about making any deal for him where the Brewers give up a lot.

[TCSM]

My guess is, if Melvin does a Cameron-Jenks swap he already has something in the waiting. In one of the other threads it does make mention Melvin has been contacting free agent CF's.

 

In other words, it'll look like we're filling one hole by creating another, but Melvin more then likely has something cooking (one would hope).

[Invader3K]

Gwynn will never be a starter in Milwaukee. No need to worry there.

[jjfanec]

I see the Villy argument like the Marmol argument. To me Villy is more valuable as 1-2 inning reliever not your typical closer. I like him as an 8th inning guy who can go two if the game is tied. Like Marmol I think Villy is better for a team in that role than at closer. Not saying he is in the Marmol category as of the stuff he has but he brings the same flexibility and you lose that with a pure closer role. I think the Cubs made a mistake to put Marmol at closer and I think the Brewers would be making a mistake with Villy as well. Get a closer and put Villy as the set up guy, then you have McClung, Riske, and Stetter for the 7th or whatever you need them for. That is a potentially solid bullpen with the right closer, now I would rather get Wood or Hoffman, but Jenks would be good as long as we don't lose much.

[Invader3K]

I personally think Villanueva works well in the 6th starter/long reliever type role. He certainly helped out last year in situations like that.

[BrewCrewForever]

I wouldn't mind getting Bobby Jenks to close. But not for JJ Hardy. No way.

[jjfanec]

I personally think Villanueva works well in the 6th starter/long reliever type role. He certainly helped out last year in situations like that.

Last year McClung was the 6th starter. Villy never started a game after May. A bullpen of McClung and Villy gives you two guys who can pitch a couple innings and be long relievers. I trust Villy more late in games because as a reliever he walked just 14 guys in 59 innings while striking out 61. A 4:1 K/BB rate is great for a reliever. McClung walked 26 in 41 innings while striking out 37. That is a 1.5:1 K/BB rate. As a starter McClung had better numbers than Carlos, so why not have him as your 6th starter long man, and Carlos as your late inning guy. Carlos K/BB and K/9 rates as a reliever suggest he could suceed late in games. McClung's numbers suggest someone who could get in a lot of trouble with his walks.

[Never Outhustled]

The Brewers are lucky there's more FA closers this offseason then there are closer spots available. It would be like throwing a winning lottery ticket in the garbage if we traded for a closer.

The only reason I'd see Melvin in this conversation is if Kenny Williams still has an interest in Hall.

[BADGERJOBOB]

Why trade for Jenks when there is a plethora of FA closers available.

[Weirdos19]

Why trade for Jenks when there is a plethora of FA closers available.

Because when supply > demand, the closers will come cheaper in trades too.

 

The Brewers match up pretty well with the Sox. Maybe Cameron, Hall, and Nelson for Dye and Jenks??? The Sox are cutting payroll and need a centerfielder. Dye is locked up for a couple of years, but he still is decent and can play RF with Hart moving to center.

[nate82]

The Brewers match up pretty well with the Sox. Maybe Cameron, Hall, and Nelson for Dye and Jenks??? The Sox are cutting payroll and need a centerfielder. Dye is locked up for a couple of years, but he still is decent and can play RF with Hart moving to center.

I don't want to see Hart playing CF at all. I like Dye but I would rather have Hart in RF than Dye. Hart is average defensively in RF what would that make him in CF?

 

I wouldn't trade Hall straight up for Jenks. With the departure of Branyan 3B is really weak and if you trade Hall in this deal you are either relying on Gamel to be playing 3B next year or finding another platoon option for Lamb or someone else. I don't see how this improves the team.

 

I would rather take my chances with Hoffman, Wood, or Fuentes than with Jenks.

[twobrewers]

I am very leery of trading for a closer when so many FA closers are available.

(And Jenks is only middle of the pack talent wise when put with the rest of the FA closers)

Hoffman is still my choice.

[Weirdos19]

The Brewers match up pretty well with the Sox. Maybe Cameron, Hall, and Nelson for Dye and Jenks??? The Sox are cutting payroll and need a centerfielder. Dye is locked up for a couple of years, but he still is decent and can play RF with Hart moving to center.

I don't want to see Hart playing CF at all. I like Dye but I would rather have Hart in RF than Dye. Hart is average defensively in RF what would that make him in CF?

 

I wouldn't trade Hall straight up for Jenks. With the departure of Branyan 3B is really weak and if you trade Hall in this deal you are either relying on Gamel to be playing 3B next year or finding another platoon option for Lamb or someone else. I don't see how this improves the team.

 

I would rather take my chances with Hoffman, Wood, or Fuentes than with Jenks.

I still see the Crew getting Hank Blalock. Just the Melvin connection makes me think he'll be here.

[jjfanec]

I don't want to see Hart playing CF at all. I like Dye but I would rather have Hart in RF than Dye. Hart is average defensively in RF what would that make him in CF?

 

I wouldn't trade Hall straight up for Jenks. With the departure of Branyan 3B is really weak and if you trade Hall in this deal you are either relying on Gamel to be playing 3B next year or finding another platoon option for Lamb or someone else. I don't see how this improves the team.

 

I would rather take my chances with Hoffman, Wood, or Fuentes than with Jenks.

I agree with you on two of your points. I do not see what Hart has done to show us he can handle CF. He is a average to a little above average RF and that does not make him a solid CF.

I would rather have Hoffman or Wood than Jenks, but Fuentes I am unsure of because of his contract demands. Jenks would be under Brewers control for 3 years, so that would be nice but his price is determined by what he would cost for a trade.

However, I would deal Hall for anything at this point. At his contract hall's numbers the last two years have been dreadful. He has had an OPS under .740 the past two years. Last year he was 23 or worst out of 27 3B (at least 400 ab's) in every percentage statistic (ba, obp, slug, and ops), yet was number 3 in K's. The only 3B worse than him were Jack Hannahan and Jose Castillo, so I think we could find some as good as what Hall gave us last year. He would be okay as a straight platoon but if we can get rid of his contract that seems like a plus to me.

[nate82]

Good luck in finding another platoon player that can do this against left handed pitchers.

 

2008

By Breakdown	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	HBP	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
vs. Left	157	21	48	13	0	7	25	17	1	45	1	4	.306	.371	.522	.893

Last 3 years

By Breakdown	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	HBP	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
vs. Left	425	72	124	32	0	24	71	58	1	125	5	10	.292	.374	.536	.910

Possible Free Agents who could replace Hall

 

Rich Aurilia (37)

Casey Blake (35) - Type B, offered arb

Willie Bloomquist (31)

Aaron Boone (36)

Craig Counsell (38)

Joe Crede (31)

Nomar Garciaparra (35)

Mike Lamb (33)

Mark Loretta (37) - Type B, not offered arb

Ramon Martinez (36)

Pablo Ozuna (34)

Juan Uribe (30) - Type B, not offered arb

Ramon Vazquez (32)

 

Looking at the list though I like Ramon Vazquez who could be like Lamb the RHP part of the platoon. Plus Hall gives you some depth at SS, 2B, and OF if someone goes down with an injury or someone needs a day off. You are not going to want to waste Escobar and have him sit on the bench all year. Only Iribarren is as versatile as Hall is and the only plus going for Iribarren is that he is cheaper than Hall.

 

I don't see the Rangers trading away Blalock and I don't see why Blalock would want to come to Milwaukee he would be a starter in Texas and I believe Blalock currently right now in his career is a DH or a 1B and since we already have a player like that in Prince I don't see why the Brewers would trade for Blalock.

 

Considering that the Rangers are probably going to be asking for more than what Blalock is worth it is definitely not worth it to trade for him.

[fleehaw]

Good luck in finding another platoon player that can do this against left handed pitchers.

Who says that 3B has to be a platoon?

 

I would say that it's far easier and cheaper to find a player that hits lefties well then one that hits righties well. I do understand what you're saying though and one would think that if Hall was traded that there is definitely a bigger plan in the works.

 

And to weigh in on the topic, I don't understand why the White Sox would be looking to deal their closer when he's still relatively cheap and the market is flooded. Since Vazquez was traded I don't think the Brewers and the White Sox match up very well.