Brewers Acquire LHP Chase Wright from Yankees for catcher/outfielder Eric Fryer

[wvpowerblkwel]

I'm sorry guys, but I think we are giving away our bats again for reasons I don't understand. I think Fryer will definitely prove his worth and I hate to see him go!!

[clancyphile]

With time we may know better, but I am of the opinion that you can´t know much from the first 10 innings of a guy´s MLB career. I don´t think it would be a huge stretch to see him put up an ERA at, or around 5.

More likely: Jeff Suppan's average numbers over the last four years.

[strawbossisevil]

Well, Paul, if we want to take that attitude about prospects. Matt Gamel hasn´t proven he can hit yet at the Major League level. Let´s never play the guy. We should have never gone with Gallardo last season, we should have signed some $10 Million dollar free agent who could put up numbers like Suppan, because we know for certain he can do it at the major league level. We didn´t know if Gallardo would be able to pitch at the major league level or not. Why even play prospects if they could end up disappointing us?

 

My point is, you can´t judge a player until they´ve gotten a chance to put up some significant innings in the majors. Chase Wilson may be the next Ben Hendrickson, he may also be the next Doug Davis. But you can´t know whether a player can be a worthwhile starter in the MLB or not in 10 innings. You can´t go calling someone "Ben Hendrickson" until he is given sufficient enough innings to prove that is what he is. Truth of the matter is, you don´t know, neither do I.

 

I´m not claiming he´ll be one or the other, all I am saying is that he put up very nice numbers at AAA, which is the only large sample we have to go on from last year. Many people who put up those type of numbers in AAA go on to be solid MLB players, some don´t. The jury is still out on Mr. Wilson.

[clancyphile]

And, to be honest, Chase Wright, Brae Wright, and David Welch will have value - not so much in that they will be aces, but in that they can give you the kind of numbers that Jeff Suppan has averaged for the last four years at league minimum - or thereabouts - for three years.

 

12 wins, 190 IP, at a 4.60 ERA for $500K - that's value. That is, "the Brewers can sign a guy for a pennant run" value.

[Ennder]

I'm sorry guys, but I think we are giving away our bats again for reasons I don't understand. I think Fryer will definitely prove his worth and I hate to see him go!!

Again? What am I missing. When was the last time the Brewers traded away a hitter that actually produced. Nelson Cruz is the closest but he hasn't even done it for a full season. Unless you are talking about LaPorta and that move got us into the playoffs so was probably worth it.

[LouisEly]

Hate to see Fryer go - odds are he won't be much, but it was great seeing him turn it around this year. I know, this is a sell-high and Fryer's a little older and blocked by others, but he was a guy you couldn't help but root for. If Wright ends up being more Doug Davis than Dana Eveland it will be a great trade.

 

So will the entire AAA rotation be lefties? Wright, Wright, Welch, Narron, Miller? (I'm being lazy and not looking up whether Narron and Miller are still with the team.)

[paul253]

Well, Paul, if we want to take that attitude about prospects. Matt Gamel hasn´t proven he can hit yet at the Major League level. Let´s never play the guy. We should have never gone with Gallardo last season, we should have signed some $10 Million dollar free agent who could put up numbers like Suppan, because we know for certain he can do it at the major league level. We didn´t know if Gallardo would be able to pitch at the major league level or not. Why even play prospects if they could end up disappointing us?

Haha...ok straw I'll play along. For the second time now, all I said was that I cant believe that some people would be willing to put him in the rotation right now and that I would personally put Capuano in the rotation right now before I put Wright in there because Capuano has had success in the majors. Thats all....end of comment. I never said anything bad about him other than he hasnt had success, and that not even a bad thing as much as it is a fact. I never commented on the deal (I think its a good deal because we have zero depth and if two starters go down we are in big trouble, though lets not pretend that this deal is likely to put us over the top). I never made any predictions about what kind of numbers he is going to put up this year. I never said anything else. But good point about not judging prospects until they have had a decent chance to prove themselves, you're really at the top of your game tonight.

[TooLiveBrew]

I would personally put Capuano in the rotation right now before I put Wright in there because Capuano has had success in the majors.

 

Nevermind the fact that Cappy won't be ready to pitch until into the 2009 season...

[kramnoj]

Paul "For the second time now, all I said was that I cant believe that some people would be willing to put him in the rotation right now and that I would personally put Capuano in the rotation right now before I put Wright in there because Capuano has had success in the majors."

 

Paul "AAA matters absolutely nothing."

 

You did say more than what you believe you said. Chase doesn't have great K numbers, but he has had success in the minors, and numbers in the minors are generally predictive of numbers in the majors. Catcher is probably the deepest position for the Brewers in the minors, and they gave up some depth for a position of need. Fryer's upside might be higher than Chase's upside, but Chase is likely to provide more value for this Brewers team than Fryer would. Seems like a solid move to me.

[endaround]

Wright is not Davis and he has nowhere near the talent of Eveland. That said he is a much better than what the Brewers had before which was hope and not much else. AS for him being in the rotation, its not likely buts its not like McClung has a job cemented either.

[strawbossisevil]

As so many others have posted.

 

Wright >>>>> Capuano (since he has an arm that isn´t ready to pitch)

 

The other thing, if we want to talk about unproven. We have no idea how Capuano is going to pitch after this latest surgery. He may have next to no velocity or control left. In that case, all the success in the world at the major league level wouldn´t make him a better option. IF he is able to pitch just like he did in his previous trip to the majors, then yes, I want him in my starting rotation once his arm is ready to pitch. But that is a rather big "if" that remains to be seen.

[JohnBriggs12]

After seeing that Wright still has an option, I like the deal even more. Compare him to the AAA starting candidates and he looks to be the best option if a pitcher is needed. Brae Wright and David Welch are just a few months younger and neither has pitched above AA. Narron is nearly 2 years older and had an ERA nearly 5 at Nashville. Gulin's 32. Narveson had an ERA of nearly 5 1/2. One thing is fairly certain and that is that unless DiFelice goes down, Nashville will have 5 left handed starters.

 

His lack of big strikeout totals don't bother me much because he's always allowed well under a hit per inning in the minors and that to me says he's got decent stuff.

 

I'd still like to see one more veteran starter brought in on a minor league deal for a look see in spring. The guy I like is Odaliz Perez.

[paul253]

You did say more than what you believe you said. Chase doesn't have great K numbers, but he has had success in the minors, and numbers in the minors are generally predictive of numbers in the majors.

 

But not in every case, especially with the Brewers. I think you're reading too much into what I said. As I pointed out, Hendrickson, Martinez, and Eveland all had good minor league numbers and it didn't lead to one ounce of success in Milwaukee. So to simply that they'll be ok in Milwaukee because they had good minor league numbers is a bad argument, I think. Like I said, I think the deal is fine because Chase Wright probably has more upside than anyone else we'll have in Nashville, and he's certainly better than nothing.

[Mass Haas]

I'm sorry guys, but I think we are giving away our bats again for reasons I don't understand. I think Fryer will definitely prove his worth and I hate to see him go!!

Again? What am I missing. When was the last time the Brewers traded away a hitter that actually produced. Nelson Cruz is the closest but he hasn't even done it for a full season. Unless you are talking about LaPorta and that move got us into the playoffs so was probably worth it.

 

The Brewers have not traded a minor league position player who has produced post-trade in the Melvin era outside of Nelson Cruz' mind-numbing 2008 AAA numbers. What's unique about the trade of Fryer is that for the second consecutive season, the Brewers have dealt the South Atlantic League's leading hitter. Andrew Lefave (Ray King deal) put up very pedestrian numbers in his age 24 season split between high-A and AA for the Nationals.

[JohnBriggs12]

Mass Hass,

 

I'm not so sure you could term Lefave's numbers pedestrian. He had a .412 OBP at a higher level than he played at the prior year which earned him another promotion. His BA and power were down, but he still walked more than he struck out at both stops, so he might still have some value as an extra OF someday, very similar to a Mark Sweeney type player.

[brewers4eric]

I liked Fryer, but I also liked Brian Banks when he was with the Brewers. I'm sure that there will be more moves like this toward the end of spring training, especially if there is an injury to any of the key pitchers. I would compare this move to picking up Richie Gardner last year.

[Mass Haas]

Every comment from the player development staff on Eric Fryer this past summer was one that included some level of amzement at what he accomplished at the plate. Remember, Fryer couldn't even make a squad out of spring training with Jonathan Lucroy at West Virginia and made his way to the Power because they needed corner outfield help. Granted, Fryer made the best of his situation, but I liked this trade.

 

Milwaukee Scouts Rail Over Fryer Trade

By Frank Russo

 

Many scouts within the Milwaukee organization are furious over the Eric Fryer for Chase Wright trade. In fact, one of the top scouts in the organization feels that he is going to become a true star. This evening at 5:30, I received a call from Tampa. It was from my main Yankees source. He had some interesting insight into the Wright for Fryer deal from a high level Brewers scout with whom he is friends with. He was told the following: "A lot of us really loved the kid. I know I did. When we heard about the trade we were like, 'What the Hell is Melvin doing." I talked to his coach at Ohio State, who raves about him." If he stays healthy, it's a huge deal for the Yankees. He's a natural hitter, and that's something you can't teach. I think he has a chance to become a star. "He's going to need a few seasons in the minors, but I think this kid is the real deal. "I don't like the deal from our end, but you have to give Cashman credit. "I think the Yankees might have found their catcher of the future."

 

So what does this all mean? Well, let's just remember, prospects are just that, prospects. There are no guarantees. Fryer, who can also play outfield, might very well turn out to be a steal. If the Milwaukee scout happens to be right, and there are many others who agree with him, then this was a great move by Brian Cashman. Only time will tell.

 

Here's some info on Frank Russo:

 

After a fifteen year career as a radio announcer, I decided to change careers and I am now a webdesigner and developer. I am also the proud owner of the largest independent baseball website on the world wide web called "The Deadball Era", the only website dedicated to deceased major league players located at http://www.thedeadballera.com/ . I am also a Nationally Recognized baseball researcher and baseball necrologist and a member of The Society For American Baseball Research (SABR) I worked as a researcher for a TV project for ESPN on the 1919 World Series scandal. My baseball site has been featured in the January 4th, 2002 issue of Sports Illustrated along with many periodicals nationwide.

 

I have authored a new book on deceased major leaguers called 'Bury My Heart at Cooperstown: Sad, Salacious, and Surreal Deaths in the History of Baseball".

 

***

 

The "many scouts" line is silly, as if several were polled or have already spoken amogst themselves.

 

But, take it all for what it's worth -- web chatter. For a zero degree day here where I am, it's fun bluster...

[endaround]

The Yankees found a catcher of the future based on a guy who hardly caught during his time with Milwaukee?

[Invader3K]

I admit I had never even heard of Fryer before this trade.

[yoshii8]

Every comment from the player development staff on Eric Fryer this past summer was one that included some level of amzement at what he accomplished at the plate. Remember, Fryer couldn't even make a squad out of spring training with Jonathan Lucroy at West Virginia and made his way to the Power because they needed corner outfield help. Granted, Fryer made the best of his situation, but I liked this trade.

 

Milwaukee Scouts Rail Over Fryer Trade

By Frank Russo

 

Many scouts within the Milwaukee organization are furious over the Eric Fryer for Chase Wright trade. In fact, one of the top scouts in the organization feels that he is going to become a true star. This evening at 5:30, I received a call from Tampa. It was from my main Yankees source. He had some interesting insight into the Wright for Fryer deal from a high level Brewers scout with whom he is friends with. He was told the following: "A lot of us really loved the kid. I know I did. When we heard about the trade we were like, 'What the Hell is Melvin doing." I talked to his coach at Ohio State, who raves about him." If he stays healthy, it's a huge deal for the Yankees. He's a natural hitter, and that's something you can't teach. I think he has a chance to become a star. "He's going to need a few seasons in the minors, but I think this kid is the real deal. "I don't like the deal from our end, but you have to give Cashman credit. "I think the Yankees might have found their catcher of the future."

 

And the Yankee prospect hype machine begins.