April / May / June Transaction Thread

[JoeHova]

According to a post on bcb, Cutter Dykstra's been demoted to Helena and Taylor Green is being activated for the Timber Rattlers.

 

edit: here's the link for the large amount of roster moves Mass speculated about (turned out to be 6). Green, Almonte and Bowman to Wisconsin. Dykstra, Dabrowiecki, and Sherrill to Helena.

[battlekow]

Intrigue! As Josh said, Taylor Green to Wisconsin, but Cutter Dykstra demoted to Helena. The rest of the moves: Michael Bowman activated, Kris Dabrowiecki and Garrett Sherrill transferred to Helena.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes:

HEETHER RETURNS TO SOUNDS; ARLIS INACTIVE: Infielder Adam Heether rejoins the Sounds today following a short stay at Double-A Huntsville, where he batted .325 (13-for-40) with 12 RBIs while hitting safely in eight of his nine games. Heether opened the year with Nashville and batted .375 (9-for-24) in eight contests before being transferred to the Stars on May 2 when Erick Almonte was reinstated from the Sounds' temporary inactive list. To create a roster spot, catcher Patrick Arlis was transferred to the Helena roster.

[Mass Haas]

The Brewers continue the creative roster juggling incorporating the Helena roster by transferring RHP Josh Wahpepah to Huntsville to fill the Adam Heether spot.

 

Of course, anything involving the Helena roster at this point is a paper move. These guys aren't flown to Montana to walk the streets or anything.

[Mass Haas]

It does turn out a total of eight players were involved in the Wisconsin roster shuffle, as OF Chris Dennis has arrived, and 3B Edgar Trejo has been placed on the Helena roster.

[Mass Haas]

In a move that makes a lot of sense, 26-year-old RHP Mike Jones and 21-year-old RHP Jeremy Jeffress have swapped spots, with Jones headed to AA Huntsville and Jeffress to high-A Brevard (stats at links).

 

Huntsville's John Curtis is a fine pitching coach, but maybe Fred Dabney (and the ultra-friendly Florida State League environment) can boost Jeffress' performance .

 

As for Jones, let's see where this April ride from "we're prepared to release you, but if you'd like, we have a spot at Brevard for you if you want it" goes. It sure would be something if Jones could build on his performance and place himself in AAA if he re-signs in 2010.

[Mass Haas]

The Nashville site highlights Hernan Iribarren's callup to Milwaukee, and tells us that LHP Sam Narron is being activated from the DL to take the roster spot.

[TheCrew07]

I like the Jones for Jeffress swap, the AA rotation has been so bad outside of Cody I doubt that's the last move we'll see.

[brewmann04]

Hopefully Haas is correct and Jones continues to bulid on continues yo Improve and make his way up the ladder.

[Mass Haas]

The Journal-Sentinel with an update on Frank Catalanotto, who will be in Huntsville today. We should have the news on the roster adjustments later this afternoon.

[Never Outhustled]

Can I predict Adam Stern will get a much deserved promtion to AAA to replace Gwynn?

[Mass Haas]

From Huntsville:

 

The Milwaukee Brewers and the Huntsville Stars announced a pair of transactions today. OF Frank Catalanotto and INF Taylor Green have been added to the Stars roster and OF Chuckie Caufield and LHP David Welch have been transferred to Helena.

 

Both moves are effective immediately and Catalanotto and Green will be in uniform tonight against the West Tenn D'Jaxx.

 

An updated roster is attached.

 

***

 

This Helena roster stuff is new; we've been posting transactions here nine years now, and while the Brewers often got creative in how they would temporarily shift players, it was never via this means. We're guessing that MiLB is getting tougher on phantom injuries and "convenient" 7-day DL stints.

 

Chances are Welch, who just tossed seven shutout innings last night, and Caufield are still working out with the club in Huntsville.

[Mass Haas]

Chris Mehring summarizes today's Wisconsin roster moves (involving Taylor Green, John Delaney, Edgar Trejo, and Shawn Zarraga) here.

 

We're guessing that the click count at the Rattler Radio Blog is up just a tad from the TimberRattlers' Mariner-affiliated days.

[Never Outhustled]

This Helena roster stuff is new; we've been posting transactions here nine years now, and while the Brewers often got creative in how they would temporarily shift players, it was never via this means.

We've both complained in the past about the Brewers being slow providing their affiliates with a full roster. Not anymore. They've been almost hyperactive with roster moves this year. Props to them.

[TheCrew07]

I'm surprised Trejo is back quite honestly, they must really like his bat... from the first hand observations I've read it sounds like he's a free swinger who's pretty pull happy.

[Mass Haas]

Frank Catalanotto's callup to Milwaukee conveniently allows David Welch's return to the Huntsville roster (from Helena's roster) today.

 

The Milwaukee Brewers and the Huntsville Stars announced today that OF Frank Catalanotto has been promoted to Milwaukee. Also, RHP Mark Holliman has been assigned to Helena.

 

Replacing Catalanotto and Holliman on the Stars roster will be OF Chuckie Caufield and LHP David Welch who were promoted from Helena.

 

All moves are effective immediatley and Caufield and Welch will be in uniform for today's game against the West Tenn D'Jaxx.

[Mass Haas]

This makes little sense given that Sam Narron spoke of just normal soreness after a start in a recently linked audio interview, but he's been placed on the Nashville DL retroactive to May 23rd, so that catcher Patrick Arlis can be activated from the Helena roster.

 

As you'll see in Monday's Link Report, Angel Salome left today's Nashville game in the 4th. Nick Green tossed a painful (and long) first inning, and here's hoping Angel's back isn't playing games with him again.

 

So even though the Arlis activaton took place prior to Angel leaving today's game, it may have been necessary anyway.

[Mass Haas]

Well, it takes some creativity to get through three doubleheaders in four days, even if all those games are seven-inning affairs.

 

News from Huntsville:

 

The Milwaukee Brewers and the Huntsville Stars announced today that LHP David Welch has been assigned to Helena. Taking Welch's spot on the Stars roster is RHP Nick Bucci.

 

The move is effective immediately and Bucci will be in uniform tonight as the Stars take on the Tennessee Smokies.

Nick Bucci is an 18-year-old RHP from Ontario, Canada, who was drafted in the 18th round last year.

 

He struck out 14 and walked only two in 11 innings for the Maryvale Brewers last summer, albeit with a 7.36 ERA.

 

It's apparent that the Brewers don't want to get into an up-and-down thing with some of the Brevard and Wisconsin pitchers, so adding Bucci (and perhaps others later this week) from extended spring training in Arizona is unique, and must be a big thrill for the kid(s).

 

Here's hoping Nick, who will turn 19 in July, gets into at least one contest during his stay.

[battlekow]

Haha, whoever had Nick Bucci as the first 2008 draftee to clear A-ball, come on down and get your prize.

[Southern Leaguer]

In '94, the Stars got into a similar situation where they had had several rainouts and had a few doubleheaders in a short period of time. They called up a pitcher, Gustavo Gil, from the Arizona Rookie League. He flew to Carolina, started one game and went 4 innings. His Stars career numbers ..... 4 IP, 6.75 ERA, 6 H, 1 BB, 1 K. He went back to Arizona and, as far as I know, never got out of Rookie Ball again. With Hand starting the 2nd game tonight (no surprise), they will still need 2 more starters this week. Baron? Ellison? Aguilar? Wahpepah? Bucci?

Another time they got shorthanded of pitchers, coach Bert Bradley was activated and got into a game (or 2?) during a road trip. I wonder how Curtis' arm is feeling ......

[LouisEly]

I'd like to see McClendon get a start. He's been very good in long relief, and has been getting a lot of ground balls (~2.5 GO/AO last I checked).

[TheCrew07]

With all the BC rain outs why not use their pitchers?

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes:

DUFFY TO JOIN SOUNDS FRIDAY: Outfielder Chris Duffy, who was designated for assignment by Milwaukee on Friday when recently acquired OF Jody Gerut was activated, cleared waivers and accepted his outright assignment to the Sounds yesterday. He made Milwaukee's Opening Day roster after attending spring training as a non-roster player. Duffy opened the year by batting .125 (4-for-32) with three RBIs in 19 games for the Brewers. He is expected to join Nashville for its homestand opener on Friday, at which time a roster move will be necessary to activate him.

[brewpitch]

Haha, whoever had Nick Bucci as the first 2008 draftee to clear A-ball, come on down and get your prize.

 

FWIW, they drew names out of a hat in AZ. His name was in there with eight others. Still a great start for the kid. He's obviously done something down there to get his name in the hat.

[And That]

Brewpitch, just curious, do you know who any of the seven other names in the hat were?