Hoffman up, Swindle Optioned to AAA Nashville

[wOOgiE22]

Per FSWisconsin

[tyguy20204]

Booo to the fact that Julio remains on the team.

[Ennder]

Bad choice but I guess if Macha has no faith in Swindle it doesn't matter much. Julio hasn't been good in the past 5 years or so, so not sure why we are keeping him around.

[GormanHarvey]

Pretty surprised by this. I don't know what Julio provides. I would have thought him walking Moyer when he was ahead 0-2 to load the bases the other night would have been the last straw

[trwi7]

Ugh. Jorge Julio remains a Brewer.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

As much as I agree with you guys, I'm hoping that Julio turns into this year's version of Mota. The fans get all over him when he does bad, but he turns in some nice stretches and provides some value with his good velocity and breaking ball. I'm thinking a bit optimistic here, and I definitely would have DFA'd Julio over Swindle, but let's hope this is how it plays out.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

I can't believe Julio is still a Brewer. Doug...I sure hope he's this year's Mota, but he looks more like this year's Tavarez.

[SeriesFinale]

I don't understand why Julio's still here; I'm just hoping and assuming that Hoffman's presence means we'll see less of him regardless.

[razzzorsharp]

I will chime in here with my disdain for Julio, the ballplayer, as well. Not the move I wanted.

[thunderbat30]

I don't care much for Julio but I even care less for Swindle. He might have a baffling curve at times but the guy is not a major league pitcher IMO.

[twobrewers]

I don't think Jorrible Julio or Swindle are going to play major roles in the Brewer pen this year.

 

I would have preferred cutting ties with Julio - because at least Swindle can play the role of a loogy.

[razzzorsharp]

So then would Vizciano be a better option?

[BrewCrewForever]

Julio will probably be relegated to mop up duties in blowouts. At least I hope that is all.

[Fatter than Joey]

Julio is guaranteed $1M I am pretty sure he will get an extra look because of it.

[silversurferr]

Options.

[DHonks]

Julio isn't very good, but Swindle hasn't shown much in his limited opportunities.

[Brawndo the Thirst Mutilat]

Julio isn't very good, but Swindle hasn't shown much in his limited opportunities.

That should read opportunity, singular. He's pitched in one game. Considering how utterly unhittable hitters in the upper minors (especially left-handed ones) have found his stuff, to be dismissing him on the basis of that one appearance (for instance, as another poster stated above, "not a major league pitcher") strikes me as totally bizarre.

 

But then, most posters here said the same sort of stuff about DiFelice because his first appearance stunk and his radar gun readings were spectacularly unimpressive, so I guess it shouldn't be surprised. Now, though nothing whatsoever has changed about the pitches he throws, most seem to want DiFelice in the starting rotation. What changed?

[kramnoj]

But then, most posters here said the same sort of stuff about DiFelice because his first appearance stunk and his radar gun

 

I think that's a bit of an overstatement. If you mean, most posters who posted an opinion on that appearance were negative, that's probably right.

[SeriesFinale]

Interesting that the Red Sox have been scouting Stetter...I have to wonder 1) what the Red Sox could possibly trade the Brew Crew that we'd be willing to part with Mitch this early in the season but mostly 2) if Swindle would be trusted enough to come back up and take on that role if Mitch went to Fenway.

 

Anyway--tonight could be the night: "Hell's Bells" echoing through Miller Park...

[MJLiverock]

That should read opportunity, singular. He's pitched in one game. Considering how utterly unhittable hitters in the upper minors (especially left-handed ones) have found his stuff, to be dismissing him on the basis of that one appearance (for instance, as another poster stated above, "not a major league pitcher") strikes me as totally bizarre.

To be fair on dismissing his limited ML opportunity, he has only pitched 38 innings of AAA ball and 16 innings of AA ball not providing any sample size to declare Swindle great, or even bad.

[RightFieldCoder]

On a personal selfish note, I hope today is a blowout win. I can't make it, and can't wait to stand and cheer Hell's Bells on Tuesday.

[Brawndo the Thirst Mutilat]

To be fair on dismissing his limited ML opportunity, he has only pitched 38 innings of AAA ball and 16 innings of AA ball not providing any sample size to declare Swindle great, or even bad.

Actually, he's thrown 44 IP at AAA. This is still a valid point, but you can also look at over 130 IP in A ball, and over 160 IP in independent leagues, most in the Northern League (which is thought to play between A and AA) and a few in the Atlantic (between AA and AAA). The critical thing in looking at his numbers from the low minors is recognizing that the same stuff that has made him successful in his 60 IP in the high minors has been working for him all along -- very high K rates, very low BB and HR rates.

 

I'm not trying to say that everyone who posts a low ERA in the low minors and independent leagues could succeed in the majors -- most absolutely could not. What I am trying to say is if you have success everywhere you go, and that success is invariably a result of incredibly good peripherals, and those peripherals do not tail off as you are promoted to AA and AAA (in fact, they actually improve at the higher levels)...

 

...well, I'll just say that while I can't know (without more data) that Swindle is, in fact, a major league quality pitcher, based on what we know so far, I'd say it is an excellent bet that he is.

 

Especially if he's used as a LOOGY. He's struck out 51% of the LHB he's faced at AA and AAA. Not 51% of his outs are Ks, 51% of the lefty hitters he's faced have struck out. He hasn't surrendered a HR to a LHB in over 3 years. Video game numbers.