Rogers and Jones

[EbbaStClaire]

Why not bring up Rogers and Jones at the end of their season to start one or more Brewer games? Rogers is already on the 40 man roster and currently there are only 38 players on the 40 man so Jones could be added easily. Let's see what they do. Of course you would limit Rogers' pitches just like the Brewers are doing now. Jones and Rogers can't do much worse than some other guys.

[paul253]

Rogers and Jones have both had very successful, apparently pain free seasons. I don't see any reason to have them possibly get shelled their last few starts and have them lose confidence, Rogers especially. Rogers could probably only go three innings anyway. I could maybe see giving Jones a start, but really, if we have the 5 healthy starters back, why? I'd maybe consider bringing him up when the Nashville season is over though to pitch out of the bullpen to get his feet wet and maybe convince him to resign with us next season.

[brewmann04]

It would be nice to give Jones a start before the end of the Season. He could do no worse than Soup.

[pogokat]

If jOnes is to be kept past this year, he'll have to be added to the 40 man anyway, so i think you may as well do it now and let the guy get a start or two...the season's done...it would be a fun curiosity to get him in the bigs

[BrewCrewForever]

Jones maybe since he is already at AAA. Not Rogers. He has not pitched above A+ yet. Rogers should start 2010 in AA.progress to AAA and possibly be in the rotation in 2011 if all goes well.

[MLS1965]

The one thing you don't want to do is get these guys hurt late in the year. They've both had great seasons.. Let them rest up.. play a little AZ ball, enjoy the off season and get ready for 2010.

[Never Outhustled]

It appears that Rogers has had his pitch count increased again. He went 5 innings, with 4 hits and 7 K's his last outing. That seams to be more than 65 pitches. Does anyone know how many he threw or what his new pitch limit is?

[CheezWizHed]

I like the idea of Jones in the BP after the AAA is done. That would give the Brewers a better idea of what he can do and give Jones some confidence that the Brewers will use him if he resigns for next year.

 

Rogers: not ready.

[True CryM]

It appears that Rogers has had his pitch count increased again. He went 5 innings, with 4 hits and 7 K's his last outing. That seams to be more than 65 pitches. Does anyone know how many he threw or what his new pitch limit is?

Jones threw 98 pitches yesterday. Granted, it was only in 3.1 innings, but I think Money was trying to win the game more than watch his pitch count.

[JohnBriggs12]

I don't think Jones will ever see the majors except as someone's Mike Burns at some point. He's going to be 27 next year so he's long past the prospect stage. Even when he's been healthy enough to pitch, his results have been pretty ordinary. Six years have passed since he went 7-2 with a 2.40 ERA as a 20 year old in AA. That's an awful long time.

 

Rogers on the other hand is no kid anymore either (he'll be 24 next season), but his results this year where he's dominated hitters in Florida at least indicate his stuff could be close to major league quality right now. At 24 next season, he should at least possess the maturity to not be awed by major league hitters. It's a matter of how much of a step forward he can make in stamina. I think the Brewers would be wise to start him slowly in spring and ready him to start the season around May 1st. I'd have him skip AA assuming he has success in the AFL and I'd start him at AAA next year with the idea that if all goes well, he makes it to Milwaukee in 2nd half of 2010 either as a reliever or a starter that goes 5 or 6 innings tops.

 

My reasoning is twofold. First, they lack any other true major league starting prospects at the upper levels. Secondly, next year Rogers will be using up his next to last option year next season. I think they will want to see him some in 2010 so they will have a better idea where he fits in 2011.

[chemist]

Rogers pitch count is still only 60. The other night when he went 5 innings to get his first win (congrats by the way, he earned it) he threw 60 pitches right on the dot.

As far as seeing what he can do in the big leagues. I agree with everybody else, there really is no reason for it. He has had a pain free year why not let him build off of it. With that said I do think that he would be up for the challenge and do very well given the opportunity. He has shown everyone that he is a dominant pitcher with big league stuff. I would personally like to see him get a call up at some point next year after pitching in AA for a little while. Let him get a few more innings under his belt, and a little more confidence.

[paul253]

I don't think Jones will ever see the majors except as someone's Mike Burns at some point. He's going to be 27 next year so he's long past the prospect stage. Even when he's been healthy enough to pitch, his results have been pretty ordinary. Six years have passed since he went 7-2 with a 2.40 ERA as a 20 year old in AA. That's an awful long time.

 

I disagree with this to an extent. While he is 26, its not like he's been toiling around in the minors for 7 years, bouncing from team to team. He's been dealing with injury after injury. He was having pretty good success before he got hurt. While his numbers are fairly average this season, don't forget that 1) this is his first full season in years and 2) He has pitched at 3 different levels, including a level he's never pitched at before. His second start in AAA was really good, so it's not like he CANT do it. He just needs some time to get his pitches back to where they were and to regain his confidence. The more I think about it, the more I hope he gets called up to pitch out of the bullpen after the Nashville season is over.

[Diskono]

The thing with Jones that leaves me hopeful is that he's improved consistently since his last injury. Right away, his results were really bad. He was at a point where simply getting through the season without injury would have been a huge success, and he did that. Since then, his results have gotten better and better. If he can continue to improve, and get just a little better, he'll be fine. He's really close.

[DHonks]

johnbriggs, why do you feel pitchers must be in the big leagues by a young age? There's nothing wrong with a slow progression to the big leagues, especially if it's because of injuries. Look at Mitch Stetter and Mark DiFelice. They're big leaguers and it doesn't matter that it took them forever.

[biedergb]

Re: age and prospects.

The truly elite pitchers generally make it to the bigs in their early 20's (20-23), not all are succesful immediately, but serve their apprenticeship at the majors (some in the bullpen) in those years. Now there are many good/serviceable and at times All-Star pitchers who make it later in their 20's due to injuries or other set-backs, and some top notch relievers make it to the bigs a little later some after transitioning from being an unsuccessful starter. Guys like Gallardo and Sheets are examples of what the expected timeline is for developing Cy Young-type of starters. But there are some guys this day in age who are taking the road less traveled into stardom (Greinke, Wainwright), so hope is still there for Rogers. But Jones is a little too old to be an elite pitching prospect, and may serve to be a quality starter or reliever. Guys like Stetter/DiFelice are quality middle relievers who carve out a niche, not #1 - #3 starters on a playoff team.

[pitchleague]

correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't Zach Greinke up with the Royals at age 21-22 and pitched mediocre to below average, then had his "episode" of depression or whatever it was? Sure, he's flourishing now at age 26 (?) but he was around for a few years prior.

[jimmyjeromehardy7]

Just to clarify Jones' situation for next year. He becomes a minor league free agent if not added to the 40 man roster, correct? If he is added to the 40 man roster I would assume he is considered signed for the major league minimum for 2010. But has he used all 3 of his option years earlier in his career and thus would need to make the 25 man roster out of spring training or be subject to a waiver claim.

 

Also if he agrees to a minor league contract with the Brewers at the end of the season would he still be subject to being selected in the Rule 5 draft?

 

Thanks guys!

[Mass Haas]

Just to clarify Jones' situation for next year. He becomes a minor league free agent if not added to the 40 man roster, correct?

 

Correct, unless he signs another minor league deal with the Brewers.

 

Also if he agrees to a minor league contract with the Brewers at the end of the season would he still be subject to being selected in the Rule 5 draft?

 

Absolutely.

 

If he is added to the 40 man roster I would assume he is considered signed for the major league minimum for 2010. But has he used all 3 of his option years earlier in his career?

Jones was first added to the 40-man roster in the fall of 2004. He used his options when he was sent down in 2005, 2006, and 2007. He was outrighted off the 40-man roster in October of 2007 and signed to a minor league deal a week later.

 

and thus would need to make the 25 man roster out of spring training or be subject to a waiver claim.

 

Correct.

 

TIP: When you click on a player in our Player Index, then click on the "Career Transactions" link. You'll see something like this (here's Jones).

[Never Outhustled]

Jones was first added to the 40-man roster in the fall of 2004. He used his options when he was sent down in 2005, 2006, and 2007. He was outrighted off the 40-man roster in October of 2007 and signed to a minor league deal a week later.

Jones doesn't have a transaction listed for 2005 on his Brewerfan page. He was injured that entire season, so how could he have been optioned? Wasn't he placed on the DL instead? I thought had 1 option left.

[Mass Haas]

Jones was first added to the 40-man roster in the fall of 2004. He used his options when he was sent down in 2005, 2006, and 2007. He was outrighted off the 40-man roster in October of 2007 and signed to a minor league deal a week later.

Jones doesn't have a transaction listed for 2005 on his Brewerfan page. He was injured that entire season, so how could he have been optioned? Wasn't he placed on the DL instead? I thought had 1 option left.

Isn't it more likely we forgot to list the 2005 option? My bad, if so...was Jones really carried on the big league roster through all of 2005, earning a major league salary that season? If so, was he never placed on the 60-man DL in '05, which we would have tried to list one way or another (60-day or 15-day)?

 

Well, I hope we didn't present the Index page as gospel. And certainly we would only list transactions while with the Brewers, so players acquired by the Brewers would not have their prior transactions listed (obviously not related to Jones in this case).

 

As has been stated here and elsewhere on the web, you can't really believe in anyone's specific take regarding option data.

 

If Jones does have one option left, I see a small chance he'll be added after this season to the 40-man. If no options remain, then no way.

 

Here's the Brewers page of transactions for 2005. The only mention of Jones is that he was assigned to minor league camp in March. What a mystery...