Promising RHP Josh Butler Added to 40-Man, Called Up; DiFelice to 60-day DL

[juancastillo3]

Wasn't sure where to put this (mods feel free to move if it belongs in a different area). Just saw that Butler has joined the team in Chicago. I haven't heard an official announcement yet or a corresponding move but I would assume if he is with the team he will be added to the roster. Any chance he will be starting in place of Manny on Friday? Will this keep him from pitching in the AFL or would they still send him after the season? I'm excited to see the kid pitch. Hopefully the Gabe Gross trade will pay off for us yet.

[trwi7]

Interesting. Where did you hear/see this? Are you at the team hotel?

 

The only move that would need to happen is for him to be placed on the 40 man roster and I believe we only have 39 on the 40 man now so we wouldn't need to move someone off if we didn't want to. And it makes sense to just add him now with an open spot since he's going to need to be added in the offseason anyways.

 

As far as him starting. I'd prefer to see him start over Narveson if Parra can't pitch on Friday.

[zurch1818]

No idea about the credibility of the source, but here is the link that mentions this call up. It was taken from one of the most recent blogs on JSonline.

[trwi7]

Okay, I decided to track that since I saw the Contra Costa Times banner on the top. I found the blog where it came from on the Contra Costa Times website, so it seems to be legit. I certainly hope it is. It would give us all a reason to tune in.

[Invader3K]

Butler was 9-3 between four different levels in the minors this year with a 2.97 era. He was drafted in the second round of the 2007 draft by Tampa Bay before being traded for outfielder Gabe Gross last year.

 

Sounds promising enough.

[Never Outhustled]

This is awesome news. I'm assuming they wouldn't do this if he wasn't going to start. He is an exciting prospect with power stuff. I've been promoting him since late April. I've had to endure numerous threads that called him a nobody, even one where numerous people agreed with his non-placement on the P50. This is sweet vindication. I'm excited for him, and the Brewers.

[joepepsi]

He is an exciting prospect with power stuff. I've been promoting him since late April.

This can't be true. We've all know Doug doesn't pick up "power arms". He's in love with the soft tossers!

[Mass Haas]

Rotoworld Updates on Josh Butler and Mark DiFelice

 

Now 43 men on the 40-man roster, three on the 60-day DL.

 

McCalvy

[brewmann04]

It would be nice if Butler gets a start or two and Axford gets into a game and maybe find a way to get Gamel in there and Keep Escobar as the Everyday SS. But think with Macha running the show those might not happen in the last 20 games

[patrickgpe]

happy to see this but macha refuses to put in the young players. Axford, Gamel and now Butler has yet to get into the game.

[Funketown]

That's right, I forgot Axford was even up with the club...

[wibadgers23]

I'm hoping Butler gets the start if Parra can't go, but I'm sure Macha and Melvin will go with Narveson or some other scrub.

 

Edit: Well, I just found this tidbit from Witrado:

Assistant GM Gord Ash said Parra wouldn't make his start Friday, but manager Ken Macha wouldn't completely rule it out just yet. He did say that left-hander Chris Narveson would be in line to make that start if Parra can't. He also said Josh Butler, who the team called up today, wouldn't make that start but he could make one if Parra was still unable to pitch after Friday.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/59394722.html

[BrewCrewForever]

Macha, you idiot! Start Butler on Friday! Of course when I head Butler got the call while I was at work I was hoping and wishing he would take Parra's spot on Friday. But in true Macha fashion he won't start him. Macha may be the worst manager ever at handling young players.

[RightFieldCoder]

So this means Butler won't make his first MLB start against the Astros, but if needed we'll start him against the Cubs 5 days later? I'm sure Macha won't use him so it will be how many days since he last took the mound?

[endaround]

Then again Narveson will likely only go 4 so Butler could get a chance. Also at this point I'd shut Coffey down, he seems to have a wall, which would open up more innings.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

At the Buzzer: San Ramon Valley product makes it to the show

By Kyle Bonagura

Tri-Valley Herald

 

When Josh Butler woke up Monday, he was set to begin a 2,000-mile road trip from Huntsville, Ala., to San Diego.

 

Butler's Double-A baseball team, the Huntsville Stars, had just been eliminated from the playoffs and he figured he had a few weeks to kill before joining the Milwaukee Brewers Fall League team in Arizona at the beginning of October.

 

But before the 2003 graduate of San Ramon Valley High hit the road, he received a text message from Milwaukee's assistant general manger, Gord Ash.

 

"It just said 'Have you left yet?'" Butler said. "I told him no and then he called me."

 

Ash told him they needed him in Chicago, where the Brewers were about to start a series with the Chicago Cubs, and that he was booked on a flight from Huntsville to Chicago later that day.

 

"I was shocked. I'm still shocked," Butler said Tuesday. "I talked to him again that night when I got to Chicago and he told me they decided to activate me and what time I needed to be at the field."

 

Not just a field - the field. Wrigley Field.

 

I can't say this comes as much of a surprise. I've known Josh since I was in second grade and grew up playing Little League baseball (Canyon Creek), youth soccer (San Ramon Soccer Club) and CYO basketball (St. Joan of Arc) with him in the San Ramon Valley - he has been one of my best friends since we were 9 years old.

 

Some of our old soccer teammates still joke that he was a better goalie than baseball player, and somewhere there is a tape of him dunking over a kid in a freshman basketball game at Cal High.

 

It never really was a matter of if he was going to be a pro athlete; it was a matter of when, and in what sport.

 

"Realistically, I didn't know if I had a chance to make it (to the major leagues) until my junior year (at the University of San Diego)," said Butler, who was drafted by Tampa Bay in the second round of the 2006 draft before being traded for Gabe Gross last year. "That's when I thought it was really possible."

 

After two up-and-down years in the minors, Butler finally put it all together this year, compiling a 9-3 record and a 2.97 era for four teams in the Brewers' minor league system - including three starts with Triple-A Nashville.

 

"You kind of learn that players aren't that much more talented, they are just more consistent," he said. "Everyone I've talked to said it's the same game (in the majors), but it's just in a bigger stadium."

 

He was officially added to the 40-man roster on Tuesday and will wear No. 62, but it's unclear what the Brewers have planned for him the rest of the season. He could end up as a starter or in a long-relief role out of the bullpen.

 

In 2001 and 2002, Butler was a teammate of current San Francisco Giants outfielder Nate Schierholtz at San Ramon Valley.

 

"It's pretty extraordinary that two guys from the same high school team are both in the majors," said Rick Steen, who was the coach at San Ramon Valley when Butler and Schierholtz were there. "I'm not really surprised that either of them made it; they were both such good athletes."

 

Brad Bergesen, who graduated from Foothill in 2004, has been in the majors nearly all season with the Baltimore Orioles and is 7-5 with a 3.53 ERA - meaning three players who were in the East Bay Athletic League at the same time have now ascended to the highest level of baseball.

 

"It says a lot about the talent (in the Tri-Valley) year in and year out," Butler said.

[wibadgers23]

Witrado's latest blog leads me to believe Butler won't even throw one pitch the rest of the year. I guess they would rather see what Chris Narveson has rather than Butler. What a shocker.

http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/59946327.html

[trwi7]

I'm going to be extremely angry if Narveson takes over Gallardo's spot. At the very least get Butler some bullpen work.

[BrewCrewForever]

I thought Narveson was taking Parra's spot? So they still need someone to fill Gallardo's spot. Hope to God that man is Josh Butler.

[wibadgers23]

Well according to the blog, Parra is feeling better and might pitch again. Narveson would start on schedule and Parra would take Gallardo's spot in the rotation. Butler would continue to rot on the bench doing nothing.

[nate82]

From the reports I have been reading on Parra it sounds as though he will be lucky to be back to be pitching in the bullpen this year let alone starting. I think Butler will at least get to start one game.

[sheethead]

My widget tells me Butler is penciled in to start on Friday against Pedro.

[Diskono]

Well according to the blog, Parra is feeling better and might pitch again. Narveson would start on schedule and Parra would take Gallardo's spot in the rotation. Butler would continue to rot on the bench doing nothing.

As opposed to rotting in the offseason doing nothing? Even if he doesn't pitch, there's no harm in having him on the roster, aside from having to pay him a little more for a couple weeks.

 

But brewers.com does have him scheduled to start Friday.