The future of Jeremy Jeffress

[Funketown]

I hope they keep him as a reliever. I dont see Axford or Braddock as a closer of the future. I think they will be a good seventh/eighth inning tandem. Jeffress just has more swing and miss potential, and flat out better stuff.

I can see why you feel this way about Axford, but why don't you think Braddock can close games for the Crew in the future? He has been between 13 and 15 K/9 at each level of the minors since being converted to a reliever, and he has shown pretty decent control as well. So long as Axford can avoid walking too many batters, the Braddock/Axford combo could be quite good for the next 6 years.

 

What I keep coming back to on Jeffress is that I would rather have an arm like that throw 180 innings than 60. If the plan is to keep him as a reliever, there must be something the organization knows that we don't. They know how badly they need legitimate pitching prospects right now.

 

Again, letting Jeffress break back into the swing of things does not tell me the organization is converting him permanently. He has missed almost a year of baseball, and in the minors relievers can commonly go 2, 3, even sometimes 4 innings at a time if the situation is right. I'm not going to get too excited about his results in A ball, but his lack of walks was nice to see.

[JonnyLungs]

I'm torn on Jeffress. His stint as a reliever shows how dominant of a reliever he projects to be yet I think it's a bit early to give up on him as a starter. Honestly, I've heard the word closer associated with Jeffress since I can remember (going back to 2008 BA Prospect book at least). My gut tells me that Jeffress ends up in the bullpen anyway. But I'd like to see him stretched out once more to give it another run as a starter.

 

Even if he ends up in the bullpen, a late inning trio of Jeffress, Braddock and Axford would be a force to be reckoned with. Being a fine reliever would be nothing for Jeffress to hang his head about after the adversity he's gone through and I'm pulling hard for him.

[biedergb]

I thought some of the reason to keep him in relief is to ease him back in (I read as keep innings down) and I also thought he reportedly asked to be in relief to keep him involved everyday (he needs to be ready everyday as a reliever). Our FO has definitely let guys fail before converting them: Braun failed 3B at the MLB level, Braddock was repeatedly tried at starter until injuries; Gamel, Lawrie, etc are allowed to play at their respective positions; Parra was let to start and has succeeded somewhat much like Weeks; only Lawrie, Salome have switched early and that was by their request supposedly.

 

Even if long term he would project as a reliever, he will most likely start in the minor to continue to pitch regularly. Also there are pitchers who get to the Majors as relievers and then go back to starting, so Braddock could still become a starter in time. And if Jeffress were fast tracked to the 'pen, he could do that as well. In fact once upon a time like before the steroids era, most young pitchers were relievers to get accustomed to the pros, then eventually converted back to the rotation. Free agency and Larussa/Duncanism (set roles for relievers) changed that.

[brewmann04]

I hope the Brewers put him back as a starter and see what happens we know he can be a very good Reliever,however we need home grown starting pitching. The bi question is does JJ has a quality 2nd and 3rd pitch.

[logan82]

That's from all of 12 starts in his age-20 & 21 seasons. Imo he's absolutely worth rolling the dice on as a SP at this point. Like Invader noted, it's really not hard to move someone to the bullpen if they fail as a SP.

True it is small sample(almost everything is for Jeffress because he hasn't played much) but it isn't like he wasn't walking guys at every stop as a starter. 4.6BB/9 in 2007 A ball is the lowest. 5.7BB/9 over his entire MiLB career mostly as a starter. The only time he has seen a significant drop in his BB rate is this year as a reliever. Hopefully that points to more control and he can bring that back to starting but I will have my doubts until he does. This year(yes still small sample) his K rate went up and his BB rate went down pretty significantly compared to his career so I don't think it is crazy to speculate he should stick with 2 pitches.(I am of course making the assumption that is what he is doing) Maybe he was asked to work on a third pitch and use it extensively and that contributed to his high walk totals.

[BKsToolbox]

I think that he is destined to stay in the bullpen. I saw him pitch on Monday 6/28 up in Appleton and the ball just explodes out of his hand. He hides the ball very well, is mechanically sound, and has a power curve on a given night that he can throw for strikes. If he can develop a 3rd pitch I think it is viable for him to make a crack at the starting rotation again. However, the way the Brewers' front office loves spending money on FA closers, (which in my opinion is the most overpaid position in baseball) I can understand why he has more value in the bullpen. While no one can argue with Axford's results to this point, I truly feel that his mechanics make him liable for another TJ surgery (inverted W and late forearm turnover) making him a ticking time bomb. For our "small market" 90 million dollar team, it's about time we develop somebody who has 1inning of giving low bb%, h%, and a high K%. I am by no means a scout, but I haven't seen a ball explode out of someone's hand like Jeffress. I have season tickets at MP and nothing compares to the pop. The question is if he can develop control, and I think he can. He has a lot of horizontal movement on his fastball and his curve can be thrown for strikes. I hope he gets a September call up. If anything, use him as STL did with Wainwright.

[jackalope02ca]

Lets see him dominate at AA at least before we get too excited. He's a long way from the majors and demonstrating he has what it takes to be a MLB pitcher.

[nate82]

Jeffress to me is a lot like Chamberlain. Both have two good to great pitches that they can throw but they throw so hard they would have to turn it down a notch to be able to go more than 5 innings. Both Jeffress and Chamberlain have command issues and they start to become very similar players. I know a lot of my friends who are Yankees fans were very upset when the Yankees first had Chamberlain in the bullpen. Though I don't think the Yankees gave Chamberlain enough time to develop as a starter in the majors it is where he belongs. I would like to see the Brewers try Jeffress as a starter but he may not be a viable option as a starter and he may just be a reliever like Chamberlain.

 

I would really love to see Jeffress as a starter but I am not going to be mad or frustrated if Jeffress isn't going to be a starter. I actually believe Jeffress being a reliever this year is probably the best thing for him at this time.

[YoungGeezy]

He is a starter until he proves he shouldn't be. He is too young with way too much potential to be given up on as a starter. If he comes up and flat out lays an egg as a starter and then maybe switch him to reliever but not before then. I think next season he starts out as a starter in Nashville and we will see him by August (command willing). Jeffress is pure electric and if he can control his fastball and develop a decent chance up he could be special. Best part is he is still only 22 and has plenty of room to continue to grow.

[logan82]

Now he is on the 4-0 man though which means he has this year plus 2 more to develop into something.

[battlekow]

Brewers' prospect Jeffress determined to stay clean

Tom Haudricourt/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

 

St. Louis — When you're one strike away from the baseball death penalty, every day presents a unique challenge. Any misstep and your career is over.

Jeremy Jeffress knows that feeling all too well.

 

"It is scary," he said. "It's like you're walking on eggshells."

 

The Milwaukee Brewers' hard-throwing pitching prospect put himself in that dangerous position by being unable to stop smoking marijuana. Jeffress knew he would be tested. He knew the consequences.

 

Yet he could not stop.

 

"It is a life-threatening thing, not just a baseball thing," said the 22-year-old right-hander, a first-round pick in the 2006 draft.

 

"I had to fix it, or I wasn't going anywhere. It would take me to the ground."

 

Jeffress was confronted with the possible premature ending to his career when he was suspended for 100 games for a positive test for a "drug of abuse" last season at high Class A Brevard County. It was the third time he got caught with marijuana in his system.

 

The first offense resulted in counseling under the Minor League Drug Treatment & Prevention Program. When Jeffress tested positive again in 2007 while pitching for Class A West Virginia, a 50-game suspension was levied.

 

It took the 100-game suspension - and threat of a lifetime ban with another offense - to finally snap Jeffress to attention.

 

"The hardest part for me was knowing I had the mentality to do the right thing, and didn't do it," he said. "I let myself down. It got in my head.

 

"It's the worst feeling in the world. I felt so bad about it."

 

With support from the Brewers, as well as agents Howard and Josh Kusnick, Jeffress enrolled in a comprehensive rehabilitation program in Milwaukee. He participated in three separate sessions last winter, coming away each time more determined to stay clean.

 

"It was a great place to go," he said. "I'd recommend it to anybody. I took it to heart. I did a lot of praying, a lot of talking."

 

As for being one strike away from playing professional baseball for the last time, Jeffress said, "You can't think about that. You have to fix the problem.

 

"I think I've matured a lot the past couple of years. I just feel like nothing can stop me now. I know the things that I can do, the things I need to do."

 

Jeffress' suspension carried over to the 2010 season, forcing him to sit out the first two months. He remained in Phoenix after minor-league camp ended, pitching in games in extended spring training.

 

Another bump

 

There was one last obstacle to clear before returning to the mound. Only days before the suspension ended, Jeffress experienced forearm tightness. He was shut down for more than a week, then placed on a throwing program that delayed his activation.

 

"It was a pain I hadn't felt before," he said. "I let the trainers know. They wanted to be cautious with it. It wasn't anything major, just some inflammation in the elbow.

 

"I actually liked being in extended (camp). The pitching coach there, Steve Cline, is awesome. They call him 'Doc' because he can fix anything. That's a perfect name for him."

 

In an effort to ease Jeffress back into competition, the Brewers assigned him to low Class A Wisconsin. He began the 2009 season at Class AA Huntsville but struggled badly, resulting in a demotion to Brevard.

 

The Brewers also wanted to limit off-field temptations for Jeffress, so they switched him from starting to relieving. The thinking was that Jeffress would have to stay focused and ready to pitch on a daily basis rather than having four days off between starts to find trouble.

 

With a fastball that registers in the high 90s (mph) with regularity, a knee-buckling curveball and an improving changeup, Jeffress was a man among boys in the Midwest League. In five relief outings, he pitched eight hitless innings, with three walks and 14 strikeouts.

 

"Actually, it's challenging," Jeffress said Wednesday morning before the Timber Rattlers played a noon game against Quad Cities at Fox Cities Stadium.

 

"They're going to swing the bat. I'm not just throwing. I've been working on my pitches. I've been trying to keep my fastball down in the zone. My curve has been good."

 

Figuring Jeffress could use a stiffer challenge, the Brewers moved him up Thursday to Brevard. Two days earlier, they raised the eyebrows of many throughout baseball by placing Jeffress on their 40-man roster, five months before being required to do so to protect him from other clubs.

 

Teams normally don't put a minor-leaguer on the 40-man during the season unless he is being summoned to the majors. Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said the move was made to reward Jeffress for being a "model citizen" in the wake of the 100-game suspension.

 

An odd situation

 

The move came with an obvious ulterior motive, however. Players on the 40-man roster cannot be suspended for testing positive for "drugs of abuse." Because he had prior positive tests, Jeffress can and will be subject to further testing for "cause."

 

The penalty cannot be a suspension, however, removing the lifetime ban from the table. In essence, the Brewers freed Jeffress to resume smoking marijuana.

 

He adamantly insisted that won't happen.

 

"Watch my actions. That's what's going to tell," he said. "I don't look at it that way. This is my career. Who says they can't take me off the 40-man?

 

"The Brewers have tested me a couple of times this year. So have the minor leagues. I passed all of those. I will not give them any cause to test me again."

 

After getting the exciting and unexpected roster news from Melvin that "blew me away," Jeffress quickly called his parents, Fred and Yolanda, in rural South Boston, Va. His father had dispensed plenty of tough love during the multiple marijuana violations but was bursting with pride over the latest development.

 

"He called everybody in town," Jeffress said. "My dad was upset at me (before), but he loves me and supports me. My parents went crazy when I told them."

 

Moving on

 

Jeffress still talks weekly via telephone with an Employee Assistance Program counselor affiliated with Major League Baseball. He doesn't plan to stop his aftercare treatment despite being added to the 40-man roster.

 

"That will go on as long as I need it," he said. "Recovery is just like life. You keep going. It's an ongoing thing. It's someone who can talk to you to get thoughts out of your mind that are bad.

 

"The cravings are always going to be there. Triggers are going to be there. You can't get away from triggers. Some triggers remind you of things. There are temptations. It's a problem in life that's always going to haunt me."

 

Melvin told Jeffress that if he keeps moving forward, he could find himself wearing a Brewers uniform in September. The motivation to stay clean is obvious. A lot is at stake, for both Jeffress and a team that has struggled to develop pitching prospects.

 

"That's what I'm shooting for," Jeffress said. "Nothing's going to stop me now. It's time for me to step up and get the work done that needs to be done.

 

"It's been a tough time. I had everything taken away from me. I've been to the bottom. I said there's nowhere else to go but up. It's up to me to make it happen."

 

http://media.jsonline.com/images/mjs-jeremy-jeffress.jpg

(Appleton Post Crescent)

[paul253]

Why on earth would they call him up? He got rocked in AA last season. If he throws strikes, then he should be starting. I think calling up would be a PR move, which isn't something Milwaukee should be doing. This isn't the Brewers of the mid and late 90's. Do what's best for JJ. I don't think that includes a call up. It's also a slap in the face to potential call up who have earned a promotion and don't get one, like Heether last season.

[homer]

It's called a "potential" call up for a reason. He probably won't get called up if he doesn't perform going forward.

[jackalope02ca]

The move came with an obvious ulterior motive, however. Players on the 40-man roster cannot be suspended for testing positive for "drugs of abuse." Because he had prior positive tests, Jeffress can and will be subject to further testing for "cause."

 

The penalty cannot be a suspension, however, removing the lifetime ban from the table. In essence, the Brewers freed Jeffress to resume smoking marijuana

In other words we are just protecting our asset. This move made no sense at all coming when it did unless there was an ulterior motive.

[Menace II Sobriety]

In other words we are just protecting our asset. This move made no sense at all coming when it did unless there was an ulterior motive.

This move makes perfect sense to me. Jeffress has been clean for over a year, passed multiple independent and league sanctioned tests over that period. Now they management has decided to dangle a carrot in front of him to keep him clean for the long haul. It the half point of the season and they protected him as a reward (while stopping the tests) to show him what staying clean will do for him. Making him a September call-up if he earns it would be a great way to send the young man into the off season. 1 year ago he would have been out of baseball and now he is pitching in the big leagues. If that is not enough motivation for a player to stay clean than nothing is. Also by doing this if he fails another test it will be private and he would still have some trade value vs. being out of baseball on a lifetime ban.

[jackalope02ca]

When was the last time the Brewers added someone to the 40 man roster before they had too? Doug said all the right things and put a positive spin on it but this move was all about protecting an asset and nothing more.

[Menace II Sobriety]

When was the last time the Brewers had a first round pick that threw 100 mph with this much upside coming off of 3 drug suspensions? You could have made the same debate before the Brewers acquired Sabathia. Just because it hasn't happened before doesn't mean it won't happen in the future. Of course it is protecting an asset, but if they feel Jeffress is going to be a September call up and have the spot on the 40 man what is the difference between leaving it open for 60 days or putting him on it now. The spot was open, it's not like they released someone to make the addition.

[uwisfan]

Menace II Sobriety]When was the last time the Brewers had a first round pick that threw 100 mph with this much upside coming off of 3 drug suspensions? You could have made the same debate before the Brewers acquired Sabathia. Just because it hasn't happened before doesn't mean it won't happen in the future. Of course it is protecting an asset, but if they feel Jeffress is going to be a September call up and have the spot on the 40 man what is the difference between leaving it open for 60 days or putting him on it now. The spot was open, it's not like they released someone to make the addition.

I'm not disagreeing with the move, but they could have kept Oeltjen by adding him to the 40

[logan82]

The spot was open, it's not like they released someone to make the addition.

 

They did use an option though or will have to I believe. It is one less year they an keep him in the minors. Considering his control issues up until this year we might really regret it later.

[1e Corbeau]

They did use an option though or will have to I believe. It is one less year they an keep him in the minors. Considering his control issues up until this year we might really regret it later.

Not sure about the option, but I think that the potential for "losing" an extra year in the minors to work on control--or anything else, for that matter--is far less important than, say, a lifetime ban. I'm guessing there'd be a lot more "regret" in the latter situation.

 

And Oeltjen is exactly the kind of guy you can sign in the offseason as a minor league free agent... I doubt Melvin saw much drawback to dropping a 27-year old max 4th OF with poor defense in order to protect arguably his highest-ceiling pitching prospect, especially considering the context of our system.

[nate82]

They did use an option though or will have to I believe. It is one less year they an keep him in the minors. Considering his control issues up until this year we might really regret it later.

Jeffress had to be added to the 40 man regardless or he would have been exposed to the rule 5 I believe. So Jeffress was bound for the 40 man sometime this year.

[JohnBriggs12]

Why on earth would they call him up? He got rocked in AA last season. If he throws strikes, then he should be starting. I think calling up would be a PR move, which isn't something Milwaukee should be doing. This isn't the Brewers of the mid and late 90's. Do what's best for JJ. I don't think that includes a call up. It's also a slap in the face to potential call up who have earned a promotion and don't get one, like Heether last season.

 

This would not be a PR move at all. The day he signed his first major league contract, Jeffress had stuff to get major league hitters out. The entire minor league experience is about gaining maturity, refining secondary pitches, and learning how to handle being a professional. At 23 which he will be soon and hopefully within a year of when he'll be ready to stay, he would benefit from absorbing the atmosphere at the major league level so when he's called up the next time he won't have as big of an adjustment.

[TheCrew07]

They did use an option though or will have to I believe. It is one less year they an keep him in the minors. Considering his control issues up until this year we might really regret it later.

Jeffress had to be added to the 40 man regardless or he would have been exposed to the rule 5 I believe. So Jeffress was bound for the 40 man sometime this year.

Yea, he would have been added after the season, just like every other prospect we've ever had. There was no reason to add him to the 40 man in season unless he was going to end up in Milwaukee, and that could have been done in September. This isn't the first time Jeffress has been gifted by the organization, he also won the POY award when he didn't deserve it to "reward" him. I agree with Logan, there was no reason to burn an option this season for on the field reasons, this was a move made purely for off the field reasons and I'm sorry but I just won't get behind that reasoning.

 

I like his potential as much as anyone but I believe this was dumb... we had an extra roster spot so why not? What kind of logic is that... it's just further proof there isn't any kind of well thought out long term plan of attack, we're just flying by the seat of our pants.

[logan82]

there was no reason to burn an option this season for on the field reasons, this was a move made purely for off the field reasons and I'm sorry but I just won't get behind that reasoning.

 

I didn't say it that way but I agree. He didn't earn a September call-up or spot on the 40-man roster and even if he did, there is no reason to add him until September. This has to be purely to keep him from getting permanently banned. He didn't need to be added until close to the end of November to avoid the Rule 5 Draft.

 

Edit: I may be wrong on that option thing. I believe Jeffress is technically on an optional assignment right now since he is on the 40-man roster which would mean he has used one option. I just E-mailed Tom Haudricourt but he said Jeffress does not use an option since he was not sent down. I didn't really want to argue with TH since he replied quickly, and has other times I have sent him E-mail.

 

I believe this to be the pertinent information. Per Cot's

 

When a player is added to the 40-man roster, his club has three “options,” or three separate seasons during which the club may to move him to and from the minor leagues without exposing him to other clubs. A player on the 40-man roster playing in the minors is on optional assignment, and within an option season, there is no limit on the number of times a club may demote and recall a player. However, a player optioned to the minor leagues may not be recalled for at least 10 days, unless the club places a Major League player on the disabled list during the 10-day window.

Now there is another interesting part. Jeffress may not have enough MiLB service time and may be eligible for a 4th option year.

Counting option years

• If a player is not sent to the minors during a year, an option is not used.
• If a player is on the 40-man roster in spring training but optioned to the minors before the season begins, an option is used.
• If a player’s optional assignment(s) to the minors total less than 20 days in one season, an option is not used.
• A player may be eligible for a fourth option year if he has been optioned in three seasons but does not yet have five full seasons of professional experience. A full season is defined as being on an active pro roster for at least 90 days in a season. (If a player is put on the disabled list after earning 60 or more days of service in a single season, his time on the DL is counted.) The 90-day requirement means short-season leagues (New-York Penn, Northwest, Pioneer, Appalachian, Gulf Coast, Arizona Rookie, Dominican and Venezuelan Summer Leagues) do not count as full seasons for the purposes of determining eligibility for a fourth option.

I am not sure if Jeffress will have 5 years of service by the end of 2012.

 

(edit: enlarged font in Cot's quoted material --1992)

[brains and braun]

I agree with Corbeau. Are the Brewers really in the position to lose a prospect like JJ if he breaks down and sparks a j? So what if you don't like it? This is big business here, and Oeltjen can be easily be replaced without hurting the Brewers, while losing JJ would be huge.