Bourgeois Claimed by Houston; Burns, Stern Sign AAA Deals

[Mass Haas]

Rotoworld

 

Tom H. with news on RHP Mike Burns and OF Adam Stern as well, we'll be updating our minor league transaction thread.

 

While Tom does indicate there are 38 players on the 40-man, it's technically 41 as Riske, DiFelice and Weeks will need to come off the 60-day DL soon.

[bball123h]

http://www.dreamstime.com/close-up-of-champagne-cork-pop-thumb3806467.jpg

 

 

[endaround]

Wow people in the comments are actually complaining about losing Bourgeois

[Funketown]

Actually quite a bit of love for Bourgeois on the JS blog...I mean, it's nice to have him around as a deep depth guy in Nashville, but I seriously doubt this will have a significant impact on the major league club.

[Invader3K]

So, I forget the rules...does Houston get him outright, or is there a chance some kind of trade will be worked out?

[WisconsinSportsRule]

So, I forget the rules...does Houston get him outright, or is there a chance some kind of trade will be worked out?

 

I think since it was waivers, he just goes straight to Houston. I could be wrong on that one though.

[Mass Haas]

Astros' thoughts on Bourgeois

[endaround]

Reading between the lines, he was picked up because he's a local boy

[JohnBriggs12]

Reading between the lines, he was picked up because he's a local boy

 

I seriously doubt that was a factor. Bourgeois hit .316 in AAA and can run which in Minute Maid has a lot of value. At worst, think late inning PR for Carlos Lee then replacing him in LF defensively. Would be tough getting one in the gap with Bourgeois in LF and Bourne in CF. I'm a bit puzzled why the Brewers would let him go especially with Cameron's situation up in the air. If they thought he'd clear, they thought wrong.

 

I'll withhold judgement until I see who they needed his roster spot for.

[TooLiveBrew]

A 28-yo OF with a career .727 OPS in the minors is hardly someone to worry about losing. I hate how negative this sounds against Jason, but he's basically the definition of replacement-level.

[BoKnowsBall]

I cant believe the love for both Bourgeois and Gwynn on JSonline.

[dadofandrew]

I think HOU claimed him to open a dialogue to sign a minor league deal. He's not a bad 25th man at all, due to his versatility and speed, but his production does not begin to deserve a 40 man spot all winter.

[Thurston Fluff]

He's not a bad 25th man at all, due to his versatility and speed, but his production does not begin to deserve a 40 man spot all winter.

 

He is if you don't have any better options. Houston doesn't have a good farm system. If he can be a decent 25th man on the roster and there is little else on the 40 man that can't be exposed why not take him?

[JohnBriggs12]

I think HOU claimed him to open a dialogue to sign a minor league deal. He's not a bad 25th man at all, due to his versatility and speed, but his production does not begin to deserve a 40 man spot all winter.

I think the same could have been said about McGehee last winter (and Podsednik in 03) and he was out of options was he not? Bourgeois has hit a combined .303 at AAA since 2007 with 89 steals in 113 attempts and he plays all over the field. Compare that with what Lorenzo Cain has done above A ball. Given he still had one option left and the Brewers aren't exactly overflowing with OF that had played above A ball, (they had to re-sign 30 year old retread Adam Stern (a lesser player) to replace him), it's a puzzling move. Not likely to backfire into anything significant, but you never know.

[JohnBriggs12]

A 28-yo OF with a career .727 OPS in the minors is hardly someone to worry about losing. I hate how negative this sounds against Jason, but he's basically the definition of replacement-level.

Podsednik was a soon to be 27 year old with a career .695 OPS when the Brewers claimed him off waivers in 03 and he was 2nd in the ROY that year. McGehee was a 26 year old with a .741 career minor league OPS when the Brewers claimed him.

 

Neither proved to be the "definition of replacement level".

[Thurston Fluff]

Given he still had one option left and the Brewers aren't exactly overflowing with OF that had played above A ball, (they had to re-sign 30 year old retread Adam Stern (a lesser player) to replace him), it's a puzzling move. Not likely to backfire into anything significant, but you never know.

 

with Burns, Weeks and Riske coming off the 60 day DL they would be over the 40 man limit. They can cut Riske to get under but that leaves no room on the 40 man for new pitchers. If Melvin is telling the truth he wants to add 2. Trading some players will open up space but limits the options if it has to be a strict player for player swap. At this point I think having a little flexibility on the 40 man is more useful than Bourgeois would be IMHO.

[cwolf2012]

"Podsednik was a soon to be 27 year old with a career .695 OPS when the Brewers claimed him off waivers in 03 and he was 2nd in the ROY that year. McGehee was a 26 year old with a .741 career minor league OPS when the Brewers claimed him. "

 

Yes, but for every McGehee, there's 20 complete busts. Just because we did well in 2 of our scrap heap pickups in 6 years doesn't exactly mean much.

[TooLiveBrew]

And offensive production for a guy that can play the infield is, of course, more valuable than that of an OFer. Pods is basically replacement level overall, & definitely is when considering his position (LF), with the exception of maybe two seasons (one of which was '09).

 

Like you said earlier, Briggs, it's not likely to backfire, and I wish Bourgeois well.