Zaun maybe coming to the Brewers?

[yoshii8]

Rotoworld has posted a link that Greg Zaun maybe coming to Milwaukee to split time with Damian. I'm not sure about this signing, I really like Rivera.

 

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=MLB&id=2091

[PeaveyFury]

Gregg Zaun would be such a great addition it'd be scary.

 

.825 OPS out of a catcher? Yes, please. He's outperformed even Miller's numbers five of the seven seasons in the 2000s.

[pogokat]

Give zaun the same 3 year 9 million dollar deal they gave damian, and then he can start for 2 years after damian leaves next year.

 

this would be a good one...

[colbyjack]

The link that Rotoworld has included in Zaun's summary has no mention of the connection to the Brewers, so I wonder if this is just speculation on Rotoworld's part.

 

I hope its true. Zaun would be a very nice addition, and as pogo said, he could take over where Miller left off and serve as the team's primary catcher for the next 3 years.

[splitterpfj]

Damian clearly wore down last year, I'd like this signing and I think Zaun might get more playing time in '07 than some expect.

[TooLiveBrew]

From following the Brewers closely, with no particular attention payed to our catching situation, I got the strong impression that the duo of Miller & Rivera was set for the 2007 season.

 

In addition to a solid backup C OPS of .783, Rivera was one of the few Brewers that produced with RISP:

 

BA: .290

RBI: 16 (in 31 ABs)

 

If Zaun is an option, he certainly could stick around, as mentioned, after Miller. But Zaun only managed to hit .225 w/RISP in 2006. This is not a brewerfan.net token shoot-down of an idea, but is Zaun really that much better than Rivera? I just don't see why we'd need to spend money in that area, an area which, up until now had not been discussed by management or ownership as an area where we're going to spend.

 

Rivera's under contract until 2009, and each season is at or under $400,000. I just don't see Zaun being worth the big difference in money he's going to take to land. He seems kind of like Graffy in that he's not a star, but will have a chance to start somewhere, and will get starter money.

[DuWayne Steurer]

RISP numbers skew wildly from year to year for just about every player, and 31 at bats is a pretty small sample to base a decision like that on at any rate.

 

Chances are, if Zaun's a better hitter, in a given year, he'll be a better hitter with RISP as well.

[brettac1]

If this is true, my prayers have been answered.

 

Long live Zauner.

[thumperden]

Zaun will be 36 next year but still is a better option than MIke Rivera, but at what cost though? He's a little below average defensively and a little more above average offensively at the catcher spot. What does an average catcher make these days at age 36? $3 million or more?

[pogokat]

Rivera isn't going to catch everyday, so the brewers need someone else...a player like zaun makes the team better, so i have no qualms having both on the team...

 

I'd love to give Zaun 400 ab's and miller or rivera 200 a year...

 

it works out...Rivera might actually have a little trade value if zaun is signed..

[TooLiveBrew]

That's a good point, but stats aside, I noticed Rivera as a productive hitter this year. Although he did have a small sample space, I wondered constantly after he was called up why Moeller was not released earlier in 2006. I stand by the thought that Rivera is the better option.

 

He's way more affordable, and his .268 BA (142 ABs) to Zaun's .272 (290 ABs) suggests that he is at least as competent a hitter as Zaun. Zaun's a decent hitter behind the dish, but so is Rivera - who is 30 to Zaun's 36 next year. This whole situation just seems better left alone.

 

p.s. - Pudge, Jorge Posada, Paul Lo Duca, and Michael Barrett are all eligible for FA after 2007. I understand not all will hit the market. However, catcher is one position I feel totally comfortable overspending in a little to get a proven producer on both O & D

[brettac1]

I still have serious doubts as to whether Rivera can actually hit. He swings at everything, and it seemed to me that teams realized that after a little while. I'd much rather have Zaun and have Rivera back in AAA.

[mothershipconnection]

I'd be down with it. Rivera did well last year, but he doesn't have the track record that Zaun does, so I'd be willing to see a higher payroll exchanged for some certainty that you'll get good production from the C position. My only concern is that he's only a year and a half younger than Miller, so a two year deal would be awesome while I could still live with three.

[SoCalBrewfan]

That would be delightful. Though somehow I have a hunch that Ned Yost would then insist on having three catchers, so he can pinch-hit with Rivera or Zaun and still have a catcher on the bench Just In Case.

[pogokat]

id rather have 3 catchers than 14 relief pitchers or 7 outfielders...

[sbrylski]

This would be a wonderful signing. I would be very happy with it.

[Klements Bratwurst]

Is there any reason that his at bats dropped last year? Probably due to Bengie Molina, but in '05 he must have been considered the starter in Toronto, correct? He looks nice but his year to year stats seem to fluctuate a bit.

 

Zaun:

sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/5427/career;_ylt=AmHHvfNavmhoPDKFTrCv86iFCLcF

 

Miller:

 

sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/5878/career;_ylt=AlxiXo6qhSMrnaQ4vck3n.SFCLcF

 

I'd still rather have Zaun than Miller but we already have Miller, but for a two or three season insurance this might be a good pick up after Miller's contract expires. Hurry up Angel Salome!!!!

[UWRyan428]

Henry Blanco got a two year, $5.25mil contract. What is Zaun expecting? I'd rather invest in the bullpen than a position where a marginal upgrade costs us $3+mil as opposed to a very good addition in an area of weakness.

[hauser42]

Henry Blanco got a two year, $5.25mil contract. What is Zaun expecting? I'd rather invest in the bullpen than a position where a marginal upgrade costs us $3+mil as opposed to a very good addition in an area of weakness.

 

We have a weakness at catcher. Miller is solid, but wore down with all his playing. If we have Zaun and can split time keeping them both fresh. Maybe some would like to see Bad Chad back on the roster.

 

We have some options in the pen already that can help.

[JohnBriggs12]

Zaun doesn't excite me. He'll be 35 next April and if they sign him to a substantial contract, he'd be expected to play at least 75% of the time. Frankly, I don't think at 35, he'd put up anything close to a .825 OPS playing that often. And after 2007, he'd likely get worse.

 

Besides, Rivera posted a very respectable .778 OPS playing every day the last two weeks.

[Gone]

Besides, Rivera posted a very respectable .778 OPS playing every day the last two weeks

 

I'm not a big fan of signing Zaun either, but Rivera's OPS over 2 weeks really shouldn't be a reason to not sign him. Way too small of a sample for me to be convinced.

[PeaveyFury]

He'll be 35 next April and if they sign him to a substantial contract, he'd be expected to play at least 75% of the time.

 

I don't think that's necessarily true. When Miller was signed to his deal, he essentially split time with Moeller 60/40. So I'd imagine something similar would be likely with Zaun.

 

Frankly, I don't think at 35, he'd put up anything close to a .825 OPS playing that often.

 

He had 338 AB's (107 games caught) in 2004 and put up a .760 OPS. He did wear down in 2005 a bit, catching 133 games for .728. Still, even that .728 number is such an upgrade from where we started even 2006 with a Miller/Moeller platoon it's scary.

 

Rivera was fantastic last year, but it's hard to judge that performance. He was great in 142 AB's, but in his previous 200-ish MLB AB's he was quite horrible.

 

I'm definitely not opposed to the idea of three catchers at this point, as it would provide PHing/PRing options for Yost later in games, and Miller has shown that he's pretty much due for some DL time every season, and can really only be counted on for 250-300 ish AB's a season, if that at this point.

[endaround]

Much more likely that at 29 Rivera had a career year then Zaun suddenly not being able to hit.

[UWRyan428]

I'd rather trade Hall for McCann and be done with the stress of worrying about my catcher position.

[DuWayne Steurer]

McCann is probably about as untouchable as any player in the league. You don't trade away .950 OPS catchers who're only 23 years old.