Cain and Rivas added to the 40 man roster; Protected from Rule 5 Draft

[bork]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/70368887.html

 

EDIT -- Activated link

[jackalope02ca]

I hope these two develop but a pretty weak year for us overall. I doubt either would have been taken in the Rule 5.

[TheCrew07]

I hope these two develop but a pretty weak year for us overall. I doubt either would have been taken in the Rule 5.

Err what? Are you confusing Rivas with someone else? He was the organization's minor league pitcher of the year, tops out in the mid 90s but consistently works in the low 90s, has good movement on his fastball, and BA rated him as having the best change in the FSL this last season. He has a respectable frame at 6' 2" and projectable stuff, he also had the stats to backup his projection unlike prospects who are still rated higher simply on name recognition. I moaned about all that stuff already in the top prospects by league thread and won't repeat it here.

 

Year	Age	Tm	Lg	Lev	Aff	W	L	W-L%	ERA	G	GS	GF	CG	SHO	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	IBB	SO	HBP	BK	WP	BF	WHIP	H/9	HR/9	BB/9	SO/9	SO/BB
2005	19	AZL Brewers	ARIZ	Rook	MIL	2	3	.400	6.91	14	6	1	0	0	0	41.2	56	36	32	1	16	1	34		6	3	197	1.728	12.1	0.2	3.5	7.3	2.13
2006	20	2 Teams	2 Lgs	Rook	MIL	6	4	.600	3.72	14	12	0	0	0	0	67.2	65	40	28	7	19		48		1	2	288	1.241	8.6	0.9	2.5	6.4	2.53
2006	20	Helena	PION	Rook	MIL	5	4	.556	3.02	10	10	0	0	0	0	53.2	48	28	18	6	16		36		1	1	226	1.193	8.0	1.0	2.7	6.0	2.25
2006	20	Brewers	ARIZ	Rook	MIL	1	0	1.000	6.43	4	2	0	0	0	0	14.0	17	12	10	1	3		12		0	1	62	1.429	10.9	0.6	1.9	7.7	4.00
2007	21	Brewers	ARIZ	Rook	MIL	0	0		3.12	6	6	0	0	0	0	8.2	3	4	3	1	4	0	10		0	0	32	0.808	3.1	1.0	4.2	10.4	2.50
2008	22	2 Teams	2 Lgs	A-A_adv	MIL	9	5	.643	3.68	26	21	2	0	0	0	120.0	118	57	49	13	43	1	90		1	11	514	1.342	8.8	1.0	3.2	6.8	2.09
2008	22	Brevard County	FLOR	A_adv	MIL	1	2	.333	4.20	7	6	0	0	0	0	30.0	35	16	14	2	11	1	20		0	2	130	1.533	10.5	0.6	3.3	6.0	1.82
2008	22	West Virginia	SALL	A	MIL	8	3	.727	3.50	19	15	2	0	0	0	90.0	83	41	35	11	32	0	70		1	9	384	1.278	8.3	1.1	3.2	7.0	2.19
2009	23	Brevard County	FLOR	A_adv	MIL	13	7	.650	2.98	26	23	0	0	0	0	133.0	109	55	44	11	43	1	123	4	0	3	548	1.143	7.4	0.7	2.9	8.3	2.86

I couldn't get the table to display properly so if Casey or someone else could help me out I'd greatly appreciate it, but what's not to like about Rivas other than he's already had TJ surgery?

 

He would have absolutely been taken by someone and if he continues to improve his command and 3rd pitch he could be a guy who makes the jump from AA as an injury replacement and never goes back down as soon as next season.

[jackalope02ca]

Like I said I hope they both develop but nothing at all to get excited about yet. Rivas hasn't pitched above A ball and is about to turn 24. When he dominates AA I might start to get interested. The bottom line is the system is starting to look pretty grim. I'm sure some of the guys at the lower levels will develop and Braddock and Lucroy are looking like the real deal in the AFL but other than that I don't see much except stop gap type players at the higher levels.

[paul253]

The bottom line is the system is starting to look pretty grim. I'm sure some of the guys at the lower levels will develop and Braddock and Lucroy are looking like the real deal in the AFL but other than that I don't see much except stop gap type players at the higher levels.

 

I think hitters are starting to seem few and far between but thats because of the heavy focus on pitching the past few drafts. Pitching wise I think we are as deep now as we have been in years. Even though a lot of them are still pretty young, its getting to the point where after this next season we'll hopefully be able to rely on some of our own pitchers for once. Jones, Butler, Braddock, Anundson, Rogers, Rivas, Scarpetta, Peralta, Arnett, Heckathorn, Odorizzi, Bucci. Even guys like Wooten, Jeffries and Aguilar may be able to contribute in two or three years. Yeah its not ideal and none of them are top 20 prospects, but it certainly looks better than it did 2 years ago. One or two more good drafts and we can replenish the hitters as well. We still have a few good ones in Green, Lawrie, Gindl, Lucroy, Gamel, Schaeffer and Salome.

[HiAndTight]

Like I said I hope they both develop but nothing at all to get excited about yet. Rivas hasn't pitched above A ball and is about to turn 24. When he dominates AA I might start to get interested. The bottom line is the system is starting to look pretty grim. I'm sure some of the guys at the lower levels will develop and Braddock and Lucroy are looking like the real deal in the AFL but other than that I don't see much except stop gap type players at the higher levels.

Wow....I really vehemetly disagree with this.

 

I think Rivas is most definitely something to get excited about. A guy who throws in the mid 90's and has the best change in his league is a pretty exciting young prospect.

 

Taylor Green IMO is a Mark Loretta type prospect with more power, also a nice encouraging young player who I believe will develop into the prototypical #2 hitter for years to come.

 

AS for our system starting to look pretty grim, again, I just really disagree. This, IMO, is the deepest group we've had in years. We may not have the high number of the top tier power hitters. In other words our top 5-8 may not be as good as they've been, but I think this is as good of a 10-40 as I've ever seen.

 

Heck, when Brett Lawrie is getting comped to Rogers Hornsby, that in and of itself is exciting.

 

 

I also loved the Brewers draft last year and believe it will end up being the best draft of the last 10 years. Picking up two projected top 3 round picks in the 15th and 16th because we were willing to spend was huge.

 

As for your comment about nothing more than just stop gaps in the higher levels, guys like Salome, LuCroy, Gamel, Escobar. On the mound you still have Braddock and Rogers who will start in AA along with hopefully Periard who reminds me very much of Derek Lowe and was really coming on strong prior to last years set backs. Butler looked good, Wooten. Arnett should be able to make a very quick ascent through the minor leagues should he stay healthy.

So maybe we just have very different expectations, but I really like our system and more importantly, I love where it's heading right now.

 

 

As far as Cain and Green, I don't think there is any question whatsoever that both would be snapped up were they have been left unprotected. In fact, I'd exect both to be among the top couple picks of the draft. Cain is a guy who many thought would start for us in CF this upcoming year, and Taylor Green, if not for a injury plagued season could also be pushing for a spot on the 25 many out of ST'ing.

[jackalope02ca]

Taylor Green doesn't have to be protected until next year unless I've missed something.

 

I seriously doubt anyone would take Cain either given his past year. If they did he wouldn't see many at bats and you'd essentially have a guy sitting for 2 years without playing much. I doubt any team would do that. Cain needs to play and play a lot this year if he is going to move up the chain further.

 

Braddock and Lucroy should fill roles and fill them well as I stated before.

[HiAndTight]

Taylor Green doesn't have to be protected until next year unless I've missed something.

 

I seriously doubt anyone would take Cain either given his past year. If they did he wouldn't see many at bats and you'd essentially have a guy sitting for 2 years without playing much. I doubt any team would do that. Cain needs to play and play a lot this year if he is going to move up the chain further.

 

Braddock and Lucroy should fill roles and fill them well as I stated before.

Yeah, there was some talk about Green on the previous thread before it was decided he signed at 18 and was not available.

 

 

Either way, Cain's a 5 tool prospect who'll start the year in AAA. I think it's almost a given a team such as the Royals, the Pirates, the Nationals or a team of that nature would snap him up and be happy to do so.

 

As for Rivas, I think it's even more likely he would have been. Pitchers with that type of talent seldom make it through the rule 5.

[lodiness]

After watching Cain play in Spring Training last year, I was really impressed with his talent in all aspects. I think that the injury last year is the reason why some may not have heard of him. I think that he might have been up in the later part of last year until his injury.