Brewers claim IF Joe Inglett, DFA Chris Smith

[battlekow]

From Tyler Barnes.

 

Inglett's career Major League and minor league stats. He was claimed from the Rangers but never played for them, having been claimed by them from the Blue Jays in December.

[Funketown]

Career MLB line of .293/.349/.396/.745 in 711 PA's. Looks like he has some experience at 2B and in the OF, along with some SS experience in AAA. I'm guessing this is just another player to have in the system that could help in the case of a Weeks injury.

 

Just glancing at his slash line, looks like a smart pickup.

 

I won't fret about losing Smith, and I would assume no one else will either.

[RockCoCougars]

Not quite sure why this team needs to use a roster spot on another infielder to throw into the mix? Isn't there already like 4 guys on the MLB roster who can step in if Weeks gets hurt again? The outfield depth is lacking in the worst way, and if Melvin is planning on using him in the outfield, all is can say is "David Hulse".

[brewjihad]

Inglett was the one who hit the grand slam off of David Riske in the most ridiculous baseball game I have ever seen.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/a...p;fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

Edit: That said Dillard before. Riske gave up the homer to Inglett.

[JohnBriggs12]

I'm sorry but this move makes zero sense. Not that Inglett is a bad player, but with Gerut, Counsell, Iribarren, Gamel, Oeltjen, Stern, and Schafer all in camp, were the Brewer really hurting for lefthanded bench bats?

[PrinceEatMeat]

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/82825007.html

 

Apparently Melvin likes his bat. Sounds like he's gonna be the other backup infielder with Counsell. Kiss of death for Irribaren and Heether. I bet Melvin signs a righty backup outfielder now. Wouldn't mind Reed Johnson.

[patrickgpe]

i am betting gross is signed to a minor league deal. They need a lefthanded batter off the bench and another backup outfielder.

[JohnBriggs12]

I just don't understand why they are so down on Iribarren that they'd give up on him (remember Hernan is out of options) to keep virtually the same guy who's 6-7 years older. Inglett was in AA at the Iribarren's current age. He's no more versatile than Iribarren either, having played no more in the OF than Iribarren.

 

Iribarren will be lost when he's exposed to waivers. It just makes no sense to just let him go, when he'd be a minimum wage bench option for 3 more years.

[yount19.u]

i am betting gross is signed to a minor league deal. They need a lefthanded batter off the bench and another backup outfielder.

But Inglett is left handed. Seems to me they would want to sign a right handed back up outfielder to avoid having too many lefties on the bench.

[Crew2323]

i am betting gross is signed to a minor league deal. They need a lefthanded batter off the bench and another backup outfielder.

It isn't Gross, according to Melvin:

 

 

If you remember, I wrote yesterday that Melvin said he was

considering making another move. I asked him if this was it and he said

no. "I"m still working on something else," he said.

Melvin said he wasn't a pitcher, so it has to be a backup

outfielder. As noted, Jody Gerut is currently the only backup

outfielder with any major league experience of note. I ran my Gabe

Gross guess past Melvin and he indicated it wasn't Gross but wouldn't

tip his hand.

 

I wonder if it will be Reed Johnson.

[bork]

Bye bye Hurricane. Right now, it would appear that Heather has the inside track on one of the spots, since he's the only right-handed bench bat.

[BrewerAddiction]

I would love for it to be Reed Johnson, but would he really sign a minor league deal?

[pitchleague]

Inglett was the one who hit the grand slam off of David Riske in the most ridiculous baseball game I have ever seen.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/a...p;fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

 

Edit: That said Dillard before. Riske gave up the homer to Inglett.

This was exactly what I was going to post about. I still remember going from elation that a no-no was going on to sheer frustration and anger that they were completely blowing it.

 

I like Inglett also to be a solid left-handed bat off the bench that can play infield and outfield. Leave it to Doug to take him off the Rangers!

[GAME05]

Irribarren leaving doesn't bother me at all, and I like this signing so we can hopefully keep Heether in the minors until we figure out what we think of Gamel first.

 

I'll be rooting for Reed Johnson, too.

[TheCrew07]

I'm sorry but this move makes zero sense. Not that Inglett is a bad player, but with Gerut, Counsell, Iribarren, Gamel, Oeltjen, Stern, and Schafer all in camp, were the Brewer really hurting for lefthanded bench bats?

If I agree will I get bashed for being a Melvin hater again? He's done pretty good with hitters over the years so it's hard to complain but I think what this means down the road is that the team isn't giving the Hurricane any sort serious consideration for a MLB bench spot. I'm still holding out hope Heether manages to make the 25 man out of camp, I realize he doesn't bat left handed, but thinking about Iribarren always makes me think of Heether for some reason.

 

Hopefully Iribarren gets his shot with another organization this season, I've always been curious to see how he'd perform in MLB. I don't think the Brewers will miss him at all, but he's a home grown product and I tend to root pretty hard for those guys.

[liveforoctober]

It's not that the Brewers were searching for left-handed bench spots ... but what is the problem with adding as much depth as possible? He has major league experience and has performed well at the major league level, what is bad about putting a guy like that (cheaply) in your system? I agree it'd be nice to have another right handed swinger on the roster off the bench but that doesn't mean we should stop trying to improve the team elsewhere.

 

If we start the season and Gerut and Counsell get hurt ... Inglett is suddenly a pretty valuable pickup.

[joepepsi]

Hurricane is also a lefty who can play 2B and the OF. I hope they start the season with him on the 25 man and Inglett in AAA. But managers always go the veteran on the bench when he's available.

 

Letting Iribarren go leaves the team with fewer options down the road if Weeks continue to disappoint and continues to get more expensive.

[CheezWizHed]

Of course, they haven't let Irabarren go yet... This just sets up good ST competition.

[monty57]

I think Brad Nelson going 0-for-21 to start last season has put into Melvin and Macha's mind that young players cannot be good bench players and we need "proven veterans" on the bench. I wouldn't think Macha would have anything to do with a decision like this, but this reeks of Macha's desire for a veteran bench, and hesitation to play the youngsters.

 

Maybe the added versatility of being able to play more positions than Hernan led to this signing. Someone (most likely Melvin) doesn't seem to think Hernan's up to the task. Last year, when Hernan was playing pretty well at AAA, Mevin brought in Lopez when Weeks went down. Now, as others have mentioned, this move seems to signal Hernan's tenure as "Brewers' property" will soon come to an end. If so, I hope he's able to sign on with a team that will give him a chance.

[NievesNoNO]

monty57[/b]]I think Brad Nelson going 0-for-21 to start last season has put into Melvin and Macha's mind that young players cannot be good bench players and we need "proven veterans" on the bench.

First, I like the signing a lot. I also think they're trying to minimize some of the uncertainty with players and I'm sure Brad Nelson's early struggles last year are still in their minds. There is still a good deal of uncertainty regarding Gomez, Escobar, and McGhee to some extent, so adding a veteran player instead of a younger less proven player like Irrabaren probably had some appeal.

[battlekow]

Smith accepted the outright assignment to Nashville, so he'll stay in the organization.

[Invader3K]

Smith accepted the outright assignment to Nashville, so he'll stay in the organization.

This is good. I kind of like Smith. Incidentally, my dad (who was an amateur baseball player) always raves about what Smith showed this past year, for some odd reason. I have a feeling he'll be back up with the Brewers this season at some point.

[CheezWizHed]

We are starting to get some nice AAA depth. No high ceiling types (save for Braddock), but lots of guys that have done OK at the MLB level or project to low-level starter/relievers. Much better options than last year.