Zach Braddock Spring Success!

[DHonks]

Invader, we need some of them, including perhaps Capuano. For 2011 alone, we'll have Suppan off the books, Bush might start getting pricey (with or without a good year, and we'll have an idea if we can count on Parra/Narveson

[uwisfan]

was listening to the pregrame and they made a very positive reference to Capuano and his status. Sounds like they expect him to compete for a starting job soon.

[trwi7]

First, I don't want the Brewers spending any more money on FA pitchers for years...let the kids play.

 

They'll almost certainly have to next season, unless a couple AAA starters step up big time this year, or some unforeseen trade is made.

 

No they don't. Even if you have to take a step back, just go with Gallardo, Wolf, Davis, Parra and Narveson. No need to continue spending on starters, the depth would come from some of the guys in the minors, Butler, Rivas, Rogers etc.

[Invader3K]

was listening to the pregrame and they made a very positive reference to Capuano and his status. Sounds like they expect him to compete for a starting job soon.

If that's the case I'll be very pleased. I am pulling for Capuano, I just have my doubts that he'll be able to make it back after such a lengthy rehab. I hope he can.

 

 

[Never Outhustled]

Trust me guys, Zach is not fragile, it just took a couple years to diagnose his ailment. He has closer mentality, and can dominate with his stuff! Its just when you only have to go an inning or two, its easier to mentally dominate your opponent, and Zach can be intense!

Maybe so, but they correctly diagnosed his shoulder tendinitis last year, which he sustained despite working limited pitches on a strict schedule. He will likely be a dominant big league reliever, but he's far to fragile to ever be considered to start again. I also hope that instead of being pigeon-holed into the closer role, he is instead is used in the highest leverage situations.It would help the team more, and protect him from the emotional roller coaster that is closing.

[marty22]

As X noted, a high leverage, multiple-inning reliever would be awesome to have. Braddock reminds me of Hong-Chih Kuo, who is used commonly in this role.

[battlekow]

As X noted, a high leverage, multiple-inning reliever would be awesome to have. Braddock reminds me of Hong-Chih Kuo, who is used commonly in this role.

That's actually a really good comparison, but unfortunately for more reasons than you intended. That hypothetical Braddock, being too fragile to start but fully equipped to get through an order more than once, is a good comp for Kuo '08, when Kuo was something of a long man-closer hybrid, as opposed to your standard long man of the crappy Dessens-ian variety. After yet another arm injury, however, Kuo '09 was never used more than an inning at a time and never brought back out after finishing an inning, which sadly is closer to the Braddock of reality, or at least Braddock '09. Then again, Kuo has had a truly heroic number of arm problems as opposed to Braddock's pretty standard amount, but even leaving aside injury concerns, getting a manager to carve out a nonstandard bullpen role like that, especially for a completely unproven player, is going to be difficult. A more realistic goal is the Todd Coffey fireman-esque role from last year, though he obviously wouldn't be able to pitch as often as Coffey did.

[marty22]

As X noted, a high leverage, multiple-inning reliever would be awesome to have. Braddock reminds me of Hong-Chih Kuo, who is used commonly in this role.

That's actually a really good comparison, but unfortunately for more reasons than you intended. That hypothetical Braddock, being too fragile to start but fully equipped to get through an order more than once, is a good comp for Kuo '08, when Kuo was something of a long man-closer hybrid, as opposed to your standard long man of the crappy Dessens-ian variety. After yet another arm injury, however, Kuo '09 was never used more than an inning at a time and never brought back out after finishing an inning, which sadly is closer to the Braddock of reality, or at least Braddock '09. Then again, Kuo has had a truly heroic number of arm problems as opposed to Braddock's pretty standard amount, but even leaving aside injury concerns, getting a manager to carve out a nonstandard bullpen role like that, especially for a completely unproven player, is going to be difficult. A more realistic goal is the Todd Coffey fireman-esque role from last year, though he obviously wouldn't be able to pitch as often as Coffey did.

Don't worry, BK, that part of the comparison wasn't lost on me. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/tired.gif

[paul253]

I also hope that instead of being pigeon-holed into the closer

role, he is instead is used in the highest leverage situations.It would

help the team more, and protect him from the emotional roller coaster

that is closing.

 

I don't think you should consider it "pigeon holing" when talking about the closers role. The closer's job, while it may mean less innings, I think is more important. If a 7th inning guy blows a lead, you still have two innings to come back to tie or take a lead. If the closer blows a lead, you either have to play extra's or you lose. Plus, the closer usually gets the inning, no matter what. If a 6th or 7th inning guy, or even an 8th inning guy, gets into trouble, he's gone. The Brewers over the years have seen how important it is to have a solid closer. We all feel much better with someone like Hoffman in that role than someone like Gagne or Villanueva. I can certainly see your point that you don't want to limit your best pitcher to that one role, but I think it's a very important role. It also puts a lot of pressure on the other team if you have a dominant closer, knowing that they likely have to tie the game or take the lead by the 8th inning, not the 9th. That's why it's nice to see the Brewers developing some dominating relief guys like Braddock and Wooten. I hope Mike Jones excels in that role too, even though I was disappointed he got switched.