Knock on wood - Could Chris Capuano be a factor on this year's team? Latest: Starting Thursday 6/3 (reply #171ish)

[thablingster]

Did you just tonight whip up that avatar, thablingster? or did you have it in reserve, knowing this day would come? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

I honestly never thought we'd see this day again. I made that icon back in 2006 when Cappy was all the rage. The icon was still in my yuku icon queue so I figured I'd bring it out for this momentous occasion! Hopefully two years away from the game will vanquish memories of the 22 game losing streak the Brewers had whenever Cappy pitched. I believe that is still active, though ... lol.

[RobDeer 45]

SO AWESOME! I hope he does well and stays healthy.

I too am happy with soup in his new role. I say keep him up for now.

[PeaveyFury]

Zaun to the 60-day DL would seem like a very likely way to get Capuano on the 40-man.

[thablingster]

Zaun to the 60-day DL would seem like a very likely way to get Capuano on the 40-man.

Good call. Haudricourt's blog made it seem as though the Brewers might stall this move out until Sunday, which would give them time to either DFA a guy like Vargas or drain Estrada's arm piggybacking Parra tomorrow before sending him back to Nashville.

[TJseven]

or drain Estrada's arm piggybacking Parra tomorrow before sending him back to Nashville.

 

Makes the most sense seeing as they used Cappy tonight and don't want to cut those 2 for some reason.

[HiAndTight]

Why have him pitch tonight at all.... so frustrating. He could have started tomorrow or at least came in if Parra couldn't go more than 3 innings into the game. Now he's useless tomorrow for our piece start. If we sent down estrada to make this move we put our pen in an unnessicary jam tomorrow even after Yo saved us the work today! Way to gain nothing from tonight!

6 IP to cover and if we sent down Estrada its all on Coffey Braddock Axford V and Hoffman. Lets overwork the pen just because we didn't have to use them tonight.

 

Either way you slice it, even 4 IP tonight made him unavailable for a couple days and that was just stupid. He was on pace to go another 6-7 and his ERA was likely to still be under 2 when he was done with it.

 

If we could have got 6 ip and even 4ER from him tomorrow it would have been a huge boost.

We don't have to make any moves for him by tomorrow. The Brewers will likely wait until Sunday or Monday to make the corresponding roster move.

But my god, the knee jerk reaction to just instantly bash whatever it is the Brewers do at times gets a bit out of hand. We've got a rested bullpen for tomorrow having had a day off, AND a complete game shutout AND 13 pitchers in the pen. I don't see how we're in any jam with our BP whatsoever.

 

As for the moves, I never liked signing Vargas in the first place, and while spending 13 million(plus 2.5 I believe for Suppan's option next year) is a lot for pitchers who aren't pitching, it's more costly to keep them up here and pay them that.

 

Waive both of them..and worry about what other moves to make when Davis and Hawkings are ready to go again, though neither look to be close.

[TJseven]

We've got a rested bullpen for tomorrow having had a day off, AND a complete game shutout AND 13 pitchers in the pen. I don't see how we're in any jam with our BP whatsoever.

 

If we make a move immediately with Cappy for Estrada:

 

We have Cappy unavailable and have no long guy to piggy back Parra's start with Estrada optioned out.

 

If the game is still close after Parra leaves 3-4 innings in:

 

Braddock, V, Coffey, Ax, Hoffman is what we have in the pen.

 

We should not pitch Suppan or Vargas in a game that is remotely close if we want to win. Meaning if Parra goes 4 (which he hasn't in a long time) everyone would get an inning of work tomorrow. Sure they are capable and rested to do it, but its foolish if you are looking at the long run of the season and trying not to wearing out your pen.

 

It sounds like they will be keeping Estrada up for the game and optioning him right after it. That's fine.

 

You can call it knee jerk or whatever you want but the fact is that our roster has been jacked up all season and it takes something major to get the team (owner gm manager, whoever is doing this) to make the nessicary move.

 

In the long run Yo just saved us 3 IP in our pen. If we were to pitch Cappy tonight in the minors only to bring him up when he's unavailable tomorrow, and send down Estrada before the game, (as it seemed we were doing when I first heard it) we would have pissed away 3 more innings of wear on our pen. Its taken enough already and its not June. Your calling the bullpen rested because of two days off is very short sighted.

[JohnBriggs12]

I don't like the timing of this move at all. For the first time all season, in the past week the Brewers looked like they had a major league pitching staff. Now they've apparently been forced to add a guy who despite his success in limited minor league appearances, is still a huge question mark and who when we last saw him in Milwaukee wasn't very good. In all likelyhood, they'll option out a nice younger arm in Estrada or worse, Braddock, to accomodate him. No knock on Capuano, but it would have been better if a contract wasn't forcing this move. I'm hoping they'll just jettison Vargas, but I'm not holding my breath because they've shown if they can keep 50 pitchers, they will. I worry that they'll use the ability to put Zaun on the 60 day as a reason to keep Vargas or Suppan.

 

This also begs the question of what do you do when Davis is healthy? Not to mention Riske or Hawkins. Will this mean more young guys optioned?

[RockCoCougars]

It's time to DFA Suppan to free up a 40 man spot. I'm tired of this team mishandling guys like Estrada. Suppan brings absolutely nothing to the table, and he's not needed anymore as a spot starter. He's just a mop up guy out of the pen. If he's kept, it sends a terrible message to the rest of the team. Obviously he's one of Attanasio's favorites though.

[tigerbrew]

Welcome back Cappy! But I hope they don't send Estrada down, I think Estrada can help the team more than guys like Suppan, Vargas or Hoffman.

[Funketown]

I don't like the timing of this move at all. For the first time all season, in the past week the Brewers looked like they had a major league pitching staff. Now they've apparently been forced to add a guy who despite his success in limited minor league appearances, is still a huge question mark and who when we last saw him in Milwaukee wasn't very good. In all likelyhood, they'll option out a nice younger arm in Estrada or worse, Braddock, to accomodate him. No knock on Capuano, but it would have been better if a contract wasn't forcing this move. I'm hoping they'll just jettison Vargas, but I'm not holding my breath because they've shown if they can keep 50 pitchers, they will. I worry that they'll use the ability to put Zaun on the 60 day as a reason to keep Vargas or Suppan.

 

This also begs the question of what do you do when Davis is healthy? Not to mention Riske or Hawkins. Will this mean more young guys optioned?

Hopefully Riske doesn't factor into this too much. He wasn't ever a very good pitcher, and he certainly can't provide much value to a major league team at this point. I hate to pull out the DFA card, but I don't see any value in Riske. Obviously cutting Vargas loose wouldn't be a terrible move either.

 

They can't send down Axford; he's just been too good. They'll have to DFA a couple of Riske, Suppan, Capuano, and Vargas. I'd personally be fine with any two of Riske, Suppan, and Vargas, although admittedly my bias towards Capuano, who was always a favorite, is certainly playing into my desire to see him throw for the Crew this year, if for nothing more than a swan song.

[Ennder]

Estrada has likely pitched worse than Vargas or Suppan on the season given his peripherals, wouldn't bother me a little bit if he was the one to go. There are plenty of guys to choose from who aren't going to help the team all that much so I don't mind the timing of this.

[Invader3K]

Sending Estrada down to AAA doesn't do anything since they need to clear a spot on the 40 man for Capuano.

 

I could see them moving Zaun to the 60 day DL.

[miggs721]

Melvin, cut Suppan....please!!!!!

[joepepsi]

Estrada was brilliant in his first appearance. He hasn't been very good since then, mostly just hanging on every inning.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

When is Capuano going to start?

[Invader3K]

So you're saying they should DFA Estrada? If not, his performance isn't really relevant to the discussion. It's clear he has more value than Suppan or Vargas at this point, so if you're going to DFA someone, it should be one or both of them.

[crewcrazy]

Per Tyler Barnes on Twitter, Claudio Vargas has been DFA'd.

 

And there was much rejoicing.

[Invader3K]

Pretty sensible move. Glad it was done.

 

This blurb on MLB Trade Rumors pretty much sums up the reasoning: In 19.2 innings this season, Vargas has a ERA of 7.32 with 8.2 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9.

[AJAY]

I am not surprised they kept Suppan and DFA'd Vargas. Suppan probably makes a better long reliever for those lopsided games where you need a mop-up man.

[TJseven]

Now only had we not used Cappy for 4 IP in the minors last night, this move would be darn near perfect.

 

I think the problem with Estrada is the same as Narvy. He's meant to be a 4.5-5 era end of the rotation starter. Jerking him around in the pen has not given him very good results. Probably my main reason for wanting him to be a AAA guy who we call up for spot starts. He looked great in his first appearance when he knew he was going to be handed the ball. His 2nd random one he didn't even get out of the inning. Then pushed up the next day to save Parra he allowed 2 in 3 ip. He's better mentally set to start.

 

I'm glad Cappy is up but this is just our first domino. As someone posted earlier we have our eyes set on the return of Davis Loe Hawk and Riske still and no place to put them. Not saying I think they should all be brought back up, but the club seems to dread letting arms go.

 

Only problem saying Suppan is a servicable mop up long guy. We have Estrada for that. We have Parra who is a LR. When davis is back Cappy is probably a LR I don't think we need 3. No matter which way it plays out we are pretty certain to have 3 as of the call up, and probably extending with that after Davis is back.

[Invader3K]

Is there any chance at all some desperate team claims him? Would be nice to get some salary relief.

[HiAndTight]

I don't understand the issue with Capuano pitching in AAA last night.

 

The whole point was to see if he was ready. He'd thrown all of 21 IP in AAA and fewer than 15 in A+. I don't see it as a "waste" to start him last night for Nashville, it seems like a necessary part of coming back. You have to prove you can handle it.

 

The Brewers pushed the deadline back by 9 days specifically so he could get TWO more starts in.

 

 

As for him pitching so poorly in 2007, if you look a little closer, Capuano didn't pitch any differently in '07 than he did in '06 or '05. I should say didn't pitch much differently as his peripherals were all in line with the two prior years.

[davego]

Any chance CV goes to Nashville?

[PrinceEatMeat]

Any chance CV goes to Nashville?

Seeing as he's been our best relief pitcher this year, I'd say NO.