Alumni Thread

[jjfanec]

That's what Yost was quoted as saying at the time of the demotion. I haven't heard anything since then though

That makes sense. He started the first 3 games and got into the 3rd in the 3rd game, but got lit up. After that the length went down and he pitched more back to back games. I think the stretching him out must have been abandoned

[Mass Haas]

Congratulations to 2007 10th round draft pick catcher Eric Fryer (Ohio State), who makes his big league debut with Pittsburgh today. Career minor league OPS of .814 (stats).

Fryer was traded to the Yankees in February 2009 for LHP Chase Wright, apparently against the wishes of some of the Brewers' scouts.

Fryer would then be acquired by the Pirates as part of a package for Eric Hinske in July '09.

He is the 7th catcher the Pirates have used this season.

Fryer batted .345 at Class AA Altoona and .262 at Class AAA Indianapolis. The move was a surprise since Fryer has been an outfielder for much of his pro career and is not considered a strong defensive catcher.

[battlekow]

I just heard Fryer's name on the Red Sox broadcast and was shocked.

[TheCrew07]

Long time readers may remember how bitter I was about that trade. Not because I thought Fryer was going to be special, but because Wright had no chance of being special. Also the trade was touted by Melvin and the organization as solidifying the starting pitcher depth, which I felt was a croc.

 

Congrats to Eric, though I'm as suprised as anyone that he's being used again as a catcher. I quit following him after he was traded.

[DHonks]

I was really bummed with that trade. Wright has been a major flop for us, and I was loving the overall hitting and athleticism of Fryer. Congrats to him, as he was fun to follow for a little while.

[HiAndTight]

Long time readers may remember how bitter I was about that trade. Not because I thought Fryer was going to be special, but because Wright had no chance of being special. Also the trade was touted by Melvin and the organization as solidifying the starting pitcher depth, which I felt was a croc.

 

Congrats to Eric, though I'm as suprised as anyone that he's being used again as a catcher. I quit following him after he was traded.

I don't actually remember in particular, but based on your responses to most things the Brewers do, one could make a reasonable guess that was your general disposition.

 

[CheezWizHed]

Long time readers may remember how bitter I was about that trade.

 

That could be just about any of DM's trades... http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[LouisEly]

He is the 7th catcher the Pirates have used this season.

Sounds like the Brewers equivalent of calling up Martin Maldonado because Kottaras, Nieves, Rivera, and two free agents were hurt. Congrats to Fryer, but given that he's the 7th catcher the Pirates have used it doesn't seem like as big of a deal as it does on the surface. Looks like more of a who-else-do-we-have-left move.

[Mass Haas]

21-year-old Jake Odorizzi has been bumped to AA by Kansas City -- 78.1 IP, 68 H, 103 K, only 22 BB, only 4 HR, 2.87 ERA in high-A.

 

Quotes and details here.

[battlekow]

After putting in a few games in the AZL, C (yes, he's catching) Angel Salome debuted at High-A last night for our old friends the High Desert Mavericks. He did all right: 4-5 with two homers and a triple. Mariners prospect watcher Jason Churchill thinks Salome could be in the big leagues soon.

[Invader3K]

Maybe Salome has finally pulled himself together. Good luck to him. Wise decision to play at catcher again.

[brewmann04]

I wish him luck but wished he would have stayed with Catching with the Crew,

 

When does Jake hit FA?

[jjfanec]

Just a quick update on some guys

 

Odorizzi - He has struggled in his promotion to AA. Granted it is a small sample but his WHIP is up and his K's are down. In 3 starts he has went a total of 16 innings, given up 16 hits, 7 walks, and 10 ER. He has 11 K's.

 

Cain - Has been very good. Cant be too long until he is up. .907 OPS. 11 home runs.

 

Jeffress - Continues to struggle with control and is still in AAA. 24 IP, 27 hits, 18 walks, and 24 Ks

 

Lawrie - Just returned to action. Only 3 games. 3 for 12 with 5 K's

[endaround]

Cain should have been up from the beginning. But he's blocked and until the Royals trade away Cabrera or Francouer, both of whom can be still Royals next year, Cain is stuck.

[battlekow]

From the nexus of the Brewerfan universe, wherein current farmhands, ex-farmhands, and ex-ex-farmhands collide:

Trenton Thunder starter Steve Garrison hoping to avoid 'Wright' path back to major leagues

John Nalbone/Trenton Times

TRENTON - Now that Steve Garrison has reached the big leagues and one of the feel good local stories of 2011 has come full circle, the question exists:

Will the Ewing native and former Hun School standout, who sat idle for nearly a week after being summoned to the Yankees from Double-A Trenton July 19, then was used for only the final two outs in the ninth inning of a blowout win against a Seattle Mariners team that had lost 16 straight games, make it back to Yankee Stadium?

Hopefully, Garrison’s career path will not mirror that of another former Thunder southpaw that went directly from Trenton to the Yankees, Chase Wright.

Like Garrison, Wright also was 24 with eerily similar mechanics, a non-nonsense repertoire and an affable demeanor when he made his big league debut against the Cleveland Indians on April 17, 2007.

Wright pitched five innings for his first major league win that night, but the appearance he would be remembered for most came five days later against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Promoted to fill the void left by injured Yankees starters Mike Mussina and Carl Pavano, Wright became just the second pitcher in major league history to give up four consecutive home runs when Manny Ramirez, J.D. Drew, Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek all took Wright deep in the third inning.

The Red Sox went onto to win, 7-6, and Wright was immediately returned to the minors.

After just one more start when rosters were expanded in September of 2007, Wright never pitched in the big leagues again and has toiled around the minor leagues looking for another shot.

Wright currently is 5-6 with a 5.91 ERA and one save for the Triple-A Nashville Sounds (Milwaukee Brewers).

While grateful for the opportunity, Garrison admitted after absorbing his seventh loss in 10 decisions for the Thunder Sunday that he would like to have seen more work with the Yankees.

“You always want to pitch,’’ Garrison said. “No question I am disappointed that I didn’t pitch in more crucial situations, or situations that really counted, but I definitely understand that they are in the (playoff) hunt and their bullpen is awesome up there. Any pitcher that goes up there wants to pitch more and I hope I get another opportunity.’’

Although the Yankees have no plans to use him as a starter in the major leagues, Garrison was immediately inserted back into the Trenton rotation upon his return over the weekend.

With little work over what essentially amounted to two weeks, Garrison needed to stretch out his arm again, but he lasted only three innings against Richmond and allowed five hits and single run in each frame.

The road back to the Bronx was made even more difficult for Garrison after Sunday’s game, when top left-handed prospect Manny Banuelos was promoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The Yankees reportedly will slowly begin working Banuelos into a relief role.

“I kind of knew what was going on when I went up, so I wasn’t expecting too much,’’ Garrison said. “I wasn’t expecting to make a big impact right away. I was just looking to keep my head up for whenever they gave me the ball. I’m not reading too much into (the lack of work). I am just honored they gave me the opportunity to go up there and do that.’’

http://media.nj.com/trenton_thunder/photo/9850042-large.jpg

(Beverly Schaefer/Trenton Times)

[Mass Haas]

Rotoworld -- LHP Tom Wilhelmsen back up with Seattle.

[battlekow]

From the reanimated corpse of Sid Hartman at the Minneapolis Star Tribune:

For the first time in team history, the Twins have purchased the contract of a St. Paul Saints player by obtaining pitcher Caleb Thielbar. Thielbar, a Randolph, Minn., native who was drafted out of South Dakota State by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 18th round of the 2009 MLB draft, made 43 appearances for the Saints this season, throwing 49 2/3 innings. He was 3-3 with a 2.54 ERA.

[battlekow]

Lawrie is Mr. Intensity

By BOB ELLIOTT, QMI Agency

TORONTO - Blue Jays manager John Farrell has seen Brett Lawrie play 15 regular-season games.

Mike Guerrero managed Lawrie for 135 games at double-A Huntsville in 2010.

Guerrero, son of former Blue Jays scout Epy Guerrero, who brought Tony Fernández, Carlos Delgado, Kelvim Escobar, Junior Félix and Nelson Liriano and others to Toronto, had three other Canadians on his Huntsville roster: Infielder Taylor Green of Comox, B.C., Calgary reliever James Henderson and right-hander Alexandre Periard of St. Eustache, Que.

"He's the most intense Canadian I've had, maybe one of the most intense players I've ever had," said Guerrero, from Pearl, Miss., of Lawrie.

Guerrero in his 17th season in the Milwaukee Brewers organization, this is his eighth year managing.

"Prince Fielder played for me, Rickie Weeks, Jonathan Lucroy and a few more on their way to the majors. Some show more emotion. Everyone is intense, every one shows emotions differently."

Also learning from Guerrero were Yovani Gallardo, Matt LaPorta, Michael Brantley and John Axford of Port Dover, Ont., now with the Brewers.

A year ago, Lawrie, of Langley, B.C., batted leadoff, in the No. 2 spot or third in the batting order.

"People in Huntsville would rather see him hit a ball in the gap than a homer, Brett could go first to third quicker than anyone in this league," Guerrero said.

Lawrie hit 18 triples and eight homers, batting .275 at Huntsville. He enters Saturday night's game in Oakland with a .378 average.

How is it possible to hit .275 in the double-A Southern League and roughly .100 points higher in the majors?

We'll have the answer in a month or so.

It's still early in Lawrie's major-league time. He's entering his third week.

Can the game suddenly be as easy as the 21-year-old is making it look?

Well, Jays broadcaster Buck Martinez used to room with a rookie third baseman with the Kansas City Royals. Martinez says Lawrie is more athletic than his old roomie, who grew up to be George Brett, a Hall of Famer.

"We tried to help Brett last year. Every kid has a different demeanor," Guerrero said. "One thing I have to tip my hat to him is that I never had to tell him to play hard. He plays every game hard, goes all out."

It didn't matter if the score was 1-0 or 10-1.

"He can do so many things, the most impressive thing is his athletic ability. It comes so easy for him," Guerrero said. "Whether it's going side-to-side on a grounder, jumping on a line drive, running the bases, he got to the plays or could catch up to a pitch. His athletic ability is off the charts.

"We saw flashes of the tools he has, saw what he brought to the table."

Guerrero said he saw highlights on ESPN when Lawrie hit his grand slam against Oakland, then celebrated by fist pumping, slamming fists from one end of the dugout to the other and finally taking a curtain call.

"He could get pretty excited with us," Guerrero said. "I'm sure having success at the big league level is worth getting excited about. You have to be a special kid to go in the first round. Defensively he has what it takes."

Lawrie was selected 16th overall in North America in the 2008 draft by the Brewers, played for Canada in the Bejing Olympics and for the Canadian team in Edmonton at the world juniors.

This is his third year of pro ball. He spent 2009 at class-A Wisconsin, last year at Huntsville, this year at triple-A Vegas and the Jays on his ear-popping ride.

The Jays moved last year's opening day starter, Shaun Marcum, for Lawrie at the winter meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Marcum is 10-3, with a 3.50 ERA for the first-place Brewers.

"The Brewers got what they wanted in Marcum," Guerrero said. "The Jays got what they wanted. They had to wait for a little more seasoning, but both teams filled their needs.

"There's no doubting the talent Brett Lawrie has. He can do on the field whatever he's determines to do. He's going to be successful for a long time."

[battlekow]

This is what makes Twitter cool: LaTroy Hawkins and Bradley Blanks.

[Mass Haas]

Quote from a June 2012 post --

 

RHP Ronald "R.J." Johnson (2010 stats), the Brewers 36th round pick in 2010 out of a Mississippi high school, has been released, as per Baseball America.

 

Johnson missed all of 2011 with what the Brewers listed as "right shoulder impingement syndrome", it's unclear if he underwent surgery at any time. As recently as a couple of weeks ago he tweeted about his first mound effort in a long time, but apparently it wasn't to be.

 

Good luck, young man, parlay any Brewer promises of college money into a nice future.

 

2013 update --

 

Matt Eddy indicates that Johnson recently signed with the Yankees, which will be his first pro activity since 2010. Johnson won't turn 22 until next March. Good for him.

 

Interestingly, Johnson's own Twitter profile indicates he's an infielder now. This 2010 article reminds us that the Brewers possibly hoped to get him some action as a two-way player, that never happened. Listed at 6'3", 185 when drafted, Johnson is likely an infielder of the corner variety. Based on Johnson's own tweets, looks like he actually signed with the Yankees early this summer. His Yankee debut will be in 2014, however.