Trade away an RP?

[CheezWizHed]

I was just reading some other posts about who should be in the pen and who was injured and who should be DFAed... etc... Just got me thinking that we might have some trade bait in the pen. Normally RPs don't get much in return unless they are high end types, but it might be an opportunity...

 

Who do you think is both expendable and tradeable?

 

Best bets:

Coffey - Could bring a decent return. Not a high end RP, but 2nd tier. Wouldn't just trade him to dump him.

Villanueva - I like V, but I'm guessing his highest value is right now. He is a decent RP, but I don't see him continuing at this rate.

 

On the Fence:

 

Estrada - Wouldn't bring much in return, but has had a good season so far. Maybe a bit more tradeable if he stays in the MLB club for a while longer with success.

Loe - Pretty much the same as Estrada.

Parra - Still LH, still throws hard. Lost some of his "potential", but has been OK this year..

 

Not Expendable

Axford - A and B are the RPs we are looking for. In LH and RH versions. Hard throwing and cheap.

Braddock - see Axford

 

Not Tradeable

Capuano - Not likely someone will bite yet with the injury situation.

Hawkins - Pitching poorly, then injured.

Hoffman - not with his struggles, and not even SD would want him back for sentimental reasons as they are in a pennant race.

Suppan - To dream the impossible dream...

Riske - Injury, not happening

Vargas - Injury/Loss of Velocity/whatever - no one will want him right now.

[EbbaStClaire]

During spring training I thought CV should be optioned to Nashville based on performance but based on his performance during the regular season, I wouldn't trade him. I haven't seen as many games on the MLB package as I have in the past but CV's stuff looks better than I ever remember. His fastball seems to be 2-3 mph faster(91 vs 88) and last night his breaking ball was excellent. I actually can't remember seeing his change-up last night and that is more or less his signature pitch. Has Petersen had a positive effect on CV? Why does his stuff seem so much better.

 

I wouldn't trade Parra, CV, Axford, Braddock or Coffey.

 

I'd trade Suppan and Vargas for an obscure minor league player as fast as I could. The relief core may be better with Stetter, McClendon, Jones and/or Dillard along with some combination of Capuano, Riske, or Hawkins when they return.

 

Whatever changes the Brewers make to the relief or starting staffs should not be delayed while they try to trade pitchers who are not valuable to anyone for someone they value. Its not going to happen.

[TooLiveBrew]

I haven't seen as many games on the MLB package as I have in the past but CV's stuff looks better than I ever remember. His fastball seems to be 2-3 mph faster(91 vs 88) and last night his breaking ball was excellent. I actually can't remember seeing his change-up last night and that is more or less his signature pitch. Has Petersen had a positive effect on CV? Why does his stuff seem so much better.

 

I can't speak well to the breaking pitch, but his FB velocity it up since he isn't a starter & doesn't have to work 5 or 6 innings. I doubt it has a whole lot to do with mechanics, but you never know.

[dadofandrew]

Vargas may be tradeable, but not for anything but roster filler. This is a good topic though, as Riske will be activated if he stays healthy and keeps getting outs, and Loe/Capuano will have to have a decision made on them soon.

 

Loe could just swap places with Estrada, as Marco can go up and down as often as they wish. Maybe I'm incorrect, but I think a dozen teams would bid for Parra if he were DFA'd. LHP's that hit 95 are highly sought after, especially those who have had past success.

[marty22]

Ebba...the TV crew has said repeatedly that CV changed his breaking ball grip to a "spike" curve, a.k.a knuckle curve, which has given it more bite.

[CheezWizHed]

I wouldn't trade Parra, CV, Axford, Braddock or Coffey.

 

I'd trade Suppan and Vargas for an obscure minor league player as fast as I could.

 

Whatever changes the Brewers make to the relief or starting staffs should not be delayed while they try to trade pitchers who are not valuable to anyone for someone they value. Its not going to happen.

 

I completely agree with the last statement there. But it contradicts the first two.... Suppan and Vargas have no trade value, even for an obscure minor leaguer. I almost put them under a "DFA" heading.

 

 

CV: Yes, he looks pretty good so far this year. The big question is whether he can sustain it. I'm in the camp that trading him now is selling high.

Coffey: I like him. Kind of an stand-out personality (sprint from BP, adding $2 to salary numbers, etc...).

Parra: Obviously hasn't pitched up to expectations, but at worst an ok RP with the ability to spot start.

 

The thing these three all have in common is that they have value for trading. Most of these threads are started because we want to get X player. I just see a surplus of RPs (or possible RPs) and wonder who we can trade to improve out club, not just dump to make room.

[JohnBriggs12]

When Villanueva came up back in 2006 and 2007 his fastball was 90-92. With all the back and forth and relief appearances in 08 and 09 it dropped to around 88. There were reports he worked very hard this offseason dropping about 20 pounds. I think that has more to do with it being back up to 90-91. It doesn't make a ton of difference because it's still pretty straight and he needs to locate it to be effective. But it does give him the ability to go inside a little more with it and free up that outside edge.

[HiAndTight]

I think this thread really just shows how much confusion there is right now with what the Brewers really have in their pitching staff.

 

Axford and Braddock are pieces for the future. There's little doubt about that.

 

Villanueva-I've been a huge fan of his and actually think he would fit better as a starter and that we pulled the plug on him as a starter too soon. His fastball may be straight, but he does do a good job of locating it, and his spike curve they alluded to has turned into a very nice pitch to go with his change...that I assume would return to prominence in his repertoire were he to become a starter again.

 

Parra-There's almost no way I'd trade Parra. Just no incentive to do so. You're not going to get nearly enough to make it worth giving up on such a talented power lefty, even if the chances of him ever realizing his potential are slim.

 

Coffey-I'm a big Coffey fan, but is he a part of our future?

 

Estrada/Loe-WE don't really have a good idea what we have in either.

 

Hawkings/Hoffman-Both are good bets to rebound, and Hoffman looked great in his 8th inning vs the Twins last week, and in his subsequent inning pitched, and Hawkins when he comes back should go back to being what he's always been. An above average SU man with a big fastball. But you're stuck in limbo with both of them.

 

Riske-Another guy who had a long history of success when we signed him and has done nothing. Has had a couple good outings recently in AAA however.

 

 

 

We have an idea of who's not going to be a part of our future, the problem is at least a couple of them are pitching so poorly there's little you can do to move them until they turn that around leaving you short on space to see what you have in some of your other young arms.

 

Usually having all this good pitching is a good problem to have, but when so much of it is equally ineffective yet costly...not so much.

[paul253]

Coffey-I'm a big Coffey fan, but is he a part of our future?

 

I would have liked to see him given the closers role once Hoffman got demoted. I think he's been misused very badly by Macha. He pitches way too much. Pitches in games when we are down by 5 in the 5th inning, then he'll also pitch in games when we are up by one in the 7th. He has no clear cut role. I think he should be the 8th inning guy or a guy that comes in when the games is very close.

 

I think Marco Estrada needs to go back down and continue to start. I hate calling up all of these starters from Nashville to have them pitch out of the pen.

 

Now that Capuano is up, Suppan needs to go. There is just no excuse anymore. He isn't needed as a long man because Vargas can fill his role. Melvin needs to win back the confidence of the fans and releasing Suppan would be a very good start.

[HiAndTight]

Coffey-I'm a big Coffey fan, but is he a part of our future?

 

I would have liked to see him given the closers role once Hoffman got demoted. I think he's been misused very badly by Macha. He pitches way too much. Pitches in games when we are down by 5 in the 5th inning, then he'll also pitch in games when we are up by one in the 7th. He has no clear cut role. I think he should be the 8th inning guy or a guy that comes in when the games is very close.

 

I think Marco Estrada needs to go back down and continue to start. I hate calling up all of these starters from Nashville to have them pitch out of the pen.

 

Now that Capuano is up, Suppan needs to go. There is just no excuse anymore. He isn't needed as a long man because Vargas can fill his role. Melvin needs to win back the confidence of the fans and releasing Suppan would be a very good start.

I disagree on Coffey. He's used almost perfectly. I don't recall him being used down 5 in the 5th inning, but if he was, it was obviously a very rare occasion.

 

I'd much rather we use Coffey when we're in trouble....whatever inning that may be. And he's the one who said he gets more effective the more he's used as his fastball gets more sink on it. I think "clear cut roles" are rather useless. Carlos Marmol when he was the most effective for the Cubs had no clear cut role. He'd come in in the 6th when they were down 2 and the other team had the bases loaded or in the 8th when they were up 1 and they had a couple guys on. And he got out of it almost all the time.

 

I have no problem calling up a guy like Estrada and using him out of the bullpen. Especially when we were short and we were starting someone like Parra who wasn't likely to go deep. Not to mention, as far as I can recall, he's the only one. We may call up Loe, another guy who's not likely to be a starter for us in the future and use him out of the pen, but I think we're just as likely to let him go.

 

In any event, we're certainly not stunting any real prospects growth by having them come up to pitch out of the pen.

[EbbaStClaire]

Coffey-I'm a big Coffey fan, but is he a part of our future?

 

I would have liked to see him given the closers role once Hoffman got demoted. I think he's been misused very badly by Macha. He pitches way too much. Pitches in games when we are down by 5 in the 5th inning, then he'll also pitch in games when we are up by one in the 7th. He has no clear cut role. I think he should be the 8th inning guy or a guy that comes in when the games is very close.

 

I think Marco Estrada needs to go back down and continue to start. I hate calling up all of these starters from Nashville to have them pitch out of the pen.

 

Now that Capuano is up, Suppan needs to go. There is just no excuse anymore. He isn't needed as a long man because Vargas can fill his role. Melvin needs to win back the confidence of the fans and releasing Suppan would be a very good start.

The Brewers now have to decide what to do with K. Loe. I suggest sending down Estrada, not because he has pitched poorly, and adding Loe. Somehow, the Brewers need to find out if Loe will be an effective major league pitcher again. If he is effective maybe they can deternine who they want to keep and who can be traded.

 

 

[HiAndTight]

Well, Estrada would have to be put on waivers, wouldn't he?

 

Anyway, I would agree with adding Loe. He's had some decent years in Texas, certainly a more difficult place to pitch. Low K rates and higher Whips, but hell, that's basically what we have now. Might as well see if he can build on the Nashville success.

[CheezWizHed]

Well, some big changes have occurred, so I'd thought I'd update the situation:

 

Vargas is DFAed, Capuano is up.

Loe is called up.... TBD (Suppan/Estrada?) is DFAed - Seems that Estrada has an option left, so sending him to AAA doesn't open a spot for Loe (reading JSOnline and other's posts).

 

Starters:

1 Gallardo

2 Wolf

3 Bush

4 Capuano

5 Narveson

 

BP

1 Axford

2 Braddock

3 Hoffman

4 Coffey

5 Villanueva

6 Parra

7 Loe

8 Suppan/Estrada

 

DL

1 Hawkins

2 Riske - roster move required in 1 week. - Is on 60 day DL, so a 40 man spot needs to be opened.

3 Davis

 

AAA

1 Stetter

 

You know they aren't going to release Davis and Hawkins after signing them this year. They MIGHT release Riske, but that would be unlikely I think.

 

No matter what happens today with Loe coming up, the #8 BP spot is cleared for the next pitcher coming up:

Suppan released, Estrada optioned to AAA.

Riske/Hawkins to BP or Davis to SP, Narveson to BP.

 

That leaves 2 more moves required (eventually).

 

Assuming Loe doesn't impress, that is one more spot. That leaves a possible trade of Narveson/Villenueva/Coffey/Parra. Especially considering we still have Stetter in AAA for depth.

 

Considering how the Brewer season is going so far, I would almost expect a trade coming soon.

[JohnBriggs12]

The Marlins are looking for a lefty specialist to combat the LH power in their division. Stetter would make a lot of sense for them. Just a suggestion but Donnie Murphy is having a heck of a year for Marlins at AAA hitting .315/.356/.613 and can play anywhere on the infield. Plus he's a much needed right handed bat. He's been a bust in the majors so far but maybe a light's gone on.

 

Besides, Counsell is an obvious guy to look to unload to a contender and Murphy would make a decent replacement.