Your 2010 Helena / Maryvale Brewers

[Mass Haas]

We should have a formal roster for you on Friday or Saturday --

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

Rainy weather wreaks havoc on Brewers

By AMBER KUEHN, Helena Independent Record

Mother Nature doesn’t appear to be much of a baseball fan.

 

Just five days before the Pioneer League’s Opening Day, the Helena Brewers were forced inside due to rain showers. The inclement weather has meant the players, which have continued to filter in throughout the week, haven’t seen as much time on the field as they would like.

 

“We were rained out today but made good use of our time covering fundamentals and what we expect out of them this season,” said new Brewers manager Joe Ayrault on Wednesday. “Weather permitting we’ll be on the field tomorrow.”

 

Michael Melillo was the most recent addition to arrive, flying into the Capital City on Wednesday evening. Melillo, drafted in the 31st round of the First-Year Player Draft last week, comes to the Brewers after playing catcher last season at Elon University. With Melillo, Helena now has 25 guys in town for minicamp, a dozen of which were Milwaukee Brewers’ picks this month.

 

“The new draftees had to wait on physicals so they haven’t been able to do much,” said Steve Wendt, director of broadcasting and media relations for the Helena team.

 

Wendt anticipates more players will arrive in Helena toward the end of the week, so the Opening Day roster for Monday, June 21, is not yet finalized. Typically, the Brewers start with about five more players than they currently have.

 

The Brewers aren’t the only team to be affected by the gloomy conditions. The spring storms have also taken their toll on the Legion baseball teams, as the Helena Senators saw a 45-minute rain delay in their Tuesday night contest, and the Reps’ Class A game against the Billings Cardinals slated for Wednesday was canceled.

 

Still, it hasn’t been a total lost cause for the Pioneer League squad. Ayrault said the players who were in extended spring training in Arizona have had two workouts at Kindrick Field consisting of bullpen sessions, pitcher fielding practice and batting practice. Infielders have also worked on fielding ground balls.

 

That doesn’t change the fact that opportunities for working out have been few and far between.

 

“It has been sparse,” Wendt said. “Missoula, Billings, Great Falls, my guess is all of those guys are in the same boat.

 

“And Opening Day is coming whether we like it or not.”

 

First pitch is slated for 7:05 PM Monday (8:05 Central), when the Brewers host the Missoula Osprey. The 10-day forecast is calling for a high of 70 degrees and a 30 percent chance of isolated thunderstorms.

[Mass Haas]

In a hometown North Carolina newspaper blurb, it was noted that --

Former East Columbus player Demetrius McKelvie also will return to Phoenix in the Milwaukee Brewers' Rookie Arizona League
entry, where he hit .210 in 35 games. He was an outfielder there last year, but has been switched to first base and the season begins June 21.

We have a very good sense at this point of who the 25 players are who are currently in Helena, and will post those names soon. As noted in the prior post, expect a few names to be added to that Helena roster of 25.

McKelvie, however, as mentioned here, is slated to begin in Maryvale.

[TheCrew07]

That's actually a little disappointing, I hopes it's only temporary.

[Mass Haas]

MiLB.com won't have the Helena and Maryvale rosters online until some time Monday, when their seasons begin, but we can tell you who is on each squad now -- their may be some late adjustments, so let's call this 97% accurate.

 

This first Saturday post will focus on players you may be surprised aren't in Helena -- we'll follow that up with a post on the Helena squad, and then review the Maryvale roster.

 

***

 

2008 2nd round pick Southern Illinois University RHP Cody Adams is not in Helena. In mid-July last season, while with Wisconsin, he was suspended for 50 games (the remainder of the season) for amphetamines use. Technically, if he were ready to go, you'd think the suspenion is technically over. Who knows in what manner, if at all, the 23-year-old will show up this season.

 

2009 1st round RHP Eric Arnett is still in Maryvale. So he'll be refining his game in Arizona, not Montana.

 

2009 2nd round pick OF Max Walla and 2009 8th round OF Chad Stang are not in Helena.

 

2008 Alabama high school RHP Blake Billings looks to begin a third campaign in Maryvale. Billings, now 20 years old, has made 20 appearances, half of them starts, in Arizona the last two seasosn.

 

Another youngster, 3B Wayne Dedrick, posted a .622 OPS in 176 Maryvale AB's last season. With a heavy influence of 2010 college draft picks dotting the Helena infield, Dedrick will begin play in Maryvale again.

 

INF Mike Brownstein, RHP Adrian Rosario, and LHP Kristian Bueno all ended 2009 on injured lists, and are not on Helena's Opening Day roster. It may prove difficult to get accurate injury status reports on these players early on. Rosario and Bueno did appear in minor league spring training games. Group Brett Whiteside in this category, it's believed he was making a formal transition from C/1B to pitcher. Whiteside is coming back from 2009 Tommy John surgery.

 

If indeed RHP Luis Guerrero is again with the Crew, he could be a rare player entering a 4th full year in Maryvale. He turns 20 on Sunday (tomorrow the 20th), and his best year remains his age 17 2007 season.

 

If you were hoping to catch 2009 4th round RHP Brooks Hall, the touted South Carolina high school product who turns 20 next week, he looks to make his professional debut in Maryvale.

 

Having just turned 22, RHP Pedro Lambertus, suspended 50 games early in 2009 for performance-enhancing substance use, later to make 16 appearances for the Timber Rattlers, is not on the Helena roster.

 

As we noted this week, 19-year-old Demetrius McKelvie will work on a transition from outfield to first base while on the Maryvale squad.

 

It's important to note that some of the names above could possibly belong in the injury paragraph based on happenings during extended spring training.

 

Please sit tight on comments until after the next two posts.

[Mass Haas]

Your Helena roster (position players):

 

Catchers -- 23-year-old's, undrafted Brent Dean and Tony Pechek, along with 22-year-old 2010 31st round pick Michael Melillo will form an unheralded group while the younger backstops remain in Maryvale

 

Middle Infielders -- Returnees from the Brewer system in 2009 are Brandon Sizemore, Connor Lind, and Carlos George, who already began the season in Wisconsin. Washington State's Shea Vucinich (2010, 20th round) joins the group.

 

Corner Infielders -- 21-year-old 2010 6th round pick Cody Hawn is among three college prospects, along with Pacific's Mike Walker (14th round) and Greg Hopkins out of St. John's (24th round). Technically, each is a third baseman, someone will likely have to transition to first base.

 

Outfielders -- Franklin Romero, Jr. is down from his earlier Timber Rattler stint; he'll join three college signees -- 12th round pick John Bivens, 42nd round selection John Dishon, and non-drafted free agent Reggie Keen.

 

Cody Hawn is the only player in this group who was a top ten pick.

 

Two of the catchers (Pechek and Melillo) are switch-hitters, and Hawn, Walker and Bivens are LH bats. That's a lot more R/L flexibility than we've seen in Helena in recent campaigns -- heck, we've seen all RH teams there. Thankfully, we won't see three catchers manning outfield spots, as was the case in a recent H-Crew season.

 

This appears to be a team that's capable of being pretty sound based on all the Division I college experience, but it's not a group with a lot of lofty press clippings or draft status.

 

But we always get pumped for the Helena season, so bring it on, boys. Make yourselves proud.

 

Pitching staff next...

[Mass Haas]

Your Helena roster (pitchers):

 

In a bit of a surprise, this is where you'll find 2008 supplemental 1st round LHP Evan Frederickson -- who knows in what mound role, but we wish Evan well, it would be a tremendous story to see real evidence of progress from Evan, who will be 24 in September.

 

The only other mound lefty is 17th round University of Cincinnati product Brian Garman, expected to pitch in relief.

 

Nice to see 2008 2nd round RHP Seth Lintz on the squad -- you'd imagine in one of the rotation spots (tamdem in some form).

 

Returnees from past seasons in the Brewer system are RHP's Hiram Burgos, Tyler Cravy, Robert Currie, Chad Robinson, and Stosh Wawrzasek. This will be the first action for Cravy and Wawrzasek above the Maryvale level.

 

Highlighting the 2010 draft class in Helena will be 3rd round pick Tyler Thornburg (Charleston Southern), 5th round pick Matt Miller (Michigan), and 8th round pick Austin Ross (LSU).

 

You'll also see 6'4", 235 lb. 23rd round pick Ryan Bernal, the Florida Atlantic draftee, and 6'6" 27th round pick Alex Jones, out of Jacksonville (AL) State.

 

That's 13 pitchers for the opening day roster -- don't be surprised to hear about additional names there in the next day or two.

 

Wait for Arizona League roster posts shortly, then feel free to share your initial reactions.

[Mass Haas]

We discussed many of the Maryvale names above in the "Who's not in Helena?" post.

We guess the easiest way for you all to review the Maryvale roster is to click on this link, which is the Maryvale team link that is available from the Brewerfan home page. (You see, we have created all the Player Index pages for the new signees to make this possible.)

Notice that you can sort by position, age, etc.

So these kids will play in intense daytime heat before crowds smaller than those that watched their J-V high school games five-to-eight years ago. But there are storylines.

Will catcher Jhonatan Javier carry over his offensive prowess as one of the first DSL Brewers to transition to stateside ball? Catcher Tyler Roberts (10th round, 2009) impressed as a high school pick in Maryvale last year.

LHP Marques Kyles is already 24 years old, but could the 6'9" 48th round pick be more than a curiosity and courtesy pick for Stan Kyles?

Hulking first basemen always intrigue -- 250 lb. 32nd round pick Jason Rogers qualifies.

That, and the earlier post, pretty much cover the Maryvale storylines. Please excuse any discrepancies that may come up at the last minute.

OK, have at it, fans....

[TheCrew07]

I'm surprised that Tyler Robers isn't bumping up to Helena.

[And That]

Luis Guerrero is out this year with an arm injury, as is Jose Ramos, who doesn't show up on the DSL roster. Pedro Lambertus does show up on the milb.com DSL roster, though.

 

I have the following carryovers from last year's DSL team as unaccounted for: Henri Olivo, Francisco Rivero, Jaime King and Edwin Linares. I seem to remember reading something about Linares being hurt, but I can't find it.

 

Finally, 33rd rounder William Kankel doesn't show up on either list. He's pretty new to pitching, so he might end up in Arizona.

[Mass Haas]

Thanks for the reminder on Luis Guerrero. Yes, out all season.

 

Toby, somewhere in my notes I knew to release Jaime King, can't locate it now.

 

You're thinking of a player named Heri (no "N") Olivo. He never passed the Brewers' signing guidelines. However, he's on a Yankees squad this season.

 

That leaves Linares and Rivero -- earlier this offseason I know Rivero was on a restricted list. For now, both players remain on our DSL Player Index filter. Actually, we're unsure about OF Juan Barrini as well, I believe.

 

Lastly, did we see a formal report of Kankel signing? Yes, he's a college senior, but I imagine he could always look at other career choices. We bolded him on our Draft Signing thread, but the Brewers page lists him as unsigned.

[True CryM]

In a hometown North Carolina newspaper blurb, it was noted that --

 

Former East Columbus player Demetrius McKelvie also will return to Phoenix in the Milwaukee Brewers' Rookie Arizona League

entry, where he hit .210 in 35 games. He was an outfielder there last year, but has been switched to first base and the season begins June 21.

 

We have a very good sense at this point of who the 25 players are who are currently in Helena, and will post those names soon. As noted in the prior post, expect a few names to be added to that Helena roster of 25.

 

McKelvie, however, as mentioned here, is slated to begin in Maryvale.

I thought McKelvie was a 5-tooler with plus speed and a plus arm. Any rationale behind the move to first?

 

 

[And That]

I never saw anything about the Kankel signing, but he was bolded on our signings page, so I just assumed that I missed something. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

On a related note, every time I read his name I think of John Madden. "Look at the cankles on that guy... he doesn't have any ankles! Ahuhuhuh!"

[biedergb]

Any word on if some of the Maryvale guys are hurt - specifically Blake Billings, Chad Stang, Max Walla? Not being in Helena is curious, and looks poor for Stang and Walla given they are top 10 picks from a year ago. Also Cody Adams, there must be something with him (suspension related or otherwise), I find it interesting a 2008 2nd round pick (or was he a supplemental pick) from college is in low rookie league in 2010.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

New-look Brewers welcome fresh start

By AMBER KUEHN, Helena Independent Record

 

The Helena Brewers begin their quest for their first Pioneer League title since 1996 on Monday, and as is the case most years, the Rookie League affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers begins with a clean slate.

 

Just six players on the opening 27-man roster spent any time in the Capital City last season, and a dozen of the players are fresh out of this month’s amateur draft.

 

While weather has meant practice time has been sparse, the crew was able to get some workouts and game simulations in Thursday and Friday, and so far, new manager Joe Ayrault and the rest of his staff likes what they see.

 

“I couldn’t ask for more from the first practices,” Ayrault said. “Good pitching, and the guys are swinging the bats real well.”

 

For new players, it’s been a whirlwind, being drafted and immediately sent out to a place they’ve never been before.

 

“It’s definitely different from where I came from,” said third baseman Mike Walker, who hails from California. “It’s beautiful though ... it’s weird to still see snow on the mountains in June, but it’s really nice. I’ve got great teammates so I’m having a blast so far.”

 

Ayrault has emphasized team chemistry all week and reliever Rob Currie, who spent most of the 2009 season in Helena, already sees a difference from last year’s club, which finished 32-44 and had just five wins in its final 12 games.

 

“This year’s team seems to be meshing a lot better than last year’s,” said Currie, who played college ball with Helena first baseman Cody Hawn’s buddies. “The better you know someone, the better you know their tendencies.”

 

Ayrault said he had the players stand up and say a bit about themselves in the clubhouse on one of the rain-soaked days.

 

“I’m big on team chemistry. The more you know about each other and can relate to one another, to me it’s just a better team concept,” he said.

 

“My dad always said you join a baseball team and you form an instant bond with 25 of power, and I like his attitude. All these new guys that came in have good leadership qualities.”

 

Outfielder John Bivens has also impressed, not just his coaches but teammates as well.

 

“He’s a big guy, fast guy, real strong and just flies around the bases,” Walker said. “I think we’re going to have a solid club, we’ve got a lot of guys here passionate about the game.”

 

“He can run, hit...just an athlete,” Ayrault said of the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Bivens, who also played linebacker in college.

 

Pitching

 

The team simulated a game Thursday evening, the first day the guys donned baseball uniforms. Hiram Burgos, Tyler Cravy, Currie and Chad Robinson all saw some action on the mound.

 

“I wasn’t happy with how I threw. I wasn’t locating like I can,” Currie said. “But it doesn’t count now. Once the season gets here then it counts.”

Currie said the pitching staff made a handful of goals, which included minimizing walks and holding the running game.

 

“Last year we weren’t successful with holding runners, especially as a relief staff,” he said. “We take pride in the goals that we set. As long as we achieve them, we’ll be happy.”

 

Burgos pitched well Thursday, and Currie believes the team may have found their replacement for last year’s workhorse, Nick Bucci, who was 6-3 with a 4.41 ERA and led the team with 66 strikeouts.

 

“His command seems to be back, which he said he struggled with early on,” Currie said of Burgos. “He’s going to be our workhorse, I think.”

 

Pitching coach Elvin Nina said there is still any number of guys who could step up and be the team’s ace, with a ton of talent on the roster.

 

“They all look pretty good,” he said. “We’ve got some good arms, good size...I think they’ll separate themselves once games get going. All guys are capable of being a workhorse here.

 

“From the guys that came up with me from Arizona, Tyler Cravy, he continues to impress me every time out. He continues to improve every time he gets on the mound. His pitches are starting to be sharper, he’s having more command of the zone.”

 

Milwaukee made it no secret what its focus is on at the big-league level, going heavy on pitchers and catchers in the June amateur draft. Ayrault said that trickles down through the minor leagues, and that defense is something he’ll stress.

 

“Pitching and defense is what wins games,” he said, adding that the team will play to its own strengths. He hasn’t had the chance to do much scouting of the other Pioneer League teams, including the Brewers’ first opponent, Missoula.

 

Last year, Helena’s pitching staff struggled, especially toward the end of the season. Brewers pitchers had a 4.79 ERA, sixth in the league. They gave up the most hits (730) and most homers (62) of any team. Nina said that had to do with the fact that a lot of them were coming right out of high school.

 

“It was a grind for them, a learning experience,” he said. “They toughed it out, but got a bit tired. This year we should be in a little bit better shape, we’ve got an older, more experienced group.

 

“We have a lot of blue-collar workers, that seems to the be the overall feel for the pitching staff here. It’s a very good thing. We should be excited about what we’ve got.”

 

Batting

 

What Helena doesn’t have is a lot of it’s plate production from last season, missing power-slugging first baseman Sean Halton, whose .354 batting average led players who appeared in at least five games. Scott Krieger, who led the team in homers and RBIs with 13 and 53, respectively, is also gone, as is Chris Ellington, a 10-homer hitter.

 

That doesn’t concern hitting coach Ned Yost IV.

 

“You hope these new guys can come in and fill those roles,” said Yost, adding that he sees Walker and Hawn as guys likely to step up.

 

“(Turnover) is common at this level. You get used to somebody, you get to know them and before you know it they’re gone. That’s the way it is down here.”

 

The Brewers were second-to-last in the Pioneer League batting average at the end of last season (.260 as a team), only slightly better than last-place Billings (.250). Still, they were third in the Pioneer League in homers with 46, but well behind Missoula, who pounded 80 long balls. And while the Brewers tied with Great Falls for the league lead in stolen bases, Helena batters also struck out more than any team other than Ogden.

 

Fielding

 

Last year’s team was also a bit error-prone, but Ayrault said that comes with the territory.

 

“Errors are going to happen,” he said. “We go out and do our early work, defensive fundamentals, and make sure they know how we’re running our bunt plays, we’ll be fine.”

 

Orem is the league’s defending champion, having won the title four times since 2004. No one knows for sure how good the Owlz will be this year, but it’s safe to say they always find a way to win games.

 

“They always play well,” Yost said. “But honestly, I have no idea what the other teams are looking like.”

 

Several of the teams around the league were just handed their rosters toward the end of the week, so only time will tell what the season holds.

But the Brewers are happy with what they’ve seen so far and right now are focused on getting enough practice time in but also preventing injuries.

“We’ve just got to stay healthy,” Yost said.

 

Brewers' Hiram Burgos signals a play during a specialized pitcher practice session Friday at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

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Brewers' Tyler Thornburg scoops up a ground ball during a signaling practice scenario Friday at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

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Brewers' Michael Melillo catches high speed curve balls during Friday's practice.

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John Bivens practices bunting Friday at Kindrick Legion Field.

 

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[Mass Haas]

This MEET THE 2010 HELENA BREWERS article lists Adrian Rosario, not LSU's Austin Ross. So swap one "AR" for another, for now.

[YoungGeezy]

They also list Thornburg as a RF/DH instead of pitcher.

[DHonks]

Good to see Lintz in Helena. Gotta hope Frederickson refinds the velocity. Should be fun to follow them like usual.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Cravy to start Brewers' opener against Missoula tonight

By AMBER KUEHN, Helena Independent Record

 

Tyler Cravy will make his first start in a Helena Brewers uniform tonight when the Pioneer League team opens the season and a four-game homestand against Missoula.

 

First pitch is slated for 7:05 Pm (8:05 Central) at Kindrick Field.

 

The team tabbed the 6-foot-3, 180-pound Cravy as the opening night starting pitcher for the Brewers on Saturday. The 20-year-old right-hander spent last season with the Arizona League Brewers after being selected in the 17th round of the 2009 amateur draft.

 

The Osprey, who lost the Pioneer League championship series to Orem last September, will start southpaw Patrick Schuster on the mound. Schuster was a reliever last year for Missoula but didn’t see much action. In five innings, the rookie gave up four hits and two earned runs, but showed promise this year in spring training and was named the opening-day starter earlier this week. Tonight will be his first professional start, something Schuster told the Missoulian he’d been battling for all spring.

 

Cravy, 20, was 2-1 with a 4.45 ERA last year in the Arizona League. He has a lightning quick fastball, as well as a consistent curveball and changeup. Cravy was All-America at Napa Valley College (Calif.) in 2009, after a record-setting season as a starting hurler. He broke the school record for strikeouts, with 110 in just over 90 innings.

 

The opening night promotion is Micro Monday, with deals on select microbrews. Fans will also receive a magnet schedule.

 

Helena also kicked off the season against Missoula last year, winning that opener 10-5.

 

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[Kevbo74]

Is there a schedule for Arizona? or is it pretty loose with playing scrimmages and simulations?

I'd like to get out there for a few, just never know when/where.

[juancastillo3]

I talked to a former teammate of Cody Adams today, he said Cody had shoulder surgery about 6 weeks ago and that he would start throwing again in the next couple weeks.

[Mass Haas]

Is there a schedule for Arizona? or is it pretty loose with playing scrimmages and simulations?

I'd like to get out there for a few, just never know when/where.

Schedule Link

 

Enjoy!

[CheeseheadInIllinois]

Looking at the milb.com roster pages, there are a couple of guys missing from either (Chad Stang, Austin Ross) and a couple of pitchers I've never heard of on Arizona (Charly Bashara, Skyler Crawford, Travis Stortz). Check out where it says Stortz is from. Obviously that page was somewhat hastily put together.

 

Oh, and it appears Derrick Shaw has signed given he is also on Arizona's roster page.

[Mass Haas]

Linkwhile active, text follows:

 

By Aaron Suttles, TideSports.com Sports Writer

 

TUSCALOOSA | Two of Alabama’s top juniors have already signed professional baseball contracts and another is expected to ink later this week.

 

 

Second baseman Ross Wilson signed with the Chicago White Sox on Saturday and right-handed pitcher Jimmy Nelson followed suit on Tuesday, signing with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Josh Rutledge, a shortstop, said he could sign with the Colorado Rockies as early as Thursday or Friday.

As juniors, all three could have chosen to return for their senior seasons, but instead opted to begin their professional careers.

Nelson is coming off the finest year of his career, going 9-3 in 17 starts, including three complete games, with a 4.01 ERA and a team-high 98 strikeouts.

“I felt like I was ready to go (pro) and the timing was right,” Nelson said Tuesday night from the Milwaukee owner’s suite as the Brewers hosted the Minnesota Twins. “The money was right and we came to an agreement and it just felt like the right time for me.”

The 6-foot-6 hurler was Alabama’s best pitcher during the season, and he led the Crimson Tide to postseason wins against Auburn, in the SEC Tournament, and Clemson, which eliminated UA in the Super Regional.

Nelson flew to Milwaukee on Monday and underwent a physical Tuesday before signing his contract. He joins former Alabama pitcher Del Howell in the Brewers organization.

“I have an eye exam (today), and then I’ll go to Helena, Mont., for short season ball,” he said. “I’ll go there and have a role in the bullpen and get some work in and then just go from there.

“Fall instructional ball is in Phoenix the first week of September. I may go there or I may not.”

After signing his contract, Nelson enjoyed the Brewers game against the Twins with the owner and the general manager of the Milwaukee club.

“It’s kind of cool, surreal almost,” he said. “The fact that I’m watching a game right here, right now is cool.”

[DHonks]

I flew into MT on Monday next to a scout from the Royals. He's assigned to watch the Missoula and Helena clubs. We talked about some names, and he asked what was up with Chad Robinson. It makes me think that the Royals are aware the hard thrower is likely a Rule V possibility in the next year or so. He's a hard thrower off of injuries that might be able to be snagged really cheaply.

 

It's the first time I've ever seen anyone else reading the BA prospect handbook. Was a fun conversation.

[HiAndTight]

I flew into MT on Monday next to a scout from the Royals. He's assigned to watch the Missoula and Helena clubs. We talked about some names, and he asked what was up with Chad Robinson. It makes me think that the Royals are aware the hard thrower is likely a Rule V possibility in the next year or so. He's a hard thrower off of injuries that might be able to be snagged really cheaply.

 

It's the first time I've ever seen anyone else reading the BA prospect handbook. Was a fun conversation.

Yeah, he was a pretty exciting DAF when we snagged him and then he went a couple years without pitching only to reappear this year .

 

Here's to hoping he can move quickly as a reliever. He's got good stuff.