Rogers, Kintzler and Cruz promoted to Milwaukee; Maine

[kintzlerfan]

Brandon Kintzler just got the call and is headed to Milwaukee!

[trwi7]

Brandon Kintzler just got the call and is headed to Milwaukee!

Awesome. Hope he gets some playing time.

 

[And That]

Congrats to Brandon, no doubt.

 

We should be hearing about some more callups pretty soon, we'll use this topic for that too.

[battlekow]

Really happy for Kintzler.

[crewcrazy]

Confirmation from Adam McCalvy:

 

#Brewers calling up IF Luis Cruz and RHP Brandon Kintzler for Tuesday's game. Kintzler joins 40-man

 

Awesome to hear in regards to Kintzler. He's definitely worked hard for this chance.

[Funketown]

Could anyone give a quick run-down of what Kintzler throws?

 

Hopefully he gets a few innings. If Macha can find it in his heart to give Gamel, Kintzler, and Jeffress some playing time over the last month, I'll be much more interested in the end of the season.

[Mass Haas]

Could anyone give a quick run-down of what Kintzler throws? Here is our original post on Brandon Kintzler when he signed on July 22, 2009.

 

This is why we always remind folks that the seemingly least transaction notice can turn out to be a future big leaguer (see John Axford, Joe Thatcher, and others).

 

Below is the most recent detailed article on Kintzler, written when he pitched in his home town of Las Vegas last month.

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

Palo Verde product resurrects his career

Nashville's Kintzler on verge of majors after 2006 release

By TODD DEWEY, LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

 

Buried on baseball's scrap heap with a bum shoulder after getting released by the San Diego Padres in 2006, Palo Verde High School graduate Brandon Kintzler has since made a remarkable comeback.

A right-hander who throws in the mid-90s, Kintzler had two strikeouts for the Nashville Sounds on Monday in a scoreless inning against the 51s at Cashman Field and is on the cusp of breaking into the big leagues with the parent Milwaukee Brewers.

 

"He's got to learn a little more about things, but stuff-wise, I don't have any doubt he would have a good chance to go up and get major league hitters out," Nashville pitching coach Rich Gale said Tuesday before the Sounds' 19-8 loss to Las Vegas. "He's been a wonderful, pleasant surprise."

The 6-foot-1-inch, 180-pounder started this season at Double-A Huntsville, where he was a dominant closer, and earned his first promotion to Triple A on June 7. He was placed on the disabled list July 14 with a strained oblique muscle but returned to action Friday, pitching a perfect inning against the Reno Aces.

Kintzler is 2-0 overall this season with a 1.19 ERA, 13 saves, 37 strikeouts and three walks in 37 2/3 innings.

"I'm just trying to challenge them," he said. "The main thing is throwing strikes and staying healthy."

After playing a year apiece for Pasadena (Calif.) City College and Utah's Dixie State College, the Las Vegas native spurned a scholarship offer from UNLV to sign with the Padres, who drafted him in the 40th round in 2004 despite concerns about his shoulder.

But Kintzler, who turned 26 on Aug. 1, was released after two seasons in the Padres organization.

"I never had a healthy season," said Kintzler, who pitched with a frayed labrum and rotator cuff in his right shoulder. "Finally they said they were going to let me go because they were getting impatient."

Kintzler didn't play in 2006, when he had surgery on his shoulder.

He signed with Winnipeg six months after surgery and toiled in virtual obscurity there in 2007 and 2008. At his request, he was traded to the St. Paul Saints last season and finally managed to attract the attention of some scouts.

A day after he started the American Association All-Star Game and hit 94 mph on the radar gun, the Brewers offered him a contract and sent him to Double A, where he went 1-2 with a 4.54 ERA as a starter.

Moved to the bullpen this season, Kintzler has thrived.

"It's kind of amazing to see a kid with this kind of arm and this kind of stuff that was in independent ball last year that some organization hadn't picked up on him," Gale said. "He throws 94 to 96 (mph), which is a very (legitimate), live major league fastball."

Kintzler, who worked at Wynn Las Vegas as a driver last offseason, can barely believe his good fortune.

"It's still unreal," he said. "A little over a year ago I was taking 16-hour bus rides in independent ball making zero money. Now we're taking airplanes and playing in Vegas."

[wibadgers23]

Was hoping for Rivas and/or Rogers, but that was probably a pipe dream to begin with.

[sauveb]

I was hoping for Brendan Katin. It would be a chance to see if he really is a 4A player or not.

[Thunnis]

I believe Mark is currently there as of last night.

[Mass Haas]

Yes, apparently Mark Rogers will be officially activated on Friday. Congratulations!

 

Jeffress, Kintzler, Rogers -- some serious heat has arrived as of late...

[Never Outhustled]

Awesome. Will Rogers get a few starts? He's been sharp late in the season outside of the blister issue. His velocity in his last start tells us he isn't wearing down. Either go with a 6 man rotation, or push Bush aside.

[Invader3K]

Yes, apparently Mark Rogers will be officially activated on Friday. Congratulations!

Yeah, I saw that a TV station in Maine is reporting that, so it could likely be true.

[JohnBriggs12]

Awesome. Will Rogers get a few starts? He's been sharp late in the season outside of the blister issue. His velocity in his last start tells us he isn't wearing down. Either go with a 6 man rotation, or push Bush aside.

Couldn't agree more. I would have liked to see them give Dillard one more shot before they lose him as a minor league FA based on his recent good form, but I'd be okay with looking at Rogers for a few starts.

 

The only plausible reason to start Bush again is because they have games remaining against SF which is hotly contesting for a wild card, but with the Cardinals virtually out if it now, none of their other games figures to have any meaning in the standings.

[brewmann04]

I think they need to give the kid a start or two especially at the expense of Bush or even Cappy since both can be Fa next season.

I think if they want to shut down Naverson he can get a start in his place also. Nice to see the kid finally making it to the bigs.

[wibadgers23]

I won't get excited about this unless Rogers gets a couple of starts. Go with a 6-man rotation if you have to. Please.

[JJHardy7]

Does adding him to the 40-man have any impact in terms of options and such?

 

Good luck Mark!

[Thunnis]

Not 100% sure but think that may have been the Brewer final option with Mark.

[JoeHova]

From what Melvin said to the JS, it doesn't sound like Rogers is going to get any starts.

[Mass Haas]

Not 100% sure but think that may have been the Brewer final option with Mark.

The Brewers used their 2nd option with Mark after spring training this season when he was assigned to Huntsville. This September activity has no bearing on his remaining option. They will be able to assign him to the minors next season, and back and forth, as many times as they wish in 2011. He'll need to be with the big league club to stay in 2012, however, should he spend any minor league team in 2011, as he likely will, in AAA.

 

[Mass Haas]

From the Tom H. JS blog:

 

Rogers is in Milwaukee going through the motion analysis tests that have become a requisite for all pitchers in the organization, allowing the medical staff to see if their delivery raises any red flags.

 

FWIW, RHP Amaury Rivas, also on the 40-man, is in Milwaukee for the same testing. No word on whether he'll be activated as well, although it would be nice.

[TooLiveBrew]

From what Melvin said to the JS, it doesn't sound like Rogers is going to get any starts.

But he doesn't call players up unless they're going to play. Just ask Mat Gamel & Jeremy Jeffress.

[Thunnis]

Hopefully after the "motion analysis" they won't try to fix him again!

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

Mark Rogers in The Show!

Brewers call up Mt. Ararat righty to the big leagues

By George Almasi, Times Record (Maine) Staff

MILWAUKEE — Mark Rogers finally gets to see The Show, folks.

 

A former Mt. Ararat High School pitching standout and Gatorade National Player of the Year, Rogers has been added to the Milwaukee Brewers’ major league roster, his mother Stephanie verified today.

 

Rogers, who split time this year between the AA Huntsville Stars of the Southern League and the AAA Nashville Sounds of the Pacific Coast League, is expected to be added to the team on Friday.

 

The Brewers, fourth in the National League’s Central Division (64-74, 15 games behind the front-running Cincinnati Reds), have a day off Thursday before enjoying a three-day homestand with the Chicago Cubs.

 

“It’s true,” said Stephanie. “We talked with him last night around 9:15. He’s been activated, but probably they won’t announce it until Friday.”

 

“He’s been on the 40-man roster since last fall,” said his agent Jack Coffey. “He flew into Milwaukee yesterday I believe and he’ll be doing some mechanical work with the team.”

 

A 6-foot-2, 205-pound starting pitcher, the righthander was 6-8 with a 3.71 earned run average for Huntsville. In 111.2 innings, he walked 69 and struck out 121.

 

In his only start for Nashville, the Orr’s Island native hurled 4.1 innings, giving up one run for a 2.08 ERA.

 

“He’ll be a starting pitcher for them,” said Stephanie. “We’ll be there when he does pitch ... I’m not going to miss that.”

 

It’s been a long road for Rogers, who was drafted fifth overall in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft and signed a $2.6 million contract.

 

The draft capped off a senior campaign in which he went 9-1 with 164 strikeouts in 67.1 innings and was named Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Player of the Year.

 

Later in 2004 he pitched for the Arizona Brewers in the Rookie League and from there toiled for the Class A West Virginia Power.

 

The next year he split time between Arizona and the Brevard County (Fla.) Manatees.

 

In 2007 he underwent surgery on his right shoulder, the first of several procedures — pitching mechanics were at the root of his arm woes — and he pretty much rehabbed over the next two years.

 

Pitching for Brevard Country (A+) of the Florida League in 2009, he went 1-3 with a 1.67 ERA. He pitched in 23 games, starting 22 in going 64.2 innings, giving up 46 hits with 29 walks and 67 strikeouts.

 

“It certainly is a nice thing. The bottom line is that he’s finally healthy and in his last start threw 101,” added Coffey.

 

“He’s just so excited,” said Stephanie. “He’s worked so hard for this ... it’s been a longtime coming and we’re really happy for him.”

[Mass Haas]

Figured we'd adjust the thread title for the possibility of Amaury Rivas' activation.

 

Like Rogers, he's in Milwaukee for all the special biomechanical testing.

 

Unlike Rogers, he doesn't have avid friends and family posting on Brewerfan or a hometown paper to deliver the news.

 

So if he's in town, we imagine the same activation is a possibility, although we know no more than that, thus the "maybe" in the thread title.