Offseason Minor League Transactions

[And That]

The Brewers have not signed Barden. Thanks to Adam McCalvy for the info!

[And That]

The Brewers have re-signed RHRP Dave Johnson. This will be his 7th year in the organization, and he'll likely begin his third year in AAA. Wouldn't surprise me to see that he got a major league spring training invite, but we don't know that yet.

 

Link to transaction.

 

Link to stats.

[Mass Haas]

The Brewers have re-signed RHRP Dave Johnson. This will be his 7th year in the organization.

Thanks, And That.

 

Actually this is season # 8 coming up for David. He had earned his minor league free agency after seven previous seasons in the Brewers' chain.

 

[Mass Haas]

LHP Sam Narron (career stats) is the latest "familiarity" signing, as the minor league free agent will be in the Brewers' chain for a 6th consecutive season, as per Baseball America.

 

The 29-year-old has one big league appearance, a start in 2004 with Texas.

[And That]

LHP Sam Narron (career stats) is the latest "familiarity" signing, as the minor league free agent will be in the Brewers' chain for a 6th consecutive season, as per Baseball America.

This will be Narron's 7th season with the Brewers. He was claimed off waivers in September 2004 and missed the 2005 season due to injury.

 

This is the third time he's re-signed with the club. He was acquired from the Camden Riversharks in early June last year.

[And That]

Brewers release 15 minor leaguers, per McCalvy:

 

RHP Cody Adams

OF Juan Barrini

INF Steve Braun

RHP Jean Capellan

INF Allixon Cequea

LHP Matt Costello

RHP Robert Currie

INF Connor Lind

RHP Jairo Mejia

OF Erik Miller

LHP Christopher Roman

OF Erickson Salaya

RHP Andrew Sauter

OF Brandon Sizemore

LHP Caleb Thielbar

[Invader3K]

OMG Braun released!!!!

 

Oh, you mean that Braun. Oh well.

[Funketown]

Braun hit .140/.252/.178/.430 last year. One has to believe they simply kept him around this long to appease big brother, no?

[Invader3K]

Definitely the family connection had something to do with it. No big deal though, as that happens all over baseball.

[Mass Haas]

Yeah, the Cody Adams era (error?) was one to forget -- ineffectiveness, injuries that were never clearly defined to the media, an amphetamine suspension midway through 2009, and unavailable in 2010. Taken 62nd overall, the Brewers had two other 2nd round picks that year -- high school RHP Seth Lintz, who still has tons to prove (taken 53rd), and Cutter Dykstra, taken immediately after Lintz at 54.

 

RHP Robert Currie had the 6'6", 230 lb. build, and was the 12th round pick in '09. His two-year Helena numbers were fine, but he'll be 24 in April -- he needed to make that Timber Rattler bullpen last April, apparently.

 

LHP Matt Costello was another 23-year-old (turns 24 this week) who didn't make a full-season squad in April, but he was quite the life preserver for a gassed Wisconsin staff in the second half, with decent numbers (some odd R/L splits in the respective smallish samples). Considering if there's one place where it's OK to be older (future middle reliever type), this release easily surprised me more than any of the others.

 

Two others fall in that same just-turned or just-about-to-turn 24 years old range this winter -- LHP Caleb Thielbar (18th round, 2009) struck out 100 and only walked 22 in his 114.2 innings over two seasons, but proved too hittable with the Rattlers before a demotion back to Helena, and 30th round 2009 pick Brandon Sizemore was red-hot in his pro debut against younger Maryvale kids in his rookie season, but posted pretty ordinary numbers in Helena this season.

 

2007 17th round OF Erik Miller needed to shine when given a nice starting opportunity with Brevard to begin 2010, but didn't. A real tough season followed after his demotion back to Wisconsin.

 

Lind and Sauter were undrafted free agent signings.

 

Dominican Leaguers Cequea and Salaya had been suspended for PED use this year. (Apparently RHP Leonard Lorenzo, also suspended 50 games, remains in the organization.)

 

Capellan, Mejia, and Roman were one-year DSL'ers who failed to throw strikes in their few outings. Outfielder Barrini, injured for all of 2010, saw his only action in the DSL in 2009.

 

Hey, a reminder that LHP Craig Breslow was released by the Brewers while in A-ball, went the indy route, and has built himself quite the major league career. Good luck to those who choose to keep playing.

[dlk9s]

Braun hit .140/.252/.178/.430 last year. One has to believe they simply kept him around this long to appease big brother, no?

I think "appease" is probably not the appropriate word to use there, as it would imply that Ryan was upset with the organization or something. I think I get what you mean, though.

[TooLiveBrew]

Apologies if this has been posted already elsewhere, but via McCalvy...

The Brewers are expected to announce a number of scouting hires later this week, including former Expos, Dodgers and Pirates scout Joe Ferrone as national crosschecker. Ferrone will replace former assistant amateur scouting director Ray Montgomery, who was hired away by the D-backs in October.

 

Stay tuned. I'll post a story with all of the new names when they are announced.

[Mass Haas]

Apologies if this has been posted already elsewhere, but via McCalvy...

The Brewers are expected to announce a number of scouting hires later this week, including former Expos, Dodgers and Pirates scout Joe Ferrone as national crosschecker. Ferrone will replace former assistant amateur scouting director Ray Montgomery, who was hired away by the D-backs in October.

From Adam (see link for full update):The team hired three new area scouts in the U.S.: Shawn Whalen (who will cover the Pacific Northwest), Brendan Hause (Southwest) and former Brewers outfielder Drew Anderson (Midwest). Anderson's territory will include Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota and the Dakotas. He's a Nebraska native who played nine big league games for the Brewers in 2006 and spent this last season between Double-A Huntsville and Triple-A Nashville.

[colbyjack]

The national pitching coordinator position is interesting. I don't think I have ever seen such a scout included to a department.

 

Adding a few more Latin American scouts is a good thing. I'm curious if they're doing something similar to the Blue Jays, unless they have had a few territorial shifts, by hiring a few extra scouts. I know Harvey Kuenn, Jr. used to cover the upper Midwest, with Minnesota, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois being his territory. If Anderson is taking four of those states, and Kansas, that's quite the reduced area for Kuenn to cover (if he's still with the team, and I haven't heard otherwise). Of course, it doesn't take much to cover the Dakotas.

[And That]

The Brewers have not signed Barden. Thanks to Adam McCalvy for the info!

For the sake of completeness... Barden signed a minor league deal with the Rangers. It included a big league camp invite.

[Mass Haas]

Because they are receiving major league spring training invites, there is a thread on the Major League Forum for any commentary --

 

Two More Non-Roster Spring Training Invitees -- SS Edwin Maysonet, C Shawn Riggans

[battlekow]

Haudricourt also reports that RHP Jim Henderson was re-signed and that RHP Jesus Sanchez was also signed. Sanchez is only 23 and was a catcher until two years ago, so perhaps there's some potential there. Apparently he's got a low-90s fastball and a decent changeup, and that was as a starter, so I could see him being effective out of the bullpen.

[thevaccinator27]

Jesus Sanchez is our new Dave Bush.

 

Seriously, though. His numbers weren't terrible. Wonder why the Phils cut him loose.

[Mass Haas]

Major League Forum thread on the re-acquisition of RHP Roque Mercedes on waivers from the Diamondbacks (so a 40-man roster spot is involved).

[craigharmann]

RHP Jesus Sanchez was also signed. Sanchez is only 23 and was a catcher until two years ago, so perhaps there's some potential there. Apparently he's got a low-90s fastball and a decent changeup, and that was as a starter, so I could see him being effective out of the bullpen.

I think it would be pretty funny if he could be a closer....I can picture it now.....Jesus saves.

[Mass Haas]

Via the good folks with the Nashville Sounds' front office, mostly corners for OF play, it seems -- link

 

OF Brandon Jones (MiLB.com page / Baseball Cube Page) - Jones, 27, joins the Brewers organization after splitting the 2010 campaign between the Pirates and Tigers farm systems, batting a combined .231 (84-for-363) with four HRs and 29 RBIs in 108 games among Triple-A Indianapolis and Double-A Altoona in the Pittsburgh chain then Double-A Erie in the Detroit system after being traded in early August. The left-handed hitting Jones spent his first six seasons in the Atlanta Braves chain after being a 24th round selection in 2003. A career .275 hitter in 676 contests over seven minor league seasons, Jones owns a .257 average in 51 career Major League games for the Braves.

 

Rotoworld history

[Mass Haas]

Baseball America's Matt Eddy commented on Brandon Jones:

While in the Braves organization, corner outfielder Brandon Jones ranked as the Double-A Southern League's No. 5 prospect in ’07, a few doors down from Justin Upton, Evan Longoria, Wade Davis and Johnny Cueto. He ranked fourth on Atlanta's list heading into ’08. But in three short stints with the Braves, Jones hit .257/.313/.365 in 148 at-bats, not really showing enough power for left field (one homer) while proving to be nothing special on defense. He finished the ’10 season for the Tigers' Double-A Erie affiliate, having already passed through the Pirates system as a waiver claim. Jones finished the year with a cumulative .658 OPS, which was down some 200 points from his ’07 peak. It's now or never for the 27 year old.

[Mass Haas]

As per Matt Eddy of Baseball America:

Brewers have signed hard-throwing RHP Eulogio "Frankie" De La Cruz, a Dominican native who will turn 27 in March. Mixed results in AAA: 7.2 SO/9 but also 4.3 BB/9. Spent last year in Japan.

 

15 big league appearances (one start) split between Detroit, Florida, and San Diego. Was part of the big Miguel Cabrera deal to Detroit.

 

Listed as 5'11", 160 on his Baseball Cube career stats page, but at 175 elsewhere.

 

Should he be added to the 40-man at some point, he's out of options. De La Cruz, according to now-Diamondback general manager Kevin Towers, throws 96 mph and has hit 98 mph in the past (link).

 

January 2009 Marlins blog write-up

[JohnBriggs12]

As per Matt Eddy of Baseball America:

Brewers have signed hard-throwing RHP Eulogio "Frankie" De La Cruz, a Dominican native who will turn 27 in March. Mixed results in AAA: 7.2 SO/9 but also 4.3 BB/9. Spent last year in Japan.

 

15 big league appearances (one start) split between Detroit, Florida, and San Diego. Was part of the big Miguel Cabrera deal to Detroit.

 

Listed as 5'11", 160 on his Baseball Cube career stats page, but at 175 elsewhere.

 

Should he be added to the 40-man at some point, he's out of options. De La Cruz, according to now-Diamondback general manager Kevin Towers, throws 96 mph and has hit 98 mph in the past (link).

 

January 2009 Marlins blog write-up

Looking at his stats, this guy has major control issues.

[Mass Haas]

The Nashville site indicates that De La Cruz' innings in Japan were split between the major and minor leagues --

 

RHP Eulogio De La Cruz - De La Cruz, who will be 27 on Opening Day, is a nine-year professional who spent the entire 2010 season in Japan. He went 0-0 with a 7.84 ERA (9er/10.1ip) in nine relief outings for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of the Central League before being demoted to their minor league club in the Eastern League, where he went 2-3 with a team-best 10 saves and a 2.52 ERA (15er/53.2ip) in 39 appearances. The Dominican Republic native, whose given name is pronounced "ay oo low HEE oh," goes by the name Frankie and has posted a career 3.73 ERA in 286 minor league games (64 starts). He spent six seasons in the Tigers organization before moving to the Marlins system in 2008 then the Padres in 2009, making 15 Major League appearances (11.84 ERA) for Detroit, Florida, and San Diego along the way.