Brewers sign former Ranger OF Brandon Boggs to major league deal

[Mass Haas]

Rotoworld:

 

Brewers signed OF Brandon Boggs to a one-year deal.

It's a surprise that he got a major league deal. Boggs had a nice .290/.406/.470 batting line at Triple-A Oklahoma City this past season, but he's managed just one hit in 24 at-bats the last two seasons with the Rangers. The switch-hitter, who will turn 28 in January, will back up at all three outfield spots in 2011.

Switch-hitter, 28 years old in January

 

Baseball Reference Page

 

In the Minors

[Mass Haas]

From Scout.com article discussing the Rangers' minor league free agents --

 

Brandon Boggs, OF: The club’s fourth-round pick in the 2004 draft, Boggs appeared in 101 games for the Rangers in 2008 and posted a .226/.333/.399 slash line with 17 doubles and eight home runs. Boggs appeared in only 13 games for the big club over the last two seasons, going 1-for-24 at the plate with 12 strikeouts.

 

Despite battling shoulder injuries for much of the season, he hit .290/.406/.470 at Triple-A Oklahoma City this year. Though the 27-year-old has a questionable hit tool, he still can provide some pop and plate discipline to go along with strong defense at three outfield positions. Boggs could be a valuable chip to any Triple-A club and can play in the big leagues in a pinch, though he’ll almost certainly move on to a new organization after more than six years with Texas.

 

 

[Mass Haas]

Boggs has one minor league option remaining, so he can be sent to Nashville and back as often as necessary in 2011.

The Brewers' 40-man roster now stands at 38.

[Mass Haas]

Statistically, here is a more detailed breakdown of Boggs' 2010 minor league season.

 

McCalvy's blog post

[sbrylski]

For me, he instantly reminded me of Brady Clark. Just enough power to not be a slap hitter, and if he can maintain an average batting average, his OBP will be above average. Good depth signing, and I like how he can be optioned if need be.

 

I think that give us six OF candidates for the Opening Day roster? Braun, Hart, Cain, Gomez, Dickerson, Boggs.

[Mass Haas]

A switch-hitting bench bat?

 

Novel idea, it's been a while...

[monty57]

This seems to portend an end to the Carlos Gomez era in Milwaukee, unless we're going to pay someone MLB money to play at AAA (in Gomez's case, this would be well over $1MM). If the plan has been to dump Gomez, then picking up a cheap, swith-hitting, good defense OF with some ability with the bat and an option if necessary isn't the worst thing. You would think that they could have got him with a MiLB contract with an invitation to ST, but Doug must've wanted to make sure he got his man.

 

Hopefully, Braun, Hart and Cain will remain productive and healthy, and we'll have some decent depth on the bench, where we lacked power and RH hitters in 2010.

[And That]

For me, he instantly reminded me of Brady Clark.

Was coming over here to post the exact same thing.

 

Boggs has never really been on the prospect radar. From what I've read, his defense is serviceable in the OF. Not a whole lot of speed.

 

Probably bad news for both Carlos Gomez and Joe Inglett.

[Invader3K]

I assume this also means they won't be signing Eric Hinske.

[And That]

Hinske and Boggs would fill two different roles on the team. Boggs doesn't play corner infield, so I don't think Boggs' signing precludes Hinske from being on the team.

 

Edit: Boggs (as well as Gomez and Dickerson) has an option left, so there's definitely room for Hinske and Boggs in the system.

[monty57]

It does bring the Fielder, Gamel, McGehee situation back to light. McCalvey recently blogged that he thought the chance of keeping Fielder was about 50/50, and with five (or six with Gomez) OF on the roster, it doesn't seem at all likely that Fielder, Gamel and McGehee could all be on the 2011 roster.

 

It's exciting to see any news, even the signing of a fifth OF, but I sure hope the "big trade" happens soon, so we can get a better picture of what the 2011 team will look like.

[nate82]

A Fielder, McGehee, or Gamel trade will not happen until at least the winter meetings.

[Invader3K]

A Fielder, McGehee, or Gamel trade will not happen until at least the winter meetings.

You're most likely right. I think a lot of us are just getting antsy because the state of next year's team seems so vague right now.

[BrewCrewForever]

I like the signing. Adds good depth and a switch hitter off the bench. I hope they ink Hinske as well.

[Warning Track Power]

This seems to portend an end to the Carlos Gomez era in Milwaukee

And here's just one more reason to hate the JJ Hardy deal. A player like Boggs, who can seemingly produce at least Gomez-esque levels based on his 2008 Rangers season, can be had for peanuts. Yet we traded a mid-20s HR everyday middle infielder for Gomez.

 

Spilled milk I know but man...

[joepepsi]

Is he on the 40 man to prevent him from being drafted in the rule V at the winter meetings?

 

I remember a few years back the Orioles signed veteran utility guy Chris Gomez to a minor league deal. Then at the winter meetings the Phillies picked him in the rule V draft. So, the Orioles then had to buy him back from the Phillies to get him back.

[hurricanecrush]

According to Tom Haudricourt/Gord Ash, he does not have an option left.

 

Link

 

UPDATE: I was just informed by Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash that Boggs does not have a minor league option remaining. Thus, he either makes the Brewers' roster in the spring or would have to go through waivers to return to the minors.

[PrinceEatMeat]

According to Tom Haudricourt/Gord Ash, he does not have an option left.

 

Link

 

UPDATE: I was just informed by Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash that Boggs does not have a minor league option remaining. Thus, he either makes the Brewers' roster in the spring or would have to go through waivers to return to the minors.

Goodbye Gomez? Either off the team or to the minors.

[RockCoCougars]

I think that most are reading too much into this, though I question why a non-roster invite wasn't enough. All this means to me is that Hinske probably is going back to the Braves, and this is solely a move for depth. I doubt that it has any implications on what's going to happen with Prince, McGehee or even Gomez. I would liken that type of speculation to the Bucks signing Francisco Elson and then speculating about what they are going to do with Bogut.

[MNBrew]

Goodbye Gomez? Either off the team or to the minors.

Scattered thoughts after reading the posts in this thread so far:

 

I see this Boggs thing as a depth move. No way in heck am I seeing him as a cinch for a roster spot. Hinske would be a guaranteed roster spot (my terminology). Boggs has played in 114 MLB games. He's a nugget-mining special.

Hinske's a 9-year MLB veteran of over 1,100 games. Hinske has 10x the

GP & PA of Boggs. They're of totally different statuses and it's

not even close. If Boggs pans out, great. If not, he's not exactly highly coveted, so we might not lose him off waivers if we try to get him down to Nashville.

 

Roenicke may be quite intrigued by Gomez's positive tools that he wants to have him competing for a spot in ST. Or he may be completely unthrilled by his character and/or on-field weaknesses, and thus not be concerned about losing him. The non-tender deadline will tell us something about this, and that's not far away. Won't break my heart at all if he's gone.

 

Talk all you want about Hardy as a 25-HR SS. But the last time that happened was in '08 -- three seasons ago from this upcoming year. So many 'round here got so glued on the idea that Bill Hall would be an annual 35-HR hitter, but hindsight's showing that was a career year, just the perfect alignment of the planets, and so far from what Hall is on an every-year basis. I'm not suggesting Hardy didn't have the ability to sustain that. But after what he's done the past two year, I'm at least comfortable in saying that Hardy's not the same player anymore.

[crewcrazy]

Goodbye Gomez? Either off the team or to the minors.

Roenicke may be quite intrigued by Gomez's positive tools that he wants to have him competing for a spot in ST.

This was sort of my thought after reading the Gomez speculation, too. Considering Roenicke's style, it's possible he sees Gomez as a good piece to have. Boggs and Gomez aren't really similar players, so I'm not convinced this says anything about Gomez's chances of making the roster.

[Oldcity]

And here's just one more reason to hate the JJ Hardy deal.

It's sure seeming like Hardy isn't that player anymore. He's got two seasons of terrible offense behind him now.

[JohnBriggs12]

I wouldn't assume this is the end of Carlos Gomez for several reasons. The guy that's in trouble immediately with this move is Dickerson, who let's face it didn't do much off the bench last year and offensively doesn't have any more of a resume than Boggs. Let's also consider the possibility that Melvin in his search for pitching is getting a lot of inquiries on Cain. Cain may be the best chip he has. If that's the case, he would want to fortify the OF. Even if all the guys are around come spring, there's still going to be competition for the starting CF job between Cain and Gomez. My guess is they'd want the loser in that competition playing everyday in minors rather than sitting. That would leave them short of a right handed bat again and adding a switch hitter solves that.

[davego]

I'm hoping this isn't the case, but could we see the 'Crew setting up to maybe trade Prince AND Casey? Matt obviously goes to 3rd and they sign a lower-level player for 1B and maybe the excess of OF get a shot at first as well? Budget saving for 2011?

[RockCoCougars]

JohnBriggs12]I wouldn't assume this is the end of Carlos Gomez for several reasons. The guy that's in trouble immediately with this move is Dickerson, who let's face it didn't do much off the bench last year and offensively doesn't have any more of a resume than Boggs. Let's also consider the possibility that Melvin in his search for pitching is getting a lot of inquiries on Cain. Cain may be the best chip he has. If that's the case, he would want to fortify the OF. Even if all the guys are around come spring, there's still going to be competition for the starting CF job between Cain and Gomez. My guess is they'd want the loser in that competition playing everyday in minors rather than sitting. That would leave them short of a right handed bat again and adding a switch hitter solves that.

Exactly. I'm still trying to figure out why many are so high on Dickerson. I'd be willing to bet that both Dickerson and Boggs aren't on the final roster, it will most likely be one or the other (if both are on the roster it doesn't bode well in my view).