Roster finalizations: Boggs accepts assignment to AAA Nashville; Almonte, Reed formally added to 40-man

[DuWayne Steurer]

Lucroy isn't a scrub, he's an up-and-coming prospect who was rushed last year due to injury, he should improve. Gomez is one of the top defensive CFs in the league, and over a season will probably be a win or two over replacement minimum, even more if he finally breaks out. Betancourt is a replacement level scrub, but that's about it. I would put McGehee in the "proven" category right now, he is an above average 3b. Wolf is an above average #4 pitcher.

 

I'd like to see a current team that has stars waiting on their bench rather than "scrubs". The majority of teams have benches that look exactly like the Brewers.

This often gets overlooked. I think the year before last, I did my own personal study,where I took the 5-6 guys from each team who had the most at bats besides the starting 9 throughout all of baseball, and got a composite OPS under .700.

 

That being said, however, it still behooves a team to get the 4-5 BEST guys that they can on the bench. If you have a guy who you THINK might be able to OPS .730 and play utility defense, and a guy who you think might OPS around .700, why not keep the .730 OPS guy?

 

In this case, if Melvin honestly feels that Kotsay will outperform Boggs, ok, I can live with that. I would disagree with that assessment though. I do realize that .730 is more than Boggs has done at the MLB level, albeit in less than a seasons' worth of at bats, and I think there's at least a slight chance you get lightning in a bottle and get a slash line like .260/.320/.430 out of him.

[GormanHarvey]

Boggs cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Nashville

 

http://brewersbeat.mlblogs.com/

[TooLiveBrew]

Most importantly, he's accepted the assignment: Boggs had been previously outrighted and thus had the right to refuse this assignment, but it appears from the club’s brief announcement that he’s accepted.

[logan82]

Really? You have Braun, Fielder, Hart, Weeks, Greinke, Marcum, Gallardo. Granted those are more "stars" than the Brewers usually have, but there isn't much proven on the team after those players. The bottom three spots in there order could definitely be considered scrubs, as could most of their bench.

If you read it closer he talks about how we have a few players who are around 2 win or less players. The problem is almost every team and all teams in the central have at least a couple replacement level or below players somewhere on the field.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Boggs cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Nashville

 

http://brewersbeat.mlblogs.com/

Good news, we'll need someone down at AAA for insurance. I'm sure he'll be ready when Kotsay sucks or gets hurt. Hopefully Doug will pull the trigger on releasing Kotsay if he does in fact flame out like people are expecting. We'll see I guess.

[Invader3K]

Glad to hear they're keeping Boggs, but I'm still disappointed they lost Cruz.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Glad to hear they're keeping Boggs, but I'm still disappointed they lost Cruz.

Agreed, that was a big mistake in my opinion. It all comes back to having Kotsay on the roster. That's what I say. No Kotsay would mean Boggs, which means no Almonte, which means keeping Cruz.

[Warning Track Power]

Glad to hear they're keeping Boggs, but I'm still disappointed they lost Cruz.

Really? Someone please explain to me this sadness over losing Luis Cruz. I understand the Chris Dickerson/Brandon Boggs love as they potentially could have added pop in the bat as well as glove in the field. However, I can't for the life of me understand Luis Cruz love. From everything I've seen, he is the SS version of Wil Nieves, decent glove and no bat. This has to be more about anti-YuBet than it does pro-Cruz but that's just my assumption.

[TooLiveBrew]

I think that's basically right, WTP. I wanted Cruz kept around, but I don't doubt Melvin's ability to trade for someone better than Cruz or Betancourt mid-season. What I doubt is whether he'll feel "motivated" to do so. So far, the Brewers' brass seems to be a-ok with Yuni.

[PrinceEatMeat]

I think that's basically right, WTP. I wanted Cruz kept around, but I don't doubt Melvin's ability to trade for someone better than Cruz or Betancourt mid-season. What I doubt is whether he'll feel "motivated" to do so. So far, the Brewers' brass seems to be a-ok with Yuni.

I still hope the Dodgers don't compete, and we trade for Furcal at the deadline.

[monty57]

Good news on the Boggs front. In my mind, he immediately becomes the guy who gets called up if Almonte or Kotsay fails. I hope they succeed, but it's good to have insurance, as neither player has much of a recent track record.

 

WTP, what I've said all along about Cruz is that he isn't a world-beater, but he does bring something to the table the team could use. We know he can play good defense, and can play everyday. He also hit pretty well last year, but that may have been a fluke. My worry is that if Yuni is either bad or gets hurt that we are pretty thin in the minor leagues. I don't want to see the train get derailed because a player like Yuni gets hurt and we don't have a Plan B.

[logan82]

I don't think I would say that somebody who had a .309 OBP in AAA hit well. That kind of sucks.

 

I never liked Cruz and don't like Betancourt. You could flip a coin and pick one and neither would be a good option at SS.

[Mass Haas]

Haudricourt updates Boggs' status -- we'll know if he remains Brewer property Wed. AM

[YoungGeezy]

I don't think I would say that somebody who had a .309 OBP in AAA hit well. That kind of sucks.

 

I never liked Cruz and don't like Betancourt. You could flip a coin and pick one and neither would be a good option at SS.

Actually it means he did "hit" well, he just didn't walk. Had a respectable .414 slugging for a SS and "hit" .281. That is not bad or "sucks." You always need to make sure everyone knows how worthless all stats like BA, K's, and etc are and then you use one of the one you live by wrong. 15BB in in 518 PA would give anyone a good awful OBP doesn't mean he could hit the ball.

 

I don't mind losing Cruz to much, we could always make a move down the road to get someone of his caliber on waivers or for very little in a trade. Boggs I was hoping would get a spot and happy he decided to stay. Not sure he will be the first to get a call now that he lost is 40 man spot.

[monty57]

I don't think I would say that somebody who had a .309 OBP in AAA hit well. That kind of sucks.

 

I never liked Cruz and don't like Betancourt. You could flip a coin and pick one and neither would be a good option at SS.

I agree that neither would be a star, the question is whether either one can at least be a passable MLB SS. Cruz's numbers at Nashville last year were .309 OBP / .414 SLG / .723 OPS with 10 HR, so I think he would at least hit better than Escobar's pathetic .288 OBP / .326 SLG / .614 OPS line from 2010, when the Brewers posted one of the best offenses in the NL. Betancourt last year was .288 OBP / .405 SLG / .693 OPS, and his career numbers are .296 OBP / .393 SLG / .689 OPS.

 

I don't think we could've expected Melvin to find a SS who would've provided above average offense and defense this season, since he used his bullets to bring in pitching. However, he apparently brought over someone who can neither hit nor field well at the MLB level. Since Cruz's bat probably wouldn't be that much worse than Yuni's, and his defense is much better, I think he could be a useful backup and may be better than Yuni, and probably would be better than Counsell.

[crewcrazy]

I wouldn't trust Cruz's SLG last year for the Sounds -- the PCL is very hitter-friendly. His line from last year translates into .248/.272/.352 if you use Minor League Splits' MLE calculator. His glove is good, but is it better than Escobar's was last year? Good enough to break the replacement level line if he hit that poorly over a full season? I'm not entirely convinced.

[joepepsi]

I'm sure Cesar Izturis will be available at some point, either this season or next Spring. I don't think it matters much they lost Cruz. Besides, if he doesn't sing on with anyone else can't he just come back to the organization, tail between his legs, hat in hand?

[Invader3K]

I'm sure Cesar Izturis will be available at some point, either this season or next Spring. I don't think it matters much they lost Cruz. Besides, if he doesn't sing on with anyone else can't he just come back to the organization, tail between his legs, hat in hand?

I thought he already came on with the Rangers unless I'm mistaken.

[endaround]

It means that Yuni, who should always be replaced with a late game sub, won't be because there is only one infield back up

[JohnBriggs12]

What are all you guys going to complain about when Yuni's hitting .280/.315/.410, the team is 20 games over .500, and 8 games up at the All Star break? That if they had a better SS, they'd be 10 games up?

[trwi7]

What if he's not hitting that and still playing terrible defense like he has his entire career?

[Invader3K]

Someone on Twitter who apparently knows Luis Cruz has an update.

 

I talked to Cruz; he said he wanted to stay. Milwaukee wanted him to share time in Triple A with Maysonet; Round Rock everyday player

[Warning Track Power]

What are all you guys going to complain about when Yuni's hitting .280/.315/.410, the team is 20 games over .500, and 8 games up at the All Star break? That if they had a better SS, they'd be 10 games up?

I like your style Briggs. If these guys get healthy in April and just play to their career norms no one will touch us.

 

[Mass Haas]

Haudricourt tweet -- Boggs accepts assignment

[PrinceEatMeat]

Good, we need him for depth.