K-Rod (and cash) acquired; The cost? LH reliever Daniel Ray Herrera and low-A RHP Adrian Rosario

[rluzinski]

If Loe's WAR this season is +0.4 then I have lost all faith in that stat. Maybe compared to all relievers but compared to all setup men he has cost the Brewers way more wins than the average setup man. No way Loe is +0.4 compared to all setup men.

WAR is context neutral. Furthermore, Fangraph's WAR uses FIP. If you want context, use WPA:

http://www.fangraphs.com/winss.aspx?team=Brewers&pos=all&stats=pit&qual=0&type=3&season=2011&month=0&season1=2011

 

[brewmann04]

I like the chances of the brewers to reload again after they Lose Krod and Prince after the WS.

[crewcrazy]

It will be interesting to see if the Classies are willing to give up what it will take to get Heath Bell. (Although sliding into the pitcher's mound wasn't very classy, maybe that eliminates the Cards as a trading partner?) If you look around at the contenders, I don't see anyone who needs a closer as much as the Classies do?

Philaldephia's been linked to Bell a lot, and Cincinnati would make sense given Cordero's recent problems (although they'd be more likely to put Chapman in the 9th). Bell has said he's willing to move to a set-up role for the right team, which has led to some speculation about Boston.

[igor67]

I would be very surprised with Boras as his agent to see K-rod accept arby, especially since he's 29. His chances at the best long term deal are this offseason if he performs well.

 

While it makes sense to focus on getting to the playoffs, the whole special playoffs sauce thing is built on bullpens and pitching being more impactful in the playoffs then during the regular season. In that sense there is some bonus value in improving the bullpen as well, if you cross the playoff threshold.

 

Other random thoughts, anybody think of any rhetorical bets that have been made in the past involving the Brewers getting a guy in a straight salary dump from a large market team? It would be kind of funny to dig out that kind of quote right about now if one existed.

[brewmann04]

Here what i figure It can't be Gamel it would leave us W/O any 1st base man to take over when Prince Leaves.

IT won't be Tyler he is our top Pitching Prospect.

Scooter is our top SS prospects so doubt it be him

 

We do have alot of OF prospects and Farris is blocked by Weeks.

We have plenty of 3-5 starters in the minors that could be included in this deal.

[The Truth]

. Start to filter out the number of teams who could legitimately be buyers:

 

Boston (Papelbon 20/21 Sv.), NYY (Rivera 22/26; I assume the papers would have a field day if they traded him cross-town), TB (Farnsworth 17/19)

Detroit (Valverde 24/24), Cleveland (C. Perez, 21/22)

Texas (Feliz 18/22), LAA (Walden 20/26)

---

Philly (Madson 15/17 - DL; Bastardo 5/5), Atlanta (Kimbrel 28/33)

Milwaukee (Axford 23/25), St. Louis (Salas 16/18), Pittsburgh (Hanrahan 26/26), Cincinnati (Cordero 17/22 ...has blown his last 3 SvOpp)

SF (Wilson 26/30), Arizona (Putz 21/25 - DL)

Almost all of those teams that have established closers would want K-Rod for the very same reason the Brewers did. Adding an established very good arm in the set-up role and not having to do the $17.5 million thing.

 

The fact that that the Brewers jumped the gun on a lot of teams is very very cool

[topper09er]

I don't think free agent types apply here, because his contract will be bought out, it won't expire. Also, even if it could apply, the Brewers would have to offer arbitration which they wouldn't do because K-Rod would likely accept it.

1) He just signed Scott Boras, which is a strong indication towards free agency and rejecting any arby deal

2) He would have to accept a 1 year deal to be a setup man in Milwaukee, not a closer which no "closer" wants to do.

 

This deal just keeps looking better and better, we add 0 salary for 2011 (don't affect any chances of still adding another player), bolster the bullpen big time, and we will end up giving up 2 crappy, PTBNL prospects in return for 2 high draft picks to replace them next year. All of this was done just so the Mets could save $17.5 MM and we did it, not a rich team

[pretendastronaut]

Tweet from Haudricourt;

 

For those who have asked, rest assured that the 5-player list of prospects provided to Mets to choose 2 does not include top guys in system.

 

 

Sounds like he's seen the list? Not really clear though.

[jjfanec]

Tweet from Haudricourt;

 

For those who have asked, rest assured that the 5-player list of prospects provided to Mets to choose 2 does not include top guys in system.

Sounds like he's seen the list? Not really clear though.

He sounds very confident. I am wondering what top guys in the system means. I mean our system isnt great so is just not Peralta, Thornburg or Gamel? Two of which we already knew were not even possibilities. Or do guys like Green, Gindl, and others on the top 10-15 of the Power 50 qualify?

[RockCoCougars]

Some people are way too fixated on WAR. Watching this team, it's obvious that bullpen was the primary need, followed by SS. If Braddock continues to pitch poorly, they may need to try to find a veteran lefty as well.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Doug said on 1250 this morning that the list doesn't include top guys like Thornburg. So I think everyone can calm down about that now.

[RightFieldCoder]

I admit part of me wonders if the Brewers already have a side deal in place to obtain Jose Reyes once he comes off the DL.

Boy, if that was the case.....I'd be ecstatic! I believe Reyes is the best available SS out there, and is a gigantic upgrade over Yuni. I really believe, especially after last night, DM is going all in for this year. Prince is as good as gone, especially after the AS MVP, so this is the best chance. Casey may or may not pick it back up, but the biggest weakness is SS. If DM can get Reyes, I'd love it!!

If this happens, wouldn't the Brewers get 7 first round picks in 2012? That would restock the system quickly.

[jjfanec]

I admit part of me wonders if the Brewers already have a side deal in place to obtain Jose Reyes once he comes off the DL.

Boy, if that was the case.....I'd be ecstatic! I believe Reyes is the best available SS out there, and is a gigantic upgrade over Yuni. I really believe, especially after last night, DM is going all in for this year. Prince is as good as gone, especially after the AS MVP, so this is the best chance. Casey may or may not pick it back up, but the biggest weakness is SS. If DM can get Reyes, I'd love it!!

If this happens, wouldn't the Brewers get 7 first round picks in 2012? That would restock the system quickly.

If we offered KRod arby and if the teams that signed Prince, KRod, and Reyes were picking in the bottom half of the first round then we would have 7 first round picks.

[brewmann04]

I think DM need to make one more move and find a Defensive SS that can hit abit would really help make this team into a solid contender.

[MillerParkSouth]

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/story/15316047/fielder-melvin-steal-allstar-night-for-brewers

 

 

This guy seems to think that K-Rod is going to close. DM and RR couldn't be that stupid, could they? Not only would paying K-Rod (or any closer) $17MM next year be completely insane, but Axford is the better pitcher.

Rodriguez is expected to assume the closer's role and bump John Axford to setup duties, which will give manager Ron Roenicke -- who was with K-Rod with the Angels -- depth.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Anyone who thinks K-Rod will be the permanent closer from now on is not very smart. There's absolutely no way they are willing to pay $17.5 million for him next year. Ax will close for the rest of the season unless he completely falls off. Then they'd give K-Rod a shot. There's no way they give him the role otherwise though.

[Warning Track Power]

This is such a win deal.

 

Let's sum it up...

 

For 2011:

1. We essentially get K-Rod for free for the next few months.

2. We didn't give up any propsects like Thornburg or Gamel.

3. We gave up 2 meh prospects.

 

For 2012:

1. Assuming we offer arby and K-Rod leaves, we have the 1st round pick and the supplemental (hopefully). With Fielder leaving as well, we should be guaranteed 3 1st round picks and 2 supplemental. Re-built system pretty quickly.

2. Essentially traded 2 meh prospects for a 1st rounder and a supplemental. That is a win alone minus anything K-Rod contributes.

 

I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop but it doesn't seem like it is going to happen. What a deal.

[bando1234]

I am all about having K-Rod close. He is on my fantasy team. I need the saves. So Doug give him 17.5 million for next year. Make a middle age man in central Wisconsin happy.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Does anyone know whether KRod's 55 games-ended vesting option includes playoff games, or is it regular season only? I ask this because, with KRod still needing 21 of those "games ended" situations to reach 55, along with being a setup guy for the current Brewers closer, if Axford does pull a Turnbow and start blowing save opportunities, the Brewers could switch KRod into that role later in the season/playoffs and still avoid that option taking effect.

[fondybrewfan]

17.5 million on the books next year would be a disaster. The Brewers could add absolutely no pieces.

 

There is a 0% chance that Krod gets anywhere near 20 finishes unless Axford gets hurt. I wouldn't be suprised if he gets 5-10 though

[Patrick425]

This may have been mentioned before, but I hope they don't give K-Rod an occasional save here or there unless it's an absolute emergency (i.e. Axford has closed the last 3 or 4 games or something like that). I also would try to avoid using him in extra innings if possible (in case he "accidently" finishes a game). They need to conserve his 20 game finishing opportunities in case something were to happen to Axford in late August or September.

[pretendastronaut]

I'm blown away how many people in the media and on Twitter think K-Rod is the new closer. Yes, K-Rod will likely get a handful of saves, but he's a set-up guy for the rest of this season and it should be fully obvious to everyone.

[umphrey]

I am all about having K-Rod close. He is on my fantasy team. I need the saves. So Doug give him 17.5 million for next year. Make a middle age man in central Wisconsin happy.

He's on my fantasy team too, and if the Brewers let him close and cripple their payroll next year, I'll be mad as all hell

[Mass Haas]

WSSP Audio --

 

07/13/11 Brewers' General Manager Doug Melvin talks about trading for K-Rod

[Raw Biz]

I'm blown away how many people in the media and on Twitter think K-Rod is the new closer. Yes, K-Rod will likely get a handful of saves, but he's a set-up guy for the rest of this season and it should be fully obvious to everyone.

I could see how the casual fan might think he's the new closer because they remember how dominant he was with the Angels. But to see people who actually get paid to write about baseball think he will be the new closer is just mind-boggling. How can they actually get paid to write something so wrong? I think most on this board could easily write a better article about this trade than those people.