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

[sbrylski]

First impression is I'm not that crazy about this. Last time I saw him pitch his velocity was down around 90-92. Also, this is his worst year for WHIP (1.41) and batting ave. against (.265). Is there a website that compares velocity year to year?

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1642&position=P

He's not the K-Rod that played for the Angels, but as a setup guy he should be pretty good. ERA, FIP and xFIP all right around 3.00 so far this year.

[PeaveyFury]

Because it likely eats up all the salary room the Brewers have to work with.

 

Every year people say this and every year Mark A proves them wrong, though.

[cadillacjosh]

This is such amazing news. I've been watching K-rod since he started on the Angels. he's lost some velocity but everything is just as filthy. We're in for a dominating 8th/9th from here on out.

[NYChez]

The Brewers fans deserve credit, too. Three millions fans allows this to happen. The Reds and Pirates couldn't afford to do this.

[Glennron]

Lefties career .645 OPS against him. Looks a lot better than our "8th inning guy" for much of the first half.

[HiAndTight]

I don't get this, you don't like the trade because there is another position that's equally/more pressing?

 

 

How does this trade preclude the addition of a SS?

Because it likely eats up all the salary room the Brewers have to work with.

And potentially any remaining minor league trading chips we have too.

And the replacment of Yuni B is far and away more pressing than adding another BP arm.

 

No, it does not eat up any remaining minor league trading chips we have. It's a salary dump. We're very unlikely giving away any of our best prospects.

 

The Mets are sending money back, and I suspect the Brewers will still have money to add a Shortstop. We're not talking about adding 10 million in salary.

 

A guy like Clint Barmes, Jamey Carroll...aren't exactly cost prohibitive.

 

I just don't understand the complaining about the trade based on things we DON'T know. Lets look at what we do. We got a very good reliever and fixed a very big hole while reportedly giving up very little. That's a positive.

[JUNT4twan]

Just a little info from his ESPN profile:

 

 

"Rodriguez, who signed a three-year, $37 million free-agent contract prior to the 2009 season, will vest a $17.5 million contract option for 2012 if he finishes 55 games this season, a mark he is on pace to surpass. For that reason, Rodriguez ranks among the Mets most likely to be traded prior to this month's non-waiver deadline. An acquiring team could use Rodriguez as a setup man, thereby avoiding his option. If that happens, then having Boras as his agent may enable K-Rod to sign another - or even bigger - deal than he did three years ago."

 

As a few have already stated, he has to FINISH 55 games to get the big payday. So using him in setup role allows the Brewers to avoid paying him that huge option.

 

I'm good with this as of right now. We'll see who we gave up.

[PrinceEatMeat]

Step 1: Rob the poor Mets by getting a great player for basically nothing as long as we pay for him.

 

Step 2: Do the same thing to the Dodgers for Furcal.

 

Wow....we are like the Yankees now, this is neat. Maybe Mark A. will get power crazy and pay for Prince next

Yes please on Furcal. If that happens we are pretty much set. Except for maybe adding a power bench bat or lefty reliever.

[FVBrewerFan]

No, no,no. It won't be anyone near the level of Thornburg or Rivas. As others have said this is about cash. I would be doing cartwheels if KRod was a lefty. As it is, we have another guy who can't get LH hitters out. As with Loe, if he's used right he can help. Still think they need a lefty in the pen.

 

By the way, I was downstairs and my son was shouting down "the Brewers just got ARod!!! the Brewers got Arod!!! Its on ESPN!!!" You never saw a 44 yr old out of shape guy jump and run to the laptop as fast as I did....lol

[ninja33]

I don't get this, you don't like the trade because there is another position that's equally/more pressing?

 

 

How does this trade preclude the addition of a SS?

Because it likely eats up all the salary room the Brewers have to work with.

And potentially any remaining minor league trading chips we have too.

And the replacment of Yuni B is far and away more pressing than adding another BP arm.

 

I doubt there are any very important prospects moving. At least none that will prevent the team from acquiring a SS. It may limit the budget for a guy like Furcal. We'll see.

[HiAndTight]

Because it likely eats up all the salary room the Brewers have to work with.

 

Every year people say this and every year Mark A proves them wrong, though.

I know, and every year we hear how they're losing money or are close to it, and every year Forbes reports that they made around 10 million, even after Mark A goes over what many on here speculate is the number that will put us in the red.

 

The Brewers are fine. They're drawing well, they've got a new TV deal coming up, and the trade deadline is still a few weeks away. I don't see why this would stop us from picking up a solid SS.

[topper09er]

The reason there are players to be named is so the Mets can save face with their fans. They couldn't just remove a healthy K-Rod from closing to save the $17 Mil so they had to give him to a team that already had a closer. Now the Mets can tell their fans they traded an overpriced closer for potential all-stars and many of them will "buy" it.

 

Unless K-Rod is surrounded by Yes-men only someone must have told him this would happen to avoid his automatic option so he should have seen it coming also.

[theavrock]

FVBrewerFan wrote:

By the way, I was downstairs and my son was shouting down "the Brewers just got ARod!!! the Brewers got Arod!!! Its on ESPN!!!" You never saw a 44 yr old out of shape guy jump and run to the laptop as fast as I did....lol

Haha! This is great!

[ninja33]

No, no,no. It won't be anyone near the level of Thornburg or Rivas. As others have said this is about cash. I would be doing cartwheels if KRod was a lefty. As it is, we have another guy who can't get LH hitters out. As with Loe, if he's used right he can help. Still think they need a lefty in the pen.

 

By the way, I was downstairs and my son was shouting down "the Brewers just got ARod!!! the Brewers got Arod!!! Its on ESPN!!!" You never saw a 44 yr old out of shape guy jump and run to the laptop as fast as I did....lol

He's had trouble with lefties this year, but for his career (and pretty much every season up until this year) he has been just fine against them.

[bucksman4]

From the Mets message board (can't confirm this guy's sources):

 

I'm hearing Mat Gamel is one of the PTBNL

 

25 year old 3Bman. Excellent #s in the minors. 170 or so MLB ABs with not much production

 

http://www.baseball-refer...ayer.cgi?id=gamel-001mat

[HiAndTight]

No, no,no. It won't be anyone near the level of Thornburg or Rivas. As others have said this is about cash. I would be doing cartwheels if KRod was a lefty. As it is, we have another guy who can't get LH hitters out. As with Loe, if he's used right he can help. Still think they need a lefty in the pen.

 

By the way, I was downstairs and my son was shouting down "the Brewers just got ARod!!! the Brewers got Arod!!! Its on ESPN!!!" You never saw a 44 yr old out of shape guy jump and run to the laptop as fast as I did....lol

He's been pretty damn tough on lefties for his career. Not sure why you think he can't get them out.

[mrpackersfan1]

Save situation- Inning 1-6 SP 7 Saito or Hawkins 8- Krod 9- Axman

 

Non-save- Inning 1-6 SP 7 Saito or Hawkins 8- Braddock, other arms 9- Krod

 

Yes I know letting krod finishing off saves is bad but we gotta let him do it sometimes.

 

Pretty good Bullpen now, im satisfied. Just worried about who we gave up. Im thinking Gennett and an OF at AAA. Just a guess

[pretendastronaut]

This was very unexpected. I had to read it twice to be sure I read it right. If it really is mostly a salary dump and some toss-in players, outstanding move.

[azcheesehead]

From the Mets message board (can't confirm this guy's sources):

 

I'm hearing Mat Gamel is one of the PTBNL

 

25 year old 3Bman. Excellent #s in the minors. 170 or so MLB ABs with not much production

 

http://www.baseball-refer...ayer.cgi?id=gamel-001mat

Bottom of this article makes me doubt that there are ANY names on a list right now...

 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/125465823.html

[FVBrewerFan]

Nope..no way would it be Gamel. I dont believe that.

[bacon06]

Very nice buy low by Melvin. Can never have too many quality arms in the bullpen.

[Eck17]

This was some pretty shocking news after the All Star Game. I don't think any major prospects were given up, considering this was almost a pure salary dump by the Mets.

[HiAndTight]

From the Mets message board (can't confirm this guy's sources):

 

I'm hearing Mat Gamel is one of the PTBNL

 

25 year old 3Bman. Excellent #s in the minors. 170 or so MLB ABs with not much production

 

http://www.baseball-refer...ayer.cgi?id=gamel-001mat

I highly doubt it. They've got Murphy and Wright at 3rd and Davis at 1st.

 

And I doubt the Brewers would give up Gamel after they just sent him back down with instructions to play 3rd base. We shall see, but I find this unlikely.

[yoshii8]

I figured Melvin would go after a reliever, but wow, this has definitely exceeded my expectations. I love it, much better than the Scott Linebrink trade.

[endaround]

Gamel can't be a PTBNL.