2B Eric Farris called up from Nashville -- Big League debut for 25-year-old 2007 4th round pick

[rluzinski]

When Melvin said that he addressed the Brewers greatest need by trading for K-Rod, I realized that the Brewers left side of the infield was going to remain very bad. Now, unless Melvin can pull a rabbit out of his... err.. hat, you can add 2B to that.

[joepepsi]

I think it's the 40 man thing, not the PTBNL. With only 4 days to the deadline why add to the 40 when you may be acquiring multiple guys. Yeah, maybe you could 60 day DL a couple guys to make room, but it's only 4 days until you have certainty about acquiring anyone, who and how many. There's no telling what deals could pop up at the last minute.

I'm with you. Ferris doesn't affect the 40 man and is a weekend solution until a deal for a major league infielder can be completed. I'm not saying I agree with Doug on this one, but it's clear when he says "we're going for it", he's not going to try upgrading positions by bringing up rookies. He seems convinced he needs veteran grittiness to improve the infield.

[DuWayne Steurer]

When Melvin said that he addressed the Brewers greatest need by trading for K-Rod, I realized that the Brewers left side of the infield was going to remain very bad. Now, unless Melvin can pull a rabbit out of his... err.. hat, you can add 2B to that.

Melvin seems to be enamored with the wrong stats. I'm suspecting upgrading the 8th inning guy was Melvin's biggest area of need because Loe had 7 losses.

[GoudaBrew]

Melvin said the PTBNL in the KROD deal was not a "top prospect". I just find it hard to believe that in our system Green would not be considered a top prospect.

 

I mean our system is so thin that he must be one of our top 5-10 guys.

Well, on BF.net's Power 50 Green only comes in at 17. That wouldn't be a top prospect. That was last updated at the end of May so I'm not sure how much he's risen in the eyes of the minor league experts around here since then.

[Never Outhustled]

Farris should be moved to AA, not the majors.

[jhart05]

I would do a "LaRussa" with this kid and bat him 9th as a mock leadoff hitter. When he does get on base, let the kid attempt to steal 2nd almost every time.

 

Bat the pitcher 8th, they have some pretty good hitting pitchers anyway.

 

Maybe they get lucky and he gives them some good D, steals a handful of bases, and has an OBP of at least .300, 'till Rickie is back.

 

I know I'll be rooting for him. Hope he starts every game the rest of the weekend. Good time to see what he can do, as they are playing the two worst teams in the division.

[The Truth]

I cannot imagine that they actually plan on starting Wilson/Counsell/Farris at 2B the rest of the way. Having 3 sub .300 OBP players in the lineup vs rhp, along with a very streaky Corey Hart, and 4 sub .300 players in the lineup vs lhp (Brett Carroll) is just simply not what you want in a pennant race

 

A trade will be made

[Tbadder]

This is stupid either way. Either they traded him for a K-Rod rental, or they just aren't calling him up on their own accord. Both are bad decisions.

There's a third option: Green is going to be traded for whoever the Brewers have lined up in a weekend trade.

[pebadger]

Is it probable to say that the way RR usually handles these things that this kid only gets very spotty PT with an occasional PH AB and Counsell/Wilson is the platoon until further notice?

 

The worst part of all of this is that the price for whatever marginal player the Brewers were going to add (if any at all) probably went up.

[joepepsi]

Hope he starts every game the rest of the weekend.

Now you know that's not going to happen. Not with this manager.

 

btw, If Counsell or Wilson are going to play everyday at 2nd then they should have called up Boggs or some other bat and left Ferris in AAA.

[topper09er]

"We've looked at Taylor Green," said Melvin. "And I still consider Gamel a good hitter even though he struggled (.115) when he was up here. Our goal is to help Casey get going. He has looked better lately. Then, in September, we can add to the roster." - Doug Melvin

 

That would be a pretty huge direct lie to the fan base if Green was on the PTBNL list.

[Funketown]

That would be a pretty huge direct lie to the fan base if Green was on the PTBNL list.

Here's what I imagine Brewerfan looking like if he does turn out to be on the list:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_pmWtjJSNCz4/SK14BzRmJnI/AAAAAAAAAFo/wPVTmsjE8dY/s400/800px-simpsons_angry_mob.png

[And That]

That would be a pretty huge direct lie to the fan base if Green was on the PTBNL list.

And that's why I think that Green may not be on the list. Melvin may not give out much information, and he's sometimes vague, but he rarely misleads directly.

[PrinceEatMeat]

I think everyone is reading too much into this. Farris was called up because he's on the 40-man and is only a roster fill-in for a few days until Melvin trades for someone. No reason to add Green to the 40-man for only a couple days. Just let him stay in AAA and play everyday.

[battlekow]

Does anyone know why they jumped him from High-A to AAA?

Brett Lawrie was the starting second baseman at AA last year.

[gregmag]

I'm praying it's the 40-man thing, and I don't pray. If DM trades Taylor Green as part of the price for 30 innings of decent relief help, it's "Linebrink II: Electric Suckaloo," except in this case he's given up a potential position starter. I should add that I was fine with the winter trades, because we got frontline starting pitching for two years. That's big. But those trades had downsides, and you need to turn around and shore up your weaknesses, not multiply them. Right now, Taylor Green has a lot of value to this organization.

 

As for Eric Farris, sincere congratulations and good luck. Everything I have ever heard suggests that he works hard and gets the most out of his talent, and that's the hallmark of an admirable professional. I have never seen any evidence that he's even a fringe major league player; as X suggested, he isn't even a good AAA player.

[CheezWizHed]

Well, we know Farris isn't on the PTBNL list....

 

Eric Farris, may you catch the spirit of Fernado Vina.

[ninja33]

I don't get these people calling into WSSP. Eric Farris is the right defensive move. Ummm, do they not realize Counsell can play good defense while not hitting.

 

Sorry just super frustrated with Melvin at this point. Good luck to Taylor Green in New York. Like I said, if this team doesn't win the World Series Melvin needs to move on for mortgaging our entire future.

At this point though, one's got to think that some of Melvin's aggressiveness is encouraged by Attanasio and his desire to win. Since Doug is the one making the moves he deserves the majority of the credit/blame; I just happen to think that Mark A. encourages it. To what degree is anyone's guess, but he encourages it none-the-less.

Right, but when you've got a .500-something OPS, bad defense 3B at the MLB level, and a .950-ish OPS, better defense 3B/2B in AAA, you don't trade the AAA guy. They made a list of five players for the Mets to choose from, why couldn't it have been a list of four players not including Taylor Green? Plus, if the Mets haven't jumped on Green by now, the other players on the list must be as good as Green, so it certainly isn't the list of mid-tier, probably never make the majors prospects Melvin made it out to be.

That last part is just false. Like many have said, there's a good chance Farris was called up because he's on the 40 man, and its just as filler until a trade is made this weekend. But there's no reason to assume that all of the players on the list are as good as green, because the mets "haven't jumped on green by now". The mets would be stupid to pick the two players now instead of scouting them for the next month or so. If Green is on the list, don't you think they might want to see him play more than 20 games at 2B to see if he can stick there? Because I'm guessing he's not in their future plans at third. Maybe another player on the list can get hot like Green has. Maybe someone is coming back from an injury. There's no reason to take a player now and have to pay him, when you can just scout them for free.

[SoCalBrewfan]

Yeah, I'm inclined to agree that this is a stopgap move until they can figure out a plan. It's the wrong stopgap move, IMO, but it doesn't have much in terms of long-term consequences if they have another deal brewing, as Farris is on the 40 etc. For the moment, Farris is the guy that fits the brain trust's view of the role Weeks had: 2b, top of the order guy. (He's good in the first role, hasn't been so hot in the second this year.) They plug him in and there's minimum disruption...nobody has to think too hard. Green would be my choice, but the last time he played a lot of 2b was five years ago.

 

Then again, given the way we've used Carroll since his callup (3PA in a week?), it might well a cosmetic difference anyway.

 

It's premature to declare Green a PTBNL or anything else, though I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility either.

[strawbossisevil]

I think everyone is reading too much into this. Farris was called up because he's on the 40-man and is only a roster fill-in for a few days until Melvin trades for someone. No reason to add Green to the 40-man for only a couple days. Just let him stay in AAA and play everyday.

I think this is exactly right. For a short-term fix, Farris is the right guy to bring up. If we aren´t able to pick up anyone in a trade, then you add Green to the 40 man roster and bring him up.

The other logical possibility is that Green is a building block for an upcoming trade, and the team trading for Green would prefer that he not be added to the 40 man roster.

There are so many possibilities that don´t amount to Green being one of the PTBNL in the K-Rod deal, that just saying otherwise is taking a rather large leap. In fact, given all we know, and Melvin´s statement that it wasn´t a top prospect, I would be genuinely surprised if Green was the PTBNL.

[monty57]

So, now that Lopez is on his way to Milwaukee, I assume Mr. Farris will be heading back to Nashville. Maybe he'll at least get a PA as a pinch hitter today.

 

edit: I spoke too soon. I see Lopez is heading to AAA.

[razzzorsharp]

Is Farris available today?

[endaround]

Is Farris available today?

Yes

[The Truth]

Would like to see Farris used, at the very least, as a pinch-runner today

[mrpackersfan1]

"The Brewers also discussed Nashville third baseman Taylor Green, who is having a comeback season at the plate. But "he's a third baseman who has played a few games" at second, Roenicke said."

 

In this article

 

Maybe he isn't one of the PTBNL.

 

My guess is Mike McClendon and a lower level guy