Brewers 40-man roster

[djoctagone]

with today's signing of norichika aoki to (presumably) a major league contract, the brewers' 40-man roster is full.

 

actually, it's at 40 plus a suspended player (mark rogers) whose suspension is expected to last only through the first eight games in april. after his suspension ends, rogers will be added back to the 40-man roster.

 

we hope it doesn't come to this, but if ryan braun is suspended, then a roster spot opens up (but only for the duration of his suspension).

 

this thread serves to project how the brewers' 40-man roster will shake out before and during spring training. barring the addition of any other players via trade or free agency, here's what we can expect:

 

--two pitchers have to make the club if they are to remain on the 40-man roster: tim dillard and frankie de la cruz. they are out of minor league options, and would have to be outrighted to the minor leagues. knock on wood, but let's hope that the other pitchers ahead of dillard and de la cruz will be healthy and be better fits for the big league club.  removing them opens up two spots.

 

--mat gamel makes the club. if he doesn't, he has to be outrighted off the 40-man and any team can claim him.

 

--cesar izturis has an opt-out clause in his contract if he is not added to the 40-man roster by 30 march. this fills one spot.

 

--george kottaras is on a non-guaranteed deal and could be cut before the conclusion of spring training, with minor financial ramifications for the team. if his replacement is martin maldonado, then a 40-man spot opens up. but if his replacement is a player on a minor league contract (such as mike rivera), that replacement takes kottaras' spot.

 

--we've yet to get an injury update on rhp santo manzanillo since his car accident. it's possible (but unlikely) that the brewers would call him up but then place him on the 60-day disabled list to open up a spot on the 40-man roster.

 

my prediction? the brewers break camp with 39 players on their roster, cutting dillard and de la cruz and adding izturis. they keep that 40th spot open for mark rogers--whom they then option to the minor leagues, burning his final option.

[Mass Haas]

Nice thread topic, good analysis. While the transactions are projected, this is still a more fitting topic for the Major League Forum and has been moved here.

 

Rewarding Mike Fiers with a September 10th big league (and 40-man) roster spot was probably a sound move considering the race for not just the playoffs, but home field. In hindsight, his 40-man spot probably should have been saved until needed some time in 2012, but he was there in case there was a 1st or 2nd inning implosion game by a starter, and I can't quibble with the decision. He sure earned it, but Mike McClendon, already on the 40-man, would have saved a spot.

 

FYI -- Brewer 40-man roster list, including option info as we believe to be accurate (no guarantee, however)

[dadofandrew]

They might well add one more player, Todd Coffey has been mentioned, or someone a lot like him, if they can get them cheap. Several players, Eric Farris especially, would seemingly easily clear waivers.

[djoctagone]

it should be noted that because tim dillard has been outrighted once before, he has the right to refuse the minor league assignment if outrighted again and become a free agent.

 

should be the same with frankie de la cruz . . . he obviously was outrighted at some point in his career because he was on a major league roster but was on a minor league contract with the brewers when his contract was purchased last year.

[joepepsi]

Isn't Manny Parra out of options?

[umphrey]

related: This is what I think the 25 man roster will look like

 

OF Ryan Braun*

 

OF Nyjer Morgan

 

OF Carlos Gomez

 

OF Norichika Aoki

 

OF Corey Hart

 

OF Caleb Gindl/Logan Shafer*

 

 

 

1B Mat Gamel

 

2B Rickie Weeks

 

SS Alex Gonzalez

 

3B Aramis Ramirez

 

IF Cesar Izturis/Brooks Conrad/Jeff Bianchi

 

IF Taylor Green/Travis Ishikawa

 

 

 

C Jonathon Lucroy

 

C George Kottaras

 

 

 

SP Yovani Gallardo

 

SP Zack Greinke

 

SP Shaun Marcum

 

SP Randy Wolf

 

SP Chris Narveson

 

 

 

RP John Axford

 

RP Francisco Rodriguez

 

RP Kameron Loe

 

RP Jose Veras

 

RP Marco Estrada

 

RP Zack Braddock/Manny Parra

 

RP Brandon Kintzler/Fankie De La Cruz/Mike McClendon/Michael Fiers/Tim Dillard

 

 

 

Braun will probably get suspended and they will use Shafer/Gindl for 50

games. Izturis will be a strong favorite to backup middle infield, and

Green to backup corner infield. The last 2 bullpen spots I'm just

guessing. They might use one of those for another infielder like

Ishikawa, but I don't think they will sign any more relievers to a MLB

contract. They will probably keep that roster spot open for whatever comes up.

 

If I forgot about someone, let me know. I left off Rogers, Scarpetta, Peralta, Rivas, a few others because I don't think they will be on the roster opening day.

[djoctagone]

Isn't Manny Parra out of options?

yes. if manny parra doesn't make the team (and is healthy), he would have to be outrighted off the 40-man roster. given the likely need for a left-handed pitcher in the bullpen, and given that the brewers just don't seem ready to give up on manny parra, i consider him a lock to make the team.

[And That]

Tim Dillard is just a guy, but I wouldn't be against reaching a little with de la Cruz to keep him on the roster. He has above-average stuff with a big fastball, and nice complimentary pitches in a change and slider. He hasn't put it all together in the big leagues, but he wasn't bad at all in his call-up last year, and would give the pen some depth by keeping other pitchers in AAA.

[djoctagone]

the brewers' brass might deem that eric farris and newcomer jeff bianchi aren't both worth keeping on the 40-man roster and try to outright one of them. it'd be an easier decision to make if they both primarily played the same position, but the former is a second baseman and the latter is a shortstop.

 

two teams have already tried to outright jeff bianchi this offseason and he's been claimed each time by another team.

[djoctagone]

--we've yet to get an injury update on rhp santo manzanillo since his car accident. it's possible (but unlikely) that the brewers would call him up but then place him on the 60-day disabled list to open up a spot on the 40-man roster.

manzanillo threw a bullpen session in recent days, so it's unlikely that he'd be headed to the 60-day disabled list as a result of the injuries from his car accident.

[djoctagone]

stating the obvious: ryan braun is able to remain on the 40-man roster. remember, the brewers' 40-man roster is really 41 when mark rogers' suspension ends after the eighth mlb game in april.

[djoctagone]

todd rosiak projects today that brooks conrad has a leg up on gaining the final bench spot in that among other positions, he can be used as an emergency catcher. brooks conrad is not on the 40-man roster.

 

i'd project that if brooks conrad makes the roster, it's at the expense of trying to outright either eric farris or jeff bianchi.

[Mass Haas]

Izturis and Conrad could take the 40-man spots of Dillard and De La Cruz, who have to be removed unless they somehow make the 25-man.

 

Someone else needs to come off when Mark Rogers' suspension ends about a week and a half into the season.

 

Of course, there could be other outrights simply for the sake of roster flexibility on the open market come waiver season just before regular season games begin.

[djoctagone]

with corey hart's injury, it appears that a player who can also play first and back up mat gamel has a good shot of making the club (assuming hart opens on the disabled list).

 

40-man roster player taylor green bats left-handed like gamel, so he doesn't seem a likely candidate.

 

40-man roster player brock kjeldgaard bats right-handed, but hasn't played above double-a. he also has outfield experience.

 

the candidates with major league experience at first base are not on the 40-man roster: mike rivera (bats right), brooks conrad (switch hitter) and travis ishikawa (bats left).

[CheezWizHed]

40-man roster player brock kjeldgaard bats right-handed, but hasn't played above double-a. he also has outfield experience.

 

That actually isn't a bad idea if they need someone for a week or two. BK is on the 40-man already. He can play defensively in the OF and 1B as well as Hart. The main question would be his bat. He didn't hit AA very well last year.

 

But if he has a nice spring (not a great indicator but otherwise you have nothing saying he is ready to hit MLB ball) and he is limited to emergency duty for a couple weeks, he could do the job while getting a little taste of MLB ball.

[djoctagone]

more indication that brooks conrad has a shot at the 40-man and 25-man roster . . .

[djoctagone]

the brewers' brass might deem that eric farris and newcomer jeff bianchi aren't both worth keeping on the 40-man roster and try to outright one of them. it'd be an easier decision to make if they both primarily played the same position, but the former is a second baseman and the latter is a shortstop.

 

two teams have already tried to outright jeff bianchi this offseason and he's been claimed each time by another team.

out of all of the position players on the 40-man roster (excluding the injured corey hart), the player with the fewest plate appearances (8) is jeff bianchi. all other players on the 40-man have had at least 14 plate appearances. seems rather telling for the fate of jeff bianchi, yet with one minor league option remaining, he does not have to be outrighted from the 40-man roster to be sent to the minor leagues.

[monty57]

I don't remember where I heard it (TV telecast or gameday live telecast), but it sounds like the organization is looking at putting Bianchi at AA, with Maysonet at AAA. If the announcer was correct, he's purely here because of the organization's lack of depth at SS throughout the system, so I don't know that he is deserving of a 40-man spot. If it comes down to potentially losing Bianchi, who will likely never see Miller Park without buying a ticket, or losing someone who could help the team (Dillard, de la Cruz, Izturis, etc), I'd rather take the chance on losing Bianchi.

[djoctagone]

today's waiver claim by the cubs of frankie de la cruz puts the roster at 39, plus a suspended mark rogers.

[Mass Haas]

Just tweeted several tidbits regarding Brewers players lost on waivers in the Melvin era:

 

https://twitter.com/#!/Mass_Haas

[PrinceEatMeat]

De la Cruz is no big loss. I figured he'd be a casualty. Someone had to be the odd man out, and he looked horrible so far in ST.

[monty57]

de la Cruz probably won't be a huge loss, but I liked him. He was a starter at AAA, so he could go multiple innings if needed, and seemed to have decent "stuff." I'd have kept him over Dillard, and still see no reason we're using up a roster spot on Bianchi to be our AA shortstop.

[RightFieldCoder]

My first thought was "booo, I kind of liked him for no reason". But reading Mass's list of guys we've "lost", DM seems to know who to expose.

[Madtown343]

I could see him winning a starting job in Chicago this season. He was likely our 9-10 option. Nice to be so far above what the Scrubs are right now.

 

I would love to have a Pirates type beat down on them this season and next before Theo does start to build a future with his adventitious resources.

[JohnBriggs12]

I could see him winning a starting job in Chicago this season. He was likely our 9-10 option. Nice to be so far above what the Scrubs are right now.

 

I would love to have a Pirates type beat down on them this season and next before Theo does start to build a future with his adventitious resources.

 

 

He has no more chance of making the Cubs rotation than he had making the Brewers. Cubs have rotation numbers: Garza, Dempster, Maholm, Wells, Volstad, Samardja, T. Wood, Rodrigo Lopez. I'm surprised at the timing. Had he been waived at the end of ST when teams were all trying to get down to 25, he wouldn't have been claimed. Sveum and Bosio knew him so they had nothing to lose claiming him. He's a longshot to make their roster. If he does it will be in the pen.