Lucroy off DL, Kottaras Designated, Bianchi Down, Henderson Up

[Fear The Chorizo]

I have no problem with rewarding Maldanado the opportunity to stay in the big leagues for the rest of this season - also, it's no guarantee that LuCroy is going to start 80% of the games right off the DL and a short rehab assignment. It's likely to be more of a 60-40% split with either catcher being a pH option each game. That's enough AB's and playing time when stretched over 2 months, compared to 1 month of everyday playing time in the minors for the rest of the season in AAA. Also, how are the other catchers in AA and AAA going to be adjusted if Maldanado's back there taking away their AB's? Aren't they prospects needing development, too?

 

As for Bianchi playing SS in Milwaukee everyday vs Izturis/Ransom, who cares? None of them should be in the Brewers' longterm plans if they want to contend next season. With the amount of trades that may be happening over the next week, let that settle out first and make any DFAs or waiver trades in August.

[TooLiveBrew]

Bianchi is a former 2d round pick who's hit roughly .320 between AA & AAA this season. So... I care. This has been a lost season for weeks now, probably more like months imo. So it was a perfect time to let Bianchi just play. Izturis & Ransom have MLB careers that tell you they aren't solutions -- at least find out if Bianchi isn't.

[torts]

look at that, Bianchi got optioned for Henderson

[FVBrewerFan]

No, I want Maldonado in AAA so he can play everyday. He can't play everyday with Lucroy in the Big Leagues. I want Bianchi in the Majors because we have nothing better than him and no players that are in the long term plans at SS. (Sorry, I was ranting before because I'm super pissed so it may not have been clear).

 

I don't know what we can get for Maldonado, but I bet we could get a set up man or very good middle relief (which we need!) and that would help this team much more than a back up catcher. I am also not suggesting you trade Maldonado now, he is a much better candidate for an off season trade when all 29 other teams may be listening.

 

 

Gotcha. Well, I'm sure you could get a reliever for him in the off-season. Not a great one, but a good one. Personally, I still think he's more valuable over the next several years than a reliever who may or may not give you a decent year or two. Plenty of ways to build the bulpen for next year without having to trade Maldonado.

 

I'm not opposed to trading anyone, including Maldy, I just don't think the return would be worth giving up a minimal salary guy prtected for the next 6 years. In fact, we need a lot more of those.

[torts]

Pretty disappointed we give Bianchi all of 11 AB's ... I really hope Profar shows up on this team

 

dont worry, he'll be riding the bench behind Izturis/Ransom at SS if he gets traded here

[RockCoCougars]

Good. I really don't understand the fanlove for Kottaras. He is poor defensively, and despite what many claim, has not been a 'power LH bench bat' this season. As I've posted on other threads, has he gotten a hit since mid April? Admittedly hyperbole, but he's been bad at the plate. As for Maldonado, I'd expect that he will still get at least 2 starts a week, probably more in the beginning. Let the kid stay in the bigs, he's proven that he deserves to be there.

[Invader3K]

I agree that Bianchi should have received more of a chance. Izturis brings nothing to the table and should have been DFAed instead.

[slappzilla]

So, what is Wolf gonna do now if we keep him? Pout, cry, refuse to pitch? Does this mean that there is a remote chance someone is going to take Wolf off our hands?

It's not that Wolf loved Kotteras, it's that he didn't get a long with LucrOy in how he called the games or something. Wolf doesn't need Kotteras, he just couldn't get a long with LucRoy so Ron choose Wolf to be the pitcher in the rotation where LucroY got his day off.

[TooLiveBrew]

So, what is Wolf gonna do now if we keep him? Pout, cry, refuse to pitch? Does this mean that there is a remote chance someone is going to take Wolf off our hands?

It's not that Wolf loved Kotteras, it's that he didn't get a long with LucrOy in how he called the games or something. Wolf doesn't need Kotteras, he just couldn't get a long with LucRoy so Ron choose Wolf to be the pitcher in the rotation where LucroY got his day off.

 

Dude -- I'm in. All I can say is it's too bad lUcroY is only six letters.

[thebruce44]

Worrying about Itzuris over Bianchi is like wondering which chair to save on the Titanic.

 

There's been a lot of Titanic analogies around here lately. Has the movie been running again at nights on TNT or something?

[FVBrewerFan]

I'll reserve judgement on Bianchi until 8/1. Maybe Izturis or Ransom get traded. Other teams like gritty veterans too, backups for the stretch run. After the deadline, no reason NOT to bring Bianchi back up and DFA Izturis. For that matter, I wouldn't mind DFAing Ransom and bringing Farris or Maysonet back up. Frankly, I would rather have any of those guys as Utility IF next year over Ransom anyhow.

[Outlander]

 

There's been a lot of Titanic analogies around here lately. Has the movie been running again at nights on TNT or something?

 

Titanic 3D was released in April and will be on blu ray in September.

[zzzmanwitz]

I seriously am lost as to why everyone thinks Bianchi is just a guy. Neither TLB or myself are saying he is the next coming of Derek Jeter (or even the next JJ Hardy.... or even the next Cody Ransom!), but to say he is awful after getting 11 PAs, coming off of a great half season in AA/AAA is very short sighted. As TLB said, he is a former 2nd round pick (as a High Schooler) so for him to take 6 years in the minors to get where he is at is not unheard of. He is only 25 and hasn't been given a shot at the major league level, even though he has batted over .300 with an OBP over .350 each of the last two seasons. Sure, he has a decent chance of being no better than Izturis, not a single person will argue with that, but to say it doesn't matter is pretty ridiculous. He has been a better batter than Maldonado his entire minor league career and plays a premium defensive position. Bianchi - 2nd round pick, Maldonado - 27th round pick.

 

"Also, how are the other catchers in AA and AAA going to be adjusted if Maldanado's back there taking away their AB's? Aren't they prospects needing development, too?"

 

Our next best prospect is Cameron Garfield and he is in Low-A ball right now. Maldonado going to AAA would have no effect on him. I believe Dayton Buller (31) and Jason Jaramillo (29) are getting the majority of the starts in AAA at this time. So no, we do not have any other catchers that we need to worry about.

[torts]

derrik who?

[slappzilla]

 

Dude -- I'm in. All I can say is it's too bad lUcroY is only six letters.

 

and like others have mentioned, Doug can still trade Kotteras. Had to make the roster move to make room for LUcROY

[Outlander]

I'll reserve judgement on Bianchi until 8/1. Maybe Izturis or Ransom get traded. Other teams like gritty veterans too, backups for the stretch run. After the deadline, no reason NOT to bring Bianchi back up and DFA Izturis. For that matter, I wouldn't mind DFAing Ransom and bringing Farris or Maysonet back up. Frankly, I would rather have any of those guys as Utility IF next year over Ransom anyhow.

 

I know Izturis gets a lot of heat and I'm not a fan but Ransom is my least favorite position player on this team, he has been horrible ever since the Brewers acquired him. I also though Izturis was an old man but Ransom is four years older than him.

[zzzmanwitz]

derrik who?

 

I will restrain from saying something that will get me a strike on this forum.

[zzzmanwitz]

I'm not opposed to trading anyone, including Maldy, I just don't think the return would be worth giving up a minimal salary guy prtected for the next 6 years. In fact, we need a lot more of those.

 

I would only trade him if you could actually get something of value. Obviously he helps this team as an above average backup catcher and a great defensive sub, but if you can get someone that will play more and add more wins than a backup catcher would, I would trade him. I just believe that some team will be able to use him in a higher capacity than the brewers would be able to. He would be a minimum salary guy for another team as well, which gives him very high trade value.

[monty57]

If he is never going to be a starter, then we need to trade him to a team that thinks he will be. Having him playing 1-2 times a week will not show that his bat is real (and it may not be) but that's what needs to be done. I don't care about the backlash from the average fan. They won't go to games when they are losing anyways. The team needs to build a winner and wasting potential assets to back up roles or sending a possible future starter to the minors when you have absolutely nothing blocking him at the major league level is just awful roster management.

 

Catcher is one position where I'm not upset if we have a backup who is a good player who could start on other teams. Lucroy broke down last season when he was played 4/5 of the time, so it may not be a bad idea to give the backup a couple of starts a week. I'm more comfortable giving that to someone who plays excellent defense and can hit than someone who hits but can't play defense.

 

Kottaras is an okay backup who will hit arbitration next year and probably make $1MM. Maldonado is a good backup who will play for league minimum for a couple more years.

[Fear The Chorizo]

My guess is that Kottaras getting DFA'd and Bianchi getting sent back to AAA (apparently ruining his career for whatever reason), isn't going to be the last roster move Melvin makes with this team before mid-August.

 

Let the dust settle after the trade deadline, see what's on the Brewers' 40-man roster, then gripe and complain about who should be playing where. This reminds me of the Thornburg callup thread where people were up in arms about how in the world he'd ever reach the ideal # of innings pitched from the bullpen - then he started a game a few days later and will likely be the starter for Greinke's rotation spot after he's dealt.

 

Bianchi would be a good trade sweetener for a team that wants Greinke but is reluctant to part with a quality SS prospect in a package deal. My thinking of this trip to AAA is if he is a possible trade chip, the Brewers would rather keep Izturis/Ransom on the roster to have as 2012 season-filler rather than starting the arby clock on a quality SS prospect they may acquire via trade. If he's not part of a trade, by all means let him play everyday in Milwaukee after DFA'ing Izturis right after the deadline.

[TooLiveBrew]

Bianchi getting sent back to AAA (apparently ruining his career for whatever reason)

 

As someone who this is clearly in response to, that's obnoxious. No one has said anything close to this, and no one will.

[zzzmanwitz]

If Bianchi is back up before September, great, fantastic! I am not getting my hopes up though.

[PrinceEatMeat]

I like this move. If Bianchi wasn't gonna play anyway, might as well get him regular playing time. I'd rather have him playing over Ransom and Izturis obviously, but we all knew that wouldn't happen. Hopefully we get a SS prospect in the Greinke trade, so we won't really need Bianchi anyway. The important part was making the smart move in keeping Maldonado over Kottaras though. Maldonado will get plenty of opportunities here, and is a better option than Kottaras as backup. He'll probably start 3 out of every 10 as Lucroy's backup or something like that.

[zzzmanwitz]

Both of these moves are very short sighted, which is what this organization does I suppose. Only think in the present.

[slappzilla]

the Bianchi to AAA makes sense if the Andrus rumor is legi