Mark Rogers Outrighted Off 40-man roster, set to be minor league free agent this fall

[Mass Haas]

After being drafted fifth overall in June 2004, and a member of the 40-man roster since November 2008, RHP Mark Rogers has been outrighted off the 40-man roster.

 

He cleared waivers, will technically be listed on Brevard County's roster (he is not scheduled to pitch again this season), and will be eligible for minor league free agency this fall.

[Mass Haas]

Adam McCalvy follow-up tweets:

 

Door isn't completely closed to re-signing Mark Rogers, #Brewers asst GM Gord Ash said. But no guarantee.

 

Rogers is healthy and touched 93 mph in last start for Brevard County, but results have been so-so. Wasn't considered for a Sept. call-up.

[MLS1965]

Shocked he cleared waivers. No one wanted him...? No one...? Really..?

[brewmann04]

I hope he still get a deal with the crew for 2014

[jerichoholicninja]

The guy's toast. Both parties just need to move on.

[DHonks]

He's great for AA or aaa depth. Sometimes it's good to have guys like him or mike Jones around to keep others grounded. I'd gladly give him a aaa contract and non-roster invite to spring training. Heck, isn't he younger than Ax, Henderson, and Kintzler were when we signed them off the scrap heap?

[brewmann04]

Doug hope your right and correct on your thoughts

[djoctagone]

with this move, the major league roster is at 37.

[paul253]

I was very much opposed to him being switched to the bullpen after last season. But why not give him a minor league deal, switch him to the bullpen and see how he does in one or two inning stints? The Brewers have had success with hard throwing relievers (Axford, Kintzler, Henderson, etc). Let him focus on a fastball and an offspeed pitch and see how he does?

[danzig6767]

Shocked he cleared waivers. No one wanted him...? No one...? Really..?

 

Why would you even be surprised, much less shocked?

 

Rogers is now a 27 year old pitcher with a really long history of arm/shoulder injuries and inability to throw strikes, leading to career minor league stats of a 4.62 ERA and ugly 1.555 WHIP. Mix in that he no longer throws in the high 90's either, what reason at all would there to be for another team to use a 40 man roster spot by claiming him?

 

The only thing that would shock me is Rogers ever becoming a productive big league pitcher, be it as a starter or in the pen.

[torts]

since my post was deleted i'll just say it again

 

 

meh

[Invader3K]

The only thing that would shock me is Rogers ever becoming a productive big league pitcher, be it as a starter or in the pen.

 

Pretty much this. There isn't any sign in Rogers' professional career history to suggest he's going to end up staying healthy enough to put things together and contribute at the big league level. I hope he proves us all wrong, but those are what the odds are at this point.

[Mass Haas]

But why not give him a minor league deal, switch him to the bullpen and see how he does in one or two inning stints?

 

Because it takes two to tango, and although Rogers has said all the right things, there will be no shortage of suitors for his services, and Mark is going to be very anxious to hear what they say and start clean elsewhere.

[TooLiveBrew]

But why not give him a minor league deal, switch him to the bullpen and see how he does in one or two inning stints?

 

Because it takes two to tango, and although Rogers has said all the right things, there will be no shortage of suitors for his services, and Mark is going to be very anxious to hear what they say and start clean elsewhere.

Honestly? At this point, I guess I'll be surprised if this is the case. If he's a 92-94 mph kind of arm at this point, I simply don't see where the massive demand for his services would be. I genuinely believe it's going to be in his best interest to focus on honing his craft as a bullpen arm at this point, and there really won't be a much better MLB opportunity than with the Brewers over the next 2-3 seasons.

[brewmann04]

I hope they can get something worked out and get him an invite to the 2014 camp.

[thebruce44]

http://lowbrowsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Homer-Bailey.jpg

 

Is it safe to say the FO outsmarted themselves on that draft?

[sveumrules]

Maybe, though I think I read at some point that the money saved by drafting Rogers instead of Bailey went towards drafting/signing Gallardo with the next pick.

 

Clearly, Bailey is better right now and looks to be in a better spot moving forward but I would take Gallardo's body of work over Bailey's at this point and time. Yo has got an edge of over 200 innings with a FIP a third of a run lower for their careers.

[nate82]

 

Is it safe to say the FO outsmarted themselves on that draft?

 

I would say no as I believe Rogers had the higher upside than Bailey did in that draft. I still believe Rogers is the more talented player it is just that Bailey hasn't been as injury prone as Rogers has been. Rogers has shown to be as good as Bailey at times when he has been healthy but he has never been consistently healthy. Now Bailey is the better pitcher now but if I had to do that draft all over again I would still take Rogers with that pick given his upside and cost compared to Bailey's upside and his cost. Bailey has just recently figured out how to pitch successfully at the age of 26 in 2012. It is not like Bailey has been this dominant pitcher his whole career it has just been recently that he has put everything together. Bailey was in danger of being released well at least according to Reds fans and I don't see that being any different than if he were in the Brewers organization.

[RockCoCougars]

That is one of the few drafts that I second guessed right from the start, but not for Bailey. They should have taken Weaver, Boras or not.

[trwi7]

Maybe, though I think I read at some point that the money saved by drafting Rogers instead of Bailey went towards drafting/signing Gallardo with the next pick.

 

I don't think that's true. If that were the case pretty much every player was paid well over slot in the 2nd round.

 

Gallardo was the 46th overall pick (5th in the 2nd round), the first pick of the 2nd round was college pitcher Brett Smith from UC-Irvine, he signed for $800,000, the next two picks were signed for $800,000 (one was another college pitcher), Reid Brignac was the 45th pick and signed for $795,000 out of high school and Gallardo signed as the next pick for $725,000. That doesn't seem overslot to me.

[502 to Right]

Second guessing drafts from 9-10 years ago is as easy as shooting fish in a barrel.

[LouisEly]

trwi7, where are you finding that signing bonus info? What did Bailey sign for and what did Rogers sign for?

 

IIRC, there was significant risk that Bailey wouldn't sign. With no draft pick protection, the Brewers franchise couldn't afford to not sign a top-10 pick given the state of the franchise and lack of talent in their system. Drafting a player is one thing, but signing him with the rules (or lack thereof) in place at the time was a whole different story (see: Alex Fernandez, Kenny Henderson).

 

Certainly Verlander and Weaver were the prizes of that draft, but according to WAR the rest haven't accomplished much more than Rogers. Bailey (6.2 career WAR), Humber (1.0), Niemann (4.1), Sowers (1.6), Townsend (0 - never made majors), Diamond (-0.4), Bray (2.4), Purcey (0.1), Elbert (1.3), Lambert (-0.8 - yes, the Cardinals whiff on drafting first round pitching too), Perkins (6.2), Hughes (6.7), Waldrop (0.5), Tankersley (0.7). Not much there, and I think that was one of the reasons the Brewers didn't develop any "aces" and drafted hitting - the years they had high draft picks were poor years for drafting pitching.

[brewmann04]

It will be nice to at least let him get an invite to see what he can do.

[trwi7]

trwi7, where are you finding that signing bonus info? What did Bailey sign for and what did Rogers sign for?

 

Rogers signed for $2.2 million, Bailey signed for $2.3 million.

 

http://www.angelfire.com/vt/prospectwatch/index1335.html