Brewers Claim Utility Man Elian Herrera; Two years later: non-tendered

[PrinceEatMeat]

He's at least a decent utility option to look at in Spring Training.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/11/brewers-claim-elian-herrera.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook

[jerichoholicninja]

Did Doug Melvin find his player who will inexplicably make the 25 man roster and get way too much playing time already? Herrera might be too young for that role.

[DocLuna7]

Decent numbers in AAA without a ton of big league experience. Seems like a decent risk/reward claim to me.

[MNBrew]

Hopefully only competition for Jeff Bianchi and nothing more.

[bork]

Hopefully, it keeps Betancourt from getting resigned.

[brewcrewdue80]

Let's see, Dodgers don't pick up Ellis's option and lose Herrera now. 2b trouble that I wonder if...if the Dodgers truly don't make the epic mistake of signing Cano to his 10/300 contract want, does the need at 2b lead to LA calling about Weeks? Could we have handcuffed this team to need a 2b in their pricerange with an option like Weeks who may provide something offensively? That's my take on this move. And if it comes true Herrera likely becomes a fillin for Gennett/Segura when need be.

[brewmann04]

I am thinking Eugenio Velez will battle it out for the Super Utility role.

[brewmann04]

i would offer them Weeks asap even if it neans eating some of his $.

[MadScientist]

Hopefully, it keeps Betancourt from getting resigned.

Best move of the off season if it means the end of Yuni as a Brewer, no matter what else they do.

[sheetskout]

Hopefully, it keeps Betancourt from getting resigned.

 

I am not doing this to be the grammar police, but this one is too good to let go. Please stick a hyphen in there.

 

Because that sentence means he'll stick around. I'm sooooo sick of Yuni.

 

http://www.beedictionary.com/common-errors/resign_vs_re_sign

[dlk9s]

Might as well give this guy a flyer. The last Herrera we picked up worked out great!

[logan82]

Not Yuni is a good start.

[Mass Haas]

Let's see, Dodgers don't pick up Ellis's option and lose Herrera now. 2b trouble that I wonder if...if the Dodgers truly don't make the epic mistake of signing Cano to his 10/300 contract want, does the need at 2b lead to LA calling about Weeks? Could we have handcuffed this team to need a 2b in their pricerange with an option like Weeks who may provide something offensively? That's my take on this move. And if it comes true Herrera likely becomes a fillin for Gennett/Segura when need be.

 

Dodgers are all set at 2B with the recent Cuban signing...

[JohnBriggs12]

Hopefully, it keeps Betancourt from getting resigned.

 

 

Herrera may be worse defensively than Betancourt. He can't play anywhere so he plays everywhere. Eugenio Velez has the same problem. You can't hide him defensively either. Bianchi is not sweating this one out.

[brewcrewdue80]

Let's see, Dodgers don't pick up Ellis's option and lose Herrera now. 2b trouble that I wonder if...if the Dodgers truly don't make the epic mistake of signing Cano to his 10/300 contract want, does the need at 2b lead to LA calling about Weeks? Could we have handcuffed this team to need a 2b in their pricerange with an option like Weeks who may provide something offensively? That's my take on this move. And if it comes true Herrera likely becomes a fillin for Gennett/Segura when need be.

 

Dodgers are all set at 2B with the recent Cuban signing...

 

whoa, missed that. Really going to just insert him in to the everyday starting lineup start of opening day?

 

Considering they were supposed to be in on Cano and then do this? Can anyone else pay Cano's asking price after LAD or the Yankees?

Bad news for Cano.

 

Also bad news for Milw as one of a very few that may have taken a chance with Weeks at 2b is gone.

[TURBO]

I hate to be a thorn, but no one is going to take Weeks off our hands unless we pay all or a big chunk of his salary. It appears we are stuck with him, and if that is the case, unless he is hurt, you can pencil him in as our opening day starter at 2nd base...

[brewcrewdue80]

I hate to be a thorn, but no one is going to take Weeks off our hands unless we pay all or a big chunk of his salary. It appears we are stuck with him, and if that is the case, unless he is hurt, you can pencil him in as our opening day starter at 2nd base...

 

My guess is that at League Avg. what is that 3.5 mil? a team would pay that much of Weeks salary and the Brewers would have to cover the rest. 3.5 mil is just about the right amount for a RP would work for me.

 

But you're right, Weeks is a franchise player...at least that is how the team has treated him with the contract he has and they appear in it for the long haul...much like Aramis' contract. He's a face to the fans, only he's ruined it with the past 2 years of performance. Either way, I've been hoping a team with deep pockets like the Dodgers and no 2b prior to the earlier move better than Weeks would take a flier on him to be useful for 1year maybe 2. Oh well.

How many ABs/Starts can Weeks get as a Righty vs. Lefty in a season really? He'll still have to start vs. Righties or there just isn't enough ABs to justify keeping him on the roster. I'd waive him and let some other team maybe take on his money owed at somepoint during the season. Of course we have to get through ST and all but come Opening Day, If Gennett is healthy/ready, It'd be a shame to waste roster space on Weeks.

[reillymcshane]

If Rickie was a free agent this off season, what kind of contract would he get? The guy is coming off two bad years and a major injury. I think he'd have a tough time getting any sort of guaranteed contract. I bet it would be a minor league deal with incentives.

 

I don't think anyone would take Rickie off our hands unless we paid all but a $1 million. Swapping him for another bad contract might work as well.

 

I just don't see Rickie having any value at this stage.

[SoupTown]

For sure and certain Weeks will start at 2nd to begin 2014. He will get a final chance to succeed. And so he should. He can bat .250 and show a .350 OBP. I can see him leading off and sometimes Aoki leading off (when having his few starts in left field). And I am sure Scooter will get the first month at AAA awaiting the Weeks outcome.

 

And hooray, this Herrera becomes the 25th guy on the roster replacing Yuni. And, I assume Herrera is our leading candidate for first base (has he played more than NIL MLB games there?)

[Warning Track Power]

If Rickie was a free agent this off season, what kind of contract would he get? The guy is coming off two bad years and a major injury. I think he'd have a tough time getting any sort of guaranteed contract. I bet it would be a minor league deal with incentives.

 

I don't think anyone would take Rickie off our hands unless we paid all but a $1 million. Swapping him for another bad contract might work as well.

 

I just don't see Rickie having any value at this stage.

 

Adam Dunn? This has been the most likely scenario in my mind except I don't think the White Sox have the need at 2B. However, bad contract for bad contract in a change of scenery sometimes works well plus it fills the 1B hole for 2014.

 

Not saying that is a good idea but it is an idea.

[JohnBriggs12]

Weeks will either be released or start the year in a platoon with Gennett. No way do they intend to go back full time to Rickie. Remember they dumped Suppan about 6 weeks into his last year. Don't think they won't just eat the rest of Weeks' deal too.

 

The White Sox would like nothing more than to dump Dunn, but his contract is worse than Weeks and his production isn't even an upgrade over Juan Francisco at this point.

[MadScientist]

Hopefully, it keeps Betancourt from getting resigned.

 

 

Herrera may be worse defensively than Betancourt. He can't play anywhere so he plays everywhere. Eugenio Velez has the same problem. You can't hide him defensively either. Bianchi is not sweating this one out.

Just wondering what you are basing that off of? Usually the utility guys have a bat that doesn't play anywhere so they play everywhere. I haven't seen him play, and nothing jumps out at me on the defensive stats (admittedly I'm not always clear on which of those stats are comparable in this situation).

[logan82]

With the number of games he has played the MLB defensive metrics have no useful predictive value. A scouting report would probably be more useful. Several would be better.

[MadScientist]

After searching, I can't find anything negative on his defense. A homer type blogger said his defense was outstanding, however that was just after he was called up and was on a hot streak. http://www.thinkbluela.com/index.php/2012/06/03/elian-herrera-not-just-another-flash-in-the-pan/

 

I'd think a sub-Yuni defense would have been noticed by now. I don't expect anything special, but a ~700 ops utility guy with decent defense has a place on the Brewers roster.

[JohnBriggs12]

After searching, I can't find anything negative on his defense. A homer type blogger said his defense was outstanding, however that was just after he was called up and was on a hot streak. http://www.thinkbluela.com/index.php/2012/06/03/elian-herrera-not-just-another-flash-in-the-pan/

 

I'd think a sub-Yuni defense would have been noticed by now. I don't expect anything special, but a ~700 ops utility guy with decent defense has a place on the Brewers roster.

 

Errors don't tell the whole story but good defensive players usually make fewer and don't get moved to the OF. He's made 21 errors in 67 games at SS in the minors, a poor .925 fielding percentage. He's probably ok at 2B, his more natural position. The tipoff that he's not that good defensively is that he was signed as a 2B and ended up being moved to the OF.