Joaquin Benoit

[reillymcshane]

If the Brewers are looking for a power arm for the pen, perhaps Joaquin Benoit from San Diego would fit the bill. The guy is 36, but he's playing great this year (I'm sure his time in Petco helps). He's been a little erratic at times in his career, but generally, he's been good.

 

He's signed through 2015 - at $7 million a year. That's pretty expensive, but not prohibitive. San Diego is the third worst team in baseball, so they might be happy to unload his contract.

 

I honestly don't know what it would take to make such a trade. Unfortunately, teams seem to over pay for relief help during the season.

 

Perhaps we are best to just wait until Henderson and Thornburg get healthy. Wooten and Kintzler just don't inspire me. I think they're okay, but nothing outstanding.

 

Benoit's stats: http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/4588/joaquin-benoit

[Never Outhustled]

Interesting. Despite his age, he's been outstanding ever since leaving Texas 4 1/2 years ago. His control has improved, and he still throws hard.

 

That said, he's really overpaid because he just a reliever. Plus we need 1B more.

[Baldkin]

I want nothing to do with any pitcher named Joaquin.

 

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1368&dat=19821021&id=s3pQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=JRIEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5320,4387247

[JohnBriggs12]

Interesting. Despite his age, he's been outstanding ever since leaving Texas 4 1/2 years ago. His control has improved, and he still throws hard.

 

That said, he's really overpaid because he just a reliever. Plus we need 1B more.

 

The bullpen is far more critical. Brewers have real problems with Kintzler and Wooten in high leverage situations and uncertainty over Henderson and Thornburg. Benoit, Street, and Qualls all figure to be targets for contending teams. There's some buy low veterans that could be had but Brewers have been down the Hawkins, Axford and Balfour road before.

[nate82]

The one player I would want to get in a trade would be Soria who is having an awesome year in the bullpen for the Rangers. It might cost way too much to get him but he would be my #1 target in improving the bullpen.

[LouisEly]

Hawkins is still pitching good, and at Coors Field none the less. He wouldn't cost much - why not him? He's only walked 7 in 28 innings, so I wouldn't put him in the category of Axford and Balfour.

[brewcrewdue80]

With every outing Wooten/Kinztler have that aren't good, really makes one want Benoit more and more.

[JohnBriggs12]

The one player I would want to get in a trade would be Soria who is having an awesome year in the bullpen for the Rangers. It might cost way too much to get him but he would be my #1 target in improving the bullpen.

 

Texas would definitely want something of quality in return, but it's not like they'd need to empty out the farm system. Speaking of Texas, Frasor is a cheaper type having a solid year and would just be a rental that I'm sure could be had at a reasonable cost.

[Roderick]

The one player I would want to get in a trade would be Soria who is having an awesome year in the bullpen for the Rangers. It might cost way too much to get him but he would be my #1 target in improving the bullpen.

 

Texas would definitely want something of quality in return, but it's not like they'd need to empty out the farm system. Speaking of Texas, Frasor is a cheaper type having a solid year and would just be a rental that I'm sure could be had at a reasonable cost.

 

I guess if you bring in Soria, he would be the other experienced closer (Henderson) so the Brewers wouldn't need to resign KRod for 2015 (probably going to get close to Soria's $7M?). They would just pick up KRod later in the year.

[JohnBriggs12]

I gotta believe Doug's acutely aware that chancing the season on Wooten or Kintzler in key bullpen rolls would be foolhardy. He should be burning up the phones. The Red Sox are teetering again after being swept at home by the Cubs and Uehera is a FA after this season who has been outstanding. Not sure I'd want to try Badenhop again but he's another possibility.

[PrinceEatMeat]

I'd definitely try to get Koji Uehara from the Red Sox. His price tag won't be quite as high since he's a free agent after the season. I also think Huston Street would be a more realistic possibility from the Padres. I really wouldn't wanna commit to that contract Benoit has.

[nate82]

The one player I would want to get in a trade would be Soria who is having an awesome year in the bullpen for the Rangers. It might cost way too much to get him but he would be my #1 target in improving the bullpen.

 

Texas would definitely want something of quality in return, but it's not like they'd need to empty out the farm system. Speaking of Texas, Frasor is a cheaper type having a solid year and would just be a rental that I'm sure could be had at a reasonable cost.

 

The only thing I would give up would be Jungmann at the most for Soria anything more and that would be too much IMHO.

[Dmiles23]

I think wasting any bullets on a bullpen arm would be foolish. Yeah, I cringe any time Kintzler and Wooten enter the game, but we do have some reinforcements on the way. Henderson will hopefully be back soon. Thornburg is progressing. Nelson may possibly be taking over for Estrada soon. And then we have Jeffress and possibly Fiers in AAA who are options as well.

 

If we do make a trade, it very well could be with a contender. Swap one of our plethora of lefties for a righty? Or, in my opinion less likely, trade Estrada for relief help?

 

But we can only have 7 guys out there. KRod, Smith, Duke, and Gorz aren't going anywhere. Henderson and Thornburg will be out there if/when they get healthy. Wang probably isn't going anywhere at this point. Then we have Jeffress, Fiers, and possibly Estrada as options... that's 10 guys.

 

Now if the end of July rolls around and Henderson or Thornburg have had setbacks and aren't close to returning, then definitely pull the trigger.

[HiAndTight]

Lets call up Jeffress before we give up a good prospect for a 36 year old who costs 7 million per year. I think he's starting to get to the point that he's a viable SU option.

 

Last 10 outings, he's walked just 2 while striking out 13 and has 9 scoreless apperances. For the year in AAA he's got 40 Ks to 15 BB's. Not sure what we're waiting for. I realize the 40 man thing is an issue, I would think there would be a couple of options to transfer to the 60 day DL at the very least.

[vegasbrewcrew1993]

Lets call up Jeffress before we give up a good prospect for a 36 year old who costs 7 million per year. I think he's starting to get to the point that he's a viable SU option.

 

Last 10 outings, he's walked just 2 while striking out 13 and has 9 scoreless apperances. For the year in AAA he's got 40 Ks to 15 BB's. Not sure what we're waiting for. I realize the 40 man thing is an issue, I would think there would be a couple of options to transfer to the 60 day DL at the very least.

 

I'd trust a veteran like Benoit before I gamble on a rookie like Jeffress. Taking a chance on Jeffress is something you do in a losing season. I think the Brewers should do the smart thing and pick up a clutch veteran RP. Will Smith, Joaquin Benoit,and K-Rod is an excellent trio.

[TooLiveBrew]

Lets call up Jeffress before we give up a good prospect for a 36 year old who costs 7 million per year. I think he's starting to get to the point that he's a viable SU option.

 

Last 10 outings, he's walked just 2 while striking out 13 and has 9 scoreless apperances. For the year in AAA he's got 40 Ks to 15 BB's. Not sure what we're waiting for. I realize the 40 man thing is an issue, I would think there would be a couple of options to transfer to the 60 day DL at the very least.

 

I'd trust a veteran like Benoit before I gamble on a rookie like Jeffress. Taking a chance on Jeffress is something you do in a losing season. I think the Brewers should do the smart thing and pick up a clutch veteran RP. Will Smith, Joaquin Benoit,and K-Rod is an excellent trio.

Ironically, our current closer was 'gambled on' in a WS-championship campaign to which he contributed massively.

[HiAndTight]

Lets call up Jeffress before we give up a good prospect for a 36 year old who costs 7 million per year. I think he's starting to get to the point that he's a viable SU option.

 

Last 10 outings, he's walked just 2 while striking out 13 and has 9 scoreless apperances. For the year in AAA he's got 40 Ks to 15 BB's. Not sure what we're waiting for. I realize the 40 man thing is an issue, I would think there would be a couple of options to transfer to the 60 day DL at the very least.

 

I'd trust a veteran like Benoit before I gamble on a rookie like Jeffress. Taking a chance on Jeffress is something you do in a losing season. I think the Brewers should do the smart thing and pick up a clutch veteran RP. Will Smith, Joaquin Benoit,and K-Rod is an excellent trio.

 

Well obviously I'd trust Benoit right NOW more than Jeffress. But it's obviously far more complex than just who we would trust more. I would "trust," David Price more than Jimmy Nelson as well. But the price you pay for that trust is pretty significant.

 

A-Calling up Jeffress now gives the Brewers a pretty clear picture of what he can do by the trade deadline. We know what he can do physically. Throw in the upper 90's with a good curve and vastly improved command in the minor leagues. We'd have time to figure out what he can do for the big league team.

 

B-We currently have K-Rod, Smith, Duke all pitching incredibly well, Henderson is coming back from injury as is Thornburg. The later of which was dominant earlier this year and the former was an excellent closer last year.

 

So it's not like we're relying on Jeffress to come up and be what Uehara was for the Red Sox last year. But there is no reason he can't come up and be an effective reliever.

 

And what are we giving up for Benoit? He's mentioned with nearly every contender right now. More teams are competitive than ever and are trying to add pieces. So he's not going to be cheap. He's going to cost us one of our top prospects(as is Soria).

 

Soria has an FIP of .76. What's his value in terms of prospects? Coulter+another prospect? Arcia and another? And for all the teams that are going to target guys like Benoit and Soria, Uehara is likely to command even more. The Red Sox wouldn't surprise me at all if they put a QO on him next year to keep him given just how dominant he's been.

 

 

All that is to say, before you give up a couple of really good prospects in a sellers market, lets see if the power arm who is absolutely dominating everyone in AAA can come up and be effective. Lets wait and see if the 3 guys we have who were outstanding relievers for us earlier this year or last year can come back and be effective(Kintzler/Henderson/Thornburg).