Garza hits DL, Wooten up

[TURBO]

Brewers manager Ron Roenicke mentioned Mike Fiers as a possibility to take Matt Garza's (oblique) spot in the rotation.

 

Marco Estrada is the other candidate, but Roenicke mentioned Estrada being needed as a reliever over the next few days. Fiers has posted a 2.55 ERA in Triple-A Nashville's rotation this season, so the Brew Crew might opt to give him a shot rather than the guy they bumped from the rotation last month. Garza's spot comes up on Saturday against the Dodgers.

 

Source: Brewers.mlb.com Aug 5 - 8:57 P

[brewmann04]

Fires is good against Aaa batters.

[djoctagone]

advantage with fiers is it gives him an additional mlb audition. he's a likely trade candidate with zero minor league options remaining come 2015.

[brewcrewdue80]

did garza have something in his contract about his health?

 

Yes. It's something like Combined Starts(110?) in 4seasons and/or missing a full season/ being on the DL to finish his contract when it comes to his potential 5th year. Off the top of my head.

[JohnBriggs12]

advantage with fiers is it gives him an additional mlb audition. he's a likely trade candidate with zero minor league options remaining come 2015.

 

The Brewers have to make a decision on Estrada this winter too. He's going to be a rather expensive long man as he figures to get $4 million or so in final arby year. Fiers isn't as likely to go in a trade if Estrada is non-tendered.

[Pugger]

Was Garza placed on the 15 day DL?

[reillymcshane]

advantage with fiers is it gives him an additional mlb audition. he's a likely trade candidate with zero minor league options remaining come 2015.

 

The Brewers have to make a decision on Estrada this winter too. He's going to be a rather expensive long man as he figures to get $4 million or so in final arby year. Fiers isn't as likely to go in a trade if Estrada is non-tendered.

Unless Estrada is lights out for the rest of the year, I don't think there's any way the club pays him $4 million or more to stay on this team. At least Fiers will be cheap next year - and provides needed depth.

 

I'm betting Estrada is non-tendered and Fiers is given a shot as the long man in the pen. If there's an injury in spring training, then Fiers steps into the rotation.

 

The other reason to keep Fiers is that starting pitcher options are limited after him for 2015. Jungmann is probably next on the list, but he still looks like he needs some AAA time.

[gregmag]

I hadn't realized just how similar their career rate numbers are. Estrada has a better WHIP, but Fiers has a better ERA, FIP, and ERA+

 

The difference between Fiers and Estrada, I think, is this:

 

We've seen a lot of Estrada. He has had very good stretches as a starter, and I've been a big supporter of his. But this year he has taken a big step backward in the rotation, with his longball weakness spiking. I have a lot less confidence in him going forward than I did six months ago. Others have argued that he never really pitched big innings as a starter, and I sort of dismissed that, but now I think those critics may have been onto something.

 

We don't have as much of a sense of what Fiers can do. He started out great as a rookie, then slipped down the stretch. Opinions (here and elsewhere) differ about whether that was simple fatigue or the league completely figuring him out. Then he came out the next year and got hurt. Now he's dominating AAA again. What is he? We don't really know. I think he's given us reason to believe he could be substantially better than Estrada, but it all depends on adjustments that we won't know whether he can make until he gets another extended shot.

 

Combine all that with the fact that, as others have pointed out, Fiers will be cheap for a while, and I'd rather see Fiers in the "6th starter" role. I can understand, though, why RR and Kranitz might prefer to go with the devil they know.

[logan82]

Fiers came back last year and sucked then got hurt. He may not have been 100% before he got hurt so that may be the cause. Estrada isn't great but I think we need to hold onto him for depth. We have been extremely lucky this year with pitching injuries, at least for starters.

[torts]

Fiers came back last year and sucked then got hurt. He may not have been 100% before he got hurt so that may be the cause. Estrada isn't great but I think we need to hold onto him for depth. We have been extremely lucky this year with pitching injuries, at least for starters.

 

he was also dealing with some heavy personal issues with his family at that time as well, so he might not have been mentally right prior to his injury

[JohnBriggs12]

Fiers came back last year and sucked then got hurt. He may not have been 100% before he got hurt so that may be the cause. Estrada isn't great but I think we need to hold onto him for depth. We have been extremely lucky this year with pitching injuries, at least for starters.

 

Problem with that kind of approach that at $4+ million, Estrada would give them less not more flexibility if you keep him as long man and next in line starter. Fiers isn't the only strong candidate for 6th starter. Lets assume Thornburg returns healthy, he's in the mix as well. Other guys could emerge. If depth becomes a concern they can find the equivalent of Estrada either in the FA market or via trade. Look how the Braves managed to pick up arms at the last minute last spring.

 

One other note, a "long man" role at the start of the season really doesn't exist in that whoever it is won't be fully stretched out anyway. Most "long men" rarely go over 3 innings anyway these days so it's not like they can be plugged in to start and be expected to go 6.

[torts]

I think the fact that Estrada pitched last night after Gallardo speaks to Fiers getting the spot in the rotation for Garza

[DoubleSwitch]

RR said Fiers was going to start saturday in the post game presser

[gregmag]

Best case scenario happened tonight. Based on what Fiers did as a rookie and on this start, I think he has to be the likely 6th starter the rest of the year.

 

I figured SP depth down to #7 would be a big strength for us this year, and it's worked out beautifully.

 

What a great start. Welcome back Mike!

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

Fiers looks like the 2012 version. His deception is great against teams that haven't seen him before. That could make him valuable over a month or two stretch. I'm still a little skeptical over the longer term. I do wonder if after Garza comes back that he could remain in the rotation as the fifth starter. Nelson could move to the pen. Nelson could be very valuable filling the RH relief role they need. If they make the playoffs, Nelson's in the pen anyways. Could also cut down on his innings as we get deeper in the season.

[KCBrewerfan34]

Garza out longer than 15 days per RR today.

[torts]

well how about that, Fiers looked awesome!

[JohnBriggs12]

Many forget but for about 2 1/2 months in 2012, Fiers was the best starter on the staff. Late that year I don't think it was so much hitters catching up to him as it was he lost confidence and command. Last year, he ran into all types of issues. But he appears to have regained the confidence and there's no reason that he can't be an effective major league pitchers either starting or relieving. He's been compared repeatedly with Collmenter who's a pretty decent pitcher.