Gallardo to the Rangers for IF Luis Sardiñas, RHP Corey Knebel, & RHP Marcos Diplan [lead post includes in-thread links to video & scouting reports]

[ELCABALLO45]

Doug Melvin has never been the type of GM to trade a guy before a season.

 

Last couple years they have...

 

Signed Garza

Signed Lohse

Signed Aramis Ramirez

Traded for Zack Greinke

 

These were all big market names that everyone (Maybe besides Lohse) were surprised ended up in Milwaukee. I struggle to understand why all of a sudden Melvin would trade arguably his best SP, unless he has something else up his sleeve. Especially in a division with arguably the best ran franchise in the NL with the Cardinals. A Pirates team coming off back to back playoff appearances, and a Cubs team coming fast.

[torts]

I love the quote from Melvin I read on twitter of him saying "im tired of people leaving and us not getting anything in return". hell yeah, DM! Thats gotta be a shot across the bow for some of these players

[Mass Haas]

Ken Rosenthal: New Brewers IF Luis Sardinas career .691 OPS in minors. Two GMs project him as potential Cesar Izturis type - light-hitting regular at SS.

[adambr2]

Ken Rosenthal: New Brewers IF Luis Sardinas career .691 OPS in minors. Two GMs project him as potential Cesar Izturis type - light-hitting regular at SS.

 

Yay.

[torts]

im indifferent with Sardinas, to be honest.. infact, I dont even care about him right now, im more excited about the two pitchers we got.

 

I will miss Gallardo's utter dominance of the Pirates...

 

.215/.291/.638 lifetime trip slash with a 12 - 5 record posting a 2.55 ERA in 25 starts, 169 K's in 155 IP. I dont even want to post his PNC Park numbers... they're just.. 6-3, 1.63 ERA in 11 starts, 76 K's in 72 IP. Nothing was better than watching Yo just dominate the pirates. nothing.

[brewmann04]

I just feel this trade right now makes the Brewers weaker in our division.

[fondybrewfan]

I am pretty happy how this turned out; Diplan absolutely improves the farm system. I do not want a Shields signing anymore. Yes getting Diplan may be the equivalent of a 1st round pick but I am greedy and want to hold onto that 15th pick this June. I don't think I would really want to pay what it would cost to get Zimmerman or Strasburg either. Go with the 5 guys we have with Jungmann as the #6. I think we have some capable guys at AA or AAA that can be #7 and #8.

 

Lower levels of the minors should be very fun to watch this year. I will be curious to see where Lara and Diplan start out.

[JohnBriggs12]

Heard Melvin say they were looking for a guy who could start or relieve. Maholm fits that bill and also gives them a 2nd lefty in the pen. They'd have to keep his locker away from Gomez though.

 

Maholm and Chamberlain to fill out the pen?

[brewcrewdue80]

I am pretty happy how this turned out; Diplan absolutely improves the farm system. I do not want a Shields signing anymore. Yes getting Diplan may be the equivalent of a 1st round pick but I am greedy and want to hold onto that 15th pick this June. I don't think I would really want to pay what it would cost to get Zimmerman or Strasburg either. Go with the 5 guys we have with Jungmann as the #6. I think we have some capable guys at AA or AAA that can be #7 and #8.

 

Lower levels of the minors should be very fun to watch this year. I will be curious to see where Lara and Diplan start out.

 

That is how I feel. Lohse/Garza/Peralta/Fiers/Nelson to me is a solid enough rotation to begin the season. If the team needs a quality arm for the Post-season run get it in July. The team's minor Leaguers can only increase their worth since none are top 100 in rankings. I think getting Zimmermann today would just cost so much in prospects-Taylor/Arcia/Coulter/ probably either Sardinas or Diplan. Those 4 maybe get the Nats talking. Its just super unrealistic. I'd rather give the Williams pitchers a chance to show off/ the RPs a chance to show off/ performance-wise Milw's prospects have to be about as low as possibly valued.

 

I just feel this trade right now makes the Brewers weaker in our division.

 

I don't. Sardinas strong side was his RH hitting side. So here's your answer to the Gennett platoon partner. And if Segura continues to struggle the team has an answer to replace him at SS=Competition. A .700OPS Segura or better is a big upgrade for Milw. Segura had 0 competition for his position last season he couldn't lose his job. Kneble blew through the Minors doing what he's supposed to do which is be a Bullpen guy. The Brewers needed a Bullpen guy. They've been scooting by with kinda eh characters.

 

The difference between Yo and Nelson as been stated is minimal. Honestly, my guess is Nelson will be a 4-5IP 4-5ERs pitcher and then a 7-8IP 0-1ER pitcher. This vs Gallardo's 5-7IP 3ERs consistency. I'd like to see some dominant performances over just a casual 6ip 2-3ERs outing by Yo. You're always relying on 9outs with a Yo start vs Nelson giving a 3-6outs bullpen taxing outing potential. So I'm not sure of the ML team being weaker in 2015. I guess if Fiers falters to a 4+ERA Starter than yes it does. But if Fiers is a 3.5ERA or better performer the team is just as strong today as it was a couple days ago.

[FVBrewerFan]

Jungmann as the #6 SP? Say it isn't so. Maholm...that would make a lot of sense- I can see that happening. Diplan is the piece that excites me, they need a group of these high ceiling guys, since there aren't any in AA/AAA.

[fondybrewfan]

What's with the hesitancy with Jungmann? He was pretty darn good last year. His K/9 ratio was nearly 9; his H/9 was less than 9, and he cut down on his walks from the year before. I think we could do far worse for a 6th starter.

[RobertR]

At this point, they'll miss Gallardo, but the trade certainly solidifies the everyday lineup, gives them the financial flexibility to get a reliever or two, and strengthens the farm system. Frankly, it probably makes more sense for the Brewers than the Rangers.

 

I do think it means that the Brewers will be making a run at Zimmerman in the off-season.

 

Anybody know the latest on Johann Santana?

[bork]

Blazek's the 6th starter. He has big league experience.

[amt2138]

What's with the hesitancy with Jungmann? He was pretty darn good last year. His K/9 ratio was nearly 9; his H/9 was less than 9, and he cut down on his walks from the year before. I think we could do far worse for a 6th starter.

 

I like a lot of things that Jungmann did last year. His peripheral improvement is a very encouraging sign, but that said he pitched for three fulls months and two or three starts in May at the Triple-A level. His ERA was over five in May, June and July before finishing up with an incredible August ERA under 2. Obviously ERA isn't the greatest indicator of how things are going at the Minor League level but given that Nashville pitchers were pretty dominant for a long period of time last year; I would want to see more than one month of success before I'm comfortable giving Jungmann a start.

[brewmann04]

I think Jungman will make even bigger strides this season and a lot Rest on Knedble and his past injury but hope your right that he can be our closer in2016. as for another reliever I like Joba cause he can get ground balls

[Outlander]

I don't. Sardinas strong side was his RH hitting side.

That may be his strong side but it is pretty weak for a platoon.

[brewmann04]

especially who he being compared too.

[Oldcity]

While I personally would start the firesale now, I don't think it's even worth discussing since Mark A. will never do that. So basically, my fingers are crossed for either a great start to 2015 or a terrible one.

 

Great start, fine, keep everyone and become buyers at the deadline. Terrible start, great. Then they can tear it down properly in July.

 

Nightmare scenario is being a few games under, behind 4-5 teams for the wildcard at the deadline. That's an obvious sell mode, but likely not bad enough for Attanasio to sign off on it.

[torts]

I just feel this trade right now makes the Brewers weaker in our division.

 

 

well, to be far... Gallardo was god awful against the cardinals.

[brewmann04]

YES THAT TRUE SO WE MIGHT GAIN A FEW GAMES THERE

[Dollarbill13]

Fangraphs made what I think is a great point that Gallardo's numbers have been regressing even though he's had Lucroy behind the plate. Lucroy's framing has generated many extra strikes for Gallardo that he won't have in Texas. I wouldn't be shocked if Nelson or even Jungmann's numbers improve with a full year of pitching to Lucroy and are comparable to or even better than Gallardo's were.

[Mass Haas]

Will continue to link relevant audio (Gord Ash now, Doug Melvin later this afternoon) as it's available.

 

Here you go...

[fondybrewfan]

Nelson I could see matching Gallardo but perhaps in 2016, not 2015. It was great he got some experience in last year but just watching him pitch he is going to need more time. But as a 5th starter he should be fine. He needs to get deeper into games.

 

I really like our front 3 with Garza, Lohse, and Peralta. Both Fiers and Nelson at the 4/5 are a little more questionable but certainly have the ability to be pretty good.

 

The bullpen has a ton of really good righties to choose from with Broxton, Jeffress, Kintzler, Knebel, Thornburg, and Henderson. Smith is the only lefty and I imagine DM will get a couple scrap heap loogies for spring training. The bullpen really doesn't look to bad but it would help a ton if Henderson and Thornburg can come in healthy.

[reillymcshane]

My 2 cents:

 

The trade looks like a decent haul for Milwaukee. You have three guys who have potential to be major leaguers, and it's a nice mix - a couple of guys on the cusp, and one intriguing younger guy with a big arm. It's the kind of thing the club needs to do more often.

 

It also frees up $9 million (whether we get to spend all that is another story), which allows us to add a quality bullpen arm or two.

 

Things to like:

 

Sardinas was as the #72 prospect in baseball prior to 2014. MLB.com had him at #76. He was in the 80s the previous year. No, he's not a 25 HR hitting 3B, and perhaps his star dimmed a bit last year, but the guy is still fairly well regarded. He provides depth at SS (providing an alternative if Segura falters), and a right handed bat to platoon with Scooter (if the team decides that's best). Depth is crucial to teams like Milwaukee. If we want to make the playoffs, we can't afford to keep trotting out guys who playing badly.

 

Knebel looks like a guy ready to be a very good major league reliever. He's dominated hitters in the minors, and he only needs a chance in the bigs. Not a bad guy to get. The arm issues are concerning, but I like the risk involved.

 

Diplan is exactly the kind of guy the Crew needs to add in trades. Very young, but with lots of upside. Milwaukee so often trades for guys with low upside - usually because we're looking for players close to big league ready.

 

So we got one of the top international prospects of 2013 (Diplan), a 1st round pick in from 2013 (Knebel) who has dominated in his time in the minors (albeit as a reliever), and a top 100 prospect infielder who, while he doesn't have great upside due to his lack of power, is still only 21, plays exceptional defense, and could be a quality starter.

 

For one year of Yo, I think that sounds pretty good. Sure, all these guys could end up being junk. But trading established guys for minor leaguers is inherently risky. But that's what we need to do.

[Oldcity]

If he is healthy, it may be worth returning Thornburg to a starting role. If he works out there, he's much more valuable. That's also a more appealing option than Jungmann.