Brewers In Serious Talks To Acquire Papelbon

[pete]

Karabell of ESPN and Phillies fan pointed out Brown had 49 career HRs and 11 of them came in a 15 game stretch. Maybe that should be discounted too because 3 of them came in a series versus Milwaukee. That was the series where he had a ball hit him in the glove and his elbow hit the wall and it flipped out and over for a HR. Which Brewer was that?

 

So you're getting a corner OF who might hit double digit HRs without any other shiny stat like OBP?

 

He's the classic looks like Tarzan hits like Jane.

 

If Amaro doesn't move anybody before the season, I don't think its guaranteed that it gets ugly in the clubhouse, but it'll be combustible.

[Boomer5]

just walk away keep the arms you have.

 

This is the only answer. Pap is one of the highest paid closers in the game, has declining skills, and the Brewers have decent options to close. The Brewers are not an elite closer (and Pap isnt projected to be that in 2015) away from the play offs.

 

Unless its a pure salary dump on the part of the Phillies, there is very little value for the Brewers to justify giving up a meaningful package.

[trwi7]

From MLBtraderumors.com...

 

The Phillies asked the Brewers for a “top prospect” in return for closer Jonathan Papelbon if the club was to pick up a big piece of the remainder of his deal, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (in a piece we cited earlier this morning). In response, Milwaukee broached the idea of sending Jonathan Broxton back to Philadelphia to help balance the cash, a concept that did not gain traction (and which Rosenthal argues made little sense for either club).

 

This makes it sound like we would've given up a top prospect if Philly would've agreed to take Broxton. How incredibly stupid.

[brewcrewdue80]

I think reading that, the Brewers were looking to send Broxton for Papelbon and probably the salary dump prospect in return. Not giving up a top prospect. Either way you look at it, the Brewers are doing something terrible if they give up any talend better than Jorge Lopez in rankings. And even he may be too much. I'd only offer Reed or Wren for him to start the process. It's a Salary dump for the Phillies, never lose sight of that in talks. Just because Papelbon wants 2years-26mil guaranteed doesn't make him worthwhile to give up a decent prospect. Papelbon doesn't want to play here, enough said. So move on. IF he did want to play here, he'd have waived his no-trade clause w/o guaranteeing that 2nd year just fine. I really hope it leaks out that Papelbon's agent is the one who said that was his best move, only to see Papelbon get injured/not come close to reaching his Games Finished and getting that option activated. All, while playing for a 65win losing team he has to sit 6 months through. And ponder why he listened to his agent.

 

Anyway, Like said previously, the Option isn't a guarantee on the Phils end, they owe him 13mil, and the whole point of moving him is to salary dump. Based on Trade Deadline paychecks, I'm guessing the Phils are seeking to save at least 40% of the contract which is 5.2mil. The most they must be considering sending is 8mil in my mind. 2years/18mil plus loss of prospect is too much for Milwaukee in my opinion. For a guy who's velocity is down every year the last 3years, does he continue that trend? At what point does losing velocity make him ineffective? It was one thing for Milw to acquire him with 5-8mil cost+salary dump prospect. It's another to have to give up a premium prospect and pay 13million more for another year that could be atrocious/waiver-wire type Pitcher. The guy literally could be out of baseball before the end of this year if his skills decline. We don't need to see another Gagne episode and do so while giving away a Prospect.

[narwhalattack]

The Phillies asked the Brewers for a “top prospect” in return for closer Jonathan Papelbon if the club was to pick up a big piece of the remainder of his deal.

 

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA no.

[RockCoCougars]

I'm glad they didn't give up anything of value for Papelbon. I'm not a real fan of Broxton, but would rather have him at this point. That said, this whole episode was probably a negotiating tool for the inevitable return of K-Rod.

[SoupTown]

I had a brain explosion today. Instead of paying $10 mill here and there for OLD, declining skilled closers... why dont we try to pay $1 mill here and there for YOUNG, increasing skilled relievers who may have the mental toughness to pitch to three guys in a close game.

 

I wonder how our starters get through the first inning each start. I mean... tie game. Surely the pressure is too much for any normal human to cope.

[brewmann04]

I happy that DM did not flinch and would not give them Lopez either @this point. Lets just see what the guys we have can do and if not sign K Rod

[JohnBriggs12]

I had a brain explosion today. Instead of paying $10 mill here and there for OLD, declining skilled closers... why dont we try to pay $1 mill here and there for YOUNG, increasing skilled relievers who may have the mental toughness to pitch to three guys in a close game.

 

I wonder how our starters get through the first inning each start. I mean... tie game. Surely the pressure is too much for any normal human to cope.

 

If they go into ST with the job open, maybe Jeffress can take hold of it. Last year may have been a turning point for him. He was poised and effective in some high leverage situations in a pennant race.

[DR28]

I don't get why we're not interested in Rafael Soriano.

[superfly]

I don't get why we're not interested in Rafael Soriano.

 

Horrible after about the month of June last year, over .300 BA against, and was demoted off closer duties. At 35 could be the first signs of decline.

[brwrsfan]

You wonder if at some point during spring they will add Krod or Soriano into the mix. The longer those guys go without jobs, the cheaper and cheaper they'd become - I would think at least.

[bill hAll Star]

Why in the heck is Jonathan Broxton's name being involved? I'm not a fan of Broxton or Papelbon in the context of their contracts and would take neither if I had the choice, but the rationalization of the trade for Papelbon is, "well, Mark A. is going to [way] overpay dollar-wise for two aging, but decent relievers. Fine."

 

But, if you give up Broxton (LOL @adding another player into the trade) for Papelbon, you've essentially just made your team exactly as good as it was before. All you'd be doing is taking on more money and having Papelbon's vesting option instead of Broxton's team option (with buyout).

 

I'd actually rather have Broxton if I had to make a choice. He's a once very good reliever coming off arm issues and he seems to have settled into being decent. Papelbon is a once very good RP that is just hitting that stage where he plummets into arm issues and we may get the blow-up year.

 

But again, why would you just swap guys that are both projected by Fangraphs and the likes to be essentially the same pitcher this season?

[jerichoholicninja]

Why in the heck is Jonathan Broxton's name being involved? I'm not a fan of Broxton or Papelbon in the context of their contracts and would take neither if I had the choice, but the rationalization of the trade for Papelbon is, "well, Mark A. is going to [way] overpay dollar-wise for two aging, but decent relievers. Fine."

 

But, if you give up Broxton (LOL @adding another player into the trade) for Papelbon, you've essentially just made your team exactly as good as it was before. All you'd be doing is taking on more money and having Papelbon's vesting option instead of Broxton's team option (with buyout).

 

I'd actually rather have Broxton if I had to make a choice. He's a once very good reliever coming off arm issues and he seems to have settled into being decent. Papelbon is a once very good RP that is just hitting that stage where he plummets into arm issues and we may get the blow-up year.

 

But again, why would you just swap guys that are both projected by Fangraphs and the likes to be essentially the same pitcher this season?

 

Doug was trolling Amaro. That is the only logical explanation.

[pete]

The story talks about "other pieces" being involved. Broxton is a way to make the dollars work, but I too would rather have Broxton than Papelbon. I'd also likely they keep whoever they're willing to trade.

[DR28]

I don't get why we're not interested in Rafael Soriano.

 

Horrible after about the month of June last year, over .300 BA against, and was demoted off closer duties. At 35 could be the first signs of decline.

 

But he was lights out before the AS break... ERA below 1... You could be right but to decline that quickly in the same season?

[Austin Tatious]

It sounds like Boras wants a lot for K-Rod. I hope we don't overpay for either K-Rod or Papelbon. We need to keep our top 10-12 prospects. Jorge Lopez has a nice arm. Jungmann can't be given up on yet.

 

"Miami has spoken with Scott Boras about free agent Francisco Rodriguez, who had 44 saves for Milwaukee in 2014, but they’re asking for more than what Miami is willing to pay."

 

Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/sports-buzz/#storylink=cpy

[KCBrewerfan34]

Boras has ZERO leverage here, if Krod gets more than 45 million from anyone that GM should be fired.

[brewerfan82]

Boras has ZERO leverage here, if Krod gets more than 45 million from anyone that GM should be fired.

 

Agreed! Haha. I'm guessing you meant 4-5 million?

[jerichoholicninja]

Krod (i.e. Boras) will wait till 2 weeks before opening day to sign somewhere. He'll only need 2 or 3 appearances to be ready for the season and by that point injuries will have taken a closer or two down.

[Roderick]

Why in the heck is Jonathan Broxton's name being involved?

 

The first thing that comes to mind to me is that the Brewers really don't think Broxton is that good after looking at him last year. Personally, if I am the Brewers and I think Broxton will be an average closer, I am not even asking about Papelbon, as we have enough other pieces to put together a decent pen to start the season.

[JohnBriggs12]

Key comment by McCalvy last week which is up on Brewers website: Melvin watched both Henderson and Thornburg throw bullpens last week and was "very pleasantly surprised". There's really no reason to invest in more bullpen arms if those two are healthy to add to Broxton, Jeffress, Perez, Smith, Kintzler, etc unless you plan on Thornburg returning to a starter role.

[BrewBalls]

Key comment by McCalvy last week which is up on Brewers website: Melvin watched both Henderson and Thornburg throw bullpens last week and was "very pleasantly surprised". There's really no reason to invest in more bullpen arms if those two are healthy to add to Broxton, Jeffress, Perez, Smith, Kintzler, etc unless you plan on Thornburg returning to a starter role.

Personally, I see no reason not to add a couple more bullpen arms on minor league deals for depth. Relievers tend to be fairly inconsistent, especially middle relievers. DM seems to find solid contributors off the scrap heap on a regular basis (i.e. Duke, Henderson, Axford, Jeffress, Coffey, Torres, Turnbow, Wise, Kolb and Loe). Hopefully DM add another couple high upside arm like Adams, Burnett or Lindstrom to compete for a bullpen spot in spring training. It definitely wouldn't hurt.

[pete]

... as well as Cotts and Wooten. I know Wooten seems iffy, but I think they like him, maybe because he can be the guy to try and get the double play ball.

 

Beyond that there are a half dozen guys on the 40 who could potentially work in the bullpen, if not when the team breaks camp, later in the season. You can add in arms not on the 40 who are old enough and have the skills to give a shot if need be or one of them gets on a roll.

 

One or more people in the FO seem to want that proven closer for the team. Melvin has been that guy in the past, but he's also taken the opposite tack as well. I think having a guy who is a "closer" is the perceived need.

[pete]

Predictably with ST underway for the Phillies, being traded was asked about. It sounded as if he would waive his no trade clause and whether he would require his option to be picked up, he gave an elaborate maybe.

 

The go team go enthusiasm quote was:

 

If Toronto wants me, if Milwaukee wants me, whoever wants me, they’re going to get someone who knows how to compete and go play ball and lay it on the line.

 

What I didn't realize was that his notorious quote that it was mind-boggling to want to be on a losing team was made at Miller Park in July.

 

Not much else there but if someone wants:

 

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/20150222__Fan_favorite__Papelbon_seems_to_soften_over_leaving_Phillies_.html