Will Smith to the Giants for RHP Phil Bickford and C Andrew Susac

[Outlander]

They kept him on the 40 man all year and are well aware he is out of options so I'm just guessing they see him as the backup this year.

[And That]

Yah, I think Pina more or less has the team made, unless something dramatic happens in spring training. The prudent move from a standpoint of roster flexibility would be to go with Bandy and Pina, and burn one of Susac's two options. That way you'd still have two catchers with options remaining heading into next year.

 

There was some research done that showed catchers actually do show some tendency to have later-career offensive peaks, especially guys who have been backups for large chunks of their careers. I have the book at home so I don't have a link but I'll look at it again tonight. In other words, I wouldn't write Pina off because he's 30 (almost). If he were at any other position, I'd be more hesitant about his future.

[homer]

Is Susac stinks it up I reserve the right to call him Sleestak.

 

http://www.bookmice.net/darkchilde/lost/land20/14.jpg

[jerichoholicninja]

If I was Susac and I started the year in AAA I would probably just retire. After all the years of rightly sitting behind Posey he's traded to a team with no catchers and he doesn't make the roster over an aging journeyman and a backup because of a technicality. I mean, I get why they would put him in AAA but what else does the guy have to do to get a chance?

[homer]

If I was Susac and I started the year in AAA I would probably just retire. After all the years of rightly sitting behind Posey he's traded to a team with no catchers and he doesn't make the roster over an aging journeyman and a backup because of a technicality. I mean, I get why they would put him in AAA but what else does the guy have to do to get a chance?

 

 

Or he could just play baseball all summer and get paid about half a million dollars to do it. Beats selling insurance.

[And That]

Plus Susac will be up at some point anyway. Teams virtually never go through an entire season with only two catchers.

[MadThinker88]

If I was Susac and I started the year in AAA I would probably just retire. After all the years of rightly sitting behind Posey he's traded to a team with no catchers and he doesn't make the roster over an aging journeyman and a backup because of a technicality. I mean, I get why they would put him in AAA but what else does the guy have to do to get a chance?

 

 

Or he could just play baseball all summer and get paid about half a million dollars to do it. Beats selling insurance.

 

But he won't get half a million playing in AAA. He would be on a split contract, MLB minimum if in the majors, something like $15K or $20K (if lucky) playing in Colorado Springs...

 

That is very common for players (pitchers and position guys alike)..

[djoctagone]

They kept (Pina) on the 40 man all year and are well aware he is out of options so I'm just guessing they see him as the backup this year.

pina wasn't added to the 40-man until 1 august 2016 (the day lucroy was traded).

[djoctagone]

the brewers have rarely carried three catchers on their 40-man roster for an entire season. 2017 could prove to be the exception if all stay healthy and pina makes the 25-man roster.

[homer]

If I was Susac and I started the year in AAA I would probably just retire. After all the years of rightly sitting behind Posey he's traded to a team with no catchers and he doesn't make the roster over an aging journeyman and a backup because of a technicality. I mean, I get why they would put him in AAA but what else does the guy have to do to get a chance?

 

 

Or he could just play baseball all summer and get paid about half a million dollars to do it. Beats selling insurance.

 

But he won't get half a million playing in AAA. He would be on a split contract, MLB minimum if in the majors, something like $15K or $20K (if lucky) playing in Colorado Springs...

 

That is very common for players (pitchers and position guys alike)..

 

 

Major league minimum is around $535K (as an aside, I remember BJ Surhoff's rookie year the minimum was $62,500). But you are right, his contract last year was guaranteed. I think he'll make more than 15 - 20K based on service time but I don't know how much that is.

[logan82]

$82,700 is the minor league minimum if you have one day of service time in the majors.

[Outlander]

They kept (Pina) on the 40 man all year and are well aware he is out of options so I'm just guessing they see him as the backup this year.

pina wasn't added to the 40-man until 1 august 2016 (the day lucroy was traded).

Meant all off season. If they didn't have plans for him I think he would have been DFA by now. Stearns acquired all three by trade so they are his guys and optioning Susac or Bandy lets him keep them all.

[Austin Tatious]

Personally, I think Susac's time for MLB is now. I suppose if he collapses you could use an option for him to get back on track. But I think it's time to see what he's got at the MLB level.

[djoctagone]

If I was Susac and I started the year in AAA I would probably just retire. After all the years of rightly sitting behind Posey he's traded to a team with no catchers and he doesn't make the roster over an aging journeyman and a backup because of a technicality. I mean, I get why they would put him in AAA but what else does the guy have to do to get a chance?

 

 

Or he could just play baseball all summer and get paid about half a million dollars to do it. Beats selling insurance.

 

But he won't get half a million playing in AAA. He would be on a split contract, MLB minimum if in the majors, something like $15K or $20K (if lucky) playing in Colorado Springs...

 

That is very common for players (pitchers and position guys alike)..

prior to the last collective bargaining agreement, i believe there were minimum minor league salary requirements for players on the 40-man roster. as a player burned each option year, the minimum went up. i don't recall the amounts, but i seem to recall that the amount increased significantly after burning one's second option.

[mrn1ceguy]

the brewers have rarely carried three catchers on their 40-man roster for an entire season. 2017 could prove to be the exception if all stay healthy and pina makes the 25-man roster.

 

I'm just going on memory, but I can't think of a season we didn't have three catchers on the 40 man roster. As of late, the third was often a career minor league player but we always had someone who could be brought up in case of injury.

[adambr2]

 

 

Or he could just play baseball all summer and get paid about half a million dollars to do it. Beats selling insurance.

 

But he won't get half a million playing in AAA. He would be on a split contract, MLB minimum if in the majors, something like $15K or $20K (if lucky) playing in Colorado Springs...

 

That is very common for players (pitchers and position guys alike)..

prior to the last collective bargaining agreement, i believe there were minimum minor league salary requirements for players on the 40-man roster. as a player burned each option year, the minimum went up. i don't recall the amounts, but i seem to recall that the amount increased significantly after burning one's second option.

 

It's the $82,700 amount quoted by Logan. Small potatoes compared to an MLB salary on the 25 man, but still well more than most of his Milb counterparts.

 

He'd be crazy to walk away now $82,700 is still a better salary than most professionals, and he's a phone call away from a half million a year salary. He'll get his shot from someone, one would think us. Personally I think he's on the 25 man to open the season and this is all a moot point. Guessing it's Susac and Pina, with Bandy having his last option burned.

[reillymcshane]

This is a really good summary of pay that was put together a few years ago:

 

Until a minor league player is placed on a 40-man roster, monthly salaries are $1150 for the short season teams, $1300 for low A and $1500 for high A. For players repeating a year at the same level, the salary goes up $50 each year. For AA, the monthly salary is $1700 and it goes up $100 per month for subsequent years. For AAA, the monthly salary is $2150 per month and it goes up to $2400 the second year and $2700 the third year.

 

If a player becomes a minor league free agent, higher salaries can be negotiated.

 

A player must be placed on the team’s 40-man roster or be subject to the Rule 5 Draft at the end of his fourth season (if signed at age 19 or higher) or fifth season (if signed at age 18 or lower).

 

Salary for first year on 40-man roster:

 

2013: $39,900

2014: $40,750

2015: $41,400

 

Salary for second year on 40-man roster or if one or more days of Major League service time:

 

2013: $79,900

2014: $81,750

2015: $82,700

 

Meal money is $25 per road day.

 

Minor league salary must be at least 60% of the player’s combined minor league and Major League salary in the preceding season.

http://www.sportslawblogger.com/baseball/salary-information/minor-league-salary/

 

Again, this is a couple of years old, so prices have probably gone up a bit.

 

Also, the last line in the article - "Minor league salary must be at least 60% of the player’s combined minor league and Major League salary in the preceding season" - that means some of the veteran guys - especially guys who had been in the majors the year before - make some pretty good money - 200-300k for some guys.

[djoctagone]

the brewers have rarely carried three catchers on their 40-man roster for an entire season. 2017 could prove to be the exception if all stay healthy and pina makes the 25-man roster.

I'm just going on memory, but I can't think of a season we didn't have three catchers on the 40 man roster. As of late, the third was often a career minor league player but we always had someone who could be brought up in case of injury.

2015 was the last time the brewers carried three catchers on the 40-man roster for the entire season (jonathan lucroy, martin maldonado and juan centeno).

 

the brewers opened the 2013, 2014 and 2016 seasons with only two catchers on their 40-man roster (lucroy and maldonado).

 

there may have been other instances in recent years where a catcher (i.e. wil nieves in 2011) was outrighted or traded and replaced on the 40-man by another catcher (george kottaras), which led to a wider roster of rotating catchers on the 40-man.

[Outlander]

All three played in the majors last year with Bandy being in the bigs the longest so matter who ends up in the minors they will be making pretty good money, probably around 200k for Bandy/Susac.

[3and2Fastball]

Let them earn it. All the Catchers will get opportunities and reps. Let's see who is who after the dust settles

[mrn1ceguy]

the brewers have rarely carried three catchers on their 40-man roster for an entire season. 2017 could prove to be the exception if all stay healthy and pina makes the 25-man roster.

I'm just going on memory, but I can't think of a season we didn't have three catchers on the 40 man roster. As of late, the third was often a career minor league player but we always had someone who could be brought up in case of injury.

2015 was the last time the brewers carried three catchers on the 40-man roster for the entire season (jonathan lucroy, martin maldonado and juan centeno).

 

the brewers opened the 2013, 2014 and 2016 seasons with only two catchers on their 40-man roster (lucroy and maldonado).

 

there may have been other instances in recent years where a catcher (i.e. wil nieves in 2011) was outrighted or traded and replaced on the 40-man by another catcher (george kottaras), which led to a wider roster of rotating catchers on the 40-man.

 

Well, I guess that shows how well my memory is. Thanks for the info!

[reillymcshane]

Will Smith has been shut down for a week dealing with inflammation in his elbow. An MRI was negative - so no major issues (that they can tell).

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2017/02/nl-notes-smith-wieters-drew-franco.html

[Ennder]

There was pretty clearly something wrong with him even before we traded him. It is odd they can't figure out what it is.

[Greenleaf1]

I'd be surprised if they just let Pina go after keeping him on the 40-man this long and Stearns himself trading for him. If he was a Melvin acquisition I'd get it, but Stearns doesn't seem likely to just give up on him when he had a great year at AAA last year and showed that he could stick in the majors in limited playing time last year (at the very least, he'd be a quality backup catcher and pinch hitter, and I think he could stick as the starter potentially). I'd say Pina is near a lock to make the opening day roster even though they'd never say that publicly.

 

Susac seems most likely to me to be the 2nd catcher on the OD roster just because I think he has more upside than Bandy, but it will probably be whoever performs better in ST.

 

Competition is good for young guys. Having 3 capable catchers and only 2 slots is a good thing.

[pogokat]

It's sort of odd to me that we haven't heard about one of these guys taking reps at 1b or in the outfield. It wouldn't surprise me at all if Pina/Bandy were competing with Scooter for 25th man