Brewers Acquire Angels C Jett Bandy for Maldonado and Drew Gagnon

[JDBrewCrew]

Joel Sherman ‏@Joelsherman1 43s44 seconds ago

#Angels getting Martin Maldonado and a minor league pitcher from #Brewers for Jett Bandy

 

http://m.mlb.com/player/542908/jett-bandy

[brwrsfan]

Anyone know about Bandy? His career stats (albeit small sample) don't look like much to be excited about. Thoughts?

[JDBrewCrew]

Tom ‏@Haudricourt 34s35 seconds ago

Bandy played in 70 games for Angels last year, batting .234/.281/.392. 8 HRs, 25 RBI. Threw out 40% of runners attempting steals.

 

I think they wanted to clear the way for Susac to be the Primary Catcher.

 

Also,

The Brewer Nation Retweeted Scott Leckliter

Younger, cheaper (not arbitration eligible), more team control. And the MiLB pitcher reportedly involved might not matter.

[JDBrewCrew]

Hudson Belinsky ‏@hudsonbelinsky 1m1 minute ago

I'm told Drew Gagnon is headed to the Angels along with Martin Maldonado in exchange for Jett Bandy.

[JDBrewCrew]

Joel Sherman ‏@Joelsherman1 43s44 seconds ago

#Angels getting Martin Maldonado and a minor league pitcher from #Brewers for Jett Bandy

 

http://m.mlb.com/player/542908/jett-bandy

[JohnBriggs12]

Tom ‏@Haudricourt 34s35 seconds ago

Bandy played in 70 games for Angels last year, batting .234/.281/.392. 8 HRs, 25 RBI. Threw out 40% of runners attempting steals.

 

I think they wanted to clear the way for Susac to be the Primary Catcher.

 

I see Bandy and Susac competing. Bandy will make about a million less than Maldonado will get in arbitration. Gives them two youngish controllable guys. Not real exciting but together not a bad combo. Gagnon was completely expendable.

[shanedog19]

Don't know a ton about him, but a 40% caught stealing would rank him amongst the best in baseball last year, no?

[monty57]

Save a little money and let the younger guys play. Plus, Jett Bandy is a pretty cool name.

[MrTPlush]

Save money....basically.

 

Glad it opens up the door for Susac

[brwrsfan]

It seems like purely a money dump - are we really in that bad a spot that we need to save the million or so? There's hardly anything to the payroll right now as it is.

 

Saving money is saving money I guess, but I'd have rather we got any sort of prospect for him - even just a marginal prospect than another average catcher - we already had Susac and Pina to replace Maldy if we wanted to move him.

[MrTPlush]

Saving money is saving money I guess, but I'd have rather we got any sort of prospect for him

 

You are assuming someone would actually give up a prospect for him. Regardless even if that was possible I would probably still take the 500k as the prospect would be garbage.

[JohnBriggs12]

Angels fans not happy on MLBTR. They saw upside in Bandy.

 

Maldonado's 4 years older, and entering his 2nd Arby year. What you see is what you get and he's never going to be more than a solid backup. Why pay more than minimum salary for a backup catcher? Bandy could have some untapped potential as does Susac. The way has been cleared for them to fight it out.

[FVBrewerFan]

Susac/Pina/Bandy. They keep 2 of the 3, the other gets sent down or released. Gives them options, whereas with Maldy you pretty much have to keep him on the 25. I think that's why they did moreso than money.

 

We had to throw Gagnon in? I mean, whatever, just seems odd we would have to sweeten the deal for a .673 OPS backup catcher.

[MilwaukeeBeers]

Save money, more years of team control. Makes sense. R.I.P. Maldycannon although he wasn't that great I'm gonna miss him.

[monty57]

It seems like purely a money dump - are we really in that bad a spot that we need to save the million or so? There's hardly anything to the payroll right now as it is.

 

Saving money is saving money I guess, but I'd have rather we got any sort of prospect for him - even just a marginal prospect than another average catcher - we already had Susac and Pina to replace Maldy if we wanted to move him.

 

It's not that they are in a "bad spot." The Brewers had three catchers who were all around the same ability level. It makes sense to trade away the guy with the highest cost and least team control.

 

As to bringing an MLB ready catcher back, I always like having a guy in the minors who is capable of playing at the MLB level. Catchers don't play everyday, so if one of the MLB guys gets hurt, the AAA catcher is going to see fairly significant playing time.

[rickh150]

It seems like purely a money dump - are we really in that bad a spot that we need to save the million or so? There's hardly anything to the payroll right now as it is.

 

Saving money is saving money I guess, but I'd have rather we got any sort of prospect for him - even just a marginal prospect than another average catcher - we already had Susac and Pina to replace Maldy if we wanted to move him.

 

 

No possible way that is "purely a money dump".... absurd.

 

First off, Maldy is hardly making any money.... 3 million or so? Second, we know what we had in Maldy, and it was basically a #2 defensive catcher who hit low .200s most of his time here. Very low bar to beat. They are just giving some young unknowns more at bats and opportunities to succeed.

[djoctagone]

jett bandy has one minor league option remaining.

[CheeseheadInQC]

It looks like Bandy should still have an option remaining. Could easily start the year in Colorado Springs while Susac and Pina get their shot to prove themselves.

[pacopete4]

So we traded for a guy (Jett) that has just as good of an arm (Maldy's only real asset) and is four years younger and costs less money? Stearns is the man.

[JohnBriggs12]

Pina's an insurance policy but I really think Brewers see Bandy like they do Susac, as a guy who could emerge as a decent number one catcher if given the chance. Better to have 2 and let the winner emerge than put all the eggs in one basket. It might say more about Nottingham's future though that they have controllable guys ahead of him now. I'm guessing the Angles will go after a true number one like Wieters or Castillo, and back that guy up with a solid veteran rather than a youngish guy.

[pacopete4]

It might say more about Nottingham's future though that they have controllable guys ahead of him now.

 

 

Says absolutely nothing about Nottingham's future. He alone, controls that. If he shores up his defense and hits the way people think he can, he will have a future at the MLB level. It's really that simple.

[Greenleaf1]

Quick thought: Is this the first Stearns-era trade that sends away more players than it takes in?

 

We get younger, cheaper, more flexible, and I'd rather wish on Bandy for a year or so than know exactly what I'm getting in Maldonado.

 

There's Twitter talk that this means we'll probably sign a free agent veteran catcher too, but does anyone else besides me hope that they give Pina a chance at extended playing time?

 

I say let the two best out of the 3 start the year in Milwaukee. Maybe pick up another veteran on a minor league deal for some insurance, but I would hate it if we just let Pina go without giving him a true chance.

[adambr2]

I don't think it was really about sweetening the pot. Drew Gagnon is the definition of a non-prospect Journeyman minor leaguer. In terms of trade value, he's got none. I would even argue that with all the arms we have in MiLB, his roster spot is worth more than his production.

 

Bandy has all the tools to be a really solid backup catcher, and he has 6 years of control. As a bonus, he's got quite a bit of pop for a backup catcher.. If Susac doesn't pan out, he's a great fallback, Maldonado isn't. I mean if you look at the MiLB numbers and scouting reports, Bandy might very well turn out to be a .700 OPS catcher with a solid glove. There's value in that for sure.

 

The money saved through Maldonado's arbitration years is also a factor. Money saved is money saved. No, we're not hard up for a million bucks, but Stearns isn't concerned about affordability, he's concerned about value. And that's a very good thing. This is a forward thinking move that I think we'll be happy about in the end.

[And That]

Probably helps Manny Pina's position with the club. I imagine the Brewers want both Susac and Bandy to start, and they both can't start in Milwaukee.

[djoctagone]

Quick thought: Is this the first Stearns-era trade that sends away more players than it takes in?

yes. all of the other general managers have

as their ringtone for stearns.