Brewers sign Joba Chamberlain to MiLB deal, $1.375MM if he makes 25-man roster

[Invader3K]

No terms known yet. Being reported by Jon Heyman.

[jerichoholicninja]

I would think it's a minor league deal. I can't see anyone giving him a major league spot.

[TURBO]

Brewers signed RHP Joba Chamberlain to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training.

 

Chamberlain, 31, put up a solid 2.25 ERA and 18/11 K/BB ratio over 20 relief innings for the Indians last season but got released around midseason and didn't catch on anywhere else. He'll have to pitch his way onto the Opening Day roster again but has a decent shot at a middle relief job.

 

Source: Jon Heyman on Twitter Jan 20 - 5:46 PM

[pacopete4]

Like this type of signing. Like it a lot.

[patrickgpe]

Like this type of signing. Like it a lot.

I'm indifferent. You are not signing him to turn him into a prospect in July. Therefore he is just taking innings from a younger guy.

[CheeseheadInQC]

No real harm, but it does seem like the Brewers have more fringy bullpen arms than it would take to fill the last couple MLB spots and all of ones in Colorado Springs.

[JohnBriggs12]

Like this type of signing. Like it a lot.

I'm indifferent. You are not signing him to turn him into a prospect in July. Therefore he is just taking innings from a younger guy.

 

The Brewers used 27 pitchers in 2016. They'll be plenty of opportunities for young guys. This isn't the minor leagues. At this level you have to perform or another guy will get his chance.

 

A lot of the "younger" guys aren't really young. Marinez is 28. Blazek turns 28 in March. Cravy turns 28 in July. Barnes turns 27 in April. Chamberlain is competing with guys like Scahill, Cravy and Blazek for the innings provided by Boyer last year.

[AdvantageSchneider]

So the Indians didn't release him, they were going to send him down to the minors and he opted out of his contract. I suppose since he didn't latch on with anyone last year we didn't have to give him that type of clause in his contract. Seems like a decent signing.

[jerichoholicninja]

Like this type of signing. Like it a lot.

I'm indifferent. You are not signing him to turn him into a prospect in July. Therefore he is just taking innings from a younger guy.

 

What young relievers is he blocking? I don't buy into Feliz "blocking" the young guys from "high leverage innings" but I can understand it. But I don't see Chamberlain taking any innings away from anyone. He's probably a 6th innng/we're losing pitcher ala Boyer last year.

[jerichoholicninja]

So the Indians didn't release him, they were going to send him down to the minors and he opted out of his contract. I suppose since he didn't latch on with anyone last year we didn't have to give him that type of clause in his contract. Seems like a decent signing.

 

He didn't opt out he refused assignment.

[HighHeat19]

Stearns breaks away from his wedding rehearsal dinner. Busts out the phone sitting on the John, and acquires Chamberlain.

 

My kind of GM.

[MKE81]

Like this type of signing. Like it a lot.

I'm indifferent. You are not signing him to turn him into a prospect in July. Therefore he is just taking innings from a younger guy.

 

What young relievers is he blocking? I don't buy into Feliz "blocking" the young guys from "high leverage innings" but I can understand it. But I don't see Chamberlain taking any innings away from anyone. He's probably a 6th innng/we're losing pitcher ala Boyer last year.

My first thought was exactly this. The guys I view as "young pen arms" are Barnes (this is his first full year), Knebel, Magnifico. They're not getting blocked. Barnes, Knebel already have spots locked. Magnifico still has to earn his but I'm banking on him making it. The Brewers could technically run with 4 backup position players and 8 pen arms too. This is a good sign, per usual by Stearns, with nothing but upside. There's no risk

[brewmann04]

May the best guys win spots on the crew this season

[AdvantageSchneider]

So the Indians didn't release him, they were going to send him down to the minors and he opted out of his contract. I suppose since he didn't latch on with anyone last year we didn't have to give him that type of clause in his contract. Seems like a decent signing.

 

He didn't opt out he refused assignment.

 

How is that different that what I said?

[djoctagone]

when a free agent spends the entire previous season on the 25-man roster and/or major league disabled list and signs a minor league deal the following season, the signing club is required to add an opt-out clause to the player's contract that kicks in just before spring training ends.

 

thus, the brewers weren't required to add an opt-out clause, but chamberlain certainly could have negotiated for one or more.

[Invader3K]

I'm surprised he was actually decent last year...it was just 20 appearances, but he had a 2.25 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He was pretty terrible the couple seasons prior, though.

[JDBrewCrew]

Tom ‏@Haudricourt 2h2 hours ago

#Brewers working toward completing agreement with reliever Joba Chamberlain. @JonHeyman on it first. Should be done today or tomorrow.

[JDBrewCrew]

Jon Heyman ‏@JonHeyman 1m1 minute ago

 

Joba's minors deal with brewers for $1.375M plus incentives is complete

[JohnBriggs12]

I'm surprised he was actually decent last year...it was just 20 appearances, but he had a 2.25 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. He was pretty terrible the couple seasons prior, though.

 

Lots of bullpen innings from last year aren't around: Jeffress, Thornburg, Smith, Boyer, Capuano. More were filled by guys who are still around but certainly not locks to make the roster. Can't fill all those innings with guys with just token major league experience. Still think they could use a veteran lefty.

[Patrick425]

The Brewers used 27 pitchers in 2016. They'll be plenty of opportunities for young guys. This isn't the minor leagues. At this level you have to perform or another guy will get his chance.

 

You mean like Wei-Chung Wang in 2014?

[monty57]

The Brewers used 27 pitchers in 2016. They'll be plenty of opportunities for young guys. This isn't the minor leagues. At this level you have to perform or another guy will get his chance.

 

You mean like Wei-Chung Wang in 2014?

 

He was a Rule 5 which made it a different situation, but since they found a mystery injury that allowed them to stick him in the minors and hold onto him, I'd say yes to your question.

 

The Brewers have some promise in their bullpen, but I don't think they'll hesitate to make moves if guys aren't cutting it.

[Patrick425]

He was a Rule 5 which made it a different situation

 

Sorry to drudge up this argument again, but I'll respectively disagree when it comes to Wang. People acted like he was the 2nd coming of Stephen Strasburg (and still do) and that there was no way we could afford to let him get away. He had no business tying up a roster spot, and I'll never buy the "every team has mop up guy in their bullpen" argument. Mop up pitchers don't have 10+ ERAs AND they are actually used in mop up situations. Teams usually have enough confidence in their "mop up" pitchers to let them pitch more than 14 innings in 3 months.

 

Ok, yes, I'm an old man and I'm still bitter about this! Now you kids get off my lawn!

[jerichoholicninja]

He was a Rule 5 which made it a different situation

 

Sorry to drudge up this argument again, but I'll respectively disagree when it comes to Wang. People acted like he was the 2nd coming of Stephen Strasburg (and still do) and that there was no way we could afford to let him get away. He had no business tying up a roster spot, and I'll never buy the "every team has mop up guy in their bullpen" argument. Mop up pitchers don't have 10+ ERAs that they are actually used in mop up situations. Teams usually have enough confidence in their "mop up" pitchers to let them pitch more than 14 innings in 3 months.

 

Ok, yes, I'm an old man and I'm still bitter about this! Now you kids get off my lawn!

 

If Ron actually used him more than once every 2 weeks it wouldn't have been so bad. Ya he got hammered but he was pitching ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS. There was no reason he couldn't have been brought in to face a lefty every now or then.

[brewmann04]

It never hurts having enough pitching

[djoctagone]

chamberlain released today. although he still had three minor league options remaining, he had enough service time to veto any optioning to the minor leagues.

 

with a healthy bullpen that appears to be set with many other players that cannot be optioned without their consent (neftali feliz, jhan marinez, carlos torres and possibly tommy milone), it makes sense for the brewers to fill the remaining three or four spots with players that can be optioned back and forth if they struggle. after all, there's optioned bullpen depth with michael blazek and damien magnifico, and one or more of jacob barnes, tyler cravy, taylor jungmann, corey knebel and brent suter that can be shuttled back and forth if need be.

 

if there were injuries in the brewers' bullpen, chamberlain might still be with the organization.