Phil Bickford

[balsamlaker]

Will the Brewers add Bickford to their 40-man this offseason? Seems like the type of power arm a team could take a chance on in a Rule 5 draft.

[DHonks]

Hard to say. He has done little to nothing for them in all these years. His last few outings have been an improvement. But I think we have more important people to protect. Having said that, I'm not a scout and don't know how he's throwing. A lack of success isn't always an indicator. Plus remember we have 4 players on our 60-day DL that will fill roster spots

[adambr2]

No, zero chance.

 

He was already left unprotected last fall and went undrafted. He's not nearly valuable enough of a prospect anymore to burn a 40 man spot on and likely again is in no risk of being selected in the Rule 5.

[Greenleaf1]

Bickford since July 9th:

 

8 G

14.0 IP

19 K

5 BB

0 R

.114/.220/.114 against

 

BABIP is .200, and he's been extremely fly ball heavy this year (76% FB this year), but he might have turned a corner? Still a really small sample size, it would be great to hear a scouting report to really believe this change, but if he's gained back the velo he lost around the time we acquired him, he could turn into a nice bullpen guy in the future.

 

He just turned 24, which is still a bit old for high A but not too old to count him out completely. A 40-man spot seems highly unlikely, but if someone takes a flier on him in the Rule 5, it'd be interesting to see how he performs. I hope he sticks with us and does well at AA next year.

[TigerUppercut]

Bickford since July 9th:

 

8 G

14.0 IP

19 K

5 BB

0 R

.114/.220/.114 against

 

BABIP is .200, and he's been extremely fly ball heavy this year (76% FB this year), but he might have turned a corner? Still a really small sample size, it would be great to hear a scouting report to really believe this change, but if he's gained back the velo he lost around the time we acquired him, he could turn into a nice bullpen guy in the future.

 

He just turned 24, which is still a bit old for high A but not too old to count him out completely. A 40-man spot seems highly unlikely, but if someone takes a flier on him in the Rule 5, it'd be interesting to see how he performs. I hope he sticks with us and does well at AA next year.

 

I think the most alarming thing I see is that many of the upside arms we were pegging as potential starters the last handful of years are turning into bullpen arms. On the one hand, it's great that they're at least turning into contributors but given how expensive starting pitching is in the free agent game, those guys not reaching their ceiling really hamstrings us trying to compete with big market squads.

[Smichaelis9]

Bickford since July 9th:

 

8 G

14.0 IP

19 K

5 BB

0 R

.114/.220/.114 against

 

BABIP is .200, and he's been extremely fly ball heavy this year (76% FB this year), but he might have turned a corner? Still a really small sample size, it would be great to hear a scouting report to really believe this change, but if he's gained back the velo he lost around the time we acquired him, he could turn into a nice bullpen guy in the future.

 

He just turned 24, which is still a bit old for high A but not too old to count him out completely. A 40-man spot seems highly unlikely, but if someone takes a flier on him in the Rule 5, it'd be interesting to see how he performs. I hope he sticks with us and does well at AA next year.

 

I think the most alarming thing I see is that many of the upside arms we were pegging as potential starters the last handful of years are turning into bullpen arms. On the one hand, it's great that they're at least turning into contributors but given how expensive starting pitching is in the free agent game, those guys not reaching their ceiling really hamstrings us trying to compete with big market squads.

I sort of agree, but I also think that’s pretty common honestly. Woodruff obviously has turned into the starter we needed, I believe Houser is a capable starter going forward, it’ll be interesting with the Ashby’s, Ethan Small’s, and Max Lazar’s of the system, seeing if they end up being starters long term.

[brewmann04]

they going to need at least two move forward into the starter role.

[wntrtxn21]

Bickford since July 9th:

 

8 G

14.0 IP

19 K

5 BB

0 R

.114/.220/.114 against

 

BABIP is .200, and he's been extremely fly ball heavy this year (76% FB this year), but he might have turned a corner? Still a really small sample size, it would be great to hear a scouting report to really believe this change, but if he's gained back the velo he lost around the time we acquired him, he could turn into a nice bullpen guy in the future.

 

He just turned 24, which is still a bit old for high A but not too old to count him out completely. A 40-man spot seems highly unlikely, but if someone takes a flier on him in the Rule 5, it'd be interesting to see how he performs. I hope he sticks with us and does well at AA next year.

 

You're right that it's highly doubtful Bickford is even on most team's radar. Since 2017 he has pitched a grand total of 72.1 innings and will be 25 and just getting to AA ball. The Brewers won't lose him to rule 5.

[ClosetBrewerFan]

Hard to say. He has done little to nothing for them in all these years. His last few outings have been an improvement. But I think we have more important people to protect. Having said that, I'm not a scout and don't know how he's throwing. A lack of success isn't always an indicator. Plus remember we have 4 players on our 60-day DL that will fill roster spots

I've moved Bickford to the "maybe" column. After the trades and the recent promotions, there are few players that need to be protected. The most obvious is Cory Ray. Then I would say M. Sanchez, Erceg, Z. Brown, Webb are the next ones (Maybe Griep, D.Brown, Perdomo?). We should have plenty of spots open on the 40 man. We have 5 free agents and the 2 mutual options that are unlikely to happen. Plus the dead weight of J.Jackson, H.Perez, Saladino, Taylor, and Wilkerson that could be let go to free up spots. So even with the four 60 man guys we need to protect, there are up to 8 spots still available if we need them. Just a question of which players you would rather protect. If Bickford continues to pitch well for the rest of the season, he could very well be in that mix.

[FVBrewerFan]

Extra roster spot next year, so we may see a couple more rule 5 picks. Highly doubt Bickford is one of them, but not impossible. He's young enough, has some of that prospect pedigree, and back to pitching well (albeit a very small sample.)

[Roderick]

Extra roster spot next year, so we may see a couple more rule 5 picks. Highly doubt Bickford is one of them, but not impossible. He's young enough, has some of that prospect pedigree, and back to pitching well (albeit a very small sample.)

 

I think they put a cap on pitchers on the 26 man roster of 13. Which would be what most NL clubs run anyways.

 

So maybe AL teams would select a bullpen guy in the rule 5 draft.

[CheezWizHed]

I honestly forgot we still had him...

[folly412]

2.1 IP, 1 H, 5 Ks today. This run has gone from too little, too late to starting to become interesting.

[Lathund]

With 2 clean innings today, it's now 26 consecutive scoreless innings for Bickford. In that stretch there have been 9 hits (I believe all of them singles), 6 walks, 1 HBP, 38 K.

[brewmann04]

i would think Biloxi could use him for the playoffs

[Brew crew 92]

i would think Biloxi could use him for the playoffs

 

Then on to the crew, to help us get to the playoffs.

[homer]

We should sign him to an extension

[TigerUppercut]

i would think Biloxi could use him for the playoffs

 

Then on to the crew, to help us get to the playoffs.

 

Just like Grisham (225/288/437/724) and Devin Williams (4. ERA/5.22 FIP) have led the march to October.

[reillymcshane]

Bickford hasn't given up a run in 26 innings. 39K. Pretty sweet numbers. I wouldn't give up on a guy producing like that - even if it is only at Carolina.

 

Anyone know what he is throwing? I know his velocity was down. Perhaps he's got some zing back on his FB.

[JimH5]

The Carolina League has a .683 OPS as a league. So his stats are nice, but it's a league that suppresses hitting, so I wouldn't get overly excited. He's already 24 and still in A-ball.

 

I don't think there's much risk in leaving him exposed.

[Jenkins5]

The Carolina League has a .683 OPS as a league. So his stats are nice, but it's a league that suppresses hitting, so I wouldn't get overly excited. He's already 24 and still in A-ball.

 

I don't think there's much risk in leaving him exposed.

 

I’d disagree with suppressing league making it less exciting. The league is pitcher friendly due to parks & climate. That has zero to do with Ks, BBs, and less to do with xFIP which Ks & Walks factor pretty high into. Him K’ing 15+ per nine with a K% of 42% has nothing to do with the league and not just something any pitcher 21 or even 26 year old pitch can walk in and do. That is dominance. Same goes for that amount of innings without a run given up. Pitcher league or not, that’s very impressive. If the league was just that easy for pitchers, all of them would do it.

 

15/3.5 K/BB per 9, 42%/9% K/BB%, xFIP of 1.98... next closest was File at 2.96. His K/9 is 5 more Ks higher than the next guys. Across the board his numbers are top notch and leading that staff in almost all categories. His age is actually right on par with anyone not named Ashby or Hernandez on the Carolina staff who has pitched at least 30 innings. So it’s not like he is some old guy trolling away in A+, he will be 24 in AA for most of next season.

[Brew crew 92]

i would think Biloxi could use him for the playoffs

 

Then on to the crew, to help us get to the playoffs.

 

Just like Grisham (225/288/437/724) and Devin Williams (4. ERA/5.22 FIP) have led the march to October.

 

Grisham’s ready, little slump, that’s all, he’ll bust loose. Williams doesn’t look ready.

[Roderick]

The Carolina League has a .683 OPS as a league. So his stats are nice, but it's a league that suppresses hitting, so I wouldn't get overly excited. He's already 24 and still in A-ball.

 

I don't think there's much risk in leaving him exposed.

 

The new 26 man roster is perfect for the AL teams to pick up a reliever to pull a Wang.

[adambr2]

pull a Wang.

 

 

I would have thought by 37 I would have grown up a bit. Appears not.