phil bickford claimed by dodgers

[pacopete4]

Fire Stearns. He clearly doesn’t know what he’s doing.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Josh Hader is just a year older than Bickford, so its not like we are talking about some 20 yr old just tapping into his potential Stearns willingly gave up on prematurely. Hader is well into arbitration because he was dominant as a reliever pretty much from the moment he was converted to that roll in the minors and from the instant he reached MLB.

 

Bickford isn't well into arbitration because he has barely spent any time on a mound above AA in his career despite spending an uneven 6 seasons across the minors. The Brewers gave him ample opportunities to make it and stick with the club, and his performance with them simply wasn't deserving of more chances

 

Many times it takes talented guys multiple shots with different teams before something clicks and they finally get their moment in the sun or they just plain wash out as a 'never was'. Particularly relievers. Something probably also to the fact that Bickford is a Cali guy from the LA burbs and he is back with an organization in that state. Never really seemed to settle in at all while he was in the Brewers organization, at any level - some of that due to his off field difficulties.

 

Good for Bickford making the most out of what was probably his last opportunity to have a mlb career....hopefully for his sake its not a flash in the pan and he can sustain success long enough to reach lucrative arbitration salaries before he turns 30, but frankly that's doubtful even with this years great roll he is on.

[OldHeidelberg]

Josh Hader is just a year older than Bickford, so its not like we are talking about some 20 yr old just tapping into his potential Stearns willingly gave up on prematurely. Hader is well into arbitration because he was dominant as a reliever pretty much from the moment he was converted to that roll in the minors and from the instant he reached MLB.

 

Bickford isn't well into arbitration because he has barely spent any time on a mound above AA in his career despite spending an uneven 6 seasons across the minors. The Brewers gave him ample opportunities to make it and stick with the club, and his performance with them simply wasn't deserving of more chances

 

Many times it takes talented guys multiple shots with different teams before something clicks and they finally get their moment in the sun or they just plain wash out as a 'never was'. Particularly relievers. Something probably also to the fact that Bickford is a Cali guy from the LA burbs and he is back with an organization in that state. Never really seemed to settle in at all while he was in the Brewers organization, at any level - some of that due to his off field difficulties.

 

Good for Bickford making the most out of what was probably his last opportunity to have a mlb career....hopefully for his sake its not a flash in the pan and he can sustain success long enough to reach lucrative arbitration salaries before he turns 30, but frankly that's doubtful even with this years great roll he is on.

 

I don't know, he didn't get that long a look with the Brewers(2IP) and a guy who throws that hard was probably going to get a few more chances. You're probably right he just wasn't a good fit with the Brewers but he wasn't a nobody, most of us were aware of him due to what we gave up and draft status so hoped he would pan out. Just odd that they punted on him so quickly after it took so long for him to reach the majors. On a related note I just checked and saw Knebel has been back for a few weeks as well.

[pacopete4]

It’s good to know the Dodgers have to use our scraps to make it.

[timpep]

The Brewers gave him ample opportunities to make it and stick with the club, and his performance with them simply wasn't deserving of more chances

 

The Brewers didn't really give him much of a shot the last few years at all actually. I think Stearns would obviously take this one back if he could. His strategy of churning through players until you find some guys that work will result in cases like this, but it also results in cases like Cousins, Adamas and Tellez.

[Outlander]

Just like when the move happened it was a rare instance of roster mismanagement by Stearns. It doesn't mean he needs to be fired, mistakes happen, whatever. Easily could have had Lauer start instead of Godley or put File on the 60 day IL like they did a few days after this and just optioned Bickford. But that didn't happen and they lost a potential useful piece of the bullpen. Great for Bickford, a couple of months later Stearns calls up a nobody in Jake Cousins and he doesn't give up a run all year.

[Fear The Chorizo]

The Brewers gave him ample opportunities to make it and stick with the club, and his performance with them simply wasn't deserving of more chances

 

The Brewers didn't really give him much of a shot the last few years at all actually. I think Stearns would obviously take this one back if he could. His strategy of churning through players until you find some guys that work will result in cases like this, but it also results in cases like Cousins, Adamas and Tellez.

 

Well, COVID in 2020 basically gave no minor leaguers in Bickford's shoes a shot....and prior to that Bickford wasn't consistently available due to some off-field stuff and when he was, what I recall are reports of his velo being well below the mid-upper 90's stuff that made him a 1st round talent in the first place years ago.

 

They had him in MLB spring training this year, started him off up in AAA, and he was part of their early season bullpen shuttle plans until he showed no signs of putting it together enough to justify even that role. Of course churning through guys will have the occasional 'miss' or player that falls out of favor and then later establishes himself as a quality player elsewhere....but to me it just seemed very apparent that it just wasn't going to work out for Bickford or the Brewers if they held onto him. For the individual players working through these type of issues, I'm glad there are things like Rule V eligibility and limitations on minor league options that afford them more options to 'make it'. It's one of those instances that if the Dodgers weren't decimated at the time with their bullpen when Bickford was put on waivers, he would likely wouldn't have been claimed by another organization and he could still be with the Brewers.

 

Even after all that, it's ironic to me that Bickford didn't get called up to the LA Dodgers until a spot opened up in late May when Jimmy Nelson went onto the IL with forearm issues (that predates another shoulder/back issue and the more recent elbow injuries that likely end Jimmy's career) - Bickford was intended to be a stopgap by the Dodgers as well, but he took that opportunity and ran with it....at least to this point. Good for him!

Edited August 20, 2021 by Fear The Chorizo

[CheezWizHed]

I get that Bickford was a bit of a fan favorite, but he is far from what he was when we originally got him. From a high 90s FB starter to a low 90s reliever. I'm happy for him that he is succeeding, but I don't see him as even a high leverage reliever going forward.

 

We have found 10 similar (or better) pitchers for every Bickford we have lost. Every team loses players like Bickford; not nearly as many have had success in finding them as the Brewers.

[brewers888]

Was Bickford out of options or was he just flat out released. Never expected him to pitch this well but he was a more likely success story than others we have used.

[OldHeidelberg]

Was Bickford out of options or was he just flat out released. Never expected him to pitch this well but he was a more likely success story than others we have used.

 

He had options but was DFA'd to make room for Zach Godley if I was reading the earlier posts in this thread right. Seems like an avoidable blunder but like others have said the org just may have wanted to move on and let him go somewhere else. He did make it all the way to the Dodgers so most of MLB passed on claiming him.

[Mass Haas]

Turns out fewer fastballs and doubling slider usage to 40% was Bickford's key to success.

[TURBO]

 

He had options but was DFA'd to make room for Zach Godley...

 

gross

Edited January 15, 2022 by turborickey

[Joseph Zarr]

Man, this one stings. Bickford was fantastic for the Dodgers and there is nothing worse than seeing the Brewers lose a high upside guy to the Dodgers...particularly given they DFA'd to make room for Godley. Yowza. Happy for Bickford tho as his career was quite rocky til this past season. I hope he finds lasting success!

[brewmann04]

This ticks me off losing young arms with potential

[patrickgpe]

This is a lot of revisionist history. They dfa’d him because they needed a starter, which bickford is not. Yes I’m sure stearns would like this back, but I don’t think anyone complained so loudly when the move way made.

[adambr2]

This is a lot of revisionist history. They dfa’d him because they needed a starter, which bickford is not. Yes I’m sure stearns would like this back, but I don’t think anyone complained so loudly when the move way made.

 

Even going back to when this move was made in this thread people weren't happy with it.

[sveumrules]

Would love to still have Bickford, but that he fell victim to roster crunch is kind of a testament to the depth the front office & development staff have put together on the pitching side over the years.

 

Bickford was one of 115 relievers that FanGraphs had at 0.7 rWAR or more in 2021.

 

Brewers: Hader (3.4), Williams (1.6), Boxberger (1.1), Strickland (1.0), Suter (0.8) & Cousins (0.7).

 

Ex-Brewers: Will Smith (1.5), Trevor Richards (1.0), Phil Bickford (0.9), Drew Pomeranz (0.8), JPF (0.8), Jimmy Nelson (0.7) & Jhoulys Chacin (0.7).

 

That's 13 of 115 with Stearns & company ties in one way or another. Knebel (just missed at 0.5 rWAR) & Rasmussen (2.1 rWAR with TB mostly as an SP) are two more quality arms that didn't quite meet the criteria but were still dealt to address other needs (Drew) or too expensive to roll the dice on with the depth on hand (Corey).

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

This is a lot of revisionist history. They dfa’d him because they needed a starter, which bickford is not. Yes I’m sure stearns would like this back, but I don’t think anyone complained so loudly when the move way made.

 

He showed nothing in his short stint in the Brewers' pen that made it appear that he would be a long term piece. He was throwing batting practice fastballs at roughly 90 mph, and got slapped around pretty good.

 

Sometimes it just doesn't work out at the place you want it to. We'll see if he develops into anything long term, of if he is just a flash in the pan for the Dodgers. Considering the volatility of non-elite relief pitchers, odds are he'll likely flame out.

[brooks_quichenick]

This is a lot of revisionist history. They dfa’d him because they needed a starter, which bickford is not. Yes I’m sure stearns would like this back, but I don’t think anyone complained so loudly when the move way made.

 

He showed nothing in his short stint in the Brewers' pen that made it appear that he would be a long term piece. He was throwing batting practice fastballs at roughly 90 mph, and got slapped around pretty good.

 

Sometimes it just doesn't work out at the place you want it to. We'll see if he develops into anything long term, of if he is just a flash in the pan for the Dodgers. Considering the volatility of non-elite relief pitchers, odds are he'll likely flame out.

 

He pitched a total of 2 innings in his time with the Brewers. Of course he showed nothing.

 

It’s ok to admit that maybe the Brewers front office made a mistake here.

[TURBO]

 

He pitched a total of 2 innings in his time with the Brewers. Of course he showed nothing.

 

It’s ok to admit that maybe the Brewers front office made a mistake here.

 

EXACTLY!

 

This, this, this!

[sveumrules]

I think having too many good pitchers to roster them all is more of a success than it is a failure.

 

The Brewers have won the 7th most games in MLB the last four years largely because their pitchers have posted the 6th best runs allowed based WAR in the game over that time frame. Focusing on Bickford slipping through the cracks kind of seems a little like not seeing the forest for the trees. Especially when Stearns & company have pulled multiple relievers out of their hat over the years.

 

If Bickford was such an obvious talent how come he made it all the way to the Dodgers at the end of the waiver list?

[Joseph Zarr]

I think having too many good pitchers to roster them all is more of a success than it is a failure.

 

The Brewers have won the 7th most games in MLB the last four years largely because their pitchers have posted the 6th best runs allowed based WAR in the game over that time frame. Focusing on Bickford slipping through the cracks kind of seems a little like not seeing the forest for the trees. Especially when Stearns & company have pulled multiple relievers out of their hat over the years.

 

If Bickford was such an obvious talent how come he made it all the way to the Dodgers at the end of the waiver list?

 

Very good point. Tip of the cap.

 

From my personal vantage point: it really just stings - and that is all I personally mean. It stings to see the Dodgers claim a Brewer and that Brewer help that team succeed. LOL. Not a single GM or organization hits 100% on these decisions. I question what they held over Bickford. I think this is fair. However, I also am not holding onto this as some type of judgmental chess piece. Players often need a different scenario or a different approach to find that success. In the end: Good for Bickford! I wish it happened with the Brewers.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

This is a lot of revisionist history. They dfa’d him because they needed a starter, which bickford is not. Yes I’m sure stearns would like this back, but I don’t think anyone complained so loudly when the move way made.

 

He showed nothing in his short stint in the Brewers' pen that made it appear that he would be a long term piece. He was throwing batting practice fastballs at roughly 90 mph, and got slapped around pretty good.

 

Sometimes it just doesn't work out at the place you want it to. We'll see if he develops into anything long term, of if he is just a flash in the pan for the Dodgers. Considering the volatility of non-elite relief pitchers, odds are he'll likely flame out.

 

He pitched a total of 2 innings in his time with the Brewers. Of course he showed nothing.

 

It’s ok to admit that maybe the Brewers front office made a mistake here.

 

I'm sorry, but that's far from the whole story. Bickford is a guy the Brewers stood by for YEARS through his drug issues and suspensions, while his supposed high-end arm struggled to hit the mid-80s MPH pitching in the lower minors. He FINALLY figured some things out and pitched effectively in the minors, albeit without much of a discernible rise in MPH. They finally decided he was no longer worth the trouble for what upside they saw. Yes, they very well may have been wrong. But it isn't like Bickford was some sort of can't miss guy. The only reason he made the majors at all was that the Brewers didn't give up on him, even though he gave them many reasons to.

Edited January 18, 2022 by Ron Robinson's Beard

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

 

He pitched a total of 2 innings in his time with the Brewers. Of course he showed nothing.

 

It’s ok to admit that maybe the Brewers front office made a mistake here.

 

EXACTLY!

 

This, this, this!

 

We'll see. Odds are still very favorable that he'll turn out to be just another guy.