justin topa transferred to 60-day injured list

[jerichoholicninja]

He's a 30 year old journeyman with 7 (really good) MLB innings in his career. I think we need to hold back a little on assuming he's going to be an improvement over the other 30+ year old journeymen we've been cycling through.

[pacopete4]

I’ll be shocked if Topa is a difference maker but will be glad to be shocked if true.

[Outlander]

He has to be an improvement. Knowing CC and the shape of the pen, we'll see him tonight weather permitting.

Once Hader gets back it will be in great shape, Topa should be a solid addition.

[LouisEly]

He's a 30 year old journeyman with 7 (really good) MLB innings in his career. I think we need to hold back a little on assuming he's going to be an improvement over the other 30+ year old journeymen we've been cycling through.

97.8mph average 2-seam fastball in 2020.

[DHonks]

Wasn’t his slider absolutely filthy?

[sveumrules]

Wasn’t his slider absolutely filthy?

 

According to StatCast Topa's slider is 83.3 MPH with 16" horizontal / 37" vertical movement vs league average of 6" horizontal / 37" vertical movement.

 

Ten extra inches of horizontal movement compared to league average seems pretty significant.

[adambr2]

The Topa hype looks too familiar to the Ray Black hype to me.

 

I of course hope he can be a huge addition as well. Just would prefer to keep my expectations in check until Topa can justify the hype.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

The Topa hype looks too familiar to the Ray Black hype to me.

 

I of course hope he can be a huge addition as well. Just would prefer to keep my expectations in check until Topa can justify the hype.

 

Except that every fastball Black throws is straight as an arrow, and his command of his secondary stuff sucks. Topa has crazy movement on his off-speed stuff to go with that 98 mph heater.

 

8 innings in the weird pandemic year is pretty much the definition of a small sample, but I don't think anyone is expecting him to come in and supplant Williams, either.

[sveumrules]

Topa career BB9 minors: 2.4

 

Black career BB9 minors: 5.9

 

Topa has much better control than Black.

[bork]

Topa has options left and with 4 pitchers coming off the covid list soon, he likely will end up in AAA.

[IIAY]

Topa has options left and with 4 pitchers coming off the covid list soon, he likely will end up in AAA.

I would say this is correct. With Hader, Lauer, and Houser needing to be added to the 26-man, it is probably a given that Milner and Topa are optioned. Gustave likely gets optioned when he comes back as well. That leaves one more roster spot that is needed, which probably will be Sanchez as he still has options remaining while Strickland does not.

[adambr2]

The Topa hype looks too familiar to the Ray Black hype to me.

 

I of course hope he can be a huge addition as well. Just would prefer to keep my expectations in check until Topa can justify the hype.

 

Except that every fastball Black throws is straight as an arrow, and his command of his secondary stuff sucks. Topa has crazy movement on his off-speed stuff to go with that 98 mph heater.

 

8 innings in the weird pandemic year is pretty much the definition of a small sample, but I don't think anyone is expecting him to come in and supplant Williams, either.

 

So how is he 30 years old with 8+ years in professional baseball with this amazing movement and stuff and barely ever a shot to play in the big leagues?

 

Not trying to be contrarian for the sake of being contrarian. These are legitimate questions.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

The Topa hype looks too familiar to the Ray Black hype to me.

 

I of course hope he can be a huge addition as well. Just would prefer to keep my expectations in check until Topa can justify the hype.

 

Except that every fastball Black throws is straight as an arrow, and his command of his secondary stuff sucks. Topa has crazy movement on his off-speed stuff to go with that 98 mph heater.

 

8 innings in the weird pandemic year is pretty much the definition of a small sample, but I don't think anyone is expecting him to come in and supplant Williams, either.

 

So how is he 30 years old with 8+ years in professional baseball with this amazing movement and stuff and barely ever a shot to play in the big leagues?

 

Not trying to be contrarian for the sake of being contrarian. These are legitimate questions.

 

He missed complete seasons in 2015 and 2017 after having Tommy John surgery. Only 12 innings in 2016 before getting hurt again. Struggled once he returned in 2018, then became a minor league FA. Brewers grabbed him in November 2019, and he pitched solidly in 40 innings. The one thing that got him attention, though, was the increased velocity. He went from throwing low to mid-90s as a minor leaguer in the Pirate and ranger systems to high 90s to even touching triple digits with the Brewers in 2019. Then he came back and did the same thing in spring training in 2020, which got him a ticket to the alternate site in Appleton.

[adambr2]

Interesting. Could be a great find. The Brewers FO has done quite well in the Stearns era finding diamonds in the rough with relievers-- most recently Feyereisen and Cousins...here's hoping Topa can be the next.

[timpep]

The Topa hype looks too familiar to the Ray Black hype to me.

 

I of course hope he can be a huge addition as well. Just would prefer to keep my expectations in check until Topa can justify the hype.

 

He'll will probably be better than some of what we've trotted out the last few days but he's got no place on the team when people are healthy. I don't get the hype either. He's thrown like 20 innings total over the last 2 years, we really have no idea what he is.

[sveumrules]

Topa's been with the organization since 2019. He has thrown 49 IP in the minors with 50 K / 13 BB and a ground ball rate around 50%. After giving up 2 runs in his MLB debut he followed that up with 5 scoreless outings in the regular season (10 K / 0 BB), then capped it off with two scoreless against the Dodgers in the postseason.

 

Maybe we really have no idea what he is, but whatever little idea we do have, the Brewers front office / coaching staff have a much better idea & they've already demonstrated a decent degree of belief in Topa's brief time with the organization.

 

That said, Hader, Williams, Boxberger, Suter, Cousins, Strickland, Sanchez & Norris are all ahead of Topa for sure, I'd imagine Ashby is too.

 

The idea that a guy with stuff like this is only like our 10th best relief option, is a testament to the depth of the organization...

 

[LouisEly]

The Topa hype looks too familiar to the Ray Black hype to me.

 

I of course hope he can be a huge addition as well. Just would prefer to keep my expectations in check until Topa can justify the hype.

 

He'll will probably be better than some of what we've trotted out the last few days but he's got no place on the team when people are healthy. I don't get the hype either. He's thrown like 20 innings total over the last 2 years, we really have no idea what he is.

How is that any different than Cousins? Why does Cousins deserve a spot but Topa doesn't?

[pacopete4]

Not a very good second appearance.

[adambr2]

The Topa hype looks too familiar to the Ray Black hype to me.

 

I of course hope he can be a huge addition as well. Just would prefer to keep my expectations in check until Topa can justify the hype.

 

He'll will probably be better than some of what we've trotted out the last few days but he's got no place on the team when people are healthy. I don't get the hype either. He's thrown like 20 innings total over the last 2 years, we really have no idea what he is.

How is that any different than Cousins? Why does Cousins deserve a spot but Topa doesn't?

 

Because recency and sample size matter. Topa had 7+ innings of really good pitching last season, Cousins has 15+ of great pitching this season.

 

Of course recent performance matters when making roster decisions as it does for any other position too.

[markedman5]

Topa optioned back to Nashville to.make room for Lauer

[adambr2]

Certainly hope his next stint goes better than this one. We'll see how things go in Nashville for him.

[djoctagone]

it has been reported that justin topa will be recalled today and added to the expanded 28-man roster.

[folly412]

I had Gustave in my predictions. Suppose they can option Milner, clear a 40-man spot, and get him back up to Milwaukee for the weekend.

[pacopete4]

Is this guy any good? Results are not there.

[sveumrules]

Is this guy any good? Results are not there.

 

Sample is too small to really tell.

 

Topa's first MLB appearance he gave up 2 ER in 2 IP, in his next seven appearances after that he gave up 0 ER in 8.2 IP with 2 of those IP against the Dodgers in the postseason, in his last two appearances he gave up 7 ER in 1.2 IP.

 

On the one hand he's given up 9 ER in 12.1 career IP, on the other hand 7 of his 10 appearances have been scoreless.

 

I think he's good enough to be like the 9th/10th guy in a bullpen.