LHP Manny Parra Looks To Be Next In Bullpen Line

[Mass Haas]

As first mentioned here in our Link Report -- very encouraging reports on last night's Nashville relivers as well, LHP Joe Thatcher and RHP Grant Balfour.

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

newsok.com/article/3077582

 

Short notice doesn't keep Dickey from getting win

By Scott Wright

Oklahoman Staff Writer

 

R.A. Dickey pitched Thursday night on short rest and on short notice, but neither was enough to hinder the Nashville knuckleballer.

 

Dickey, who spent the previous 10 years of his career in the Texas Rangers organization and parts of seven seasons with the RedHawks, pitched the Sounds to a 3-1 win over his former club Thursday before 8,285 fans at the Bricktown Ballpark.

 

Dickey was scheduled to start Saturday night against the RedHawks but learned less than two hours before Thursday's game that he'd be pitching.

 

He had gone through his usual between-starts routine, which included pitching in the bullpen Wednesday and some off-day running Thursday afternoon.

 

"I ran 25 minutes ? went on my little track that I've gone around here for eight years,? he said. "I got back, and they told me I was starting after that. So I had about an hour and 20 minutes to prepare.?

 

The unexpected start came when the scheduled pitcher, Manny Parra, was told he might be called up by the Milwaukee Brewers and was instructed not to pitch.

 

"Every Triple-A team needs an R.A. Dickey, a guy that will take the ball any time and do a good job for you and keep you in the game,? acting Sounds manager Harry Spilman said. "He did just a great job tonight.?

 

Dickey allowed four hits in six innings, throwing 54 of his 90 pitches for strikes.

 

"I made an agreement with them that I'd start the game, but I just didn't want to have a pitch count,? said Dickey, who threw 93 pitches in his last start Monday. "I didn't want to be yanked out after three innings. If I was gonna go, I wanted to go.?

 

Dickey, who uses the knuckleball and a fastball that tops out about 85 miles per hour, watched in awe as relievers Joe Thatcher and Grant Balfour baffled the RedHawks with fastballs in the mid-90s over the final three innings.

 

"The heart of the order, Botts, Gold and Cruz, I bet collectively between those guys I threw 25 knuckleballs,? Dickey said. "So something coming in 94 is gonna look like 99.?

 

Balfour struck out five batters in the final two innings for his fifth save, his fastball reaching 96 mph.

 

"He was throwing gas and locating it, too,? Jones said. "That was the bad thing about it. He was impressive.?

[Mass Haas]

By the way, LHP Adam Pettyjohn is likely to start tonight for the Sounds, according to the same Oklahoma newspaper.

 

The Nashville media notes indicates it'll be Manny Parra.

[Thurston Fluff]

I ownder who he'll be replacing?

[BrewCrewRising]

I think it must have been last night when they were pondering who to call up and decided to go with TGJ instead. That is unless another player is injured and we haven't heard about it.

[Thurston Fluff]

That makes sense. It does kind of put to rest the idea that they won't put him in the pen because he can't get loose very quickly.

[Hammer]

They got a quantity deal on tickets so Parra AND Gwynn will be called up for Hall and a DFA of Spurling...

[JoeHova]

Quote:

---

parts of seven seasons with the RedHawks

---

 

!!!

 

 

 

This Parra news is very encouraging. If he performs well, that would allow the Brewers to replace Shouse with someone more versatile.

[Klements Bratwurst]

If Parra is coming up I would think that something is Brewing on the trade front? Or a DFA? Or an unknown injury?

 

If you bring up Parra and DL Hall you would have 13 pitchers and 12 position players. Then you would have too many long reliever types in the pen struggling for their share of innings. Could Vargas be dealt? Is Shouse ailing???

 

Interesting news....

[JohnBriggs12]

"They got a quanitiy deal..."

 

Frankly I would not be shocked if there is more of a roster shuffle than just Hall to DL, bring up Gwynn.

 

They might be reconsidering the wisdom of Gallardo in the bullpen after he struggled in Pitts, and may be considering resting him until the 5th starter spot after the break, July 17th.

They could option him for 10 days in the meantime and replace him with Parra for now.

 

I also have a hunch that Vargas has started his last game as a Brewer and will be elsewhere next week and that Balfour will be replacing Spurling by the end of July.

[patrickgpe]

possibly spurling could be DFA'd or there may be an injury that we don't know about. Possibly hall to dl and parra up for the final 3 games before the break since the pen got worn out in pittsburgh. Interesting news for sure. We could get by with 4 OF's for 3 days if that is the case.

[rotoherb]

I wouldn't be completely shocked if the Brewers are considering sending Gallardo down to Triple-A so he can start on a regular basis and bring Parra up to use in the bullpen.

[JoeHova]

Quote:

---

I wouldn't be completely shocked if the Brewers are considering sending Gallardo down to Triple-A so he can start on a regular basis and bring Parra up to use in the bullpen.

---

 

I would be, truthfully. The rest of 2007 is basically a free year of Gallardo. The Brewers may as well keep him up here and use him in the pen because they'll never get this chance again.

[patrickgpe]

an extra lefty in the pen that is not a LOOGY would be nice. Id be happy to see Spurling go and let Manny have a chance. we'll see.

 

If the argument against keeping in the rotation was to limit his innings. Therefore why would we want to have him throwing innings in AAA.

[rotoherb]

The reason I say that I wouldn't be shocked is not because of how much work Gallardo will get, but because of how he'll get it. They very well may have decided that the change to quickly warming up and going into the game doesn't suit him right now and it would be better to keep him starting on regular rest, especially if they want to put him back into the rotation later this season.

[BillScottCanRake]

A couple of things to consider with regard to Gallardo.

 

First, if Gallardo is sent to Nashville, it uses an option. If he remains with the team the rest of the year, no option is used since he was added to the 40 and 25-man rosters simultaneously. That might not matter, but it is always good to have options available for younger pitchers.

 

Second, if Gallardo is going to pitch in Milwaukee this September, he's going to have to spend time in the bullpen. I suppose if the Brewers think he'll cost them games pitching from the pen they'll send him to Nashville and let him pitch from the pen there, but I hope they wouldn't make that decision based on one outing.

 

As for Parra, I think he'd be an excellent addition to the bullpen. While I think he'd excel in the left specialist role, I think his stuff is good enough that he can get righties out, too.

[JohnBriggs12]

Keep this in mind also. It was this very weekend a year ago that they dumped Chad Moeller.

 

Plus the ante has been upped. The Cubs are breathing down their necks. They could be missing a key offensive part for several games at least.

 

It's time to quit messing around with starting pitchers who can't get past 5 and change. Vargas has had half a season to prove he's rotation worthy by giving them innings. He hasn't done it.

[jhart05]

sports.espn.go.com/mlb/pl...yerId=5395

 

I still can't figure out what a mop up guy like Spurling has done to warrent a DFA move?

[ryanbraun75]

can someone tell me about Manny Parra a little, like what does he throw, hows his delivery and stuff like that.

[JohnBriggs12]

"I still can't figure out what a mop up guy like Spurling has done to warrant a DFA move"

 

You might have answered your own question jhart. Mop up guys by definition are a. expendable and b. not to be trusted in close games. The Brewers thinking in a pennant race has to be if your not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.

 

One other aspect to consider is this: Is Shouse healthy? He's thrown one inning since June 24th and was not used at all against La Roche or Doumit who killed the Brewers.

[patrickgpe]

his pure numbers are OK. Where Ned uses him is not. He should not be pitching in the 9th or extra innings in a tie game, unless he is the last option. He would do fine at the Dessens' role, but Ned uses in a setup which is the problem.

[backup catchers]

his pure numbers are OK. Where Ned uses him is not. He should not be pitching in the 9th or extra innings in a tie game, unless he is the last option. He would do fine at the Dessens' role, but Ned uses in a setup which is the problem.

 

How does one know what role they can fill unless they are put into those roles enough time to show whether or not they can do it? It's premature to say someone with a sub 3 ERA isn't capable of pitching important innings. He hasn't been around long enough to determine his abilties.

 

Spurling may get traded but he sure as heck isn't going to be DFAed. We just got done trading someone with a 4.50 ERA a bad attitude, poor work habits and a year of very mediocre numbers previously. Why on earth would people think Spurling wouldn't net us at least something of value like the two Cruz's, JDLR, Cappy or Eveland did?

[IslandsAC]

Couldn't this also be evidence of a pending Parra trade? "The lefty who is racing to the majors on the back of a perfecto..." Wouldn't his trade value go even higher if he had a couple nice appearances with the big league club?

 

I won't pretend to know anything in this department - I would think that if Parra is seriously being brought up it would have to either be temporary or because of an injury or trade we aren't aware of.

[patrickgpe]

problem with that is i can think of 2 instances off the top of my head within a span of a week in which he directly caused us to loose (that sunday game in minnesota and then a week later against KC). I never said there isn't a role for him on this team. I did say if we were to DFA a pitcher out of our current pen, it be him.

[1992casey]

Let's use this thread to zero in on Manny Parra and use 'Spurling: How long do we need to suffer?' for any detailed discussion about Chris.

[backup catchers]

I don't want to go too far down the Spurling road Patrickgpe but it's always easier to remember those than it is the other 20 times he pithced and did exaclty what he was supposed to do. I don't think there is any differnace in pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the 6th inning while down by three runs than pitching in the 11th inning. He is paid to put zeros on the board and he's done that at a pretty decent rate so far.

 

You are right though if they are going to DFA anyone it would probably be Spurling. I just don't think anyone is bad enough on this team to be DFAed. The only guys that get DFAed are veterans who were picked up to see if they had anything left, scrap heap guys who are out of options or mistakes with too big a contract to trade. DFAing someone means you get to pay them for nothing. You have to be pretty darn bad to be more valuable being paid to sit at home than being allowed on the field. Even worse when no one else wants to take on part of your salary in exchange for some oganizational player who will never see the big leagues. Heck even Hendrickson was worth a minor league catcher. Navarro, Kevin Berry, Chad Moeller guys like that. I just don't think Spurling is that type of guy.

 

 

(Fixed spacing --1992casey)