Lefty Anyone?

[VegasBrewerFan]

I had a dream last night that the Brewers traded for Brian Fuentes. It was one of those dreams that when you wake-up, for the first 30 seconds or so you thinks it?s real. I remember how good it felt thinking the Brewers had a quality lefty in the bullpen, but it was just that, a dream. So back to reality, which this year sure isn?t a bad thing. Brewers in first place, 7.5 games ahead and are looking like the best team in the Central. No, it?s not too early to say, THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS ARE FOR REAL!

 

With the trade deadline thirty days away, do you think the Brewers need to add a quality lefty reliever? I personally would love to see it. Here?s a list of some lefties that I think could help the Brewers:

 

5 Star

 

C.J. Wilson, Texas?I?d love to see this guy in a Brewer uniform, but he might be too young, too talented and too affordable for the Rangers to part with.

 

George Sherrill, Seattle?Hard thrower, with great control. I don?t see anyone catching the Angels?could this guy possibly become available? I doubt it.

 

4 Star

 

Damso Marte, Pittsburgh?Another hard-throwing veteran lefty. Has more than a strikeout per inning, and lefty batters are hitting only .108 against.

 

Scott Downs, Toronto?Young lefty with great stuff. His walks are pretty high, but lefties are hitting .130 against.

 

3 Star

 

Jeremy Affeldt, Colorado?Here?s a guy that looks like he?s figured it out since coming over from KC and moving to the bullpen.

 

Aaron Fultz, Cleveland?He?s having a career year with a 2.04 ERA. But the Indians are probably buyers and not sellers.

 

Allen Embree, Oakland?Another veteran having a good year. He?s taken over the closer role while Houston Street is injured. Lefties are hitting around .300 against him though.

 

2 Star

 

Wilfredo Ledezma, Atlanta?Oh, that?s right?the Braves already stole him.

 

Jimmy Gobble, Kansas City?He?s got a nice arm with some upside. But he?s probably a year or two away from being a quality loogy.

 

Jamie Walker, Baltimore?Another consistent veteran lefty. You?ll know what you?re gonna get with this guy.

 

1 Star

 

Mike Stanton, Cincy?The 83-year-old lefty doesn?t have much left, but oh wait, we already have him. His name is Brian Shouse.

[ELCABALLO45]

To be honeslty scary with you I was thinking the exact same thing.

 

 

Quote:

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C.J. Wilson, Texas?I?d love to see this guy in a Brewer uniform, but he might be too young, too talented and too affordable for the Rangers to part with.

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I agree, I would LOVE to see this guy as a Brewer. Also look who are number one trade bait is.. Kevin Mench.. I don't think Texas wants him back, but what about Jose C.?

[RU Rah Rah]

Doug is way overdue for a Ranger-related transaction, so I wouldn't bet against Wilson.

[berniebrewer4life]

Rumors have it that it might be Akinori Otsuka.

[UWRyan428]

Taylor Tankersley??? Young, cheap, and a southpaw. Need I say more?

[JoeHova]

Otsuka is a righty.

 

I'd like Marte because I think he can be had for not that much. What good is he doing Pittsburgh? Give them Nix and a AAA reliever.

[rluzinski]

How many stars would you give Wise with regard to being able to get lefties out?

[Point Beer Is Best]

Quote:

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How many stars would you give Wise with regard to being able to get lefties out?

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With his dreamy fastball/changeup repertoire? 5 stars, over and over again.

 

While adding a quality lefty might not be a bad thing, Russ is right. Wise is nasty against lefties.

[strawbossisevil]

How about we pick up Parra or Thatcher for free. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Never Outhustled]

LOOGYs just don't pitch enough innings. Melvin has stated just a few days ago that one of the biggest obstacles for late in the season is everyones bullpen wheres down. I doubt he'll add a pitcher who isnt good against both lefties and righties.

 

Also, I'd like to add someone to fill the closer role after this year, as we have no one under contract for that.

 

That said, Fuentes fits both ideals, so it just comes down to his price and availability. He is definately dominant, and would be a big upgrade as the setup man.

[Brian the Automator]

[ Otsuka is a righty. ]

 

His splits aren't very different vs. lefties or righties.

 

Go get 'em doug.

[VegasBrewerFan]

Otsuka....... Wow i hadnt herd that rumor.Yea doug get it done.

[rluzinski]

Matt Wise Career vs, Lefties:

 

137 IP, 104K, 39 BB, 217 BAA

 

Wise should be the one brought in for the especially tough lefties but is also good enough to finish the inning. Shouse should be used as a strict LOOGY (one batter and done). Villy (2+ inning situations), Yo, Turnbow and Cocco the main arms in the pen, with Spurling filling in lower leverage situations.. Latin Cappy sent back to AAA.

 

For the playoffs, you'll essentially have 1.5 of the starters in the pen, so there's even more quality arms in the bullpen.

 

I just don't see why the Brewers need to trade for bullpen help. Other than adding a RH corner outfield bat, I can't see how Melvin can really easily strengthen this team.

[Ennder]

Shouse is as good or better than some of those 2/3/4 star guys you listed... I don't really think we need another LOOGY. Maybe a lefty who can get out righties and lefties, but certainly not another LOOGY.

[Never Outhustled]

Heres the JSOnline Link. Otsuka has been discussed in the trade forum, and is target # 1 for me. To put up the numbers he has in a place that is as tough to pitch as Texas is pretty awesome

 

 

Relief watch: General manager Doug Melvin calls this time of the season "the month of Internet rumors." Another surfaced out of mlb.com in Texas, saying the Brewers are one of six teams showing interest in Rangers setup man Akinori Otsuka.

 

Melvin, a former Texas GM who has made many deals with that club, said he is in the market for relief help but never comments on specific players or rumors. Akinori, 35, (2.64 ERA in 32 appearances) was the Texas closer until Eric Gagne came off the DL this season.

 

Melvin said he would like to add another lefty to the bullpen but not a one-hitter or two-hitter specialist such as the Brewers' Brian Shouse.[/i]

[Fatter than Joey]

I just don't see why the Brewers need to trade for bullpen help. Other than adding a RH corner outfield bat, I can't see how Melvin can really easily strengthen this team.

 

I keep hoping something like Vargas+Jenks will get us a corner OF that can bat well against LHP and RHP and we can get rid of Mench. I would rather see something like this than dealing for a BP pitcher.

 

One thing though -- If it is a foregone conclusion that Cordero walks at the end of the year, getting Otsuka does make a lot of sense.

[rousieboy]

I am so tired of this...

 

He is not a lefty/ He throws right...

 

Yeah and so what...if his pitch selection/arm angle/ the way he wears his cup makes it difficult for lefties to hit him then all the better....

 

Otsuka and AReyes have great numbers vs. LH batters and on occasion can get a righty out as well...

 

jeez people...

[endaround]

How would Vargas and Jenkins get someone better than Jenkins? Sure the Reds would love to dump Griffey, but the Brewers can't afford that.

[Fatter than Joey]

How would Vargas and Jenkins get someone better than Jenkins?

 

Get someone that can play fulltime.

 

Sure the Reds would love to dump Griffey, but the Brewers can't afford that.

 

According to ESPN -- Jenkins (7.3) + Vargas (2.5) > Griffey Jr. (8.4) -- salarywise today.

 

According to Rotoworld -- Griffey (12.5) so if Rotoworld is right Griffey would cost a couple of million more.

 

How ever in 2008 Jenks+Mench > Griffey. ($$wise) so we could afford Griffey in 2008 and 2009.

 

Jenkins OBP has dropped off from April, as well as his SLG -- He did have 6 HRs in May so that helped out a lot -- but currently in June he is a .741 corner OF that is platooned with a .678 OF -- both supposedly getting favorable ABs. That is not real exciting to me, and while I realize Jenks+Mench could turn it around, discussion about upgrading this position doesn't seem out of line.

[BrewCrewForever]

Mike Stanton, Cincy?The 83-year-old lefty doesn?t have much left, but oh wait, we already have him. His name is Brian Shouse.

 

That is so true it made me laugh out loud at work.

[litesrn]

Griffey would be my ideal addition for the stretch run, but doesn't he have one of the most ironclad no-trades in the game? Would he agree to come to Milwaukee?

In this sense, I agree with russ - another corner guy in the OF probably has more day-in-day-out impact than another reliever, and there are both major and minor league candidates to flesh out the pen already in the system.

[aracko]

his name is Manny Parra.

[rluzinski]

How ever in 2008 Jenks+Mench > Griffey. ($$wise) so we could afford Griffey in 2008 and 2009.

 

You are comparing guaranteed money to non-guaranteed. When you are talking about an injury prone 37 year old outfielder owed at least $16.5 mil more, that can't be ignored. The Brewers owe Jenkins and Mench a guaranteed $500k after this year. It's quite possible neither are with the team next year. Huge difference.

 

Jenkins OBP has dropped off from April, as well as his SLG -- He did have 6 HRs in May so that helped out a lot -- but currently in June he is a .741 corner OF that is platooned with a .678 OF -- both supposedly getting favorable ABs.

 

Griffey had a .770 OPS in April. You could say that he turned it around or you can accept that stats fluctuate wildly from month to month. It makes more sense to just look at the entire year's worth of stats, IMO.

[BrewCrewForever]

You know I love Jenkins almost more then any Brewer in history, but if we could bring Ken Griffey, Jr. to Milwaukee I might have to let go of my love for Geoff.

[Fatter than Joey]

It makes more sense to just look at the entire year's worth of stats, IMO.

 

Perhaps -- No matter how you slice it Griffey is an upgrade over Jenkins+Mench -- looking at the whole year or the last couple of months.