Linebrink acquired for Inman/Garrison/Thatcher

[pogokat]

I'm not going to completely trash this deal because:

 

Linebrink is very good...screw the last 10 days, he's been a very good pitcher for years, and i'm confident that he'll pitch very well and either be the closer next year, or supply us with two very high draft picks...i'm not upset about getting him at all

 

Thatcher was interesting, but he's an older prospect, and there just wasnt room for him in the pen this season...and this trade is all about this season, so linebrink=better than thatcher, so we win straight awy here

 

Steve garrison is young, but he doesn't k many people and he doesnt throw that hard...i've seen him pitch, and other than being very young, he didnt impress me...he could be something, but his ceiling is definitely much lower than will inman's...

 

finally, pitching prospects are like Kripy Creme doughnuts. One is really awesome, and it makes you want more...two or three kind of make you sick...and each and every one could be the one that kills you...Counting on pitching prospects is like counting on doughnuts to keep you alive...it works, but it's not a safe way to go....i'll take a hitting prospect over a pitching prospect every time

 

However:

 

Inman deserves more credit than he is receiving here...he throws in the low 90's, has impeccable control, strikes out a ton of guys, has a bulldog mentality and doesn't give up many long balls. Head to head, i always liked him more thn Yovani...i was just more impressed with the work i saw him do in te minors...I think he'll be a good major league pitcher...and it suckss to see him go, especially since he was about to become the power 50 #1..

 

anyway, this deal is a kick in the groin, but it's really not that bad...the mlb team is definitely improved...and there's no guarantee that the minor leaguers do anything...

[tigerbrew]

Just want to say that Linebrink had much worse minor league stats than Inman despite being 2-3 years older in each level. And Linebrink wasn't good in AAA or the bigs until the Padres trade when he was age 27. This season, Linebrink has been average.

 

Despite his very young age, Inman has produced at every level so far. After his poor first couple AA starts, Inman has settled down and has been pitching better. His AA numbers have been improving with each start. Inman is only age 20 and just needs some time to develop, I think the Brewers should have given him that instead of trading him.

[brewcrewkid14]

I just got back and find that the Brewers have traded away what people on here seem to think as our best prospect now.

 

I was just curious as to why people think they won't resign Linebrink? If Melvin did this deal for a 2.5 month rental, I think we all aggree that a GM of his stature would have tried to get another guy that would remain from this deal. I think MA and Doug have both decided that they are going to try to keep Linebrink to replace Cordero in the bullpen next season.

 

Unless I'm completely missing something.

[SeriesFinale]

I was just curious as to why people think they won't resign Linebrink?

 

I'm just going on Doug saying the compensatory picks were a draw for the trade.

 

Who knows though

 

I'm not averse to them trading Inman for the right guy in the right situation. I just don't think that Linebrink is that guy.

[logan82]

Quote:

---

If he makes it that far, he is a #3-#5 starter in 2010.

---

I agree with your line of thinking, but looking at what we have on our current roster, the only way Inman would have broken into the rotation by 2010 is with 2-3 significant flame outs or injuries. Without trades or injuries our rotation in 2010 is set up for:

Gallardo

Suppan

Bush

Parra

Villinueva

I am hoping for an extension of either Sheets or Cappy. Both seem very unlikley to me. I would also add that Melvin seems to pick up a starter in most of his trades.

[brewmann04]

i agree think we gave up a biy to much for Will.

But Maybe melvin working on getting this team the bat it needed

[nodderman]

I just got off the phone from my buddy who just moved to San Diego about 6 months ago. He said people were confused and quite upset about the trade. While that may seem insignificant, it does mean that their fan base had not had a falling out with him despite his recent struggles.

[Never Outhustled]

Quote:

---

Despite his very young age, Inman has produced at every level so far. After his poor first couple AA starts, Inman has settled down and has been pitching better. His AA numbers have been improving with each start. Inman is only age 20 and just needs some time to develop, I think the Brewers should have given him that instead of trading him.

---

 

Stats are very important for pitching prospects, but so is stuff. Dana Eveland had excellent minor league stats, and did it as a player who was very young for each level he was at, with outstanding K totals. He is not a very good MLB pitcher though. Inman is better prospect than Eveland, but there are some similarities.

[bobskube]

Wow, I can't believe there is so much love for Inman on here.

 

I am one that thought this was awful initially myself and wondered deeply about it. I have since calmed down.

 

I realize that there is a little risk in Inman becoming a solid player. I believe he just may someday. Maybe a Jeff Suppan type (Innings eater that looks really bad sometimes, but is pretty consistent.) However, that is probably really the best case scenario for Will. I laugh when I hear people comparing him to Oswalt even though his fastball is 7 MPH less than Oswalts was and Roy had that wicked difference in pitch speeds to keep people off balance. Mr. Inman does not have that talent.

 

Then you hear about John Smoltz (actually Detroit made the playoffs with a hot Doyle Alezander that year) or Jeff Bagwell or Joe Carter.

 

At the same time, most minor league "prospects" in these deals don't amount to much. I'm still waiting for Marc Newfield and rickie Bones to lead us to the promised land for Sheff. How's Jose Capellan doing? How about those bums Hendry gave to Pittsburgh for Aramis Ramirez? How about Heep Sop Choi for Derrick Lee?

 

If I really dove into this-i could prove beyond a reasonable doubt that - at worst- this will be a minor loss for the Brewers that could turn into a major win. Stay tuned!

[BillScottCanRake]

My initial thoughts, and this is very subject to change and seeing a bit more of Linebrink than I have to date, is that I am not terribly upset by the Brewers dealing Inman. The use of prospects as components to acquiring major league help is a legitimate way to add pieces to a solid major league team.

 

I am somewhat less impressed with the piece that Inman brought to Milwaukee, however. Linebrink can a solid addition, but I am a bit concerned about his declining K-rate and his increased homer rate. That said, his recent past suggests he may rebound and if he reverts to his 2005-2006 numbers, the Brewers will have gotten a good reliever. And if that's the case, I could be convinced this was an OK deal.

 

Now, what price did the Brewers actually pay? I think it might have been high, but just how high is, obviously, to be determined. I like Inman, not as much as some but clearly more than others. If Linebrink is lights out for two months and the Brewers can flip him for two high draft choices, I can live with that unless Inman becomes an absolute stud in the majors. But, as well as Inman has pitched, and as much as I liked him, he is still a prospect. I have to remind myself that I really liked guys like Dana Eveland, and sometimes really good prospects just don't turn out.

 

This is definitely a classic, high-risk, win-more-now at the possible expense of depth (winning) down the road. I think it will be very interesting to watch how this all turns out, this year and a few years down the road.

[sbrylski]

Just so very dissapointed we couldn't land a guy that could close in '08.

[Two Fisted Slobber]

I'm having a real hard time getting excited about acquiring a reliever who's given up at least one run in 8 of his last 17 games to the tune of a 7.16 ERA and a .925 OPS allowed.

 

I'll just be over in the corner muttering, "In Doug we trust. In Doug we trust. In Doug we trust..."

[DuWayne Steurer]

Wow. I decided to take a night off from the Brewers, and just came on to check some scores.

 

I know what I have to say has probably already been said, but I'll say it anyways.

 

I understand that the flameout rate on pitching prospects is absurdly hight, but I still have a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that the best Doug could get for Will Inman was a middle reliever on the wrong side of 30 who's not performing any better than Wise, Turnbow, or Shouse.

 

I want to "win now" obviously, but I don't know how much this move really helps us do that, not to mention the fact that it's at the expense of a guy who was considered our top pitching prospect still in the minors.

[Never Outhustled]

Quote:

---

I agree with your line of thinking, but looking at what we have on our current roster, the only way Inman would have broken into the rotation by 2010 is with 2-3 significant flame outs or injuries. Without trades or injuries our rotation in 2010 is set up for:

Gallardo

Suppan

Bush

Parra

Villinueva

I am hoping for an extension of either Sheets or Cappy. Both seem very unlikley to me. I would also add that Melvin seems to pick up a starter in most of his trades.

---

 

Well said logan. Also the Brewers have a terrific pitching prospect with a much higher ceiling than Inman in Jeremy Jeffress, who could climb the ladder as fast as Gallardo did and Inman was doing.

[TooLiveBrew]

Quote:

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I think MA and Doug have both decided that they are going to try to keep Linebrink to replace Cordero in the bullpen next season.

---

I agree, brewcrewkid, which is why I said what I did back on pg. 2 of this thread. I knew/know Linebrink's an impending FA, but he's a far less expensive one than CoCo.

[aracko]

I see no reason why Linebrink cant be the closer next year if we dont get Cordero back. If Linebrink wasnt setting up for Hoffman, he would be closing already.

[molitor fan]

just got off the phone from my buddy who just moved to San Diego about 6 months ago. He said people were confused and quite upset about the trade. While that may seem insignificant, it does mean that their fan base had not had a falling out with him despite his recent struggles.

 

 

Just thought I would link to the 10 page Linebrink Sucks thread on a Pads website.

 

.mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?S=3...8&T=732956

[DuWayne Steurer]

If Linebrink wasnt setting up for Hoffman, he would be closing already.

 

 

Linebrink's got a 3.80 ERA in 44 appearances this year. In a pitchers park no less, that doesn't exactly scream closer material.

 

He had outstanding seasons in 04 and 05. Last year and this year he's pretty much been average.

[BillScottCanRake]

I see no reason why Linebrink cant be the closer next year if we dont get Cordero back. If Linebrink wasnt setting up for Hoffman, he would be closing already.

 

I think the fear is that, because his K-rate has fallen like it has, that he'd turn into a Dan Kolb type closer. He could well be good, but he could well be not so good, too.

[tigerbrew]

I remember in the offseason, I had disagreed with some who had suggested trading Yo in a package for Crawford. Look where Yo is now and in years to come, it's a very good thing the Brewers did not trade him.

 

Same with Inman, it's too early to give up on him or trade him. They should have kept Inman and let him develop. He could turn out to be like Yo or CV, and that would increase his value significantly.

[Two Fisted Slobber]

How's Jose Capellan doing?

 

Why he's led the Tigers to the best record in baseball with a dazzling 3.00 ERA out of the bullpen (nevermind his 6.00 RA).

[tyguy20204]

Count me in as liking this trade.

 

I think some of you are underestimating Linebrink and the impact he will have on close games. Our bullpen is going to be SOLID.

 

Yes, Inman may become a quality starter, but such are the risks that teams have to take.

 

And am I supposed to trust what Keith Law and Nate Silver think over the opinion of Doug Melvin? Sorry, but consider me a non-believer in that pursuit.

[Bambis Bombers]

Put me in the satisfied camp regarding the trade. Other than Sheets, the remaining four Brewer starters were struggling to get the team to the eighth inning, where we can hand the game over to Turnbow / Sheets. Gallardo may be the exception, but everything I am reading it that the Brewer brass wants to limit his innings to keep him as an option for the stretch run in September / playoffs in October.

 

For the Brewers to maintain their shrinking lead over the Cubs, they needed to bolster the bullpen. While Linebrink is not having a career year, I am alot more confident having Ned handing him the ball in the seventh inning than the agony of watching Balfour, Spurling, or Wise blow a late inning lead. Having Linebrink in the bullpen also keeps CV fresh to step in when a starter shows signs of blowing up early.

 

Bottom line, it's going to be a tight race and winning an extra game or two might be the difference between playing October baseball in Milwaukee for the first time in 25 years. While I enjoyed following Will's success in the minors over the past couple of years, it was nothing like the thrill of witnessing the Brewers run during the fall of '82.

 

Carpe Diem, Mr. Melvin!

[Rob]

What others are saying:

 

from the Padres blog (and my God I hope that doesn't turn out to be true)

 

Will Inman is a poor man's Jake Peavy. He's firey, he strikes people out, he's young (20), and he's on the smaller side (6'0).

 

 

the Cubs fans bash on the trade:

 

 

www.bleedcubbieblue.com/s...192627/163

 

 

 

the Cardinals fans:

 

www.vivaelbirdos.com/stor...191949/078

[Bambis Bombers]

How's Jose Capellan doing?

 

Actually, Latin Cappy was sent to AAA by the Tigers yesterday.