Keep Brad Nelson

[TheCrew07]

Dillon also retired from Baseball, coached, then came back, then played in Japan. If Nelson turns out as well as Dillon he may very well get his shot, however as Greg and Pogo have noted, he's only 24, lots of time left for him to put it all back together. Also, I will say that Cruz, Dillon, and Nelson have nothing in common for their careers. Nelson was successful at a very young age and hasn't managed to reclaim the magic thus far, the other 2 guys were break outs later on... Maybe Brad was just a "flash in the pan" statistically, it's tough to say with any certainty as I don't personally know him, his work ethic, or dedication to his craft. I'll continue to root for and follow him, but even if he did sign back with the Crew, put up 1000ish OPS in AAA, where would he play with Brewers? They already have platoon left handed hitters for LF? He'd have to be very good for a couple of years ala Hart for me to consider him an everyday player.

[DrWood]

He would play in LF with LaPorta in 2009, maybe get a callup in 2008. Jenkins will be gone. Gross may well be gone. Nix will be gone. Gwynn will not be a corner OF.

Back to BillScottCanRake:
You certainly can add a guy to the 40 man roster without putting him on the 25 man roster. They did that with Dillon earlier in the summer. Looking at the 40 man now, there are 14 guys that could drop off at the end of the season, either because they will be free agents, or because they don't have much value. I do think I'm right that guys on the 40 man do NOT become minor league FA.

[BillScottCanRake]

You certainly can add a guy to the 40 man roster without putting him on the 25 man roster.

 

You can do this, but I am 99% sure it doesn't afford them any protection towards losing that player at the end of the season. Keep in mind what Mass said earlier:

 

Just a reminder that "six-year minor league free agent" is a mis-nomer. The term comes from the fact that a player can have his minor league contract renewed six times, so in essence, it is seven years that an organization owns a player on his initial affiliated contract. Nelson is wrapping up his 7th year in the Brewers' chain.

 

If I read that correctly, the Brewers can't renew Nelson's contract after this off season regardless of his status on the 40-man roster. Therefore, he will become a FA.

 

If that's true, and I will admit there is a margin for error because there are a lot of rules, there isn't a realistic way that the Brewers can absolutely ensure they will be able to retain Nelson beyond this season. He might well be back, but it's in no way a certainty.

[Mass Haas]

Adding Nelson to the 40-man again would allow the Brewers to keep him over the winter months. But he'd have to make the 25-man roster next April, and if he didn't, he'd have to be outrighted. He'd be claimed and kept on another team's 25-man (unlikely), would choose free agency, or would accept the outright assignment.

 

It's not going to happen. Brad will move elsewhere this October.

[mothershipconnection]

His age is obviously his biggest asset right now. Seriously, though, if he had been drafted at 22 out of college in '05 and this were only his second full year in the minors, would we be as quick to dismiss him and his .815 OPS at AAA? I agree his future is most likely not a starting player, but he's young enough not to write off. I'd like to at least see what he does next year before making a final determination.

[DrWood]

mass,

I believe he has at least one option left, so if he wouldn't break camp in the spring, couldn't he be sent down? this would give the team one more year to defer a final decision.

[DrWood]

Brad played 3b last night.

[BrewCrewForever]

I almost forgot we still had Brad Nelson.

[gregmag]

Wasn't he drafted as a 3b? Baseball Cube indicates he has never played there professionally. This could mean they're trying to increase his versatility with an eye toward using him, or it could mean nothing at all. Obviously if he can play even a little 3b, it helps his stock a great deal.

 

Greg.

[DrWood]

I believe he started as a 1b.