Latest Transactions -- Latest: Andrew Lefave Traded to Nationals

[dadofandrew]

Luther has no future with the team, he'd be gone in a couple weeks anyway. He's certainly not a horrible option as a team's last reliever, but those guys are all over the place. Hackmann is not young and has no ceiling. He's pretty much exactly what you'd refer to as roster filler...though as stated, he could pitch in the bigs, and compile a high 4 ERA in the 'pen. So could 100 other guys in AAA.

[JJHardy7]

Has Hackman signed with anyone?

[dadofandrew]

This late in the season, he may not. I would think he'd get some calls, however, based solely on his velocity.

[Mass Haas]

To make room for Brent Brewer on the Power roster (return from bereavement), 1B / DH John Alonso has been placed on the West Virginia D.L. with an undisclosed injury.

[Mass Haas]

Helena LHP Casey Baron promoted to West Virginia to replace RHP Omar Aguilar, on the disabled list with an undisclosed injury.

 

No word yet if Helena will receive someone from Arizona.

[Mass Haas]

Omar Aguilar's injury is a sprained ankle -- nice to avoid any arm woes....

[Mass Haas]

Andy Barch with a pre-game update:

 

West Virginia 1B/DH John Alonso has been activated from the disabled list and infielder Brad Miller has been placed on the DL to make room for Alonso on the roster.

[Mass Haas]

Arizona Brewer SS Luis Sanchez, a Dominican prospect who saw significant playing time early, but hasn't appeared in a game since August 10th, has been placed on the suspended list by the organization -- no reason given.

 

Luis Sanchez 2007 Statistics -- this is his debut pro season

 

18-year-old Venezuelan catcher Jonathan Requena made his pro debut in last night's Arizona game -- he didn't get an at-bat.

[BillScottCanRake]

From the Nashville Sounds web site.

Sounds Add Zumwalt, Ray to pen

The Nashville Sounds added a pair of relievers to their pitching staff prior to Thursday's homestand finale against Omaha: right-handers Alec Zumwalt (pictured)[/i] and Kenny Ray.

Both players have spent their entire 2007 seasons in the Pacific Coast League.

Zumwalt, 26, opened the year with Nashville after spending portions of the previous two seasons in Music City. In 13 relief outings, he went 0-2 with one save and a 4.82 ERA (10er/18.2ip) for Nashville before being traded to the Oakland Athletics organization on May 23.

He joined Sacramento (AAA-A's) and posted an 0-3 record and 9.96 ERA (25er/32.1ip) in 20 games (one start) before being released on July 20.

On the year, Zumwalt has posted an 0-5 record, one save, and 6.18 ERA (35er/51.0ip) in 33 PCL games (one start).

Ray, 32, spent the majority of this season with Omaha (AAA-Royals), where he went 3-4 with two saves and a 4.15 ERA (28er/60.2ip) in 35 relief outings before being released by Kansas City on August 18.

The right-hander spent the entire 2006 season in the Atlanta Braves bullpen.

To make room for the new players on the roster, Nashville pitchers Zach Jackson and Dennis Sarfate have been placed on the club's temporary inactive list.

[Mass Haas]

That's a nice touch by the organization bringing back two former farmhands. You all know about Zumwalt's time in the organziation, but it was the Brewers who brought Ken Ray back to affiliated ball (as a 29-year-old with high-A High Desert and later Huntsville in 2003), after Ray's three-year absence from organized ball. When Ray worked his way onto Atlanta's staff in 2006, it marked seven years since his major league debut with Kansas City in 1999.

 

The moves involing Jackson and Sarfate seem to be a way to make roster space for the two newcomers, and not necessarily a pre-cursor to September call-ups.

[dadofandrew]

Might Zach have hit his innings limit? He has been in the rotation the entire year.

[DHonks]

not sure how Jackson can be at his innings limit. I mean, he's not young, likely has no limit to start with, has been very pedestrian, and has not worked deep into games

[Mass Haas]

RHP Franklin Nunez, a 30-year-old Dominican native who saw action with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2004 and 2005, has been signed and will report to AAA Nashville.

 

From the independent Atlantic League's York (PA) Revolution:

Right handed pitcher Franklin Nunez was signed by the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday, August 26 and assigned to AAA Nashville.

 

Nunez joined the Revolution in Spring Training and served as the team's closer for most of the season. He was 1-0 with a 2.76 ERA and 12 saves. Most recently he saved both games of the Road Warriors doubleheader on August 22.

 

He was originally signed as a non-drafted free agent by the L.A. Dodgers in 1994, and has pitched in the Dodgers, Phillies, Mets, Devil Rays and Braves organizations. Baseball America rated him as having the Eastern League's best fastball in 2001.

 

"We wish Franklin the best as he starts a new chapter in his baseball career," said York Revolution General Manager Matt O'Brien.

 

RHP Franklin Nunez career statistics through 2006

 

2007 Statistics

 

Scout.com:

The six-foot, 170 pounder missed most of two years (2002-2003) with arm trouble and then went to the Phillies' organization, where he spent five seasons in their system. In 2003 Nunez was in the New York Penn League with the Mets, and then he signed with the Devil Rays' organization before the 2004 season.

 

Nunez pitched very well in Montgomery and Durham (2.81 ERA in 40 games) and got a call-up to Tampa Bay for his first taste of the big leagues. He pitched in 8 games out of the bullpen and had a 5.91 ERA, 11 hits in 10.2 innings, 7 walks, and 14 strikeouts.

 

Then he spent most of 2005 in AAA Durham and was 5-1 with a 6.34 ERA in 27 games. Nunez also pitched five games with Tampa Bay, allowing 6 runs in 5 innings pitched.

 

Nunez has a power arm and can hit 92-96 on the radar gun. He also has a good slider and changeup.

[jackalope02ca]

Might we just be adding arms to cover the September call ups in a couple of days?

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes:

 

AQUINO CALLED UP, HOPF REJOINS SOUNDS: Right-handed reliever Greg Aquino was recalled by Milwaukee this afternoon to replace former Sound Manny Parra on the Brewers' pitching staff. Parra was placed on the 15-day D.L. today after suffering a displaced chip fracture of the left thumb during last night's game against Chicago. Catcher J.R. Hopf, who spent time with Nashville earlier this season, rejoins the Sounds from Advanced-A Brevard County, where he batted .219 (30-for-137) with three home runs and 15 RBIs in 50 games this season. The backstop went 4-for-14 (.286) in five June games during his first stint with Nashville.

[Mass Haas]

West Virginia Roster Moves:

RHP Jeremy Jeffress was officially placed on the restricted list, as of 8/30. LHP Luis Ramirez (sore shoulder) has been placed on the DL, retroactive to 8/29. RHP Patrick Lawler (from the Arizona Brewers) and LHP Bobby Bramhall (from the Helena Brewers) have been promoted to take their places on the roster.

 

Helena Press Release:

LHP Bobby Bramhall -- The College Station, TX native was stellar in his ten-outing stint with the Brewers. Bramhall was 3-0 on the season and had allowed only 23 hits in 31.0 innings of work. He had struck out 35 batters and walked 11. The former Rice University Owl was holding opponents to just a .202 batting average. Bramhall had allowed just one earned run over his last four outings, a span that covered 17.0 innings.

 

***

 

Lawler was an drafted free agent signee in July who was a real bright spot in the Maryvale bullpen. He's 6'3", 235, out of Grand Canyon University, where he was a senior in 2007.

 

[Mass Haas]

Ok, who had Mel Stocker to Milwaukee in the September 1st call-up pool?

 

Joining Greg Aquino (thus far) will be RHP's Carlos Villanueva and Chris Spurling, UT/C Vinny Rottino, LHP Mitch Stetter and Huntsville speedster Mel Stocker (35 steals in 41 attempts).

 

Congrats to Mitch and Mel, who will make their major league debuts.

 

For discussion on the callups, please see this thread on the Major League Forum, as we'll close the thread in this forum. The major league thread includes quotes from Stetter during his drive from Nashville this afternoon.

 

http://forum.brewerfan.net/viewtopic.php?t=7085

[Mass Haas]

CF Scott Houin, who dazzled at Maryvale in his recent brief stint there, has been promoted to Helena and is leading off for the H-Crew Friday night.

[Minigoon]

Baseball America is also showing pitchers Efrain Nieves, and Pedro Lambertus and third baseman Edgar Trejo on the Helena Roster. Trejo played for Helena on 9/29.

[Mass Haas]

Huntsville Site:

 

Stocker Speeds His Way to "the Show"

 

The Milwaukee Brewers have promoted Stars' outfielder Mel Stocker to the major leagues and promoted outfielder Mike Goetz from Helena to Huntsville. Stocker is expected to be in uniform for the Brewers Saturday night when they continue their series at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It will be his first opportunity to play at the major league level after having never played above double-A ball.

 

Stocker leaves Huntsville having batted .255 in 112 games with 23 runs batted in and 35 stolen bases. He stole 24 bases in a row from May 16 until July 12 and another nine in a row from July 24 through August 11. Stocker had five hits at West Tenn on August 14, one of only two five-hit games for a Stars' batter this season.

 

Goetz, from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, was a 25th round selection by the Brewers in 2006 and spent his first professional season in the Arizona Rookie League, where he batted .289 with a home run and 14 RBI. He played in 46 games this season in the Pioneer League, batting .318 with three long balls and 27 knocked in.

[Mass Haas]

29-year-old RHP Matt Ginter, who pitched in the big leagues with the White Sox (2000-2003), the Mets (2004), and the Tigers (2005), all split between minor league duty in those seasons, has been signed as a free agent for Nashville.

 

Ginter, as the Nashville media notes for Saturday indicates, spent the majority of this season with Memphis (Cardinals' system) and posted a 2-6 record, two saves, and a 4.06 ERA in 31 games (eight starts). He last appeared in a game August 13th before his release by St. Louis.

 

RHP Matt Ginter Career Statistics

[And That]

That Nashville roster is quite the motley crew at the moment, especially in the pitching department sans ZachJack and Sarfate.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Media Notes:

 

JACKSON, SARFATE ACTIVATED: Sounds hurlers Zach Jackson and Dennis Sarfate were reinstated to the club's active roster today after spending the past three days on the temporary inactive list. The additions return the Nashville roster to a full 24 players.

 

***

 

By the way, Jackson starts the Labor Day regular season finale.

[Mass Haas]

Link while active, text follows:

 

http://www.goldenbaseball.com/ArDisplay.aspx?ID=3908&SecID=303

 

Armada Closer 's Contract Purchased By Milwaukee

RHP Dane De La Rosa Nabbed by the Brewers

 

(Dublin, CA. September 2, 2007) The independent Golden Baseball League (GBL) announced today that Long Beach Armada RHP Dane De La Rosa has had his contract purchased by the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

The Brewers plan to send him immediately to the Helena Brewers where there is a week to go in the season and the club has already qualified for the playoffs.

 

"This is a great opportunity for Dane and one he deserves," said Darrell Evans, Manager of the Long Beach Armada. "I applaud Milwaukee on moving quickly after scouting him in the GBL Championship Series this weekend. The Toronto Blue Jays and the Philadelphia Phillies had invited him down to Florida for tryouts in two weeks and a team in the Mexican Winter League was offering him a job as well."

 

De La Rosa, 24, was originally drafted in the 34th round out of high school in Wildomar, CA by the Texas Rangers. He elected to go to college and was drafted in the 24th round by the New York Yankees a year later out of Riverside Community College in California. He spent two years in their farm system reaching as high as the A-ball New York-Penn League with the Staten Island Yankees. Used primarily out of the bullpen by the Yankees (just two starts in 20 appearances), he compiled a record of 2-0 with one save as he struck out 45 batters in 45 innings pitched and posted an E.R.A. of 2.80 during his two seasons.

 

Released in the off-season he joined the Yuma Scorpions of the Golden Baseball League in 2005 as a 22 year old where he was converted to a starter midway through the season and finished that year with a 1-6 record and a 6.45 E.R.A. Out of professional baseball for the first time in 2006 he kept himself ready while working on his velocity and off-speed pitches. He attended the Long Beach Armada tryout this spring and was the hardest thrower hitting 96 MPH on the radar gun. He was signed by the Armada and was handed the role of closer where he flourished as he appeared in a league leading 39 games, posted a 2-4 record, saved 16 games, compiled a 3.69 E.R.A., struck out 53 in 46 innings pitched while walking only 16, garnered a Player of the Week award, and saved the only game he appeared in during the playoffs..

 

De La Rosa is the 12th GBL player acquired by a major league organization this year.

[Mass Haas]

Haven't peeked around yet to determine who will back up Nashville catcher J.R. Hopf for the playoffs, but the Brewers were forced to call up Mike Rivera because of Damian Miller's day-to-day injury -- important for the parent club, but a tough blow to the Sounds.