June Transactions Thread

[Mass Haas]

First a link to the now-closed dizzying May transaction thread that saw the organization make at least 80 individual moves, all tracked here at Brewerfan for you.

 

p092.ezboard.com/fbrewers...mp;stop=40

 

Here's the discussion on the Major League Forum involving Dana Eveland's option, Chris Mabeus' outright, Rick Helling's transfer to the 60-day DL, and the additions to the 40-man (and 25-man) roster of LHP Zach Jackson and RHP Allan Simpson. Simpson, released by the Reds earlier this spring, has major league experience with Colorado and Cincinnati -- Zach Jack will be making his big league debut:

 

p092.ezboard.com/fbrewers...1949.topic

 

Zach Jackson Brewerfan Player Index Page:

 

www.brewerfan.net/ViewPla...ayerId=867

 

Allan Simpson Brewerfan Player Index Page:

 

www.brewerfan.net/ViewPla...ayerId=931

[Mass Haas]

At Brevard County, 24-year-old Dominican product Carlos de la Cruz, who has seen limited action at just about every infield spot, lands on the disabled list for the second time this season with an undisclosed injury.

 

Hernan Iribarren's suspension that was issued by the Florida State League officially has ended, although he's not in the lineup tonight, and according to what we read earlier, we shouldn't expect to see him in action until mid-week.

[Mass Haas]

In a swap of oft-injured pitchers at Brevard County, former 40-man roster hurler Luis Pena, 23 years old, comes off the Manatee disabled list, and closer Josh Alliston, 26, who has battled for two years to get back into action, has been placed on the DL retrocative to May 28th with an undisclosed injury. Hopefully for Alliston, who was having a fine season, the injury isn't serious (or arm-related again).

[bork]

Khalid Ballouli has been activated from the DL and played tonight for Huntsville. Catcher JC Boscan has been placed on the DL with a dislocated thumb.

 

I assume there will be another move coming, unless Eure is the backup catcher now.

 

www.huntsvillestars.com/news/news.asp?newsId=865

[Mass Haas]

As noted on the draft forum, 2nd round pick, SS Brent Brewer, has signed his pro contract.

 

West Virginia Press Release:

 

The West Virginia Power, Class A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers have made another roster move.

 

Today, left handed pitcher Dave Welch was placed on the disabled list, and right hander Steve Palazzolo was called up from extended spring training.

 

Dave Welch was scratched from the starting lineup on Tuesday night due to back spasms and he is now the fourth member of the West Virginia Power roster on the disabled list, joining RHP's Will Inman and Ronny Malave and infielder Kenny Holmberg. (Technically, RHP Josh Baker, yet to appear in a game this season, is also on the Power D.L.) Welch was 2-3 with a 3.15 ERA over 10 appearances and seven starts before being placed on the disabled list.

 

Palazzolo re-joins the Power after spending the last two months in extended spring training. Palazzolo went 0-0 with a 9.72 ERA over seven appearances with the Power. He surrendered nine runs, all earned, on 13 hits over eight and a third innings of work out of the bullpen.

[Southwest Brewer]

With 50 new picks I'm guessing a handful will be signed immediately. Will there likely be a bunch of guys already in the system that will be released? Or is there a Rookie league that starts after the draft?

[PeaveyFury]

Two rookie league teams start after the draft, Southwest. One is more for rougher, less experienced players (high schoolers, guys signed out of the Dominican, etc) and one is for more experienced players (college guys, Juco guys, maybe a couple of the more advanced HS'ers).

 

Some guys already in the organization that aren't playing in the minors yet will also join them, so it won't be entirely this year's draftees.

[wibadgers23]

So is Helena for the less experienced players and Arizona for the more advanced? Or the other way around?

[bork]

Also,only about 20-25 of those 50 will sign. Some will sign next year, right before the draft. The rest will be lost to college or just won't be signed.

 

Also, the rookie teams have huge rosters, 35 I think.

 

Helena is for the more advanced players.

[PeaveyFury]

Helena is the higher of the two teams.

[And That]

With 50 new picks I'm guessing a handful will be signed immediately. Will there likely be a bunch of guys already in the system that will be released? Or is there a Rookie league that starts after the draft?

 

About 13-18 will be assigned to Helena immediately after they are signed. Helena is the advanced-rookie ream, which means they will have college guys and very-high round HS picks from the 2006 draft. As you can see here on Brewerfan's Helena roster page, Helena still needs about 14 guys to fill out a minimal roster. Most will come from the draft, and a few will come from the Arizona Brewers roster.

 

With the increased emphasis on draft-and-follow, I would expect the Brewers to sign most of the 4-year college guys drafted, but very few of the CC/JC/HS guys after round 16 or so. That means Gillespie, Errecart, Wright, Bouchie, Fergusen, Toneguzzi and Bernal will all be in Helena, plus another half dozen+ from later rounds, including King, Wendte, Goetz, Lewis, Newmann, Swayden and Sutherland.

 

And DHonks is right, the roster limits in R-ball are larger, 35-man rosters. The Brewers haven't utilitzed this maximum in a few years, and it doesn't look like they will this year either. Eventually Jeffress and Brewer will be moved up to Helena, but at least Brewer will start with the Arizona club. The Brewers have a tendency to start 1st-rounders in Helena, so Jeffress might well get to Helena right away, for better or worse.

 

My offhand picks to move up to Helena from Maryvale, based on not much other than pure guesswork:

 

John Alonso - 1B

Zach Braddock - SP

Fredy de la Cruz - 3B

Taylor Green - 2B

Craig Langille - RP

Rolando Pascual - SP

Alex Periard - SP

Mike Ramlow - SP

Jose Romero - RP

[DHonks]

And DHonks is right, the roster limits in R-ball are larger, 35-man rosters

 

I love it when I get credit for stuff I didn't say. But the real credit goes to Bork.

 

Historically the Brewers have fielded VERY competitive Rookie Ball teams in the Pioneer League. Pascual might be a bit aggressive to Helena, but I think De La Cruz hit a bunch of homers last year.

 

It's also possible that as guys get healthy, that guys from WV get bumped down to get more playing time in a league they're more likely to succeed in

[whizkid]

While Helena is the Brewers highest rookie club, other Pioneer League teams aren't their organization's highest. About half have no other rookie club, instead having short-season A-ball clubs. So the competition level in the Pioneer League has to be factored into Helena's success over the years.

[DHonks]

About half have no other rookie club, instead having short-season A-ball clubs. So the competition level in the Pioneer League has to be factored into Helena's success over the years.

 

I've never understood why some teams have short-season A and some have Rookie Leagues. they're the same really.

 

What really taught me the need to temper enthusiasm based on Rookie ball numbers was the lack of success in A-ball of our 2004 Helena Brewers. I believe these names include Festa, Richardson, Brady, Rasheed, Sollman, etc.

[And That]

While Helena is the Brewers highest rookie club, other Pioneer League teams aren't their organization's highest. About half have no other rookie club, instead having short-season A-ball clubs. So the competition level in the Pioneer League has to be factored into Helena's success over the years.

 

It has always been my understanding that the difference between advanced-Rookie and short-season-A is similar to, or less than, the gap between A-ball and advanced-A. The gap between the complex leagues (the AZL and the GCL) and advanced-Rookie is a bigger jump.

 

22 of the 30 teams have complex-league teams, so the talent on advanced-rookie teams is mostly equitable, though I would agree that an organization with no complex-league team and an advanced-Rookie/short-season-A setup would tend to have their advanced-Rookie teams struggle a bit more.

[And That]

p092.ezboard.com/fbrewers...=885.topic

 

That's a link to the Official Draft Pick Selection Thread, which shows that the following players have signed their pro contracts with the Brewers:

 

1. (16 overall): Jeremy Jeffress, RHP, Halifax County Senior HS (VA)

2. (60): Brent Brewer, SS, Sandy Creek HS (GA)

9. (272): Shawn Ferguson, RHP, Texas Christian University

10. (302): Mike McClendon, RHP, Seminole Community College

13. (392): Chris Toneguzzi, RHP, Purdue University

25. (752): Mike Goetz, CF, UW-Milwaukee

30. (902): Jordan Swayden, C, San Diego State

 

We'll have player profile pages for all those guys, as well as the additional signings in the coming days, shortly. Until then, be sure to read about them in the aforementioned thread.

[Mass Haas]

We learn more about the tall LHP signed as a draft-and-follow from the 2005 draft last week:

 

Link while active, text follows --

 

toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs...2/0/SPORTS

 

Ramlow signs deal with Brewers

By MARK MONROE

TOLEDO BLADE SPORTS WRITER

 

Maumee (Ohio) native Mike Ramlow, a tall, lanky pitcher, has signed a contract with the Milwaukee Brewers organization.

 

Ramlow, a 6-foot-7, 170-pound left-hander, recently wrapped up a career at Owens Community College, where he pitched in 11 games this spring, posting a 3-2 record with one save and a 1.74 earned-run average. He also recorded 70 strikeouts in 50 innings.

 

"It's always been my dream since the first grade," Ramlow said. "My teachers asked me what I wanted to be, and I always said, 'A pro baseball player.'"

 

In 2005, Ramlow went 5-1 with a 1.18 ERA in eight games for the Express. He notched 61 strikeouts in 45 2/3 innings and was named the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference player of the year.

 

Owens coach Bob Schultz said Ramlow's fastball reaches 92 to 93 miles per hour.

 

"Mike throws hard and he can throw it past people, but he also has a nice curveball that drops 12 to 6," Schultz said. "He also has a polished change-up."

 

Ramlow, 20, was drafted on June 8, 2005, in the 24th round by the Brewers.

 

After his second season at Owens ended last month, Ramlow received college offers from Youngstown State, Cincinnati, and Michigan State.

 

He signed to play at Central Michigan but opted to go professional.

 

"I thought it was time to start," said Ramlow, who described the contract and signing bonus as too attractive to pass up.

 

"It's like a regular job and I wanted to get an early start so I can work my way up quickly."

 

He will report to the Single-A Helena Brewers later this month. Helena (Mont.) plays in the Pioneer League, an advanced rookie league that plays a short season.

 

"I feel like the best is yet to come," Ramlow said. "I plan to put on 30-40 pounds."

 

In his senior year at Maumee High School, he had an 8-2 record and a miniscule 1.13 ERA. He had 109 strikeouts and gave up just 43 hits in 74 innings.

 

"He has all the intangibles,'' Maumee coach Cam Coutcher said. "He has things that you just can't coach.

 

"He came into his own as a senior and dominated."

[Mass Haas]

Pennsylvania high school catcher Jesse D'Amico (Round 21) and college senior, third baseman Sanduan Dubose (Round 35) have signed their pro contracts, according to the Brewers.

 

Latest on D'Amico from Official Draft Pick thread:

 

p092.ezboard.com/fbrewers...mp;stop=21

[Mass Haas]

More on 2nd round pick Brent Brewer:

 

www.thecitizen.com/node/7426

 

by Michael Boylan

 

Brent Brewer will be heading to Arizona on Monday, starting his professional baseball career with the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

The humor of Brewer being chosen by the Brewers isn?t lost on the Sandy Creek graduate. While numerous Major League Baseball teams were scouting him for the past two years, including Oakland, Florida, Cincinnati and both teams from Los Angeles, Brewer wanted to play for Milwaukee and even had a Brewers jersey that he would wear from time to time. On Tuesday, his hopes became a reality, a little earlier than he expected.

 

Brewer sat around with his family and began watching the Major League Baseball draft. He was resting on a couch and was prepared to drift off to sleep, thinking that he may not be picked until the later rounds on the first day.

 

Milwaukee made their selection of Brewer official with the 60th overall pick, coming in the second round of the draft and the former Sandy Creek shortstop was excited. His life since that phone call has been hectic, filled with a constantly ringing phone, visits from Milwaukee Brewer officials to sign contracts and thoughts of a life that includes playing baseball in Arizona for one of the Brewers minor league teams starting next week.

 

One of the attributes that scouts like about Brewer is his speed. In 2005, he was an outfielder for the Patriots, but he was needed in the infield this year, so he made the transition to shortstop.

 

?I just worked at the position every day of the week and tried not to focus or worry about who might be in the crowd on any given game day,? said Brewer, who hit .497 in 2006, with seven home runs, 30 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. The team made the state playoffs this year.

 

To sign with Milwaukee meant not going to Florida State University in the fall, where he had signed a scholarship to play football. The Brewers will pay his college tuition when he decides to go and some reports have stated that Brewer inked a deal with Milwaukee that included a $500,000 bonus.

 

Brewer is excited about the opportunity that awaits him and he has received a lot of advice from his coaches.

 

?They told me that I should lay low, don?t spend all my money and hang out with the right people,? Brewer said, adding, ?they also said that I might struggle but if I work hard every day, it will be O.K.?

 

Any one who knows Brewer, knows that he is a gifted athlete and a hard worker. If he carries over his work ethic to his baseball career, the sky is the limit.

[parkside21]

Ramlow is 6'7", 170 lbs? That's borderline disgusting..."lanky" doesn't begin to describe that...or am I just fat? Geez...get the kid a butterburger...

[Mass Haas]

Signed outfielder Zach Clem and pitchers Shane Hill, Johnathan King and Stuart Sutherland.

 

1. (16 overall): Jeremy Jeffress, RHP, Halifax County Senior HS (VA)

2. (60): Brent Brewer, SS, Sandy Creek HS (GA)

8. (242): Shane Hill, RHP, Florida Christian School (FL)

9. (272): Shawn Ferguson, RHP, Texas Christian University

10. (302): Mike McClendon, RHP, Seminole Community College

11. (332): Zach Clem, LF, University of Washington

13. (392): Chris Toneguzzi, RHP, Purdue University

21. (632): Jesse D'Amico, C, Mohawk HS (PA)

22. (662): Johnathan (J.T.) King, RHP, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M

25. (752): Mike Goetz, CF, UW-Milwaukee

30. (902): Jordan Swayden, C, San Diego State

34. (1022): Stuart Sutherland, RHP, Dallas Baptist University

35. (1052): Sanduan Dubose, 3B, Stillman College (MS)

 

13 of 50 signed thus far...

 

We should have many more article links for you this weekend -- thanks for your patience...

[Mass Haas]

Baseball America reports that the Brewers have released 18-year-old LHP Julio Guzman, a Dominican youngster who struggled in his Arizona Rookie League debut season in 2005.

 

Milwaukee also released 20-year-old OF Steven Sapp, signed this offseason after a couple of years in the Dodgers' system.

 

RHP Kevin Roberts, the 2005 5th round pick who has struggled, made his return to the mound Sunday after serving a brief team-imposed suspension. We believe this was related to an on-field incident a while back.

[Mass Haas]

Hope everyone has been touching base in the 2006 Draft Forum on all the recent signess (and non-signees). As a general rule, you'll be directed to pre-signing updates on that forum with post-signing news here in the Minor League Forum.

 

Just a bit on recently-signed 34th round RHP Stuart Sutherland out of Dallas Baptist University, which had seven players drafted:

 

The DBU Patriot Baseball set a school record with seven players drafted in the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft, which included senior Stuart Sutherland.

 

Sutherland, a right handed pitcher, was selected in the 34th round by the Milwaukee Brewers with the 1022nd overall pick. Sutherland finished the 2006 season with a 2-2 record in 31 innings with 35 strikeouts. In 2005, Sutherland had a 3.38 ERA and a 4-3 record in 50.2 innings with 21 strikeouts, which included being named to a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week for his performance against UC-Irvine. He pitched a nine-inning no-hitter against UC-Irvine, but amazingly did not figure in the decision during a 1-0, 10-inning loss to the Anteaters.

 

In 2004 as a sophomore, Sutherland led the team with a 2.23 ERA pitching in 40 innings with 10 strikeouts. He posted a 2-2 record, which included the win in the NCCAA National Championship game, where he threw a perfect game against Palm Beach Atlantic University, in his first start of the season. In Sutherland's freshman season, he once again led the Patriots in ERA with a 2.73 and finished with a 5-1 record, pitching 33 innings.

 

"Stuart had a great career at DBU. He has the tools and mentality to be a professional," Newman commented.

[Mass Haas]

West Virginia Press Release:

 

The West Virginia Power, Class A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers have made another roster move.

 

Today, right handed pitcher Robbie Wooley was placed on the disabled list for the second time this season, and right hander Josh Louis has been called up from extended spring training to take his place.

 

Josh Louis was selected in the 42nd round of the 2004 draft out of Temple Junior College in Texas. Louis went 1-2 with Helena last year and posted a 5.14 ERA with five saves in 17 appearances.

 

Robbie Wooley has been placed on the disabled list after suffering soreness in his right elbow, marking his second trip to the DL this season. Wooley went 1-3 with a 4.86 ERA over six starts and 13 appearances before heading to the disabled list.

[And That]

More picks signed!

 

From the JS:

 

The players signed were: outfielder Chris Errecart, a fifth-round pick out of California; left-handed pitcher Micah "Brae" Wright, a sixth-round pick out of Oklahoma State; outfielder Zach Clem, an 11th-round pick out of Washington; shortstop Hector Bernal, a 14th-round pick out of El Paso (Texas) Community College; catcher Brett Whiteside, a 15th-round pick out of Mesquite (Ariz.) High School; and second baseman Eric Newton, a 33rd-round pick out of Santa Clara University.

 

We already knew about Clem... Errecart, Wright, Bernal and Newton weren't big surprises. Whiteside, a mid-range catcher with a Myspace page that you should check out (link from the draft forum) was a little surprising. However, I won't get too excited about the dude yet.