Offseason Moves -- Japanese OF Tatsuya Ozeki

[molitor fan]

Some snippets from the rotowire article: Personally, I like this move better than the Sorensen pickup - that average last spring training backs that up - I remember this guy killing us in spring training in past years.

 

Dallimore hit an even .500 (27-for-54) this spring, but the Giants simply have no room for another infielder on the roster

 

Dallimore was the 2003 Pacific Coast League batting champion with the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies, and made the Triple-A All-Star team last season, eventually earning MVP honors for the Grizzlies.

[dadofandrew]

If it looks like AAA fodder and smells like AAA fodder...

[Mass Haas]

Pretty good news in that the Brewers and RHP Brett Evert have come to an agreement on a minor league 2006 contract. First signed in May of this year by the Brewers after being released by Seattle, the now-25-year-old Evert appeared in 44 games (three starts) with Brevard County, Huntsville and Nashville, contributing nicely down the stretch in Nashville's championship run. He became a free agent on October 15th, but has since re-signed with the Crew.

 

The long-time Braves farmhand has logged 40-man roster time with both Atlanta and Seattle.

 

Brett Evert Career Stats:

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...vert.shtml

 

Brett Evert Career Transaction Analysis from Rotowire:

 

www.rotowire.com/baseball...tm?ID=6923

 

Not sure if you noticed on that Evert page, but Brewers' Northeast Area scout Tony Blengino (signed or drafted Mark Rogers, Angel Salome, Steve Garrison, Darren Ford, Derek Miller, others) is linked as a Rotowire contributor prior to his employment by the Brewers in the "Double-A Litmus Test" column linked here:

 

www.rotowire.com/baseball...gino_3.htm

 

Anyway, nice job on the Evert signing, one I was hoping for prior to the earlier free agency deadline...

[Mass Haas]

3B / LF Josh Brady, recently turned 25 years old, has signed voluntary retirement papers with the Brewers. He'll continue to appear on the Brewerfan Player Index as Brewer "property" for now, but don't expect to see him competing in 2006.

 

The Texas Tech product was 23 when drafted in the 19th round in 2004, so he needed to impress quickly this spring after his rookie season in Helena in his draft year. Things just didn't work out when jumped to high-A Brevard County to begin 2005, prompting a move down to West Virginia.

 

Josh Brady Career Statistics:

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...rady.shtml

 

Brewerfan wishes Josh well down the road...

[Mass Haas]

The "homework for colbyjack" post:

 

The contract of 2005 RHP Justin Stires, the Brewers' 2005 21st round pick who signed too late this summer to make his pro debut, has been voided. We know nothing of the circumstances. Stires, 21, played at Saddlebrook Community College in California. Not sure at this time if he'll still be eligible as a draft-and-follow later next spring.

 

On another note, however, the Brewers have added two RHP's from their Latin efforts to the Arizona rookie roster, Santo Manzanillo and Guillermo Salinas. We likely won't know anything about these youngsters, including country of origin (the Dominican or Venezuela) until the Brewer media guide is out in late March.

[Mass Haas]

I'm not a big fan of the word "bust" when it comes to baseball draft picks, although certainly there are many. In baseball in particular, draft busts might be even harder to define considering the minor league chain avoided in the NFL or NBA. Yet, I suppose, in my mind I've always placed an arbitrary limit as through the 5th round for this subject, and only if there was never even a glint of prospectdom on the radar throughout the player's career. 2001 3rd round RHP Jon Steitz was a bust, for instance. 2002 4th round OF Nic Carter was a bust both on and off the field, from all reports. After all, there's no such thing as a 43rd round bust.

 

The Brewers have released 2000 4th round pick LHP Eric Henderson, who pitched for the University of North Carolina. Henderson did not pitch at all in 2005 while rehabbing a rotator cuff injury. While struggling on the mound with High Desert in 2004, Henderson's bat showed enough promise in workouts to warrant 27 AB's. Baseball America had reported Henderson's 2000 signing bonus at $275,000.

 

LHP Eric Henderson's Career Statistics:

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...rson.shtml

 

But always keep the player himself in mind when tossing around a term like "bust". Here's a very cool article from this past August. Kudos to Eric Henderson and the other Brewer prospects in Maryvale. I know a lot of people review the Transaction Thread -- here's hoping all will read this. Good luck Eric, in your post-Brewer life...

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.azcentral.com/arizona...d0821.html

 

Stars' hospital visits lift patients' spirits

Andrew Bagnato

The Arizona Republic

 

Professional athletes and sick children have provided irresistible story lines.

 

Think of the legend of Babe Ruth promising to hit a home run for a bedridden youngster named Johnny Sylvester - and then delivering.

 

The story, which may be true, was retold in the 1992 movie The Babe.

 

In real life, the relationships between professional athletes and children with illnesses often go beyond choreographed photo opportunities. And the facts can be more compelling than a scriptwriter's invention.

 

At a time when many pro athletes are widely - and accurately - criticized for being greedy and self-centered, those who take the time to meet with sick children project a different image.

 

Their efforts provide a welcome contrast to recent headlines chronicling sports stars' bad behavior - from Texas Rangers pitcher Kenny Rogers' suspension for allegedly assaulting two television cameramen; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens being sent home from training camp amid a contract squabble.

 

"What the athletes bring to it is their celebrity, but also their humanity," said John Cary, executive director of Milwaukee-based Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer. "I think that's a side that a lot of people don't see."

 

The Valley's major pro sports teams don't log every request on behalf of children with illnesses. But they estimate that they receive several dozen every year.

 

Skeptics may ask whether athletes are using the children to generate publicity. That's a cynical view, but as athletes' salaries have risen, so has cynicism about their motives.

 

"Do some guys just show up because the team tells them to and because the cameras are there? Sure, that goes on," said Milwaukee Bucks television analyst Jon McGlocklin, who founded Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer in 1976. "But there are all the others that are doing the good things, and they're there with no cameras and they're there for the right reasons."

 

Who benefits most?

 

The uninitiated may be skeptical about the impact of an athlete's visit on a sick child. How much could an hour of conversation and an autographed jersey help a youngster facing a serious illness?

 

Plenty, parents and medical professionals say.

 

"In terms of having athletes visit kids, I think that the public can intuitively understand that kids with illnesses tend to be isolated and to feel very different and scared," said Mary McLellan, associate professor of educational psychology at Northern Arizona University, in an e-mail response to a question. "Having famous people visit is a 'kick' for any kid, but when kids are ill they can get a nice boost to their egos. Anytime the kids feel better about themselves, they tend to do better medically."

 

Wendy Pauker, a child life specialist at Phoenix Children's Hospital, said pro athletes visit the facility 20 to 25 times each year.

 

She has witnessed countless visits.

 

"For a lot of these kids, their days are very dreary," Pauker said. "People are coming in and out of their rooms poking and prodding. These visitors can give them a sense of hope and inspiration. It temporarily takes them away from being in the hospital."

 

Ardin Tucker confirms that. Her son, Nathan, 10, was rushed to Phoenix Children's after being struck in the head with a golf ball July 9 in Glendale.

 

He suffered a seizure when he arrived at the hospital. Doctors found a blood clot on the brain that had caused paralysis on the right side of Nathan's body.

 

As Nathan began his recovery, hospital staff learned that he was a star Little League pitcher and a fan of the Milwaukee Brewers. It just so happened that Eric Henderson, a Brewers pitching prospect, had been leading teammates on regular visits to Phoenix Children's.

 

Rehabilitation had been difficult for Nathan, especially walking. One day, Henderson and his friends showed up in the intensive care unit and sent word to Nathan's room: We're waiting down the hall.

 

Nathan climbed out of bed.

 

"I don't think he had smiled like that until they came in," Ardin Tucker said. "It really lifted his spirits. He forgot, for a while, that he was injured.

 

"It means a lot to the kids, more than Mom and Dad saying, 'Come on, get up and do it,' " Ardin Tucker said. "It means a lot more when an athlete says that."

 

Nathan has since gone home and enrolled in school. He's in physical therapy and hopes to return to the ballfield next spring.

 

Every few weeks, eight to 12 Brewers farmhands show up at the hospital with Henderson.

 

"They think we're pretty cool because we're professional athletes," said Henderson, a minor leaguer who spent this season rehabbing a rotator cuff injury at the club's Maryvale facility. "These kids are way cooler than we are. Day in and day out they're fighting a battle that is so much more important than what we do every day. We think it's a war to strike out a hitter. But these kids are battling for their lives."

 

Sense of perspective

 

Sometimes it takes only a moment with a hurting child to make an athlete realize how good he has it. The athlete is there to provide inspiration for the child - but it often turns out to be the other way around.

 

Some may have thought they were strong because they can hit a baseball 425 feet or because they can run over a 325-pound defensive tackle. Then they meet a child who is bravely facing a long and frightening series of doctor visits.

 

"I think our players feel like they're the ones who benefit," said Luis Zendejas, the Cardinals' director of community relations. "The kids get an autograph. Big deal. Our players walk away and they're feeling great about being able to help."

 

Diamondbacks outfielder Shawn Green said, "Kids in the hospital lots of time have a better perspective on life than anyone. They're kids, and kids tend to be dreamers, optimistic, and just enjoy all the little things. It's pretty moving when you go there and you see the outlook these kids have, and these are kids with very unfortunate circumstances."

 

Green and his wife, Lindsay, recently made $100,000 donations to the Craniofacial Program at St. Joseph's and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Phoenix Children's. There was a personal reason for the gifts: The Greens' first child, Presley, was hospitalized for two weeks with a chest cold shortly after her birth in December 2002, Green said.

 

Many encounters between athletes and sick kids occur on teams' holiday hospital visits, which have become as much a part of the sports calendar as Opening Day and the playoffs. The routine is familiar: trailed by handlers from the team, the athletes mingle with the young patients, offering hugs and high fives and handing out hats and jerseys. Minicams from local television stations record the event for a 10-second spot on that evening's newscast.

 

When the klieg lights are shut off, the athletes return to their luxury cars and the children to their hospital rooms. Sometimes that's the end of the experience. But often the players are touched in ways they may never have imagined.

 

"We have the world by its tail; we have everything," said Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, whose First Things First Foundation sponsors hospital visits. "But when you see someone that age that has to struggle with what they struggle with, and they struggle on a daily basis, it's an inspiration to me."

 

Visit guidelines

 

Pauker of Phoenix Children's said the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League has been the most active local team, with weekly visits during the season. It's not uncommon to see several hulking Rattlers hanging out in the "teen room," making bead bracelets or singing karaoke with the kids.

 

When athletes come in for a visit, Pauker goes over a few basic rules. They're told not to ask how the child is feeling or when he's getting out of the hospital.

 

"For athletes, we say, 'Have you ever seen me on TV? What sports do you like?' " Pauker said.

 

In rare instances, the athletes have their own ground rules.

 

After Warner signed with the Cardinals last spring, a representative of his foundation called Phoenix Children's to arrange a visit. Pauker wanted to make it happen. But then she was told Warner would insist on bringing Bibles into the children's rooms. At Phoenix Children's, Bibles are allowed in rooms only with patients' consent.

 

"They wanted to come into each room with a Bible," Pauker said. "We have very strong policies because we're a non-denominational hospital. They wouldn't budge with that."

 

Arranging a visit

 

Most of the time, the visits aren't that complicated. Typically, they are arranged by the team's community relations office and a hospital or the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Arizona.

 

Other visits result from informal contact between a parent and the team or athlete.

 

Some of the requests are as urgent as they are heartbreaking. A few weeks ago, Make-A-Wish officials in British Columbia told the Suns that a terminally ill girl there had requested to meet Steve Nash, according to Stephanie Clarke, the Suns' community affairs manager.

 

When it comes to charity, contractual requirements vary according to each sport's collective bargaining agreement. Visits with ailing children aren't specified, but Clarke said players rarely, if ever, say no.

 

Karen Conway, the Diamondbacks' director of community affairs, also said visits with ill children are arranged on a case-by-case basis.

 

"When you tell an athlete it's for a kid in a hospital, most of them are going to say, 'When do you need me there?' " Conway said.

 

The Cardinals have had a long connection with Phoenix Children's Hospital, with players showing up in bunches to hand out toys at the holidays or making one-on-one visits on Tuesdays - their day off during the regular season.

 

"It's not built into your contract that you have to do this or do that, but if you know, deep down in your heart, that you can help someone as a human being, then it shouldn't be too much to give up an hour or two of your day," said Cardinals defensive end Bertrand Berry, a frequent volunteer.

 

"Sometimes we kind of are shielded from what's going on in real life," Berry said. "This really brings you face-to-face with real life.

 

"I think it's a great test of character to the guys who do it. I think they're better off for it, and I know the kids get a lot out of it. It's a win-win for everybody."

[Mass Haas]

One last move to report today in terms of comings and goings -- the Brewers have released RHP Simon Beresford, the 6'6" Aussie, and the team's 32nd round pick in 2002. Beresford had a decent run for such a late pick, but needed to start this season in high-A after his 2004 Beloit stint. When that didn't happen, and he struggled early this year with West Virginia, he at least got the chance to participate in Helena's no-hitter with fellow Aussie, LHP David Welch, among others.

 

RHP Simon Beresford's Career Statistics:

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...ford.shtml

 

It's little secret that Simon's dad, Ian, has been a regular frequenter of our forums. He and I have been occasional email friends, and I trust I'll do Ian no disservice by including only a tiny statement from his latest note:

 

I need to note that Si's experience over his four years in the States has been outstanding, having met a lot of wonderful people along the way. No doubt he will continue to do so in his new life. We count you amongst those people, it has been humbling that you would care for our "boy" as you have.

 

All the very best to you and your family, and may many other players' families experience the delights that we have through your and others devotion to Brewerfan.

 

No Ian, it's humbling that folks like you let us fuss over your boy like we do, while accepting our fascination and grand hopes for all. Take care, mate.

[Mass Haas]

MLB.com:

 

Signed six players to Minor League contracts with Spring Training invitations: INF Brian Dallimore, INF Brent Abernathy, C Mark Johnson, C Mike Rivera, RHP Jerome Gamble and RHP Jared Fernandez.

 

We reported Dallimore's signing earlier, and had notified you that Mike Rivera and Jerome Gamble had re-signed earlier. Gamble's spring training invite is a bit of a surprise and must have been a carrot for enticement.

 

Catcher Mark Johnson returns to the system, making a Johnson / Rivera AAA tandem almost a sure thing.

 

We'll post more on Brent Abernathy in a bit -- quite the glut of veteran minor league 2B / 3B types all of a sudden. We'll also post more on Jared Fernandez, a knuckleballer with some fairly significant pro experience.

[dadofandrew]

Great to see Johnson back, and Abernathy is better than Sorenson (though, that's not saying much:).

[brettac1]

That is some sweet catching depth at AAA.

[Mass Haas]

28-year-old Brent Abernathy's Career Statistics:

 

Only a .622 OPS in 868 big league AB's; Abernathy also recently had surgery to repair a slight Achilles' tear...

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...athy.shtml

 

30-year-old Mark Johnson's Career Statistics:

A .625 OPS in 931 big league AB's -- very Abernathy-ish; you're a true Brewerfan-maniac if you know who Milwaukee acquired when Johnson was dealt to the Cubs last spring -- answer at the bottom of this post....

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...on-1.shtml

 

32-year-old RHP Jared Fernandez's Career Statistics:

Considering all those many early years in the Red Sox system, this will be Fernandez' 4th National League organization since then; some industrious team really should open up a knuckleball camp and just have massive tryouts -- what harm?

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...ndez.shtml

 

Trivia answer: Brevard County outfielder Travis Ezi...

[Mass Haas]

Apparently disregard the detailed post earlier in this thread regarding South African infielder Jonathan Phillips being back in the Brewers' fold.

 

While his name had re-appeared for a while on MILB.com's roster page for the Maryvale Brewers, that seems to have been in error.

[sbrylski]

I like this Jared Fernandez signing. His stats seem pretty good. It would be very cool to see him start a couple games next year in the bigs, if a starter or two go on the DL.

[dadofandrew]

He's been a perennial solid starter in AAA, ERA almost always in the high 3's. I was unaware he threw a knuckleball, just thought he was a 6th/7th starter type.

[Mass Haas]

With thanks to the incredible Nashville Sounds site:

 

LHP Jason Kershner - The left-handed reliever, who will be 29 on Opening Day, has spent the last five seasons at either the Triple-A or big-league level, including stops with San Diego (2002) and Toronto (2002-04). Kershner -- who is 12-4 with a 3.08 ERA all-time in PCL play (77 app. over two seasons) -- split the 2005 campaign between Pawtucket (AAA-Red Sox) and Portland (AAA-Padres) and compiled a cumulative 5-4 record, three saves, and a 3.76 ERA (33er/79.0ip) in 61 relief outings.

 

LHP Jason Kershner Career Statistics:

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...hner.shtml

 

Kershner's Career Transactions Analysis from Rotowire:

 

www.rotowire.com/baseball...tm?ID=7240

 

Unfortunately, MLB.com's stats site doesn't include "vs. LH batters" as a split for Kershner.

 

From 2002 (Kershner's big league debut with San Diego):

 

Padres manager Bruce Bochy said that Kershner is more of a pitcher than a hard thrower.

 

"He's got a good fastball, but his best pitch is a changeup," said Bochy. "We're going to put him in the bullpen for now and he'll be our long reliever."

 

"I'm not going to really blow by too many guys," Kershner said. "On occasion I might, but I'm not going to be one of those guys who will throw it right down the middle. I'm going to try to get ahead, keep the ball down, and keep the ball out of the middle of the plate.

 

"I rely more on my off-speed, my changeup, occasionally my slider. I do throw my fastball a lot, but I try to make it where I don't have to get in a fastball count. I try to get ahead and use my stuff."

[molitor fan]

nice pickup - he had a really nice 2003 season with Toronto..

 

He is from Scotsdale, so he should have some people rooting for him in spring training nearby.

 

edit: after looking at baseballreference.com, I see that 2 of his 10 most similar pitchers career-wise are Rigo Beltran and Tommy Phelps.......a fine tradition of journeyman lefties....

[And That]

Weird... guy has 100 major league innings pitched and I've never heard of him. Best of luck to him, may he be our next Tommy Phelps.

[Kaukauna]

Brewers sign left-hander Wilfredo Rodriguez to minor league contract and invite him to spring traning, along with Zach-Jack, Palmisano and Rottino.

 

From the release:

 

Rodriguez, 26, spent the majority of the 2005 season with Frisco, the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, where he posted a 4-5 mark alongside a 3.80 ERA in 12 starts. He also made a pair of starts for Triple-A Oklahoma recording no decisions with a 1.42 ERA.

 

Now 11 non-roster invites on the docket.

[Mass Haas]

LHP Wil Rodriguez' career statistics -- disregard the 2005 post-season numbers with Houston, that's included in error:

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...guez.shtml

 

Rodriguez, once the Astros' top pitching prospect, is best known for giving up Barry Bonds' 70th homer back in 2001. He'll be 27 years old in March.

[colbyjack]

I really like the signing of Wilfredo Rodriguez. He played really well in 2005, despite a few minor injury set-backs, pitching in two hitter's leagues, AA Texas & AAA PCL. Thanks to BA's handy-dandy improved player stats, here is his combined line:

 

3.60 ERA, 14 games (all starts), 75 IP, 64 H, 72 K, 33 BB, 6 HR, .236/.331/.377 (.708 OPS) against, 1.04 groundball/flyball ratio

 

Here's another page of his career stats from Way More Sports:

 

tsf.waymoresports.thestar...r.cgi?2554

 

As Mass Haas noted, he was the Astros' #1 prospect at one time (2000, #2 the following year behind Oswalt), and rated so highly because of a power arsenal, including a mid-90s fastball and a hard cuveball. He was given high marks for his ability to throw strikes, and really the only negative was an unrefined changeup. I couldn't find the archives as to why (injury, yes, but I'm not sure what kind), but he missed the entire 2002 and 2003 seasons.

 

He had surgery to shave down some bone-spurs/chips in his throwing elbow late last season, but was expected to return to spring training at full health. He has been used primarily as a starter throughout his minor league career, so he could be a very astute find as a power reliever.

 

I don't want to unfairly label the guy, but he would be my nugget-to-click for '06.

 

It should also be noted that similar to Rodriguez another fellow Venezuelan and former highly-touted Astros lefty, Carlos Hernandez, is still available.

[jwaltz]

Maybe reuniting with Maddox will help him emerge as a good reliever.

[RyDogg66]

Maybe he can call his friend Carlos Hernandez (I dont know if they are really friends, but at least teammates) and get him to come to camp too. Although, Im sure he'd prefer just as much to not have the competition.

 

This seems like a good move, but Ive always liked Hernandez.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Quote:

---

Maybe reuniting with Maddox will help him emerge as a good reliever.

---

 

Shame, shame...

[gbpacker40]

His 98' campaign is out of this world. 0.30 ERA with 165 innings pitched, thats incredilbe at any level. Definately could be the next Turnbow type nugget.

 

 

Ignore, its 3.00, not .3

 

My fault.

[SoCalBrewfan]

I believe Lester Maddox died a few years back...maybe that's the reference?

 

This is a classic no-risk, maybe-high-reward pickup...though there's clearly been some injury issues in his past, a guy who can throw hard with his left hand will always get chances.