June Transactions: Latest -- Updates on All the 'Missing'

[Mass Haas]

We should know more by Wednesday AM, but it appears that the Brewers may have said goodbye to 22-year-old RHP Simon Beresford and 21-year-old utility IF/OF Agustin Septimo, each removed from the West Virginia roster.

 

Hopefully that's not the case with our Aussie pal Simon, who showed glimpses last year in Beloit (84 hits allowed in 92 IP with 87 K's, but 50 BB's). Beresford had really struggled in recent weeks, however. We'll provide career numbers for review if the news is confirmed.

 

EDIT: Beresford and Septimo are apparently still Brewers, in Maryvale for now...

[Brewerfan05]

First, what on earth was Don Money thinking when he called Zumwalt in to BUNT when he had others sitting on the bench. These are AA ball players...if they can be counted on to lay down a bunt that says alot. I originally thought Zumwalt had reached his turn in the order, but after reading the log, he was the pinch hitter. Very unfortunate... he was really doing well in his recent appearances, and it didn't have to happen.

 

I was shocked to see that Ford had been released. Nichols' comment that he wasn't progressing really didn't make sense... he had a 2 something ERA the week before, had gotten the walks down, etc. Yes, he got shelled in his two recent outings, but look at the rest of the pen. It was probably more of a financial move then anything... they were probably paying him the most on that team and didn't want to pay that much for a guy in AA. Maybe there were other outside factors related...who knows. Regardless, it seemed that the writing was on the wall with the organization and him (moving him to the pen in favor of Ballouli, etc.). It is probably in his best interest to start over and not have the whole Rule V pressure (or stigma). Best to luck to him wherever he goes... I doubt this is the last we've seen of him.

 

I still don't get what the Brewers see in Costello. He had one good HALF of a season ever. And I can't get how anyone would be impressed at how he did in BC... I would imagine that most 26 year olds that have pitched in AA could get A ball hitters out. He's probably more of a roster filler then anything... he got shelled in the AFL as well as spring training. I would much rather have seen Habel or Taubbenheim get the promotion

[brewfan]

heard that is was shoulder soreness, should have been helped, was a hard worker good luck

[1e Corbeau]

Brewerfan05

 

It seems that work ethic and conditioning (see earlier this post, JP pregame interview) were a big question with Ford. It wasn't just the high amount of walks.

[Southern Leaguer]

Alec had just finished warming up and was coming in to pitch the next inning. Using him to bunt and then pitch made sense. It saved a player for later, plus he is as good as any other option available. It is unfortunate that it happened but the move made sense at the time.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site:

 

GLOVER TO JOIN SOUNDS THIS WEEKEND: Right-hander Gary Glover, who played for the Iowa Cubs last season, will join the Nashville pitching staff this weekend after clearing waivers and accepting an assignment to the Sounds. The 28-year-old hurler -- who was designated for assignment by Milwaukee on Monday when the club added former Sounds catcher Julio Mosquera to its activeroster -- went 3-4 with a 6.70 ERA (37er/49.2ip) in 12 appearances (nine starts) for the Brewers this season.

[Mass Haas]

Brevard County RHP Luis Pena has been activated from the Manatee disabled list. The 40-man roster pitcher will make his next start on Monday.

[Mass Haas]

From the best darn minor league team website in the nation -- thanks, Sounds management!

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1616

 

Nashville Sounds second baseman Rickie Weeks, the Brewers? top prospect, was recalled by Milwaukee following the team?s game in Philadelphia this evening and will be in uniform for the major league club on Saturday against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

 

The red-hot second baseman ? who appeared briefly for Milwaukee in September 2003 at the end of his first professional season ? will take the roster spot of outfielder Dave Krynzel, who was optioned back to Nashville after going hitless in seven at-bats, including a trio of strikeouts, over five games for the Brewers since being recalled on June 2.

 

Weeks tore up Pacific Coast League pitching during his first season at the Class AAA level, striking the ball at a .320 clip (65-for-203) with 12 home runs and 48 RBIs while hitting safely in 41 of his 55 contests for the Sounds. Thirty-five of his team-leading 65 hits went for extra bases.

 

Ranked as the eighth-best prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America prior to the season, the 22-year-old has not disappointed with his performance, ranking among minor league and PCL leaders in several offensive categories.

 

Weeks? many accomplishments in 2005 include:

 

Led or co-led Nashville is every major offensive category

 

Leads Sounds with 19 multiple-hit games & 12 multi-RBI efforts

 

Hit safely in 34 of final 42 games with the Sounds (.355, 54-for-152, 40 RBI, 36 R)

 

Leads all minor leaguers with his PCL-best nine triples

 

Ranks 2nd in PCL with team-leading 133 total bases (9th in minors)

 

Has 35 extra-base hits compared with only 28 singles this season

 

Ranks 2nd in PCL and tied for 5th in minors with his 35 extra-base hits

 

Ranks 4th in PCL with team-leading 48 RBIs (tied for 12th in minors)

 

Ranks 3rd among PCL hitters & 7th in minors with .655 slugging pct.

 

Ranks 7th among PCL batters with .435 on-base percentage

 

Tied for 8th in PCL with team-leading 43 runs scored

 

Ranks 16th among PCL hitters with .320 batting average

 

Leads Sounds & tied for 7th in PCL with career-high 12 HR (hit only 8 in 2004)

 

Tied for club lead with 14 doubles

 

Has been hit by a pitch a team-high 14 times (tied for 2nd among minor leaguers)

 

Has stolen 10 bases and is one theft shy of his career high, established in 2004 with Huntsville

 

Has a pair of two-homer games (May 4 at Iowa, May 12 vs. Tucson)

 

Krynzel, who will re-join the Sounds prior to the team?s homestand that begins on Monday at Greer Stadium, opened the season with Nashville and batted .273 (54-for-198) with six home runs and 33 RBIs in 49 PCL games before being summoned by Milwaukee.

[Mass Haas]

Reminder, on the Draft Forum thread is the following post, tracking the draft pick signings -- nine new Helena players, two for Arizona thus far:

 

p092.ezboard.com/fbrewers...=812.topic

[Mass Haas]

News from the Sounds' Site:

 

ERICKSON ACTIVATED FROM D.L.: Infielder Matt Erickson, who has missed a month of action due to right knee tendinitis, was activated from the disabled list prior to yesterday?s game. He last appeared in a game for Nashville on May 10.

 

To make room on the Nashville roster for the addition of RHP Gary Glover, reliever Mike Meyers (3-3, 6.17 in 22 relief outings) has been transferred to Double-A Huntsville.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site Press Release on Prince Fielder, and the signing of veteran infielder Warren Morris:

 

Link while active, text follows:

 

www.nashvillesounds.com/n...ewsId=1622

 

The Nashville Sounds completed the delivery of a one-two punch to the Milwaukee Brewers this afternoon. Two days after top prospect Rickie Weeks headed north from Nashville to Milwaukee, # 2 prospect Prince Fielder has followed suit.

 

Fresh on the heels of his third multiple-homer game of the season, Fielder received his first big-league callup on Monday when his contract was purchased by the Brewers.

 

With the Sounds? major league affiliate needing an extra bat for its American League rules series in Tampa Bay this week, the 21-year-old first baseman fit the bill.

 

Fielder, who was ranked as the 15th-best prospect in all of baseball and second overall in the Brewers organization by Baseball America prior to the season, batted .253 (58-for-229) with a team-leading 15 home runs to go along with 47 RBIs in 64 games for the Sounds this season. He added 13 doubles and carries a .507 slugging percentage.

 

In his final game with Nashville, Fielder smacked a pair of home runs at Principal Park in Des Moines, Iowa on Sunday afternoon to lead the Sounds to a 7-1 victory. It marked the third time the youngster had belted two roundtrippers in a contest this season (also on May 23 at Portland and May 29 vs. New Orleans)

 

Eighteen of Fielder?s final 20 hits for the Sounds were of the extra-base variety, including 12 home runs over his last 19 games since May 23. He racked up 28 RBIs in his final 20 games of Pacific Coast League action.

 

He is currently tied for 4th in the PCL with 15 longballs, is tied for 7th in the circuit with his 47 RBIs, and is 15th among league hitters with 116 total bases.

 

In addition to his power prowess, Fielder has demonstrated a keen batting eye, leading Nashville & tying for 5th among PCL hitters with 37 walks.

 

Fielder, who was named PCL Batter-of-the-Week for the May 23-29 period after batting .360 with seven home runs and 16 RBIs during the seven-game span, belted his third career grand slam (an opposite-field shot to left) and matched a career high with six RBIs on May 28 against New Orleans.

 

Fielder will be in uniform for the Brewers on Monday evening at Tropicana Field in Tampa Bay and will make his major league debut upon his first appearance.

 

To clear a spot on its 25-man and 40-man rosters for Fielder, Milwaukee designated former Sounds catcher Julio Mosquera for assignment. The Brewers have 10 days to trade him, place him on waivers, or release him. He would need to clear waivers to rejoin Nashville.

 

To fill Fielder?s spot on the roster, the Brewers have signed veteran infielder Warren Morris to a minor league contract and assigned him to the Sounds.

 

The 30-year-old former Sound opened the season in the Cleveland Indians organization but was slow to recover from a broken right ring finger sustained in spring training and was released last week after batting only .091 (2-for-22) in five games for Double-A Akron. Morris previously played in Nashville during the 2001 campaign, when he hit .305 (68-for-223) with five HR & 40 RBIs in 57 contests for the Sounds.

 

Warren Morris Career Statistics (pre-2005):

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...rris.shtml

[dadofandrew]

I think Warren Morris could be a nice reserve IF/LH PH in the bigs. I find it hard to believe he didn't have a job.

[brewersClone]

he was such a hotshot prospect for the pirates, hard to believe he has fallen so far

[hsvstarsfan]

Pitcher Mike Meyers was sent from Nashville to Huntsville today. He was 3-3 with a 6.17 ERA for the Sounds in 22 games.

 

Meyers, as the Stars open a home series against the Diamond Jaxx, pitched for WT in 1999-2000 and had a combined W-L of 9-2.

 

He was releaed by the Cubs in May 2002 and re-signed with them a month later.

 

He's in his 9th season of pro ball.

[Mass Haas]

Another tall pitcher for Brevard County -- RHP Ben Diggins returns from a previous four-game stint with the Manatees, back from his rehab stint in Arizona.

[Mass Haas]

Nashville Site -- No Surprise Here:

 

MOSQUERA REJOINS SOUNDS; CORREDOR ?POWERED? DOWN: Catcher Julio Mosquera has been re-added to the Nashville roster after being outrighted by the Milwaukee Brewers yesterday when the club added Sounds first baseman Prince Fielder. The backstop spent eight days with the Brewers as a safeguard while catcher Damian Miller recovered from a right groin strain. Mosquera was retired in his lone at-bat. To make room for Mosquera, fellow backstop Nestor Corredor was re-assigned to the Single-A West Virginia Power. The 21-year-old spent a week on the Sounds roster but failed to make his career Triple-A debut.

[bork]

Brevard County and West Virginia both appear to be at 26 players now. So there would appear to be a couple more moves coming.

[Mass Haas]

To make room on the Brevard County roster for RHP Ben Diggins, OF Jake Serfass was released on Monday.

 

Serfass, an undrafted free agent signed after the 2004 draft, was a nice story in that he was out of West Virginia University, so there was some interest locally during his brief stay with the Power. But undrafted free agents need to make quick and powerful impressions (no pun intended), and Serfass' numbers didn't reflect that.

 

Jake Serfass College and 2004 numbers:

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...fass.shtml

 

2005 Numbers (some walks while at low-A):

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...pid=457967

[Mass Haas]

Swap of RHP's -- 20-year-old Robbie Wooley from West Virginia to Helena, 25-year-old Forrest Martin returns to West Virginia for another chance there. Hopefully hooking back up with pitching coach Mark Littell will help correct some of Robbie's recent struggles...

[Mass Haas]

The Charleston Gazette confirms that catcher Charlie Lozada was released from the West Virginia roster when Nestor Corredor returned from Nashville.

 

Lozada, a Venezuelan who will turn 22 next week, found his share of singles during his 2+ years in the system and had a low K rate, but perhaps lacked in some defensive areas in comparison to others still in the organization.

 

Charlie Lozada Career Statistics Through 2004:

 

www.thebaseballcube.com/p...zada.shtml

 

2005 Numbers:

Zero walks in 2005...

 

www.minorleaguebaseball.c...pid=445148

[Mass Haas]

Baseball America now lists 5th round RHP, Kevin Roberts, out of the University of Houston, as signed:

 

www.baseballamerica.com/d...p?team=MIL

 

You'd imagine Roberts would begin in Helena.

[Mass Haas]

Wow, this should kick off quite the shakeup among the farm teams, unless new minor league free agent vets are brought in -- no one saw this coming:

 

Nashville Site:

 

ORIE, PARONTO GRANTED RELEASES BY BREWERS

Nashville Sounds third baseman Kevin Orie and reliever Chad Paronto were released by the Milwaukee Brewers following the game, following requests from each player permitted in their contracts with the club.

 

Orie, the Sounds? top hitter at .344 on the year, leaves the Sounds amidst a hot hitting stretch. The veteran recorded three or more hits in three of his final four contests for Nashville and was hitting a robust .591 (13-for-22) during a current six-game hitting streak.

 

Paronto led the Sounds bullpen with a 2.75 ERA in his 27 relief appearances for the club and ranked second on the club with four saves.

[brewersClone]

a very suprising move, i am assuming new minor league free agents are going to be signed. With the team loosing weeks and their best offensive player, its going to be tough over there for wins.

[LouisEly]

following requests from each player permitted in their contracts with the club.

 

Obviously this was not by choice of the Brewers or Sounds. Can't blame them - Orie was down to fifth on the organizational 3B depth chart (Branyan, Cirillo, Helms, Hall). Paronto knew that a 40-man roster move would be required to bring him up, and chances are they would call up Adams or Bennett or Hendrickson before they would make that roster move.

 

Oh well. Move Glover to long relief and bring up Sarfate.

 

Can Warren Morris play 3B?

[Katuluu]

Best of luck to both of them, as they have certainly played well enough to be on a Major League roster.