Off-Season Transactions: Latest - LHP Chris Michalak

[MassBrew]

The pre-Rule 5 Off-Season Transaction thread has been closed. You can always review it here:

 

pub123.ezboard.com/fbrewe...mp;stop=40

 

Now that the Rule 5 draft is complete, the Brewers have re-assigned several players within the system who were eligible to be picked in either the major league (Indy) or minor league (Huntsville) phase, according to mlb.com. This isn?t necessarily a guarantee that this is where these players will open the regular season this spring, but it can be an indication, for sure. One player who was not Rule 5 eligible was also moved, that being J.J. Hardy (from Huntsville to Indianapolis).

 

The Brewers? own site does not reflect these changes as of yet. Brewerfan?s rosters via the Player Index Page will be adjusted Thursday afternoon, so you?ll be able to review who currently resides where.

 

From Indianapolis to Huntsville:

LHP Chad Petty

RHP David Nolasco

1B Brandon Gemoll

IF Chris Barnwell

2B Alejandro Machado

IF Enrique Cruz

1B/3B/C Froilan Villanueva

OF Daryl Clark

OF Johnny Raburn

OF Chris Morris

OF Jason Belcher

(Petty, Villanueva, Raburn, Morris and Belcher did not see AA Huntsville in 2003.)

 

From Indianapolis to High Desert:

LHP Eric Henderson

RHP Luis Pena

RHP Dan Kolb

C Pedro Esparragoza

IF/C Jeff Eure

SS Ozzie Chavez

(Henderson, Pena, Esparragoza, and Eure did not see A+ High Desert in 2003.)

 

From Indianapolis to Beloit:

SS Gilberto Acosta

(Acosta starred at the Arizona Rookie League level in 2003.)

 

From Huntsville to Indianapolis:

J.J. Hardy

(Hardy's first visit to AAA...)

 

From Huntsville to High Desert:

LHP Justin Gordon

RHP Ricardo Gomez

RHP Judd Richardson

RHP David Bradley

2B/OF Ralph Santana

OF Mario Mendez

(This would be Richardson?s and Mendez' first taste of high-A; Gomez and Bradley are new to the organization.)

 

From Huntsville to Beloit:

OF Manuel Melo

(This would be Melo?s first visit to A-ball.)

[squarepusher]

Let the roster speculation begin!

 

(or continue, actually...)

[EdgarDiazRocks]

Yeah, with ONLY Hardy being moved up that really makes you wonder doesn't it.

 

Looks like JJ's got a chance in the Spring.

[bork]

Assuming Weeks and Kade end up in Hunstville, there is a whole pile of position players there. It's a little surprising the Gemoll was sent back to Hunstville, with Prince there. Also, what happens to Machado with Weeks and Cruz there?

 

Will some guys be let go? Should be interesting.

 

 1B - Fielder - Gemoll 2B - Weeks - Machado SS - Cruz - Barnwell 3B - Villanueva - Candalaria RF - Belcher - Clark - Boyd CF - Morris - Raburn LF - Nelson C - Johnson - Foster - Alvarado

[MassBrew]

You can click on Brewerfan's wonderfully filterable and sortable Player Index Page now to see the latest organizational breakdown:

 

www.brewerfan.net/ViewPlayerIndex.do

 

By some time tomorrow, someone among the "staff" will process the transactions for Brewerfan's transacton data base as well.

[mls4]

Cruz shows up on the High Desert roster. He did go to Huntsville, right?

[MassBrew]

Cruz shows up on the High Desert roster. He did go to Huntsville, right?

 

Now all set. Thanks for catching that for us.

 

At least we're still weeks ahead of the Brewers' own site http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[rpms6]

Liefer and Erickson have been signed.

 

From ESPN...

 

Milwaukee Brewers ; signed infielder Matt Erickson and outfielder Jeff Liefer to minor league contracts and invited them to spring training.

 

Also MLB.com shows Mike Kusiewicz on the Indy roster. Looks like some decent numbers for the lefthanded pitcher.

 

www.sports-wired.com/play...sp?ID=5924

[BrewCrewKid]

Is there a limit to sring training invitees?

[MassBrew]

There may not be an official Brewer summer team presence in Venezuela and the Dominican any longer, and there may not be a high-fangled Brewer "academy" in Latin America, but new names continue to be added to the Arizona roster. The Brewers' site lists some of the specifics, but not country of origin. We'll learn more around media guide time in the spring....

 

As mentioned earlier in Baseball America, Fredy (that's one "D", apparently) De La Cruz is a 6'2", 180 lb. infielder, bats and throws right. Born 10/17/85, 18 years old.

 

Victor Arias is a 6'4", 180 lb. RHP. Born 1/1/84, he'll turn 20 in a couple of weeks.

 

Erickson Pedro Volcan (great name -- do we call him Eric, Pedro, or Spock? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif ) is a 6'1", 185 lb. RHP, born 6/10/86. He'll still be just 17 when camp opens.

[MassBrew]

Also MLB.com shows Mike Kusiewicz on the Indy roster. Looks like some decent numbers for the lefthanded pitcher.

 

Thanks again, rpms6.

 

Kusiewicz certainly has the makings of a guy who will be helpful to Indy, and in the Brewers' world of situational lefty's (a very tiny world), should sneak into the mix at some point. As far as 2003 goes, he certainly was effective vs. RH batters as well -- nice job, Doug...

 

In 2003 with Sacramento (A's):

 

vs. LH batters -- 8 hits allowed, all singles, in 36 AB's (.222); 3 BB / 9 K, 14 ground ball outs, 4 fly ball outs

 

vs RH batters -- 11 hits allowed in 51 AB's (.216), three of the 11 hits doubles, 7 BB / 8 K, 21 ground ball outs, 14 fly ball outs

[MassBrew]

I have posted the following in the "External Primer" thread which is always pinned at the top of the Major League board. I was able to find Mike Kusiewicz' secondary numbers easily here -- OK, it took some digging, but here you go...

 

Because I'm a nice guy http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif , and I figure we'd all like to be able to back up our agreements (or disagreements) with Toby from time to time, here's a nice resource for home/road, lefty/righty, situational and ground ball/fly ball statistics for the minor leaguers above rookie ball, provided by CNN/SI.com.

 

Unfortunately and unexpectedly, only home/road, and not the other two ratios, are available for the International League. Hopefully that will be corrected in 2004. But you will see all three ratios detailed for Huntsville, High Desert, and Beloit.

 

The first thing you'll do at this link is click on the league you want (Southern, California, Midwest, etc.) under where it says "Features". Then you'll click on the team you want. Then you'll see the options for "Lefty/Righty", "Home/Road", and "Situational". The ground ball/fly ball info is included within "Lefty/Righty".

 

I'm sure this will entertain some of you for hours on end during long, cold winter nights....

 

sportsillustrated.cnn.com...ll/minors/

[MassBrew]

Within the initial post in this thread, we noted those who are currently listed at a minor league level higher than what they attained in 2003, among those who were transferred earlier this week. Here are other players who remain at a higher level in the Brewer system after all the post-Rule 5 transfers have been made. Again, no guarantee that these players will begin at this level, but it's a possibly decent indication:

 

Currently on the AAA Indianapolis roster:

RHP Ryan Miller

RHP Matt Parker

RHP Jason Shelley

SS J.J. Hardy

 

Currently on the AA Huntsville roster:

RHP Khalid Ballouli

RHP J.M. Gold

LHP Manny Parra

RHP Tony Stavros

C Brian Foster (has had brief AA time in the past)

IF/OF Scott Candelaria

1B Prince Fielder

OF Dan Boyd

[MassBrew]

From Apple-ton on Matt Erickson:

 

www.wisinfo.com/postcresc...4475.shtml

[950opsLHcatcher]

Kusiewicz was a prospect of some note for the Rockies in the late 90's before having some injury problems. He just turned 27, but he seems to be pegged as a reliever now instead of a starter. Could be a very good signing.

[Al the Thinking Man]

Kusiewicz looks to be a good bet to spend at least some time with the big club in '04. One of many LH AAA starters who have stalled that should be considered as set-up men. Excellent splits versus LH batters in '03, without a doubt.

[MassBrew]

The Brewers have made some interesting fifth-round draft picks over the years. Some developed into productive major leaguers, at least briefly -- Bill Wegman ('81), Steve Sparks ('87), Pat Listach ('88), Nomar Garciaparra ('91), and Steve Woodard ('94). Current 5th rounders in the system include OF Jason Belcher ('00), RHP Judd Richardson ('01), and last year's pick, high school catcher Bryan Opdyke.

 

One fifth round pick that definitely did not pan out has been released, according to Baseball America. The Brewers signed RHP Dustin Lansford in time for the 2000 season. Lansford was drafted in 1999, and was the only pick among the top 15 that year not to sign that same year. After a season of community college baseball, the Brewers inked him prior to the 2000 draft.

 

Lansford will be 24 this coming April. His Brewer career consisted of 37 IP in Helena in 2000, and 8.1 IP in Beloit in 2001. He was basically AWOL for the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Not sure what becomes of that signing bonus, but whether it was suspected off-field issues or otherwise, Lansford's Brewer career is done. Maybe his fellow Baytown, Texas resident and also a 1999 draftee (2nd round), Kade Johnson, knows the real story here.

 

Another player who was placed on the suspended list for 2003 when he did not appear in camp last spring, catcher Arturo Bravo, the 24th round pick out a California high school in 2002, has also been released. Bravo hit .189 in 37 Arizona Rookie at-bats in 2002.

[brewcru1]

Ruben Castillo, a Venezuelan pitcher, has also been released. He pitched a little bit with the AZL Brewers this past season before having arm trouble

[950opsLHcatcher]

I'd be curious to know if the 4 guys presently listed on the DSL roster are still officially part of the organization or not. Since the Brewers don't have a team in the Dominican any more, you would think MLB wouldn't let them protect anyone on a phantom roster. Did they get promoted to the AZL at some point, or were they all released and we never heard about it?

[lend d money]

My wife and I questioned Snapper players about Dustin over the last two years. We usually got evasive answers, which led me to believe his disappearance was related to something other than baseball. I saw him pitch most of his 8.1 with Beloit. It's a shame as he had a quality arm.

[Al the Thinking Man]

I realize there is a slight chance he had a legit reason to disappear, that said, talk about p*ssing away a world of talent. Damn shame.

[950opsLHcatcher]

As an answer to my own question, there are in fact 19 guys still officially assigned to DSL/VSL rosters, though they should be moved off of there in the next month or so, around spring training. They are, for all of you hardcore folk:

 

Pitchers

Chavez, Damauris (LH) - 19

Garrido, Juan (VSL) - 19

Laureano, Wilfrido - 20

Lluveres, Rafael (LH) - 19

Malave, Ronny - 18

Mendoza, Luis (LH) - 20

Ochoa, Miguel (VSL) - 19

Pina, Angel - 19

Rojas, Pedro - 19

Romero, Jose - 20

 

Catchers

Corredor, Nestor - 20

Lopez, Yonnata - 19

 

Infield

Iribarren, Hernan (LH) - 19

Vicioso, Osvaldo (LH) - 17

 

Outfield

Amaya, Octavio (LH) - 18

Parejo, Freddy - 19

 

Do with that info what you will.

[MassBrew]

Discussed a bit on the major league forum today, but RHP Matt Wise is another arm for a potentially crowded Indianapolis roster. (Wise has only started in his minor league career. Prior to his elbow injury last spring, he was penciled in as the Angels' fifth starter, apparently.)

 

Matt Wise career numbers:

 

www.sports-wired.com/play...p?Name=CCG

 

Is that a projected AAA rotation of Luis Martinez, Jorge de la Rosa, Ben Hendrickson, Matt Ford, Jason Shelley, and now Matt Wise? Matt Parker and Ben Ford would be deserving candidates as well.

 

Truly the first year that the Indianapolis section of the Link Reports will be of serious interest.

[rpms6]

...states the Brewers have signed a RHP named Rhett Rivard. Not sure if this is the guy, although it's a good bet since he was in the Ranger organization...

 

www.sports-wired.com/play...?Name=GHFG

 

Also..they signed a SS named Luis Figueroa.

[MassBrew]

Pretty wild that there were actually two infielders named Luis Figueroa on BA's list of six-year minor league free agents for this winter. One played in the Expos' chain in 2003, the other in the Mariners'.

 

The Brewers were kind enough to confirm for us that their Figueroa is Luis R. Figueroa, who played at AAA Edmonton for Montreal in 2003:

 

www.sports-wired.com/play...?Name=ECDF

 

I've deleted the link to the other Luis Figueroa that rpms6 kindly provided in the prior post...