Off-Season Transactions: Latest - LHP Chris Michalak

[MassBrew]

RHP Rhett Rivard is better known as "Reggie", it seems, which may explain why his 2003 numbers were not included in the sports-wired career numbers linked above. His 2003 AA numbers, unfortunately, were a complete turnaround from his 2002 high-A numbers which netted him a spot on the Florida State Leage All-Star team.

 

2003 at AA Frisco (Texas League), and briefly at AAA Oklahoma:

 

www.baseballamerica.com/c...yer=rivard

 

I imagine he could begin the year in Huntsville, or even down a notch in High Desert.

 

But, as noted, he's a former Ranger prospect, and he's a Canadian, so Dougie had no choice but to sign him http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif .

[MassBrew]

Our friend Jamey Newberg in Texas, who puts together his Ranger Prospect Handbook each year, chimed in for us:

 

Before he struggled in 03, I thought we'd really found something in Rivard. I wrote this in my 2003 book:

 

"He's Canadian. Throws right-handed. Stands 6'1", 195. Wasn't drafted. Hooked on with the Rangers. That's essentially where the similarities between Jeff Zimmerman and REGGIE RIVARD end. This is a guy who, after a season at Hancock Junior College, pitched for three years at Washington State, posting ERAs of 7.02, 6.98, and 10.05. He won two games in his Cougar career, losing 10. Scout Greg Whitworth saw something in him, however, and recommended that the Rangers sign him, which Texas did in June of 2000.

 

It's been a fairly bumpy ride for Rivard. He posted a 5.73 ERA in the Gulf Coast Rookie League that first summer, mostly as a starter. The optimist would point out that it was better than any of the Pac-10 seasons he had, but the realists would politely point out that he was pitching against players three and four years younger than him in the GCL, and that the 35 earned runs allowed was tied for the league high and that nobody surrendered as many as his six home runs.

 

The 2001 season was significantly better, as Rivard moved into middle relief for Savannah (low-A South Atlantic League) and was solid, going 5-4, 3.26 in 44 appearances. Promoted to high-A Florida State League Charlotte for the 2002 season, he was suddenly a weapon. Teamed with Chad Hawkins early on in the club's tandem-starter setup, he had his own injury problems but was extremely effective when on the mound. He went 1-0, 1.73 in six April appearances; went 1-0, 2.63 in six May outings before missing 10 days when he needed a callus removed from his foot; pitched just twice in June and July due to a groin strain, giving up a run in three innings (and missing an opportunity to pitch in the Florida State League All-Star Game); and returned late in August, pitching a scoreless inning as he got back into a rhythm before the FSL playoffs. Rivard was on the mound to get the final four outs of the season as Charlotte downed Lakeland, 6-0, to win the league title, capping off a year that was frustrating from the standpoint that he couldn't stay healthy but that still produced a 3-0, 2.17 record in 15 appearances. The league hit just .193 off him, and he walked only 14 batters in 54 innings, featuring a fastball in the low 90s and a big curve. And the man who gave up more jacks than anyone else in the GCL in 2000 was never taken deep in 2002.

 

It's still a huge longshot for Rivard to make it to the big leagues and complete the same path forged by Zimmerman. Hopefully the injuries that dogged Rivard in 2002 won't linger into 2003. They did prevent him from sharing pitching duties with the star reliever in July, when Rivard was sidelined and Zimmerman was in Charlotte making two rehab appearances."

[MassBrew]

Not much to report on soon-to-be 30-year-old middle infielder Luis Figueroa beyond his two career major-league AB's (and by the way, hasn't Steve Scarborough gone from AAA starter to having plenty of competition for bench duty awful quickly?), was that Figueroa did earn an appearance in a Jayson Stark "Useless Information" column this past season:

 

Down in Farm Land, Edmonton third baseman Luis Figueroa deserves some kind of trophy. He became the first man this year to get a hit against A's phenom Rich Harden. Harden retired the first (gulp) 47 hitters he faced this year, and was up to 57 in a row (the equivalent of two straight perfect games, plus an inning) until Figueroa singled to center field against him last Sunday.

 

Naturally, the very next item in that Stark column was this:

 

Your minor-league blown lead of the month: High Desert reliever Aaron Dean came on to pitch April 10 with a 5-1 lead over Modesto. His next five hitters went: walk, walk, walk, walk, grand slam.

 

Yes, what a year it was in the Desert...

[RealityCheck]

......hasn't Steve Scarborough gone from AAA starter to having plenty of competition for bench duty awful quickly?

 

http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/happy.gif http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/happy.gif http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/happy.gif http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/happy.gif http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/happy.gif http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/happy.gif http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/happy.gif

[MassBrew]

Veteran 3B Scott Sheldon signed for Indy:

 

www.indyindians.com/press..._2904.html

 

The Indy site also lists a preliminary roster (players not on the 40-man, but currently listed at AAA). Only one name is a surprise, and we will contact the Brewers to confirm. RHP Roberto Giron, the Tribe's closer for most of 2003, is listed. Perhaps he was re-signed by Milwaukee, as he had been a free agent.

 

www.indyindians.com/clubh...ter04.html

 

29 players at AAA, and 15 players from the 40-man won't be on the big league Opening Day roster as well, with only a half-dozen or so of those 15 obvious candidates for AA or lower.

 

In other words, very crowded, and some folks will be saying goodbye or getting moved down to AA, as there just isn't a way to sneak 35 or so names on to the 24-man Indianapolis roster for April.

 

In the infield alone, you have J.J. Hardy, Steve Scaborough, and Luis Figueroa at SS, Trent Durrington at 2B, and Matt Erickson and now Sheldon at third. If Jeff Liefer doesn't make the big league club as a RH power bat and Lyle Overbay's backup, he looks to be the Indy 1B, it seems. Does the glut mean Corey Hart returns to Huntsville to open 2004?

[Al the Thinking Man]

Well, a prospect shouldn't be affected by AAA vets, but I guess anything's possible.

 

I assume Erickson and Coste will play some 1B as well.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I agree with Al. There's no way Hart should be held back because Jeff freakin' Liefer needs a place to play. Now, I don't figure it will shake down that way, but stranger things have definately happened.

[DHonks]

Except RoCo, isn't Leifer gonna be the AAA 1b?

[RealityCheck]

Talk about good roster management from Doug Melvin http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/eyes.gif .

[MassBrew]

No doubt Huntsville Star historian David Weiser will recognize Scott Sheldon's name from his days in the A's organization.

 

Scott Sheldon career numbers:

 

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

[truebluebrewcrew]

actually, this is not the first time sheldon has played with a professional team from wisconsin ... sheldon was the starting shortstop and a midwest league all-star for the madison muskies (a's farm team) ... played there in '92 and '93 ... great guy, no. 1, but a definite battler and, i thought, overachiever ... of the guys i saw go through madison, i didn't think this guy had a chance to be in the majors ... yet, he is in the mlb history books as one of the few players to play all nine positions in a single game in 2000, when he was with, yes, the texas rangers ... nice triple-a insurance in case a rash of injuries hit ... could be a backup infielder with the big club, too ...

[BrewCrewin2005]

If someone like Spivey gets traded, Sheldon could be moved up to the bigs as our backup 2nd basemen so that weeks can remain in the minors.

[colbyjack]

Talk about good roster management from Doug Melvin.

 

I have no problem with him stockpiling players, even if it does create a perceived logjam at one or more positions. The young guys are going to continue to get their ABs, and all of the veteran players have at least a decent shot to win a spot with the big league club, if not out of spring training then during the season at some point.

[RealityCheck]

I'd rather have quality over quantity.

 

The Good

3 outfielders

6 starters

9 relievers

 

The Bad

3 catchers (all never-weres)

6 infielders (two with potential)

1 utility (never-was)

 

Too many spring roster moves will prevent Indy from starting the season with a gelled team. I can already see 5 guys currently on the team being moved this spring. This also prevents the flexibility of signing players released in spring training.

[colbyjack]

I don't know what you expect out of a AAA team talent-wise, but it's going to be the first time in years that we'll actually have a few prospects at the AAA level. As MassBrew has pointed out, this year we'll have a bigger reason & likely a stronger group following the Indianapolis portion of his Daily Link Report. I personally think it's a good mix of prospects (possibly Hardy, Hart, Krynzel, Martinez, Hendrickson, de la Rosa, possibly Jones), marginal prospects (Childers, Adams, Gemoll, Hernandez, Shelley, Bruso, Housman), and a few guys that could contribute at the big league level (Nunnally, Magruder, Liefer, Erickson, Johnson). I actually like this team better than the one that won the AAA World Series a few years back, and I wouldn't be surprised to see this team atop the leaderboard deep in the season.

 

As far as the team "gelling" if the talent is there they'll do well. And as far as I've heard, AAA clubhouses are about as divided as they can get, so I'm not so sure how much "gelling" can actually be accomplished, no matter how much time they have together in spring training.

[brewcru1]

It doesn't mean Hart will go to AA to start the season, it means he's getting moved to the outfield.

[RealityCheck]

Hart, Krynzel, Martinez, Hendrickson, de la Rosa, Jones, Adams, Gemoll, Bruso, and Housman are all not on the current Indy roster. My opinion would be different if they were.

 

Problems

1. Too many "WYSIWYG" players.

2. Doug Melvin focused on signing the best 6 year FAs rather than the best talent available (take a look at some of the players who signed minor league deals with other teams).

3. Take another look at who is and/or will be available to sign to minor league deals this spring.

4. Who's on first? Brandon Gemoll is good yet he is absent. Jeff Liefer is a younger version of Doug Jennings http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/eyes.gif .

5. Over 40 guys could be fighting for positions this spring (that's too many players to equally evaluate in a very short amount of time).

 

To put it simply, AAA rosters should be (and mostly are by other organizations) managed similary to major league teams. The Brewers have a few competitions for starting jobs (SS, SP, RP and possibly, but not likely 2B, RF), Indy has competition for every position in addition to competition just to stay on the roster.

 

I agree with GMs who start spring training with an organized and set roster rather than simply throwing a bunch of players onto a team and seeing which ones stick. An organized roster can simply be modified if problems occur (ex. Bill Hall for JJ Hardy or vise versa). An unorganized (overloaded) roster is much more difficult to fix because it will require more time to identify problems and back-tracking to fix them (ex. Chris Coste and Alex Delgado being released to make room for another catcher (via signing, trade, waivers, etc).

 

"Gelling" is a very important intangible for winning. Teams on all levels, shapes, or forms perform much better when every member is synchronized (you've probably heard the phrase "hitting on all cylinders").

[gregmag]

Nobody outside Indianapolis cares if the Indians "gell," win, or entertain their fans. MLB's antitrust exemption sucks, but as long as it's in force the AAA team is just a food source for the big league team. Every decision made about the Indy roster should be about what's best for the Milwaukee Brewers. At this point, I have no complaints about DM's roster management, because the Brewers have a lot of present and future holes to fill. Bring in as many potentially useful players as possible for the spring and figure out who we can use.

 

Greg.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I don't think it's likely that Indy and the Brewers will re-up after the current contract expires anyhow. I don't see why they should go out of their way to make Indy "happy". The Brewers should be the # 1, # 2, AND # 3 priority, not keeping a minor league club appeased.

 

As far as gelling.........please. Minor leaguers play on different teams every year with different players. It's not like these guys aren't used to new faces in the clubhouse on a constant basis.

[Al the Thinking Man]

Doug has added a lot of vets that "could" help the Crew in utility roles, or in case of injury. Putting together a winning AAA team...that's about as far down the list of importance as you can get. I'd put it just above "making sure towels are baby's butt soft".

 

On pretty much an annual basis, the best AAA teams have few prospects, as they get promoted. AAA vets tend to stay at that level (barring injury), and often put together winning campaigns.

[950opsLHcatcher]

Putting together a winning AAA team...that's about as far down the list of importance as you can get.

 

Ya know, if you believe Bill James, AAAA players aren't that far removed from major league talent, so if your AAA team is good, that means your major league squad isn't that far away from being good, yah?

[RealityCheck]

Ya know, if you believe Bill James, AAAA players aren't that far removed from major league talent, so if your AAA team is good, that means your major league squad isn't that far away from being good, yah?

 

Very true.

 

Indy has had 3 sub .500 seasons in a row. We haven't done that since 1979-81. The Brewers need AAA players who can possibly become part of the future 2005 and beyond squads. Five guys who are over the age of 30 with declining and/or non-existent skills do not help the Brewers. Dave Burba is the type of player that contenders need. Why use space for 37 year old Burba rather than another Doug Davis type (or preferably Ben Hendrickson)? I enjoy watching and meeting veterans like Dave Burba but it is in the best interest of the Milwaukee Brewers to not use their time and money (a very small resource) on players who are near retirement. Doug Melvin has no excuse for signing "AAA filler" players. If you had roadblocks (ex. Anaheim's 3 OFs) then you don't need a AAA team full of high potential OFs.

 

examples

Ben Petrick (younger and better) vs. Chris Coste

Wil Cordero (older but ML proven) vs. Jeff Liefer

[BrewCrewin2005]

I have no problem with doug signing AAA filler players. They dont cost much and are emergany backups for the big league club. I do however have a problem if they start taking playing time in AAA away from prospects however.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I'm willing to bet that more than a few guys would simply rather not play for Indy/Milwaukee. The dollar difference in minor league deals is most likely VERY small, so a guy is probably more likely to go where he either, A) has a chance to play every day and get back to the bigs or B) play for a team with a realistic chance of winning.

 

Do you REALLY think Cordero would take a minor league deal with Milwaukee when there's other more attractive alternatives??

[Al the Thinking Man]

I read somewhere once that a "huge" signing bonus for a much sought after minor league free agent is very low six figures, probably $150-200K once or twice a year. A guy like Paul Stewart last year, with up to 10 teams bidding, might have got that, or close to it. Most older players, yet still borderline utility guys in the bigs (I'd say a youngish guy like McGruder, maybe) get the next level, $50K+.

 

Many sign for a rather small number, $5-20K, and look at opportunity as more important than the money. The article I read profiled two guys, a 23/24 year-old "with a great arm" who had never pitched above A ball, and a IF many may have heard of, Marty Malloy, a Braves' farmhand who had a cup of coffee and a book written about him by Pat Jordan.

 

The "kid" ended up signing with an expansion team, I think it was TB's 2nd year for $90,000; while Marty debated between Japan and some MLB teams. He later signed for a "low" amount, $10-15K, took less to get an invite to spring training and a "release clause" in his contract.

 

One front office guy was quoted as saying he'd much rather spend $500K on 5-10 top guys than one kid in the June draft. While I'd rather have both, he's saying he'd rather have several older guys who can play at the AA/AAA level than one guy who was good in college, which I can kind of agree with.