Minor Transactions, Aug/Sept, Latest: Ben Ford, J. Childers

[lend d money]

Daryl Clark had over 40 errors as a third baseman of the Snappers a few years ago. The vast majority were of the fielding variety. He CANNOT play third and I agree that he even struggles to play outfield. If he ever makes it to the show, it will be in the other league.

[MassBrew]

C Lou Palmisano has been officially placed on Helena's disabled list to make room for LHP Gabriel Mendoza, who is ready to return to action and has been activated.

 

You have probably noticed from the Arizona box scores as of late, but RHP Jayson Durocher was officially assigned to the Maryvale roster on an injury rehab assignment.

[MassBrew]

19-year-old switch-hitting catcher/first baseman Carlos Corporan, the Brewers' 12th round draft pick out of Lake City Community College in Florida this past spring, has been transferred to Helena, where he'll assist Alberto Segura and Vinnie Rottino with duties behind the plate. It appears that the Brewers are hesitant to return Manny Ramirez to time behind the dish, where he's yet to appear this season.

 

Carlos Corporan's Arizona Numbers:

 

www.baseballamerica.com/c...poran%2C+c

[MassBrew]

Arizona Brewer third baseman Lendon Willis was released by the Brewers on August 9th.

 

This will probably go down as one of the "mystery" transactions that fades away with time. Willis missed nearly all of this season for unknown reasons, then reappeared in two games just last week as a DH, going 4-for-6. Apparently, a .667 average earns you your release.

 

But seriously, I had thought Willis was older when he was drafted in the 22nd round in 2002 out of a Tennessee community college, but he won't be 21 until October. As a 19-year-old rookie in Arizona last year, he hit .277 with 14 extra-base hits in just 159 AB's. Willis' biggest drawback last season was his 19 errors in 44 games.

 

So why release a 20-year-old third baseman? Not exactly awash in hot corner candidates, the Brewers.

 

Something else must be at play here, and it wouldn't be fair to speculate, so we'll likely never know.

[MassBrew]

As mentioned in the Link Report for games of Monday 8/18, OF Charlie Fermaint has been activated from the Arizona Brewer disabled list.

 

Beloit RHP Tom Wilhelmsen, out since June 30th with an elbow strain, has been activated and placed on an injury rehab assignment with Arizona.

[batman]

From MLB.com:

 

The Brewers released right-hander David Manning on Tuesday. Manning was 0-2 with a 16.20 ERA in two starts for the Brewers.

 

Too bad. At least he got a chance to play in the bigs... I'm sure that's something he'll never forget.

 

~Bill

[MassBrew]

As a follow-up to the David Manning release, LHP Derrin Ebert has been promoted to AAA Indianapolis from High Desert. The Mavericks still have 12 pitchers on their staff, so don't necessarily expect a follow-up move.

 

Ebert pitched well in relief for Indy last year, but he'll be plugged into Manning's spot in the Tribe rotation.

[Al the Thinking Man]

I wonder if Manning asked for his release, as the Brewers probably told him he would not be recalled in September. With a few games left, it's an odd move.

[squarepusher]

When he was sent down, he was outrighted, so I think he got the hint.

[MassBrew]

From the Beloit Site:

 

8/20/2003- LHP Manny Parra has been placed on the disabled list retroactive to 8/18/03 with a left shoulder strain.

 

RHP Forrest Martin will join the Snappers today. Martin is being promoted from the Arizona Brewers ball club. There he went 2-1, with an ERA of 2.84. In 22.2 innings he struck out 34 while only giving up 12 bases on balls. Martin was signed as a minor league free agent on 06/06/03.

 

RHP Forrest Martin Brewerfan Player Profile Page:

 

www.brewerfan.net/ViewPla...ayerId=565

 

Martin will be 24 in January. This bump was necessary for his sake -- good luck to him.

 

As for Parra, the Miller Park start looks ridiculous in hindsight. Hopefully the Brewers are being extra-cautious here, but they should have been extra-cautious a week ago.

[squarepusher]

I wonder if Parra was shut down for the season as a precautionary measure. You would think Beloit needs him for the playoffs.... Maybe he's just getting a rest.

 

Big conrgrats to Martin. Maybe he can be next year's Mike Adams.

[bork]

It was obvious that something wasn't right with Parra at Miller Park. Hopefully, they didn't do any further damage by starting him then.

[MassBrew]

A "friend of Brewerfan" has given us a heads-up that 20-year-old RHP Tim Dillard, a Brewer draft pick in both 2001 and 2002, and a draft-and-follow signee prior to this year's draft, has been promoted from the Arizona to the Helena Brewers.

 

Dillard has an outstanding 32-to-5 K/BB ratio and a 1.16 WHIP in 35.2 IP this summer. You know any transaction news sends us on a web search for further background, and this one proved especially fruitful. Dillard does have nine HBP's as well, and when you read about his 96 MPH sidearm delivery, you can understand why he might be tough for right-handed batters to face.

 

Tim Dillard Profile Article (from May):

 

www.djournal.com/pages/st...div=Sports

[MassBrew]

The Helena Independent Record reports that LHP Gabriel Mendoza was given his release from the Helena squad in order to make room for RHP Tim Dillard.

 

The 21-year-old Venezuelan was in his fifth season in the Brewer system and had posted some nice secondary numbers along the way; you wonder if a recent stint and return from the injury list added to the reasons behind his outright release.

 

Man, that's got to be a long, lonely and sad bus / plane trip from Helena to Venezuela. Another Epy Guerrero signing is gone -- don't kid yourselves folks, Epy's record with the Brewers is far from impressive, some might say he's contributed more with two sons in the system as (batting coaches) than signed prospects. Here's hoping Luis Martinez changes that view...

 

Gabriel Mendoza Brewerfan Player Profile:

 

www.brewerfan.net/ViewPla...ayerId=178

 

Toby's Power 50 History with Mendoza:

 

www.brewerfan.net/ViewPow...ayerId=178

[MassBrew]

From the Helena Independent Record:

 

The Helena Brewers have lost their second catcher of the season. Alberto Segura broke his wrist Wednesday night and is out for the year. Brewers backstop Lou Palmisano was lost for the year earlier this month.

 

This is a bummer, as the 19-year-old Dominican product is something of a sleeper prospect, having bypassed the Arizona League coming off a kick-butt 2002 in the DSL in which he walked nearly twice as often as he struck out. He was producing just fine, thank you, in Helena as well.

 

(We have a note in to the Brewers asking which wrist is broken and how it occurred.)

 

Alberto Segura's 2003 numbers:

 

www.baseballamerica.com/c...r=segura+c

 

Segura's Brewerfan Player Profile Page:

Check out the 2002 numbers; squarepusher, please look into why the 2003 numbers are not up-to-date -- thanks!

 

www.baseballamerica.com/c...r=segura+c

 

For now, it seems that 2003 12th round pick Carlos Corporan and super-versatile Racine, Wisconsin product Vinnie Rottino will split Helena catching duties.

[MassBrew]

The Brewers have informed us that Helena catcher Alberto Segura did injure his right wrist in a collision with an opposing player on the 20th.

 

In an unrelated and less interesting move given it's the tail end of a lackluster AAA season, LHP Travis Miller has been activated from Indy's disabled list.

[MassBrew]

Young C/3B Charlie Lozada moves his strong bat to Helena from High Desert in light of Alberto Segura's wrist injury.

[MassBrew]

In addition to 2003 18th round draft pick RHP Oscar Montes (now signed, see 2003 Draft Forum), the Brewers have added two more players to the Arizona roster, each with 2004 contracts:

 

Infielder Oscar Angulo, Bats/Throws Right, 5'11', 165, born 2/1/84

 

Outfielder Anderson Delarosa, Bats/Throws Right, 6'0", 166, born 8/16/84

 

Probably all we'll know on these two kids until next year's media guide is out...

 

You can never have enough Oscar's, we always say...

[MassBrew]

Indianapolis Press Release:

(Also as discussed on the major league forum...)

 

www.indyindians.com/press..._2703.html

[MassBrew]

Exciting news for High Desert RHP Chris Saenz, as he gets promoted to Huntsville in time for post-season action. Saenz' 2003 season has been discussed in detail within the Power 50 thread, as he's been a mainstay of the Maverick rotation, and has excelled during the second half of the season in particular. Saenz just turned 22 two weeks ago.

 

Chris Saenz' 2003 numbers in detail:

 

www.baseballamerica.com/c...aenz%2C+ch

 

Chris Saenz Brewerfan Player Profile Page:

 

www.brewerfan.net/ViewPla...ayerId=119

 

It'll be interesting to see how Saenz is used -- you would think in long relief if needed for now, but we'll see.

 

So as not to upset the playoff push rosters of Beloit and Helena, RHP Hubert Pruett has been sent to High Desert for the final few games of their season. The 20-year-old Pruett has pitched for the Arizona team the past two seasons.

 

Hubert Pruett's 2003 numbers in detail:

 

www.baseballamerica.com/c...ruett%2C+h

 

Hubert Pruett Brewerfan Player Profile Page:

 

www.brewerfan.net/ViewPla...ayerId=299

[MassBrew]

Thinking about it, Saenz was scheduled to start on Sunday for High Desert. With the weekend Huntsville games now meaningless in terms of playoff positioning, the Stars just might start him Sunday to allow for their playoff rotation to be set up. Maybe someone will catch the Huntsville pre-game in the next few minutes (start time 4:45 Central) and fill us in.

 

Or we'll learn later tonight http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[MassBrew]

In what is basically a formality (a paper move), the Brewers have activated six players from the minor league disabled lists of the teams that have completed their seasons. All organizations go through this procedure. These guys are all in various stages of rehab from their respective injuries.

 

INDIANAPOLIS:

RHP Mike Buddie

RHP David Pember

 

HIGH DESERT:

OF Jason Belcher

OF Dan Boyd

 

ARIZONA:

RHP Ruben Castillo

OF Orlando Viera

[MassBrew]

Newest Arizona Brewer with a 2004 contract:

 

Catcher Franklin Tua, 6'2", 171, born 11/06/84

 

Tua will be 19 when camp opens in 2004; we'll learn more about him then...

[MassBrew]

Indianapolis catcher Cody McKay has been dropped from the 40-man roster. Technically still Brewer property along with the other Indianapolis free agents-to-be until October 15th...

 

I believe the roster total now stands at 39 -- perhaps the second player from the DeJean deal will be named soon...

[Al the Thinking Man]

Solves the mystery of why he wasn't called up to have an emergency C.