Minor Transactions, May, Bausher to Beloit; Thread Closed

[MassBrew]

We've yet to see any confirmation on the Brewers' web site or another transaction wire, but Baseball America reports that Milwaukee has signed RHP Ben Ford.

 

Ford is 6'7", 225 lbs. and will be 28 in August. He was the Yankees' 20th round draft pick in 1994 out of a community college.

 

Ford has two brief stints in the majors, with Arizona in 1998 and the Yankees in 2000. Interestingly, Ford's first professional start came in the big leagues with the Yankees, having appeared solely as a reliever until then.

 

He missed the entire 2001 season with a shoulder injury. The Cubs signed him for AAA Iowa in 2002, and he appeared in 32 games, making 23 starts, allowing 157 hits in 142 IP, walking 73, and striking out only 84.

 

Ford has yet to pitch in 2003. You would think he might be a candidate to plug into the open spot in the Indy rotation, but you wonder if maybe he's been getting his arm stretched out at extended spring somewhere or not.

 

Ben Ford Career Statistics:

 

www.sports-wired.com/mlb/...sp?ID=5322

 

BA isn't always perfect with their transaction news, but I imagine we'll see a confirmation of this signing soon.

[MassBrew]

Ken Ray, the 28-year-old High Desert RHP coming back from injury, has been promoted to Huntsville. Ray had a cup of tea in the majors in 1999 with Kansas City. Pretty much an organizational move to help fill in for the banged up Stars' staff.

 

Ken Ray Brewerfan Player Profile Page:

 

www.brewerfan.net/ViewPla...ayerId=532

[MassBrew]

RHP Matt Hammons was released from the Huntsville roster. The 26-year-old former Cub farmhand had been signed last fall after his independent league season in Joliet. He had appeared in 13 games, only pitching 14.2 IP. Recently, he had been sidelined with some arm discomfort, although was apparently set to pitch again soon.

 

The move was made to free up a roster spot for OF Noochie Varner, so it's just a bit surprising a position player wasn't moved. You would think more moves are forthcoming, as even with the recent addition of RHP Ken Ray from High Desert, there are only ten healthy pitchers on the Huntsville roster.

 

Tough business this is for these guys. Hammons was recently featured in a Huntsville pre-game interview, looking forward to getting back on the mound. His Joliet teammate in 2002, 26-year-old LHP Brian Mazone, has really struggled in the High Desert rotation, but continues to get his chances.

 

Matt Hammons Brewerfan Player Profile Page:

 

www.brewerfan.net/ViewPla...ayerId=372

[MassBrew]

DFE assignments:

 

3B Justin Barnes - Helena (noted earlier)

 

6'6" RHP Simon Beresford - Helena

 

LHP Dana Eveland - Helena

 

Switch-hiiting catcher Tim Dillard - Helena

 

OF Adam Mannon - Arizona

 

These are official, but of course the Brewers could still adjust these prior to the starts of the rookie league seasons just a couple of weeks away.

[950opsLHcatcher]

Wasn't Dillard signed as a RHP?

[MassBrew]

On the Brewers' site (Helena page), Dillard is listed as a catcher.

[MassBrew]

We've yet to see any confirmation on the Brewers' web site or another transaction wire, but Baseball America reports that Milwaukee has signed RHP Ben Ford.

 

The Brewers confirmed for us that Ford's signing, as described above, did occur, but that Ford has been placed on the "Temp Inactive" list for now.

[MassBrew]

The Brewers have once again dipped into the independent leagues.

 

Milwaukee purchased the contract of RHP Tim Bausher from the Berkshire (Mass.) Black Bears of the Northeast League.

 

Bausher is 6'5", 200 lbs, and is from Bechtelsville, PA. He was Seattle's 27th round draft pick in 2001 out of Kutztown State, a Division II college in Pennsylvania. He's 24 years old (4/23/79).

 

He only appeared in 15 innings at Rookie Northwest League Everett in 2001, and missed all of 2002, although I'm not aware of the exact nature of his injury.

 

It'd be interesting (maybe in a future online chat once the draft season winds down) how some of these more obscure signings come about. Area scout at a Northeast League game? Old notes from the 2001 draft of a player they liked at the time? A phone call from the player? An earlier tryout?

 

The Brewers don't seem to have announced this signing at any of their affiliate levels. It would seem given Bausher's age that he'd be able to help out in Beloit or High Desert. Whether by design or necessity, nice to see the Brewers looking for that possible "needle in a haystack" signing that might just pan out down the road, and not standing pat. Look for some kind of assignment for Bausher in the days and/or weeks to come.

 

Press release from the Northeast League on the signing and Bausher's recent Berkshire pitching debut (one error in the release, Bausher was drafted in 2001, not 2002):

 

www.northeastleague.com/c...s.cgi?id=1

[MassBrew]

From the Berkshire Black Bears site:

 

Tim Bausher, who has been clocked as high as 97 mph on the radar gun...

 

So the kid (kid being a relative term, as he just turned 24) throws hard. We'll learn more eventually. He was actively pitching for Berkshire, so not sure how long before he receives a roster placement by the Brewers. Bausher may be on some type of inactive list for now.

[MassBrew]

ROSTER MOVES: Late Friday afternoon Indianapolis placed LHP Nate Teut on the disabled list retroactive to May 28 with a lower back strain. RHP Ben Ford joins the Indians today. Ford signed a minor league contract two weeks ago and has been working out in Arizona.

 

Indianapolis Site Ben Ford Press Release and Profile:

 

www.indyindians.com/press..._3103.html

[MassBrew]

RHP Tim Bausher, discussed in previous posts in this thread, was assigned to Beloit. Not sure if he's actually with the Snappers as of yet, but look for him in a box score soon.

[MassBrew]

Here's the link to the April transactions thread if you need to review later on...

 

pub123.ezboard.com/fbrewe...=1&stop=20

 

The May thread will now be closed, and the next transaction will prompt the start of the June thread.