Dessens Released; Signs AAA Deal w/Colorado

[sgtcluels]

Note a huge surprise. Brewers realease Dessens after being DFAd on the 4th. Must have not been much interest in him.

 

=== Brewers release P Dessens ===

 

Denver, CO (Sports Network) - The Milwaukee Brewers released pitcher Elmer

Dessens Wednesday.

 

The veteran was 1-1 with a 6.60 earned run average in 12 relief appearances for the Brewers this season. He had been designated for assignment on Saturday.

 

In 351 career major league games -- with Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Arizona, the LA Dodgers, Kansas City and Milwaukee -- the right-hander is 47-60 with a 4.44 ERA and five saves.

[patrickgpe]

i am a little surprised only because I felt he could accept a minor league contract and come up on the 1st of September to help out.

[dadofandrew]

The irony here is, he would probably be a better choice in the 'pen than a guy or two currently in it.

 

I'm sure he'll find a job soon, as he'll only cost the minimum now. I'd say there's a 75% chance he's in the majors by 8/31.

[JJHardy7]

We still have to pay the remaining amount on his contract, right?

[DrWood]

brewers are still paying for brady clark, too, I think.

[PeaveyFury]

The Royals are actually paying for Elmer this year, and will have to pay the rest of his contract.

[Diskono]

Would have been nice to have him today (and after Parra & Gallardo get shut down).

[Mass Haas]

Rotoworld:

The Rockies have signed RHP Elmer Dessens to a minor league deal and assigned him to Triple-A Colorado Springs.
Dessens was released by the Brewers last week. He could eventually be used as a fourth or fifth starter for the Rockies.

[1992casey]

The Royals are paying for Dessens and the Brewers are paying for a little over $2 million of Brady Clark.

[Invader3K]

"He could eventually be used as a fourth or fifth starter for the Rockies."

 

Are they really that hard up for pitching? We should've tried to deal Bush or Vargas to them, if that's the case.

[LouisEly]

The irony here is, he would probably be a better choice in the 'pen than a guy or two currently in it.

 

I was going to say the exact same thing. One guy in particular who could use a 15-day rest.

[Fatter than Joey]

Yeah --- there were certainly some patented "Elmer games" this last week -- we could have really used him -- I will never understand why Elmer wasn't kept and either/both Wise or Villy weren't DLed or sent to Nashville (I realize Wise is out of options).

 

If Elmer is one thing -- is fresh and rubbery

 

In other Brewer outcast news...

 

Grant Balfour struck out 4 dudes in 1.2 IP last night, and struck out 3 dudes in 1 IP, 2 nights before that. (Total TB stats 8IP 11K 6H 4BB, not bad!) -- The Brewers really screwed the pooch in this case as well. I realize that keeping or releasing/trading Balfour isn't going to be monumental in the grand scope of MLB, but Grant was really mishandled.

[dadofandrew]

Grant couldn't get anyone out, and had no options. At best, he's a decent middle reliever...not much upside.

[rluzinski]

Grant couldn't get anyone out, and had no options.

 

He was given batters faced to prove himself. I don't think he was a huge loss but he was barely given a chance to "not get anyone out." It's like giving a batter 18 AB and concluding anything from the results.

[mikemercury]

This is the beauty of the '07 Brewers. We are team in 1st place that doesn't have the bottom of the standings luxury and/or opportunities for AAAA 25th roster types like Elmer and Grant to stick with the big club. Wise, CV the younger are better players then both. We actually got something for Balfour in McClung who at least is younger then Dessens and throws 8-10 mph faster. A good sign that our bullpen finally has depth is to look at around the league and see all the ex-Brewers who have jobs in AAA or with big clubs like Dan Kolb, Victor Santos, Wes Obermueller, Kane Davis, and Gary Glover ect.

[JJHardy7]

How did we mishandle Balfour? I don't care how much younger he is then Elmer, but he's like 3 or 4 years younger than the guy we gave up. I've said it before and I'll say it again...McClung has electric stuff. Balfour throws what like 92? McClung is younger and can darn near hit 100 on the gun. His ERA has been very low this year and if there are worries about McClung's walkes see the amount of walks Balfour has in his innings with Tampa...and he doesn't throw as hard. I love the trade of Balfour (it made/makes a ton of sense). I've spoke with Seth and he finally feels like he's over his surgeries and watching him warm up is a pretty good show in it self. The man is determined to get to the bigs and he unleashes his fastball. Granted he has to harness it in and throw strikes, but complaining about mishandling Balfour doesn't make sense to me. He's on Tampa Bay. Enough said. McClung's ERA is under 2 this year.

[Fatter than Joey]

Grant couldn't get anyone out, and had no options. At best, he's a decent middle reliever...not much upside.

 

I think this is wrong -- He is doing well in TB -- He has strung together a bunch of scoreless innings and I thought he could have been a good reclamation project much in the same vein as Turnbow and Wise.

 

We are team in 1st place that doesn't have the bottom of the standings luxury and/or opportunities for AAAA 25th roster types like Elmer and Grant to stick with the big club. Wise, CV the younger are better players then both.

 

We still need BP depth. I'd rather have Elmer or Grant pitch for the Brewers tonight than Villy. No doubt, Villy has a higher ceiling -- but he is giving up runs each and every time he takes the ball. Yost seems to be the only manager that needs 13 pitchers -- and even with 12 pitchers, a guy like Dessens can be used to burn up innings when the outcome of the game is not in question. Regardless of if you are in first place or last place -- every team is going to have "mop-up" games, and you don't need cats like Linebrink pitching in those situations.

 

How did we mishandle Balfour?

 

He got Yosted -- Yost took a guy that hadn't pitched in MLB since 2004 and threw him into situations with games on the line. He didn't have options so DM rolled the dice and lost. I compare Balfour to Wise right after Wise collapsed Lopez's dome -- you knew that both Grant/Wise would be able to get calibrated -- but you hate to see pitchers trying to work things out, when you could lose a game.

 

McClung has electric stuff. Balfour throws what like 92

 

Trevor Hoffman throws like 35 MPH -- It doesn't matter how hard you throw if you can't hit the zone.

 

if there are worries about McClung's walks see the amount of walks Balfour has in his innings with Tampa...and he doesn't throw as hard

 

OK -- I will -- For TB this year -- Balfour has struck out 11 and walked 4 in 8 IP -- not bad at all, I suspect it will get better.

 

Looking at AAA stats for this year

 

McClung BB/9 -- 6.6 K/9 10.43

Balfour BB/9 -- 3.02 K/9 13.22

 

I love the trade of Balfour (it made/makes a ton of sense)

 

I don't like the trade at all -- I think we gave up a clearly superior pitcher for McClung. We made that trade, not because it made sense, rather (IMO) Yost used Balfour poorly, and because he was out of options, a trade was forced. McClung has never been good in MLB, on the other hand Balfour has had a couple of good/effective seasons for the Twins.

 

That said, I don't think that this trade was a crushing blow to the franchise -- and certainly Balfour>McClung is largely my opinion.

 

The man is determined to get to the bigs and he unleashes his fastball. Granted he has to harness it in and throw strikes, but complaining about mishandling Balfour doesn't make sense to me. He's on Tampa Bay. Enough said. McClung's ERA is under 2 this year

 

I think if anyone has demonstrated a determination to get to the big leagues it has been Balfour hands down. While it is true Balfour is on TB, McClung couldn't make that same roster, and Balfour has been effective in limited innings.

 

Balfour's ERA was under 1.7

[BrewCityUnit]

Why did we get rid oF Elmer Dessens again?

 

He is starting tonight in SD....Let's see what kind of start he has.

[mls4]

Nothing special. 5 ER in 4.2 innings. He actually left with the lead, but will not get a decision.

[trwi7]

Nothing special. 5 ER in 4.2 innings. He actually left with the lead, but will not get a decision.

 

I would say that's actually pretty terrible. 9.66 ERA. And wow the Padres score 9 runs in the 5th with 2 outs.

[Fatter than Joey]

I would say that's actually pretty terrible. 9.66 ERA.

 

Figuring it is his 1st start in a long time I would say it was OK. I don't think Villy could pitch 4.2 IP and give up less than 5 ER. Dessens is what he is -- I can't imagine COL thought Dessens would get a complete game shut out.

 

The real head scratcher to me, is how did we not trade Vargas if guys like Dessens are getting starts? -- It seems to me that we could have gotten something for Vargas while his stock was high(er/est) during his great W/L run. I suppose the Sheets injury may have played into it, or perhaps a lot of GMs see the same thing in Vargas that we do/did.

[sgtcluels]

I have to agree with FTJ on the Balfour thing. I think DM might have saved it somewhat with McClung, who could potentially have a fairly high return. Balfour was mishandled and he collapsed from nerves, I think a few junk innings might have made the difference for him to get his feet on the ground. He's looking just about what we expected in Tampa.

[JJHardy7]

Maybe Balfour was mishandled when he got called up, but the way this year goes we don't have time for a guy to figure out in the MLB level. McClung has been very good with Nashville so far.

 

If he was mishandled he had to go, but he hasn't been lights out in Tampa Bay. I'm not a big Balfour guy and that's fine if you are. Just the fact that we got a younger guy in the deal makes sense.

 

You can argue the situation Balfour was in, but there's not way this is flat out a bad trade. Maybe you think the Devil Rays got a little better deal of it, but what could you get for Balour? I'm shocked we got anything.

[JJHardy7]

Also, if you are talking about Dessens first start in a long time in the bigs...that's fine. Dessens did, however; start a few games in Nasville in the somewhat recent past. Just thought I'd throw that in there (and he did well albeit at AAA level).