The farmhands that are "free to leave" -- the list revealed

[Mass Haas]

We believe this is the complete list of Brewer farmhands who will become minor league free agents this fall. Minor league contracts normally expire the 3rd week of October. Baseball America will have available the complete list around that time frame. At times it has been a subscriber-only list at BA, but other web outlets make the list available, including MiLB.com.

 

It is possible the Brewers have signed, or will sign, some of these players to 2008 contracts soon, or may have already. For instance, Mike Rivera, Corey Thurman, Luis Pena and Ozzie Chavez were among those re-signed last offseason after the 2006 season had completed, so it is certainly not an uncommon practice.

 

If a player's first affiliated pro contract was with the Brewers, Milwaukee owns that player's rights for seven pro seasons. Brad Nelson is an example this season of someone who earned his free agency the hard way via having played through all seven seasons.

 

Mostly, these are players who were released from or completed affiliated contracts with other organziations previously. The Brewers assume the accumulating yearly rights on a player acquired via trade, such as Chris Cody. It all comes down to whether a player had been previously "released" from their first affiliated contract terms. Waiver claims, such as Sam Narron, are still under Brewer control for accumulating years, even if no longer on the Brewer 40-man.

 

This list does not include players currently on the 40-man roster. Different circumstances there, and normally, 40-man roster discussions can be found on the Major League Forum.

 

Expect one or two players (Luis Pena?) to be added to the 40-man this month.

 

When players are purchased from the independent ranks who have already had their original affiliated contract broken with another team, normally they are on a year-to-year contract, although sometimes these are younger players who most readily agree to new deals with their new parent organization. For now, for instance, reliever E.J. Shanks, a former Padre farmhand, is on this list, but it would not be at all surprinsing to find out the Brewers have already taken steps to ensure he'll be back. RHP Dane de la Rosa, signed just at the tail end of this season and a former Yankee farmhand, most assuredly will be brought back.

 

We'll see what we can learn from the Brewers and get back to you next week upon my return from some vacation time away.

 

Here we go, certainly chime in if you believe a name is included or omitted in error:

 

RHP Dane de la Rosa

RHP R.A. Dickey

RHP Mark DiFelice

RHP Matt Ginter

LHP Lindsay Gulin

RHP Franklin Nunez

RHP Luis Pena (eight seasons in the chain, our best to Luis)

RHP Vince Perkins

LHP Adam Pettyjohn

RHP Kenny Ray

RHP Marino Salas

RHP E.J. Shanks

RHP Corey Thurman

LHP Rusty Tucker

RHP Alec Zumwalt

 

C Brian Munhall

C Martin Maldonado

 

1B Andy Abad

IF Chris Barnwell (seven seasons in the chain, our best to Chris)

SS Ozzie Chavez (eight seasons in the chain, our best to Ozzie)

IF Jose Macias

IF/OF Brad Nelson (seven seasons in the chain, our best to Brad)

IF Guilder Rodriguez (seven seasons in the chain, our best to Guilder)

 

OF Charles Thomas

[colbyjack]

Thanks for compiling that Mass.

 

The Brewers need to find a way to keep Luis Pena, who could even be in the mix for a bullpen job at some point next season. He quietly had a very impressive season, especially since we heard mid-summer that he touched 98 IIRC with a heavy fastball that induces quite a few ground balls. We know the Brewers have always liked Pena's arm, which is why they added him to the 40-man roster a couple of years ago, something that I agree with Jim that they will probably do again this year.

 

Just take a peak at these numbers (cumulative between A+ & AA, yes, too pitcher's leagues, but still impressive):

 

2.63 ERA, 51 games, 18 saves, 68.1 IP, 50 H, 69 K, 21 BB, 2 HR, 2.07 G/F ratio, .202 BAA, 1.04 WHIP

 

He was hard to hit, especially hard to hit home runs off of, induced grounders, didn't beat himself too much with free passes and missed a lot of bats. Once again, he's a sleeper in the system that has never received much attention around here, but it seems clear the Brewers think highly of him (or at least I guess we'll find out how highly in the next month or two).

[mothershipconnection]

If a player's first affiliated pro contract was with the Brewers, Milwaukee owns that player's rights for seven pro seasons. Brad Nelson is an example this season of someone who earned his free agency the hard way via having played through all seven seasons.

 

Somebody refresh my memory on this one. I had thought they had 3 years before they had to be added to the 40-man and then three option years, which would only make 6 unless they were drafted at a young age and could play 4 seasons before being added to the 40-man. Where am I missing a year?

[SoCalBrewfan]

MSC, if they are not added to the 40-man roster, they are subject to the Rule 5 draft, but the org still controls their contract assuming they are not chosen. So someone like Nelson who never was added to the 40-man roster (or someone like Pena who is added then removed) is then subject to the minor league free agent rules.

[And That]

Isn't it the first six full years of service count towards your minor league free agency? Therefore, if you were signed to play short-season ball in your initial year, that year doesn't count. At least that's how I thought it worked. Guys signed after the draft basically have 6.5 years in the system.

[mothershipconnection]

MSC, if they are not added to the 40-man roster, they are subject to the Rule 5 draft, but the org still controls their contract assuming they are not chosen.

 

I probably was unclear, but I knew that part. What I didn't get was how a guy has to wait 7 years to be a free agent when I'd always heard the term "6 year minor league free agent", other than the half season Toby mentioned or the exception if they're drafted young.

[SoCalBrewfan]

Oh, and I should add that I assume that Pena will be added to the 40-man roster this year. (He was there once before, as colby notes, so the team is certainly aware of him and likes his arm, even if he doesn't have the devoted brewerfan following that some others do.) Given the dearth of relief prospects in the upper levels, I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Pena get a serious look in spring training. He had under 3 bb/9ip, so that suggests better command than some of other young fireballers that have come through lately.

 

Though if I were a groundball pitcher, I would be worried about pitching in front of the current batch of infielders....

[And That]

other than the half season Toby mentioned or the exception if they're drafted young.

It's not if they're drafted or signed young, it's that if, during your first pro contract, you don't play a full season, that season basically doesn't count. Hence the 6-year rule name. If they signed a young Venezuelan on April 13th and immediately signed him to WV for some reason, he'd still have another 6 years. However, if they drafted a kid and signed him late (which is a non-issue now, but I digress) to a contract for the next season, he only get 6 years, no matter if he starts in short season anyway. I think.

 

[Katuluu]

Anyone else remember the good ol days of Brewerfan when Zumwalt was viewed as our potential ML closer?

[dadofandrew]

Should be plenty of room on the 40 for Pena. He'll be gone if not added.

 

Hopefully, they'll sign guys like Salas and Perkins, Marino might be added to the 40 as well. Minor league vets like Dickey and Pettyjohn will be popular signings, and it'd be nice to keep them.

[agent39]

Luis re-signed and is coming back, You're welcome :P

[wallus]

Good news!

[dadofandrew]

Did he sign a minor league deal?

[agent39]

Yes, its a 1 year minor league deal but we're expecting he'll be added to the 40 man. If he isnt id be stunned if he remained a brewer past the winter meetings.

[dadofandrew]

Thanks A39.

[And That]

Yes, its a 1 year minor league deal but we're expecting he'll be added to the 40 man. If he isnt id be stunned if he remained a brewer past the winter meetings.

Just curious for the sake of knowing, did the deal come with an NRI to big league camp? And it would be shocking if they didn't add him to the 40-man.

 

[Mass Haas]

Yes, its a 1 year minor league deal but we're expecting he'll be added to the 40 man. If he isnt id be stunned if he remained a brewer past the winter meetings.

 

Some may wonder what the incentive would be to place Luis Pena on the 40-man roster if he's already agreed to a minor league deal for 2008. Two words -- Rule 5 (OK, a word and a number).

 

From what I've read in the past, the "six" in six-year minor league free agent is the number of times an organization can renew an original affiliated contract. Thus, the original contract, plus six renewals, gets an organization seven years.

[recte44]

I'd really like to see Dickey be re-signed, given our lack of depth in the upper levels for SP.

[Mass Haas]

Baseball America has listed the minor league free agents -- here's the Brewers' set:

 

Milwaukee Brewers (10)

Righthanders: R.A. Dickey, Vince Perkins, Corey Thurman, Alec Zumwalt

Lefthanders: Lindsay Gulin, Adam Pettyjohn

First baseman: Andy Abad

Shortstop: Chris Barnwell

Outfielders: Jose Macias, Charles Thomas

 

Below are the players not listed, including three pitchers and a catcher signed in the final week of the season for the Nashville postseason. We'll find out about them and if Guilder Rodriguez and Ozzie Chavez agreed to extend their stays in the organization.

 

RHP Matt Ginter

RHP Franklin Nunez

RHP Kenny Ray

C Brian Munhall

SS Ozzie Chavez (eight seasons in the chain, our best to Ozzie)

IF Guilder Rodriguez (seven seasons in the chain, our best to Guilder)

LHP Rusty Tucker

[ClosetBrewerFan]

What about Stocker and Spurling? They were both outrighted after the season. Are they both free agents? I'm not too worried about Stocker but Spurling was a useful RP.

[dadofandrew]

I would guess the list does not include players in the bigs at the end of the year.

 

All the pitchers would be worth talking to, Spurling is probably a top 5 minor league FA, as mentioned, he's a 4 ERA guy.

[Fatter than Joey]

Spurling is probably a top 5 minor league FA, as mentioned, he's a 4 ERA guy.

 

Yeah I hope we find a way to keep Spurling -- I think he got way too much crap on this board -- but he is a great

pitcher for low-leverage situations.

[colbyjack]

Is there any chance the Brewers might be hoping that Luis Pena emerges next spring and even into the summer to possibly step up as the team's future closer? I think it's clear that Melvin and co. prefer a closer with prototypical closer stuff, which Pena without a doubt has. He had an amazing year last season, and has been in the system for quite some time, with his next stop likely being AAA.

 

Melvin has held some positions open at the big-league so he doesn't block them in the past, such as third base last year (for Braun) and possibly left field this year (for LaPorta). Could Melvin be tentative to hand out a risky contract to a FA closer and unwilling to give up what is necessary to acquire one on the trade market partially because of the presence of Pena?

[SoCalBrewfan]

I think the signals are pretty clear that they've got Pena ticketed for a bullpen role in the very near future...even relievers jumping from AA to the majors is not at all unheard of. Still, I think that the nature of the bullpen is such that one minor leaguer, no matter how promising, wouldn't change the team's overall plans...there's room for multiple power arms. I'd guess instead that they hope to move Pena into the power setup role at some point, behind a more-experienced closer, then make Pena the closer when the other guy moves on. Seems like a sensible plan...however I also think they thought Capellan would follow a similar trajectory...

[twobrewers]

Could Melvin be tentative to hand out a risky contract to a FA closer and unwilling to give up what is necessary to acquire one on the trade market partially because of the presence of Pena?

Pena isn't Braun or LaPorta.

 

I think the Brewers have high hopes for him. But I highly doubt Melvin would be scared away from acquiring a top-notch closer with the assumption that Pena will be ready to fill that role eventually.

 

In my opinion, if we fail to acquire a better closer, it is because the cost was prohibitive. Not because we wanted to keep room for Pena.