Brewers Sign Randy Choate; 40-Man Roster Now At 35

[Crew2323]

According to jsonline.com

 

Brewers Sign Choate

[Fatter than Joey]

Take that Jim Hendry!

[And That]

Why would you give anyone that last name? I can only imagine the verbal onslaught he'll get if when he screws up.

[Crew2323]

I had a hard time refraining myself from giggling as I typed his name.

[crewcrazy]

I hope this doesn't mean that the Brewers are planning to use Shouse against righties more often. I don't mind this signing as long as the terms are reasonable, but hopefully Doug goes out and gets one or two relievers that are good against both lefties and righties.

 

Edit: Good call on the name. I can already see multiple "Randy Choke" references in the 2008 Vent Thread if this signing doesn't go well.

[TooLiveBrew]

Take that Jim Hendry!

 

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

 

Ok, more scrap-heapers it is, then? I guess he's worth a look, anyway.

[sweepscc]

Edit: Good call on the name. I can already see multiple "Randy Choke" references in the 2008 Vent Thread if this signing doesn't go well.

I don't think that's what they were going for.

 

[Mass Haas]

Choate struck out six of the seven Brewers he faced on April 22, 2004 -- Doug remembers:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIL/MIL200404220.shtml

Mitch Stetter's chances to make the club out of spring training takes a dip -- if you're going to sign journeyman relievers, make them lefties -- no harm, no foul at this time.

[Fatter than Joey]

I don't think "choke" was the word he was going for...

 

Yeah I am pretty sure you are right about that.

 

Davey Nelson will need to exercise a little more discretion when he mentions "pounds meat" when going through his keys to victory.

 

In 2007 Choate faced 3 batters -- all 3 got hits -- sounds like he will fit in well.

[TooLiveBrew]

He had a decent year in the PCL, though. Nothing crazy good, but he's typically posted better FIPs than you'd expect from a guy whose WHIP hasn't been anything to write home about for years. If he can get lefties out, we can use him. Plus, he'll get to face a bunch of righties too! Yost bonus!

[cooprules]

Link to simple scouting report if anyone wants it. Worth a shot, I guess.

 

http://www2.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/players/Randy_Choate/

[clancyphile]

Looks like an effort to get a 6th/7th inning guy for when games are out of hand but our starter has a high pitch count.

[Brian the Automator]

Link to simple scouting report if anyone wants it. Worth a shot, I guess.

 

http://www2.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/players/Randy_Choate/

"Barely big-league quality left-handed relief."

That's so going on a t-shirt.

[SoCalBrewfan]

Barely big-league quality left-handed relief

 

Should be an acronym, really, somehow like LOOGY. He's a BBQ LHRP. Pronounced 'barbecue lurp.' At least the BBQ should stick...

[joshjs]

"BBQ Lefty." I love it.

[JohnBriggs12]

Isn't this another guy who could have been had on a minor league deal?

[Brian the Automator]

Isn't this another guy who could have been had on a minor league deal?

Without knowing who else was looking for his services, it's hard to say. My guess is that it's a major-league minimum contract with incentives.

 

[sbrylski]

Love the BBQ acronym.

 

I like Randy Choate. Over the past two seasons at AAA he's had a K/BB rate of over 4. Here's his 2007 splits:

 

 IP AVG OBP SLG OPS BABIP WHIP W/9 K/9 HR/9
vLHB 22.3 .250 .290 .352 .643 .396 1.16 1.61 13.70 0.40
vRHB 37.7 .286 .343 .398 .740 .333 1.54 2.87 6.45 0.48 

[brettac1]

Choat-a Boy?

 

I'd assume this is just AAA fodder.

[Team Canada]

BBQ Lefty is my new favorite term

[thablingster]

BBQ lefty is so awesome, LOL.

 

Can't have too many LH relievers, I guess.

[trwi7]

You know I saw the name first thing I said was "If this guy sucks at least I won't have trouble finding something to make fun of him."

[colbyjack]

This pickup along with the supposed interest in Mahay I think clearly indicates the team intends to have more than one lefty in the bullpen. It could be nearly an even split if Parra begins the season in the 'pen as well.

 

BBQ Lefty is classic. Choate's Toast could be his tagline when he gets roughed up.

[Mass Haas]

Rotoworld's take:

 

http://www.rotoworld.com/Content/playerpages/player_main.aspx?sport=MLB&id=3064

 

Brewers signed LHP Randy Choate to a one-year, $500,000 contract.

Maybe no one but us cares, but that Choate is getting a major league contract could qualify as the most stunning news of the offseason so far. The 32-year-old sidearming lefty has been available frequently enough through the years and seemingly was never pursued by the Brewers before. Choate has a 4.64 ERA and a 129/87 K/BB ratio in 165 innings as a major leaguer. He was up briefly with the Diamondbacks in June and gave up hits to all three batters he faced before being placed on waivers and going unclaimed. He'll battle Mitch Stetter for a bullpen job if the Brewers don't land Ron Mahay or another lefty reliever on their list.

[hawing]

BBQ Lefty is classic. Choate's Toast could be his tagline when he gets roughed up.

 

But "Choke" is so much faster. (And name-wise, if we sign David Riske I'll expect "Riske Business" instantly.)

 

And given the collective photoshopping skill on this site, I want to see some BBQ Lefty images, pronto!