Salomon Torres to MIL, Kevin Roberts & Marino Salas to PIT / Latest: Torres WILL report.

[TooLiveBrew]

Rotation: Sheets, Gallardo, Suppan, Capuano, Villanueva

Bullpen: Turnbow, Riske, Wise, Shouse, Mota, Torres, Parra, Bush

AAA: McClung, Spurling, Choate

 

Don't forget that Choate signed a deal for AAA/MLB.

 

EDIT: McClung >>>>>>>>> Wise

 

I'd be shocked if Wise was in the pen next year.

 

While I agree that McClung would likely be in before Wise at this point, you've grossly exaggerated the difference between the two, imho.

[trwi7]

The real question is what are we going to do with all these arms now. Someone has to go, probably at least 2 guys.

 

Choate, McClung, Torres, Wise, Turnbow, Riske, Parra, Bush, Mota, Shouse

 

I think we can send Choate to the minors. A starting pitcher will probably get traded which moves either Parra or Bush back into the rotation so then we still have an extra guy. Maybe use McClung as part of another trade.

[patrickgpe]

Ender from that list i wouldn't be suprised if choate started in nashville. Wise needs to prove something in the spring for a roster spot and now we have the depth that we could release him if he can't. I like the move. There is little risk in it.

[LetsGoBrewCrew]

I would replace wise with McClung... at least that is what it is sounding like is going to happen.

[trwi7]

McClung >>>>>>>>> Wise

 

I'd be shocked if Wise was in the pen next year.

 

There is no way that McClung is better than Wise. Before hitting that guy I think people forgot how good Wise was for us.

[fondybrewfan]

I would assume this deal is still pending a physical?

 

So I assume I am the only person that thinks Wise can straighten it out next year? They went crazy after plunking a guy, I think he can revert back to his old self

[Paulus88]

So it turns out Torres was unhappy in Pittsburgh due to his contract and also a promise the Pirates made about renting out his youth facility. Maybe a cause for the bad year he had.

 

It at the bottom of the link here

http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071207&content_id=2320976&vkey=news_pit&fext=.jsp&c_id=pit

[sbrylski]

So I assume I am the only person that thinks Wise can straighten it out next year? They went crazy after plunking a guy, I think he can revert back to his old self

<---

[MoneyballMan]

Neither prospect was on the Power 50. What a deal.

I agree. Nothing for Torres, who can still get people out regularly. He's been pretty consistent and could even close in a pinch.

[djoctagone]

how long do the brewers have before they have to clear another player from the 40-man?

[jimmyjeromehardy7]

The real question is what are we going to do with all these arms now. Someone has to go, probably at least 2 guys.

 

Choate, McClung, Torres, Wise, Turnbow, Riske, Parra, Bush, Mota, Shouse

 

I would rather go to ST needing to dump 2 guys than go needing more arms.

[And That]

how long do the brewers have before they have to clear another player from the 40-man?

Now-ish, assuming Torres has passed a physical.

 

[MoneyballMan]

It's going to be one interesting spring sorting through that group in the pen.

 

Roberts may not have been in the Power 50 but his strikeout totals (more than one per inning in his career) and the fact he was a 5th round pick that showed improvement from 06 to 07 means he might have been overlooked.

 

What's troubling is that the Brewers don't ever seem able to develop a guy like Roberts who they invested a pretty high pick on just 2 years ago into a quality reliever. Who was the last Brewer drafted to have any success in a major league bullpen?

But does it really matter if you can flip a couple of guys like this for a solid bullpen arm? Torres can help now. No telling if Roberts will ever help. If we can flip two guys like this for a Torres and keep developing position players internally, I'm ok with that. And that's too simple - we just happen to have hit on guys like Weeks, Fielder, Hart, Braun and have come up light on bullpen talent. But I'll take what the farm system has developed the last few years, including "spare parts" like these who can be flipped for a Torres now and then.

[Nader Raider Tim]

Thanks for posting about the fued that Torres and managment has had. It sounds like such a wierd situation. I would actually hope that Mark A. looks into helping out Torres with his facility.

[jackalope02ca]

Great deal. There is no downfall if he doesn't work out. Chances are he will. I'm not sure if there was a player in baseball more ticked at their own team last year than Torres. When you hate your job you seldomly perform up to standards. Now nab Tavares and we'd suddenly have the makings of a decent bullpen.

[Tbadder]

I like this approach--it's kinda like football. Load up on players, make them compete for their lives and jettison the refuse. Remember long ago, the Packers had no DBs, so they spent their first three choices oon cornerbacks--they got good fast! Two or three of these guys will emerge and the Crew will be the better for it.

[colbyjack]

I quickly peaked at a couple of Pirates fan sites and the limited responses seem to indicate that the fans think the Pirates are selling low, and that Torres had a bad season last year because Jim Tracy abused his arm. All the posters seemed to make some comment about Torres being a class act, and how this re-affirms that the Pirates are cleaning house/payroll with an emphasis on the farm.

 

Which of course is a much different reaction from Mets fans when we landed Mota, as most Mets fans had nothing good to say about the guy and were happy to see him go for seemingly just about anything.

 

The Brewers should have a nice collection of set-up men, but I still think the lack of a true and proven closer will haunt the team. Their current situation reminds me of the Red Sox situation a few years ago before they picked up Keith Foulke.

[splitterpfj]

Let's keep adding players who have an axe to grind against divisional foes, an entertaining blend of pro wrestling and MLB.

 

Who have the Cubs offended?

[MoneyballMan]

Yea, I don't think anyone is really expecting him to revert to his age 29/30-ish years, but adding the kind of output he provided in 2006 will help the 'pen quite a bit.

And some relievers improve in their mid-30's. He has history of success, which is more than you can say for some of guys we've had in the pen that have been pretty good for us! And eye for talent combined with Maddux/Castro seems to be working pretty well for us.

[RU Rah Rah]

More on the feud, from the AP (15 August 2007):

Pirates reliever Salomon Torresdropped his grievance that claimed the team induced him into signing a below-market contract last year with a promise to rent his baseball training complex in the Dominican Republic.

Torres argued he accepted less money than he could have made elsewhere because the Pirates led him to believe they would rent one of his two training centers. He said there was an oral agreement that was not put into writing.

Torres does not have an agent and personally negotiated his $6.2 million, two-year deal in March 2006. Torres will make $2.7 million this season and $3.2 million in 2008, with a club option of $3.75 million in 2009. He receives a $300,000 buyout if the option is declined.

After the Pirates failed by last November to sign off on the training center agreement, Torres rented the complex to the Texas Rangers. He rents his other camp to the Atlanta Braves.

The grievance was filed during spring training in March, but had yet to be heard when Torres dropped it.

"As far as I'm concerned, it's closed," Torres said Tuesday. "I'm the victim here but, at the same time, I understand. I'm a person who holds grudges in a sense if you did something wrong to me, I will not forget. But, at the same time, you need to forgive and forget and move on with your life."

Most major league teams have training camps in the Dominican Republic because players there need not be drafted and can be signed by any club. The Pirates plan to upgrade their complex this year, but will not use one of Torres' camps.

Torres led the majors with 94 appearances a year ago while going 3-6 with a 3.28 ERA and 12 saves. He began this season as the Pirates' closer, but lost the job when he failed to convert six of 18 save chances. The 35-year-old right-hander has a 1-4 record and 5.53 ERA in 45 games.

"I need to put that behind me," Torres said. "You know the Pirates, they're not going to write me a check for $1.5 million. We talked about it, and it was affecting me. The right thing to do is to turn the other cheek and just forget about it."

Maybe Torres hasn't quite put it behind him he allowed hits to the only two Mets batters he faced in the eighth inning Tuesday night, and took the loss in New York's 5-4 victory.

General manager Dave Littlefield said he dealt professionally with Torres during the contract talks and holds no animosity toward him. The pitcher was out of organized baseball for nearly five years before signing a minor league deal with Pittsburgh in 2002.

[JohnBriggs12]

Like I said in an earlier post, I'm pretty neutral on this one. Had I more faith in their being able to evaluate guys in the spring, I'd feel better about it. But this group has made mistakes before in setting a staff out of Arizona (Ben Ford, Jared Fernandez, Justin Lehr etc).

 

My guess is this means the end for Wise who in my opinion should be non-tendered along with Mench. If that happens, I'll give the deal a B+.

[aracko]

I dont know if he is going to get a shot at closing, but this guy definatly is going to have a roll in the pen.

 

in 30 + innings last year with the bases empty Torres batters hit .193 off of him and he had a 1.17 ERA.

 

I could very well see Torres starting off the 7th or 8th innings.

 

He could possibly close - his road ERA was lightyears above what his ERA was in Pitt, and he converted 9 of 11 Save opps.

 

Its a good move for the Brewers.

 

I love this pen.

 

Matt Wise

Torres

Mota

McClung

Dave Riske

Derrick Turnbow

Brian Shouse

Greg Aquino

Randy Choate

 

To me thats a heck of a combination. Outside of Aquino because he is very unknown, I can say something positive about each of those guys. I am pumped.

[SeriesFinale]

I can't be the only one who saw the headline "Brewers Trade for Pittsburgh Reliever" and thought "Damaso Marte...Damaso Marte...Damaso Marte"

 

At any rate, I hope Torres doesn't close out his career full-circle by costing the Brew Crew a playoff spot on the last day of the year.

[JohnBriggs12]

That's a 9 man bullpen aracko. You think they'll go with a 14 man staff?

 

"I can say something positive about each of those guys"

 

There were guys saying positives about Joe Winkelsas too.

[Fatter than Joey]

I like this approach--it's kinda like football. Load up on players, make them compete for their lives and jettison the refuse.

 

Of course the difference being NFL contracts are not guaranteed.

 

All the posters seemed to make some comment about Torres being a class act

 

He would have signed my card if that was true http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif