Jump to content
Brewer Fanatic

  • Veteran RHP José Ureña Signed To Minor-League Deal

    BrewCrewBBQ

    By BrewCrewBBQ

    Last night, we learned that the Brewers signed veteran right-hander José Ureña to a minor league deal with an invite to the final week of big-league camp.

    Image courtesy of Mike Dinovo, USA TODAY Sports

    Brewers Video

    Jose Ureña is a 30-year-old who made his big-league debut way back in 2015 with the Miami Marlins. In 2017, he went 14-7 with a 3.82 ERA in 169 2/3 innings. He had a 3.98 ERA in 31 starts and 174 innings. Following the 2020 season, he became a free agent. Last year, he signed with the Tigers. In 26 games (18 starts), he went 4-8 with a 5.81 ERA and a 1.60 WHIP in 100 2/3 innings. 

    Ureña doesn’t blow the ball past hitters, instead posting an incredible 52% ground ball rate to go with the well below-average strikeout rate of 14.7%. Craig Counsell and the David Stearns front office have had a lot of success with ground ball pitchers, most recently Adrian Houser, Alex Claudio, Junior Guerra, Wade Miley, and Jeremy Jeffress. This is a good strategy with an infield that consists of Kolten Wong, Willy Adames, and Luis Urias - all three with above-average range.

    It will be interesting to see if the Brewers look to use Ureña as a ground ball-inducing bullpen piece or if they try to stash him in Triple-A, let him stretch out, and call him up as rotation depth when needed.

    What do you think of this signing? What do you think Urena's role will be for the 2022 Brewers? Leave your thoughts in the COMMENTS below. 

    "I'm just a simple man, trying to make my way in the universe." I love baseball, cooking meat over fire, and my family - not necessarily in that order.
    Follow BrewCrewBBQ on Twitter: BrewCrewBBQ

    Think you could write a story like this? Brewer Fanatic wants you to develop your voice, find an audience, and we'll pay you to do it. Just fill out this form.

    MORE FROM BREWER FANATIC
    — Latest Brewers coverage from our writers
    — Recent Brewers discussion in our forums
    — Follow Brewer Fanatic via Twitter, Facebook or email

     Share
     Share
    Go to articles

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    Featured Comments

    monty57

    monty57 546

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    On a minor league deal, there's really not any risk. 

    Adam McCalvy puy up an article recently where he interviewed Trevor Gott, who said: “What I’ve loved about being here is it’s not just, ‘Hey, here’s what you’re good at, go do it,’” Gott explained. “It’s more, ‘This is what you’re good at, this is why you’re good at it, and this is when and where you need to use it.' It’s been great so far.”

    I think the Brewers analyze pitching differently than others, and that's part of why their pitching staff has been so successful. If someone like Urena can get a little help from the lab, he could be a great guy to have in the bullpen. It's always nice to have someone you can bring in with runners on base who is very likely to induce a double play. Bring in specialists and put them in situations where they will succeed.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    monty57

    monty57 546

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    On a minor league deal, there's really not any risk. 

    Adam McCalvy puy up an article recently where he interviewed Trevor Gott, who said: “What I’ve loved about being here is it’s not just, ‘Hey, here’s what you’re good at, go do it,’” Gott explained. “It’s more, ‘This is what you’re good at, this is why you’re good at it, and this is when and where you need to use it.' It’s been great so far.”

    I think the Brewers analyze pitching differently than others, and that's part of why their pitching staff has been so successful. If someone like Urena can get a little help from the lab, he could be a great guy to have in the bullpen. It's always nice to have someone you can bring in with runners on base who is very likely to induce a double play. Bring in specialists and put them in situations where they will succeed.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    monty57

    monty57 546

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    On a minor league deal, there's really not any risk. 

    Adam McCalvy puy up an article recently where he interviewed Trevor Gott, who said: “What I’ve loved about being here is it’s not just, ‘Hey, here’s what you’re good at, go do it,’” Gott explained. “It’s more, ‘This is what you’re good at, this is why you’re good at it, and this is when and where you need to use it.' It’s been great so far.”

    I think the Brewers analyze pitching differently than others, and that's part of why their pitching staff has been so successful. If someone like Urena can get a little help from the lab, he could be a great guy to have in the bullpen. It's always nice to have someone you can bring in with runners on base who is very likely to induce a double play. Bring in specialists and put them in situations where they will succeed.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    monty57

    monty57 546

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    On a minor league deal, there's really not any risk. 

    Adam McCalvy puy up an article recently where he interviewed Trevor Gott, who said: “What I’ve loved about being here is it’s not just, ‘Hey, here’s what you’re good at, go do it,’” Gott explained. “It’s more, ‘This is what you’re good at, this is why you’re good at it, and this is when and where you need to use it.' It’s been great so far.”

    I think the Brewers analyze pitching differently than others, and that's part of why their pitching staff has been so successful. If someone like Urena can get a little help from the lab, he could be a great guy to have in the bullpen. It's always nice to have someone you can bring in with runners on base who is very likely to induce a double play. Bring in specialists and put them in situations where they will succeed.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Brent Sirvio

    Brent Sirvio 61

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    Ureña's reputation as a headhunter worries me. A minor league deal just to see what, if anything, he has left in the tank can't hurt, but I have to think that if he gives the Brewers significant innings this season, something has gone very, very wrong.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Brent Sirvio

    Brent Sirvio 61

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    Ureña's reputation as a headhunter worries me. A minor league deal just to see what, if anything, he has left in the tank can't hurt, but I have to think that if he gives the Brewers significant innings this season, something has gone very, very wrong.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Brent Sirvio

    Brent Sirvio 61

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    Ureña's reputation as a headhunter worries me. A minor league deal just to see what, if anything, he has left in the tank can't hurt, but I have to think that if he gives the Brewers significant innings this season, something has gone very, very wrong.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Brent Sirvio

    Brent Sirvio 61

  • Verified Member

    • Posted

    Ureña's reputation as a headhunter worries me. A minor league deal just to see what, if anything, he has left in the tank can't hurt, but I have to think that if he gives the Brewers significant innings this season, something has gone very, very wrong.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Joseph Zarr

    Joseph Zarr 1,306

  • Brewer Fanatic Contributor

    • Posted

    Will be interesting to see what, if anything, he has left in the tank. Sinker Baller if I recall, correctly? But, really a ground ball pitcher who lacks any ability to strike batters out? It's been awhile. But, on a minor league deal take a look and see if there is anything there. Since the first couple games of Spring, the bullpen hasn't exactly been lighting it up as it were. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Joseph Zarr

    Joseph Zarr 1,306

  • Brewer Fanatic Contributor

    • Posted

    Will be interesting to see what, if anything, he has left in the tank. Sinker Baller if I recall, correctly? But, really a ground ball pitcher who lacks any ability to strike batters out? It's been awhile. But, on a minor league deal take a look and see if there is anything there. Since the first couple games of Spring, the bullpen hasn't exactly been lighting it up as it were. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Joseph Zarr

    Joseph Zarr 1,306

  • Brewer Fanatic Contributor

    • Posted

    Will be interesting to see what, if anything, he has left in the tank. Sinker Baller if I recall, correctly? But, really a ground ball pitcher who lacks any ability to strike batters out? It's been awhile. But, on a minor league deal take a look and see if there is anything there. Since the first couple games of Spring, the bullpen hasn't exactly been lighting it up as it were. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Joseph Zarr

    Joseph Zarr 1,306

  • Brewer Fanatic Contributor

    • Posted

    Will be interesting to see what, if anything, he has left in the tank. Sinker Baller if I recall, correctly? But, really a ground ball pitcher who lacks any ability to strike batters out? It's been awhile. But, on a minor league deal take a look and see if there is anything there. Since the first couple games of Spring, the bullpen hasn't exactly been lighting it up as it were. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Ron Robinsons Beard

    Ron Robinsons Beard 841

  • Brewer Fanatic Contributor

    • Posted

    Added to the major league roster today, and has no options left, so it appears he's slated for that final swingman BP spot. They must have liked what they saw after getting him in the building. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Ron Robinsons Beard

    Ron Robinsons Beard 841

  • Brewer Fanatic Contributor

    • Posted

    Added to the major league roster today, and has no options left, so it appears he's slated for that final swingman BP spot. They must have liked what they saw after getting him in the building. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Ron Robinsons Beard

    Ron Robinsons Beard 841

  • Brewer Fanatic Contributor

    • Posted

    Added to the major league roster today, and has no options left, so it appears he's slated for that final swingman BP spot. They must have liked what they saw after getting him in the building. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Ron Robinsons Beard

    Ron Robinsons Beard 841

  • Brewer Fanatic Contributor

    • Posted

    Added to the major league roster today, and has no options left, so it appears he's slated for that final swingman BP spot. They must have liked what they saw after getting him in the building. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    BrewCrewBBQ

    BrewCrewBBQ 25

  • Brewer Fanatic Contributor

    • Posted

    1 hour ago, BSirvio said:

    Ureña's reputation as a headhunter worries me. A minor league deal just to see what, if anything, he has left in the tank can't hurt, but I have to think that if he gives the Brewers significant innings this season, something has gone very, very wrong.

    I think one of two things happens: he rotated through the bullpen for some length of time or he gets called up to start in place of somebody else and gets DFA following his stint. 
     

    I have to agree it would be really bad if he gets a lot of innings. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    BrewCrewBBQ

    BrewCrewBBQ 25

  • Brewer Fanatic Contributor

    • Posted

    1 hour ago, BSirvio said:

    Ureña's reputation as a headhunter worries me. A minor league deal just to see what, if anything, he has left in the tank can't hurt, but I have to think that if he gives the Brewers significant innings this season, something has gone very, very wrong.

    I think one of two things happens: he rotated through the bullpen for some length of time or he gets called up to start in place of somebody else and gets DFA following his stint. 
     

    I have to agree it would be really bad if he gets a lot of innings. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    BrewCrewBBQ

    BrewCrewBBQ 25

  • Brewer Fanatic Contributor

    • Posted

    1 hour ago, BSirvio said:

    Ureña's reputation as a headhunter worries me. A minor league deal just to see what, if anything, he has left in the tank can't hurt, but I have to think that if he gives the Brewers significant innings this season, something has gone very, very wrong.

    I think one of two things happens: he rotated through the bullpen for some length of time or he gets called up to start in place of somebody else and gets DFA following his stint. 
     

    I have to agree it would be really bad if he gets a lot of innings. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    BrewCrewBBQ

    BrewCrewBBQ 25

  • Brewer Fanatic Contributor

    • Posted

    1 hour ago, BSirvio said:

    Ureña's reputation as a headhunter worries me. A minor league deal just to see what, if anything, he has left in the tank can't hurt, but I have to think that if he gives the Brewers significant innings this season, something has gone very, very wrong.

    I think one of two things happens: he rotated through the bullpen for some length of time or he gets called up to start in place of somebody else and gets DFA following his stint. 
     

    I have to agree it would be really bad if he gets a lot of innings. 

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites


    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

    ×

×
×
  • Create New...