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Some things to read while changing your mind.
The rest of the Milwaukee Brewers’ offseason plans remain a mystery at this point, but on Monday, they made a minor transaction that could give them some options moving forward. The team claimed 26-year-old Angels third baseman Luis Jimenez off waivers just months after he completed the first 20 home run season of his professional career.
Jimenez has appeared in 52 MLB games (including 18 in 2014) and hasn’t made much of an impact at the plate, batting .234 with a .268 on-base percentage and .291 slugging. But he has an .843 OPS (on-base plus slugging) in 697 career games in the minors. He played 117 games for Triple-A Salt Lake City in 2014 and led the team with 134 hits and 34 doubles while ranking second in both home runs (21) and RBIs (76). In the big leagues, his primary calling card has been his defense, as shown by this pair of highlight reel plays (h/t Halos Daily). The latter play linked took place at Miller Park.
While Jimenez has been almost exclusively a third baseman during his minor league career, he does have some limited experience at first base. The first story linked above says Jimenez is out of minor league options, so he’ll either have to make the Brewers out of spring training or be exposed to waivers again. His opportunity to play a significant role with this team may depend on what happens with Aramis Ramirez, who has a mutual option for 2015.
Elsewhere in players who will compete for a roster spot next spring, we have Mike Fiers. Brew Crew Ball readers recently selected him as 2014’s sixth-most valuable Brewer, making him the fourth starting pitcher among the top six spots in those rankings. Nathan Petrashek has his profile.
As of this writing, Francisco Rodriguez has a pretty significant lead on the field in the voting for the No. 7 spot on that list. You have until noon today to cast your vote.
Rodriguez is scheduled to become a free agent next week, but recently told Andrew Gruman of FS Wisconsin he’d like to return to Milwaukee next season. K-Rod will likely receive a significant raise over the $3.25 million plus incentives he made in 2014, and the Brewers are unlikely to be able to pay him much more unless they’re willing to expand their budget significantly this winter.
With that said, the Brewers have embraced opportunities to expand the payroll and/or trade away top prospects to win in the short term in the past. Ryan Topp of Disciples of Uecker has a look at the possibility that they could go “all in” again in 2015.
The National League Gold Gloves will be handed out two weeks from today, and the Brewers have a pair of finalists: Jonathan Lucroy and Gerardo Parra. August Fagerstrom of FanGraphs has a look at the statistical argument that Lucroy should win the award, but the only other Brewer to crack his top three at any position was Khris Davis among a weak group of candidates in left field. Both Carlos Gomez and Gerardo Parra were snubbed in these rankings.
Mark Reynolds will not win a Gold Glove or any other kind of award for his performance as a Brewer in 2014, but apparently it wasn’t enough to scare all of his potential suitors away: Matt Mirro of Friars on Base listed Reynolds as one of the Padres’ top five free agent options this offseason.
Elsewhere in players looking for new homes, we have Rickie Weeks. Jim Meyerriecks of the Nationals blog Federal Baseball has a look at Weeks alongside five other free-agent second basemen and concludes that he’d be better off with an American League team where some of his playing time could come as a designated hitter.
In the minors:
- Congratulations are due out today to outfielder Tyrone Taylor and pitcher Tyler Wagner, who will both represent the Brewers in the Arizona Fall League’s Fall Stars Game on Saturday. That contest will be televised live on MLB Network, and Spencer Fordin of MLB.com has a preview.
- Back on the field, Brooks Hall had a rough day in relief but the Glendale Desert Dogs still picked up a 6-5, 11-inning win in Arizona Fall League play (box score). Hall allowed two runs on five hits over 2 2/3 innings, striking out two and being charged with a balk. First baseman Nick Ramirez went 0-for-4 with a walk in the game.
- Meanwhile in Venezuela, 21-year-old pitcher Gian Rizzo allowed a single run on two hits over 1 1/3 innings in Zulia’s 11-7 loss to Caracas (box score). It was only Rizzo’s second VWL appearance.
Around baseball:
Athletics: Signed pitcher Brad Mills to a minor league contract.
Braves: Hired former Blue Jays hitting coach Kevin Seitzer to the same position.
The World Series was off on Monday as the two teams traveled to Kansas City, where they’ll resume play at 7:07 p.m. tonight on FOX. Jake Peavy is scheduled to pitch for the Giants against Yordano Ventura.
There’s more than just a World Series ring on the line tonight for Peavy and his family. Yesterday, Peavy’s two sons came with him to his press conference and spilled the beans on his plans to buy a road-ready version of one of San Francisco’s famous cable cars if the Giants win the series. Peavy bought a duck boat after winning a championship as a member of the Red Sox last season.
If you’re planning on watching the entirety of tonight’s game, then don’t plan on getting to bed at a decent hour. Dave Cameron of FanGraphs is the latest to look at the abnormally slow pace of play this postseason.
Today in former Brewers making World Series headlines: It appears likely Norichika Aoki will be back in the lineup for Game 6 of the series tonight. Aoki hasn’t started a game in the series since Game 2 and has played a complete contest without being lifted for one reason or another only once this postseason.
Elsewhere in former Brewers:
- Despite a series of recent developments, Mark Polishuk of MLB Trade Rumors says Paul Molitor still appears to be the favorite to serve as the Twins’ next manager.
- Manny Parra’s numbers declined (4.66 ERA) and he was limited to just 53 appearances due to injuries in his second season with the Reds, and he told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com he’s focusing on improving his durability and his pitches for 2015.
Today in baseball economics: Pat Lackey of Where Have You Gone, Andy Van Slyke? has a look at what we know about the Pirates’ payroll and wonders if they can afford to re-sign catcher Russell Martin this offseason.
Forty players appeared in at least one game for the Brewers in 2014 but only one of them, utilityman Elian Herrera, was a switch-hitter. Steven Martano of Beyond the Box Score has a look at the challenges involved in producing from both sides of the plate,
Finally, with help from the Baseball Reference Play Index, we’d like to wish a happy birthday today to:
- 2009 Brewer Braden Looper, who turns 40.
- 2002 Brewer Lenny Harris, who turns 50 (Today In Brewer History).
- 1986-91 Brewer Mark Knudson, who turns 54.
- Columbus, Wis., native Frank Lange, who would have turned 131. Lange pitched in four MLB seasons between 1910-13 as a member of the White Sox.
Today is also the 15th anniversary of Brewers catcher Dave Nilsson becoming a free agent in 1999, effectively ending his Milwaukee career. Follow the link for that event’s entry in Today In Brewer History at Brew Crew Ball.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to check on my bees.
Drink up.
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