Milwaukee Brewers News Clips
Sunday, February 22, 2015
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Brewers have no room for error with just 5 starters
By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel
Feb. 21, 2015
Phoenix — Outwardly, the Milwaukee Brewers' decision-makers express little concern about the lack of depth in the starting rotation entering spring training.
But logic tells you they have to be nervous.
You'll spot more unicorns than see teams making it through 162 games with only five starting pitchers. In fact, it's not unusual for clubs to have difficulty making it through exhibition season without at least one starter having an issue.
Yet, as the Brewers' pitchers and catchers prepared for their first official workout Sunday at Maryvale Baseball Park, the team depth chart listed only five starters with major-league experience in that role. That included a total of 13 starts by No. 5 pitcher Jimmy Nelson, whose 2014 rotation debut was a rocky one (2-8, 4.76 ERA in 12 starts).
Nelson moved into the top five when veteran Yovani Gallardo was traded to the Texas Rangers in January. The Brewers' opening day starter the past five seasons, Gallardo had been Mr. Reliable in the rotation, pitching at least 180 innings for six consecutive years.
You get a better understanding of the thinness in starting pitching when you look at the team's depth chart. Listed at No. 6 is right-hander Taylor Jungmann, who made it to the Class AAA level for the first time in 2014. Seventh on the depth chart is right-hander Michael Blazek, who has 18 relief appearances in the majors but no starts.
There is little wonder that general manager Doug Melvin seems resigned to looking for starting help before camp comes to an end.
"There's always guys available at the end of the spring," said Melvin. "There are other people that you may find that aren't here yet. Those things take care of themselves.
"There will be guys out there who signed minor-league contracts and may be available. You have to have flexibility with that sixth spot. You've got to have somebody who can go up and down (in the minors without requiring waivers). You can't have a guy locked into a major-league contract.
"Probably our eyes are open a little bit more (this spring) than last year because we knew we had Fiers and Nelson down there (at the Class AAA level). You just hope you don't have injuries at the first part of the year."
Manager Ron Roenicke, who had seven pitchers make starts in 2014, said he will leave it to Melvin to find help if injuries do occur.
"That's something that he's looking at and wants to make sure we'll be OK there," said Roenicke. "You're always concerned about depth. The difference in a team that financially can go get what you want is you know if the depth isn't there, you just go out and buy somebody. We have to be smart in what we do.
"There will be some players there at the end of camp if something happens where we need more depth."
The good news is the first three starters in the all-righty rotation — Kyle Lohse, Matt Garza and Wily Peralta — can be counted on for many quality outings, all things being equal. Melvin would like Garza to shake free of his recent injury history and pitch 200 innings for the first time since 2010. Garza was limited to 27 starts and 1631/3 innings last year by an oblique strain.
Mike Fiers, who resurrected his career with a brilliant showing (2.13 ERA) over the final two months of last season, is slated to be the No. 4 starter, followed by Nelson. Melvin noted that many teams are going with inexperienced starters at the back of their rotation.
"When you look at the No. 4 and 5 starters, most clubs are going with younger guys," he said. "After that, it's the depth of your minor-league system. Jungmann had a good second half in Triple-A. We'll try to get him some innings here."
Lohse, who has compiled a 24-19 record and 3.45 ERA over 63 starts in his first two seasons with the Brewers, will be counted on again to provide stability on and off the field. Asked how he thought the rotation would fare without Gallardo, Lohse offered a diplomatic answer.
"We have five guys," said Lohse. "That's not something I really want to get into. We've got what we've got here and I feel good about what we've got.
"It's not my job, who puts on these uniforms. I'm here to take care of my part and try to help my teammates. If we can stay healthy, I like our chances."
Peralta, 25, made a quantum leap from his rookie year to his sophomore season in 2014, jumping from an 11-15 record and 4.37 ERA to 17-11, 3.53. The way Lohse sees it, Peralta doesn't have to worry about being better than that.
"I don't think he needs to," said Lohse. "That's the main thing for him, to not say, 'I need to do better than last year.' That's something I'm going to try to impress on him. There's going to be a lot of pressure put on him to do better than last year. He was pretty darn good last year."
Nelson might have fallen into that trap in 2014, trying to live up to his top-prospect ranking and ultra-success at Class AAA Nashville (10-2, 1.46 ERA in 17 games). He pressed at times and had trouble locating his signature pitches — a fastball and slider.
"He's got to go out there and figure out how to be consistent, how to consistently throw pitches that are quality," said Lohse. "You saw that with Wily two years ago. He'd get excited and things would get away from him. Then he made that step last year, being able to control what he's doing out there.
"That's something that Jimmy can learn. He's got great stuff. He's just got to figure out how to put it into a big-league game without letting it get away."
Indeed, Peralta can relate to Nelson's first-year struggles. In fact, all Peralta has to do is remind Nelson how much he improved the second time around to give encouragement to the former second-round draft pick.
"I knew I was better than I showed my rookie season," said Peralta. "I learned what it takes to be more consistent. You get more comfortable and do the things you can do. Don't try to do too much. Just go out there and pitch. I tried to overthrow at times my first year.
"You don't have to be perfect. Just go out and try to have fun and pitch your game. He's got enough talent. His stuff is unbelievable. He just has to calm down and not try to do too much. Just throw one pitch at a time. Don't worry about expectations. I've been there. I know what it's like."
BY THE NUMBERS
3.69 ERA for the starting rotation in 2014, ninth in the NL.
76 Strikeouts in 71 2/3 innings by Mike Fiers last season.
2.04 Walks per nine innings for Kyle Lohse in 2014.
143 Hits allowed last season in 163 1/3 innings by Matt Garza.
278 Walks by the 2014 starting rotation, fifth-fewest in the NL.
Brewers will hold off naming bullpen closer
By Todd Rosiak of the Journal Sentinel
Feb. 21, 2015
Phoenix – While the Milwaukee Brewers have one obvious choice already on their roster in Jonathan Broxton and another candidate with previous experience in camp in Chris Perez, general manager Doug Melvin said the plan right now is to hold off on officially naming a closer.
"Broxton’s closed before, but we’re not going to anoint a closer at this point," Melvin said on Saturday morning. "We’ll wait and see. Let guys throw, get in shape and maybe mid-spring we’ll talk about it."
Broxton, 30, was acquired by the Brewers last Aug. 31 to serve as a setup man for Francisco Rodriguez but with 118 career saves, a $9 million salary and a right arm that's still powerful enough to pitch the ninth inning, he remains the in-house favorite to win the job.
He hasn't served as a primary closer since 2012, however, when he was with the Kansas City Royals. He saved 11 games in just over 2 1/2 seasons after being traded to the Cincinnati Reds, serving mostly as the setup man for Aroldis Chapman over that span.
"He has the ability to do it," said Melvin. "Lot of emphasis put on that part of the game. Closers are somewhat hot and cold, unless they're somewhat established.
"(Philadelphia's Jonathan) Papelbon was very good last year and they didn't win. (Atlanta's) Craig Kimbrel was a lights-out closer and they didn't win. So I try to not put so much emphasis on it, because there's so many other ways to lose ballgames to focus on one inning of every game.
"There's no doubt you need to have a good bullpen, though."
Perez, 29, signed a minor-league contract with the Brewers on Feb. 4. He has 133 career saves to his credit after serving as Cleveland's closer from 2010-'13, and fits perfectly Melvin's strategy of adding a second reliever with experience in the role to provide depth.
But there remains the possibility that the Brewers could add another arm to the mix for that spot. Rodriguez remains on the market as a free agent despite saving 44 games for the Brewers last season, and the door still doesn't appear to be fully closed on a trade for Papelbon.
Melvin wouldn't comment on the state of possible talks with the Phillies, but acknowledged the lines of communication have remained open with "K-Rod."
"I don’t know if it’s active, but we still have conversations," Melvin said. "Mark deals more with that. (Agent) Scott (Boras) keeps calling Mark."
Braun won't be restricted as camp begins
Henderson, Thornburg also coming along well in recovery from injuries
By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com | @AdamMcCalvy | February 21, 2015
PHOENIX -- While Brewers players underwent their annual physical exams Saturday, Brewers officials expressed continued optimism for three important players returning from injury-plagued seasons: right fielder Ryan Braun and relievers Jim Henderson and Tyler Thornburg.
Braun underwent a surgical procedure in October to relieve an inflamed nerve in his right hand. Former closer Henderson (shoulder) and April star Thornburg (elbow) rehabbed without surgery. All three should be close to full participants when formal workouts get underway next week.
Of Braun, assistant GM Gord Ash said: "The only instruction from the medical staff was just to eliminate any extra hitting. There's no restriction on the regular routine. Just minimize extra hitting."
"I talked to [agent] Nez [Balelo] the other day and he was saying how Ryan was feeling great," Brewers GM Doug Melvin said.
The Brewers have planned all along for Braun to be the Opening Day right fielder, but Henderson and Thornburg's status has been murkier. All winter, the Brewers planned as if neither reliever would be ready for Opening Day.
Now that it appears either or both could be bullpen options from the start, "it makes a much better picture," Ash said.
"I wouldn't use the word 'restricted.' I would [say] we'll be protective," Ash said when asked about the two pitchers. "They're not going to necessarily march out there on what would be a regular basis. They might get an extra day off here and there. All the reports have been very good so far."
Ash added some words of caution: "It's early. They haven't faced hitters. Their bullpens have been good."
Some other notes from Saturday media sessions with Melvin, Ash and manager Ron Roenicke:
• The Brewers don't expect any late arrivals in camp this year, in part because Spring Training itself is so late. That allowed players from out of the country more time to get their paperwork in order.
• Pitching prospect Johnny Hellweg, who underwent Tommy John surgery last April, should be game-ready by the end of camp, but the Brewers are plotting a cautious approach. Hellweg could remain in extended spring training before an assignment to warm-weather Class A Advanced Brevard County.
• The Brewers signed infielder Donnie Murphy to a Minor League contract Friday to provide some depth at Triple-A Colorado Springs.
"He's a guy that our analytics people have been high on," Ash said. "You want to add as many weapons there in Colorado, offensively, as you can, so he fits into that category."
Brewers in no hurry to anoint closer
Broxton, Smith, Jeffress, Henderson among internal options
By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com | @AdamMcCalvy | February 21, 2015
PHOENIX -- Instead of simply naming their most experienced incumbent reliever to the role, the Brewers plan to wait to publicly announce a closer.
With Francisco Rodriguez gone to free agency (though he's still available and on Milwaukee's radar), the Brewers' current candidates are led by Jonathan Broxton, the former Dodgers and Royals closer acquired last August in a trade. But the Brewers are high on left-hander Will Smith, believe right-handerJeremy Jeffress has a bright future and have Jim Henderson coming back from a shoulder injury. They also have been linked recently to both Rodriguez and Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon.
"Broxton has closed before, but we haven't decided who will," general manager Doug Melvin said. "We're not going to anoint a closer at this point. We'll just wait and see. Let guys throw and get in shape. Probably mid-spring we'll talk about it."
Broxton is 18th among active players with 118 career saves and, according to Melvin's figures, has converted 84 percent of his true save opportunities. The Brewers threw out his blown saves as a setup man, believing they skew the numbers because a pitcher can't earn a save in those opportunities.
Since 2008, Brewers closers have converted the same percentage of saves: 84 percent.
"So he has the ability to do it," Melvin said.
Said manager Ron Roenicke: "Broxton, he's a guy that we're going to lean on and hopefully it works out. But we also know he can't pitch like Frankie [Rodriguez] can pitch, where he could go five, six days in a row. Not many guys can."