Brewers Trade for Koskie
I have a little secret I don’t like to admit to the baseball world. I’m originally from Milwaukee. To my friends in the non-baseball world, I have no problem admitting I’m from the Cream City. If the topic of sports comes up, it is always easy to shift the conversation to the Green Bay Packers. Dedicated baseball people don’t want to talk about the Packers, they want to talk about the Brewers. I don’t want to talk about the Brewers.
It is not like they have broken my heart. As a kid growing up, the Brewers were Paul Molitor and Robin Yount. With them, you knew the Brew Crew was going to be reasonably good. When they retired or moved on, the team was left without an identity. It was a small market team. It needed to think like a small market team.
I’m not afraid to talk about the Brewers anymore. The team is not half bad. I’m not predicting that they are going to take the division away from the Cardinals any time soon, but all the pieces are there for a Wild Card appearance in 2007. The final piece was trading for Corey Koskie.
Koskie, when healthy, is the big left-handed bat and veteran presence in the infield so desperately needed with a team of youngsters like J.J. Hardy, Rickie Weeks and Prince Fielder. Many of the Brewer faithful wanted Billy Hall to get the chance to start, but Koskie is a much better player. It is necessary for Koskie to stay healthy all season, but the Jays are paying a good chunk of Koskie’s salary.
The only thing the Brewers need at this point is a better defender in center field and a solid number two starter. Brady Clark is a great low cost option, but he does not have center field range. The Brewers have a few quality arms in the rotation, but they need another impact starter behind Ben Sheets.
Cubs Unload Patterson
The Cubs finally ridding themselves of Corey Patterson, sending him to the Orioles for two minor leaguers. He has been a frustrating player to watch. Blessed with true five-tool talent, Patterson has been unable to convert those tools into skills. Whose fault is it? Is he truly unresponsive to coaching or were the Cubs trying to make Patterson into something he is not?
The Orioles have penciled Patterson’s name in as the starting center fielder. Luis Matos will either move to left or become a utility player.
The Cubs received minor league pitcher Carlos Perez and shortstop Nate Spears. Neither player played above A-ball last year. Perez, blessed with a 92 mph fastball, was 11-8 with a 4.28 ERA. Spears hit .294 with six home runs in 112 games. The Cubs consider both to be potential starters.
Dodgers Improve Bullpen, Leaving Devil Ray Closer Up in the Air
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays traded their only two relievers with closing experience when they dealt Danys Baez and Lance Carter to the Dodgers for minor league pitchers Edwin Jackson and Chuck Tiffany. The Devil Rays will send the Dodgers another minor leaguer in the future.
Baez did not have an easy job closing games in Tampa Bay, but still delivered 41 saves. Carter lost the set-up job to Chad Orvella in July and was sent down to Triple-A. He came back up when the rosters expanded in September and pitched better. Baez will be the primary set-up man behind Eric Gagne and will get the first shot at saves if Gagne goes down again. Carter will pitch middle relief.
Jackson really struggled in Triple-A (3-7, 8.13 ERA). The Dodgers demoted him to Double-A in June and he pitched much better in the Southern League (6-4, 3.48 ERA). When Odalis Perez went down, the Dodgers needed someone to pitch and Jackson was promoted once again to the Majors.
You have to keep in mind that Jackson is only 22 years old and is not a failed prospect by any means. Clearly, the Dodgers should have left him in the minors, but they didn’t. Tampa Bay isn’t looking for “lightning in a bottle,” so this trade may suit Jackson well.
Tiffany is a hard-throwing lefty. Drafted in the second round of the 2003 draft, he has posted solid numbers, but has not advanced beyond High-A. Last year, Tiffany went 11-7 with a 3.93 ERA, striking out 134 in 110 innings, but walking 43.
The trade leaves the Devil Rays without a proven closer. Orvella (or perhaps Japanese import Shinji Mori) will most likely get the first shot, but the job is open to whoever proves they can handle it.