Jeff Weaver

by zsattler on Apr 15, 2008 11:13 AM CDT

According to Tom Haudricourt over at the Journal Sentinal this morning, the Brewers have signed Jeff Weaver.

"I received a tip from a reliable source this morning that the Brewers have signed free-agent right-hander Jeff Weaver to an incentive-laden deal."

I thought we had enough pitching right now. If this is true, do we have to assume that he will be in the big leagues at some point this season? And if so, who gets the boot?

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Hmmm

It makes some sense if they can keep him at Nashville until they need him.

by drezdn on Apr 15, 2008 8:03 AM CDT reply reply 0 recs

me thinks

we’ll have plenty to talk about in the next few days…

by ol Pete on Apr 15, 2008 8:18 AM CDT reply reply 0 recs

I usually don't read the jsonline comments

But this one cracked me up:

I think I’d rather have Ben Weaver, the cantankerous old shopkeep in the Andy Griffith Show.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Apr 15, 2008 8:29 AM CDT reply reply 0 recs

that is funny...

my spring training photos.

by Jamie in LA on Apr 15, 2008 1:24 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

i think

this means that dave bush is on his way out the door. hopefully the crew can get something for him on the trade market.

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by jimmyb1799 on Apr 15, 2008 8:58 AM CDT reply reply 0 recs

Yes!

Finally, the right-haded starting pitcher we need!

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Apr 15, 2008 9:00 AM CDT reply reply 0 recs

OK, OK

Having said that, I’ve always like Jeff Weaver. I’m not unhappy to have him in the organization.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Apr 15, 2008 9:04 AM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

my guss is that they'll waive Bush

and Weaver is insurance in case he doesn’t clear waivers

by warwick5s on Apr 15, 2008 9:54 AM CDT reply reply 0 recs

are they letting him start

so he won’t pitch well and then hopefully won’t clear waivers?

"If there is a more reactionary blog with idiotic commentary out there I'd be surprised." -On Bleed Cubbie Blue

by Michael M on Apr 15, 2008 10:09 AM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

probably longer term than that

Weaver hasn’t been pitching anywhere, so he’s not even going to go straight into the rotation at AAA … maybe he will and make some 2-inning starts, but my guess is he spends a couple of weeks at extended spring training, then goes to AAA. There’s probably an out-clause for June 1st or so, so if he’s not in the big leagues by then, he can request a release, but this is more of a “if dave bush is really this bad and manny parra gets hurt” backup plan.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Apr 15, 2008 10:12 AM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

From what I've heard

He definitely has an out clause.

by drezdn on Apr 15, 2008 10:39 AM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

if only he had a clause

that ensured he’d get outs…

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Apr 15, 2008 11:16 AM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

(ugh)

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Apr 15, 2008 12:02 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

woof.

my spring training photos.

by Jamie in LA on Apr 15, 2008 1:25 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

I don't think I understand

You say you thought we had enough pitching? What does that have to do with Jeff Weaver?

Clearly, since Braun and Fielder are having a tough time hitting their grooove, Melvin is bringing in the best batting practice pitcher he can find.

by Marty McSuperFly on Apr 15, 2008 9:59 AM CDT reply reply 0 recs

but i thought

that’s why we have turnbow

by SunglassesAtNight on Apr 15, 2008 10:07 AM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

Ned doesn't trust Turnbow to throw BP

He is too afraid he would take out Prince or Braun with a wild pitch and then we would be screwed.

"He's been very, very impressive," Yost said. "I mean really impressive. I mean really, really impressive."

by MadJimiBrewha on Apr 15, 2008 10:14 AM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

Or...

that he’d start walking guys in BP, thereby ruining his chances for a good season.

by kgaul on Apr 15, 2008 7:15 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

Batting Practice

I actually have been wondering lately if the Brewers could along a minor league RHP on off days to help with batting practice.

by drezdn on Apr 15, 2008 10:39 AM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

Weaver

How long will it be before he even joins Nashville? I think he’s going to extended spring training first, so it could be a few weeks. I’d guess he’s just extra depth in case a starter goes down. Is he much worse than Narveson or Zach Jackson, the current AAA depth that hasn’t shown much so far this year?

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Apr 15, 2008 10:14 AM CDT reply reply 0 recs

Another Tom H update

here:

Ash said it will be a minor-league deal for “not a lot of money.” He said he expected Weaver, 31, to go through a “hurry-up spring training” in Arizona and report to Class AAA Nashville in a couple of weeks.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Apr 15, 2008 11:27 AM CDT reply reply 0 recs

That sounds right to me.

He’s basically a cheaper version of Vargas that can be sent to the minors. Except he’s not as good. Just a guy at this point. At one time he was a decent pitcher, but he always had mechanics that worried people IIRC.

by grant76 on Apr 15, 2008 11:54 AM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

Rotoworld is on it

though they’re not providing confirmation or anything.

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports that the Brewers have signed Jeff Weaver to a one-year, incentive-laden deal.
We’re guessing that the deal was for less than the $3.6 million the team declined to pay Claudio Vargas this spring. Weaver will probably need a couple months to stretch out, but the move will provide depth to a starting rotation that’s main issue has been manager Ned Yost’s use of it. It could also facilitate an eventual trade of Dave Bush.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Apr 15, 2008 12:06 PM CDT reply reply 0 recs

cantankerous

gotta love it when that can be used in a baseball forum. So apparently an out of work Jeff Weaver is better than Dave Bush or a released Claudio Vargas? I don’t get it. Are they now figuring out in fact they don’t have enough pitching or don’t have enough BAD pitching.

Tim Bring back the chalet,frank charles at the wurlitzer organ, bob betts at the mic, and the barrell man logo!!!!

by storminTAZZ on Apr 15, 2008 12:30 PM CDT reply reply 0 recs

The one advantage

Is that right now, if they wanted to send down Dave Bush, they would have to expose him to optional waivers and risk either losing him or being stuck with him on the 25 man roster (IIRC).

With Weaver, they can start him out in Triple A. If he’s awesome, they can call him up, but at least they’re not stuck with him on the big league roster.

My problem with the whole thing though is that it seems like the Brewers never have confidence in the Minor League pitchers. In the past year they’ve let several pitchers go for peanuts (or Scott Linebrink) that have caught on with other teams. For example losing Dennis Sarfate for a month of Ray King.

There may be other reasons that the Brewers were OK with losing Sarfate though…

by drezdn on Apr 15, 2008 12:57 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

Sarfate was reportedly very unhappy with the organization, yeah?

I think his dad posted on brewerfan.net about it.

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Apr 15, 2008 1:30 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

Indeed

And he was going to be a free agent soon, so maybe they figured he’d walk anyways.

by drezdn on Apr 15, 2008 2:19 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

I thought that was Ben Hendrickson

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Apr 15, 2008 6:16 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

Dana Eveland

He’s doing pretty well for himself at the moment. Albeit its extremely early in the season. I always liked him.

"You have no honor!" - McClung to Fukudome

by zsxander567 on Apr 15, 2008 3:34 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

Didn't have a great start today

4.2 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K, 1 HR

He's extremely quick and good.

by battlekow on Apr 15, 2008 3:39 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

The mlb.com site

has the story, and is reporting that no deal has come to fruition yet.

Dave Bush for Anthony Reyes!

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Apr 15, 2008 1:11 PM CDT reply reply 0 recs

I don't think this is related to Dave Bush at all.

Basically, Vargas was our 7th starter. He was waived because he was an expensive 7th starter and probably because he wanted to pitch in the majors rather than our minor league system.

Signing Weaver is merely the way to replace Vargas. Weaver will be cheaper and willing to pitch in our farm system. If he had anywhere else to go, he would have gone there. Even the Cardinals with their decimated staff did not want him and he pitched there just two years ago.

by grant76 on Apr 15, 2008 1:30 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

yes, you're right

we can make a big deal about this because Jeff Weaver is a name guy who recently made a lot of money, but this really isn’t much different than signing, say, Abraham Nunez.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Apr 15, 2008 1:43 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

that's a great idea

I would do that deal.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Apr 15, 2008 1:43 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

Well then

go make it happen. The fact that we play the Cards is helpful, though we might need a spot starter for tonight. hey, is Cirillo around?

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Apr 15, 2008 1:58 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

I like the trade

I just wouldn’t like to see DB get good again in the division, and I think he will get good again.

by Braunstalker on Apr 15, 2008 2:55 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

again?

Well, although there’s hope for Dave Bush, I wouldn’t say he’s established himself as a “good” pitcher, per se (linky link). His only good season was his rookie year, when he fell a little shy of reaching even 100 innings. Since then, he’s had a mid-4s ERA (before last season’s blowup), and his career ERA is 4.6. There’s hope he can turn it around —before 2007, he’s had a sparkling WHIP -- but I wouldn’t be afraid to trade him within the division for someone with upside, like Reyes.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Apr 15, 2008 4:38 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

Bush for Reyes

Having read the 5 questions with Larry from Viva El Birdos, It seems that the Cards would probably like to trade Reyes. This sort of trade is a bit of a challenge trade, your under preforming starter for ours, that could work or it could backfire on either team.
I would like it but it would need both GM’s to be willing to gamble a bit.
Weaver is just a much cheaper version of Vargas and is probably not a bad guy to have in AAA in case we need him. I suppose it means that if we were to trade Bush we would be able to take more of a prospect type pitcher rather than somebody who is MLB ready.

by Saltire on Apr 15, 2008 6:04 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

the 2006 version of Bush

was pretty valuable…slightly better than league-averageish ERA and lots of innings (nearly 6.5 per start). Since then, not so much…I’d even take him at last year’s ERA+ of 88 (that’s a borderline 4th starter, after all) if only he could still go deep into games without being exploded by the opposition. But with the predictable 6th inning meltdowns he barely makes sense as a 5th starter anymore. (Especially in Ned’s hands.)

That said, once all the in-season injuries hit various teams, there’s probably at least a half-dozen suitors for him. Heck, the way the Nashville rotation has pitched it just might be us, god beware.

by Zeyes on Apr 15, 2008 6:15 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

I'd agree with most of this

Though I think the value for 5th starters might not be very high (see Vargas, C.).

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Apr 15, 2008 6:39 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

ERA+ of 88

is probably pushing #3. League average starting is 90 or a little higher, as starters don’t put up as good of numbers as relievers.

Bush mixed in quite a number of solid starts last year … it’ll be interesting to see what happens to public opinion of him if he throws one of those tonight.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Apr 15, 2008 6:43 PM CDT up reply reply 0 recs

how long

before ned starts calling him Weavie?

by SunglassesAtNight on Apr 16, 2008 2:33 PM CDT reply reply 0 recs

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