Brewers get Chase Wright for Eric Fryer

I'm not the biggest fan of this trade, but I guess it adds one more arm to the fray for '09.

Edit. Upon further review, I'm starting to like this trade more and more. It works well for both sides I think.

9 months ago Lavender 34 comments 0 recs |

Comments

Looks like the fastball tops out around 90, but he threw 5 pitches in his limited 10 innings in the majors. Pretty equal splits in his career, but doesn’t strike out too many.

I think this is a case of DM thinking Fryer is a nice enough player, but is about 7th on the organizational catcher depth chart. I have no problems with this. I’m curious to see what their plans are for him.

And yes, this is the guy the Red Sox hit four consecutive home runs off of one time.

Scored three times and detonated an indisputable in four visits to the batting box.

by Jordan M on Feb 4, 2009 11:39 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Arm Slot

That’s an odd arm slot, 1/2 side arm?

by SgtClueLs on Feb 4, 2009 11:59 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Bah

Someone named Fryer should never leave Wisconsin.

Ryan Braun: He loves it.

by SRB on Feb 4, 2009 11:50 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

The Brewers also signed Ramiro Mendoza to a minor league deal.

Wright is the 40th roster spot.

by grant76 on Feb 4, 2009 11:52 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

Yay, more pitchers for AAA!

Well, at least the depth is coming cheap. Not like any of these guys are any threat to take the #5 spot, unless McClung totally loses it during ST (it could happen)

by morineko on Feb 4, 2009 11:54 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

I like this trade.

Odds are, when you’re a C/OF in the minors, you’re not going to catch in the big leagues…if you were, you’d be catching full time. A pitcher who could earn a spot with the Crew in 2009 is likely worth more than a corner OF/DH that’s still a couple of years away.

He’s not the worst pitcher ever, just the worst good pitcher.

by KLSnow on Feb 4, 2009 12:52 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Furthermore,

If the Cameron trade had been Cameron for Cabrera and Chase Wright instead of Kei Igawa, I might have been ok with it.

He’s not the worst pitcher ever, just the worst good pitcher.

by KLSnow on Feb 4, 2009 12:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I read that Wright was out of options

No way was he going to make the Yankees roster… so couldn’t have the Brewers simply claimed him off waivers instead of giving anyone up?

The designated hitter rule is like letting someone else take Wilt Chamberlain's free throws.

by Kyguy922 on Feb 4, 2009 12:59 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

They didn't want to risk not getting him, I guess

He had a nice season in the minors last year, 16 starts and an ERA in the 2s.

Scored three times and detonated an indisputable in four visits to the batting box.

by Jordan M on Feb 4, 2009 1:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

minorleaguesplits bot says

groundballer!

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Feb 4, 2009 1:14 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I hesitated to post this because its 2 years old, but according a Yankee blog scouting report::

The fastball has a lot of movement to it and he uses it to get a significant amount of ground ball outs. He also throws a decent changeup, at about 78-80 mph. The changeup has a surprising amount of sink to it which is his go-to pitch.

and

He constantly pounds the bottom of the strike zone with his two seamer, without a ton of precision. When he misses, he misses out of the zone. He is going to walk 3-4 per 9 innings in the major leagues, which will limit his utility. That said, he manages to get by despite his command problems

A few things stand out bearing in mind that I actually know nothing about the guy.

1) Jeff appears to be right on about him being a groundball guy.
2) His peripherals are not good, so he’s not going to be great, but he probably pitches better than his BB/9 K/9 would make it appear.

I think this was purely an insurance option and AAA depth. The Yankees had already DFA’d him, so they were going to lose him regardless. He probably would not have made it to the Brewers, so they made a trade offer.

I’m guessing the Brewers put him in AAA, but I suppose he could be a long relief guy. He’s a lefty, which might make him a better bullpen guy. He’s too old to be a prospect but they say that lefties sometimes develop late. I get the feeling that his ceiling is probably AAAA

by grant76 on Feb 4, 2009 2:11 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

jeff being right should not stand out

by tcyoung on Feb 4, 2009 2:31 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

haha, thanks.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Feb 4, 2009 2:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd rather see Morlan as our LR guy

He’s talented and I wouldn’t want to waste the rule5 pick.

---
Juuuust a bit outside!!
http://www.rightfieldbleachers.com

by Jack Moore on Feb 4, 2009 2:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

"I think this was purely an insurance option and AAA depth."

I’m sure that’s right.

What I don’t like about this deal (might be ranting about this later) is that it is spot #40 on our 40-man roster. Granted, we can still ditch him (or a couple of other guys), but this makes it that much more likely that we really are done — no Looper, no Odalis, no nothin’.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Feb 4, 2009 2:38 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Does Rogers have to stay on the 40 man, or can they move him off reasonably easy? And since TGJr isn’t making the team, they might as well move him to the Padres now for something and be done with it. There’s two spots right there, and I haven’t even talked about Suppan’s unfortunate accident in the event we really need a spot.

by Getting Yosted on Feb 4, 2009 3:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

somebody might take a flyer on Rogers

I don’t have a good feel for that.

Another solution is to sign somebody like Odalis to a minor league contract ~~- the Rangers just signed Guardado to a minor league contract for something like $3MM, basically to keep the 40-man space open. That way we wouldn’t have to clear the space immediately~~-we’d have til opening day, by which time the unfortunate accident may have befallen suppan, or something else (a 60-day DL injury, another trade, whatever) could happen.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Feb 4, 2009 5:16 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't know what i did to cross that stuff out

but it is my least favorite “feature” on the new SBN.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Feb 4, 2009 5:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

If the Brewers need to clear space on the 40 man...

My guess is Luis Pena or Vinny Rottino could be DFA’d and would draw almost no attention. At a time when no one has roster space available, who would take a shot on a guy with a WHIP over 2 in AAA last season or a guy who might be the textbook definition of AAAA?

He’s not the worst pitcher ever, just the worst good pitcher.

by KLSnow on Feb 4, 2009 10:17 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Pena = throws 100mph

wouldn’t surprise me at all if the O’s or somebody like that grabbed him. (Not saying it makes sense, just that that’s the way it is.)

Rottino, you’re probably right. If he doesn’t make the team (and why would he?), he’s probably off the 40.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Feb 4, 2009 10:54 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Capuano

Assuming he won’t be ready to pitch until May 1 (which is the moderately accepted estimate), couldn’t he be placed on the 60-day DL to free up a spot on the 40-man?

He’s not the worst pitcher ever, just the worst good pitcher.

by KLSnow on Feb 5, 2009 5:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

This whole discussion

is making it harder for me to understand why Cody Scarpetta was put on the 40-man. Did they think someone was going to take a 20 year-old that hasn’t even gotten to A ball yet? That roster spot would come in handy.

Scored three times and detonated an indisputable in four visits to the batting box.

by Jordan M on Feb 5, 2009 9:42 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

it's baffling

wasn’t there some speculation when it happened that it was part of Cody’s contract? Maybe after they resigned him to a lesser deal, it was what it took to make the deal happen.

This FO doesn’t usually do stupid stuff like that, so I’m willing to accept that there’s a reasonable explanation, though I can’t think of any other possibilities.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Feb 5, 2009 1:54 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

the contract thing was that he was eligible for the Rule V draft after his second year

They invalidated it because of his injury. But still, I can’t believe anyone would have taken him.

Scored three times and detonated an indisputable in four visits to the batting box.

by Jordan M on Feb 5, 2009 3:23 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Well, since he played in rookie ball last year

I think he would have been eligible in the AAA and AA phases of the draft. Players taken in that phase don’t get returned, in any situation. So someone would have taken a flyer on him, the same way the Brewers did with the SS they stole from the Twins.

He’s not the worst pitcher ever, just the worst good pitcher.

by KLSnow on Feb 5, 2009 5:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I didn't think of that

I’m not positive he was eligible for the minor-league part, but if he was, that would make sense.

Scored three times and detonated an indisputable in four visits to the batting box.

by Jordan M on Feb 5, 2009 6:19 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

40 Man

If Morlan doesn’t make the team, his spot will be open.

by tcyoung on Feb 5, 2009 12:40 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

No Roger, no Rerun, no rent!

"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 Feb 6, 2009 12:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

He's got an option left

Contract purchased in November 2006, first option used in 2007, second used in 2008, meaning he has one left.

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

by TheJay on Feb 4, 2009 3:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

If he is out of options,

Does that mean the Brewers have to put him on the major league team this year? Or now that he switched teams, does his new team acquire more minor league options?

by oconnobe on Feb 5, 2009 8:38 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Just read TheJay's reply ...

So if he has one option left, why would the Yankees want to get rid of him?

by oconnobe on Feb 5, 2009 8:39 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

It's not so much a question of "want".

Wright was DFA’d due to the Yankees needing a 40-man spot for the Pettitte signing. And even being lowest on the roster totem pole doesn’t mean you’re worthless to your club – I’m sure they wouldn’t have minded getting him through waivers so they could outright him off the 40-man roster and stash him at AAA next season, but as insinuated above somebody probably was going to put in a claim, so trading him to the Brewers for something was preferable to losing him for nothing.

by Zeyes on Feb 5, 2009 9:19 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks.

by oconnobe on Feb 5, 2009 2:43 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I knew I remembered this guy from somewhere!

http://dugout.progressiveboink.com/archive/jon113.html

by warwick5s on Feb 4, 2009 4:15 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

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