Clark Traded

by BroadwayJoe22 on Mar 26, 2007 1:33 PM CDT Comment 23 comments

BREWERS ACQUIRE RIGHT-HANDER ELMER DESSENS

Send Outfielder Brady Clark and Cash Considerations to the Dodgers

MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Brewers today acquired RHP Elmer Dessens from the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for OF Brady Clark and cash considerations. The announcement was made by Executive Vice President and General Manager Doug Melvin.

"Elmer brings 10 years of Major League experience to our pitching staff," said Melvin. "His versatility as a spot starter and long reliever should allow him to play a valuable role on our pitching staff this season."

Dessens, 36, owns a career record of 46-59 with a 4.41 ERA in 339 appearances, including 135 starts, while pitching for Pittsburgh (1996-98), Cincinnati (2000-02), Arizona (2003-04), Kansas City (2006) and Los Angeles (2004-06). He went 5-8 with a 4.56 ERA and 2 saves in 62 relief appearances between Kansas City and Los Angeles last season.

Dessens went 2-0 with a 3.27 ERA in 6 relief appearances for the Dodgers this spring (11ip, 16h, 5r, 4er, 1bb, 8k, 2hr).

He will wear uniform #45.

Clark, 33, batted .284 with 30 HR and 168 RBI in four seasons with the Brewers. His best season came in 2005, when he batted .306 with 13 HR and 53 RBI in 145 games.

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Beat me by three minutes

I think this eliminates most of the bullpen confusion ... D) none of the above.

by nmc on Mar 26, 2007 1:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Fess up

Can we all agree now that Brady Clark is nothing but a bush-league cheater? When he shows up on opening day and stands outside the box, we'll all recognize it for what it is, right?

by Marty McSuperFly on Mar 26, 2007 1:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh yeah...

forgot we'd see him again so soon.

Yes, I'm sure Ned will be talking to the umps about it before the game :).

by Jeff Sackmann on Mar 26, 2007 1:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wonder about the money

I doubt it was too much, but given the market for outfielders I wouldn't be surprised if the Brewers came close to paying most of the $2.1 million difference. As a guess, I would say they probably threw in between $500,000 and $1 million.

by BroadwayJoe22 on Mar 26, 2007 1:43 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Link?

by battlekow on Mar 26, 2007 1:47 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Here you go

Took it from an press release that was e-mailed to me and I didn't see any articles up yet on the interweb.

http://www.jsonline.com/watch/?watch=1&date=3/26/2007&id=21083

by BroadwayJoe22 on Mar 26, 2007 1:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Brady Clark trade.

I think with the trade of Brady Clark this creates room for Vinny Rottino on the club. Plus with the addition of Dessens the last two spots in the pen will come down to Villanueva, Cappellon and Aquino. I like this trade not just to clean up the outfield siuation but because I think Clark was the best option to be traded over Jenkins or Mench. These two will have much improved years. Mench can't be any worse.

by riverwest25 on Mar 26, 2007 1:57 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

no

it doesnt create a spot for vinny, but rather it assures that the crew will carry 12 pitchers instead of 11

by rschm on Mar 26, 2007 4:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Vinny Rottino

Why can't we have both twelve pitchers and Vinny Rottino? I'd love to keep Mike Rivera but Vinny is an option at 1st, 3rd, c, and of. With the outfield situation cleared up you nead a back up infielder and with Vinny you get that and an outfielder. Although I wouldn't mind Tony Gwynn to stick around for his wheel's. Plus if Koskie ever gets healthy or Ryan Braun gets his throwing down then you send Vinny down.

by riverwest25 on Mar 26, 2007 10:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Villy

To me, this pretty much books Villy's ticket to Nashville to work every five days.

by anthony on Mar 26, 2007 2:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, and you have to wonder

With rotation spots 1-4 pretty much booked, if Gallardo continues to progress, how long of a window does Villanueva have?

by battlekow on Mar 26, 2007 2:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Villanueva in AAA

isn't the worst thing for him. I think it'd be better for him at this point to take the ball every 5 days in Nashville than sit the bench and pitch occasional long relief in the bigs.

by Dutch on Mar 26, 2007 2:35 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Villy

I've always wanted to see him AAA actually. You have to wonder though, like the commenter above, with 1-4 set up for the next 2+ years, and Gallardo being penciled in as the 5 starter, where does this leave Villanueva but perhaps an eventual long-man gig, barring injuries, of course. Villy appears to be pretty blocked now.

by anthony on Mar 26, 2007 3:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That would be nice

I remember seeing a lot of Eveland, Hendrickson and Villenueva last year. It'd be nice if our pitchers stay healthy this year.

by Marty McSuperFly on Mar 26, 2007 3:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bullpen Arms

This sort of answers Yost's rant over the weekend about lack of control from some of the bullpen contenders. We have all these flamethrowers and plus-arm guys who have mediocre results due to control issues, now we have an option who gets mediocre results due to the hits he gives up rather than walks.

by Infield Fly Rule on Mar 26, 2007 2:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I take it...

that Elmer is the 2007 equivalent of Ricking Hell?

If he does well this season, it'll be interesting to see if we try to sign him to a multi-year deal. Could be a sticky situation.

You see, because his name is Elmer, it could be sticky. Because...oh never mind.

"C'mon, boys, let's get 'em some RUNS!" --- Daron Sutton, pretty much every game of the 2005 season.

by roguejim on Mar 26, 2007 6:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Ricking Hell

"we were looking for a veteran to put in the middle of the bullpen, sort of like the role Rick Helling filled for us in the past." - Doug Melvin

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=582216

Boy, you called it, roguejim. I immediately thought of your comment when I read that in the paper today.

by craigholl on Mar 27, 2007 8:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Another weak joke...

If Yost starts using him too much can we say it's a Dessens into madness?

by TheJay on Mar 27, 2007 9:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yahtzee!

"C'mon, boys, let's get 'em some RUNS!" --- Daron Sutton, pretty much every game of the 2005 season.

by roguejim on Mar 28, 2007 7:09 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow

Did you read the Journal Sentinel article? It was loaded with interesting facts about the post-Brady era:

"Melvin said he still expects 23-year-old Carlos Villanueva to make the Brewers' Opening Day roster."
"The GM also said the Brewers are leaning toward keeping 12 pitchers on the Opening Day roster instead of 11."
"Clark's departure bodes well for Tony Gwynn, Jr.'s chances of making the team, Melvin acknowledged."
"Mike Rivera, who is out of options, and the versatile Vinny Rottino are candidates for the latter option."

To that last point, Vinny helped his cause today by hitting his 3rd HR of the spring and doubling.

I'd still be a little surprised if TG (hitting .342 this spring) makes the team: I'd assume that if Gross is on the team, he'll be Hall's main backup in center. (Unless we want a speedy guy as a 9th inning pinchrunner.)

"C'mon, boys, let's get 'em some RUNS!" --- Daron Sutton, pretty much every game of the 2005 season.

by roguejim on Mar 26, 2007 7:07 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm going to stop thinking about this

because the Mustache clearly has a plan.

I guess having Ville on the roster, even without pitching a lot, is alright. The last thing the Brewers want to do is have to both call up him and Gallardo and have two rookies in the rotation, might as well give one a head start.

So who is more valuable? Rivera or Rottino? Do the Brewers really need three catchers with only 13 position spots available? I think Rottino would be the sane choice to bring north, cross fingers and hope Rivera gets through waivers. No?

by nmc on Mar 26, 2007 9:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

good

like the trade. looks like mench and jenkins really are both going to be on the roster (at least on opening day). i also am keen on giving tony gwynn jr a fair opportunity.

by Griswald on Mar 27, 2007 6:28 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Pecota and dessens

BP has Dessens being the 2nd most valuable reliever on the team, and more valuable than Suppan (who it is down on).

On another note, it also makes him the 2nd oldest member of the staff and the 3rd oldest on the team (Shouse turns 39 in September, and Counsel turns 37 in August, Dessens just turned 36 in January). This leads me to believe and wonder what his contract status is, and if it's more than his effectiveness will be? Granted it is nice to have a guy thats been around the block, but you'd prefer him to be less coming to the end of the line. We'll see.

by hyattff2003 on Mar 27, 2007 10:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

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