Tuesday's Frosty Mug: Kyle Lohse Reaction And More

Some things to read while correcting your spelling.

Day 43 of spring training 2013 hopefully opened with the new guy buying breakfast: Yesterday the Brewers announced they've signed former Cardinals pitcher Kyle Lohse to a three-year, $33 million deal (although Tom Haudricourt notes that most of Lohse's 2013 salary is actually deferred to 2016-18). Lohse can also earn an extra $350,000 in annual incentives for pitching 190 innings.

Lohse hasn't been pitching in spring training games but has been working out with a couple of community college teams, so it remains to be seen how close he is to being ready to pitch next week. He's expected to throw a bullpen today and may start the Brewers' final Cactus League game on Thursday.

As you might expect, we've got lots more from around the web:

• Tom Haudricourt has a look at what this deal means for the Brewer pitching staff and suggests that one of the group of Mike Fiers, Wily Peralta or Chris Narveson will move to long relief.
• Jordan says the Lohse signing isn't good, but "it's no Suppan."
• Over at Cream City Cables Nathan says, "If we lived in a reality in which the Brewers were expected to win 89 games and a wild card, I could perhaps understand the Kyle Lohse signing."
• He also notes that Lohse and Ryan Braun are the only Brewers with a guaranteed salary for 2018.
• Jaymes Langrehr of Disciples of Uecker followed the same thread, saying, "The question to ask, though, is whether going from 78-80 wins to 82-84 wins is really worth the money, longterm commitment, and loss of draft resources."
• Rob Neyer says, "Lohse makes the Brewers an 81-win team on Opening Day paper." And, "All that said, three years does seem like a long time."
• Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com says, "this is a team that can contend in the NL Central, and that statement is a bit easier to believe now that Lohse is aboard."
• Mike Bauman of MLB.com says this gives the Brewers "genuine hope in the 2013 NL Central race."
• Dave Radcliffe of Yahoo says the signing "makes the Brewers better right now, but hurts them down the road."
• John Sickels of Minor League Ball predicts that Mike Fiers will get more wins and be worth more wins above replacement.
• As of this writing 51% of voters in this JS poll say they do not think Lohse will be worth his new contract.
• Charlie Wilmoth of Bucs Dugout says he's glad the Pirates didn't pursue Lohse.
• Jeff Sullivan of FanGraphs says "for the Brewers right now, Kyle Lohse makes sense."
• Adam McCalvy notes that this is bad news for guys like Alfredo Figaro, who were competing for a roster spot that no longer exists.
• Lee Trocinski of Beyond the Box Score says "this deal really seems to look like Randy Wolf Part II, an aging mediocre pitcher who had a suppressed ERA on his contract year."
• David Pinto of Baseball Musings says Lohse got a pretty good deal.
• Justin Hull of 95.3 FM WSCO in Appleton and I discussed the deal on yesterday's Home Stretch Hangout.
• Now that they've signed Lohse and forfeited the #17 overall pick, the Brewers' first selection in the 2013 draft will be #54 overall.
• Lohse will wear #26 as a Brewer. Manny Parra was the last Brewer to wear it, from 2009 through last season.
• The Brewers report selling 34,000 tickets yesterday, as compared to the usual 7,000 per day this time of year.
• Jess Lemont of The Brewers Bar and The Book of Gorman have ideas on how this deal could've happened.
• Jason Brannon of Baseball Nation had some fun with "The Best Fans in Baseball" and their reactions to this move.

It looks like the Brewers will open up a spot on the Opening Day roster for Lohse by having Mark Rogers start the season on the DL. Rogers does not have an apparent injury but his significantly diminished velocity suggests something is wrong.

Meanwhile, back on the field, Brewer pitchers continued to struggle in a 9-7 loss to the A's yesterday. We've got the recap, if you missed it.

Lohse also wasn't the Brewers' only transaction yesterday: After the game they optioned Caleb Gindl to Nashville, traded Jairo Asencio to the Orioles for a PTBNL or cash and placed pitcher Miguel De Los Santos, who is still in the Dominican Republic due to a visa issue, on the restricted list. JP has a roundup of the three moves.

Other notes from camp:

• Carlos Gomez is expected to get a couple of at bats in a minor league game today for the first time in a few days after missing some time with back stiffness.
• Tyler Maas of Miller Park Drunk has a look at Blake Lalli's claim to the Brewers' last bench spot.
• ASU student John de Groote of the JS talked to Khris Davis about his taste in music.
• ASU student Edmund Hubbard of the JS talked to various Brewers about Carnevor, which appears to be the team's preferred restaurant.

The Brewers are off today before playing their final Cactus League home game tomorrow.

Norichika Aoki will make less over the remainder of his Brewer contract than Kyle Lohse is getting in 2013. He's the subject of The Brewer Nation's latest edition of "Brewers By the (Jersey) Numbers."

Despite a long winter, for some people optimism never fades. This SweetSpot poll shows that 43% of fans expected the Brewers to win between 85 and 89 games this season, even before the team signed Lohse.

Not everyone is that optimistic, though: The 2013 Sports Illustrated experts' predictions came and went without a single mention of a single Brewer.

In the minors:

• Chris Mehring of Rattler Radio is still in Arizona following the 2013 Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, and has a daily report with pictures and more.
• ASU student Justin Marshall of the JS also has a look at the Brewer minor league facilities.

Back in Milwaukee, the Brewers are getting ready for Miller Park's exhibition opener on Friday. Rich Kirchen of the Milwaukee Business Journal talked to Aleta Mercer about new and returning in-park entertainment for 2013.

Around baseball:

Cardinals: Third baseman David Freese is expected to open the season on the DL with a back injury.
Diamondbacks: Released catcher Rod Barajas.
Indians: Released reliever Matt Capps and designated outfielder Ezequiel Carrera for assignment.
Marlins: Signed outfielder Matt Diaz to a minor league deal.
Orioles: Infielder Wilson Betemit will open the season on the DL with a PCL tear in his right knee.
Rockies: Released pitcher Miguel Batista.
Royals: Released outfielder Xavier Nady and reliever George Sherrill.
Tigers: Traded a minor league catcher to the Rays for the right to retain Rule 5 pick Kyle Lobstein.

Today in former Brewers:

• Shaun Marcum has been scratched from another start this week with neck pain and is likely to open the season on the DL.
• LaTroy Hawkins, meanwhile, has won a spot on the Mets' Opening Day roster.
  

This morning's edition of Today In Brewer History marks 1990's Brewer Kevin Seitzer's 51st birthday. Plunk Everyone notes that Seitzer's 35 career HBP are also the most ever for a player born on March 26.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I never got to say goodbye.

Drink up.