Brewers Numerical History: #55
November 30, 2010Last Post: #47
For thirty seasons, no member of the Milwaukee Brewers wore today's number in the regular season. Once the number was finally assigned, no fewer than four Brewers wore it in a seven-year span. It is not the highest number ever worn by a Brewers player and it was not the highest number ever worn at the time it finally made its debut. Undoubtedly the fact #55 is a relatively high number for baseball is why it took so long for someone to wear it in a game. Regardless of the story behind why it was assigned, the Brewers' #55 first arrived in 2000.
Read about the four #55s after the jump!
The Community College of Rhode Island boasts two major league alumni. One of them, Rheal Cormier, was drafted in the 6th round of the 1988 draft and went on to spend over a decade in the majors as a lefthanded starter and then a reliever. While Cormier was finishing his last full season with the Montreal Expos in 1996, the Brewers drafted another CCRI pitcher in the 13th round. Allen Levrault spent four inconsistent seasons in the minors but made it to the majors in June 2000 when Jeff D'Amico went on the disabled list with a sore shoulder. After two scoreless two-inning appearances, he gave up four runs in six innings in his first start on June 25. He allowed three runs in the final inning of an extra-inning loss to the Cubs on June 30 and was demoted soon after. He returned to pitch a final scoreless inning in September. Levrault spent almost all of 2001 in the majors. He made twenty starts, going 5-10 with a 6.04 ERA. He made twelve relief appearances and did not fare any better: he allowed 18 runs in 26 1/3 innings. He was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics in February 2002 and ended his major league career with the Florida Marlins in 2003.
In 1990, the Montreal Expos signed Izzy Alcantara out of the Dominican Republic. After a slow start to his minor league career, he started slugging. Between 1997 and 2002, he hit .292/.365/.590 with 176 home runs across three levels of the minor leagues in four major league organizations. His success was rewarded with a call-up to the Boston Red Sox in June 2000 and he hit .289 with four home runs in 21 major league games that season. A perceived lack of hustle doomed his major league career in Boston, and he was released following a 2001 season that saw him enjoy little success in the majors after karate-kicking a catcher in the minors. Alcantara was signed by the Brewers before the 2002 season and hit .250 with two home runs during four weeks in the majors during July and August. He was released following the season and spent the next few seasons playing in Mexico.
In 2003, the Brewers took a chance on an outfielder turned pitcher. A position player being converted into a pitcher in the minors is not terribly uncommon, but it is rare for a player to make the switch after reaching the majors. In the 1993 draft, the Chicago Cubs selected Texas outfielder Brooks Kieschnick with the tenth overall pick. Kieschnick hit for power in college and in the minors, but could not translate that success to the majors. At the age of 30, with his major league prospects cloudy, he decided to try his hand at pitching. After some success in 2002 in the White Sox organization, the Brewers signed Kieschnick and give him a spot in AAA. Kieschnick struggled in April, giving up 15 runs in 8 games and going 0 for 10 at the plate. Despite his struggles, he was called up in May and stuck around for the next two seasons. He put up a 5.26 ERA in the majors in 2003 but did better at the plate: seven home runs and a .300 average in 70 at bats. He hit just one home run the next year but did better on the mound, putting up a 3.77 ERA. However, he was released at the end of spring training in 2005. During his time in Milwaukee, his unique status and prodigious power gave him a cult following that still survives to this day.
By June 2005, the Brewers were in need of a starting pitcher (more than one, but I digress). Gary Glover was showing his September 2004 success was a fluke and Wes Obermueller was "pitching" as usual. With top prospect Rickie Weeks hitting well in Nashville, the Brewers had a second baseman to spare. On June 10, Junior Spivey was shipped to the new Washington Nationals in exchange for righthander Tomokazu Ohka. Ohka made his major league debut with the Boston Red Sox, but was traded to the Expos after just one season's worth of starts in the majors. At the time he was traded to the Brewers, Ohka had put up a 4.50 ERA in 124 career starts. He spent two seasons in Milwaukee, going 7-6 with a 4.35 ERA in 20 starts in 2005 and 4-5 with a 4.82 ERA in 18 starts in 2006. He left the team as a free agent following the 2006 season.
The number 55 has remained in mothballs since Ohka left in 2006. Given the fact pitchers and rookies are routinely given higher and higher numbers, it is only a matter of time before another Brewer puts on the old double nickel and writes his own paragraph in team history.
Tuesday’s Frosty Mug
November 30, 2010
Some things to read while going hard. (h/t @MKEBrewerGal)
It's hard to believe it's that time already, but Adam McCalvy has the first preview up for the Winter Meetings, which open in Orlando on Monday. As you might expect, the Brewers are still in the market for pitching.
And, once again, a reminder that the Brewers need the help: Dan Szymborski used the word "sub-cromulent" to describe his ZiPS projections for Brewer pitchers.
Saber By The Bay thinks the Brewers should change course and become active in the free agent market: They make the case for the Crew to sign Carl Pavano and Brandon Webb this winter.
It's probably safe to assume the winter meetings will feature a conversation or two on Prince Fielder: Doug Melvin told Tom Haudricourt he still doesn't know what he's going to do with the first baseman, and is still considering all options. Fielder was also a hot topic of conversation in Adam McCalvy's inbox.
Before the Brewers get to Orlando, though, there are a couple of roster deadlines coming up this week. Tom Haudricourt noted that Trevor Hoffman has until midnight tonight to decline the Brewers' offer of arbitration, and the team has until Thursday to decide whether or not to offer 2011 contracts to their arbitration-eligible players.
Meanwhile, Eric Hinske remains a possibility. The Appleton Post Crescent has a story on the Menasha native that says he's still weighing offers from the Brewers and Braves. (h/t David O'Brien)
Now that the managerial carousel has stopped spinning, Jon Heyman ranked teams' final decisions this week. He gave the Brewers a B- for hiring Ron Roenicke, and ranked them fifth of ten overall. (h/t Haudricourt)
Ryan Braun has been nominated for the 2010 This Year in Baseball Awards for Best Play. Follow this link to check out the video and vote for him.
Around baseball:
Dodgers: Have reportedly agreed to a three year, $21 million deal with infielder Juan Uribe.
Indians: Signed catcher Luke Carlin to a minor league deal.
Pirates: Infielder/outfielder Delwyn Young and infielder Andy LaRoche have cleared waivers and are now free agents.
Rangers: Signed catcher Yorvit Torrealba to a two year, $6.25 million deal.
Rockies: Are expected to sign Jorge De La Rosa to a three year, $30 million deal.
Tigers: Designated pitcher Zach Miner for assignment.
De La Rosa's new deal isn't the only transaction the Rockies will likely announce soon: They're reportedly close to a seven year contract extension with Troy Tulowitzki that would keep him in Denver through the 2021 season.
This week we've seen two relatively interesting starting pitchers, Jon Garland and Javier Vazquez, sign elsewhere. You could make a case that either of them would have been relatively interesting Brewers, but now that I've seen these red flags I'm not as sure: Memories of Kevin Malone notes some major health question marks with Garland, and Dave Cameron of FanGraphs has a post about Vazquez's sudden velocity drop.
Another day, another Rule 5 Draft preview: Prospect Insider has a look at ten pitchers and four position players that will be available when the draft is held next week.
Another winter pastime is starting to heat up: Hall of Fame ballots are out and this year's edition features three former Brewers up for consideration for the first time: Lenny Harris, Marquis Grissom and B.J. Surhoff.
Now that the ballots are out, the campaigning begins: Astros.com has a look at Jeff Bagwell's case.
Jamie Moyer rejects your definition of "too old." Jayson Stark reports that Moyer will undergo Tommy John surgery tomorrow, and hopes to pitch again in 2012, when he'll be 49 years old. It's probably a long shot, but if he manages to do it Moyer will likely have cemented his folk hero status.
If he implements a solid long toss routine, maybe he can pitch until he's 60. Doug Miller of MLB.com has a story on pitching coach Alan Jaeger, a proponent of the program. (h/t McCalvy)
Without the help of Flip Flop Fly Ball this information may have been lost until spring training, but with his help we now know where the button goes in the middle of the team and/or city name on every major league jersey.
Postseason shares were announced yesterday, so we now know that members of the Giants made $317,631.29 each for winning the World Series. All told, players from twelve teams received a share of the pot. The smallest payout went to the Cardinals, who earned $9,679.42 each. (h/t Cincinnati.com)
On this day in 1994, the Brewers acquired Fernando Vina from the Mets for reliever Doug Henry. Vina would go on to spend five seasons in Milwaukee and be a 1998 All Star.
Happy birthday today to:
- Helena Brewer Jose Oviedo, who turns 22.
- 2008 Brewer Ray Durham, who turns 39.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to keep warm.
Drink up.
Inbox: Fielder’s future on Crew fans’ minds
November 29, 2010Brewers beat reporter Adam McCalvy dips into the Inbox to answer the latest questions about Prince Fielder's future, how the team will address its pitching questions and more.
Did Braun make the play of the year?
November 29, 2010At Meetings, Brewers will have narrow focus
November 29, 2010The Brewers' Winter Meetings wish list is short. They need pitching, preferably starting pitching. And they are willing to consider every avenue available to get it, including using first baseman Prince Fielder as a trade chip.
Catching Up On Winter Leagues
November 29, 2010I've been away and/or busy with other things for most of the last couple of weeks, so it's been ten days since our last Winter League Update. As such, instead of the usual format, I've decided to expand out a bit with a better look at what the Brewers in the Caribbean have been up to over the last week and a half:
Mexico:
Luis Cruz
Since 11/19: 11-for-30, 4 2B, 4 BB, 4 R, 2 RBI, 0 SB, 1 CS
Overall: .274/.309/.425 in 78 PAs over 20 games
Cruz has bounced back nicely after a rough start, but his overall numbers still reflect the reason why he's likely to be AAA filler for most of the rest of his career: He just doesn't get on base enough.
Neither Butler or Katin have played for their Mexican League teams since our last update. Katin has since moved to a Venezuelan team, but I don't have an update on Butler.
EDIT: I just found out that Butler has returned home.
Dominican Republic:
Erick Almonte
Since 11/19: 12-for-32, 1 2B, 2 BB, 3 R, 6 RBI
Overall: .274/.381/.358 in 125 PAs over 32 games
Almonte always seems to find ways to get on base, but he's not hitting for much power this winter (five extra base hits in 125 PAs). He turns 33 in February and is a nice guy to have around in case of emergency, but will not likely be used more than that.
Carlos Gomez
Since 11/19: 4-for-4, 3B, BB, 3 R, RBI, SB
Overall: .269/.364/.388 in 74 PAs over 19 games
Gomez had his best game of the winter on November 19th, and hasn't appeared since. Not sure why.
Puerto Rico:
Martin Maldonado
Since 11/19: 4-for-10, BB, R, RBI
Overall: .179/.220/.179 in 40 PAs over 16 games
Maldonado is riding a three game hitting streak but playing sparingly, and frequently being lifted for a pinch hitter.
Sergio Miranda
Since 11/19: 11-for-22, 2B, BB, 3 R, 2 RBI
Overall: .382/.434/.438 in 97 PAs over 23 games
Miranda might be having the most surprising season by a Brewer winter leaguer. Despite never having played above high-A ball (he repeated that level twice in 2009 and 2010), he's posted a league-high .382 batting average for San Juan. He recently had a stretch where he posted six straight multi-hit games.
Hiram Burgos
Since 11/19: One start, 3 IP, 4 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 2 K
Overall: 16.2 IP, 3.24 ERA, 12 H, 8 BB, 15 K
Burgos was pitching pretty well out of the bullpen for Mayaguez before moving into the rotation for his last two appearances. He posted a 0.90 ERA and allowed just five hits in ten innings as a reliever.
Darren Byrd
Since 11/19: Two starts, 10.2 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 12 H, 3 BB, 5 K
Overall: 33 IP, 3.27 ERA, 34 H, 10 BB, 21 K
Byrd earned his first PWL victory on Sunday. He's doing a nice job of scattering hits and finding ways to be effective with relatively low strikeout totals.
Venezuela:
Alcides Escobar
Since 11/19: 5-for-29, 1 2B, 0 BB, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 SB, 1 CS
Overall: .154/.175/.205 in 39 plate appearances over nine games
Escobar got a late start in Venezuela, so it'd be tough to expect him to immediately hit the cover off the ball like he did last winter. With that said, he's pretty clearly not working the count (just three strikeouts and no walks in 39 PAs), so there's some reason to be concerned about the approach he was supposed to be working to fix this winter.
Brendan Katin
Since 11/19: 3-for-12, 2 2B, HR, 0 BB, 2 R, RBI
Overall: .250/.250/.667 in 12 PAs over three games
Magallanes is Katin's second team of the winter: He left Mexicali (in Mexico) after just six games. Katin is having another all-or-nothing winter: Five of his nine hits (between two leagues) have been for extra bases, but he's also struck out in 16 of his 27 plate appearances.
Monday’s Frosty Mug
November 29, 2010
Some things to read while disappearing.
Odds are many of you are back at your desk this morning for the first time following Thanksgiving and the retail nightmare known as Black Friday. It's worth noting, though, that retailers weren't the only ones offering discounts on Friday: Jaymes Langrehr of The Brewers Bar has a look at some of the specials Doug Melvin was offering.
Here's today's Prince Fielder note: As part of his offseason "Fix My Team" series, Steve Phillips of MLB FanHouse says the Brewers should call the Red Sox, Mariners, Mets, Giants and Orioles as part of their effort to flip Fielder for pitching.
Meanwhile, here's another reminder that the Brewers could use some help on the mound: Jim Breen of Bernie's Crew notes that only five of the 24 pitchers used by the Brewers in 2010 posted a below average walk rate.
Over the course of the last week I've fallen behind on Lee Panas of Tiger Tales' defensive posts. Here are three more results from his work averaging out four defensive metrics:
- Prince Fielder was estimated at -9 runs, tied for 20th among 22 first basemen.
- Corey Hart was estimated at -4 runs, 14th among 15 right fielders.
- Ryan Braun was estimated at -1 run, 6th among 11 left fielders.
'Tis the season to write about various Brewers' charity work: Adam McCalvy has a story on Rickie Weeks and his father (Rickie Weeks, Sr.), who are working on a program to help spread baseball in inner cities in Central Florida.
McCalvy also has a recap of Bob Uecker's appearance on Studio 42 with Bob Costas, if you haven't seen it yet.
In the minors:
- Deep Leagues ranked Kentrail Davis 47th on their list of baseball's top 50 outfield prospects.
- Baseball America has a post on Eric Farris, but it's subscriber-only.
Around baseball:
Dodgers: Signed pitcher Jon Garland to a one year, $5 million deal with an option for 2012.
Marlins: Signed pitcher Javier Vazquez to a one year, $7 million deal.
Twins: Paid a (refundable) $5 million posting fee for the right to negotiate with Japanese infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka.
Yankees: Signed pitcher Brian Anderson to a minor league deal.
I know some of you are wondering what to get me for Christmas. I'm tough to shop for sometimes. With that said, I'm hearing Drayton McLane will sell the Astros for $800 million. That'd be a nice stocking stuffer.
Another day, another Rule 5 Draft preview: Today Pro Ball NW has a look at five available players.
Today's former Brewer notes:
- The Sydney Morning Herald has a story on David Nilsson, who is managing the Brisbane Bandits in Australia this winter.
- The B-Ref Blog has a list of 25 bullpens in major league history where at least three pitchers made 50 appearances, posted an ERA+ of 130 or more and struck out at least 60 batters. The 1997 Brewers made the list with Bob Wickman, Doug Jones and Mike Fetters.
There's not a lot in today's Mug, but sometimes that's ok. Today, for example, a short Mug gives you more time to read this excellent Joe Posnanski piece on closers and setup men and how they haven't impacted the game as much as you'd expect.
Happy birthday over the weekend to:
- Huntsville Star Casey Baron, who turns 26 today.
- 1998 Brewer Bob Hamelin, who turns 43 today.
- Carlos Villanueva, who turned 27 on Sunday. (h/t @BernieBrewer)
- 1974-80 Brewer Sixto Lezcano, who turned 57 on Sunday.
- Wausau, WI native Johnny Schmitz, who turned 90 on Saturday. Schmitz played 13 major league seasons between 1941 and 1956 with the Cubs and six other teams.
Now, if you'll excuse me, my scale is broken.
Drink up.
‘Mr. Baseball’ still going strong in Brewers’ booth
November 26, 2010Bob Uecker endured two open-heart surgeries in 2010 and spent more than two months of the baseball season on the broadcasting version of the disabled list. But he told a national television audience on Friday that he has no plans to step away from the microphone anytime soon.
Curse, Part 2: Also Known As “The Curse Signal is Not A Beeper.”
November 26, 2010Editor's Note: This post is the sequel to this one, so if you missed the first installment it might not make sense.
Of course, missing both installments might be your best bet. - KL
You wake up in a cold sweat, again. "It's just a dream," you tell yourself. An all too familiar dream, but a dream nonetheless. And the pull is there again.
Lately, you've come to recognize this strange desire to make a midnight trip to Miller Park without thinking about it. It seems like the shadowy figure is calling all the time lately. Two weeks ago it needed help moving a couch in the clubhouse. Last week, it really wanted to play Parcheesi.
Silently, you get dressed and get in the car. You drive to Miller Park and stop your car in the same place you did last time. You enter through the same gate.
Something is different this time, though: "DON'T DO IT" is spray painted in bold letters on the wall in the concourse. "Wow," you say aloud, "someone is strongly opposed to the decision to add Dan Merklinger to the 40 man roster."
As you approach the field, you see the shadowy figure once again. He's standing over a pentagram drawn in chalk, which he's carefully positioned equidistant from first base, second base and the dead spot in the grass in right where Corey Hart stands. As you jump the fence onto the field, the pentagram lights up.
"The Brewers' sins remain unforgiven and unforgotten," the figure says. "It is time for another sacrifice.
"I have chosen three members of the 2011 Brewers. You may only keep one. Make your choice."
Friday’s Frosty Mug
November 26, 2010
Some things to read while finding your seat. (h/t Pocket Doppler)
The news is a couple of days old now, but we have a new Brewer to discuss: The team signed outfielder Brandon Boggs to a major league deal on Wednesday (FanShot). Boggs has only appeared in 13 games as a Ranger over the last two seasons, but hit .290/.406/.470 for AAA Oklahoma City in 2010. He'll turn 28 in January and can play all three outfield spots.
Signing Boggs means the Brewers will have a pretty interesting competition in the outfield when they report to Maryvale in February: Ryan Braun and Corey Hart are locks to make the team, of course, but after that the team will have Lorenzo Cain, Carlos Gomez, Boggs, Chris Dickerson and perhaps Joe Inglett battling for three spots. Jaymes Langrehr of The Brewers Bar says that this signing isn't the end of the road for Carlos Gomez, but it does increase the odds he'll start 2011 in AAA. Cain, Gomez and Dickerson all have options remaining, but Boggs does not.
The organization waited until the last minute to do it, but did eventually decide to offer arbitration to Type B free agent Trevor Hoffman, who reportedly agreed to decline the offer (FanShot). Offering Hoffman arbitration means the Brewers will receive draft pick compensation if he signs a major league deal with another team this offseason. Aaron Gleeman of Hardball Talk thinks baseball should do something about "gentleman's agreements" like this, which allow teams to game the system with no real repercussions.
Now that the Brewers have positioned themselves to profit from it, we'll have to sit back and hope Trevor Hoffman finds a new home this offseason. Gaslamp Ball has a somewhat innovative idea for his potential return to San Diego.
Elsewhere in free agency: I don't know if this would change the Brewers' level of interest or not, but Javier Vazquez is reportedly seeking a one year deal, and has turned down multi-year offers.
Here's today's Prince Fielder update: Tom Haudricourt noted that Paul White of USA Today said the market for Fielder has been pretty slow and doesn't expect the slugger to move until after Opening Day, at the earliest.
In the minors:
Bernie's Crew named Wisconsin outfielder Khris Davis their minor league player of the year.I mentioned it earlier this week, but in case you've forgotten I'll mention it again: Bob Uecker is scheduled to appear on Studio 42 with Bob Costas tonight on MLB Network. I've got my DVR set, and yours should be too.
Earlier this week I mentioned that LaTroy Hawkins and his family distributed turkeys to families in Gary, Indiana. It's worth nothing that he wasn't the only Brewer helping out in the community this week: Bullpen catcher Marcus Hanel helped out local kids with a coat drive. The Brewers Charity Foundation also announced that they raised over $3 million for local organizations in 2010.
Around baseball:
Astros: Removed relievers Tim Byrdak and Gustavo Chacin from their 40 man roster, making both free agents, and signed catcher Carlos Corporan to a minor league deal.
Diamondbacks: Acquired pitcher Zach Duke from the Pirates for a PTBNL.
Dodgers: Signed reliever Oscar Villareal to a minor league deal.
Mariners: Signed pitchers Charlie Haegar, Chris Smith, Yusmeiro Petit, Chris Seddon and outfielder Mike Wilson to minor league deals.
Red Sox: Claimed outfielder Jordan Parraz off waivers from the Royals.
Meanwhile, here's another transaction on the horizon: Japan's Chiba Lotte Marines have accepted a posting bid for infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka, so the winning team now has the right to negotiate with him.
Today in former Brewers:
- Willie Randolph will be Buck Showalter's bench coach in Baltimore in 2011.
- The B-Ref Blog notes that Robin Yount is one of just 25 players in major league history to rack up 6000 plate appearances in his 20's.
We're still a couple of weeks away from the Rule 5 Draft, but previews continue to trickle in: Minor League Baseball Prospects has ten players to watch, and The Crawfish Boxes has eleven more.
One of minor league baseball's more interesting stories might be drawing to a close: Dinesh Patel, one of the first Indian players to play professionally in the United States, was cut by the Pirates this week. The organization still has fellow Indian Rinku Singh, though.
I'm not sure there's ever been a really good time to visit Cleveland, but if you're already there this might be something cool to check out: The Indians' winter theme park at Progressive Field opens today.
If you're still looking for something else to read today, I'd highly recommend True Blue LA's Blue Dahlia Series. I'm not sure how to describe it, but it might be the most fascinating and addictive thing I've read this week.
Happy birthday to:
- AZL Brewer Cody Adams, who turns 24 today.
- Hall of Famer and 1901 Brewer Hugh Duffy, who would have turned 144 today.
- 1991-99 Brewer Cal Eldred, who turned 43 Wednesday.
- 1996-97 Brewer Ben McDonald, who also turned 43 Wednesday.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm becoming what I think about.
Drink up.