Brewers acquire Linebrink for Inman, Thatcher and Garrison

[matthew911]

I've learned not to doubt Doug Melvin. I like the deal.

[matthew911]

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No picks. In baseball you can't trade draft picks.

Linebrink is considered a Type A free agent, which means that the Brewers should be eligible to receive one or two compensatory draft picks if he decides to sign with another team next season.

[MickeyDavis]

Right, if he leaves we get a pick. I misread the post.

[matthew911]

Right, if he leaves we get a pick. I misread the post.

Ah, gotcha. I don't know the details very well when it comes to compensatory picks, but I've heard that it's possible the Brewers could receive four compensatory picks if both Linebrink and Cordero leave. That wouldn't be too bad. Unfortunately, in that scenario, the bullpen might need some more help next year.

[DigitalFool]

I'm OK with the trade - we get a veteran in the bullpen and also someone who we can count on to pitch multiple innings and see action 70+ games a season. We lose a top pitching prospect sure, but it is a trade that will help with a 2nd half playoff push.

[Ryan5UW]

I wonder if this might clear the way for another trade involving Wise, or someone else in the bullpen?

[Ayt]

We gave up quite a bit. I'm surprised we had to give Inman.

[mnstinks]

At first look I wasn't a fan of the deal, but reading into it that he is a type A free agent, helps lessen the blow of giving up three pitching prospects. The Brewers could get a first round pick and another if he leaves, which would help re-build what was lost in the minors. I am okay with it.

[Black Jesus 1]

Eh, not a very good trade. Linebrink is solid, but nothing great.

[El Duderino]

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Maybe Melvin is thinking Linebrink will come in and turn things back around after a short struggle with just a change of scenery, much like occurred with Cordero last season?

One thing on that that is more scary with Linebrink is his strikeout totals this year have taken a big dive and his homer totals given up have gone way up.That means over the course of this season he's not missing bats and when they hit them,they are getting hit harder.Linebrink has made a ton of apperences the last four years,you wonder if it's catching up with him?If it is,what team would know better than the Padres?

It simply raises alot of red flags for me when a team 1 game out of first place trades their setup man,who happens to have been pitching worse this season.How often do you see a legit contender trading a proven vet for prospects?Makes me leery that they know something about Linebrink that we'll soon find out,plus we traded all three guys for maybe 25 innings.Think about that.

[Comet]

Well, I have mixed feelings. I like bring in Linebrink, who's one of the best set-up men in baseball. But why give up Thatcher AND Inman?

Also, if this is all Melvin picks up, I will be pissed.

[Ruben Douglas]

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Ah, gotcha. I don't know the details very well when it comes to compensatory picks, but I've heard that it's possible the Brewers could receive four compensatory picks if both Linebrink and Cordero leave. That wouldn't be too bad. Unfortunately, in that scenario, the bullpen might need some more help next year.

True, and the Brewers may end up having to give up draft picks in order to sign of those FA bullpen arms. And the type of draft pick you receive also depends on which team he goes to. I can't remember the specifics, but I don't think a team that has a top 10 pick gives up their first rounder.

[El Duderino]

Well, I have mixed feelings. I like bring in Linebrink, who's one of the best set-up men in baseball.

Could be "was" one of the best setup men in baseball

Also, if this is all Melvin picks up, I will be pissed.

Who else are we going to trade for after already pawning off our best prospect,along with two lesser ones?

[BuckPack]

we gave up a lot, but in the same way that the Padres may "know" something about Linebrink, maybe the Brewers know something about Inman and Thatcher. Melvin isn't stupid...he's NOT going to give up 3 pitchers all with major league ceilings for a set-up guy. Inman has not pitched well as of late, and maybe the Brewers thought they should trade him while his value is still high?

More than anything, I think this was a trade between two teams who had superfluous depth at their respective positions: Brewers with SP--particularly in the minors, and the Padres with a deep bullpen. The Brewers obviously felt that Inman was at best their #4 young pitcher (Gallardo, Parra and Villanueva all are higher) and they still have guys like Jeffries who might make it up to the bigs only 1-2 years after Inman. Couple those young guys with veteran pitchers who will most likely be here for a while (Suppan, Bush, Vargas, Capuano, probably Sheets etc.) and there's really not much room for someone like Inman.

Finally, how many of you are confident in Derrick turnbow pitching in a close game in September? I'm sorry, but I'm not. This deal gives us flexibility this year, and another option nin case Cordero leaves in the offseason.

Maybe I'm just the annoying optimist, or maybe I'm just excited to be a buyer rather than a seller, finally, but I'm fine with this deal. When I saw Linebrink was probably on his way out, he was one of the few players I thought would be a great addition here. So, I'm very excited to add him, even though the cost was so steep.

[ReasonablySober]

If Linebrink really is a Type A free agent, (top 20% of his position according to Ellias), this is a good deal. We would get the first rounder of the team that signs him, plus a sandwich pick at the end of the first round.

However, we only get the team's first rounder if they're not one of the 15 worst teams in MLB. So ideally we'd lose him to a team like the Yanks or the Angels or some other contender. That would give us three picks among the first 40 or so. If we lose Cordero the same way then it's two more picks...

I'm disappointed we had to lose Inman. But he was a AA pitcher and we're getting one of the better relief pitchers in baseball back. We could certainly use the help. If he performs well and we keep him, great. If he leaves and we get picks, that's not all that bad either.

Knee jerk reaction...I like the deal.

[El Duderino]

we gave up a lot, but in the same way that the Padres may "know" something about Linebrink, maybe the Brewers know something about Inman and Thatcher. Melvin isn't stupid...he's NOT going to give up 3 pitchers all with major league ceilings for a set-up guy. Inman has not pitched well as of late, and maybe the Brewers thought they should trade him while his value is still high?

More than anything, I think this was a trade between two teams who had superfluous depth at their respective positions: Brewers with SP--particularly in the minors, and the Padres with a deep bullpen. The Brewers obviously felt that Inman was at best their #4 young pitcher (Gallardo, Parra and Villanueva all are higher) and they still have guys like Jeffries who might make it up to the bigs only 1-2 years after Inman. Couple those young guys with veteran pitchers who will most likely be here for a while (Suppan, Bush, Vargas, Capuano, probably Sheets etc.) and there's really not much room for someone like Inman.

Finally, how many of you are confident in Derrick turnbow pitching in a close game in September? I'm sorry, but I'm not. This deal gives us flexibility this year, and another option nin case Cordero leaves in the offseason.

Maybe I'm just the annoying optimist, or maybe I'm just excited to be a buyer rather than a seller, finally, but I'm fine with this deal. When I saw Linebrink was probably on his way out, he was one of the few players I thought would be a great addition here. So, I'm very excited to add him, even though the cost was so steep.

Hey,i hope i'm wrong and Linebrink finds a way to pitch like his prior three seasons vs the guy he's been this year.Being right is the last thing i want.I simply don't like giving up all we did for a guy who JUST GOT DEMOTED from his setup role for pitching like crap.

Maybe Thatcher will pitch like crap for the Padres now that he's been called up.I find myself now wanting him to not do very well so we don't look stupid,but he has a great story getting to where he is.

Obviously all trades involve risk from both teams,i just can't help that my gut says this wasn't the trade Melvin should have made.Like i said earlier though,i know that i could be totally wrong.Linebrink pitches great and helps us get to the playoffs,while the young kids they got never amount to much.

[msiris]

Yost will only use him when we are ahead. Dont want to use him when we are behind. He will use Balfore instead.

[El Duderino]

Keith Law's views from insider posted elsewhere

Paraphrasing mostly:

-Padres add a lot of organizational depth.
-Linebrink has been homer-prone this year, likely to get worse outside of Petco.
-Linebrink might not be a Type A, that determination is not made until after the season, using 2 years worth of data. A bad 2 months might push him out of Type A.
-Inman projects as a 5 starter, maybe a 4. Average fastball, below-average command. "Stuff doesn't match numbers."
-Garrison = Longshot.
-Thatcher going straight to SD, "the Padres' bullpen won't miss a beat for the change in pitchers."

Money Quote:
"Adding a reliever was the right move for the Brewers, but even without surrendering a major prospect, the Brewers gave up a lot to acquire 20 innings or so of a guy who's pitched very poorly in favorable circumstances this year."

[Ryan5UW]

Keith Law's views from insider posted elsewhere

Paraphrasing mostly:

-Padres add a lot of organizational depth.
-Linebrink has been homer-prone this year, likely to get worse outside of Petco.
-Linebrink might not be a Type A, that determination is not made until after the season, using 2 years worth of data. A bad 2 months might push him out of Type A.
-Inman projects as a 5 starter, maybe a 4. Average fastball, below-average command. "Stuff doesn't match numbers."
-Garrison = Longshot.
-Thatcher going straight to SD, "the Padres' bullpen won't miss a beat for the change in pitchers."

Money Quote:
"Adding a reliever was the right move for the Brewers, but even without surrendering a major prospect, the Brewers gave up a lot to acquire 20 innings or so of a guy who's pitched very poorly in favorable circumstances this year."

encouraging

[ReasonablySober]

Do I really have to remind anyone here of the deal made at the deadline last year in which we traded for a guy that had lost his role as a closer due to a sub-par season that was atypical from his previous seasons?