De La Rosa

[Shootkick1000]

The Royals DFA'd our old friend Jorge de la Rosa today. Most reports have him being in high demand, but now that we're relieved of Claudio, I say we make a stab. He's a lefty with still interesting stuff and lots of movement, fully capable of Long Relief or your occasional Spot Start. I'd be a lot more willing to pay for him than to allow McClung to stink up fill that role. Now that we're a Vargas-Free community, I'd be all for trying to spend a wee bit of money to bring him back for a year.

 

Slim chance, but is this a feasible option?

[And That]

We gave him up for almost nothing, and we more or less got rid of of a starting pitcher for our crappy long reliever. Isn't going to happen. I can't even say I'd rather have him than McClung.

[jimmyjeromehardy7]

What did we get in return for JDLR?

 

What is with the love for average players on bad Brewer teams? Are we trying to relive the 90s. Let's move forward with good players not live in the past. Don August anyone?

[And That]

We got Graffanino in return for JDLR. Sorry, I had a brainfart, I thought we got Demaria for JDLR. We got Demaria for Justin Barnes. Who the Royals just released. Remember Max St. Pierre? Man, we make a lot of little trades with the Royals.

 

But I stand by my point. We got rid of Vargas in part to keep McClung. We're not getting rid of McClung for JDLR.

[Gopher74]

What is with the love for average players on bad Brewer teams? Are we trying to relive the 90s. Let's move forward with good players not live in the past. Don August anyone?

Such as? Who are the players that people have this love for? DLR was a guy with a fantastic arm, and a lefty to boot who's still relatively young. It's not exactly a crazy idea to entertain the idea of bringing him back, nor does it mean that we're trying to "relive" the 90's.

 

And by the way, we're not suggesting that we waive Gallardo for him. We're talking about Seth McClung.

 

[And That]

FWIW, McClung is less than two months older than JDLR.

[Gopher74]

FWIW, McClung is less than two months older than JDLR.

Right. They're about the same age. But DLR has more than one pitch, and and is a lefty. And I never said that he was younger than McClung by a significant margin, just that DLR himself is still pretty young meaning it's not a totally outrageous idea to want to bring DLR back into the fold.

 

I agree it's not going to happen, but I like him a lot more than McClung.

 

[TheBrewer]

You know he seemed to have flashes of brillance in relief, I remember one time when he was so pumped up pitching against the Cubs in relief and he just struck the side out if I recall correctly. He had the potential to be filthy at times, but in reality he never lived up to his hype. Royals started him and he did pretty bad the past 2 years. If another club gets him I'd hope that they would stick him in relief and really try to work with him. Would I want him back with the Brewers? No. Unless they stick him in AAA and he pitches in relief. If he excels and were in AAA for us, he may not even have a spot next season, much less this season. But like I said I wouldnt mind AAA and take a gamble on him, but not the majors, were past that.

[JohnBriggs12]

"We got rid of Vargas..to keep McClung."

 

Not really as it turns out. They got rid of Vargas when they did to save 75% of his $3.6 million contract. I'm betting they try getting McClung through waivers in 2 weeks when Gallardo is activated.

 

I wouldn't be against signing a guy like De La Rosa to a minor league deal, but that's about it. He's never found the consistent command to be a major league pitcher.

[brewers4eric]

I watched a Royals tv broadcast this spring where De La Rosa pitched. It was the same old story, he couldn't command his fastball and he beat around the corners with his other stuff, issuing walks, putting the fielders to sleep and eventually giving up a big hit. He reminded me of a left handed Claudio Vargas.

 

Graffanino came to Milwaukee in the JDLR trade. It was changeup specialist Chis DeMaria for recently converted to pitcher Justin Barnes. Max St. Pierre was traded for Ben Hendrickson. I believe that St. Pierre resurfaced as a catcher in the Tigers camp, after a brief turn as a pitcher during his last days in the Brewers system.

[molitor fan]

Here is an interesting story on Max St. Pierre, who is a recently recovering alcoholic. In another article, he stated he remembers very little about his time with the Brewers due to being in an alcoholic fog the entire time.

 

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080226/SPORTS0104/802260365/1129

[Fatter than Joey]

And I never said that he was younger than McClung by a significant margin, just that DLR himself is still pretty young meaning it's not a totally outrageous idea to want to bring DLR back into the fold.

 

We really didn't dump him -- We needed Graffy as our IF was a MASH unit. Hendrickson we dumped, JDLR we moved to address a need.

[dadofandrew]

DLR would be an outstanding guy to have as AAA depth, but he would be for anyone. Hard to believe a guy with that much ability just can't put it together, even after a great WBC. I'd say someone will put him on the 25 man, but this does not seem to be a year many teams are going with potential.

[Gopher74]

DLR would be an outstanding guy to have as AAA depth, but he would be for anyone. Hard to believe a guy with that much ability just can't put it together, even after a great WBC. I'd say someone will put him on the 25 man, but this does not seem to be a year many teams are going with potential.

He has Johan Santana stuff. He's really got that type of potential. I think we're past the point of hoping that he can develop that, but anytime someone's got that much ability, it's never a bad idea to try and pick him up and hope he can put it together in AAA. To be honest, I'd rather have him over McClung, but that's not going to happen.

 

Still, I'd pay him the big league minimum to pitch in AAA.

 

[MNBrew]

I said it all the time when he was here, and I say it again now. What DLR proved over and over again is why the Brewers shouldn't want him or try to wait for him now:

 

Million-dollar arm, 50-cent head.

 

A guy with that kind of stuff could/should dominate. DLR doesn't hasn't ever truly gotten *how to pitch* and his mental makeup is for the birds.

[Gopher74]

I said it all the time when he was here, and I say it again now. What DLR proved over and over again is why the Brewers shouldn't want him or try to wait for him now:

 

Million-dollar arm, 50-cent head.

 

A guy with that kind of stuff could/should dominate. DLR doesn't hasn't ever truly gotten *how to pitch* and his mental makeup is for the birds.

It takes a lot of pitchers a little while to figure it out, especially power lefties. That he hasn't turned into a great at 25 certainly doesn't mean he never will.

 

By the way, what exactly makes you say "his mental makeup is for the birds"? That seems like an awfully strong statement to make for a guy who's wild.

 

[giffted1]

I was a pretty big fan of Jorge when he was here. I'd love to get him on our AAA team, but I'd bet someone like Washington or Tampa Bay would pick him up. Heck, he could probably be the Nationals 3rd starter.

[MNBrew]

I was a big fan of Jorge's potential when he was here, too. As a pitcher, he never really got it together.

 

The problem with his mentality, Gopher74, was very well-documented in DLR's comments and the comments of Yost & Maddux around the games when DLR pitched when he was here. Needing to "pull it together." Making any crucial "out" pitch. Abandoning his well-prepared game plan. These are all the sorts of things documented quite often throughout the Brewers part of his career, and as much so at the end as at the beginning.

 

I'm at work and don't have time to dredge the JSOnline archives for these articles. But anyone who paid attention closely and read the daily articles carefully would recall two things about DLR:

 

1. Yost, Maddux, & Co. totally loved his arm & potential.

 

2. Those same guys eventually lost all faith in him because he kept making the same mistakes, didn't implement or come close to adequately executing the teaching of his coaches, and so often losing focus when all he ever had to do in the first place was just focus enough to let the talent take over -- all in such a way that the negatives grossly outweighed the positives and the Crew felt they were far better off without him. Fortunately, KC saw the talent and thought it was worth Tony Graffanino, which generally worked out well enough until his knee blew out.

 

The bottom line is that when he should've been getting better, he only plateaued or got worse. He just couldn't get guys out. It wasn't physical. It was mental. The guy doesn't have it. His results in KC only corroborate the same evidence.

[aracko]

Hendrickson didnt make that team over Jorge did he?

[Big Reed]

I don't recall him burning any bridges when he left. I don't recall him bad mouthing the organization on his way out the door. he might be a guy like wright and cirillo that would welcome a return and be willing to accept a minoe league dea l for the opportunity of working with our pitching instructors. We're kind of short on left handed pitchers. he would add some depth as others have said at AAA.

[logan82]

The problem when we had him was that he was on the MLB roster. I think he needs/needed a year in AAA where he can/could just work on things. Instead he sat in the pen and got sporadic/little work. He needs a little polish. I think we picked him up through the Rule 5 draft and I think he was out of options.

[DrWood]

DLR was part of the Sexson trade. I wouldn't have any problem with him going to nashville.

[Gopher74]

MNBrew wrote:

The problem with his mentality, Gopher74, was very well-documented in DLR's comments and the comments of Yost & Maddux around the games when DLR pitched when he was here. Needing to "pull it together." Making any crucial "out" pitch. Abandoning his well-prepared game plan. These are all the sorts of things documented quite often throughout the Brewers part of his career, and as much so at the end as at the beginning.

Oh, no, I heard all of those things myself. I guess though before I call the guy an idiot for not being able to make his pitch, I'd want to hear a little bit more. I need more to go off of than just not being a great pitcher despite great ability before I essentially, like I said, call the guy an idiot.

 

I don't recall the game plan comments though. I have a feeling those are a little bit extra. I'm sure Maddux may have said something like "he has to follow the gameplan", but I don't recall him complaining about him not doing so.

 

Sometimes pitchers can just not have a great deal of success when their 23 without having a "50 cent head", or having a mental makeup "for the birds". I just think those are awfully strong words for walking people.

[MNBrew]

Sometimes pitchers can just not have a great deal of success when their 23 without having a "50 cent head", or having a mental makeup "for the birds". I just think those are awfully strong words for walking people.

Gopher74, I'm entitled to my opinion as much as anyone else is to theirs. I assume that DLR is a good guy and a decent human being. What I saw when he was a Brewer was that he did not really come close to cutting it as a major league pitcher in spite of his high level of talent. He's not done anything since to change my opinion. The Royals are not stocked with exceptional pitching, yet they let him go for nothing. That says a lot. And the issue is neither talent nor "stuff." That seems pretty clear, then, where the issue lies. Again, you don't have to agree with me. That's just how I see it.

[logan82]

DLR was part of the Sexson trade. I wouldn't have any problem with him going to nashville.

That's right. I forgot. I am sure he was out of options though so we had to keep him on the 25 man roster. He seemed to be one of those guys who ran out of option before he was ready to play in the majors.