Is it time to send Nelson to AAA for some AB's

[fondybrewfan]

It seems obvious to me that he needs to get some AB's down in AAA in order to get his swing back. He hasn't looked good at all with a ton of K's. I am not sure who would call up to fill the corner OF reserve spot though. Let him go down for 2-3 weeks to get some consistent AB's and then bring him back. I feel bad for the guy, he waited so long to get a chance and now he can't even make contact.

 

Speaking of OF reserves, has Chris Duffy died? It seems like he is getting the back up catcher disease. He hasn't gotten an AB in over a week. What is going on there?

[Scooter1027]

If I'm not mistaken, isn't he out of options? I believe DFA'ing him will result in his outright release. I think it's too early for a move like that, if that's correct

[lukevan]

Cameron, Hart and Braun are all hitting well right now, probably the reason Duffy hasn't seen much PT.

 

Can't send Nelson down without risking losing him. Give Nelson more time, I'm sure he'll come around and give us some production going forward.

[GormanHarvey]

Actually I think if we DFA Nelson again he would automatically become a free agent iirc

[WisconsinSportsRule]

Actually I think if we DFA Nelson again he would automatically become a free agent iirc

Yeah, that's right.

 

He's had 20 AB's this season, so let's give him time before small sample starts rearing his ugly head.

[southpaw121505]

He needs more AB's but they might as well be in this role. I don't see where he'd be an everyday player, so given that, his age, and lack of options we might as well give him more of a chance to grow into this role. It takes time.

[JoeHova]

Nelson and Duffy should have been well aware that they are much worse than the players they are backing up, so if they are going to complain or something, I hope they get cut ASAP. Guys like them are a dime a dozen in AAA. That said, I hope the team makes a move if there is a Branyan-esque player in some other team's system that could be had for cheap. They could really use at least one player who could make a plausible DH or week-long injury replacement. I dread interleague play if this is still the roster. Maybe Gamel will get a temporary call-up for those games.

[BrewCrewForever]

I would give him at least another month to get going off the bench. Too early to make a move like that IMO.

[DatHoser]

I would wait until after the first round of interleague games. Let Nelson DH or field in most of them and then go from there. I would think it's harder for younger players to ride the bench and occasionally pinch hit than a vet.

[LS Brewer]

It is too bad that he cannot go down to get some regular at bats. You can see the frustration on his face during the last few unsuccessful at bats. It was particularly unfortunate that some people felt the need to boo Nelson after his strikeout Tuesday night against the Pirates. I fail to see the point of booing someone who is obviously trying to be successful and has not, as far as I know, complained or shown a lack of intensity.

 

That said, I don't think that Nelson should be retained on the major league roster for more than three or four weeks going forward if he cannot start seeing some success at the plate. There are certainly other guys out there - veterans - that can get a pinch hit every now and then. While I understand the concept of small sample size, that is the nature of the position of pinch hitter.

[Teatoe993]

At this point in time, just making contact and hitting a foul ball would be a successful at-bat for Nelson. The poor guy is completely lost at the plate right now. He really couldn't look any worse if he just closed his eyes and held his bat out, hoping the ball would hit it. I really hope he gets out of this funk soon because this team can't afford to have such a huge black hole on our bench. CC is the only one we can depend on at the moment.

[JohnBriggs12]

The Brewers brought in Trot Nixon to do the job that Brad Nelson is doing. Going into ST, it was Nixon's to lose, and well, he lost it. Generally, that job is better handled by a veteran. My point is, they turned to Nelson only after Nixon failed. If they were that worried about losing Nelson if they DFA'd him, they wouldn't have looked for a veteran.

 

Nelson can become a FA if he's DFA'd. But nobody's going to make a roster spot for a guy who's 0 for April and has no track record of major league success so they'd stand a decent chance of him accepting an assignment much like Figueroa just did with the Mets.

 

With guys like Catalanotto, Edmonds, Jenkins out there, Nelson needs to start sprinkling in some hits or he'll be gone by Memorial Day.

 

Same goes for Duffy by the way if he ever gets another AB.

[strawbossisevil]

I´d take Edmonds over Nelson in a heartbeat. I wonder how much Edmonds is asking for.

[SoCalBrewfan]

Nelson and Duffy should have been well aware that they are much worse than the players they are backing up, so if they are going to complain or something, I hope they get cut ASAP.

 

I haven't seen any quotes suggesting either guy is complaining; have you?

 

Roster-wise, Nelson is out of options, so he cannot be sent to the minors without first clearing waivers. Another team could claim him for their roster, but they would in turn have to expose him to waivers to send him to AAA. A DFA is not the same as being placed on waivers...DFAing a player immediately removes him from the 40-man roster. The team has something like ten days to make a subsequent move with a DFAed player...that move might be a trade, a release, or an outright assignment to the minors, which would also require that the player clear waivers. That move would also require that the player be re-added to the 40-man roster before joining the major league team again.

 

Though some fans might have written Nelson off, I don't see evidence that the Brewers have. Therefore, if a move is made, which would be done only reluctantly on the Brewers' part I imagine, I'd expect that they'd put him on waivers with the intent of getting him to Nashville. A DFA would very likely mean he is out of the organization. That day may yet come, of course, but it's premature at this point to suggest it.

 

Honestly, neither Duffy nor Nelson is a young guy, so it's not like they have developing to do in the minors. If they really can't produce in the majors, the team will move on at some point. It does suggest that making decisions based on spring training performance has its limitations, though. Based on ST you'd think that Hardy would be an MVP candidate, for that matter...

[endaround]

I thought the waivers were only for players with options remaining but enough service time to have to pass through waivers. That for Nelson to join Nashville he must be DFA'd. And I would think Jack Z would love to have a LH 1B/LF bat in AAA for injury concerns (when you have Branyan and Griffey...) and it would give Nelson a great shot at real playing time, something less likely in Milwaukee.

[billyhallfan]

I´d take Edmonds over Nelson in a heartbeat. I wonder how much Edmonds is asking for.

 

Thank you, Jim Edmonds would be perfect...

[Eddiehitsthefoulpole]

I would like to see Macha use more of his bench too. But I also think that the days of Brad Nelson-prospect are over. This is a guy who has 8 years of minor league experience. This is more like Jim Rushford coming to the majors than Prince Fielder. We are not wasting a prospect here. This is what Brad Nelson's entire major league career is going to look like.

[rluzinski]

If Edmonds was willing to take one a pinch hitting role for peanuts, he'd already be on a team. He wanted to start and he probably wanted a substantial salary. That's why he isn't in the league right now.

[Ennder]

If Edmonds was willing to take one a pinch hitting role for peanuts, he'd already be on a team. He wanted to start and he probably wanted a substantial salary. That's why he isn't in the league right now.

I agree but at the same time it is obvious nobody wants to give Edmonds what he wants since he is still unsigned so at some point he caves in and takes the 4th OF role.

[rluzinski]

That's possible but there are many players that would rather retire before they accept a bench role at league minimum. And my gut tells me that Edmonds is prepared to retire.

[JoeHova]

Edmonds needs 18 homers for 400 and 119 hits for 2,000. I bet his concern is more about playing time because both of those milestones would really help his hall of fame case. He's not going to get in, imo, but he could be a guy who hangs around on the ballot for awhile with 8 Gold Gloves in CF and a .905 career OPS (though that would likely decline if he comes back).

 

Anyway, I would certainly take Edmonds over Duffy and/or Nelson. Edmonds is a good example of how deceiving it can be to try to judge players by your eyes alone. Normally, if a guy with his career numbers got off to the start he did in San Diego last season, people would realize that it had only been a month and not think that that was his new true talent level. However, Edmonds looked so atrocious, it didn't seem possible that he would ever rebound.

[Fatter than Joey]

That for Nelson to join Nashville he must be DFA'd. And I would think Jack Z would love to have a LH 1B/LF bat in AAA for injury concerns (when you have Branyan and Griffey...) and it would give Nelson a great shot at real playing time, something less likely in Milwaukee.

 

I think actually, Nelson could just refuse the assignment and become a FA.

[BuckyBrewer61]

I agree but at the same time it is obvious nobody wants to give Edmonds what he wants since he is still unsigned so at some point he caves in and takes the 4th OF role.

This is possible, but if he does take a 4th OF role, there are likely better opportunities out there for some decent playing time than playing behind Cam, Hart, and Braun.

[endaround]

That for Nelson to join Nashville he must be DFA'd. And I would think Jack Z would love to have a LH 1B/LF bat in AAA for injury concerns (when you have Branyan and Griffey...) and it would give Nelson a great shot at real playing time, something less likely in Milwaukee.

 

I think actually, Nelson could just refuse the assignment and become a FA.

 

That was the point. Othe teams might not have a plce for Nelson in MLB but they have places where he would have a greater chance of playing time than in Milwaukee

[Thurston Fluff]

I really think Macha has to use his bench more or risk not having one regardless of who is on it. There just aren't very many guys who can hit without semi regular ab's. If pinch hitting really is the hardest thing to do then it stands to reason the best hitters are going to be best able to pinch hit effectively without regular PA's. If they are the best hitters they are starters not bench players. That means most bench players have to get enough AB's to be useful when they are needed. I don't have many complaints about Macha but his limited use of the bench players so far is one. It will come back to haunt him.