Haudricourt mentions Brian Bannister as a possible option

[Brawndo the Thirst Mutilat]

Probably little more than a throwaway line, after all the title of the article is "Brewers' trade options appear to be limited", and I would certainly need to know what kind of return the Royals are looking for, but this guy is one of my very favorite human beings in the game of baseball. Why, you ask?

 

He's smart. Scratch that, he's really, really smart.

 

Last year, he had some bad luck on BIP, and the Royals were dumb enough to prefer, of all people, Sidney Ponson in their rotation at the start of the season, but since returning from AAA, he's been darn good this year, and that's with a much more normal .288 BABIP than the fluky .266 BABIP from his other good year. The awesome thing about Bannister is I'm sure he's aware of all of this.

 

The Royals are probably thinking it's better to sell high on a RHP with a sub 90 mph fastball than wait and watch him have another stretch like last year torpedo his trade value. They may not be asking for a ton (after all, he's no Sidney Ponson). I've got my fingers crossed.

[hawing]

Those links (and your endorsement) do give me a favorable impression of the guy...and I'm not even a stat-head.

 

What would be hyper cool is if he were acquired and we could persuade him to join the forum.

[yount19.u]

I don't know how much help he'd be this year (meaning I'm not sure he'd be enough to get us to the playoffs), but he would definitely be a nice addition to the team. He would certainly help solidify the rotation in the future and would be a good player to take a chance on if the asking price isn't too high.

[Brawndo the Thirst Mutilat]

I don't know how much help he'd be this year (meaning I'm not sure he'd be enough to get us to the playoffs), but he would definitely be a nice addition to the team. He would certainly help solidify the rotation in the future and would be a good player to take a chance on if the asking price isn't too high.

I don't really disagree -- he probably isn't enough to make the difference between missing the playoffs and making the playoffs -- but then again, the vast majority of the time guys like Halladay and Lee aren't enough to do that either. Last year's experience with Sabathia was the exception, not the rule.

 

If anybody's curious, this was Bannister's first year of arbitration. He settled for $1.7 mil. He's having a very nice year, so he's probably looking at a decent raise, but is unlikely to get more than $2.75-3 mil or so next year and $4-5 mil or so in 2011, depending on performance. He's basically a slightly cheaper Dave Bush with one more year of team control left. If we'd been sellers instead of buyers at the deadline last year, how much of a return do you think we'd have required for Dave Bush?

[Weirdos19]

I disagree. If we had acquired a decent starter a month ago, we could be in first right now.

 

Plus, a decent starter would tax the bullpen less, thus helping it too.

[RU Rah Rah]

He seems decent enough, and I like the idea of not throwing away a ton of prospects.

[Kelbysdaddy]

he'd be alot better than burns

[PepsiFanClubAlum]

I think Bannister, Penny or Washburn are more likely than anything else.

[RU Rah Rah]

My only reservation is that I remember Bannister's father playing, and his presence in MLB makes me feel old.

[JohnBriggs12]

My only reservation is that I remember Bannister's father playing, and his presence in MLB makes me feel old.

If you remember Floyd, you obviously remember Cecil Fielder so what's the difference? I saw Stan Musial and Warren Spahn in person. Now that's feeling old.

[dadofandrew]

The WSSP guys mentioned him to Doug, but Doug said, while he could not discuss names, many times a #3 SP on a bad team would make a nice #5 SP for ya, but that team hates to give up their #3, so they ask a ton.

 

Bannister would make a nice addition, but as of this second, not a single SP has been moved, have they? Until the market starts being set, teams can ask for whatever they wish, knowing tomorrow, someone may just give in.

[sbrylski]

For those of you who don't know how Bannister approaches the game, listen to this recent interview:

 

http://www.stationcaster.com/player.php?s=26&c=377&f=30683

 

You'll come away loving him if you don't know much about him already.

[Brawndo the Thirst Mutilat]

For those of you who don't know how Bannister approaches the game, listen to this recent interview:

 

http://www.stationcaster.com/player.php?s=26&c=377&f=30683

 

You'll come away loving him if you don't know much about him already.

Also, check out this article at THT that uses PitchFX data to investigate the accuracy of the claims Bannister makes in the interview.

[chuckiehacks]

Rosenthal says the Brewers made an offer for Bannister and received this response: "We're not motivated to move him."

Someone using DM's catchphrase against him? This is like the immovable object meeting the irresistable force.

[brewmann04]

this is the Email reply i got from TH

 

I don't look for any major players to be traded by Friday. I would assume those moves will come in the off-season.

[Invader3K]

this is the Email reply i got from TH

 

I don't look for any major players to be traded by Friday. I would assume those moves will come in the off-season.

 

Not terribly surprising. I would be shocked if anything at all happens in the next 4 and a half hours, seeing how no substantive rumors involving the Brewers are coming up. Kind of a bummer (from a purely fan standpoint), but maybe for the best.

[brewmann04]

I still think this is for the best and hopefully during the Winter we see the Brewers active in the trade Market.

We still have the same Problem as this year we lack Pitching and Hardy and Hart and Maybe Hall can get us some.

[bklynbrewcrew]

Enough with the Suppan type pitchers which Bannister is. Melvin needs to start targeting power arms.

[Hate those Rodents]

How is KC looking for catching prospects? I am wondering if one of Salome/Lucroy and one of our promising "A" ball pitchers could get it done for Bannister. I would really like him at that price (provided the Brewers see a near MLB future for both catching prospects so that one of them is about ready to take over the reigns).

[sheethead]

Bannister with a solid .916 OPS in 12 AB's with the Mets in 2006 (3 doubles). Could be a +hitting pitcher as well. I wouldn't mind giving up three or four of our AAA arms for him. Maybe all the AAA arms for that matter.

[Hate those Rodents]

We have no AAA arms. Our best ones were the Burns, Smith, and Swindle. Yikes!!!

[The Ignitor]

This is the only trade option I'm interested in. A young pitcher with solid 3 plus stuff. He would benefit I think in moving to National League. I'm glad Washburn is off the market. I've been in the sell or stay put camp, but this is one guy I would try to buy if the price is right.

[ryanbraun75]

The latest news is that the brewers made an offer but the royals didn't counter the offer. But this is good news that they are at least talking. Bannister is the one pitcher i would love to have. We can have him until 2012 and i would offer hardy, and some younger pitching or maybe caleb gindl? id even think of offering lucroy or salome.. He is one pitcher i would love to see aquired

[liveforoctober]

You would give Hardy AND either Lucroy or Salome for Bannister? Or am I reading that wrong and you are saying either Hardy or Salome or Lucroy?

 

My heart skipped a beat for a second...

[craigharmann]

I would say Hardy for Homer Bailey and either Lucroy or Salome and another player for Bannister.