How long til Braddock gets called up? -- Latest: Braddock Up Sunday, Stetter Down, Gamel to 60 day DL

[uwisfan]

may as well start the discussion. With Hawkins sucking wind the past few outings (maybe misused in the first of the last 2), should Braddock be the new setup man? Who would the Brewers cut?

[jjfanec]

My dream scenario is Soup getting DFA'ed and Narveson going into the rotation. Then Braddock gets called up. Wont happen but it does not hurt to hope

[TooLiveBrew]

I wonder if the Brewers are monitoring this situation with the biggest factor being Braddock's service time. Maybe he gets called up in mid-May or so?

[wvpowerblkwel]

Has anyone else noticed besides me, but the guy hasn't even walked a batter! I know you can say jinx on that very quickly, but Zach has just been superb! I say give him a shot, and do it soon!

[wishicouldhit]

I would first call up Stetter and then Braddock. It would be nice to be able to keep him in the minors until the super two deadline (assuming Hawkins gets his act together).

[paul253]

So is the discussion of Braddock going back to starting more or less over? If so I'd be really disappointed. The guy is absolutely dominant. I'd hate to waste his potential on middle relief.

[homer]

I think Braddock is being groomed for a late inning role. He may very well be the closer in 2011.

[BrewCrewForever]

It seems that Braddock is not a one batter LOOGY type. So I would call up Stetter for that role over Zach. But I am excited for when they do bring him up to be a late inning guy and possible closer in 2011.

[JohnBriggs12]

Braddock should be up as soon as either Parra or Narveson get promoted to starting or an attempt is made to pass them through waivers or trade them. If Estrada, Lofgren and Rivas continue to perform well as starters at the upper levels, it will lessen the need for preserving starter depth by having two guys occupying roles they are not suited for. Braddock could also benefit if Vargas continued struggling as Vargas' contract is not so big that he can't be moved or released.

 

When this will be is anyone's guess but I'm thinking Braddock's a Brewer by the All Star break and earlier in case of injuries.

[bamberger]

Braddock's ready for an audition in MLB. No point keeping him in the minors.

[And That]

FWIW, today is the day you can be called up without accruing a full year of service time this season.

[WisconsinSportsRule]

I would love to see him brought up, but I don't want to him sit on the pine Mat Gamel style either.

[twobrewers]

I would assume Stetter will be called up before him. Maybe Axford.

 

I love Braddock's potential. But unless there are a few injuries, I don't see a move imminent.

 

BTW, he has gone more than one inning several times this year. Maybe starting isn't completely out of the equation?

[sheetskout]

I am not in favor of calling up Zack Braddock in the near future. Sure the guy hasn't allowed a run, but there are other candidates and he could use the work.

[wishicouldhit]

As soon as the brewers figure out what they want to do with parra , narveson, and suppan they will be able to make room for stetter and then braddock. Here is how I think they should align their pitchers (by end of May i.e. after super 2 cut off) SP: Gallardo, Wolf, Bush, Davis, and Narveson. BP Hoffman, Hawkins, Coffee, Villanueva, stetter, Braddock,and parra (or vargas).

 

Looking at next season our only starting pitchers with guaranteed contracts are gallardo and wolf (davis has an option and Narveson could still be under team control). If davis has a less than stellar year hopfully DM would decline his option and the 2011 rotation would be Gallardo, Wolf, Naverson, and a choice of Estrada, Lofgren, Parra, or free agents like BUSH, Davis, Bedard, Corriea, Vazquez, webb, and Milwood. The reason why I looked at next years starting rotation was to point out how important it is to keep both Narveson and Parra.

 

EDIT: odd font

[paul253]

As soon as the brewers figure out what they want to do with parra ,

narveson, and suppan

 

They should have figured out what they were going to do with them in the off season. If I had known Parra would be the last guy out of the bullpen who pitched about once every four games I would have just preferred the Brewers trade him for an A-ball hitter with some upside. Stetter should be up and Suppan should not be on the roster.

[Kricket755]

I find it interesting that the Brewers have given him at least 2 days rest between all of his appearances thus far. Considering the multi-inning efforts, I think it makes sense. I can't wait for the first time they let him make a 3 inning appearance. That will be the spark this board needs to explode with revived talks of Braddock being a starter again.

[paul253]

I just don't see why he isn't. At least give him a shot. The guy is dominant....dominant! And our biggest weakness is starting pitching. Give the guy a start, let him go three innings and take it from there!

[Invader3K]

Didn't he have injury concerns in the past, which is why they've been using him as a reliever?

[BrewCrewForever]

2 more scoreless innings today. 4 K's.

 

Will be nice next season when he is most likely the closer to have a guy that can go an inning +.

[paul253]

Didn't he have injury concerns in the past, which is why
they've been using him as a reliever?

I thought it was like a mental illness thing? If it was all about injury, why would they move him to the pen but keep Mark Rogers as a starter?

[twobrewers]

Braddock has had injury problems. If I remember correctly I was an elbow ligament.

 

And Braddock is bi-polar. But that has nothing to do with any missed time so far.

[battlekow]

Braddock had Tommy John surgery as an amateur. As I understand it, usually the ulnar nerve is transposed when a pitcher undergoes TJ, but because of his youth Braddock's was not; ultimately, he required surgery before last season to perform that nerve transposition. He's also had some shoulder problems that didn't require surgery.

[paul253]

So is Zach Braddock in the bullpen because they think if he's in the rotation he'll get hurt again? If so that seems to be overly cautious.

 

In my opinion, he has to start. Looking up and down the Brewer's system, I don't really see anyone capable of being a potentially dominant number one pitcher the way you saw with Sheet and Gallardo, except maybe Jake Odorizzi and he is still probably at least three years away. Guys like Rivas, Rogers, and Arnett are very good pitchers, but I'm having a hard time projecting them as #1's...yet at least. Also, Zach Braddock has been absolutely unhittable. He's been going two innings this year, and I think they should use the rest of the season to stretch him out. Give him three innings a few times, then four, then let him start and go five innings. This season is a good season to do it because both the rotation and the bullpen are deeper than usual. Next year there will be at least two spots in the rotation up for grabs, maybe three. Braddock, if he continues being as successful, could slide right into the #4 spot. I understand the value of a good late inning bullpen guy, but Braddock's potential is way too high to use him in the bullpen I think. If it doesn't work out in the rotation, he could always move back.

 

On a side note, has he ever stated his preference.....bullpen vs. rotation?

[JohnBriggs12]

Braddock hasn't started above A ball. and only made 30 starts as a professional. To project him as a number 1 starter material based on his dominance as a reliever and limited starting experience is quite a leap. Given the need for starters to provide innings, it might take 2 years to get him ready to start in the majors. He's on a much faster track as a reliever.