Brewers sign Chris Perez (MiLB contract w/ST invite; Latest: Opts out, now a FA (post #63))

[markedman5]

Bob Nightengale ‏@BNightengale 19s19 seconds ago

The #Brewers announce that they have signed former closer Chris Perez to a minor-league contract with invite to big-league camp.

[djoctagone]

having spent all of last season in the majors, perez will be granted an opt-out clause days before the end of spring training.

[SRB]

Chris Perez is turrible.

[pacopete4]

Love it. Another guy that who knows, could return to form. Or he sucks and we cut bait. Nice job Doug.

[DocLuna7]

Worth a roll of the dice. Hope it doesn't preclude getting something else done in the bullpen though.

[patrickgpe]

reminds me a lot of the duke signing. Could be a classic Melvin buy low signing.

[patrickgpe]

Chris Perez is turrible.

 

the question will be is he more terrible than wooten or Blazek.

 

Also whether he makes the team depends a lot of Thornburg and Henderson's health.

[DHonks]

Great signing. Low-risk, potentially high reward. Melvin loves to state that relievers often have great variance from year-to-year, so this is a classic move.

[pete]

I like it too.

 

Primarily a fastball, slider pitcher. Throws hard, around 94. Mixed in a few change ups last season for the first time since '08. Forty second pick of the '06 draft by the Cardinals. Seems pretty up and down, mostly down, but Jeffress was a bust and Axford was selling cell phones.

 

B-R shows the latest news stories mentioning him and one is Five Best Miguel Cabrera Home Runs - doh.

[Eye Black]

Chris Perez is a Nez Balelo client that I believe was also a teammate of Ryan Braun at Miami. It has been speculated previously that Attanasio and Balelo may have discussed Perez at Ryan Braun's wedding as part of the same conversation that led to Matt Garza's eventual signing.

[RobDeer 45]

No risk here. I like scrap heap bullpens!

[Invader3K]

No risk here. I like scrap heap bullpens!

They seem to generally work out for Melvin. I am fine with this signing. I read that his velocity came back some last season, so maybe that's a positive sign.

[SRB]

The danger with Perez is that according to his peripherals he was never very good, but he had a couple seasons with solid ERAs (one with a fantastic ERA) which gave him closing experience, so now he is a proven "name"/closer and thus Melvin & Co. might give him a much longer leash than he deserves.

 

If he tricks everyone with a solid spring training, it could end up doing us harm.

[jerichoholicninja]

I was going to post about him a couple days ago and then I looked at his numbers. Nothing too great. Walks too many, doesn't strike out that many. However it's a minor league deal for a guy who would probably make every team's bullpen so I like it.

[MNBrew]

Hard to dislike this given that there's little risk to it. I'm hoping the collective hunch out there is the case, that a bigger fish is still to come, and that this was merely a no-risk depth move.

[RockCoCougars]

Was going to say yuck until I saw that it was a non-roster move. I wasn't aware that he'd fallen this far... very low risk, decent reward move if you ask me.

[JohnBriggs12]

Protection if Henderson isn't ready to go. It's in the class of the Rockies signing Axford. Read that his velocity was highest since his big 2010.

He didn't allow a run in 7 September appearances. Maybe he found something.

[djoctagone]

dontrelle willis and alfredo figaro are jealous that this was posted in the major league forum.

[DR28]

If the trade for Papelbon gets completed and Perez makes the team (which I'm sure he will)... There's gonna be some tough cuts in ST... Also assuming Thornburg and Henderson are healthy.

 

Papelbon (Sounding more and more likely this gets done)

Broxton

Henderson

Smith

Cotts

Perez

Kintzler

Jeffress

Thornburg

 

Unless some more trades are coming... Gotta imagine Kintzler gets cut... And maybe Thornburg goes to AAA to get stretched out.

[pacopete4]

The more options we have... the better. I love that we are signing guys like Perez and Willis. Love it.

[jerichoholicninja]

If the trade for Papelbon gets completed and Perez makes the team (which I'm sure he will)... There's gonna be some tough cuts in ST... Also assuming Thornburg and Henderson are healthy.

 

Papelbon (Sounding more and more likely this gets done)

Broxton

Henderson

Smith

Cotts

Perez

Kintzler

Jeffress

Thornburg

 

Unless some more trades are coming... Gotta imagine Kintzler gets cut... And maybe Thornburg goes to AAA to get stretched out.

 

Maybe one of those bottom 3 goes to Philly for Papelbon. I wouldn't like it but it's a possibility.

[TooLiveBrew]

If Kintzler is part of a deal for Papelbon I wouldn't be upset. I like Kintzler, but I don't think he's as important going forward as Jeffress & Thornburg.

 

I'll echo the sentiments of others that I like the Perez signing as a basically zero-risk/high upside type of move.

[SRB]

If the trade for Papelbon gets completed and Perez makes the team (which I'm sure he will)... There's gonna be some tough cuts in ST... Also assuming Thornburg and Henderson are healthy.

 

Papelbon (Sounding more and more likely this gets done)

Broxton

Henderson

Smith

Cotts

Perez

Kintzler

Jeffress

Thornburg

 

Unless some more trades are coming... Gotta imagine Kintzler gets cut... And maybe Thornburg goes to AAA to get stretched out.

 

Don't forget Knebel. Does he really need a full year closing games at AAA?

[Warning Track Power]

I am very excited about the potential of having Jeffress, Knebel, Thornburg and Smith in the pen. That is beginning of a very solid and cheap bullpen.

[SoupTown]

I had a quick fangraphs of Perez. He does not look 'bad' to me. Like many relievers it is a bit up and down. But my projection would have him as incredibly average - not bad not great. There is surely a place for that. And if Kintzler is the trade to Cinnci for Pappelbon - Perez does slot into Kintzler's spot pretty easily.