Why Guillermo Mota?

[splitterpfj]

The Mets couldn't wait to get rid of right-hander Guillermo Mota, who will earn $3.2 million next season. The Brewers, however, were encouraged by the way Mota threw in September, reaching 96 mph. Brewers scout Tom McNamara, recently hired from the Padres, saw Mota pitch while preparing for a possible Mets-Padres matchup in the postseason.

-Ken Rosenthal, Fox Sports

 

Obviously, the Brewers had decided to ditch Estrada no matter what, but when I heard Mota's name, I was completely surprised. Now, at least we know where the idea came from.

[sbrylski]

McNamara's name now publically connected, he's got a chance to make some big BF.net brownie points if Mota is indeed effective next season.

[dadofandrew]

He fits the profile, big RH who throws hard. As I pointed out soon after the trade, he had a bad outing, 6 runs in 2/3rd's of an inning, that inflated his numbers a bit. He was almost exactly what you'd expect from a guy with no spring training, sans that one game.

[colbyjack]

With all of those extra picks, and the Brewers propensity for taking players on the East Coast, Tom McNamara is going to have plenty of opportunities for added brownie points as the Brewers newly appointed East Coast Crosschecker.

 

Nice find splitter, let's hope his call on Mota was a good one.

[splitterpfj]

If Mota nails down either the setup or closer spot for the Brewers in '08, that'll be a most impressive move. The Mets are already talking about non-tendering Estrada, and have continued trade discussions with the Giants, for Molina.

[twobrewers]

I think brewerfan.net is going to be pleasantly surprised with Mota. He has some pretty nasty stuff - and could really see a rebirth in Milwaukee.

 

He needed to get out of New York as the media and fans had really turned on him. He isn't the "name" that many were hoping for - but his talent is equal to a lot of FA relief pitchers out there. Plus we only have to pay him one year, as opposed to the 2-3 year commitment we would have to give a free agent.

[DHarris34Phan]

He's the "name" I was looking for.....Mota means weed in Spanish!!!!

[MNBrew]

He's the "name" I was looking for.....Mota means weed in Spanish!!!!

I hope the exclamation points don't mean you think that that's a good thing.

 

My main hope is that the guy's arm is still healthy & live, and that between Maddux and especially our 1a pitching coach Billy Castro, they can find some gold in Mota's right arm & his head (for when it's not the arm's fault). Not that I think of Mota as a reclamation project, but based on what he did last year I'm hoping he pitches with an edge, like he still has something to prove, and the Brewers are the beneficiary.

 

[Fatter than Joey]

It's interesting to me with all the names thrown around here -- I don't recall Mota EVER being discussed. This is certainly an ""out of LF" trade.

 

At this point I think this trade will make DM look really good or really bad.

[And That]

Please refrain from discussing the Spanish meaning of Mota's last name. I'm heading this one off at the pass now so that this won't continue to be a problem as long as he's Brewer property. For the love of Guillermo, please.

[logan82]

I don't know how this trade can look bad since Estrada was probably gone one way or another. Much like the Brady Clark trade earlier this year. We got Dessens who was not much use to us, but there was no place for Clark on the roster anyway.

[Fatter than Joey]

I don't know how this trade can look bad since Estrada was probably gone one way or another.

 

The money. Dessens was paid by KC. Paying Mota $3.2M means he is pretty locked into our BP regardless of his sucktitude.

[logan82]

We have extra money for next year that will not necessarily be there after that. $3.2M over one year doesn't bother me to much.

 

I thought we picked up most of Clark's contract in that deal so the money ended up the same.

[AdvantageSchneider]

And $3.2 million for 1 year appears to be chicken feed in the market these days.

[splitterpfj]

And $3.2 million for 1 year appears to be chicken feed in the market these days.

Sad, but true, if Mota's just "not horrible" next year, that's actually a decent price right now.

[adambr2]

Our best reliever for next year is a poor man's version of Rick "Wild Thing" Vaughn, who posted ERA's the last 2 years of 4.63 and 6.87.

 

I think we could actually use Dusty Baker at this point. Sorry starters, we need 150+ pitches per start.

[aracko]

Mota is as good as Linebrink in my opinion. I think he is going to be a much better acquisition for us than he was for the METS last year.

[davego]

He needs to throw a splitter. If he trots that out, it could get him thru the first half of the season before the league catches on.

[djoctagone]

easy.

 

mota can speak spanish.

 

estrada can't.

[JohnBriggs12]

"We have extra money that won't necessarily be there after that"

 

That's the old money burning a whole in your pocket reasoning and it's no reason to go spending it on guys with whom you associate the following words: "if, maybe, could, might".

 

Fatter than Joey is right on the mark. $3.2 million is a fairly modest amount, but not modest enough to prevent the Brewers from throwing Mota out there over and over even if he's awful.

 

As an example, take Craig Counsell. Does it make one iota of baseball sense to bring back a 36 year old infielder coming off a season where he hit .220/.323/.309? Answer is of course not. But he's owed $3.2 million. End of discussion. Callix Crabbe, hope you enjoy your next organization, there's no room for you on this roster becuase we're paying Craig Counsell.

[dadofandrew]

Crabbe cannot play SS. He could not replace Counsell regardless.

 

The market for 2B/OF is exceedingly tiny. Best of luck to Callix, but he's stuck in AAA unless his offense improves greatly, given his defensive limitations.

[Thurston Fluff]

If Mota turns out to be a reliable late inning reliever it would be great. If his numbers aren't better than last year and is a late inning guy simply because we have no one better then I think Melvin will have failed to address a major need of the team.

I think his role is going to be more of the middle inning absorb multiple innings type guy though. He's not the answer but he can be a part of the equation that provides the answer.

[JohnBriggs12]

Al, with Bill Hall still on the roster, if the need arose to replace Hardy at SS for a long period, you think they would put Counsell or Hall there? Or that a guy (Crabbe) who in an entire year at AAA made 4 errors at second base, can't play SS in an emergency for a day or two? Or if it were just a few days, they couldn't bring up Escobar? As for Crabbe's offense, he's coming off a better season at AAA than Tony Gwynn ever put up. Every indication tells me he could outhit Counsell. Or that the Brewers couldn't find a veteran glove on the scrap heap that could match Counsell's numbers?

 

My point is that money not performance dictates who plays, and the money owed Mota will dictate that he gets opportunities ahead of guys like Mclung and Stetter, even though they might be better.

[Fatter than Joey]

I don't know how this trade can look bad since Estrada was probably gone one way or another. Much like the Brady Clark trade earlier this year.

 

Well -- The big difference is that Estrada was not a sunk cost. Brady Clark was owed money, we could have non-tendered Estrada.

 

I would have had no problem with getting another Balfour/McClung from the Mets for Estrada -- because if Yost puts them into a high leverage situation and they fail -- they can be DFA'd or traded for another pitcher of their ilk. Mota will be in our pen in all likelihood from start to finish, Yost will HAVE to use him.

[I Heart Brewers]

But if you non tender Estrada how do you get Mota if that is who you are targeting as a potential relief arm?