Riske close to being a Brewer? (Possible announcement midweek)

[Brian the Automator]

Side question: Pronounced "risky" or "risk"? I always thought "risky," but then I heard someone on the radio the other day say it the other way.

I think it is "Risk-ay"

 

Does that mean he's going to wear fishnet stockings?

 

[Brian the Automator]

Riske's definitely a Type B.

[vacin8r]

this is a good link to see what classification a free agent is:

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2007/03/2008_mlb_free_a.html

so yes he is a type B. the royals would get a sandwich pick and nothing more.

-Don

[TooLiveBrew]

Danger, Will Robinson, Riske had a BABIP last year of .268.

 

Yea, but that's actually pretty much in line with his career norms, as strange as that is. What stands out to me from '07 is his 90% strand rate. Yikes!

[Team Canada]

A three year deal worth $18 to 20 million? If true, that better include the 4th option year, otherwise I'm calling this "report" BS. They could have kept Linebrink around for 4 years for that kind of money.

 

I dunno, I'll take a reliever and 2 draft picks over a reliever any day.

 

I hope that Riske or whoever we get is used like Marmol, and we stick Turnbow or whoever in the closer role.

[Team Canada]

Does that mean he's going to wear fishnet stockings?

 

 

No, but he leaves the top 3 buttons unbuttoned with no undershirt.

 

[TooLiveBrew]

Me too, TC. That's what I had in mind when I saw the title of this thread.

[colbyjack]

If anyone's interested, I'm keeping a running tab of the draft picks effected by free agency in the 2008 draft recourse thread:

 

http://forum.brewerfan.net/viewtopic.php?t=8818

 

I dunno, I'll take a reliever and 2 draft picks over a reliever any day.

 

Absolutely, I can't argue that point at all, but I'm still skeptical of the report.

[hawing]

So instead of constant "Risky Business" references, we have to find a risque way to play off David's name. (If this deal comes to pass.)

[Invader3K]

Well, ultimately the team has to do what's best for 2008, not worry about losing a draft pick for a player that probably wouldn't be in Milwaukee until 2010 at the very earliest.

[fondybrewfan]

I would be fairly confident in a bullpen of Riske, Turnbow, Shouse, Stetter/Choate, McClung (maybe), and the SP who gets left out of the Starting rotation. I would prefer getting one more guy through trade or free agency maybe someone like Mahay. Hawkins, or Dotel . I am really excited if Stetter can transfer his AFL success into success in a MLB LOOGY role

[southpaw121505]

Riske is the (realistic) FA I wanted most. I was hoping it would be 3/15. I'd still rather have this deal and the leftovers than what Cordero got paid.

[crewcrazy]

I like how ESPN's player cards include pronunciations:

 

Proper Name: David Richard Riske

Born: October 23, 1976

Renton, WA

Height: 6-2

Weight: 180 lbs.

Age: 31

Pronounced: RISK-ee

[TURBO]

this would be a MAJOR step backwards imo...

 

from Cordero to Riske at the closer position blows...

 

Not that we should have paid Cordero as much as he got, but this does not excite me for next season.

 

So far, we have not gotten better at any position.

[twobrewers]

If we sign Riske we will lose our first round pick this year.

Opps. My bad. I was definately looking at the 2006 rankings instead of 2007.

 

How does he end up with one of his best season ever and move down from an A to a B this year?

 

Those rankings are just messed up.

[Tbadder]

Unfortunately this looks like the market value--god, that's depressing. 4 four years for 20 mil I could swallow, but I could also swallow a pigeon; don't know that I'd actually want to though.

[TooLiveBrew]

The rules were set in place in, what, 1981? Any rules of baseball evaluation as old as me should not be trusted.

[twobrewers]

this would be a MAJOR step backwards imo...

Man Rickey. It must be really hard for your to be a Brewers fan. You seem to be generally negative with every post.

 

We can't have all-stars at every position. (Even the Yankees and Red Sox can't to that) Sometimes you have to settle for having a few "good" players on your team.

In no way does signing Riske make our team worse.

[TooLiveBrew]

agreed, twobrew. Obviously Riske's not Cordero, but he's a solid RP, and his contract will look nice in a year or two, a la the Cubs' bullpen signings. Bob Howry isn't Cordero, but I'd love to have him with his contract at this point.

[TURBO]

this would be a MAJOR step backwards imo...

 

In no way does signing Riske make our team worse.

I respectfully disagree...

[TooLiveBrew]

Care to qualify? I don't think it's entirely accurate to say that signing him makes the team worse bc he's not Cordero. Sure, if you want to 1-to-1 it, of course. But the reality is that right now Cordero isn't on the squad, and Riske would be added strength to our bullpen. Besides, your notion that Riske would be the closer is pure speculation.

[Klements Bratwurst]

this would be a MAJOR step backwards imo...

 

from Cordero to Riske at the closer position blows...

I don't think Melvin is acquiring him to be the closer. This is another good arm to get you through those rough 7 and 8th innings. Now in your second sentence, if you change Riske's name with Turnbow, then I completely agree with you.

 

I am under the opinion that by adding 2-3 good experienced arms to the pen through trade or free agency might darn near equal the value of Cordero. I mean, as Melvin said, "anyone can save the first 29 games, but it is the next 10 that is tough."

 

With that said, if we can more effectively bridge those innings after the starter struggles in the 6th-7th innings with a better relievers than Matt Wise, Chris Spurling, Seth McClung, it could be possible that the closer might not be needed to save 45 games or whatever. No doubt this offensive team can get you 4-7 runs a game. Hopefully by addressing those middle "bridge" innings with better relievers, we win more games with scores of 7-3 and 6-2 instead of 7-5 and 6-4 or worse with a Wise/Spurling/McClung bridge to the closer.

[SoCalBrewfan]

It's a big leap from the JS article ("Melvin said he was awaiting an answer on an offer he made to a free-agent relief pitcher. ") to what that blog reports: "Brewers close to signing Riske." Maybe there are other sources confirming the offer, but I'll believe it when I see it. Riske has a better track record than many of the available middle relievers...he should be able to get more than JC Romero got (3/$12M) and probably something comparable to Linebrink if there are multiple bidders (as has been rumored).

 

Still I'm going to wait and see here. It's just like the supposed offer to Herges...several people leapt from a few fragments of speculation to a two-year offer...when in fact it sounds like the Tigers were the second team in on Herges:

 

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2007/nov/28/torrealba-likely-return-matsui-almost-certainly-go/

[madtowndrunkard]

this would be a MAJOR step backwards imo...

 

from Cordero to Riske at the closer position blows...

I don't think Melvin is acquiring him to be the closer. This is another good arm to get you through those rough 7 and 8th innings. Now in your second sentence, if you change Riske's name with Turnbow, then I completely agree with you.

 

I am under the opinion that by adding 2-3 good experienced arms to the pen through trade or free agency might darn near equal the value of Cordero. I mean, as Melvin said, "anyone can save the first 29 games, but it is the next 10 that is tough."

 

With that said, if we can more effectively bridge those innings after the starter struggles in the 6th-7th innings with a better relievers than Matt Wise, Chris Spurling, Seth McClung, it could be possible that the closer might not be needed to save 45 games or whatever. No doubt this offensive team can get you 4-7 runs a game. Hopefully by addressing those middle "bridge" innings with better relievers, we win more games with scores of 7-3 and 6-2 instead of 7-5 and 6-4 or worse with a Wise/Spurling/McClung bridge to the closer.

 

Do you honestly think Melvin would pay a RP $6million per year and not intend on him being our closer? If Riske is signed to be help for our BP then I think it's a great signing, If he's signed to be our closer I think it's a horrible signing.

 

As for "anyone can save 29 games....." Those 10 losses that could have been wins (if you had a good closer) is the difference between winning the division and your season being over in July.

 

BTW Riske did have back surgery once. He then had problems with back soreness for a couple years but I haven't heard of any problems as of late. Riske is not a closer. My fear is Melvin wants him to compete with Turnbow for that closers job. If by chance we do go with a bullpen like this - we darn well better upgrade our rotation. Because with the starters we have now - our BP will be dead by July and we'll experience another monumental 2nd half collapse. We have two starters who we can expect to make 30+ starts (bush and Suppan) We can't rely on Sheets. We can't expect Gallardo to carry us in Sept/Oct. His young arm won't be able to handle it. Villanueva has never made more then 6 starts - plus if we take him out of our BP - yikes. Who knows what you'll get with Cappy. We need a good starter badly.

[yoshii8]

I don't think this is a done deal yet either.

 

TurboRickey, the guy had a 2.45 ERA last year, and we don't have to give up any draft picks for him. We also have 4 more months to acquire a closer.