Results tagged ‘ Matt Treanor ’
Treanor traded to Texas
The Brewers traded catcher Matt Treanor to the Rangers on Monday for Minor League infielder Ray Olmedo, a move that put George Kottaras on the inside track to open the season as Milwaukee’s backup catcher.
“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised,” Treanor said. “It’s a really good situation for me and hopefully it works out for the Brewers as well. … It’s a good feeling to know that you’re wanted.”
The Brewers made four other moves before Monday’s game against the Dodgers: Pitcher Josh Butler and infielder Adam Heether were optioned to Triple-A Nashville and outfielder Trent Oeltjen was returned to Minor League camp. The Brewers also added infielder Trent Green to big league camp as a nonroster player.
Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash cautioned against anointing Kottaras the backup to Brewers catcher Gregg Zaun just yet, but the only other catcher still on the camp roster is Jonathan Lucroy, who topped out at Double-A Huntsville last season.
The Rangers are off on Tuesday so Treanor’s first opportunity to meet his new teammates will come Wednesday. The Minor League contract that Treanor signed with the Brewers includes a March 30 “out” clause that allows him to elect free agency if he is not added to the 40-man roster.
Even if he does not make Texas’ big league club, the Rangers probably offer a better opportunity for Treanor than Milwaukee, where Lucroy and fellow prospect Angel Salome represent something of a Triple-A logjam.
“Basically I’m going to be in the same boat over there as I am here, competing for a job,” Treanor said. “From what it sounds like, I have a good opportunity [to begin the season in the Majors]. I just have to go over there and catch as many guys as I can and learn the staff and become a part of the Texas Rangers’ organization.”
The tough part is that Treanor was just getting comfortable in his Brewers jersey, a month into camp. Now he has two weeks to learn an entirely new slew of pitchers.
“That’s the way the game is,” he said. “I’m not accustomed to this situation. I was with Florida for 11 years after my first trade [from the Royals to the Marlins in July 1997] and you get kind of used to the guys. … Any time you get sent out it’s a weird feeling. I think I’m definitely taking this better than I did when I was 21, 22 years old. It’s a part of the game and a lot of guys do it.”
Kottaras was the Brewers’ pick for a number of reasons, including the fact he is already on the 40-man roster and is out of Minor League options. Kottaras, 26, is also eight years younger than the veteran Treanor and offers more of an offensive element than the defense-first Treanor.
“They had a stronger need for catching than we had, and considering how our situation was unfolding, we felt it was wise to make that maneuver now to give us more depth on the Triple-A infield,” Ash said. “[Treanor] is a good veteran guy. He knows how to handle a staff. But when you’re trying to blend the present to the future, it made more sense to go this way.”
“George is an outstanding talent,” Treanor said. “He likes to work, he’s very organized. Maybe that’s why the move was made; maybe I wasn’t going to make the team.”
Olmedo can play second base, third base and shortstop. Olmedo, 28, has played professionally since 1999 with time in the Major Leagues with Cincinnati (2003-06) and Toronto (2007), hitting .228 in 198 games.
Olmedo was in Texas’ big league camp as a nonroster invitee, but he will report to Milwaukee’s Minor League camp.
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'Out' dates coming up
Brewers officials are scheduled to meet Monday morning to discuss roster decisions, including a handful of players in camp who can elect free agency this week if they are not added to the 40-man roster.
The list of players with such “out” dates includes outfielder Jim Edmonds, catcher Matt Treanor and left-hander Scott Schoeneweis. Edmonds’ and Schoeneweis’ date is Thursday, when the Brewers return from their only Spring Training off-day to play the Dodgers in Glendale, Ariz. Treanor was not sure of his precise date and general manager Doug Melvin said he preferred not to disclose it.
The clauses mean that the Brewers could have some decisions to make. Edmonds is probably part of the team’s Opening Day plans, but Treanor is still vying with 40-man roster member George Kottaras for the backup catcher job, and Schoeneweis is part of the Brewers’ complicated “combinations and permutations” in the pitching department.
In the race to back up starting catcher Gregg Zaun, the Brewers essentially have to choose between offense and defense. Kottaras bats left-handed and has shown significant power while batting .321 and slugging .679 in the Cactus League. Six of his nine hits have gone for extra bases, including a pair of home runs. Treanor, meanwhile, is batting just .200 and slugging .250, but he is an advanced defensive catcher with much more Major League experience.
“He’s done a fine job receiving the ball,” manager Ken Macha said. “I think he’s been very receptive to all instruction and he’s very knowledgeable about what’s going on. On the defensive side of it, I think he’s solid.”
Even in the very unlikely case he would be open to an assignment, the Brewers probably don’t have room for Treanor in the Minor Leagues because prospects Angel Salome and Jonathan Lucroy are already fighting for playing time.
Treanor planned to place a call Sunday night to his agent, Joel Wolf, to discuss his out date.
“Defensively, handling the pitchers, I feel like I’ve done what I wanted to do,” Treanor said. “Offensively, I’ve missed some chances. … It’s a tough decision on the club because Georgie has been great.”
Schoeneweis signed a Minor League contract with Milwaukee on Feb. 9 and has allowed four earned runs but only three hits in six Spring Training games. He said Sunday that he would not be willing to accept a Minor League assignment. The Brewers already have one left-hander ticketed for the Major League bullpen in Mitch Stetter.
At least two other non-roster invitees have “out” clauses in their contracts, but both come into play during the regular season. Left-hander A.J. Murray can become a free agent if he’s not with the Brewers on June 15, and outfielder Trent Oeltjen can walk away if he is not in the Majors within 48 hours of July 1.
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Edmonds was in the lineup today against the White Sox. Here’s what the full card looks like:
WHITE SOX
Alexei Ramirez SS
Jordan Danks LF
Mark Kotsay 1B
Andruw Jones CF
Alex Rios RF
Ramon Castro C
Jayson Nix 3B
Brent Lillibridge 2B
Freddy Garcia RHP
BREWERS
Rickie Weeks 2B
Carlos Gomez CF
Ryan Braun LF
Prince Fielder 1B
Gregg Zaun C
Jim Edmonds CF RF
Craig Counsell 3B
Alcides Escobar SS
Randy Wolf LHP
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Before Doug Davis pitches against the Angels in Monday’s “A” game, left-hander Chris Narveson will take the hill in a “B” game at Maryvale Baseball Park against the Rangers. One of the big league catchers will handle Narveson, and third baseman Casey McGehee and right fielder Corey Hart are scheduled to get some extra at-bats.
McGehee, one of last year’s Spring Training All-Stars (.339 average, six homers), is hitting .206 this year. Hart is batting just .182.
“I think those guys feel they could use some at-bats and Dale [Sveum, Milwaukee's hitting coach] feels they could use some at-bats also,” Macha said. “There’s no specific formula on how to get somebody at their best shape for Opening Day. We’re trying to do our best.”
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The Brewers are finally splitting up Dave Bush and Manny Parra. Bush will pitch Tuesday against the Indians and Parra will have to come in on the off-day Wednesday to pitch a Minor League game. Until this week, Bush and Parra have been pitching on the same day.
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Lefty Chris Capuano expected to throw a bullpen session on Monday. He has not pitched since March 11, when he developed some discomfort in his surgically-repaired elbow.
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Injury hampers Gamel's big-league bid
The Brewers’ medical staff has been discouraged by third baseman Mat Gamel’s slow progress back from a sore right shoulder, and it is increasingly likely that the injury will cost Gamel a shot at the Opening Day roster, manager Ken Macha said Wednesday.
“It’s getting to the point where it’s going to be hard to get him enough at-bats to feel like he’s ready,” Macha said.
Gamel also missed time last spring with a sore throwing shoulder. During the season, he bounced between everyday duty at Triple-A Nashville and the Brewers’ big league bench. He batted .278 with 11 homers and 48 RBIs in 75 games at Nashville and .242 with five homers and 20 RBIs in 61 games with Milwaukee.
“I would have liked to have him have a very positive spring and come into the [season] with a positive attitude,” Macha said. “Last year, it was a little bit of a struggle for him at the end of the year.”
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Speaking of injury-plagued prospects, catcher Angel Salome suffered a minor ankle injury during batting practice on Tuesday and will be sidelined a few days. He was supposed to catch Dave Bush in a “B” game against the Rangers on Thursday, but Matt Treanor will handle that assignment instead.
Last spring, Salome missed time because of a bad back.
UPDATE from assistant general manager Gord Ash, who says that Salome’s left ankle is the one in question. He saw Dr. Evan Lederman on Wednesday morning, and Lederman suggested that the injury is not a major issue.
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Either Salome or fellow catching prospect Jonathan Lucroy might end up very disappointed at the end of camp. Both probably belong in Triple-A this season, Salome because he was there last year and held his own, and Lucroy because he was very good at Double-A Huntsville last season and then participated in the Arizona Fall League.
Macha said that club officials had discussed the conundrum this week. He hinted that if Salome and Lucroy are both healthy and in the organization at the start of the season, he would prefer to see one sent o Nashville and the other to Double-A Huntsville.
“I don’t think it helps you in your development if you’re not catching five days out of the week,” Macha said. “That’s just my opinion. Your job as a catcher is to learn the pitchers and learn what pitches work and sequences and things like that. When you’re catching three days a week, that’s tough.”
But Macha stressed that it’s not his call.
“That will be something for somebody else to figure out,” he said.
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David Riske, recovering from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, was scheduled to throw another bullpen session on Wednesday morning and said he could progress to a live batting practice session next week. But it is clear now that he will have to stay in extended Spring Training while the Brewers head north.
“I’m positive about the way things are going,” Riske said. “It will be nice to get a hitter up there.”
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The Brewers’ lineup against Aroldis Chapman and the Reds looks like this:
Rickie Weeks 2B
Carlos Gomez CF
Ryan Braun LF
Corey Hart RF
Steffan Wilson 1B
Craig Counsell 3B
Alcides Escobar SS
George Kottaras C
Doug Davis LHP
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Gamel sidelined a few more days
Third baseman Mat Gamel conceded this morning that he tried to come back too early from a sore right shoulder. Now it appears he will be sidelined a few more days.
Gamel first complained of some soreness last week and was held out of Cactus League games for the first three days of the schedule. He said he was ready to play by Saturday but was asked to wait, then got an extra day of rest Sunday. when the Brewers-Reds game was rained out. So it came as some surprise to manager Ken Macha that Gamel was forced to exit Monday’s game against the Mariners in the third inning with a sore shoulder.
“I guess it’s not ready yet,” Gamel said. “It was feeling better. I guess I just rushed it. … But it’s better to miss a couple now than a couple later.”
He would have preferred to not miss any at all. Gamel also missed time last spring with a sore throwing shoulder — he says this injury is different — and then saw his numbers slip after the Brewers began bouncing him between Triple-A and the big league bench beginning in May.
Officially, Gamel is competing for a spot on the big league roster this spring and he remains the team’s top option behind incumbent starter Casey McGehee. There is some pressure, then, to be out on the field.
“You can’t make a team in the training room,” he lamented. “They need you healthy.”
Macha agreed.
“Let’s make sure we nip this in the bud so he can give himself a chance,” Macha said. “If it happens again and he’s going to be out two weeks, we’ve got coverage. We’ve got other guys we can put on the team.”
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Assuming we stay dry, here is the lineup for today’s game against the Cubs:
Rickie Weeks 2B
Craig Counsell SS
Carlos Gomez CF
Prince Fielder 1B
Jim Edmonds LF
Jody Gerut RF
Adam Heether 3B
Jonathan Lucroy C
Jeff Suppan RHP
The pitchers scheduled to follow Suppan include Marco Estrada, Chuck Lofgren, John Halama, Claudio Vargas and A.J. Murray.
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Lucroy is starting today but Macha has been focusing lately on evaluating George Kottaras and Matt Treanor, who may have a leg up on the backup catcher battle.
“They each give you a little bit different look,” Macha said. “Kottaras, watching him take [batting practice], he’s got pretty sizeable power when he gets hold of one and he’s a left-handed hitter, which is nice to have. … Treanor, I really like the way he throws the ball and blocks the ball in the dirt. So you’ve got two kind of different styles, or what they bring to the table is a little different.”
What will influence Macha’s decision?
“I want to take a look and see what Zaun does as the spring goes on,” he said. “That may be a determining factor. I’m open if a guy goes out there and is head and shoulders above everybody.”
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Macha offered praise for Minor League first baseman Steffan Wilson, who garnered a last-minute invitation to big league camp to help back up Fielder at first base.
“He’s been impressive,” Macha said. “Intense guy. He was taking his warm-up swings and he’s looking like Mike Sweeney more every day. Big, strong first baseman. Hits the ball all over the ballpark.”
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Lockers stood empty Tuesday morning where pitching prospects Eric Arnett, Kyle Heckathorn and Alex Periard had dressed. All three pitchers were cut from big league camp on Monday to continue their preparation on the Minor League side. Macha said that Monday morning’s B game prevented pitching coach Rick Peterson from giving the young men a proper send-off, but Peterson planned to stop by the Minor League complex for a chat.
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Treanor added to catching competition
The Brewers announced Friday they had signed catcher Matt Treanor to a Minor League contract and invited him to big league Spring Training camp.
Treanor, 33, was a capable backup for the Florida Marlins from 2004-2008 but was limited to nine games with the Tigers last season because of a right hip injury. In 278 Major League games, he is a .232 hitter with eight home runs and 70 RBIs.
Treanor is a right-handed hitter and thrower. He turns 34 on March 3.
He’s also known as the husband of volleyball star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Misty May.
Treanor gives the Brewers further depth behind the plate. The club signed Gregg Zaun two weeks ago and promised him the majority of starts, but Treanor will presumably compete for the backup job alongside waiver pick-up George Kottaras and in-house prospects Jonathan Lucroy and Angel Salome. Kottaras, Lucroy and Salome have a decided advantage in that they are on the 40-man roster.
Until last week the Brewers also had incumbent backup Mike Rivera, but he became a free agent on Dec. 12 when the team declined to tender a contract.
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Adam McCalvy
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