Brewers Saturday: All is quiet on the trade front for Milwaukee
MILWAUKEE -- With five days left before the non-waiver trade deadline on July 31, all is quiet on the trade front for the Milwaukee Brewers, according to general manager Doug Melvin.
Melvin says he recently called a couple of teams but most of the baseball world is focused on the Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y., this weekend.
"I've been pretty aggressive as far as contacting teams," Melvin said prior to Saturday night's game against the New York Mets. "I've been doing it for over a week now. There's just not a so-called availability without asking for people we don't want to give up.
"I called a few clubs to check in and they said they'd call back Monday. I'm on top of everything, what I think is available and what is not. You read all these rumors and you chase them down to at least get those off the rumor list."
Thus far, the cost of adding talent has been significant. The Angels gave up quite a haul -- including the player who entered the season as their No. 1 prospect -- to acquire closer Huston Street from San Diego. On Saturday, San Francisco traded its No. 2 and No. 11 prospects (according to MLB.com) to Boston for Jake Peavy, who is 1-9 with a 4.72 ERA.
Melvin referenced how the Giants gave up starting pitcher Zack Wheeler, who pitched well against the Brewers on Friday, to acquire Carlos Beltran from the Mets in 2011. San Francisco ended up not making the playoffs and lost a top pitching prospect in the process.
"You have to weigh all of that," Melvin said. "We have a lot of the history of trades on our boards upstairs, seeing what teams give up. When you are a buyer and are looking, teams hold out hope that you will give in and give your best players up."
Melvin wouldn't disclose what areas of the team he is looking to improve, but one would figure relief pitching is near the top of the list. Rockies reliever LaTroy Hawkins was brought up to Melvin on Saturday, but he doesn't feel Colorado will trade its closer.
Including Friday night's blown save, Brewers closer Francisco Rodriguez has a 5.08 ERA over his last 30 1/3 innings. There's a chance Melvin could go out and add somebody with closing experience, much as he did in 2011 when he acquired Rodriguez to team with John Axford, to provide insurance.
"He's still a guy we have to count on," Melvin said of Rodriguez. "We have Will Smith out there too, but he hasn't been put into that role. No matter who is closing you are going to be nervous. You hope (Rodriguez) can turn it around. This is a tough park for home runs."
Gennett on track: After coming through batting practice Friday with no setbacks, Scooter Gennett is ready to return from his right quadriceps injury.
Gennett was not in the lineup for the fourth consecutive game Saturday, but he normally wouldn't have started against Mets left-hander Jonathan Niese.
According to manager Ron Roenicke, Gennett is available off the bench Saturday night.
"(Friday) went real well," Roenicke said. "We're hoping (Saturday) goes the same. The plan is still to get him back in there Sunday."
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