Milwaukee Brewers Blog - Bernie's Crew : Seth McClung

JS Player Grades

Jim Breen — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:34:55 GMT

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel recapped and graded the individual performances of every Brewer that saw significant playing time throughout the season.

Grading is extremely subjective, so no "true" grade for any one player exists. Still, some of the grades doled out by the Milwaukee JS were a tad bit misguided and need to be addressed.

Casey McGehee (JS Grade = B)

The article writes that McGehee was the biggest surprise on the team. The former Cubs prospect hit .301 with a .360 OBP, 16 HR, and 66 RBI -- settling in behind Prince in the five hole in the batting order. McGehee finally gave Milwaukee a consistent threat behind Prince. It forced opposing teams to pitch to the young slugger, especially in September, when Casey enjoyed perhaps his finest month at the plate.

My main gripe with the grade is that players such as Alcides Escobar and Claudio Vargas received higher marks. A Rookie of the Year candidate in the National League, especially one who was not expected to contribute to the big league team coming into Spring Training, deserves more than a B grade. He was worth +2.1 WAR in 116 games, for goodness sake.

The only negative coming from McGehee is his defensive performance, which can largely be attributed to a bad stretch in July and bulky knees that severely limited his range. Expect better defense in 2010 from Casey.

Bernie's Crew Grade: A-minus

Rickie Weeks (JS Grade = Incomplete)

Milwaukee's second baseman receives an incomplete, even though he had more plate appearances than players such as Mat Gamel, Alcides Escobar, Frank Catalanotto, and Mike Rivera -- who all received grades.

Then, we got this little gem:

Weeks has worked hard to improve his defense but still rates as a below-average defender.

Rickie compiled a +4.7 UZR in 2009. He may have committed six errors in only two months of work, but his plus-range more than makes up for a careless play or two throughout the season. It is certainly much easier to glance at the error total or his .964 fielding percentage, but his range factor per game was up over 4.5 for the fifth straight season.

There is so much more to defense than the error total.

Bernie's Crew Grade: B

Jody Gerut (JS Grade = D)

Talk about holding a grudge.

The Milwaukee JS chose to ignore Gerut's second half, in which he hit .279/.343/.459, and opted to dwell on his horrible start to his Brewers career.

The "bad" Jody Gerut showed up in Milwaukee for the first two months. The "good" Jody Gerut began to surface once garnering more playing time in the second half. In fact, Gerut outperformed Mike Cameron at the plate over the final two months of the season.

You would never know that from the JS article, though.

Bernie's Crew: C

Dave Bush (JS Grade = D)

It is difficult for me to justify marring Bush's injury-plagued season with a "D" grade.

As Haudricourt and Witrado noted in the article, Bush seemingly had turned a corner on the mound halfway through the 2008 season. From the middle of 2008 to the Florida game, in which he was struck in the arm by a Hanley Ramirez line drive, Bush had compiled a 3.99 ERA in his previous 22 starts. He almost tossed a no-hitter against the Phillies in May of this season.

That line drive, however, marked the downward spiral of his 2009 season.

Bush struggled with microtears in his triceps muscle in his right arm, which caused serious arm fatigue. He attempted to pitch through the injury in June, but eventually landed on the DL with those microtears.

The issues did not improve after returning on August 27th, however.

The right-hander occasionally flipped up a gem of an outing, but he could not maintain his velocity or production from start to start. Milwaukee finally decided to shelf him for the final week of the season due to his arm fatigue. He continuously went in for tests to determine if he had more damage to his arm than previously thought, but doctors kept diagnosing him with the microtears and "dead arm."

Hopefully, an offseason of rest and recuperation will allow Bush to rebound and reclaim his #3 or #4 spot in the rotation. I just simply cannot justify doling out a "D" grade to a pitcher who helped anchor the rotation prior to his injury. The Dave Bush we saw after early June was not the real Dave Bush.

Bernie's Crew Grade: C-minus

Braden Looper (JS Grade = C-plus)

Braden Looper was horrendous in 2009.

His ERA may have been a "shiny" 5.22, but his FIP ballooned to 5.74. Not to mention the fact that he surrendered the most long balls in the National League with 39. His strikeout rate dropped to 4.62 K/9, while his walk rate jumped to 2.96 BB/9.

Braden Looper received a C-plus from the Milwaukee JS because he logged 14 wins and managed to make 34 starts throughout the season. His 8.97 average run support per game made sure he collected 14 wins. It had very little to do with him actually pitching well.

By the way, Looper cost the Brewers almost $4MM in 2009 because he was worth -0.9 WAR. That definitely has "C-plus" written all over it.

Bernie's Crew Grade: D-plus

Seth McClung (JS Grade = D-plus)

If we throw out the 7.1 innings in which the Milwaukee Brewers misguidedly placed McClung in the starting rotation, the big right-hander compiled a 3.95 ERA in 54.2 innings.

Does McClung seriously deserve a "D-plus" for seven innings of work in the starting rotation (can we declare that experiment officially over?) and an injured elbow in the second half?

Obviously not. He was a very useful cog in the Brewers' bullpen, going multiple innings and providing Ken Macha with a rare power-arm. Remember, McClung owned a 3.24 ERA on June 24. Milwaukee simply needs to learn how to utilize Seth properly. You would think after two years they would have it down by now.

Bernie's Crew Grade: C-plus

McClung Injures Elbow in Loss

Jim Breen — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 15:13:59 GMT

Seth McClung unleashed a changeup that went to the backstop against Nate McLouth in the ninth inning of yesterday's game. Two walks later, the big right-hander exited the game complaining of a "weird" sensation in his elbow.

He will be evaluated today by team doctors. Seth, who has had Tommy John surgery in the past, did not jump to that conclusion in the postgame interviews.

"I'm quite familiar with the elbow," McClung said, showing off his scar. "But I wouldn't get too upset. It's the day of, and it's just a little weird in there. I'll show up [Saturday] and talk to all of the doctors, the appropriate people."

Even if Seth's elbow is structurally sound, you can expect Milwaukee to place him on the 15-day DL to allow his elbow ample time to rest.

McClung has struggled to a 5.03 ERA this season, including a 10.12 ERA in the month of July. Walks and home runs have been an issue as of late, which is never a good recipe for a reliever. While no one ever wishes injury upon anyone, McClung's arm could potentially use some rest. He has jumped from starting rotation to late-inning reliever at will this season, and perhaps the lack of routine has given him slight "dead arm" in late July.

The club has obviously not released any information about any pending roster moves if McClung indeed does land on the DL. It is most likely, however, that Mike Burns shifts to the bullpen to serve as an innings-eater, while Tim Dillard is called up from Triple-A Nashville to make a start in place of Burns this Tuesday against the Nationals.

This injury marks just one of the myriad of problems the Brewers have faced this summer. They have lost 13 of their last 19 games and have fallen back into fourth place in the division standings.

The remainder of the Braves series should indicate which way the Brewers fall coming into the trade deadline. If the Brewers are swept and the top three teams in the division continue to play well, I suspect Milwaukee would shift into a soft-sell mode. J.J. Hardy and Corey Hart would be shopped to see what type of pitching could be garnered in return.

Part of me wonders if a soft-sell mode is the best course of action at the moment, as it could strengthen the Brewers' chances in the coming seasons (given the right return on both players). I know that pessimism is simply drawn from the quality of play as of late, however, and it is dangerous to make rash decisions with two months remaining in an extremely packed NL Central. Milwaukee still has a legitimate chance in the division -- even if it does not feel like it at the moment.

McClung belongs in the bullpen

Jim Breen — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 04:56:05 GMT

The Milwaukee Brewers fell hard to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday evening. The 9-5 loss negates almost any possible momentum gained in the series victories against the Giants and Mets.

Why?

The pitching staff looked bad. Really bad.

Seth McClung is proving what many of us have been thinking -- he belongs nowhere near the starting rotation. His aggressive style and flexibility as a reliever makes him extremely valuable in that role. It also allows him to focus on locating his fastball without worrying about setting up hitters for the second or third time through the batting order. Seth becomes strictly a two-pitch pitcher, which is undeniably a good thing. Look what happens when Seth tries to mix his pitches.

Seth actually tossed a couple good sliders, but did not work the corners of the plate well at all.

The McClung Experiment in the starting rotation should be over. Promote Chris Smith to the rotation. Call up Chase Wright. Give Carlos Villanueva a shot in the rotation. Obviously, I am being quite overdramatic about promoting just anyone, but the point is that almost any option the Brewers have should be an upgrade over McClung.

This is not to say that McClung is not effective over multiple innings. It is merely saying that McClung is not effective more than once through a batting order. The starting rotation is not his comfort zone and not where he most benefits the Brewers.

Look at the statisitics. The first time through a batting order, McClung holds opposing hitters to a .249 average. The second time through, their batting average jumps to .271 with a .376 on-base percentage. As a starter, the big right-hander owns a 5.71 ERA. As a reliever, that ERA drops to 4.65. Both of those ERAs are a bit high, as they include his struggles with the Tampa Bay Rays, but the overall trend is clear. Seth McClung is a relief pitcher, not a starting pitcher.

What does that leave for Milwaukee?

It leaves four starting pitchers and a gaping hole for the fifth spot. Keep in mind that Mike Burns is no sure thing for the #4 slot either. Doug Melvin will be working the phones intensely over the next couple of weeks, but it seems that the Brewers GM wishes to wait a couple more weeks before making a deal. I just hope someone more exciting than Doug Davis comes along.

Spring Training Rewind: Week 5

Jim Breen — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 12:00:00 GMT

The Brewers have been hitting on all cylinders all week. With only one loss in the past week, the squad has won five straight games.

Some of the starting pitching has not been overly impressive over the last seven days, but there is nothing wrong with the offense. The regulars are pounding out hits with regularity, both singles and extra-base hits. That makes it difficult to populate a "Who's Not" list.

Who's Hot

2B Rickie Weeks: 5-13, HR, RBI, BB, 3 K, SB -- .385 AVG

As I wrote yesterday, Rickie Weeks has been on a tear at the plate. He is hitting for power, going to the opposite field with the ball, and still drawing walks. The Milwaukee Brewers will enjoy a borderline All-Star season from Rickie if he can sustain this level of play during the spring. We all know Rickie heats up as July and August hit.

SS J.J. Hardy: 7-13, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 3 BB, 3 K, 3 E -- .538 AVG

In case you have been living under a rock this spring, J.J. Hardy is making the Alcides Escobar debate a moot point. Hardy is mashing the ball to the tune of a .439 AVG in the Cactus League, and the three homers this week illustrate the sluggling percentage he has compiled. No one has hit the ball harder than J.J. Hardy and Corey Hart in the Cactus League this spring. The two rank #1 and #2 in SLG in the desert.

RHP Jeff Suppan: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K -- 1.29 ERA

If Soup can throw the ball this well on April 7th, I respectfully retract my article on why Dave Bush should start over Jeff Suppan. I stand by my comments and my opinion, but it is difficult to argue with only the one run surrendered in his last 12 innings of work. Suppan is even trying the strikeout pitch on for size. If the veteran can up his 4.56 K/9 rate from last season, he should enjoy more success on the mound for the Brewers. His 2008 K-rate was his lowest since his 1999 season with the Royals, so expect a bit of improvement with the swings and misses from Soup in 2009.

RHP Todd Coffey: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K -- 0.00 ERA

With Seth McClung throwing the ball with horrendous control and Carlos Villanueva poised to step in for Trevor Hoffman in the closer's role, Todd Coffey has quietly compiled a nice 2.31 ERA this spring with a low walk rate. His fastball-slider combo has been deadly in the dry, Arizona air. The right-hander just may ride his two-pitch repertoire to the set-up role in Milwaukee. He certainly deserves a shot.

Who's Not

CF Tony Gwynn Jr.: 1-10, RBI, 2 BB, 5 K -- .100 AVG

If Tony Gwynn Jr. is awarded a spot on the 25-man roster over Chris Duffy this April, it would be an absolute shame. Duffy has done nothing but produce at the plate and display above-average defense, while Gwynn chugs along with a .130 average this spring and regressed over the past week. Protecting roster depth is nice, but there is little reason to believe Tony will not clear waivers and begin the season in Nashville. The high strikeout rate plus the lack of power is simply depressing.

LHP Manny Parra: 3.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, 6 K -- 12.26 ERA

Manny is reportedly featuring nice breaking stuff in his starts, but the young southpaw cannot keep his fastball down in the zone. His walk rate has been decent at best. The WHIP, however, is suffering from the plethora of hits Manny is allowing every start. The strikeouts are still there, so his stuff is not being questioned. After impressing for so much of early-March, it is time to regain composure on the mound and rediscover the correct arm slot.

RHP Seth McClung: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 5 BB, 5 K -- 5.40 ERA

Because of an utter lack of command, Seth has pitched his way out of contention for a starting rotation spot, out of the discussion for ninth-inning duties, and is now throwing away a chance at a set-up role. As with Parra, the strikeouts suggest the fastball is still sizzling and the curveball is still knee-buckling, but the ball must consistently find the strike zone. The more walks Seth surrenders, the further away he is from meaningful innings out of the bullpen. My how things have changed over the course of Spring Training.

Round 'em Up Lite

Jim Breen — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:42:23 GMT

Not much is out there today, but I gathered a couple articles to keep you busy while watching basketball this afternoon.

Major League News

Seth McClung is a jack of all trades and will serve as Plan B in the starting rotation and for the closer's role. The right-hander is quite correct when saying he can be two different types of pitcher. When coming out of the bullpen -- as he would in the ninth -- McClung has shown Macha that he can dominate with his fastball. He throws his fastball at about 92-93 MPH as a starter, but can dial it up to 97-98 MPH out of the pen. Ask the Chicago Cubs about that.

Jack Zduriencik reflects on the 2008 season in Milwaukee. CC Sabathia sent the Brewers to the playoffs, and Jack Z had this to say about the lefty.

The deal cost four prospects, including premium outfielders Matt LaPorta and Michael Brantley, both selected by Zduriencik. Did he have any doubts about the Sabathia deal as it was being discussed?

"No. It was the right thing to do for that organization for that time, and if you had to do it again, you would do it again," Zduriencik said. "If you don't have CC, you don't get in the playoffs. ... That will be a year that anyone who worked in that organization or anyone who is a fan will never forget. If it's going to cost a couple of prospects who might be good big league players, you have to do the deal."

Agreed.

Baseball America previews the National League and asserts the organization does not have enough pitching to propel the team back to the NL Playoffs. It also predicts that Yovani Gallardo will be the Next New All-Star for the Brewers. Again, I cannot argue with that.

Minor League News

Tom Haudricourt writes an article for Baseball America about Brett Lawrie and his transition to second base. There is nothing necessarily new in the article, but it gives a nice overview of the positional switch. It also mentions Alexandre Periard never threw a pitch before being optioned to minor league camp. The right-hander is still struggling with shoulder tightness.

Minor League Baseball is in the middle of Moniker Madness, which pits the top 32 players names in the minors against each other in March Madness format. Zelous Wheeler has a tough road ahead. He goes up against Cirilo Cumberbatch, who is rightfully a number one seed. Callix Crabbe also made the tournament at a number three seed.

Other Baseball News

Corey Koskie is struggling once again with his post-concussion syndrome. He dove after a ball in a Cactus League game and immediately began to feel ill. The third baseman will decide on his future in baseball sometime today. Unfortunately, I think Corey has played his final inning in a big league uniform.

Yesterday, I mentioned my distaste for the release of Shawn Hill by the Nationals. As expected, he is already fielding plenty of phone calls for his services. The right-hander may sign with the Toronto Blue Jays in the coming days. Hill, who was born in Canada, would be a nice fit for the Blue Jays.

Official BC-sanctioned Music Video of the Day

Tyrone Wells -- What Are We Fighting For?