Roster News: Signing, Call-Up, Option

Following last night’s loss to the Cincinnati Reds, the Milwaukee Brewers optioned starting pitcher Johnny Hellweg to the Class-A affiliate Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Hellweg was optioned there instead of to either Class-AAA or Class-AA because the organization wants him to start again on regular rest during the MLB All-Star break and while Wisconsin plays a home game burn Nashville and Huntsville are off that day. Class-A Advanced Brevard County has a game that night as well but it’s a road game and the logistics of having Hellweg simply drive from Milwaukee to Appleton is just easier.

Coming up to take Hellweg’s place on the roster and joining the team in Arizona will be outfielder Caleb Gindl. The left-handed hitting Gindl had a rough go defensively in left field but it was a position unfamiliar to him both in terms of venue but also in how the ball reacts off the bat. The recall makes sense from the aspect of getting a lefty bench bat up and having a vastly superior reserve option to put in defensively over Jeff Bianchi and Yuniesky Betancourt.

Brewers Sign Laffey to Minor League Contract

Late Wednesday night, the Brewers announced that they had signed veteran southpaw Aaron Laffey to a minor league contract.

Laffey, 28, has been with three other organizations already in 2013. He signed a minor league deal with the Mets in December of last year but was designated for assignment in April. The Toronto Blue Jays claimed him but then also designated him for assignment quickly. He was able to elect free agency at that point though and did so.He signed a MiLB deal with the Dodgers that included an opt-out clause, which he exercised making him available again as a free agent.

So far this season, Laffey has posted a 7.11 ERA in five games, including three starts, for two ball clubs at the Major League level and 5.61 ERA in 61.0 IP across 12 games (11 starts) with the third org but in Triple-A. The numbers aren’t pretty but I still wanted to pass the signing news along.