The cost of relievers

[Frayed Knot]

... has been (somewhat) set today when the Brewers traded right-hander Wil Inman and left-handers Steve Garrison and Joe Thatcher for San Diego reliever Scott Linebrink.

Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal:
Inman, a third-round draft pick in 2005, was ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Brewers' farm system by Baseball America magazine. Thatcher was ranked 23rd and Garrison 27th.
"You have to give up something to get something," said Brewers general manager Doug Melvin. "One of our goals was to add quality to our bullpen. We think we got one of the best guys out there."
In 357 major league games, all but six in relief, Linebrink is 28-13 with a 3.19 ERA and four saves.
Linebrink is a FA after this season.


A brief peak at a Brewer site saw more negative reactions than positive, particularly about this Inman guy and about the general thought of dealing three guys for 2+ months of a good - though hardly great - reliever.

So adjust your Chad Cordero/Eric Gagne proposals accordingly.

[smg58]

But why are the Padres dealing major leaguers for prospects?

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Heath Bell has volunteered to pitch the 6th thru 9th innings in each of the Pads remaining games.

[nymr83]

smg58 wrote: But why are the Padres dealing major leaguers for prospects?

they still have a good bullpen and its pretty hard to turn down Inman for a reliever who will be a FA in a few months and likely get a deal at least equal to what Schoenweis and Bradford goti guess the Padres are smart enought to see that now and know they want no part of it