Smoke Signals 11/25: Jordan Brown on tonight

[TonyIBI]

With Thanksgiving on Thursday, our show has been moved up to a special day and time tonight, Tuesday November 25th at 8:00-9:00 pm EST. Paul and I will touch on several of the current topics with the Indians, and halfway through the show Jordan Brown will be calling in where we will spend the last half hour talking about things from his thoughts on not being rostered, the Rule 5 Draft, his 2008 season, and what he is doing to prepare for 2009.

Here is the link to listen live:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/TheClevela ... ke-Signals

Call in number is 646-716-8012 if you want to call in before Brown comes on and ask a question or two. Also, if anyone has any suggestions for questions to ask Brown, please post below.

[TonyIBI]

Man, Jordan was very candid last night. You could hear the frustration oozing pouring our of him, and he shared it. He did so in a professional way too. He talked to the Indians and they explained their reasoning for him not being rostered, and while he understands it he still doesn’t agree with it.

He also came down hard on people that rip into his lack of power. Feels hit bat will play in the big leagues and that he used to hit for more power but when he changed his approach to be more a bat-to-ball line drive gap hitter he sacrificed some of that.

Probably the best interview yet considering all we talked about. From the 40-man thing, to his excitement for the Rule 5 Draft, to his basically telling all the doubters he is on a mission “to shut them up” next year, to explaining the foot injury he suffered back in October in an ATV accident, and so on.

The link above will take you to the archived show.

Props to Jordan for coming on. Also, to Paulie for making the time before he loaded up the car for his trek to Milwaukee to be with family for Thanksgiving.

[carnegie44115]

Yes a great show you guys, and I hope that Jordan is in a Cleveland uniform next spring and not someone else's.

[artgold]

Interesting discussion, he seems pretty determined to prove he belongs in the majors. It should be interesting to see how he does, perhaps he eventually turns into a Mark Grace or Wally Joyner type of ML player.

What I found most interesting though is the perspective of the player when informed they are excluded from the roster. As posters, we discuss roster management very mechanically, but to the player it obviously has much more profound meaning.

[npc29]

Oh man does he seem determined and really confident in his abilities.

If someone gets him in Rule V.. I don't think he'll be back.

Aubrey is fine.. But I think we've seen a mistake by Mark Shapiro... I hope he gets saved by no one taking Brown.. But If a player is good enough, he's going to get taken. First baseman might not get taken a lot, but there's no reason for Brown to not be in that group that do get taken.

I really enjoyed the stuff on his experience in the Dominican. That was funny.

[MadThinker88]

Missed the show on Tuesday night (other committments) but I was able to listen to the archive tonight.

WOW. This guy has a focused chip on his shoulder and he wants the chance too prove himself as a player. I can't see how someone doesn't take a chance on him in the Rule 5 draft. If this guy gets taken and can remain healthy in 2009, I think he makes an 'Uggla type of run at the ROY'.

IMHO, the Tribe needs to ensure he doesn't get away for $50k. Draft him back or make a deal with someone to take him and deal him back to us. A friend asked me who should be the 1B for this upcoming season (he favors VMart). After this interview, I want 1B to be manned by Jordan.

[jellis]

All last year I wanted brown called up even when he played badly I believed in that bat. I think he has a chance of sliding based on injury and bats not normally getting taken. He was one of the 5 bats listed in the BA rule 5 preview but they did not project any as possible starters I hope to get him back, but really I see no way it happens. Luckily hes not the biggest name as that belongs to a pitcher from oak. I really think Brown could be the type of player who works well in the new MLb with out the massive HR totals

[TonyIBI]

What I found most interesting though is the perspective of the player when informed they are excluded from the roster. As posters, we discuss roster management very mechanically, but to the player it obviously has much more profound meaning.

I agree on this Art.

I don't think the whole 40-man roster thing in November ever really hit me how much these guys gets stressed out over it or get so high and low by being rostered or not being rostered. At least until I started talking to guys almost daily the past two months like Stevens, Gimenez, Brown, Lofgren and others.

I never thought twice about what emotional rollercoaster these guys are going through. Never. And how important of a jump it is in their career. Not only is it like a 3-5 times salary increase, but it puts them on the major league doorstep. Really a huge step to realizing that dream.

[MadThinker88]

I'm curious Tony. A few months back you didn't think the players paid much attention to Rule 5 eligiblity. Now that you have this perspective with the 40 man roster inclusion and we heard from Brantley's agent how he keeps himself and his guys aware of the status, has that opinion changed or modified?

[TonyIBI]

I'm curious Tony. A few months back you didn't think the players paid much attention to Rule 5 eligiblity. Now that you have this perspective with the 40 man roster inclusion and we heard from Brantley's agent how he keeps himself and his guys aware of the status, has that opinion changed or modified?

The guys really don't pay attention to Rule 5....most don't even know or understand what it is.

That said, they certainly understand the 40-man issue mostly from a big league and money persepctive.

[dnosco]

Tony,

I guess I don't understand. These guys on the 40 are on split contracts I believe. That is they make ML minimum if on the ML roster and they make minor league wage if they are on the minor league roster. Maybe they make more in the minors if they are on the 40, I don't know, but I thought that minor league wage was based on experience and negotiation, not 40-man roster status, but I could be wrong. I guess if it is based on 40 man roster status the money could be significantly more on the 40. I would like to know the breakdown.

From what I have read, from an agent's perspective, the 40-man roster thing is a lot about forcing the option thing and, as a result, moving the player sooner toward free agency where the real money is made.

Am I missing something here?

[jellis]

Tony,

I guess I don't understand. These guys on the 40 are on split contracts I believe. That is they make ML minimum if on the ML roster and they make minor league wage if they are on the minor league roster. Maybe they make more in the minors if they are on the 40, I don't know, but I thought that minor league wage was based on experience and negotiation, not 40-man roster status, but I could be wrong. I guess if it is based on 40 man roster status the money could be significantly more on the 40. I would like to know the breakdown.

From what I have read, from an agent's perspective, the 40-man roster thing is a lot about forcing the option thing and, as a result, moving the player sooner toward free agency where the real money is made.

Am I missing something here?

I think thats exactly what it is, not making the 40 man shows a lack of importance and a not being looked on as well for a franchise. they have to add you if your ever going to make the 40 and and not adding you now would mean they dont see you as a viable MLB option

[TonyIBI]

Brown would be in line for a pay increase from about $22K last year to somewhere in the low $30Ks this year at Triple-A on that split contract. Also, if he gets just one day of service time at the big league level, his salary immediately jumps to $62K in the minors.

[Duane Kuiper]

So the Indians bringing up Snyder in 2008 and not playing him cost them 10-20 thousand?

[dnosco]

Tony,

Thanks. This doesn't seem to be a big stumbling block, to me. The service time can hapen even if he doesn't start on the 25. I know in ST the money is better if you are on the 40. This seems more emotional than anything else, as Jellis indicated.

He just doesn't seem to profile the kind of guy you can stash on your 25-man for a season. I mean, even teams like the Royals and Pirates don't seem willing to draft a guy who isn't quite ML-ready and make him a starter just to keep him. By analogy we thought the Whitney thing was crazy last year and we got him back. The question is, had he hit well in ST would we have gotten him back. That would have been interesting to see.

[Hermie13]

So the Indians bringing up Snyder in 2008 and not playing him cost them 10-20 thousand?

Not sure about the money, but the whole point of bringing Snyder up was to put him on the DL. By having him on the 60-day DL it allowed the Indians to make a playoff roster move into September. They weren't really concerned about the money, but getting their playoff roster set.

[Duane Kuiper]

Hermie, what on earth are you talking about? Snyder was never on the DL in 2008.

[dazindiansfanuk]

I'm sure they brought Snyder up as insurance when Grady was hurt for a couple of days.

[Hermie13]

Hermie, what on earth are you talking about? Snyder was never on the DL in 2008.

sorry, assumed you were talking about 2007 (misread your post....still recovering for Thanksgiving, ha sorry). As stated, he was brought up because we needed an OFer and he was on the 40man. Since he was put on the 25-man roster in 2007 he was going to get a bump in pay anyways (not as much as he ended up getting though). What he got for his 2 days on the team this year wasn't anything to break the bank. If he had done something it'd have been worth it, low risk move....didn't pan out obviously.