Brewers Acquire Shaun Marcum

#1 Prospect traded for #1 Starter.
Brett Lawrie to the Jays for right-handed pitcher Shaun Marcum.

Milwaukee made a splash on the eve of the 2010 Winter Meetings by acquiring the Toronto Blue Jays opening day starter from 2010. Marcum, 28, went 13-8 last season with a 3.68ERA while posting a career high 195.1 innings pitched. Shaun missed the entire '09 season after Tommy John surgery in '08, but showed no side effects last season as he set career bests in wins (13), innings pitched, and strikeouts (165).

Marcum will make an instant impact in the Brewers rotation creating one of the more dangerous duos in the National League with Yovani Gallardo. Shaun will be under team control until 2012 and will be making $850k in '11. Milwaukee does seek the opportunity to lock him up long-term with Gallardo already signed through the 2014 campaign.

Shaun Marcum's Pitches:
Fastball 86.9mph 25.0%
Two-Seam 86.6mph 25.0%
Curveball 75.3mph 11.6%
Changeup 80.6mph 22.1%
Cutter 84.1mph 16.1%

As you notice, Marcum will not over power anyone but has an arsenal of 5 pitches that he all controls well. Shaun had a career low 1.98 walks per nine innings in 2010 and had a strikeout to walk ration of 3.84:1.

In return for Marcum's services the Brewers sent their best offensive prospect north of the border. Brett Lawrie, 20, batted .285 last season with Huntsville and has appeared in the Futures Game each of the last two seasons. His absence creates an opportunity for Eric Farris and Scooter Gennett to move up the minors quick and most likely means a contract extension with Rickie Weeks is imminent.

*I have to give Melvin two thumbs up for pulling the trigger on this trade. Giving up your top prospect is never easy but getting a solid number 2 starter in return is rare in a league controlled by pitchers in 2010.