With Spivey dealt, Brewers have opening for Weeks

By Jim Callis
June 10, 2005

The Brewers have found a new member for the back of their rotation in Tomo Ohka, while the Nationals picked up a short-term replacement at second base in Junior Spivey. But the most interesting aspect of the Friday swap of the two players is that it creates a natural opening in Milwaukee for Rickie Weeks, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 draft. Though Bill Hall is expected to take over as the Brewers' second baseman for now, Weeks is batting .320 with 12 homers at Triple-A Nashville and can't be held off for much longer.

Ohka, a 29-year-old righthander, doesn't have a plus pitch and doesn't miss many bats, but he manages to survive on craftiness. He relies on keeping hitters off balance with a willingness to throw his fastball, curveball, slider or changeup in any location or count. Though his control has slipped this year (he has a 17-27 strikeout-walk ratio in 54 innings), he has managed to go 4-3, 3.33 in 10 games (nine starts) as opponents have batted just .224 with six homers against him. Ohka, who makes $2.75 million this year, won't be eligible for free agency until after the 2006 season. He owns a career 37-47, 3.88 record in 134 games.

Spivey, 30, never has been able to live up to the promise he showed in his first full season, 2002, when he batted .301/.389/.476 with 16 homers and 78 RBIs. He's having the worst season of his five-year career in 2005, hitting .236/.308/.374 with five homers, 17 RBIs and seven steals in 49 games. He hasn't changed a power-hitting approach that doesn't suit his strength as much as a gap-to-gap style would. He's a good defender and has above-average speed, but he's not much of a basestealing threat. Spivey has a $2.125 million salary plus a possibly $475,000 in incentives in 2005, and like Ohka he can't become a free agent until after the 2006 season. He's a career .272/.355/.438 hitter with 46 homers, 194 RBIs and 30 steals in 429 games.