Yesterday, Milwaukee dealt LHP Wayne Franklin and RHP Leo Estrella to San Francisco for RHP Carlos Villanueva and RHP Glenn Woolard. The Giants were concerned about the depth of their pitching staff given the injury problems they have experienced this spring. Meanwhile, in exchange for the potential of a couple of younger pitchers, the Brewers were willing to part with two pitchers they felt only were borderline contributors to their major league team.

San Francisco signed Villanueva out of the Dominican Republic in 2002, and he has remained with their Rookie-level Gulf Coast League affiliate since that time. The 20-year-old has demonstrated impressive dominance and all-around solid skills as a reliever. Unfortunately, until he is exposed to higher levels of the minors, we really cannot predict his ability to contribute to the Brewers in the future. As a reliever, he could shoot to the majors in a short time if he continues to excel as he is promoted. However, he just as easily could hit a snag that mires him in the minors indefinitely.

The Giants drafted Woolard out of Kutztown University with a 10th round pick in the 2002 draft. He closed out that season at Salem-Keizer in the Short-Season Northwest League before advancing to A Hagerstown in the Midwest League last year. Working as a starter in 2003, Woolard compiled a 135:43 K:BB with 126 H and 10 HR allowed in 144 IP for a 3.44 ERA over 26 appearances including 25 starts. The 22-year-old's skills look solid to date, but he was old for the Midwest League, so like Villanueva, we really need to see him pitch at a higher level before we will have a decent picture of his future contributions.

Neither pitcher is a sure bet to help out the major league team in the future, but both possess decent upside. Franklin's departure clears room for LHP Chris Capuano to move into the Milwaukee rotation. The 25-year-old's ground ball tendencies should grant him greater success than the fly ball prone Franklin experienced in homer-friendly Miller Park. Since Capuano was more likely to be a part of the Brewers' future plans than Franklin, providing Capuano with this opportunity also advances Milwaukee's rebuilding efforts.

Last year was Franklin's first full season in the majors and only his second as a starter after moving back into the rotation after several seasons of relieving in the minors. His strikeout rate fell as the season progressed and his walk rate hung at an unpleasant 4.3 BB/9 IP. The 30-year-old fly ball pitcher should prove more effective with SBC Park as his home stadium, as the Giants' home suppresses home runs. San Francisco's defense also should alleviate a portion of Franklin's baserunner problems, though I am not expecting a substantial improvement in his walk rate. Franklin will join the rotation as the fifth starter if injury delays for more than a few days Jason Schmidt's season debut or if any of the other starters are incapacitated. If he is not needed in the rotation, San Francisco appears interested in carrying him as a left-handed long reliever.

The occasions on which Estrella has managed both a solid walk and strikeout rate simultaneously are few. Last season, he demonstrated solid control but little dominance. However, he was adept at keeping the ball on the ground, so with a solid defense behind him the 29-year-old should pitch quite effectively for the Giants provided his walk rate does not swing up again. With RHP Robb Nen and LHP Scott Eyre opening the season on the disabled list, San Francisco plans for Estrella to join their major league pen. I cannot argue with San Francisco's decision to use a couple of pitchers in their low minors to bolster the depth of their major league club. While neither Franklin nor Estrella is a particularly exciting player, both should be useful to the Giants.

Earlier in the month, Nen expected to be ready to resume closing for the Giants when the season opens. However, he began feeling discomfort in his shoulder last week. An MRI revealed some swelling in his shoulder, though reportedly not in the same area he's had surgically repaired. San Francisco shut him down for a few days and now has him working his way slowly back to the mound. Since the Giants can backdate his DL stay to March 26th, he will be eligible to return on April 10th. Provided he does not suffer another setback, I will be surprised if he remains on the disabled list much past that date. In Nen's absence, San Francisco plans to use Matt Herges as their closer.

Eyre slipped while appearing in the Giants' March 26th spring game against Oakland, causing him to aggravate a back injury that he now reports has been troubling him all spring. He received a cortisone shot and likely will not resume throwing until this weekend at the earliest. If he is able to resume pitching in a few days, he might be able to join the club as soon as he is eligible to leave the disabled list on April 11th. However, the vague nature of the diagnosis leaves us uncertain how long he will need to recover.