Jeff Bianchi, Matt Pagnozzi Elect Free Agency over AAA

Apr 6, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Milwaukee Brewers third baseman Jeff Bianchi (14) hits an RBI single during the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The Milwaukee Brewers lost two players today after Jeff Bianchi and Matt Pagnozzi both refused their assignments to AAA after being outrighted off the club’s 40-man roster last week; both players elected free agency instead.

Pagnozzi was a September call-up for Milwaukee after spending the year in AAA Nashville. He only appeared in one game for the Crew and didn’t get to swing a bat.

The 31-year-old catcher has appeared in just 43 Major League games spanning five of the last six seasons going back to 2009. His pervious teams include the St. Louis Cardinals, Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros.

Too the horror of many Brewers fans, Bianchi actually broke camp with the club this year but an elbow injury landed him on the disabled list for most of the season. Bianchi is a capable enough backup shortstop with is glove, but his bat left a lot to be desired for Milwaukee fans.

Across 162 games spanning three seasons with the Brewers, Bianchi hit just .238/.281/.325 with just 16 extra base hits in 402 plate appearances.

Neither loss has an appreciable effect on the Brewers for 2015 as neither player figured to do much for the Brewers and their level of performance can be gotten pretty cheaply if necessary.