Hunter Renfroe to Angels for 3 pitchers

[sveumrules]

I’m fine with this trade. Upper level pitching depth is a weakness which we just addressed via a strength, outfield depth.

Renfroe was gone after this year anyway, we have replacements in house & this frees up cash to be used to hopefully address other areas of greater concern.

[Eye Black]

This is sort of a poor man’s version of the Blue Jays-Mariners trade involving Teoscar Hernandez last week. It’s a spreadsheet trade from the Brewers perspective. I liked Renfroe and I’d probably be more frustrated about it if they didn’t have so much young outfield depth, but since they do I can’t really get myself overly worked up about it.

[folly412]

So far the Arnold strategy seems to be stockpiling relievers with ERAs in the 6s rather than the 3s.  

[Brewcrew82]

Also, it should be noted that the organization is trying to move away from streaky, all-or-nothing type hitters such as Renfroe in favor of speedy players who get on base, which our young outfield prospects all do at a high level. That will be a welcome change for many fans who have complained about our lack of offensive consistency (including me). 

[Axman59]

23 hours ago, markedman5 said:

Yes……he tore up AAA last season…….no reason to think he won’t be in the majors next season.

 

Jarred Kelenic has torn up AAA multiple years and he has yet to do jack at the MLB level. He has a 66 OPS+ over two seasons in Seattle (558 PA). It's still too early to write him off but he's exhibit A showing that AAA success does not always = MLB success, especially in year 1 or 2 in the bigs.

While rolling the dice with rookie OF'ers can be exciting, my cautious side prefers to hold onto guys you know can hit MLB pitching.

[Eye Black]

If there’s one organization I’d guess isn’t maximizing the development of their pitchers, it would be the Angels. Hopefully the Brewers can help each of them take positive steps forward.

[sveumrules]

Reading up on the new arms I noticed that the Angels acquired both Junk & Peguero in the same deal with the Yankees.

 

[beekay414]

Yeah they'll need to prove this wasn't a cost cutting move before I take their comments at face value. Nothing they've done yet indicates anything other than cutting costs. 

[tmorav75]

I am excited to see a team with some more speed.  Mix in some power.  Get back to playing some baseball!!!

 

[Brewcrew82]

23 hours ago, Axman59 said:

 

Jarred Kelenic has torn up AAA multiple years and he has yet to do jack at the MLB level. He has a 66 OPS+ over two seasons in Seattle (558 PA). It's still too early to write him off but he's exhibit A showing that AAA success does not = MLB success, especially not in year 1 or 2 in the bigs.

While rolling the dice with rookie OF'ers can be exciting, my cautious side prefers to hold onto guys you know can hit MLB pitching.

Again, Frelick has one of the highest contact rates in the entire minors, which is hugely beneficial in making the adjustment to MLB pitching. He's most often compared to Steven Kwan, who hit .298 and accumulated well over 5.0 in WAR this past season as a rookie. 

[brewmann04]

I agree think they will move Wong no need to keep him at this point save money and give Turang the job. It a cost cutting move imo and hopefully the Season Ticket holders don’t pick up their tickets. Just admit you are going younger and the fans will accept it more 

[brewmann04]

I all for going young but what happens if the struggle ? Guess we can always add Clutch again 

[ALBREWFAN]

Hunter Renfroe is not a star, good player but not worth 11mil. The only stars in Milwaukee are the starting pitchers Burns and Woodruff. Freeing money for a catcher and some more pitching. Living in Al I have seen both Frelick and Weimer play while in AA both look like good players, possible stars only time will tell. The trade adds depth and relief pitching, I believe fans will enjoy watching Frelick, Weimer in the majors both are ready now. Angles get 1 year of an injured prone player, Milwaukee gets pitching depth, and some money to spend. 

 

[rickh150]

12 minutes ago, Brewcrew82 said:

Yes. He's ready. He was drafted as an advanced college bat with the ability to move quickly through the minors. He just hit .365/.435/.508 in AAA with 19 BBs and 16 Ks. Has one of the best hit tools (if not the best hit tool) in the minors. 

But not good enough to get at bats in our OF last September when we were scrapping for any sort of offensive spark…

[sveumrules]

1 minute ago, beekay414 said:

Yeah they'll need to prove this wasn't a cost cutting move before I take their comments at face value. Nothing they've done yet indicates anything other than cutting costs. 

Two guys accepted the QO, four FAs re-signed with their previous team and one FA has signed with a new team.

The stove is still room temp across pretty much all of MLB at this point.

[Brewcrew82]

Just now, rickh150 said:

But not good enough to get at bats in our OF last September when we were scrapping for any sort of offensive spark…

They went with Mitchell over Frelick due to the fact that Mitchell was in the organization for a longer period of time. Once Mitchell was called up, there was no more room for at-bats with Yelich, Taylor, Renfroe, and McCutchen already on the roster. I also suspect there was some service-time manipulation involved as well. But Frelick is the better hitter, make no mistake about it. One of the very best hitters in all the minors. 

[sveumrules]

3 minutes ago, rickh150 said:

But not good enough to get at bats in our OF last September when we were scrapping for any sort of offensive spark…

FO must not have wanted to add him to the 40 man that early, have to keep him on it all offseason, burn an option, accrue service time.

[LouisEly]

https://brewerfanatic.com/forums/topic/38812-too-early-2023-ideas-or-beyond/?do=findComment&comment=1464838&_rid=123

?

[beekay414]

2 minutes ago, sveumrules said:

Two guys accepted the QO, four FAs re-signed with their previous team and one FA has signed with a new team.

The stove is still room temp across pretty much all of MLB at this point.

I'm not talking about what the rest of the league has done. I'm simply commenting that every move thus far has been of the cost cutting variety. Between letting multiple viable relievers go over a whopping $6m to trading our best bat from the last year for spare parts over paying him $11m. I fully expect Wong to be shipped out as well to save even more. 

Until they add viable payroll, I'm not giving them the benefit of the doubt. If it's a scrapheap signing like Cutch or JBJ, they're unserious about winning going forward. Their sights are set on aiming for that 7th seed with as low a payroll as possible. 

[Brewcrew82]

5 minutes ago, beekay414 said:

I'm not talking about what the rest of the league has done. I'm simply commenting that every move thus far has been of the cost cutting variety. Between letting multiple viable relievers go over a whopping $6m to trading our best bat from the last year for spare parts over paying him $11m. I fully expect Wong to be shipped out as well to save even more. 

Until they add viable payroll, I'm not giving them the benefit of the doubt. If it's a scrapheap signing like Cutch or JBJ, they're unserious about winning going forward. Their sights are set on aiming for that 7th seed with as low a payroll as possible. 

We do have a league high 18 arbitration-eligible players we have to pay more for as well, including Burnes, Woodruff, Devin, etc....

[StearnsFTW]

I see we're at the-offseason-is-over point already.

 

 

Jesus, it never changes.

 

This doesn't mean they'll be starting 3 rookies in the OF folks.

 

 

 

[beekay414]

3 minutes ago, Brewcrew82 said:

We do have a league high 18 arbitration-eligible players we have to pay more for as well, including Burnes, Woodruff, Devin, etc....

And the payroll with those projections was still trending bottom 3rd in the league or right about. Mark's penny pinching and that's really all there is to it. There's a reason Stearns stepped away. Arnold was willing to be Mark's lackey, David wasn't. 

We'll see soon enough. I'll gladly eat crow if I'm wrong. 

[LouisEly]

Those three had some notable teammates on that 2022 Salt Lake Bees pitching staff:

 Kyle Barraclough
 Archie Bradley
 Michael Lorenzen
 Touki Toussaint
 Kodi Medeiros

[Jopal78]

Called it. Renfroe was a good not great player and was paid a hefty sum, though I thought he’d possibly be non-tendered.

 

So in essence they moved JBJ and all his terrible contract for a year of Renfroe and 3 minor league pitchers… not bad. 

[AdvantageSchneider]

He'll be 31 next season.  We most likely got his career year last year.  If he was to replicate last season he'd probably be worth $11.2M but given he's on the wrong side of 30 i"m fine with some other team taking that bet.