Possible January Signings

[Lloyd330]

1 hour ago, brewmann04 said:

Did Whit have a down year last season and he  going to  be 36

I'll take .272 with 11 hr and 26 sb out of my 2b

[CheeseheadInQC]

12 minutes ago, Lloyd330 said:

I'll take .272 with 11 hr and 26 sb out of my 2b

It depends on if you think he can either rebound or keep doing it with smoke and mirrors. His StatCast metrics appear to be worse than Turang’s last season and nearly as bad as Arroyo.

[Lloyd330]

22 minutes ago, CheeseheadInQC said:

It depends on if you think he can either rebound or keep doing it with smoke and mirrors. His StatCast metrics appear to be worse than Turang’s last season and nearly as bad as Arroyo.

Didn't realize he was this bad

[Jopal78]

Doesn’t it feel like it’s going to be announced Justin Turner is coming to Milwaukee on a one year deal? Like Hoskins, not a lot of buzz as a free agent, has some question marks (age, declining skills) but was still terrific last year, and would fill a need DH/3B

[Playing Catch]

The 40-man roster is full. I can't imagine that THIS is the roster they go into spring training with.

So who are the guys besides Chris Roller (who?) that they will cut/trade?

 

[KCBrewerfan34]

Capra

Roller

Jones

Junk (overseas?)

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

It'll be February at the end of the week, and we are reaching the time when the Brewers typically get active in free agency. Perhaps Hoskins is just the start? Other potential fits include:

3B Matt Chapman - probably will be too pricey, but we really haven't heard much on him, and he's coming off a down year. 

DH Jorge Soler - Power threat that would bring another big bat to the lineup. Could also play in the corner OF.

RP Drew Pomeranz - Because he was awesome as a Brewer, and I'm a sucker.

[jay87shot]

On 1/27/2024 at 9:08 AM, KCBrewerfan34 said:

Capra

Roller

Jones

Junk (overseas?)

JB Baukauskaus, Bradley Blalock (if not pitching well in AA), Bauers. Clayton Andrews.

[Madhawk23]

1 hour ago, Ron Robinsons Beard said:

It'll be February at the end of the week, and we are reaching the time when the Brewers typically get active in free agency. Perhaps Hoskins is just the start? Other potential fits include:

3B Matt Chapman - probably will be too pricey, but we really haven't heard much on him, and he's coming off a down year. 

DH Jorge Soler - Power threat that would bring another big bat to the lineup. Could also play in the corner OF.

RP Drew Pomeranz - Because he was awesome as a Brewer, and I'm a sucker.

Is there any chance at all that Chapman could be had for a 1-year deal (or a deal similar to what we just gave Hoskins)?  Or, is someone going to give him a 3-4 year deal, and it's just taking longer than expected?  

[IntentionalHBP1]

3 weeks away from spring training and the market is still being held up by Boras

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

20 minutes ago, Madhawk23 said:

Is there any chance at all that Chapman could be had for a 1-year deal (or a deal similar to what we just gave Hoskins)?  Or, is someone going to give him a 3-4 year deal, and it's just taking longer than expected?  

If you look at Chapman's numbers, he is a little overrated IMO. He's had some good seasons, but they were awhile ago. He's pretty average offensively now. But what he does provide is Gold Glove-calibur defense and decent power, albeit with a low batting average and a lot of swing-and-miss. He's pretty similar to where Moustakas was when the Brewers acquired him, at least offensively. Better defensively, obviously. 

[sveumrules]

8 minutes ago, Ron Robinsons Beard said:

He's pretty similar to where Moustakas was when the Brewers acquired him, at least offensively. Better defensively, obviously. 

In the three years before the Brewers acquired Moose he went for 1742 PA | 115 wRC+ | 7.9 WAR compared to 1824 PA | 110 wRC+ | 11.7 WAR for Chapman.

In addition to defense (+24 DRS | +21 OAA for Chapman vs -11 DRS | -4 OAA for Moose), Matt also had a notable edge on the bases at +7.4 BsR over the last three years compared to -14.4 BsR for Mike over the three years before we acquired him.

They also get to their offense in pretty different ways...

Moose walked below average (82 BB%+), struck out less than average (68 K%+), got hits above average (105 AVG+) and slugged big time (133 ISO+).

Chapman has a whole different approach with a ton of walks (139 BB%+), strike outs (129 K%+), not as many hits (92 AVG+) and a good amount of power (121 ISO+).

Moose was a big time fly ball hitter (121 FB%+) with more of an all fields approach at 102 Pull+ | 95 Cent+ |  104 Oppo+ whereas Chapman sells out even more for flyballs (133 FB%+) to the pull side and up the middle at 105 Pull+ | 105 Cent+ | 85 Oppo+

[Madhawk23]

Someone is going to give Chapman a multi-year deal though, right?  Or, do we think that there is a small possibility that we could get him for a similar deal that we just gave Hoskins?  A "prove it" type deal that would allow him to opt-out after one year if he rebounds with a better offensive year in '24 - or he can return for a 2nd year if he still doesn't think the market is going to be there for him next offseason.  

[TURBO]

I simply don't want to spend the money it will take to get Chapman, even if a deal similar to Hoskins.

I have faith in Tyler Black, if we have another 15-18 million to spend in 2024, lets use it on a starting pitcher, free agent or via trade.

[Madhawk23]

26 minutes ago, TURBO said:

I simply don't want to spend the money it will take to get Chapman, even if a deal similar to Hoskins.

I have faith in Tyler Black, if we have another 15-18 million to spend in 2024, lets use it on a starting pitcher, free agent or via trade.

Fair enough.  What about Jorge Soler for DH?  Anyone have interest in him at the DH spot....or does that create too much of a logjam then with all of the OF's that we already have on the roster (thinking that we might need to use the DH spot to get them more AB's throughout the season)?  

And, if we did have any interest in him at all - is there a possibility that he could be had on a similar type deal structure that we gave Hoskins?  Or, is someone eventually going to give him a multi-year deal?  

It's just a bit crazy to me that there are still so many quality players available in the FA market, as we are just days away from February.  Gotta figure that there will be a lot of guys inking deals over the next few weeks here, right?  

[nate82]

1 hour ago, sveumrules said:

In the three years before the Brewers acquired Moose he went for 1742 PA | 115 wRC+ | 7.9 WAR compared to 1824 PA | 110 wRC+ | 11.7 WAR for Chapman.

In addition to defense (+24 DRS | +21 OAA for Chapman vs -11 DRS | -4 OAA for Moose), Matt also had a notable edge on the bases at +7.4 BsR over the last three years compared to -14.4 BsR for Mike over the three years before we acquired him.

They also get to their offense in pretty different ways...

Moose walked below average (82 BB%+), struck out less than average (68 K%+), got hits above average (105 AVG+) and slugged big time (133 ISO+).

Chapman has a whole different approach with a ton of walks (139 BB%+), strike outs (129 K%+), not as many hits (92 AVG+) and a good amount of power (121 ISO+).

Moose was a big time fly ball hitter (121 FB%+) with more of an all fields approach at 102 Pull+ | 95 Cent+ |  104 Oppo+ whereas Chapman sells out even more for flyballs (133 FB%+) to the pull side and up the middle at 105 Pull+ | 105 Cent+ | 85 Oppo+

I haven’t looked but what about park factors for the two.  I think Oakland is far harsher than KC?  I think all of those take park factors into account but my brain no working today.

[sveumrules]

7 minutes ago, nate82 said:

I haven’t looked but what about park factors for the two.  I think Oakland is far harsher than KC?  I think all of those take park factors into account but my brain no working today.

Yeah, all the plus stats adjust for ballpark and leaguewide offense.

Like Moose had a raw ISO of .221 from 2015-18 with KC which shook out to a 133 ISO+ once all the adjustments were made.

He followed that up with a raw ISO of .241 from 2018-19 with MIL, but that also shook out to a 133 ISO+ since Miller Park is easier to slug in than Kaufmann and offense was up in 2019 (.187 leaguewide ISO) compared to 2015-18 (.153 to .175 leaguewide ISO). 

[MNBrew]

The immediate impact factor would be zero for obvious reasons, but I'd sure love to see the Brewers sign Brandon Woodruff to the two-year deal many hypothesized late in the season.  He's one of many FAs still available, and quite possibly one who'd make a minimal impact this year if at all.  If he proves worth it, they've still got an ace -- albeit with a significant surgery under his belt -- for next year when Burnes very possibly isn't around.

I'd like to see another meaningful signing, too, but I'm not sure who that could be at this point -- pitcher or position player or pure-bat DH type.  I doubt it'd be Chapman, but Rhys Hoskins always felt like more of a pipe dream, too.  Carlos Santana as a primary DH would still hold appeal to me & be nice 1B insurance if something went wrong w/ Hoskins.  Big fat no to Josh Donaldson -- once was more than enough.

[brewmann04]

Chapman Turner or Anderson. Matt going to add one 

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

8 hours ago, brewmann04 said:

Chapman Turner or Anderson. Matt going to add one 

Tim Anderson? That would be an intriguing signing. To play 3B?

[sveumrules]

I’d guess Anderson is holding out for a 40 Man Spot, but is only getting Arroyo offers right now, aka come to camp and earn it.

He is pretty much the poster boy for the perils of BABIP dependency though.

When he was going good from 2019-21 (among 159 players with at least 1,000 PAs) he came in at .322 AVG (1st) | 126 wRC+ (37th) | 11.5 WAR (15th)

He never walked (3.6 BB% | 157th) and hit for below average power (.173 ISO | 110th) but rode an insane .394 BABIP (1st) to the very top of the batting average column and Top 15 WAR.

To give some context as to how out there his BABIP was, the next best over that same stretch was Yoan Moncada all the way down at .368. The highest over the two years prior was Judge/Altuve at .362. The highest over the last two years is Freeman at .364.

Speaking of last two years (among 177 players with at least 800 PAs), Anderson still doesn’t walk (4.6 BB% | 172nd), and his power completely disappeared (.068 ISO | 176th).

His heavily regressed .333 BABIP is still good at 22nd, but not good enough as his 80 wRC+ (168th) and 1.5 WAR (149th) are both precipitous drops.

Feels like a National or Angel to me. Rockies as a dark horse because if he can’t regain form at Coors that’s prettty much a wrap.

[titletownking]

Turner signing with Jays. Personally wasn’t super interested in him. Still think we work the trade market a bit before OD.  Teams starting to get a little more urgent with spring training a couple weeks away. 

[brewmann04]

I think Anderson can fit at 2nd or 3rd IMO

Turner the brewers have been always mentioned  but he always passed them by which is ok.

Trade i can see still have some OF they can move for a Hitter or Pitcher

I am still not sold on this Rotation and will like to add someone

[TURBO]

Tim Anderson is such a turd though.  I'd find it pretty hard to root for the guy.

[Lloyd330]

Why not take a run at Amed Rosario for 2B?