Brewers sign Gary Sanchez (Deal Official, $3M plus Incentives)

[patrickgpe]

33 minutes ago, Ron Robinsons Beard said:

Caratini is/was a fine backup C. But that was basically the extent of his role. 1-2 starts a week at the catcher position. Sanchez has the bat to take a start at DH once or twice a week in addition to the 1-2 starts he'll see at C. On paper at least, that is a net gain.

that was my point, id rather have sanchez at this contract than caratini since Contreras will be back their the lions share of the time. 

[jerichoholicninja]

12 hours ago, Lloyd330 said:

Once again…2024 is the transition year. …when are people going to accept that .

This is by far the most effort put into improving offense in the Stearns/Arnold era. The only thing "transitional" about it is transitioning from a team built 99% on pitching and defense to realizing that your lineup can't be filled with black holes of suck.

[StearnsFTW]

14 hours ago, MNBrew said:

Since when do we count everyone's buyout for the next year as part of every player's current-year salary?  So many people are so stuck on Junis at $7M for 2024 only b/c that's how it was first reported, when a little while later Rosenthal reported it as $4M in 2024 + $3M for the 2025 buyout.

Preach brother.

[StearnsFTW]

14 hours ago, jay87shot said:

Junis is a mutual option for year 2, those never get picked up so it is 1/7 because he is only playing 1 year in that deal. Sure for the ledger we are paying him over 2 fiscal years but he is only playing 1. Sounds like the Sanchez deal will be the same 1 year of play 7 million.

 

An important distinction that few here seem to have grasped.

[StearnsFTW]

12 hours ago, Playing Catch said:

I can't believe that I'm one of the first to whisper the theory that Quero may be the key piece in a trade for...

Jesus Luzardo.

 

I'm speaking this into existence.

[TURBO]

48 minutes ago, jerichoholicninja said:

This is by far the most effort put into improving offense in the Stearns/Arnold era. The only thing "transitional" about it is transitioning from a team built 99% on pitching and defense to realizing that your lineup can't be filled with black holes of suck.

Well, the year we added Moose and Grandal would rank up there with this year.

[Thurston Fluff]

Am I the only one who doesn't think he'll come close to 400 ab's? I don't think he's even going to get as many DH days as Contreras. IMHO he's mostly just going to be the backup catcher. Which was a position of need.

[DR28]

10 minutes ago, Thurston Fluff said:

Am I the only one who doesn't think he'll come close to 400 ab's? I don't think he's even going to get as many DH days as Contreras. IMHO he's mostly just going to be the backup catcher. Which was a position of need.

Isnt $7M steep for a back up catcher for us?

[KeithStone53151]

7 minutes ago, Thurston Fluff said:

Am I the only one who doesn't think he'll come close to 400 ab's? I don't think he's even going to get as many DH days as Contreras. IMHO he's mostly just going to be the backup catcher. Which was a position of need.

I'm with you on this. There are way more scenarios that he doesn't get to 400 than that he does. The primary ones that he gets 400 PA with this team would involve either a Contreras injury, or him demolishing the baseball and forcing himself into the lineup(yes please)...both scenarios also involve us being good enough to not be sellers at the deadline as a good Sanchez and bad Brewers is a 100% trade. I assumed Yelich would DH a fair amount this year considering the young outfielders we have, so I don't really expect him to get even half the DH atbats. I also checked and he does have an extremely limited amount of 1b experience...but I wouldn't expect him to play there much. This seems like the type of add you make at the deadline, where you start filling the bench with veteran regulars that will produce better in limited roles than a traditional bench player. The commitment to Haase is quite small, very real chance he simply gets cut...probably more likely than us rolling 3 catchers and having Haase effectively glued to the bench. 

[sveumrules]

3 minutes ago, Thurston Fluff said:

Am I the only one who doesn't think he'll come close to 400 ab's? I don't think he's even going to get as many DH days as Contreras. IMHO he's mostly just going to be the backup catcher. Which was a position of need.

Last year Caratini got 226 PAs.

I’d guess Sanchez gets more than that because he can be a DH option on days he isn’t catching.

Barring a return to early career form on offense, or an injury to Contreras, I’d guess he comes in around 300 PAs.

1 minute ago, DR28 said:

Isnt $7M steep for a back up catcher for us?

Sanchez put up 1.7 WAR in only 276 PAs last year, 15th among 36 catchers with at least 250 PA in 2023.

If he matches that production this year he’ll be a steal for $7M.

[Joseph Zarr]

4 hours ago, sveumrules said:

Just one more roadblock for Catcher of the Future Wes Clarke.

Honestly, I think I'm feeling a deep sense of relief I can finally shift my overwhelming feeling of dread. For the past week, I've been grappling with the 'how and why?!' the Brewers would acquire another talented infielder who is going to block Juan Baez from that Brewers starting SS position. 

[TURBO]

50 minutes ago, DR28 said:

Isnt $7M steep for a back up catcher for us?

Absolutely, which is why most here seem to think he is going to DH a lot...

[brewerfan82]

I saw a Tweet about how surprisingly good Sanchez' defensive stats are and decided to look it up...

2021-23:

I'm no expert on defensive stats, especially with catchers, but he does seem to fair better than I would have expected given his reputation. My initial thought after the signing was we might keep Haase on the roster for his defense (or moreso because I assumed Sanchez was a liability there), but looks like Sanchez can more than hold his own as THE backup catcher.

[DR28]

16 minutes ago, TURBO said:

Absolutely, which is why most here seem to think he is going to DH a lot...

Makes sense..... Just wish he gets on base more... Oh well, I'm guessing Soler and JDM are out of our price range.

[Thurston Fluff]

1 hour ago, DR28 said:

Isnt $7M steep for a back up catcher for us?

I think he's also insurance against a Contreras injury. He'd also step into the DH role if any of the outfielders get injured and Yelich has to play more than I think he's going to now. Plus a pinch hitter against lefties. Ideally he's a backup catcher and pinch hitter and we wasted money on something we end up not needing. That seems like a better result than needing someone to step in and not have him.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

1 minute ago, DR28 said:

Makes sense..... Just wish he gets on base more... Oh well, I'm guessing Soler and JDM are out of our price range.

I'm guessing it's moreso a roster flexibility issue ... wanting a DH-type bat who can passably play a defensive role as well. I guess you could technically stick Soler or JDM in a corner OF spot, but both bring substantially negative defensive value.

[endaround]

Brewers sign backup catcher with a 95-99 projected wRC+.

Brewerfan:"Woohooo! Can't wait for him to play DH 2/3 of the time!"

[TURBO]

I'm warming up to the signing, and I know you stats guys will crucify me for this, but he hit .217 last year.  That is gross.

Here's hoping he provides some thump in the line-up, and hits a ridiculous .230.

😁

[homer]

2 minutes ago, TURBO said:

I'm warming up to the signing, and I know you stats guys will crucify me for this, but he hit .217 last year.  That is gross.

Here's hoping he provides some thump in the line-up, and hits a ridiculous .230.

😁

I think .230 is very possible if he mostly platoons/comes off the bench. He hit .267 against lefties.

[Outlander]

4 minutes ago, endaround said:

Brewers sign backup catcher with a 95-99 projected wRC+.

Brewerfan:"Woohooo! Can't wait for him to play DH 2/3 of the time!"

He probably shouldn't ever DH against a RHP, should play him as much as possible against lefties however. I know many don't like him but Bauers still has a clear path to playing time on this team because he bats left handed and still not projected to be all that good against RHP.

[DR28]

15 minutes ago, Outlander said:

He probably shouldn't ever DH against a RHP, should play him as much as possible against lefties however. I know many don't like him but Bauers still has a clear path to playing time on this team because he bats left handed and still not projected to be all that good against RHP.

Brandon Belt and Gary Sanchez would make for a great DH platoon.

[brewerfan82]

40 minutes ago, endaround said:

Brewers sign backup catcher with a 95-99 projected wRC+.

Brewerfan:"Woohooo! Can't wait for him to play DH 2/3 of the time!"

Well that is sadly a SIGNIFICANT improvement over our DH's last year. 🙃

[areacodes]

1 hour ago, endaround said:

Brewers sign backup catcher with a 95-99 projected wRC+.

Brewerfan:"Woohooo! Can't wait for him to play DH 2/3 of the time!"

Who said that?

[eddiemathews]

22 hours ago, StearnsFTW said:

Few things would shock me more.

Williams' trade value is so high at this point that it'd be almost impossible to deal him. 

[Sixtolezcano]

5 hours ago, StearnsFTW said:

Jesus Luzardo.

 

I'm speaking this into existence.

I would be very apprehensive in dealing Quero at this time. Here we have a very high quality defensive catcher that has made significant strides in his hitting at 21 years of age. Contreras is most likely heading into his 2nd contract within the next 2 years and will most likely need to be replaced (traded) after that time. I would hate for the Brewers to have a revolving door at one of the most important position on the ballclub. I believe trading him would be a very shortsighted decision at this time. I would wait another year to see how much Quero can improve his hitting and then re-evaluate the position next off-season.