Top 25 Brewer Fanatic Most-Viewed Articles of 2023: Part 4 (6-10)

Happy Day before New Year's Eve Day! Today we share part four of this series on the most-viewed articles. Today we enter the top ten. Again, it is fun to see the randomness of the viewership of articles. But today we've got articles on the top prospect in the organization and others who also have high ceilings. A look back at a controversial trade to see if it might just have been a good trade in the long term. It's obviously always fun to start thinking playoff odds and rosters. Those articles generate excitement about the team and conversation about roster makeup. Let's jump into it now.

#10  Jackson Chourio Extension Report Realigns the Brewers Outfield Picture 
by Matthew Trueblood
Nov 29

News came out that the Brewers and phenom Jackson Chourio were talking long-term contract extension. Before the deal was actually signed, Matt wrote about many of the questions that it brings to the table. Could Christian Yelich move to first base? Tyrone Taylor has already been traded. Could other talented, young outfielders be dealt? Should the team feel obligated to have Chourio be on the Opening Day roster, or can (or should) he get a little bit more time in Triple A. He will turn 20 during spring training. Clearly if Chourio is on the roster, he needs to play. He won’t be called up to sit on the bench. If he and Yelich are two-thirds of the outfield, who fills the third starting spot, or could there be a platoon option? Does Chourio need to play center field, or could they move him over to right field right away? These are all great questions that we will get answers to in March, and April, and May…    

#9  The Josh Hader Trade May Have Hurt in 2022 but Its Present & Future are Bright   
by Harold Hutchison
Oct 14 

It’s always important at the trade deadline to realize that, typically, one of the teams is dealing for now while the other is dealing for later. There is some overlap, especially with mid-market teams. That’s the case with the August 1, 2022,trade that sent Josh Hader to the Padres. Hader had really been struggling and was going to start getting very expensive in arbitration. Devin Williams was certainly ready to take over the ninth inning. The Brewers received veterans Taylor Rogers and Dinelson Lamet in return. Rogers struggled some but received a three-year, $33 million deal this offseason. Lamet was released right away by the Brewers. Milwaukee also received outfield prospect Esteury Ruiz and lefty Robert Gasser. Ruiz was dealt to the A’s as part of the three team deal that brought William Contreras and Joel Payamps to the Brewers. Gasser pitched well for Triple-A Nashville and was named co-Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2023. So did that deal cost the Brewers a spot in the 2022 playoffs, or did it help them to a playoff spot and division title in 2023? Or both? I’ll let you decide. 

#8 Jackson Chourio isn’t the Only High Ceiling in the Brewers Farm System  
by Jake McKibbin
Dec 1

First things first. Jackson Chourio’s ceiling is at a completely different level than most prospects not named Holliday. But the Brewers do have several prospects that may be recently signed or drafted that do have high ceilings as well, if things go right. There are a couple of very intriguing pitchers and more hitters too. Who knows how they will pan out, but it’s fun to read about those high ceiling guys and dream of what could be. 

#7 It’s Clear Who Craig Counsell Wants on the Bench in October 
by Matthew Trueblood
Sept 8 

Playing time early in the season can tell us some things, but it’s more about development and providing opportunities. However, as a potential playoff team will start playing things a little differently. Players who played most everyday early in the season might only be used as a defensive replacement or a pinch runner. In doing so, you can even more clearly tell who the manager doesn’t want on the bench in October. 

#6 The Brewers’ Playoff Odds and Going Through the Roof  
by Matthew Trueblood
Aug 21 

Around the trade deadline, things were quite tight in the National League standings. Things were tight in the NL Central, but also there were lots of teams still alive in the Wild Card race. The Brewers had a nice two-week run and pushed their odds of making the playoffs up to over 88% and their chances of winning the NL Central to over 72%  In addition, this is about the time that fans dove into Brewers Fanatic as well which made that final six weeks of the season very exciting for all of us.

If you missed a previous article in this series, click here: 

Part 1 (21-25)
Part 2 (16-20)
Part 3 (11-15)
Part 4 (6-10)
Part 5 (1-5) - Coming Tomorrow!