FVBrewerFan

Thanks!! See I knew I could count on this board!

Seems like ages since we've heard/seen an update on these guys. Does anyone have any info??

So if they have better pitching and hitting, they'll be a better team? Hard to argue against that! Look, I can't say you're wrong, and you have a right to your optimism. I just don't agree. Remember, with Jeffress and Smith gone, it will be difficult (at best) for the bullpen to be as good as it was this season. Rotation can certainly be better, but not good enough to compete for WC even if everything goes right. Finally, as proven in another thread having a LH power bat would be nice, but it's not as important as you think it is. For example, having a productive Santana and Brinson in the OF would make a world of difference compared to the Flores, Kirk, and half a horrible season of Broxton in the OF. See, they are all RH, but much better results. Even with Lucroy gone, I can see them putting up more runs in 2017. Mostly because of the pathetic output from the OF for most of this season, and the game of musical chairs at 3B for half a season.

Very encouraging that Arcia has steadily improved at the plate. Up to .650 now, and if he can finish like he's been hitting the last couple weeks, he should be able to hit .700 by the end of they year. Is that great? No, but I will be thrilled if he can do that after the rough start he had. I was really starting to wonder if he would be able to get much above Mendoza this season, and we would all be hanging our hat on "he's still so young." Probably the most impressive (surprising) thing is he's been walking a lot.

Can't imagine they're going to be able to play tonight. Charging for playoff tickets WHOAA SOLVVD

I went through this a few years ago. It was a bad experience, and everyone we met with while getting quotes was worst than the next. The "used car salesman" cliché really should be changed to "window salesman." My only advice would be this. I highly doubt any window that costs $5,000 more will never come close to paying for itself. Realistically, how much would be saved per month on heating bill getting top of the line triple pane over new double pane? $5? That would take 83 years to pay for itself.

I think what you've done, unintentionally, is make a case why a deal WON'T be done. As you said, the Dodgers are the only team that makes sense. Not a good bargaining position to be in. Meanwhile, the Dodgers have many other options to find a bat via FA or trade. Or, they could decide they don't need a bat that badly at all. They have options, the Brewers don't. Ideally, yea, the Brewers could get him to expand his list to include teams like Boston and Atlanta- both of which I think may be interested, and both have the farm systems necessary to generate a good return for the Brewers.

Lots of successful teams have not had a power LH bat. Now if you mean true WS contender, yea, I can't think of any off-hand. But that's about 9 steps down the road if you're worried about balance in the line-up. That's pretty much the very last step after you have built a rotation, bullpen, and line-up capable of competing at that high of a level. And yes, that could very well be 2019 or later. This will take as long as it takes.

That's quite a conclusion you made. I would add "barring an unacceptable return from the Dodgers." Since that's why Braun isn't already a Dodger today.

And that's a recipe for disaster. When you focus on a position, you're not getting the best talent. If the Indians trade went through, you would have your top catching prospect. Fortunately, they made a better trade. Two OF came back, but the overall talent recvd back is superior to the (almost) Indians trade. They are in no danger of not having enough positions for top OF to play in the minors. I really can't see who is going to be riding the pines. I also don't see anyone who is blocked from moving up. Nothing wrong at all with continuing to acquire the best talent possible. Once they are competitive again and need a position to fill, they will have a ton of money to spend and can easily add a player via FA or trade. Good points on just targeting the top talent at this point of the rebuild and not worrying too much about positions. With that said....pitching, pitching and more pitching. You can never have enough. It is SO much easier to fill an open OF spot on your roster via free agency/waiver wire, than it is to find quality pitching. The Brewers have be terrible at drafting and developing 1-3 type starters for the last 30+ season. This needs to change. I would say 99% of the posters here would agree, myself included. Thing is, it HAS been a priority since the start of the rebuild. Hader, Houser, Davies, Derby, Anderson, Ortiz, Bickford, Peralta, Supak, off the top of my head- and I know there's more. Not saying all those guys will be great MLB starters, or even make it to MLB. Just saying they have brought in a lot of pitchers via trades. They have a couple more chance at top level SP. Their 2017 draft pick, and a Braun trade. Neither one of those options may even happen, but that's really the only two ways they have left in the short term.

And that's a recipe for disaster. When you focus on a position, you're not getting the best talent. If the Indians trade went through, you would have your top catching prospect. Fortunately, they made a better trade. Two OF came back, but the overall talent recvd back is superior to the (almost) Indians trade. They are in no danger of not having enough positions for top OF to play in the minors. I really can't see who is going to be riding the pines. I also don't see anyone who is blocked from moving up. Nothing wrong at all with continuing to acquire the best talent possible. Once they are competitive again and need a position to fill, they will have a ton of money to spend and can easily add a player via FA or trade.

Way to finish strong Jorge Lopez.

Nothing to do with Braun. Seems more than a couple here seem to be almost upset by the number of OF in the system. Why? Would it be better to get another pitcher just because he has P next to his name instead of OF? Stearns has proven he wants the best talent back in any trade, regardless of position or level. Not even close to knowing if Phillips or Ray will make it. Or Clark, Coulter, or anyone else. Brinson will get a shot, but no lock that he can be quality starter. Injuries happen, and sometimes development doesn't. At this stage it's still all about acquiring talent. Period. The day an OF is hitting .980 in AAA, ready for MLB and is blocked is the day I'll start worrying about too many OF.

Higher OPS in AA this year than Phillips or Nottingham, or Coulter A+/AA combined season. Yea, Cordell is 24 but he is coming off a very solid season.

With absolutely no protection whatsoever in that line-up.( Coming from someone who thinks the whole protection thing is way overrated.) And yes it's freezing cold. Stands are closed. Fireworks long ago cancelled. Even Fang is too tired for any more antics. Dancing Homer would have packed it in by now.

Diaz 0-3 with runners on base in extras. And I'm not leaving

If only Yamamoto had better control, he might have a good outing some day.

I'm confused by this screen shot. Why would I text "wing" if I want free fries?

Angel Ventura's prospect status is not quite dead yet. Also, won't be surprised if Brinson moves to #1 in our year end poll.

First three make sense. The choice of pitchers seems odd?

I always sit behind home plate at TRats games, usually in close proximity to the scouts. I've overheard quite a few comments over the years, occasionally interesting but usually mundane, things we already know, etc. I bring this up, because I heard two scouts talking about Yamamoto during one of his outings earlier this year. They were talking about how he changes speed on his change-up, which is pretty unique. He also has two different curve balls. One is a "true" curve, the other has a sharper break, probably more like a slurve. So I started watching the pitch speeds on the OG, and on the gun from the scout sitting right in front of me. Sure enough, his speed was all over the map on his change and curve. I think his toolbox definitely translates as he moves up through the system. He is still young, so very possible to add a couple ticks to his fastball, and continue to improve his location. His K rate is a really good sign, it shows he can be dominant when he has his control- which is often. Like anyone else, he can hit the wall. But he is definitely one of those guys who could make it.

I will get to the pen and position players. But for now my August, 2017 rotation: DeLeon Hader Nelson Davies Peralta

Diplan with his first stellar outing in BC, best news of the night for me.

Agree completely with your first paragraph, but not with your conclusion here. Yes, I don't think they will get the value they "should" in a trade. But I would rather have DeLeon in return straight-up, than the pleasure of watching Braun on a losing team the next couple years. Braun provides perhaps the last chance for a while to bring back a top quality SP.

That's true. But there is no way you can predict with certainty that a great player in their mid 20s won't hit a wall and decline suddenly. Whether it's due to injury, or anything else. We see plenty of examples of that as well. So you would think teams would never want to sign any FA or trade for a player. But again, I agree there is obvious risk with Braun. At the same time he has been incredibly consistent throughout the years, which should make the Dodgers more comfortable that he can put up 2016 numbers for a couple more years, and still be a solid bat after that.