TURBO

Garcia is hurt so often though. He's like glass.

It's definitely him. Personality is the same, like when he threatened to quit Twitter when someone questioned him. Info still seems to be generally solid. What's his twitter handle? Wasn't he adamant just a week ago that he wasn't on social media? He was also adamant that he would not come back again when he posted his "strike 3" rant, but he came back for one post to gloat about his guess that Darvish would sign with the Cubs.

According to Lavelle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the Twins are still exploring possible trades with the Rays for right-hander Chris Archer. After getting spurned by Yu Darvish, the Twins are still looking for an upgrade to the front-end of their rotation. The club made the Rays a formal offer for Archer two weeks ago and it's known that the Rays have some interest in Max Kepler as part of a return package. It's going to take a whole lot more than that though to acquire the 29-year-old hurler who is affordably locked up through 2019 and has a pair of club options for 2020 and 2021. Source: Minneapolis Star TribuneFeb 11 - 9:05 PM

I shudder to think what it would cost for this guy, but it would be sweet to have him.

Cardinals signed OF Victor Roache to a minor league contract. Roache, a former first round pick, batted just .186/.250/.347 with six homers over 57 games last season between the High-A and Double-A with the Brewers and Dodgers last season. The 26-year-old has always shown interesting power, but he has failed to make any progress with his approach. Source: Baseball America on TwitterFeb 12 - 9:10 AM

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reports that the Diamondbacks were "very interested" in Domingo Santana this offseason. Cafardo says that the Brewers were likely targeting Patrick Corbin in trade talks with the D'Backs, but they were "rebuffed." It's hard to imagine Arizona rejecting a one-for-one Santana-for-Corbin trade proposal considering that Corbin is a free agent after this season and Santana isn't even arbitration-eligible yet, so there were surely other players involved here if in fact talks did center around Santana and Corbin. The Brewers are saying at the moment that they're happy to keep Santana and play Ryan Braun more at first base, but it still seems to make the most sense for them to deal Santana for pitching. Source: Boston GlobeFeb 11 - 9:34 AM

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports Yu Darvish can opt out after the second year of his agreed-upon, six-year deal with the Cubs. In his six-year, $126 million deal from the Cubs, Darvish likely got less than he was originally aiming for, so the opt-out will give him an option to test the waters in a few years to see if they're any more friendly. His performance at the end of last season likely contributed to those icy waters, so two years of strong performance would help, too. With Darvish off the market, perhaps we start to see some other free agent starter dominoes fall, too. Source: Jeff Passan on TwitterFeb 10 - 7:02 PM

Gosh, both options make me sick to my stomach to be honest.

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports that the Dodgers were in the bidding on Yu Darvish right until he decided to sign with the Cubs. That could mean that the Dodgers will still be in the market for pitching help and will turn to one of the lesser names available on the free agent market. Source: Jon Heyman on TwitterFeb 10 - 3:10 PM

I am sure Boras will tell his players to hold, but what is the market for Arrieta? Brewers, Twins, and ? Arrieta has a better chance waiting for the first week or 2 of spring training and see if a big market team loses a pitcher to a significant injury then Boras can swoop in. I think chances of most, if not all, of Boras clients not going signed into spring training just went up. $100M contract on the table or holding out for better is a big risk to take for any player. p.s. how do I get the username whom I am quoting added to the quote? Tx. Newby. The Dodgers could easily switch to Arrieta, since they were in on Darvish up until the last second he signed with the Cubs. If the Dodgers are in on Arrieta, doubtful we will get him either... Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports that the Dodgers were in the bidding on Yu Darvish right until he decided to sign with the Cubs. That could mean that the Dodgers will still be in the market for pitching help and will turn to one of the lesser names available on the free agent market. Source: Jon Heyman on TwitterFeb 10 - 3:10 PM

No way Arrieta signs a 3 year deal. If anything, this just upped his chances of a 5 year deal imo. It will be really interesting to see what Darvish now does to the rest of the free agents.

Anything that makes the Cubs stronger, is bad for us. Yes, this may be horrible for them in years 4, 5, and 6, but now our chances of winning the division in 2018 just blew up in our faces. The Cubs got better, and we still do not have a pitching staff to send us to the next level. Being left with Arrieta, Lynn and Cobb isn't going to cut it. Glad we didn't pay the price it took to get Darvish, but there is no silver lining in this for us and our new WIN NOW strategy.

I hope not. Darvish wouldn't have cost a pick. Arietta sends one to the Cubs. I hope not too, just seems like it is going to happen...

Pretty much locks in that we now sign Arrieta. *sigh*

I don't see what 2015, 2016, or even 2017 has to do with NOW. The fact that the Cubs are not in on Arrieta NOW tells me they see something that has made them uninterested. That should be worrisome for other teams. Also, I do not view Arrieta as a TOR arm any longer. #2, yes.

I'm disappointed that we switched from a re-build mode to a win now mode with just the smallest taste of success last season. I really thought we'd be playing young guys this year and next, to see what we truly have, rather than start to unload some of the farm to make an attempt at the playoffs in 2018. I'm not 100% sold that we needed to go out and grab outfielders when we had Brinson and Phillips ready to see what we have in them, all but pushing Santana aside in the process. I think we are better NOW with the acquisition of Yelich and Cain, but are we going to be better in 2019 and 2020 had we stuck with the original plan? I am going to assume that they know what they are doing, and that things will work out, but I still question the need to change our course this soon. I think both Darvish and Arrieta are going to be giant mistakes 3 years down the road, and we'll be stuck with their salaries, as we now feel we are with Ryan Braun's. I do not feel like Lynn or Cobb are enough of a difference maker to propel us into the next level with teams like Washington, the Astros, the Dodgers, or even the Cubs. I think we are blowing our load too soon. I will be happy to eat crow if I am wrong, but trading away another big part of our farm for a regressing, over-hyped Archer is, imo, the worst move we can make from this point on. I'd much rather over pay one of Arrieta or Darvish and keep the farm in tact for when we need them. Again, I could be wrong, or I could be right, I'm just hoping that jumping into win-now mode isn't going to hurt our chances in the future of building a winner that can sustain success in a larger window, not a shorter one.

Free agent, why not? What is his asking price? He could hold down 2B for a year until Hiura is ready. At 37, no way he is expecting a multi-year deal, right?

ESPECIALLY once you get to the playoffs, IF you get to the playoffs...

I don't see Looper on that list...

That is not by "the book." Doing things like that make Mgrs uneasy.

Clients get more, agents get more, correct? Of course agents want their clients to get more if some of that "more" goes in their pockets.

If any season ticket holders want to sell their Cubs series tickets, I'm going to be looking for 3 tickets the the June 12th and 13th games. Not willing to pay "Cubs fan" prices though. A couple of high school friends and I will be taking in the series, then heading to both Chicago stadiums for non Brewer games. Following that with a trip to Kane County to see the Timber Rattlers on the road...

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the Cubs have "barely engaged" in contract talks with free agent starting pitcher Jake Arrieta. Nightengale goes so far as to say that a reunion between Arrieta and the Cubs is as "unlikely as a Bill Belichick comedy show." Well then. He also reports that other teams seem concerned about the lack of contact; wondering if Chicago knows something about the 31-year-old's health. Arrieta went 14-10 for the Cubs in 2017, registering a 3.53 ERA and striking out 163 batters in 168 1/3 innings. Source: USA TodayFeb 7 - 4:04 PM

All of the Big 4 free agents have warts. To be honest, none of them get me excited. Throw in Archer, and if all we have to choose from is those 5, I'd almost rather stay put, and see what is out there at the deadline... Making a move to make a move could be a BAD move for the Brewers...

Is Cobb or Lynn that much better than anything we currently have? Serious question.