Fear The Chorizo

The Brewers have been among the most active teams this offseason leading up to Ohtani signing....this article is kind of silly.

Yeah, I'm convinced WAR was a stat invented by the players union and boras corp....if there was a salary cap with all teams having to build their roster under an even financial structure, WAR value might actually resemble what actual wins are worth in terms of payroll dollars

I think it depends how dumb the Cubs get with throwing around $$ to fill what are still gaping holes on their roster in the rotation, pen, and lineup now that Ohtani is a dodger. Right now, the Reds are probably the next best team on paper to the Brewers - that could quickly change if Burnes and Adames are dealt - and then i would imagine Williams is also gone by the 2024 trade deadline...but it also makes some sense to make a big move or two to shore up 1B and the rotation and run it back to start the season, too.

Embarrassment for who? Burnes didn't do himself any favors, crying about losing his hearing to the press afterwards, and could have avoided losing his hearing by signing the arby offer the Brewers and his team were negotiating up to the deadline, and likely would have made more $ than he wound up with in 2023. The Brewers did exactly what the process in place required of them. I don't think the Brewers would mind one bit going through arbitration with Burnes one more time if they don't get the moon for him via trade before then. That's the route Burnes has decided to go instead of Freddy or Ashby, and that's his right to do so...but that doesn't mean the Brewers then have to go to a hearing and fall over themselves saying how fabulous he is on the mound and beg the arbitrator to pay Burnes whatever he wants.

It'd still be a pretty big dead cap hit next year...but a trade could happen. He played the full 16 games last season right after inking that extension. Hoping he can get himself right, because he is a difference maker when he's on the field - but for whatever reason, it seem like Jaire is perpetually injured this season. I think this is yet another shining example of the Packers keeping a guy that they likely knew was going to be out multiple weeks on the active roster instead of IR-ing him and allowing the team to bring in more secondary depth while he was injured.

It kind of feels like the other 3 teams in the NFC North got a half season where the Packers weren't the annual favorite for the division title...and by the end of this season they'll be right back to wishing the Packers weren't in their division anymore.

I don't get the argument of deferred $ helping the Dodgers sign more guys, it's for Ohtani's tax purposes most likely. The upfront money the Dodgers save will most likely just be paid into the luxury tax. That $70m AAV is going to permanently have the Dodgers way over the luxury tax limit....meaning they'll be paying a ton of tax dollars and have their top draft pick position docked 10 or so spot each season

That is a stupid amount of money no matter how its paid out

No thanks - I don't want bat first guys to be forced into having to become utility players where their below average defense bounces from position to position with them. If the bat will play, give Black a defensive position where he won't kill you and leave him alone. Maybe a position change if someone else coming up is better suited for wherever Black is playing.

I think his back would be a disaster at at 1B. Moving Yeli to full-time DH is a solid option if they have plans to hoard all their young OFs...but my gut tells me Yelich is still out in LF for 2024.

Yeah, but it still carries alot more risk than pitchers who have had only 1 TJ surgery...arms aren't designed to throw 100 mph longterm, and Ohtani's frame has proven to be susceptible to elbow injuries. Ohtani truly is a transcendent talent, but I do think he should transition his career towards DH or become a 1B/OF to avoid additional arm problems that cause hike to miss more time in the future. The issue is he won't do that until after this massive contract that pays him like he's an annual Cy young and HR champ threat for 10+ seasons is signed, which just isn't realistic. That's why this deal will look bad in the second half of it.

Because I think 2B with how the Brewers play is a position that they want a plus defender at - Black has been moved off that position for a reason. And to other posts earlier by others, I do agree if Wilken profiles as a better defensive 3B that he can easily stick there longterm if he rockets through the minirs this year and is in MLB by 2025, and Black could then shift to 1b or DH - but for 2024 I'd like to see the Brewers give Black an opportunity to stick at 3rd while also bringing in a legit 1B. Carlos Santana on a 1 yr deal makes alot of sense to me if they aren't going to pony up what it would take to sign a Hoskins. The past few years, both 1b and 3b have been offensive black holes on this roster, and have frequently been manned by utility middle infielders. More than ready to give youngsters with offensive profiles that line up with corner IF positions a shot at locking those spots down.

That would be the most epic head fake, ever...gets off the plane and throws on a Dodgers hat - "Syke"!

I think Mitchell has the higher ceiling, but the injuries are concerning and with Chourio likely locked in as this team's CF through what will be both Mitchell and Wiemer's primes, at least one of them is likely to be traded because they are both more valuable as CFs due to their defense. The Brewers could find a way to hoard all these young OFs, but they would be better off using that depth to bolster pitching or corner IF talent at the MLB level via trade, IMO. I think both Black and Wilken will be in Milwaukee by 2025, and Black is knocking on that door already. If Black isn't a total butcher defensively at 3rd, Wilken could move over to 1B.

Yeah, Black is going nowhere - but I do think one of the young OF's who won't be the everyday CF in Milwaukee with Chourio extended would be a good centerpiece in a trade like this...Wiemer or Mitchell

When is the deadline for negotiated arbitration salaries, or if teams and players can't agree it goes to arbitration? Wondering if any sort of Burnes deal doesn't happen until the Brewers and any interested teams find out what Burnes' arbitration amount is if he'd win a hearing (assuming the Brewers and Burnes can't come to an agreement once again). I also think until other free agent pitching signs or is traded (Bieber, Cease. others?), Burnes isn't going anywhere.

I like Jimenez, used to love him but injuries derailed the start of his career and his inability to stay healthy remains his biggest concern....because of that I'd rather first try to sign Soler to a free agent deal to be the team's DH so prospects can stay with the Brewers. That being said, if the White Sox are willing to bite on the upside of Wiemer + a lotto ticket prospect or two I'd be ok trading for Jimenez, but I'd imagine the asking price is higher than that. With regards to Black and his eventual defensive position, I think the Brewers should let that play out on its own and start with him sticking at 3rd until he proves any defensive shortcomings at that position outweigh his bat. If his offensive game plays at the MLB level, DH is always an option for him longterm, too. Even with the glut of OFs currently on the 40 man roster and the assumption that Yelich and Contreras could once again take roughly 1/3 of the DH at bats for the team in 2024 if the Brewers are ok with them playing almost everyday (and are ok with one or both of those guys wearing down as the season winds down once again), I think targeting the DH position specifically via free agency or trade to bring in a good RH bat to anchor the lineup should be a priority.

Honestly to the Padres, the most important thing is they won't have to fill out a bunch more IOUs for having to pay whatever Soto's 2024 salary will come to in arbitration had they not traded him.

I saw some quotes from Boras indicating he's trying to get the Phillies to consider a contract extension for Bryce Harper...something along the lines related to the fact that his original THIRTEEN year deal included no opt-outs as a "good will" gesture by Harper to show his desire to be a career-long Phillie and also show to other marquee free agents that he's there for the long haul. That since he's been so instrumental in getting free agents to come to Philadelphia, he now wants an extension (likely at closer to current market rate AAV I'm sure) that will have him playing into his 40's. I would love for the Phillies' front office to call him back saying "That's great to hear Scott - looking forward to Bryce playing out his current contract that still has EIGHT years and a bit over $200 Million dollars left on it knowing he's a Phillie through and thorough, and come the 2031 season when Harper is a season away from free agency once again and pushing 39-40 yrs old, we'll be sure to see if he's still actually playing and then offer him a new deal at what his 2030-2031 production warrants. Hopefully by then, Scott, you'd be retired or possibly deceased and we won't have to deal with your nonsense anymore. Go find another one of your clients to rob a different organization with so you land one more golden parachute of a commission to buy another island." I'm pretty sure that if you were to list the worst current free agent contracts across MLB right now for organizations, the percentage of agent representation tied to the Boras Corp would be over 70%.

If the Hader trade wasn't made when it happened, this organization would have a lot more holes at the MLB level that need filling. It's been hashed over multiple ways, but Hader was one of the main reasons that 2022 team was nosediving after a solid start to the year. The theoretical trades that never happen always look like they would've yielded more return value than the trades are made, too. I doubt Arnold cares at all about what fans think about player moves and when they happen - if he thinks it's the right time to pull the trigger on something or stand pat, he's going to do it.

If Adames is traded, maybe Gavin Lux is the team's backup SS. I don't want to prioritize signing a guy like IKF at this point in the offseason before other more important dominoes with the roster fall into place than bringing in the backup to the prearvitration SS heir apparent if the current starting SS gets traded.

Sure - but how has that worked out for their offensive production in the postseason the past 5 years? At some point you need to balance the roster out and remove the top priority of a player having a bunch of different gloves in his duffel bag so you can have better hitters across your lineup at the start of a season. The Brewers currently have about 15 OFs on their roster, Monasterio can play 2B/SS/3B, Owen Miller can play everywhere, Vinny Capra can play 3B/2B/SS, and you've also got Oliver Dunn, Turang, and Adames as middle IF options. What's the point?

Good God, no...no thank you. Anytime I read "defensive versatility" as the primary value for a veteran position player, I want the Brewers to run as far away from that player as possible until their current 40 man roster actually lacks those qualities instead of having an overabundance of them at the expense of better hitters. Monasterio is still in the organization, right? Seems like Kiner-Falefa is an older, more expensive, and worse version of Monasterio, so I hope this is just Rosenthal looking to throw a few sentences together for each team during a Winter Meetings period that hasn't really seen the huge FA or trades happen that everyone is waiting on.

If Santana still has some tread on the tires, I think he'd be a fantastic fit next season - he seemed to really gel with the clubhouse once arriving in Milwaukee. Switch hitting veteran power bat that will give you a mid-upper 700s OPS and play a good defensive first base isnt the worst player in the world for this young team.

Specific to both Burnes and Williams, the calculus the Brewers have to weigh is what sort of dip in return value would there be if they simply go into 2024 with both and then decide to trade either at this year's deadline if they aren't in playoff contention come mid-June? And, if that dip in value is worth starting one more season with Burnes leading their rotation and Williams anchoring their bullpen with a shot at making a playoff run. I think that carries alot of value in a division that is still very much the Brewers to win again based on who the NL Central teams currently have on their rosters - because of that I think they can kind of sit on the sidelines in a holding pattern until a few key free agency and other trades happen, then make a more informed decision on how to proceed with Burnes/Williams. With Burnes, I think you'd see a significant drop in terms of trade value waiting until July instead of dealing him now after the Ohtani and Yamamoto sweepstakes are resolved. With Williams, I can actually see his value increasing at the deadline. Baltimore does seem like an ideal trade partner who definitely has the prospects that could pry either or both of these proven MLB talents away from the Brewers - I think any offer from them needs to knock the Brewers' socks off for either of them to be dealt before Opening Day.