Harold Hutchison

I'll go D: Brewers make the 2017 playoffs, and bow out in the NLDS against the Dodgers Brewers then win it all in 2018. No Chacin means that Woodruff is in the rotation that year, and by the end of that season, he and Nelson are a 1-2 punch that helps them take the World Series.

As it percolates... I still think this was a mistake. Perez will prove to have been far more valuable than just his numbers - and not just for the versatility.

Mine: Brewers get (27.5): RHRP Greene 3B Paredes Tigers get (26.3): 1B Aguilar 3B Erceg C Nottingham $2 million cash

At least we’ll always have this... I think this is the next step in roster flexibility - have multiple pitchers who are good enough to pinch hit (or even play an outfield position in a pinch) and have position players who can pitch multiple innings. Why not go for multiple "Toolshed" players? Imagine, if you will, calling in Weston Wilson to play some third base... then do a double switch to have him on the mound for an inning or two in a blowout - or extra innings.

Grisham was always drawing tons of walks... so I think he did have an understanding of the zone. His approach was arguably the issue.

If anything, I think it hurts the team to DFA him. Hernan's versatility made carrying 13 pitchers on a 25-man active roster workable. Heck, he was the 14th pitcher on the 25-man roster. Honestly, I would have handed him the 13th pitcher/mop-up role and used him more on the mound, and have him report with pitchers and catchers. I've been on record as saying I'd sign him to a multi-year extension for the versatility, and I'm still of that opinion. Weston Wilson's the closest to matching, and he's not likely to be in Milwaukee until September 2020. David Fry did eight positions in a game... maybe he's another option. This was the wrong move. Come on, really? Perez pitched in games a tiny amount of times because he was the best of the position players at actually having a chance to record outs on the mound in games that no longer matter. That role is useful like twice a season and always come in games that are out of hand anyway. That role will simply go to the next best position player at recording outs, just like Kratz did last year. Advocating for a position player to remain on the roster because of his ability to pitch, unless it's an actual pitcher like Brooks Kieschnick for example, is just silly. The problem with Perez is that he was out of options. If he had options, he'd probably still be on the 40. Saladino is similar and has options. Next year he won't and he'll probably wind up in the same position Perez is in now because of it, with Dubon having options and taking that role. It really isn't worth carrying mediocre 24th and 25th players on the roster when you have no flexibility to send them down as needed, and I'm glad the front office seems to agree. Actually, I think turning him into a pitcher/position player like Kieschnick probably would be a good idea, if he wasn't somewhat on that road already. At this point, making him the 13th pitcher would have been good. How often does a 13th pitcher go out there?

Brewers get (27.5): RHRP Greene 3B Paredes Tigers get (26.3): 1B Aguilar 3B Erceg C Nottingham $2 million Thoughts?

If anything, I think it hurts the team to DFA him. Hernan's versatility made carrying 13 pitchers on a 25-man active roster workable. Heck, he was the 14th pitcher on the 25-man roster. Honestly, I would have handed him the 13th pitcher/mop-up role and used him more on the mound, and have him report with pitchers and catchers. I've been on record as saying I'd sign him to a multi-year extension for the versatility, and I'm still of that opinion. Weston Wilson's the closest to matching, and he's not likely to be in Milwaukee until September 2020. David Fry did eight positions in a game... maybe he's another option. This was the wrong move.

Could have instead simply shelled out five million to Wade Miley, which is pocket change for a competent starting pitcher. Gio would have been about that as well... and we'd have had him from the start of the season, not after he spent two months in Scranton in front of folks who worked at Dunder-Mifflin.

Well ... Moose has arguably been this team's 2nd offensive MVP so far, so things would look pretty rough taking him out of the lineup. It would have, however, opened a spot for Hiura to be starting every day at 2B, though, so perhaps the drop-off in production wouldn't have been hugely significant. Minor's numbers would sure look good solidifying the staff right now. Perhaps... I'll say this much - 2019 Moose is an immense asset playing every day. I'd probably lean towards Moose, even with Minor's performance.

Yeah did a double take when I saw that last night. Fry has a little bit of Lyle Overbay in him! From my writing, it may come off as I dislike Fry but I think he is a solid player. Older guys crush Rookie ball & A ball all the time then flameout by A+ or AA. Until he is not the oldest guy (or one of them) on a team, I can’t give a real assessment. As for Super Mario I think way his power is ticking up right now, at 20 years old, I think 20 Hrs a year wouldn’t be a stretch at all as he continues matures physically. Same with average, he is a good hitter. If he stays at catcher, even if he can hit .260-.270 that’d be great. He needs to make more contact though. With more power has come more Ks. Since drafted, his bat has been his ticket. If Fry sticks behind the plate, I see his floor as a right-handed Vogt. I said that before, but a right-handed Vogt is not a bad thing to have as a #2 catcher (or even as a utility guy).

Maybe he rebounds and does well the rest of the year...

True, and I'd like to see him in Carolina, and Feliciano in Biloxi.

And to get that kind of production out of the catcher position seems so rare. It is going to be hard to see him go next year (assuming they don’t re-sign him). Extend Grandal, deal Nottingham? Might be a good move to make.

Grandal with a three-run shot to make it a game...

Who do you call up? And it is time for Peralta to move to the pen. Maybe with fastballs, he can be a right-handed Hader. Either that, or send him down to learn a new pitch, and to re-work his pitch mix.

Fry, I think is, at worst a bat-first #2 catcher who can also be the right-handed half of a 1B platoon (a righty Stephen Vogt, if you will). His bat is the most advanced between him, Feliciano, and Henry. Feliciano is doing very well this year, but is his 2019 a breakout or a one-year wonder? Henry's got a 3TO bat... Then there is Nottingham, Hummel (limited time, but still an option), McDowell (another Maldonado - not bad, but I'm spoiled by Lucroy, Grandal, and the potential of Fry), Kahle, and Dillard.

I figured I'd managed to annoy the staff enough they decided to take a break...

Rasmussen came on in relief...

He has hit .270 once and has hit 30+ homers once. I do find it pretty concerning he has a .309 OBP for his career and his ungodly year (2019 so far) his OBP is .337. That is pretty darn bad. Sure not a huge concern when he is hitting like he has so far, but betting on that to continue is pretty risky and wishful. Can he actually consistently hit .270 or hit 30+ homers....his career track record would say definitely not. And his career started at 23 for a full season and he is now in season 30. The other thing is... if he continues at this sort of pace, Moose will have hit at least 28 homers in the last three years. In the last five, it has been 22 or more in 4 out of 5 (2016 was injury-shortened). OBP skills are not as good as some others, but he's hit .270 or better 3 out of 5 years. OPS+ has been 107 or better the last five years. Put it this way, I think Moustakas is a known quantity, who gets a boost playing at Miller Park. I'd be comfortable exercising the mutual option in 2020, and then extending him for 2021 and 2022 at 2/$25 million.

Calvert Hall baseball star Jose Torres taken by the Milwaukee Brewers in MLB draft Glenn Graham, Baltimore Sun "Torres said he has a dollar figure set that will determine whether he signs a contract with the Brewers or goes off to North Carolina State." Quotes within... Is this one of those long shot prep picks? I mean, it sounds like it, but I don't know if that's based on his own level of confidence or the scouting communities. Depends... with the number of college players drafted, I could see the Crew being able to make a good offer...

The Crew, perhaps?

And of course, we must acknowledge Steven Brault for doing the baseball equivalent of kicking to Devin Hester. Steven Brault, you are a REAL MAN, and we salute you.

Assume all three keep going to the majors. I would be shocked if all three weren't on the Brewerfan.net Top 25.

Three catchers in the system: Mario Feliciano, David Fry, and Payton Henry Who starts, who is the backup, and who gets traded? My picks: Starter: Fry Backup: Feliciano Trade: Henry Fry has shown pure offensive dominance over his entire minor-league career, and so I'd be inclined to stick with the more proven bat as a starter. Feliciano's breakout this year makes him a good backup choice. Henry's the guy who gets dealt in this. So will Max McDowell and Nottingham at this point. It feels good to be this deep. Good catching prospects can get a haul of other prospects.