Harold Hutchison

I'll be very curious to see if Stearns sees Santana as a longterm option or even values him as a prospect that highly. Rumors were that the Astros were happy to get rid of him and Stearns comes out of that Astros front office think tank. Santana strikes out a heckuva lot and is more of a "3TO" type offensive player, which doesn't fit into the trend of MLB Sabermetrics these days (high contact hitters are being prized more), or how the Astros have been building their team. (See the Astros non-tendering Chris Carter as further evidence of that type of mindset). The Brewers already have enough of those 3TO guys (Khris Davis) and Stearns' trade for Villar seems to fit more into the Royals/Astros viewpoint of strong defense high contact versatile players. Santana really doesn't project as a CF either I don't think the Brewers need to go ALL the way in an Astros/Royals mode. The real issue is going to be figuring out how to keep ace-type pitchers. The better option maybe to assemble the killer bullpen, and go for a bunch of #2/#3 starters as opposed to trying to find those #1 starters, who will end up either being traded (like Gallardo and Greinke) or walk as free agents (like Sabathia) because someone will offer them $25 million plus per season. A passable CF with the ability hit 35 homers would be a nice chip to have next offseason - or to use as a building block.

Actually, I can live with a Braun/Santana/Renfroe outfield if the deal I suggested were made. Santana has played 24 games in center as a major leaguer, 21 of them starts, and only 7 full games, per Baseball Reference. In theminors, he played another 12, with 11 starts. So, professionally, he's had 36 games in center field. That strikes me as a small sample size. Why not give him all of 2016 in center, and get a larger sample, especially given that he seems to have good OBP skills and a power bat? Santana's got the chance to post some very good OPS numbers over the next few years. If he's in center, he'll get overvalued by someone, and can be flipped for better prospects than if hes a corner OF or a 1B (should the Brewers decide to take that course of action). But let's not obsess over a potent offensive player's issues on defense. Eight years ago, I think the Brewers made that mistake with Ryan Braun, and rather than have the hot corner be a non-issue for the next five-plus years, they got a revolving door there with Bill Hall, Casey McGehee, Aramis Ramirez, and others. I'd rather not see the Brewers make that kind of mistake again. When you have a plus bat at a position, DON'T MOVE HIM!!!! With Santana, center field is not a problem that needs to be urgently addressed, just as third base was not a problem that needed to be addressed after the 2007 season. If Maverick Phillips looks to be very good then either trade Santana or move him to another position, but I don't see the urgency of moving Santana from center field. That said, I don't think the Padres are a good trade partner for the Crew, especially with Khris Davis involved. I wouldn't even deal Davis unless I'm blown away (a Davis-Santana-Braun outfield for 2016 doesn't sound too bad to me, either).

How about Matt Garza, Khris Davis and Jean Segura for Tyson Ross, OF Hunter Renfroe, and SS Franchy Cordero? The Garza/Ross deal exchanges big contracts (and Garza may rebound a bit in Petco Field). Renfroe plugs into right field, allowing Braun to go to left. Cordero becomes a high-offensive ceiling guy with a lefty bat at shortstop, which around 2018 could make for some interesting options (he moves to second, third, or the outfield).

He's versatile (plays all three OF positions, second, short, and third), switch-hits, and has a bit of power. He also comes pretty cheap, even for someone eligible for arbitration. Honestly, he's an asset on the bench.

Looks like a solid bat but where does he fit in defensively on this team? Backup corner OF/1B. Depending on how he does, might give the option of trading Khris Davis.

A less than 30 point split between BA and OBP makes him pretty unappealing to me. If we had to trade anything of value it would cost to much. I like Zach Borenstein. Big power bat, 80-point splint between average and OBP. Lefty power bat...

I say get both. One could stick at second, the other at third.

Reymin Guduan makes me drool. Some team is going to take a chance on a lefty who can hit 100. Too many walks. Almost one an inning. Maybe, but if he puts together a dominant season or two, he becomes a trade asset.

Actually, I like Ryan Cordell and Gallo as a package. Cordell could play second, and Gallo third. That being said, I'd extend Lucroy. A catcher like him makes the Brewers' pitching staff better. I see no reason to trade him to the Dodgers unless I am blown away in return. That means a package on the order of Seager and Austin Barnes for starters, and if they want Peralta, they have to toss in Urias and Cody Bellenger.

Any thoughts on Joe Rizzo for the #5 overall pick? Third baseman, bats left-handed... http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/ulysses-cantu-joe-rizzo-catching/

I like T.J. Rivera. Good contact hitter, high average. Might be a good platoon partner for Scooter Gennett, or a cheap replacement.

You'd need another prospect in there for sure. Davis and Peralta are proven. Gallo is high reward but not guaranteed to produce like Davis already has. Luke Jackson has an arm on him however his star has been dropping and he has been in the bullpen now...Peralta had a down season however he still has more value than Jackson. I would definitely take it consider it if they could get on more lower level, high ceiling guy such as Forbes. How about this deal? Rangers get: RHP Wily Peralta OF Khris Davis 1B Adam Lind Brewers get: 1B Prince Fielder SS/3B/OF Ryan Cordell 3B Joey Gallo Here's my thinking: The Brewers can end up with a 2017 infield of Gallo at third, Arcia at short, Cordell at second, and Fielder at first. Outfield of Braun, Phillips, and Santana, and then they can try to either extend Lucroy or see what it takes to pry Austin Barnes from the Dodgers (I'm thinking a package centered around Nelson).

Dodgers would be insane to do this. Seeger is perhaps the top prospect in the game. To give him up for a middle of the rotation starter (plus a back up catcher and a below averager shortstop) would be nuts. But hey, we can try! My thinking is that L.A. may overpay for some salary relief. They not only had a $300 million payroll last year, they paid $44 million in luxury tax. They'll probably get another hit on the luxury tax in 2016.

Fielder fills first base for the Brewers. Cordell becomes an option at third or second base. Trevino's a catching prospect, and Drew Robinson could be a middle infielder with a decent bat (nice bench option). Nelson's numbers might be a little high, but the Dodgers, who had a huge payroll last season ($300 million, IIRC, and currently looks to be over $150 million in 2016, before they sign free agents, etc.), get a good pitcher under control for four years, one at pre-arby, the other three at arby-level numbers. They need some cheap options, especially in the rotation, because Greinke's a free agent, and retaining Greinke will cost the Dodgers at least $25 million per year.

What, exactly was wrong with those deals? I leverage two pitchers who the Brewers probably won't be able to keep from free agency into some serious prospects (the 2017 infield is Seeger, Arcia, Cordell, and Fielder; Austin Barnes would take over for Lucroy at catcher), I keep Braun the HECK away from third base, the Brewers have young pitchers in the rotation, and oh, yeah, the offense gets an upgrade to back them up.

Deal One Rangers get: RHP Wily Peralta RHP Junior Guerra 1B Adam Lind minor league 1B David Denson Brewers get: 1B Prince Fielder SS/3B/OF Ryan Cordell C Jose Trevino UT Drew Robinson Deal Two Dodgers get: RHP Jimmy Nelson C Martin Maldonado SS Jean Segura Brewers get: SS/3B Corey Seeger C Austin Barnes OF/1B Cody Bellinger 2016 Brewers 25-man roster: SS: Villar C: Lucroy RF: Braun 1B: Fielder CF: Santana LF: Davis 3B: Seeger 2B: Gennett Pitcher Bench: Barnes, Flores, Herrera, Reed, Peterson, Rivera Rotation: Jungmann, Davies, Hader, Lopez, Suter Bullpen: Smith (CL), Jeffress, Blazek, Knebel, Pena, Thornburg

There is real talent in the Brewers system for the rotation. Combine Lopez and Hader with the Peralta/Nelson/Jungmann trio, and the Crew has a legit rotation. That doesn't count the other contenders (Suter, Ortega, Wang, Davies, Houser, Wagner, Cravy), with some other talent lower in the system (Ponce, Meideros, Diplan, D. Williams, and Rodrigo Benoit - a potential gem in the DSL). Honestly, if I were the GM, I'd listen to offers on Peralta. They'd have to blow me away, but I'd be open to deals. EDIT: Put it this way, here's a "league-minimum" rotation for the Brewers: Jungmann, Davies, Hader, Lopez, Suter Imagine that rotation, PLUS the return from Nelson and Peralta.

Sign me up. Plays 3B/1B, left handed bat, shown 30 homerun power in the minors (66 HR in 1616 AB) and takes walks (293 in those same 1616 AB, as well as 441 Ks... but who's counting ). He's not your typical, young, high upside, see if he can make it through the year so you can stash him in the minors guy, but he's going into his age 26 year and seems like a good flyer to take. Looks like a 3TO type that could be fun to watch, pop some homeruns and might turn into a nice trade piece if nothing else. Not much to lose at either corner IF position.

A .657 OPS at Colorado Springs does not strike me as the number a "solid" prospect would put up. Flores could be a very useful bench bat. He and Peterson have all three outfield positions and first base covered. I'm thinking a young Gerardo Parra. Not a bad asset at all. Heck, Flores even had very brief stints at shortstop and third base (granted in the low minors, but if there was a time desperate enough to put him at third or short, nice to know he'd be a desperate measure option).

Put it this way... Villar means Arcia's the Opening Day 2017 shortstop. We just bought a year of Arcia under Brewers' control.

Suter and Ortega make sense to me for those last two slots...

Or assets people might be willing to give us a package of prospects for. Even if it's Kimbrel-lite, that adds to the depth in the farm system.

I'd like to see K-Rod traded, and Will Smith moved to the closer role as soon as possible. Even K-Rod will have value.

You know, travelling AAAA teams might not be a bad idea. Call it six teams, owned by MLB. The teams would have 30-man rosters. Each MLB team could put three players on that roster (so a AAAA team would have 15 players from a MLB system, and 15 free agents). A player that a MLB team assigns to a AAAA team would be protected from the Rule V draft, and assignment to a AAAA team would also enable a team to keep a Rule V pick. You could play the games in the MLB stadiums - assign a AAAA team to five MLB teams, and they play their home games as MLB stadiums that are vacant because the MLB club is on a road trip.

Two words: Brevard County. Three more words: Florida State League.