Harold Hutchison

Sorry to turn everyone blue. It was just a thought.

Mets get: K-Rod SS Luis Sardinas Brewers get: SS TJ Rivera LHP Blake Taylor Thinking: Mets will want to get some bullpen help to match the Nats getting Papelbon. I swap K-Rod for Blake Taylor, a young lefty, and I also go to TJ Rivera, who seems like a better, cheaper option than Segura at shortstop - which gives the Crew some offseason options.

MLB said Storen was being moved to setup. In any case... gonna be interesting to see how this shakes things up. Maybe K-Rod becomes an option for some team?

Orioles get: CF Carlos Gomez 1B Adam Lind RHP Jonathan Broxton Brewers get: RHP Zach Davies 3B Jomar Reyes C Chance Sisco LHP Tanner Scott

I was spitballing on the extensions, but at the same time, I'd look to extend at least Lucroy and Gomez. Gomez, in particular, I'd try to work for a hometown discount - maybe in the $15 million/year range.

DODGERS GET: Latos Morse CB pick Marlins Get: 3 prospects... currently unknown Per MLB Network...

As much as i want the team to land some quality young arms if trades do get made, i agree in not wanting the team either to get so set on pitching that they were to accept noticeably lesser value simply to target pitching over position players. When teams make trades for prospects, it's far from a given that those prospects will pan out for a variety of reasons. The by far most important factor when making a trade/trades is that some of those prospects actually pan out in the majors at some point. You'll never hear a baseball GM complain that he just has to many talented players if there become a logjam of varying degrees at a position or two. That allows a savvy GM a variety of options. Unfortunately as fans we never get to listen in on trade discussions between the Brewers and other teams, so when a trade is really made or talks fizzle out, we don't get to know if potentially X trade offer was turned down at the same time the finished trade was made instead. Or if a certain player simply didn't draw the type of offers we as fans assumed. If the Brewers turned down say two offers for a player like Gomez and what exactly was offered to where it made sense to say no or the Brewers seemed to be expecting to much. I've been of the opinion that just getting good players, and plugging them in would be better than trading them just to trade them. I remember the Cirillo and Burnitz trades. That is kind of my fear with a Carlos Gomez trade. Hold out, get good value - and if not, then be willing to make the noises about an extension to Gomez and Lucroy. Lucroy may come at a decent price given this season's fall-off. I'd offer him a 3-year, $22.5 million extension - especially if the system still cranks out starting pitching prospects. Ditto for Gomez. I'll happily offer him 3 years, $36 million. I might even go for the extensions if the farm system keeps developing other players. While Michael Reed would be my first choice as the bridge between Carlos Gomez and Monte Harrison/Trent Clark in center field, I wouldn't be crying in my Mountain Dew if the Brewers instead had Gomez directly hand it off to one of Harrison or Clark, with Reed as a 4th outfielder or replacing Khris Davis.

Because bats don't fix the fundamental flaw with this organization which has been pitching. I don't have a problem acquiring impact bats, but we literally have 4 intriguing CFs, 3 corner OFs, and 5 SS already. We need corner IF and C, so look around at the top prospects in each organization, see if their needs match up, and if they'd actually be willing to trade. There were literally 2 3B on the midseason top 50 from BA: TX - 3B- Joey Gallo isn't going anywhere. BOS - 3B - Rafael Devers possibly not a MLB 3B. There is an incredible shortage of decent 1B all around baseball and none in the top 50. Schwarber was the only C in the top 50, there's no way the Brewers are acquiring him. So then what are we going to trade for? More OF? We'll trade from position of strength to acquire more of that position? My idea of trading is to address positions of weakness long term. More importantly my biggest fear is that the previous cycle repeats itself, we end up with "expendable" bats and trade them for short term MLB pitching so the holes never actually get plugged... a couple of seasons in the sun with mediocrity around them. As to Melvin doing great in trades... that's hardly been the case. I think Sabathia, Greinke, and Marcum cloud that perception. He's also never added significant young pieces to the roster via trade so I would submit he's not even the right person to be captaining this sort of a ship. Nothing about trading for prospects plays to his strengths, not in TX and not here in Milwaukee, those are the not the kinds of trades he makes. What is wrong with putting an impact bat that plays SS at 2B? Why not stick another impact bat at SS at 3B? The Brewers made that first move with someone named Molitor, and later on, did the same with Gary Sheffield. I cannot begin to describe how frustrated I was that they didn't move Sveum to second and start Sheffield at short in `88.

So, why not get young impact bats instead?

I'd prefer to see Arcia spend all of 2016 at Colorado Springs... maybe it'll give him taste for some power numbers. Segura's still valuable as a middle-infield backup. Maybe move Gennett and ride with a combo of Sardinas and Segura for 2016.

So... if he is still with the Brewers in 2016 (assuming he's not a Rule 5 pick), do you give him a chance to win rotation spot? Do you send him to Colorado Springs? Or does he go back to AA?

Except for that five-year age difference... Have to hand it to you, Clancy, been here together for 14 years and you certainly still manage to pick out your own unique players to gravitate to... I had a few in my latest top 25... Been a sucker for some OBP guys... Weisenburger, Cotto, Reed, Segovia. Suter and Hobbs Johnson... Segovia's flashing a lot less speed than Cotto. Segovia has only 7 successful steals in 15 attempts. Cotto has 13 in 14 attempts. I'd try to see if Cotto can move up the system quickly - maybe the Brewers can get some Scott Podsednik-esque production from him. Segovia could end up like Michael Reed - a Brady Clark-type player, and he could arrive just as Reed reaches free agency... decisions, decisions...

Lots of speed and OBP skills. I like him, too. With Reed headed for AAA (and, IMO, an outside shot at a job on the major-league roster), Segovia and Omar Cotto seem to be similar. Cotto's not only drawing walks and stealing bases, he's showing the ability to hit for average, too.

The Capuano comparison is interesting, particularly prior to `08. Jamie Moyer is another possibility, albeit Suter seems to avoid the gopher ball. The question is... to maximize his chances of reaching his ceiling, do the Brewers put him in the 2016 rotation, do they risk him in Colorado Springs, or do they keep him at AA for another year?

Demi drew a walk! Demi drew a walk!!

Kodi Medeiros and Nathan Kirby, recent first-round picks, have gotten a lot of the attention. But what about Brent Suter, who has posted a 2,02 ERA in Biloxi, has only allowed two home runs all year, and seems to be putting it all together. That 2.02 ERA, by the way, comes on a .310 BABIP. Is he part of the Brewers' rotation in the future? If so, is he another potential ace, a #3 starter, or someone in the back end of the rotation? Failing that, where does he fit in the bullpen? A LOOGY? A closer? How high does Brent Suter go?

We all have our own way of evaluating these players, have our pet projects, etc. Nothing wrong with that. Allemand, for example, is a guy who could easily be in the Top 25 down the road. Heck, I had the only vote for Carlos Luna. But I looked at his stat line, and even with a small sample I felt I needed to reward him with a vote. The absolutely dominating complete game he threw sealed it. Brandon Diaz is another I put on my list that didn't make the Top 25. His numbers aren't deserving, but I have seen him play enough that I think he's real close to breaking out. Nice, short swing, has some power, has speed...just a lot of tools to work with there. The same went for Omar Cotto in my book. Cotto's showing the ability to hit for average, good OBP skills, and speed. Undrafted free agent... who's dominating. Monte Harrison's injury may give Cotto a longer look, but his small sample was too impressive to ignore. EDIT: How can I forget Adam Weisenburger, who's got great D behind the plate and mad OBP skills?

I agree. I liked the pre-2013 draft system (and free-agent compensation set-up) much better as well. That said... the competitive balance round is a very good idea, IMO.

It makes some sense to me... although prior to this year, Peralta didn't seem to have anything particularly wrong as a starter. In fact, I'd say he was breaking out in 2014 (17-11, 3,35 ERA), a reliable #2 starter. The 1-5 record reflects the problems the Brewers had early in the season, but the 4.00 ERA is still lower than from 2013, although his K numbers have dropped. Jimmy Nelson and Mike Fiers look like reliable #3 starters for now - but Nelson might develop more. Jungmann, of course, is looking like a #1 or #2.

Looking this over, it looks like I will either be a genius with some of my picks, or I'll be way off. Based on the point totals, my votes for Omar Cotto (20) and Yerison Pena (21) provided all of their points. Adam Weisenburger was my 25th pick - I gave him the edge over Carlos Leal due to his OBP skills (Weisenburger's posted a .361 OBP against a .233 batting average). My 9th-place vote for Brent Suter provided 17 of his 28 points, and My 12th-place vote for Blake Allemand gave him 14 of his 23 points. So, am I seeing something real in Cotto, Pena, Allemand, and Suter - or am I just seeing smoke and mirrors?

Why not as a solid leadoff hitter? Reed has OBP skills, he's got very good speed... those would seem to be the top two requirements for a leadoff hitter. And he's had some experience in center (the majority of his time in Arizona and Helena) before he got "blocked" by Tyrone Taylor. And Brady Clark proved to be quite useful in center field for the Crew... so I'd be fine with parking Reed in center, especially if the Brewers trade Gomez. Taylor's not made the adjustment from A+ to AA, and Harrison's hurt. Why not see if Reed is the answer in center?

My thinking is he's got more speed than Clark, who was never a serious SB threat. Reed's stolen 97 based in 127 career attempts in the minors (76.3% success rate). Clark stole 88 in 140 (62.8%). So, while Clark topped out at 15 steals in a season in the majors, Reed could average 25 or so. Reed's also delivered 7 more triples in 700 fewer minor-league at bats. Clark flashed more power but was anywhere from 0 to 2.7 years ABOVE the league average age. Reed's routinely been at least 2 years YOUNGER than the league average. I think he is comparable to Brady Clark, but he will add more speed, and I think comparable or better power will come.

Michael Reed has been very solid, if not amazing, at AA Biloxi. Over his time in the Brewers system, he has shown plenty of speed and outstanding OBP skills, including 13 triples in 2013, and in each of the last three seasons, he's posted an OBP of at least .375, and stolen at least 26 bases. So, what is his ceiling with the Brewers? Is he another Brady Clark? Can he develop some more power? What do you think?

I personally would probably sign a veteran off the FA market to handle duties. No one flashy just a cheap vet to help the pitchers out. Could a veteran do as well as Lucroy, who's caught some of these guys for years? An open question. If Jungmann is a #1/#2 starter (which is looking more and more likely, given his consistent performances to date), and Peralta and Nelson come back to form, then the Brewers are arguably more in need of some re-tooling versus a full rebuild, given the presence of Fiers, and a load of young pitchers coming up (Cravy, Suter, Johnson, Wagner for the fifth spot this year, with Lopez, Ortega, and Meideros further down the ladder). The team could go to Lucroy, try to get an extension, and that's one less position to worry about - plus, if he is getting more out of Jungmann, especially early on, then it may be worth it to the Brewers to keep him behind the plate as opposed to looking on the free-agent market, which can be... iffy.

I'd rather ship Gomez to the Dodgers for: SS/3B Corey Seager 1B Cody Ballenger C Austin Barnes