Harold Hutchison

C: Contreras, Caratini (2) IF: Santana, Turang, Adams, Monasterio, Donaldson, Tellez (6) OF: Yelich, Frelick, Canha, Taylor, Wiemer, Mitchell (6) SP: Burnes, Woodruff, Peralta (3) RP: Williams, Payamps, Uribe, Milner, Peguero, Megill, Wilson (7) Flex P: Miley, Houser (2)

If the Brewers can feast on the Cardinals, Nationals, and Marlins over the next 13 games - clinch the NL Central before the Cubs even arrive in Milwaukee on the 29th... that would be helpful.

With a 62-68 record in the 2023 season, the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers may seen like a bit of a disappointment. The club just about broke even, though: they scored 602 runs and allowed 605. Which players were the biggest standouts? Image courtesy of © Dan Powers/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK Let’s look at some of this team’s best performers, some of whom have been largely overlooked as prospects. Joe Gray Jr. Gray mostly played in center field for the Rattlers, but was also in right field. He delivered power (29 extra-base hits in 402 at-bats) and added some significant speed (16 stolen bases) during his time in Appleton. He received a brief promotion to Double A in the middle of the season as well. Eric Brown Jr. Injuries cost Brown significant time in 2023, but when he was on the field, he was a sparkplug, posting a .362 OBP and 37 stolen bases in 245 at-bats. Brown was the Crew’s first-round pick in the 2022 draft, and will need to prove he can stay healthy. Ernesto Martinez Despite an early-season slump following a lost 2022 season, Martinez rebounded to deliver power (22 extra-base hits in 243 at-bats), speed (13 stolen bases) and OBP skills. Martinez has been overlooked when compared to other prospects, but could be an option for first base in 2025. Robert Moore The Brewers’ Competitive Balance Round B pick in 2022 has been very intriguing. While primarily playing second base, he was a capable fill-in at shortstop when Brown was injured. The switch-hitting Moore posted a .682 OPS over 490 at-bats in his first full professional season, delivering 44 extra base hits and adding 26 stolen bases. Tanner Shears Shears started the season with the Carolina Mudcats, but was promoted to Wisconsin, where he assumed a share of the closer’s role. He posted seven saves in 26 appearances covering 29 2/3 innings pitched for Appleton, with a 1.315 WHIP and a 1.52 ERA. Shane Smith Smith also started the season with the Mudcats, but grabbed a share of the Timber Rattlers closer's role, racking up six saves while pitching 26 1/3 innings and posting a 0.84 WHIP. Smith was signed by the Crew in 2022 after pitching in college. Max Lazar Lazar continued his comeback (after missing the entire 2021 season) by making the move to the bullpen, where he was an early-season mainstay for the T-Rats before earning a promotion to Biloxi. Lazar’s solid season of bullpen work followed an excellent performance out of the rotation in Brisbane in the 2022-2023 winter season. Justin King King brought pure heat to the bullpen in Appleton, striking out 15.8 hitters per nine innings in the 30 2/3 innings he pitched. While he only had one save, his 2.93 ERA marked a solid performance. King’s one weakness was allowing too many walks–7.3 every nine innings. Luis Amaya Amaya was an early-season find for the T-Rats, earning a promotion to Biloxi by posting a 2.41 ERA and 0.96 WHIP in Appleton over 37 1/3 innings. While he only garnered two saves, he did provide durability by going over two innings per outing prior to his promotion. Alex Hall Hall has been a longtime Brewers farmhand, and even made a brief appearance on the 40-man roster in 2022. But this year, in Wisconsin, the Aussie broke out offensively, tying Gray for the team lead in home runs. Hall always flashed OBP skills, but this year marked an interesting step forward, as he split time between catcher, first base, and left field. Who do you think were the biggest standouts for the Timber Rattlers in 2023? View full article

Protecting Cam Devanney, Jeferson Quero, Noah Campbell, Bradley Blaylock, and Evan McKendry make sense to me.

Bring back RHPs Jason Alexander, Max Lazar, and Cam Robinson, LHPs Luis Amaya and Alex Claudio, 1B Ernesto Martinez, and Cs Jose Sibrian and Payton Henry

It may be the case - and I think that like Tellez, it was bugging him for a while and he tried to tough it out and it got worse. Best thing to do is to get him rested for a few games.

The Carolina Mudcats are heading to the postseason, ending a drought that went back to 2008-- a good year for that kind of thing. The team had a number of standouts, some of whom earned promotions up the ladder. Who are some of those who made their mark? Image courtesy of © Andrew Craft via Imagn Content Services, LLC Let’s take a look at some of the players who are the biggest reasons for the Mudcats making the postseason. All stats are as of the morning of September 10. Luke Adams Adams was the primary third baseman, with 75 games at the hot corner and another 11 at first base. Adams demonstrated very good on-base skills, drawing 76 walks, while also delivering a lot of power (18 doubles and 11 home runs), and flashing speed as well (30-for-40 in stolen bases, plus three triples). Adams was a late-round pick, selected in the 12th round of the 2022 Draft. Yes, the Brewers drafted Brock Wilken and Mike Boeve in July, but Adams has a lot of potential as well, and could be a real contributor. Jadher Areinamo Areinamo delivered a lot of doubles and demonstrated the ability to hit for average (.306 in 396 at-bats) while splitting time between second and third base. He added speed to the mix as well, stealing 16 bases. Areinamo’s bat looks a lot like that of Andruw Monasterio, who emerged as the Brewers’ regular third baseman this season and who has proven very valuable, even as he hits near the bottom of the order. Jace Avina One of the late-round outfield steals discussed elsewhere, Avina has developed into a legitimate three-true-outcomes bat. His second season in Zebulon saw him spend time at all three outfield positions. He delivers power (38 extra-base hits in 326 at-bats) and OBP skills (56 walks). Avina, a 14th-round pick in 2021, could eventually be as good as Joey Wiemer. Daniel Guilarte Guilarte was a highly-paid international signee, and his season in Carolina showed some real justification for it. He displayed excellent OBP skills (35 walks in 223 at-bats at Carolina), and speed (26-for-34 in steals). Guilarte’s batting average slipped significantly after he was injured in June, but he is as credible an option as any of the many shortstops in the Brewers system. Luis Lara Lara earned a promotion to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers after he proved to be a sparkplug for the Mudcats, posting a .285/.379/.354 line in Zebulon, while stealing 22 bases. The 5’7” Lara also displayed excellent defense, notching seven outfield assists for the Mudcats. While he hasn’t quite flashed the power Jackson Chourio has, he makes for an interesting option as a fourth outfielder. Patricio Aquino Aquino didn’t rack up gaudy strikeout numbers like Jacob Misiorowski or Logan Henderson, but he still posted a 2.75 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP in 88 1/3 innings pitched across 21 games (19 of them starts). Notably, he allowed only six home runs (compared to eight for Henderson). Aquino may not get the hype, but he looks to be a solid rotation prospect for the Timber Rattlers next season. Logan Henderson Arguably the ace of the Mudcats staff, Henderson dominated across 78 1/3 innings pitched in 18 starts. Like Aquino, he posted a 2.75 ERA, but his WHIP was 0.97. Henderson could make a rapid rise in 2024, much like Misiorowski did this year. Will Rudy In his 18 starts covering 80 2/3 innings pitched, Rudy posted a 3.46 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP, serving as the number-three starter behind Aquino and Henderson (or Henderson and Aquino). Like Henderson and Aquino, he could start off in Appleton next year. Chase Costello Costello proved to be a valuable member of the Mudcats bullpen, leading the team with nine wins and posting a 3.76 ERA across 64 2/3 innings pitched. Notably, he averaged more than two innings per appearance. Costello should continue that fireman role in 2024 with the Timber Rattlers. Yerlin Rodriguez After Tanner Shears and Shane Smith earned promotions to Wisconsin early in the 2023 season, Rodriguez took over as the Mudcats closer, and racked up 11 saves. While his 4.00 ERA might not look great at first glance, he was a shutdown reliever after July 1, with a 3.04 ERA and 11 saves. Opponents managed just 19 hits and 1 home run over 25 2/3 innings in that span. Who do you think stood out the most for the Carolina Mudcats in 2023? View full article

Agreed, and I think he is capable of adjusting to MLB pitching. He got called up early because Taylor was hurt, and Luis Urias's injury forced Brian Anderson to play a lot of third, then stayed up because Garrett Mitchell was hurt. I think he'll be okay as a platoon OF/4th OF at worst, with Chourio on the way up. Makes it easier to move Yelich to 1B/DH in a thin system where Hiura's not likely to get another shot, and Ernesto Martinez could depart as a six-year minor-league free agent.

Avina looks like a legit 3TO bat, and Nicasia is intriguing. The nice thing about depth is that it provides so many choices - of the good kind. Any of these guys would be a legit sweetener if the Crew is forced to deal Burnes/Woodruff/Adames in the offseason. Or, they're solid prospects if the Crew gets a deal they can't refuse for Frelick/Wiemer/Chourio/Mitchell/Lara/Yophery Rodriguez.

The short-season teams in the Milwaukee Brewers farm system featured a number of players who did very well. The ACL Brewers won the championship for their league, while both DSL affiliates were below .500. But who would be considered the all-stars of these groups? Image courtesy of © Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports Let’s lay one thing out: Each of these teams had a number of standout players who hold a great deal of promise. Even so, they're on the first rungs of a long ladder to the majors. These were smaller sample sizes as well. But let’s see who were the best of the best. Catcher Starter: Edgardo Ordonez, ACL Brewers Ordonez was a very solid contributor both behind the plate and in the batter’s box. In 70 at-bats, he delivered a .776 OPS, with eight doubles and a home run. He also threw out 31 percent of would-be base-stealers. Backup: Yannic Walther, DSL Brewers 1 Walther posted a .394 OBP in 102 at-bats and threw out 25 percent of would-be base-stealers. He also spent time at first base. First Base Starter: Gery Holguin, DSL Brewers 1 Holguin also played a lot at third base, but among those at first base, he showed decent OBP skills (24 walks in 149 at-bats) and power (15 of 35 hits went for extra bases). Second Base Starter: Dylan O’Rae, ACL Brewers O’Rae posted a .523 OBP in 130 at-bats for the ACL Brewers, while adding a .362 batting average and 28 stolen bases. His promotion to Carolina was well-earned. Shortstop Starter: Juan Baez, ACL Brewers Baez put together an amazing season in Maryvale, delivering a .370 batting average and 24 extra-base hits in 192 at-bats. He received a post-ACL season promotion to Carolina. Third Base Starter: Demetrio Nadal, DSL Brewers 2 Nadal delivered dynamic offense (1.003 OPS) in 120 at-bats for the DSL Brewers Dos squad, and added 33 stolen bases during the season. Infield Backups SS Filippo Di Turi, DSL Brewers 2; UT Pedro Ibarguen, DSL Brewers 2; IF Luivin Alastre, DSL Brewers 1 Outfield Starter, Left Field: Brian Sanchez, DSL Brewers 1 Sanchez led all DSL Brewers 1 hitters with an .860 OPS. He handled both left field and right field for the team, and added eight stolen bases. Starter, Center Field: Yophery Rodriguez, DSL Brewers 1 Rodriguez delivered a lot of power, flashed real OBP skills, and delivered defensively and on the basepaths (12 steals). Starter, Right Field: Christopher Vasquez, DSL Brewers 2 Vasquez provided power for the DSL 2 Brewers squad, tying for the team lead in home runs, while delivering an .859 OPS in 74 at-bats. Backups: Reece Walling, ACL Brewers; Miguel Briceno, ACL Brewers Designated Hitter Starter: Satchell Norman, ACL Brewers Norman mostly played catcher, but his bat was his calling card as he posted an .897 OPS for the Maryvale squad. Pitchers Starting Pitcher #1: Melvin Hernandez, DSL Brewers 2 Hernandez was the undisputed ace of the DSL Brewers 2, allowing only nine walks and one homer all season while posting a 3.33 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Starting Pitcher #2: Enniel Cortez, DSL Brewers 1 Cortez surrendered only five walks and one home run all season, and he struck out 9.7 batters per nine innings. Starting Pitcher #3: Eric Prado, DSL Brewers 1 Prado posted a 0.93 WHIP, based on allowing only 5.3 hits every nine innings. That was good for a 1.54 ERA. He also struck out 3.11 batters for every walk he issued. Starting Pitcher #4: Anthony Flores, DSL Brewers 1 Flores was a fire-balling lefty who racked up 57 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings pitched. He also posted a complete game and surrendered just one home run. Closer: Gerson Calzadilla, ACL Brewers Calzadilla posted four saves before earning a promotion to Carolina and then a spot on the injured list. He allowed just one home run in 36 2/3 innings pitched for the Maryvale squad, and had an ERA of 0.98. Reliever #1: Anfernny Reyes, ACL Brewers Reyes upped his strikeouts and reduced the number of hits allowed during his time on the ACL Championship squad. He posted a single save, but finished out seven games for the Maryvale Brewers. Reliever #2: Osbriel Mogollon, ACL Brewers Mogollon posted a 3.72 ERA with most of his outings coming in relief. He racked up 43 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings pitched, and gave up only one home run. Reliever #3: Aneuris Rodriguez, DSL Brewers 2 Rodriguez posted a 3.48 ERA and 1.16 WHIP in 41 1/3 innings pitched for the DSL Brewers 2. He only notched one save, but punched out 47 hitters and allowed only one home run all season. View full article

With a 22-31 record in the 2023 season, one might not think there was much to be excited about from the DSL Brewers 2 squad. But there were plenty of bright spots for this team, some of whom have some outstanding talent. Which players could emerge as key prospects in the future? Image courtesy of © Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports The team packed plenty of offensive punch, with a .712 OPS and scoring 269 runs. The pitching was solid, posting a 4.29 ERA and allowing only 251 runs over the 2023 season. Let’s take a look at some of the players who stood out. Filippo Di Turi Di Turi was one of the top signees of the Brewers’ international free agent class, and split time between shortstop and second base. Di Turi posted a solid batting average over the season, and stole 12 bases in 20 attempts, but where he really stood out was in getting on base – posting a .414 OBP and 38 walks, while striking out only 32 times in 181 at-bats. Di Turi will likely be seeing time in Arizona next year. Pedro Ibarguen Ibarguen didn’t get a lot of talk when he signed, but the .884 OPS said a lot over the season. He hit for average (.311), displayed some power (11 extra-base hits out of 41 total hits) across 132 at-bats. He walked 25 times and struck out 32 times. Ibarguen spent time at second base, third base, and all three outfield positions and spent 16 games as DH. That’s bench player versatility. Eric Martinez Eric Martinez spent a third year in the DSL despite posting an OPS of .804 in 2022, and this year, there was some offensive regression, but also some improvement on defense. His bat flashed a ton of power (12 out of 27 hits went for extra bases), sharing the team lead in home runs with five. He should finally make it to Maryvale next year. Demetrio Nadal Yes, the Brewers have Tyler Black, Luke Adams. Brock Wilken, Mike Boeve, and Eric Bitonti at third base in the minors, but Nadal arguably is on par with these players. He posted a 1.003 OPS in 120 at-bats, delivered 13 extra-base hits including five triples, adding 33 stolen bases, and walked more than he struck out. Nadal played second base, third base, shortstop, left field, and center field as well, offering a lot of versatility to the speed, power, and OBP skills. Christopher Vasquez Here’s a potential candidate for the 2024 “Overlooked Brewers Prospect” team. The numbers for Vasquez look eerily like some of the lines you’d see from Russell Branyan – who was Mr. 3TO in two stints with the Brewers. In 74 at-bats, Vasquez drew 11 walks and hit five home runs while seeing action in about half the team’s games. Like Branyan, he did rack up a ton of strikeouts – 38 of them. The power at such a young age is very intriguing, and it says a LOT about the depth in the farm system that he could be overlooked. Melvin Hernandez Hernandez was one of two pitching prospects focused on earlier this month. With the end of the DSL season, it is clear that he was undeniably the ace of the squad. He went 2-2 with a 2.06 ERA in 35 inning pitched across ten appearances (seven starts), and gave up just one home run all season. He allowed only nine walks all season and struck out 30 hitters despite not turning 17 until July 3. He could easily be in Maryvale come 2024. Bryan Rivera Hernandez’s breakout obscured fellow Brewers Dos starter Rivera’s development into a workhorse. Rivera posted a solid 2-2 record and 3.57 ERA in 53 innings pitched over a dozen starts. His 1.113 WHIP was lower than Hernandez’s, but he did allow five home runs over the season, and walked more than twice as many hitters. However, he flashed the ability to overpower hitters, striking out 63 of the 213 batters he faced. Overview The DSL Brewers 2 squad’s record doesn’t show just how many players on this team stood out. Whether it was young phenoms like Hernandez and Di Turi, or solid workhorses like Rivera and Martinez, this squad has plenty of players who should make an impact in the Brewers farm system in the next few years. View full article

The Arizona Complex League Brewers finished their regular season last week and emerged as the ACL Central Division champs. That was followed with winning the ACL title. As a whole, the team finished 31-25, and posted a collective .776 OPS and a team ERA of 5.78, scoring 357 runs and allowing 365. While every player helped out, who were the biggest standouts on the team’s roster? Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports To be fair, the ACL Champion Brewers featured a lot of talent. Some of them were rapidly moved up the ladder to different affiliates (Brock Wilken and Mike Boeve come to mind), others were players rehabilitating from injuries (Sal Frelick, Keston Hiura, and Eric Lauer are good examples), so we will focus on players who were still on the ACL Crew’s roster for the postseason run that culminated in them celebrating a championship. Some of these players on the roster made huge contributions to the division championship team, and have the potential to be fast risers in the Brewers system. Let’s take a look. Juan Baez Baez flashed real hit-for-contact ability in Maryvale, posting a .370 batting average. He wasn’t just a slap-hitter – 24 of his 71 hits went for extra bases (16 doubles, four triples, four homers). He also stole 17 bases in 19 attempts. In 192 at-bats, he struck out only 23 times. He primarily played shortstop, but also saw significant action at third base. If he has weaknesses, it’s in OBP skills (eight walks all season) and defense (17 errors combined – 12 at short, 5 at third). But a .952 OPS will be good performance from any position on the diamond, and make it easy to overlook errors. He was promoted to Carolina after the completion of the ACL season. Cooper Pratt If there is competition for Baez, it may well come from Cooper Pratt, a sixth-round pick who the Brewers lured away from Ole Miss. That over-slot deal, though, may be a bargain. In a small sample size (45 at-bats), Pratt posted a .356 batting average and drew five walks. The Crew will hope for Pratt to develop some more power, but a solid hit-for-average bat and good defense could make for an interesting choice at shortstop between him, Baez, Freddy Zamora, Eric Brown Jr. , Robert Moore, and Ethan Murray - with Brice Turang and Andruw Monasterio already in the majors. Reece Walling Walling primarily played right field for the ACL Crew. His 34 games were the most anyone on the roster played at a single position. In 112 at-bats, Walling posted 20 walks and 47 strikeouts, and eight of his 24 hits went for extra bases. Walling may not be as exciting as Baez and Pratt, but he could be a solid three-true-outcome bat. Satchell Norman Norman’s bat was arguably second only to Baez’s for the Maryvale squad. Of all players on the active roster, he is second in home runs, and walked 19 times in 113 at-bats. He hit over .300, and the strikeouts were kept reasonably low. If there is a negative, it’s defense. He only caught four out of 42 baserunners trying to steal, and committed two errors and nine passed balls in 21 games. Norman’s bat can play, but the real key is finding him a defensive home, probably left field or designated hitter. Edgardo Ordonez Ordonez split duties behind the plate with Norman, and provided excellent defense (two passed balls and three errors). His offense was credible too, drawing 18 walks in 79 at-bats. He struck out 31 times, but delivered big on the power side with nine of his 20 hits going for extra bases. The left-handed power bat could be very promising, provided he can cut down on his strikeouts. Eric Bitonti At the age of 17, Bitonti has flashed a big-time power bat in a very small sample size (39 at-bats). He split time at third base, shortstop, and designated hitter. Of his seven hits, four went for extra bases, and he added nine walks to 15 strikeouts. There are worse careers to have than that of Russell Branyan. Osbriel Mogollon Mogollon was arguably the ace of the Maryvale staff. He finished second in innings pitched, posted a 3.78 ERA, while going 2-3, splitting time between the bullpen and the rotation, following up on a solid 2022 in the DSL. Mogollon kept the ball in the park, allowing only one home run out of the 39 the team allowed. Overview The Brewers have a right to feel excited about some of the talent on the ACL Crew’s roster, particularly their infielders and catchers. While Brewers fans can be excited about Jackson Chourio, Jeferson Quero, and Tyler Black, the Maryvale squad has some players who could be just as exciting, if not more so. View full article

It could be the late-season pick-up the Crew needs. And the Yankees will pay him to kick butt for US.

He performs well, the Crew has a deeper lineup. He doesn't perform, he closes out the season at Nashville. Either way, Tyler Black as the Opening Day 2024 3B is still quite possible.

Could these be the revocable waivers prior to Sept. 1? I recall that in those cases, trades still went through, the players just had to clear the waivers first.

The DSL Brewers 1 squad’s final record of 25-27 may be disappointing on the surface, but on this team, there are a lot of talented players who could emerge as forces to be reckoned with in the Brewers system. Could this team generate a prospect wave on its own? Image courtesy of © Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports The DSL Brewers 1 squad certainly has its share of breakout talent. The players mostly came from Latin America, but the Brewers may have found yet another outstanding catcher prospect from an out-of-the-box location. The team as a whole posted a .657 OPS and a 4.42 ERA, scoring 241 runs while allowing 274. Who could be the next Jackson Chourio and Abner Uribe? Yophery Rodriguez To call Rodriguez a left-handed Jackson Chourio would really not be fair to Rodriguez. Rodriguez finished the season with a .253/.393/.449 line, drawing 41 walks and striking out 40 times in 178 at-bats. If anything, Rodriguez is apparently more advanced that Chourio in terms of the on-base skills. Rodriguez faded a little down the stretch, but it would not be surprising to see him get the same aggressive start at Carolina that Chourio made in 2022. Brian Sanchez Sanchez did not have the splashy power of Rodriguez, but he did show the ability to hit for average and draw walks with a .297/.414/.446, which came to an OPS 18 points higher than Rodriguez’s. Sanchez also flashed speed and gap power with seven doubles, four triples, and eight stolen bases over 33 games. Kevin Ereu His batting average may have been below the Uecker line, but Kevin Ereu displayed excellent OBP skills (25 walks and getting plunked five times) and pop (eight doubles and a homer) over the course of 136 at-bats. He also flashed some excellent defense while splitting time between second base and shortstop. Yannic Walther Walther was signed out of Germany, and flashed some excellent defense and OBP skills while with the DSL Brewers 1, drawing 26 walks in 132 at-bats. His strikeout total was high, though. Walther’s next stop is likely to be Maryvale, where Michael Franke played two seasons in 2001 and 2002. Gabriel Colmenarez Colmenarez was a solid starter for the DSL Brewers 1 – who did not surrender a single home run in 37 2/3 innings pitched. He didn’t rack up a lot of strikeouts, but allowed only 16 line drives out of the 153 batters he faced overall. Enniel Cortez Cortez was arguably the ace of the DSL Brewers 1 squad, allowing only five walks all season over the course of 45 2/3 innings. He averaged over a strikeout an inning and allowed just one home run all year. He also managed to pitch a complete game in one of his eight starts. Anthony Flores In his second DSL season, Flores got a “promotion” of sorts to the DSL Brewers 1 squad from the DSL Brewers 2, and rewarded the Crew with a very solid season. His strikeouts per nine innings went up by almost 50%, he walked six fewer batters while pitching ten more innings, gave up just one home run, and reduced his wild pitches by two-thirds. He could be primed for a jump to Carolina in 2024. Eric Prado Prado was virtually unhittable, challenging Cortez for the title of ace of the DSL Brewers 1 staff. Like Cortez, his ERA was below 1.60, and he allowed 5.3 hits per nine innings. He did allow two home runs, and walked 14 batters in his 41 innings pitched, but only gave up 24 hits all season. Overview The DSL Brewers 1 squad has a lot of young talent that the Brewers can look forward to seeing stateside very soon, and these players have flashed some high ceilings that could lead to a rapid rise through the system. With two outfielders, a shortstop, a catcher, and four starting pitchers, this team could be a prospect wave all by itself – and the Crew has a second DSL affiliate. View full article

As losses go, it wasn't awful. Yes, George Webb will not lose money on 160,000+ burgers. Yes, the Cubs moved closer. But the bullpen was not blown out. Uribe could even pitch today. Nobody got hurt. We can still come out a game ahead. Not the best outcome, but could have been a lot worse.

But can they keep the manager who utilizes his players to the max?

The last few weeks have me feeling very optimistic they could. Adames, Taylor, and Tellez seem to be back on track, Santana and Canha are heating up, Turang is adjusting to MLB pitching. Plus the pitching is at full strength. We forget just how depleted the team was due to IL stint.