Harold Hutchison

Time to move Miller to first base and send him to Biloxi?

The starting rotation was considered a strength of the Brewers going into spring training. If the Brewers were to do well, the rotation’s performance would be crucial. Well, the Brewers are sitting in first place right now, but their position is precarious. One reason is the state of the rotation. Image courtesy of © Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports Major League Roster Corbin Burnes is the only member of the Brewers rotation to have not spent time on the injured list in 2022 or 2023. In fact, in 2023, of the seven potential starters the Brewers were going to have, four (Brandon Woodruff, Adrian Houser, Aaron Ashby, and Wade Miley) have spent time or are currently on the IL, and Woodruff and Ashby are on the 60-day version, with Jason Alexander, an emergency fill-in in 2022, joining them. Miley and Woodruff were pitching well when they were suddenly sidelined, and both are missed sorely, especially with the team’s offensive struggles. The good news is that Burnes is pitching a bit more like Burnes, after a rough start. Colin Rea has been called up to take a spot again, and he’s been a gritty competitor. Freddy Peralta has also kept the Crew in games, notching quality starts, even if he isn’t at 2021 or 2022 levels. Adrian Houser has been solid and keeps the team in games, as he has since he came up for good. That said, Eric Lauer has struggled this season, mostly due to giving up a team-high 13 gopher balls. 40-Man Options At this point, the only starter the Brewers have left in the depth chart on the 40-man in Janson Junk, who got lit up in one start, but who has been solid in Triple A since then. Junk was part of the return for Hunter Renfroe in an offseason trade. In The Minors Other options at Nashville include Robert Gasser, acquired in the infamous Josh Hader trade, who is also putting up decent numbers. Thomas Pannone and Pedro Fernandez are putting up good numbers and could be called up if absolutely necessary. In Biloxi, the Brewers have some young guns in Justin Jarvis and Carlos F. Rodriguez, while Brandon Knarr and Adam Seminaris have struggled a bit. Knarr’s regression (after what looked like a breakout 2022) is a concern. Tobias Meyers has been solid for the Shuckers in 2023. The Timber Rattlers also feature some promising prospects, with Tyler Woessner breaking out as the ace of the staff. Stiven Cruz, Cameron Waggoner, and Alexander Cornielle have all struggled in the early part of the season, while Joseph Hernandez, acquired in the Kolten Wong deal, has been solid, if unspectacular in Appleton. In Carolina, Jacob Misiorowski has drawn the attention with his pure stuff, even though his numbers look rough as he is slowly being brought along. However, while Misiorowski has wowed on the MLB Pipeline and the Brewer Fanantic prospects lists, Will Rudy, Patricio Aquino, Yujanyer Herrera, and Alexander Vallecillo have all been pitching lights-out ball. Overview At the major-league level, the Brewers have been through a gauntlet of lost time and inconsistent performances. Hopefully, the team can get at least Woodruff and Miley back relatively soon. In essence, the rotation has been patchwork, but has done well enough to keep the team in first place. Hopefully, the team can hang on long enough for Woodruff and Miley to return. Otherwise, it may be time to look at acquiring some help. View full article

Let's kick this article up after Houser's latest scoreless outing. He's making the case with how he is pitching.

Houser's red-hot in this start now. Seriously... get him extended!

Almost two months into the season, the Brewers outfield has been superb in some aspects, but has struggled in others. Down the system, the same can be said for the farm. Let’s review how the outfield is doing. Image courtesy of © Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports Major League Roster Christian Yelich has flashed a bit more power than 2022, but the walks have gone down. The baserunning and defense have remained superb. Joey Wiemer has taken over center field since Garrett Mitchell went on the 60-day injured list with a shoulder injury that could cost him the balance of 2023. Both provided excellent defense, but Wiemer has struggled offensively. Tyrone Taylor’s defense since his return from his elbow injury has been excellent, even with some offensive issues. Brian Anderson and Owen Miller have also seen time in the corner outfield spots, and both have hit well. While primarily filling the DH role, Jesse Winker has seen some time in the outfield, while Darin Ruf hasn’t been in the outfield for the Crew, but did see action there in previous seasons with other teams. Other 40-Man Options Blake Perkins has been the other outfielder on the 40-man roster. While he played well at AAA, his brief stint in Milwaukee wasn’t much to write home about, at the plate or afield. Should an outfielder go down, he’s likely the first call-up. In The Minors Sal Frelick struggled at Nashville, then went on the shelf after an impressive spring. The real shame is that, were he healthy, he could help the big-league team right now. Keston Hiura settled into primarily playing left field, but is also on the injured list. Skye Bolt has been solid for the Sounds, while Monte Harrison and Tyler Naquin have both struggled a bit. Jackson Chourio has played well for a 19-year-old in Doub;e A, but his OPS is barely above .700. Noah Campbell has had a legitimate breakout so far in Biloxi, but Joe Gray Jr., Tristan Lutz, and Lamar Sparks have all hit some developmental walls. Carlos D. Rodriguez has flashed excellent OBP skills and some speed. Micah Bello’s retirement still leaves Wisconsin with some struggling prospects. Je’Von Ward, Terrence Dotson, and Hendry Mendez all are posting sub-.650 OPSs, and Eduarqi Fernandez has flashed power since a promotion from Carolina. Luis Lara is a bright spot for the Mudcats since being given an aggressive promotion. Jace Avina and Hedbert Perez have slumped after starting the season in Carolina, with Perez’s bright spot being improved OBP skills. Kay-Lan Nicasa is getting on base at a high rate (.392 OBP) for the Mudcats as well. Overview The Brewers have been snakebitten by injuries in 2023, but the real problem has been their offensive performance. Ideally, Wiemer would be playing every day in Nashville, but injuries at the major league level to start the season (Luis Urias, Tyrone Taylor) and later on (Garrett Mitchell) have pushed him to Milwaukee, where he will likely remain, barring a trade or recovery by Frelick and Hiura, whose injuries have bought Winker and Luke Voit time in Milwaukee as well. That said, over the long term, the Brewers outfield picture still looks pretty bright, and the team is holding onto first place through May 23, but to stay there, the team will have to see improvements at the plate from these players. View full article

Nearly two months into the season, it is time to revisit the state of the Brewers, to see how things are looking overall. We will start out by looking over the infield, to include catcher and designated hitter, and then go through the rest of the position groupings. Image courtesy of © Paul Halfacre-USA TODAY Sports Major League Roster At catcher, both William Contreras and Victor Caratini have provided solid offense and defense on the major-league side, and the improvement behind the plate by Contreras has been very helpful for the team, which is in a dogfight for first place with the surprising Pirates. First baseman Rowdy Tellez is making the case for an extension with his bat, posting an .833 OPS through May 20. Luke Voit has disappointed, despite a promising spring training, though. Brice Turang has been providing Gold Glove-level defense, and has delivered some surprising power a quarter of the way through the season, but hasn’t brought along the OBP skills he showed in the minors, resulting in Owen Miller seeing time at second. Brian Anderson has spent a lot of time at third with Luis Urias stashed on the 60-day injured list with a hamstring injury suffered on Opening Day. Anderson has been one of the team’s most quietly but consistently competent hitters, and is now on his second hot streak in the power department in as many months. Mike Brousseau hasn’t done too badly, either, showing some pop from the right side. The glovework has been shaky, though–especially from Brosseau. With Willy Adames at shortstop, the good news has been that his walk rate is up to about what he did in 2021, but his offense has been below par in a couple of other aspects. The Crew may still want to talk extension, though, given what doesn’t show up in the box score. Jesse Winker has drawn a lot of walks and posted a solid OBP, but the power he was supposed to provide has been absent, with only three doubles in almost a third of the season. Darin Ruf was signed to provide some punch against lefties, diminishing the roles of Winker and Voit in a single stroke. Other 40-Man Options The Brewers are in a precarious spot at catcher, having outrighted Payton Henry to Nashville. There is nobody on the 40-man besides Contreras and Caratini at catcher. Abraham Toro is the other infield option on the 40-man, and he has been a doubles machine in Nashville, splitting time at third and second while also showing superb OBP skills. Another rough week or two might compel the Brewers to reach down for Toro, at the expense of Brosseau. In The Minors Henry, Brian Navarretto, and Alex Jackson have been solid at Nashville, while Jeferson Quero has posted good offensive numbers at Biloxi. Darrien Miller is rebounding some from a slump, while Matthew Wood already forced a promotion to Wisconsin with superb offensive numbers. Jon Singleton has performed well at Nashville, while Wes Clarke and Zavier Warren have split first base at Biloxi. In the lower minors, Ernesto Martinez, Jesus Chirinos, Jesus Parra and Tayden Hall have all struggled. Eddy Alvarez has broken out a bit at Nashville, while at Biloxi, Ethan Murray and Felix Valerio have both been so-so offensively. Robert Moore is flashing some power at Wisconsin, while Carolina has struggled to find a regular second baseman. Patrick Dorian is emerging to an extent at third base for Nashville, while Tyler Black is making a case for a promotion at Biloxi. Eduardo Garcia has moved to the hot corner in Wisconsin, and has made some OBP strides, while Ben Metzinger is also doing well at third there. Luke Adams has posted a .391 OBP at Carolina. Andruw Monasterio is putting up solid numbers at Nashville as Cam Devanney is struggling, but Freddy Zamora is breathing down his neck with a legitimate breakout season in Biloxi. Eric Brown Jr. has rebounded after a slow start in Wisconsin, while Daniel Guilarte is breaking out in Carolina. Overview At this point, the Brewers have a huge offensive hole at designated hitter, one that needs to be filled quickly. It may be time to think about cutting Winker loose, and calling up a hot hand in the minors. First base post-Tellez could be an issue, with just about everyone but the 31-year-old Singleton struggling. Second base looks to be in solid hands with Turang, if he can eventually achieve consistency at the plate. On the other hand, third base and shortstop could have plenty of options. View full article

Think you can outwit and outwork Craig Counsell, Matt Arnold, and the rest of the Brewers' team builders and managerial staff? Now's your chance. Image courtesy of © Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports If there is anything that can stir up discussion at a sports bar, it’s often some criticism of the manager of a team, the front office, or both. Many fans feel they can make better calls than the manager, or build a team better than the GM or President of Baseball Operations. Testing those boasts isn’t easy. Mark Attanasio isn’t about to let any random fan take a crack at revamping the Brewers just to make a point to fellow fans. That said, there is something that might still allow you to prove your point… or end up eating a lot of humble pie. Baseball Mogul has been around since 1997. With the latest version, Baseball Mogul 2023, you can play with not just major-league rosters for all 30 teams, but also a number of their prospects. The Good Baseball Mogul has a superb ratings system that generally reflects performance, including the ability to replay a given season based on performance. It also allows one to adjust ratings for players and create new ones. Players also will be able to manage the minor-league system– figure out who to promote, draft, and, if necessary, trade. A player of this game also gets a chance to negotiate extensions or contracts, and even handle arbitration. As the manager, players have realistic issues with which to deal as well during the gameplay over a season. Do you have just one lineup, or do you adjust for lefties or righties on the mound? Players get tired, so who gives Willy Adames or Christian Yelich a day off? Will you move Ryan Braun back to third, or find a free agent? Relievers get tired, too. How do you manage the workload of Devin Williams, Peter Strzelecki, and the others? Are your starters holding up, or is it time to send Ben Sheets or Corbin Burnes out on short rest? Play-by-play in the game is just as important, for those who choose to manage. Do you bring the infield in to keep a run from scoring? When do you bring the reliever in? At a bare minimum, a fan gets an appreciation of the decision-making gauntlet through which Craig Counsell passes in a given game. The simulation isn’t just for 2023 – you can start with any team in the American or National League (sorry, we’re out of luck with regards to the Federal League of 1914-1915, and with the Negro Leagues) since 1901. You can even go multiple years. See if you can match the 2018-2021 run, or even beat it, or see if you can exceed what the Brewers did in the 1980s, or avoid the doldrums of 1993-2002. What Could Be Better The Computer GMs of the other 29 teams will make trades with each other, and they aren’t necessarily logical. So, don’t be surprised if a player you know is on one team is dealt. Roster management is a lot more simplified than in reality. You don’t have to deal with waiver claims, the Rule 5 draft, or some of the more esoteric manipulations of the 40-man roster. In fact, you can stash prospects for as long as you want. The financial modeling is also quite solid, but simplified. Fan excitement doesn’t climb if you ink Burnes to an extension, which it certainly would in reality–although maybe we overestimate the real impact on the organization of that additional goodwill. In addition, the prospects list is not complete, and an occasional glitch can be found. For instance, Brewers prospect Eric Brown Jr. gets mixed up with a different Eric Brown who would be in his 70s, and Jeferson Quero, who is third on the MLB.com Pipeline Top 30 for the Crew and fourth on the Brewer Fanatic Top 20, is missing. Some of the managerial decisions are pretty simplified as well. There is no “shifting” the defense. Players can try to hit the ball or handle the pitching–but that can be time-consuming. The game also could be better at handling a Hernan Perez or Javier Baez. Players who play 25-30 games at multiple positions in the course of a season often end up sitting on the bench. There also are some glitches, particularly when it comes to implementing MLB’s new “runner on second” extra-inning rules. This will throw some things off. Finally, aspiring GMs who may try to avoid the horrendous 2002 season or who want to build a team for a season will be frustrated by the fact the game starts on March 1, as opposed to November 1 of the previous year, thus locking players into a not-so-ideal roster situation. Overall Brewers fans will find Baseball Mogul to be an excellent way to spend the months where there is no baseball as a fun pastime, but it can even entertain during the season. While its graphics may not be killer, and it looks pretty dry, it can run on just about any Windows PC, and when it comes to the strategy that goes into a game, series, season, or an entire dynasty, this game is the best choice out there. Baseball Mogul 2023 is available from SportMogul.com. View full article

It's easy to get caught up in the numbers and the results of the early stages in an MLB season. Yet, there are some things that Brewers fans should be thinking about–things that don’t show up in a box score–that should come into play when thinking about a lineup choice; who makes the roster; or even who should get an extension. Image courtesy of © Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports Growing up as a Brewers fan who was not living in the Milwaukee area, I didn’t get to watch the Brewers games, unless they aired on a local network against the local team. That left me looking at box scores and often maybe three paragraphs of descriptions. This is why Jim Gantner ranked fifth among all-time Brewers second basemen in my estimation, while Rickie Weeks took the top spot. Those who saw him day in and day out and saw what he did on and off the field may rank him higher than I did, in an extremely limited view in the days before one could listen to Bob Uecker through Gameday audio or follow the team closely on the World Wide Web. So, what are some of the things that don’t show up in a box score? The Types Of Putouts and Assists That Happen Putouts and assists seem very straightforward. A fielder either tagged the runner or stepped on the bag to put the runner out, or they threw the ball to another fielder who did the same. Sounds simple, right? Not so much. In November 2016, manager Craig Counsell made the same point when discussing Orlando Arcia after his rookie year, during a forum at Miller Park–saying that despite times Arcia went 0-for-4, he still had good games and helped the Brewers win. Well, it is before you realize that these box score numbers don’t tell the whole tale. A lazy fly ball to center caught by Joey Wiemer is treated the same way as a sinking line drive in right center that Wiemer has to sprint 25 yards and stretch out to catch or when he scales the wall to take away a home run. The same goes for assists. A routine grounder to second that Brice Turang scoops up to throw to Rowdy Tellez at first is the same as one he has to dive to stop, and flip to Willy Adames to get a force out at second, or the sharp throw to nail a runner at the plate. Both Turang and Wiemer have struggled at the plate early on, although Turang’s posted a .391 OBP his last seven games and Wiemer had a monster game against the Dodgers May 8. But both are making a lot of the tough defensive plays. Taking The Extra Base Stolen bases get noted in the box score, but what often is missed is how well runners take an extra base. This is crucial, because taking an extra base can often give an offense options, particularly if it means a runner gets from first to third with less than two outs. Take, for instance, Sunday’s game to complete the sweep of the Royals. Wiemer going from first to third opened up second base for Christian Yelich to get his ninth steal. Add in a couple of errant throws, and what was a 4-2 deficit became a 4-4 tie, followed by four more runs. In other cases, taking that extra base means that a sacrifice fly or squeeze play can bring a run in. When the Brewers have Corbin Burnes or another ace on the mound ,just getting that run in can matter. Do those extra bases taken show up in box scores? No. Do they matter? A lot. The Clubhouse Factors Then there is another non-box score factor: The clubhouse, or more precisely, how well a player fits into it. We know from coverage of the “lunch dates” players are having this season that the management of the team had determined it’s a factor. Former Brewers President of Baseball Operations David Stearns also admitted he underestimated the effect the Josh Hader trade had on the team. So, how might clubhouse considerations fit in? For example, with potential trades of Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Adames, plus the looming free-agent departures of Jesse Winker and Wide Miley, the Brewers may want to extend proven commodities that aren’t necessarily superstars. Think Adrian Houser or Tellez, both of whom could provide extended stability on the pitching staff and at first base, respectively. Both are known quantities inside the clubhouse – and if the big names are traded, it may not hurt to have some veterans around. Obviously, this team has held together this year, despite being short-handed due to Woodruff, Aaron Ashby, Garrett Mitchell, and Luis Urias being on the injured list. In addition, it's obvious that even with some players not doing so well statistically, the team is more than holding its own, maintaining a one-game lead over the Pirates. A significant share of that success can be attributed to what hasn’t shown up in the box scores. View full article

Let me add that I think Wiemer taking that extra base - going from first to third - in the third inning Sunday was probably crucial. That left second base open for Yelich's steal that turned into two runs. Does that extra base show up in the box score? No. But did it play a BIG part in that seven-run inning? You betcha.

Marlins Yelich wasn't a 30 HR threat. I can see Brewlins Yelich, though, kind of a split between MVP Yelich and Marlins Yelich for 3-4 years.

I think Wiemer's growing pains will subside. The Brewers have had a lot of tough opponents, but maybe he will get better as the game slows down for him. In any case, his defense and the fact his arm keeps baserunners honest add a lot of value. I think it may be time to think about cutting Winker and calling up Hiura, and bringing Black to AAA, with an eye to Black getting the call in September. I'm wondering if Black might not be the long-term answer at first.

Varland's not been horrible. Of the folks on the 40-man, I'd have Matt Bush and Bennett Sousa tops on the list for DFA in favor of Andrews and Thompson, then maybe let Claudio walk to add Erceg after the season. Maybe it could be time to deal Milner to open a space, too.

The Brewers bullpen has been tested in the first five weeks of the season, with Brandon Woodruff, Adrian Houser, and Aaron Ashby spending time on the injured list. Relievers Matt Bush and Gus Varland also went to the injured list, the latter after a scary incident involving a line drive off his left arm, and who made his return very recently. Image courtesy of © William Glasheen / USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin / USA TODAY NETWORK Even with Houser and Varland returning, there is a question in the mind of some fans – is any help on the way from the farm? Let’s look over what there is – both on the 40-man roster and some intriguing options off the roster. From The 40-Man Roster J.B. Bukauskas Bukauskas was a waiver wire claim from the Mariners. To date, he’s seen action in three games with Nashville, posting a 4.50 ERA and notching six strikeouts in four innings. He also saw an inning of action with the Mariners. Alex Claudio Claudio has been solid at Nashville and made one appearance when Hoby Milner needed a day off, and the Crew needed a lefty. Given his past track record in MLB, he could be called up again. Jake Cousins Cousins has been up and down, racking up a lot of strikeouts in Nashville while posting a 1.93 ERA. He performed well in 2021 and 2022 before going on the injured list, so he is an option for the Crew. Trevor Megill Megill was acquired from the Twins for the ever-familiar player to be named later and some cash. He got rocked with the Twins AAA affiliate but pitched a scoreless inning in his Nashville debut. He’ll need to show that the St. Paul numbers were an aberration. Tyson Miller Miller dominated in Nashville and posted a 1.93 ERA in Milwaukee despite only a 3.9 K/IP ratio. He could easily help out if called up again. Cam Robinson This Top-30 MLB Pipeline prospect had a rough go in Nashville but has rebounded in Biloxi, posting two saves. He could still be an asset for the Crew, but it may not be until 2024. Ethan Small The Brewers’ first-round pick in 2019, Small, shows solid multi-inning relief capability in Nashville, which could be good news for the Brewers’ bullpen. Bennett Sousa Sousa was purchased from the Reds and pitched decently at Nashville before coming up to handle some “garbage” time in the Brewers’ 9-3 win over the Dodgers. Abner Uribe Uribe has dominated in Biloxi, and his 103mph heat could be very useful for the Brewers. His ERA is 1.00, and he has a couple of saves. Other Options Lucas Erceg The converted third baseman has posted solid numbers since being promoted to AAA in 2022 and has shown he can go multiple innings in a given outing, too. Plus, his bat flashed some OBP and power so that he could be used as a pinch-hitter in a real pinch. Clayton Andrews Andrews has rebounded from two seasons marred by time on the injured list to post a 2.53 ERA and a WHIP of 0.983. While he hasn’t pitched more than one and a third innings in an outing yet, he is doing very well, and like Erceg, he flashed some two-way potential with a high-contact bat and some speed in college and the minors. James Meeker Meeker has dominated since his 2022 promotion to AA Biloxi and could bump Megill or Bukauskas from the 40-man roster (and Nashville) at any point in the 2023 season. Darrell Thompson Like Meeker, Thompson is older than your typical prospect, but he has dominated since his arrival and could be a credible option. Five of his nine appearances have been for over an inning. Overview The Brewers can count on some help for the bullpen from the farm system. Some of the best options are not on the 40-man roster, which could make things very interesting in the next few months. Erceg and Andrews could end up on another MLB roster if not added to the 40-man roster. Meanwhile, Meeker and Thompson could be solid options for a few years. View full article

Following a hellacious 0-5 start to a six-game road trip to Colorado and San Francisco, the Brewers pulled out a win behind a decent outing from Adrian Houser, fresh off the injured list. This leads to a very big question: Should the Brewers extend Houser? Image courtesy of © Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports To understand, we should look at Adrian Houser's tenure with the team. Houser came to Milwaukee as part of the Carlos Gomez trade – along with Josh Hader, Brett Phillips, and Domingo Santana. He’s the last of that return to arrive in Milwaukee. However, the Brewers got a year-plus of Mike Moustakas splitting time between second and third base. The return for Hader included William Contreras, prospect Robert Gasser, and reliever Joel Payamps. He had a brief cup of coffee with the Crew in 2015, then spent large chunks of 2016 and 2017 on the disabled list. He returned in 2018, and starting in 2019, he became a solid #4/#5 starter for the Crew behind Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, and Freddy Peralta. Of course, he posted a complete game shutout in that timeframe, something the aces haven’t done. Even though he started 2023 on the disabled list, it wasn’t an arm injury this time. Over his career with the Brewers, he’s had a 3.97 ERA, good enough to post an ERA+ of 106, with a FIP of 4.24. In his last two full seasons, he’s given up far fewer home runs than in 2019 and 2020. He was slated to work out of the bullpen this year but took a rotation spot due to injuries to Woodruff and Aaron Ashby. If one thing has been a common thread, it’s been injuries the last two years. Woodruff, Peralta, and Ashby have spent time on the IL in addition to Houser. The Brewers have had to turn to Jason Alexander, Janson Junk, and Colin Rea to fill in. While neither was completely awful, Alexander is on the 60-day IL, Junk’s first (and only) outing so far was rough, and Rea has shown that while he’s solid, he can give up a few gopher balls. Keep in mind the high likelihood that Burnes and Woodruff may be traded this coming offseason. That will affect the team’s depth – even if they have pitchers with a year or two of MLB experience under their belt. Wade Miley could be a free agent due to a $10 million mutual option for 2024 – and he’s been pitching like an ace. But there is another factor. Houser has a proven track record of being a solid contributor. There’s something to be said for having known commodities on the team, especially when a lot of turnover is projected. After the fallout from the Josh Hader trade, the Brewers have been working to improve their mindfulness of the clubhouse atmosphere – as evidenced by the “lunch dates” players are having. Houser’s comps make it a little harder to nail down a good extension. His IL stints could be costly, but when he is out there, he is solid and can put up a spectacular outing. So, what should an extension for Houser look like? Given the nature of the comps from Baseball reference, which range from contemporaries barely in arbitration like Zach Plesac and Jamie Barria to late 1980s two-year wonder Mike Dunne to Negro League pitchers Bill Gatewood and Eugene Smith, it’s hard to ballpark. Tyler Glasnow may be the best bet, but he reportedly will get $25 million in 2024. That won’t happen in one year for Houser, but offering $5 million a year for five years would make sense. Sounds expensive? Probably, but if the Brewers have learned anything from the Hader trade and the spate of rotation injuries for the past couple of years, reliable starting pitching and good fits in the clubhouse are things you can’t have too much of. View full article

And it looks like Wiemer and Turang are starting to adjust to regular-season MLB pitching.

The big problem is the offense is still feast-or-famine it seems, and leaning more toward famine at times. That said, Turang and Wiemer are savign a ton of runs with their gloves. As counter as it is to my instincts, I'd say keep them both up.

Don't forget Cam Robinson, who's been a closer in his minor-league career.