Harold Hutchison

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.

For me, the fact he got the sac fly, and did what had to be done for the W says a lot about him. How many rookies could execute that?

Burnes has an ERA of 2.08 his last five starts. So, that, at least, looks normal for him.

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.

I did say as soon as possible.

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.

1. Call up Hiura, DFA Voit. 2. DFA Bush, add Andrews to 40-man. Maybe see if someone will nibble on Milner for a lottery ticket or two. 3. Lauer on 15-day DL, Rea back to rotation. Something may be up. Call up Ethan small to piggyback with Rea. 4. Hold tight on trades, but try to have Uribe at AAA as soon as possible. 5. Be willing to dump Winker, and call up Tyler Black if things haven't turned around by mid-June. Black could probably DH and do at least as well as Winker. The team is only a half-game out, so the Brewers don't have to panic, but it may be time for some decisions.

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.

With a fourth pitch... might it be worth considering stretching Strzelecki out to be a starter?

Would be nice, but my bet is it will be a Rookie-level player. think lottery ticket.

The MLB draft can make or break a team’s future – and that team may not realize whether it was good or bad for years after making the picks. Image courtesy of © Benny Sieu, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Imagn Content Services, LLC But while many people focus on the first round, there are many more rounds – and sometimes, the biggest contributions come not from the first round but way after that, with almost no fanfare. These later rounds can be very hit or miss, but there is one round where the times the Brewers have hit that it has been huge. Five players made it to the majors with the Brewers from the 11th round. Four made at least an honorable mention as among the best at their respective positions in Brewers' history. Let’s look at these five players. LHP Kevin Kobel (1971) Kobel made his debut in 1973, with a rough debut. In 1974, though, he proved a solid starter for the Crew, posting a 3.99 ERA in 24 starts and another ten relief appearances. Arm trouble derailed his 1975 season, and he returned to the majors as an expanded roster callup in 1976. His contract was purchased by the Mets, where he had some success before he faded away. OF Darryl Hamilton (1986) Hamilton was nowhere near heralded as Gary Sheffield in the 1986 draft, but he took to Milwaukee much better, posting 11 of his career 16.7 Wins Above Replacement with the Brewers. Hamilton was primarily a backup who covered all three positions but took over center field in 1995. He played with four teams over the next six years. Hamilton was an excellent fourth outfielder. 3B Jeff Cirillo (1991) The 1991 draft was, in many ways, a disaster for the Brewers. Pitchers Ty Hill and Judd Wilstead never got past AA. Fifth-round pick Nomar Garciaparra probably comes up as one of the biggest “ones that got away” in Brewers draft history. Mike Matheny was a decent catcher but was 1.5 wins below replacement value. Cirillo was arguably the second-best third baseman in Brewers history, posting 26.2 wins above replacement for the Crew in two stints. OF/1B Corey Hart (2000) The 2000 draft was another one of those drafts the Brewers would like to have back for the most part. First-round pick Dave Krynzel made it to the majors briefly in two seasons, and his biggest contribution was as part of the trade that brought Johnny Estrada to the Brewers after the 2006 season. But Corey Hart turned out to be one of the best right fielders in Brewers history, picked in the 11th round, producing 15.5 Wins Above Replacement in his tenure with the team. RHP Brandon Woodruff (2014) The 2014 draft is a real mixed bag. Some players provided the Brewers key assets for the magical 2018 season directly (Jordan Yamamoto and Monte Harrison were key parts of the Christian Yelich trade) or indirectly (Cy Sneed was traded for Jonathan Villar, who was traded for Jonathan Schoop). One pick they held on to was Woodruff, taken in the 11th round. All he’s done is become the Brewers’ all-time leader in ERA and adjusted ERA+, not to mention providing some offensive help before the universal DH took hold. Future Currently, the Brewers still have two 11th-round picks in the system: Cameron Wagoner and Max Lazar, both right-handed starters. Lazar looked like a big steal on the order of Woodruff before injuries derailed things, and Wagoner’s career is just getting started, but he already showed flashes last year. It’s rare for 11th-round picks to make the majors, but when a Brewers 11th-round pick makes the majors, their success on a scale from one to ten is an 11. View full article

Based on the draft board, I'd like the Brewers to get LHP/1B Bryce Eldridge (Madison HS, Virginia) and SS Walker Martin (Eaton HS, Colorado).

There are times I wonder what would have happened had the Crew been able to land Ohtani in 2018...

Which makes extending him almost impossible.

One other factor - who is the team's third catcher? If Contreras DHs, and Caratini gets hurt, Contreras has to catch, and the DH goes bye-bye, and the pitcher hits. And not all pitchers hit like Brandon Woodruff.