Harold Hutchison

Worth at least a minor-league deal, and I'd probably have him play a bit of first base as well. A right-handed Thames-type would be a nice platoon partner for Tellez.

I see Devin Williams insurance. Very good performance in the pen (small sample) and the slider/two-seamer combo looks nice for the late innings.

Yeah. Omar improved from -41 DRS & -22.3 framing runs in 2386 innings from 2016-19 to +5 DRS & +12.7 framing runs in 1171 innings since joining the Brewers. For comparison, Severino is at -18 DRS & -22.1 framing runs in 2541 career innings behind the dish. The best case in 2022 is that Severino hits like he has, Narvaez puts up a similar year to 2021 (albeit more consistent), and Feliciano rebounds to his 2019 form after two years lost to pandemic and injury. Brewers can then trade Narvaez, have Feliciano be the #1 catcher of the future, and have Severino as a backup.

I'll admit, I would have offered an extension, and yeah, I threw a 6-year/$9 million. I think ti wouls have been a bargain at three years, $9 million. The fact is, Pina was a very good value, and he brought much to the table. Yes, he had a big power surge this year, but what he always brought was being that top-end backup. Will it kill the Brewers not to have Pina? Probably not. But I think it would have been much better to keep him than to have let him walk in an era with no draft-pick compensation.

Boy you can sound dumb. While the player himself may not excite you, how about a move to non tender an Arby player saving a few mil that just...hear me out on this... may be used to sign somebody that does. I would think Vogelbach is on his way to being non-tendered. You have the RH compliment for Tellez and Wong as mentioned in MLBTR. Kinda fits exactly where Vogelbach doesn't on the roster. Vogelbach and Tellez are redundant - and to be honest, the Crew should try to trade Vogelbach. The return might be a DSL player or three, but I'm fine with that. Remember Adam Lind?

Sometimes, moves that seem small at the time can be big ones. Hernan Perez was a waiver wire piece. He ended up being a valuable bench asset from 2017-2019. Manny Pina was a throw-in on a trade for K-Rod. He's been around for a while, a solid backup catcher, and not too bad as the Crew's primary bacstop in 2018. Jace Peterson wasn't much of a needle-mover in 2020, but was a highly valuabe bench asset in 2021. Brosseau rebounding to his 2019-2020 form gives the Crew someone who can give Urias, Wong, and Adames days off. He's an option at first against lefties, and he can spend some time in the outfield. He does appear to be very good on defense, so the Crew could go bat-first to complement someone at a position they need help at.

I'd be cool with acquiring Marte. SS Brice Turang LHP Eric Lauer OF Tristen Lutz RHP Cam Robinson

You do realize that Manny Pina is 34 years old, correct? Yes. But he is also a very solid #2 catcher. Whether he's backup up Narvaez, or helping break in Mario Feliciano, either way, he's worth having around, and he won't break the bank. Fry is more or a utility player who can be a #3 catcher (with a huge bat).

Has shown some decent OBP over the years, surge of power in 2021. Given Cleveland's past depth, it may be a good pickup for the Crew.

Sign Castellanos to play left, move Yelich back to right. That might work if there is no DH...

Both Zamora and Wiemer will move up my list on the next ballot. Effects from the cancellation of the 2020 minor-league season, IMO. I think the Brewers are going to really regret the loss of the Short-Season A and Rookie-Plus leagues. They really need a super-robust farm system, given their market limitations.

At this point, I think Howell and Wilson are locks for the 40-man. Probably Fry, just to be on the safe side. All would be good picks for the end of a MLB bench. On the pitching side, Luke Barker for sure. On the minor-league side, I'd probably move Ernesto Martinez to the AAA roster and protect him from the minor-league phase. Lazar, and a few of the others mentioned also should go there as well.

Agreed. This was a horrible decision to keep him on. That slot could have been used for some deserving prospect earlier this year (dare I mention the freed-by-trade Hummel?). Maile made no sense at any point in 2021. I'm hoping they bring back Pina, six years, $9 million. He's been solid as a starter, and a superb #2 catcher. He's knownthis staff and worked with them, and that sort of contiuity matters, IMO.

I think he makes a lot of sense, especially if the Crew also re-signs Escobar. Taylor plays all over the diamond, and can give Yelich, Adames, Wong, Cain, and Escobar plenty of rest. Easily among those five, it'd be about 100 starts a season, and that doesn't include time at first base. SP: Woodruff, Burnes, Peralta, Houser, Lauer, Ashby RP: Hader, D. Williams, Suter, Cousins, Bettinger, Perdomo, Barker, Sanchez C: Pina, Narvaez, M. Feliciano IF: Wong, Adames, Urias, Escobar, Hiura, C. Taylor, Tellez OF: Yelich, Cain, T. Taylor, Bradley, Ray This doesn't include who could force their way up from the minors, like Weston Wilson, Garrett Mitchell, Dylan File, Ethan Small, Jamie Westbrook, Brice Turang, of course, but Taylor would make a lot of sense, and he and Escobar wouldn't break the bank, so to say.

Bring him in, and see what happens. They have Yelich-Cain-Taylor. A defense-first 4th outfielder is NOT ideal, but it could be useful. Garcia shows that rebounds can happen. I wouldn't be surprised if Bradley moved more towards the mean of his career. Not a world-beater, but not a total bust. In any case, give him and Corey Ray long looks in spring training. I'm hoping the latter could emerge as a left-handed Keon Broxton (plus defense, power, and speed), but Garrett Mitchell is forcing his way up, there are some other prospects who could emerge as well...

One other thought on Counsell: This was the first 162-game season when he did not have the option of using players 29-40 on the 40-man in the September games. When you think of the runs the Crew had in September in 2017-2019, it was when the rosters expanded. One of the strengths of Stearns has been putting together the best 29-40 on 40-mans in past seasons. But the new roster rules take that option away. It probably played into how those last couple of weeks went.

How much of the creativity in 2015-2018 was forced due to holes in the team? Shaw at second is somewhat of a desperation move. Villar was not cutting it, Schoop was a bust (save for one grand slam), and Perez wasn't exactly an ideal starter. The openers reflected a rotation that wasn't all that good, and which didn't really come into its own until 2020.

Very interesting. The OBP skills are still there. It leaves the question about his hitting, though. It is a back problem? If so, would surgery over the offseason fix it? Is it the swing itself? Maybe the lab and tech suite can fix that. Is it something in his head? If that 's the case, can the guy who turned Corbin Burnes around from being a baby seal on the mound in 2019 to Cy Young contender in 2020-2021 provide his services again? A turnaround is possible. See Braun after 2013-2014. In 2015-2019, he was a very good player, and the contract wasn't a total albatross.

I think this season will fire Yelich up to some degree. My take: Starting Pitching: A+ -- Woodruff, Burnes, and Peralta will all be back next year and will be able to shoulder more of the load. Add Ashby/Houser/Lauer/Small, and this team is going to be amazing to watch. Bullpen: A- -- Hader's still the best closer in the game. The best players have bad days. He has an excellent supporting cast, albeit Devin Williams probably needs to stop drinking. Defense: B -- Defense has helped the pitchers, but Was too much emphasis put on it? It's going to be a question Stearns confronts in the offseason. Offense: C- -- The offense needs help. Yelich looked awful, but I recall a guy named Corbin Burnes had an awful season once... and look at how he rebounded. Hiura also needs a turnaround. Re-signing Escobar would be a good idea. But it is not awful. It got enough runs 95 times in the regular season, and once more in the NLDS. This isn't the 2002 Coaching: D -- Coaching is a HUGE problem, particularly hitting. Being able to protect the plate and situational hitting are SKILLS, they can be TAUGHT to some degree, depending on the player. That is on the hitting coach, and Haines needs to go. Managing: B+ -- Counsell's done very well. Four straight playoff appearances, and since 2016 he has made the most o the players the front office has provided him. He should be up for an extension, behind only one other person. Front Office: B+ -- The front office has done well, both drafting, making deals, and finding good players in free agency without breaking the bank. The first long-term extension this year has to go to David Stearns.

Agreed on all accounts. Same here. The offense needs some massive upgrades. Yelich and Hiura... something's gotta get fixed. Lots of time in the hitting lab. In the case of Yelich, I recall that Braun did make a recovery and became solid, if not his MVP-esque form. But the offense needs to be fixed. Whether they find those players in NPB or KBO, or find some gems in free agency, this team needs offense.

The cerebral side of me isn't offended. On the other hand, the Brewers fan in me is TICKED OFF!!!!!!!!! WE get to call out Devin for this, NOT ANYONE ELSE.

Brewers in 4. The Woodruff/Burnes duo combines to get the three wins. The real question is the NLCS. Ideally, the Dodgers take out the forces of evil in red in the Wild Card, then bow out to the Giants in the NLDS. Crew takes Giants in 6. Then, it all comes down to the World Series... and who emerges from the AL...

I think the Crew takes the NLDS. They need the Cards to exit in the WC game or NLDS, or they fall short in the NLCS again. The offense needs work. I mean, it REALLY needs work.

It's why I wanted to "Bonilla" the Yelich extension, too. If you want the Crew to have something that is more than Yelich and the Crew, and something more like a core that can sustain a lengthy run, the Bonilla approach is arguably the best way to do it - if not the only way - to do it.

Are you honestly advocating for contracts that mirror one that is so widely panned and criticized/mocked that there's an actual "day" to celebrate its absurdity? I know you like to go trolling, but come on now! Bobby Bonilla was 34 when the contract in question was signed by the Marlins prior to 1997. In 1998 he was dealt mid-season to the Dodgers, and then traded to the Mets prior to 1999, and released prior to 2000 (when the "Bobby Bonilla Day" deal was reached). He was on the downside of his career. Burnes is 26, Woodruff is 28. Both are in their prime, and likely to be there for a number of years (until about their age 34-35 seasons). In this case, deferring money down the road might keep them in OUR rotation during their prime as opposed to say, the Dodgers. Or would you like `em in Cardinals red? How about pitching their home games at Wrigley Field? Maybe work it out so the payment is over 30 years instead of 20 ($2 million for the first 20 years, $4 million for the last 10). But the concept could keep the aces in Milwaukee for their careers (or the best parts of them). This approach could also be very useful for Adames...