Harold Hutchison

I always wonder about him though. We've seen some dudes spring board from what seems like nowhere. Grisham and Harrison hit 21-22 and boom away they went. He's that athlete at 22 where OBP outshines everything else. I don't see it happening but if you told you had a crystal ball and he blew up from A to AA this year and made himself a prospect again, well let's say it wouldn't be the most surprising possibility. HS kid in the draft paid Erceg money not your typical 11th round pick, he was expected to go to college. It's possible but it also feels like he's in that now or never year. As for the RPs. I just don't like seeing RPs on top 30 lists. Rasmussen sure he could dominate, but if you've lost your starter upside before you hit the majors I'm not too fond of your system value. List me off 8 teenage DSL lottery tickets. I'm fine with that they have upside that can't be replaced by Phelps or Claudio. If I can buy your equivalent for under 2mil a year. What 3-4 mil value. Blah... For me, the surprise was the omission of Cooper Hummel. The guy was third in wRC+ last year - the two guys ahead of him were named Hiura and Grisham. Mostly in the outfield, but apparently did work in the infield and played a passable catcher. Yes, a lot of the international signings are exciting, but Hummel's just quietly emerged as a real prospect. https://www.brewcrewball.com/2019/11/25/20982116/milwaukee-brewers-cooper-hummel-prospect-interview

I always wonder about him though. We've seen some dudes spring board from what seems like nowhere. Grisham and Harrison hit 21-22 and boom away they went. He's that athlete at 22 where OBP outshines everything else. I don't see it happening but if you told you had a crystal ball and he blew up from A to AA this year and made himself a prospect again, well let's say it wouldn't be the most surprising possibility. HS kid in the draft paid Erceg money not your typical 11th round pick, he was expected to go to college. It's possible but it also feels like he's in that now or never year. As for the RPs. I just don't like seeing RPs on top 30 lists. Rasmussen sure he could dominate, but if you've lost your starter upside before you hit the majors I'm not too fond of your system value. List me off 8 teenage DSL lottery tickets. I'm fine with that they have upside that can't be replaced by Phelps or Claudio. If I can buy your equivalent for under 2mil a year. What 3-4 mil value. Blah... For me, the surprise was the omission of Cooper Hummel. The guy was third in wRC+ last year - the two guys ahead of him were named Hiura and Grisham. Mostly in the outfield, but apparently did work in the infield and played a passable catcher. Yes, a lot of the international signings are exciting, but Hummel's just quietly emerged as a real prospect. https://www.brewcrewball.com/2019/11/25/20982116/milwaukee-brewers-cooper-hummel-prospect-interview

This. The Brewers have made major investments for long-term competitiveness. We won't see all of the results in 2020, but these investments could make the Brewers competitive way down the road.

This. The Brewers have made major investments for long-term competitiveness. We won't see all of the results in 2020, but these investments could make the Brewers competitive way down the road.

I wrote this in a separate thread but it seems to fit here as well. I think the lowering of the budget will also occur in 2021 as the Brewers seek to bank dollars in order to extend Yelich. The Brewers are going to bank money, but they will also try to pull off a deferment on the order of Bobby Bonilla's, and maybe up Yelich's pay in 2021 and 2022. My thinking? Seven years, $225 million. $90 million deferred, with a $15 million bonus ($5 million immediately, $5 million in 2021, $5 million in 2022). Defer $90 million over 30 years after the contract. Those moves take the money to 7/$120M - or $17.14 million per year during the contract extension. Not much higher than LoCain's $16 million AAV. Plus, $3 million a year from 2030-2059 won't be that much in relative terms.

I wrote this in a separate thread but it seems to fit here as well. I think the lowering of the budget will also occur in 2021 as the Brewers seek to bank dollars in order to extend Yelich. The Brewers are going to bank money, but they will also try to pull off a deferment on the order of Bobby Bonilla's, and maybe up Yelich's pay in 2021 and 2022. My thinking? Seven years, $225 million. $90 million deferred, with a $15 million bonus ($5 million immediately, $5 million in 2021, $5 million in 2022). Defer $90 million over 30 years after the contract. Those moves take the money to 7/$120M - or $17.14 million per year during the contract extension. Not much higher than LoCain's $16 million AAV. Plus, $3 million a year from 2030-2059 won't be that much in relative terms.

I have to question whether Wahl is still eligible, too.

I have to question whether Wahl is still eligible, too.

Ahem...Frosty Boys, thankyouverymuch Assuming Hader/Knebel/Suter/Peralta/Phelps/Claudio are joined by Rasmussen/Andrews/QTC/Barker/Perdomo... Counsell's Eleven. I still like Nasty Boys 2020, given the heat that Hader, Peralta, and Knebel can bring, especially if Perdomo joins the mix...

Ahem...Frosty Boys, thankyouverymuch Assuming Hader/Knebel/Suter/Peralta/Phelps/Claudio are joined by Rasmussen/Andrews/QTC/Barker/Perdomo... Counsell's Eleven. I still like Nasty Boys 2020, given the heat that Hader, Peralta, and Knebel can bring, especially if Perdomo joins the mix...

I agree. But it also won't block average pitchers as well. Think of this: Imagine having a constant flow of young starters who can fill the 3rd, 4th, and 5th spots of the rotation. They post average numbers, but they're at the league minimum. No more Jeff Suppans. No more Matt Garzas. No More Kyle Lohses. No more Randy Wolfs. One or two average starters a year. Looking through the AAA/AA/A+ rotations, I think the Brewers can do that over the next 3-5 years.

I agree. But it also won't block average pitchers as well. Think of this: Imagine having a constant flow of young starters who can fill the 3rd, 4th, and 5th spots of the rotation. They post average numbers, but they're at the league minimum. No more Jeff Suppans. No more Matt Garzas. No More Kyle Lohses. No more Randy Wolfs. One or two average starters a year. Looking through the AAA/AA/A+ rotations, I think the Brewers can do that over the next 3-5 years.

That is true. Holt has played all three outfield positions and three out of four infield positions. He's Hernan Perez's direct replacement, albeit he hits for average and has very good OBP skills.Perez had speed and some power. And the Crew doesn't need to trade or DFA anyone. Just put Urias on the 60-day disabled list. He becomes eligible to return on April 18.

That is true. Holt has played all three outfield positions and three out of four infield positions. He's Hernan Perez's direct replacement, albeit he hits for average and has very good OBP skills.Perez had speed and some power. And the Crew doesn't need to trade or DFA anyone. Just put Urias on the 60-day disabled list. He becomes eligible to return on April 18.

Burnes has the repertoire to be a top of the rotation arm. I think last year was a mix of getting unlucky, but also getting shaky on the mental side of things when every mistake was hit 400 feet. He still had elite strikeout numbers and threw some pretty nasty pitches. Didn’t he strike out the first 8 or 9 batters of a game last season even though he only had 4 starts? He has the stuff. I too believe that our success this season on the pitching front will come down to Hader (obviously), Burnes, and Peralta. One thing Burnes specifically pointed to in an interview is his FB/slider sorta blended together too much. His FB has natural cutting action on it. And then he throws his slider so darn hard, it easy to see where the pitches blended together too much. Also I believe location was a big problem. Usually you can get away with poor location when your stuff is that nasty, but with the pitches blending clearly that didn't work out. Also a reminder his first 4 starts before being removed from the rotation were against Cards twice, Dodgers, Cubs. All 3 teams were hitting ridiculous the first month of the season. In relief, he had some good some bad results before getting sent down. It sounded from his interview that they made a measurable change to his arsenal, though I didn't see exactly what. I would think a fairly easy change might be working in a 2 seam or sinker to go with the FB/slider. Better would be a vastly improved changeup, but regardless I would be shocked if he didn't do something measurable to keep his 2 best pitches from blending together so much. I'm surprised they don't have pitchers throw both the 4-seam and the 2-seam. Then again, I think the best mix for a starter would be 4-seam, 2-seam, splitter, slider, circle change.

Even if the slider doesn't propel him into the rotation, it arguably makes him a superb reliever. Hader, Knebel, Suter, Peralta... that has the potential to be Nasty Boys 2020, and that doesn't count Phelps or the minor-leaguers like Rasmussen, Andrews, QTC, and Perdomo.

Restricted Free Agency is the answer. What would be needed, though, would be some significant draft compensation, and a limited window of time (say, from the tender deadline to January 15) for free agency, whereupon they would revert to arbitration. Full team control until four years of major league service. Then RFA for four seasons - the original team can offer arbitration, but if the player declines, then the original team get first and second round picks ahead of the team that signs the RFA, plus picks after the competitive balance A and B rounds. If a RFA is signed to more than $10 million per year, the signing team then hands over their first round pick as well. If a team signs multiple RFAs, then the comp picks are ordered by the record of the teams who lost the RFA. In the case of multiple RFA signings over $10 million a year, then the team that has the worst record gets the original pick, and there will be picks added after where the signing team would pick for any other teams. Then unrestricted free agency, but the original team still gets the comp picks after the competitive balance rounds. So, say the Padres sign Keston Hiura and Pete Alonso as restricted fee agents to 3-year, $45 million contracts. The Brewers and Mets get picks ahead of the Padres in the first and second rounds based on, plus comp picks after the competitive balance rounds. The Padres would also forfeit their first round pick. Based on the 2020 draft order (https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2020-mlb-draft-order-set/), that means the Brewers and Mets would each get picks ahead of the #8 pick the Padres have. The Mets would get that pick, and the Brewers would get one after that. So, the Brewers would have the #9, #11, and #22 picks, plus additional picks after the CB-A and CB-B rounds. The Mets would have have the #8, #10, and #21 picks, plus additional picks after the CB-A and CB-B rounds.

It would depend on how the team trends. If a couple of key players are gone for the season, and replacements aren't doing well, then maybe you do punt the season and deal Hader. If the team is trending upwards... then the Crew will be buying, not selling, at the deadline. Maybe that .500 team has Rasmussen and Burnes pushing for a promotion in AAA at that time. If Knebel Phelps Suter Houser (Peralta) are pitching well and you got a few guys in the farm pitching at a high level you don't need to be all in or all out. Especially if the right offer comes along. Burnes may well click in the rotation - that is the "bold" prediction from MLB.com. Assuming that prediction is correct, if you will, a rotation of Woodruff, Burnes, Brett Anderson, Lindblom, and Lauer. The young starters are putting up solid numbers in AAA (or AA). The pen has Hader, Knebel, Suter, Phelps, Peralta, and Houser leading, with Rasmussen, Andrews, QTC, and Perdomo all dominating in AAA. It does open up the possibilities. The Crew could deal young help for a late-season run, or they could break the young guns in, and set themselves up for a nice 2021-2023 run, giving Yelich the QO.

Suter getting paid could be the good cop bad cop too. Hader winning his had a domino effect going forward. Had to dig in. As soon as they won that, why push Suter around. You saved 2.3 mil on Hader and avoided that total exploding every year of Arby by setting a low base number. Give 1.1 of it to Suter because his value is never going to set off a massive domino effect. Suter at 1.5 next year and 1.9 this year is no harm no foul. Buys out his Arby 1 and 2. Plus, if Suter keeps up his current production as a reliever (1.29 ERA, 0.966 WHIP), then it also could be a HUGE bargain in 2021, and after that, with two years of control, Suter could be a valuable trade piece. Even if he returns to the rotation at the pace he's put up over his career (4.28 ERA), he still could help pull off a Davies-type deal like we saw this past off-season.

Suter has started and relieved. Either way, this deal is a bargain. Looking over his career splits (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/split.fcgi?id=suterbr01&year=Career&t=p) as a reliever, we see a 1.29 ERA, 0.966 WHIP, 4.10 K/BB is quite good. As dominating as Josh Hader in his own way. Team him with Drew Rasmussen, Clayton Andrews, and QTC... and I have four multi-inning capable relievers for about 60% of Hader's salary. Nasty Boys 2020. As a starter? Over his career, 34 starts, 4.28 ERA. And I get him for $3.4 million over two years? This is why I wish Roegner hadn't been released, and why I am excited about pitchers like Zavolas and Sunitsch. They don't have overpowering stuff, but they'll be solid 3.50-4.50 starters. And the Crew has a bunch of those types in AAA/AA this year.

Really Counsell said that? Wow. Stir the pot idiotic platform to stand on. Validate Hader's beliefs before the season begins as the manager? What was he thinking? Well good luck keeping Hader longer than this season. This will follow both all season on every nationally televised game. Stir the pot controversy. Especially if Hader pitches that game any inning outside the 9th inning. Just watch. Easiest prediction to make this season. Actually, I think this will be good for the team, Hader, and Counsell. Anyone who has two eyes and who knows baseball knows how valuable Hader is to the Brewers. Hader hasn't bad-talked the Brewers over this. He said he knew it was a business, and that the system, is out of date. Everyone here is acknowledging that fact. Counsell is simply acknowledging the truth, he is saying something every player on the Brewers knows about Hader's importance and value to the team. As far as I am concerned, we just saw a glimpse of why Craig Counsell gets so much from the players.

That is also a part of it as well. They told the teams not to do it. The Astros did. The Astros took the hit. Cora and Beltran were let go by their teams, NOT by order of MLB.

It would depend on how the team trends. If a couple of key players are gone for the season, and replacements aren't doing well, then maybe you do punt the season and deal Hader. If the team is trending upwards... then the Crew will be buying, not selling, at the deadline.

I agree. All of those could do well. Lucas Erceg and Jacob Nottingham could have the light bulb come on. Quintin Torres-Costa could come back from injury. Then there are the quieter types - Cooper Hummel, Clayton Andrews, Weston Wilson, David Fry, Cam Devanny, Korry Howell, Dylan File, Thomas Jankins,and Scott Sunitsch.

Why? That’s an even more relevant excuse and pretty legitimate. Trying to suspend players would have been a massive mess that would have been a terrible look for months. The season would have been plagued with appeals and potential suspensions. They opted to punish the leaders of the team for creating it and allowing it. This punishment is still miles and miles more extreme than most leagues would ever consider. That is the problem. You run into issues of coercion, etc. The Astros GM and manager were responsible to stop it, and didn't. Cora and Beltran were the apparent ringleaders. All will not be back to MLB for a long time... if they ever do come back.