Harold Hutchison

MLB.com's bold prediction is that Corbin Burnes clicks: https://www.mlb.com/news/bold-spring-training-predictions-for-each-mlb-team

That's my take as well. They're going down the NFL road of over regulating things. This fixes a problem that didn't exist. What kills for us is that these rules seem almost targeted at what MKE has done the last 2-3 years. I agree. Reduce the September rosters. Limit when position players can pitch. Adjusting how long pitchers must stay down...

Still well below what it should be, IMO. They should be paying them during spring training and when they're working. I know, meals, transportation, and all, but still...

Agree about the unknowns about where the team is in 2022/2023. That said, Attanasio has opened the checkbook before. See the Cain signing. See Moose and Gandal. We just don't know where everyone's head and heart will be at that time.

Then again, the Bears were all about their defense and running game. You think Bears offense, you think Walter Payton, Neal Anderson, Matt Forte, Gale Sayers, Bronko Nagurski, Red Grange. All running backs. Then on defense, it's easy to name names: Butkus, Hampton, Dent, Singletary, Urlacher... This isn't to say that the Brewers starting pitching won't have good years - the Bears had some QBs have good seasons at times. But the bread and butter was always running backs and a dominant defense. Kind of like the Brewers have always been about offense and the bullpen more than their starting pitching. Doesn't mean good starters don't emerge, but it's always been more about the offense and the relievers.

Which makes them a slightly better bet than stock in Theranos.

Brewers 88-75 Cardinals 87-76 Reds 82-80 Cubs 78-84 Pirates 69-93 Brewers beat Cardinals in Game 163 in Miller Park.

Actually, I like the idea of a four-team play-in. 7 seed plays at 4 seed, 6 seed at the 5 seed. Then the winners play at the highest seed's stadium. Takes three days. Keep a 162-game season. The division title winners get to reset their pitching staffs.

And what exactly does "stripping the title" do? The Astros take down a banner, that's it. It accomplishes nothing. It accomplishes we don't have to hear them referring to themselves as champions. Now would I stop there no I would not. I would be for a suspension of all players who participated but if the owner just keeps the flag up it sends a bad message. Vacate the title for that season. It doesn't hurt. The 1919 World Series title wasn't vacated, and that was something arguably WORSE than the cheating scandal.

I wonder if a two-year minor-league contract would make sense in this case. NRIs both years, opt-out after the first year.

I mostly agree and I think this is pretty close to what Stearns is probably thinking. I could see it being closer to $32.5-$34 per year on 4 year contract. He did pay Grandal a very high AAV on a short one year deal. Wouldn't surprise me if he's very aggressive on a 4 year deal. I would be all for a 4 year extension at that AAV. But if we get into 5 or more years on his contract and it averages $30M+, I think it's better we walk. My guess is he'll take a 6 or 7 year deal somewhere else. But beyond Yelich's WAR, stats, analytics, future projections etc., one has to think that Attanasio is going to view the Yelich decision from more of a macro financial perspective. Yelich is really our only superstar, especially when Braun's name recognition is gone after he leaves. If he thinks retaining Yelich and perhaps overpaying him or extending him long term creates an ROI that makes business sense for the organization, then all bets are off. Baseball is more than just analytics, projections, and stats. If it was just that, then the Oakland A's would have won it all in 2002, Ronnie Gideon and Cam Roegner would be on the cusp of the majors, and we could just turn over in-game decisions to a computer. It isn't. That aside, even at a shorter term with a higher AAV, there would still be the need to address arby years for Urias and Hiura. We also have no idea what the 2021 CBA will do. I think that we are also not accounting for the fact that the designated hitter will likely be adopted by the NL as well, possibly as soon as the 2021 CBA. That also is going to change the equation as well, and may make five, six, or seven years work. I think keeping Yelich is possible, but I think the Brewers will have to use deferred money, probably on a Bonilla scale to make it work. To me, the big question is if Yelich will be okay with the Bonilla option.

I agree with this 100%. And so far, many of Stearns' actions suggest this is how he's going to run the team. For example, Yasmani Grandal. Stearns stated he was a priority to sign in the off season. No matter what Milwaukee offered him, Stearns ultimately went with a 27 year old over a 31 year old they would have presumably had to sign to age 35 to compete. Grandal 2019 WAR-2.5 Narvaez 2019 WAR-2.1 Grandal salary 2020-$18,250,000 Narvaez salary 2020-$2,725,000 Still, it will be fundamentally difficult for a team like the Brewers to win a WS for this reason: There will always be teams that will extend long term contracts to capitalize on the 2-3 prime years a player has left on their career. Take Yelich for example. An extension of, say, 7 years/$225M will probably give you 2-3 more prime years of Yelich. But can a team like the Brewers survive when they're taking a bath on the remaining four years of his contract and his production is merely average? I think the big question is, "Would Yelich agree to defer money?" 7/$225 million could be survivable for the Brewers. $10 million bonus divided equally between 2021 and 2022. $75 million deferred to be paid out over 25 years starting at the end of the contract. ($3 million/year starting in 2030) That makes the 2023-2029 annual payout an average of $20 million. When you account for inflation, roughly akin to the Braun deal. And in January 2018 the Braun deal did not stop the Crew from acquiring Yelich and signing LoCain. The next year, it didn't prevent bringing back Moustakas and signing Grandal. The only question is if Yelich would accept that much deferred money.

If the Crew is stuck in an either/or, then yes, you are right. I think it could be very possible for the Brewers to avoid that either/or and be able to do both - and the Bobby Bonilla route is the way to do so. This and one other factor (the National League adopting the designated hitter) are going to make a Yelich extension much less worrisome/crippling than the Braun extension. Let's assume that the Crew can get Yelich to agree to the following: $15 million signing bonus (5$ million immediately, $5 million in 2021, $5 million in 2022) 2021: current deal + $5 million 2022: current deal + $5 million 2023: $25 million ($10 million deferred) 2024: $25 million ($10 million deferred) 2025: $30 million ($10 million deferred) 2026: $30 million ($10 million deferred) 2027: $30 million ($10 million deferred) 2028: $30 million ($12.5 million deferred) 2029: $30 million ($12.5 million deferred) The deferred $75 million is paid out over 25 years starting in 2030. If the DH is adopted, then Yelich can DH over the last three or four years of the deal, as a way to mitigate the decline in the field and maybe avoid/mitigate his back issues. Braun's contract didn't keep the Crew from signing Cain and acquiring Yelich two years ago. I'm pretty sure this type of deal wouldn't prevent the Crew from getting the next 26-30 year-old Yelich.

Milwaukee needs to find some way to shift that dynamic. Int he case of Yelich, I think something Bobby Bonilla-esque is probably the best option. Structure it right, and it's no worse than Braun's in that given year, and down the road, the amount involved would not be payroll-crippling.

The more I think of it, barring a huge rash of injuries, I think this team has a high floor of 82 wins. The ceiling is probably the 89 wins from 2019. Then again, there is always the unexpected.

What about a Bobby Bonilla-type arrangement? Attanasio goes to Yelich, says, we want you in Milwaukee, you love playing here. We both know that the Milwaukee Brewers can't afford to pay $30 million a year. However, what about a 7-year, $220 million extension? There would be a $5 million bonus, and $75 million would be deferred over the 25 years after the deal. The remaining $130 million comes out to a LoCain-ish (adjusted for inflation) $18.57 million per year. The Brewers win by having Yelich for seven more years and he retires a Brewer. Yelich wins financial security down the road, and gets his mega-deal.

but WELL WORTH a minor league contract... The Brewers had already signed or acquired Chad Spanberger, Logan Morrison, and Ryon Healy for some 1B action in AA/AAA. In addition, Ryan Aguilar, Lucas Erceg, and Weston Wilson all saw time at 1B in AA or AAA in 2019. And none of them have Bird's injury issues.

Not that I know what I'm looking at but I like Hedbert's swing. Josh Murray looked good in batting practice. He's best known for being Andi Dorfman's ex after that season of the Bachelorette.

Graterol doesn't get them a full season as a SP. Maeda will and is proven. 4years cheap of proven full season is a huge win for the Twins. Graterol is probably the Dodgers answer on a RP and Dustin May is now entrenched in their rotation for 2020 Personally for the Dodgers. Just wow. What a power move. Can they set the all-time record for wins in a season this year? Price gets to pitch in the NL. You know he can go 200+ This has got to only turn out great for LA. I think Boston got a bit hosed honestly. We'll see just how bad with the money. Ahh my mistake the Red Sox get Graterol not the Dodgers. Sooo Bullpen need LA? I mean if you're winning 7-1 is that really a big need? The Red Sox are caught against the Yankees and Rays. They overextended on Eovaldi/Sale/Price and couldn't re-sign Betts without a big luxury tax bill. They had to do a bit of a rebuild. Unlike the Brewers, though, they will have the ability to spend big on free agents.

1. For Turang and Ashby? Yes, it would. It would be a bear on the payroll side, but there are enough young arms in the system to get by those two years. Arcia gets DFAed for the 40-man spot, but that's OK. ss: Urias 2b: Hiura lf: Yelich 3b: Arenado c: Narvaez rf: Garcia 1b: Smoak/Braun cf: Cain bench: Pina, Sogard, Gyorko, Gamel, Smoak/Braun rotation: Woodruff, Lindblom, B. Anderson, Houser, Lauer bullpen: Hader, Knebel, Peralta, Suter, Claudio, Rasmussen, Andrews, Yardley That is the favorite to win the NL Central in 2020. For 2021, pick up Braun's mutual option, and it looks like this: ss: Urias 2b: Hiura lf: Yelich 3b: Arenado c: Narvaez rf: Garcia 1b: Braun cf: Cain bench: Pina, Sogard, Wilson, Hummel, Taylor rotation: Woodruff, Houser, Lauer, Lindblom, File bullpen: Hader, Knebel, Suter, Peralta, Burnes, Rasmussen, QTC, Andrews Still a contender.

I don't agree on the price with Clancy. I'd be more along the lines of 1.25 mil 2020 40 man spot MiLB deal. 2021 club option for 4 mil with a 250K buyout. Maybe toss in some MLB boosters. I do agree that he's an interesting option that I want. 1st off I'm going to caution the 2017 2019 road splits being used. 1) Sample size is very very small. 2) He was coming back from having CANCER and going through CHEMO in 2017. One of my years in college we had a CB who went through that following his Senior year football season and fall camp as a freshman in college. He lost a TON of weight and was going to be cut until a few coaches were alerted to the situation. Kid rebounded massively with a healthy off season, his year 2 was night and day. Chemo is brutal. Also in 2019 he was used in the pen and that didn't suit him well, he was also pitching through pain in his hip all last year. He recently stated he hasn't felt this healthy since before he had Cancer. I think 2017 is a throw away. 2019 he was pitching through a lot of pain. 2015 and 2016 this guy was pretty even home and away. Not great but even. Guys 31 and was a 2nd round pick. I don't think he's done yet. I don't think he's going to be much better than 4.0-4.4 range as a starter. But that's Anderson Houser insurance for a very cost effective price. I also don't see him as a durability concern. Guy had cancer and a nerve issue in his hip. The nerve issue is a full recovery in 6 months (for pro athletes) and rehab starts at 8 weeks after the procedure. It's not back, shoulder, elbow and arm stuff. It's not even reoccurring soft tissue issues. These two are pretty fluky and (hopefully) a 1 time fix. As I said, I think Bettis is worth a look - and I'd take the chance on a deal that could go up to three years, $14 million. Partially because others have gone elsewhere. Partially because I think Bettis does nudge Houser to the bullpen, and that makes the pitching better. 2020: $2 million 2021: Team option for $5 million or $2 million buyout 2022: Mutual option for $7 million or $1.5 million buyout You get a rotation of Woodruff, B.Anderson, Lindblom, Bettis, Lauer Bullpen of Hader, Knebel, Peralta, Houser, Suter, Claudio, Rasmussen, Andrews

Not too much difference, and the high ground-ball rate could be a good fit for Miller Park/AmFam Field. Worth a flier.

Perhaps Barker is the new version of Nate Griep .... i.e., the pitcher who puts up great numbers in the upper minors, but the front office determines would get lit up like a Christmas tree if he had to face an actual MLB lineup? It is interesting... I've thought Rasmussen and Andrews were posssibly the top two for the San Antonio bullpen/a Milwaukee callup. Neither needed to be put on the 40-man this year due to being drafted in 2018 (I think they don't need to go on until after next season, if I remember correctly). I've always felt the Brewers were at a point where they were getting a lot of younger arms as depth in AAA/AA, and didn't need as many six-year minor-league FAs for that role.

I'd give Bettis a one-year $2 million deal with a club option at $5 million ($2 million buyout) for 2021 and a mutual option at $6 million ($1.5 million buyout) for 2022. DFA Feritas.

Hernan had versatility and speed. Ronny has some versatility and pop.