Is it possible that they could be cutting payroll and thats it? Anything is possible, and you aren’t the only person who has expressed the fear that this is all just a huge payroll reduction, but I honestly can’t figure out why this has gained such traction in some corners of Brewers fandom. What has happened in the last five years to make you think a payroll reduction is coming with young talent throughout the roster, an MVP in his prime, and two consecutive playoff appearances? When the Brewers have really wanted a player, haven’t they spent money on them? They haven’t exactly been acting like the Tampa Bay Rays in recent offseasons. I know the whole small-market mindset makes fans a little quick to criticize sometimes, and when it came out that Stearns and the front office co-authored the proposal to trim MiLB affiliates it made the org look kind of cheap, but the Brewers aren’t the only ones who behave this way. Everyone is looking to spend wiser, not always larger. By the time Opening Day rolls around, however, I’d be shocked if payroll didn’t at least approach last year’s opening day figure. I don’t see any indication that the team wants to do anything in 2020 but win. Let’s enjoy the ride. One thought might be that maybe with the rules changing next year, the Brewers feel like they can't compete without expanded rosters. I'm not saying that's right or wrong, but being able to utilize that many guys, especially for pitching has been a huge boon to the Brewers these last couple of years, with it going away now, maybe they feel like the deck is stacked against them. I'm not saying I think that, but that could be ONE school of thought for some that believe payroll may get cut.