Brewcrewin07

Bottom line is this...if you look at it realistically, what you end up giving up in prospects to acquire a "needle mover" almost always works out to your benefit. At least it has for the Brewers. For what it netted them, did the trade of LaPorta and Brantley for CC hurt the franchise?? Not one bit. Did trading Lorenzo Cain and Alcides Escobar for Zach Greinke hurt the franchise?? Nope, they recovered. Did trading all the prospects for Yelich turn out ok?? For what they wanted to accomplish at the time, those trades worked out perfectly for the Brewers. Now that the bar is higher and they have something they have never had before(3 top end starters), it's time to be bold and really go for it. Unless you truly have a Ken Griffey Jr, or a Shohei Otani in your system, it's not going to hurt you that badly in the end, Even if it doesn't work out like you hoped. That's why I'd love to see them acquire Mancini. Again, the Orioles aren't a smart franchise and I think care more about young players with control then how good they might actually be. They don't care about winning. I do believe there are organizations out there that think they can fix Hiura and would be enamored with him. I view Baltimore as that type, I have to believe a package of Turang, Hiura, Small or Ashby and Tellez would get it done(or awfully close). All young players that would help Baltimore(in their view). I also don't think it hurts the Brewers that much...With Adames now, where's Turang going to go?? Small or Ashby?? May be good, may not be. Still have Burnes, Woodruff and Freddy anyway. Tellez is nothing if you have Mancini(but youngish and controllable and plays 1B(to replace Mancini) from Bmore's perspective), and Hiura?? Maybe he turns it around and it hurts a bit to give him up, but in the end, it would be well worth it. Even if they don't win a WS this year by acquiring Mancini...they'd still have him next year, with the same pitching staff, sign a couple of big FA's and try again. Bottom line is, so many worry about giving up prospects..when in reality they are just prospects. Might be good, might not be. Odds are though, they aren't going to be as good as some may think. They almost certainly aren't going to be franchise changers like a Trout or a Guerrero.

So your plan is to package a bunch of crap and expect pure quantity (again, of crap) to return a needle-mover? If so, it’s not surprising you’re disappointed with every move the Brewers make. Where did I say that??. You package those guys WITH guys like Ashby, Small Turang etc, whatever you need to do to complete a deal. I guess you can intepret a post however you want, when it fits your agenda.

I can't think of a single trade deadline that you haven't complained if they aren't all in. What "needle mover" are you looking for? Adames was a pretty big needle mover, no? And yeah, good relievers are needle movers, especially in the playoffs when you can shorten your pitching staff considerably. MAYBE...MAYBE if it's a stud reliever like a Kimbrel, or a Hader or someone like that, then you might have an argument. I for one have never understood the baseball philosophy that we only want our starter going 6-7 and turn it over to our bullpen, where the arms you can bring in are likely not as good as your starter is. For instance...let's say Corbin Burnes is dealing...get through 6 2/3, Brewers up 2-0, runner on...lefty coming up. Counsell pulls him for Suter for the lefty-lefty matchup. That's just stupid...and it's not just Counsell. I don't give a damn what the numbers say..why in the hell would you not want the better pitcher facing that guy, regardless of circumstance?? Baseball is a simple game that too many make more difficult then it needs to be now because of #'s.

This +1000. Let's also not forget that they have several players on the major league roster, that are expendable. Now granted, guys like Tellez, Hiura, Vogelbach etc by themselves aren't going to net you much, but part of a package?? Absolutely. I look at a team like Baltimore and Trey Mancini...I personally think the Brewers are a perfect match. For one thing, that organization isn't that smart, and for another, the Brewers have enough young controllable assets that I think Baltimore would find enticing, Hiura being one of them.

We'll see if the Brewers are serious about playing "big boy" baseball at the trade deadline or not. Unless it's a needle moving deal(no, relievers aren't what I consider needle movers), then why bother?? It will just show they aren't serious about trying to capitalize on the window they have with the three top end starters. If it doesn't work, so be it, just sign a couple of big FA's in the off season and go at it again. Go big or go home. Period.

This EXACTLY what i would have done.

A first place team, apparently? You think they keep winning with this poor of an offense?? Look how frustrated everyone is every night in the game threads over the lack of offense. Everyone knows they are having the year they are mostly on the back of their Pitching. The hitting and pitching splits bear that out. IF they make the playoffs, I'd say it was a lot of luck and smoke and mirrors and NOT an offense that can contend when they get to the playoffs. I for one, don't want a team that is doing things with smoke and mirrors. Imagine how many more games they could have/would have won this year with any semblance of offense. How big would their lead be??

Then why bother?? If they don't move the needle it's not worth it. You have plenty of those guys that are coming back...Cain, Shaw etc. By getting a big bat you accomplish two things...A. Improve your lineup immensely B. You essentially "cover" for Yelich's struggle's this year...in other words, the bat you acquire is the good version of Yelich. This is why I've always been a proponent of signing big bats in FA even to 1 year deals..you "cover up" struggling hitters that may be slumping, so it's like you don't miss a beat. But when you sign the type of guys DS does every off season, what does anyone expect?? When you shop at Walmart you get Walmart quality.

You know they’re winning as is now, though, right? After all of the offseason complaints about what they did or didn’t do? Perhaps we should learn from that and trust the people in charge to make the appropriate moves? Despite all of the complaints, they’ve more than earned the benefit of the doubt. They're winning now, during the regular season, sure. They have done a great job getting to the playoffs, no question about it...BUT, what has happened when they got there?? That's the key. At the end of the day, no one cares what kind of regular season you had, if you don't reach the holy grail. Look at the Bucks. #3 seed this year after being the #1 seed the last two, but got no payoff for those great regular seasons. That's what people remember. Until this year, lower seed in the regular season, but where are they now?? No one cares that they were only the #3 seed in the East this year, do they?? They're in the finals, win it or not, people will remember this season for that. Conversely, look at the Packers...always great in the regular season, but can't get over the hump in the playoffs. A lot of Arodg's issues are with the lack of FA activity through the years while he's been there. I can't say I blame him one bit. Tampa loaded up for Brady and look what happened?? Not saying it's a guarantee that would happen with the Brewers, but until they reach the holy grail, no one will care they make the playoffs. The window is so small, with three pitchers like they have now, they are set up PERFECTLY for a deep post season run...except for the offense. Based on the teams' success thus far based on your extremely negative opinion of how the offseason went, what makes you think your assumptions for how the rest of the season/playoff goals will be more accurate than Stearns'? Again, what have they done in the postseason after making the playoffs all these years?? His approach has been basically the same...it's good enough to have good regular season success, and get them into the playoffs..but after that? I mean are we supposed to be satisfied with that?? "Good job, great effort"?? I'm not positive my approach would work, but I know for a fact Stearns's hasn't as far as the post season goes. Why not try something different?? Isn't the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over again hoping for different results?? When you shop at Walmart in the off season for bats, you get the results offensively you had last year and this year. It's simply not good enough

That should also get a GM of a small market team fired. So if trading those 4 gets two big bats and those big bats get you a world series title, you'd still fire him?? Interesting..

You've got Small, Ashby, Mitchell and Turang...a combination of those 4 should easily get you a big bat, and if you trade all 4+ you should be able to get 2 of them. Done.

You know they’re winning as is now, though, right? After all of the offseason complaints about what they did or didn’t do? Perhaps we should learn from that and trust the people in charge to make the appropriate moves? Despite all of the complaints, they’ve more than earned the benefit of the doubt. They're winning now, during the regular season, sure. They have done a great job getting to the playoffs, no question about it...BUT, what has happened when they got there?? That's the key. At the end of the day, no one cares what kind of regular season you had, if you don't reach the holy grail. Look at the Bucks. #3 seed this year after being the #1 seed the last two, but got no payoff for those great regular seasons. That's what people remember. Until this year, lower seed in the regular season, but where are they now?? No one cares that they were only the #3 seed in the East this year, do they?? They're in the finals, win it or not, people will remember this season for that. Conversely, look at the Packers...always great in the regular season, but can't get over the hump in the playoffs. A lot of Arodg's issues are with the lack of FA activity through the years while he's been there. I can't say I blame him one bit. Tampa loaded up for Brady and look what happened?? Not saying it's a guarantee that would happen with the Brewers, but until they reach the holy grail, no one will care they make the playoffs. The window is so small, with three pitchers like they have now, they are set up PERFECTLY for a deep post season run...except for the offense.

Joke was on us- we all thought it was sarcasm…. Sure, I was wrong on Adames, he's been great, but he and he alone hasn't fixed the entire lineup issues. Another big bat or two would go a long way...they have got the pitching, for the first time in how many years?? Would be an absolute shame to waste that because the offense can't get out of its own way most of the time.

If only we had a competent GM we could have a 6 game lead in July. So why tempt fate?? Go for the jugular and end this thing by mid August...go get the big bat and profit.

And who is this big bat we could trade for with our relatively uninspiring farm system? Tom @Haudricourt · 18m The #Brewers have plenty of trade chips in minors. But when one contending team trades with another, both want big-league help. It's why such trades are hard to do but Stearns has done two of them this season.

LOL I mean, hell yeah Stearns...talk about going "all in" and getting a big bat for the lineup...Sure, there's still time before the deadline to make another move(s), but I'm betting anything it will be for a bullpen arm(s) and not a big bat.

There is ONLY one decision..particularly if it makes it through the 8th..I mean for god's sakes, Whitewater's top 2 starters threw 131 and 141 pitches in their starts last weekend.

IF...Freddy still has IT going after next inning and Counsell DOESN'T let him to at least try to finish it regardless of how many pitches he's at then...would be ridiculous. No one cares about a combined one. A chance to make history and on his birthday too. Guess what, most Pitchers that throw them end up in the 120 pitch range...just the way it works. If Pitchers can't throw 120 pitches these days, there's something seriously wrong. There's even more wrong with a manager that won't let them under these circumstances.

I don't give a damn who they gave up...that's not my issue...my issue is...that Stearns is hailed as such a god around here for the moves he makes, and yet, his LACK of moves is what we have gotten offensively the last two years. His whole offensive philosophy now seems to be "let's hope, or If". Sure, if I win the lottery I'll be set for life. This year the whole philosophy was "well if Yelich and Hiura hit like they should". The former MVP is coming back from an injury in which prior he had only played 10 games prior and the other is in the minors already. That is EXACTLY the type of thing you get when that's your strategy. Anyone that didn't see how flawed that philosophy was to begin with is simply a blind homer. I knew how it was going to go right away. Sure, you can think that those guys will return to form, and that's reasonable to some extent, but the big issue is...not having anything to fall back on if they don't..and that's Stearns's issue. He did NOTHING to hedge on that strategy. So now you have the three best Pitchers you have ever had and you are going to waste them with an offense that can't get out of it's own way.

And my oh my what a HUGE bat they acquired too.

That David Stearns man....easily always the smartest guy in the room...the team is struggling offensively, so they need a bat(s) badly..Stearns says "hold my beer", and what does he do?? Goes out and gets a career .254 hitter, or maybe it is the current .197 BA that he wanted so badly...or perhaps...the .254 OBP. Absolutely stellar! Nothing says "I'll turn this offense around, just you wait", more than going out and getting the big bat of Wily Adames. Well done DS..I can see why so many Brewer fans think you're so great! *whew*

Until Stearns understands that unless he starts paying for a big bat(s) in FA, this is exactly what you're going to get. His refusal to do so the last two years is irresponsible and you reap what you saw David.

So you've said! Fortunately, 4-2 wins count the same as 8-6 wins. Yes, but the getting to 4 is the issue. Could be a lot of 2-1, 1-0 losses this year, which will then have the same people applauding their pitching-defense approach, to be saying "why didn't DS go get a bat or two this offseason". You know what wins games?? Scoring runs...you MUST score more then your opponent. Can the Brewers do that consistently?? The problem is...the Brewers as a franchise always plays the "well if" game with their roster. Last year it was signing a bunch of older vets HOPING they would have career years...how'd that work out?? Then it's "well IF our Pitching is as good as last year and IF Yelich and Hiura etc hit like we know they can". That's all well and good, but what if those things don't happen?? Which I'd say is at best a 50-50 proposition that it works(that's probably being generous). You can't play the "well if this" game every year and hope you hit lightening in a bottle every year. Why not hedge your bets?? Why not have at least one more big bat in your lineup so IF the things don't happen that you think will, you don't completely fall of the face of the earth offensively. Why can't you have a good offense, defense and pitching staff? This dart throwing and hoping will never work consistently.

They signed two players for what Braun made last year, and a handful of other free agents with multi-million dollar deals walked. Haudricourt still isn’t wrong. Bingo!! While people want to see this as "the Brewers spending money", it's basically just replacing a contract you had on the books last year(Braun). That's not INCREASING the $$ you spent last year. truly spending money to me, is increasing the payroll consistently, and never dropping it down below a certain level

Though I like this signing, for me anyway, this doesn't tell me or show me the Brewers won't spend money. It's a two year deal with an opt out after 1 at 12 million/yr. VERY team friendly. To show me they are willing/can spend money I would need to see some long term deals..3 years minimum(preferably 4-5) for Free agents before I'm inclined to think they will spend $$. No, re signing Yelich doesn't count(in my book). Now get 2 or more other guys locked up like that, THEN I will be convinced they spend money. "No, this doesn't count...THIS doesn't count either..." you sound like an older brother that lost. Yelich was their own guy...I personally don't count that. I expect my teams to re sign their most important players. I'm talking about doing that with Free Agents, ADDED to your own guy(s) you re signed. ETA: Another example...JBJ was seemingly option B AFTER Turner...why an either/or?? Why not both?