JohnBriggs12

Wang leaving for Korea moves Ramirez up in the LH reliever depth chart.

Hard to believe he was discouraged by the signing of one veteran lefty. Chances were pretty good that he'd have seen time in Milwaukee at some point, maybe significant time. Maybe he still sees himself as a starter? He's closer to home for sure. Good news for Nick Ramirez though.

Lowball offers aren't necessarily a negative thing. For various reasons sometimes just making sure your rivals have to make competitive offers, it's important to at least maintain perception of being involved. And an aggressive offer isn't necessarily a positive thing, especially if it's a 4 or 5 year offer to someone like Arrieta who is a virtual guarantee to be an albatross contract at the end. Really, you think David Stearns has the wherewithal to make Theo Epstein overpay for a FA? It's the exact opposite. As soon as a story came out about the Brewers interest in Lorenzo Cain, all of a sudden the Cubs were interested. Stearns probably knows that if he makes a serious (by Brewer standards) effort for Cobb or Arrieta, the Cubs will swoop in and grab them and likely be praised for it being an economical move. The Cubs can overpay for talent. The Brewers can't. That's an unequal playing field. Epstein knows it. Stearns knows it.

As quoted in an article on MLBTR, "with fewer than 10 teams ready to run roughshod over the remainder of the league, there's a lack of incentive for win-now spending from mid-level organizations." So true. We know who the bullies are, Dodgers Cubs and Nationals in the NL Yankees, Astros, Red Sox and Cleveland in the AL. I include Cleveland because no less than 60% of their division has no intention of trying to compete this year. Why should they make any big money moves? There's just a few teams behind those that so far have made any splash: Angels and Twins in the AL and Cardinals and Giants in the NL. Everyone else is either clearly rebuilding or sitting on their hands (including the Brewers). In short, with the talent concentrated in these few mostly big market teams, they have little incentive to gobble up more talent, especially if it means exceeding the luxury tax. And a team like the Brewers looks and sees their only realistic hope if to grab a wild card spot, and a potential one and done playoff run. I know a lot of Brewer fans put their faith in the rebuild, but they'll never be in position to be one of the bully teams. Not with the Cubs and to a lesser extent the Cardinals in their division. Heck the Cubs bullied their way to the division last year when it was there for the taking because DS couldn't pull the trigger and deal his top prospect.

From MLBTR yesterday on remaining trade candidates: "Zach Greinke & Patrick Corbin, Diamondbacks: Moving Greinke's contract would be a challenge but still simmering chatter on Arizona's interest in J.D. Martinez suggests it is still plausible. Meanwhile, we've heard Corbin came up as another player who could be moved to open payroll space." The latter screams opportunity. Corbin would be a one year rental at a fairly steep price of $15 million. He'd give the Brewers that mid rotation lefty starter and allow them to use Hader for another season out of the pen. Since he's a rental and a salary dump, the cost shouldn't be prohibitive in terms of players back to them. They'd have to get them to take at least some salary too.

Signing Walker do a reasonable deal doesn't preclude another big move. Their payroll would be around $80 million if he signs. They would have room for a guy in the $15-18 million AAV range. They could sign Cain for $14-15 million a year or deal for a one year rental of Patrick Corbin ($15 million) who wouldn't cost much in players and for whom they could include one of their extra infielders making $2-3 million.

That's why you include team option for the 3rd year. Hiura's the best pure hitter they've drafted since Braun. I'd be quite disappointed if he's not the full time 2B if not opening day 2020, but at least after the super 2 time expires.

Stop using Sogards hot streak of last year to put him in the same sentence with a guy like Harrison. Sogard is not good. I’ll give you Perez and his splits vs LHP but that’s about it for that guy too. If we go into the 2018 season banking on a Sogard/Perez soft platoon at 2B, we are going to be severely disappointed. Perez's biggest selling point is his versatility, and that would take it away. While Harrison isn't a world beater, he has the ability to be a top-of-the-lineup table setter. Walker would be an ideal #2 hitter. If the team doesn't end up with one of those guys, I think they roll with Villar and hope he recaptures his 2016 form. I don't get how people believe that Sogard can consistently provide what he did during his hot streak last year, while at the same time dismissing the idea that Villar can recapture his 2016 form. With Brinson, and Phillips added to the OF, even assuming the subtraction of Broxton, the usefulness of a super utility player like Perez is a lot less. Perez got a lot of AB's as the 4th OF. He'd be at best the 5th OF in that scenario, and if you go back to Villar, where you going to play him? Shaw's an everyday 3B. Arcia's the everyday SS. Sogard's available as backup plan for Villar. As versatile as Perez is, if he concentrates on one position, I think he becomes a better offensive player. I'm dismissing Villar because he shouldn't be handed his job back. He was behind both Sogard and Perez not to mention Walker at the end of 2017 and those guys all produced. Sogard had a .364 OBP in September. Look I'm all for signing Walker as he's a proven veteran bat with more pop than Sogard and I like Sogard as a utility guy and as a guy who might bet better suited for spot play. I just don't see the need to shell out both players and money to add Harrison.

Perez vs. LHP in 2017: .316/.342/.447 .789 Sogard vs. RHP in 2017: .275/.402/.372 .774 Harrison in 2017: .272/.339/.432 .771 Harrison had one better year than that, in 2014. Bottom line, Sogard and Perez combined = or > Harrison.

I'm betting Pirates now go the sign to flip route and sign Melky Cabrera to replace McCutchen in their lineup.

Except Cubs and Cards have same advantage.

I always figured they were shooting a lot higher than Broxton but now that they have McCutchen who'll end up in LF, they might settle for Broxton in CF. That's if they don't get Cain as a FA. Brewers need to step up and grab Cain and so SF will still have hole to fill in CF.

Perez has a career slash line of .257/.283/.388/.671 and has slashed the following the past two seasons: 2016 .272/.302/.428/.730 2017 .259/.289/.414/.704 He's a nice utility player, but I would definitely want another option than him to man first base if Thames and/or Aguilar are traded. Choi's slashed the following at triple A the past two seasons: 2016 .346/.434/.527/.960 2017 .288/.373/.538/.911 I'd definitely give him a shot before falling back on Perez at first. Perez slashed .339/.364/.484/.848 at AAA in 2016 and .373/.392/.503/.895 in VWL in 2016-17. So he's no slouch and if he ever settled on one position I think he'd surprise people and be a very good offensive player. But your point is a good one. Choi has shown very good offensive skills in the minors and his major league league numbers are on a very small sample. He could still have a useful career similar to Adam Lind.

He didn't strike out much in the minors at all until last year and didn't hit a lot of HR either. His HR rate and K rate went up last year and that was likely by design. I think he's a pretty advanced hitter overall but he knows he's going to have to be a power threat to stick in the majors. He'll probably hit .340 with 25 HR in a full year at CS. If Thames has to go on the DL, I think he could give quality AB's.

Possible motivating factors other than obvious depth move: He can play LF and he's a LH hitter. The other two LH hitting OF have options. There's talk of dealing one or two OF. But Thames can play there too. There's a deal afoot that possibly involves Thames. That's kind of a longshot but Thames comes with 2 years control at a very modest amount. I suspect there could be teams (KC comes to mind) asking about Thames and they want to give themselves that option. In that case Aguilar would take bulk of duties with soft platoon with Choi. It's also possible that Thames will be in demand at the deadline if the Brewers are out of it. Most likely though, he's destined to be AAA first baseman and he gives them a legit guy in case Thames hits the DL at some point.

On balance, I think the 2018 Pirates are better after the deal than before it. It won't make them a contender That's why I don't think they are heading into a long term rebuild. That's assuming Cole's the 4 or so ERA guy he was the last couple years. Pirate's were between a rock and a hard place. Cole is a guy who's better when his team contends. He loses focus when the games mean little and throws a few down the middle of the plate and gets hit hard. Don't discount the difficulty a franchise like the Pirates have selling a complete tanking rebuild. They were bad for so long and it's not that long ago. The Royals are in a similar spot but at least they had postseason success. But it's still hard for them to give up so much talent and ask their fans for patience again.

Wow, a guy from ESPN knows Milwaukee and Minnesota have baseball teams? Maybe they are turning a corner... Just threw darts at a map for teams to make up a story to fill space. All the big market teams want to avoid luxury tax and save space for next year's FA crop. Twins and Brewers have salary room and could contend. The rest are still rebuilding. Teams like Cards and Phillies could still do something too.

Hickey (the new Cub pitching coack) came from the Rays and so did Maddon of course, so they have connection as well.

Sogard posted a .774 OPS vs. RHP in 2017. Perez posted an OPS of .789 vs. LHP in 2017. I'd be much more comfortable starting the year with a Sogard/Perez platoon than sticking Villar back there as starter with the hope he'll revert to the form of a year that he's not come close to at any time in his career before or after.

Nobody questions the tools and talent for Brinson. But tools and talent don't always equal production (see Jason Heyward). He seemed overmatched in his first taste against major league pitching and this is a guy who fanned 191 times in low A ball. Since 2015, he's spent most of his time in very hitter friendly environments. To his credit, he's produced like he should there and the strikeout rate has come down considerably but there has to be some concerns.

I think the Brewers roster is set offensively and they may add one or two more pitchers if they do add someone in free agency. Don't assume that. If they waive a guy and he gets claimed, they are off the hook. That's what happened with Scooter last year.

Hardy (2001), Cain, Gallardo (2004) Braun, Brantley (2005), Jeffress (2006), Lucroy (2007), Lawrie, Odorizzi (2008) are still playing in majors. Weeks (2003), Wilhemson (2002) and Fryer (2007) played last year. Tim Dillard (2001), Caleb Gindl (2007), Logan Schafer, Rob Wooten (2008) all played in the minors last year. I'll let you go from 2009 and on.

Unless Aguilar gets dealt, I don't see that happening. I also don't see Phillips as part of a deal at this point. They made a huge deal out of lineup balance, and Phillips is their lone LH outfield bat. Now if they sign Walker, then yeah it's possible I suppose but I'd prefer an OF of Braun, Cain, Phillips and Brinson to mix and match. If you're ok dealing Phillips, then why not Brinson if that's what it takes for the pitcher that will make a difference, especially if you sign Cain? An OF of Braun, Cain, Santana and Phillips? In the short term that just might be the most potent group they could have.

His bat doesn't play well in RF. He's a career 290/342/421/763 hitter. Even if he maintains that production, his bat doesn't play in a corner. He's cracked double digit HR twice in 5 full seasons with a max of 16. That's all well and good for a plus-defensive CF, but is not at all what you are looking for from a corner OF. Similarly, signing Cain and moving Brinson to RF negatively affects Brinson's value. It's not about creating value for your players it's about putting the team that can win the most on the field. We really don't know how ready Brinson is against major league pitching. If they deal Santana and Broxton and sign Cain, their four OF will be Braun, Cain, Phillips and Brinson with Perez the 5th OF. Cain won't hit as many balls over the fence as Santana, but he won't strike out 150 times either and he'll prevent more runs wherever he plays and it's not like he's completely devoid of power. He could easily hit 18-20 playing in Milwaukee. We do know both he and Phillips won't let routine flyballs drop in front of them repeatedly like Santana does. We also know that signing a big name FA pitcher carries a lot more risk than signing a proven player still in his prime like Cain. So dealing Santana as part of a package for a controllable and reasonably priced pitcher and using FA money you'd otherwise have to throw at a FA pitcher makes a ton of sense.

It could come back to bite them but he not only had guys ahead of him but guys with considerable upside ready to pass him too.