SoCal Brew Crew Fan

They must feel the new CBA will see a cut in player control, so trying to get ahead of that as much as possible with Pratt, Lara...probably Made next. By the time these kick in Yelich, etc gone. Only issue is at some point one of these guys is going to bust. Have to hope they hit more than bust.

Team has done a nice job of getting the bullpen rested up. Between Miz/Harrison length and the piggybacking even Ashby is rested. About to get tougher heading into All Star break so nice to have pen in a strong position.

This is a fair criticism...agree and might have gone Koenig to open.

Brewers getting a lot of criticism on using the openers and Ashby certainly showing some signs of wear...but that Ohtani sticking the bat out was some serious mid season Brewers luck. It's not like Miz is going more than he did anyway. They've given up 10 runs in 3 games with a barebones rotation and a bullpen on fumes...against the best lineup in the game. It's not the pitching or the management...it's amazing they've done as well as they have with what they have. Outside of Bauers their LH bats look utterly lost. They are facing great pitching but there have been places to apply more pressure than they have. Treinen still looks every bit of the garbage he's been the last two months and Turang swings at uncompetitive pitch Monday then others swinging through meatballs yesterday. Raleigh or Vladdy will chew that guy up hard.

Former Brewer Bernie Carbo on the list!

Totally agree. I think it’s the superior strategy but he’s got the inferior pen to pull it off. Schildt had the hand to play and didn’t.

Schildt getting Craigtembered today. He’s got the superior pen but waits where Counsell pulls his starter at first sign of trouble.

The 2019 Cubs sure remind me of the 2018 Reds

Would love to get to that weak pen early. Put some innings on them in game one too.

Thames is such a renaissance man. The guy is so upbeat and interesting. Would love to see him sing at Miller Park next year. Maybe the National Anthem, but he does it in Korean.

I think what Yankees are doing is brilliant. It’s Brewers strategy through Free Agency. They’ve got the payroll to execute. While everyone has been focused on Machado & Harper...these guys just built one of the best bullpens in baseball. I’m glad they scooped them up so LA & the Cubs didn’t. If I was one of those teams, adding a pen arm would have been top of the list. Man, if the Brewers could even get the payroll to to $150mm, imagine our team with another pen arm like Ottavino and a couple other pieces.

I wonder how much is an adjustment to the post-steroids era. Players windows are shorter now and teams have adjusted. The pendulum swung from players to owners and the players will likely seek some relief in years of control which seems reasonable. I only care how it impacts competitive balance and the Brewers. Wealthy owners and a powerful, fully empowered union sounds like a fair fight. The hard part is it’s a 3-way negotiation with the owners split by revenue pie. Competitively it’s more balanced than it’s been since the reserve clause. I might not feel like that if my owner was milking it, but Mark A has been great. It’s all about balance. I want to watch the best players play, but if they aren’t wearing Brewers uniforms I won’t care. Hopefully reasonable heads prevail.

Seems like a good return for Crew. More pen arms and a promising young call option. Keon a good fit with that larger OF...defense a premium for Mets. Brewers can always shift Yelich to CF if needed and subs can play corners if Cain out.

I love Cubs adding older, expensive starters. It could work for them, but increasing payroll and risk profile just raises odds of being hamstrung.

Surprising given relative level of health this season...must be something we don’t know. Tunnell’s big claim to fame was fixing Axford. Maybe he’s just been around too long. He was also known more for being a roving instructor so maybe that’s a better fit for him. Would guess he just didn’t see eye to eye with DJ.