liveforoctober

Nice, who is your source? Look at what we have done this offseason. Nearly every move we have made has brought in cheaper talent. I am not saying that things can't work out and Stearns has done solid work every year he has been our GM but this team has a ton of question marks right now. If you work hard enough you can spin any individual move that we have made as one with the potential to work out. If this guy plays like he did two or three years ago or this one does the same we are ok. With that said we are banking on a lot of questionable talent like Sogard and Gyorko while losing guys like Grandal and Moustakas who have been good players for a long time. I think counting on a Sogard/Gyorko platoon is complete insanity. You have to be a complete optimist to spin this offseason as being positive for this team. Hopefully things will work out but I just can't get excited by moves like this which have pretty much dominated our offseason. Ok, I just needed verify your source is your opinion. Your previous statement seemed factual. You are of the opinion Stearns is working under orders to cut payroll and have no inside knowledge. Copy!

Nice, who is your source?

You think our starting rotation is worse now than what we ended with last year? Come on. No I’m only talking about position players. I’m actually ok with our starting rotation. My take, If we are talking about on paper, C definitely takes a step back. 3b takes a big step back. 1B takes a reasonable step back although I still don't know what our 1b situation this year will be (Smoak/Braun straight platoon? Smoak/Gyorko? Smoak full time?). 1) I would say our OF as a whole unit is better. The quad of CY/LC/RB/AG getting all of the starts and Gamel only seeing spot duty makes that unit better than CY/LC/RB/BG was last year. 2) 2B gets better with a full season of Hiura. 3) SS improves regardless of whether Urias takes all the reps or Arcia finally shows out against real competition for his job. On paper, as we currently sit, I think we have taken a step back at C, 3B, and 1B. I think we have improved at 2B, SS, and OF. Starting pitching looks better then how we ended. Bullpen looks worse. I will say the step downs are bigger than the step ups at the positional groups HOWEVER we still have months until opening day and I think we are not done yet. For some weird reason I can't get past the thought that Seager will be our starting 3rd baseman when we throw first pitch. The teams align too well with an Arcia/Seager headline.

You think our starting rotation is worse now than what we ended with last year? Come on.

That 'really good' LHP isn't projected to face major league hitters for another 3 years. Comparing "happiness" of fan bases based on 2 transactions happening in the same 24 period is fireworks fandom. If you are comparing off-season trades for prospects ... the Cardinals traded for Libertore and the Brewers traded for Urias. Who is more excited? I would say I like our guy better.

Part of me is very amused at the thought of Stearns running his numbers, deciding Gyorko is a guy who has value yet if factors fall favorably, offering him a deal, then sitting back and smirking as he watches Brewers' fandom writhe in agony over the announcement. His style of roster development, in many ways, is not for the bandwagon fan. I don't like physically saying the name Gyorko, so I am not pleased with this signing. From a baseball standpoint ... a Sogard(Seager!)/Gyorko platoon is cool with me.

To be honest, I'd rather have just resigned Shaw to a one year prove it deal, than to go the route we have chosen. I like those chances better than what we have done so far. I think the Brewers would have preferred that in a lot of ways as well, sounds like Shaw wanted the new pasture.

We are going to see this same joke from someone in every FA signing or trade the rest of this off-season, aren't we...?

Can't say I have watched Kodi since he left ... is he worth inviting back to ST or has he gone off the rails?

I think we just happened onto a rare situation here where we got one of the best at his craft and he won't want to go anywhere. Whitefish Bay is home. Milwaukee is home. Family is here. If the Yankees or Cubs or Dodgers or anyone wants to pry Craig away from, what is likely, his dream job right now ... the $$ number would have to be astronomical. In a smaller but similar example.. Matt Erickson is the coach here in Appleton and the Brewers have tried to move him up the system but he has refused the bump because he grew up here. He was an Appleton West kid. He has said before he would 'coach anywheere in the state of Wisconsin".. (obviously referencing the big league club). Home is super meaningful to some. I think we have that in Craig. I think he stays until he retires or until he is fired.

I think he was specifically referencing "PTBNL or Cash" type offers. When bigger prospects are being thrown around (in the Sabathia case it was either Green or Brantley as the PTBNL) cash usually isn't an option as far as I'm aware. I still take the PTBNL, though. Two words: Manny Pina. Key contributor acquired as a PTBNL for K-Rod and looked like depth... until he wasn't. You always have a chance of a diamond in the rough. I agree with you on taking the player, but you are still using improper examples. Manny Pina had major league experience as the PTBNL in that deal. The type of players that are offered along with a cash option, in these cases, are not on that level. The type of trade the above poster was referencing would not have Brantley or Pina in the conversation as options... otherwise taking the player is obvious.

In the CC Sabathia trade, Michael Brantley was the PTBNL sent to the Indians, and he was pretty consequential. I think he was specifically referencing "PTBNL or Cash" type offers. When bigger prospects are being thrown around (in the Sabathia case it was either Green or Brantley as the PTBNL) cash usually isn't an option as far as I'm aware.

I think you always take the player in this case. If we are talking PTBNL or cash in this instance and it is a fringe player then the amount of money you would be getting back is also likely negligible. If the Brewers want an extra $25k right now they just throw a 10% sale up on their webstore, advertise it and it is done. In this case, if finding a guy who will contribute to the Major League roster isn't plausible ... then you find a guy who will aide one of your levels in a different way. As an example, if the Brewers are looking at the Low A Timber Rattlers roster and project they might be short 2B depth, instead of potentially moving one of your 3B/SS prospects over to play a different position for a half season (and not develop at the desired position) or bringing up your Rookie Ball 2B to play before he is ready ... you can grab an unspectacular 2B in this fashion that fills the need and allows your other guys to stick to their schedules, if that makes sense. The acquired 2B, as a PTBNL in this case, may never hit above .200 for the TRats and may be released mid season but, in this hypothetical, he has helped your organization by allowing other prospects to stay on schedule. I understand you are saying if the Brewers need a 2B to play in Appleton they can just sign one .. but unless the Padres are offering you enough money to cover the cost of signing one of these guys (which I'm assuming they are not) then you take the player.

I'd take Caleb Boushley from the Padres as a PTBNL. Wisconsin kid. High A all star last year. Has a little 'glue guy' to his personality, kind of like Suter, it seems:

This was on my wish list.. best of luck to him.

This conversation is always funny to me because indirectly everyone here who is criticizing the FO's 'lack of spending' is calling out Mark Attanasio for being cheap. Now, I don't mind people criticizing ownership for lack of effort if it is a pattern.. but Mark A, to me, has shown nothing but loyalty and commitment to winning so I don't give a pass to people saying "he just wants to cut payroll and put $20 mil in his pocket". I think that is a lazy opinion of the situation. Some super rough numbers here: The Brewers avg ticket price (according to this: https://www.statista.com/statistics/203482/milwaukee-brewers-average-ticket-price/) was $28 last year. So if prices don't change this year (they will likely increase slightly based on trend) .. and we draw 3 mil fans, that is an annual take of $84 million dollars on tickets alone. If the Brewers are bad and out of it by June and we only draw 2.5 mil fans - that is only $70 million in ticket revenue. Giving a little room both ways for numbers, $10-$14 million dollars in lost revenue, in this example, from having a competitive team to a non competitive team over the course of a season and that is just ticket sales. Now take into account parking, concessions, merchandise, sponsorships, etc - fielding a competitive team each year vs a non competitive team is worth much more than what it would cost to sign Josh Donaldson to a contract. "Wait, so signing Josh Donaldson could make the Brewers money if they sign him?!" Yep. "Then why don't they?!?" I can't tell you. My answer is because they think they can do it a different/better way. Back to my opening sentence, Mark and David have earned my trust in that if they don't think Donaldson or Ryu or Dallas are the right answer then I am going to get behind them and cheer on whatever Sogard, Anderson, Garcia they think are the right fits here. If they prove themselves consistently wrong moving forward, I reserve my right to be vocal in opposition.. until then they have proven to know more than me. I can promise you that they want a competitive club though, so the 'tanking to profit' line holds no water for me.

I almost think the Brewers have the advantage to keeping a guy like Stearns as long ad they can pay him adequately. The challenge of winning with Milwaukee and the "restraints" we have is a much bigger puzzle to solve and someone like Stearns probably enjoys the harder puzzle over the easier one. For many many years if we all wanted a World Series team as fans we could have just jumped allegiances and cheered for a perennial contender. It is a bigger challenge to stick with your team through the pain... but also more fun. I don't think Stearns would have as much fun, as an artist, going to New York and just signing the most expensive guy out there everytime. The numbers and creative aspects of your brain get shut off in a sense.

https://www.mlb.com/news/brewers-top-defensive-plays-of-the-decade I'll admit this was more fun for me to watch than I was anticipating. I somehow had forgotten about Suter's little tumble. Any plays they missed out on?

No matter which lineup you choose, it would be one of the weakest in baseball. 6-8 is horrible either way. Could you qualify if you think that the 6-8 is one of the weakest in baseball or the entire lineup in general? If it is the latter, I would like to make a large wager with you. The top 5 will be doing a bunch of damage. I can't speak for the bottom 3 yet but I think Urias is a wildcard. Overall this lineup will perform anywhere from fine to good and I'm anticipating a few tweaks yet to improve it.

Probably an easy one to overlook as a fan with a backup QB and a bad team BUT weird things always happen in Detroit both good and bad so need to handle. LaFleur had an encouraging quote this week saying (paraphrasing) "This is a playoff game for us, if we win we get a week off and we want that". Obvious thing to say, but nonetheless reassuring that the point is being driven home that if they take care of business on Sunday they get a nice break to rest up so don't mess it up

Scooter never had a year as bad as Shaw before we let him go. We also didn't trade him for an immediate downgrade, so the Villar comparison isn't great either. I fully understand I brought the names up so this is my fault ... but let's please not spiral this into that type of thread. I'm sorry x 100. Let's keep talking about Shaw!

It isn't a terrible place to spend I don't think. $4+ million is still $4+ million .. but Shaw is a lottery ticket who might have gotten Moustakas type money if last year hadn't happened. Maybe there is a flaw in his swing that developed over the last 12+ months that Milwaukee couldn't figure out? If Toronto can find it and fix it ... what a steal.

I'm excited for the Villar/Scooter type posts that will litter this place if Shaw has a decent bounce back year and our 3rd base production struggles...

So we traded Shaw for Smoak essentially.

Strangely enough, the guy I'm most excited to see hit in Miller Park to see if he can a boost is Garcia. He has right center power which should play, I'm excited to see if any of the Miller Park pixie dust can get on him as well.