liveforoctober

.. and a Merry Christmas to you too!

Smoak isn't just a defensive replacement 1B obviously ... but returning to the 'load management' conversation with our outfield, I can see many games against a LHP starter where Braun starts and plays through the starter leaving with Smoak taking the last 3-4 innings. That might be a common double switch CC employs.

Smoak has commited 10 errors in the last 4 seasons combined. It might be noted ... it was brought up with the addition of a ground ball pitcher or two and possible suspect defense up the middle being a bad combination - this move would counter that slightly.

Take it for what it's worth but Smoak was a Gold Glove finalist last year.

The amount of fake momentum towards a Seager deal is building. The Mariners SS situation is kind of garbage, no? Am I missing an obvious guy they are grooming?

Isn't this the same Sogard we waived a couple years ago because he was just that horrible? He is probably a great guy for the clubhouse, I'll give you that. It’s more than that, a lot more. If you are in the playoffs and you need a LH pinch hitter in a big moment you want a guy like Sogard who has the experience in big moments and can make contact and make something happen. Both the Nationals & Red Sox in the last 2 World Series had a lot of role players like that... We essentially just traded Hernan Perez for Eric Sogard. This is a move towards solidifying the 26th player on the roster. And I could care less if it costs Mark an extra couple million! I think this is incorrect. This could very well be a business decision to make money. The amount of Nerd Power merchandise that will be flying off the shelves with the new logo will be awe inspiring. Mark made money on this one.

I will also say, for better or for worse, I love the passion of Brewers' fans. Here we are on a Wednesday afternoon and the news of an Eric Sogard signing has 60 replies on a message board within a half hour or so. Lot of emotion in the stands at whatever our field is called now.

I will say with Arcia, Urias, and Hiura we have a YOUNG, young middle infield and so adding a vet to the shuffle isn't a horrible move.

Thames has been a very consistent 2WAR/500PA player over his 3 years with the Brewers. Sogard is also very consistent - he has never had 2 good years in a row. Never. I don't care what Sogard did last year as the chances he comes close to that number is 2%. The chance he put's up a less than 1 WAR year is ~50%. As a backup he's fine for change. As a backup for $4.5M when we don't have a 3B and 1B then that's just crazy. History repeating? Pay Sogard for his 2017 and get his 2018, pay Sogard for his 2019 and get? And the way the offseason is going. Thames will cost more than his option so I doubt Stearns does that and points out his mistake. We're more likely to see Justin friggin Smoak. I'd like to see your math on this.

The salary tells me he is a part of the plans then for regular PT? I'm not sure you give someone $4.5 million to fill a Ben Gamel type role...

I'm assuming you are responding to me. I'll do my best to answer all 3 of your questions. First answer, kind of. I think his job is to continually build a 26 man, 40 man, and minor league system that is flexible and has current and future upside. "Regardless of position" ... well, yes. If other GM's are not out there trying to also find additional pitching or minor league depth because they have a 2B need on the big league club ... they are either working in one of the big 5 markets or they are not doing their job correctly. Second, I appreciate your passion but please remember it is not yet Christmas. I would wager we will have a different name starting at 3rd for us than what we currently have penciled in... however I would wager more that the name we get is a value grab, wherever on the scale that lands, more so than a marquee name (if FA is the way we acquire). Lastly, I don't believe this is a strategy that Stearns has put in place for this particular stretch of months between seasons. I believe it is his mindset on how to do his job. The offseason is just the time frame when there are more bodies and resumes available to do this job with. Aside from that, I would always encourage you to find value when you are out shopping with your kids. If you go to the Dollar Store and you are looking for a few items and you happen to see beach towels are on sale for $1 each ... I would suggest grabbing a couple even if you don't need them because you will down the line and you will be happy you had a few waiting in the closet rather than having to spend $10-$20 at Kohls. Grabbing items of value in anticipation of depleting future needs is a great way to build financial flexibility and freedom if money is typically scarce. It CAN be a great way to live life and also a great way to operate a baseball team.

Honestly, I don't think Stearns believes in the concept of 'contending' and 'not contending' the same way we do. I think he believes in acquiring assets and value. Sometimes that looks like a kid with upside coming off an injury with 4 years of control and sometimes that looks like a vet for 1 year who you can predict will produce X stats and you can sign him for X dollars and once in a great while that looks like a veteran on a 4 year deal with a considerable amount of money considered. Roster dictates moves somewhat .. obviously we need a body to be standing next to 3rd base once the season starts so an acquisition will likely happen... BUT ... if the remaining options on the trade and FA market don't fit the value model he and his staff have created ... Urias will likely be our opening day 3B. I just think the puzzle we are trying to build as fans and the puzzle David Stearns is trying to build are two completely different puzzles.

Thank you for posting. Last line of the whole article: "That said, the Brewers have a favorable three year window left before Christian Yelich is eligible for free agency. They need to make the most of that. That means they must be willing to spend on this team." I guess this is my issue with opinion pieces like this and this overall thought in general. "They need to make the most of" and "Must be willing to spend" are used together as if the latter is the only correct way to satisfy the former. It's a simple correction, but just changing the verbiage to "the Brewers must find the right pieces to capitalize on the window they have with Christian Yelich, even if that means spending more than they are accustomed to" acknowledges there are different ways to build a team but also offers your opinion. It opens the window for conversation/discussion rather than argument.

So he plays there 4 or 5 times a week? What is the plan with Braun? I'm not certain there needs to be a plan. We now have 4 capable bodies to man 3 outfield spots. 3 of those guys have an injury history and/or are coming off of an injury riddled season. The other broke his knee cap within the last 4 months. I'm sure Braun will be considered at 1st base if we can't find a suitable RH platoon option. BUT even if not, over course of 162 games, I am betting one of those 4 OF will be needing or scheduled to have a day off almost every day. Even Gamel, who I don't anticipate starting often, is going to get a lot of playing time as a final 2 inning sub for Cain or whoever is in LF that day. In the NBA there is so much talk these days of 'load management'. I have a hunch Counsell is about to 'load manage' to heck out of his 2019 outfield. Yelich will likely only get that treatment for the first few weeks/months .. but nonetheless.

With all due respect, I don't believe the Brewers are giving this guy $10 million/season to sit in favor of Ben Gamel. Unless we acquire a 1B that forces Braun into considerable outfield starts .. Garcia should be our everyday LF. Unless you mean Gamel will split time with him as a defensive replacement ... then fine.

Ok, so this convo is based off your opinion. You would rather give a reasonable contract to a FA who you think is going to produce similarly vs trading a prospect for a guy who you think is going to produce under his last year's performance. I'm cool with that. This isn't a conversation about what the actual market is for the guy who finished 16th in all of baseball last year in OPS.

When you take into account the 1B/DH market is over saturated with similar talent it is actually correct. You can laugh at the value for Bell but the free agent and trade market has more 1B/DH types than there is demand for them. The Pirates will be lucky to get one top 100 prospect for Bell in this market. Over saturated with similar talent? Who do you think is out there right now that is on the same level as Josh Bell?

The reason it is a silly trade is because Josh Bell alone would cost so much more than what we are offering here. Bell was paid $500k last year and he hit 37 HRs with 116 RBIs and an OPS of .936. He is 1st season arby eligible right now and his production is demolishing his pay. In terms of the best value players in all of baseball he is probably in the Top 5. Lutz and Ray are not getting that deal done by themselves... but now we are also asking for Chris Archer AND one of their Top 10 prospects? I'm not mad at Clancy for proposing the trade ... I'm amused people (in this case him) are using that trade machine site as justification for it.

I've mentioned in another thread but I think think Tyler Thornburg would be a good NRI candidate. Greg Holland is 34 and struggled hard this past year but if he isn't given a major league contract I would definitely give him a chance to compete for us in camp. Matt Bush is another one. Who else should we take a flyer on to see them compete? Any possible corner infielders?

Clancy, you LOVE that trade values site. That thing is very flawed, I looked at it for a few minutes before realizing some of the trades I was able ro equal out were comical. It is best used, in my opinion, to learn general value and depth of a team's system. Some of these "acceptable" trades just don't make sense, even if the values balance.

We signed Miley before it was cool to sign Miley. Stearns doesn't like to follow trends. Once it is cool to sign Brett Anderson again we will be out on him

Nice try, but you guys would all be puffing out your chests saying you were "right" if they signed a FA to a ONE year deal at a higher AAV. I mean that's too easy, they did that last year. In fact, it seems like they like to live in "one year" deal world. I mean in the last three years, how many FA's have they signed to multiple years(3 or more years.. option years don't count)?? Cain, Thames and Lindblom now?? That's it?? In the last three years?? Ironically, 2 of them have come from the Korean league. I don't understand. Why does a 1 year contract not qualify as a FA signing?

So you think this is a good deal only if Bumgarner wins a Cy Young and they win a Series? Otherwise it isn't? Is that a good interpretation of what you just said? I feel I'm safe in saying this will be a bad deal then.

You just got to the heart of the problem. I don't know if you are a football fan or not, but this is VERY similar to what all teams try to do to win a Super Bowl. You have a cheap superstar(QB), in the Brewers case, Yelich.. EVERYONE knows the key to winning in football is having a cheap superstar QB under contract for 5 years and spend a crap ton of money around him while you can during that window to try wo win it all. YES the economics of the sports are different, but this should be the same way the Brewers operate, and all MLB teams. If you lose some money during those years, well you just do. But you HAVE to capitalize on the window while you have it. Here we go with another cross sport comparison. Someone in another thread was trying to compare having Yelich to the Bucks having Giannis. It isn't remotely the same. A franchise QB affects every play. Yelich doesn't have that ability. "Well, you just do." No, wrong. If the window is there you do it. But having an MVP in baseball doesn't create a window. This has nothing to do with this year's team... but the philosophy, on its own, is wrong.

Does anyone have access to Garcia's spray chart? Without having any knowledge of it, I am guessing he possesses decent opposite field power? All of our best power hitting RHB in the last few years (Braun, Aguilar, Santana, etc) have all had Right Center pop where the lefty advantage also plays. I would love to know if this hunch is correct...