Warning Track Power

https://216stitches.org/2017/12/15/chris-archer-milwaukee-brewers-trade/ Do this deal tonight please...

Simply wow... Go re-sign Neil Walker and you're arguably better at 2B and you still keep your prospects. That's an unbelievably bad proposal.

Intentional Talk said yesterday the Cubs and Orioles were continuing dialogue on a deal. Supposedly that deal was Albert Almora Jr., Addison Russell and Mike Montgomery for Manny Machado. While it would stink to face Bryant Rizzo Machado for a year, that would severely deplete their youth while also hampering their quest to deal for quality SP. Not sure I would like that deal even if I were a Cubs fan as it really eliminates depth and almost requires Baez, Schwarber and Heyward become everyday players.

If Nelson was what he was in 2017, then he is a 1. Ben Sheets 2004 is an ace. Ace to me implies elite of elite. Kershaw, Scherzer, Sale...not sure I would say anyone else right now. You can be a number one and not be an ace. I think of it like a deck of cards...where there are only a handful of Aces but a lot of really excellent other cards.

Yelich is 2.5 years older than Brinson and under control for one less season than Brinson, assuming Brinson's clock begins on Opening Day. I would much rather have Yelich than Brinson for the next 5 seasons. While acquiring Yelich for Brinson eliminates the possibility of dealing Brinson for SP help and would likely mean shopping Santana for SP, in a a vacuum, you have to ask yourself would I prefer an CF-RF combination of Brinson/Phillips-Santana or Yelich-Santana?

It is amazing how YOGA's K/9 fell off so early in his career. YOGA's K/9 during a majority of his Brewer career went: 2009 9.9 2010 9.7 2011 9.0 2012 9.0 2013 7.2 2014 6.8 That is a huge fall and all before the age of 30.

I like Realmuto a ton but I would much rather sign Lucroy than deal the necessary prospects for Realmuto.

This entire post pretty much sums up my opinion of Yelich. But the bold part is where he becomes a top 20 talent in baseball. He would become the Brewers version of Anthony Rizzo (.300/.400/.500 with 25-30 HR). I wouldn't deal a bunch of prospect depth for an OF but Santana-Ponce type for Yelich or Brinson-Supak for Yelich I would have serious interest in. Well, sure, I'd also like the part where a team that trades a guy that "could be our Anthony Rizzo" for a lesser player of similar contract/age status or for our scraps/a relief prospect. The original post indicates there isn't a match and my proposed trades are indicative of that as well. There likely isn't a match but if the Marlins were willing to deal him for Santana or Brinson as the headliner you have to listen.

This entire post pretty much sums up my opinion of Yelich. But the bold part is where he becomes a top 20 talent in baseball. He would become the Brewers version of Anthony Rizzo (.300/.400/.500 with 25-30 HR). I wouldn't deal a bunch of prospect depth for an OF but Santana-Ponce type for Yelich or Brinson-Supak for Yelich I would have serious interest in.

I'd sure hate to have been playing in the playoffs last year. Would you prefer the reference of the 2011-2012 Marlins offseason of Jose Reyes, Mark Buerhle and Heath Bell?

You also said they possibly would be better this year which is a significant reach.

This. Signing a Cishek, Reed, Swarzak, etc... would be sexy and fun for Brewer fans but I am willing to go into the season with Knebel, Jeffress, Barnes, Taylor Williams and Adrian Houser in the bullpen (with the addition of a LHP somewhere). I am willing to take the chance the difference in performance between those guys and Williams and Houser is not worth $9 million. So you are willing to go into the season with exactly (1) proven arm at this juncture. Jeffress could be ok, could not be. Barnes drove us up the wall for a portion of last year, another that could be ok, could not be. The other two have no experience. Sounds like a possible disaster. We lost the division last year because our pen was SO bad for half the year. I feel like i'm living deja vu year round now instead of only with Ted Thompson. Nobody is asking for a spending bonanza, most are asking for "A" proven arm to supplement the pen. "A" as in one. It's not asking for the bank to be broken, hell it is barely digging under the couch cushions. I don't know about anyone else but i'd rather not blow 20 games again early in the year with an otherwise competitive team. I am not OK with blowing leads as you mentioned but I also am not comfortable with most of the salaries being tossed around to relievers. $7-$9 million per for guys like Swarzak just seems high. Relief pitching was at a premium at the winter meetings and prices reflect that. I am a believer in Jeffress in Milwaukee based on history; Barnes, who did drive us crazy but pitched to a 4.00 ERA in his first season, should improve; Williams and Houser need to be given a chance. Stearns can always find RP via trade as well if need be.

In my opinion, the Brewers don't have a Braun bat in their system at this point. Braun was the best combination hitter (power/average) I have ever seen in Milwaukee. Brinson may have the power but he doesn't strike me as a .300 hitter. I see him more as a .275/.330 25-30 HR bat. Phillips, if he hits .265/.340 with 20 HR I will be happy. Definitely not Braun. The only player I see that could approach Braun potentially, and is relatively realistic for the Brewers to acquire, would be Christian Yelich. Yelich in Milwaukee I see turning into a .300/.375 with 25-30 HR bat.

Even with all the Cardinal hate in my body, I have to applaud the Cardinal front office for this one. Having a mother fighting a disease wears on you and being half way across the country for six months had to be amazingly difficult for Piscotty. Congrats to the Cardinals for doing the right thing here.

Williams and Houser in the bullpen is a good recipe to begin 2018. The Brewers need to determine what they have in their system and if this requires a step back in 2018, so be it. The Brewers shouldn't be competing with the $7-$9 million annual salaries for decent relievers. Williams and Houser, if they perform, will be a significant bargain and will allow for the Brewers to add salary in other places (SP perhaps).

Without looking at the dollar amounts, the Cubs offseason to date was exactly what I would have wanted the Brewers to do to begin the offseason. A rotation of Anderson-Davies-Chatwood-Woodruff-Hader and a back-end of Knebel, Morrow, Cishek would have looked real nice. Looking at the dollar amounts though, I think the Brewers are in better shape without having spent those dollars because, as I said in a different thread, the difference in performance between Woodruff-Hader in the rotation and a Adrian Houser and Taylor Williams in the bullpen is not likely worth the additional $30ish million owed Chatwood, Morrow and Cishek.

Just like the Texas Rangers. Unbelievable the shelf life on these two stadiums. Back on topic, I have no interest in Greinke. Personal opinion of him is exceptionally low. Appears to be a total knob and I have no use for him at his age and that salary.

This. Signing a Cishek, Reed, Swarzak, etc... would be sexy and fun for Brewer fans but I am willing to go into the season with Knebel, Jeffress, Barnes, Taylor Williams and Adrian Houser in the bullpen (with the addition of a LHP somewhere). I am willing to take the chance the difference in performance between those guys and Williams and Houser is not worth $9 million.

Perez isn't going anywhere if you listen to interviews with Counsell. Counsell was talking yesterday about how he is in the OF mix and has become the clubhouse leader. Not saying I agree, but I doubt he moves unless someone is willing to overpay for him (which I cannot understand why someone would).

Glad the Brewers didn't get involved here. Would rather they bring back Walker than trade a piece for Kinsler.

He sure didn't know the value of Stanton. Man would I be upset if the Brewers had traded Fielder (Giancarlo) and Hart (Ozuna) around 2009 for the return the Marlins got.

Not at all. With the discussion in other threads about the 40 man roster crunch coming next season, I always expected the Brewers to be making trades this offseason to improve their roster and not sign FAs. Trades for the holes the Brewers have (front line SP and bullpen) will likely take a little more time to develop. Be patient.

Even better...I will gladly build a deal for Yelich for low level prospects not named Burnes or Hiura. I understand the Brewers are rich in OF prospects but are any of them superstars? For Yelich, I am willing to deal most anyone as I think he is right on the cusp of being a superstar. Trade for him now because it might be too late in the summer or winter of 2018.

Second that...but I would try and build it around Santana, who can't be a FA until after the 2021 season (4 full seasons in arbitration). Yelich is a steal at 4 year ~$43m, with a team option to make it 5 years @ $58. Yelich is a superstar in the making.

Honestly, I think I do this. I won't blink losing Ortiz and Erceg for Archer. I have serious concerns about Ortiz' weight and Erceg, whom I like, is expendable for a controllable arm like Archer. Brinson is painful, but Phillips/Broxton with Harrison HOPEFULLY coming could ease the pain.