Warning Track Power

Goodbye farm, hello window. I got the impression Stearns is trying to avoid the window theory and be consistently competitive. You really aren't eliminating the farm at all. You are trading 2 OFs in Harrison and Grisham (who should be blocked for the foreseeable future by Braun, Yelich, Brinson and Phillips) and still have Ray and Lutz on the farm. You move Ortiz and replace him with Archer which obviously is a huge win. Diaz is replaceable with Dubon or Hiura. The enormous amount of Brewer farm depth takes a small hit but is not the Greinke or Marcum farm-killing deals by any stretch of the imagination.

Yuck...not into this at all. Would rather give Aaron Wilkerson, Taylor Jungmann or Jorge Lopez a chance instead.

Three moves to start... Domingo Santana and Keon Broxton to Miami for Christian Yelich and Kyle Barraclough Miami continues to shed salary in 2018 and gets an equivalent but different, cheaper player in Domingo for Yelich. Brewers get cost certainty and diversify their offense (less strikeouts, maybe equivalent power in Miller Park) in Yelich. Keon replaces Ozuna once he is dealt. Barraclough is a nice addition to the Brewer bullpen. Monte Harrison, Luis Ortiz and Isan Diaz for Chris Archer or Monte Harrison, Luis Ortiz, Isan Diaz, Trent Grisham for Chris Archer and Jake Odorizzi My proposal for Archer, may be light but may be right (3 top 10 Brewer prospects). I would be willing to expand the deal to get Odorizzi as I think Grisham would probably get Odorizzi straight up right now. Rotation of: Archer, Anderson, Davies, Odorizzi, Woodruff, Lineup of: Villar, Yelich, Braun, Shaw, Thames, Brinson/Phillips, Pina, Arcia Attempt to sign some a couple of RP like McGee, Watson and Swarzak. Hope Nelson returns and is close to what he showed in 2017. I like this team and think it is competitive for the foreseeable future.

Comment from a Rays fan on Brew Crew Ball asking if the Brewers would have interest in trading Broxton straight up for Odorizzi. Not sure why the Rays would need a OF with Kiermaier, Souza, Dickerson (unless they are moving one of them) but I absolutely would do Broxton-Odorizzi.

All jokes aside about Flores, if the Mets would trade Harvey and $4 million for Coulter, I do it. Harvey desperately needs out of the New York limelight and I would be willing to take a $2 million risk that he may be able to turn it around in Milwaukee.

If Broxton would get the Brewers Panik, count me in. I would even give throw in Villar to replace Panik.

While I have been pushing Broxton for Samardzija and his contract, the problem is the Giants apparently believe they are retooling and not rebuilding. Their roster lost 98 games last year and their farm system is one of the worst in baseball. Short of them pulling major coups in multiple trades, I see them becoming the Tigers shortly (an old, expensive roster that should have begun rebuilding years prior).

If you're punting on 2018 and plan on playing Brinson in CF and Phillips in RF, I would understand moving Santana for a controllable stud SP. However, since I don't believe this is the strategy the Brewers will be going with in 2018, short of the Rays offering Archer or Blue Jays offering Stroman for a Santana-led package, trading Santana doesn't make sense.

Short of MadBum, the Giants have nothing I want for Santana.

I agree with everything you're saying about signing a FA over dealing for Archer. My point with proposing Harrison, Ortiz and Diaz for Archer was simply to say this is the extent of what I would anticipate the Brewers offering, as well as the extent of what the Rays should get for him.

For my perspective on the Rays, I look at it as if the Brewers were just beginning a rebuild today. If the Brewers were to put Travis Shaw on the market, would I prefer dealing him for a package of Harrison, Ortiz and Diaz or would I deal him for Brinson? Playing in a division where the Red Sox and Yankees are obviously ahead of me, I would rather take a package of potentially above average CF, SP and 2B than a potential superstar CF. Building depth in the organization is the best way small markets can build. Would this be the best package the Rays get? Unknown but would certainly not be something to diminish considering the Brewers would be offering 3 of their top 10 prospects.

While I still believe the Brewers best bet is to sign a FA SP rather than deal for one, I wanted to at least explore the potential of acquiring Archer and, if forced to make a proposal to Tampa, what I believe the Brewers best offer should and will be. The reason I bring this up is I believe Archer is the most realistic trade target for what Stearns would target, cheap, in his prime and, as I look at his #s more, a TOR SP. So on December 8, 2017, I look at the Rays as constituted currently and what the rumors are surrounding them (about to start a rebuild) and I come up with: Chris Archer for Monte Harrison, Luis Ortiz, Isan Diaz and Jesus Aguilar I am not exactly in love with the offer but I believe this is the extent of what Stearns will offer and what the Rays can expect from a deal of Archer. I believe the Rays will be trading for the long term and willing to take the higher end prospects who may be a bit further away. Harrison instead of Brinson, who is on the brink of the Majors, is not because of preference but because the Rays have Kiermaier and Souza in the OF long term, plus Dickerson for another 2 seasons. Harrison will be ready around the time Dickerson will be a FA. Ortiz is probably interchangeable with Woodruff (Burnes is off the table), but due to him being in Double AA versus Woodruff in MLB, he becomes part of the Rays next wave. Same thing with Diaz. Aguilar is a throw-in and replacement at 1B for Morrison who is a FA (the inclusion of Aguilar may not be necessary). Would the Rays accept this deal? I don't know. I do believe though they will be looking at maximizing the talent they receive, but also looking for those prospects being at the Double AA-ish type level.

This is a joke of a story...feels a lot like Mr. 3000 to me, except you can't re-write finger wagging.

Hard pass on Dee for Ray, lottery ticket + international bonus money. I wouldn't do Ray for Dee straight up.

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2017/12/07/cubs-sign-tyler-chatwood-3-year-deal/ Yikes! That's a ton of money for someone who has great peripherals but hasn't posted the numbers yet. Most of us thought he was a $10 million per year pitcher not $13-$14. MLB Trade Rumors had him as a 3 year $21 million prediction.

Right...and in my original post on the topic, I offered Keon Broxton (likely wishful thinking) or Corey Ray, a similarly dimmed prospect. Buying low on Norris doesn't mean the Tigers accepting say Hernan Perez for Norris. Rather, a dimmed prospect like Ray for Norris is by no means a stretch in my mind given each of their former prospect pedigree.

Given the weight of the Cabrera's (6 years, $184 million) and Zimmerman's (3 years $74 million) contract plus a bottom 5 farm system, the Tigers are likely entering a long rebuild. Selling major league roster talent at this point is probably a good move.

I favor a L-R-L-R. Splitting Braun and Santana & Shaw and Thames is necessary in my opinion. Seeing that Braun and Shaw are likely locked in at 3-4, your options are putting Santana and Thames at 5-6 or Thames at 2 and Santana at 5. I would be good either way, but would require the splitting of the L-R if I were Counsell.

I'm a fan of making guys earn their way up the order(barring a Braun/Bryant/Fielder type hitter). Arcia should stick to the 8 spot until his hitting improves. I would be more inclined to have Brinson/Phillips and Villar/Sogard in the 1-2 in some order in your scenario of Thames hitting 6th, but I think he's going to hit 2nd like he did this year when he plays. Against LH pitching on days he sits out, I could see Santana or Brinson moving up to 2 with Aguilar hitting 5 or 6. By the end of the year, I expect one of Brinson/Phillips to have earned a more significant slot in the batting order. At the same time, I expect Villar to be cemented into the leadoff role by June with Sogard as strictly a utility guy/bench bat. While I am an optimist, I didn't want to sound OVERLY optimistic. While I have higher hopes than you for Arcia (I think he will be the one to cement himself in the #2 spot), this would be THE ideal scenario for the Brewers in 2018. Villar returning to 2016 form, Brinson/Phillips firmly planting themselves in the #2 spot and Arcia remaining a top end #8 hitter.

I agree with this. The Brewers know that should Hader fail as a SP, they have an elite RP in the Andrew Miller model. There is always the option to move him back to the bullpen. The Brewers need to put Hader in the rotation to at least see if he can be an SP.

So it sounds like Fox Sports Wisconsin could become ESPN Wisconsin, though it's not real clear. But is does seem that there will be a shake up of the sports networks when the dust settles. My gut instinct is that this will not be good for the Brewers (and Bucks) when their broadcast deals come up. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/05/disney-and-fox-are-closing-in-on-deal-could-be-announced-next-week--sources.html Just curious why?

3-7 should be set for the most part: 3. Braun LF 4. Shaw 3B 5. Santana RF 6. Thames/Aguilar 1B 7. Pina C That leaves 2B, SS and CF as the remaining pieces for #1, #2 and #8. #1: Sogard, when he plays, should lead off. I like the idea of Brinson in his early years as a leadoff hitter with him gradually moving to #2 and possibly #3 if he hits like we hope. #2: Ultimately, I like Arcia as a 2 hitter but is that in 2018? For me, he needs to draw a few more walks to truly fit there. I would probably start him at #2 to start the year and see how he does. Phillips, I like at #2 as well. #8: Villar, when he plays, I like at #8. I believe we will see Villar play a ton to begin the year, so I would pencil him in at #8. RHP 1. Brinson/Sogard 2. Arcia/Phillips (If Arcia fails, Phillips moves to #2 and Arcia back to #8) 8. Villar/Phillips/Arcia LHP 1. Brinson 2. Arcia 8. Villar

This pretty much sums up opinion on most of the options available via trade. I would prefer to overpay an Arrieta-type and keep the prospects in the system. If Arrieta fails, while you still have the burden of the contract, you still have Ortiz or Burnes or Pennington or Peralta or...that could fill in.

Daniel Norris is a guy I would have some interest in as a post-hype type arm that could be available. As I recall, he was the centerpiece in the David Price deal. He has struggled with his command but working with Derek Johnson may help to alleviate some of those issues. Would not even begin to know what the Tigers would be looking for but would a trade from depth (OF - Keon Broxton, Corey Ray-type) be enough? I would certainly do either of those players straight up as I believe Norris has the stuff to be a solid SP if he could ever control it.

Because it likely is the realistic starting point for what it will take to get a TOR pitcher. Whether it's Archer and TB, Duffy and KC or Stroman and Toronto, if I were a GM of any of those teams, those two are at the top of my interest list and are almost mandatory in any trade discussions.