Eye Black

Now that we are a couple of months removed from this year’s MLB Draft I figured we could kickoff the 2020 MLB Draft discussion thread. With now less than 50 games remaining in the Brewers season they sit at what would would be the #16 spot in MLB Draft if the season ended today. Below are some links and lists of the top draft prospects for 2020. ESPN: The 2020 MLB draft class is stacked! Here are the names to know FanGraphs: THE BOARD for 2020 Draft 2080 Baseball: 2020 Draft Class Baseball America: 2020 Top 50 College Draft Prospects Baseball America: 2020 Top 50 High School Draft Prospects

[pre]Brewers Lineup Pirates Lineup 1. Trent Grisham (L) LF 1. Adam Frazier (L) 2B 2. Yasmani Grandal (S) C 2. Bryan Reynolds (S) LF 3. Christian Yelich (L) RF 3. Starling Marte ® CF 4. Keston Hiura ® 2B 4. Josh Bell (S) 1B 5. Mike Moustakas (L) 3B 5. Jose Osuna ® RF 6. Lorenzo Cain ® CF 6. Colin Moran (L) 3B 7. Eric Thames (L) 1B 7. Kevin Newman ® SS 8. Orlando Arcia ® SS 8. Elias Diaz ® C 9. Jordan Lyles ® P 9. Dario Agrazal ® P[/pre] Jordan Lyles: Batter (Pirates) vs Pitching Stats Dario Agrazal: Batter (Brewers) vs Pitching Stats

He was very good two years ago, and if you are a believer in FIP he was pretty solid last year as well. I know he has been awful this year, but I’m a little surprised the Dbacks didn’t get any interest at the trade deadline from someone looking for a cheap acquisition with longer term starter upside. I think the problem with hoping the Brewers have chance is it ignores the fact he is likely valuable to a rebuilding team looking for rotation filler with lottery ticket upside. Since those teams get first right of refusal I would assume he ends up on the roster of a current bottom feeder.

It seems like the moves made at the deadline were much more with 2020 in mind than 2019. I’m fine with that, but as others have mentioned I just wish they would have gone in with both feet and reset the roster by getting value for the upcoming free agents and inserting players they want to evaluate/audition for their potential role next season. I agree that it’s tough to make an argument that the Brewers “cashed in” on Mauricio Dubon when it appears they pretty clearly lost value on that deal. I do believe they could have gotten something more valuable in exchange for Dubon this off-season. Ultimately the Brewers are going to have to strike gold on finding a couple of solid starters this off-season as well as probably hitting on acquiring another impact bat.

The Marlins are reportedly calling up Isan Diaz. Genuinely happy for him, he was among my favorite prospects that have spent time in the Brewers system over the past decade.

In the postgame interview Counsell said Grisham will start some games in Pittsburgh which I interpreted as meaning more than one.

Versus RHP I would go with: 1) Grisham 2) Yelich 3) Hiura That way Yelich’s speed can be more of a factor. For example, he is a threat to steal 2B, or even to score from 1B when Hiura hits a double to the gap.

The scary thing about that is they are going to bring someone up to play backup SS at some point. If they send Grisham down as the corresponding move I will be furious.

Why did they bother trading away an actual asset for Drew Pomeranz if they aren’t going to use him?

Jeremy Jeffress coming into the game. Over the past four appearances for Jeffress (since July 22nd)...

I guess in hindsight it would have been a good day to leave Yelich in the #2 spot.

I think this season is a good sample of what it has probably felt like to be an Angels fan the past 4.5 years.

Good question. Deer had 539 PA in 1991 season and Uggla had 537 PA in 2013. EDIT: Pretty good answer from RoCoBrewfan...

Absolutely love the photo, thanks for sharing! It’s funny to think of how lucky we all got as a result of that random MLB team logo sticker dispenser!

I don’t know the answer to that, but these are the lowest all-time among qualified hitters for a season (which would typically require around 500 plate appearances in any given season)... Chris Davis, 2018 Orioles: .168 Dan Uggla, 2013 Braves: .179 Rob Deer, 1991 Tigers: .179 John Gochnaur, 1903 Indians: .185 John Gochnaur, 1902 Indians: .185

If Travis Shaw is going to be a nice comeback story the remainder of the season this spot right here would be a good start.

First career hit for Grisham! One batter in and we have a good start.

Posted this in the Baseball America farm system rankings thread, but thought it would be appropriate here as well with Trent Grisham placed at the top of today’s lineup... I went back and looked at the Baseball America top 30 from this past off-season (as it appeared in the Prospect Handbook). Three players that ranked ahead of Trent Grisham have been since traded (#6 Mauricio Dubon, #20 Marcos Diplan, and #26 Cody Ponce). Grisham ranked #27 on the Brewers top 30 list with he following passage (book released February of 2019): It’s been just over six months since the Prospect Handbook was released and Trent Grisham is starting in LF and batting leadoff at Wrigley Field.

I went back and looked at the Baseball America top 30 from this past off-season (as it appeared in the Prospect Handbook). Three players that ranked ahead of Trent Grisham have been since traded (#6 Mauricio Dubon, #20 Marcos Diplan, and #26 Cody Ponce). Grisham ranked #27 on the Brewers top 30 list with he following passage (book released February of 2019): It’s been just over six months since the Prospect Handbook was released and Trent Grisham is starting in LF and batting leadoff at Wrigley Field.

Seven of the eight position players in the starting lineup today will be swinging lefty against Yu Darvish (including the first six hitters). Pleasantly surprised Trent Grisham is getting a chance to bat leadoff. Interesting that they have moved Christian Yelich back to #3 in the lineup. It’s the first time he has started a game in anything but the #2 spot all season. He started just 9 games last season in the #3 spot, but it was his primary spot in the order while with the Marlins.

Today would be a good day to load the lineup with lefty bats. Below are Yu Darvish’s splits this season. He has been much tougher on RHB and Lorenzo Cain is just 2-for-14 (both singles) lifetime against Darvish, so probably an opportunity to give Trent Grisham and Ben Gamel the start.

One thing that stands out about Ray Black’s Triple-A numbers this season is he gave up 8 earned runs, including 6 hits and 3 home runs, over two appearances (1.2 IP) at Las Vegas (long known as a launching pad although they have a new stadium this season). If you remove those two outings in Las Vegas he has pitched 22.0 innings and allowed 5 earned runs on 13 hits and just 2 home runs. As noted earlier in the thread he also has a 14.74 K/9 ratio in Triple-A this season. I’d like to see him get a chance in the Brewers bullpen sooner than later.

Adrian Houser: Batter (Cubs) vs Pitching Stats Yu Darvish: Batter (Brewers) vs Pitching Stats

I wasn’t trying to suggest he is going to “save our season” by any means. I meant the term “afloat” as in figuratively keeping them from drowning. They have starters that are going just 4-5 innings and relievers that are being overused (i.e. Alex Claudio’s use most of the season; Junior Guerra’s now 4 appearances in 5 days). At this point they need some more capable arms in the mix just to take on innings, so if Suter can provide that instead of someone like Aaron Wilkerson remaining on the active roster it will be a positive.

They traded Mauricio Dubon for Drew Pomeranz to be a member of the bullpen for two months and below is the bullpen usage since he’s been in uniform... Thursday vs. A’s Bullpen enters 7th inning with a 3-1 lead. Guerra comes in to pitch for a 3rd straight day, something he hadn’t done all season. Gives up a run. Hader then comes in with a 3-2 lead, pitching for a third straight day, something he has never done in his major league career. Hader gives up 2 earned runs and Jay Jackson enters and gives up another earned run. Brewers lose 5-3. Friday vs. Cubs Bullpen enters game to start the 5th inning down 4-1. Jeffress pitches 1.1 innings and is charged with 2 runs. Alex Claudio finishes 6th inning. Jay Jackson pitches for a second straight day in the 7th inning of a 6-2 game and loads the bases before getting out of it. Drew Pomeranz enters in the 8th inning of a game the Brewers are down 4 runs. Saturday vs. Cubs Bullpen enters the game with one out in the 5th inning and the Brewers down 1-0. Matt Albers covers the rest of the 5th and all of the 6th inning after the Brewers have tied it in the top of the 6th inning. In the 7th inning Junior Guerra comes in for the 4th time in 5 days and gives up a run to put the Brewers down 2-1. Freddy Peralta comes in to start the 8th inning and walks three guys and gives up two more runs to go down 4-1 before giving way to Aaron Wilkerson to close out the inning.. So are they just easing Pomeranz in, or did they trade for two months of a guy that is going to get late inning mop-up duty in blowouts? I hope the former is the case, but at this point it seems concerning they would continue to overuse Guerra instead of giving Pomeranz a chance in a meaningful spot.