mrn1ceguy

Everyone is moveable just with different tiers to what it will take. Here's my take on the 40 man this winter (pre Rule 5 draft) with a percentage of the likelihood of it happening. BTW "something good" is in relation to each players respective worth. Released, DFA, cut or FA -Barrios, Yhonathan (50%) -Boyer, Blaine (100%) -Capuano, Chris (100%) -Cecchini, Garin (100%) -Elmore, Jake (100%) -Goforth, David (80%) -Houser, Adrian (50%) -Rowen, Ben (80%) -Scahill, Rob (80%) -Wilkins, Andy (100%) Traded for anything -Anderson, Chase (50%) -Garza, Matt (75%) Traded if something good is offered, not likely to be moved -Barnes, Jacob (10%) -Blazek, Michael (25%) -Cravy, Tyler (25%) -Jungmann, Taylor (25%) -Knebel, Corey (10%) -Liriano, Rymer (25%) -Magnifico, Damien (10%) -Marinez, Jhan (25%) -Nelson, Jimmy (25%) -Peralta, Wily (25%) -Perez, Hernan (10%) -Pina, Manny (25%) -Reed, Michael (10%) -Rivera, Yadiel (10%) -Suter, Brent (10%) -Torres, Carlos (25%) Traded if something good is offered, realistically could be moved -Nieuwenhuis , Kirk (50%) -Carter, Chris (50%) -Gennett, Scooter (80%) -Guerra, Junior (80%) -Maldonado, Martin (50%) Traded only if blown away -Braun, Ryan (75%) -Thornburg, Tyler (50%) Not going anywhere -Arcia, Orlando (100%) -Broxton, Keon (90%) -Davies, Zach (90%) -Lopez, Jorge (75%) -Santana, Domingo (90%) -Susac, Andrew (75%) -Villar, Jonathan (90%) Ignoring the cuts/dfa/fa, I would bet the following get traded for something: -Garza, Matt -Nieuwenhuis , Kirk -Gennett, Scooter -Guerra, Junior -Maldonado, Martin -Braun, Ryan

While not top tier prospects, where does that leave Liriano, Wren, Reed, Roache, Garcia, Rubio, Diaz, Denson? You can put Wren and Reed on the bench at MLB, Liriano on the bench in AAA (assuming he clears waivers), Roache can DH or learn 1B at AAA and scatter the other 4 on the bench across AA/A+/A. I would call that pretty full and limiting the chances for some of these others to play and possibly prove themselves at this time. Add in any future possible trade of Scooter, Carter, Torres, or others and we now have to avoid OF talent unless we are ready to move on from one of our prospects we have penciled in to start. We also don't have the opportunity to try to get some buy low OF for AAA to see if they rebound or scoop up a 40-man casualty for AA. While not over-flowing, I would say we are full at OF across the minors. If given the option for an equally valuable starting pitcher as the PTBNL, I would have preferred that immensely.

Nothing to do with Braun. Seems more than a couple here seem to be almost upset by the number of OF in the system. Why? Would it be better to get another pitcher just because he has P next to his name instead of OF? Stearns has proven he wants the best talent back in any trade, regardless of position or level. Not even close to knowing if Phillips or Ray will make it. Or Clark, Coulter, or anyone else. Brinson will get a shot, but no lock that he can be quality starter. Injuries happen, and sometimes development doesn't. At this stage it's still all about acquiring talent. Period. The day an OF is hitting .980 in AAA, ready for MLB and is blocked is the day I'll start worrying about too many OF. The concern with getting too many OF is we only have 16 starting OF spots in the minors above rookie ball. Throw in a couple DH's and that's about as many top tier OF prospects you should be focusing on. Getting a great OF prospect and making them sit on the bench because we don't have a place for him to fit on the field is the concern. To a lesser concern, filling every one of your starting minor league spot of a given position (like OF) with top prospects allows for no room for surprise performance by players and limits your ability to promote players when they are ready for a challenge. Considering we are nowhere close to maxing out available starting spots for starting pitching, 3B, 1B, or C with top tier prospects up and down the system, I would prefer focus on those positions first in trades.

Thank you, corrected.

Here is my "stand pat / conservative" option. Despite that, the current 40 man roster (actually 44) will be gutted either by trades, cuts, or FA departures. FA departures or cuts: -Garin Cecchini -Jake Elmore -Will Middlebrooks -Andy Wilkins -Yhonathan Barrios (DFA to AAA) -Blaine Boyer -Chris Capuano -David Gorfroth (DFA to AAA) -Adrian Houser (DFA to AAA) -Jhan Marinez -Sean Nolin -Ben Rowen -Rob Scahill Trades -Matt Garza (Brewers send cash, get basically nothing) -Scooter Gennett (trade for either a Keon Broxton ready to shine person or some Freddy Peralta type lottery ticket) -Martin Maldenado (trade for a Freddy Peralta type lottery ticket) Current 40-man now at 29. Minor league FA / Rule 5 additions: -Lewis Brinson -Garrett Cooper -Josh Hader -Nate Orf -Wei-Chung Wang -Kyle Wren -Clint Coulter -Victor Roache -Brett Philips -Tyrone Taylor Current 40-man now at 39 so we can either sign, claim, or resign someone. With this batch, here's my 25 man roster. C: Susac 1B: Carter 2B: Villar SS: Arcia 3B: Perez LF: Braun CF: Broxton RF: Santana Bench: Pina, Rivera, Orf, Nieuwenhuis, Liriano SP1: Nelson SP2: Guerra SP3: Davies SP4: Peralta SP5: Anderson Closer: Thornburg 8th: Knebel 7th: Torres Loogy: Sutter RP: Cravy, Barnes, Blazek This is not a competitive roster, but it ready for the young prospects (Brinson, Hader) in June, recovered prospect who find their way (Lopez, Jungmann), next man up (Magnifico, Wren, Reed, Cooper) or unexpected surge (Phillips, Wang). Come 2018 with a big FA signing to 1B and/or 3B and they could be ready to compete.

Or Matz. Honestly at this point, if its the Mets I only want the "possibly damaged goods" Matz and a prospect.

My ideal (and realistic?) Indians trade would be: Lucroy alone (or maybe with Torres or a low level prospect): Bradley Meija McKenzie Hillman Lucroy and Smith add Aiken or Sheffield and maybe a Rookie Ball lottery ticket.

I don't think you can go too position blind because there has to be a spot in the Minors for them to play everyday. If you get a prospect that involves having to do a 4 man outfield rotation in AA or AAA or you have to move someone to 1B because that's the only everyday possition available to them, you are wasting opportunities for that individual to polish their defensive craft. It was hard enough finding playing time with Rivera and Arcia where on the same team, think if we also had another stud SS and a stud 2b on that team. Someone is either going to the bench or being very out of position (CF or 1B). That doesn't mean ignoring certain positions, but the last thing you want to do is trade for 4 catchers who should be in AAA and then figure out where they play. If you keep the focus on what will provide the biggest net change, assuming you are trading for near MLB ready talent (think the Grienke trade), then positions do matter. If you are getting players who are A+ or lower, then definitely get best talent available.

These are the priorities I would focus on for 2016: 1. Trades this off-season to acquire prospects with a focus on starting pitching or catching (in order of preference): Lind (95%), K-Rod (75%), Garza (75%), Segura (50%) 2. Trades this off-season to clear 40-man spots or release (i.e. trade for non-40 low A players, even if just filler): Goforth, Cesar Jimenez, Johnny Hellweg, Nevin Ashley, Juan Centeno, Matt Clark, Hernan Perez, Daniel Fields, Logan Schafer 3. Sign/Promote to 40-man roster: Orlando Arcia, Wei-Chung Wang, Brent Suter, Brooks Hall, Damien Magnifico, Jorge Ortega, Victor Roache, Adam Weisenburger 4. Sign one or two reclamation project third basemen to 1 year minor league deals (no guaranteed money), assume one makes the roster to start/platoon 3B. If all trades/releases occur, 40-man roster will be at 38, allowing for 2 people from points 1. or 2. to still be on the team. 5. Depth Chart with approximate salary of 42 Million if all players are traded/released: OF: Davis (0.5), Santana (0.5), Braun (20), Peterson (0.5), Reed (0.5) 3B/SS/2B: TBD (2?), Sardinas (0.5), Scooter (0.5), Yadiel Rivera (0.5), Herrera (0.5) 1B: Rogers (0.5) C: Lucroy (4.5), Maldenado (1) SP: Peralta (3), Nelson (0.5), Jungmann (0.5), Davies (0.5), Cravy (0.5) RP: Jeffress (0.5), Smith (1.5), Blazek (0.5), Knebel (0.5), Pena (0.5), Strong (0.5), Thornburg (1) 6. Entertain trading Davis, Scooter and anyone not traded from line 1 at mid-season 7. Promote Phillips & Arcia at mid-season and top performing starting pitcher, probably Lopez. 2016 would be terrible, but cheap and sets us up well for 2017 between the youth, the prospects received in off-season trade, and massive salary flexibility for filling any remaining whole, probably still 3B.

I guess I didn't look up Texiera's stats, I've just heard his name mentioned as a "bad contract." As to Montero, I figured he would be jetisned as a salary dumb to make room for Schwarber at catcher. Oh well, I'm sure their are other examples of moveable contracts out there in similar regards.

Thoughts on moving Garza in a bad contract for bad contract swap? Getting a prospect without throwing in money this winter is probably slim to none, but getting a serviceable player in a bad contract swap might be do-able. Doing this may get us a serviceable player, or better, for about the same amount of money while playing our young pitchers and not blocking any prospects. I would only target positions we have no prospects and no one serviceable to play (3B, maybe bull-pen) or free up someone to be tradeable (1B to move Lind, C to move Lucroy, or CF to slide Santana into RF and then trade Braun, Davis, or Lind). A couple players with similar (and manageable) bad contracts which could be swapped: 1B Mark Teixeira (1year-22.5M) 1B Ryan Howard (1year-25M w/ 10M buyout) C Miguel Montero (2year-28M) CF Michael Bourn (1year-14M w/ 12M vest) CF Melvin Upton Jr (2year- 22M) A small prospect may be needed on one side or the other. Also, doing this allows the team to put a "named" starter to save face to the casual fan after trading away the current starter (Lind/Lucroy) for prospects.

Here's my current thinking. Trade Lind or K. Davis for prospect (Pitcher, Catcher or corner infielder). Trade Segura or Sardinas & propsect (Cravy, Wagner, Coulter, or Roache) for Wilmer Flores & Wheeler from the mets. C: Lucroy 1B: Braun or Lind 2B: Gennett SS: Segura or Sardinas 3B: Flores LF: Braun or Davis CF: Peterson & Michael Reed RF: Domingo Santana Key bench will be Maldonado, Yadiel Rivera, Reed/Peterson, and 2 fillers. Bonus, this setup will get us Wheeler to join Nelson, Jungman, Peralta, and Davies by season end (with a Garza trade if no one got hurt). This is not a WS team yet, but after Arcia and Phillips join us in late 2016 or early 2017 this should be a playoff caliber team only needing an upgrade at 3B & 2B.

Now with the whole Gomez saga over, why not go back to the Mets to get Wheeler and Flores for Parra and Sardinas and maybe a token $1M to appease the money concerns. They will probably balk (or not even answer the phone), but it gives them a chance to still get that impact OF bat that they need, replace Flores, and alleviate some of their cost concerns?

This. There is not a single player on this team that will be a part of a World Series Champion Milwaukee Brewers team. And outside of the young ones just coming up and under team control for years at an affordable rate, very few will realistically be a part of a good Brewers team ever again. Seriously, can you picture a way to retool the roster such that Lucroy will ever play on another good Brewers team before his talents inevitably deteriorate? That said, it is this team's management style to hold on to players until they are devoid of most value they once had and get little to nothing in return, so I'm not holding my breath. Alright, I'll take a shot. This is an optimistic but plausible scenario (in my mind). 2017 Roster: LF: Davis CF: Tyrone Taylor RF: Braun 1B: Filler pick-up (FA or trade of Parra/Garza/K-Rod), similar to Lind 2B: Segura SS: Arcia 3B: Filler pick-up (FA or trade of Parra/Garza/K-Rod), Similar to McGee when he was playing well. C: Lucroy Bench: Maldy, Sardinas, Riveria, Michael Reed, CF Filler Batting Order: Segura, Arcia, Lucroy, Braun, Davis, 1B, Taylor, 3B, P SP1: Zimmerman (big FA signing, maybe 5/$100M if we are lucky) SP2: Peralta SP3: Nelson SP4: Stud prospect (picked up from Gomez trade) SP5: Jungman/Cravy/Fiers (whoever is doing best) RP: Jeffress, Knebel, Smith, Blazek, Brooks Hall, FA Pickup, loser of SP5 If everyone played to their best that year (not likely, but possible), this is a division winning team with a good shot at the WS. Only takes one major FA signing, and with all the money going away between Ramirez, Broxton, Lohse, Gomez, Parra, and Garza, we can afford it along with arbitration/salary raises. Overall, lineup is a little week unless those filler's truly perform like Lind has this year and McGee did in 09/10, but pitching looks pretty good. It's unlikely this all works out perfectly, but it's a scenario to get Lucroy a WS quality team in his last year (with QO for 2018).

I was unable to watch or even listen to yesterday's game on multiple devices. However, every other game loaded and played just fine. I called tech support and they in essence told me to hang up without providing support. I have put in an email to mlb support, but I doubt I'll hear a response. I'm used to the games being slow the first couple weeks but I was shocked that it was only the brewer game not working (both brewer and rockies feeds failed to load). If it happens again, test with other games to see if its just our feed or all of mlb.tv / your internet having problems.