Playing Catch

As long as the return looks good, they're all fair game. As individuals, I think the only ones with any meaningful value are Burke and Crow, and if they were traded, oh well.

I wanted Les Miz to pitch in AAA all season. What do I know?

If his fastball and his Ski-ball are both 80-grade, what on earth is that changeup??

Only way you can score crooked numb... errrr.

Tough ABs... just LOVE them.

It's going to be funny when the Pirates and Brewers dink and dunk, bunt and run the two phenoms off the bump in the 4th inning.

I scoffed at first, too, but upon reflection, I believe there is a universe (not necessarily this one), where Isaac Collins is a really good starting outfielder for a contender... keep in mind the defensive metrics we've witnessed and his platoon-neutral splits as a switch-hitter... Consider his professional path... - 9th round pick by Colorado Rockies in 2019. He was a short, senior second-baseman coming out of Creighton, signing for $150,000. He plays 37 games in low-A. - His first meaningful MiLB numbers don't come until 2021, due to Covid-19 pandemic. Colorado, to their credit, immediately puts him into the outfield, along with second base. He finishes his season with a wRC+ of 131. - In 2022, he plays the entire season in AA, his last season developing under Rockies management. At 24-years old, he hits wRC+ 93, his one and only season where his offense is [slightly] below average. - The Brewers, needing some upper-level outfield help in 2023, OR perhaps seeing an opportunity with this one, draft Collins in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft and is ultimately promoted to AAA as a 25-year old, hitting to a wRC+ of 132. - 2024. Collins' makes his MLB debut after a strong season in AAA (500 PAs, 14 HRs, 24 SBs, wRC+ 128). - Enter 2025, his "true" rookie season. Collins fights off other bench mob contenders, and with injuries to Mitchell/Perkins, Collins keeps his roster spot out of Spring Training and goes on to earn playing time, perhaps even a starting spot. Collins has never had a failed professional season. Had it not been for Covid, his big-league debut is probably as a 24-year old rather than as a 26-year-old. He switched positions. He was never a priority prospect, and was drafted by one of the worst franchises. But he's fast, athletic, strong, platoon-neutral, well-rounded. above-average, and playing for one of the premier developmental organizations in the sport. What we've seen from him this season may just be the "real" Isaac Collins. (Sorry, I wasn't paying attention to which thread this was in --- kind of off topic)

This is correct. That's one thing with Freddy and Ashby. They were both more polished players when they extended, giving the Brewers confidence in their floors as 26-man pitchers. Misiorowski could totally flame out, suddenly spraying 103 at guy's skulls, and the Brewers suddenly needing to pay him to play in Nashville for 8 years. I'm NOT predicting such an outcome, I'm actually quite bullish on Les Miz seeing what we've seen this season, including in Nashville. But I think that the performance-risk with an extension for him is still quite real.

Why do I feel like if they were still Brewers prospects, the write-ups would be more pessimistic in tone? Holobetz is 22, drafted out of college, but the write up uses words like, "growth," "young," "recently drafted," "...ton of time to develop." and Rodriguez is in line for a "sizable" big league role? "Oft-used" fourth outfielder? I mean, he's the strong-side of a platoon, but still. I love Fangraphs, but I do think that their individual blind spots show from time-to-time. Either that, or Red Sox nation is intolerable on the socials and Fangraphs just likes to throw them a bone.

If we're projecting a Brewers roster in say, 2027, I have a hard time seeing any of the thumpers playing 3rd base. I just don't see the Brewers sacrificing two of four infield spots to below average defenders. I can see guys like Pratt or Areinamo taking roster spots for 2nd/3rd over non-All-star-level corner bats, like Adams or Wilken or Boeve. I think it would be more likely to see one of those guys in a 1B platoon, a la Hoskins/Bauers, or Aguilar/Thames. I can see Bitonti, Ernesto Martinez Jr., Boeve or Burke in the LHH role, and Adams or Wilken in the RHH role. For this reason, it may be time to see if Adams has any defensive flexibility. Put him out in left field. Same with EMJ or Boeve. Now if something happens I don't predict, like one of those guys improving to be an Austin Riley kind of 3rd baseman, then maybe the Brewers sacrifice the defense. But I'm just not seeing that happen with this front office.

100% THAT'S why I'm comfortable adjusting my happiness with the Brewers based more on regular season success than on playoff results; because the alternative is that Attanasio and MLB ultimately decide it's not worth it to have a franchise in lil' ol' MKE, and instead decide to move it to Vancouver, or something. I'd much rather celebrate an NL Central banner like I would celebrate a Rose Bowl, than to constantly be disappointed they can't compete at the level of the World Series champions.

Helps to put the Hoskins contract into context, for sure.

Ooohh, great pull from the past. We tend to forget the warts on our heros (similar to the converstations regarding the defense those heros played).

Hahaha, for the record, I DO believe in Big City Bias and I don't like it, either, but pausing to remember all of those 8-year old kids growing up in the Bronx and loving the Yankees perhaps gives me some perspective.

Pittsburgh - Colorado - Mets - Dodgers - Nationals. That's the upcoming schedule. Split with the Dodgers/Mets and sweep the other three. Time to make some hay. Instead of imagining a league with 30 equal opportunities for ownership groups to compete, like the NFL, imagine baseball as a competition between millions and millions of baseball fans across the country. Why are Milwaukee's say, 5 million fans, JUST as important as the 50 million Yankees fans, or 100 million Dodger fans?

Yeah, I tend to agree with this. Mitchell's injury history means you can't count on him, true. But if an org has depth like the Brewers (go Ike Collins!!), and Mitchell is more of a wild card 5th outfielder, he can really be a boon. Let's say this most recent injury is more of a setback than a career-threatening injury, and that next June Chourio goes on the IL for a month or two, Mitchell has enough juice to keep such an injury from ruining a good season by filling in with a .220/.300/.400 and Gold Glove caliber defense in centerfield. As Brewer fans we are SPOILED with good outfield defense, and I think we can take it for granted sometimes.

My first instinct is to not extend pitchers, ever. But I've seen how the Ashby and Peralta extensions have worked out, and feel like if the worst-case scenario is Ashby, and the best-case scenario is Peralta, than maybe I need to check my instincts, because getting one or two extra years of control ALSO mitigates the risk of UCL surgery torpedoing an entire contract, as you get a couple of years to heal. It isn't merely the team investing in the player, but it is the player investing and trusting the development path the team can offer. I think if I were a pitcher --- even one as gifted as Misiorowski, that I would love an extension for the same reason. It takes some pressure off of pushing through minor injuries in order to maximize one's next contract. It allows one to develop (gotta keep throwing that changeup!), without the pressure of performing for one's next contract. Extensions for pitchers like those three often make sense for both parties, as it behooves both parties to do what's best for the pitcher AND the team. When a guy is going year-to-year, both he and the team may be reluctant to choose the best healing/recovery options in favor of staying on the field.

No.

I was taken aback with that public comment, too. I really like Pratt as a high-floor prospect. He's a sure-fire average to plus infielder, depending on the position. His bat isn't special, but he seems to have a well-rounded hitting profile so that he'll be able to put together competitive at bats when he reaches the Show. Guys that can walk into 6 years of team control with 3 options and not have disqualifying holes in their game derive value from their ability to show up everyday and help you win, rather than by anchoring a playoff lineup, or hitting like an All-Star. The Brewers are on fire, and going into what could be a haymaking part of their schedule, seeing Pittsburgh, Colorado, Miami, and the Nationals before the All-Star Break (along with the Dodgers and Mets). This could be a really fun month and a half. What happens if Ortiz and Durbin continue to be worthy of playing everyday??

Anyone see Friday's game thread? I couldn't find it in the archive.

I love Sal. I, too, am glad that he has fun with fan engagement. (But the fan that climbed the net? Get outta here, man. Do you want 13-year-olds doing it? No? Then why on earth do we want THAT guy doing it, and getting "rewarded" for it?) edit to add: I realize that you weren't necessarily condoning the climbing of the net. I just had that stuck in my craw.

I don't think Ortiz or Durbin are going anywhere, including Nashville. The skills they offer are good skills to have on the team. But I DO think that the Brewers could try a different internal candidate for a bench/platoon option. A Wilken for Monasterio switch would at least give the Brewers a big thumper threat off the bench or in a limited starting role.

Miguel Vargas? Prospect overpay for C.J. Abrams or Zach Neto?

I don't mean to be so negative about it, it's just that I don't see anyone that could be available that is good enough to part with decent prospects that aren't difficult to acquire for some other reason. And this has been a conversation for 9 months. My opinions... - Very few of us are willing to part with any of the top 5 to 10 Brewers prospects for anything short of a "sure" thing, and nearly all the "sure-things" are already in the playoff hunt. - Nearly all of the names that have popped up for the last 9 months have pretty significant warts on their profiles, be it a defensive ability/flexibility (Burger?), a significant red flag with one metric or another (Suarez?), injury concerns (Moncada?), lack of a big-league record of success (Luis Urias?), significant salary/contract questions or team-specific challenge (Devers/Arenado). - The teams that SHOULD trade guys haven't shown the willingness to do so (Orioles/Rockies). - The current roster/org already has controllable big-league assets and infield prospects (although a few months away from debuting.

You buried the lede.