Jump to content
Harrison v. Sale: Which former Red Sox southpaw will take home the win today? Come join our game thread and find out! ×
Brewer Fanatic

Playing Catch

Verified Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    2,112

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    12

 Content Type 

Profiles

Forums

Blogs

Events

News

2026 Milwaukee Brewers Top Prospects Ranking

Milwaukee Brewers Videos

2022 Milwaukee Brewers Draft Picks

Milwaukee Brewers Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

Guides & Resources

2023 Milwaukee Brewers Draft Picks

2024 Milwaukee Brewers Draft Picks

The Milwaukee Brewers Players Project

2025 Milwaukee Brewers Draft Pick Tracker

2026 Milwaukee Brewers Draft Pick Tracker

Store

Downloads

Gallery

Everything posted by Playing Catch

  1. Playing Catch
    I've said this before, but I believe this is the "Brewers Way". Or, as Joe Maddon said, "Try not to suck." I think this is exactly why they load up with AAAA-style depth. They hope/expect that at least a couple of guys won't out and out suck. This is playing out with Perkins and Monasterio. It didn't work out with Winker and Voit. I think this also explains their insistence on having as few defensive holes as possible. Arnold admitted that the Brewers were a team designed to win with run prevention rather than relying on run production. Everyone knows that you can't win if you can't score, but teams only need to score one more run than their opponent to win the game. The Brewers are 19-11 in their last 30 games. Their offense has been exactly league average during that stretch with a wRC+ of 100. Raising the floor (without sacrificing run-prevention) moves the needle.
  2. Playing Catch
    My interpretation of the question was that he'd be traded this offseason... With that interpretation in mind, I think they should absolutely trade away his contract. Nearly all of the big extensions are offered with the understanding that that last couple of years are sunk costs. With those savings (along with the savings available with a young roster over the next few years), the team could make a run at signing someone like Woodruff AND a good FA bat (a Cain-type FA). And yes, I too, love Yeli. I'd miss him. He'll probably end up as an all-time favorite player of mine.
  3. Playing Catch
    I think the Cubs are pretty good. I'm going to take a shower now.
  4. Playing Catch
    I think that many of us are dreaming that he becomes Ronald Acuna. In actuality, that's probably setting us up to be disappointed. I'm thinking he looks like a Justin Upton: 5-tool, teenage sensation/top prospect. About the same size. As career moves forward, he becomes a 20/20 guy with one or two 30 HR seasons, decent batting average, 4 all-star appearances. Goes to free agency at first chance. Signs a deal that probably won't age well. Is an outcome like that still one that we dream on?
  5. Playing Catch
    This is basically where I've settled. I understand, but don't necessarily agree with the adage that small-market teams like the Brewers "can't afford to let guys walk for nothing". Having them play for a FA contract while playing for a championship in 2024 for the Crew is definitely not nothing. Right now, the Brewers have the best of all worlds. An affordable playoff contender, AND a farm that's nearly ready for harvest. With that said, I have this feeling like the Brewers will decide to trade them this offseason.
  6. Playing Catch
    I've never quite understood the fascination with Devanney. Don't get me wrong, I love that he has a fanbase, and think it would be wonderful if he made it to the Show, and he could end up having success. I also think that for some reason, many of us here don't take a longer look at the AAAA-type guys that the Crew are picking up. Blake Perkins and Jahmai Jones both have similar prospect profiles as many of those that came up through the Brewers system, and are of similar age.
  7. Playing Catch
    I wonder if they try to stay away from arms that are overworked. It seems like the organization is very disciplined with monitoring pitch counts and innings as guys climb the ladder. They also, obviously, trust their method of coaching pitchers.
  8. Playing Catch
    Get on the bandwagon now!
  9. Playing Catch
    Is it more likely that the Brewers get close-to-average production from 1B/DH by hoping Tellez/Winker turn things around, or that Hiura, Toro, or a collection of Nashville nobodies (written with respect) will do it? Same question applies to most of the likely trade targets. While the truism applies that you can't just keep going with Tellez/Winker and expect different results, projecting baseball production is often a fool's errand, and quite possibly, a DFA'd Winker could get picked up by some coastal team and play well down the stretch. I'm sure this is still the conversation in the Front Office.
  10. Playing Catch
    Can I vote for all 4 options? I'd get over the prospect cost because seeing the greatest baseball player of all time playing for my Brewers! What an awesome fan experience! This site is still talking about Sabathia 15 years later as it was one of the great moments in team history. Look, I LOVE prospects. But c'mon man, prospects come and go.
  11. Playing Catch
    I was always concerned that Turang, the prospect, would never hit enough to be a starter on a first-division club. However after watching Turang, the big-league 2nd baseman, I absolutely think he will reach that level. I'm not sure he'll ever become a league average bat, but the rest of his game is really, really good. His defense saves runs and wins games. His speed is 96th percentile. Being that he's on the strong side of the platoon, and brings so much to the table in the other facets, I believe we'll end up feeling like he's an "important" contributor, if not a star. Someone else mentioned his BABIP. His BB/K rates haven't been like in the minors. He seems to "get it," and have a good baseball mind. I just think he's going to figure it out and be an 85-range wRC+ for a long time with a couple of league average seasons before he leaves the Brewers.
  12. Playing Catch
    The best thing about this list is that the acquisition cost of these guys isn't very high. None of the hitters will be SO sought after that teams will cave and give up a really good prospect. I guess I could be wrong, but I just don't see Cron or Santana requiring much.
  13. Playing Catch
    Aren't those just the weirdest statlines? 2023 has been really odd.
  14. Playing Catch
    They like to swing the sticks. I'm prepared for a lot of fastballs outside the zone, off-speed for strikes, and pitching backwards from Freddy.
  15. Playing Catch
    17-year-old pitchers from the Northeast haven't typically fared very well.
  16. Playing Catch
    I agree. I hadn't realized that the CF/2B stuff was completely non-existent this season. I have to think the Brewers believe that he's their 3-bagger of the future.
  17. Playing Catch
    Is Eric Hosmer a healthy free agent? He's only 33.
  18. Playing Catch
    Oh, certainly they are built to win with pitching and defense. But in terms of the lineup and, dare I suspect, clubhouse chemistry, I feel like there is too much pressure on Adames and Yelich to be the dudes. If those two switched personalities, then I think the team would be in good shape, but no one on this team is saying, "jump on, I'm driving this bus". Burnes has got that taken care of for the pitching staff, but even some washed up guy like Eric Hosmer, or Nelson Cruz could let the other hitters exhale a little bit.
  19. Playing Catch
    I have a completely unsubstantiated theory that the Brewers have become a destination club for players. A good reputation throughout the scouting/agent world. If true, Player X may decide to take a small discount to play for the Brewers instead of a club that has a lousy reputation. Presumably the Brewers wouldn't be the ONLY such club. Obviously, the Yankees, Dodgers, Astros, etc. also have excellent reputations, but those teams, too, would be more likely to stash you in the minors as long as possible.
  20. Playing Catch
    Nothing groundbreaking here in a Rosenthal piece for the Athletic. Paywalled. But clearly topical... Rosenthal: A year after the Josh Hader trade.
  21. Playing Catch
    This seems like a better spot than the optimism thread... Bring up Misiorowski? Best stuff in the minors? Check. Never enough pitching in bigs? Check. Have him in long-relief like Burnes/Woodruff/Peralta? Check. Monitor workload? Check. Master the changeup? Check. John Smoltz once said that pitching out of the bullpen allows guys to tinker with stuff and practice new pitches. The Brewers pen might be the perfect spot for Jake the Snake to cut his teeth. This would give the Brewers important info going into this offseason, too. Allows them to get a sense of Misiorowski's timetable to the bigs when considering trading Burnes/Woodruff. Also, the Brewers pen would have to be on a shortlist of nastiest bullpens in MLB history, even though they may be a little wild.
  22. Playing Catch
    Per the concerns for Adams, Fangraphs nailed it with part of their assessment. Paraphrasing, they state that he's a stiff lower-body athlete with an unconventional swing, but a good "sleeper bat". That's dead-on. I'd make him do yoga all off-season and start smoothing out the swing.
  23. Playing Catch
    If he got called up, it would be a tough call. I guess they could move Wiemer, but Joey is probably the superior CFer. Frelick in left, Yelich to DH? Taylor/Tapia platoon in right?
  24. Playing Catch
    Pretty fun run of boxscores lately! To my untrained eye, Frelick looks just a tad more upright than in the past. I suspect the Brewers have been doing their thing with him, in terms of trying to coach power (I guess LaBoeuf suggests that a little in the article). Also, Luke Adams is on a track to be #18 in all of baseball, not just on BF. I'm exaggerating, but not by much.
  25. Playing Catch
    150k is a significant increase from 50k. Probably enough to entice a number of high schoolers who don't relish the idea of going to college, OR entice those that want to pay for college.
×
×
  • Create New...