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Playing Catch

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Everything posted by Playing Catch

  1. Playing Catch
    It's fun to look through your old posts. Sometimes I imagine you are Brock in disguise just to drive traffic.
  2. Playing Catch
    I don't like this trade. Avina may not be destined for greatness, but he seemed to have a legitimate shot at one day being a big-leaguer. Jake Bauers has not been good. If he had options, then fine, stick him in Nashville, but I would be really disappointed if has a 26-man roster spot out of Spring Training.
  3. Playing Catch
    I like the Murphy/Weeks dugout combo. As I believe Ron Robinsons Beard stated, a boring, but probably correct hire. I like the Weeks hire because people don't just get hired to do those roles with little to no experience unless insiders vouch for, and believe in their leadership abilities. Counsell was similarly groomed. As to swearing in a public interviews, I'm tired of it. I don't like it at all. And it seems to be happening more and more. Call me old fashioned all you want, but it's jarring and inappropriate. It doesn't hype me up, it's just really really distracting and unprofessional in a public space.
  4. Playing Catch
    For a guy who led the NCAAs in HRs his senior year, features prodigous walk-rates, and has never posted a below-average wRC+ in the minors, AND plays for a franchise whose fanbase clamors for a prototypical first base prospect, I'm surprised it took a huge year in the AFL for Wes Clarke to garner attention around here and elsewhere. I'm not meaning to suggest that he's some kind of special prospect or anything, but his path has always kind of reminded me of Mitch Haniger's.
  5. Playing Catch
    Perhaps the more stats-savvy among us will point out the flaw of my hypothesis, but I've always felt that the way Counsell managed (probably by front office design) was to win low scoring games featuring our top starters along with our top relievers, and basically punt on the other days, often losing non-competitive blowouts.
  6. Playing Catch
    I think a lot of this is simply managing the 40-man and minor league roster numbers. Not just for the present, but for the future. I think the Brewers wanted to improve their AAAA-IF depth, and knew they would need to release a few minor leaguers in order to bring guys stateside within roster limits. They may as well trade from their depth (Mendez a corner OF, Moore not good enough to be expected to offer MLB-worthy ABs next season). This seemed like trading the current Moore for the future, 26 year old version of Moore, and needed to include Mendez to off-set the difference in development risk associated with the current Moore.
  7. Playing Catch
    I mentioned it in the other thread, but I would like them to pursue Mark Hallberg (age 37), who is supposedly a front-runner for the Giants job.
  8. Playing Catch
    I want this guy... https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10093311-mlb-rumors-buster-poseys-close-friend-mark-hallberg-interviews-to-be-giants-manager Edit to add this link to the Athletic article a couple years back... https://theathletic.com/1154774/2019/08/23/35-under-35-the-story-behind-how-minor-league-manager-mark-hallberg-already-has-changed-giants-history/
  9. Playing Catch
    You are correct that there are no guarantees, but the choices are essentially to give it one more 'go' in 2024 with Burnes/Williams leading the charge, and THEN doing a soft rebuild in 2025/2026 (w/o the players Burnes/Williams would get back in a trade), or to begin the process a year earlier. In my opinion, I think I would prefer trading Burnes and Williams this offseason to really try and maximize the return. I'm indifferent towards Adames. The reason I prefer this now, is that going into next season with nothing new except some manager, smacks of desperation to 'win now,' rather than trusting that this franchise has now built a strong enough foundation that it can do roster churns and still compete, like Tampa Bay has done. IMO, it's either now, or next off-season. Without Woody and Counsell, it just seems like the timing is right. In addition, I think that the jolt of fresh faces and youthful energy and feel would help fans get rid of the bitter taste of playoff failure since 2018. It's been a historically strong run for this franchise, but I'm ready to turn the page.
  10. Playing Catch
    I felt differently before the Woodruff injury and Counsell leaving, but now, the fan in me would actually enjoy a refresh of the team. The "faces" of the franchise the last few seasons have been Counsell, Hader, Burnes, Woodruff, Adames, Stearns, Devin, Yelich. I think it may be refreshing and exciting to do a rebuild. And for the record, I don't mean that means we won't be competitive. I think the Brewers WILL be competitive even without any of thoses faces. Certainly not favorites, but with players that can be brought back in trades along with all of the young talent the organization has amassed allows for a new chapter in the Attanasio era. Let's bring in a fresh-faced, positive and energetic manager to grow with the players and look to go back to winning division titles in 2025.
  11. Playing Catch
    I wonder if the Brewers would consider countering an $8M+ annual salary by adding sheer length to any deal. He really is Brewers to the core. What if they offered an ownership stake, or some other "lifetime" contract that didn't necessarily require him to manage forever. He's been around long enough for the organization and ownership group to know "the man" well enough to trust him to a long-term commitment, regardless of role.
  12. Playing Catch
    I wonder if, with the baseball-world recognizing the strength of this system, if the organization will experience an artificial "boost" to Brewers prospects, especially the teens experiencing state-side success? As in, the scouting world trusts the organization to properly develop guys, making it more likely that they pan out.
  13. Playing Catch
    Would you agree though, that his K/BB ratio is still really strong? He was 6th among Southern League qualifiers. Just looking at the numbers, it seems like he could use a pitch, probably the sinker, to induce more soft contact early in counts? I don't like his FB/GB ratio either. (edit to add: I'm very excited about Rodriguez. I'm very high on him.)
  14. Playing Catch
    I trust your judgement, and yet, I find this very hard to believe!
  15. Playing Catch
    I'm going to echo those referring to his swing. I'm no scout, so take my opinion with a chunk of salt, but it looks nearly "perfect". Maybe he turns his shoulder a little too much pull-side? But he keeps the bat in the zone so long, I'm not sure it matters. In that clip alone he got to the high pitch and the low and away pitch.
  16. Playing Catch
    Someone should start a season thread. I saw the athletic released their preseason all-B1G teams. No Badgers on the first or second teams, but Wisconsin was the only team with 5 players that received votes.
  17. Playing Catch
    I'm optimistic that Matt Arnold will win a GM-of-the-year award at some point during his Brewers tenure! Over/Under on when Torts starts the 2024 thread? (Obviously, January 1st, but will he wait until he wakes up in the morning, or post it at 12:01 on NYE?) I'm optimistic he won't let us down.
  18. Playing Catch
    It seems like if Hiura goes and has success, posters will be able to say, "I told you so. the Brewers are so dumb!" and if he never has success, those posters can say, "The Brewers ruined his career!" I can't wait to find out who the Brewers 2024 pariah will end up being. That could be a fun prediction poll.
  19. Playing Catch
    I don't think I realized how much the Woodruff injury specter was preventing me from fully "moving on," from this season. Now that we know that he won't be part of the 2024 picture (sadly), at least now I can start looking forward to the offseason.
  20. Playing Catch
    I feel bad for Woody. He just really seemed to be the heartbeat of the team the last few years. Seemed like a super-genuine, nice guy. Absolutely the type of player teams want to "build around". He deserved his shot at a big pay-day. I just wish he'd lost a year to Tommy John, rather than face the ominous future of shoulder surgery. With this said, there's a hypothetical universe where the Brewers traded Woody last offseason for stud prospects, and those prospects... fizzled out. It doesn't have to end up being a really big deal for the team. They never invested financially in Woody beyond his arbitration, and pitchers get hurt all the time. I mean, Woody himself only made 11 starts this season. I think it's interesting that with this injury, some of the "run-it-back-in-2024" opinions are shifting to "re-set/rebuild in 2024," and those that were looking to do the rebuild are now saying, run-it-back.
  21. Playing Catch
    I think I mused on this mid-season, but I could definitely see a Black/Clarke 1B platoon coming to Milwaukee sooner than later.
  22. Playing Catch
    It IS interesting to me just how much the Woodruff injury impacts what they do this offseason.
  23. Playing Catch
    I think I change my mind on this offseason every other day, so I reserve the right to change my mind yet again, but today I'm thinking that the Brewers bring up all the kids to start the season, Chourio, Black, Gasser, maybe even Misiorowski as a long-man out of the pen, but keep Burnes and Williams. This would allow the Brewers to better understand where the kids are at (including our 2nd year guys) before the trade deadline. I don't mind the idea of trading Burnes and/or Williams in the offseason, but the issue is that I don't know what I want in return. Will the Brewers continue to produce arms with their alchemy, or should they trade for SPs? Will Chourio and Black be middle-of-the-order hitters, or merely decent starting players? If the kids are alright, and the Brewers are contending, great! Roll with it! If the kids struggle in the first half, the Brewers won't be contending anyway, so trading Burnes and Williams at the deadline will still net big returns. I believe it was Doug Melvin that used to say that the returns for pitching were better at the deadline, and the returns for hitters is better in the off-season. I am just nervous about how long they can rely on elite pitching and defense when we may run dry of elite pitching, and I'm nervous that if Chourio and Black end up just being okay, that the Brewers will want to trade Burnes/Williams for a middle-of-the-order bat.
  24. Playing Catch
    I remember a Twins game back in the day where Gary Gaetti started two bases-loaded 5-4-3 triple plays in the same game.
  25. Playing Catch
    I needed to take a break from BF after the playoff losses. Glad to see nothing has changed😁
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