brewcrewdue80

With news that Aoki is a free agent after next season, time to discuss the reality of what the Brewers can command in return for Aoki. Aoki stands as a 2.0WAR player currently on the season and that's with a negative impact on baserunning bringing it down. He's the toughest strikeout victim in all of baseball. OB% over .350. Adequate defensively. All things that many a competing team can use in replacement of struggling RFs they have. Teams with use of Aoki: Tampa Bay Pittsburgh San Francisco Arizona Kansas City NY Yankees Cleveland Texas San Diego That makes Aoki either our top trading piece or 2nd best behind Gallardo. Trade thoughts/fits? Tampa trades Enny Romero and Blake Snell for Aoki? Pittsburgh trades Luis Heredia and Tyler Glasnow for Aoki? Giants trade Chris Stratton for Aoki? DBacks trades Chris Owings and David Holmberg for Aoki? Kansas City trades Yordana Ventura for Aoki? Yankees don't have anyone I find compatible Cleveland trade Trevor Bauer for Aoki? or nothing else compatible Texas trades Mike Olt for Aoki? San Diego Trades Matthew Wisler and Zach Eflin or Joe Ross for Aoki?

This is great news! There isn't an excuse to not trade Aoki now. Seriously all the AAAA OF guys we have. Aoki's value should be a hott commodity with his OB% How big a prospect could be netted in return for Aoki?

Myers had 4 years to earn his #3 ranking. He was a 3 rd. draft selection. Rendon drafted #6 overall in 2011 had all of 43 games across 4 levels to remain a #30 prospect. You take what he's did this year in the minors and allowed him a fullseason's of minor league games, there's probably no doubt he would be a top 10 prospect and possibly even ranked ahead of Myers. The trade scenario of Sheilds and Davis for Myers/Odorizzi/Montgomery is a valid one if Gallardo was in the same class as Shields. Shields has been a shut down Starter while Gallardo never has been. Shut down meaning pitching CGs and eating some serious innings. 200ip by Gallardo is nice. But it's not Shields 221 avg IP the prior 6 seasons. Plus TB threw in Davis who isn't a slouch either when used out of the BP. Sure KC hit with the Myers selection but to date the vast majority of their Top Prospects wound up flaming out in recent years. They needed an Ace on their staff. I think KC overpaid in the deal but at this rate, KC not only got Shields/Davis but they will also get compensation end of 1st rd selection if/when he leaves to FA after next season. I'm not of the belief that Gallardo currently possesses QO stuff end of 2015. So trading for him comes strictly with 2.5seasons of pitching at the cost of your top prospects. Also, if Gallardo isn't an Ace quality pitcher like Shields, then expecting a team to overpay for him as Shields was overpayed for isn't realistic. Gallardo will net a good-great player or two. But a player that's top 10-20 in prospect rankings present/future isn't going to happen without added pieces in that trade. If the Brewers got Archie Bradley from the DBacks being the #24/#25 pre-season rankings would that be a worse haul than Myers/Odorizzi? That #24/25 doesn't mean much halfway through the season. I'm sure Bradley is a top 5-10prospect in the Minors if the rankings were redone today. And Rendon would also be in that ranking. The only thing that kept Rendon from being ranked higher was health concerns, not ability. I guess I'm just nitpicking to stir up a debate. The truth is Gallardo isn't in the class of Shields. It's a hope that with Gallardo's age, he becomes the 221IP a season pitcher the next 3-5 seasons but realistically Gallardo will continue to be 200IP type pitcher. If Gallardo had show some improvement to start this season rather than decline then I could see his value being near Shields in approach. I hope the Brewers can nab a top 40 prospect as well as another top 100(but rising) prospect for Gallardo.

Seriously Melvin needs to his phone ringing the Dodgers every possible minute possible right now. Dodgers are 4games back in their division. It won't be long til they lead it. And that first trade the Dodgers make may end up being their last one. They need to be selling Lohse/ARam/ and Weeks hard to them in hopes of getting one if not 2 of the quartet of Lee,Pederson,Seager, and Reed. You can't ask for a better club to trade with when it comes to dumping contracts that we don't need to possess anymore. Especially at their positions. Need a 2b/SP/and 3b. Throw in both KRod/Axford if it means convincing them to taking any of the 3 and acquiring 2 of their top 4prospects.

I hope this post exists for all eternity. LOL somebody had to say it. The best/weirdest dreams always happen between that initial alarm and it's following 10min snooze!

Yep. This past offseason, a lot of jokes were made about how bad the Astros are, & what a mess they are & 'good thing we're not run like the Astros' when the rebuild-or-not-rebuild discussions came up. Taking a look at the standings... not so funny now. Well, to be fair, this team has been much worse than expected. I think most of the "experts" before the season had this being pegged as at least a 75-ish win team. The pitching was much worse than expected at the start of the year, and injuries have really taken their toll. I'm not saying that absolved Melvin and Co. of blame, but I don't think anyone thought this franchise with be flirting with 100 losses this year. Agreed. You take Hart/Gamel/Green from the lineup and insert Yuni and Alex Gonzalez and you have the makings of what is going on with this team. Pitching injuries too. For a team of unheralded young guys to watch all of them go down in some way or form doesn't help. We've had #1,#2, And #3 almost the entire season. Yet have used 11 different starters. So that's 8 different starters at #4/5 combined having to go through. Braun injured doesn't help. On a team projected to win 75games with all the pieces healthy taking a 3WAR player like Hart and replacing him with -3 or More WAR type is 6 wins right there. Taking you 3 best hitters to begin the season:Hart(all season), ARam(all season long nagging) and Braun(majority season long nagging injury): away from their expected production in your lineup is never going to result in a good thing. How would the Cardinals be doing if Carlos Beltran,Matt Holiday, and Yadier Molina were struck with the same injuries. One out for season, two with nagging injuries and DL stints? How would the Pirates be doing if Andrew McCutchen,Starling Marte, and Pedro Alvarez were struck with the same injuries. Cinncinatti? with Votto, Choo, and Bruce? This season sucks but should understandbly so. Already knew going in to this season that as constructed before signing Lohse this was a team that win 65 games or 90games. Being healthy. We're not, and the young pitching wild card in that equation have performed to the 65game expectations. Like I said somewhere else, as a Brewerfan, I can look at this as being the best case scenario for the team. To get a top 5 draft pick on a team that should have fallen in to a 10-17th selection based on expectations. To force the team to sell and finally trade away pieces a smarter GM would have done last season or years prior rather than keep for the next season because they may win enough games to contend. Tomorrow opens the International Signing period. MLB tiered the pool based on reverse order of finish so Milwaukee has the 17th most money to spend(barring trading away pool money) Hopefully that helps by signing an impact Latin Player or two that otherwise they never would have been in the market for. It's like this season as bad as it's going, allows the dumbest of GMs to fix the organization while blindly trying, and Melvin I hope isn't the dumbest of GMs in my scenario.

My general thought on the franchise is that the Brewers have a realistic shot at finishing with the #1 pick in next year's draft. Think about it. Our farm doesn't have impact players to replace whatever pieces we trade away. And for everyone that hates on Miami. Their pitching staff is filled with better pitchers than ours at the end of this week. All upside guys. We have 1. Peralta. Miami will have a rotation of Jose Fernandez, Jacob Turner, Nate Eovaldi, Henderson Alvarez and then their #5. In a division with the Mets and Phillies there are plenty of wins that staff and a Stanton HR can win. Then add the fluke run scoring game and they will take some from the Nationals and Braves as well. Houston on the other hand, they may be tougher to be passed by in wins, since they are essentially looking to have Norris/Harrell traded away, I don't get how a franchise can field such a low talent of players with a half decade of trading away their best players and drafting top 5 to not be in the situation Miami sits after just 1 year of rebuilding/trading? Then there's Milwaukee, Chicago White Sox, NY Mets, Seattle, Minnesota, and the Cubs. The Mets again have impact pitching two legitimate aces in a division with soft offenses so there has to be a continual amount of wins here and there. They don't have tradeaways forthcoming to worsen their team like Milw. Seattle(Zunino,Franklin,Miller,Hultzen) and Minnesota(Kyle Gibson,Hicks, and maybe even Buxton) are beginning to play their impact Prospects and these young men are going to flash surpising W/L total like are stretch last season. That leaves the White Sox and Cubs to battle with us for 1-4 draft picks. White Sox have everyone on the trade block but Chris Sale and Paul Konerko. So they are a bad team that can get worse w/o impact talent to make a difference. Like the Brewers. The Cubs are like the Sox and Brewers, selling and not sitting well to replace who they sell. So my prediction on worst record in baseball at the end of the season knowing what I know today: Houston Chi White Sox Milwaukee Miami Marlins Cubs Top 5. And of course the Cubs wont agree with Bryant and get compensated their #2 pick back pushing the Brewers down 4 instead of 3 and the Cubs will select a 60WAR player while we select the next best WAR player in the class but will only be a 36WAR player.

Oh, hadn't seen this mentioned by anyone but it appears Braun isn't returning til at least After the All-Star Break! Wow, that's just awful news. Baseball this season seems to be suffering more injuries this year than normal. Does anyone else think the same? Which team wins the Most injured team in the League? I've read Dodgers,Padres,Yankees having mass injuries/games missed. But the Brewers have 4 players that won't step on the field 1 day this season that would have been on their 25man roster. How much worse can any other team possibly have it? Then add Braun, Burgos,Narveson,Estrada,Figaro,Fiers to that.

I guess, I just look at that as being I'd take Samardzija over Gallardo today and the next 2years. If that is how Arz. feels about him, then I'd just my feelings toward Gallardo/Samardzija and figure Gallardo is worth less than what Samardzija can command in trade which doesn't include Skaggs/Bradley. If you follow my posts, you know I keep an open and active mind towards everything, tossing as many scenarios I can in to the mix. You mention since the Brewers are in selling mode it's a leg up on the situation, but the Cubs are just as much in the selling mode and can do the same. There's a report the DBacks are shopping/showing interest in an OF as well, so yeah, you could throw Aoki in to the mix maybe snagging one of those prized two along with Davidson and a few others.

Disgusting stat of the day. 14ip by Pittsburgh pitchers. 143 pitches to complete. 0BBs by any of our 47PAs. Avgs out to 3.04pitches every PA. 13.1 IP by Brewers Pitchers. 234 pitches to complete. Exactly 47PAs by Pitt batters as well. 4.97pitches every PA. Can that be attributed to a team who've given up and just hacking away at everything to just get it over with? Was there potentially a record set in the fewest amount of pitches to cover 14IP in this game all-time? It's ridiculous 143 pitches to cover 14ip! 10pitches an inning!...every inning for 14 innings!

Why do the Brewers need to remove Gallardo this season? His value is at it's highest and it is only going to decline. Age, pay, potential injury are factors that make him a must to trade this year. His biggest value in this year's pitching market, has to be the fact he's owed under 4mil remaining on the year. Nolasco costs at least 2mil more for a team in trade besides being just a rental. Then add in to it Gallardo's ability batting. That makes acquiring Gallardo for this season a bargain. While he still has 2years remaining on his contract. Move on to trading him in the offseason or next season. He's a year older. He's priced at or near market value, not a bargain. Workload over the years could finally hit him and he finally comes down with a shoulder/elbow injury. Which then wipes him out a year from that time and leaves him at 1year replacement or a rental at the deadline at a higher cost/performance questions. The Brewers can't possibly get more for Gallardo than they will get for him at trade deadline this season. It would be a huge mistake to hang on to him and not accept the best offer they get for him.(And realistically, don't mock what if that offer is garbage, it's not going to be) I don't really understand Arizona's want to trade for a SP controlled beyond this year. They have McCarthy and Cahill under contract this year or beyond. Pair that with Kennedy having 2more years team controll, Miley under team control til 2018, Corbin under team control til 2019. That's your Starting 5 this season/next before we put Delgado in the mix. And then Skaggs that's 7SP next season with Bradley knocking on the door. I can see them dumping Kennedy vs. agreeing to 2nd year Arb but still they have 6SP for next season then. Adding Gallardo makes it 8 or 7SPs with Kennedy released. I'm sure the club can come up with some kind of offseason trade away of Cahill(maybe) It just doesn't add up to me. Arizona should be looking at rental guys this season vs. acquiring someone for next season or beyond too. Guess the question becomes, if Skaggs isn't on the table but Delgado is plus prospects who do you want more? Delgado or Skaggs?

I posted a quote from MLBTR about the Cubs having talks about Samardzija with the DBacks and they mentioned Skaggs and Bradley....Apparently the phone was hung up on and the talks ceased. Arizona isn't willing to trade those 2. And I don't blame them. Skaggs can help the team today. In fact they may have him in their plans for this season, but by keeping him in AAA they can limit his innings and potentially get him to pitch in September And October. Bradley likely is in the same fold only he's not up/in AAA again for innings pitch limits. The way the hype is on Bradley, it's likely not that he's not ready to pitch vs. ML hitters, it's just his buildup to make it through the 162 game season he's not ready for. The kid in their view is likely the best arm they have to start Today. He's just not ready to go through the workload. Next season though? who knows? The way to look at this is when does Miami shut down Jose Fernandez. Once he's shut down on the year, it probably gives a great idea as to how soon Bradley would be shut down if he was pitching on the team today. I don't want the Dodgers to trade for Yovani. But they can trade for ARam or Lohse. Or Weeks. I'd rather a team with higher upside pitching trade for Yovani like San Diego, Toronto(Yo no trade list sadly), Royals, and Giants.

I'm currently off 2wins. But correctly guessed Hart would have a setback in rehab. Guessed wrong on Narveson having the setback but Estrada having a setback instead is close. Also called the DL forthcoming of Braun/ARam seeing over 10games combined missed between the duo.

Well so much for this angle. As Mass Haas notes in yesterday's Link Report, Morris was lifted due to a freak injury. Anyone else LOL at this? Let's see Brewers 1b this season. Out for season, Out for season, Return in June...no end of July..nope out for season. Okay let's discuss Morris the day of our 3rd 1b being announced out for the season...Freak injury. Zing!! It must be predetermined upstairs that the Brewers will go the 2013 Season w/o a true 1b ever standing on 1b in the field.

Axford's ERA now sits under 4 on the season. I highly doubt any of BF thought that was possible when he was at 9ERA before this 19+ip scoreless streak and counting began.

You're right Crew. But there are other avenues that can be opened by acquiring Pederson/Eaton that either makes a trade of Gomez or Aoki possible. Or Like I proposed, take Pederson and then trade him to another team that has interest for him for a player you have interest in. The Mets proposal. With a numerous amount of trades, the club may have an entire new look to it, but find itself with a core of players via the trade that competes sooner than the outlook it presents today. Take Eaton/Davidson for Gallardo. Trade Aoki then for a SP prospect. Trade ARam for Pederson. Trade Gomez offseason for 2 more SP prospects. Sure it still doesn't solve the crowded OF situation but average OF or above average impact OF which do you prefer? This certain set of moves could keep the club from being pretenders in the foreseeable future to contending in just 1 year's passing time. But that is optimistic and believing we get $1.25 in trade on the $1 for our players. And that all these players become impact everyday players and not flameouts like so many do.

I know we have the 3 OFs. But do either of those 3 profile the upside Hernandez may have? In a year Hernandez could show enough to be the next Oscar Taveras and if that became the case, then it will also be the year the Royals make him a Franchise players not to be dealt in trade. So, I'd rather try to pry a potential bat away like that when the outlook/promise hasn't been identified fully. Roache is 21 and not overwhelming thus far in A ball. I mention this because he doesn't look like a guy who is going to move up a ladder before the season is over. So he's then not in AA at 22 til later and his development just may take too long that he arrives at an age of 25/26. It'd be great if all 3 of our guys make it to the ML level and be successful, but history indicates at least 1 should be a bust. Roache isn't putting up the kind of numbers to indicate a certain ML roster spot is in his future. It's pessimistic but also realistic. If I can attain a guy who may not be everyone's radar in rankings but in 2 years may be a top 25 prospect vs attaining a player that's more advanced but with less a ceiling, I want the higher upside guy. Let's just say the Royals don't offer any of their top 5 prospect currently. But do give you options at #s 6-15. Meanwhile you see a guy who sits at #20 who the Royals just figure isn't on the Brewers radar to ask in return for Aoki when you instead do ask for that player. It just throws a wrench in the normal thinking. If we can't get Ventura/Mondesi/Cuthbert for Aoki and are left to pick 2-3 of other prospects that aren't high upside but offer value in numbers. I'd rather take on the Lotto Ticket player who can exceed any and all those other 3 players potentially present. Side Note: KC sure does sign a number of Latin Players to deals. 6 of their top 20 prospects are Latin Signings. Can we go ahead and tab one of their scouts that are convincing the ownership to sign these players?

The issue with Eaton SRB by Nate I'm sure doesn't deal with our OF situation as it deals with acquiring an OF who's 5'8" tall and offers no power potential to be a long term OF option on our team. He profiles out towards being hopefully a younger version of Aoki himself. It's no guarantee though that he will achieve Aoki's numbers. I'd rather not, like Nate, find out if Eaton can continue to buck the odds of success in return for Gallardo with other options already to be worked with.

They both are pitching in A ball now. One would imagine if they are talented that means AA next season. AAA to Callup the following season barring any kind of injury. That's 2 seasons with a 3rd if slower progress. Wouldn't seem to longer than 3 years. And I don't even imagine it takes 3 years for either to make it. That would be a great haul for Gallardo Fried and Ross. Nothing more need to be added in that trade.

Okay, so KC just DFA Francoeur and called up a 2b Johnny Giavotella. From the looks of this guy's numbers he could be a fit at 2b so that takes another team out of the equation to trade Weeks off to. It does open the door moreso on trying to sell Aoki to them. Still hoping for a way to get one of Ventura/Mondesi/Cuthbert. 1 of them plus some lower tiered prospect like Chris Dwyer/Kyle Smith/and Miquel Almonte. Can we just go after Elier Hernandez and call it a day for Aoki? I doubt he's on the trade market but considering Aoki's huge fill-in roll for the Royals he provides they may just do it.

But one would think that the Brewers FO would want MLB ready prospects. Typically in trades they've went for guys who are close to contributing in the majors. Narwal, I thought Melvin had said in that original trade/becoming sellers interview that (higher talent)prospects that are 2-3 years away are kind of in line with what they are asking for. This of course makes sense as Players that can help a ML team now/today become questionable as to why they trade that player away if that's the case unless it's due to position blockage.

MLBTR Olney also: •Olney also reports that Arizona had brief discussions with the Cubs regarding Samardzija. When the Cubs inquired into the availability of top Dbacks prospects Archie Bradley and Tyler Skaggs, however, the clubs ceased their talks. Nevertheless, Olney says that others in baseball do not believe that Skaggs is untouchable. Sounds like Baltimore, their top 2 pitching prospects aren't available in trade. Rightfully so. My guess is their interest with Gallardo is in tune with the Brewers' need for a 3b prospect like Davidson. Eaton has no business coming over to our team in trade. You would likely look at Davidson/Holmberg then definitely in this trade for Gallardo. After that I don't know who else is included. I'd probably look at Chafin and Drury. More just in the lines of two players likely to make a ML roster down the road. Chafin can be a Lefty BP guy that I could see flipping down the road for a better prospect. Drury would just be a likely Backup at 1b/3b utility. Useful for Morris/Davidson era to spell a game or two(Morris vs. tough lefty) and as a righty power bench bat.

I'd roll with Francisco and Bianchi at 3b while whomever we try to acquire in trade(3b) matures. The three I'm interested in are Seager,Davidson, and Cuthbert with Flores(offseason with Mets) or Cecchini(not realistic) being the other two. I think the team could manage a season at 3b with Francisco/Bianchi/Green and of course(Blue) Team Favorite Yuni (Blue) with ARam leaving to LAD in trade. I do understand the notion that Pederson doesn't fit the club well on the depth charts, but he is a better than the rest OF to plug in to the lineup almost right away vs. our AAAA guys. I'd take Pederson/Stripling(Have you seen the K/BB #?) for ARam and KRod. You could always turn Pederson in the offseason say on to the Mets(they want an OF) for a SP or Flores let's say at 3b. So, while the move may not make sense immediately, when that move occured it would. It would be awesome to undercut LAD's likely sell off of Ethier to the Mets, by acquiring Pederson and then flipping him to the Mets for the Prospect we need but LAD didn't have. Think Syndergaard for Pederson? I'm sure that deal requires something more from Milwaukee but no need to hesitate in making it happen with something a little more. I hope in trade we acquire the better talent vs. team need. I mean yes we need SP but if our trade partner can't offer it, but can offer a talented prospect, we should look to acquire the best talent and not a couple so-so hoping one pans out since they fill a need vs. the guaranteed ML prospect.

KC's moves too make as a GM in the next 2-3 weeks that immediately make them contenders. 1st Trade for Nolasco today before his next start, within 1 week. Solves their last pitching problem. Then, Brewers make phone call and say, Weeks+6mil plus Aoki for a trio of prospects. Ventura/Cuthbert/Mondesi. Equals success for KC! and Brewers future Ha!

Just trying to look over the buyers landscape and seeing who if any teams need a 2b and would look at Rickie I only see 4 teams that fit that need. Baltimore, Oakland, Toronto, and Kansas City. Going over: Boston has Dustin Pedroia. Yankees have Robinson Cano. Tampa Bay has Ben Zobrist. Detroit with Omar Infante Cleveland with Jason Kipnis Texas with Ian Kinsler Anaheim with Howie Kendrick Atlanta with Dan Uggla Washington with Anthony Rendon Pittsburgh with Neil Walker St. Louis with Matt Carpenter/Daniel Descalso Cinncinatti with Brandon Phillips Arizona with Aaron Hill San Diego with Jedd Gyorko Colorado with Josh Rutledge/DJ LeMathieu...(could they decide against that platoon?) San Fran with Marco Scutaro La Dodgers with Mark Ellis/Nick Punto/Skip Schumaker(another do they decide against their setup?) So back to the 4 teams that could use a 2b. Kansas City is a tough to call buyer. They do have a positive Runs Scored/vs Against which should come with an above .500 record but instead sit 3 games under. Chris Getz/Elliot Johnson are a pair of 29yr olds who both can't OPS above .580 so the need is there but is the want? KC sits in a good seat to determine that in that starting Tuesday they will be embarking on a stretch of games vs. every single Playoff team in the AL they need to beat. Clev,Oak,NY,Clev,Det,Bal heading to the final week of the trade deadline. So in 3 weeks they will either be healthy buyers or healthy sellers. They should have been in the Nolasco trade rumors and go big on acquiring him just for this stretch. Sitting back could leave them in a too late scenario. Oakland. Here's the problem with Oak. Moneyball. They have a 60mil payroll today and a 78mil projected next year. That is very steep to acquire Weeks who would be the highest paid player on Oakland next season and the year after if his Option hits. Eric Sogard is doing better than his career would suggest he do, at 27 and 500k is likely to just be the better cost option on Moneyball Oak. I'd imagine their only interest comes with a 9mil pickup of Weeks tab between this season and next. Oakland has a few prospects that are intriquing for a guy like Weeks. 19yr old 3b prospects Daniel Robertson/Renato Nunez. Pitchers Raul Alcantara and Michael Ynoa would be potential promising innings eater types if they progress to the Majors. Just not likely to see Oakland take Weeks. Toronto. They have a failing Emilio Bonifacio/old Mark Derosa/and Maicer Izturiz at 2b. I don't think payroll dollars is a worry for Toronto with Weeks. Their record in 3 weeks though may change their tune from Buyers/Sellers and they are a team that to me wait til the final week to announce what they are. Josh Johnson could be a Wildcard wanted SP to make available. For Weeks speculating what Toronto would give in return is hard to come up with. After their top 2 prospects the rest don't look to jump at you and I could see a return being a few players that nobody would have really heard of that the Scouting department picked up on. I also speculated in another post the potential to just trade for ARam's contract and move Lawrie to 2b. I think that is a much more positive move for Toronto than acquiring Weeks. Baltimore. Best fit. Though I know I read somewhere Brian Roberts should be their man once he returns from the DL. Roberts is a FA after this season and I could propose the offer to trade for him and Prospect, for Weeks to compensate payroll. This would solve Baltimore's 2b for next season before the eventual Schoop promotion. The problem with Baltimore is prospects aren't really there for the wanting. And after trading for a Pitcher you imagine first we'd be getting 2nd dibs on the leftovers which is worsened. So what does it amount to? The Brewers needing the Rockies or Dodgers becoming players for a 2b. Or a major injury to Cano let's say to make the Yankees players for a 2b. Or best case KC becomes buyers as they really are the best fit. It's going to be a hard sell for Weeks, no matter his current and potential prolonged tear he is on.