SoupTown

This sounds like the 'Scooter is no good, but maybe he can be average at league minimum...' That discussion w as a couple years ago. Well someone forgot to tell Scooter to not go above average. I hope we can manufacture two years of league average 1st base at league min. We may get that with a Clark or Rogers or Morris mix and match over their peak 27 and 28 year seasons

This is A LOT to get addressed: Need 1B as we have seen on the trade markets and free agency next year, there is really no one worth chasing... we need to hope that our 27 year old guys can give us two or three years at league min salary and NOT be at the bottom of the league in OPS... so what we NEED we have... Morris, Clark, Halton, Rogers; the way it look now you assume Clark then a rightie (Halton 1st base / of) or Rogers (1st base / 3rd base) Need 2B to complement Scooter not really, but if our back up middle infielder is right handed or switch, then you cover Scooter and Jean Need new SS, or accept a defense-only SS in Segura you accept Jean (he looks better the last couple of weeks) or you AAA him; I dont think it is easy to find better, to I say Jean stays and again, the backup to Scooter is the backup to Jean Possibly need 3B, certainly after next year I think 99% ARAM is back, so you just hope Rogers can be a MLB third baseman, or you pray for the quick ascendance of that high school third baseman... coulter! So you assume Coulter after ARAMs last Crew year of 2015 Braun may never be the same player again, and become an overpaid MLB average OF this may be true, sadly; I am hoping for an .800 OPS guy for the next years; I think the best we can hope for; it cannot be changed, it is what it is Need a closer nope, we have ours for next year in Broxton; Frankie is the proof any guys with even average stuff, with a good, solid nerve can close; you just use the horse you just bought for next year Rebuild bullpen No way... our bullpen is good; RRR just overuses the guys peforming well early; with what we have we have a good bullpen... the problem is have starters (smith and thornburg ANOTHER year in the pen; in 2016 the bullpen needs rebuilding after Gallardo and Loshe are gone and Smith and thornburg and fiers are in the rotation) Gallardo-worth having again next year? Yes, he is a MLB pitcher; if you can get a return in a trade, fine, else he is worth the money Peralta, Nelson- Looked like they may be special, but as it turns out Peralta can best be described as "solid" and Nelson can't get through the line-up more than once or twice. Peralta is more than solid; and what the heck, if Peralta is a high 3s number three starter for years... fine and good; Nelson can use a year in the pen... he will improve from that All in all, I say next year will be so, so much like 2014 re our lineup; we just have a couple young guys platooning at first instead of old guys; our most important money spending will be on backup infielder and fourth outfielder (I really would keep Parra and then find the best darn backup middle infielder you can find). I guess one solid vet bullpen guy (maybe a loogie so Smith is not overworked) Based on the way the team performed this year, Doug and Mark have been proven correct in their team construction. To be real long term OK... we need to develop an ace we can call our own for a half dozen years. We seem to be able to develop lots of 'mid' starters and can find offense... but we need that ace. Where is he!

Man that is a good odd man out.

I watch Baseball Tonight about twice a year. But a bit over a week ago they really put the love on the Crew and simply said 'they are the team to beat as they are solid across the board' So, I tuned in a couple days later to here Sutcliffe (I think) say the exact same thing, then follow it up with, 'and the Pirates are the favourites to come through and wind it if McCutchen comes back on fire'. Since then, then Pirates have lost seven on the trot. So I hope the Crew gets love each night, then they say 'but the Pirates are the team' or 'the Cards will win it'. We are the best for the entire season, but we will not win the division. Hmmmmm.

The guy is such a professional batter - and such a not-so-professional catcher. And we are so desperate for a 3rd baseman or 1st baseman down the line. Hello, 2+2

re ARAM's $4 mill. I dont believe for a second that the Brewers would sign a contract that pays a player $4 mill for WALKING. I just dont believe it. It may be true. But it makes no sense. So I dont believe it. re Peralta: (nate) I believe Peralta is actually performing close to what his true talent levels say in the results he has been posting. He is a borderline #2 and will more than likely settle in as a #3 type starter going forward so around a 3.50 - 3.75 ERA. I dont think that our starters should be labeled at their peak / no improvement left in year 2 of their journey.

Have warm ups started? Pre-game show? Seriously, I am REALLY looking forward to see what Fiers does today. He could be a guy you bring up once a year for two months. Because he does seem a mystery to batters. There is too much evidence (even a great Fangraphs from a year or two ago). For some reason (the funny high front glove?) opposing batters just do not pick up the ball. Will batters eventually get used to him? That is why he should be the mystery pitcher. If you hide him in AAA for half each year, then you bring him up, the opposition will say 'oh, no, that guy who you cant see the ball is coming up'. How many Ks would Fiers get pitching in an afternoon game at Miller? ...and for this game, our right hand heavy lineup. It all seems to perfect. Now I worry.

Doug said they are very, very active putting in claims even TODAY on relievers who are on waivers. But being 2nd best record in NL (are we first now) he has little hope of any useful ones getting to him.

I was looking at contracts last night in Cotts. I just think Doug should just write a check for $1 mill and give it to Lucroy today - no strings attached.

If ARAM chooses not to come back, he loses $14 mill salary. So, if he thinks he can get a 4 year x 40 mill contact on the market that makes sense - maybe. That means he is happy to play years 2,3,4 for $8.7 mill a year. And there is no way the Brewers decline their side of the $14 mill option (and pay out $4). So, in effect, the Brewers are paying $10 mill (on top of guaranteed) for ARAM for next year. So, again, as you say nate, if ARAM declined, the Crew would offer him QO. And then the other teams would balk at giving him a good pay, because they lose the draft pick. ARAM will be our 3rd baseman next year. I am sure (famous last words).

well they were very clear it is not torn, damaged, at all - just 'weak'; mind you, my son was diagnosed with a weak ulnar, and eventually just gave up putting up with it... and got the Tommy John

My eye says this will be the easiest off season Doug has had... except for the back of the bullpen. We are not going to pay Frankie $10 mill, I hope. So I think he will be gone. You let Morris / Clark battle for the left side of first base platoon. Overbay retires gracefully. Reynolds you keep. You let Weeks go, of course, and save $10 mill You non tender Estrada, and save around $5 mill. You look for that right hand / or swich utility infielder to platoon a bit with Scooter. You keep Parra - he is likely the best 4th outfielder in the league. I guess you wait for the 'unloved' in free agency. Hart on a non guaranteed contract. The utility guy mentioned above. Smith and Thornburg and one of Fiers/Nelson need to be in the pen. 2016 will be the interesting year where we roll over our starters. I guess Lohse and Gallardo will be gone. Depending upon how YoGa finishes this year, you may not even think he is worth the 13 mill option for 2015. And ARAM is gone after 2015. Arcia, of course, is at least two years away. Jean will be the man for at least two more years. That 'good D' 'poor bat, 8 hole.. shortstop. At league min, that is ok. My feeling is the 2015 team will actually be a tad better... just young guys improving and some money saved. To be honest, Doug has set up the contracts well. 2015 will good (like 2014). 2016 will be very interesting. If OUR young guys and our minors do as we hope, then great. But if our minors and young guys are really just back end starters, and the odd bullpen guys, and the odd reserve outfielder... then 2016+ will be sad. 2015 will be good. Just for fun, 2016 looks like this... Garza, Peralta, Smith, Nelson, Fiers for starters. Maybe that is good? Infield we look for a new 1st baseman and third baseman. Without looking, I think Gomez and Lucroy may be gone after 2016. Ouch. And Garza will be gone. So if you want to really panic. Leave it for 2017!

Can we just change Mike's name to Rodney Dangerfield?

Some umpires do like to entertain the home crowd and send them home happy.

My view of Matt Clark is to think that maybe we can have an average 1st baseman (at least vs righties) at league min for a couple of years. It appears for 2015 if you replace Overbay with the better spring training performance of Morris and Clark, then you have improved the team at less cost. Kind of like I guess replacing Estrada with Fiers improves the team a bit and costs less. You just do that in as many places as you can. Heck, you can replace Weeks with a right hand infielder who is better at less cost... again.

Matt Clark

Somebody help me out on Matt Clark. I have no idea, but his recent hot streak has me look at his history. EVERY year in the MID .850s OPS with mid 20s homers. Will we see a Clark vs Morris battle in spring training for the left hand side of first base next year? I assume 26/27 year olds in the minors will not be hall of famers in the majors. But, honestly, Clark must go to sleep each night saying 'just OPS at .850 every level and hit 25 home runs... and there is a spot for me, somewhere'

brewcrewdue80, good level headed thinking Wthout looking it up... I 'think' Scooters numbers vs RHP in the majors is better than the minors. So I also think he could improve from his minors .650 OPS v lefties. Also, it is just so simple to have that right hand hitting utility fielder for next year to cover for Scooter. And without Rickie's 10 mill contract, that money can be used for something nice, hey. Imagine adding one more good, good bat to the line up.

I think we need to put this to bed. Was Braun terrible fielding or throwing at 3rd? It should be find-out-able.

Should we be thinking of Fiers or Nelson as the missing 8th inning guy. To me it does not matter which starts and which pitches the 8th.

AMEN to that. He needs a light spring training. Then a couple of DLs in the year for rest. And I even guess a few days prior and after AS break. That is only minus 30 games. So, I want 130 games with Braun fresh. I dont like seeing 150 with him beat up.

Is it 42.5?

I meant to add Hermida as well. He is (was?) clearly a MLB player. Maybe not full time, but certainly useful part time or pinch hitter.

I very much agree with this ^^^^^. The guys who can contribute at MLB level (in any form) are clearly: Gindl, Schaffer, Wooten, Figaro, Wang And I guess you get Falu with a 40 man free up somehow. And Wiesenburger as the emergency catch.

quote "had his BABIP not been around .200 for about half his PA's, his numbers would look a lot differently" If you hit most of your BIP as slow hoppers to the shortstop, that is exactly what I would expect for a BABIP Most sabr guys actually dont realise that a line drive and pop up and ground ball are NOT the same event... a BIP