billymac

My offseason for the Brewers would be: Free Agent Signings: Alex Avila - 2 year deal to platoon with Pina Lance Lynn or Tyler Chatwood - 3/4 year deal Pat Neshek - 2 year deal Tony Watson or Jake McGee - 2 year deal Trade For: 2B - Cesar Henandez SP - Danny Duffy Trading: Villar 1 OF of Broxton, Phillips, Santana Lineup of Hernandez - 2B Santana - RF Shaw - 3B Braun - LF Thames/Aguilar - 1B Brinson/Broxton/Phillips - CF Pina/Avila - C Arcia - SS SP Anderson Duffy Lynn or Chatwood Davies Woodruff (*Nelson when he's healthy) RP Knebel Neshek Watson or McGee Guerra Hader T. Williams Suter Barnes

+1 lots of incentives in a 4 year deal

My thinking is they want a starting pitcher at least. Two of their starters were so bad, Matt Garza would be a huge improvement. This does open the door to a Guerra/Wilkerson package, IMO. The Crew could take on all salary, and thus get Gordon without giving up a big prospect. Part of me is tempted to go big, offer Woodruff/Jungmann/Thames for Gordon (at full salary), Justin Bour, a top 30 prospect or two as well (say Albert Guaimaro and Trevor Richards). I would love to have Justin Bour if we could trade Thames for pitching but David Stearns doesn't seem like a guy who gives up assets for 1B. I'd rather have Cesar Hernandez at 2B though instead of Dee Gordon. Sign Avila at C for 2 years to platoon with Manny. 1. Hernandez 2B 2. Domingo RF 3.Shaw 3B 4.Braun LF 5. Bour 1B 6. Brinson/Broxton CF 7. Pina/Avila C 8. Arcia SS Pretty good lineup

29 is young? It's young enough for a guy that is known to be good. I'll wait for your 2 page post about the prime of pitchers, but if his elbow holds up, having him until age 33 isn't terrible. Back to the original point, it's a transaction board, but it is a bit of a tired trend. "Team A wants to rebuild, maybe they want to shed salary and give us their All Star caliber player for cheap spare parts." This one didn't use "shed salary" but if they're rebuilding, Villar and Broxton don't do a ton for them. If they're trading Duffy, it's for guys that won't hit the majors until 2019/2020 and it's for stud prospects. Most owners will ride their high payroll into the ground rather than just give guys with a high salary away. The Tigers waited it out with Verlander and got something substantial. If it doesn't work out, the rebuilding teams will just sit on the salaries because they won't be active in free agency so in 1-2 years their payroll will be 2017 Brewers-esque and almost clean as a whistle. Anyways, not shooting the messenger as I've posted dumb trade ideas as well, but salary dumps are few-and-far-between unless an owner is in financial trouble or some crazy situation like the BoSox/Dodgers deal several years ago. I wouldn't consider Villar and Broxton spare parts. Villar produced 3.1 WAR in 2016, arguably our teams MVP in 2016 at SS and is controllable for the next 3 years. Broxton produced 2.1 WAR in 2016 and is controllable through 2022 and had a very good second half in 2016 that showed what he is capable of. The Royals traded Wade Davis to the Cubs for Jorge Soler who produced .6 WAR in 2016 in a half a season and Dayton Moore said that he was interested in more controllable pieces in trades knowing he might lose half his team after this season. All I'm saying with this proposal is that they are possibly losing alot of core players this offseason. If they want look at the 2016 versions of both of these guys who could fill their CF and SS void, it could pique their interest. I wouldn't expect them to give Duffy away for these two which I never said, we would need to throw in some other pieces and I'd assume one of our top minor arms would be going with. If they Royals do decide to go the young and controllable route, Danny Duffy would be just like Chris Sale and Quintana were to the White Sox last year, a good trade chip to bolster their young team. If Duffy's surgery didn't cure the loose bodies in his elbow, then he would be a terrible investment, but if it does, I'd be all for acquiring him.

They had a 2017 payroll of 149M and will be losing most of their core to Free agency, losing the following players: Melky Cabrera Jason Vargas Alcides Escobar Lorenzo Cain Mike Moustakas Eric Hosmer Trevor Cahill Even after possibly losing all these players to free agency, they will have a committed payroll of 100M for 2018. If they do decide to tear it down and look for cheap controllable talent, a target that I'd be interested in is Danny Duffy. He's controlled through 2021 and could be a top lefty for the Brewers rotation. He's pitched very good the last 2 seasons since joining their rotation producing FIP's of 3.51 and 3.81 and WAR of 2.7 and 3.4. He is owed about $15M/year through 2021. We do have controllable pieces that could interest them in the OF and Inf as they lose most of their core players in Villar who could play SS for them and Broxton/Santana. We also have the farm system to add lower level pieces to a possible trade. Another piece that would fit wonderfully at the top of the order and at 2B is Whit Merrifield, but I don't think he'd be going anywhere.

Do they actually sell Usingers at Miller Park? As far as I know, all of their sausages are Klements. They put them right into the hot dog water after each race. My bad, Usingers/Klements, both the same in my mind. Johnsonville guy all the way.

I enjoy food a lot and I have to admit, it was a challenge finding something that sounded good at the ballpark this year. I don’t care for Usingers which eliminates the sausages, they can’t make tacos or Ajs burgers without onions, usually went with bbq pork for $13 and still hungry. Had cheese fries a lot too, same issues with the wife, nothing ever sounded good. Lines most of the time were terrible.

We've had some good success with acquiring blocked talent the past two years in Villar, Broxton and I'd categorize Shaw in there as well. 1B/OF Another talent out there is Christian Walker(1B) from the Diamondbacks, blocked by Goldschmidt. 26 years old can play 1B and both Corner OF positions Slash line in AAA this year is 309/382/597 with a wRC+ of 147, 10.3% BB Rate, 17.6% K Rate so he's not a swing and miss guy and hit 32HR's and 61BB's in 514 AB's. I know we have Jesus Aguilar, but Aguilar's stats in AAA in 2016 were 247/319/471, wRC+ of 125, 9.2% BB Rate, 19% K Rate. Jesus is only able to play 1B though and would provide more flexibility on defense. 2B/OF Tony Kemp from the Astros Blocked by Altuve. In AAA this year at 25 years old, 329/375/470 and a wRC+ of 121. He doesn't walk or strikeout much with K and BB rates below 8%. Played all the OF positions in 2017 and 2B in 2016. Might be two guys on the 40 man bubble coming this winter that could help our club next year even though they haven't played in the majors yet that would cost lower level prospects in return.

I mentioned it before in the Dee Gordon thread that he would be a great target this offseason, but looking at their depth chart, they have young talent in pretty much every skill position that they likely wouldn't trade for over. Their pitching is what they would need at the MLB level and I don't think we can help them or want to help them there. If they look for a package of some prospects(or interested in Villar or Perez and prospects), I'd do that and would help bridge the gap for a possible Dubon/Huira takeover in a couple years. He would be a very good switching hitting, on base, very good defensive pickup.

I'd steer clear of Dee Gordon just because of the previous PED suspension. I would like to see Cesar Hernandez from the Phillies at 2b. He is arb eligible in 2018 and free agent in 2021. Phillies have their 3rd ranked prospect, Scott Kingery, who plays 2B raking at AAA this past year. If the Phillies don't want to pay him and play the young guys, I'd love to acquire him. Would be a great lead off man and take over 2B. Hernandez slash line in 2017 was 294/373/421 and produced 3.3 WAR, 112 OPS+ Plays 2B, 3B and CF, switch hitter and its the prototypical David Stearns guy

I actually just read something on this, did they change it and the all star game doesn't decide home field advantage for NL/AL world series anymore? I read that their magic number is 3 to clinch home field advantage for the world series, if it changed...when did that happen? Yes, this started last season. HFA goes to best record, so they are still competing with the Indians and Astros. Indians and Astros still separated by 1 game, but 3 games back of Dodgers for WS home field Hoping the Astros and Indians keep winning and the Crew takes care of their business

I think you deserve the opportunity, what is your 3 day and 2018 plan?

I'd be fine with it if it's for salary relief and our real target is one of their pitchers that's included(Seth Lugo, Addison Reed, etc)

Granderson for salary relief, include Seth Lugo(free agent in 2023) Brinson and Granderson can semi platoon in CF(Curtis is posting a 101 OPS+ this year)

You have no idea what the market is like, you need to stick to the pessimism threads I don't agree with a rental reliever at this point, but I trust in David Stearns who flipped our 40 man into a contender half way through the season in one year

Manaea and Lowrie(Owed about $9M more over the next 2 years) for: Brinson Ortiz Villar Harrison Starting Rotation of: Nelson Manaea Anderson Suter Davies Lowrie to bridge the gap until Dubon/I. Diaz make it to the big leagues. Beane would be able to shed his highest salary as Jed makes over 7% of the teams salary the next 2 years. Lowrie has history with Stearns in Houston.

He was very good in Washington but hasn't been good the last 2 years in Detroit. Perhaps a change of scenery? He has a full no trade from 2016-2018, but he's from Wisconsin. He's owed $74 for 2018-2020 and about $9 more this year.

Why would he be Why would Billy Beane trade Josh Donaldson after an MVP season before he hit his arbitration years? Never know what their front office will do.

I mentioned it somewhere else, but Sean Manaea is much more valuable than Sonny Gray, I'd be all over Billy Beane/Forst on him. You never know what the Oakland Management is willing to do. Gray: 5'10" 190 Righty, FA in 2020, 2017 8.4K/9, FIP 3.42 Manaea: 6'5" 245 Lefty, FA in 2023, 2017 9.1K/9 , FIP 3.41 I'd happily give away Brinson, a top pitching prospect and a couple other prospects. We would still have a solid farm system and a very good MLB club/Pitching Staff(Manaea, Nelson, Anderson,Davies) that is mostly controlled through 2022. Would not want to give away Brinson for Gray. A lefty starter would be great for Miller Park and to have him for the next 5+ years as a top of the rotation guy

It appears that the Tigers have not-great OF depth in their organization. The current stats bear it out; it's mentioned in Detroit-centric sports columns. Additionally, Justin Upton has an opt-out clause in his contract after the 2017 season, which could be exercised if he turns it up the rest of the season and thinks he can be an attractive free agent. That would make Brinson a key piece in any potential trade with Detroit. I'd suggest that any trade for Fulmer would involve several OF prospects. Additionally, the Tigers trading away a young starting pitcher would hurt their pitching rotation. I'd expect they would have interest in a young major league starter or a near major-league ready starter. The Tigers infield is also aging with Kinsler at 2B and Romine playing UT. So a major league or near major-league ready infielder might be sought. So throwing that all together, I'd think we'd be looking at something like this: Fulmer = Brinson, Phillips, Dubon/Villar, and Davies/Woodruff. MLB trade rumors said Detroit wanted both Baez and Happ from the Cubs for Fulmer. Would a package with Brinson/Villar get it done? I'd do that in a heart beat

That is not a rental. Pretty soon guys with 5 year contracts will be rentals too under that belief. Meh, 1 year and 2 months I'd consider a rental based on the Brewers front office "young and controllable talent" philosophy. That's not even close to 5 years by this belief, its a 3.8 years difference. To my knowledge under Stearns, they haven't acquired anyone with under 5 years of control other than Thames.

Both guys are free agents in 2019. While they'd both be nice to have, they would both be considered "rentals" which David Stearns has said to be avoiding

Seems to be how all Stearns moves are

Trying to showcase Phillips by bringing him up?

This guy is a parody account, not a reliable source at all for anything other than humor