tmwiese55

Just browsing SP free agents for next year that would kind of fall in the Lohse/Garza mold. Assuming we fall off this year but in the offseason think our O is good but need pitching. There really isn't a lot of options like that. Maybe Cobb from Tampa, but I'd think he's view more highly than Lohse/Garza were and gets a significantly bigger contract. Maybe Lance Lynn or Jaime Garcia are ones I'd be worried about.

For all of our 'traded the farm' moves in 2011 that people point out as hurting our future. Do you really think our situation would be different if we had Cain and Odorizzi right now? Escobar is just blah. And where was Cain going to get PT for us? Odorizzi is a solid mid level pitcher, but nothing game changing for us. The go for it trades weren't the problem, they actually did well in the trades. It was a completely horrible run of draft/development that led to the situation they were in to not replenish the team. They basically haven't hit on a 1st round pick since Braun, good luck competing as a small market like that. Note, Odorizzi was a 1st a couple years later though that would've contributed. Also have to remember that going into 2012 and 2013 Braun was still MVP Braun without significant injury flags yet and they didn't know the suspension was coming. Hindsight the Braun injury/suspension should have been the teardown moment. But in spite of them not you can't forget that without just a historic collapse in September they would've won another division a couple years ago. The team they built that year was good enough to do it, but had whatever locker room BS that caused that collapse. Note: I'm not saying good enough that they were some favorite or no doubt division winner, just that they were good enough to pull off a division win as evidenced by leading like 85% of the season.

As sad as it is to say the Cardinals are the closest model we can go after. Continually draft late in draft yet continue to pull producers out of their system who contribute. Of course they have more ability to resign guys than we do but that's the nature of being the smallest market. It's a closer comp than NYK, BOS, CHC, etc.

Yup, that's what they've been putting out there on TV the last few games.

Haven't they been showing the numbers the last few days that the offense was scoring 1 run less per game with Braun out? They were still doing well and team was winning but that's still a big difference. Maybe I misheard it but that's what I thought those numbers were showing. Regardless, with some others cooling and coming back to Earth it would be nice to get normal Braun in there now to get the offense going again. Last night was right there if he was on his game, multiple opportunities for him to win that game for us.

Braun came up gimpy after running hard to first yesterday. Had to be the bullet he hit to 1B in the first as that was I think the only AB he had to run hard on. ETA: I don't remember for sure if that was first inning. Thames was on first though and 1 out. Would've had 2nd and 3rd with one out or scored Thames. Pretty sure it was no score at the time too so game could've gone way different if he doesn't hit it right off the defenders chest. Of course most of his ABs could've swung the game yesterday.

If somehow we're in it at the end of the year and everyone is healthy. You simply just give Perez more and more of Arcia's ABs rather than acquire someone like Cozart. I mean if they give him to you for nothing, fine whatever but no way you'd give up anything of substance when you have a good 'win now' replacement on the team already. Heck, I'd also add that I think it's more likely we're contending than it as Cozart maintains what he's doing now. He's likely to have a massive correction coming soon.

I didn't know Archer had that much time left. Could be another guy in consideration due to that. In this scenario you're talking, why not just get him instead of both and not give up as much in prospects.

Agreed. Might think people wouldn't really be calling them for moves like that if they're 'in it' but yea that would be interesting. Thinking about Thames and Broxton specifically is kind of interesting in itself. Can see the argument to trade Thames since he's older, can move Shaw to 1B and play Perez at 3B and probably not lose tooo much, assuming Thames levels off as a good solid hitter rather than the monster he's been. If Brinson is still doing well there's a good chance you could flip Broxton and again not lose tooo much, it's risky but you might even come out ahead. If there is a guy of ours that I still think might be a fluke it's Broxton due to the massive cold spells we've seen, and I read some article a few days ago about some of his advanced stats making this hot streak seem fluky. So could be a good guy to sell high on. Let's just say if they continue playing well and winning it's a very good thing overall for the team and I really can't see them making any big home run swing go for it trades, they see the big picture.

Yup, I bet he did. There's a difference between just riding status quo and trading to go for it. That kind of middle ground is where I think that's the route they go in this situation. First, there's probably not a deal there fro Braun. Second, even if Garza maintains being solid. you're still probably not getting anything of major significance for him. So if they're still winning, kind of shrug your shoulders and say F it, if they can pull it out and make it great. If not, so be it. All the remaining guys are young/controllable so no rush to trade now. ETA: I don't recall the exact Houston results that year so I might have misunderstood Jericho. But same thoughts remain regarding MKE right now.

I'd agree they'd probably financially come out ahead overall by trading him. Depends what value they put on the environment not being so empty and thus a better experience overall for fans. I'd also agree his personal merch is probably insignificant at this point. But just in general with less attendance due to being a worse team comes less concessions and less overall merch, whatever it is that they buy. If they go pure dollars and cents they do what they can to move him, but if they're forced to take back dead weight type contracts to balance (like is often proposed) then maybe you don't come out ahead as much as you would just keeping and having a better team.

Very good post TPlush. I can't believe the contingency on here who acted like going for it in those years was wrong and like those go for it trades of Greinke and Marcum. Who more or less act like we should've kept trading for the future. They were up 1-0 in the NLCS with home field there and in WS with a team that was really good at home. They built a team that easily could've won the WS that year. Barring a bullpen collapse 2012 would've been darn good chance too. I can see they argument they could've started rebuild in 2013 instead but really you're nitpicking at that point and they did think future and traded Greinke. Keep in mind that was also before Braun suspension and injuries started.

Which is why he might argue against selling at the deadline especially after a hot start, and especially if that means trading Braun which cuts into not only ticket sales but merchandise sales Why do people assume that a player being traded or lost to free agency will effect ticket sales? The stuff I have read is that fans care much, much more about a winning team versus specific players. If the team is winning they will find new players to like. If the Brewers are in the thick of the wildcard at the end of July, and we were to trade Braun for a proven reliever, plus get a prospect or two for down the road, and bring up Brinson, I don't think ticket sales are going to drop an iota. I'd say it isn't so much that people are saying "I'm going to see Braun or X player". It's more that if you trade your best hitter it just makes your team worse, if the team is worse less people come out. And second, it's telling everyone you're not trying to win right now which again generally turns some fans off in the time being. Yea knowledgeable fans will be fine with it as they see the big picture, but still might hold off on actually going to games. I know it does for me.

Yea that all makes sense. But again, we don't 'know' that, it's just speculation and who knows how much gray area he left to it all. He could've easily said essentially that as his preference, but present him with the scenarios and he'll decide at the time since things can change. More lingering injuries like he's having could make him come around to AL, if the team was playing terrible could make him open to something else, if the team he'd be going to is a clear cut title fave or contender, etc.

That would be the assumption but what do we really know, we don't know him. Maybe in their talks he said he's open to consider anything and reserves the right to say No later when the situation is presented to him. Maybe he said he'd like to get to a winner and to the AL before he's too old to be a major contributor. Jabronis like us don't really know what they've talked about. I'd think TX, NYY, and Bos would all make more sense in the offseason than at deadline though. But who knows, all have nearly unlimited budgets. TX at least plays the Angels three times a year in LA too and he knows a few guys on the team.

Quintana is a proven high quality starter over several years. Maybe not traditional Ace level like you think of a Sale, Bumgarner, etc. But the next level of guys below. To disregard him because of 7 or 8 starts is foolish, some here just have to understand sample size and overreacting to hot/cold streaks. I'm not advocating breaking the bank for him, or anything like we're at the point to make such a move, just commenting on the notion that he's not that good because he hasn't been great this year yet. Go back and look at Sabathia in 08 if you need an example or reminder to think big picture on stats.

cmon guys. He's not getting sent down anytime soon nor should he be after last season. A few more off days here and there for now to give Perez some ABs. Maybe a move lower in the lineup if things don't change in another week or two. He's earned a long leash. It's still so early that a simple stretch of 3-4 games will move his % to respectable territory. For example, last week Yasmani Grandal raised his avg from 214 to 276 in 4 games and one game was one pinch hit AB. Relax.

Interesting stacking all the lefties up there and Villar at 3 hole. We'll see what happens. Fly the L

Taylor Jungman the year before. Just recent-ish Brewer examples off the top of my head: Brady Clark, Podsednik, McGehee. Stuff like this happens all over baseball all the time, maybe not hitting .600 for a week but you know what I mean...

Agree, just give him PT over Villar and Arcia right now until he comes back to reality.

Yea Broxton and Santana will still get normal days off like anyone else. I guess what I mean is that for a stretch there when they were struggling it really seemed like we had no idea who would be out there on any given day. Whereas now they've recovered so let's just give them normal starter PT and see what happens. Basically, instead of starting say 7 or 8 out of 10 games like before, 9 out of 10 now like a normal starter. But I'm also not going to get worked up about it either way since Perez is earning ABs, so it is what it is. Please no Franklin/Sogard playing over those guys though.

I don't know, I'm kinda ok with talk like that. It's not true at all, and is definitely mostly garbage but it does help give an explanation to the casual fans. The casual fan loves to think his team wants it more and is full of born winners that just get the jobs done. They don't want to hear a bunch of stats they've never heard of. With local sports talk radio, why not simplify things a bit so maybe more casual fans come out and enjoy a game? Even if it's not really true. It may not be true and it is certainly not sufficient, but it is completely necessary. True, it's all in good fun. One thing in this realm in baseball that I think does have some merit relates to players after they get their massive payday and then start to regress, which happens often. You don't wanna say they don't want it as much, don't try etc. But isn't it a bit natural to knock work quite as hard afterwards? Not that they're not giving their all on the field, but the offseason work, film work, cagework etc. You worked your whole life for that payday, made it usually through 7-10 years of grinding minors and making it through arbitration low pay. You finally got it, I'm sure some take a breath at that point. However, in baseball many get this payday at an age when regression is about to hit anyway so it's tough to really put too much stock in it. Sorry for rambling, it's just something that's popped into my head a lot over the last 15ish years watching so many players who go to the Yanks for the payday and this happens, but of course you see elsewhere as well. As it relates to this discussion. Brewers have a team outside of 2 guys who really haven't made big time significant life changer money yet. There's no bigger motivator than the almighty dollar. Of course working as hard as you can and trying best doesn't matter if you don't actually have skill. But that motivation can certainly help you get all you can out of what you do have for talent. Of course the fallacy of this is simply to say, why not play all young guys who still need to get paid and that there's been plenty of unpaid teams over the years that aren't good, take the Padres today for example. Which is how we end up back at it all being about actual baseball, not stuff like this. Excited for this weekend. Cubs just swept Reds putting up 9, 7, 9 in runs. Might be breaking out of their shell. Really hope to get 2/3 from them and to get normal games played without rain stoppages making weird games (I haven't looked at Chicago specifically, just with what I see predicted for Madison I expect something hitting them too)

I can't believe this little bugger. 12 or 13 pitch at bat and comes through again. crazy. I bet you can get like 50000 to 1 odds on him for MVP

They said at the beginning it would be a minimum stint only. And I seem to recall them saying it again in the last few days during a game. Of course that can change, but that's what they said so far to the best of my knowledge.

Agree with Monty. Once everyone is healthy again Braun, Broxton, Santana, Thames, Shaw should be more or less set in the lineup every day. If we're continuing to win you can get most of Perez's ABs from SS/2B. And some for Braun's rest days, but most of those should probably go to Jesus' until he cools down. Can maybe get Perez in vs lefties for Shaw too I suppose and whenever there's a lingering injury for someone. Basically, I have a lot of trust in all those guys right now. I still think Villar ends up fine but right now he does look way off in his approach vs last year so there is some coaching needed beyond just letting play through it. Side note question to those more knowledgeable than me, how do you consider Perez to be as a defensive SS? I don't recall.