MadThinker88

Might as well get this thread rolling. I spent time reviewing a list for CLE & I noticed the MKE list was already posted. Figured others would be interested.. If I find others today I will update/ edit this posting. Prospects Worldwide (free/ open source material) https://prospectsworldwide.com/2020/10/20/brewers-2020-top-20-prospects/ Edit to add: Prospect361 (free/ open source material) https://prospect361.com/nl-team-prospects/milwaukee-brewers/#Kelly

The count for Low A is off.... only 28 teams accounted for & there are 30 organizations in MLB Thanks for staying up on this stuff & reporting updates LincolnDD!

I think it is more the opposite, when teams know a player is going to be cut loose they don't want to be giving away talent to acquire someone who they may be able to get for nothing in the near future. The Indians are some sort of machine when it comes to developing pitching they've traded away really good starting pitchers and it hasn't hurt them a bit due to their depth. I think placing Hand on waivers has everything to do with how successful they have been in developing pitching talent that their bullpen is already deep with Karinchak, Wittgren, Cal Quantrill, Cimber, Cam Hill. So deep in fact that they are better off reallocating that 10 million dollars elsewhere than they would have been keeping an all star closer. I think its more likely everyone is cutting $$$. By waiving Hand (horrible optics to the local fanbase BTW) the Tribe saves $9M (or $10M if someone claims Hand) to be reallocated to other roster spots or reduce the financial burden on the 2021 season. Tribe did not want to take chance of picking up option & finding no trade partner.. I fully expect Tribe to non-tender a few players that some will be surprised at: namely Adam Cimber & Delino DeShields Jr. Others like Nick Wittgren, Tyler Naquin, Austin Hedges, Adam Plutko might also get cut.. The Tribe has built up some depth at a few spots in the minors & they could well be turning more spots over to those prospects to start finding out who is ready & excels & who isn't in plans beyond 2021... Bullpen arms ready for opportunity (not on 40 man or due roster protection yet): Nick Sandlin (another side-armer, hence adios to Cimber), Robert Broom. Coming back from suspended list: Emmanuel Clase Coming back from injured list: Jefry Rodrguez FYI - The Tribe has had its top prospect Nolan Jones learning to play OF at the Alternate training site this summer & during the Arizona Instructional League

The odds are actually lower than that....

LincolnDD - I appreciate your attempt & I see it as a better possibility that the one over on TalkingNats.. I can't wrap my head around a demotion of Akron from AA & setting up fight between Akron & Lake County on which replaces Lynchburg in the High-A ranks. If the facilities at Lake County are lacking, why would the Tribe have it as the alternate site this summer? You go a different direction & add 20 minutes to your travel & your at Canal Park (the Akron site)..

Considering the current CBA expires after the 2021 season & the amount of bad blood between the sides, I suspect the start of the 2022 season will be delayed in some manner..

Ding Ding Ding Winner Winner Chicken Dinner.. The fact Clevinger was already arb 1 this season & looking at a pay increase as arb 2 started the process. Clevinger's actions in Chicago just greased the skids out of town... I doubt Zach Plesac gets dealt this off season... Money already scheduled to come off the books (beyond not having to pay Clevinger now: Carlos Santana 17.5M team option (wont be picked up), Brad Hand 10M team option (unlikely to be picked up), Cesar Hernandez (6.5M this season, FA after season)

Doesn't seem possible to do this in the Midwest without significant shuffling of teams/levels. I guess the White Sox would be the model here, with three of the four top affiliates relatively close to each other in North Carolina, even if they're not particularly close to Illinois. Think Cleveland - AAA Columbus, OH; AA - Akron, OH, High A - Lynchburg VA, Full Season A - Lake County/ Painesville, OH Lynchburg it the furthest travel from Progressive Field, just under 500 miles/ 7.5 hours of a drive

It's Bieber Day.. So I give you some images.. See everyone back in Cleveland again next Sept..

As the boards Tribe fan I feel I have to chime in. While I am not thrilled with the return for the Tribe there are some points to consider: Hand has a team option for 2021... If Tribe does not pick it up, another bullpen arm is needed. Enter Cal Q to go along with the return of Clase.. Check, check. ----------------------------------- Carlos Santana has a team option for 2021.... If Tribe does not pick it up or figure way to retain Carlos at reduced cost, option at 1B is needed. Option 1: Bobby Bradley. He makes Jesus Aquilar look like Rod Carew (selective at the plate & good batting average).. Next. Option 2: Jake Bauers. Looks the part, has yet to perform consistently. Next.. Enter Josh Naylor. We shall see & he MIGHT help out in OF this season. Point to remember: Josh's younger brother was Round 1 pick by Tribe in 2018 (Bo Naylor). Added bonus - it gets Domingo Santana off the team & out of the Outfield. Both are pluses. ------------------------------------ Sandy Leon has real limited offensive potential and D while nice is not on par with Roberto Perez. He is also a FA after the season. Best Tribe C prospect is Bo Naylor & he would have been at High A in 2020. Backup / bridge C needed. Enter Austin Hedges. Check. ---------------------------------- 3 more good prospects (a SS, a MIF & a LHP) & none are due for Rule 5 until Dec 2021. These guys could free up other Tribe prospects for deals after the season to get needed pieces. ---------------------------------- Even without Clevinger the Tribe is in good shape to make 2020 playoffs. This deal started to address needs now & for next few years. While many will dislike the comparison, following the St. Louis Cardinal method & applying it in the AL Central is not a bad route to go..

Adding some perspective/ cold water on the idea of the Dodgers (& more importantly Gavin Lux): This past off season the Indians had targeted Lux as a return for piece for Lindor... The Dodgers reported would only move Lux & a minor piece for a return package of Lindor AND Clevinger. Obviously the Tribe said no way... I don't believe the Dodgers have now soured on Lux to the point they would send Lux plus for Hader...

I don't think Royce Lewis is very good..... More hype then actual talent.. Proceed with caution. https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=lewis-002roy Kirilloff & Kepler... now those are some talented players...

From Tribe perspective: no chance.. Espino & Valera represent main pieces to the team as early as 2022 when club transitions from Lindor/ Clevinger/ & others (Carlos Santana & Brad Hand have options fro 2021)... Someone else brought up Nolan Jones as a trade target in a package for Hader... I can see the interest but don't get fooled into thinking Jones is blocked by JRam.. Many moving pieces that could result Jones in CLE this year of next: Cesar H not retained ..... JRam to 2B, Jones at 3B CSantana option not picked up & he departs ..... JRam remains at 3B, Jones/ Jake Bauers/ Bobby Bradley fight it out for 1B OF continues to be hockey line changes ..... Jones follows Lonnie Chisenhall path out to corner OF to hopefully lock a spot

It didnt pass trade simulator on baseball trade values Minor overpay Although one side of this trade is giving up a little too much, there is still a high probability it would be accepted if each team’s needs are met. Brewers get: Name Position MTV ($Ms) Chavis 1B 19.5 Dalbec 3B 19.7 39.20 41.30 2.10 Red Sox get: Name Position MTV ($Ms) Contreras C 20.6 Davidson LHP 13.7 Toussaint SP 8 42.30 39.20 -3.10 Braves get: Name Position MTV ($Ms) Hader LHRP 41.3 41.30 42.30 1.00

I feel its getting rather clear that Freddy is better suited for pitching in relief....

Tribe has mined more than just those 3 from the 2016.. Nolan Jones was taken as a Comp balance pick 2016 draft.. Tribe has also traded for a couple of others already on the 40 man from the 2016 draft (LHP Scott Moss by Reds & OF Daniel Johnson by Washington).. Yes both sides (scouting & coaching) need to work in concert to produce talent for the major league club

That’s the most difficult thing we won’t ever fully know. Let’s use 2016 4th round pick Shane Bieber as an example. Would Bieber be the pitcher he is right now if he hadn’t come through the Indians system? It would be fascinating if we were able to know how his development would’ve played out differently in other systems. Not entirely sure which Spring Training this was (either 2017 or 2018) but those guys are watching Kluber on one of the backfields.. Obviously watching is not all it takes (as we see Brady Aiken among the group pictured). BTW- that is Aaron Civale sitting in front of Justin Garza (#50)

Just so we are on the same page, the Rochester with a AAA team is in Rochester, NEW YORK, not Rochester, MINN...

Living in Minnesota, it took me a bit to figure out that you didn't list the University of Minnesota twice. ur right I should have used the proper term: Meatchicken.. or Lousy Harbaugh

Right now the conferences are looking out mainly for themselves (not a knock, just an observation). To a point I understand but I also wonder practicality. Some conference are VERY spread out so keeping games "in conference" could be a problem in some cases... Nebraska either travels to or hosting Rutgers/ Maryland for example.. While tOSU no longer travels to Oregon early, it also loses an in state opponent in Bowling Green. Florida loses in state opponent in Florida State... Meanwhile the ACC is trying to assist ND in putting a schedule back together..... Wouldn't it make more sense to keep ND in the Midwest playing a schedule of tOSU, scUM, MSU, Purdue, Indiana, NW, PSU, Minn & Wisc??

Going over the Tribe 2021 schedule I was surprised by a few things.. Yes- another year with AL vs NL Central... Strange but ok Tribe hosts MKE for another weekend series in Sept... Again strange but ok. Tribe back to a 6 game set with Cinci.. Tribe actually plays both Home & Home weekend sets B4 seeing another NL Central foe in a game. Tribe gets another 4 game split-set with ChiCubs & the other 4 game split-set is with the Cardinals.. To balance the hosting of MKE, Tribe travels to Pitts for a weekend set.. Ok..... this is just strange....

As far as the “rivalry” inter-league games go, I was surprised the Indians and Reds don’t play twice, and instead the Indians play the Pirates twice while the Tigers play the Reds twice. I thought it would be the other way around. I agree. For years the natural rival for CLE was CIN, but I have to admit there is a ton of hate between CLE & PIT.. Tribe still plays a home & home with Cin & ChiCubs.. Now Detroit gets CIN for 6 instead of PIT.. I dont know.. Perhaps it was a way to reduce some travel..

Requesting Carolina to AA seems plausible, like the Mets want to do in Brooklyn. That's the kind of stuff I expect to see. Carolina to AA only makes sense with a lot of other realignment.. Brooklyn does make sense to AA as Eastern league might be dropping Erie, Pa & Binghamton, NY

Kinda surprised the Brewers travel to CLE & not the other way.. Tribe plays 7 of 10 at Minnesota. A stop of in MKE would make some sense on 1 of those trips, especially since Tribe hosts KC & ChiSox for 7 of 10 each. Tribe splits 4 with Cinci & ChiCubs but gets 6 vs Pitts and 3 in St. Louis...

I understood that all the teams had to have their lists into the league office on Sunday afternoon. I wonder why most other team have their lists in (& announced) but the Brewers do not..