MadThinker88

I'll take the Angels side on this one. Trust me, the cost is greater then you realize. For the best player in baseball, I need someone that is at least in the CURRENT top 10. Absent that the package must be overwhelming as most fans will crucify the Angels FO for moving Trout away. At this time, the Brewers do not have a player that is top 10 in all of baseball. That means a massive package of talents. Current and future talents. If you don't want me to hang up on you, I need the following players (non negotiable): Villar, Arcia, Hader & Nelson. I also need 3 of the following group: Jorge Lopez, Ryan Braun, Thornburg, Brinson, I. Diaz, any pick Brewers might get in competitive balance lottery this year (if no pick received, this option unable to be used). I'll be nice enough to let you choose the 3 from that group but those names/ picks are the limit of the group.

Ross is a pitcher that EVERY OTHER MLB CLUB should be calling (including the Brewers). It will be interesting which club he decides to sign with. Some clubs (Indians and Pirates for example) have good reputations of helping pitchers rehab and get their game back on track. Would not be surprised if that plays into the decision process. Don't rule out a reunion with Buddy Black as Bud helped manage Ross to his greatest successes....

Now I would think this is the best time to use the Rule 5 draft process. - The Brewers are not in position to challenge for division title or wild card spot in 2017. - While they have a highly regarded farm system, many of those talents are still a year or two away - 2017 will be used to sort thru various prospects to see if they have what it takes to stay in the majors I am NOT suggesting the Brewers take players just to take them. They should select intriguing talents that might address areas of need with the club (say corner INF)...

I'd rather deal Garza now then wait n hope for continued success. We have seen him succeed and struggle during his time in Milwaukee. Therer is just as much chance he will regress as continuing to be a serviceable starter. Both the Angels and Yankees ar looking for starting pitching for 2017. DS needs to figure out the best deal from those and close the deal.

well last year the twins signed Byungho Park, who is 30 too and had 2 seasons of 50+ homers in Korea only to hit 12 in his first season in the bigs. Park might not be a good comparison for this. one BIG difference is Park had never played over here before. Thames has played in MLB before. IIRC Park also suffered a leg or foot injury early in the season. Those things tend to mess up swings & power until fully healed.

The Brewers could call the Dodgers and offer Braun & enough money to pay half his remaining contract for Jose DeLeon ALONE .... and the Dodgers would decline the offer. It was announced on MLB Network radio (heard via Sirius XM while driving a rental today) that the Dodgers need to reduce their payroll to cut into the club debt (due to MLB team rules). Right now their payroll is/was over $300 Million and they are trying to get down to $200 Million. Smaller market teams don't like hearing it but there are league rules related to debt ratios for the clubs.

The DBacks already have 3 SS on their 40 man roster w/ MLB experience (beyond having Drury). I would guess one of them might move over to 2B if they don't wish to commit to Drury. If they plan to look outside the organization for other 2B options, MAYBE they would have an interest in Scooter although I doubt it with the other players on the market/ possibly available in trade from other organizations (Derek Dietrich for example). Scooter is bottom third, perhaps even in bottom 20% of all MLB 2B. Once a better 3B option is determined, Villar moves over to 2B and Scooter goes bye-bye...

one of the things I was waiting on with the winter meetings was the Competitive Balance Lottery. It would be very helpful for some clubs (like Cleveland and Milwaukee) to gain another draft pick. I'm wondering if the possible lockout on 12/1 is tied to the possible changes with the draft. Once the drawings happen, those picks are able to be traded and MLB will be committed into having that process for 2017...

Draft held at the end of the winter meetings. Only teams with open 40 man roster spots can 'draft' a player during the major league phase. then there is a AAA and AA phase, basically going thru the draft order 1 time each. Entire draft normally done in an hour to 90 minutes.

I'm hoping the Tribe pounces on this opportunity.

I agree the moves made by the Astros today likely ends the interest in getting Braun. However, I struggle with the idea of the Yankees (for Braun). The Yankees are simply getting themselves ready for Bryce Harper (Yankee fan growing up) and they have a loaded farm system ready to yield talent at multiple non-pitching positions. What they really need is pitching and if I'm the Brewers I'm trying to send them Garza (with Wisconsin product J.P. Feyereisen being a piece I want back)..

Before the Brewers spends 1 second of effort/ resources on a deal of Braun to the Astros, they need to know for certain that he would accepts a deal to go there. Otherwise they learned nothing from the Lucroy fiasco at the deadline. Deals do not come together in a single 10 minute call. They are a process. Sometimes very long and difficult. Working on a deal that gets torpedoed by a player decision is a huge waste of time/ effort/ resources. Not just for your club, but the other club as well. If the Brewers know Braun is willing to go there (having something in writing to that fact would be even better), they and the Astros can engage in full effort to try and reach a deal. A repeat of the Lucroy fiasco (deal reached, employee declines to go) would be huge egg on the face of the Brewers. One that might give the rest of baseball pause when engaging the Brewers in trade talks.

Well, I was able to locate the 2013 IBI (Indians Baseball Insider) Top 100 (Tribe) Prospect Book. His info was spelled out over 2 pages (143 & 144). He ranked #76 before the 2013 season after being #62 going into 2012. REMEMBER: This is what was written going into the 2013 season. Written by a fan that put 75 others in this 1 organization ahead of Paolo. Its the quality of this work why I enjoy the IBI site so much. Here is what was attributed to Paolo. In terms of grades (letter) for his pitching, he received: Fastball: C Movement: C- Curveball: B Changeup: B Upside: Low ML Future: Low Among the listed Strengths: - Very Versatile, can fill an unlimited number of roles - Pitches strong and tough by going right after hitters with a no fear approach - strike thrower whose success derives from his consistency in putting the ball over the plate & ability to throw his fastball or curveball in any count to keep hitters off balance. - just knows how to pitch & maximizes all his abilities Among the listed Opportunities: - Not getting any younger, turning 26 in January & has yet to even sniff an opportunity at the major league level. - has little upside if any remaining - lack of athleticism & inconsistent effort level results in some issues with him repeating his delivery (as he gets rotational in his windup), this in turn has effect on his command & his stuff flattening out & elevating itself up in the zone. - With his good curveball, he does not get as much swing and miss as would be expected because it lacks sharp break through the zone Outlook: - one of the more undervalued pitchers in the Indians organization, often considered the Rodney Dangerfield of the system because he gets no respect. - every year he goes out & performs & fills many roles on a pitching staff, but is overlooked because other pitchers that have a higher priority in the organization and is just not valued very highly in the industry. - should continue to fill a utility pitcher role this season, filling starting pitching and long relief roles at AA Akron & AAA Columbus. Could open at either destination.

I guess the mods didn't like my first reply, but this thread isn't serious. Everyone here, even Briggs who started it, understands it would never happen and its just a "for fun" thread in the dead of the offseason. With some of the other ideas that Briggs puts out there, its rough to tell the 'just conversation' from "I seriously think the club needs to do this"

Hey, I recognize that name! Espino is a former Tribe farmhand. Let me dig out some old items/ scouting reports/ books on Tribe prospects and I will share what I can.. Edit: I really need to start reading each link before I respond. I see you have the IBI write up from post 2012. I doubt I have anything after that (but I will check, in the middle of moving so I need to locate that box of items).

Pushing/ Trying to contend in 2017 (even for a wild card spot) is a HUGE mistake. A mistake that all other clubs in the NL Central (and the rest of NL for that matter) hope Milwaukee makes. Many might not like hearing it but now (and 2018) is a time for extreme patience. Taking the long view will be more beneficial for the Brewers & their fans in the long run.

Best strategy is to not even be there or in the PCL. If there, take all numbers with a grain of salt. Have the mega talents skip it entirely.

Once Spring Training begins (and by theory - once play resumes). There are no DL lists during the off season.

Very good points being made here. I would make a small adjustment to it: if a SOLID deal comes along for dealing Wily, TAKE IT!!!! This offseason the FA pitching market is quite limited so people willing to deal pitching away should get greater than normal value. If another team is looking at the 2nd half of Wily and thinking he has turned it around, they might be willing to deal for Wily now, not once he struggles again (if he struggles) during the 2017 season.

If Davis was better defensively in CF it would make some sense but he is considered below average out there. Many a game he was removed/ shifted over to LF for others in CF as a close game was closed out by Andrew Miller/ Cody Allen..

Another possible name for that Angels rejection is Derek Dietrich (Marlins). As for Scooter's defense (or lack there of depending on viewpoint), take a look at the baseball reference site and the defensive numbers listed there. Scooter does not fare well. Scooter is easily in the bottom third of all regular 2B. Some would argue he is in the bottom 20%. Regardless, he is not someone that would bring a big return by himself and would likely need to be packaged with another player to bring a return anyone would recognize.

But those numbers are growing....

Tribe nearly pulled it out.. Great series regardless..

Chisenhall is a place holder for another year or two. Bradley Zimmer and Greg Allen (thankfully not dealt as part of Lucroy package) will take over CF and RF. Brantley returns for LF. Naquin is a 4th OF (your seeing his warts now). Yandy Diaz might force himself into OF picture in 2017..

Cleveland against the World. #RollTribe