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Jopal78

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Everything posted by Jopal78

  1. Jopal78
    God, Taylor Rogers tenure with the Brewers has been a nightmare. He’s gone from a nice money multi-year deal to a “one year prove it” situation. Gasser and Ruiz better turn out or Stearns made a huge blunder
  2. Jopal78
    They got one good season out of Boxberger then another 30 games or so of exemplary pitching but its likely time to move on. The last 30 games he’s Ben baaaad.
  3. Jopal78
    It’s not this hard. No doubt, Keston brings dingers against right handed pitching. Yet there obviously is something about his game that, the undoubtedly smart baseball people running the Brewers believe, trumps the right handed dingers to such an extent they go with a different player. It’s a damn shame it’s the third week of September and no journalist has asked what that might be.
  4. Jopal78
    He's 32, and a 2.4 WAR player so far this year. He's going to double his salary at least and be looking for multiple guaranteed years. He can cite to some nice comps as well. Leury Garcia is the same age as Peterson had a 2.4 WAR season last year, then signed for 3/16.5 million Brad Miller got 2 yrs/10 million from the Rangers last winter. Jonathan Villar got 1 year 6 million from the Cubs ($4.5 guarantee and 1.5 million on a buy out of 2023 mutual option). Which coming back to Kolten Wong, is players like Brad Miller, Jonathan Villar and Leury Garcia are all getting five or six million dollars a year, maybe Wong at 8 million in 2023 isn't such a bad deal after all.
  5. Jopal78
    There is always a mathematical theory, realistically they have been two games out of a wild card spot for weeks, and have been 9-9 this month, and now every loss makes it easier for the Padres and Phillies to hang on to those wild card spots. After 147 games, this is who the '22 Brewers are. A season defining win streak is always possible, but what is most probable based on their performance this year is taking 7 or 8 out of their final 15.
  6. Jopal78
    BINGO!
  7. Jopal78
    I don't know if Wong is in a "decline phase". His defense has slipped this year, however his offense (.250/.336/.420) indicates he's still getting on base the same as he always has, and is actually hitting with more power than his career averages (.261/.334/.396). Wong's offensive performance with Milwaukee across almost 1000 plate appearances has also been consistent with a .262/.336/.435. As you allude to, it likely depends on if they think they can improve the team reallocating that 8 million dollars elsewhere. Given today's baseball economy its would certainly not buy them much. Thus, in a way it comes down to if the Brewers believe the devil they know is better than the one they don't. As for Jace Peterson, he can be viewed as an example of the small market/Tampa/Oakland team building. The Brewers acquired Peterson for nothing, he was a productive player, but is about to get significantly more expensive. The small market way is to move on from these type of acquisitions, not sink money into a player who is less of a bargain the more expensive he gets.
  8. Jopal78
    I would guess McCutchen hitting 4th is more of a byproduct of the manager preferring to order his lineup "left, right ,left right" (Yelich, Adames, Tellez, McCutchen). His numbers as the clean up batter are actually not bad: .285/.351/.434.
  9. Jopal78
    I'm not going to defend McCutchen's performance, he's been terrible. However, don't lose sight of the fact he's getting paid 8.5 million dollars. In today's baseball economy that's towards the low end for an everyday veteran free agent. He was a bargain bin free agent signing (coming off a stretch in Philadelphia where he was productive when healthy): sometimes they work out, sometimes they come up snake eyes. At least they're not hamstrung by other poplular names: Avi Garcia is getting paid 12 million dollars in Miami, and has another 29 million guaranteed. He's hitting .230/.267/.316. Nick Castellanos is at .265/.305/.397, was paid 20 million this year and is owed another 80 million.
  10. Jopal78
    0 for 5 today with 3Ks and 6 left on base for what it’s worth.
  11. Jopal78
    Haha, he’s in there today. No doubt Hiura has brought right handed power in a small sample this year. However, there obviously is something about Keston’s game that trumps the right handed power in the eyes of the manager. Shame on the media for not asking what it is. The answer isn’t criticizing the manager for being dumb or not reading a stat sheet, both of which are simplistic lazy criticisms.
  12. Jopal78
    Playoffs six times in the last ten years; 11 times in the last 22 seasons while never spending more than 90 million in payroll. Come on, don’t be obtuse.
  13. Jopal78
    You understand that Ramirez is the ONLY player making significant money in Cleveland, right? There’s not another player making over 6 million, and they don’t have any other big money long term contracts. So sighting this deal, doesn’t make any sense. Not to mention Ramirez’s current contract pastes over a very team friendly deal he had signed in 2015. In fact, Cleveland hasnt signed Shane Bieber to an extension despite, like Burnes, being one of the best pitchers and having years of control left. I think I get your argument but it’s all speculation what you “think” they could do, rather than looking at past conduct as an indicator of future conduct.
  14. Jopal78
    Fans want to emulate the Tampa or Oakland model of team building, then get up in arms when stars aren’t extended. It doesn’t work that way. If you want to be the Rays you have to get used to shuffling the deck every couple of years. Does anyone really believe they’re going to pay Glasnow 25 million in 2024? Hell no, Wander Franco has so little service time he has a long term extension that doesn’t even get “expensive” until 2026. Plus, if he’s a great player they can easily swap him off too.
  15. Jopal78
    I don’t know, Stearns is going to be the guy that that traded his all-star closer from a first place club then missed the playoffs. Obviously it’s more complex than that, but that narrative and his players grousing in the media about the move has likely dimmed his star somewhat. Plus in the era of offense he has been unable to field a competent group of hitters for two of the last three years. Still a good GM, but maybe not the hot commodity he was a year ago.
  16. Jopal78
    Sure, it also bears repeating however, other than protecting his future against catastrophic injury, Corbin Burnes never had any real incentive to sell off his arbitration years up front. Having remained supremely effective and healthy, Burnes will indisputably make more money going year to year (a fact which even if he was unaware, his agency certainly knows). Even in the unlikely event of a future sharp decline in performance, that occurrence is not disastrous to the player because the arbitration rules curtail the amount of a pay cut a team can even seek.
  17. Jopal78
    That's it?! That's goofy. Of course, the team is going to say in the media that they want to sign him, that's PR and marketing of their brand. As mentioned previously. if both sides wanted an extension it would have been done already. As pointed out elsewhere, since February of 2014, there have only been six extensions given to starting pitchers with between four and five years of service time, which is where Burnes will be this winter. None of those pitchers have a Cy Young award or stat sheet like Burnes. (LeBlanc, Kyle Hendricks, Mike Clevinger, Kyle Freeland, German Marquez). Like Paul Dolan told the Cleveland fans about Lindor "enjoy him". Most likely, Milwaukee never had any intention of signing Burnes to an extension. In fact, the whole small market team building model is premised upon keeping the prospect pipeline flowing by trading away star players on the cusp of free agency for minor league talent. If you're upset about boilerplate comments the owner or front office make in the media about their players; have fun with that.
  18. Jopal78
    I still don’t get it. The Brewers throw around nickels like manhole covers, you should know this it’s been their m.o. for 30+ years. Yet, you’re upset for the Brewers not offering a pitcher a huge contract where there’s zero evidence it would have resulted in an agreement? Also, let’s not forget Burnes is paid to perform, and the better he performs the more money he will make in MLB; that should be all the motivation he needs. Although perhaps he’s soft and being offered an extension would make him feel warm inside, even though he never said he’d do anything more than listen.
  19. Jopal78
    All this is a bunch of nonsense. Did Burnes say he would give up additional years for an extension, no. Did Burnes say he would sign a team-friendly deal, no. Does Corbin Burnes likely feel he should have been paid more money to this point based on his performance in '18, '20, and '21? Absolutely. Every player complains about the salary structure for pre-arbitration eligible players. Frankly, we don't know if Burnes is willing to give the Brewers additional years, or take less money than he could earn as a free agent to stay with Milwaukee. But the Brewers need one of those if not both to be affirmatives in order for an extension to make any sense for them. Moreover, with regards to Jimmy Nelson its apples and oranges. He suffered a catastrophic arm injury that has nearly ended his career (50 IP since that injury). Yes, there is a risk of injury going year to year, but the salary arbitration rules pretty much make it a given that players will earn more going year to year in arbitration, than selling off their arbitration eligible years up front. With respect to Acuna, he was a 17 year old kid from a third world country when he turned pro, for a $100,000 bonus. Corbin Burnes was a college pitcher from southern California who got over a half million dollars to turn pro. That difference is likely your explanation why Acuna signed an upfront extension.
  20. Jopal78
    What makes you think he’s unhappy? Or put another way: if he was hypothetically offered 5yrs/100 he would feel love for the team, or feel more appreciated?
  21. Jopal78
    What are you talking about? If Corbin Burnes was interested in an extension in 2019 or 2020 it would’ve happened already. Players might be dumb, but the mega sports agencies like CAA are not. They know Burnes will do best financially going year to year and hitting free agency after 6, and he apparently has taken their advice. If you pay attention when other players are asked about an extension (Soto, Bryce Harper, Kris Bryant, etc.), every single time the response is “they’re willing to listen” to extension offers. But they always leave out the second part “if the money is right”. Burnes is no different. And why wouldn’t they listen to offers, they can always say no? Then when ultimately declare free agency they could then do so with a set of numbers already as a floor.
  22. Jopal78
    I’m sure Corbin Burnes is willing to listen to offers…at market prices. I’m equally sure the Brewers are not going to pay a pitcher 30-35 million dollars a year or more. If you don’t have money to afford a Mercedes, does it make any sense to go to the showroom and ask about financing?
  23. Jopal78
    Not really. Market=budget. Today's owners are mostly billionaire financiers, they're not pouring their own fortune into operating expenses, nor are they likely in it for annual income. This isn't true either. If Burnes or Woodruff were interested in an extension it would have happened already. In order to sign them now to contract extension the Brewers would have to offer them market rates. In terms of pricing, Zack Wheeler got 5yrs/118 million dollars but three years ago in Dec. of '19. Kevin Gausman got 5yrs/110 from Toronto, Robbie Ray got 5/115 million from Seattle, both of whom are older and less accomplished pitchers than Burnes. Since he'll already be 32 when he hits free agency, maybe the Brewers could get Brandon Woodruff to sign on at 5 yrs/115 million dollars if it was offered. However, the Brewers have no history of offering pitchers that kind of money, and would likely take the less risky route if they were not in contention, and trade him off. Burnes has zero reason to even consider an extension with Milwaukee. If his current level of production continues through to the end of 2024 he can sell himself to the highest bidder for... 30, 35, 40 million AAV.
  24. Jopal78
    I don't know if Owner makes a difference, other than if they meddle in the operations of the team. Moreno has a once in a lifetime player in Trout and his management staff has made some decisions to acquire players to team with Trout that haven't worked out. Plus the Angels have been really bad at developing starting pitching, but that certainly isn't 100% the fault of management and even if it was certainly the Angels are not alone in that regard. Heck, the Brewers went a quarter of a century without developing more than 3 quality starting pitchers. This is an over simplification too. Friedmann took over a squad that had just finished in first place and lost in the NLCS. He inherited Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen Yasmani Grandal, Justin Turner, and Yasiel Puig. He also inherited several talented prospects: Corey Seager, Julio Urias, Ross Stripling, Alex Verdugo, Cody Bellinger. I don't think they really changed what they're doing. Their roster still is filled players who are amongst the highest paid in the game. The one thing Friedman did was hit a grand slam in the 2016 draft selecting Lux, Will Smith, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and Mitch White all in the same draft. To demonstrate Friedman's fallibility he whiffed on both his 2017 and 2018 draft.
  25. Jopal78
    You could argue they showed him respect by giving him 80 million dollars in the first place.
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