Ron Robinsons Beard

DBacks, per Passan. Sounds like a done deal I'm totally ok with this. I think he's shot health-wise.

Do you still feel this way?

My issue is that other than Gatewood (and that is a big maybe), the Brewers really have no depth in the upper minors at the 1B position to even make Aguilar think about. It seems like that position has sort of been an afterthought in the last few drafts, and the depth has suffered because of it. I know they could always move a player from a different position there (Erceg, Nottingham and Payton Henry are all seemingly bat-first prospects), and McClanahan is still around too, but there's really no one close as a back-up plan. Grandal has experience at 1B, Braun has shown he can play there, and Shaw is very good there if another 3B is acquired. It would just be nice to have a guy knocking down the door at AAA. Maybe Gatewood is that guy?

Not that I didn't enjoy Granderson's time here, but bn my opinion this team already skews very lefty-heavy, especially if Gamel gets most of the playing time during Braun's injuries. It will be even more demonstrative if Moose is resigned, or someone like Dietrich is signed to share time at 2B. I think if they grab a reserve OF, he's likely to be a RH batter.

Albers has negative trade value. No way they can move that salary. They are going to have to eat it. You are probably right. Albers coming off a terrific 2017 was only able to get a 2 year/$5 million deal. He's a gut you bring to camp hoping he's figured it out and looks good in the exhibition season. Then you can either flip him or just keep him and hope the good version shows up for most of the season.

I personally don't think there is anything to this idea that the Brewers need to shed salary to make another addition. I think its more about roster flexibility as well. If Thames is dealt, that opens a spot for a more versatile player. I still believe that the Brewers are waiting in the weeds to make a play for Marwin Gonzalez. Between his switch-hitting bat, positional versatility and the Astros connection during Stearns' time there, the fit just makes too much sense. While Thames does offer some versatility, it isn't near what Marwin would provide. If the Brewers are honestly in the situation where they need to shed salary to sign a pitcher like Wade Miley, that's scary. If they were operating that close to a perceived budget cap, I don't think there is any way they would have inked Grandal to the deal he got. No, I think they are looking at trading off some pieces with the goal of making the roster more versatile.

I'm guessing Peralta, Brown, Supak, Wilkerson, Derby with others in a revolving door (ie Ponce). Diplan, Webb, Roegner start in AA. Diplan was 3yrs young for AA so it makes sense for him to start there and that's been his career path thus far as well. Webb and Roegner just don't have many AA starts/innings to begin with. All 3 of them should pitch in AAA at some point most likely. I see no reason to have Davies in AAA unless he's injured and pitching poorly like 2018. If he's healthy he's in the MLB rotation with new acquisition, Nelson, Chacin, Chase. That keeps Burnes, Woodruff, Guerra (and Peralta when 13 pitchers) in that critical versatility role. This makes the team very talented and very deep. The Brewers have already said that Burnes will be a starter in 2019. Obviously that can change, but he is one of the very few (Hader and Guerra being the others) where there is definitive proof of what their role on the pitching staff will be.

I would think hope that Braden Webb might possibly make the jump. I imagine he'll start in Biloxi, though, with an eye toward a mid-season promotion. I think Diplan will be given the chance to start, but will ultimately end up in the pen. They also have guys like Cody Ponce, Conor Harbor and even Aaron Ashby if he continues to mow down minor league hitters. I think Brown and Supak are the top of the heap when it comes to refined starting pitching prospects. Roegner had great numbers last year, but I wonder if it was smoke and mirrors. Jankins is intriguing, as is Derby. Wilkerson will be lucky to keep his 40-man spot going into the season. He's gotta be pretty low on the totem pole.

The random guy who broke the Moustakas deal last season indicated that the Brewers are out on Josh Harrison: https://twitter.com/bucksbrett/status/1083810321716908040 He seems to think that Moose is still very much in play. I guess we'll see. I'm inclined to think that this guy has actual inside info. He nailed the Moose trade, including all players involved, an hour before anyone else was even close. Part of me wonders if the Brewers made offers to Grandal, Lowrie and LeMahieu, and Grandal was the first to take it.

Kumerow strikes me as a guy that could see a lot of time in the slot if they bring him back next year. I wouldn't discount the idea of bringing Cobb back on a team-friendly deal either. I think he could thrive in an offense that relies more on quick hitters, slants, and well-executed WR screens. They need to determine if he's washed, though. He's only entering his age 29 season, so age shouldn't be a factor, although it seems like he's been kicking around forever.

Yes, exactly. I had forgotten about Ramczyk. I know he's been a starter and hasn't been bad, but I really haven't followed the Saints close enough to know just how good he's been. Can you give me an idea? Those drafts are rare, but...what the heck, if the Packers are gonna win another SB, they're gonna need some good luck. Quick turnarounds though are hardly a rare thing in the NFL. How many years was it that the NFC East had a team go worst to 1st? The Saints went through pretty much the same type of relatively "lean years" when Brees was the age Rodgers is now. The Taysom Hill move sucks for the Packers, but man...he's been amazing for the Saints. 3 4th down fakes he's converted, he nearly had a 46 yard TD catch(Brees missed him) and then came back and hit Kamara on a 46 yarder that would have been a TD had it not been called back. Plus the punt blocks he's had. Not sure he'd have been really used as a Packer though... There's a long way to go, but there is more to look forward to on this team than I think most believe. There is no way McCarthy had the creativity needed in oder to find an effective use for Hill. That sucks, but it is what it is. McCarthy didn't see value in hanging on to a 27-year-old rookie as his developmental QB. Speaking of backup QBs, it's time to finally grab a decent one. Enough of the Hundleys and Kizers of the world. Go out and get a guy that stands a chance of moving the offense if Rodgers goes down.

Look up where the 49ers offense ranked in the one year McCarthy was the OC before coming to the Packers ...

He had a terrific halfback at his disposal in Cook, and was totally pass-happy. With the skill guys that Viking offense has, they should have dominated. Vikings offense was a huge disappointment. Was he a scapegoat? Maybe. No one can deny that offense got better after he was canned, though.

Your skepticism of Dubon is match by my skepticism of Hiura, at least for 2019. I fear that the people expecting him to come up in May and be the answer to our 2B prayers are going to be disappointed. Could he be that someday? Sure ... but rare is the prospect that comes up and is an immediate impact player. Regarding Dubon ... he's a nice player, but probably ultimately has the ceiling of a utility infielder. Think Hernan Perez with much less power and more plate discipline. Useful player, but not a guy that should be starting on a World Series contending team. You also question Hiura not being ready due to his AA batting average. A - 333/374/850 A+ - 320/382/911 First full month in AA - 326/380/891 *then hurt wrist* but still finished with 116 wrc+ AZFL after one month off to heal wrist - 323/371/934 There's clearly a pattern here...now combine that with scouts raving about his bat (to the point Mayo says it trails only Vlad Jr in the minors) and Stearns saying his bat was MLB ready in March 2018. People are kidding themselves if they think he won't be up within the first 2-3 months. He doesn't need to be Braun as a rookie. If he merely hits 275/340/800 he's already a significant upgrade to 2018 and an upgrade to every player we're discussing on this thread because he's an every day player hitting both sides equally well. Dubon is a career 300/349/760 hitter being 1.5 - 3.5yrs young every step of the way with 30+ SB and zero concerns about his defense/arm at either SS or 2b. He's around a 6% walk rate with 14% K rate the past 4yrs. High contact, high BA, great bat to ball skills spray hitter, great approach. His power has increased every year as he's added muscle to his frame so he'll probably max out around 10-12HR or so as he continues to mature but that's not his game. He's above average across the board except power - and his hit/run tools have the chance to be plus. He's overlooked for various reasons. He's 6'0 160lbs, lacks power, wasn't a high draft pick and has Arcia and Hiura sitting in front of him up the middle. He's not a sexy player but he does everything well. There's a reason they bumped him from AA to AAA in 2017 and it wasn't because of his slash line. Outside of a 3wk slump in Aug, 2017 he's pissed on the ball in AAA (home and away) between 2017/2018. He also hits righties and lefties equally well, unlike Perez. Dubon's floor is a much better Perez and his ceiling is a productive starting middle infielder. I truly hope you are right about both guys, because the addition of two impact players like that would give the Brewers the best lineup in the NL. I am optimistic of Hiura's chances, but I'm exercising caution. I've avidly followed this team for 30 years, and I can count on one finger how many hitting prospects came up on this sort of timetable and were able to make an impact in the team's history. Braun was and is a generational talent. Is Hiura too? I'd love to think so, but the odds are not in our favor.

Your skepticism of Dubon is match by my skepticism of Hiura, at least for 2019. I fear that the people expecting him to come up in May and be the answer to our 2B prayers are going to be disappointed. Could he be that someday? Sure ... but rare is the prospect that comes up and is an immediate impact player. Regarding Dubon ... he's a nice player, but probably ultimately has the ceiling of a utility infielder. Think Hernan Perez with much less power and more plate discipline. Useful player, but not a guy that should be starting on a World Series contending team.

I don’t like it. That’s being said an oc job where you won’t call the plays can’t be the most attractive job avaialavle. On record once Monken went to TB, I would have at least looked at John Defillipo. Not sure we needed another offensive coach allergic to using the run game. That's pretty much McCarthy in a nutshell.

Well respected vet offensive coach. Solid hire to pair with LaFleur. He was dealt a rough hand trying to get production out of Bortles this year. He was a miracle worker last year.

I am going to guess Earth where he has 192 career appearances at second base versus Aguilar having 7 career appearances at third. And Braun is a 3rd baseman...right? My point is Dietrich is not a 2b and shouldn't be considered one. He's an awful defender really everywhere, but especially 2b. He also hasn't seen significant action at 2b in a couple years. Cabrera is a horrid defender at 2B, while Flores can be described as simply bad. It seems odd to me to rule out Dietrich because of his defense, while advocating for two guys that are also poor in that area. I am under the assumption that when Passan tweeted that the Brewers were in deep negotiations on a player that could upgrade 2B/3B, he was talking about Lowrie. I think the Mets upped their offer at the last minute, and that's the one he took. We've seen a run on 2B signings within the last week, which leaves the Brewers with much fewer options now. Gonzalez is still there if they want an all-around solid player. Harrison and Forsythe if they want solid fielders who may not provide a ton of offensive value. Dietrich, Cabrera, Neil Walker or Flores if they want a decent bat who would provide nothing more than a warm body on defense, or an old fart like Brandon Phillips looking to play out the string. Signing Phillips would remind me of the unheralded 1991 signing of Willie Randolph. Of course, there is always the "Sign Moose and play Shaw at 2B" option. I kinda think that's what they'll go with at this point. That lineup will mash righties, but lefties will make it look silly.

maybe middle infielders is the new market inefficiency. [sarcasm]I figured it out. Cashman asked for Hiura in exchange for Sonny Gray, and Stearns told them he was off limits and that he was planning on signing a stop-gab 2B to bridge the gap in between outbursts of laughter. Cashman hung up the phone and said, "I'll show him... I'll show them all!" and proceeded to sign ALL the free agent 2B out of pure spite.[/sarcasm] LOL, that reads like a post straight out of the Brewers Twittersphere.

Not really. Sometimes players are on a trip or even out of the country with they "sign", or have other commitments. Look how long it took to announce the Spangenberg signing. The story is still up on the team's official website saying the physical is a formality, so I expect to see this signing made official early this week.

If I remember right, this was a game in mid-April where Chacin was pulled after 64 pitches and 5 2/3 innings. I think he got in a little trouble, and Counsell got out the quick hook. He was answering the "Why didn't you let him go longer?" question. They weren't letting Chacin go deeper into games until later in the year. He didn't start especially great at the beginning of the year. I don't think Counsell saying that had anything to do with a change in philosophy, but was rather justifying a quick hook to go to his shut-down pen, basically saying that 17 outs was a solid expectation for a pitcher that up to that point had been up and down. If you remember, both Hader and Albers, along with Jennings and much of the rest of the pen, were pretty lights-out after Knebel got hurt.

His chances are starting to grow dim, but I'd love to see Phil Bickford fulfill some of that promise that made him a 1st round pick and the Giants' top prospect at one time. I also want to see Nathan Kirby make a full comeback and see what he can do. Getting another high-upside lefty in the system would be huge. I am also interested in seeing if Drew Rasmussen can get back on the mound and start making some noise. Not sure if he is going to pitch at all this year though.

https://www.amazinavenue.com/2017/10/31/16555334/mets-asdrubal-cabrera-2017-season-option-new-york-shortstop-third-base-second-2018 Cabrera's range has been decreasing for several years now, to the point now where he's a liability wherever you try to hide him on defense. Granted the Brewers can likely mitigate some of that deficiency through shifting, but I wouldn't feel comfortable handing him 2B on a World Series contender, and if the plan is to eventually transition him to a utility role, you typically want a strong defender for that. I grant you that the bat is nice, but that poor defense scares the heck out of me.

I don't want Cabrera's hack defense anywhere near the Brewers' infield. He makes Shaw look like a Gold Glover there.

While things have picked up recently interest-wise with the Brewers, the offseason is still a long, slow time. So in there interest of fun, I want everyone to try listing one or two players on the Brewers who come out of nowhere (ala Wade Miley) to put up career year numbers that will help the team to the 2019 World Series. I have two that I've been thinking about. 1. Junior Guerra - I don't think his terrific numbers when moved to the pen in 2018 are a joke. He's going to be a stud back there. His stuff is going to play great in short stretches, and I believe he's going to be a lock-down multi-inning reliever to the tune of a sub-2 ERA. 2. Tyrone Taylor - Braun is going to miss time. We all know that. I think Taylor perhaps starts the year in AAA, but will be up with the big club soon enough, and will provide a solid OF option that can slide in at all 3 OF positions. I think his upside is as a 20-25 HR bat with a .275 average and 20-25 SBs. He's going to be a fun guy to follow. Bonus: Whoever is signed to play 2B - Whether it's Harrison, Gonzalez, Dietrich, or they just give the job predominantly to Spangenberg/Perez, I expect above average production from this spot next year.