HarveysWBs

Ok, Wong, pace yourself...

Ladies and Gentlemen, the MVP

I've seen enough. Time to bat Arcia ninth.

That clean inning brought Chacin's ERA back down to 9.00 already! Hooray for small sample sizes!

[sarcasm]You can't hold a manager responsible for the behavior of a few sick, twisted, hanging breaking balls. For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the entire front office? And if the entire front office is guilty, isn't this an indictment of our franchise in general? I put it to you, Joey - isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to Counsell, but I'm not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America![/sarcasm]

Technically, just a 1st, 3rd, and Peppers; the Giants are not receiving a 2nd round pick with the deal. https://www.profootballrumors.com/2019/03/giants-trade-odell-beckham-jr-to-browns That's a pretty good deal for both sides, I think (and yeah, I wish the Packers would have done it). Peppers helps restock the Giants secondary for the future with a chance to still grow and develop, and they get much better draft compensation than the Steelers did for Brown, albeit under drastically different circumstances. Meanwhile, Baker Mayfield will have just about everything he needs to take a big step forward this year. Heady days in Cleveland!

This isn't technically a FA post, but it is a move facilitated by these FA moves. If the Packers are willing to trade their 12th pick (which could be more likely now that FA has reduced a little urgency), they could always package that with a couple other picks to NYG for Beckham and cut Graham, Williams, and Crosby to free up some cap space. Yeah, Rodgers would be ticked to lose three players he has a long history with (or in Graham's case, has wanted to play with for a while), but how mad could he be throwing to Beckham and Adams all day? Tell me that wouldn't jam that window of contention back open for another four or five years? In the immortal words of George Costanza, let's get nuts! ([sarcasm]I'm being only half-blue here...[/sarcasm])

So reading the tea leaves here, I'd assume this is revealing of Gute's thoughts on the draft. Perhaps he doesn't expect any of the top 5 or 6 pass rushers to be available at #12, or even that he isn't all that high on Sweat or Polite. Perhaps it means he loves Devin White (and oh my, what a front seven that would be). Or maybe he doesn't like the way the 12th pick is shaping up and a trade down is in order. [sarcasm]Maybe TT's influence isn't nil after all.[/sarcasm]

From the Twitter account of Ian Rapoport: The #Packers are signing LB Preston Smith to a 4-year deal worth a base value of $52M, source said. He gets $16M to sign. He gets $27.5M over the first two years.

I guess that's it for Clay Matthews and definitely Nick Perry. It has been real, fellas. Claymaker, we'll always have 2010 and 2012, and you'll always have a ring. Perry, we'll always have 2016, and you'll have...millions and millions of dollars. Be sure to give that TT contract to your agent so he can tape it to his fridge. That has to be a career highlight for that guy.

Putting Boras' antics to one side (and I agree, he was always a bit ridiculous, and is now fast becoming a dinosaur) he is not necessarily wrong to complain about the dynamics of the current climate at the end of this CBA. Yes, Boras' big-name clients and other blue chip players of the past decade plus have lived high on the hog and received massive overpays during their declining years. This has been often described as a way to compensate players for their past performance, with many scoffing at this notion. But the obvious core of truth at the heart of this argument is that if the old vets tend to be overpaid, then the young players--from the arbitration guys all the way down to the kids in rookie ball--are massively underpaid in the current system. Minor leaguers in many cases can barely make ends meet, and due to team-friendly aspects of the CBA allowing for arbitration control and service time manipulation, even young stars get nowhere near their worth in some of the prime years of their careers. Now as teams are all in unison about not overpaying for vets, and in a time of record-setting revenue streams all across the game, as ludicrous as it may seem, the players and their representatives can make a strong case that they are not receiving their due. On all of this, I am torn. Being a fan of the smallest market team in baseball means that this team-friendly environment can reap handsome rewards for a team savvy enough to maximize the angles. The David Stearns era (and I'll even give the late-Melvin era a little credit here) has certainly been about doing just that. Yet, I cannot help but fear that as the rest of the league gets just as savvy, those advantages will become nil, and the Brewers will fall behind again due to salary constraints. And, of course, if players remain this dissatisfied, and the owners are unwilling or unable to find a way to strike a balance between overpaying vets and underpaying youth, then labor strife could bring the game to a grinding halt. Long story short, many in this current crop of FAs, including the two big names still out there (Keuchel and Kimbrel) played much of the early years of their career while being paid less than their worth, with the understanding that their free agent deals would make up for it. Now, as their free agency arrives, the owners in unison decide to only pay vets for expected future performance. Both sides are right, and I don't see a way to square the circle, at least for this current group of players.

I know, right? I'd be shocked if he signs for less than 8 years. I still would predict 10 years though. At this point, I'm leaning the other way. I know Boras is saying his guy won't go for a short deal, but that 10-year/$300 mil offer he supposedly got from the Nats is looking more and more like the high-water mark. He isn't getting the $40mil AAV he probably thinks he's worth, even if the Phillies have "stupid money." Spring training is upon us, and it seems baseball teams are gaining leverage by the minute. It is almost like the front offices (collusion or no) figure that he has to play somewhere at some price, and if it isn't going to be exactly their price, then forget 'em. To be frank, I love it when David Stearns operates this way under historically the tightest payroll restriction in baseball, but when everyone starts doing it, it worries me as a Brewers fan. When the Yankees and Dodgers play Steinbrenner ball, and we play Moneyball, maybe we can compete. When everyone plays Moneyball, we lose almost every time as the big boys get to bargain-shop their way to a championship and still outspend us by 40% or more. These are ominous times.

This has the feeling of the kind of signing that ends up with a post-season series MVP-type finish. Player takes a strange road to get here, nobody expects much out of him, then boom, guy drops a .380/.450/1.000 line in a World Series with a few huge home runs out of the seven-hole while he's "just so thankful to be here." Or maybe that's just me...

From the twitter feed of Jon Morosi: Madison Bumgarner’s trade market now coming into focus. #Phillies have spoken with #SFGiants about him and have a greater need for a left-handed co-ace with Patrick Corbin signing with rival #Nats. #Brewers are another possible destination. @MLB@MLBNetwork Sounds like he has news of actual talks between Giants and Phillies, but is chumming the waters with the Brewers tack-on at the end. I would be a bit surprised about Bumgarner actually heading our way, but I’ve been wrong before about Stearns, that’s for sure.

That remains to be seen, I think. MLB Trade Rumors just ran an estimate last week of an opening day salary of over $95 million, even after cutting Schoop, Jennings, and Cedeño and making no additions, which would mark only the fourth time in 15 years we’ve opened over that spending level. The Brewers have never had an opening day salary reach $105 million or higher. While I’d love them to expand it and reach $120+, I just don’t know if that’s realistic, even with a boost in playoff revenue last year and doubtlessly increased attendance this year (barring a Brewers-esque collapse in the face of high expectstions, of course). To expect them to make any total signings or trades that would raise yearly salary outlays by more than $10 million is even a stretch. It just isn’t the orgs M.O.

I wonder if his left leg injury from earlier in the year is still causing him some issues? Might not be in too much pain, but if it is tight or just “doesn’t feel right”, throwing could be uncomfortable. Him needing to throw off of his back leg all the time and not planting his injured leg would make sense why the majority of his missed throws this season are left short. Well, we’re at the point where someone needs to whisper in MM’s ear that it’s time to rest Rodgers. As long as he’s getting paid that kind of money, he is the franchise, and there’s nothing left to play for but pride. Mike, thanks for the memories, here’s a Rolex, see you in five years for a GB Hall of Fame induction. Best of luck on your future endeavors.

I hear the pad levels are particularly wonderful in Cleveland this time of year.

This organization realizing it can’t count on Rodgers being Superman is the healthiest thing that could possibly come out of the rest of this season.

Adams and MVS are playing, St Brown gave them some quality snaps, and the most dynamic back they’ve had since who, Ahman Green? Spriggs is a dumpster fire, though—I’ll grant you that one.

I can’t put this particular loss on McCarthy ... not enough horses tonight. I get that perspective on the defensive side of the ball. But this offense is led by a healthy Rodgers in a must-win game against a divisional opponent. It has put up 14 points, and none in the second half. That should never happen—full stop.

So, this is the end of the era, right? We have to be watching it unfold before our eyes.

I agree with this 100%. I know the NFL isn’t NCAA, but who have the Bears defeated? What’s their signature win? One score wins against thoroughly average Vikings and Seahawks teams—both at home? They remind me of a poor man’s Eagles (I know they won the SB last year, but stay with me). New coach revitalized the offense and shocks the league with unscouted looks. Young, opportunistic defense gets a ton of takeaways. The team overall seemingly comes out of nowhere, and maybe they can make a nice run, but the Eagles had to eventually beat good teams down the stretch. Bears haven’t done it yet. And at some point, people are going to get tape on that offense and start to pick it apart. The Bears are paper tigers until they prove otherwise.

After Hiura's AFL season... do we really need a bridge to Hiura, or just to plug him in on Opening Day? I'm not saying it's right, but there is no way Hiura will be on the opening day roster. Teams just don't promote top prospects until they gain that extra year of control. I think that's somewhere around 4/28/19. So that's probably the earliest we see Hiura regardless of how how he hits in spring/AAA and independent of other options they have at second base to start the season. If even the Cubs played that game with Bryant, then you better believe we’re waiting for service time milestones before we promote Hiura. Heck, if the team is in first place with duct tape and bandaids at second, I bet the brain trust doesn’t even think about promoting him until Super 2 time in June or later. The Brewers are contenders now, but a budget-conscious mindset probably still remains. If they’re intent on hanging on to Hiura for the long haul (as opposed to making him the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade), then they want to do what every team does: squeeze every day of control they can from him. That is the nature of the beast. And, you know, the guy only has 74 games over A-ball and none at AAA. And he is hundreds of game reps behind his peers in terms of defensive appearances. I love the kid, too, but I’m not proclaiming him a batting champion like some people. If he pans out better than Rickie Weeks did (who had similar hype, of course), I’ll be satisfied, if ever so wistfully. If he makes multiple all-star games, I’ll be thrilled. But to hear some people tell it, the kid might as well be a lock as a franchise great. Let’s not rush anything.

My dream scenario would be as follows: -Monitor the market on Donaldson. If it doesn’t materialize, offer a prove-it deal for 2019 and let him go eat (biggest concern here is this vague sense that Donaldson is a potential clubhouse chemistry issue—and I’m not even sure where that impression came from, but I kind of remember reading rumors to that effect). -Watch as no one steps up to meet Miami’s massive ask for Realmuto, and see if they’ll bite on something like Ray, Peralta, Diplan. -Re-sign Miley at 2-$12. -Shop Davies and Anderson to harvest lottery ticket(s), bullpen help, and/or salary relief. -Roll a ball at Woodruff, Guerra, and Nelson, saying “we’re gonna have tryouts.” Winner gets a rotation spot to start the year, and the other two become multi-inning relief aces/starters #6 and 7. Lineup: Cain-CF Yelich-LF Realmuto-C Donaldson-3B Shaw-2B Aguilar-1B Braun-RF Arcia-SS Bench: Piña-C Thames-1B Santana-Corner OF Perez-UTIL (ugh, we can’t get rid of him) Starters: Chacin Burnes Woodruff Miley Davies (let’s assume Anderson is traded for salary relief) Bullpen: Jeffress Knebel Hader Jennings Nelson Guerra Williams Albers Notes: Houser is the first man up from AAA in pitching help as needed. Schoop is not offered a contract in arbitration (hurts because of the prospects we gave up for him, but this team needs the salary relief). I’m hoping Albers rediscovers himself, but is relegated to mop-up work in this scenario, and best case they cut bait and find a replacement (see Hauser) to save another $1million. Braun becomes the 7th-best hitter on the team ([sarcasm]probably 8th on days Woodruff starts[/sarcasm]). Attanasio must approve a healthy increase in salary to make it work, with Opening Day costing $123 million and change, but I’m obviously hoping he is willing to do so after last year’s ahead-of-schedule contention. Like I said at the outset, this is a dream. H/T to JosephC for salary help, with estimates for Donaldson (1-$20 mil) coming from MLB TradeRumors. Final result: win the division again, defeat Chicago in the divisional round, while the Dodgers beat the Phillies (with Harper and Machado coming up small for Philadelphia) in the other divisional round matchup. We get revenge by beating LA in 6 for a well-deserved pennant. Sadly, we fall to the Yankees in 7 because for some reason we can’t have nice things.

Gold Glove is an absolute joke. We know how good Cain is. It’s a shame for him that he’s unlikely to ever get a Gold Glove, but if he gets another ring, I think he’ll find a way to consider his career fairly successful. Go Crew.