monty57

I would think that if they sign Semian, they would let him play the premium position (shortstop), leaving Urias as our third baseman with Arcia as a utility guy.

Don't look at the total numbers for COVID, especially in AZ. It's very misleading. Last week we had a day with about 5k cases and at first it sounded encouraging that things are improving in AZ. Then an official came out and said only about 15k had been getting tested each day lately, and the state was wishing more like 80-100k would be getting tested. Bottom line is AZ--and especially Phoenix--is seeing massive community spread of COVID. I wasn't trying to judge anything like that. I was just stating from the article that it appears the players union is holding their ground that there will be a 162-game season played this year, which means Spring Training can't be delayed unless the government steps in and shuts it down. Sounds like they're more interested in getting paid then they are worried about getting sick. They don't care if there are fans in the stands, as the owners are the ones losing money if the stands are empty.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/01/cactus-league-informs-mlb-of-desire-to-delay-start-of-spring-training.html Doesn't sound like the players union is going to listen to the request from the Cactus League.

It is possible that the interest arose after MLB made the proposal to add the DH in exchange for expanded playoffs, and the interest will go away with the union nixing that deal.

We'll see how the Cain deal turns out, as the final years of any contract signed with someone over 30 are the most suspect. The first year was great, the second so-so, and he opted out of the third. I'm hoping he comes out strong this year, but we won't know until it happens. The Yelich trade can only be seen as a huge win. There's a chance that we'll regret the extension he signed, but that was a separate move from the trade. The trade was one of the best moves the Brewers have ever made.

It'll be interesting to see how this develops. Sounds like the union is going to win the argument for a 162-game season, so I'd guess they'll either go with a shorter spring training in AZ or tell them to play the games with no one in the stands and some sort of "bubble."

I can't agree with this. I'd say that in general relievers are less valuable than any full-time position player. Now, Hader is an elite talent at reliever, so he's more valuable than most relievers, but he's not worth as much as an elite position player with the same contract/service time. Hader is a good piece for the team to have, so if a trade can't be found I'm fine holding on to him. I'm glad the team is looking at offers because he's probably at peak value, which will diminish as his salary goes up and his service time goes down, and he is eventually going to be paid more than the Brewers should be paying for a closer. It stinks to live on a budget, but the Brewers should probably use their "big dollar contracts" on other positions... especially when they have a lot of pitching talent in the minors that should bolster their bullpen for the coming years, but are thin on position player talent.

Right, but our opening day roster would have an eight-digit free agent signing (Ozuna or Garcia) sitting on the bench while we run Vogelbach out there at first base and Urias as our starting third baseman and Arcia at Shortstop. I don't get signing an expensive fourth outfielder to cover our starters' off days when our obvious areas of need are at the corner infield positions. I also don't like throwing someone in a position they don't play just to keep their bat in the lineup. Our defense will be bad enough this year, especially if we sign Ozuna. We can't just randomly put outfielders at first base. If we spend money on Ozuna, we'd better have a DH. Even then, it means Vogelbach is our everyday first baseman. Our pitchers better get a lot of strikeouts if he's at first, Hiura's at second and Ozuna is anywhere in the outfield. The bright spot to this for me (if it's true) is that Ozuna was projected by MLBTraderumors to get a 4 year / $72M contract. If we're even mildly interested in Ozuna, it means that there is money to sign some players. I'd just prefer we focus on our needs rather than signing a shiny new square peg and cramming it into a round hole.

I'll take that over what we have currently at 3B. I wouldn't at the expense of extending a guy like Woodruff. That deal for an average player would really hamstring the Brewers moving forward. The Brewers are a team that needs to pick and choose on deals like this, and handing a player like Moose $16 million a year over four years is a huge gamble. With Yelich's salary bumping up to $26M/year in 2022, I don't really see a bigger money deal being added to Milwaukee's payroll until Cain is gone after next year. I could see some extensions to current guys, where the "pay bump" would occur a few years down the road. I could see some mid-tier $5-10M signings like we did with Garcia last offseason. I could even see a one-year "prove it" deal like we signed with Moose and Grandal, but I don't think we'll see another $15-$20M guy being signed for a longer-term deal this offseason or next. That's why I'm hoping for something like a La Stella signing. It's not that he's a world-beater, I just think that he's about the best we could expect given our current situation.

That's possible. If that happens, it probably means money is really tight, and the owners lost a lot of money last year.

I think/hope that moves will start coming quickly now that some bigger names are coming off the market. It's normal for teams and players to wait until the bigger names "set the market," but usually that happens before the end of January. I am interested to see if some of the mid-tier names can be signed at big discounts. The "Covid concern" doesn't seem to be causing the big names to take discounts.

Yeah, he can play first base, but he wouldn't add much value to the team if he did. If I had to guess after looking at what he's done, he'll have a slightly above average bat for a 1B/DH, but his defense if used as a first baseman negates that offensive value. Put him on the same side of the infield with Hiura, and we probably have the worst right-side-of-the-infield defense in baseball. My question is, if we only have enough money to upgrade one position, do you upgrade first base to replace Vogelbach, or do you upgrade third base which would probably move Urias to SS and Arcia to either a utility role or a trade candidate? My first choice all offseason (of people who have a realistic chance of being signed by the Brewers) has been Tommy La Stella, so I hope they can sign him to a 2-3 year deal to be the regular third baseman who can also play first base when needed. I'd still like to see a first baseman signed as well, but with La Stella, when they need defense late in games, they can either go La Stella at 3B, Arcia at SS, Urias at 2B (replace Hiura), or Urias at 3B, Arcia at SS, La Stella at 1B (replacing Vogelbach). He seems to be "plus defense" at 1B/3B and "negative defense" at 2B. Edit add: I don't see anyone who really "knocks my socks off" as an everyday first baseman, and I don't want two 1B/DH only guys on the roster unless they announce that we will have a DH this year. I guess if we don't have a DH, I'm okay with Vogelbach as the LH option and a multi-position guy (like a Gyorko re-signing) as the RH option. Two guys who can only play 1B really limits the team, which is not something Stearns seems to like to do.

Just for fun: Quintana gave the Cubs 5.4 WAR (per Fangraphs) over his three seasons there. Eloy Jimenez is 24 years old, and has already given the White Sox 3.6 WAR. They have him for four more years. Dylan Cease is 25 years old with one year of service time and has given 0.3 WAR. He doesn't hit arbitration until 2023. The other two prospects in the trade have been released (Matt Rose) or elected minor league free agency (Bryant Flete). Now that a few years have passed, and Quintana's tenure as a Cub is over, who do you think won the trade?

He always seemed to do well against the Brewers, and the I think Cubs set their rotation so he'd always face the Crew. I wish him well, but I'm glad he's out of the division.

Hopefully this finally breaks the ice and some more free agents start signing. Can't really say that this 6/$150 deal came at a "Covid discount," so we'll see how the price tags on lesser free agents looks.

Everyone wants the team to win a World Series. The question is really, what is the best way to get that World Series victory given the Brewers' situation (aka baseball willfully gives an advantage to teams in big markets). Simply put, there seem to be two categories of how to do this. 1) Go "all in." This group looks at the roster and sees windows of opportunity. When you have a star player or two, you should "sell the farm" and spend as much as possible on FAs to do whatever it takes to win in that short window. They understand that this could lead to periods of sub-.500 baseball when the window closes, but they're willing to accept that in order to do everything possible to win now. In fact, that might even be okay, because then they'll get top draft picks we can build the next "window" around. This group sees Yelich in his prime, along with a few others like Woodruff, Hiura, Hader, and Burns and says that we need to act now. Goal: Build the strongest team in baseball for a 1-2 year window. 2) Create a "continually competitive" team. This group wants to bring in young, "controlled" talent and maintain a strong farm. The goal is to build a strong core that is capable of making the playoffs, because once there anything can happen. They want to maintain flexibility both in terms of "team control" and in terms of finances, so that strategic moves can be made if the right opportunity arises. They never want to go "all in," because that means trading away key pieces that will help keep the team competitive long term, and will lead to a long rebuilding period. Goal: Build a core that can get you to the playoffs as often as possible. Eventually you'll be "hot at the right time" and win it all. Neither fan is necessarily wrong, but moves made that will appeal to one group will irritate the other. Stearns is more of a "Group 2" guy, so that frustrates people in "Group 1." When people in "Group 1" voice their frustration, that irritates people in "Group 2." Welcome to Brewerfan.net. There is a third group, which consists of the people who visit most fan sites and seemingly only go there to ridicule others and complain about everything. That group is the reason we're all here.

Is that still a certainty, or is that based on what he said a few years ago when there was speculation that he would be traded? There's a big difference between being under contract and using a no-trade clause to select where you'd be most comfortable, and being a free agent who probably feels he could still play another season, who could be offered a big contract by someone who is not located in southern California or Miami.

Even with hindsight being 20/20, please tell me the realistic moves they could have made in the last few years that would have guaranteed them a World Series win. Then, without the convenience of knowing how players with perform, please tell me the moves right now that they can make that will guarantee a World Series win now or in the next few years. While we're at it, please let the team know exactly when Covid will be under control and stadiums will be filled with fans, so they can adjust their budget and know they aren't going to head into bankruptcy if they spend too much. I'd bet that if there were moves that could guarantee a Brewers World Series, and were remotely realistic due to the Brewers' financial situation, Attanasio would be on board with making those moves. I want to see the Brewers make some moves as much as anyone, but I would not want to be in the position of many owners in baseball, where they have to make big money decisions without having answers to some really important questions. I can't really blame anyone for erring on the side of caution.

Hand and wrist injuries can really hamper a hitter. My guess is that Stearns thinks the thumb injury is the reason his numbers fell off, so if he's now healthy he can regain his lost form. I agree with those of you who are surprised it took a major league deal. This looks like a guy who would be worth a look in Spring Training on a minor league deal. He could be a nice surprise, but there's a lot of risk that he's not worth the MLB deal... even if it is only $900,000.

In other words what every player says when they are traded before their walk year and then doesn't resign. Yeah, I thought the same thing. The Mets are going to have to overwhelm him with an offer, or he's going to play out his "team control" and test the market. I'd guess that other teams knew this, which made it harder for Cleveland to negotiate in trade talks. Everyone always wants more in return, but overall I think they did alright. At the very least, they got two young guys who will play competently at the MLB level with the potential to be above-average. That's eight MLB seasons for one year of Lindor. If one of the young guys makes it, then they really did well in this trade. If the Mets don't make the playoffs this year, and then they lose Lindor, what did they really gain?

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/01/francisco-lindor-open-to-extension-but-wont-negotiate-during-season.html MLBTraderumors is saying that Lindor is open to an extension, but won't negotiate during the season. In other words, the Mets have a month or so to sign him to an extension, or he's going to be a free agent at the end of the season.

Maybe so, but Bob Uecker with his tuba probably rates out better than either of them, so that's not saying much.

This seems to have been in response to my saying "...a nice guy to add on a minor league deal," and "He has a shot to make the MLB roster as a utility guy, or he could be good minor league depth to cover multiple positions." How many teams have star players as minor league depth or MLB utility guys? Every team needs guys like this. I get that you want to see something big happen. We all do. However, we also need to make signings like this to fill out our AAA roster and our MLB bench. Most moves that teams make are minor ones, and this fits into that category. Our biggest "upgrade" this offseason will be in having our good players hit better than they did last year. If that doesn't happen, we're in trouble for a long time, because we can't afford to pay Yelich his contract if he's a AAAA player. However, in the likely scenario that guys like Yelich and Hiura remember how to hit, we have a pretty good team that really just needs a corner IF or two to be the odds on favorite to win the NL Central. My guess is that they brought in Reyes to fight for the utility spot, so that when they add a third baseman, they will be able to trade Arcia and make Urias the everyday shortstop. There is absolutely no way that they signed Reyes to be an everyday player, so I wouldn't get too worried about this signing.

Looks like Attanasio's retirement plan. He's 63, gets a big payout now while continuing to work in a diminished role for five years and then gets his final payout at age 68, when he can finish his career and spend his time cheering for the Brewers. Good for him, he earned it. As to whether this will effect the Brewers' payroll, I'd guess no because the money he just got is for him to be able to live out his life the way he wants. If he takes a chunk of it to put into Brewers' payroll (assuming that would mean it would go over payroll and likely be "lost") then he doesn't have his job to fall back on to replenish it... it's just gone. If anything, being retired would probably mean he's less likely to take extra risk with his personal money. Attanasio has always been willing to go a little over budget if he thinks it's a meaningful move, and I agree with you that this could be a year where a little extra spending could go a long ways. But it's also a year where an owner could lose a lot of money if fans aren't allowed in the stands. If the next couple of weeks tick by and there are still good players without contracts, I still think that Attanasio will jump, and we'll get a good player or two on one-year deals.

If the Brewers are looking for the "Braun should retire as a Brewer" sentiment, then they can always sign him to a one-day contract when he's ready to retire so he can announce his retirement in a Brewer uniform. They should only sign him to a one-year deal if they think it helps the team. Resources are scarce this offseason, so they shouldn't be used for sentimental reasons. I think that with Yelich, Cain, and Garcia as our starting OFs, the Brewers will probably spend their resources elsewhere. It would probably be unwise to go with Urias at 3B and Vogelbach at 1B, but spend money to bring Braun back as a 4th OF. If Braun decides to play one more year, it probably won't be in Milwaukee.