Brock Beauchamp

Every offseason, we offer our You’re The GM! tool (formerly the Payroll Blueprint) to build your ideal Brewers roster. This year, we’ve updated and streamlined the tool a bit to improve the experience. The idea behind this feature is to give fans a chance to play the role of General Manager (or CBO or PoBO… you get the idea) for their favorite team, the Milwaukee Brewers. It’s meant to give fans the opportunity to discuss (and, let’s be honest, argue) how they would approach the long, dark MLB offseason. This tool is intended to be informal and fun, so we’ve left it as open as possible. There is a payroll “budget” that loosely resembles the Brewers' 2024 payroll, but there is no penalty for going over that number. It’s a guideline, nothing more. Second, you can submit as many blueprints as you like throughout the offseason. As the offseason landscape changes, users often return multiple times over the winter and create new blueprints. Before we get into the breakdown of the tool, you can save your blueprint and come back to it at any time. The only restriction is that you must register an account on the site to create a blueprint (so we can save a draft for you and also post the blueprint for others to discuss). Let’s get into the tool itself. It has four quadrants that work best if addressed in a counter-clockwise order (this tool works much better on desktops due to its complexity but will work on mobile devices if need be). Top Left: The 26-man Roster We have created a rough guideline of what the Brewers 26-man roster looks like today. The roster is flexible; any player can be added or removed as you see fit. We’ve also included either guaranteed salaries or, in the case of arbitration and contract options, the recommendations of MLB Trade Rumors. This section is where you build your roster and make changes based on the following two sections. As you make changes to players and salaries, the total payroll number (right side of the screen) will change, allowing you to track your budget on the fly. The bottom field in both columns is for any dead money you assume during the course of your offseason. Acquiring dead money should be rather uncommon but we want to present users the opportunity to take on dead salary if it suits their purposes. Bottom Left: Arbitration & Trade Decisions Here, you will find a selection of arbitration options and internal options (usually from the 40-man roster or minor leagues) to assist in building your offseason roster. On the right-hand side of this column, you will see Trade Candidates, a list of the 35 players most likely to be traded this offseason, per MLB Trade Rumors. To help you get up to speed with these candidates, we offer a direct link to the MLBTR write-up on trade candidates. Bottom Right: Free Agents Here, you will find the top 50 free agents, again per MLB Trade Rumors. These are sorted by position to facilitate quickly finding your desired free agent and include the recommended salary for that player. Because this is a blueprint for a single year, we only include their projected salary for the coming season, not the number of years or anything else. To help you get up to speed with these free agents, we offer a direct link to the MLBTR write-up on the best 50 free agents available this winter. Top Right: Dead Money, Your Total Payroll, & Commentary The only unalterable field on the page is Dead Money; it is players to which the team has committed money but has no reasonable way to get out of the contract. Below that, you will see the recommended budget, your current total, and the percentage you are over or under that budget. Again, keep in mind the budget is only a guideline, and you can go above it as much as you like… But defend your choices, coward! The following field is Title, which gives other users an idea of what to expect with your blueprint (e.g. Sign Juan Soto, Damn the Consequences). When your blueprint posts for other users, it will read “Your Username’s 2025 Payroll Blueprint: Sign Juan Soto, Damn the Consequences”. The following field is Your Comments & Explanation, a long-form field meant to type out the rationale behind your decisions. Here is the place to fully explain your trades (including which players are leaving the Brewers to bring in new players), why you targeted specific free agents, and, any promotions from the minors you advocate or any options you declined to extend to a specific player. This is often multiple paragraphs, you can write up as much detail as you desire. That’s it, you’re done! At this point, you can either publish your blueprint to the forums or save it for later if you feel it’s incomplete. Thank you for joining us at Brewer Fanatic. I hope you enjoy playing the role of general manager, at least for a moment! Start Your Payroll Blueprint Now

Yeah, I know, that's where we came up short due to time. Help me come up with a list. Here's what I can think of off the top of my head: Tyler Black Jacob Misiorowski Craig Yoho Carlos F Rodriguez Who else?

Yeah... that's just SO HARD to predict. Like we know the Twins are dealing, as are bad teams, but the real difference-makers tend to be William Contreras trades that come out of absolutely nowhere.

Are you a die-hard fan of the Milwaukee Brewers? Do you find yourself endlessly fascinated by the players who don the iconic Crew jersey, both in the majors and minors? If so, we've got some exciting news for you! Introducing our brand new wiki-style project, dedicated entirely to the Milwaukee Brewers baseball players. From the legendary heroes of the past to the rising stars of tomorrow, the Players Project aims to be the ultimate repository of information on every player who has ever been a part of the Brewers organization. Whether you're curious about the batting average of a certain player from the '80s or want to check out a player’s autograph, the Players Project has you covered. This project includes players, past and present, and even guys who never made the majors but played in the Brewers minor league system. But here's the best part: the Players Project isn't just a one-way street. We're calling on all Brewers fans, historians, and baseball enthusiasts to join us in this exciting venture. We believe in the power of collective knowledge, and we know that the true magic of baseball lies in the stories and memories shared by fans like you. So, how can you get involved? It's simple! Whether you're an expert on Brewers trivia or just passionate about the game, there are plenty of ways to contribute: Add Player Profiles: Help us build a comprehensive database of Brewers players past and present. Whether it's a brief bio or a detailed career overview, every contribution counts. Share Your Memories: Did you witness a memorable game? Meet your favorite player? Share your personal anecdotes and experiences to bring the history of the Brewers to life. Contribute Photos and Videos: A picture is worth a thousand words, and a video can capture the magic of a game like nothing else. Share your media to enrich your favorite player’s content. Engage with the Community: Join discussions, ask questions, and connect with fellow Brewers fans who share your passion for the game. After all, baseball is best enjoyed together. By coming together as a community, we can create something truly special—a living, breathing tribute to the Milwaukee Brewers and the players who have made their mark on the franchise. So what are you waiting for? Dive into the world of Brewers baseball with us and help us make our wiki the ultimate destination for fans everywhere. While we've already added over 50 players to the project, there are still hundreds of Brewers players left to claim. To see examples of the Players Project in action, here are two additions from the past week: Dan Thomas had one of the most interesting and disturbing lives in Brewers history. This biography from @Michael Trzinski is must-read content. Billy Jo Robidoux had one of the all-time great names in Major League Baseball history. It just rolls off the tongue. Learn more about this late-1980s Brewer in the write-up from @Matt Breen. View full article

Hey all, could you give this a look over and see if there are things that should be changed or added? We're way behind on this tool and the person I delegated to was struggling quite a bit to come up with the right placeholders and options. If you have any suggestions what to fix, please mention it here! https://brewerfanatic.com/payroll-blueprint

Can we please keep this conversation on track? We have limited capacity to expand into other social media channels, let's keep this on topic about Bluesky.

Rickie Darnell Weeks Jr. was born September 13, 1982, in Altamonte Springs, Florida. His father played college baseball for Seton Hall and Stetson. His grandfather was an outfielder in the Negro leagues during the 1940s. Rickie Weeks was not heavily recruited out of high school due to a small frame; thus, he ended up at a smaller school, Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Physically, he filled out and emerged as one of the greatest hitters in NCAA history. As a sophomore, the right-handed hitting Weeks led the nation with a .495 batting average and 20 home runs. To show it wasn’t a fluke, he again led the nation in hitting the following year with a .479 BA - along with 16 HRs. He was named College Player of the Year. He ended his career with a .473 average – the highest in NCAA history. Rickie Weeks had speed and athleticism in his arsenal - but what stood out was his bat. He simply destroyed pitching. While he didn’t have a ton of power, he commanded the strike zone, and his bat speed was amazing. He could especially brutalize left-handed pitching. Defensively, he was a work in progress - but no one really cared. His bat was - hopefully - going to make him a star. The Brewers - like most teams - were enamored with Weeks and were thrilled to pick him with the second selection of the 2003 draft (after the Rays took Delmon Young). Weeks received a $3.6 million signing bonus, and his professional career got off to a roaring start when he hit .349 at low A ball in 20 games. He even got a 7-game call up to Milwaukee - netting him a pair of hits on a dozen at-bats. Weeks had a fine season at AA in 2004 but broke out at AAA the following year, hitting .320 with a dozen HRs in only 55 games. The Big League club was next on the agenda. Rickie Weeks spent the next ten years in Milwaukee - playing exclusively at 2B (unless the chance to DH against an American League club came up) and often batting leadoff. He was a warrior - willing to do whatever it took to win. He led the league twice in Hit by Pitches, took a lot of walks, and stole as many as 25 bases in a season. But Weeks struggled with inconsistency (especially against right-handed pitching) and injuries. In 2009, it looked like he was putting it all together before a wrist injury ended his season in May. Weeks returned in 2010 and built on his previous year’s success. He hit .269 to go with 29 HRs - and at age 27 - positioned himself as one of the league’s best second basemen - even if he struggled at the defensive side of the game. In 2011, Weeks was voted the starting 2B in the all-star game - his only appearance in the mid-season classic. However, in July that year, he suffered a severe ankle injury while legging out a single. Weeks tried to play through the pain, but his game suffered - both at the plate and in the field. Honestly, the ankle injury Weeks suffered in the summer of 2011 was the beginning of the end of his career. In the future, he was never quite the same player. It sapped a bit of his speed as a batter, and he became an increasing liability at the plate against right-handers. As a second baseman, it is evident that he struggled to move laterally. At his best, Weeks was an adequate fielder (and that’s being generous). But after the ankle injury, he was flat-out bad. In 2012, Weeks managed to return and his 21 home runs, but his average sunk to .230, and defensive metrics were brutal. The following season was even worse - and ended prematurely with a torn hamstring in August. Scooter Gennett took over the keystone. Weeks was under contract for one more year and hit well in limited playing time in 2014. But the writing was on the wall. Weeks could still hit left-handed pitchers, but his defensive limitations made him a liability - especially with the DH years away in the National League. The Brewers let him walk as a free agent after the season, declining a club option. Weeks spent three more years in the majors with three different teams - playing mostly OF, DH, and 1B. He offered some punch against left-handers - but the results were mixed. Tampa Bay released him in July 2017 after an extended time on the DL. His career was over. He was 34 years old. With his playing days over, Weeks went into broadcasting and, in early 2022, joined the Brewers as an assistant to the player development staff. In 2019, he was added to the Brewers Wall of Honor, and in 2021, he was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Weeks’ brother, Jemile Weeks, played parts of six seasons in the majors, and his sister, Kaisha, was a college track star. Rickie and his wife are parents to a son and a daughter. Rickie Weeks is one of the more difficult players to assess when doing a retrospective. Most people will probably look at his career and say it was a failure. But that’s too harsh. But what’s probably more fair was to say that Weeks had a career that fell short of expectations. Rickie Weeks had come out of college expecting to hit .300+. Brewer fans expected an all-star. However, that was probably unfair to Weeks. Yes, he had some very loud tools - and the stats to back them up. But some of the hype about Weeks should have been tempered by the fact that he had played at a smaller college program against lesser talent. But let’s be honest - you hit .490 in any league - and that’s pretty amazing. In reality, Weeks’ batting stroke - which was so fast it was almost violent - left him with a hole in his swing. Combine this with a patient approach at the plate - and it led to a lot of strikeouts. This was more noticeable against right-handed pitchers. He had a .829 OPS against left-handers for his career - but a .739 OPS against right-handers. And the injuries can’t be discounted either. Weeks played hard - and it took a toll on him. Ultimately, Rickie Weeks had a career most players would die for. He played 13 seasons, made nearly $50 million, and was voted the starter in an all-star game. And he helped get the Brewers back into the playoffs for the first time in a quarter of a century. For the Brewers, he slugged 148 HRs, hit .249, and had an OBP of .347. He ranks sixth all-time in runs scored, is 10th in doubles, and holds the franchise record with 125 Hit by Pitches. The next closest person is 30 behind him - so it’s a record that may never be broken. The big problem for Rickie Weeks was that he had such enormous expectations. And while he had his share of success - he never rose to the heights many predicted. Please share your memories of former Brewer second baseman Rickie Weeks. View full player

It's what we do.

@brewerfanatic.bsky.social on Bluesky BSKY.APP The top destination for independent Milwaukee Brewers content and conversation on the web. #ThisIsMyCrew

Nah, ownership has tanked fan morale, no one cares about the Twins right now. It's a bummer the way they were sailing throughout 2023 and then the Pohlads just knee-capped the momentum. Really stupid business decision, honestly.

No one knows what the Twins are doing, especially the Twins.

I suspected that might be the case. Many users don't have the source option. I'll have to investigate BlueSky a little more and see if they have expanded embed options we can integrate.

What did you do differently?

Because people seem to be transitioning away from X/Twitter, at least in some capacity, I was asked to expand the default embed options for other social media sites. The following sites will now embed natively on the site just as Twitter has since forever. 1. Instagram 2. Facebook 3. TikTok 4. BlueSky 5. Threads 6. Twitter/X

Will Sammon and Katie Woo of The Athletic reported in a recent piece that Willy Adames has stated he's willing to take less money to stay a Milwaukee Brewer. Let that sink in for a moment. Take a deep breath. While it's quite rare for a player to come out and say this publicly, Adames isn't your run-of-the-mill player. While his sentiment is surely true - he wants to stay a Brewer - he's still going to be want to be paid. The full quote: MLB Trade Rumors projects Adames to receive six years, $160 million in free agency this winter so even accepting less money means a deal for 5+ seasons and well into nine figures. With the Brewers' television situation in flux, it's uncertain whether the team has much (if any) money to spend in free agency and it has been rumored they could be more active in the trade market than free agency. Either way, it's nice to feel loved. No matter where Adames lands, we all wish him the best.* *the Cubs aren't in the market for a shortstop so don't come at me View full rumor

I'd prefer he didn't remain with the team in 2025 but I feel there's still a decent chance the Brewers get a bounceback out of Rhys, making the $14m difference a decent value. Not the end of the world either way, IMO.

MLB Trade Rumors released their top 35 trade candidates for the 2024-2025 offseason. Unsurprisingly, the budget-conscious Brewers had some names on the list. Obviously, Devin Williams is widely rumored to be on the block; even the front office is keeping mum on the subject. A less obvious candidate to trade is Aaron Civale. Trading a recent acquisition (Civale was a deadline trade with the Rays) would be the most Brewers-y move Milwaukee could make. After struggling for half a season in Tampa, the Brewers took on Civale and coaxed him to a 119 ERA+ over 14 starts down the stretch. One has to believe the Brewers will demand value in return for the right-hander. He is expected to make around $8 million in arbitration this season, which is a good value if he's even a league-average pitcher, much less the solid #2/3 he was down the stretch in 2024. View full rumor

Welcome to the site! I think the point is that while Hall performed well after returning from the IL, he still pitched only 43 innings. If his fastball has lost some of its formerly-potent characteristics, that's more telling than 30-ish innings of pitching.

Like I said in the piece, it's impossible to predict what the Rockies will do. Trading McMahon is an easy choice given the state of the franchise, which means they probably won't do it.

Finally someone brings it up. Coors is a pretty significant detriment to hitters because they play half their games where pitches move differently. The “Coors hangover” is real.

Welcome to Brewer Fanatic!