UpandIn

Well...you're definitely right there. I'm disappointed that we haven't called ANYONE up from this AAA squad right now. If Hiura was still in AAA, I think you MIGHT be able to roll out a better lineup from Nashville than the Brewers are right now. And I understand Joey Weimer is a guy who needs time to adjust and would likely be exploited right now and when he does come up, he'll LIKELY need time to adjust and you don't want to start these clocks too early...but we have 3 more runs with Woodruff and Burnes at BEST. It's as likely we're in our last run with both of them than we have 2 more. So stop sitting on your ___ and try SOMETHING. It took how long to get Hiura back up? I expected Frelick when his rookie status for next year was no longer in question, but now I'm wondering...are they planning on waiting on ALL of those prospects until next June or so? C'mon...we saw what Keston Hiura did in 2019. Not saying Frelick would do that, but...it's not a dissimilar situation. But as I said in another thread, fine...leave Frelick, he's the prized prospect(one of them). But Ruiz? A guy who can drop down a bunt, who just gets on base and can steal a bag? Puts pressure on the defense!? I'm watching Freddy and I don't even want to jump into the next game thread. It's getting very frustrating watching 5 innings and Freddy has faced 15 batters and the Brewers have squandered one opportunity after another.

This was my thought...though I'll be honest, I didn't really consider the 13 pitcher limit, more just the extra roster spot and the DH. I was just curious how close people have Valerio to protecting him, if people thought he could be picked. The arguments against make sense. He's 21, been pushed aggressively, but also limited defensively and hasn't had a big year offensively.

This was my thought...though I'll be honest, I didn't really consider the 13 pitcher limit, more just the extra roster spot and the DH. I was just curious how close people have Valerio to protecting him, if people thought he could be picked. The arguments against make sense. He's 21, been pushed aggressively, but also limited defensively and hasn't had a big year offensively.

You're right, I very much will be. I understand service time concerns and all that, but he's so obviously the best CF'er in the Brewers entire organization right now... At least get Ruiz up if you've got ANY confidence in him. He's already on the 40 man. This is getting frustrating. This is a sinking ship and I KEEP waiting for them to show SOME level of urgency and it's just not there.

He actually did. Little surprising. The announcers lost their minds on one play when a DE tried to shoot the gap and Walker just drove him down the LOS...which was a little funny, but he looked good on his feet, looked athletic. I really love the 16 man PS. Assuming he doesn't make the 53 man...and having missed so much of camp, I don't think he will, but if they can get him in shape and shore up some of the questions people had about him coming out, the maturity issues, work ethic, the body, he could be a steal. He was a 2nd round pick in early mock drafts, so we know the talent's there.

I've said several times I thought Lowry was outstanding last year after the first 4-5 games. He was a negative the first month of the year and then he was really good the rest of the year. But I also compared it to the Packers cutting a All Pro OG in Josh Sitton because they could both save some money and they felt they had good depth there. I don't THINK they'll do it, but if they can get something for him AND...as I said, they think they've got depth there, he's one of the few veterans I could see being cut, it's not because I don't think he's a good player. And there's a WHOLE lot we don't know. Haven't seen much of Reed, but all the reports are he's looked really good at practice. He's been the "De'Vondre Campbell," of this camp. The veteran on a cheap deal who's had a great camp. Doesn't mean he'll be an All Pro, but it could mean with with Clark now playing more DE, Slaton playing MUCH better a year later, Reed as a potential 3rd starter and then a 1st round pick(who I don't think is ready to play a lot of snaps in the base just yet) and then a couple of young guys who look really good. There are also players people get too high on every camp. I think Winfree is one. Maybe Slayton/Heflin are two guys I'm too high on. By the way, if #83 gets cut by the Pats(I don't even know who it is)...sign him. I don't care what position he plays. SIGN HIM! I'm half serious here. One play isn't enough, but that was beautiful.

Obviously the kickoff unit is terrible, but we've seen last night, Ahmed who has a big leg, they were giving up big returns with him as well. In theory, you want to kick it on one side of the hash, higher and you want it to come down inside the ~5 or so. I'm guessing we're at the point where they may just want to kick it into the endzone because we're constantly gashed for 40 yards on returns, but that's not on Crosby(hell, he's not even the one kicking it this year). Crosby's leg on Kickoffs hasn't diminished. His average KO distance and hang time were both the best of his career last year. And when you get into the cold months...it's hard for any kicker to just kick it out of the back of the EZ. So I don't think that's a reason to move on from him. If he's not able to hit FGs, if last year wasn't an aberration, then you move on from him. But it seems the Packers are reasonably confident that's not the case(though we won't actually know until final cuts).

I haven't even really considered the Brewers won't make the playoffs. We're still in the thick of it, and I think we can still win the division. They'll go on a run. They've got the pitching, Counsell gets this team ready. Until they play poorly down the stretch when they need to play well, then I'll change my opinion. Now...can they win in the playoffs? That's always a toss up. They were beating the Nats a couple years ago, they played the Braves pretty well last year....no reason they can't get on a roll with that starting pitching and do some damage. But people jumping off the bandwagon now...it's gonna be hard to catch up and jump back on.

Well...if I was running a team that was projected to lose 90+ games anyway(or even a team that's going to lose 80 and they know they won't be competitive) then I'd argue talent and potential is pretty big. And it's not like he'd be going from A ball to the Big leagues. AA to MLB. Not all that rare of a jump. I get we have to be selective, but...yeah, I think there are teams that would take a prospect like him and sit him for most of a year, especially with the 26th man. He'd be the highest rated prospect we'd have left unprotected in a while, wouldn't he? I could definitely see the A's taking a guy like him. A team that's probably going to lose 90-100 games, doesn't have much 2B depth and keep him on the roster for 90 days and then like Wei-chung Wang, he starts dealing with some injuries and they get him through to next year. There are a lot of guys, I was just asking if he'd given Valerio any consideration.

I get that, but I thought the day was the 24th. I didn't expect he'd start his career in LA, but I assumed he'd be in the lineup for the start of the Cubs series at home. I don't think the roster spot is a particularly big deal. You can send Davis back down, DFA. That's fine. Ruiz can take his place when rosters expand. You still have Taylor.

Well...if Crosby's not ready, no reason to push it. Let him spend the first 4 weeks on the PUP. He hasn't really started doing much yet, so just keep Ahmed. I'd still rather see Crosby for the end of the season, the cold weather, but, if they like Ahmed, that's a place they could save a couple million. Him and Dean Lowry are two guys...with the money they save, that could be the difference between keeping Amos next year. Given how much we've pushed money down the road and how this is an all-in season, they'd only do this if they think that Slayton/Heflin are comparable to Lowry and Ahmed could be as good as Crosby or at least there's no real drop off there, so I doubt it'll happen, but could be like Sitton in '16.

53 man projections Gutekunst has already talked about possibly trading for WRers during cut down. We certainly need depth at Safety depth. One of the stranger 53 mans I've done, but the 16 man PS really changes the calculus. Anyway, here are my guesses as of now. Also, think back to the 53 man roster from the FIRST cut downs last year vs what the team turned into. This team is gonna change a whooole lot. Hopefully in the way of players getting healthier, depth players stepping up, rookies like Enagbare building off a really nice finish to pre-season and becoming a viable #3 edge rusher, the rookies can contribute. QB(2) Rodgers, Love PS-Etling is athletic, but I don't see him ever developing into a full time QB. He's a Joe Webb. RB(3) Jones, Dillon, Goodson, Hill(PUP) PS-Taylor I think this is going to be a REAL close one. Taylor is a power back who is VERY good in pass pro, he's also good in kick coverage. He's not explosive like Goodson, he's not WRer(7) Watson, Doubs, Lazard, Rodgers, Toure, Cobb, Watkins PS-Winfree, Travis Fulgrham(He just got here too late to make any inroads, but we've seen him produce and he knows the offense). Wouldn't be shocked to see Watkins not make the team and then brought back after week 1 or Gutekunst go out and make a trade or claim as he alluded to earlier this camp when he said, after the Julio singing that there's no much available, that could change at the end of camp. TE(4) Deguara, Davis, Lewis, Tonyan PS-Cannella(I think he'll play a role in the passing game at some point this season. He's been impressive as a pass catcher, but obviously not much of a blocker.) Davis has done just about all he can to lose that job. Becker may have had a chance, and he looked good as a blocker and was a big target, but went out with what appeared to be a rathr sinigicant injry. With question about Tonyan and Daffney already gone, this is definitely a position I could see them making a waiver claim. OL-(10) Bakhtiari,Nijman, Runyan, Myers, Hanson, Newman, Rhyan, Jenkins, Tom, Jones PS-Walker I really don't get the appeal of Hanson, but he's been rotating with the 1s and he's got a chance to start the season. Walker showed a lot tonight. That he can move, that he's pretty physical. That he's worth a RS year and a PS spot. MLF has never kept 10, but he's never had this type of talent 1-10 and he's also never went into the season with his two best players out. By the way, Myers has looked like an absolute animal in the run game in his limited snaps vs the better DL. Rhyan looks great at times, but he's still getting beat in pass protection with quickness. The idea that Yosh could get floated makes a lot of sense. He's got a full year on tape. Caleb Jones is more valuable being a rook with 4 years of team control, but I'd imagine teams would prefer to go with the guy who got 600 snaps last year. DL-(6) Clark, Lowry, Slaton, Reed, Wyatt, Slayton PS-Heflin, Ford I could go either way with Slayton or Heflin. Heflin had a bit splash play tonight with the 4th and 1 tackle, but he was just unblocked. He's been good either way, but so has Slayton. Slayton is more athletic AND has done a good job getting off blocks and anchors well in the run game. I do think one of the two will get claimed(Heflin or Slayton, whoever's not on the 53 man). Wyatt was the guy I wanted at #22. He's looked...very average thus far. His defense vs the run leaves a lot to be desired, but he does have an exceptional 1st step and hopefully he'll earn playing time as the year goes on, but man, he looked brutal this last game vs the Chiefs. Moved off the ball consistently, really no plan to his rush, often just ended up as a QB spy. But he can beat ANYONE with that first step. Edge-(4) Gary, Smith, Enagbare, Garvin, PS-Kobe Jones, Galeai, LaDarius Hamilton. I'm lost here after the first 3 who are all locks. Garvin has looked...reliable. Jones has really flashed at times. Quay Walker's ability to come up and play Edge provides some depth here. Enagbare has been really been solid vs some of the few starting OL we've played. He's just steady, collapses the pocket, plays the run. Any of the other 3 could make the 53, but this is where I'd stick with 4 to be able to go with 10 OL, 6 DL. MLBer(4)-Campbell, Walker, Barnes, McDuffie Easiest group. Maybe Wilborn for the PS, but these 4 are all very clearly the 4 best. McDuffie took a huge 2nd year jump(it would appeaer). Barnes is limited and he always will be, but he can run and hit. Also good on STs, as is McDuffie. CB(6) -Alexander, Stokes, Douglas, Nixon, Jean-Charles, Thomas PS-Gafford, Ento Gafford blew coverage in multiple games. He's sticky and athletic, but he's not ready to play. Ento I think could play safety/CB. That Will Redmond role. Both converted WRers. S(4) Amos, Savage, Davis, Leavitt PS-Carpenter. Abernathy to the 53 man after Leavitt goes on IR Carpenter likely takes the spot of Leavitt after the initial 53 man and Leavitt is put on IR. I don't see it. Leavitt in limited time blew a coverage, missed a few tackles, but this group is 3 deep and MAYBE Abernathy can prove to be depth in the base, not just for STs. But he didn't look especially good in either regard. I'd take Aber This is definitely a position they should be looking for upgrades. STs (3) Crosby Coco O'Donnell PS-Ahmed

He's the clear #5 MLBer. We've played the vast majority of our snaps the past few years with 1...so I think we'll be good. I also don't think he'll make it, but we'll see.

Don't get it, haven't seen it. I also appreciate, the guys making the calls know more than me, but I'm with you. That wasn't on Carpenter. Looked to ME like they were playing Quarters. Gafford jumped that and for no discernible reason(assuming we're talking about the long TD pass when Carpenter was playing inside him). He had the TE coming up the seem). He did obviously...but that's the type of situation I'm good with him taking a shot. 3rd and 5, wrong side of the 50 and ~30 seconds left. Try and make a play, otherwise punt team is coming out anyway.

It's amazing to me how many people are on the ground at the point of attack. Every big return, we have at least a gunner and a spear on the ground. Then the first guy down who...of course doesn't break down. It's exceptionally easy to for a return man, even if he's an equal athlete to the man pursuing to make him miss and KRers are usually quicker and more explosive. There's no funneling, no lane integrity. It's baffling.

Not even a maybe for Valerio? A guy with a 60 hit tool who gets doesn't strike out a ton and does walk a lot? It's a little tough for a 5'7 player who's primarily limited to 2B, a position we seem to have fairly well stocked at the moment, but nonetheless, someone who can play all IF positions along with CF. After the season ends, anyone on the 60 day DL, they revert back and count against the 40 man, correct? We should be able to get down to ~30 40 man roster spots...though I'm sure Stearns will add a few players pretty quickly. Obviously some of those will go to FAs/trades. I've love to be able to keep Turang, Uribe, Robinson, and then Victor Castaneda, Justin Jarvis, Felix Valerio...probably in that order. I wonder if the 26th man roster spot and full season MiLB will increase the # of rule 5 players changing teams or if it will have little impact. I thought there was an increase last year, no? I haven't really followed it all that closely the past few years.

Not even a maybe for Valerio? A guy with a 60 hit tool who gets doesn't strike out a ton and does walk a lot? It's a little tough for a 5'7 player who's primarily limited to 2B, a position we seem to have fairly well stocked at the moment, but nonetheless, someone who can play all IF positions along with CF. After the season ends, anyone on the 60 day DL, they revert back and count against the 40 man, correct? We should be able to get down to ~30 40 man roster spots...though I'm sure Stearns will add a few players pretty quickly. Obviously some of those will go to FAs/trades. I've love to be able to keep Turang, Uribe, Robinson, and then Victor Castaneda, Justin Jarvis, Felix Valerio...probably in that order. I wonder if the 26th man roster spot and full season MiLB will increase the # of rule 5 players changing teams or if it will have little impact. I thought there was an increase last year, no? I haven't really followed it all that closely the past few years.

Yeah...that's another one that was annoying at the time. Daniel Norris? John Curtiss is an a different story. He was throwing well and a much needed reliever at the time. That's just bad luck. Norris was another head scratching move. A soft tossing lefty and then Rosenthal who you could have just signed. Teams are looking for MLB ready or near ready prospects. Reese Olson certainly looks like he'd have been one of those and Tristan Peters in a years time certainly could have fit that bill. Stearns has not been very good on smaller trades. Or maybe this was Matt Arnold. I don't know, but those two trades stand out in particular to me, not in hindsight, at the time. Again, Curtiss I'd blame on hindsight. Trading catcher depth, even a nice prospect for a guy who's ACTUALLY pitching well...if that doesn't work out, if he ends up getting hurt, that's baseball. Trading for injured or poorly performing pitchers and then just hoping it works out or not having room on your active roster to keep a guy like Lamet, again, not a complaint in hindsight, one at the time, those are valid questions to ask.

My guess it it's Ruiz. I have no factual or even rumored basis, but when they said trades fell through, my feeling was that Ruiz was going to be part of another deal. I was rather confident we'd hear something by now that Frelick would be joining the Brewers. Still time of course and each day is a day less of service time, but I was expecting his debut to be vs the Cubs on the 26th by now.

Well...that'd certainly be surprising. It'd tell you they were pretty confident in Tom, Jones and Newman or some combination of players playing OT. Squeeze Dallas. They lose a franchise LT for the year...or most of it. Try and get a 3rd back. He'll be a FA next year. He's got the body and that incredible athleticism that seemingly every Packers player has now, even if he's still not totally put it together.

I mean...we agree it'd be too expensive as it'd cost a pick, I don't even think we could extend him at this point and then next year he'd cost a lot as a FA. BUT...I think you're either underestimating Gesicki or overestimating Tonyan. I love Tonyan, always has. He's never really put it all together. He had a year where he had a lot of TDs, but he's a couple years older than Gesicki and in that one year, he had 580 yards. Even last year, the first 8 games he did play, 200 yards and 2 TDs in his breakout year. Gesicki's been playing on a bad offense with almost no stability and he's been very productive. I do think he's closer to the Andrews/Kelce level than Tonyan. We'll see what Tonyan can do this year, but he regressed quite a bit last year in pretty much all facets and then tore his ACL. I hope he can bounce back and become the guy it has looked like he could, but it's always been glimpses and then injuries.

Yelich needs to have the type of year next year that...if he was a FA, a team would be willing to pay him 5/110M in order for the Brewers to just unload him. That'd involved more than just getting on base and even hitting for a better average. It'd need to be closer to .280/.370/.470 and 30 HRs. A 3-4 WAR season. And then you're probably picking up 3-4M a year and still paying the deferred money. That feels extremely unlikely, BUT, he is only 30 years old and maybe he finds a way to deal with that back issue and regain a little bit of that back speed? Otherwise it's packaging another very valuable player or a prospect...or 2 in order to rid ourselves of his deal. But a big year next year with Burnes, Woodruff and then moving on from all 3 would be just about the ideal scenario. Just a very bad luck signing. I can't imagine anyone at the time we signed him would be asking year 1 of the team friendly extension, if we could find a way to unload him at this point.

One of the many reasons the international FA signing period is so interesting and so stupid. Millions being thrown around on kids, decisions made when they're 14 and 15. Such a flawed system with such an insane amount of projection. You take massive risks on HS kids in the draft and they're 18/19, they've played in big showcases in the States. I know they do the same in the DR, Venezuela and the like, but it's such a crap shoot. But we've finally got a stable of nice international signees working their way up. That's what builds a farm system. Most teams draft highly touted prospects, they fail or they don't, but you can get classes where you sign 33 players and who knows how many of them will hit. Just one makes it worth while. Now, with all the talk in other threads about the off-season, premature talk, the Brewers #1 goal has to be to acquire Jaison Chourio this off-season. Keep the brothers together! Pretty sure he's a year away from a breakout like Jackson! Or maybe just a normal development for a 17 year old kid, but all the same, he's off to an exceptional start as a 17 year old kid. I do kinda wonder if teams would ever consider doing this. We'll have Jackson in LF hitting like Acuna Jr and Jaison in CF playing GG defense. And in this fairy tale, we'll sign 'em both to those big Ozzie Albies like deals as soon as they arrive in the big leagues! Or...just appreciate Jackson and what we've got there....

I knew his two kids a bit through sports. Not the same school at Matt, but played on a couple teams with him coming up and became friends. Jerry was certainly invested in Matt's athletics and I think Melanie played Volleyball or something for a while, but she wasn't into sports. I'm like 99% sure they were twins, but I knew them at different times, but Matt was a smart kid. I THINK he became a Doctor. Last I saw him, he was in Med school volunteering for something. Mel got married and I know she's doing pretty well(or again, was, at this point, you go years between hearing/seeing from people). I always thought Jerry was a bit arrogant, but in retrospect...I just think he was a father who was busy, a bit on the stricter side and didn't like people who were friends with his daughter(never that there was anything along those lines). Good people.

I knew his two kids a bit through sports. Not the same school at Matt, but played on a couple teams with him coming up and became friends. Jerry was certainly invested in Matt's athletics and I think Melanie played Volleyball or something for a while, but she wasn't into sports. I'm like 99% sure they were twins, but I knew them at different times, but Matt was a smart kid. I THINK he became a Doctor. Last I saw him, he was in Med school volunteering for something. Mel got married and I know she's doing pretty well(or again, was, at this point, you go years between hearing/seeing from people). I always thought Jerry was a bit arrogant, but in retrospect...I just think he was a father who was busy, a bit on the stricter side and didn't like people who were friends with his daughter(never that there was anything along those lines). Good people.