Michael Trzinski

I remember JM and Neugy. Was hoping for better, too.

Two weeks from now, the 2024 MLB Draft will take place July 14-16 in Fort Worth, Texas, in conjunction with the All-Star game being played at Globe Life Field in neighboring Arlington. As a lead-up to the big event, we're examining the Crew's draft history. Image courtesy of © Milwaukee Journal Sentinel files / USA TODAY NETWORK The Milwaukee Brewers have the 17th pick in the first round, along with the 34th pick in the competitive balance round ‘A,’ acquired from Baltimore in the Corbin Burnes trade. In the second round, they have the 57th overall pick. The Brewers also have the 67th overall in the Competitive balance round ‘B.’ They have the 93rd overall pick in the third round and the 123rd in the fourth round. In the fifth round, Milwaukee has the 156th overall pick. For the remaining 15 rounds, Milwaukee will have the 17th pick in each round. Some of the top prospects this year are 3B/OF Charlie Condon (Georgia), 2B Travis Bazzana (Oregon State), RHP Chase Burns (Wake Forest), 1B Nick Kurtz (Wake Forest), and 1B/LHP Jac Caglianone (Florida). Brewer Fanatic writer Jamie Cameron has compiled a 2024 MLB Mock Draft Consensus Board, including rankings from MLB Pipeline, ESPN, The Athletic, and others. This is the first of a three-part series discussing past Brewers drafts. Today, we look at five of the ‘worst’ drafts in Milwaukee’s draft history. 1975 The 1975 draft leads the list. The Brewers chose 22 players, 13 high schoolers, and nine college players. This was the only draft from 1970-2010 that did not have a single player who reached the major leagues in a Brewers uniform, although an asterisk comes attached to this draft. The Brewers chose pitcher Bob Stoddard in the 19th round but did not sign with Milwaukee. In 1976, he was picked in the January secondary draft by Atlanta and in the June secondary draft by Oakland, but he did not sign with either club. Finally, he signed with Seattle as a 10th-round pick in the 1978 June draft. He pitched for seven years in the bigs with four different clubs from 1981-87. Here are the Brewers top five picks from 1975: #1 LHP Rick O’Keeffe, Yorktown HS (Yorktown Heights, NY) Scouted by roughly 20 big league teams, the 6-foot-6, 225-pounder was the fifth selection overall in the draft, picked ahead of Rick Cerone, Clint Hurdle, and Dale Berra. In his senior year, he pitched three no-hitters, had an ERA of 0.83, and struck out 114 batters in 59 innings. O’Keeffe also batted .426 with five home runs. He spent two seasons at Single-A and was traded to the Cincinnati organization for Mike Caldwell and another player in June 1977. O’Keeffe spent five years in the Reds chain before being released in early 1982. He missed all of 1983 with a bum elbow, which required surgery. He tried to make a comeback in 1984 in the Mets chain and pitched in seven games before calling it quits. #2 C Chuck Ross, Tates Creek HS (Lexington, KY) The left-handed batting Ross hit .438 in his senior year and turned down a scholarship at the University of Kentucky to sign a five-figure bonus with the Brewers. He played well in his first season at low-A Newark, slashing .271/.416/.338, earning a promotion the next year to Single-A Burlington in the Midwest League. Ross spent the next two years at that level before being promoted to Double-A Holyoke in 1978. After batting only .177/.283/.237 in a backup role at Holyoke, Ross was traded to the Baltimore organization in January 1979. He played the entire season at Single-A Miami and was a teammate of Cal Ripken, Jr. Ross slashed .237/.317/.309 with only two home runs. He was released after the season and called it a career after five pro seasons, never reaching higher than Double-A. #3 RHP Alvin Edge, Crawford HS (San Diego, CA) Not to be confused with Butch Edge, a Brewer pick from the previous year, Alvin Edge threw a no-hitter in his senior year. He spent four seasons at the lower levels of the Brewer organization, spending parts of three years at Single-A Burlington and even advancing as high as Double-A Holyoke in 1978. The Brewers released Edge after 1979 spring training. He was picked up by the Seattle organization and pitched six games at Single-A San Jose in the California League before being released. #4 OF Gregory Anderson, John W. North HS (Riverside, CA) Anderson was a 5-foot-10, 185-pound fly chaser who had a nice first pro season in 1975, slashing .293/.368/.462 at Low-A Newark. He hit nine homers and stole 26 bases in 50 games. That earned him a promotion to Single-A Burlington the following season. Anderson slashed .249/.333/.365 and stole 26 bases again. That wasn’t enough to earn a promotion, as he played at Burlington once again in 1977. Anderson played in only nine games, slashing .189/.318/.243 before getting released. #5 SS-2B Robert Hely, Fort Lauderdale HS (Fort Lauderdale, FL) Bob Hely did not sign with the Brewers, instead electing to attend Wake Forest University. He played mostly at second base from 1976-1979 and was named to the All-ACC first team in 1978 and the second team in 1979. Hely hit a home run in the Demon Deacons’ 16-2 win over Virginia in the first game of the 1978 ACC tournament. He did not play professional ball. Dishonorable Mentions 1978 The Brewers made 32 picks in this draft, and only one of them (Rickey Keeton) played for Milwaukee. Picked in the third round, ‘Buster’ played parts of two years in the majors, pitching in 22 games in 1980-81. First-round pick catcher Nick Hernandez signed for $50,000, spent four years in the minors, and never made it out of ‘A’ ball. Three players who did not sign and were drafted in future years made it to the majors with other clubs. Infielder Tim Teufel, OF Kevin McReynolds, and LHP Rob Murphy played a combined 34 years in the majors. 1996 Of the 57 picks made by the Brewers, only a pair of them performed for the Brewers in the bigs. Third-round pick 1B Kevin Barker played in 78 games over the 1999-2000 seasons, and RHP Allen Levrault (13th round) appeared in 37 contests in 2000-01. Barker played parts of three seasons for other teams (2002, 2006, 2009), while Levrault pitched for Miami in 2003. First-round pick OF Chad Green was the Brewers' first million-dollar signee but sadly never made it past Triple-A and was traded to San Diego after the 2000 season. RHP Josh Hancock and Brandon Backe did not sign with Milwaukee but were drafted in 1998 and played in the majors for other teams. Hancock died in a car crash in 2007 at the age of 29. 1990 Only OF Duane Singleton (5th round) and RHP Marshall Boze (12th round) made it to the bigs of the 43 Milwaukee draftees. Singleton played in 15 games for Milwaukee in 1994-95 and then appeared in 18 contests for Detroit in 1996. Boze had one save in his 25 relief appearances in 1996 for the Brewers. Top pick OF Larue Baber never made it past Single-A in his three years in the Brewers organization. He was released by Milwaukee before the 1993 season and picked up by San Diego. Baber topped out at High-A and was released by the Padres after the 1994 season. 1997 The Brewers made 53 picks and once again had limited success. Only first-rounder RHP Kyle Peterson—who signed for $1.4 million—and RHPs Matt Childers (9th round) and Brian Mallette (27th round) appeared in a Milwaukee Brewers uniform. Peterson pitched in 1999 and 2001, appearing in 20 games. Childers threw in eight contests for Milwaukee in 2002 and three times for Atlanta in 2005. Mallette made five appearances for Milwaukee in 2002. Bucky Jacobsen played six years in the minors for Milwaukee, making it as high as Triple-A before getting released in mid-2002. He signed with the Cardinals and a year later with the Mariners before reaching the bigs. He played in 42 games for Seattle in 2004, hitting nine HRs. After calling it quits in 2007 in the Mexican League, Jacobsen had launched 186 homers in 11 minor league seasons. RHP Geoff Geary did not sign, instead signing with Philadelphia in 1998. Geary pitched for the Phillies and Astros between 2003 and 2009, appearing in 287 games. It just goes to show that the MLB Draft is often a crapshoot. How does the 1974 draft happen? Number one pick Robin Yount becomes a Hall of Famer, while none of the other 20 players selected even get a ‘Cup of Coffee.’ What about 1984 when only #14 pick John Jaha plays in the majors, hitting 141 career homers? Part two will discuss a few players who got away when they did not sign after being drafted by Milwaukee but were drafted in the following years by other teams and went on to have big careers. It is a case of ‘what could have been.’ View full article

Not expecting a miracle here, but 'five or six passable' starts would help out a lot.

Nice piece, Spencer! We will see Heaney and Eovaldi this week against Texas and maybe get a better look at them.

The Brewers return home after what felt like a big win to salvage a rough West Coast trip last week. They now have to tangle with the defending champions, but they have home-field advantage and the younger manager. Image courtesy of © Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports Returning to American Family Field, the Brewers can take advantage of some home cooking, at the place where they have played .647 ball, winning 22 of 34 games. The Texas Rangers come into town, riding a miniature hot streak of four straight wins. The Rangers have a record of 37-40, six and a half games behind Seattle and in third place in the AL West. The Brewers have cooled off of late, going 5-5 in their last 10 games. Their 45-33 mark still ranks first in the NL Central, five games ahead of St. Louis. The standings are less comfortable than they were a week or two ago, but the Crew is still sitting pretty. Monday, June 24 Michael Lorenzen (4-3, 3.00 ERA) vs. Freddy Peralta (5-4, 4.06 ERA) Hard to believe Lorenzen is in his 10th year in the bigs. After playing for the Reds for seven years, he has moved around the last three years, going from Los Angeles (the Angels) to Detroit to Philadelphia, and now to Texas. He pitched a no-no for Philadelphia last year and has been a solid workhorse this year, averaging six innings per start. In his last seven starts—of which six were ‘quality starts’—he has pitched to an ERA of 1.88 and 1.02 WHIP, over 43 innings. He has changed his pitching pattern, as he throws his four-seamer only 25% of the time, compared to 35% last year. He is throwing his cutter and sinker much more, instead. Peralta is coming off one of his best starts of the year, allowing only three hits in six innings against the Angels last Wednesday. One key for Peralta will be staying away from the long ball (duh), as he allowed four dingers in his last three games at AFF. ‘Fastball Freddy’ is at 54% heaters this year, while mixing in sliders, changes, and the occasional curveball. Tuesday, June 25 Andrew Heaney (2-8, 4.21 ERA) vs. Bryse Wilson (4-3, 4.24 ERA) Heaney is the proverbial ‘tough-luck’ pitcher, as the Rangers scored two runs or fewer in five of the southpaw’s losses. Although he got a no-decision in his last start against the Mets, he struck out a season-high nine batters, helped out by 15 swinging strikes. The 11-year vet throws four-seamers as often as Peralta does, and backs it up with a slider and change. One guy Heaney won’t be happy to see is Willy Adames, who has hammered him for an impressive slash line of .467/.471/.867 in 15 career at-bats. Wilson gave up three home runs in 4 2/3 innings last Thursday, in a 7-6 loss to San Diego. He’s given up five or more runs in two of his last three starts, so that must be worrisome for manager Pat Murphy. Wilson has started nine times and has come in from the bullpen an equal number, but for now, it looks like he will stay in the rotation. Even that distribution is a bit misleading; it counts a few programmed bulk appearances behind an opener as relief outings. Hopefully, he can show us the ‘good’ Bryse Wilson against the Rangers, be it as an official starter or not. Since two of the top three and three of the top five in the Texas lineup are usually left-handed batters, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Murphy turn to Jared Koenig again this week. Wednesday, June 26 Nathan Eovaldi (4-3, 3.14 ERA) vs. Colin Rea (6-2, 3.62 ERA) Eovaldi is a 13-year vet, now pitching for his sixth team. He missed a couple weeks in May with a groin injury, but appears to healthy, and he has had a couple solid outings in June. Eovaldi’s repertoire is led by his 95-mph four-seamer, and his splitter, which comes in at about 89 mph. He throws those two pitches about 1/3 of time apiece, and brings the hook about 15% of the time. Eovaldi is a strikeout artist with decent control. He owns Adames, limiting the shortstop to a .125/.125/.125 slash line in eight career ABs. Rea is tied for the Brewers lead in wins (6) and IP (82) and tied for second in WAR (1.2). He failed to record a strikeout in his last start against San Diego for the first time all year, though, and he allowed five runs for the third time. Other than that, he has done well as the team’s second starter. Hopefully he can get back on track. Players to Watch (Who’s Hot/Who’s Not) Josh Smith (INF) The third-year man is having a nice season, slashing .304/.393/.469 across 224 ABs this year. He mostly plays at third base, but has filled in at shortstop when Corey Seager missed some games earlier in June. In his last four games, he is 6-for-13 with two homers and five RBIs. Brice Turang (2B) Turang is having a great year, and is on pace for a 50-steal season, which would be the first for Milwaukee since 2016 (when Jonathan Villar swiped 62 bags). In the last week, Turang has slashed .367/.406/.600. He's making a credible All-Star case. Marcus Semien (2B) The two-time All-Star and former Gold Glove winner has struggled recently, going just 2-for-22 in his last six games. Overall, he is slashing .252/.318/.416, but he did have a bases-clearing double in a 6-2 win over Kansas City Friday night. His 43 RBIs lead the team. Jackson Chourio (OF) The young phenom is having a Jekyll-and-Hyde season, but the promise is definitely there. He was 3-for-19 in his last seven games prior to Sunday, but he chipped in with four RBIs and a stolen base in that otherwise tough span. Murphy kept him out of the starting lineup on Sunday, but he pinch-hit for Tyler Black and went 2-for-2 with a double. He should be ready to rock and roll on Monday against Texas--though we might still be learning what the new roster and lineup will look like, with Black in the mix and Garrett Mitchell returning to the fold. Prediction Texas is hot lately and the Brewers are lukewarm at best, but we are talking about American Family Field, where the Brewers have won two out of every three games this year. So, let’s go with that. The teams will split the first two games and then Milwaukee will take the final game of the set. View full article

Should Milwaukee make a move now and not wait until the trade deadline? They could really use the help right now... Image courtesy of © Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports When the 2024 season started, Milwaukee expected to have Freddy Peralta, Colin Rea, Jakob Junis, DL Hall, and possibly Joe Ross as members of the starting rotation. Although Wade Miley was injured, he was mentioned as a starter, as was minor-league phenom Robert Gasser. Sixty-four games into the season, only Peralta and Rea have started at least a dozen games. Ross (9) and Gasser (5) have chipped in, but both currently are on the 15-day injured list. Thus far, seven other pitchers have made starts for Milwaukee: Tobias Myers (7), Bryce Wilson (7), Hall (4), Jared Koenig (4), Aaron Ashby (2), Miley (2), and Junis (1). Miley, Junis, and Hall are all on the 60-day IL. Peralta is the no-doubt ace of the staff, but as of late is pitching more like a middle-of-the-rotation guy. Nobody else has stepped up to take the #2 and #3 spots in the rotation. That said, what can the Brewers do to strengthen the starting staff to make it the equal of the batting lineup? Gasser, along with minor league aces like Jacob Misiorowski and Carlos F. Rodriguez, who are close to cracking the Milwaukee roster, should give the Brewers hope for future rotational stars. But for today, the Brewers hope their pitching staff can keep up with their hitters. Offensively, the team is third in the NL with 321 runs scored, third with 565 hits, fourth with 68 home runs, third with 86 steals, fourth with 226 walks, second with a .257 batting average, second with an on-base percentage of .332, third with a slugging percentage of .409, and fourth with an OPS+ of 109. In other words, the team can hit. William Contreras (.309/.376/.475) is arguably the best-hitting catcher in baseball; second baseman Brice Turang is on pace for 50 steals while slashing .307/.371/.415, Christian Yelich looks like the ‘Yeli’ of old with an OPS+ of 163 and infielder Joey Ortiz surpasses expectations at the plate with a slash line of .291/.387/.479. The pitching staff is lagging and needs an infusion of solid starts to help the Brewers cross the finish line into September and hopefully beyond. If Peralta can learn to pitch deeper into games and establishes himself as a staff ace, and one of the young pitchers can consistently step up and be a force, the Brewers would only need another pitcher or two to give them what they need to become a solid contender for the NL title. Injuries or Decimation of a Staff? When a team has six starting pitchers on various injury lists, management needs to put together a patchwork staff or make a deal to acquire another pitcher or two. Here is a list of the six pitchers that are on injured lists: Robert Gasser (15-day) left flexor strain in elbow, return TBD. DL Hall (60-day) left knee sprain, return mid-to-late June. Jakob Junis (60-day) right shoulder, return mid-June. Wade Miley (60-day) torn UCL, return 2025. Joe Ross (15-day) lower back strain, return TBD. Brandon Woodruff (60-day) right shoulder, return late 2024/early 2025. Hall and Junis will likely return to action before Independence Day, while the outlooks for Gasser and Ross are a bit cloudier. Miley, of course, is out for the rest of the season, but an early return by Woodruff in September or October could help strengthen the Brewers staff if he is the same pitcher who made a pair of All-Star appearances in the past and was a Cy Young finalist in 2021. Out of the Comfort Zone? During every season, players are thrust into roles they might not be acclimated to, which can affect their performance. Take Bryse Wilson, for example. He was pretty much a starter before he came to Milwaukee in 2023, taking the ball in 43 starts while making just 13 relief appearances for Atlanta and Pittsburgh from 2018-2022. Craig Counsell used Wilson exclusively out of the bullpen last year, where he was very effective. This year, manager Pat Murphy has started Wilson seven times and called for him in relief eight times. Wilson averages 4.2 innings/start but has a walk rate of 12.2%. Out of the ‘pen, that rate is only 3.5%. But his OPS against is .657 as a starter and .768 as a reliever. Wilson made five consecutive starts in late April/early May but has only started one of his last three appearances. Murphy is playing ‘mix-or-match’ here, depending on who can start. Where will Wilson end up? It seems he will remain as a spot starter for now. To me, Aaron Ashby is an enigma. He has a career strikeout rate of 26.1% but allows hits and walks to the tune of a 1.388 WHIP. He didn’t pitch badly in his June 5 outing against Philadelphia, but he didn’t throw nearly enough strikes (49 in 91 pitches) and had eight three-ball counts on the 21 batters he faced. That is simply too many. He was optioned to Nashville on Friday and will get a chance to stretch out in the Sounds rotation until further notice. Carlos F. Rodriguez (CFR) is expected to be called up from Nashville and handed the ball for a start against Toronto on Tuesday at American Family Field. A great piece by Spencer Michaelis on this website details CFR’s struggles and successes this season. Rodriguez will take Ashby’s place in the rotation, at least for one start. Is he out of his depth? History shows he had great numbers at Single-A and Double-A, but thus far, Triple-A stats are a little less impressive. Brewers fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival in Brew City of one of the top Brewer prospects. Are the Trade Winds Blowing? If push comes to shove, the Brewers might need to make a trade or two. Here are two possible options and one very long shot. Trevor Rogers, LHP (Marlins) The 26-year-old Rogers was an All-Star and runner-up in the ROY voting in 2021. He has struggled to find his way since then, but his last two starts weren’t too terrible. He is expected to take the mound against Cleveland today. Rogers is signed through this season and can’t become a free agent until after the 2026 season. ‘T-Raw’ could be more than just a rental for Milwaukee. Erick Fedde, RHP (White Sox) After a good season in Korea in 2023, the White Sox signed Fedde to a two-year, $15 million contract. He could also become a free agent after the 2026 season. Fedde has pitched well in the Windy City, posting an ERA+ of 124 and a WHIP of 1.184 in 13 starts. Given his age (31) and the fact that the White Sox are pretty bad—no, they suck—this season, the Brewers might not have to give away too much in a trade. Justin Verlander, RHP (Astros) Like I said, it's a long shot. But something to think about, maybe. What Will the Brewers Do? Milwaukee has a few options, but they better not wait too long. They can hope their starters get healthy, their young players live up to expectations, and the injury bug attacks some other team. Or they can be like Monty Hall and ‘make a deal’ sooner rather than later. Faithful readers, what do you think the Brewers should do? Please comment below, and thanks for taking the time to read this piece! View full article

(Pats himself on back) after saying that Ortiz would be the starter at 3B in a pre-season piece :)

The first few weeks of the 2024 season have been completed, and it is time for this Brewer Fanatic staff writer to unveil his Minor League Hitter of the Month for April! Several of the top prospects missed the top eight, such as Yophery Rodriguez, Cooper Pratt, and Luis Lara, et al. Fear not, for you will most assuredly see these names and more in the coming months. But for April, here are the top Brewers Minor League Hitters. Image courtesy of Joshua Sumrall, Biloxi Shuckers HONORABLE MENTION C Matt Wood – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers – 13 H, .283/.404/.457 (.861), 138 wRC+, with 2 doubles, 2 home runs, 8 R, 8 RBI, 10 BB, 7 K. The left-handed hitter was grabbed by the Brewers in the fourth round of the 2022 draft from Penn State. Wood is no stranger to hitting .300, as he led the Big Ten conference in 2022 with a .379 average. And last year, the catcher was rated as the fourth-best hitter in April in the 2023 version of this article. Wood is not on the Brewers Top 30 prospect list, but he is opening some eyes, especially with the injury suffered by Jeferson Quero. He appears to be a .250-.260 hitter, but his 16% walk rate, coupled with his 14% K rate, make him appear as a solid prospect. Wood did hit 16 homers in 388 at-bats in college, so it is possible, with experience, that the power will come. IF-DH Tyler Black – Nashville Sounds – 30 H, .303/.393/.525 (.919), 136 wRC+, with 1 double, 3 triples, 5 home runs, 20 R, 18 RBI, 13 BB, 16 K, 3 SB, 1 CS. Black is the #4 prospect in the Brewers organization, and much is expected of him. His hit and run tools both grade out at 60, but the Brewers need to find a spot for him, as the infield/designated hitter slots have lots of candidates. Black got called up to Milwaukee on April 30 and made his major league debut, doubling and singling in his first two at-bats against Tampa Bay. He finished 2-for-4 in the game, hopefully a positive portent of things to come this summer. If you listen closely, you can probably hear cheering from the Milwaukee fans no matter where you live. OF Noah Campbell – Biloxi/Nashville – 17 H, .309/.472/.436 (.909), with 3 doubles, 2 triples, 7 R, 6 RBI, 16 BB, 22 K, 2 SB. Campbell strikes out a lot, but he walks a lot too. He started the year in Biloxi but moved up to Nashville after two weeks. Similar to last year’s journey, but if he can perform well in Nashville, he might get a look as a ‘super utility’ guy in Milwaukee, as he has literally played every position while in the minors. Campbell could be the 2024 version of Cesar Tovar. THE TOP FIVE BREWER HITTERS FOR APRIL #5 SS Gregory Barrios – Wisconsin Timber Rattlers – 27 H, .365/.412/.541 (.952), 156 wRC+, with 10 doubles, 1 home run, 12 R, 21 RBI, 5 BB, 12 K, 4 SB, 3 CS. Barrios was signed during the 2020-21 signing class, receiving a $1 million bonus. He was one of the top shortstop prospects in Venezuela. Barrios is known for having a good glove and in April stepped it up at the plate and was one of the top hitters at A+ Wisconsin. Barrios stole 32 bases last year for Carolina, so look for his SB number to climb as he acclimates to the league. He earned a recent Player of the Week honor in the Midwest League. #4 OF Brewer Hicklen – Nashville – 29 H, .330/.450/.545 (.996), 159 wRC+, with 8 doubles, 1 triple, 3 home runs, 20 R, 12 RBI, 17 BB, 29 K, 13 SB, 2 CS. The 28-year-old Hicklen was signed by a free agent by Milwaukee last November as ‘organizational depth.’ He is great at drawing walks (15%) and awful at striking out (27%). Hicklen has some pop and could probably hit 15 homers in the big leagues if he could make contact well enough to stay in the line-up. One thing for sure, the dude has some wheels for a big guy (6-foot-1, 220 pounds). He stole at least 35 bases from 2018-2022 (except the Covid year) and has a lifetime minor league success rate of 85%. A seventh round pick in 2017 out of Alabama-Birmingham by Kansas City, the righty swinging Hicklen had a cup of coffee in 2022 for the Royals, but when his four at-bats all ended in strikeouts, they apparently gave up on him. He was sold to the Phillies in August 2023 and lasted all of 36 ABs for Triple-A Lehigh Valley before getting released. Will we see Brewer playing for the Brewers this summer? Time will tell. #3 OF-2B Isaac Collins – Nashville – 23 H, .311/.429/.662 (1.091), 170 wRC+, with 10 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs, 18 R, 16 RBI, 16 BB, 16 K, 2 SB, 1 CS. The diminutive (5-foot-8, 185 pounds) Collins was selected by Colorado in the ninth round of the 2019 draft. After three seasons, whether the Rockies weren’t happy with Collins’ .221 batting average in 2022, or if it was a roster numbers game, he was made available in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft and the Brewers snagged him in the first round. Collins stole 29 bases last year for Biloxi and earned a brief appearance in Nashville last year, and that’s where he began this year. After a cool start in April, Collins got hot and over the last week raised his batting average from .265 to .311. He can play any outfield spot and has played as many games at second base as he has in the outfield. Collins may not be a Gold Glove infielder, but he is adequate there and his IF/OF versatility should make him attractive to the Brewers, as well as his ability to hit from both sides of the plate. #2 1B-DH Tayden Hall – Carolina Mudcats – 27 H, .397/.500/.544, (1.044), 200 wRC+, with 6 doubles, 2 triples, 14 R, 9 RBI, 15 BB, 13 K. Hall was selected in the ninth round of the 2022 draft by the Brewers from the State College of Florida. He was drafted as a catcher but was switched to first base and has shown he is a capable defender with a good arm. Hall could probably play a corner outfield spot in a pinch. He performed well early last year, as he earned honorable mention in the BF April 2023 Minor League Hitters of the Month ratings. Hall is expert at drawing walks, as his 18% BB rate will attest. Conversely, his 16% K rate shows he has good contact skills. That brings us to his power, or lack of it. In 330 minor league at-bats, Hall has yet to hit a home run. The fact that he is 6-foot-2, 215 pounds makes one believe that he will develop some in-game power before too long. Hall did hit five round-trippers in the Australian Baseball League last winter, so the potential is there. #1 IF-DH Mike Boeve – Wisconsin/Biloxi – 31 H, .449/.556/.623 (1.179), with 6 doubles, 3 triples, 12 R, 9 RBI, 18 BB, 12 K, 1 SB, 1 CS. The Brewers second round pick in 2023 is moving nicely up the organizational ladder. Ranked #14 on the Brewers Top 30 Prospects list, he is at his third stop in the farm system. Despite having only 137 plates appearances at Advanced-A Wisconsin, he has not at all been overmatched at Double-A Biloxi. The lefty swinger has a great K-rate of 13% and has drawn walks at a rate of 20% this year, both the great numbers of a superior contact hitter. Other than his hit tool (60) and arm tool (50), all his other grades are in the 40-45 range. Although Boeve (pronounced Bo-vee) is not known as a fast runner, he has three triples and a steal this year. Boeve can play third base, second base, or first base, but might not have enough arm for the hot corner. But if he keeps putting up big numbers at the dish and keeps moving up, the Brewers will find a spot for him, whether it is in left field, first base, or DH. Please feel free to agree or disagree with the rankings. Putting them in order was quite difficult. Let us know what you think! View full article

This is the weirdest story I ever researched. Danny had tons of talent, but a megaton of baggage. Too bad it ended the way it did 😓

A can’t-miss star, Dan Thomas was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers as the sixth overall pick in the 1972 MLB Draft. He arrived in Milwaukee in 1976 and played in only parts of two seasons for the Brewers. Religion, crime, and death were all a part of his short life. Many of the topics mentioned in the article below will be difficult to read. They include drug abuse, mental illness, sexual assault, and suicide. We try to present these events in as straightforward a manner as possible without judgment or editorialization. If you are concerned about reading any of the above topics, you may not want to read the following story. Thank you. Dan Thomas was born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1951 and moved to the East St. Louis, Illinois, area as a youngster. He described his mother as a ‘religious fanatic.’ For a time, Thomas attended a World Wide Church of God (WWCG) church with his mom but quit when the decree that no member could work from sundown Friday until sundown Saturday interfered with his baseball schedule. At Dupo (Illinois) High School, he starred in football and baseball before heading to college at Southern Illinois University. The Salukis lost in the championship game of the 1971 College World Series to USC, 7-2. On the team that finished 43-9 were future major leaguers Duane Kuiper, Mike Eden, Jim Dwyer, and Thomas. The following season, SIU finished the season with an outstanding record of 32-8-1 but did not make it to postseason play. Thomas and Joe Wallis were named to the NCAA District 4 all-star team. In June, Thomas was chosen by the Brewers as the sixth pick in the first round of the 1972 draft. He began at Low-A Newark (New York) and slashed .271/.352/.396 in 48 at-bats but failed to hit a home run. He moved up to Triple-A Evansville (Indiana) but struggled tremendously, batting only .130/.230/.167 in 54 at-bats. Thomas was then demoted and finished the season in Double-A San Antonio. For the whole season, he had a slash line of .202/.288/.292 with only one homer while striking out 31.8% of the time. Thomas also struggled defensively at third and second bases, making 19 errors in 221 chances for a fielding percentage of .914. Thomas spent both the 1973 and 1974 campaigns at Double-A Shreveport and performed well the first year, hitting nine home runs while slashing .266/.355/.376 in 458 at-bats. Midway through the year, he switched from third base to left field and became an adequate defender. Thomas spoke out before the 1974 season about hitting advice he received from Milwaukee coaches, saying, “They took a great prospect and destroyed him. They tried to change me again this year (1974), and I told them to jump back. And I think that’s one reason I’m here (in Double-A).” In 1974, Thomas suffered a hairline break in his leg sliding into home plate in early June. He missed about seven weeks but returned in late July and finished the season, hitting a pair of home runs while slashing .255/.350/.335 in 188 at-bats. He cut down on his strikeouts, whiffing at a 22% rate, about a 10% drop from 1972. Thomas began his third straight year at Double-A in 1975 at Thetford Mines, Quebec. He found his power stroke, knocking out eight homers in 191 at-bats before he got suspended in late June for punching an umpire. Thomas had been angered by a call at second base that didn’t even involve him. After the game, he caught up with umpire Greg Henley in the parking lot and hit the arbiter in the face. Thomas was given an early ‘vacation’ and ended the year with a slash line of .251/.316/.445. However, the Brewers stuck with him and assigned Thomas to Double-A Berkshire (Massachusetts) in 1976, the fourth different Brewers’ Double-A location in five years. Thomas paid them back by having the best season of his career. He slashed .325/.414/.614, hitting 29 home runs, knocking in 83, and stealing 15 bases. He won the Triple Crown and was named the Eastern League MVP despite missing two weeks after ear surgery to repair a perforated eardrum from a bad hop ball that struck him in the ear. That earned him a September call-up to Milwaukee. Thomas continued his hot-hitting ways, slashing .276/.372/.457 in 105 at-bats, including four long balls. After the season ended, the Brewers sent Thomas to Venezuela for winter ball. One night, Thomas swallowed a handful of muscle relaxers, but his wife was able to take him to a doctor in time to save his life. The Brewers brought him back to Milwaukee, where he stayed in a hospital for three weeks. His behavior started to get stranger; he was found wandering next to a freeway in Milwaukee and later walked away from a job the Brewers had arranged for him. He returned to East St. Louis and was in a psychologist’s care for four months. And at that time, he also went back to the teachings of the WWCG. Thomas played well in spring training in 1977 and made the big club as the left fielder. However, since the Brewers played many Friday night and Saturday afternoon games, Thomas would miss about one-fourth of the team’s games due to his religious beliefs, which entailed no work (baseball) between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday. “[The Brewers] were quite surprised,” Thomas said. “They asked me to reconsider, and I did. I thought about all the things I’ve been through and whether I should go back and become the old me or not. I decided there is something more important [than baseball] and said I couldn’t play on my Sabbath.” Thomas played for about a month, and although he performed well, he was sent to Triple-A Spokane. The Brewers said they needed another pitcher; Thomas thought it was something else. “I think my religion has something to do with it.” He slashed .237/.320/.344 in Spokane over 131 at-bats while hitting only one home run. He was demoted again to Double-A Holyoke (Massachusetts) but refused to report and sat out the rest of the season. The Brewers released Thomas before the 1978 season. He caught on with independent Boise in the Northwest League and did well, slashing .359/.448/.653 in 170 at-bats, but no major league team showed interest. In 1979, he played 39 games for Miami in the Inter-American League and then quit. That was his last season in organized ball. After the season, he moved back to Mobile, Alabama, with his wife and three daughters and lived with friends. Thomas was nearly broke, as he had spent most of his salary from baseball. He worked as a riveter and installed swimming pools. Thomas told his wife that he wished he’d had cancer so people would at least be able to understand what was wrong with him. On June 1, 1980, he was arrested for the sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl. He admitted to nothing but spoke to officers about the pressures on him from his past successes, his addictions, and his mental problems. A friend offered to pay for a lawyer, but Thomas refused. Eleven days later, he hung himself in his jail cell with strips of fabric ripped from his bed sheets. He had no money and was buried in a potter’s field next to a highway. Only a few people attended his funeral. His parents and three of his four siblings refused to show up. The ‘Sundown Kid’ showed bright potential, but darkness ultimately brought him down. Dan Thomas was 29 years old. View full article

Bill Parsons won 26 games in his first two years as a Milwaukee Brewer. Big things were expected, but a shoulder injury and bad advice knocked him out of baseball by age 27. What happened? Bill Parsons was one of the top hurlers for the Milwaukee Brewers in the early 1970s. He won 13 games in each of his first two seasons in Brewtown, but injuries and inconsistency derailed his promising career. Parsons—born in 1948—attended Riverside (California) Polytechnic High School and was a star in both basketball and baseball. The 6-foot-6 center was named the All-Ivy League Player of the Year his senior year and had a game where he scored 24 points and grabbed 33 rebounds. After graduation, he attended Riverside City College and played both sports there. In June 1968, Parsons was chosen in the seventh round by the Seattle Pilots. He was assigned to Lower-A Newark (New York) in the New York-Penn League. Parsons struggled with his control, walking batters at nearly an 18% rate while losing six of eight decisions and posting an ERA of 4.69. In 1969, Parsons was moved down to Billings (Montana) in the rookie Pioneer League. The big right-hander pitched once for Billings, striking out 11 in seven innings, before he was promoted to Class-A Clinton (Iowa) of the Midwest League. In 11 appearances (10 starts) for the Pilots, Parsons compiled a 5-4 mark with an ERA of 1.57 and a WHIP of 0.986. He also pitched in the Arizona Instructional League that fall/winter and performed well there. He won four games (against two losses) and fashioned a nifty 1.80 ERA and a WHIP of 1.109. Parsons moved up to Triple-A Portland in the Pacific Coast League in 1970. He pitched four games with a record of 3-0 when his National Guard unit at Fort Ord, California, called him to active duty for four months. After his discharge in the fall, he pitched for Mayaguez in the Puerto Rican Winter League. His manager was Cal Ermer, who sent glowing reports back to Milwaukee. Parsons won four straight games, including a two-hitter over Ponce. The 1971 Milwaukee starting rotation included Parsons, and he quickly proved his worth. In his first major league game, he went the distance, allowing only six hits and two earned runs in a 2-0 loss to Oakland. In his first nine starts, he had five complete games and two shutouts. His record was 5-4, and his ERA was 1.80. If the Brewers could have scored a couple of runs here and there, he could have easily been 8-1. He finished the year with a 13-17 record, ERA of 3.20, WHIP of 1.275, and ERA+ of 107. He finished second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting to Cleveland’s Chris Chambliss. Parsons also earned The Sporting News AL Rookie Pitcher of the Year and was named to the Topps Rookie All-Star Team. His 244 2/3 innings pitched rank 15th in Brewer history. His 12 complete games are tied for 12th, and his four shutouts rank in a tie for third. The following year, Parsons struggled early, completing only two games in his first 16 starts while owning an inflated ERA of 5.05. In his final 14 starts, he did much better. Parsons had eight complete games, two shutouts, and held opposing hitters to a .204 batting average. He finished 13-13 for the year with an ERA of 3.91 and tossed a pair of shutouts among his ten complete games. It was not as good as his rookie season, but it was a solid year nonetheless. Parsons hurt his shoulder during 1973 spring training and only pitched 13 innings in Arizona. He was tabbed to work the home opener against Baltimore and came away with a 2-0 win, allowing only one hit in 7 1/3 innings. The bad news? He walked six and struck out nobody. Things went downhill after that. He missed three weeks in late July through early August, and then his season ended after his outing on September 3rd. In 17 starts and three relief appearances, Parsons pitched 59 and 2/3 innings, allowed 59 hits, and struck out 30. His walk total was an incredible 67. His three wins increased his career total to 29, and those would be his last major league victories. His ERA was a career-worst 6.79. After the season, Parsons’ name was mentioned in trade talks with San Francisco for Willie McCovey. But the trade never happened, as ‘Big Mac’ was traded with another player to San Diego for future Brewer Mike Caldwell. During spring training in 1974, manager Del Crandall had mentioned that some advice in 1973 given to Parsons by then-pitching coach Bob Shaw “wrecked his motion and arm.” In late March, Parsons was sent down to Triple-A Sacramento. He had the misfortune of pitching at Hughes Stadium, which featured a left field fence only 233 feet from home plate but had a tall 40-foot screen. Parsons led the league in gopher balls and had a record of 5-8 in 14 games before he was traded in late June, along with cash, to Oakland for Deron Johnson. Parsons pitched in a dozen games at Triple-A Tucson, losing eight of 12 games before getting called to Oakland in September. He made four appearances totaling two innings. In his final big-league game on September 28, he faced four batters, walking two and allowing a double in one-third of an inning. In December, Parsons was sold to St. Louis. In 1975, he pitched in 14 games at Triple-A Tulsa before being traded to the White Sox in July for Buddy Bradford. Parsons pitched in 15 games at Triple-A Denver. By 1976, Parsons was out of baseball. He attempted a comeback in 1978 and spent some time with Seattle in spring training. "I just listened to too many people," Parsons told the Milwaukee Journal. "I was thinking about too many mechanical things, and I didn't think about getting people out. In the state of mind I was in, I couldn't get my mother out." View full article

'Chewy,' our next superstar!!

The speedy star was the first Brewers All-Star and 30-30 Club player before Ryan Braun and Christian Yelich. Tommy Harper bounced around a lot. During his 15-year big league career, he played first base, second base, third base, left field, center field, and right field in the major leagues. He also played for Cincinnati, Cleveland, Seattle, Boston, Oakland, California, Baltimore, and two years for the Milwaukee Brewers. Harper was born on October 14, 1940, in Oak Grove, Louisiana, but moved to California when he was four years old. He played football, basketball, track, and baseball at Alameda Encinal High and graduated in 1958. Harper starred athletically at Santa Rosa Junior College and San Francisco State before being signed by the Cincinnati Reds in May 1960. Harper played two seasons in the minors, but at the beginning of his third year in the Reds organization, he started in Cincinnati and played six games in April, going 4-for-8 in his first two games. But then he went hitless in his next 15 at-bats and was sent down to Triple-A San Diego, where he finished the season. He had a great slash line of .333/.450/.569 across 621 plate appearances and never played in the minors again. Harper played in Cincinnati for six years, slashing .255/.333/.362 and averaging 21 stolen bases per year. However, in the 1967 off-season, Harper was traded to Cleveland for three players. His 1968 season was lackluster, and he was made available in the 1968 Expansion Draft, in which the Seattle Pilots, the new American League team, selected him. In his only year for the Pilots, he didn’t hit that well, slashing .235/.349/.311, but led the major leagues with 73 steals, the highest total of thefts in the American League since Ty Cobb swiped 96 bags in 1915. On April Fool’s Day 1970, federal bankruptcy judge Sidney Volinn approved the $10.8 million sale to a Milwaukee group led by Allan H. “Bud” Selig. The Seattle Pilots became the Milwaukee Brewers. The team opened its season at Milwaukee County Stadium on April 7, hosting the California Angels. In the bottom of the first inning, Harper grounded out to third baseman Aurelio Rodriguez in the first at-bat in Brewer history in a 12-0 Milwaukee loss. The Brewers would lose their first three games before winning three in a row to even their record at three wins and three losses. Manager Dave Bristol moved Harper from the outfield to the infield before the 1970 campaign, where he played 128 games at third base, 22 games at second base, and only 13 contests in the outfield. Bristol said this of his player, “Harper will impress a lot of people with his speed and base stealing.” Bristol had been Harper’s manager in Cincinnati for two years (1966, 1967) and knew the speedster’s capabilities. After a great first half of the season, Harper received the third-most votes at second base in All-Star Game voting behind Rod Carew and Dick McAuliffe. Ironically, Carew and McAuliffe were both injured and didn’t play. American League manager Earl Weaver selected Baltimore’s Davey Johnson to start at second while picking Harper as an alternate. Wisconsin sportswriters were in an uproar because Harper batted .308, scored 56 runs, knocked in 37, had 15 home runs, and led the AL in doubles and stolen bases in early July. Johnson hit 30 points less and had about half of Harper’s production. To add insult to injury, Johnson played nearly the whole game of the 12-inning contest while Harper was inserted as a pinch-runner in the top of the fifth and was thrown out trying to steal by Johnny Bench. The National League won 5-4 on Pete Rose’s infamous collision with Ray Fosse at the plate in extra innings. ‘Tailwind,’ as Harper was called, suffered a bruised left thigh in a collision at third base with Chicago’s Bill Melton in early August and stole only eight bases in the last two months to finish with 38 steals. Harper earned enough MVP votes to finish in sixth place. His season was one of the best in Brewers history. He ranked in the top five in the American League in runs scored, doubles, stolen bases, slugging percentage, and total bases. His numbers placed in the top 10 in hits, home runs, OBP, OPS, and OPS+. Harper’s 7.4 Wins Above Replacement in 1970 ranks fourth in Milwaukee Brewers history. In 1971, his final year as a Brewer, Harper split time between third base and left field, with a few games in center field. His power and speed numbers were down, as he had 25 steals and 14 homers, a decrease from 38 and 31, respectively. In October, Harper was included in a 10-player deal between Milwaukee and Boston. Harper, along with Pat Skrable, Lew Krausse, and Marty Pattin, were sent to the Red Sox for Ken Brett, Billy Conigliaro, Joe Lahoud, Jim Lonborg, Don Pavletich, and George (Boomer) Scott. Harper played the next three years in Boston and led the AL with 54 steals in 1973. Over the next three years, he played for California, Oakland, and Baltimore and ended his career after the 1976 season. Harper collected 1,609 hits, 146 home runs, and 408 stolen bases during his career. His career slash line was .257/.338/.379. He is tied with Johnny Damon for 68th place in career stolen bases. Harper served as a coach for the Red Sox from 1980-1984 and again from 2000-2002. He also coached with Montreal from 1990-1999. Harper would be a leader in taking a stand against racism and discrimination with the Red Sox in 2017 and beyond. But as a player, Tommy Harper had speed and power, as witnessed by his 30-30 season in 1970. He was the Milwaukee Brewers' first All-Star and top-10 MVP finalist. Milwaukee fans of a certain age will remember him as the first Brewers superstar. View full article

It appeared to me that he slid late, without malicious intent (JMO). He could have really wiped out McNeill, but he probably didn't even draw blood. Boyz will be boyz!

The Cubs fell short of the NL Central title last year but hope with the re-signing of Cody Bellinger and the signing of Nippon League star pitcher Shota Imanaga that they can claw their way back to the top over Milwaukee and St. Louis. Since 2015, the Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, and St. Louis Cardinals each won three NL Central titles. The Cubs had two runner-up finishes, while the Brewers and Cardinals each had three. For the most part—other than the Cubs 2016 World Series win—these three teams were pretty much interchangeable in the top three places in the division. Last year on Independence Day, the Cubs were in 4th place in the Central Division but played .661 baseball over the next two months and closed to within 1 ½ games of the Brewers, but faded after Labor Day, winning only seven of 22 games over the last month or so to end nine games short of the Central title. Losses/Signings The Cubs key losses include infielder Jeimer Candelario, and pitchers Marcus Stroman and Michael Fulmer to free agency. On the plus side of the ledger, the Cubs were able to re-sign 1B-OF Cody Bellinger. They also received first baseman Michael Busch and pitcher Yency Almonte in a trade with the Dodgers. Veteran reliever Hector Neris was signed as a free agent, and who can forget the signing of Nippon Professional Baseball League left-handed ace Shota Imanaga? And you might have heard that former long-time Brewers manager Craig Counsell now wears a Chicago uniform and will be trying to beat the team that plays in Milwaukee. Pitching Staff Counsell has already tabbed Justin Steele as the Opening Day starter. The southpaw had an ERA+ of 146 and a 3.02 FIP to go along with 16 victories in 2023. Shota Imanaga brings his experience and success (3.18 ERA over 1,002 innings in eight years) from Japan and will most likely be slotted in the number two spot, with veteran Kyle Hendricks (120 ERA+, 3.81 FIP) expected to be in the mix as well. With the uncertainty of the lower back injury/tightness to Jameson Taillon, it is possible he will start the year on the injured list. The remaining starters will probably come from the foursome of Javier Assad, Drew Smyly, Hayden Wesneski, or Jordan Wicks. Smyly (90 ERA+, 4.96 FIP) is out of minor league options, so he should stick, either in the rotation or in the bullpen. Assad (147 ERA+, 4.29 FIP) and lefty Wicks (102 ERA+, 4.70 FIP) are the front-runners to round out the quintet, but Counsell has mentioned he might use six pitchers in a ‘five-man rotation.’ Almonte (86 ERA+, 4.59 FIP), Mark Leiter, Jr. (129 ERA+, 3.77 FIP), and Julian Merryweather (133 ERA+, 3.52 FIP) should be mainstays in the bullpen, while Adbert Alzolay (168 ERA+, 3.02 FIP, 22 saves) will close out games, with Neris (246 ERA+, 3.83 FIP) in a set-up role, ready to step up if Alzolay falters. Keegan Thompson (96 ERA+, 4.44 FIP) has done well in a small sample size this spring and might be in the mix as well. Catchers Yan Gomes didn’t act like a 35-year-old last year, starting 92 games and hitting .267/.315/.408 across 419 trips to the plate. Expect his playing time to be about the same this year. The Cubs have high hopes for back-up Miguel Amaya, who had a slash line of .214/.329.359 in 53 games. The starting job will be his if Gomes slips. If the Cubs want a third catcher, free agent veteran Jorge Alfaro will get a few starts for the Cubbies. First Base Michael Busch will be the front-runner for the starting nod, as Cody Bellinger is expected to start in center field for the time being. Busch struggled in 27 games for the Dodgers last year, but Chicago has high hopes for the 2019 first-round draft pick. Patrick Wisdom (.205/.289/.500) has tons of power and will be the likely back-up at each of the corner infield spots. Second Base Nico Hoerner (.283/.346/.383) had a solid season in 2023 and led the team with 43 steals. He will be the Cubs leadoff hitter once again. Nick Madrigal (.263/.311/.352) is fighting a hamstring issue and might go on the injured list. If not, he will get playing time at second and third. Miles Mastrobuoni (.241/.308/.301), who can play 2B-3B-SS and either of the corners in the outfield, will be the super-utility, jack-of-all-trades player. Third Base Christopher Morel has the slight edge at third so far but could be challenged by Wisdom or Madrigal for playing time. Morel (.247/.313/.508) tied for the team lead last year with 26 HRs. Shortstop Dansby Swanson (.244/.328/.416) was an All-Star and Gold Glove winner last year. Hoerner and Mastrobuoni will back up as needed, which shouldn’t be too often. Left Field Ian Happ (.248/.360/.431) played in 158 games last year but is bothered by a hamstring issue this spring but should be good to go for Opening Day. Mastrobuoni will fill in as needed at the corner spots. Center Field Bellinger (.307/.356/.525) will take over in CF until young phenom Pete Crow-Armstong (PCA) proves his worth at Triple-A Iowa. Right Field Seiya Suzuki (.285/.357/.485) has shown improvement his first two seasons and is a solid outfielder. Designated Hitter Mike Tauchman (.252/.363/.377) will also be the fourth outfielder for the Cubs, with the ability to play all three spots in the garden. * All statistics were from 2023. Predictions There are two constants seen in the prognosticator’s crystal ball this season: no team in the NL Central is going to win more than 85 games, and that the Pittsburgh Pirates will bring up the rear…again. Look for Chicago and St. Louis to battle for the top spot, with Milwaukee and Cincinnati fighting for third. Of course, hot streaks or injuries could throw those prophecies out the window. Will Craig Counsell be a difference-maker on the bench? Cubs' fans are waiting with bated breath. Enjoy the season! How do you think the NL Central will shake out? Please comment below. View full article