Michael Trzinski

It is no secret that the Brewers are not totally happy with the offense of shortstop Joey Ortiz. Although Ortiz appeared in a career-high 149 games last season, he was removed for a pinch-hitter 34 times by manager Pat Murphy. Right now, Andruw Monasterio is the main backup, while Brice Turang and Caleb Durbin can play at short if needed. Would it make sense for the Brewers to spend a little money in the free agent market if the price was right? Of the handful of shortstops testing the waters of free agency, one stands out for Milwaukee with his skill, versatility, and the possibility that the team can make a one-year deal at a reasonable price. Isiah Kiner-Falefa would come to the Brewers fresh off World Series action with the Toronto Blue Jays, bringing Milwaukee some much-needed postseason experience. Kiner-Falefa, who will turn 31 in March, has appeared in 21 postseason games and would give a young Milwaukee club a boost in the clubhouse and on the field. There are two main issues to deal with: · Ortiz is superior to Kiner-Falefa on defense, with Joey O. better by a 12 to -3 rating in Outs Above Average, and a 10 to -4 advantage in Fielding Run Value. · IKF is much better than Ortiz at the plate when facing right-handed pitchers. Player Year(s) OPS v. LH OPS v. RH Ortiz 2025 .734 .537 Career .743 .612 Kiner-Falefa 2025 .536 .668 Career .643 .666 So, what’s the problem? The fact that IKF is better against right-handed pitching means he would get most of the playing time. The breakdown was about 72% right-handed starters and 28% southpaws that pitched against Milwaukee last season. On the surface, Ortiz would only make about 45 starts if he were in the lineup against left-handers only. Since the Brewers are looking to Kiner-Falefa to be more of a ‘semi-platoon’ guy, they would have to make some adjustments to get Ortiz 350-400 ABs for his superiority against lefties and on defense, while finding about half that amount for IKF. Since Ortiz is better defensively, the Brewers would want him in the lineup anytime groundball specialist Quinn Priester is on the mound. ‘The Reverend’ induced grounders at a rate of 55.1% last year, right around his career average. When Priester is on the rubber, Ortiz should be in the starting lineup. The difference against southpaws, at least in 2025, showed Ortiz with a huge advantage over Kiner-Falefa. That should keep Kiner-Falefa on the bench most of the time—if not all—against lefties. The edge IKF had over Ortiz against righties was not as significant, but it was still a pretty large difference. Digging deeper, Ortiz had his best month against righties in August with an .830 OPS, even though he hit no home runs. Add in his .748 OPS in June, and one can see that success against right-handers is attainable. Murphy will just have to find a way to get the ‘hot’ bat into the lineup. Unfortunately, Joey O. fell off a cliff in September with his worst OPS of the year (.482). Ortiz had a double and a triple in September in 70 at-bats along with one free pass. No wonder his OPS cratered. Perhaps the secret to Ortiz’s success would be for IKF to spell him against righties, giving Ortiz a break once or twice a week, depending on who is swinging the bat well. Ortiz could be a late-inning defensive replacement on the days he isn’t in the lineup. Kiner-Falefa can also play second or third and could be a valuable utility man. Where he would fit in would remain to be seen. In fact, IKF has played all three outfield spots and even made 66 starts behind the plate for the Texas Rangers in 2018-19. Maybe the Brewers wouldn’t need that third catcher after all. Is this all a pipe dream? Can the Brewers sign Kiner-Falefa? If he were amenable to a one-year pact in the $7 million range, it would be a decent deal for Milwaukee. What do you think about IKF? Would he be a welcome addition to the Brewers' roster? At what price? How would you break down the starts for each player? Get the conversation started in the comments section below.

William Contreras is back for his fourth year as the ironman behind the plate for the Brewers. His hitting fell off somewhat last season, as evidenced by a decline of all three slash numbers and a drop in home runs from 23 to 17. True, he played through some nagging hand injuries, but who out there thinks he could benefit from getting a few more days off during the long, arduous major league season? Jeferson Quero is expected to be the front-runner for the role of C2 in 2026, teaming up with fellow Venezuelan countryman Wild Bill in getting most of the playing time behind the plate for the Brewers. But what to do about a third catcher? Over the last three seasons, Victor Caratini, Eric Haase, Gary Sánchez, and Danny Jansen all shared time with Contreras on the backside of the irregular pentagon that is home plate. Ironically, all four of those backstops appear on the free agency list this offseason. Besides Sánchez, who are some other options? Initially, I liked the idea of Caratini coming back to Milwaukee in a reprise of his solid 2023 season, in which he hit seven home runs in 201 ABs. But his arm (13.7% CS rate) left something to be desired. Add to that his expected ask of a 2-year/$14 million contract, and I think it is a hard no for GM/President of Baseball Operations Matt Arnold. Nearly 20 free agent catchers are left as we enter December, including Caratini, J.T. Realmuto, Jonah Heim, James McCann, and Yohel Pozo. But as a blogger posted, “It is a market so full, yet so bare at the same time.” How true. Going mostly by affordability, here is this humble scribe’s choice of a trio of catchers, one of which could help ease the grind of Major League Baseball for the Brewers' young catching savant in his freshman year in the bigs. Gary Sánchez Sánchez was signed by the Brewers as a free agent before the 2024 season. He did pretty much everything the Brewers asked of him, despite playing only 28 games behind the dish. Sánchez played a few games at first base in addition to DH’ing in 47 games. His batting line showed .220/.307/.392 across 245 at-bats, including 11 HRs, flashing his former 30-home run power. After the season, he signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles. In 2025, with Baltimore, the man known as 'The Sanchize' was forced into everyday action, playing in 17 of the Orioles' 20 games from mid-June until early July due to injuries to All-Star Adley Rutschman, and back-ups Maverick Handley and Chadwick Tromp. He batted .295/.348/.574 across a 61 AB sample during that timeframe, including five home runs. Unfortunately for Sánchez and the Orioles, he became the fourth catcher to visit the IL when he suffered a sprained posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on July 5. Sánchez played a handful of rehab games in September but never returned to the bigs. His final line for 2025 included a batting line of .231/.297/.418 across 91 at-bats. He is currently playing for Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican Winter League and has a triple and a homer among his 8-for-29 start in nine games. Sánchez appears to be healthy, would provide a right-handed power bat, and could be a mentor for both Quero and Contreras. A 2-year, $7 million contract could be enough to lure the 33-year-old Sánchez back to Milwaukee, where he would likely end his career. Andrew Knizner Knizner spent his first five big league seasons in St. Louis before playing single free agent campaigns in Texas and San Francisco, respectively. Knizner (pronounced 'Kiz-ner'), who will turn 31 in February, has a career slash line of .211/.281/.316 in 323 games. He offers some pop in his bat, and on defense, his arm is considered fair-to-average, throwing out 22.2% of attempted base stealers against a league average of 23.2%. According to Statcast and FanGraphs, Knizner is middle of the pack with both a Fielding Run Value (FRV) of 0 and a Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) rating of -1. Although the right-handed batter may not have many (if any) elite tools to offer, he does have two things going for him. He married former Miami Dolphin cheerleader Ally Rahn last December, and his nickname is 'Kiz.' How could the Brewers not take the opportunity to showcase a battery of 'The Miz' and 'Kiz.' That alone is a t-shirt waiting to happen. He played for a one-year/$1.825 million contract for Texas in 2024, so it seems likely he could be inked to a 2-year/$3 million pact with Milwaukee. Reese McGuire The only left-handed hitter among my trio of players listed here, he would have been arb-eligible for the first time in 2026 and was projected to earn $1.9 million before he was non-tendered by the Chicago Cubs. McGuire, known as 'Pieces,' will turn 31 in March and has eight years of major league play under his belt. Last year with the Cubs, he batted .226/.245/.444 with nine homers in 133 ABs. His homers and 24 RBI were both career highs. McGuire posted a slightly below-average OPS+ of 94. Defensively, McGuire has a very good arm, throwing out 25.8% of runners attempting to steal last year. As recently as 2022, McGuire led the American League in nabbing base stealers, canceling runners at a 33.3% rate. In 2025, his FRV was four, and his DRS was -1. As with Sánchez and Knizner, McGuire offers tons of experience to help Quero along in his first year. Based on his arb numbers, it is likely McGuire would accept a 2-yr/$4 million contract. Other Options While players like Realmuto and Caratini are out of the Brewers' price range, and James McCann, Yohel Pozo, and Tomás Nido have all signed for 2026, there are several other options available. Former Brewers Jansen and Luke Maile are still out there. The bottom line is that Milwaukee could very well be interested in signing a veteran, low-cost receiver to help Contreras and Quero make it through 2026. Will they do it? What do you think of Sánchez, Knizner, and McGuire? Should the Brewers sign one of them? Is there anyone I am missing? Start the discussion in the comments section below.

Of the 36 players selected in the first round of the 2017 MLB Draft, 30 of them have played in the big leagues. Some have done well: Hunter Greene, MacKenzie Gore, Trevor Rogers, and Drew Rasmussen have all appeared in an All-Star Game. Others haven’t done so well. DL Hall is somewhere in the middle. Dayton Lane Hall was the 21st overall pick by the Baltimore Orioles that summer, and big things were expected of the southpaw from Valdosta, Georgia. During his first five seasons in the Orioles chain, Hall moved up one level per year, and although he struck out batters at the rate of 32.6% from 2017-2022, he walked hitters at a rate of 13.3%. Quickly, it became clear that health and control would be the limiting factors for him, rather than the magnitude of his talent. He graded out quite well as a prospect, with a plus fastball and above-average secondary offerings in his curve and changeup. His fastball occasionally hit triple digits, but he needed to find consistency in both location and movement. Hall pitched a combined 29 games in 2022-2023 for the Orioles. He posted an ERA+ of 94 and a FIP of 2.44 in that time span. But when the opportunity for Baltimore to trade for a Cy Young-winning starter came up, Hall and Joey Ortiz were shipped to Milwaukee for Corbin Burnes. Hall started the 2024 season in the Milwaukee rotation—effectively taking Burnes’s spot—but made only four starts before going on the 15-day injured list due to a sprained left knee suffered while fielding a bunt. He was later transferred to the 60-day IL, after he aggravated the knee issue in a rehab stint. Hall returned to the mound late in the season. He made two starts and six relief outings in September, striking out 22 batters in 22 innings while walking eight. The stuff remained very good. At the start of the 2025 camp, Hall was battling for the fifth spot in the rotation when he went on the 60-day IL with a left lat strain. He returned in late May, but as a reliever. He served as an opener in three games and relieved in 17 others. Once again, Hall hit the injured list in mid-August with a strained right oblique and missed six weeks, returning in time to make a relief outing in the last game of the year. Hall is now being considered a reliever, instead of a starter, though he has six pitches in his arsenal: a four-seamer that hits 95, slider, cutter, changeup, curveball, and sinker. “I’ve found a little bit of a niche in the bullpen. Anytime I go out there, I’ve kind of found a comfort zone," Hall told reporters in August, when asked about his preference for starting or working out of the pen, Hall has the skills and is learning to pitch all over again, but fighting off injuries will determine if he becomes a high-leverage reliever or if he is just a ‘back of the pen’ guy. At 27, he is in the prime of his pitching career, and the Brewers are waiting to see if his career takes off, but he needs to stay off the injured list. In that sense, unfortunately, this could literally be his make-or-break campaign. Can DL Hall find his comfort zone in 2026 and show the baseball world the pitcher that the Brewers traded Corbin Burnes for? Feel free to start the conversation in the comments section below.

Remember Garrett Mitchell? That question sounds glib, and almost preposterous. Seriously, though: it's not crazy to ask whether even intense Brewers fans think about Mitchell, these days. He was selected as the 20th overall pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2020 MLB Draft, out of UCLA. After rocketing through just 132 games at three levels in the minors over two seasons, Mitchell made his big-league debut in August 2022. He started slowly, collecting just four hits in his first 29 at-bats. Then he caught fire, and batted a Hurricane Hazle-like .469/.500/.625 the rest of the way, to finish the year at .311/.373/.459 across 61 at-bats. The Brewers thought they finally had a star center fielder who could anchor the Milwaukee outfield for the next 10 years. Not so fast, sports fans. Mitchell injured his left shoulder sliding into third base in a mid-April 2023 contest against Seattle, resulting in surgery for a torn labrum. His truncated season lasted all of 19 major-league games and eight minor-league rehab contests. Misfortune struck early in 2024, as Mitchell suffered a fractured left index finger in a late-March ramp-up ahead of Opening Day. He sat out 10 weeks before a brief rehab stint, and returned to the Brewers on July 1. Mitchell played 69 games and batted .255/.342/.469 over 196 at-bats. He showed glimpses of power and speed, slamming eight round-trippers while swiping 11 bags in 15 attempts. Mitchell was healthy to start the 2025 season, but suffered a strained left oblique just 25 games into the season. Two months later, he injured his left shoulder again while playing in a rehab game at Nashville. That mishap required another shoulder surgery—his second in three years. Mitchell played in only those 25 contests and batted .206/.286/.294 in 68 at-bats. Mitchell was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in the third grade, but has been dealing with the disease successfully since. He suffered leg injuries in 2019 and 2021, but seems to have gotten past those. The left shoulder issue could continue to be a concern, though. Per MLB.com, Mitchell had perhaps the best set of tools of all the players in the 2020 draft class. Overall, his grade was 55, which is considered above-average, as was his ‘hit’ tool. Defensively, his ‘arm’ and ‘field’ tools were both graded at 60, which is considered a plus tool. His 'running' tool was graded at 70, which is considered plus-plus. In short, Mitchell’s talent is not in question, and never has been. His health will determine whether he realizes his potential. Right now, he's on the bubble to even make the Opening Day roster. If he can stay on the field and flash his superior skills, he would make the decision for Brewers management very interesting. Is there room on the roster for Mitchell, Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick, Christian Yelich, Isaac Collins, and Blake Perkins? It would take a lot of finagling, but it would be nice to see the Brewers' outfield live up to the potential that was predicted for them a few short years ago. The others are in various stages of having done so, or still have time to do so. For Mitchell, that time is running short. What do you think about Garrett Mitchell? Will he make the Opening Day roster and if so, can he reclaim his starting job? Feel free to start the conversation in the comments section below.

Even though Opening Day is 114 days away, Milwaukee Brewers fans cogitate, brainstorm, contemplate, imagine, envision, ponder, and ruminate over how the team can get better, or what next season is going to look like. Many of them think about the Brewers 24/7/365, and an additional day during Leap Years. So, though we know changes will come between now and then, let's imagine that the season begins tomorrow. In that case, the Opening Day roster would look something like this. PITCHERS Starting Rotation (5) Freddy Peralta Brandon Woodruff Chad Patrick Jacob Misiorowski Quinn Priester Ideally, of course, each member of this group would stay healthy and perform well enough to make 30 starts. Reality is the antidote for such delusions, though, and the Brewers have realities both behind and before them that figure to shake up the rotation at some point. Peralta is high on the pundits' list of Brewers most likely to be traded. Woodruff returned from a year and a half on the shelf in dominant fashion, but landed on the injured list again with a lat strain in September. Presumably, he's back in full health right now, but next season will be a new test of the staying power of his shoulder. Patrick made 23 starts and pitched well enough to earn down-ballot NL Rookie of the Year votes. Misiorowski brought excitement to the mound and the park; fans are ready for Year Two of ‘The Miz.’ Priester won 12 straight decisions, and the Brewers won 19 consecutive games in which he took the mound. If one or more of these five falter, the Brewers have exceptional depth to buttress the rotation. Their five ‘starters-in-waiting’ made a total of 13 starts for Milwaukee last year. Tobias Myers made six starts, and after a midseason addition to his arsenal, he looked ready to make the move to a full-time starting job. Logan Henderson posted an ERA+ of 236 in five starts and is champing at the bit to be part of the rotation. Robert Gasser made two starts, but spent a lot of time on the injured list. In his return from Tommy John surgery, Coleman Crow made 12 starts at two levels, striking out batters at a rate of 32%, though he didn't find his way to the 40-man roster until the end of the season. Carlos Rodriguez had a cup of coffee in Milwaukee in each of the last two seasons, and shows potential—although perhaps as a long reliever, rather than a true starter. All five have minor-league options remaining, so if neither transactions nor injuries blow a hole in the side of the ship, this group can wait at Triple-A Nashville for a while. Only Myers and Rodriguez are candidates to do much work in relief for the team. Bullpen (8) Grant Anderson Aaron Ashby DL Hall Jared Koenig Nick Mears Trevor Megill Abner Uribe Rob Zastryzny The group listed above pitched 67% of the 634 2/3 innings Brewers relievers spent on the mound this year; expect to see more of the same. With four lefties and four righties in the pen, manager Pat Murphy has the flexibility to match up with opposing batters. Only Koenig and Uribe were fortunate enough to stay off the IL, and each of them wore down as the season progressed. As is true with the starters, the organization boasts good depth in the upper levels of the minors. There's another bullpen's worth of credible big-league hurlers beyond the group above, ready to stand the gap if called upon. CATCHERS (2) William Contreras Jeferson Quero If the Brewers elect not to pick up a backup catcher via trade or free agency, Quero will probably get his first shot in the big leagues. Darrien Miller is a long shot—the kind of player likely to hang around a while but not to make much of a dent in the majors. Marco Dinges is probably the next-best backstop in the organization after Contreras and Quero, but is about two years away. INFIELDERS (6) Andrew Vaughn (1B) Brice Turang (2B) Caleb Durbin (3B) Joey Ortiz (SS) Jake Bauers (1B-OF) Andruw Monasterio (INF) Tyler Black and Anthony Seigler are both on the 40-man, but neither will make the Opening Day roster, barring something unforeseen. Vaughn and Bauers figure to rough out something like a platoon arrangement at first base, while Turang, Ortiz and Durbin are entrenched (for now) at the other positions on the dirt. Monasterio's role will be filling in for and backing up all three, unless and until more moves come. OUTFIELDERS (5) Isaac Collins (LF) Sal Frelick (CF) Jackson Chourio (RF) Christian Yelich (DH) Blake Perkins (CF) Garrett Mitchell, Brandon Lockridge, and Steward Berroa are all on the 40-man, but this quintet has the inside track. Lockridge and Berroa might be waived at some point to free up roster spots. Mitchell could be in his make-or-break season; injuries have derailed his last three campaigns. A lot can happen over the next three-plus months, and the Brewers could add or subtract players through free agency or trade. This version of the Opening Day roster will definitely change. Or it may not. Even this version of the roster is a clear favorite to win the NL Central next season. What do you think about this 26-man? Am I missing anybody? Who is on your 26-man? Feel free to start the conversation in the comments section.

Long before the ‘modern’ major league Milwaukee Brewers came into existence, a team from Boston moved to Milwaukee and became the Milwaukee Braves. But to see the origins of Milwaukee County Stadium, one needs to go back even further in time. The original minor league Milwaukee Brewers came into existence in 1902 and were affiliated with the St. Louis Browns (1929-1933) and the Boston Braves, as a Triple-A club from 1947-52. The Brewers played at Athletic Park, which was located a few miles north of downtown Milwaukee. Constructed in 1888 for an estimated $40,000, it was also the home to both the Milwaukee Badgers, an NFL team from 1922-26, and for one game with the Green Bay Packers in 1933. The park was renamed Borchert Field at the start of the 1928 baseball season in honor of previous owner Otto Borchert, who had died of a heart attack a year earlier while speaking at a baseball dinner that was broadcast on the radio. The Brewers were the sole tenants until the last baseball game was played there in 1952. During the late 1940s/early 1950s, Milwaukee civic leaders were seeking a major league franchise, but Borchert Field was seen as too decrepit and too small to host a big-league team. In June 1950, plans for a $3.5 million stadium were presented to the Milwaukee County board highway committee by the park commission. The original seating capacity was 26,000, which could be increased by 10,000 temporary seats (Oshkosh Northwestern, June 16, 1950). Initially, the minor league Brewers were going to play there but that plan would change. Groundbreaking for the project took place on October 19. Two months later, construction foreman Joseph Wicks was killed when a timber slipped from a crane and crushed his head. Wicks was helping lay the stadium foundation (Twin City News-Record, December 14, 1950). In addition to the 36,000 seats, ‘Milwaukee County Municipal Stadium’ would have parking for up to 10,000 automobiles. The stadium ‘will be of modern design, with rose-colored brick and has all the features of stadia built to date’ (Capital Times, June 26, 1951). Bernard Gimbel, ‘sportsman’ and president of Gimbels Department Stores, said the new stadium “would rank with any in the nation when it is finished.” He went on to say that the stadium “will make Milwaukee a better place to live by giving the city top facilities for sports and other mass audience events” (Green Bay Press-Gazette, August 9, 1951). In mid-December, county officials said that the stadium would not be finished in time for the 1952 baseball season due to delays by bad weather and slow delivery of steel (Beaver Dam Daily Citizen, December 17, 1951). To further complicate matters, a 29-day construction workers strike in May 1952 was another setback that meant the stadium would not be ready for any part of the 1952 season. The strike delayed raising of steelwork and pouring of concrete in the stadium. In late July, another construction worker was killed when a hoist plunged 90 feet and killed Fred Maypark. Another worker, Carl Walter, suffered fractures in both legs and a possible broken back (Janesville Weekly Gazette, July 25, 1952). Three weeks before Christmas 1952, Boston Braves’ owner Lou Perini denied the Braves would move to Milwaukee for the 1953 campaign. “The Braves will definitely remain in Boston in 1953,” Perini stated (Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune, December 3, 1952). That plan would change dramatically over the next four months. In January, Brewers general manager Red Smith announced that the Brewers would play five exhibition games against major league teams in 1953, including the New York Yankees, Boston Braves, Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Pittsburgh Pirates (Wisconsin State Journal, January 13, 1953). The dance between the St. Louis Browns and the Boston Braves to play in the Brew City started in earnest in early March, as both teams were interested in moving their respective franchises to Milwaukee. Bill Veeck, owner of the Browns, ‘was certainly agreeable’ to moving the franchise to Milwaukee. The Braves blocked the move because they demanded another Triple-A franchise ‘just as good as Milwaukee’ (Beaver Dam Daily Citizen, March 4, 1953). Meanwhile, the Brewers said all box seats and reserved seats had been sold for the Opening Day game with St. Paul on April 15 at the new stadium (Green Bay Press-Gazette, March 12, 1953). That all changed on March 18 when the National League approved the transfer of the Boston Braves to Milwaukee. The Brewers minor league franchise moved to Toledo and became the Toledo Sox. How excited was Wisconsin now that the Badger State had a major league baseball team? The Park Falls, Wisconsin, Chamber of Commerce announced that the first two Braves players to hit home runs at Milwaukee County Stadium would be awarded free musky fishing trips on the Flambeau flowage in northwestern Wisconsin (Capital Times, March 23, 1953). Eight days before the season opener with St. Louis on April 14, the Braves were given special permission by the National League to sell bleacher seat tickets before the day of the game and 2,000 fans lined up to purchase the tickets, which cost 80 cents each (Two Rivers Reporter, April 6, 1953). On an Opening Day where ‘a chilly 20 mph wind whipped the open stands under sullen and occasionally spilled light rain,’ 34,357 fans braved the conditions and were rewarded with a walk-off home run by star rookie Billy Bruton in the 10th inning as the Braves beat the Cardinals 3-2 in their first home game. Lefthander Warren Spahn pitched a complete game for the victory, allowing only six hits and two runs in 10 innings while facing 39 batters. The Braves drew over 30,000 fans 38 times that season, and had a total attendance of 1,826,397, setting a National League record. In the offseason, the Braves spent $1.8 million on new seating, including a double-deck expansion on the third base side and new grandstand seating down the first base line. The new seating capacity would now total 44,000 (Capital Times, December 23, 1953). Milwaukee finished either second or third in their first four seasons before putting it all together in 1957 as they won the National League title and beat the New York Yankees in an exciting seven-game World Series. In 1958, the Yankees got their revenge, beating the Braves in another seven-game World Series. The turnstiles clicked to the tune of 2,215,404 fans in 1957, setting a National League mark that would last until it was bested by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1960. In November 1962, Perini sold the team for $5.5 million to a group of Chicago-area executives, led by Bill Bartolomay. Perini ‘found it more and more difficult’ to participate in team affairs and said he was disappointed with the slumping attendance and poor standing in the league. The Braves drew only 766,921 in the 1962 season, prompting Perini to sell the club. Bartholomay, who briefly was a part of a minority ownership of the Chicago White Sox, had to quash rumors in early 1964 that the team would be moving to Atlanta. “We are positively not moving,” Bartholomay said. “We’re playing in Milwaukee, whether you’re talking 1964, 1965, or 1975. We’ll play in Milwaukee as long as we’re welcome” (Merrill Daily Herald, April 11, 1964). That lasted for the next two seasons as the Braves moved to Atlanta after the 1965 campaign. Attendance in that final season was 555,584, which ranked as the worst in the National League. The stadium stayed mostly empty except for Green Bay Packer ‘home games,’ usually three or four per year in addition to those at Lambeau Field. In 1968 the White Sox played nine games at County Stadium and drew over 264,000 fans, an average of 29,300 per game. In comparison, they drew just 539,000 in Chicago over 72 games, an average of just 7,400 per game. The following season saw the White Sox play 11 games at County Stadium, but they only drew an average of 18,000 fans per game. It probably didn’t help matters that White Sox owner Arthur Allyn said, “I wish they’d get off that kick that we’re going to move anywhere. I’ve said it before: we’re not moving to Milwaukee today, next year, or ever” (Wausau Daily Herald, April 24, 1969). The Seattle Pilots, a 1969 expansion team, was having financial difficulties after the season and into 1970. In January, Pilots’ chief stockholder, William Daley, said “[I’m] very impressed with Milwaukee. I can honestly say that it is an excellent facility for major league baseball” (Oshkosh Northwestern, January 24, 1970). In late March, federal bankruptcy referee Sidney Volinn approved the sale of the Pilots to a Milwaukee group led by Allen H. (Bud) Selig for $10.8 million. The team that entered spring training as the Seattle Pilots emerged as the Milwaukee Brewers. Their home opener had the second-largest crowd of the year at 36,107, but they saw the Brewers get crushed by the California Angels, 12-0. Milwaukee entertained their biggest crowd on August 16 to a 4-3 walk-off win over Cleveland. The immortal Gus Gil singled home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth in front of 44,387 happy fans. The Brewers only drew 933,690 the first year, but the next two years were worse as the gate dropped to 600,440 in 1972. They drew 955,741 in 1974 but never drew less than one million fans per season over the next 26 seasons, excluding the strike year of 1981. For the record, Billy Bruton and Eddie Mathews hit the first two home runs in Milwaukee Braves history at County Stadium.

Turkey Day is here, and many of us will gather with our families and friends to partake in turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. It is a tradition that has been ongoing for many years, but this year, let’s add why Brewers fans should be thankful. 6. Tailgating For as long as the Milwaukee Brewers have been in existence, fans have been partying in the parking lots before, during, and after games at the ballyard. Large quantities of alcohol are consumed. Hamburgers, brats, and hot dogs are cooked up on the most basic ‘Lil Smokey’ charcoal grill, all the way up to the four-burner gas grill with side burners for veggies. The beer, burgers, and potato chips go along with games of catch and cornhole. People wander around, cadging cans of Bud Light while making new friends with other fans. Let’s all be thankful for the fellowship, friendship, and time to cheer on our Brewers. 5. Miller Park/American Family Field/Uecker Field For 31 years, fans flocked to Milwaukee County Stadium, often wondering whether the weather would postpone games and/or make things miserable. A small group of friends and I went to Opening Day nearly every year in the 1980s. We never knew what to expect: it could be snowing, and 30 degrees, or it could be sunny and 60. And the weather forecast could change by the time we drove three hours from central Wisconsin. We might have long johns and winter jackets, or we could have t-shirts and shorts. You just never knew. When Miller Park opened in 2001, it took away the uncertainty of ‘will there be a ballgame today?’ For that, we should be thankful. 4. An Abundance of Talented Prospects Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, Sal Frelick, Jacob Misiorowski. Hopefully, that foursome will be competing at a high level in Milwaukee for the next 10 years. And then check out the prospects in the minors. Although they are at various levels, they should arrive at Uecker Field over the next few years and shine like the stars we hope they can be. Jesús Made, Luis Peña, Cooper Pratt, Jeferson Quero, Braylon Payne, Luke Adams, Brock Wilken, and Bishop Letson are all exciting players who should make their presence felt in Milwaukee soon. Let’s be thankful that the Brewers ‘cupboard is full and that the future looks bright. 3. Matt Arnold and Staff Arnold has been a member of the Brewers front office since October 2015 and has been the general manager since November 2020. Last month, Arnold was promoted to president of baseball operations. Along with the new title, Arnold will presumably earn a larger salary, and the job of president could prevent other teams from trying to pry Arnold away from Milwaukee with the promise of a president's position. Although the previous regime of David Stearns had success in the amateur draft, Arnold has seen seven players reach the major leagues from the 2021-2023 draft classes, including Sal Frelick and Jacob Misiorowski. Add to that the fact that the Brewers had four players in MLB.com’s Top 100 Prospect list for 2025: Made (4), Peña (18), Pratt (56), and Quero (84). Arnold isn’t perfect, but he is doing a darn good job for the Brewers, and we are thankful to have him and his staff. 2. Pat Murphy The Brewers' current manager has had a long and storied career both in college and in the pros. He coached Notre Dame and Arizona State from 1988 to 2009, compiling a 947-400-2 record and being named Baseball America’s Coach of the Year in 1998 at Arizona State. He held several positions in the San Diego Padres organization, including minor league manager and interim manager for the Padres in the second half of 2015. Milwaukee hired him after the 2015 season and became a bench coach on Craig Counsell’s staff. After Counsell left to manage the Chicago Cubs, Murphy became the Brewers' manager, and the rest is history. Milwaukee won two NL Central titles under ‘Murph,’ and he was named NL Manager of the Year in both 2024 and 2025. Whether it is the Brewers' success under Murphy, his humor, or his culinary specialties, we should be thankful for Patrick Thomas Murphy. 1. Bob Uecker Even though ‘Ueck’ passed away last January, he is top of mind for anybody who is involved with the Brewers, whether cheering in the stands or playing on the field. Bob Uecker wasn’t a great player, but he did play six years in the big leagues. He was a dear friend and guest on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, a key player on the TV show Mr. Belvedere, and a hilarious character in the zany Miller Lite commercials. Uecker’s Harry Doyle lines from the movie Major League are uttered all around the world. ‘Juuuust a bit outside!’ More importantly, Bob Uecker was the beloved voice of the Milwaukee Brewers for over five decades. And he was a close friend to Brewers players, including Robin Yount and Christian Yelich. Brewers fans hoped that the ‘spirit’ of Bob Uecker would send the Brewers to the World Series in 2025, but it just didn’t happen. But how many times did you think, ‘Ueck was looking over the Brewers?’ I know I did, many times. This Thanksgiving, let’s be thankful for all that Mr. Baseball offered the fans and players of the Milwaukee Brewers. Be Thankful EVERY Day Sometimes we fall short of giving thanks on a daily basis. We get together with family and loved ones on the fourth Thursday in November to eat, drink, and make merry. It is a special day, but we should be thankful every day. Going forward, we should all make that effort. And we are thankful for our Milwaukee Brewers. The Crew hasn’t made it to the pinnacle of baseball supremacy, but there is always next year! Have a Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

Five of the Milwaukee Brewers' top draft picks in 2024 are performing well and moving up in the organization, and two of them are already ranked in the Top 10 on Brewer Fanatic’s Top Prospect list. Let’s check out the progress of this draft class and see if they are trending up or down after the 2025 season. Braylon Payne, CF (1st Round, 17th Overall) Payne was signed to an under-slot deal and was initially seen as something of a reach, but he performed well in an extremely small sample in 2024, collecting seven hits in 16 at-bats at Low-A Carolina, The left-handed-hitting Payne was injured at three different points during the 2025 campaign at Carolina, and was limited to 77 games. He didn’t hit for great power, but showed a good eye at the plate, drawing walks at an excellent rate of 15.2%. Unfortunately, he struck out at a less-than-stellar rate of 30.1%. Payne did show a great knack for stealing bases, swiping 31 in 41 attempts. Defensively, he has decent range and shows an average arm. The youngster gets bonus points for performing well at age 19. On the other hand, Brewer Fanatic’s eighth-ranked prospect’s truncated, injury-wrecked season doesn’t show an upward trend. For his initial assignment next year, flip a coin: Wilson or Wisconsin? TRENDING: Even Blake Burke, 1B (1st Round, 34th Overall) Burke’s pick was acquired from Baltimore in the Corbin Burnes trade. Milwaukee plucked him out of the University of Tennessee. He smacked 50 home runs in three collegiate seasons, so it was a surprise when he hit only five homers in his first 366 at-bats. The lefty slugger found his power stroke at Double-A Biloxi, where he hit 11 round-trippers in just 140 at-bats. Even though he posted a sublime wRC+ of 177 at Biloxi, he will probably play at least another half-season there before being considered ready for Triple-A Nashville. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Burke isn’t a bad defender at first base, but he did commit nine errors last season. His arm is average at best, so he will stay at first or become a DH. Burke, Brewer Fanatic's No. 15 prospect, is a below-average runner, so don’t expect many stolen bases. TRENDING: Up Bryce Meccage, RHP (2nd Round, 57th Overall) Meccage earned above-slot money in the second round, based on his mid-90s fastball and a pair of high-spin breaking balls that he displayed at his high school in Pennington, New Jersey. In his first pro season, Meccage struck out batters at an above-average rate of 23.6% for Carolina, while allowing walks at a rate of 8.9%. The walk rate isn't terrible, but control is something Meccage needs to work on. If he can refine his craft, he can be a quality middle-of-the-rotation starter for Milwaukee. After having success in 19 starts at Carolina, he is a candidate for promotion to High-A Wisconsin in 2026. TRENDING: Up Jaron DeBerry, RHP (3rd Round, 93rd Overall) DeBerry, selected out of Dallas Baptist University for $25,000, pitched so well in his first professional season that he moved from Low A to High A to Double A, all in a span of three months. In those three stops, DeBerry made 19 starts (among 22 total appearances) and struck out batters at a rate of 23.9%, while walking only 7.3% of batters faced. His best pitch is a low- to mid-80s sweeper that spins at 2,800 rpm or more. DeBerry’s fastball is pedestrian and sits in the low 90s, but he has a full suite of pitches and uses them well to keep hitters off balance. At Biloxi, DeBerry made seven starts and performed well, but expect to see a reprise of that role to start the 2026 season. A good start as a Shucker could see him move north to the Music City sometime during the year. TRENDING: Up Marco Dinges, C (4th Round, 123rd Overall) Dinges was picked out of Florida State, after a monster season wherein he batted .323/.415/.583 with 15 home runs in 64 games. Small for a catcher at 5-foot-11, he showed plus power and needed only 85 at-bats at Carolina before moving to the Timber Rattlers in High A. In 172 at-bats in Appleton, Dinges posted a wRC+ of 137 and batted .273/.371/.483 with 10 home runs. His arm grades out at 55 on the 20-80 scouting scale, but some think he might eventually move to a corner outfield spot. Dinges might start 2026 at Wisconsin, but it would not be a huge surprise to see him begin the campaign at Biloxi. TRENDING: Up Others of Note: RHP Chris Levonas (2nd Round, 67th Overall): Did not sign and elected to honor his commitment to Wake Forest. RHP John Holobetz (5th Round, 156th Overall): He was the PTBNL in the Quinn Priester trade. RHP Tyson Hardin (12th Round, 365th Overall): Pitched well at two levels in 2025 and is currently BF’s No. 17 prospect. The 2024 Draft class has had tons of success over the last two seasons, and we look forward to seeing these guys (and others) in Milwaukee in the near future. What stands out about this group? How would you grade their stock so far? Leave a comment and start the discussion.