Rick Daltons Flamethrower

Really enjoying the energy of Pat Murphy. He seems so comfortable in the role and who he is as a human. This has been a breath of fresh air with his leadership just beginning to blossom. Good things on the horizon with him in the helm.

Would be great if Haase could be traded ... catchers are a commodity.

We all need space and make space for dealing with difficult adversities. We are all human.

The perspective regarding our minor league system has really changed in the last couple of years. Hats off to Matt Arnold and the scouting crew!

Wouldn't be surprised to see Haase traded in the next week. Catchers are usually a hot commodity. Package him and Bauers. They are both residing in Limboville.

Pulling for him. Things can change quickly including careers.

Need to swing to break a bat. Also need to work the counts. Always a tension.

No hares on the team just tortoises... that's not a bad thing. Just need to be patient as they move along. Looking forward to the many surprises this team and season brings.

Likeable player. Potential, potential, potential.... really hoping it is more than just potential. Hope he proves it this season. I'm in his corner.

The comparisons to Acuna are encouraging. Wonder if he starts the year in the big leagues or comes up in June?

Great article Jake! Such good news especially for the 2025 season. Fans and teammates all appreciate. Brandon is just a good Brewer dude!

Thanks for the article. As always lots of ifs when you are trying to project players. That's the beauty and the frustration of the game. Opportunities await as we wait to see who ascends. Competition and unwritten stories await. The story is yet to be told.

Not feeling or seeing Bauer's place on this roster. I think Joey Weimer and Brice Turang will both play their way on this roster. I also don't see the need for another catcher besides Contreras and Sanchez. Bottom line is no Bauer and no third catcher opening the door for Weimer/Turang. Gasser may very well be in the starting rotation and Hall may very well be in the bullpen.

I think it is time to trade him and I think he knows it too. The return on him will never be better. Washington, Oakland, Kansas City and Miami had the worst bullpens related to ERA last year. All of them were 5 or greater ERA. Maybe we could brew something up with them?

The bucket sometimes seems to always have a hole in it.

Really enjoyed the article. Who is the last Brewer pitcher to have 3-4 plus pitches? Have we ever had a pitcher with 4 plus pitches? The info in the article about the release extension were fascinating! Pleasure to read :)

One might surmise That Adames will be moved in light of the acquisition of Ortiz. Ortiz will provide the defense we love as we strap in for the ups and downs of hitting. Any chance Ortiz might be playing third base? And hold onto Adames? Lots of moving parts in Milwaukee. I respect Matt Arnold's wisdom in the midst of our dollar spending deficits.

This is from the Just Baseball site related to the new Brewer SS Ortiz: Joey Ortiz – SS – (MLB) Height/Weight: 5’10″, 185 | Bat/Throw: R/R | 4th Round (108), 2019 (BAL) | ETA: 2024 HIT RAW POWER GAME POWER RUN FIELD FV 55/55 50/50 45/45 55/55 60/60 55 An impressive defender who makes a ton of contact, Ortiz is a well-rounded shortstop who has added some thump. Offense Ortiz starts with a slightly open and upright stance before getting into his back side with a controlled leg kick. He repeats the move well and will even cut down on the leg kick a bit with two strikes. An athletic hitter, Ortiz controls his body well and makes a ton of contact with a flat swing that lives in the zone. His 89% zone contact rate was one of the better marks in the Orioles organization, and his spray charts show color foul line to foul line. A shoulder injury hampered his swing a bit in the early parts of the 2022 season, but Ortiz went on to hit .347/.413/.610 over his final 70 games of the season between Double-A and Triple-A. Ortiz carried the momentum into 2023, seeing his average exit velocity jump by a whopping six mph to 91 mph while his 90th percentile exit velocity rose to 106 MPH. Though the exit velocities have jumped near the plus territory, it has resulted in more doubles for Ortiz rather than homers. His flat swing helps him post fantastic contact rates, but his average launch angle of five degrees makes it hard to leave the yard as much as other players with his EVs. Ortiz’s feel for the barrel and control of his body helps him put up strong numbers against all types of pitches, posting an OPS above .800 against non-fastballs at the upper levels. His approach and swing decisions could improve a bit, but this is a common theme with plus hit tool prospects. Much like the other aspects of his offensive game, Ortiz’s chase rate improved as the year went on. If he continues on his track, Ortiz is a high batting average bat who keeps the strikeouts low, hits plenty of doubles and mixes in around 15 homers. Defense/Speed A good athlete with excellent footwork, Ortiz is rangy and seems to always get his body in the right place to make a play. He is comfortable covering ground to his left and right and has the arm strength and adjustability to make throws from all angles. He is a plus defender who should have no problem providing value with the leather at short, but can also play all over the infield. Though he’s not aggressive on the base paths, Ortiz is an above average runner and provides some value there. Outlook Ortiz’s defensive prowess and high floor bat have helped him leapfrog some exciting prospects in the Orioles system. While he is a bit on the older side as a 25-year-old, he is a high probability regular with enough value on both sides of the ball to be an above average big league shortstop if the bat translates. It seems like some improvements to his approach could be the final piece to making that happen.

This was on Baseball America site: (pay attention to the new Brewer Hall on the list of best tools) Best Tools Best Hitter for Average: Jackson Holliday Best Power Hitter: Samuel Basallo Best Strike-Zone Discipline: Jackson Holliday Fastest Baserunner: Enrique Bradfield Jr. Best Athlete: Jackson Holliday Best Fastball: DL Hall Best Curveball: Trace Bright Best Slider: DL Hall Best Changeup: DL Hall Best Control: Alex Pham Best Defensive Catcher: Silas Ardoin Best Defensive Infielder: Joey Ortiz Best Infield Arm: Coby Mayo Best Defensive Outfielder: Enrique Bradfield Jr. Best Outfield Arm: Jud Fabian

Great news! Matt Arnold is making magic. An MLB ready SS with 105 bat velocity screams awesome! Small Market Magic brewing in Milwaukee.