splitterpfj

I think the issue is - the Brewers are good enough to win the World Series - and we know it. They aren’t just in the playoffs, they’re good enough to win this. The other element, that really amps up the tension, is that the other three remaining teams are also good enough to win it, and we know that, too. “This is it” - does terrible things to sports fans.

I don't see how any first place vote can go to anyone but Yelich at this point. Arenado, Baez, Cain and Freeman have all had great years, but nobody has done what Yelich has done. Nobody.

I didn't say the Brewers are the favorites, and there's nothing that says multiple teams can't be equipped to win it at the same time, I'm saying this Brewers team is built to win in the postseason, and to win the World Series. I stand by that.

No, this is not the best Brewer team. I can remember back to 1974, with strong recollection from 1976 on - 1978 and '79, the Brewers were great fun, with big power, and Mike Caldwell pitching great at the front of the rotation - but other teams were even better, at a time when only two teams from each league made the playoffs. The team backslid a bit in 1980, then made the playoffs the next two years, before another slide, and then a steep falloff, which led to a wave of youth from '85 forward. The 1982 team was the most talented team this franchise has ever had, and Robin Yount was everything Christian Yelich has been this season. That was the best team in baseball that year, and they would have won the World Series, with better health in October. Rollie Fingers, the best closer in MLB history at that point, was not available for most of September, and all of October - all by itself, that made the difference, but don't forget - key contributors Pete Vuckovich and Gorman Thomas were also playing with bad shoulders at that point. The 1987 team gets overlooked, but it shouldn't. They struggled to find a reliable 5th starter, for one thing, but the big issue that year was the hamstring injury that shelved Paul Molitor when the Brewers were soaring. Right after that injury, the Brewers lost 12 straight games. As young pitching solidified behind Teddy Higuera, and with Dan Plesac and Chuck Crim in the bullpen, the Brewers got hot again, but missed the playoffs. Again, only two teams from each league made the playoffs then, which took them down in the end. In 1988, the Brewers pitched very well, and like the prior year, they made a late run, but didn't get there. The 1992 team was outstanding, and they did just fine against the Blue Jays that year - had more teams gone to the playoffs then, the Brewers would have been in, and they were hot at the right time if they had made it. The 2011 team had one issue - a major shortcoming on the left side of the infield. They partially plugged that with the addition of Jerry Hairston Jr, but it was a real issue. Nonetheless, that team had enough to win the World Series - they absolutely could have, but that isn't what happened. This team, right now, is not the, "best team" the Brewers have ever fielded, but it may very well be the team with the best chance to win the World Series. I say that, because, this team is built to win the type of games you most often see in the postseason. The teams you'll face, are the best teams - so you don't face the type of pitching that allows you to just go up and club them off the field - you have to have smart at bats, you have to have smart base running, you have to have tight defense, and you have to pitch well under pressure. The other guys are good, too - but this team plays good defense, it runs the bases well, it shows discipline at the plate, it can hit homers, but it can win if it doesn't, and it's depth of pitchers that can shut down good hitting, is excellent. IF the starting pitchers don't fall apart, this team is equipped to become the first World Series winner the Brewers have had, "best team", or not.

I expected this move a month ago, Gio hasn’t pitched well of late, but I’m not surprised they tried this.

Jon Heyman reports - the Brewers are the team that claimed Harvey.

I believe they have that Machado fellow ....

Corey Ray is going to have a career in the big leagues, and if he improves his hit tool, he'll be a star - the same is true for Turang, and hitting for power.

1. Huira 2. Burnes 3. Ray 4. Turang 5. Dubon 6. Brown 7. Erceg 8. Lutz 9. Supak 10.Diplan 11.Gray 12.Nottingham 13.Henry 14.Stokes 15.Carlos Rodriguez 16.Lemons 17.Ashby 18.Bello 19.Houser 20.McClanahan 21.Ward 22.Ponce 23.Ernesto 24.Edwarqui Fernandez 25.Gatewood

The best target right now will be a pitcher on an NL team that is out of the race, who is doing well enough to bother with, who either has a big contract, or an expiring contract. Go from there.

How many players can a team claim? One per day? One per week?

I really don't have anything to add, except, that was a lot of fun. Half the world got traded in about a blink and a half - I loved it!

I think what Stearns has done is masterful, he's built a good, deep big league team, and he's kept his best prospects - but this team needs some insurance for the rotation, clearly. I get it, the truly impactful starter wasn't there to be had right now, that's why I credit Stearns for keeping his best kids, because a time will come when he's in position to get a stud when one comes along. I didn't expect a major trade for a pitcher today, but I did expect a deal for an arm. I gladly welcome Schoop, and I don't mind the loss of the guys Baltimore got either - I'll take it, and I'm really excited for this team, but ....

Read the first post of this thread ..... if I win, do I get ice cream?

David Stearns has come this far, I refuse to believe he won’t get a starting pitcher before the deadline - so - who will it be? I say, Stearns won’t touch his best 2-3 prospects, but he won’t go empty handed. The Brewers get .... Gio Gonzalez. What’s your guess?

Mr Ray hit his 11th home run of the month tonight.

Dealing from depth - check. Kept best prospects - check. Added offense - check. Got a guy with postseason experience - check. OK - I get it, but this is wild. I absolutely love the effort, but this is obviously a gamble. In this era of defensive shifts, this might work, but ....

ewit, those stats imply, with the same defense behind them, Wheeler would outperform Guerra. The Brewers’ defense has been a huge asset for the pitching staff.

I exchanged PMs with Jonathan Mayo this morning, it's this simple - the K rate kept him off the Top 100 list - otherwise, scouts love this young man. His future will come down to one thing, it seems ....

I think the Brewers would prefer that, too, but there has to be a #1 available, which may not be the case right now. Last year, the Brewers got a lousy break, losing Nelson too late in the year to deal for a replacement - I don't expect Stearns to get a guy, just because he's a pitcher, but I also doubt he's willing to risk a lack of depth in the rotation again. Suter is gone, Davies is a maybe, Miley has had health issues this year, and Guerra recently went down .... I don't care to see Jeremy Jeffress start a game in September again.

I’m with you most of the way on this, but the Brewers are definitely not the only team involved. Harvey’s only interesting if the price is low, and then I’d wish we’d gotten someone who covered more innings.

Harvey’s a 5-6 inning guy now - had a string of good starts going until his last one, which was awful. That last start ballooned his numbers, but I’m not thrilled by the idea of adding Harvey.

With the addition of Soria, and the hopeful return of Albers, the Brewers' bullpen should be dominant - here's to good health!

Tampa gets LHP Jalen Beeks.

Brandon Woodruff deserves a shot in a big league rotation - if the Brewers aren’t going to give it to him, then he should be traded. I’m not a fan of that, but the team has gone with Peralta, and Burnes is the best of the three - we can’t just let Woodruff sit there - he’s got value. For me, Woodruff’s in, but the rest bugs me. What is Nottingham going to be? I really don’t know, but again, if the team isn’t ready to plug him in, he could be traded. My problem is matching up the power hitting outfielder - maybe Santana fits, but I’d bet that would add another player to the deal. If not Domingo, Corey Ray is probably the logical choice, and that makes me very uneasy. For those who favor, “selling high” on Ray - I’m not convinced that would be the case, and besides, Archer has become a mixed bag - I’m not sure he’s the guy I’d truly chase. I think Archer could wind up being a steal, or a bust - if the Brewers get him, there’s no way we’ll all be happy with the return TB gets.