Matt Breen

Groome dropping all the way to 7th. That would be fascinating to see happen.

Rangers promote Matt Bush. Wow, who would have thought. 12 years ago he was the top pick in the draft - as a SS. Now he's getting the call at age 30 as a relief pitcher. Guy had all sorts of alcohol related issues - even spent time in prison.

With all the mock drafts it seems the consensus pick is that there is no consensus pick. No matter. Can't wait to see what happens.

Cubs are playing their pitchers nearly $95M this year as well. That makes it easy to do all right when you can use money to solve your problems. That's not a criticism. The Cubs have money and are using it. I can't fault them for that. It doesn't always work, but they seem to have done pretty well thus far.

I'd love that. Middlebrooks just appears like the end of the line is in order. No point in holding back other guys. Cooper isn't a great prospect by any standards, but he's an older guy who should be pushed.

http://www.lf.k12.de.us/decc/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/kindergarten-graduation-clipart-dc758MKc9.jpeg Tyler Cravy (or Crazy) did as well. Tyler got as high as #15 on our Top 25 prospect poll.

I don't think Villar is going anywhere unless they get a really good offer. We still have a black hole at 3B and Villar could play a vital role on a contending team even if he isn't a starter. I don't think we would get anything good enough to warrant trading him away. I think this is pretty much spot on. If someone gives you a great offer, sure you take it. But Villar could end up at 3B or even 2B (should Scooter get traded or injured). It's not like we are brimming at premium prospects at those positions. And his versatility makes him valuable - and Stearns seems to like versatile players. I just hope Villar keeps playing like he's playing. He's getting a lot of extra base hits, stealing bases, taking walks. Defense looks good (at least from what I've seen). To me, giving a guy like Villar the chance to play every day is what 2016 is about. The expectations for winning are low, so the pressure is low on the guy, and the club can give players more time to play, even if they are struggling. It is still early in the year - 1/5 of the season - so I don't want to draw too many conclusions based on 30 or so games. But it's nice to see Villar playing well. Santana is a work in progress, but he's done okay. Not a success, but not a failure. Perez is looking like a different player from last year. Only a handful of games thus far, but it's nice to see someone forcing their way into the lineup. Walsh, Flores, Broxton and Rivera have struggled - Rivera probably needs to go to AAA and play full time. But I'm okay giving the guys without options - Walsh and Flores - more time. 2016 is about developing guys for 2017 and beyond. We're going to have some successes - and failures. Probably a lot more of the latter than the former, but that's how the process works.

On Sunday, the Cubs walked Bryce Harper 6 times, plus hit him with a pitch. Harper's comment after the game was, "They had a plan, and unfortunately, it worked." This is the kind of thing that could spur the Nats to eventually make a move for a guy like Braun. They are a good team (rotation is looking great), but their hitting is really suspect. Their OPS sits at 10th of 15 teams in the NL, and outside of Harper, Daniel Murphy and Wilson Ramos, they have struggled badly. A big right-handed bat (or two) would really improve things for them. We've linked the Nats primarily to Lucroy, but as noted, Ramos is hitting well thus far, so maybe they wouldn't be as interested in Luc as a power bat. Chris Carter would help them as well, but that would send Ryan Zimmerman to the bench. Zimmerman makes a lot of money, so they might want to see if he can rebound before giving up on him. If Braun keeps hitting, it only takes one team to pony up something big for him - assuming the team is willing to trade Ryan. The Nats are very unlikely to give up Giolito, so there isn't a top notch pitching arm available in their system. Something build around Trea Turner or Victor Robles would have to be your starting point on a deal.

He actually showed a decent eye last year. No he wasn't Kevin Youkillis or anything but 32 walks in 389ABs isn't terrible. But I do agree that zero walks so far is a bit troubling. i think this pretty much sums it up. if you don't learn a little discipline, pitchers will eventually own you. right now, at the lower levels, he's probably okay. but he's going to have to figure out some things down the road. but there's time - he obviously has some talent - just got to give it time.

Latest BA Mock Draft from John Manuel has Brewers taking Groome with our top pick: http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/mock-draft-2-0/#KO9JOE1slOtlVELQ.97 Manuel addresses a 'makeup' comment we heard earlier this week about Groome - specifically saying there are some questions about his maturity. Here's the quote (it's in the area dealing with he Phillies pick): "Groome’s makeup issues (mostly dealing with immaturity, according to industry sources) worry most teams picking in the top 10, and that could weigh down Groome’s draft stock."

3 HR in 349 ABs. Most he ever hit in the minors was 8. While the HRs in the Venezuelan League are great to see, they are not a great predictor of success. I'm more concerned about Perez's inability to take a walk. Pitchers will exploit that. They'll figure out he swings at anything, and he'll never see anything in his wheelhouse. I'm okay giving the guy playing time, but I don't expect much from him unless he acquires a modicum of plate discipline.

Andrew Heaney has UCL damage as well. They are hoping he can just rehab and avoid surgery, but he may go under the knife down the road. Wow, talk about getting devastated. That team wasn't very good anyhow.

No one is stealing him from Braves. He has been locked in there since he was 14 or 15.... I'd be one of the biggest upsets if he chose to bail on them after this long But it would be sweet if it happened. The review of him says that some scouts call him a 'once in a generation player'. That's the kind of guy you make a huge play for. If there was any year for Milwaukee to shatter their international spending, it's this year. Our payroll is low (so we have money to divert to int'l signings), there's a great talent to be had, and the move continues to stock the system with more high upside players. Also, there's a chance an international draft may be coming in the near future - meaning any penalties of not signing guys the next few years might end up not applying. It's nice to dream.

I think Magnifico and Barnes could be added to the good. Relievers don't get a lot of love - it's hard to get too excited about them. Magnifico has had some support in the past, and if he keeps things up, I wouldn't be surprised to see him sneak into the Top 25. Obviously, some of the short ball players will get attention once they start playing, but I think Crash2303 hit on most of the others - Miguel Diaz, Freddy Peralta, Diplan, Wang, Ortega, Derby, Woodruff. The hitters are pretty uninspiring. Betancourt had a nice average, but has slumped lately. I'm wondering who's going to go into the tank - Tyrone Taylor just keeps getting worse. A lot of guys have just been 'meh'. Still, we have to remember a good week or two can change a guys numbers pretty quickly this early in the year.

One reason we didn't sign (and shouldn't have signed) Latos was that he would have blocked guys who should be in the majors. Before the year, we had six viable starters - Nelson, Peralta, Garza, Jungmann, Anderson and Davies. While Garza was in the rotation because of his salary, the other guys are part of our future - or need to show they are. Keeping Davies at AAA for the season would have been counter productive. The club needs to give him a fair shake and see if he's going to be part of our future. Same with the other guys. I've said before that flipping guys can be a great idea, but to do it at the expense of a young player's development isn't wise.

At this point, this is what is likely to happen around mid-season (basically the team wants to make sure Arcia doesn't qualify as a Super 2 arby guy, meaning he won't get brought up until early June or so). Arcia gets brought up, Villar goes to 3B, Scooter at 2B. I doubt there's any reason Villar couldn't handle the position. It's our best line up. I stress 'at this point' So much can happen in the next month or two. Someone can get hurt (Scooter's already on the DL). Villar could go 0 for 40 and get sent down. Cecchini could catch fire and be much more of an interesting option. Or a trade could happen. If at mid-season Villar is sitting with similar stats as he is now (.760 OPS, 20+ SB, good defense), he could also become a very valuable trade chip, especially for some good young pitching. But assuming we stand pat, and there are no big injuries, and guys keep producing as they are now, I think you see Villar at 3B. Until then, no need to mess with a good thing. The change will happen - just a matter of when.

You have the basic idea of how the system works. If you go over, you are subject to penalties, as defined by the following: The CBA lays out penalties for teams that exceed their allotted bonus pool amounts: 0-5% overage: MLB taxes the overage at a 100% rate. 5-10% overage: (1) MLB taxes the overage at a 100% rate. (2) The offending club loses the right to sign any player to a bonus exceeding $500,000 during the following international signing period. 10-15% overage: (1) MLB taxes the overage at a 100% rate. (2) The offending club loses the right to sign any player to a bonus exceeding $300,000 during the following international signing period. 15%+ overage: (1) MLB taxes the overage at a 100% rate. (2) The offending club loses the right to sign any player to a bonus exceeding $300,000 during the following two international signing periods. So what you suggest - going 'all in' and spending a ton in any one year is a common practice. I think the Red Sox, Dodgers, Yankees, Cubs and a couple of other teams did it the last couple of years, so they are non-factors this year. I think, for example, a couple of years ago the Yankees spent around $20M - which then added on an additional $15M+ in penalties - plus a 2-year limitation on international signings. It was a lot of money - $35M+ for a bunch of 16-17 year old kids who are risky investments. But you never know. It's a way for a team with money to burn to quickly re-stock their farm system with a bunch of lottery pick type guys. In my opinion, it's a great move - you just have to have the extra money to spend.

Thanks for finding that. FWIW, the Brewers are expected to sign the #29 and #30 ranked guys, Pablo Abreu (OF) and Jean Carlos Carmona (3B). I skimmed through and didn't see any other Brewers mentions. Braves, Cardinals, Padres and Nationals had lots of mentions.

Brewers favored to sign two guys - the 29th and 30th players: Pablo Abreu - #29 Hometown: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic Position: OF Age: 16 DOB: 10/19/1999 Bats: R Throws: R Height: 5'11'' Weight: 175 Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 60 Abreu has the right combination of tools to make a solid package. He's not known for his raw power, but he's an aggressive hitter with a knack for making contact in games and driving the ball into the gaps. He has shown the ability to turn on pitches and there's the belief that he will develop more power with maturity. On defense, Abreu has a solid arm and the defensive actions to stay in center field. That said, he's versatile enough to change positions if needed and there's a thought that he ends up as a corner outfielder. Abreu showed off his skills at the MLB International Prospect Showcase in February, racking up a pair of hits and scoring a run in three games. He also displayed plate discipline with a pair of walks. The Brewers are the favorite to sign Abreu. He played in the International Prospect League and is trained by Amauris Nina. Jean Carlos Carmona #30 Hometown: Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic Position: 3B Age: 16 DOB: 10/31/1999 Bats: S Throws: R Height: 6'1'' Weight: 183 lb. Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 50 | Run: 60 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 Carmona is a switch-hitter who has shown a consistent approach and displayed power from both sides of the plate. Scouts like his strong athletic body and project him to fill out even more as he matures. What's more, he's viewed as a plus runner and has the potential to be a base stealer with proper instruction. Carmona has the arm strength to stay in the middle of the infield and has been praised for his good hands. However, there is a belief that he could move to center field in the future because he might not have the natural defensive actions and body control to be a Major League shortstop down the road. Carmona is trained by Angel Gonzalez and played in the International Prospect League in the Dominican Republic. The Brewers are expected to sign him. Check out the MLB page, which includes video of both guys.

Reed is an interesting player - I've always loved on base skills - but he's got some serious issues in his game right now. He's got a .256 BA with only 2 xbh (both doubles) in 78 ABs - plus 23 strikeouts. Without the walks, he'd have nothing going for him. I would like the club to let him see if he can develop some power. It doesn't have to be 20 HR power - but he has to show something if he's going to be more than a 4th OF. The best place for him to work on his game is in the minors. I wonder if he needs to retool his swing - but that's just me speculating. Others who have seen him would know more.

He is still arbitration eligible for 2017 and 2018 - so yes, he is controllable for a couple of years beyond 2016.

Carter has played OF and DH as well, allowing him to pretty much be full time (or close to it) the last three years.

Zach Davies passed the career 50 IP mark, making him ineligible for the mid-season prospect list.

I see a team pretty much exactly where I expected them to be. We have some nice developments this year (plus our share of disappointments), but we are a long, long way from being good. Stearns set up a plan to succeed - stick with it, don't get distracted. Doesn't mean you don't tweak things - flexibility is critical - but don't con yourself into thinking we are better than we are. That will lead to short sighted decisions - I've seen too many of those in my day.

I don't think the Brewers have done much flipping of players simply because they have been contenders (or thought they were) for a while. Signing a guy with the intention of flipping him later is generally something for teams who know they won't contend. A contending team doesn't like to take risks. They like certainty. That's why we got Carter. No contending team was going to risk their 1B position to a guy who hit below the Mendoza Line. I should add, that I don't think flipping guys usually works that often. An injured or aging or flawed player is usually a high risk proposition from the get go - and those kinds of things rarely work out. I also don't like blocking other players who might develop if given the chance. But that doesn't mean you can't try it. I wouldn't count on anything really panning out from such an attempt, but you never know.