Matt Breen

The great Yuni B. is hitting .141 in Japan this season. Last in the league (minimum of 53 ABs). He has not walked. His OBP is listed as .139. How is that lower than his BA? He has a .294 OPS. In his defense, he only has 74 ABs. Yuni may be gone - but my fascination with him will take many years (if ever) to fade. http://www.baseball-reference.com/japan/player.cgi?id=betanc001yun

At this point our 2B platoon is working out pretty well (6th highest OPS in baseball). That's pretty solid, even if I hate having two guys who solely play the position. But Scooter requires a platoon partner, so dealing Weeks doesn't make a lot of sense (unless you have someone who can replace him - which we really don't). With the team contending, Weeks is still a valuable player, even in the limited role.

Totally agree. Green missed a golden opportunity. If he had been hitting, he could have been up here after A-Ram went on the DL. I thought the guy was going to be a big leaguer. At this point, he probably opts out of his contract and tries to find a team that will give him a real chance.

Eye Black, thanks for running things. It was fun. It made me look at the amateur players a lot closer than in past years. I enjoyed it. Please do again next year.

At this point, the Brewers could easily make two moves: 1. Replace Overbay - he's bad. Reynolds isn't great, but he's passable. You don't need to replace Reynolds (although that's a possibility), just get a reasonable left handed bat for the occasional start at 1B. A guy who plays 3B as well would be great. 2. Add an infielder who can actually play well. Falu, Herrera, Bianchi. These guys are junk. A guy like Emilio Bonifacio would be perfect (assuming he can play SS). This guy needs to back up SS, back up 3B (A-Ram's recent injury is troublesome), and pinch hit. If he can play the OF, like Bonifacio, all the better. The rest of our hitters are doing well (Braun, Gomez, Weeks/Scooter, Lucroy/Maldonado) or solid (Davis) or have a good shot at improving (Segura, Ramirez). The pitching is fine. And if there are injuries or performance issues, there are multiple options in the minors to call upon.

I'm thinking we do another update in early August. Let the trade deadline pass, let the young guys start playing. We can consider making the list bigger. My biggest concern is that some people will not participate because they don't know enough about the lower end players. But we can see how things look. Perhaps a top 25 might work.

I really dislike other player's criticizing someone else's decision. I understand a deal like this can set the bar lower for other players in the future, but each person is different. Bud Norris and Mark Mulder don't know this guy's situation. Singleton was suspended for pot last year and admitted to suffering from depression - which lead to too much drinking. Perhaps the best thing for him - the way for him to thrive - is to have the security of the long term deal. I've known a few people who suffered from depression who did best when their life was predictable. The less stress, the less distraction, the better for them. Maybe Singleton is like that. I don't know. But the thing is that everyone is different. He made an adult decision that works for him in this situation. Also, people are saying that Singleton is leaving a lot of money on the table. That's true - if he turns out good. But I don't think Singleton has ever been considered that much of a sure thing. He's never even played in the majors. He's never been a top 10 type prospect. He's been a good - not great - prospect. Go back five years and for every Freddie Freeman there are a bunch of guys like Lars Andersen, Logan Morrison, Mat Gamel, Matt LaPorte and Brett Wallace. A lot can happen to a player, including injuries, so you can't just automatically assume Singleton will be good.

1-1 (HOU) = Brady Aiken, LHP, Cathedral Catholic HS (Calif.) 1-2 (MIA) = Alex Jackson, C/OF, Rancho Bernardo HS (Calif.) 1-3 (CHW) = Carlos Rodon, LHP, North Carolina State 1-4 (CHC) = Tyler Kolek, RHP, Shepherd HS (Texas) 1-5 (MIN) = Nick Gordon, SS, Olympia HS (Fla.) 1-6 (SEA) = Aaron Nola, RHP, LSU 1-7 (PHI) = Sean Newcomb, LHP, Hartford 1-8 (COL) = Kyle Freeland, LHP, Evansville 1-9 (TOR) = Trea Turner, SS, North Carolina State 1-10 (NYM) = Michael Conforto, OF, Oregon State 1-11 (TOR) = Touki Toussaint, RHP, Coral Springs Christian Academy (Fla.) 1-12 (MIL) = Bradley Zimmer, OF, San Francisco

I never cared for the Lohse deal. I felt the Crew would not contend in the window we controlled him (2013-15), so it was foolish to give up the draft pick and money. But the guy has been our best starter since last season, and with the team playing so well, it's certainly turned out pretty good. As I've gotten to learn more about Lohse, I've liked what he brings to the clubhouse and the pitching staff. He sounds like a guy who really understands pitching - something he says he learned from Duncan. I like that he can bring that to the rest of the team - especially the younger players.

Baseball America has the Brewers taking Pentecost in their new Mock. http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/mock-draft-4-separating-fact-from-fiction/

"It's a smoke screen? Double bluff? Look, you obviously don't know anything about intelligence work, lady. It's an XK Red 27 technique." - Otto (Sorry if no one gets the reference, but I couldn't resist, it's one of the funniest movies ever.)

That was the crazy thing about Davis - his history demonstrated he took walks at a good clip. To suddenly have a 1% walk rate was just insane (think about that - his walk rate in April was 1% - staggeringly bad). It had to get better, especially considering in the minors he typically had 12-13% walk rates. I'm just happy he's got things back together. I thought a stint at AAA was in the cards for him, but lucky for us, he's got his act together and hitting well. He's got an .895 OPS and a .322 OBP in May. In addition to walking more (around 7% in May), he's cut his strike outs down from 32% to 21% of ABs.

sweet. that's going out to some friends.

Pitching depth can evaporate pretty quickly. I'm not defending the Garza signing, but I understand it. Last season we gave 38 starts to Figaro, Gorzelanny, Fiers, Hellweg and Burgos. Garza's history suggests he'll get better. No guarantee, but his past success is a good sign. When I saw Miami trotting out Randy Wolf the other night, I just smiled. The depth we have is awesome.

There's a rather lengthy and funny article on ESPN about the 'Unwritten Rules of Baseball'. http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10964445/mlb-baseball-confusing-contradictory-unwritten-rules

March 2015. K-Rod won't be taken out of the role in 2014. He won't re-sign. Smith and Thornburg battle for closer's job next spring training.

I'm pleased people have enjoyed the list. I had a good time putting it together and learned a lot. I was hoping to put together a list that anyone could stumble upon and actually learn about the players, what makes them special (or not), etc. A list of 20 names is just kind of boring - and doesn't educate or inform in any great detail. I'm happy to do this again in a couple of months.

Davis has certainly picked up his game this month. He's got an .834 OPS in May, and while he still doesn't walk much, his entire game looks better. There's still a lot of room for improvement from Khris, but it's nice that he's not seen as a liability of late.

I think we are seeing EXACTLY what kind of player Scooter is. He'll hit for a solid average with little power and no walks. But I doubt he'll ever hit lefties very well. For the most part, he looks terrible against them. He struggled against them in the upper minors as well in the majors (although he hasn't exactly faced a lot of them in the big leagues). I think he's a guy that can hit .270-.300 - but a platoon partner will be essential. Scooter's a decent player - especially while he's cheap. The team just needs to play a guy like that within him limitations - which I think they are doing.

I bet they send down Wooten, who's been pitching really well since his recall. Otherwise, Kintzler's the only other option of the relievers (assuming Wang is untouchable). No matter what, you deplete the bullpen even further. Perhaps they'll DL Gallardo.

I want to thank everyone who submitted their Top 20 Prospect List for our community project. Perhaps a Mod can pin it to the top of the minor league forum if we find it worthy. We had 22 submissions (I only used lists that had the full 20 players so results wouldn't skew). 42 players were named. For the top 20 players, I wrote up a brief summary of things I thought were important - interesting stats, news, etc. If anyone sees anything wrong in these write ups, please let me know and I’ll update. I tried to keep the information pretty neutral, but my opinions probably slip in at times. Forgive me if anyone disagrees with any analysis. The list was interesting to compile. I think it will be cool to do a new one later this summer. Highlights of this Top 20 list include: - Nelson, Taylor and Coulter were pretty clearly the top picks, with Nelson being the overwhelming #1. Only these three received #1 selections by BF.net fans. - Former #1 picks Jungmann and Bradley have rebounded in the eyes of fans. Both made the top 10 - something many would have doubted prior to the season. - BF.net fans went with upside, meaning a guys like Devin Williams and Tucker Neuhaus have lofty spots on our list. Also, players like Roache - despite his struggles - remain high on peoples' lists. - Johnny Hellweg fell all the way down to 27th after recently undergoing TJ surgery. - Only five players made it on all the lists (Nelson, Taylor, Coulter, Jungmann and Roache). - 10 players showed up only on one list. - Two signees from Latin America from last summer, Franly Mallen and Nicholas Pierre, made it on a list or two. - Jason Rogers, the Brewers 2013 Minor League Hitter of the Year, has found little love this year. He ranks 26th due to a mediocre season while playing 3B at Huntsville. - Special shout out to Zach Quintana, Jacob Barnes, Brooks Hall and Omar Garcia, who each got 1 total point (one vote in the 20th spot), making them all Mr. Irrelevant.

Welcome to the 2014 Brewerfan.net Top 20 Community Prospect list. [LINK to original thread with user-submitted lists] Please note that all information (stats, age, team) is through May 22, 2014. #1 - Jimmy Nelson, RHP, Nashville (AAA), age 24. 433 pts (17 first place votes) - 22 of 22 ballots 58 IP, 17BB, 58K, 1.71 ERA, 0.931 WHIP - only 1 HR allowed The big righty has done everything the Brewers wanted of him in 2014. He's lowered his walk rate, kept up his strikeout rate, and has been keeping the ball in the park (only 1 HR allowed). The result is a sparkling season. Nelson represents the only Top 10 prospect who is likely ready to help the Brewers in 2014. His stellar performance plus major league readiness make him the Brewers' top prospect. NOTE: On May 23, it was reported that Nelson will be called up to replace Gallardo, who has an injured ankle. #2 - Tyrone Taylor, CF, Brevard County (A+), age 20. 414 pts (4 first place votes) - 22 of 22 ballots .259 BA, .325 OBP, .454 SLG, .779 OPS - 20 doubles The toolsy Taylor has upped his game in 2014 by adding a bit of power. Taylor's 20 doubles lead the Florida State League by a wide margin. His BA and OBP aren't great, but Taylor's production should be kept in context. The FSL is a tough hitters league, and he is nearly three years (2.7 to be exact) younger than the league average. In addition to his developing bat, Taylor plays a good CF, probably making him the best all around position player in the system. #3 - Clint Coulter, C, Wisconsin (A-), age 20. 398 pts (1 first place vote) - 22 of 22 ballots .291 BA, .426 OPS, .553 SLG, 979 OPS - 8 HR, 35 RBI, 27 BB, 19 XBH After scuffling badly in 2013, Coulter has returned to Wisconsin and hit the ball with authority. He leads the Midwest League in HRs and RBI, is second in OPS, and fourth in OBP. Coulter's combination of power, patience and average make him the Crew's top all around hitting prospect in the minors. The big question is whether Coulter stays behind the dish. #4 - Orlando Arcia, SS, Brevard County (A+), age 19. 328 pts (17) - 21 of 22 ballots .244 BA, .314 OBP, .314 SLG, .628 OPS - 8 SB No one will question Arcia's glove, but his bat raises some questions. Arcia is hitting just .244 with minimal power this year (not much different than 2013 at Wisconsin). But not all is lost. Arcia is only 19 - almost four years younger than the league average. His 6'0" frame has room to fill out and add strength. The other thing notable about Arcia is his advanced eye at the plate. In his career, he has as many walks as strikeouts. For Arcia, his glove will take him to the big leagues, but how his hitting develops will determine his role. #5 - Devin Williams, RHP, Helena, (Rookie), age 19. 303 pts - 21 of 22 ballots Has not played yet in 2014. The Brewers' top pick in 2013 (2nd round) is a raw, projectable prospect. He struck out 39 batters in only 34.2 innings in his debut last summer - but also walked 22. At 6'3" and only 165, expect Williams to grow into his frame and (hopefully) adding more velocity. Scouts view Williams as a bit of a project (like most high school pitchers), but few deny he offers tremendous promise. BF.net fans love the big upside, pushing Williams this high on our prospect list. #6 - Mitch Haniger, OF, Huntsville (AA), age 23. 292 pts - 21 of 22 ballots .239 BA, .311 OBP, .333 SLG, .644 OPS. Haniger seemed poised for a breakout year in 2014 after solid performances in the Arizona Fall League and spring training. Haniger, however, struggled badly out of gate, batting under .200 for much of 2014. He has rebounded of late, boosting his BA to .239. Scouts and fans are cautiously optimistic about Haniger, betting that he will develop more power, and become the player that produced a .909 OPS for Wisconsin last year before being promoted to Brevard County. He is a good OF with a strong arm, but Haniger needs to start producing consistently if he's going to stay this highly ranked. #7 - Taylor Jungmann - RHP, Huntsville (AA), age 24 287 pts - 22 of 22 ballots 52 IP, 15BB, 46K, 2.77 ERA, 1.288 WHIP The Brewers' top pick in 2011 has mostly disappointed prior to 2014 with low strikeout numbers, high walk rates and middling results. Returning to AA this year, Jungmann has restored some of the luster on his prospects by pitching very well. The big right hander has struck out 46 in 51 innings while walking only 15 - both significant improvements over last season. With a 2.77 ERA in his pocket, Taylor was promoted to AAA on May 23 (taking the lose in his first appearance). #8 - Victor Roache, OF, Brevard County (A+), age 22. 244 pts - 22 of 22 ballots .211 BA, .268 OBP, .392 SLG, .660 OPS - 7 HR After struggling in the first half of 2013, Roache broke out, hitting 16 HRs in the second half of the season. Brewers fans hoped that breakout would translate into a big 2014 for Roache, who led college baseball in HRs as a sophomore. Alas, Roache has struggled mightily this year as the power hitting OF has fought just to keep his BA over .200. BF.net fans are split on Roache's future (detractors point to low BA, high Ks and mediocre to low walk rates), but those in his camp are hoping for a 2nd half rebound (he has a .828 OPS in May). No player in the Brewers' system offers the power potential of Roache (although Denson fans might disagree), which is why fans are eager to see him get his career back on track. #9 - Jed Bradley, LHP, Brevard County (A+), age 23. 214 pts - 21 of 22 ballots 54 IP, 9BB, 47K, 2.67 ERA, 1.000 WHIP Two month's ago it's unlikely many people would have thought Bradley would end up on a top 10 list. But the big lefty has broke out in a big way in 2014 after battling a variety of injuries and ineffectiveness in 2012-13. Jed sports some impressive numbers, including 47 strikeout vs only 9 walks in 54 innings. He recently threw nine innings of shutout pitching - inducing 21 ground balls vs 2 flyouts. That kind of performance has BF.net fans excited. But the excitement should be tempered with the knowledge that Bradley is in his third season at Brevard County. A bump to AA might be in the cards, although Brewer officials have said keeping Bradley healthy and putting him in an environment where he can succeed are their main concerns in 2014. #10 - Michael Reed, OF, Brevard County (A+), age 21. 213 pts - 21 of 22 ballots .291 BA, .470 OBP, .427 SLG, .897 OPS - 35 BB, 17 SB in 36 games No one in our system works pitches like Michael Reed. The Brewers OF is second in the FSL with 35 BBs and an OBP of .470. Those kinds of numbers make people take notice. Additionally, Reed hits for a solid average (.286 in 2013, .291 in 2014) and has decent speed. Reed's issue is power - or lack thereof. Prior to this year, he had 2 total HRs in his career. So far in 2014, he has hit 2 HR and 9 doubles in only 110 ABs. The Brewers are hoping that the modest bump in slugging will continue to increase as Reed matures. No one expects him to hit 30 HR, but he is likely destined to be a corner OF - meaning he needs to show some long ball ability. Could a Michael Brantley career arc be in Reed's future (albeit one with more walks and more strikeouts)? NOTE: Reed was placed on the DL on May 22. #11 - Hunter Morris, 1B, Nashville (AAA), Age 25 172 pts - 18 of 22 ballots .294 BA, .337 OBP, .479 SLG, .816 OPS - 6 HR, 12 doubles After a stellar 2012 at Huntsville, the shine went off Morris as he failed to hit (.247) at AAA ball last season. A return to Nashville in 2014 has helped Morris (improved BA and OBP), but his limitations are evident. He simply doesn't get on base that often and his power is good - but not great. Like many left handers, Morris has hit right handed pitching much better in his career, meaning his best chance of producing in the big leagues will likely be part of a platoon. With Overbay floundering in Milwaukee, there's always the chance Morris gets a chance with the big boys at some point this year. #12 - Tucker Neuhaus, 3B, Helena, (Rookie), age 19. 141 pts - 16 of 22 ballots Has not played in 2014 A 2nd round pick in 2014, the left handed hitting Neuhaus will look to improve on an unspectacular debut last summer in Arizona (.231 BA, .613 OPS, no HR in 195 ABs). But the young Neuhaus offers a lot of promise and projectability. He sports a plus arm and solid baseball instincts. Scouts praise his character. At 6'3" and 180 lbs, Neuhaus should grow into his frame and add strength. #13 - Nick Delmonico, 3B, Brevard County (A+), age 21. 140 pts - 16 of 22 ballots .263 BA, .300 OBP, .368 SLG, .668 OPS - Has only played 10 games in 2014 Delmonico, who was acquired last season in the K-Rod trade with Baltimore, has only recently returned to the diamond after dealing with personal issues. A left handed hitter, Delmonico has shown good power and the ability to take walks in his career. He hasn't, however, hit for a high average (career .242 in the minors) and strikes out at a fairly high rate (roughly 24% of ABs). Scouts are divided about Delmonico's ability to stay at 3B, meaning a trip across the diamond may be in order down the road. #14 - David Denson, 1B, Wisconsin (A-), age 19. 120 pts - 17 of 22 ballots .241 BA, .374 OBP, .361 SLG, .735 OPS - 23BB, 34K A 15th round pick in last year's draft, Denson is a classic big bodied slugger. At 6'3" and 250+ pounds, Denson projects as a 3TO type player. He's a poor fielder who is going to walk a lot, strikeout a lot and hit home runs. He struggled in April after jumping all the way to Wisconsin, but has had a nice May. Because of his power potential, Denson should be one of the more intriguing Brewer prospects to keep an eye on. #15 - Tyler Cravy, RHP, Huntsville (AA), Age 24 118 pts - 16 of 22 ballots 49.1 IP, 9BB, 44K, 1.82 ERA, 0.811 WHIP After struggling his first few years as a professional, Cravy began to 'figure it out' in 2012 at Wisconsin. He has since built on a successful 2013 (2.04 ERA at Brevard County) by breaking out this year at AA Huntsville. Tyler's numbers (1.82 ERA, 0.811 WHIP) have turned heads. For the first time, Brewer fans are seeing him as a potential major league arm - perhaps even as a starter. #16 - Jorge Lopez, RHP, Brevard County (A+), age 21. 112 pts - 14 of 22 ballots 46 IP, 14 BB, 39K, 3.72 ERA, 1.283 WHIP A 2nd round pick out of Puerto Rico in 2011, Lopez has slowly worked his way up the minor league ladder learning the nuances of the game. The results have been middling, at best, until this year, when Lopez appears to be putting it all together. He's limiting his walks, increasing his strikeouts and avoiding giving up the long ball. The result is a respectable 3.72 ERA. Keep in mind that Lopez is still very young - having just turned 21 a few months ago. He's tall and still needs to mature physically - offering lots of upside. #17 - David Goforth, RHP, Huntsville (AA), age 25. 82 pts - 10 of 22 ballots 24.1 IP, 12BB, 15K, 3.33 ERA, 1.270 WHIP, 11 Saves Goforth is the only relief pitcher on our Top 20 list. Despite a strong arm, he has never been a big strikeout pitcher. He doesn't have a wide arsenal of pitches, meaning he profiles as a bullpen arm. Don't be surprised to see him bumped to AAA at some point in 2014. #18 - Tyler Wagner, RHP, Brevard County (A+), age 23. 72 pts - 12 of 22 ballots 51 IP, 18BB, 33K, 1.76 ERA, 1.216 WHIP After a solid 2013 at Wisconsin, Wagner has continued to improve on his jump to high A ball. He doesn't strikeout a lot of batters, but he is limiting walks and hits this year. The result is a stellar 1.76 ERA for 2014. Wagner has improved each year since he was drafted in the 4th round in 2012. #19 - Chris McFarland, 2B, Wisconsin (A-), age 21 71 pts - 13 of 22 ballots .269 BA, .335 OBP, .468 SLG, .803 OPS - 15 SB McFarland has jumped onto the BF.net radar with a strong second go around at Wisconsin in 2014. The right handed hitting 2B has shown speed and improved power, but still strikes out too much (41K in 41 games). NOTE: McFarland was placed on the DL on May 22. #20 - Brent Suter, LHP, Huntsville (AA), age 24. 69 pts - 10 of 22 ballots 55 IP, 13 BB, 47K, 1.96 ERA, 0.927 WHIP Harvard educated Suter has flourished in 2014 after two years of solid, if unspectacular, performances since being a 31st round pick in 2012. Suter's excellent numbers against advanced competition have vaulted him into top 20 prospect status for BF.net users. The Rest Ariel Pena - 54 pts Hobbs Johnson - 43 pts Drew Gagnon - 41 pts Damien Magnifico - 39 pts Taylor Williams - 33 pts Jason Rogers - 32 pts Johnny Hellweg - 26 pts Nick Ramirez - 25 pts Franly Mallen - 20 pts Jose Pena - 17 pts Shawn Zarraga - 14 pts Adam Weisenberger - 13 pts Hiram Burgos - 10 pts Nicholas Pierre - 7 pts Casey Medlen - 2 pts Micheal Ratterree - 2 pts D' Vontrey Richardson - 2 pts Yadiel Rivera - 2 pts Zach Quintana - 1 pts Jacob Barnes - 1 pts Omar Garcia - 1 pts Brooks Hall - 1 pts

Estrada is a good no. 5. Could we get anything of value back if we were to trade Marco this season? I think that's 12 HR allowed by Marco.

Wow. Let's see if that signals a breakout for Davis. We can use his bat.

How awesome is this - the Lake County Captains - the Class A affiliates of the Cleveland Indians - are giving away Jobu bobblehead dolls at their Aug. 1 game. http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2014/0523/mlb_bobblehead_d1_200x300.jpg http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10973576/lake-county-captains-offering-jobu-bobblehead-major-league-night