Matt Breen

Oh my, Jackson.

I think Adames is going to be looking at 6 years and $150+ million in free agency. He's - hands down - the best shortstop in the free agency market this coming off season. Dansby Swanson got 7-years/$177 million. Carlos Baez got six years and $140m. Trea Turner got 11-years and $300 million. Xander Bogaerts got 11-years and $280m. Correa got 6-yeras and $200 million. I think Swanson is the closest comp. Willy will be a year older coming into free agency. But he's still only 29. They are similar average hitters, but Willy has a little more power. Both are good glove guys. The one red flag for Adames is his less than stellar season in the field this year. I mean, it's probably just an anomaly - but perhaps teams hold it against him. So I think 6-years and $150m is the floor for Adames (unless something weird happens in the next four weeks - such as an injury).

I can’t help, but it’s pretty cool. I was a teen at this time, and this club was pretty good. Lots of good names.

I don't disagree with you regarding Hoskins. This club lacks power, and Hoskins is still a 30-HR hitter. And as you note - you have to hope he can improve after a year removed from the ACL injury. He's not a value at $18 million - but at least he can contribute.

The season is three-quarters complete, and the Brewers are in the throes of a playoff race, but that doesn’t stop some of us (myself included) from considering the future. What are the fates of key free agents - such as Willy Adames? Will the team make a big free-agent splash? What rookies will make an impact going forward? Image courtesy of © Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports Well, before we get into those questions, let’s start with a few assumptions about Milwaukee's future. The payroll will not change much in 2025. Let’s not delude ourselves into thinking the Brewers will suddenly get a massive increase in funding. Is it possible? Sure. Is it likely? No. Historically, the team has shown no inclination to increase payroll so let’s assume it won’t happen next year. Willy Adames is gone. He’s on pace to receive a $20-25 million AAV deal a year for at least 4-5 years. Dansby Swanson - a similarly valued player - got seven years at $25 million per year. Even on the low end of $20 million, it’s unlikely the club makes such a commitment, especially when they have replacement players available in Ortiz and Turang. Rhys Hoskins will be back in 2025. Hoskins will get $18 million next year by picking up his option and a $4 million buyout. That’s a nice $22 million payday. He could, theoretically, take the $4 million buyout after this season but his numbers are not that impressive. It’s unlikely someone shells out over $20 million for an aging, one-dimensional player. Thus, like it or not, he will be back. While the Brewers will shed some salary - primarily from not paying Adames and Wade Miley - $20 million - they will still owe raises to players such as Hoskins, Williams, Peralta, Chourio, and a host of arbitration cases - most notably William Contreras. Those raises will eat into the payroll. I don’t want to go into specifics, but in the end, let’s call it a wash and just say scheduled raises and arbitration cases will consume any space created by departing free agents. And so, if Milwaukee will bring back most of the band for 2025 and our payroll doesn’t change much, how do things look? Let’s go position by position. Positional Players Catcher: William Contreras is set. The backup is not but this doesn’t have to be a big expenditure. First Base: As described above, Hoskins is set. Second Base & Shortstop: Brice Turang and Joey Ortiz represent a duo of solid players. Yes, the Brewers will miss Adames’ power bat, but Turang and Ortiz are good. Third Base: Ummm - let’s come back to this. It’s a bit complicated. Outfield: Jackson Chourio, Garrett Mitchell, Sal Frelick, and Blake Perkins offer a young, solid, cheap contingent. Rotating those four around the outfield is a nice luxury to have. Designated Hitter: Christian Yelich. The team is much better when Yelich’s bat is in the lineup, but he should be relegated to a DH position, except for emergencies. Perhaps he digs out the first baseman's glove. Of course, the club might insist on getting Yelich into left field. If that happens, the DH position will be manned by the best bat available who’s not on the field that day. Wild Card: Tyler Black. Black is probably best as a DH. But if you want to keep Yelich in the game that position is filled. The club could keep Jake Bauers, but that’s not inspiring. Instead, they should give Black a job as a 1B/DH/2B/3B and see how he does. He likely could match Bauers's production, which isn’t a lot. The big downside would be some poor defenders would man first. Pitchers Starters: Rea, Peralta, Myers, and Civale look set. You then have DL Hall and Brandon Woodruff. It’s possible the club won’t bring back Civale - but it’s a thin group, and losing him makes it even more precarious. The club has some Triple-A players - Carlos Rodriguez and Chad Patrick - who may factor in. Plus, there’s Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Henderson. But I’m guessing these two guys won’t be considered until sometime in 2025 - after a little more seasoning in Nashville. Relievers: It’s a loaded bunch. JB Bukauskas, Bryan Hudson, Jared Koenig, Nick Mears, Trevor Megill, Hoby Milner, Enoli Paredes, Joel Payamps, Elvis Peguero, Bryse Wilson, Devin Williams, and Abner Uribe. Craig Yoho is a fascinating prospect who could be ready to contribute. DL Hall could shift to the pen as well. Wild Card: Aaron Ashby has struggled terribly in 2024, so I’m not counting on him for anything. But you never know. Free Agents: Montas, Miley, and Ross are likely gone (Miley may retire) unless they return on bargain salaries. Questions Money availability—The team will have limited money available to fill out the roster. They should be able to pick up some low-cost players—maybe even splurge on someone in the $5-10 million range. But don’t expect an Alex Bregman signing any time soon. Third base—Let’s go back to the third base problem. The issue is that the Brewers don’t have one. The options in the system are Brock Wilken and Oliver Dunn. Dunn received 100 at-bats earlier this year, which went poorly at the plate. However, he flashed a quality glove. Can he improve? His strikeout rate was nearly 40%. That won’t cut it. His K-rate at previous stops ranged from 25-34%. It makes me skeptical. But if he could improve, he might be a competent player. But again, I’m skeptical. Wilken is at Double-A, and while he has 14 home runs, he’s hitting only .216 and striking out a lot. I’m betting he gets more seasoning with 2026 his likely arrival. Other free agent third basemen will either cost too much (Matt Chapman, Alex Bregman), are old and fading, or are just not good. But there are some interesting players. Yoan Moncada is a guy with some upside but lots of questions. It will all come down to money, but at least the team can offer someone like Moncada a full-time job to re-establish his value around the league. It may be our best option. The other option for the Crew is to target a second baseman or shortstop - and keep Ortiz at third - where he has been pretty good. The team will find some attractive (and cheaper) options, including Amed Rosario and Brandon Lowe (if he's non-tendered). Again, it is a matter of what kind of funding we can come up with. In the end, I’m guessing Dunn gets a look, but the club will scour the market and find a bargain-rate player willing to sign for one year. Starting pitching - The club has some bodies to line up as a starter in 2025, but it lacks depth - especially someone who can go deep into a game. However, even mediocre-to-bad starters make $10 million yearly (Kyle Gibson, Lance Lynn). That seems like a move the team won't make. They might find a mediocre starter coming off an injury - like they did with Joe Ross - but it’s unlikely they can sign a free agent starter who can eat a lot of innings. Moves to Consider One thing the club can do to improve is consider a trade. Here are a few ideas: Deal Devin Williams, who is entering the final year of his contract. The club has a lot of relief pitchers, so perhaps he could land a young third baseman or starter. Relievers with limited years of control, even good ones, don’t usually net a ton. But if the Crew could fill a need and save $10 million to allocate elsewhere, that’s something to consider. Deal Tyler Black. Black might not have a position with Milwaukee and thus could be dealt with to fill other needs. Deal Rhys Hoskins. Perhaps not a bold idea, but still an idea. The problem is any such deal would likely be a salary dump. He just doesn’t have much value - and his $22 million salary he’s due is a big obstacle. Plus, Hoskins represents a big bat - one may want - especially if Adames is allowed to walk in the offseason. However, if the club could find a taker for Hoskins, it would allow Black to get a full-time job at first. He might even get a platoon partner in current Triple-A first baseman Wes Clarke. Clarke doesn’t seem like much of a prospect, but if you dig down a bit, you’ll find he pounds left-handed pitching. He stinks against right-handers but might be a nice guy to team up with Black. The team could then use Hoskins' salary to re-invest in other areas of need. Milwaukee faces a huge loss this offseason with Willy Adames departing as a free agent. Despite that, don’t look for any big free-agent signings. Most of the club’s depth will come from the minor leagues or the bargain bin of free agency. Not to mention a few trades. The team always seems to pull a helpful player or two out of the hat with an unheralded trade. View full article

Every team trades away talent that blossoms with another team. Let's take a look at the active players the Brewers have lost in recent years. Image courtesy of © Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports At the 2024 All-Star Game, one of the more interesting names to pop up was Cleveland Guardian’s catcher/outfielder/first baseman David Fry. Seeing Fry was a bit of a gut punch. For those that don’t know, Fry was a middling prospect in the Brewers system before being dealt after the 2022 season for reliever J.C. Mejía. That stings. Mejía managed 13 mediocre innings over two years with the Crew, while Fry developed into a multi-positional bat for Cleveland. This article is not meant to lament missed opportunities (okay, maybe a little). It’s simply to acknowledge players that Milwaukee traded or let go before becoming established major leaguers. Here are the rules for this exercise: Players still have to be active. So, there are no Michael Brantley or Jake Odorizzi types. Only players the Brewers signed as draft picks or amateur free agents are eligible for this list. Thus, no one like Jonathan India, Garrett Crochet, or Carlos Rodon. Each of those guys was drafted by Milwaukee but elected not to sign with the club. We’ll only discuss players in the Brewers’ system who were traded before reaching the majors or had a brief stay in Milwaukee but were never established before being dealt. We’ll only present players who have had a modicum of success. Thus, no Cooper Hummel, Weston Wilson, or Joey Wiemer. Those guys could end up on this list in the future, but for now, they’re just guys who got a chance to play at the highest level but never really did anything significant. All right - here we go (in no particular order): Hitters David Fry, 2018, 7th round - Catcher - Cleveland The Brewers sent Cleveland Fry in exchange for J.C. Mejia—woof. That wasn't good. Fry has emerged as a quality bat playing all over the field (1B, LF, C, DH) for the Guardians. He's been so good that he even got a ticket to the 2024 All-Star game. He's definitely a guy the Brewers regret letting get away. David Hamilton, 2019, 8th round - Infielder - Boston Hamilton was a lesser part of the Hunter Renfroe/Jackie Bradley Jr. trade. He got a cup of coffee in 2023 but has emerged as a solid infield option for the Red Sox. He produced 1.4 WAR while starting 57 games in 2024 at shortstop and second base. Even with those modest stats, he looks like a guy who could have a solid career. Trent Grisham - 2015, OF, 1st round - Yankees Grisham showed promise in his rookie season in Milwaukee but was dealt to San Diego - along with Zach Davies - in 2019 for Luis Urias and Eric Lauer. Make no mistake, Grisham has had his moments. His fielding turned out to be outstanding - netting him a pair of gold gloves. But his bat has been inconsistent - and flat-out bad of late. He's hit sub-.200 each of the last three seasons and was dealt to the Yankees this past offseason. At 27, he might still resurrect his career, but things don't look great. In the end, letting Grisham go was a bit of a nothing burger. Garrett Cooper - 2013, 1B, 6th round - Orioles (minors) Cooper has been a semi-regular player in the majors since 2019, appearing in over 500 games. He has generally been a consistent player - albeit not very exciting. His lifetime of .265 BA and .759 OPS demonstrates his solid but unspectacular bat. The Brewers would have been lucky to have that production during some of those years. At age 33, Cooper, however, may be wrapping up his days in the majors. He struggled in 2024, leading to his release. He is currently with Baltimore on a minor-league deal. Giving up Cooper for almost nothing certainly wasn’t the team's best move, but his modest production made it a minor misstep. Mitch Haniger - 2012, 1st round (supplemental) - Seattle No player the Brewers dealt as a minor leaguer in the past decade has produced numbers like Haniger. He hit 39 HR in 2021. He has nearly 15.0 WAR for his career. He's been an All-Star and received MVP votes in two different seasons. Haniger has, however, been dogged by various injuries over the years, which has limited his effectiveness. Also, as he approaches 34, his glory days may be behind him as he's struggled at the plate the last two years with averages of .209 and .205. Haniger was dealt by the Brewers in 2014 (along with Anthony Banda) for Gerardo Parra. Parra was helpful to the Crew and ultimately netted Zach Davies from Baltimore. So, the deal wasn’t completely lopsided. Pitchers Drew Rasmussen, 2018, 6th round - Tampa Rasmussen came from Tampa in the Adames trade and then went from a reliever to a quality starter—tossing 250 innings over the past three years to a sweet 3.18 ERA. Rasmussen's issues have been health-related, as he's made numerous trips to the IL and hasn't pitched since the summer of 2023. He is certainly a player the team would have liked to have kept, but getting him for Adames means there are no regrets. Reese Olson, 2018, 13th round - Detroit Olson was traded to the Tigers in 2021 in exchange for Daniel Norris, another painful one for the Crew. He has become a solid starter for the Tigers (3.61 ERA in 200+ innings over the past two years), and the Crew would love to have this trade back. Bowden Francis, 2017, 7th round - Toronto Perhaps Francis will have a career that makes Brewers fans sad that he 'got away.' Traded as part of the Rowdy Tellez deal, he has thus far been a mixed bag. He was excellent for Toronto in 2023, posting a superlative 1.73 ERA in 36 innings. 2024 has been much different, with a 5.00+ ERA in 40+ innings. The jury is still out. Lucas Erceg, 2016, 2nd round - Kansas City Erceg flamed out as a hitter but showed promise after converting to the mound. The Brewers, however, gave up on Erceg in May 2023. Perhaps the change of scenery was needed. Erceg was brought up to the big leagues by the Oakland A's, and to the shock of many, he did pretty well. And in 2024, he did even better. He was so good, a hot commodity at the trade deadline - and dealt to Kansas City. Erceg now looks like a quality, hard-throwing reliever. The Brewers, no doubt, regret letting Erceg go, but such a change of scenery might have been necessary for Erceg to blossom. Jorge Lopez - 2011, 2nd round - Cubs Saying Lopez 'got away' is a bit of a stretch. He got into 13 games with the Crew before becoming a classic journeyman. He has been with seven teams in nine years. He’s been let go three times and traded three times. He was on the All-Star team in 2022. But his career has been wildly inconsistent. He flamed out as a starter but has had more success out of the pen. Lopez is still only 31, and he can be effective. So, I expect him to stick around for a bit. With his inconsistency, the Crew really can’t regret letting him go. And by trading him, they netted a couple of excellent seasons of Mike Moustakas. Not bad. Nick Ramirez - 2011, 4th round - Dodgers (minors) This is another stretch to include Ramirez - but he's a left-handed pitcher, and they last forever. Ramirez was drafted as a first baseman but converted to pitching at age 27. The club let him go in 2018, and he found a role in Detroit's bullpen a few years later. He has since bounced around the league - and between the majors and minors - with mixed success. He had an excellent 2.66 ERA in 2023 but then imploded with the Dodgers this year - and is currently with their Triple-A club. Still, as a lefty, he might sneak back into the league. It's no big loss for Milwaukee, but it’s nice to see a guy make it - even in a small way. So that’s the list of the ‘guys that got away.’ It’s not an extensive list, but it's interesting to see who blossomed after being dealt or let go by the Brewers. Other guys could, someday, join this list. Fringe players such as Clayton Andrews, Cody Ponce, José Cuas, Cy Sneed, Joey Wiemer or Ethan Small. Who knows. I want to note that the Brewers are full of guys who ‘got away’ from other clubs. Hoby Milner, Jared Koenig, Tobias Myers, Freddy Peralta, Colin Rea, Joey Ortiz, Blake Perkins, Andruw Monasterio, DL Hall, Bryan Hudson, Oliver Dunn, and others. That's the nature of being a small market team. We try to find value where others don't. And the fact that we haven't lost that many players from our system over the past decade or so - demonstrates that we have tried to build from within - and give our guys a try. View full article

Every person is different. I'm guessing the Brewers felt that Chourio would benefit from being on the major league roster - and it wouldn't affect his development. But again - everyone is different. Just happy to see him blossom as a player. Lots of great stuff to come.

After a night to think about this, I think the weird thing is that Montas just hasn't been good this year. That makes the deal odd. We need starting pitching - yet he averages less than 5 innings a start. His ERA (5.01), FIP (4.91) and WHIP (1.436) are bad. I looked to see if he's been victimized by Great American Ballpark (as have many pitchers), but his ERA is a full run higher on the road than at home. His walk rate is the highest in five years. His strikeout rate is lowest in that same time frame. The other thing it that Montas has had some nice seasons - but he's never been great. And his 'good' seasons are outweighed by too many 'bad' seasons. It's not like we are hoping to get Verlander in his prime or something like that. In the end, it doesn't seem like much of an 'upgrade' for this club. Especially as we give up some assets (not great ones, but a solid reliever is always a positive) and have to pay a lot more money for the guy. My only thought is that the club sees some things they think they can do to fix the guy. If the club can get back 'average' Frankie - a 4.00 ERA type player - it's great. No matter what, he's our guy.

People have said it already. A bit of a headscratcher...underwhelming...meh. Montas just hasn't been that good. Junis has been much of the season - but has seemed perfectly fine coming out of the pen since his return. Club gave up on Joey, but he's not exactly been good in the minors. Low sell - not that it would ever get better. But we shall see. Club must think they can right Montas. The guy has been pretty up and down in his career. Let's hope for the best.

Enjoyed Shogun a lot. Very much Game of Thrones-esque in that it was more about the political machinations of the time - different families and factions gaming for dominance in Japan. Really well done. I'm a history nerd, so it was up my alley.

I'd love Bassitt. I'm a little worried that he's been pretty hittable this year - but that seems more of an anomaly. And our defense would help him. His 2025 salary is concerning - but if we can manage it - that would be cool. I would love to add a player like this without giving up any decent prospects. For us, it's about taking on salary. If we can do that - great.

In 1979, the Milwaukee Brewers offense was poised to be special. One player hit .321 with 28 HR and 101 RBI - while walking more times than he struck out. And that person was…Yount? Molitor? Cooper? Wrong, wrong, and wrong. It was 25-year-old outfielder Sixto Lezcano. However, instead of the breakout season launching Lezcano as one of the game's best players, it proved to be his high-water mark, disappointing many who thought he was destined for stardom. Sixto Lezcano was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, in 1953. The Brewers signed him as a 16-year-old amateur free agent in 1970, as Puerto Rico was not part of the amateur draft at that time. The right-handed hitting Lezcano moved steadily through the Brewers system, his power improving along the way despite his slight 5'10", 165 lb frame. In 1974, he slugged 34 HR while hitting .325 at AAA Sacramento (a notoriously hitter-friendly park), earning the 20-year-old Lezcano a 15-game trial in Milwaukee. The following year, Sixto was Milwaukee's starting right fielder - a position he played most of his career. Lezcano spent the next six seasons in Milwaukee, displaying good power and on-base skills, not to mention solid defense. His finest season came in 1979 (as noted earlier) when he hit a career-high .321 with 28 HR and 101 RBI. He also finished 15th in the league MVP voting and won a Gold Glove. After his breakthrough 1979 campaign, many thought the 26-year-old Lezcano was ready to be a superstar. Unfortunately, injuries dogged Lezcano the following year, and he had the worst season of his career. The Brewers had also regressed, falling from 95 to 86 wins (no wild card in those days!). General Manager Harry Dalton felt a bold move was needed to get the club to the next level, so on December 12, 1980, the club pulled off what is arguably the most significant trade in team history, sending Lezcano, David Green, Dave LaPoint, and Lary Sorensen to the St. Louis Cardinals for Rollie Fingers, Ted Simmons and Pete Vuckovich. The blockbuster move provided vital elements of Milwaukee's only World Series club two years later in 1982. Interestingly, Lezcano was soon involved in another major deal - San Diego sending Ozzie Smith to St. Louis for Garry Templeton and Sixto after the 1981 campaign. The trade to St. Louis began a run of Lezcano playing for four teams in five years. Other than a good year with San Diego in 1983, he never really approached the success and promise of his Milwaukee tenure. Lezcano’s days as a major leaguer were done after the 1985 season. After a 20-game stint in the Japanese League in 1987, his playing career was finished. After retiring, Lezcano worked as a coach for various organizations, including the Royals and Braves, retiring in 2010. Sixto Lezcano was a key part of the rise of Brewer baseball in the late 1970s. In six full seasons in Milwaukee, he hit .275 with an .805 OPS while slugging 102 HRs. He had an excellent four-year run producing 3.1, 3.7, 4.0, and 5.6 bWAR. His 18.9 bWAR is the 14th best in club history. Lezcano was also known for his strong arm, and in addition to winning a Gold Glove in 1979, he led American League outfielders in assists in 1978. Finally, while with Milwaukee, he became the only player in Major League Baseball history to hit a grand slam on Opening Day twice, doing it in 1978 and 1980. Lezcano had an interesting career arc - peaking at age 25. As noted, many thought he was destined for more great seasons. But instead of greatness, Lezcano was simply ordinary - primarily due to various injuries that eroded his skills. Sixto was inducted into the Brewers Wall of Honor for his contributions to Milwaukee baseball in 2014. View full player

The job of setup man in baseball isn’t sexy. You don’t get the "save" on your stat sheet. You're rarely cheered by the fans for holding onto a lead. You don’t get your teammates' high fives and backslaps as you walk off the field after a victory. But the setup man is crucial in baseball, and Brewer reliever Chuck Crim was one of the best for a few years. The Brewers drafted Charles (Chuck) Robert Crim in the 17th round out of the University of Hawaii in 1982. After two years in the minors, he was moved to the bullpen, where he quickly found his niche. Despite being a non-roster player, Crim made the team in 1987 and quickly became a workhorse out of the pen. Over five years (’87-’91), he appeared in 332 games and threw 530 innings - an average of 66 games and an astounding 106 innings pitched per year. All but five of his appearances were in relief and he led the AL in appearances in 1988 and 1989. Crim was excellent in his first few seasons, producing ERAs of 2.91 and 2.83 in 1988 and 1989, respectively. However, the heavy workload began to take a toll on Crim’s arm, and his numbers began to fade in 1990. In 1991, his final season in Milwaukee, Crim’s ERA rose to 4.63. The Brewers shipped out Crim after that season, sending him to the Angels for another reliever - Mike Fetters - a deal that turned out well for the Brewers. After struggling in 1992 and 1993, the Angels released Crim mid-season. He came back to have a solid 1994 with the Cubs, but after the player strike that year, Crim decided he had had enough of baseball and retired. After his retirement, Crim spent seven years as a professional fisherman, then returned to baseball, joining the Dodgers organization in 2006, working as a scout and coach. He was Los Angeles's bullpen coach from 2013-15. After his stint in Los Angeles, Crim returned to his life as a fisherman. Chuck Crim was not a physically imposing pitcher and didn't have stuff that jumped out at fans. He didn't strike out many batters, but he didn’t walk many, either. He flashed a plus slider and sinker to go with a solid fastball. All of this allowed him to be one of the most effective setup men in baseball for several years. His first three seasons in Milwaukee were excellent - producing bWARs of 2.6, 1.7, and 2.7. Just to let you know, during his five years in Milwaukee, Crim made 332 appearances and tossed 530 innings. Also, he won 33 games, saved 42, and produced an ERA of 3.42. As a rookie, he won two of Milwaukee’s games in their record 13-0 run to start the 1987 season. Players like Crim often need to be remembered due to having the unglamorous role of setup man. For a few years, Crim was really good at his job - making him an integral part of the Milwaukee Brewers team. As a result of his accomplishments, Crim was added to the Milwaukee Brewers Wall of Honor in 2014. View full player

If you look at the career pitching leaders in Milwaukee Brewer history, there are only two players that fall in the top 10 in each of the following categories: wins, strikeouts, winning percentage, ERA, bWAR, FIP and innings pitched. One is Teddy Higuera - arguably the finest pitcher ever to wear a Brewer’s uniform. And the other guy? Sheets? Caldwell? Slaton? Bosio? Nope. The answer is Yovani Gallardo. Yovani Gallardo was born in Penjamillo, Michoacán, Mexico, in 1986. His family moved to Fort Worth, Texas, when Gallardo was four years old. In 2004, the Brewers selected Gallardo out of high school in the second round of the MLB draft. It didn’t take long for Gallardo, a righty, to become one of the organization's top starting pitchers. Gallardo struck out many batters with his five-pitch arsenal - particularly his fastball/slider/curve mix. Scouts liked his poise, athleticism, and ability to go deep in games (he led the minors in innings pitched in 2006). If you wanted to nitpick anything, it might be that he walked too many batters, and there were some questions about how high of a ceiling he had. Gallardo quickly worked his way up the minor league ladder and made his Brewer debut in 2007. Gallardo was impressive - starting 17 games while going 9-5 with a 3.67 ERA. Not bad for a 21-year-old. The Brewers went into 2008 with hopes to reach the playoffs for the first time in more than a quarter century - and the young Gallardo was a huge part of that hype. However, Gallardo tore the lateral meniscus in his left knee in spring training - missing the start of the season. And then, on his return, he tore his ACL in his right knee while covering first base. He was on the DL the rest of the year until he was activated at the season's end. He started Game 1 of the NLDS but took the loss. What followed next was six of the most consistent years of starting pitching in Brewer history. Gallardo - nicknamed Yo - started between 30-33 games each year, threw between 180-207 innings, and had an ERA between 3.51 and 4.14. He won 17 games in 2011, struck out 200 or more batters three straight years, and was named to the 2010 All-Star game (his only appearance). He also proved to be a quality hitter - winning a Silver Slugger award in 2010 - batting .254 with four home runs, 10 RBIs, and a .504 SLG%. And then, before the 2015 season, with Gallardo just a year away from free agency, the Brewers made a dramatic move - dealing the reliable Gallardo to the Texas Rangers for Marcos Diplan, Corey Knebel, and Luis Sardinas. The move frustrated many fans, who had grown accustomed to the steady work of Gallardo. However, there were signs that he was declining - despite being only 28 years old. The truth is Gallardo was one of the most worked pitchers in the league. He not only threw a lot of innings and faced many batters, but he also threw a ton of pitches. Gallardo had an excellent 2015 season with Texas, which allowed him to ink a 2-year $22M deal with Baltimore. But the magic was gone. He bounced around for the next four years - playing for five different teams. His numbers went from solid to bad to awful (his combined bWAR in the last three years was a grisly -3.8). The 32-year-old Gallardo signed with the Brewers before the 2018 season, but he did not make the club and was released during spring training. It marked the end of Gallardo’s playing career. For his Brewer career, Gallardo played 214 games (211 starts) and logged almost 1,300 innings pitched. He had a solid 3.69 ERA, and the one category he holds the team record for is for strikeouts - his 1,226 punch-outs edging out Ben Sheets by 20. As a hitter, Yo hit a respectable .201 with a dozen HRs in his career. Some highlights of Gallardo’s time in Milwaukee include a 14-strikeout game against Pittsburgh, a walk-off pinch-hit double in the 10th inning against Baltimore, plus a game where he tossed eight shutout innings and hit a home run - the only scoring of the 1-0 game. All and all, Gallardo had a very solid career - but it was disappointing in a couple of ways. First, Gallardo never developed into a top-of-the-rotation ace as many had hoped for. He had a lot of good tools and skills - but nothing exceptional that put him over the top as a pitcher. He was reliable, durable, and a great asset to the team - but he never rose to the level of an elite hurler. The second disappointing aspect of Gallardo’s career was his rapid decline. For seven years, he was a model of consistency and durability. Yet by age 30, he was done as a quality pitcher. Despite those shortcomings, Brewers fans embraced Gallardo during his time with the organization. They loved his hardworking, stoic demeanor. And they loved his dependability - taking the ball every fifth day, year after year. Today, Gallardo and his family, including his wife, son, and two daughters, live in Fort Worth, Texas. He was inducted into the Brewers Wall of Honor in 2021. View full player

When CC Sabathia arrived in Milwaukee in early July of 2008, he didn’t say, “Get on my back. I’m carrying this club.” But he may as well have done so. Sabathia had one of the greatest half-seasons of baseball in club history. Over 17 starts, he was an absolute workhorse - carrying the Brewers into the playoffs for the first time in 26 years. It was a magical - if short-lived - time for Brewer fans. Carsten Charles Sabathia - aka CC - was born in Vallejo, California, in 1980. He was an outstanding high school athlete, receiving scholarship offers to play football and baseball. But professional baseball was Sabathia’s path after being selected in the 1st round (20th overall) by the Cleveland Guardians in the 1998 draft. CC Sabathia moved quickly through Cleveland's minor league system - skipping AAA ball - and heading to the majors after only three seasons. He won 17 games as a 20-year-old rookie - and went on to anchor Cleveland’s rotation for the next seven and a half years. He was named to three All-Star teams and won the 2007 AL Cy Young award. However, the 2008 Guardians struggled to a 37-46 record through June of that season, causing speculation that Sabathia - who was scheduled to be a free agent at the end of the season - would be dealt. Cleveland was, after all, a small market team and didn’t want to lose Sabathia for simple draft compensation. And thus, on July 8, Cleveland shocked the baseball world by dealing the big lefthander. Many had expected the Guardians to trade Sabathia at the deadline - and to a big market club. But the Brewers stepped up to the plate - offering a package of Matt LaPorta, Michael Brantley, Zach Jackson, and Rob Bryson. LaPorta - a power-hitting first baseman - was considered the big prize for Cleveland. The Brewers were 50-40 at the time of the trade, and General Manager Doug Melvin saw Sabathia as the missing ingredient to getting Milwaukee back into the playoffs. The result was a glorious three months for the Brewers and their success-starved fans and Sabathia was at the center of it all. In that time, he started 17 games, won 11 of them, tossed 130.2 innings, seven complete games, three shutouts, and even hit a solid .229 with a home run. The apex of Sabathia’s season was on September 28, 2008. It was the year's final game, and Sabathia took the ball on four days' rest with the Brewers' season on the line. The result was a 3-1 Brewer victory over the Cubs, with Sabathia going all nine innings while surrendering only four hits. The Brewers clinched the wild card spot about an hour later when the Mets lost - sending the blue and gold confetti down from Miller Park’s rafters to the cheers of tens of thousands of fans who had stayed to watch the Mets-Marlins game on the stadium Jumbotron. The author of this article was at that magical game - and can attest that it was one of the most exhilarating moments in Brewer history. CC Sabathia had come to Milwaukee and carried the club into the playoffs for the first time since 1982. Sadly, that was the end of the Brewers' run that season. The Crew lost to Philadelphia in the playoffs, Sabathia losing his only start. And that ended CC Sabathia’s short but memorable, run in Milwaukee. While fans hoped Sabathia would return to the club, most everyone knew the man was set on free agency. The result was a big deal with the New York Yankees. Sabathia spent 11 seasons in the Bronx - maintaining his dominating ways for the first four years with the club. He was named to three more All-Star teams and MVP of the 2009 ALCS. That same year, Sabathia won a World Series. Unfortunately, injuries, wear and tear, and other health issues - including a battle with drinking - eroded Sabathia’s skills, and he went from a dominant pitcher to a solid one for the rest of his career. He retired after the 2019 season, finishing with 251 wins and 61.8 bWAR - which may get him in the Hall of Fame someday. Since retiring from baseball, Sabathia has been heavily involved in charity work and has a podcast with sportscaster Ryan Ruocco. It is hard to imagine how critical CC Sabathia was to the Brewers in 2008. The club had missed out on the playoffs for more than a quarter of a century - and the fans were desperate to get back into postseason play. That would not have been possible without Sabathia’s monumental achievements of that summer. And while Sabathia did leave after the season, hardly anyone begrudged the man the opportunity. He had given his heart, soul, and body to the team - and to this day, fans are grateful for that impressive run. In the end, some argue the deal for Sabathia was for naught. We didn’t even win a playoff series - much less a World Series. And the cost was high - and not because we gave up one of the game’s top prospects - Matt LaPorta - who turned out to be a bust. No, one of the extra guys in the deal - Michael Brantley - turned out to be an All-Star. Brantley has gone on to be a five-time All-Star - and a career .298 hitter. No matter, CC Sabathia’s brief run in Milwaukee was a fantastic time in Brewer history. And it may have been Sabathia’s greatest stint in his remarkable career - which is saying a lot. View full player

Glenn Braggs was probably - pound-for-pound - the strongest man in Brewer history. He was a chiseled 6’3” and 210 pounds when he arrived in Milwaukee - looking every part of a superstar in the making. But looking like an All-Star and becoming one are two very different things. Glenn Erick Braggs was born in 1962 in San Bernardino, California. A right-handed hitter, he attended the University of Hawaii and was drafted in the 2nd round of the 1983 amateur draft. Braggs quickly developed into one of Milwaukee's brightest young prospects, hitting .390 and producing an OPS of 1.189 in rookie ball. The powerful young outfielder quickly moved through the minors, hitting a robust .360 with 15 HR in only 90 games at AAA in 1986. It led to the Brewers calling up Braggs and installing him in left field that season (he bounced between left and right field during his career). Braggs struggled his first season, hitting .237 in 58 games. But in 1987, with some experience under his belt, he improved, hitting .269 with 13 HR and a .762 OPS. It was a solid full-season debut, and many saw stardom in Braggs' future. He had a sweet swing, and many said he was one of the most powerful men they had ever seen in the game. However, a shoulder injury the following season cost Braggs more than half the year, and his 1989 season saw him regress in many areas (although he hit a career-high 15 home runs). Things soured for Braggs as he tried to fulfill lofty expectations, and he saw less and less playing time as he struggled, particularly against right-handed pitching. In June 1990, he was traded to Cincinnati for pitchers Ron Robinson and Bob Sebra - neither of whom had any meaningful impact in Milwaukee. He settled in as a part-time player in Cincinnati for three seasons with modest success and was part of the Reds' 1990 World Series team, making a nice home run-saving catch to preserve his team's lead in game six. In 1993, he signed with Yokohama in the Japanese League, beginning a successful four-year run overseas. He hit .300 in Japan and, in 1994, smashed 35 home runs. Braggs retired from professional baseball after the 1996 season at age 33. After retiring, Braggs became a real estate agent. He married Cindy Herron of the R&B group En Vogue in 1994, and the couple had four children - although Herron filed for divorce early in 2022 after 29 years of marriage. Braggs has focused on his real estate business and doesn't do much involving baseball, but he has participated in past Brewer Fantasy Camps. He is a vegan, and he has a lifelong interest in fitness. Braggs hit .255 with 45 home runs for his career with Milwaukee, and produced a .726 OPS. His career was solid, if undistinguished. But in hindsight, the results were a disappointment to most. When he arrived in Milwaukee, he was a "can't miss" player - and one of the most hyped prospects in years. Scouts raved about his swing and physical tools. Everyone expected a star. Braggs later said that he felt that he tried too hard. Ultimately, his excellent physical tools weren't enough. He was stiff in the field and at the plate. Many great players have an effortlessness to their game - something Braggs never developed. As noted, Braggs was considered one of the strongest players in the league, looking more like a football player than a baseball player. One of the things people remember him for was the time he shattered a bat on his own back after swinging and missing at a pitch. Take a look in the video link roll below - it's pretty amazing. View full player

Yea, lots of good ones left out. Some NSFW.

As we head into the second half of the 2024 season, there are important things you need to know about this Milwaukee Brewers squad. Image courtesy of © Rick Wood / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK Let’s have some fun. Baseball has a 162-game schedule, and there are lots of ups and downs. And sometimes you just need to have a bit of silliness. For that, we introduce the 2024 Milwaukee Brewer Anagram Team. Enjoy. Aaron Civale - Ovarian Lace Bryan Hudson - Bunny Hoards Jakob Junis - Jak Subjoin Dallas Keuchel - Ache Lead Skull Trevor Megill - Milt Groveler Hoby Milner - Nimbly Hero Tobias Myers - Embassy Riot Joel Payamps - Lope Pyjamas Elvis Peguero - Repulsive Ego Freddy Peralta - Dread Party Elf Colin Rea - Loin Care Bryse Wilson - Winery Slobs William Contreras - Sir Clat Railwomen Eric Haase - Ace Ashier Willy Adames - Malady Wiles Jake Bauers - Eureka Jabs Rhys Hoskins - Shy Horn Kiss Andruw Monasterio - Wondrous Martian Joey Ortiz - Joe Yo Ritz Brice Turang - Berating Cur Jackson Chourio - Cash Cook Junior Sal Frelick - Sack Filler Garrett Mitchell - Rectal Melt Girth Blake Perkins - Peaks Blinker Christian Yelich - Hilarity Cinches Joe Ross - Jess Roo Devin Williams - Divine Sawmill Gary Sanchez - Zany Charges Oliver Dunn - Don Evil Urn J.B. Bukauskas - Jukus Kababs Robert Gasser - Roger Breasts Wade Miley - Wily Edema Jared Koenig - Egad Ion Jerk Enoli Paredes - Leone Diapers Brandon Woodruff - Boron Fondu Dwarf DL Hall - Doth Annally (I could not generate any anagrams for DL Hall, so we did one for Dayton Hall - DL’s actual first name.) View full article