Matt Breen

Well, the big run we need has started. Now or never. Floundering around in mediocrity won't do it. Gotta go on a big run these last 22 games. Need a lot to go right - but it can happen.

oh yeah

Shuckers will advance to the Championship series if they defeat the Blue Wahoos tonight.

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I can't blame Stearns for Shaw not hitting. Or Cain for getting dinged up by injuries (okay, maybe a little, as those things happen to guys who as they get older), or Arcia not getting any better. Or Chacin stinking it up. Or Jeffries imploding. Or Knebel having surgery. Or Gio getting hurt. Or Woodruff getting hurt. Or Aguilar for not hitting. Or for Taylor Williams and Jacob Barnes not getting any better (and actually getting worse). I also don't blame him for rolling with his young starters - Peralta, Woodruff and Burnes. Was it risky? Yes, but I liked all three players and felt it was worth the risk. I don't blame Stearns when we don't sign more free agents. He has a budget. Do I want that budget to be bigger? Yes. But I can't blame him for things he has no control over. I don't blame him for not overpaying at the deadline (or whenever) by trading for higher profile players. This team was not good enough to 'go for it'. It would have only depleted our already depleted minor league system. I CAN blame Stearns for not keeping Miley or Gio. I think it was a mistake to not bring one of them back from the start (or some other starter). At least he brought back Gio when he had the chance. I can also blame Stearns for Matt Albers. We've stuck with him too long. I can also blame Stearns for creating a bit of an awkward roster. Too many 1B/3B guys. Not a quality SS backup for much of the season. I can give him the thumbs up for the Moustakas and Grandal signings. I think we had solid depth on this team - but our pitching really showed us why the old 'you can never have enough pitching' saying is so true. I will be interested to see where we go this offseason. We have some really good players - but we also have a lot of holes in the roster.

All around great game for Biloxi. Up 2-0. One more win gets them to the Championship series.

Carlos Rodriguez has three more hits for the Vibes. Now at .327. Pretty nice for an 18 year old.

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Bickford hasn't given up a run in 26 innings. 39K. Pretty sweet numbers. I wouldn't give up on a guy producing like that - even if it is only at Carolina. Anyone know what he is throwing? I know his velocity was down. Perhaps he's got some zing back on his FB.

I have generally viewed Stokes as a backup OF. He offered a nice blend of speed and power, and took his walks, but the hit tool wasn't great, and his defense was limiting due to his weak arm. Even if he didn't hit a lot, he was pretty consistent, and I liked how he maintained his production going up the minor league ladder. However, this year was tough. He's not been good. But in his defense, he had multiple injuries early on, and it hurt this production. He's hit better in the 2nd half of this year (.763 OPS), but not really that good considering the numbers being put up in the PCL. Due to the injuries, I really thought he'd be given a mulligan this year - but I guess not.

Brewers designate Wilkerson and Stokes for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Suter and Nelson. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/09/brewers-activate-nelson-suter-designate-wilkerson-stokes.html

Might be the team fully intends to put him on the 40 man roster. If so, that's not an issue. If he wasn't sent to the AFL, I'm guessing someone would take him in the Rule 5 draft. He is 25 in two weeks, and before the injury, he was showing he was close to being ready for the majors. Even with the injury, a left-handed specialist like him is a safer bet to contribute at the major league level than a lot of Rule 5 guys. The AFL time will help get him ready for the 2020 season.

What Bickford (or Trent Grisham or whomever) is doing is why it's so hard for teams to give up on talented players - even when struggling. Things can click. Guys can finally get healthy. Guys can make adjustments. It doesn't happen to everyone - but it does happen. You just hate to give up on someone you see something special in.

Carlos Rodriguez with his 3rd HR in two nights - after having none all season.

Rendon is going to get $30M or more on a deal this off season. Probably at least five years. Arenado got 8-years at $35M/year - although he is a year younger and considered to be a better defensive player. But that's not a bad comp for Rendon. Rendon is simply a fantastic hitter. .300+ for three years running, 4+ WAR for 5 of the last 6 years. On pace for his best season (1.024 OPS). And at age 30, he's still not that old. The biggest ding against Rendon is that he's had some injuries here and there, but I don't think it will affect his value too much. I love Rendon, but I doubt we go into $30M territory on a player.

A lot just depends on the club's perception of Arcia going forward. He just turned 25 a couple of weeks ago, and it's not uncommon for smaller middle infielder types to mature (physically and mentally) around this time. Perhaps the teams feels there is growth as a player - as a hitter and as a fielder. As a fielder, he offers a ton of potential. But the club has to feel he can tap into it. If not, the options for 2020 are somewhat limited. The biggest name will be Didi Gregorius. Power, solid BA, average defense. But he's had some injury issues the last few years and missed some time (this includes TJ surgery last season). Also, at age 30, he's not likely to get any better, so what you see is what you get (at best). His defense is average, he doesn't walk much (about 6.0% in his career), hits between .265-.285, and is good for 20-25 HR. That's good. Not great, but quite good. He's probably the best of the bunch, and should get a pretty good contract. Next are Jose Iglesias and Freddy Galvis - both of whom are 30. Both are guys have limited upside. Iglesias hits for a better average, and has a better glove. Galvis has more power. Both are having career years, so be careful about looking at just 2019. Iglesias is likely not a .290 hitter who hits double digit HRs. Or Galvis is likely not a .270 hitter who hits 25 HR. Those numbers are outliers. Gavis will probably hit .250 and hit 15-20 HR. Iglesias will hit .260-.270 with 5 HR. Those numbers aren't bad - but they don't translate into huge upgrades. And let's not forget, both guys are probably at their peak. Numbers for guys like that usually don't get better as they age. Still, each is a decent player - likely to get you 2.0 WAR. Your other options are not starting level quality players (at least at SS). You've got older guys (such as Jordy Mercer) who just aren't that good anymore, plus some guys who might still be productive, but should not play SS regularly (Sogard, Brock Holt, for example). The team just might be fed up with Arcia's erratic play, but they may also just roll with him again, and hope that he gets things together. If he hits league average, and plays good defense, he's a valuable player. Personally, if the club adds someone, I'd hope it is Iglesias. I love his defense - which will help the entire team. He's not a going to do a lot with his bat, but he's consistent. A trade is always a possibility, but this club doesn't really have a ton to deal. But you never know.

I think and fear it'll be Turang. The Brewers window is open now and I'm afraid they're going to give away a future superstar(since he's really the only elite prospect still in the minors) and the Brewers have enough talent at the big league level, but they also have a great number of holes. But I really hope that doesn't happen. I don't think Lutz or Turang moves. We can't give yup on guys who have a good high end upside. While both guys are young, both have higher upsides than most of our prospects. At that young of an age, there's also a lot of bust potential as well. Supak is a solid looking arm, but I don't think he profiles as above average. That's okay. A back-of-the-rotation guy is still really valuable. That said, I don't see him having a ton of value in a trade because of his lack of upside. I'm not convinced we make and huge off season moves (with regards to trades). But we'll see what happens.

Observations from this poll Grisham’s rise to the #1 spot was pretty amazing. Lots of movement fueled by four players either graduating or being traded, plus some disappointing seasons (Gatewood, Tyrone Taylor, Corey Ray, Lucas Erceg, and Zack Brown. The club’s investment in Latin American players is starting to show in our rankings, and it should only continue to grow. There was a lot of risers amongst the short season ball players - many of whom are finally getting some extended playing time.

Thanks to everyone for participating in the latest version of our Top 25 Prospect Poll. ' 
Here are some numbers: Exited Top 25: Hiura, Houser (graduated), Diplan, Dubon (traded), Gatewood, Taylor, Ward (fell out of Top 25) Newcomers - Small, Kelly, Lazar, File, Andrews, Bettinger, Medina Re-entry - Devin Williams Number of ballots: 37 Number of players on ballots: 75 Mr. Irrelevant (1 vote) - Logan Gillaspie and J.T. Hintzen Biggest risers - Grisham, Rasmussen, Feliciano, Garcia, Bello Biggest drops - Erceg, Brown, Stokes, Gray, Ray Likeliest to graduate by end of the year - Grisham Please know that all write ups are my own observations and opinions. If you see any mistakes, please let me know. Sometimes autocorrect will trick me. Or I’ll cut and paste something incorrectly. Other times I just mess something up. I will update as needed.

#1 (+17) Trent Grisham, OF, age 22 - Milwaukee 899 points (23 1st place votes) - 37 of 37 ballots Call him Superman. Grisham leapt up a stunning 17 spots in our poll, securing the #1 spot. The left-handed hitting outfielder worked his way to Milwaukee by hitting .300 and 26 HR is just 97 games between AA/AAA. He has held his own in the Big Leagues, and may very well graduate from prospect status by the end of the season. #2 (+2) Brice Turang, SS, age 19 - A+ Carolina 869 points (12 1st place votes) - 37 of 37 ballots The 19-year old Turang held his own at Wisconsin, hitting .287 and walking nearly 14% of the time. He has struggled since his promotion to Carolina, but his mature approach at the plate and solid defense should play well as he moves up the minor league ladder. The big question is how much power Turang will be able to coax out of his wiry frame. #3 (+3) Aaron Ashby, LHSP, age 21 - A+ Carolina 770 points - 37 of 37 ballots Solid performances (119 IP, 129K, 3.62 ERA) at Wisconsin and Carolina make the left-handed Ashby the system’s top pitcher in our poll. In the future, Ashby will need to tighten up his command as he faces more advanced hitters. #4 ( new ) Ethan Small, LHSP, age 22, A- Wisconsin 756 points - 36 of 37 ballots The Brewers top pick in the June draft has dominated in his pro debut - albeit over just 13 innings and against low-level competition. Small is a left-handed starter out of Mississippi State who sports a solid array of tools. Scouts see him as a high floor / low ceiling starter - although if he regains some zip on his fastball (lost after missing the 2017 season due to Tommy John surgery) he could improve his prospect status. #5 (+5) Trey Supak, RHSP, age 22 - AAA San Antonio 737 points (2 1st place votes) - 37 of 37 ballots Supak pushed his way up the prospect lists with an outstanding season at Biloxi, producing a 2.20 ERA over 122.2 innings. Supak doesn’t miss a ton of bats, and he lacks a killer ‘out’ pitch - which may limit his upside. In four games at AAA, Supak has been hit hard, but that follows a pattern with the big right-hander. He tends to do poorly after a promotion - but gets better once he has settled in and adjusted to the better bats. #6 (+17) Drew Rasmussen, RHP, age 24, AA Biloxi 651 points - 37 of 37 ballots Snagged in the 6th round of the 2018 draft, Rasmussen, a former 1st round pick of Tampa, has put up some impressive numbers (3.43 in 65.2 IP, 84K) after missing all of 2018 with Tommy John surgery. With two arm surgeries under his belt, the Brewers have limited Rasmussen’s innings in 2019 - easing him back into the game. Rasmussen - along with Trent Grisham - was the biggest riser in this year’s poll. #7 (-2) Tristen Lutz, OF, age 21 - A+ Carolina 649 points - 36 of 37 ballots While Lutz has not broken out as a hitter (he has numbers similar to 2018), he has held his own in a pitcher friendly environment (Carolina League, where the league OPS is .686). He should hit a career high in home runs this year. He has the tools, and has shown promise, but BF.net fans are waiting for him to unleash the power that many scouts feel is in his bat. #8 (+14) Mario Feliciano, C, age 20 - A+ Carolina 594 points - 37 of 37 ballots Another breakout performer for 2019 has been Feliciano. The 20-year old catcher leads the Carolina League in HRs, and his is hitting a solid .271. Also, reports regarding Feliciano’s defense behind the dish have been encouraging. #9 ( new ) Antoine Kelly, LHSP, age 19, Rookie AZL 573 points - 36 of 37 ballots The Brewers 2nd round pick out of Junior College in this year’s draft has done well in limited action (1.04 ERA in 26 IP). Kelly’s calling card is his power heater, which reaches nearly 100 mph. The tall lefty offers gobs of potential and excitement - but will likely need some time to refine his secondary pitches. #10 (-7) Corey Ray, OF, age 24 - AAA San Antonio 541 points - 32 of 37 ballots Egad, Part 1. 2019 has been a nightmare for Ray. He has struggled badly - including 88k in 208 ABs - and landed on the IL twice. After a promising 2018, the main thing for Ray is to try and finish up on a high note, and try and comeback in 2020 healthy and ready to work. #11 (-9) Zack Brown, RHSP, age 24 - AAA San Antonio 494 points - 36 of 37 ballots Egad, Part 2. After vaulting up the prospect polls the past couple of years with excellent results, Brown’s command suddenly abandoned him in 2019 (59 walks in 106 IP). The result is an unsightly 5.76 ERA. Like Corey Ray, Brown needs to reboot his head this off season, and figure out how to get his career back on track next season. #12 ( new ) Devin Williams, RHP, age 24 - Milwaukee 439 points - 34 of 37 ballots Williams was barely a blip on the prospect radar coming into 2019 after missing all of 2017 and much of 2018. However, the hard throwing righty was brilliant at Biloxi (1.59 ERA, 76K in 53 IP). After a three games stint at San Antonio, the relief pitching needy Crew brought Williams up to the Big Leagues, where he has acquitted himself well in his first four appearances. At this juncture, with his quality fastball and plus breaking ball, Williams profiles as a multi-inning reliever. 30 walkings in 57 minor league innings does show that Williams will need to work on his command going forward. #13 (+12) Eduardo Garcia, SS, age 17 - DSL 362 points - 33 of 37 ballots The young SS got off to a fine start this summer (.313 BA in 10 games) before fracturing his ankle - ending his season prematurely. Garcia is considered a premium defender and a solid hitter. #14 ( new ) Max Lazar, RHSP, Age 20 - A- Wisconsin 334 points - 28 of 37 ballots Drafted in the 11th round out of high school in 2017, Lazar has been outstanding in 2019. His 1.63 ERA and 90K in 66 IPs is one of the flashiest stat lines of the year. Lazar doesn’t have a big fastball, but the Brewers hope his velocity increases as he matures and adds strength. #15 (+9) Micah Bello, OF, age 19 - Rocky Mountain Rookie 314 points - 34 of 37 ballots The #73 overall pick in the 2018, Bello is a fast, strong-armed outfielder who lacks bulk and strength at this time. Thus far, Bello has shown a good eye at the plate and has increased his slugging numbers (from .325% to .425%), but has not hit for average (.237 in his short career). #16 (-3) Payton Henry, C, age 22 - A+ Carolina 268 points - 27 of 37 ballots Good, not great power. Takes his walks. .240-.250 hitter. Strikes out a lot (30%). As Henry has progressed up the minor league food chain, he has not veered much from that profile - and 2019 is no different. On the defensive side of the ledger, Henry has progressed nicely, and has thrown out nearly 36% of runners trying to steal. #17 ( new ) Dylan File, RHSP, age 23, Biloxi 230 points - 26 of 37 ballots Drafted in the 21st round of the 2017 draft, File has moved quickly through the minor leagues, getting better at each stop. This season he has produced a 3.20 ERA in 135 IPs between Carolina and Biloxi. File does nothing fancy, but he has been durable and shown the ability to get batters out. #18 (-7) Jacob Nottingham, C, age 24 - AAA San Antonio 224 points - 23 of 37 ballots 2019 has been a disappointing year for Nottingham. He hasn’t been terrible, but he hasn’t been good either. After a nice start, his offensive numbers (and prospect ranking) have plummeted. The Brewers aren’t likely to give up on a still young catcher, but 2020 could be pivotal for Nottingham. #19 (-2) Carlos Rodriguez, OF, age 18 - Rocky Mountain Rookie 211 points - 24 of 37 ballots He just keeps hitting. .325 last year, and .358 in 2019. With exceptional speed, Rodriguez profiles as a plus defender. And scouts like his compact, efficient swing. However, his slight frame (he only weighs 150 lbs) limits his power potential. Still only 18, Rodriguez is considered a mature player with a lot of potential to grow. #20 (-12) Lucas Erceg, 3B, age 24 - AAA San Antonio 191 points - 20 of 37 ballots Egad, Part 3. Erceg’s 12 position drop in our polls is telling. His 2019 season at AAA has not gone well (.224 BA - making him the lowest BA in the PCL for qualifying players). On the plus side, Erceg has improved his walk rate to a career high 10.6%, and should hit a career high in HRs. #21 ( new ) Alec Bettinger, RHSP, age 24 - AA Biloxi 183 points - 21 of 37 ballots An 11th round pick in 2017 out of Virginia, Bettinger has nudged his way into our Top 25 be having a good season at Biloxi (3.55 ERA, 148K, 32BB in 134 IP). Bettinger’s fastball - never his strong suit - picked up a tick this year, which has helped play up his curve and breaking pitches. The key for Bettinger will be to maintain his outstanding command. #22 (-10) Troy Stokes, Jr., OF, age 23 - AAA San Antonio 169 points - 21 of 37 ballots Injuries and a poor start to 2019 caused Stokes to tumble in our poll. However, Stokes has rebounded (.813 OPS in the 2nd half of the season), and his numbers are approaching his career norms. As a player, Stokes offers a little bit of everything, save for batting average. That - and his weak arm - will likely limit him going forward. #23 ( new ) Clayton Andrews, LHRP, age 22 - AA Biloxi 123 points - 13 of 37 ballots The diminutive (5’6”) reliever has done nothing but put up eye popping numbers since being drafted out of Long Beach State in 2018. His line of 2.86 ERA, 123K, 28BB in 85 IP is excellent. And while Andrews has impressed as a reliever, he has even gotten some reps as a centerfielder, where he profiles as a plus defender. The results have been good - .357 BA on 56 ABs - thus far. The end result is an intriguing left-hander who could not only contribute out of the bullpen, but as a pinch hitter, pinch runner and defensive substitute. #24 ( new ) Luis Medina, OF, age 16 122 points - 12 of 37 ballots The Brewers signed Medina this past summer for $1.3M, but he has not played this year. One of the top international OF prospects, Medina profiles as a plus power hitter. Scouts were impressed with his natural instincts and maturity, making him a player to watch in 2020. #25 (-10) Joe Gray, OF, age 19 - Rocky Mountain Rookie 116 points - 19 of 37 ballots The Brewers 2nd round pick in the 2018 draft, Gray has been brought along very slowly by the organization, and has only played in 40 games as a pro. Gray’s calling card is his power, strong arm and athleticism - which make him a natural for right field. However, Gray’s hit tool is lacking at this time, and fans will need to be patient with the raw, but a talented OF. All ages are as of August 20, 2019. The rest Noah Zavalos - 113 points Felix Valerio - 82 Bowden Francis - 78 Bobby Wahl - 76 Braden Webb - 71 David Fry - 61 Thomas Dillard - 53 Eduarqui Fernandez - 53 Pablo Abreu - 48 Miguel Sanchez - 47 Luke Barker - 40 Nate Griep - 35 Justin Jarvis - 35 Jesus Parra - 35 Andres Melendez - 35 Angel Perdomo - 34 Je’Von Ward - 30 Thomas Jankins - 24 Lun Zhao - 22 Cam Roegner - 20 Weston Wilson - 17 Scott Sunitsch - 16 Tyrone Taylor - 16 Gabe Holt - 16 Ryan Aguilar - 13 Adam Hill - 12 Cooper Hummel - 10 Carlos Roa - 10 Joantel Segovia - 9 Gabriel Garcia - 8 Jake Gatewood - 8 Phil Bickford - 8 Nick Bennett - 8 Jon Olczak - 7 Anthony Bender - 7 Nick Kahle - 7 Nash Walters - 5 Ernesto Martinez - 5 Reidy Mercado - 4 Larry Ernesto - 4 Joey Matulovich - 4 David Hamilton - 4 Henry Medina - 3 Caden Lemons - 3 Cam Devanney - 2 Korry Howell - 2 Reese Olson - 2 Aaron Wilkerson - 2 Logan Gillaspie - 1 J.T. Hintzen - 1 Original voting thread: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=38754

I could see the Crew go with Woodruff, Davies, Anderson, then look for one of Nelson, Houser, Peralta or Burnes to step into another slot. Finally, I wouldn't be shocked if they added a FA arm. Sure they will look at the good players - but they will cost a ton (which means we won't sign Cole or Strasburg. Instead, we'll go after a solid, innings eater type. They'll look for reliability over risk. Again, that's just a guess.

Holland signs with the Nats. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/08/nationals-to-sign-greg-holland.html

Voting is now closed. We will post the results in the coming week. Thanks to everyone for playing along.

patrickgpe, you have two 'E. Garcia's' on your list. Is that an error? I will remove the second one unless you correct things. Thanks. yes, please remove #24, and bump the 3 up. Perfect. Thanks for replying.

patrickgpe, you have two 'E. Garcia's' on your list. Is that an error? I will remove the second one unless you correct things. Thanks.