rickh150

Crazy to think that baseball is just around the corner! But yeah, that is the reality. How exciting to see the young guys play, as well, at seemingly every possible position.

Whether they like him or not is not what I question….I think they do. Just look at his usage. He is a cog to the whole operation. However, they have signed a few lefty pen guys this offseason and their big trade thus far is for another big lefty reliever/opener, I don’t see the Brewers throwing biggerish money this year (5.7) and definitely not next year (7.7) for what he does, respectfully. And even more than this, those two option years thereafter give even more “value” in dealing him now to a bigger market looking for a big arm and potential starter. I doubt the team wants to squander the opportunity to gamble with his current value and not even look for a trade with him. Moreover, an injury plagued year throws all this seemingly out the window. They will be “forced” to keep him next year and the options would likely not be picked up. Also, if the plan is to possibly start him this year, there is even more potential for injury. And the bigger question would be why even try to start him this year when we have ten to twelve guys vying for a rotation spot in spring training? They likely want a lefty in the rotation, but it might be too big of risk to even try pushing him to do this when his role on the team has been established. Maybe I’m jumping the gun here. Maybe this is a year off and will be dealt with next offseason. I honestly don’t want to see him go. But signs seem to be pushing him out the door because of his contract, other recent lefty acquisitions, and the bigger idea that Brewers don’t pay bigger money to multi inning guys in the pen not established as a closer. They have had great options in the pen on the cheap for several years now.

Money is of course the deciding factor…they may not be willing on principle to pay him that much as a reliever. If he is making the minimum for the next two/three years this is not discussed. For Ashby, it seems to be starting ALREADY to fill his spot. And it’s understandable to want to get something for him in a bullpen seemingly filled with good pitchers and cheaper options. He arguably has more value in trade than anyone else in our bullpen minus Uribe if other teams view him as a starter.

Brewers offer Peña, Ashby, and Hardin for Skubal? Fair price?

What other teams pay good relievers is irrelevant. I believe he is a candidate for trade because we don’t…and the trade for Cerpa and signage of other lefties makes me think it is coming sooner rather than later.

I guess I had been thinking about this last year already. Are the Brewers going to be paying big money for anyone in the bullpen? And if they are, will it be to anyone who isn’t a closer? Going forward, it’s 5.7 in 2026, then 7.7. Then it is club options at 9 and 11. To me, his contract is that of a starter. The Brewers would prefer a lefty in the rotation so he might get inside track to start in 2026. Yet the leash will not be long considering they perhaps have 12 potential starters to the rotation. So that brings us to the trade. He had a great year, filled a huge spot n the pen and would hate to lose his production in 2026. Yet, if you noticed, we just traded for a guy most like Ashby! Hard throwing lefty, possible starter…Zerpa has similar stuff in similar role and is much cheaper at only 1.25 in 26 with threes years left. I dare say that the Brewers are looking to move Ashby now that he had a really good year and with a great contract for a bigger market team. If he struggles, they simply let him go. Even a team struggling with a starting rotation would be interested, regardless of market. Or the Brewers take a hard look at starting him, giving him 6 or 7 starts to see if they can get even more from him. Regardless if this happens, his days in his current role are numbered to 2026 at the most with the Brewers.

And what a final game….with a CFP game on the line for the following season? Huge.

Although the name needs work, I would like to see the next progression of making year end college football even better. Kudos to college football of having a tournament of 12 teams to decide on the field a champion. It was long coming. And it is a big $ maker. It needs some fine tuning, yes, but what a change for the better. Each of those 11 tournament games is better, except maybe the last one. Those other bowl games, however, have lost meaning. To change or even flip that, have a secondary tournament with the next 16 teams. With how much bowl games are spread out already, this could work. This wouldn’t capture all bowl games, but it would be so much fun. maybe include a round with on campus games in final 4…I don’t know. And the kicker is, the winner of this secondary toilet tourney would get an automatic spot in the CFB Playoff the following year…..for me, now also 16 teams. The team could be totally different, but what a draw for tecruits and transfers! Since we are ultimately taking about being a popular change with more money, I think it would be immediately a boom for TV viewership and so fun for the fan. These games would draw fans because they suddenly have added meaning.

Blessings to Counsell fam…

An improvement to the pen….and Mitchell takes Collins spot.

I don’t expect Megill back. They’ll get a premium for his arm and avoid the question of who is closing at season’s start. I also can see Mears traded since he was left off the NLCS. Super simple thinking, but rarely do we have even 5 of he same bullpen guys back from the last year. We like to have cheap arms there, and I don’t think that changes.

Oh, I am in on this trade. Easy decision for Brewers….plenty of SP depth and presumably better infield prospects than Pratt. I’d assume the Tigers would ask for more. Pretty sure Dodgers top this offer.

Being Hankful for the big Brew, And to ‘25, who really knew? And to our starters, relievers, coaches , and subs… we didn’t quite make it, but oh well…WE STILL BEAT the CUBS!

Why not hook the hotel/restaurants/business to the stadium? Skywalk makes sense…keep it a year around focus…keep added places right next to the stadium. Park once.

It’s an opportunity cost matter for fans….or at least some veteran fans on this site. No doubt 22 mil will limit us in other areas. We like to pay for healthy players too. Woody is beyond questionable now with health. We expect him to be hurt or recovering.

1/6th of our 2026 payroll

Fancy math is still giving him a lot when he has been pitching less. He hasn’t finished the last 3 years and he started this season in July? And we’ve been in the playoffs the last 3 years! I cannot believe they are throwing this kind of money at him. This from the organization that pinches pennies (for good reason) to Hader, Burnes, and now Contreras in arby at a risk. There are FA to add, extensions to offer…acting like this is 2026 money and JUST 2026 money is beyond dumb. And I am not sure he could/will beat out guys for a spot in the rotation! Others in the young staff are getting experience and likely adding velocity while he is losing velocity. And he has been hurt! Come on…do we even expect just 120/130 innings out of him anymore? I cringe at the amount of $ we gave him the last now few years. Teddy Higuera’s extension is looking better all the time. And Soup too…”Soup pitched great!”

I can’t believe so many are ok with Woody coming back for $22 mil. Injury prone, noticeable loss of velocity n fastball, playing for a team with middling to lower payroll, and playing for a team ONE or TWO players away from WS…..just crazy to bring him back when we should be looking at pinching pennies to trade a for big bat at SS/1B, extending Turang or Contreras, or sitting on it for later. Bringing him back at league minimum is almost questionable because I don’t have confidence he will beat out Henderson, Gasser, Ashby, Patrick for a spot! Last year’s contract was nuts because of the injury. This is worse….unless they know he won’t be back and this is all about a pick.

And on that day…………. they played Game 5 at home against the Cubs. That happened. And we won.

Let’s give oft injured guy a 1/6th of the payroll…he didn’t finish the last 3 years, but who cares about that apparently. And to top it off, I truly believe they let him throw an extra month or so in the minors since their rotation was throwing better than what he could add. And several times he mentioned that 2025 was just about him getting healthy. Sorry, we are looking to go deep in playoffs and the idea of shelling out major coin for a guy looking to get healthy first is not what I want in 2026 when he failed at that in 2025. Unless they are sure he has offers elsewhere and this is all about the pick…then kudos.

Crazy offer…move on.

From year ago….almost prophetic. And are my thoughts the same now…especially now after we beat Cubs in 5, Dodgers sweep Brewers, and Dodgers beat Blue Jays in tight Game 7? Still the same….I think.

My guess is that they look to add a year and buy out the arby…14mil?

Maybe for 1 year 2mil…so low since he would be taking up a spot for arguably a better pitcher; he could have pitched much earlier THIS season but team chose to throw him in the minors while starters were throwing well. Way too much risk…just as I said 2 years ago. Even crazier now to bring him back at half price….or half that.

The chaos walking out of the stadium…random high fives and yells will be staying with me….similar to 2011 NLDS Game 5.