Local Man Brewer Fan

Regarding Rakes defense, I would agree that in the OF - he is a step down from all of our other options. But when playing at 1B, he is at least above average. He has been one of my favs for a couple of years, even when he was struggling with the bat. I did not see this type of year coming - but getting this type of production from a left handed bat that can play 3 different positions is great value.

OK - complete tangent here. I am probably a little crazy - but I think part of the reason the Brewers were willing to go the QO route with Woodruff was because they had so many young pitchers, and they really wanted his veteran presence and leadership. I am betting we see him in the dugout for all of the home games for that very reason. Of course - they were also hoping to get more starts than he was able to deliver - but that is how it goes sometimes.

In watching the game yesterday - Henderson is a very unique pitcher. His combination of movement and control - and even somewhat his body type - reminds me of watching "Greg Maddux - lite" from the perspective of getting ahead and getting people out with guile and guts. And yes - when he fielded that weak grounder from Tucker and beat him to the bag - I might have been hooting and hollering a little bit.

Uribe has been very effective the last 2 years. This is going to be tough. This could also be a huge opportunity for someone to step up - perhaps Sproat in a relief role - just thinking out loud. Due to the long season, attrition is a huge part of roster maintenance. And it does bring credence to why the Brewers were unwilling to part with pitching in a trade for Skubal. I have been a Brewer fan since the mid-70s, and the Brewers have never been as well run as an organization as they have been this last decade. As fans, it is important not to take that for granted or become spoiled by it.

#3.

The fact that Logan Henderson wants to be a Brewer is a big - big deal. Add to that his desire to improve himself, even when recovering from an injury. You are talking about a person who is a real asset to what the Brewers are all about. May the gods of baseball grant him good health!

My read on this situation is that Detroit is not the cause of the delay right now. The trade partners are staring at each other like the 3 gunfighters at the end of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - twitchy eyes and all. It is all negotiation right now - and Detroit knows that having multiple bidders is what can maximize their "booty" in the trade. Regarding what the Brewers should do here - the weighing of short term goals versus long term goals, and whether prospects are able to reach their maximum value as MLB players (and when) - is more art than science. BUT - at some point you have to push your chips into the middle. This season, the team has earned the right to have the FO go all in. I think the Brewers are going to make some big moves in the next couple of days - but not the one including Skubal,

As it appears unlikely that the 2 catchers on the current roster will still be Brewers in 18 months, it makes good sense to trade for a player they might be able to develop into a quality backup. And their track record of being able to maximize value from pitchers always leaves me with some optimism. I am not sure this has anything to do with the immediate push for the WS, but an opportunity to round out the roster for more complete position coverage for the next couple of years seems like a reasonable gamble.

This is the type of content that keeps this site a daily stop for me. Incredibly informative. The Brewers are able to adapt their coaching approach to each individual pitcher. And that is an enormous competitive advantage. Thank you for helping me to recognize those things that are helping the Brewers be special right now. Learning how this team continues to improve is really excellent. And I suspect that the concepts can be applied to things beyond athletics. Leadership is one area that comes to mind.

I am also an older fan, and I agree with your assessment of the team demeaner. However, the 82 Brewers were a veteran team - similar to the makeup of the Cubs. For the Brewers, as a very young team, to show this sort of, shall we say, confidence - is very interesting indeed. It also makes it interesting to recall Murphs opening monologe to team team that ended with - if I recall - DO NOT BE SHOCKED. If I have any concern for this team, it is the possibility of attrition during the dog days of August and beyond. That being said, this franchise has never been stronger. It appears to me that their "window" is just starting to open right now - and has a multi-year run in front of us. Because of the perceived length of the runway - I am not sure whether they should be throwing all cards in for this year. But I would love to hear why many of you think I am wrong - because I might be,

Rough one. Hitters appear to be trying to do too much. They were swinging at many balls out of the strike zone today. The offense hung the pitching staff out to dry today. I hate to see that happen against the Cubs, we let them off the hook today. Of course, games like this, as much as they are frustrating, are part of the journey of a massively long season. Buckle in, it will be worth it.