PeaveyFury

Interesting stuff, thanks for posting. I do think it's worth noting that the Brewers' F.O. appears to be banking on the idea that defense may be undervalued in the open market and offered the 2021 team the best opportunity to improve for the money they had available.

I'm actually a JS subscriber, so hopefully that addresses any concerns you may have regarding my reading habits. For the record, here is the full quote regarding payroll: With no gate revenue during the 60-game season last year, commissioner Rob Manfred said clubs lost more than $3 billion collectively. Sources indicate the Brewers’ losses for the year were somewhere between $70 million and $90 million. Beyond that, they have no idea what limits might be placed on total attendance for this year, creating further budgetary concerns. Accordingly, there are payroll constraints as president of baseball operations David Stearns prepares for the 2021 season. Thus, the lack of activity, though Stearns said other reasons have been in play as well. So, I suppose it's fair to say that Tom doesn't state that payroll will be reduced. But it's strongly implied there, no? "Accordingly, payroll constraints for 2021" certainly doesn't imply a payroll INCREASE, does it? On Twitter, Tom has repeatedly noted that the Brewers would be severely handcuffed financially for 2021, and they've basically debunked that notion over the past few weeks. I think Tom made a number of assumptions based on what he thought he knew about the Brewers' intentions this year, and was incorrect. The issue is, he rarely provides much actual insight on the team and when he does try to write an article like this, it's basically invalidated days later. It's astounding that national guys continually find a way to scoop the literal ONE reporter that covers the Brewers in this state, who, as you noted, should hypothetically have 30 years worth of goodwill and sources to provide 'scoops'. It implies an inability or unwillingness to actually provide such reporting. Overall, a bit of an odd hill to choose to die on. This seemingly morphed from a conversation about the Brewers' payroll and 'cheapness' of the team to a defense of Haudricourt, which puzzles me.

That's really not true, though. Quality defense and pitching means you need to score less runs overall. It's not a competition on what offense can score the most runs in total. It's what team can score more runs than the opponent each night. Allowing fewer runs means you need to score less runs to win.

Unfortunately, your 'off the top of your head' numbers are incorrect. Per Fangraphs: 2020 Final Payroll: $102 million 2021 Payroll: $105 Million https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/payroll/brewers Says you, I suppose. Obviously, the article meant 'of significance' or 'for significant dollars'. We can go line by line through the article, if you'd like to actually analyze Tom's intent. Point is, Tom put out an article that was almost immediately disproved. Trying to spin it as otherwise at this point is just a puzzling attempt to explain away bad journalism.

They signed two players for what Braun made last year, and a handful of other free agents with multi-million dollar deals walked. Haudricourt still isn’t wrong. Of course he is. The article was that the Brewers needed to cut payroll and weren't going to sign anyone. They haven't really cut payroll and signed two name free agents, along with bringing in/back guys like Shaw and Anderson. His article was blatantly incorrect.

Do you think Haudricourt wakes up on a morning like this and pages back to his "the Brewers have no money to spend" article and cries a little bit?

Like signing Lorenzo Cain to a 5-year, $80 million contract as a free agent?

Fans: "Mark A. is such a cheapskate, he won't spend any money, the Brewers won't sign any free agents and the payroll is going to be $80million" Brewers: Sign two name free agents to significant contracts, make reportedly competitive offer to Turner, no significant cut to payroll despite payroll cutting throughout the rest of the league this year, projected to be a contender in the NL Central Fans: "SPEND MORE MONEY MARK!" At some point, it's just noise from fans who will literally never be happy until the Brewers spend like the Yankees or Dodgers, which will literally never happen.

I think the point is that relatively speaking, a young SP with ace potential has far more value than we think he does.

I think the point is that relatively speaking, a young SP with ace potential has far more value than we think he does.

I think you'll also start to see the benefits of a more mobile vaccine-eligible group on the numbers too. I think efforts have largely been limited to at least SOME degree by the mobility limits of the elderly population in the initial rollout of phase 1B. As you move to teachers, grocery/food chain workers, etc., you'll undoubtedly have a larger population of eligible people that are able to actively pursue the vaccine beyond on-site clinics and their own HCP's sites.

I think you'll also start to see the benefits of a more mobile vaccine-eligible group on the numbers too. I think efforts have largely been limited to at least SOME degree by the mobility limits of the elderly population in the initial rollout of phase 1B. As you move to teachers, grocery/food chain workers, etc., you'll undoubtedly have a larger population of eligible people that are able to actively pursue the vaccine beyond on-site clinics and their own HCP's sites.

Wife got her first shot yesterday. Feels like we're getting there....

Wife got her first shot yesterday. Feels like we're getting there....

I guess we'll never really know whether it truly was timing & the Packers' cap or whether it was a true lack of legitimate interest (or, interest at FMV). Would a different year have allowed the Packers to potentially make a more competitive offer? Absolutely. Would they have? Who knows....

I’d say the discussion of Watt to Pittsburgh had more to do with his brothers being there vs them being considered a legit contender. I think that this is right. The brother factor was 99% of the reasoning there. With their cap situation, not surprising that it was completely unrealistic.

They absolutely do. I guess I should say they absolutely do as long as we're not dead set on getting MLB help immediately. It has been reported numerous times that Stearns/Arnold are looking for MLB ready players in any trade? Or MLB ready player/s that can help them win immediately and prospects. Reported by who?

I think the unknown is what is possibly enticing to Watt, but also potentially harmful. As I noted, I could see AZ finishing anywhere from last to first in that division next year. If it's last, he's really going to regret going to a 'hopeful' franchise vs. a legitimate one.

The current FO has a really good track record of not really dumping anyone and having it come back to haunt them. Maybe Grisham will be the guy, but not much else. I think you're dead on in that they identified him as 'expendable' based on their evaluation of him.

Well, that's certainly.... unexpected. I'll echo most of the comments here. AZ isn't really NOT a contender, but with a Stafford-led Rams team, if Seattle keeps Wilson, and assuming even a modest bounce-back year out of SF, Arizona might be the worst team in that division. Or not. The NFC West is admittedly full of unknowns for 2021. It's strange that Watt played on a Houston team that was vaguely a playoff contender for most of his career but never legit enough to make it past a first or second-round playoff loss, and now goes to a team that ASPIRES to be a vague playoff contender, that if they are will likely get bounced in the first or second round. I'd bet that they were the most competitive team to put together a significant payday offer, and thus he's a Card. And as noted, Hopkins probably helped lobby him.

With Bakh out and Turner's cap number more problematic each year, I honestly think they're setting up to draft a tackle sooner rather than later, possibly in the 1st round where there'll be talent at the end of the round on the line as there always is. Obviously, there's a lot that can/will happen in free agency, but I'd expect a lineman to be on of their first picks.

It's my opinion that his opinion is opinion? That's not the argument that was made. The claim was made that having the roof open or closed had little effect. No proof one way or the other was offered. The claim was only made on one side. If someone had made the statement of 'having the roof open will make it completely safe for fans to attend,' it would also warrant factual evidence to support that claim. Absent actual proof or without any sort of data to back it up, stating anything as fact is, by definition, not fact and shouldn't be presented as such. Absent fact, it's opinion. Not sure why you're taking offense on OSS's behalf, but hopefully that helps clarify my point.

I hope you're not expecting autographs or anything because players aren't even allowed to hang out in lobbies or meet with anyone outside the travelling party other than family members. [sarcasm]If I've learned anything during the pandemic, it's that pro athletes always only do what they're allowed to do.[/sarcasm]

It is a little astounding it's not finalized yet. With the tag window already open, you'd think a lot of that decision making would heavily rely on knowing your actual cap situation in an odd year.

Most of the at-risk population would also have been, in large part, receiving their flu vaccines and probably their COVID vaccine by the time cold and flu season ramps back up, so those immune systems have been engaged in that regard.