MNBrew

Agree with everything except wondering why they weren't more aggressive in search of a starter. I'm glad the plan is to develop young pitching. That's what a small market team should do. Just because they signed Cain doesn't mean they have to be all-in this year. I share your desire to see Phillips get an opportunity and do well, but I acknowledge that I am biased in favor of his defense. My heart wants him to be good, but brain keeps telling me he's just a slightly better Kirk. If they stumble out of the gate and Cain waives his no-trade clause, I wouldn't mind dealing him this summer and letting Phillips/Broxton platoon in center. Aguilar and Choi were acquired on the waiver wire and any team that wants them knows they'll be available again soon. I doubt they can even get a prospect comparable to Wilkerson for either one of them. It would be great to have them in AAA, as I see Braun and Thames both potentially needing some time off this year, but that's not really fair to them. It's a good rule, and the Brewers have benefited from it many times, so we can't complain when they lose talent the same way. I think JoeyMeyerBombs wasn't questioning their aggressiveness in search of a starter -- and no one outside the FO truly knows how aggressive they actually were -- just wishing they'd been able to close a deal. I wish they'd closed a deal, too, but if the best potential moves to be had were still questionable enough in terms of cost-benefit, I'm glad they didn't make a dumb or questionable move just to do something I keep rooting for Phillips, too, but a still-young-ish guy with little more than a cup of coffee in the big leagues has to do better than go 7-for-49 with 20 Ks in spring training to earn a spot over guys with better MLB resumes (and ST performances) like Broxton, who himself seems to be a poster child for failure to make adjustments in one's approach at the plate..... My own hope over the winter was that they'd somehow trade both Broxton & Santana, keep Phillips as a 4th OF and Wren as a 5th OF. Not that it still can't happen at some point, though Haudricourt tweeted a little while ago that Stearns said he doesn't have any "serious" trade talks going on (TH's quotation marks). To even suggest that they perhaps should ask Cain to waive his no-trade clause if they stumble seems far-fetched if not preposterous. We're all entitled to our own opinions, but everything I've heard & read indicates that they signed him to a long-term deal because they want him on the team. Phillips could be something special in the long run, too, but he's nothing near what Cain is -- keep in mind, too, that when the Brewers traded Cain to KC, he was no finished product, either, and it took him a couple years before he established himself as an everyday OF. It wouldn't surprise me if the starting OF in 2-3 years is Yelich-Cain-Phillips with Braun still starting at 1B (not that I'm rushing Braun to 1B), and I think that could still well be an elite or nearly-elite group of players. Choi was a free agent signed to a minor league contract with an NRI, not a waiver claim, so he's already set to be in AAA unless he somehow makes the team. And I can't see Choi making the team unless Thames somehow doesn't. I still like Aguilar and want him to remain on the team. He was a decent PH and I think he's one of those guys who has more value on the Brewers' bench than he does as a trade chip. At some point I wouldn't be surprised if one of Villar, Perez, or Sogard is eventually moved (probably one of the first two, I'd guess). And for as much as it's shifting to a "bullpen game," I think carrying 8 relievers is excessive and any NL team needs more than 3 non-catcher bench guys.

Indicative of how far Gallardo was from making the team.

Didn't Bird miss some time with an injury last year? Also, Haudricourt mentioned a cryptic comment from either Counsell or Stearns that there was a scenario in which Choi could still make the Opening Day roster. I can't imagine that would happen without some kind of trade. Thames' power is impressive and his 75 walks were also a real plus (that's as many as Perez (20), Villar (30), and Aguilar (25) had combined in nearly 3x as many ABs; note Broxton had 40). However, his 163 Ks were lousy and the fact that he hit 31 HRs yet only drove in 63 total on the year says he was pretty poor w/ RISP outside of his HRs -- not exactly great run production from your #4 or 5 hitter. I'm torn on Thames, but in all I'd probably think hard about dealing him if anything close to a decent deal came along. I don't fully trust Choi to produce like Thames (ST is ST, after all) -- at least not yet. That said, goodness knows Thames' $5M salary is chump change to the Yankees, and there would also be a chance Bird could miss time again, so Thames might be a very appealing trade target for them.

Tom Haudricourt has frequently mentioned Wednesday as the day by which the roster needs to be set. The deadline is never the morning of the day of the 1st game. I believe it's at least the day before the team's first game.

Thanks, Turbo, for the Chris DeBurgh reference from the days when MTV's slogan was "24-hour video music." Now where did my George Foreman grill go?

Assuming the OP's intention is replacing Logan until he's off the DL (which is potentially its own assumption, but that's a whole different topic). Since he just signed as a FA, he and his contract most likely are the Brewers' property for the year.

It really looks like 2 things: Either Santanas market fell apart due to the TB OF bloodletting or philly beat us on Arrieta. That looks very likely and think about when stearns started saying we like the guys we got. Arrieta was wrapped up on the 11th. When did stearns drop the we like our staff line? I think it wasn't too long after Brewers Fest -- or maybe it was around when Darvish signed with the Cubs -- that Stearns was quoted as saying that the Brewers' reported interest in some of the big FA SP names out there was overblown and that they like the guys they have. I remember being quite surprised and even disappointed by it, but obviously he's been very consistent in his stated position ever since, so I think it's quite obvious he wasn't blowing smoke. Like adambr2 said, I also thought there would be more moves coming soon after the Yelich/Cain double-bombshell day. And perhaps that was the plan and things were lined up. But we've heard a zillion times that all these things are pretty fluid in the offseason and it wouldn't surprise me at all that the tides changed and, consequently, so did the Brewers' likelihood of pulling off the move(s) they had hoped to. . . . That said, of course, there's a ton of time in which moves can still happen -- about 4 months between now & the trade deadline -- and we all know that the Opening Day roster is not permanent, whether due to injuries, performance, promotions/demotions, trades, etc. Last year's rotation wasn't glitzy, but over the last couple months they were among the best in the league -- and they managed to do so in the thick of the playoff race. Minus Nelson, they're essentially back intact. I have faith in them to do something near what they did last year. While Stearns didn't outwardly criticize the offense or defense, they were both issues. Acquiring Yelich & Cain made a very strong statement about both the offense and defense. Yelich is just hitting his prime -- great investment! Stearns said (during MLB Network's 30 in 30 feature) that most of their analytics pointed toward Cain being a player who's still improving and, therefore, who projects well into the future and thus is a good investment, too. . . . . I believe the Yelich & Cain moves improved the team greatly. Obviously they didn't do anything big to the pitching staff.... YET. I think that will work itself out over time as needed. Stearns' whole "controllable young talent" mantra still rings very true, and with Cain still projecting upwardly, they obviously view his age as not being much of a problem. In all, it would seem very likely that whatever move(s) thin the large herd in the OF (and maybe 2B, too, if Villar's play puts him on the outs) will very likely continue to target a return of young talent.

^^THIS!!!!!! I love that past, but I prefer looking ahead, not backwards. The M/barley logo is definitely very "now" yet also very classy and potentially iconic in a timeless sort of way.

Ryan Hannigan cut loose by CLE today if your interested for real cheap.. In-house options are just as good probably. There's a reason they signed Christian Bethancourt. My buddy who lives in Phoenix says he's looked pretty decent this spring. I'm much happier having him in AAA than Susac.

A few thoughts: - I'm disappointed Cobb went to Baltimore, and I don't think the contract is absurd, but I have to think $$ and some element of familiarity (stayed in the same division & landed closer to home) were behind his choice because the Orioles aren't nearly as good as the Brewers. - At least he didn't help further improve WASH or PHI and he's in the AL. - I have tons of faith in Stearns & Co. and their cost/value decisions on Cobb contract offers, not to mention their plan. Not making a move is better than making the wrong move. And I'll bet there are still some moves ahead, only not sure where off/on the roster (though Santana/Broxton is an obvious starting point) and when, though I'd sure hope an SP would be on his way here if one or more of the current cast struggles. - Gallardo as a rotation possibility? Several days ago, it was made clear that it's bullpen or bust for Yo. It's pretty clearly been down to Suter, Woodruff, Miley, & Guerra for the last 2 rotation spots. I don't love those options, but I'm not convinced they're all putrid. There's also a decent chance that they'll get more from those guys than they did from Peralta, Milone, & 2nd-half-Garza, plus Feliz out of the pen. - Somewhere in all this I know there's room for Derek Johnson's influence to improve at least one pitcher more than we could've realistically hoped for. Fingers crossed.

There are also a lot of people that are excited about this team's chances, flaws and all. I see the team's flaws, and I know they stand a strong chance of holding them back. I think that Stearns has dropped the ball in a major way from February on, and the result is a rotation with serious question marks and a positional roster that, while extremely talented, doesn't make a lot of sense. But it's March, and they have the whole season ahead of them. Could the team be bad? Sure. But I think the chances are better that they won't be. But I at least want to see them play some games before they are written off. There's no need to piss an anyone's cornflakes in March. On top of that, there are still 2 weeks of spring training left. And Stearns already has a history with this team of making acquisitions affecting the final 25-man roster late in spring training. We are what we are now, and the complete Opening Day roster might entirely be players who are already here. There could also be changes before then -- granted, though, the lack of meaningfully/impact moves after the Yelich/Cain day and the loud (public) silence surrounding any "needle-moving" rotation upgrades doesn't exactly discourage skepticism that anything substantial will happen.

Yep, I saw the same thing. I have thought for awhile that this is just GM-speak, but at some point I guess we have to take him at his word. So apparently the rumored interest was all smoke? I guess Cobb doesn't move the needle. I swear, though, that if he signs a cheap deal somewhere and pitches well, while we watch Wade Miley slog through 5 innings a start while giving up 5 runs, I'm going to be even more disappointed. Joey, you may be right re: what I bolded. However, one could also interpret Stearns' quote to mean that... - Stearns DOES view Cobb as a needle-mover AND as one who doesn't make sense cost-wise. That would corroborate this Haudricourt tweet Monday: Tom ‏Verified account @Haudricourt Mar 12 RHP Alex Cobb remains on free agent market but I do not expect #Brewers to be in on him unless price comes down. - Regardless of what that tweet represents, the lack of one specific end result -- Cobb signing in MIL -- doesn't mean the rumored interest was made up or fans' wishful thinking. - Until we know otherwise, it's also possible that Cobb WANTS to come to MIL more than any other team -- I still can't see why anyone would want to be on a lesser Orioles team that's also not trending as upward as MIL is -- and his failure to sign anywhere else yet (and possibly the lack of "hot" rumors about other teams' interest in him since the Cubs signed Darvish) could indeed indicate that he's holding out hope that his & the Brewers' desired contract numbers might finally come close enough to make a deal happen. Maybe not, but still maybe.... For 35+ years I've always been passionately optimistic about the Brewers, so of course there's part of me still hoping Cobb will end up here. But I'm also realistic enough to know that Stearns' oft-repeated "we like who we have" may well be his mantra all this time simply because going with who they have could well have been his plan all along.

Phillies can throw the money and are potentially up-and-coming, but they finished last w/ 66 wins last year & still have WASH & about everyone else except possibly MIA ahead of them. Yes, they added Arrieta and grossly overpaid for Santana, but still.... Milwaukee still seems like a better opportunity for winning, but the offer must not be as appealing because Stearns isn't about throwing unjustifiable silly money out there. Arnold's TB past can't hurt the Brewers' position if indeed they're seriously still in the hunt. I don't imagine Stearns' "we like who we have" line is a bluff, but he's also not going to pass up a move to make the Brewers enough better for the right price. In other words, we know he's never not listening. And it still wouldn't surprise me if a trade or two happened given their depth, assets, and a few circumstances of players being out of minor-league options.

1. Majora leaguea baseballa.... sounds like the Trade Federation characters in The Phantom Menace. 2. I can't imagine why anyone in Cobb's position would give serious thought to Baltimore. They're not very good and very possibly a year (or less) from losing their current best player, and their best reliever's injured (again). There's really not much (externally, player-acquisition-wise) they've spent big money on in recent years that's worked out well. Cobb's already spent plenty of time on an AL East team that's spent most of its seasons looking up at the division's heavyweights, and realistically Baltimore's not in any great position to improve their standings-based view of those teams meaningfully anytime soon..... Doesn't mean he won't sign there, though I'd think if he does, this would be more about going for the most money rather than to a good team with a better chance to win.

Where does the narrative that he doesn't want to pitch in Milwaukee come from? I don't get that feeling at all. I might've opened that can of worms, albeit unintentionally. I finished my post prior to brewmann04's comment by saying this: Ultimately, if the Brewers don't add Cobb, while I'd be disappointed to some extent, I would still trust Stearns' judgement. It's also possible that Cobb's signing elsewhere could prove to be more of a reflection on Cobb than on the Brewers. As Tom Haudricourt quoted Doug Melvin after Darvish signed with the Cubs, free agents often know where they want to play. If Cobb chooses a different team, ultimately he's choosing that team over Milwaukee. It may not be that he doesn't want to pitch for the Brewers, but in the end he'd be proving that he wanted to pitch somewhere else more than Milwaukee, whatever the reason (or reason$$$) may be. Thus, it could potentially stand to reflect more on Cobb than the Brewers. .... Of course, all such speculation is moot if he signs here.

I'm still hopeful the Brewers add Cobb -- the excitement would be great fun and a nice reward for all the wait. That said, I don't think the in-house alternatives are exactly chopped liver, either. I've tended to believe in Suter all along, and it's possible Miley's successfully rediscovering his previous (not totally sucking) form. Ultimately, if the Brewers don't add Cobb, while I'd be disappointed to some extent, I would still trust Stearns' judgement. It's also possible that Cobb's signing elsewhere could prove to be more of a reflection on Cobb than on the Brewers.

I know I am in the vast minority but I have many fond memories of that ugly 90’s era logo. Probably just because it was the logo of the team when I was coming of age as a fan. I also really liked the "Motre Bame" logo & uniforms. I still loved the ball & glove logo but I was very tired of the royal-and-yellow color scheme, and I'd been hoping for navy blue for years. I drove 350 miles for that FanFest in January 1994 when they unveiled those uniforms, which I thought were SO cool (bought a white one that day, plus both home & road caps). When they combined navy with the gold (plus green trim -- at the time, a real plus in my book) I thought it was a great update. I still prefer that color scheme and wish the "Milwaukee" navy jerseys were trimmed in gold, not yellow. (I'm glad they eventually tried the gold/mustard/whatever alternate jerseys but I'm not sad that they're now history.) I still really don't care for the yellow -- all the more so with the navy. Since the ball & glove logo is remaining in the picture, I wish they'd also update it fully to the navy-and-gold color scheme. Heck, I wouldn't mind the '82-ish retro uniforms as much if they'd update to the current color scheme, too. All that said, as I've felt ever since they unveiled it, I think the current M/barley logo (and the accompanying uniform scheme) is classic, classy, crisp, and should remain the main deal ad infinitum.

Both Gallardo's & Miley's contracts are guaranteed only if they make the roster. That was well-reported at the time each signed. The Brewers aren't throwing away $2M apiece if neither make the team.

I'm just tired of waiting. "Odds" provide a little point of interest/discussion while days go by with no Brewers trade/FA transactions.

TJseven7, for the last couple pages, you keep rehashing the same points over and over. The dead horse has been thoroughly beaten. You're emphatic and passionate about Mark A. forever staying out of any discussions with an agent and how you think any team's negotiation with an FA's agent should work in terms of the personnel involved in the process. Your logic makes some sense. The strength of your convictions is admirable (no, I'm not being facetious). However, it's also possible that there are more angles and more to the whole picture than what you -- or any of us -- know about, potentially making our impressions and feelings on the topic anywhere from naive to moot to illogical since the basis of our opinions may be woefully incomplete. On the topic of ownership involvement in FA negotiations, I wonder if anyone here has written a letter to Mark A. on the topic -- or had a chance to ask him directly -- and, if so, how he's responded. And I wonder if the answer would be any different from what any other team's principal owner might say.

Well, yes and no (re: the bolded text). If Cobb signs in MIL on/by Monday, then obviously he was right. If Cobb's still unsigned as of Tuesday, it doesn't prove he's not credible because circumstances well could change between now and then. . . . The scoops he shared on Yelich as that situation progressed were basically that it would be a done deal and just a matter of when, which is essentially what he's saying re: Cobb. . . . .In the end, I like the scoops he gets and is willing to share. Whether ultimately right or not, his info makes reading these threads and much more fun for me than normal. Anyway, I'm not 100% convinced that Cobb would be everything we hope he'd be -- regaining old form, finding the "thing" pitch, improved results due to moving to the NL & out of the AL East -- but I'm nonetheless kind of excited that it might happen. And with any of the remaining "significant" unsigned FAs, the longer we go into spring training, we just have to be getting closer to the point of something happening, which is intriguing, too.

In a recent article I read (can't remember which, sorry) they mentioned how Boras, with his highest-end free agents, will often communicate directly with owners. With what we've seen from him in recent years, this is not surprising. It also points to three things: 1. Fact: Mark Attanasio is far from the only owner with whom Boras communicates directly. 2. Conjecture: Just because an agent communicates with the owner doesn't mean the GM isn't also a part of the discussions, whether with the owner outside of the agent's communications or alongside the owner in the midst of them. 3. Corollary to the Conjecture: Using Boras/Arrieta & the Brewers as an example.... It would seem completely normal within organizational processes, since the owner makes the final $$ decisions as related to the GM's final baseball personnel decisions, that if Mark A. were intrigued enough about signing Arrieta that he'd respond to Boras' calls, there's almost no way he would do so without Stearns' awareness -- if not outright approval -- of the move on a "baseball" level.

Of course that’s what he was doing, at least on some level. It’s also possible he tipped a little inside-circles knowledge. Or something else... Who really knows? Regardless, it was still a cool comment to hear and a cool conversation to have had. Remembering another snippet of the conversation, my response to his “That’s what I’m hearing” was that I follow a lot of the rumors reporting and hadn’t heard anything so definitive, and his last comment was, “Well, I know we’re not signing him!” (Didn’t intentionally withhold that. I’m brain-fried after a long day of travel.)

For what it’s worth, this happened today: I was in a food line in the Orlando airport today and noticed the older gentleman in front of me had a personalized name tag from an MLB team on his carry-on. I recognized the name (very long-time upper-level exec.) and was able to strike up a conversation. When I told him I’m a big baseball fan and specifically a real Brewers junkie, he said, “It sounds like the Brewers are going to get Arrieta.” I said, “Whoa, that’s cool,” to which he responded, “That’s what I’m hearing.” The conversation continued in other directions after that, but he was quite a nice & pleasant guy. Like everything, things can change quickly and/or turn out quite differently, but it’s interesting to know that Arrieta-to-MIL is a perception out there in another team’s ownership circles!

Boy oh boy, I sure hope not. That reeks of a trade for the sake of making a trade, which I sure don't like. Braun's got better career numbers in almost all respects in fewer years & games -- including a .905 career OPS vs. .826 & 45.6 bWAR vs. 20.5 -- and averages more games/season in his career even with the PED suspension. I'd much rather keep Braun. I don't think swapping Braun for Kemp does us any good whatsoever. (Plus this proposed deal still leaves us with a PED-suspended guy. I'd rather keep the one we have.)