MNBrew

My guesses: - Garza could be waived/released. - Could be a trade happening -- and if so, hard to predict which SP & to where & for what -- a more interesting option than releasing Garza but not necessarily more likely. - If they like both DeJesus & Scahill, they'll need a 2nd 40-man spot. It's not like Barnes is pitching like he deserves to go north (to MIL, that is -- since Colorado Springs is also north), so maybe the door's cracked for Scahill. Beyond those three possibilities, it's a pure crapshoot, like playing "pin the tail on the roster move." I do still have hope for Peralta's future as a solid SP and hope he's not dealt.

I'm not sold, but I can think of $15M reasons the Brewers are going to give him a reasonably long leash. There's something to be said for Thames reacclamating to MLB pitching. And there's nothing to lose by keeping Aguilar on the team. With where the team is -- smack in the middle of a rebuild -- these are the sorts of gambles/decisions that the Brewers have time to sort through as the season unfolds.

I mostly agree w/ MrTPlush initial assertion: There are a lot of potential candidates. But my feeling is that it's too early to know right now for sure who those guys are. To say it's more risk for the player doesn't do justice to the entirety of the scenario. There's initial & real risk, all the angles of hypothetical risk, and eventually the perspective that only hindsight can provide. To wit: - If a guy like Hader signs a contract like that and then blows out his arm forever 2 games into his MLB career (think: Chris Saenz), then Hader has 100% security and the Brewers, 100% liability (and $15M less salary to spend over those years). . . . A better hypothetical might be this in terms of the ballclub's risk: What if Evan Longoria had had a Pat Listach-like injury -- i.e., career-altering in terms of meaningful, long-term productivity -- a year or so into his mega-contract? - Alternately, if Hader turns into the second coming of Tom Glavine or Steve Carlton, then it's an entirely different story. That said, in that scenario, the Brewers probably jump toward a Braun-like second long-term extension with much larger dollars to offset the team-favoring (arguably player's earnings-screwing) short-term, Lucroy-esque deal and retain Hader - OR - the team still stinks and determines they can't afford him in the real-long-term, then decide to trade him for a franchise-changing haul of A+ prospects.

Adrianza could be just as "easy come, easy go" as a number of other Stearns waiver claims. Scahill pitched decently, but 15 innings screams "small sample," so it's not like we're necessarily talking a key cog either way. In the end, they're both edge-of-the-40-man-roster type guys, and there are tons of others out there just like 'em. To the suggestion that Adrianza & Perez project about the same, I'd say defense isn't a game-changer and is easily overvalued in a no-hit utility IF given his likely limited number of innings he'll play vs. the full picture of all that Perez is at this point.

If his previous extension went through his age 31 season, wouldn't that have meant he would have been a free agent after 2015? Meaning he would have had to have been traded by the 2015 season/trading deadline when he was coming off the 2013 PED suspension/lying debacle and a declining, post-PED .777 OPS 2014 season? I'm not sure he was very tradeable at that point. On the flipside, the extension occurred pre-PED scandal when he was on pace to be a HOF player, which if you take out all the mess that occurred after the extension, it seems pretty reasonable. I think it's quite safe to say that Braun's 2014 season was quite injury-affected, as his performance since would corroborate. If by "declining" you meant "trending downward," that's simply not accurate. One other thread-related comment from a different angle: Obviously there's no shortage of theories -- as this astoundingly nearly-60 page thread proves -- but whether or not Braun's tradeable ultimately is still merely speculation because we don't know what other GMs actually think or what offers Stearns has received.

I like the move. Sometimes it only takes a single acquisition to slot a whole bunch more players into slots that better fit them and where they're at. Hopefully this move is one of those.

I'd think that news would've broken by Christmas shopping season if it were going to happen.

I can't imagine Detroit would give anything of value for him. There are countless versions of KN in the FA version of Target's 75-90% off clearance section, which is right where he'd be if he were a free agent himself.

If nothing else of consequence happens on the 40-man before ST starts, I think MIL will be a team where a few MiLB/NRI outfielders and relievers might have a chance to crack the Opening Day lineup.

The 40-man has 8 OFs on it. That's no lack of OFs, just lack of experienced/proven ones beyond the same 4 that everyone keeps naming. The only other one with any MLB ABs is Michael Reed, who's still pretty green (28 MLB ABs) and therefore justifiably no shoo-in (or necessarily even a good idea developmentally -- read: Logan Schafer) for a 5th OF spot.

You could hardly find and Brewers apparel to buy in those days. MLB was incredibly under-represented in the merchandising/apparel world for years. Finally by the mid-'80s you could find a few things including "official" caps (Roman Pro was the brand then) at Merle Harmon's Fan Fair at Mayfair Mall and assorted baseball card dealers around town (there was a pretty good one, and I remember what it looked like, but its name and location I've forgotten decades ago). I remember getting my first authentic jersey in the late '80s for about $85, which seemed like a mint at the time. I'm pretty sure I was glued to my TV that afternoon because I sure haven't seen replays of that game and the ending all looked very familiar.

That's an apples/oranges comparison: Hart was originally a 1B who only got moved around to other positions (3B for a year & finally the OF) once Prince Fielder entered the organization and quickly (and rightly) became the 1B of the future.

Intended as a companion thread to the "2017 Roster" thread in the Major League forum... With about 7 weeks until spring training starts -- about half of the off-season -- and with an eye toward Opening Day, I wonder what Brewers roster moves (or, I suppose, non-moves) are still ahead this offseason. What moves do you think have a realistic chance of happening? My guesses: - at least one SP gets traded (Garza would be nice; Nelson or Anderson seems more likely) - the "proven BP arm" acquisition they're looking to make turns out to be Jeffress (possibly in same trade as a SP, although that could mean Guerra rather than the others mentioned above) - at least 1-2 FA RPs are brought in on make-good NRI deals (a la Boyer & Capuano) -- not hazarding a guess re: if they make the team out of ST - Gennett is on the Opening Day roster (kept for depth & as insurance in case another IF gets hurt or needs to go back to the minors -- while likely no longer the de facto starting 2B, he could still prove more valuable to MIL than what he'd net in return -- he might also end up elsewhere in the field out of occasional necessity (reminds me: funny how Weeks wouldn't/couldn't play anything other than 2B in MIL, but in both SEA & AZ he had no problem playing OF since it allowed him to stick in the majors))

This is a fun thread. Many similar threads are based on more than just the current organizational & 40-man roster. The defined limits do force some different thinking.

Apparently he isn't worth more, since they've been trying to trade him since July. "Listening to offers" and "willing to engage" aren't the same as "trying to trade." And until we actually know the facts, we only have Stearns' & Attanasio's words to go on. The rest is reporters' speculation.

SP: Guerra, Davies, Garza, Peralta, Nelson BP: Knebel, Torres, Marinez, Anderson, Milone, Barnes, Cravy C: Pina & one of Susac/Bandy IF: Thames, Villar, Arcia, Shaw, Gennett, Perez, Rivera OF: Braun, Broxton, Santana, Nieuwenhuis As for what I'd prefer to see... - A few young guys pushing their way onto the team & getting playing time (hopefully not due to significant, depth-draining, or roster-mangling injuries) - Jeffress reacquired from Texas - Jungmann & Suter on the 25-man roster because... Garza & possibly Nelson or Anderson traded - If not the above, then 1) Guerra traded (perhaps with another player) for a nice return, and 2) Nelson in AAA getting his act together Also, while I'd hope for better results based on his early MLB production, I'm not convinced Milone makes this team (the ill-fated Todd Ritchie signing comes to mind).

Im going to assume that if the Dodgers dont get Dozier, its them not wanting to part with the same prospect Stearns is asking for. We aren't going to be able to get the kind of quality prospect for Braun as Dozier will command. Just ain't gonna happen. Not without eating more than half of his salary. Frankly if every team was taking on the salary of the acquired players, I'd trade Braun for Puig and McCarthy without really caring who the 2 prospects are. This sounds like you're more interested in just getting a trade done rather than getting an optimal return. If that's the angle you're advocating, I can't buy into that. Braun's a Top 10 offensive bat who's worth more than an injured Garza-type SP, and a former phenom who hasn't convinced anyone that he's sufficiently grown up, and 2 whatever-they'll-give-us (potentially non-premium) prospects.

He could still be good target as a MiLB/NRI signing for AAA depth. Don't we lack a solid 1B for Colorado Springs? Ideally he's not a guy we'd hope to see in MIL, but kinda like K-Rod and Jeffress, I think there could well be a comfort factor about Milwaukee & the Brewers' organization that could be beneficial. At minimum, Rogers strikes me as a RH & better (i.e., more productive at the plate, not nearly as many holes in his bat) version of Kirk Nieuwenhuis -- not that we need another RH bat or backup OF type, but he does have something of a track record at the MLB level that might make him a decent fall-back option & bench guy vs. having prospects sit on the bench.

Easy come, easy go. Stearns' approach to building AAA depth seems to be rather different than Melvin's: Grab whatever he can and see who can last long enough to get to AAA. Neither better nor worse than Melvin's, but definitely much more fluid. (edit: . . . . or at least seemingly willing to be much more fluid in the process than Melvin, who seemed to hang his hat on a small handful of fringe guys.)

Funny how Cafardo quoted only one exec, yet many take it that it's a representative viewpoint of many rather than one individual's opinion. Either could be correct, but Cafardo wasn't exactly clear. I find holes with that exec's viewpoint, too, but Heaven forbid Cafardo add any critical thought to what his "source" said.

Wow. It would be one thing if you simply stated that you disagree, but ripping the masses just because they have a differing viewpoint . . . . We all are entitled to our opinions, but that's the extent of our expertise, regardless of whatever means by which we inform and justify them. Using the kernels of your logic, if Dombrowski called Stearns last year to offer David Ortiz for Hernan Perez and an A- pitching prospect if the Brewers would pay Ortiz's full 2016 salary, Stearns should've hung up on him if he didn't accept only Tyrone Taylor as the return since the Brewers would've picked up all of Ortiz's contract and Ortiz is 40 years old, can only DH, and has a growing history of worsening foot issues.

To what extent it is true or not is hard to tell, but yesterday's Cafardo piece on Braun notes that there is some devaluation of Braun's control due to the impact a second positive test for PEDs could have on his ability to contribute in the coming years. Anything PED related is nothing but a load of crap made up by a writer or a bald faced lie from an insider. Look at all the guys that have tested positive and still gone on to sign multiyear contracts. Right. By Cafardo's logic, shouldn't the same speculation apply to EVERYONE who's tested positive for PEDs? It means pretty much nothing. A) It's just as true of a statement to say it could happen again with any of those guys as it is to say it could happen for the first time for anyone who hasn't ever previously tested positive. So how is Braun different? Really, why should anyone EVER be paid what their on-field numbers thoroughly justify in terms of market-based value? I mean, they could get busted for PEDs.... (I get the black eye Braun earned at the time, but it's usually the media and not front-office types who only settle for believing the headlines without applying critical/deeper thought -- especially coast-based media who tend to give teams in the Central time zone only the occasional cursory glance.) B) Similar "baggage" of other players by and large hasn't stopped them from getting new and sometimes large contracts. Why do we only remember the "biggest" names at the time of the Biogenesis scandal? By the logic presented, we should view Yasmani Grandal with the same skepticism with which others view Braun. What about Peralta? Melky? What about others who cheated and later either fessed up or were busted? Why not "golden" Yankee alum Pettite, who still seems to walk on water with the media -- why should we believe him? But certainly we can't believe that Braun's actually honestly & legitimately clean! If Braun's "baggage" only ever remains fully and increasingly further in the past, then it will have proven to be absolutely inconsequential -- a total non-real issue for the remainder of his career. That well could prove to be the outcome -- just as could the doom-and-gloom predictions of PED recurrence and/or impending/inevitable regression which some posters take as indisputable gospel.

It's an NRI, no-lose deal for the Brewers. If he stinks, he's gone at no cost. If he proves to have a plus side that's never played out in real live boxscores, then it's a good, cheap signing. This also has the look of a signing meant to give some depth to the CS pitching staff, and anything meaningfully positive beyond that is a bonus.

I saw plenty, too. Two things, though: 1. His track record before last year is at least half-decent and surely isn't meaningless. 2. His results last year were lousy, but it's worth also considering that the Twins last year had the reverse-Midas touch: Outside of Brian Dozier, just about everything they touched turned into pure dung!