Worst Signing/Non-Signing (or trade) by the Brewers?

[mattmieske]

Considering that there is no evidence and that he has never even been linked to performance-enhancing drugs (to the best of my knowledge), yes I think it is inappropriate to suggest that he had "medical assistance" merely because he continued to hit at an advanced age.

 

Speaking of Molitor, failing to re-sign him in 1993 was obviously a terrible move, but the team also had another opportunity to re-sign him in 1996 (when he signed with the Twins) and passed. I forget who the DH was that year, but they actually had a halfway decent team in 96 (80-82) and if they had added Molitor they might have even finished with a winning record, which at the very least might have generated some interest in the franchise again.

[Bernman23]

Linebrink for Inman and Garrison

 

Estrada for Davis and Eveland

 

Those are the worst two during Melvin's tenure by far.

 

And those aren't in retrospect. I was livid about both when they were executed, especially the Linebrink deal.

 

Linebrink was scuffling, while Inman who was a 2nd round pick who was even far exceeding lofty expectations. People would overreact to Inman's fastball and conclude his stuff was average based on that alone. Half of major league starters throw fastballs at his speed, but don't have his entire arsenal, nor do they have his control. And how often do players that brash do nothing in any sport? Confidence is king. I liked Garrison quite a bit as well. He's always going to be tough on lefties because of his arm angle and he has a good makeup also. Just a vomiticious trade by Doug.

 

As far as the Arizona trade is concerned, was it not foreseeable that Eveland would be a bona fide major league starter? A lefty who throws low to mid 90's with a couple solid offspeed pitches, who was also very productive for his leagues at young ages. He had a 2.84 ERA w/ 5:1 K:BB ratio at 20 in low A. 2.72 at 21 in Huntsville. 2.74 at 22 in Nashville. Yet he was basically a throw in. Doug was outstanding for the Brewers, outside of one season, following which we sold low. All we got in exchange for the two was basically a fat malcontent.

[fondybrewfan]

I am going to withold judgement on the Linebrink deal until Inman and Garrison make it to the Padres. There is no use making a judgement now, they could completely flame out and then the trade would look much better, especially if our two picks this year turn into anything.

 

I have only been a diehard since about 2001 so I only recall the estrada trade and the Hammonds signing as just being moronic

[1992casey]

Where do people rank the Marquis Grissom signing?

 

This was a trade rather than a signing. The players given up weren't a big deal, but the Brewers inherited Marquis' entire 5 year/$25 million extension.

[jazzytrav]

Where do people rank the Marquis Grissom signing?

I just came on here to say this. There was no reason for a team with an insanely low payroll to go out and get him.

[TooLiveBrew]

This was a trade rather than a signing. The players given up weren't a big deal, but the Brewers inherited Marquis' entire 5 year/$25 million extension.

 

Thanks Casey. Got my details wrong, but the parameters weren't bad.

 

I remember being excited that we got him. That soon faded.

[Invader3K]

I was excited about getting Grissom at the time, to be honest. It was nice to see the Brewers going out and getting a "name" player.

 

The Molitor non-signing has to be one of the biggest middle fingers from any sports franchise to its entire fan base in the history of professional sports. It was completely disrespectful, to both Paul Molitor and the Milwaukee Brewers fans.

[T B0NE 10]

i know it would fall definitely on the best trades but who did we trade for Brian Shouse. Because that has turned out to be a complete steal

[jazzytrav]

I thought Shouse was a FA. Could be wrong.

 

Edit: I was wrong. We traded Enrique Cruz to the Rangers for Shouse.

[T B0NE 10]

WOW complete steal

 

maybe it was worth it to have Cruz that year : )

[berniebrewer4life]

We traded Enrique Cruz to the Rangers for Shouse.

Yea, looking back, this was probably one of Melvin's better steals. We traded a guy we got via rule V for our lockdown lefty. Obviously a steal.

[nohopspanther]

How about the worst draft pick ever in Antone Williamson as the 4th pick in the draft out of Arizona State because he could allegedly, hit, run and catch. That pick alone should scream from the top of Mt. Brewer why Sal Bando should not be allowed to set foot in Miller Park.

[Postseason2006]

We traded Enrique Cruz to the Rangers for Shouse.

Yea, looking back, this was probably one of Melvin's better steals. We traded a guy we got via rule V for our lockdown lefty. Obviously a steal.

I'd hardly call Shouse a lockdown lefty. He's had quite a few blown holds in our chokes this year in Minny and Denver.

[bullox]

Estrada for Davis and Eveland

 

All we got in exchange for the two was basically a fat malcontent.

The Brewers also got Claudio Vargas and Greg Aquino in that deal. Not much, but more than what you mentioned.

 

[brains and braun]

Shouse may not be lockdown, but the Brewers have gotten tremendous value from him. Enrique, not so much value.

 

I think the Molitor situation was the absolute worst. It took the better part of two decades to rebuild. In fact, I would say that the Brewers refusal to really rebuild was one of the biggest factors in their stagnation. That and miserly ownership. We had many good players that we traded and got nothing of substance for. Oh yeah, and try naming a great player the Brewers drafted that made a good impact on the big club. Not easy. There were a few decent players, but Rickie Weeks looks like the next Hank Aaron compared to most of those guys.

[bubblegum tate]

I'd agree, the Molitor non-signing is up there at the top. It was my "welcome to the real world" moment as an impressionable young baseball fan, and the source of my continuing paranoia about other stars leaving.

[crewcrazy]

I really wanted the Brewers to go after Ted Lilly or Gil Meche instead of Jeff Suppan, but I don't know if they were ever really in the running for those two. That rumored Capuano/Hall for Rolen deal would look pretty good right now, even though Rolen did miss the first month or so of the season. Neither non-move was really crippling, though...just thought I'd try to add something that wasn't already mentioned. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[reillymcshane]

The worst signing, by far, was not a player - by GM Sal Bando. Again, not the player Sal, the GM Sal.

 

As someone alluded to, Bando murdered the franchise, not only with bad decisions in the trade and FA market, but primarily with the draft.

 

I believe only about 1/2 dozen players Sal drafted ever contributed in the majors (much less Milwaukee) - Jenkins, Sheets, Bill Hall, Jeff D'Amico, Mark Loretta, and Belliard. Okay, maybe Scott Karl. He presided over the 92-99 drafts - 8 drafts - and produced very little, forcing a club with limited funds to rent over the hill vets, mediocre talents and so on. It really killed the team for a lot of years

[silversurferr]

Anything Bando did was awful. Melvin has made a number of brilliant trades: Sexson!!; Podsednik for El Caballo; El Caballo for Cordero. I liked the Davis trade at the time, and still do, because I cannot stand Davis's pitching style. The bad part was losing Eveland. When I was a kid, everybody ragged on the Brewers for signing Larry Hisle, but that was only after he got hurt (he was good during his one healthy year with the Brewers). I did not like how they treated Cooper at the end of his career.

 

 

(edit: unnecessary punctuation --1992)

[dlk9s]

For me, the worst part about the Molitor non-signing was that my aunt and uncle were building a house across the street from his in Mequon. I had dreams of going to visit and then getting invited across the street to play catch with my favorite player of all time.