Help me with the Brewer philosophy

[wvpowerblkwel]

I guess as someone who is about to lose my Brewer association, I should keep my thoughts to myself, but here goes. Why when you have Angel Salome (.360 13hr 83 RBI), Mat Gamel (.329 20 99) and Alcides Escobar (.328 8 76 34sb) why do you try to solve all the worlds problems by selling off your minor league chips (Matt LaPorta .288 20 66 before trade) again? Seems to me like giving up Inman, Thatcher, Garrison, LaPorta, Bryson (20 yr old kid that can touch 96 with a little better control than Aguilar at this point), and who knows what is next, for a guy who comes in goes, 9-2, pitches on short rest, pretty much does all you ask, and STILL NOT MAKE THE PLAYOFFS should tell you that maybe they should've learned a lesson last year and not pinned everything on the hopes of 1 arm! Would it not have made some sense to bring at least one of your young studs up from AA to try and help? That seems to be what most other MLB teams do finding someone who can help from time to time. Not only have you had to let your manager go with 12 games to go, but you've mortgaged a good bit of your minor league talent to do so. Thank God the three mentioned above didn't get disposed of in this mess...I understand it would've been worse without Sabathia, but as they say, second place is still just the first loser!

[trwi7]

Well who plays from the minors? Escobar isn't going to take over for Hardy. Branyan was doing fine in a platoon until he got hurt, then we found out Gamel got hurt so he can't help and we have enough problems getting our backup catcher who has been with the team the whole year playing time so Salome would just be a pinch hitter.

 

We hardly sold off all of our minor leaguers though. We still have Gamel, Escobar and Salome. And we'll be giving up one of Brantley, Green and LuCroy it looks like. We still have Jeffress and Periard for pitching and we just had a bunch of picks in the draft.

 

I think management felt they needed to make the playoffs. It's been 26 years, getting a guy the caliber of Sabathia to push the team over the top was a great move. Unfortunately the offense fell asleep in September and still hasn't woken up. We had a 5.5 game lead to begin the month and that move was looking great then. Now it looks terrible because we're on the outside looking in.

[sbrylski]

It looked like a great move a few weeks ago.

 

We could have LaPorta up right now playing for Hart, but without Sabathia, our rotation is Bush and a bunch of knuckleheads right now.

 

And remember, we're getting draft picks for Sabathia - that's a big part of why we can give up so much. Its up to the amateur scouting department to yet make the trade worthwhile.

[wvpowerblkwel]

For what it's worth, I thought I pointed out pretty well that we didn't sell off ALL our minor leaguers. My question is why do we NOT give some of the younger guys a shot earlier, and feel that the only way to fix this is to rent a pitcher?..but I guess on second thought, there was no reason to give the younger guys a shot with a 5 1/2 game lead. I guess I never thought about us getting something better than LaPorta back in return.

[jjfanec]

I understand the feeling of being disappointed with losing LaPorta, but Inman sure looked like he leveled off this year. Any of the other guys were expendable for a guy who could get us in the playoffs. Bryson is a good player but in reality with one of the two picks you get for Sabathia should be of equal value.

The Brewers would be playing Gamel, Escobar and Salome if they were not right in the thick of a race, but now is not really the time for guys to learn on the job in my mind

[wvpowerblkwel]

I agree with all you say. I guess I got to watch those three guys in low A ball and have followed them then season and was a little disappointed they didn't get more of a shot to help. These guys were all very solid most of the year. I would have love to seen Angel spend some time learning from Kendall this year. Kendall .248 2 HR 46 RBI in 496 AB's production couldn't have been hurt much by getting Angel a few AB's. Same with Gamel and Bill Hall's .226 15/54. Escobar also brought the threat of SB's with him. I have to be honest...in not giving up these guys, I think the Brewers had to try what they did. I just hate to see LaPorta go as he was something special when he passed through here. I get to know these young guys down here, and generally I get a feel for expendable, and you are right, they are just young guys getting going and are a small price for a pitcher the status of CC. I think Bryson has the makings of a big league closer someday, but he will be having surgery this off season more than likely. I'm not complaining, I am disappointed, but I just thought in years past, the Brewers have given young guys like Prince Fielder a chance to help. Of course I'm not comparing any of these guys to Prince, but who was he besides Cecil's son several years ago? Anyhow, I hope the deal works, but when I see those sub .250 veterans with young guys like this in the minors, I would love to see some pre-september auditions. I still root, and will continue to root for the Brewers even though they are pulling out of here, because I think they have had an incredible minor league talent pipeline during the 4 years here. What do you guys think of someone like Jeffress getting a call up next year?

[colbyjack]

First and foremost, the Brewers haven't missed the playoffs yet.

 

Second of all, I have a hard time finding fault with the Brewers trading for Sabathia. They lost Gallardo for the year, and made an aggressive move with the playoffs in mind.

 

The Sabathia and the Linebrink are two different trades to me. You don't give up the players they did to get a player like Linebrink (that trade bothered me the moment it was made), but I had and still have no problem with them giving up who they did for CC.

 

Oh yeah, and don't forget about the draft picks that are all part of this equation.

[colbyjack]

I'm not complaining, I am disappointed, but I just thought in years past, the Brewers have given young guys like Prince Fielder a chance to help.

 

But that was a different time. I understand your point, but it is difficult to give an unproven commodity an opportunity to audition for future opportunities in September in the middle of a playoff chase. That's fine for team that aren't playing for this year, but teams that still have hopes to play in October generally reserve such audition for spring training, not now.

[TheCrew07]

Sabathia was the correct type of deal, just the wrong player in my opinion.

[paul253]

Sabathia is one of the best pitchers in the game and is the main reason they are still in the hunt for the playoffs. LaPorta was a hell of a prospect, but he was kind of a man without a position. We have plenty of outfielders throughout the system, so giving him up is something we can get past.

 

As far as all the other guys go...they did have excellent seasons....in Double A. I certianly dont want to pin my playoff hopes on a bunch of guys getting their very first taste of major league ball. I wouldnt have been opposed to Escobar getting a start, maybe two, back when Hardy was struggling mightily, but not now....its too important now to bench your regulars.