Should we be DOING something by now?

[Hate those Rodents]

I realize we had coaching/front office holes to fill, but it seems to me that by this time last year, we had Kendall, Mota, and maybe even Torres added. I may be off on this and there have not been lots of players switching teams yet. Still, I read about lots of other teams interest in other guys and all I hear about the Brewers is something to the effect of "Milwaukee is holding out a very tiny hope that Sabathia might still consider them". I really hope we don't let players we'd be interested in move to other teams all because of the 1 percent chance Sabathia returns. Doug I believe does his best work early in the off-seasons and I hope he's not handicapping himself right now.

[MNBrew]

I'm not worried about their lack of action because, for the most part, most nobody's done anything yet, not even the usual biggest spenders. I'm sure the Brewers are laying plenty of groundwork, just as are all 29 other teams.

[And That]

but it seems to me that by this time last year, we had Kendall, Mota, and maybe even Torres added.

We had acquired none of those players by 11/19/07.

 

Up to this point last year, we had acquired one player (Randy Choate). So far this year, we've acquired one player (McGehee).

[MNBrew]

Up to this point last year, we had acquired one player (Randy Choate). So far this year, we've acquired one player (McGehee).

And even before considering that he never played in the bigs, Choate was signed to a split contract and was a pretty insignificant transaction -- hardly one worth more than a footnote even at the time.

 

The funny thing, of course, is that by the time Spring Training started, many folks on this board were convinced Choate should make the Opening Day roster. The guy couldn't ever make it out of AAA to the '07 Twins bullpen which was so shoddy they almost should've been running classifieds for relief help in the daily papers. Thankfully, the Brewers never needed Choate either, decent human being that he apparently is (sorry, too, 'bout that ST injury that sealed his travel plans to Nashville).

[bullox]

Not that there has really been a delay as pointed out above, but I wonder if having almost a whole new coaching staff would cause a delay in signings due to everyone meeting together and discussing their strategy and what types of players might fit the roles they are looking for. I wonder how much input Macha has on the subject.

[ILuvDaBush]

Also, about this time last year, our closer-to-be was Derrick Turnbow. A year later, our closer-to-be...is a much murkier situation. If we're heading to AZ and still formulating a strategy, then we can worry about the competency of our new staff.

[PeaveyFury]

I think the simple answer is that the team actually is going to be looking at some type-A FA's (Hoffman, Wood, Cruz, Lowe, etc) to some degree, and they're probably not inclined to make a major rush for any of those players before the arby deadline just in hope that a coupe of them don't get offered. That seems fairly possible if not likely for Hoffman and Wood.

[Invader3K]

The worst thing the Brewers could do is make a move just to make a move and get people talking. Fortunately, that's not Doug Melvin's modus operandi. I think we'll know pretty soon where the Sabathia situation is going...at that point, it's either going to boil down to the Brewers making a few smaller moves, or going after another big time pitcher. They've got some money to play with this off season, so don't worry, they'll be making at least one major signing, I believe.

[JohnBriggs12]

Up to this point last year, we had acquired one player (Randy Choate). So far this year, we've acquired one player (McGehee).

This is true, but Melvin failed to accomplish one of his major goals last season of acquiring in Melvin's words "a professional lefthanded hitter". Remember he settled for Cameron and even admitted at the time that Cameron didn't exactly fit the offensive profile of what he was looking for.

 

There hasn't been a ton of activity yet, but some pretty good players have changed hands. The perception is that the Sabathia situation is holding things up big time.

 

Why wait until all there's left are scraps?

[homer]

Everyone gets antsy about non moves this time of year. But in the grand scheme of things there have only been two or three major moves this off season - NY trades for Swisher, Cubs re-sign Dempster...and ??? I'm sure I'm missing one or two. Things won't heat up until December.

[And That]

Why wait until all there's left are scraps?

That's my point. All there's left is everyone but Jeremy Affeldt, Ryan Dempster, LaTroy Hawkins and someone else I might be forgetting. Plus everyone still on the trading block. I don't like to judge the offseason before it is complete, and the offseason is barely begun.

[crewcrazy]

The only thing I really remember about last offseason was the market heating up around Thanksgiving when Torii Hunter signed his megadeal with the Angels. All it really takes is one of the "big" names to sign before many others follow suit -- if it's not going to Sabathia, it looks like it may be someone like A.J. Burnett. The fact that there are so many Boras clients out there this year might have something to do with it feeling "slow" as well, since he's not afraid of leading his players into the next calendar year without a contract.

[PeaveyFury]

Most big things (trades at least) don't happen until the winter meetings anyway, and those are still nearly 3 weeks away.

[Brian the Automator]

Once some of the big chips fall (Sabathia, Ramirez), you'll see the market accelerate. Really, isn't this the way it works every year?

[Tbadder]

I wonder if an uncertain economy might not be holding many clubs back just a little. There might be more "lets wait and see" this year.

[nate82]

I wonder if an uncertain economy might not be holding many clubs back just a little. There might be more "lets wait and see" this year.

I doubt it. This is just the typical baseball off season. Once one big name free agent signs the rest of the dominoes will begin to fall. Trades are usually done around the winter meetings and there are usually not that many that happen during that time anyways.

[splitterpfj]

There are always a few early moves, as there have been, and there are always some that don't take place until January - but the flurry is always between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

 

There's nothing to worry about at this point, the team knows there are moves that must be made, but they've also stated that they're waiting to hear whether they have a shot at Sabathia - this week. They'll know either way soon, then they'll get to work.

[ELCABALLO45]

Around thanksgiving is when everything starts heating up.

 

And then the winter meetings.

 

We still have A LONG ways to go.

[endaround]

Not sure what people expected. The Brewers have one open position and even there if they think Gamel can really handle 3B its a stopgap position that can be filled with a platoon if need be. They have enough money to look at FA starters and relievers but arby decision make a huge difference when looking at relievers.

[sheetskout]

I think you take the impatience in this thread as a good sign of overall offseason interest. Let's remember though that the open free-agency period began last Friday.

[mothershipconnection]

Just because there's no news doesn't necessarily mean we aren't 2-3 days away from making one of the biggest trades of the offseason. That's what makes the time leading up to the winter meetings so great - a huge move could come at any time.

[JohnBriggs12]

Matt Holliday, Coco Crisp, Scott Olsen, Josh Willingham. Nick Swisher, Eric Gregg. Those are some pretty decent names that have been traded already. I think that' makes people nervous. All over Chicago sports radio today, the topic was getting David DeJesus for either the Cubs or the Sox. Remember you have to compete to get the guys you want and sometimes jumping in quickly works.

 

Of course it's still a couple weeks until the winter meetings, but if there's a move to be made before then, it should be made.

[TheCrew07]

There has to be a good deal on table to make a trade, it's not like Melvin can just snap his fingers and get his way. Nothing may happen at all if things don't pan out... a lack of information released to the public does not mean the front office isn't doing their due diligence.

[kmcasper23]

No one really worthwhile has changed teams yet anyway. It is not like the free agency in football where all the good players sign right away. In baseball they normally wait til the Winter Meetings so agents can meet with multiple teams at one time and drive up the price. I wouldn't have minded giving up basically nothing for Willingham and Olsen though. That might have been worth it.

[ILuvDaBush]

Also, our entire offseason centers on whether we sign CC. If we end up taking on salary, it inhibits our ability to stay competitive with CC, which most here would say is their ideal target. If and when CC leaves, then we can take an alternate course of action, but until then, I would prefer to hold out hope CC will be our centerpiece this offseason.