My Brewers Christmas List

[DR28]

Here is what I would like from Doug Melvin:

 

Josh Hamilton (Josh & Ryan would easily be one of the best 3-4 combos in the MLB)

 

Ryan Dempster, Dan Haren or Edwin Jackson (We need an established veteran to slot behind Yo)

 

Revamped bullpen (Only Axford and Henderson are keepers from last years bullpen)

[brewcrewdue80]

I think Dempster is on the wrong side in age and the years in a contract he may be asking for is too big a risk. Haren has the back problem. I have a back problem. It's feels fine most of the time but out of nowhere it will be crippling. DL list aside, he was very ineffective last year likely because of the back problem. I just wouldn't want to take that on. Jackson. If he asked for #4 SP price as his results have clearly been then OMG yes! Problem is he's heard nothing but that he has borderline #1 stuff or high #2 stuff. With #4 results. His asking price will be on that #2 stuff he has. Not the results his supposed stuff has gotten his teams. Which is sad, talent can get you paid, Damn the returns!

Hamilton. I keep hearing there's plenty of games to go around within the Brewers lineup for him. At least 120starts. But I find that hard to believe. Is it 50/70 for Gomez/Aoki? 70/50 Gomez/Aoki? I mean that's how I figure 120games comes to removing one of those two for 70games the other for 50. Then it back to price. 15mil? Yeah but his asking will be 22-26mil realistically. That's way too much to fit on a team with 85-100mil team payroll. Do you settle at 18mil? Maybe. But I'd probably dump some salary somewhere. Weeks,Ramirez,Hart,Gomez in that order is where it would come from. Now question is who takes them on and what do we get in return?

 

My wishlist. Is that the Brewers stand pat. And work a trade, Ramirez, for some Pitching or 1b/cf prospect. Let Green/Gamel figure out who belongs on the team playing 3B. See the young pitchers work their way in the rotation or in to bullpen. Then address the team around trade deadline through to next FA. With a lot more answers than questions throughout the organization. Morris? Future 1b? Peralta,Jungmann,Bradley,Hellweg,Pena,Fiers,Narveson roles? How bout Gennet? Is he the 2b for Weeks? These questions/answers go in to signing Hart/Gomez beyond 2013. Where Gamel/Green fit or to be shipped. Schafer's OF production?

The team has plenty of youngsters plugging a veteran for more than a year just delays the time these youngsters can show what they have for the team. You sign a Hamilton,Jackson for 3-5years you can probably expect to see Schafer pushed out with never seeing him get a starting opportunity. Same with pitching, expect a Fiers,Peralta,Rogers one of them being shipped since they wouldnt have room to keep them and develope them.

[DoubleSwitch]

I've really got no interest in seeing this team blow 3/40 or 4/50 on a second tier pitcher this off season. I don't really see any of the guys listed as a significant improvement over Peralta/Estrada/Rogers/Fiers/Thornburg and 'veteraness' is overrated. I'd be ok with grabbing a guy in Jan. or Feb. who feel through the cracks to a one year deal to help eat some innings, but we've finally developed some guys of our own so we don't have to give out multiyear deals to mediocre pitchers. As far as the pen goes we already have Hellweg, Olmstead, J. Sanchez, Kinzler and Rogers if he gets pushed from the rotation. I'd be all right with grabbing a guy or two on 1 year deals, but I'd like us to have some flexibility to bring guys up and down as it's warranted.

[endaround]

It amazes me how many people are willing to waste another year of Braun's prime.

 

Peralta has control issues

 

Estrada has home run trouble and really can't be counted on to pitch deep in games

 

Rogers stunk in AAA last year until July and is a huge injury risk

 

Fiers doesn't have the stuff to project more than a #4 going forward

 

Thornburg has been seriously questioned if he can hold up as a starter.

 

That is the rotation right now. Yes they could all work out, but there still is a ton of innings to cover and most of them aren't ready to give 180+ innings.

[Mr Southpaw]

Left handed relief pitchers (2) are a must. Howell plus a retread loogy that can throw strikes.

[TooLiveBrew]

It amazes me how many people are willing to waste another year of Braun's prime.

Of course, Melivin's patcher approach has already wasted at least two or three. But let's stick with that, it's been working so well.

 

I'm not against FA entirely, but Melvin has to be both careful and lucky for that route to pan out. I'd much rather see him work the trade market.

[TheCrew07]

It amazes me how many people are willing to waste another year of Braun's prime.

 

Yea well in continually amazes me how people think that veteran players are a sure thing despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. They actually carry greater total risk than prospects, it's just a different kind of risk.

 

Certainly some of the young pitching will fail, but some will also succeed. Building an organization isn't about any 1 player's prime, it's about having enough talent to keep the train moving forward.

 

Unfortunately the pitching die was cast many years ago and we wasted the prime of most the first wave of position prospects that came up together without enough pitching.

 

The Brewers are never going to be able to sustain a rotation through Melvin's patching philosophy, they don't have the disposable income to do so. As such the method hasn't worked for any length of time... just 2 seasons in 7.

 

I've liked Edwin Jackson for a very long time because he had such a big arm and good stuff, but he's never been able to control it, he's the epitome of effectively wild. The other veteran pitchers... well it's the same story, how long can aging players with average stuff keep the train rolling? Personally I'm tired of dead money on the books every year for relatively expensive veteran players who fall off a cliff performance wise. I'd rather take the performance risk with younger players who will on average be healthier and will likely improve at a league minimum contract.

 

We're talking a very marginal difference in peformance for any FA pitcher the Brewers would pick up vs a younger pitcher like Peralta if they perform.

[brewcrewdue80]

It amazes me how many people are willing to waste another year of Braun's prime.

 

Peralta has control issues

 

Estrada has home run trouble and really can't be counted on to pitch deep in games

 

Rogers stunk in AAA last year until July and is a huge injury risk

 

Fiers doesn't have the stuff to project more than a #4 going forward

 

Thornburg has been seriously questioned if he can hold up as a starter.

 

That is the rotation right now. Yes they could all work out, but there still is a ton of innings to cover and most of them aren't ready to give 180+ innings.

 

Your answer via FA of what's out there is? And list the price you pay to them. Then when they're signed above that you won't have to believe Melvin and M.A. didn't try to improve FA rather were outbid/smart with their money by not overpaying on a payroll that has its limits.

[brewtank34]

If Melvin could sign Howell, I'd consider this a successful offseason (if we were to do nothing else). Getting a quality left hander in the BP is an absolute must. I'm liking Gamel as our lefty power guy on the bench and if someone goes down (Ramirez, Hart, Aoki), Gamel will be there to provide suitable back-up coverage (assuming he stays healthy himself).

 

While I don't see the Crew landing Hamilton, I wouldn't be upset if we did. It's MA's money, not mine. If that does happen, I would imagine Gomez will be traded for BP help as Aoki would move over to CF and Hamilton over to RF.

 

I don't want the Crew signing Hart to an extension. I love his defense and his bat, but I don't want to block Morris either. Let Hart play out his last year and play the Greinke game with him come deadline. Gamel could move over to first for the 2nd half of the season while Morris gets another minor league MVP.

 

I am ok with some money being spent on SP, but nothing over 3 years. If Dempster could pitch as well as he did in that horrible place they call a field in Chi-town...I'll feel comfortable with him at MP.

 

1) Howell

2) Don't sign Hart

3) Dempster or Jackson. or 1 year deal for Haren w/incentives.

[Roderick]

Peralta has control issues

Estrada has home run trouble and really can't be counted on to pitch deep in games

Rogers stunk in AAA last year until July and is a huge injury risk

Fiers doesn't have the stuff to project more than a #4 going forward

Thornburg has been seriously questioned if he can hold up as a starter.

 

That is the rotation right now. Yes they could all work out, but there still is a ton of innings to cover and most of them aren't ready to give 180+ innings.

 

You listed five guys. The Brewers also seem to be happy with Narveson's progress. Plus Hellweg/Burgos could very well be a midyear or injury callup type of guys.

 

So you have Gallardo and 6 options to fill 4 spots, with potentially two other guys ready as fillins. If we assume that half of the 6 options do well/okay, then you have a starting rotation with 4 good/decent starters and only 1 guy that is poor. If you go this route, you have funds available to trade for a player.

 

Personally, I would try to find a starting pitcher that would size into a 1-2 year contract. But I wouldn't be writing the team off if they didn't sign any free agent starter.

[sheetskout]

Sean Burnett is on the top of my offseason wishlist and I don't think it's close. I honestly would rather sign Dempster, Burnett, and another starter than sign Hamilton.

[DHonks]

Brewcrewdue80, I think you need to learn about stats. Edwin Jackson's numbers indicate he was a solid #2 since 2008.

[colbyjack]

Allow me to double the wish for Sean Burnett. I think he alone could go a long way to significantly improving the team's bullpen for a variety of reasons.

[chickinbrickin]

Sean Burnett is on the top of my offseason wishlist and I don't think it's close. I honestly would rather sign Dempster, Burnett, and another starter than sign Hamilton.

 

I'm with you here. I can't even remember the last time the Brewers had a good lefty in the pen. I also want nothing to do with Hamilton.

[TooLiveBrew]

That would probably be Shouse in '08

[brewcrewdue80]

Brewcrewdue80, I think you need to learn about stats. Edwin Jackson's numbers indicate he was a solid #2 since 2008.

 

Solid #2?

 

3.97era and a 1.3+Whip is your Solid #2? Since 2008.

If thats the case then the Brewers are more than set at Starting Pitching. All these Young Guns we have are a #3 at worst with Solid #2 to Low #1 potential!

 

To me a #2 is a guy who's going to have under 3.5era with a whip under 1.25 and a 7+k/9 and avg. better than 6innings per start.

 

3.97 is average 3 for me. 1.3+Whip is below avg #3. Jackson does make the 7+k/9 and 6+inn per start qualifications.

A #2 would also not have a career W/L record being .500

 

I said somewhere before he's a pitcher with #1/#2 stuff but his career ERA sits above 4. That equates to Avg or #3. The fact that he has #1/2 stuff and results to #3 stats is why I put him at a solid #4. That way you don't get destroyed emotionally with a #1/2 talent providing you with Average results.

[SRB]

In my ideal world I would make a push to bring Roy Oswalt to Milwaukee for 1-2 years, and add Koji Uehara (far and away best RP on the market, except for his age)