Build your winning roster for 2015

[bensheeps]

LOVE the Cecchini idea! Young LH 3B is exactly what we should be looking for. Someone like Garin was in my plans for this thread so not sure if I'll steal your idea or keep looking for a similar player of my own.

[reillymcshane]

I've read that Boston is very interested in Sandoval. They are not totally sold on Cecchini because he's not likely to provide the power they desire from the position. And Cecchini did okay last year at AAA (.713 OPS) after putting ups a .915 OPS in 2013 between A+ and AA. After the struggles of several rookies in 2014 that Boston was counting on, the team is a little gun shy about giving a key spot to another rookie in 2015. Boston needs 3B to produce - and Sandoval would provide a much safer option.

This works in the Brewers favor since they are already getting above average offensive production from both CF and C.

Correct. And even if they added Sandoval, they have a lot of young guys such as Rusney Castillo, Betts and Bogaerts who have to prove they can produce over a full year. Cecchini's not a sure thing. I think he's a perfect kind of player for the Brewers to take a risk on, even if Boston isn't willing to roll the dice on him.

[BrewBalls]

Another out of the box idea is to sign Jozzen Cuesta. Based on his underwhelming showcase he should be relatively cheap (say 5 years/$18M) which would allow the Brewers time to develop him in the minors to start the season. You could use Clark/Carp platoon to start the season with the idea of promoting Cuesta at some point. Unfortunately there isn't much of a scouting report to go on at this point since he didn't impress at his workout and was Abreu's back up at the 2013 World Baseball Classic and saw minimal playing time. Because the Brewers don't have many top tier position players in their farm system, IMO they will need to take a risk or two to stay competitive going forward.

[superfly]

1) Please. Sign. One. Or. Two. Competent. Left. Handed. Bats.

 

2) Please. Teach. Fundamental. Hitting. To. Complement. Long. Balls.

 

3) Please. Stop. With. The. Stupid. Ignorant. Running. Errors. On. The. Basepaths.

 

 

How much does this cost? If it fits in the payroll we will be in the playoffs next season.

[nate82]

C - Lucroy (3.0)

C - Maldonado (1.0)

1B - Clark (0.5)

2B - Scooter (0.5)

SS - Segura (0.5)

3B - Freese (4.5)

LF - Davis (0.5)

CF - Bourn (13.5)

RF - Braun (14.5)

INF - Olt (0.5)

INF - Gomez (0.5)

OF - Schafer (0.5)

OF - Rios (2.5)

 

SP - Price (22.5), Garza (12.5), Lohse (11.0), Fiers (0.5), Peralta (0.5)

RP - Goforth (0.5), Jeffress (0.5), Smith (0.5), Thornburg (0.5), Henderson (0.5), Nelson (0.5), Kintzler (1.0)

 

Gomez to the Tigers for Price (this allows the Tigers to resign Scherzer and get a FA Closer).

 

Broxton, Magnifico, and Bradley to the Indians for Bourn (this saves the Indians about 4.5 in 2015 and allows them to dump Bourns contract) and Jesus Aguilar (1B).

 

Gallardo to the Angels for Freese and Alex Yarbrough (2B).

 

Jungmann to the Cubs for Olt.

 

Total cost is $93m. This then allows for some trades if the bullpen falters or to get a better 1B if Olt and Clark are inefficient.

[Bombers]

C - Lucroy (3.0)

C - Maldonado (1.0)

1B – Ryan Braun (14.5)

2B - Scooter (0.5)

SS - Segura (0.5)

3B – Aramis Ramirez (16)

LF - Davis (0.5)

CF - Gomez (8.0)

RF - Parra (6.0)

INF – Ramon Santiago (1.75) / Switch hitter and can play everywhere.

INF – Clark / Rodgers – whoever wins (.5)

OF – Grady Sizemore (1.0)

OF - none - I am only going with 4 OF with Braun playing 1st and Parra able to play CF.

 

SP - Garza (12.5), Lohse (11.0), Gallardo (13.0), Fiers (0.5), Peralta (0.5)

RP - Broxton (9.0), Jeffress (0.5), Smith (0.5), Thornburg (0.5), Henderson (0.5), Nelson (0.5), Neal Cotts (850k), Johnny Hellweg (.5)

 

That's a $103.6 million roster. With $84 million going to Braun, Ramirez, Gomez, 3 starting pitchers and our closer, you can expect a whole lot of a ~1 million deals for bounce back vets. (See Gorz, Duke, Reynolds, Overbay, etc) ... If you add in Parra's 6 million he is scheduled to make, we have a $90 million payroll with 8 players. That is crazy.

 

I would actually be pretty shocked if they went and got a 1B for a sizeable deal and didn't shred one of those contracts first. Which is why it is my gut feel that Ryan Braun will be your starting 1B in 2015. We don't have money for anything else and I don't want to try some reclamation project. (Doubt Doug does either with the garbage we have had there the last few years.) Doug will look at the pipeline, see no one is coming, and make a move to shore it up for years to come.

 

As for the pitching, Fiers is a shoe in for a starting spot. Nelson might be returned to Nashville and be our "6th starter." If that is the case, then insert another bounce back guy/candidate into his spot. Doug has no more money to spend. The good news is $55 million (Ramirez, Lohse, Gallardo, Broxton, Parra) expire at the end of 2015.

[BrewBalls]

C - Lucroy (3.0)

C - Maldonado (1.0)

1B – Ryan Braun (14.5)

2B - Scooter (0.5)

SS - Segura (0.5)

3B – Aramis Ramirez (16)

LF - Davis (0.5)

CF - Gomez (8.0)

RF - Parra (6.0)

INF – Ramon Santiago (1.75) / Switch hitter and can play everywhere.

INF – Clark / Rodgers – whoever wins (.5)

OF – Grady Sizemore (1.0)

OF - none - I am only going with 4 OF with Braun playing 1st and Parra able to play CF.

 

SP - Garza (12.5), Lohse (11.0), Gallardo (13.0), Fiers (0.5), Peralta (0.5)

RP - Broxton (9.0), Jeffress (0.5), Smith (0.5), Thornburg (0.5), Henderson (0.5), Nelson (0.5), Neal Cotts (850k), Johnny Hellweg (.5)

 

That's a $103.6 million roster. With $84 million going to Braun, Ramirez, Gomez, 3 starting pitchers and our closer, you can expect a whole lot of a ~1 million deals for bounce back vets. (See Gorz, Duke, Reynolds, Overbay, etc) ... If you add in Parra's 6 million he is scheduled to make, we have a $90 million payroll with 8 players. That is crazy.

 

I would actually be pretty shocked if they went and got a 1B for a sizeable deal and didn't shred one of those contracts first. Which is why it is my gut feel that Ryan Braun will be your starting 1B in 2015. We don't have money for anything else and I don't want to try some reclamation project. (Doubt Doug does either with the garbage we have had there the last few years.) Doug will look at the pipeline, see no one is coming, and make a move to shore it up for years to come.

 

As for the pitching, Fiers is a shoe in for a starting spot. Nelson might be returned to Nashville and be our "6th starter." If that is the case, then insert another bounce back guy/candidate into his spot. Doug has no more money to spend. The good news is $55 million (Ramirez, Lohse, Gallardo, Broxton, Parra) expire at the end of 2015.

 

I like the Ramon Santiago signing. He provides a solid bench option although I think Herrera provides them with a similar option while saving them $1M which could be used to add another bullpen arm.

[MNBrew]

C - Lucroy (3.0)

C - Maldonado (1.0)

1B - Clark (0.5)

2B - Scooter (0.5)

SS - Segura (0.5)

3B - Freese (4.5)

LF - Davis (0.5)

CF - Bourn (13.5)

RF - Braun (14.5)

INF - Olt (0.5)

INF - Gomez (0.5)

OF - Schafer (0.5)

OF - Rios (2.5)

 

SP - Price (22.5), Garza (12.5), Lohse (11.0), Fiers (0.5), Peralta (0.5)

RP - Goforth (0.5), Jeffress (0.5), Smith (0.5), Thornburg (0.5), Henderson (0.5), Nelson (0.5), Kintzler (1.0)

 

Gomez to the Tigers for Price (this allows the Tigers to resign Scherzer and get a FA Closer).

 

Broxton, Magnifico, and Bradley to the Indians for Bourn (this saves the Indians about 4.5 in 2015 and allows them to dump Bourns contract) and Jesus Aguilar (1B).

 

Gallardo to the Angels for Freese and Alex Yarbrough (2B).

 

Jungmann to the Cubs for Olt.

 

Total cost is $93m. This then allows for some trades if the bullpen falters or to get a better 1B if Olt and Clark are inefficient.

Not a bad set of ideas, but you lose me w/ trading our next-best-to-Nelson arm in the upper minors for a backup corner IF who hasn't proved successful at hitting MLB pitching yet -- basically a newer version of Mat Gamel.

 

A number of folks mention Hector Gomez as a backup IF. My roster would have Elian Herrera over him every day of the week. I was no Elian Herrera fan coming into the season, but the guy proved he can handle part-time duty, he can play all over the IF and OF, and though nothing special defensively he's surely not lousy -- and he actually can get hits with some regularity off the bench, which was a scarce attribute past Lyle Overbay in 2014.

 

I'd also prefer seeing Ramirez back but manning 1B over Braun. As I said in the Ramirez thread (transactions forum), he's a solid corner IF, which Braun never was, and Braun's solid in the OF, where the issue is Davis (arm and offensive consistency), which makes moving Braun seem quite illogical.... Also, the type of hitter Davis is (low walks & questionable eye or plate judgement) is what we seem to need less of overall, not more.... With Reynolds (now gone), Segura, & Gennett (who at least gets lots of hits), the dynamic of the offense that needs improvement is quite glaring!

 

Re: some of the first posts in the thread, Aoki is the type of bat we could use to improve on last year. The notion of Hart returning seems highly unlikely at best unless it's a make-good/NRI deal, and the $8M proposed would be fine if this were 2011 (in which case he'd be starting), but the guy was DFA'd by Seattle, downright stunk last year when he wasn't hurt, and wasn't offered as much as $6M last year by MIL, so $8M....???... He'd be lucky to see $1.5M next year if that.

[DHonks]

Should Davis really be a lock for starting in LF? I like him because he's cheap, but that's about it.

 

And to the poster that called Aoki and Hart re-treads....if they're bad players I'd get it. If they're good players, we should always want them back.

[superfly]

Should Davis really be a lock for starting in LF? I like him because he's cheap, but that's about it.

 

And to the poster that called Aoki and Hart re-treads....if they're bad players I'd get it. If they're good players, we should always want them back.

 

 

Davis just got done leading the team in home runs...in his 1st full season. We're paying him essentially nothing, so yes he should be a relative lock. His trajectory is still ascending, one of the FEW pieces we do have for the future.

 

Hart did nothing out in Seattle this season...his career is on the way down. Aoki has also reached his max potential, it will only decline (or remain the same for a bit) from here. The same could be said for Parra, he pretty much is what he is. However, he brings Gold-Glover defense to our team.

 

I don't really see much in Free Agency either as to players we could "buy on the upswing" or players in their prime.

 

1) Pablo Sandoval

2) Max Scherzer

3) Hisashi Iwakuma

4) Johnny Cueto

5) Melky Cabrera

 

Pretty much the only guys in this class where I can look at it and say we're really buying something of value. Something where we don't have to worry on a daily basis whether they will fall off a cliff or not. That being said, I don't foresee Mark A opening his wallet and making the RIGHT business decison (assuming we have to sign somebody).

 

Instead, we like to look at the guys on their last leg. LaRoche, Dunn, Cuddyer, Stephen Drew, etc. I would rather us not sign anyone and suck than take more of these retreads on. I guess as an organization I feel we need to decide we want to be big boys and go after REAL free agents, or if we are going to do the smart thing and start passing on these 35 year olds.

 

Guys like Khris Davis, Scooter, and Gomez to a lesser extent are incredibly valuable to our franchise, we need cheap talent to succeed in order to take the next step.

[MNBrew]

....Guys like Khris Davis, Scooter, and Gomez to a lesser extent are incredibly valuable to our franchise, we need cheap talent to succeed in order to take the next step.

I'd put Lucroy (quite significantly, a la Gomez) and Segura (esp. if he can regain some of his overall average 2013 form) in the same category, as well as Maldonado if you include bench/depth.

 

That's a very nice collective element on the roster. On the whole, they're probably not where the variables (problems?) lie. The greater key is who else is there beyond them -- that is, the combination of quality players/production & the dollars associated with those others once you get beyond the "good, young, talented, affordable" players.

[reillymcshane]

 

I don't really see much in Free Agency either as to players we could "buy on the upswing" or players in their prime.

 

1) Pablo Sandoval

2) Max Scherzer

3) Hisashi Iwakuma

4) Johnny Cueto

5) Melky Cabrera

 

Cueto and Iwakuma will not be a free agents this year. Their teams, Cincy and Seattle, hold have club options on them at reasonable rates ($10 million and $7 million respectively). Both options will be picked up.

[pacopete4]

TRANSACTIONS

1. Let go Aram for $4 mil

2. Trade Gallardo & Maldonado to BOSTON for Blake Swihart & Garin Cecchini

3. Trade Garza & Lohse to COLORADO for Jonathon Gray, Justin Morneau, Jordan Lyles

4. Sign Francisco Liriano: 3yr- $28mil

5. Sign Joe Thatcher: 2yr- $4.5mil

6. Sign Emilio Bonifacio: 2yr- $5mil

7. Possibly sign a RHP for the pen if there is a good one at a reasonable cost.

 

 

LINEUP vs. RHP

1. (L)-Scooter Gennett- 2B ($.5mil)

2. ®-Jonathon Lucroy- C ($3mil)

3. ®-Ryan Braun- RF ($19mil)

4. (L)- Justin Morneau- 1B ($7mil)

5. ®- Carlos Gomez- CF ($8mil)

6. ®-Khris Davis/Geraldo Parra- LF ($.5mil)

7. (L)-Garin Cecchini- 3B ($.5mil)

8. ®-Jean Segura- SS ($.5mil)

9. PITCHERS SPOT

 

LINEUP vs. LHP

1. (L)-Scotter Gennett/(S)-Emilio Bonifacio- 2B

2. ®-Jonathon Lucroy- C

3. ®-Ryan Braun- RF

4. (L)-Justin Morneau- 1B

5. ®-Carlos Gomez- CF

6. ®-Khris Davis- LF

7. ®-Jason Rogers- 3B

8. ®-Jean Segura- SS

9. PITCHERS SPOT

 

 

BENCH: 1B/3B- Jason Rogers($.5mil), OF- Geraldo Parra($6mil), C- Blake Swihart($.5mil), 2B/SS/CF- Emilio Bonifacio($2.5mil), 1B/OF- Matt Clark($.5mil)

 

SP’s

1. Peralta ($.5mil)

2. Liriano (L) ($9mil)

3. Fiers ($.5mil)

4. Jordan Lyles (L) ($.5mil)

5. Nelson ($.5mil)

6. Thornburg ($.5mil)

7. (Jonathon Gray if he develops) ($.5mil)

 

RP’s

1. CL- Broxton ($9mil)

2. SU- Smith (L) ($.5mil)

3. SU-Jefress ($.5mil)

4. Henderson ($.5mil)

5. Estrada ($2mil) ($.5mil)

6. Joe Thatcher (L) ($2.25mil)

7. Kintzler ($.5mil)

 

Might be fantasy land but I have found us a switch hitting catcher of the future for when Lucroy moves on to 1B or 3B, two decent 3B prospects to play in 2015, keep Segura until Arcia is ready, keep Gomez at a really cheap rate until Taylor is ready, add one of the best SP prospects and all for $75 million buckaroos (+ $4million for Aramis)

[reillymcshane]

TRANSACTIONS

2. Trade Gallardo & Maldonado to BOSTON for Blake Swihart & Garin Cecchini

3. Trade Garza & Lohse to COLORADO for Jonathon Gray, Justin Morneau, Jordan Lyles

Swihart and Cecchini for Gallardo and Maldonado is a dream. Swihart is a top 20-30 type prospect. Boston wouldn't part with him for a backup catcher and one year of a middle rotation starter. Swihart was ranked by BA #14 in their mid season rating, and #24 by mlb.com. Cecchini for Gallardo? That's more realistic, especially if Boston signs a 3B like Sandoval.

 

Same thing goes for Gray. He's a top 10 caliber guy. There's just no way they give up a guy with top-of-the-rotation potential (with six years of control and at a good price) for two mid tier (and pretty expensive) players.

 

I guess you can ask for those players, but it isn't going to happen.

 

Honestly, I'm all for dealing guys like Gallardo and Lohse for younger prospects. I just don't see a huge return. Few teams are giving up high ceiling prospects unless it's for premium players. Lucroy and Gomez would probably by the only two Brewers who could fetch high level prospects.

[TheCrew07]

Why do we have to get MLB ready players? I'd go down to A ball to get superior physical talent in the hopes that they develop.

[reillymcshane]

Why do we have to get MLB ready players? I'd go down to A ball to get superior physical talent in the hopes that they develop.

Totally agree. However, it's probably more hit or miss with lower level guys, which likely scares GMs. They want talent now at the ML level, and they want as sure of a thing as possible. The lower the player is, the more likely you are to strike out (but also more likely to hit on something special). But I want upside in our players at this time. It's easier to get it at lower levels - but again, more risky.

[nate82]

Why do we have to get MLB ready players? I'd go down to A ball to get superior physical talent in the hopes that they develop.

 

Build your winning roster for 2015

 

Unless those A ball players are playing in the Majors in 2015 I don't see how that would be relevant to the topic at hand. It would be relevant if the topic was Build your winning roster for the future but I don't see how getting A ball talent even if they are really good would help in winning in 2015 which is what the topic is about.

[SoupTown]

I love this thread. My thinking is 2014 should be a carbon copy of 2014 (except for the collapse). Then in 2015 the team is blown up as much as possible and gone young. So, if you dont mind, I will do 2015 and 2016 (my 2016 jettisons 14 (Aram), 11 (Lohse), 13 (Gallardo) and 8 (Gomez) = 46 mill of salary, so you can watch Taylor, Arcia, Coulter, and a new third baseman in the field and Nelson and Smith in the rotation and in the bullpen a couple of new arms who excel in the minors in 2015)

 

2015 salary for me then is very similar to 2014... 2015 you are going for it the same as 2014

2016 salary may be only 70 mill (but you really hype the team as home grown and see if Milwaukee will embrace as the spring board to 2017 (I am trying to extend Garza in 2017 and desperately trying to end up with a great bullpen in 2017... 2017 will be year one of the new three year window... you have bit of money for a splash signing in 2017)

 

ROSTER - Fill in player and salary

 

C - Lucroy (3.0).... stay for 2016

C - Maldy, obviously.... stay for 2016

1B - Clark / Rogers platoonish... stay for 2016 or Braun to 1st in 2016

2B - Scooter (0.5)... stay for 2016

SS - Segura (0.5)... stay for 2016, but Arcia takes over half way

3B - ARAM... gone for 2016... trade Gomez for a young 3rd baseman

LF - Davis (0.5)... stay for 2016

CF - Gomez (8.0)... gone in 2016 for 3rd baseman... Parra starts CF, Taylor half way

RF - Braun (14.5 includes prorated $2.5 million bonus he's due in April)... stay for 2016... maybe 1st base... then Coulter in right field

INF - the other half of Rogers/Clark

INF - whoever Doug signs go quality and do a two year - with club option

OF - Parra (I sign to a two year deal - with club option)

OF - No Eye Deer

 

SP - Garza (12.5), Lohse (11.0), Gallardo (13 mill), Fiers (0.5), Peralta (0.5)

RP - Broxton (9.0), Jeffress (0.5), Smith (0.5), Thornburg (0.5), Henderson (0.5), Nelson 0.5 mill, Kintzler

 

SP For 2016, Lohse and Gallardo gone... Nelson and Smith into the rotation

RP (I think there is a Broxton option, so I think you excersise)... you get two Crew minor leaguers to fill Nelson and Smith

[BrewBalls]

Thoughts on trading for Swisher? He will be 34 next season, is owed $30M over the next two years and is coming off a down year. The Indians could be looking to move either Bourn or Swisher to clear payroll and willing to take on some of his remaining salary, say $6M. We could send back Parra who can play RF giving them a solid defensive outfield (Brantley, Bourn, Parra) to roam spacious Progressive Field. Swisher is a switch hitter with almost even career splits (LH: .829 OPS/RH: .795 OPS). A move to a more hitter friendly ballpark might be enough to increase his offensive production while his defense would be considered average.

[reillymcshane]

Thoughts on trading for Swisher? He will be 34 next season, is owed $30M over the next two years and is coming off a down year. The Indians could be looking to move either Bourn or Swisher to clear payroll and willing to take on some of his remaining salary, say $6M. We could send back Parra who can play RF giving them a solid defensive outfield (Brantley, Bourn, Parra) to roam spacious Progressive Field. Swisher is a switch hitter with almost even career splits (LH: .829 OPS/RH: .795 OPS). A move to a more hitter friendly ballpark might be enough to increase his offensive production while his defense would be considered average.

I wouldn't take him unless I got a lot more than $6M back. That still makes him a $12 milllion a year player - which he isn't close to being.

 

I would be interested as to what people say about his play in 2014. He was wasn't just 'down' last season - he was awful. One of the worst players in the league - fangraphs has him at -1.6 WAR - 5th worst in the league amongst over 700 hitters. Was he hurt? Has he just lost it? His skillset - walks and power - often fades pretty quickly. The team would have to feel confident he could rebound before adding him.

[BrewBalls]

Thoughts on trading for Swisher? He will be 34 next season, is owed $30M over the next two years and is coming off a down year. The Indians could be looking to move either Bourn or Swisher to clear payroll and willing to take on some of his remaining salary, say $6M. We could send back Parra who can play RF giving them a solid defensive outfield (Brantley, Bourn, Parra) to roam spacious Progressive Field. Swisher is a switch hitter with almost even career splits (LH: .829 OPS/RH: .795 OPS). A move to a more hitter friendly ballpark might be enough to increase his offensive production while his defense would be considered average.

I wouldn't take him unless I got a lot more than $6M back. That still makes him a $12 milllion a year player - which he isn't close to being.

 

I would be interested as to what people say about his play in 2014. He was wasn't just 'down' last season - he was awful. One of the worst players in the league - fangraphs has him at -1.6 WAR - 5th worst in the league amongst over 700 hitters. Was he hurt? Has he just lost it? His skillset - walks and power - often fades pretty quickly. The team would have to feel confident he could rebound before adding him.

It appears Swisher had been dealing with knee problems all season and was finally shut down in August. He could rebound next season once he is fully healed or be Corey Hart 2.0. Knowing this the Indians would likely need to throw in more than the $6M I originally suggested. Maybe the Brewers bite if the Indians cover around half ($14-15M) of the remaining monies owed.

 

http://www.sportsinjuryalert.com/2014/08/indians-injury-update-nick-swisher-to.html#.VEfsdvldWPZ

[pacopete4]

Sign Nyjer Morgan to take Schaffer's role... have a little fun next season!

[SRB]

After the Lind trade, meaning Braun will be staying in RF, does this mean Parra is an almost certain non-tender? I like him a lot, but he's going to be too pricey ($6M+) for a fourth OF.

[IndyCrew]

I don't think any farmhands or NRI guys are going to come close to giving us what Parra can. I think he's worth it.

[superfly]

After the Lind trade, meaning Braun will be staying in RF, does this mean Parra is an almost certain non-tender? I like him a lot, but he's going to be too pricey ($6M+) for a fourth OF.

 

What price should we put on keeping Braun and Gomez as healthy as possible? (Plus having adequate coverage for the inevitable DL stint). I think it's worth 6 million to fend off injury issues at 3 OF spots.