Open for business (part 1)

[bill hAll Star]

I would absolutely take the Shelby Miller side in that Heyward deal, especially given what Heyward may command in a contract soon and the Miller control-ability.

 

That said, everything smells rosy right now with Miller...but I wonder if playing the Phillies, Marlins, and Reds all 2x has something to do with this honeymoon. He has a 3.30 FIP still and is only allowing 4.8 hits/9 as compared to 8 hits/9 with the Cards. Also only .5 HR/9. Either he's gotten the ball on the ground more and turned a career corner, or the numbers are going to jolt up soon.

[trwi7]

I would absolutely take the Shelby Miller side in that Heyward deal, especially given what Heyward may command in a contract soon and the Miller control-ability.

 

That said, everything smells rosy right now with Miller...but I wonder if playing the Phillies, Marlins, and Reds all 2x has something to do with this honeymoon. He has a 3.30 FIP still and is only allowing 4.8 hits/9 as compared to 8 hits/9 with the Cards. Also only .5 HR/9. Either he's gotten the ball on the ground more and turned a career corner, or the numbers are going to jolt up soon.

 

It should be obvious that he's not going to keep a 1.33 ERA all year but his strikeouts have stayed above 7 per 9, he's walking less people, his GB% is up 10% from his career average, his LD% is down 3% from his career average.

 

And it looks like he changed his style of pitching a little as well. He's now throwing his cutter 20% compared to 5% the past two years at the expense of his fastball and curveball which probably explains the increased ground ball rate.

[JohnBriggs12]

Was it my imagination or did Jonathon Broxton touch 98 in his last pitch last night? That's the Broxton from his closer days in LA. If he continues to do that, there will be scouts swarming to take another look even with a substantial salary for the rest of the year that will limit his market in terms of a return.

 

I think the most likely to be dealt (in order of most likely) of guys the Brewers will consider dealing in season are:

 

1. Lohse

 

2. K-Rod

 

3. Parra

 

4. Ramirez

 

5. Broxton

 

6. Garza

 

They should get something back for Lohse, Parra, and Ramirez, but K-Rod might be the most valuable in terms of a return. I would expect most of what they'll get for these guys are lower level prospects. Not the A list prospects but solid guys who have a chance.

 

I don't see anyone else being dealt in season and I don't see wholesale trading this winter. They will be open to deals for Gomez, Segura, and Lind but not Lucroy this winter but I still don't think they'll unload all three and they'll look for return here that is more developed (and perhaps already in the big leagues) than the lower level guys. They are going to have money to spend in FA too so it's going to be tempting to try and compete in 2016.

[Ennder]

I hope they have a plan before they trade anyone though. The talent you want to get back for someone like Lohse is much different if you are refueling for 2016 than if you are trading Lucroy and Gomez in the off season and rebuilding for 2017 and beyond.

[Boomer5]

Was it my imagination or did Jonathon Broxton touch 98 in his last pitch last night? That's the Broxton from his closer days in LA. If he continues to do that, there will be scouts swarming to take another look even with a substantial salary for the rest of the year that will limit his market in terms of a return.

 

I think the most likely to be dealt (in order of most likely) of guys the Brewers will consider dealing in season are:

 

1. Lohse

 

2. K-Rod

 

3. Parra

 

4. Ramirez

 

5. Broxton

 

6. Garza

.

 

This is a very reasonable list. Very rarely do teams trade that many players in season so our return will be just OK, and a massive package for Gomez or Luc also seems unlikely because they arent playing at their peak now and those deals are tough to put together.

 

It is terrible to say, but we need a rash of injuries if we want much of anything for that list though.

[monty57]

They are going to have money to spend in FA too so it's going to be tempting to try and compete in 2016.

 

I agree that the potential is there, but it sounds like they're actively shopping Garza, and they wouldn't do that if they were planning on piecing together another team to "compete" in 2016.

 

If they're going to rebuild, I wish they'd trade both Gomez and Lucroy, but I doubt Lucroy will be traded. As far as Gomez goes, he's probably going to be traded. Whether that's this season or the offseason will probably depend on the offers they get this year. With all of the other "chips" they have, it may make sense to package him with someone else. The other names you mentioned (Lohse, K-Rod, Parra, Ramirez, Broxton and Garza) may not bring back a ton on their own, but one could be a really good "sweetener" in a deal with Gomez to bring back several high-end prospects.

[logan82]

I have a feeling they will be looking for close to MLB talent for Gomez and Lucroy. AA or above.

[Roderick]

I think the most likely to be dealt (in order of most likely) of guys the Brewers will consider dealing in season are:

 

1. Lohse

2. K-Rod

3. Parra

4. Ramirez

5. Broxton

6. Garza

 

 

I would actually list Broxton as the #2 (Lohse #1) guy that will go this year. You know the Brewers will eat most of the contract (including the $2M buyout) just to unload, and teams usually could use one more bullpen guy.

 

So unless Broxton is soooo horrible that no team even wants him on the roster, even if they had to give up no one and are only going to pay him a trifle, he is gone. I say Broxton goes first, as KRod could still be the closer next year and KRod's buyout is bigger and it will not be so cleancut on what will be done with him for 2016.

[splitterpfj]

Briggs, the change I would make to your list would be to list the impending free agents first, because there are fewer obstacles to a deal, aka, we'd deal 'em, and the other team wouldn't have to destroy their farm system to get 'em.

 

Lohse

Parra

Broxton

Ramirez

 

Then I would say Gomez, only because I think there will be enough interest to get an offer that's hard to walk away from.

 

Garza makes sense, but he has to pitch better, and stay healthy for once. I think he's more attractive to teams in a year, when there's less guaranteed money hanging out there.

 

K-Rod, if he keeps pitching well, I would think that one could happen.

[LouisEly]

You're not going to see any trades in May or the first half of June unless a big payroll team (Yankees, Dodgers, Tigers, Cardinals, maybe Angels) suffers a season-ending injury. But the good news is, with the extra wild card team there could potentially be more buyers in July, pushing up the return. A couple of injuries in the bullpen or at 3B, and the return for Ramirez and Broxton could be more than you think.

[superfly]

So...about all those Brewerfan.net posters who endlessly harped on how Ryan Braun and Aramis Ramirez possess zero power at the plate anymore...........anybody out there?

[TheCrew07]

That might be your interpretation based on a couple of posters, but the majority opinion was hoping Braun could put up an OPS of .850 or better. Just because Ramirez hit another HR, doesn't make him a net + for the Brewers. His OPS coming into today's action was a paltry .712, which is good for a middle infielder, but by all means Aramis, go on a tear and maybe someone will want to pick you up for a playoff run and he can have 1 last shot a title.

[GAME05]

There probably isn't a gigantic hurry to trade Gomez or Lucroy. And DM has always said that you get more value for pitchers during the season and batters in the offseason.

 

If Lohse was going to be traded this early I was certain it would have been to St. Louis, despite the usual in-division rule. Though DM certainly knows his value, there's just nobody else out there trying to out-bid.

 

Neat to think of Milwaukee picking up veterans mostly for the sake of trading them later, but KC did that some years back and only ended up paying for injured or underperforming players who nobody wanted.

[TGOTJ]

I would think the Dodgers would be interested in starting pitching. I have no idea what the Brewers could get in return for Garza or Lohse, but L.A. is really looking for starting pitching depth.

[Thurston Fluff]

If Lohse was going to be traded this early I was certain it would have been to St. Louis, despite the usual in-division rule.

 

If I was Doug I would want to trade any guys on their last year of a contract in division. By doing that we take away some of the future of division opponents while building ours. Naturally that would be why our opponents wouldn't want to but all things being equal we should make/take in-division trades.

[brewcrewdue80]

I would think the Dodgers would be interested in starting pitching. I have no idea what the Brewers could get in return for Garza or Lohse, but L.A. is really looking for starting pitching depth.

 

Has to be part of their thought process now. Since Ryu is looking more and more like a surgery/end of season lost cause. As McCarthy was. The obvious fit is Lohse as a rental. I'd still be curious what Wily Peralta could bring back for his youth/30+ Starts/ing ways the Dodgers have lacked after #1/#2 in their rotation?

He's given up 8HRs on the season for a total of 12 or his 25runs allowed. 6 of the HRs at home with 10runs allowed. How many of those HRs are HRs in LA? LA's defense is also considered a major upgrade with Rollins/Kendrick and Pederson in CF.

 

Could Peralta be the SP to offer to nab Corey Seager? Because if it's Kyle Lohse in trade Does he get Milw much more back than a Zach Lee?

[bill hAll Star]

Could Peralta be the SP to offer to nab Corey Seager? Because if it's Kyle Lohse in trade Does he get Milw much more back than a Zach Lee?

 

Simply put: No.

 

To the initial idea: I'm thinking that the Dodgers could have a platoon system of Puig alone in RF when he's healthy, Ethier/Guerrero in LF, and Pederson/Van Slyke in CF. The only thing they're lacking is the elite defense that Gomez brings, but I'm not sure they're willing to give up Seager to acquire that.

[Warning Track Power]

Could Peralta be the SP to offer to nab Corey Seager? Because if it's Kyle Lohse in trade Does he get Milw much more back than a Zach Lee?

 

Simply put: No.

 

To the initial idea: I'm thinking that the Dodgers could have a platoon system of Puig alone in RF when he's healthy, Ethier/Guerrero in LF, and Pederson/Van Slyke in CF. The only thing they're lacking is the elite defense that Gomez brings, but I'm not sure they're willing to give up Seager to acquire that.

If I am the Brewers, I am asking the Dodgers for Scott Van Slyke and Alex Guerrero for Lohse, Garza and Parra. I don't see the Brewers getting much more than Van Slyke or Guerrero for any of those guys, prospects included. Penciling Lohse and Garza behind Kershaw, Greinke and Anderson gives the Dodgers a very solid rotation and Parra becomes the 4th OF behind Puig, Pederson, Crawford/Ethier.

 

While Guerrero and Van Slyke aren't world beaters, I would be comfortable with penciling them in at 3B and 1B while the team rebuilds through the draft and acquires elite prospects in other deals (Gomez) and average prospects in others (Lind, K-Rod/Broxton).

[brwrsfan]

If I'm the Brewers and we're truly going to try to rebuild for a couple of years. I'm not trading for any players that are just average guys that can be in MLB right now. I'm looking for prospects, even lower level ones. Getting average MLB talent is what got us in this problem in the first place IMO.

[bill hAll Star]

Both are 28 and Guerrero and has a good window to produce, so I wouldn't mind him, but in general, no thanks to Van Slyke and Guerrero.

 

Both bat right-handed (get some lefties in the system), both are 28 (and we're rebuilding). Guerrero only has "control" for 2 more years, while Van Slyke has 4 (but I don't care that much about his).

[Warning Track Power]

While I agree with both of your thoughts about acquiring prospects, I just don't know what value Lohse and Garza have currently. Would we rather take average MLBers such as Guerrero and Van Slyke or trade for the flawed prospects that Lohse and Garza would likely bring?

[bill hAll Star]

While I agree with both of your thoughts about acquiring prospects, I just don't know what value Lohse and Garza have currently. Would we rather take average MLBers such as Guerrero and Van Slyke or trade for the flawed prospects that Lohse and Garza would likely bring?

 

Probably...unless we plan to flip those guys later and think we can do better (we likely wouldn't).

 

Just take the flawed prospects because those guys will be relatively meaningless by the next time we are competing.

[nate82]

Lohse to the Royals makes more sense to me as the Royals need some starting pitching and Lohse will not cost them all that much in terms of prospects. Cheslor Cuthbert or Hunter Dozier would be an adequate return for Lohse. With Moustakas and Hosmer blocking both losing one will not hurt all that much.

[GAME05]

I'd love to think of the Brewers trading two or even three players at once in order to get a top-tier prospect, but it seems more realistic they'd go one at a time.

 

Aiming more for AA or even A+ guys in order to get better talent would really kill attendance. The known players leave with nobody exciting on the ML roster next season, either. Who would buy season tickets to see that?

[nate82]

I'd love to think of the Brewers trading two or even three players at once in order to get a top-tier prospect, but it seems more realistic they'd go one at a time.

 

Aiming more for AA or even A+ guys in order to get better talent would really kill attendance. The known players leave with nobody exciting on the ML roster next season, either. Who would buy season tickets to see that?

 

Sometimes you have to endure some pain before you experience some success.