AUDIO: Jonathan Lucroy Telling It Like It Is

[Boomer5]

He could be bitter about the ripoff contract he signed. At the time though it wasn't that bad of a deal since he was barely up in the bigs and who would've thought he'd improve so much.

 

Thats a great point. He clearly reads and sees what a bargain he is. No players wants to be thought of as a bargain.

 

He is a heck of an asset now, time to move him for a serious package.

[reillymcshane]

I heard guy who wants to part of a winning organization. Milwaukee has struggled doing that, and he's not sure if they will be that kind of org in the future. It was honest and straight forward - in some ways I wish had been even more blunt.

 

I also think he knows that him being traded might be part of the solution. Nothing wrong about that.

 

My best hope is that management listens and understands there have to be big decisions made about this club and organization's future. I hope they see that players like Luc won't stay around if this team doesn't have a clear understanding of how it's going to build a consistent winner.

[And That]

2006: Jeremy Jeffress

2007: Matt LaPorta

2008: Brett Lawrie, Jake Odorizzi and Evan Frederickson

2009: Eric Arnett, Kentrail Davis, Kyle Heckathorn

2010: Dylan Covey

2011: Taylor Jungmann and Jed Bradley

Besides the fact that Lucroy never said that all of our first rounders since Braun have been busts, the only terrible first round the team had was in 2009. None of those three guys were reaches at the time, but something broke down in their development.

 

Jeffress hasn't reached his full potential, but he's a valuable contributor at the MLB level. Not a bust.

LaPorta was a bust to Cleveland, but worth a pretty decent chunk of CC Sabathia to the Brewers. CC Sabathia was not a bust.

Same story with Lawrie and Odorizzi. Both players had a direct impact on getting the Brewers deep into the 2011 postseason, in the form of Marcum and Grienke. And both players are not busts for their current organizations anyway. Odorizzi is one of the better young pitchers in the game. He's about as far away from being a bust as is possible. Frederickson was a terrible reach of a pick.

I don't think it's fair to fault the Brewers for what happened with Covey. I'm not shy about throwing stones at Nichols and Seid, but they had no way of knowing about his medical condition.

Jungmann is in our rotation - saying he is a bust is ridiculous. I still have hope for Bradley as well, though he'll probably be closer to where Jeffress ended up, as opposed to Odorizzi, if he makes it.

 

You have made it clear over and over again that you don't like Melvin - we get it. I'm just going to suggest that if you seriously think that Jake Odorizzi is a bust because Melvin was the GM when he was drafted, you might want to back away from the myopia.

[Patrick425]

It's ok Lucroy we don't want you to retire here. Actually the faster you are traded is the better. The Brewers don't want to sign him to an extension. It's only a matter of time before he is traded. Whether that is this year or next it is coming.

 

+1. Hopefully these comments go a long way towards encouraging a trade sooner than later. It leaves a black hole in the organization but if it brings back a possible future ace its worth it.

 

Yes, a possible future ace that many on this site will want the Brewers to trade when/if he hits his prime. We don't want any proven players, we want guys that may some day become proven players so that we might be able to someday trade them for more guys that someday may also become tradable.

[TheCrew07]

It's ok Lucroy we don't want you to retire here. Actually the faster you are traded is the better. The Brewers don't want to sign him to an extension. It's only a matter of time before he is traded. Whether that is this year or next it is coming.

 

+1. Hopefully these comments go a long way towards encouraging a trade sooner than later. It leaves a black hole in the organization but if it brings back a possible future ace its worth it.

 

Yes, a possible future ace that many on this site will want the Brewers to trade when/if he hits his prime. We don't want any proven players, we want guys that may some day become proven players so that we might be able to someday trade them for more guys that someday may also become tradable.

 

I'm sorry baseball has changed.

[MrTPlush]

It's ok Lucroy we don't want you to retire here. Actually the faster you are traded is the better. The Brewers don't want to sign him to an extension. It's only a matter of time before he is traded. Whether that is this year or next it is coming.

 

+1. Hopefully these comments go a long way towards encouraging a trade sooner than later. It leaves a black hole in the organization but if it brings back a possible future ace its worth it.

 

Yes, a possible future ace that many on this site will want the Brewers to trade when/if he hits his prime. We don't want any proven players, we want guys that may some day become proven players so that we might be able to someday trade them for more guys that someday may also become tradable.

 

Jonathan Lucroy won't be on the next competitive team. Unless of course you sip some of the kool aid going around and think they have a shot in 2017. This is something a team like the Brewers must do to stay relevant. If that "future ace" nears FA and the Brewers aren't contending I would expect the same thing.

[tmwiese55]

I agree that it's a no brainer to trade him and gomez. I'm fine if they don't before the deadline as both their values are a little low due to poor seasons. Hope they finish the year strong and get big hauls in the offseason. Even if Lucroy stays at C he's not ever going to hit like he did last year again and we just can't afford 15-20 mil a year as he declines, even if he stays at C.

[danzig6767]

Sounds like a man who is VERY aware of the trade rumors and wants out.

 

Right or not, you NEVER throw two of your team mates under the bus ever. Especially pitchers who throw to him..

He wasn't throwing anyone under the bus, he's simply frustrated. Listening to Lucroy, he just badly wants to win, but can clearly see that given the terrible record, trades likely will happen for prospects and thus some degree of rebuilding will take place, so he'd be very open to the thought of being traded to a contender vs staying on a team likely headed for a rebuilding phase. Hard to blame a competitive guy like him at all.

 

So whether it's at the deadline or in the offseason where a fair enough offer was presented, moving Lucroy would be in the best interest of the team and him. He's a valuable commodity though and shouldn't be moved in haste just to trade him, especially given his super team friendly contract. Any trade involving Lucroy needs to bring appropriate value in return.

[MrTPlush]

Nothing wrong with Lucroy being competitive and wanting to win. However, sitting down and complaining about not winning when he himself flopped like a rock in July/August last year and was a joke to start off this year is a bit low.

 

Nothing better than a guy who piles the excuses on everyone else but himself. A competitor doesn't care about record. He goes out every day to win and goes 110%. A guy like Carlos Gomez is a competitor. 0-161 and that guy would jump face first into a wall to make a play. Scooter Gennett is a competitor. He worked his tail off to make it back to the majors and succeed. A competitor would rally his team and not moan and whine on a radio show.

 

Jonathan Lucroy sure didn't look like a competitor when he was struggling to start the year. He just threw the bat out there and slowly jogged to first. Then his defense started to suffer. Just looked lazy behind the dish.

 

I guess it just turns me off when a guy likes to complain about everything else and seemingly act like he is not part of the problem.

[MNBrew]

In all fairness, he mentioned multiple times that those were pretty tough questions to answer. He wasn't looking to rant and it was obvious that, for a while, he was reluctant to answer at all. Bill Michaels pushed him with tough questions that aren't necessarily the most fair to ask a player. And when the going's tough, when they're in this deep of a hole, it's easy to see the glass as half-empty. However....

 

- One possibility no one's mentioned is the possibility that, especially with the seemingly forthcoming FO change, there's enough term left on his contract that there could be a different & well-justified outlook by the time he's at a point of deciding where he'll play on his next contract.

 

- I'd be a lot more comfortable with the prospect of dealing Lucroy IF we'd get max return (i.e., he were hitting like an All-Star again), if we knew there was no way he'd likely re-sign, and if there were anything resembling a viable, starting-caliber replacement at hand (no, Maldonado's proven way too well he's not that). But I don't see any of those things as anywhere near likely or imminent.

[The stache]

I'm just going to suggest that if you seriously think that Jake Odorizzi is a bust because Melvin was the GM when he was drafted, you might want to back away from the myopia.

 

Firstly, I did say that Odorizzi was showing some of the potential that was seen when he was drafted. Yes, I may have been a bit quick to include him and Lawrie. I've been cranky the last week (severe insomnia), and have had a bit of a short fuse. I apologize.

 

The fact that Melvin drafted any of these guys really doesn't shape my opinion at all. I look at their performance in the big leagues, and then look at who drafted them. Period. Daffy Duck could have drafted them for all I care. A successful player is a successful player. I wish that some of the first rounders Melvin had picked since Braun were helping us, but they're not. A half season in 2008 of Sabathia, and a run in 2011 in part because of Greinke and Marcum, is a long time ago in baseball terms. Maybe I am negative when it comes to Melvin. Why? Because I look at the here and now, and the future. It's fun to reminisce about what happened four years ago, but that's much like recalling a great dinner you once had. It doesn't fill you up in the here and now. And when you compare the talent on this team, and in the minors, to the other teams in our division--we're getting blown out of the water.

[Patrick425]

Jonathan Lucroy won't be on the next competitive team. Unless of course you sip some of the kool aid going around and think they have a shot in 2017. This is something a team like the Brewers must do to stay relevant. If that "future ace" nears FA and the Brewers aren't contending I would expect the same thing.

 

I completely understand that and agree. I'm actually all for trading Lucroy, Gomez, Lind, Braun, whoever. At this point, I think the Brewers should completely tear down and rebuild and will be disappointed if they don't make moves in that direction in the next 2 or 3 weeks. However, unlike many others on this board, I also believe that eventually you have to "go for it" once those acquired prospects start producing (hopefully!) on the MLB level and you are just a piece or two away from the playoffs. Instead, I always get the feeling from some that they would rather trade away those producing (once prospects) MLB players and continue to endlessly build the minor league system. It's as if they like players when they are prospects and would never trade them away, but then lose interest in them if and when they ever become producing MLB players.

 

When you are in a position to make a run for the playoffs (which, again, I agree that the Brewers are not anywhere close to being at this point), I'd rather have proven talent on my MLB roster than unproven talent in my minor league system.

[And That]

I wish that some of the first rounders Melvin had picked since Braun were helping us, but they're not.

Besides the aforementioned players that got us to the playoffs twice in four years, Jeremy Jeffress and Taylor Jungmann are both literally on the team. Right now.

[GAME05]

I can't help but think of jobs I've had where I decided I wanted to leave for whatever reason. Everyday stresses become unbearable burdens, and to some degree the job is a nightmare of your own creation. Here is Lucroy. All year the only time his name is written is with the word "trade" in front of it. The team is atrocious and he's most certainly gone at some point. I can't help but think that at least partially, he's finding reasons for himself to be happy he's off the team.

[clancyphile]

Perhaps bust is a bit strong for Lawrie. He's not lived up to lofty expectations that were projected, but he's not been bad.

 

He was great as a rookie, but has had trouble staying on the field since. We'll see. Maybe he's another late bloomer.

 

LaPorta and Lawrie arent' busts for the Brewers.

 

LaPorta brought Sabathia over, and that got the Brewers in the `08 playoffs. Lawrie brough Marcum who was a key contributor in the 2011 rotation.

 

Odorozzi helped bring Greinke for the 2011 season and part of 2012, and Greinke was eventually flipped for Segura, Hellweg, and another pitcher.

 

Yeah, the drafts have been rough. But Jungman's looking like a #2. Coulter's going to be a nice option at first or in left field. Roache looks like he's got some power. But some drafts have not worked out - and I recall a number of picks in rounds 3-10 have not worked out over the last decade or so. For the Brewers, they need to hit on those as much as they need to hit on first-round and second-round picks.

 

Look at 2008: Three second-round picks - and none made the majors. Cutter Dykstra is more famous as Jamie-Lynn Sigler's hubby.

 

In 2009, it's even worse: None of the picks in the first six rounds have been impact players. The best in that draft is Khris Davis, and he's been okay in left. Tyler Cravy and Mike Fiers will be the steals of that draft, though, but still, to miss on all the picks in the first six rounds has to hurt.

 

Now, 2010 is a different story, Nelson and Thornburg look like hits. Yadiel Rivera may also help, but beyond that... the first ten rounds look very bare.

 

In 2011, the Brewers already have a hit in Jungmann, who's looking like a #2 starter. Jorge Lopez looks like he is putting it together. Michael Reed looks like a younger version of Brady Clark: Good OBP, and a bit of doubles power (plus about 10-15 homers over a full season). Nick Ramirez looks like he can fill in at first base for a year or two until Clint Coulter comes up and either takes first base or moves Braun there. Goforth looks like he'll help in the pen. This draft could be one of the more productive ones since 2005. And Adam Weisenburger is probably our best catching prosepct in the system.

 

The 2012 draft... Coulter, Roache, and Tyler Wagner all look good. Tyrone Taylor may be able to replace Logan Schafer as a 5th outfielder. Brent Suter, though, looks like a huge steal (2.00 ERA at Biloxi screams steal). Still... kinda so-so.

 

The 2013 draft is looking pretty dry. Taylor Williams has been hurt this season. That said... Hobbs Johnson's looking like a 14th-round steal, but that's it.

 

2014's draft... well, Meideros looks good. Gatewood... I'm still not sold on. I had been high on McCall in the pre-season. but he's struggled this year. Harrison's in the same boat.

 

But it will take time.

[markedman5]

Luc wanted a lifetime extension. Brewers passed....https://mobile.twitter.com/adammccalvy

[MrTPlush]

Luc wanted a lifetime extension. Brewers passed....https://mobile.twitter.com/adammccalvy

 

Props to the Brewers not attempting to sign him to a bad contract.

[pacopete4]

Now we see why Lucroy sucked to start the year and why he whined to the press after a horrid start. Didn't get his money and now wants to be traded. Good riddance.

[dlk9s]

Now we see why Lucroy sucked to start the year and why he whined to the press after a horrid start. Didn't get his money and now wants to be traded. Good riddance.

http://i.imgur.com/RaTdtfq.gif

[torts]

Now we see why Lucroy sucked to start the year and why he whined to the press after a horrid start. Didn't get his money and now wants to be traded. Good riddance.

 

http://i0.wp.com/www.dailycal.org/assets/uploads/2013/10/haha-good-one-gif.gif

[Invader3K]

I don't blame the Brewers for not wanting to sign him to a long term extension, and I don't necessarily blame Lucroy for perhaps feeling miffed about it.

 

The Brewers aren't a franchise right now that should be locking up guys in their mid-peak years to long term deals. If Lucroy were four or five years younger, it would be a different story.

[Pugger]

He said Braun is the last first rounder to have a major impact on the Brewers. He didn't say they were all busts. He also said you have to go for it in 2008 and 2011, so he admits the value of those trades, just that it has depleted the farm system, especially with a few poor drafts in recent years.

 

I also took it more as Bill Michaels really putting him on the spot with his questions. Lucroy didn't sound comfortable answering, but ended up giving a pretty honest assessment of the Brewers organization.

 

I got this impression as well. Luc is preaching to the choir here - the Brewers are a small market team that can't afford to make a lot of mistakes in FA or the draft. When we do we have seasons such as this. He wants to win as do we all. I would have been disappointed if he wasn't with the way things have been going lately. Perhaps a new GM will change our fortunes.

[trwi7]

If they don't want to sign him long term (I agree with that decision) and we're not in a position where making the playoffs is a realistic possibility (we aren't) then he should be on the trade block.