Minor league RHP Cy Sneed to Astros for SS Jonathan Villar

[JohnBriggs12]

Rogers and either Lind or another LH bat will share 1B.

 

if Lind is our opening day first baseman, I quit

 

Quit what? The market for Lind could be softer than you think. It might be better in July.

 

If the Brewers put out an opening day lineup of Lucroy catching, Villar at 3B, Segura at SS, Gennett at 2B, Lind at 1B. Davis in LF, Santana in CF, and Braun in RF, that's a lineup with 4 potential 25 HR bats, one of the best catchers in baseball, 3 potential 25 SB guys, and 4 guys 26 or under, and only one not under control through 2017 and they'd still have Arcia and Phillips knocking on the door. That lineup could and probably will be altered somewhat, but Stearn appears interested on being at least competitive if not contending while he builds. The only thing that would keep them from having a team capable of contending is lack of top of the rotation arms. Now if Nelson were to take that final step and be consistent and they splurged on a Jordan Zimmermann, and one or two young pitchers stepped forward, well that's a lot to ask admittedly.

 

I like that Stearn acquired a guy who'll be on the 2016 opening day roster. It shows he's focusing on the here and now and not dreaming entirely about 2020 and beyond like many of you on here.

[joepepsi]

Last year Segura walked 13 times in 584 plate appearances and Gennett walked 12 times in 391 plate appearances. I seem to recall a stat that at one point in the season Gennett swung at over 40% of pitches outside of the strike zone (IIRC it was highest on the team), and I'm sure it is very high for Segura as well. I don't think either Segura or Gennett is in Stearn's long-term plans.

And yet so far Stearns has continued Melvin's latest trend of acquiring as many free swinging, no power, no walk, low average Latinos as he can. I don't see how that strategy improves team oba.

[bjkrautk]

Last year Segura walked 13 times in 584 plate appearances and Gennett walked 12 times in 391 plate appearances. I seem to recall a stat that at one point in the season Gennett swung at over 40% of pitches outside of the strike zone (IIRC it was highest on the team), and I'm sure it is very high for Segura as well. I don't think either Segura or Gennett is in Stearn's long-term plans.

 

And the Brewers are probably going to win less than 80 games so I don't think it makes a difference if Villar plays 3B.

 

Scooter swung at pitches outside the strike zone about 44% of the time last season (depending on which source of plate discipline stats you look at). http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=10339&position=2B

 

Segura only swung at about 39% of pitches outside the zone.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5933&position=SS

 

While Villar swings at fewer balls (28% last season), he makes contact considerably (~10%) less than either Scooter or Segura when he does swing.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=10071&position=SS

 

I'd feel better about the trade-off between swinging and contact if Villar seemed to make "better" contact when he swings, but his LD% is sandwiched between Scooter on the high side and Segura on the lower side.

 

One thing that does stand out in comparison is that Villar sees about 10% more pitches per plate appearance than Segura and Gennett (crunching the career numbers...since I don't see those numbers calculated on Fangraphs directly). Whether that will change with a new coaching philosophy will be something to watch, since the previous regime did not exactly try to run up opposing pitch counts.

[StearnsFTW]

Got a potentially useful player for nothing.

 

Works for me.

[torts]

agreed. Cy was a handful of years out from the MLB, and we got yet another young MLB ready IF with control. back this move. wonder when Segura gets traded

[Mudville9]

The only thing I dislike about this trade is the fact that we have to give up 40 spot right before Rule V. Hopefully we DS can move a couple guys we don't need to protect/draft good players.

 

Overall I like the move as it is, but if we move Segura or Gennett and get something useful for them, then I will be very pleased with this one.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Last year Segura walked 13 times in 584 plate appearances and Gennett walked 12 times in 391 plate appearances. I seem to recall a stat that at one point in the season Gennett swung at over 40% of pitches outside of the strike zone (IIRC it was highest on the team), and I'm sure it is very high for Segura as well. I don't think either Segura or Gennett is in Stearn's long-term plans.

And yet so far Stearns has continued Melvin's latest trend of acquiring as many free swinging, no power, no walk, low average Latinos as he can. I don't see how that strategy improves team oba.

 

 

Villar walks at almost a 10% rate in his MLB service time (about a full season's worth of games). Same in the minors. He also has displayed decent power in the minors and his short time in the majors. He doesn't fit the offensive profile of Segura or Sardinas at all.

[patrickgpe]

The only thing I dislike about this trade is the fact that we have to give up 40 spot right before Rule V. Hopefully we DS can move a couple guys we don't need to protect/draft good players.

 

Overall I like the move as it is, but if we move Segura or Gennett and get something useful for them, then I will be very pleased with this one.

 

look at the list of guys the brewers need to protect, there isn't 6 names there, I'm sure Sterns knows who he wants to protect and if there was 6 names he had to protect, he wouldn't have made this trade.

[bill hAll Star]

Rogers and either Lind or another LH bat will share 1B.

 

if Lind is our opening day first baseman, I quit

 

Quit what? The market for Lind could be softer than you think. It might be better in July.

 

If the Brewers put out an opening day lineup of Lucroy catching, Villar at 3B, Segura at SS, Gennett at 2B, Lind at 1B. Davis in LF, Santana in CF, and Braun in RF, that's a lineup with 4 potential 25 HR bats, one of the best catchers in baseball, 3 potential 25 SB guys, and 4 guys 26 or under, and only one not under control through 2017 and they'd still have Arcia and Phillips knocking on the door. That lineup could and probably will be altered somewhat, but Stearn appears interested on being at least competitive if not contending while he builds. The only thing that would keep them from having a team capable of contending is lack of top of the rotation arms. Now if Nelson were to take that final step and be consistent and they splurged on a Jordan Zimmermann, and one or two young pitchers stepped forward, well that's a lot to ask admittedly.

 

I like that Stearn acquired a guy who'll be on the 2016 opening day roster. It shows he's focusing on the here and now and not dreaming entirely about 2020 and beyond like many of you on here.

 

I'm sorry but that team would not contend. Maybe in a weaker division...but not this one. The majority of that team is either not good or will be gone in a year. It would be pointless to keep Lind and pointless to "try to contend" this year.

 

I feel like we're getting into Milwaukee Bucks 2002-2013 discussions right now.

[brewerfan82]

I think the point isn't that it's a "contending" lineup, but rather that it's a lineup that's built with players at each position that serve a purpose in a rebuilding year, be that as a player (due to age or contract) that could still be around to help in a couple years, or a player that could be an attractive trade piece to another organization at some point. I think we all agree that players like Lind *should* be traded, but it doesn't have to happen immediately (although that would be my preference as well). Right now Stearns has a lot of negotiating options and doesn't *need* to deal any specific players or positions which helps with leverage.

[pacopete4]

Also, that lineup can contend. I'm sick of hearing how great the Cardinals and Cubs are. Do they look to be better on paper? Sure. But that means didly squat in baseball.

[Thurston Fluff]

One thing that does stand out in comparison is that Villar sees about 10% more pitches per plate appearance than Segura and Gennett (crunching the career numbers...since I don't see those numbers calculated on Fangraphs directly). Whether that will change with a new coaching philosophy will be something to watch, since the previous regime did not exactly try to run up opposing pitch counts.

 

I'm not so sure running up the pitch count for starters is as valuable now as it was in the past. Now days relievers are as good, sometimes better, than the starters are. They may not be able to go through a lineup as many times as the starter but can be better going through it the first time.

[bill hAll Star]

It would not contend. Even if the Brewers spent on Jordan Zimmermann, the Cubs are probably signing another big pitcher. That means the Cubs, Cards, and Pirates would all have probably 3 or 4 pitchers in their starting 5 that are better than what the Brewers offer in theirs. They'd have better bullpens, probably better defense, and I'd say better bats at 5-6 spots on the diamond. The only spots that they might not are Braun, Lind, Luc - and I'd venture to guess that 1 or 2 of those guys will get hurt or underwhelm.

 

Look at this year's playoff field with the exception of STL, Texas, maybe Toronto, and the Yankees. Every single one of them bottomed out for 2-3 years at some point and rebuilt their farm system. Houston and the Cubs were recently the worst teams in the league. The Royals and Pirates were a little bit longer ago. The teams that didn't just blow it up and rebuild have big payrolls or have made a deal with the devil (STL).

[pacopete4]

It would not contend. Even if the Brewers spent on Jordan Zimmermann, the Cubs are probably signing another big pitcher. That means the Cubs, Cards, and Pirates would all have probably 3 or 4 pitchers in their starting 5 that are better than what the Brewers offer in theirs. They'd have better bullpens, probably better defense, and I'd say better bats at 5-6 spots on the diamond. The only spots that they might not are Braun, Lind, Luc - and I'd venture to guess that 1 or 2 of those guys will get hurt or underwhelm.

 

http://cdn.meme.am/instances/400x/46323675.jpg

[markedman5]

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal 46m46 minutes ago

Lind could be next #Brewers player to go. “Lots of activity on him,” one source says. Appeals to AL clubs as DH; .883 OPS vs. RHPs in 2015.

[bill hAll Star]

It would not contend. Even if the Brewers spent on Jordan Zimmermann, the Cubs are probably signing another big pitcher. That means the Cubs, Cards, and Pirates would all have probably 3 or 4 pitchers in their starting 5 that are better than what the Brewers offer in theirs. They'd have better bullpens, probably better defense, and I'd say better bats at 5-6 spots on the diamond. The only spots that they might not are Braun, Lind, Luc - and I'd venture to guess that 1 or 2 of those guys will get hurt or underwhelm.

 

http://cdn.meme.am/instances/400x/46323675.jpg

 

Sorry, I'm not trying to get in a personal battle, but they need to be realistic (which I think the Brewers are). I'd slot the Brewers at 70-75 wins in an optimistic situation even with Jordan Zimmermann, which means I would not sign Jordan Zimmermann and I would trade off all of my players of value before they have less or no value.

 

Anyways, all a matter of opinion - but I think Stearns will continue playing for the future and only worrying about stopgap/buy low players like Villar for the current core.

[MrTPlush]

I don't want to make this any more off topic but...

 

Your logic to rationalize a way to compete next year sounds a lot like me when I play MLB The Show. In the end I am stuck with a horrible team that is old, expensive, too many major holes, usually depleted farm, and not good. I think the first year I won 84 games and proceeded to slip into the 90+ losses for half a decade.

[markedman5]

Buckle up guys....

Jeff Passan ‏@JeffPassan 50s51 seconds ago

Source: Seattle not done trading. Mariners nearing a deal with Milwaukee. Still trying to ferret out details, but it involves big leaguers.

[And That]

Stearns is doing his best Preller. Guns a' blazing.

[Boomer5]

Can he play first?

 

Interesting you say that.

 

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2015/11/brewers-mariners-trade.html

 

The Mariners and Brewers are nearing the completion of a trade, tweets Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. Passan notes that it remains unclear who is in the proposed swap, but Major Leaguers will change hands. On a perhaps related note, FOX’s Ken Rosenthal recently tweeted that there’s “lots of activity” on Adam Lind.

 

Edit: Sardinas is one piece to Seattle

[clancyphile]

Put it this way... Villar means Arcia's the Opening Day 2017 shortstop. We just bought a year of Arcia under Brewers' control.

[And That]

Arcia wasn't going to be the Brewers' opening day shortstop in 2016 regardless of who they traded, or who they will trade, for. They've said a number of times he still has things he needs to work on in the minors.

[Mass Haas]

Life as a Baseball Bride - Cy's wife checks in

[Mass Haas]

Cy Sneed Q&A on Astros' Fansided site

[3and2Fastball]

Villar went 3 for 4 with a Double & a Triple in the Caribbean Winter Leagues Semi-Finals game last night and led off tonight's game with a HR (game is being televised on MLB Network). Kid looks like the real deal