What are you looking forward to the most with this team in 2016?

[RobDeer 45]

It's looking like it will be a tough year for the Brewers, but of course you never know. I'm curious what people are excited about seeing/hoping to see from this team in 2016.

[ewitkows]

The minor league teams. Also if this team can find a 3B out of the 10 guys they have.

[patrickgpe]

This season you need to focus on individual performances rather than wins or loses. Therefore if Jimmy Nelson gives up 1 run over 7 innings and the brewers lose 1-0; i'd leave Miller Park happy.

 

To answer the question, I am most looking forward to see what in season trades are made and what prospects are coming up. I think I will be following the sky sox and shuckers closer than I would normally.

[fondybrewfan]

Honestly, definitely the minor leagues. There will be a ton of interesting players and teams to watch. The Link Reports might be the most viewed threads this year.

 

That being said I will be most interested in the rotation next year. Its kind of a make or break year for Peralta and if we could get one of Jungmann, Davies, or Nelson to turn into a 1/2 type of pitcher that could move our competing time frame up. Not going to say it will happen but that is what I am interested in and hoping for.

 

And of course the trade deadline will also likely be very important for the Crew, hopefully they have some trading pieces having really good years.

[pacopete4]

The pitching. It won't matter at all if we ever get a 3B or 1B if we don't find cheap, controllable pitching. I'll be looking to see if any of these guys, who are pretty talented, can take the big step into being #1 or #2 type pitchers. We need 2-3 of them out of this group to figure it out.

[RobDeer 45]

Patrickgpe - that's a great way to put it. Looking for good individual performances. I too want to see who is going to take a step forward and who is taking a step backwards. I'm also interested to see how players react if the team is playing terrible. This is a time on a team that true leaders rise up. I can't wait to see who that will be. I've never paid much attention to the minor leagues (box scores, etc) but I think you are right Fondy, I think that will be visited a ton.

 

MLB trade rumors will be visited a lot by me as well! I hope we can continue to get prospects that will be ready in a few years and hopefully build something special.

[djoctagone]

i'm looking forward to the base stealing. with a drastic reduction in power, i'm expecting the guys to be off and running. a lot of the new guys have a pretty good success rate with swipes.

[ewitkows]

I don't think we have to have a #1 pitcher to make the post season/WS. Looks at KC they won with good but not great SP and great def and smart base running. The Mets made it to the ws but couldn't hit and the dodgers with 2 #1 couldn't win the pennant. If we can get better def out of 1b/3b and hopefully SS our starting pitching will improve

[JohnBriggs12]

i'm looking forward to the base stealing. with a drastic reduction in power, i'm expecting the guys to be off and running. a lot of the new guys have a pretty good success rate with swipes.

 

I don't have confidence in this team's ability but have to question you about a "drastic reduction in power"? They have two guys, albeit flawed, who are capable of competing for HR title in Davis and Carter, and Braun is still a good bet for 25-30 too. If you like Broxton (I don't...see Junior Lake), one thing he does possess is some pop. He might hit .215 and strike out 175 times but if he plays everyday, he'll hit 15-18 most likely. If Nieuwenhuis wins the job, he's capable of 12-15. There's others capable of double digit HR totals with enough AB's too. Gennett will give you 8-10 as would Villar if he plays regularly. If as I'm hoping they realize Hernan Perez belongs at 3rd, I think he's capable of 10-12 too.

[JohnBriggs12]

Staying as positive as I can, I'm looking forward to seeing if Nelson or another starter can take a step forward to a true number 1. I'm also looking forward to see if Davies is the guy we saw in September over a full season. Offensively I'm looking forward to a big rebound year for Gennett and watching if Davis or Carter or both can win the NL HR title.

 

Deep down, I'm pulling for them to exceed all expectations and throw a wrench into all this rebuild talk. Nothing would make me happier. Not expecting it to happen as most of their moves and lack of moves seemed designed to insure at least 95 losses, but I'm ever the eternal optimist. Along those lines I'm hoping we see Arcia by June and he explodes.

[yfinn6]

This season you need to focus on individual performances rather than wins or loses. Therefore if Jimmy Nelson gives up 1 run over 7 innings and the brewers lose 1-0; i'd leave Miller Park happy.

 

To answer the question, I am most looking forward to see what in season trades are made and what prospects are coming up. I think I will be following the sky sox and shuckers closer than I would normally.

 

I agree with this. Individual performances and looking to get full seasons out of our younger starters and see some improvement and/or consistency so we know what we have going forward.

 

Following the minor leagues will be fun, as it as this year once the MLB decided not to show up in April.

[Jenkins5]

This season you need to focus on individual performances rather than wins or loses. Therefore if Jimmy Nelson gives up 1 run over 7 innings and the brewers lose 1-0; i'd leave Miller Park happy.

 

To answer the question, I am most looking forward to see what in season trades are made and what prospects are coming up. I think I will be following the sky sox and shuckers closer than I would normally.

 

They really need to call Ben Sheets to talk to Jimmy as to how to deal with knowing if you give up 1 run in a game, your chances of winning are out the window. I give all the credit in the world to Sheets, that was his life most of his career.

 

I am looking forward to seeing what young guys do with an opportunity. I want to see if some of these once good prospects now cast aways can regain form. I want to see if Santana is part of the future, is he the Corey Hart player I had been selling him as. I want to see Lopez & Hader get a look this season. I want Phillips & Arcia to make a debut.

 

Most of all I want to make moves to make room for our young players to get opportunities and deepen our farm system. We are building for the future. He need to get guys on the field and bring in more talent.

[ewitkows]

Anyone know where you can look up unearned runs by team? I'm curious to know where we ranked the last couple of years

[Thurston Fluff]

The advantage of being a die hard fan is the interest level remains the same. It's just what part I'm interested that changes. Overall there is little I am not looking forward to other than a lot of losses. In years where the team is competitive story lines about reclamation projects, finding diamonds in the rough or how certain player's production will effect their trade value aren't very interesting to me. This season those are the things I am most interested in. In a weird way I enjoy this part of the cycle as much as the winning part. Less stress over the team losing yet something to follow all season long. That said I'd like to have the winning part of the cycle be longer than it was last time around.

[And That]

Being pleasantly surprised by wins.

[Outlander]

Probably Braun and if he can continue to play well and put the thumb issue behind him. September callups.

[jerichoholicninja]

Less stupidity on the base paths. With Gomez gone and Counsell having a full spring with the team I think we'll see less aggressiveness and certainly less runners from 3rd being thrown out at the plate on ground balls. At least I hope so.

[MadScientist]

It to be over with. It's depressing going into a season knowing they don't have a chance.

 

There are a few questions that hopefully will be answered:

1) Craig Counsell - Now he has his people in place, so how will the Brewers respond to him? How much fight will he get out of them in this lost season? How will slumps be managed / broken? Will players develop under his coaches? How idiotically will he manage the staff (because every manager idiotically manages the staff/bullpen, so sayeth fans everywhere).

 

2) What will the time frame of the rebuild be? Are young players stepping up at the major leagues and upper minors, or is it looking like a bunch of mediocrity?

 

3) Are any stars emerging at any level?

 

4) Is the pipeline looking like it will sustain a long run of competitive baseball?

[bill hAll Star]

For me, I will not be watching a ton of minor league games, but I will monitor the numbers/development of many of those players.

 

On the MLB roster, everyone has an intriguing 1-year story. I don't see any superstars or multiple-time All-Stars currently (not counting Luc/Braun being that in the past) in the young group, but many possible high-level starters or future role players.

 

Can they bring back/keep their trade value (and then be traded)? Braun, Garza, Lucroy, Smith, Davis, Segura, Carter, Peralta

 

Can we squeeze a good starter/role player out of them? Cecchini, Villar, Santana, Broxton, Walsh, Thornburg, Knebel, Jungmann, Davies

 

The only players that don't fit into this bucket are Scooter and Nelson. Nelson could be a little bit more than a decent starter/role player, though I doubt he'll ever be an ace. Scooter is a known commodity that I feel for some reason will probably never get dealt.

 

We'll probably be surprised by one player in our buy low category that turns into a really good player.

 

We'll be on All-Star/Superstar watch once guys like Lopez, Arcia, Phillips, etc. start coming up late in the year, but more likely 2017 we'll start to see them actually flash some brilliance.

[reillymcshane]

Several people have said this, but for me, it's watching the young players, seeing how they develop, seeing who improves, and recognizing who's going to be part of our next winning club.

 

I want to see as many wins as possible, but I'm realistic in that I don't see us having a chance at having a winning team.

[FVBrewerFan]

Less stupidity on the base paths. With Gomez gone and Counsell having a full spring with the team I think we'll see less aggressiveness and certainly less runners from 3rd being thrown out at the plate on ground balls. At least I hope so.

 

I think this is something Stearns will be directly involved in, along with when to sac bunt. We won't ever read or hear about it, CC will present it as his idea if a game situation is brought up in the press conf after a game. But I guarantee Stearns will not allow a trend to develop of giving up outs at the plate and on the basepaths.

 

Beyond following the minors, I am looking forward to watching them play the "right" way. Take walks when you can. Don't get hung up and thrown out between bases. Make the right pitch when you have someone 1-2. All those little things need to get better, and become part of their DNA moving forward.

 

I'm also looking forward to more wins than they "should" have. I do think it's important for the development of young players to be on a team that can at least compete.

[craigharmann]

Orlando. Arcia.

[bylo tesi me]

I looking forward to watching Jimmy Nelson pitch 200 IN, going 14-10 on a bad team with a 1.93 ERA and winning the Cy Young. Carter making himself comfortable in Miller Park with 35 HR, Including a couple awesome rafter-scraping moon shots, and the young players taking their first steps in what will be the Brewers future 5 time World Championship dynasty.

[homer]

I'm looking forward to progression from the young guys and to see what kind of haul we get via trades.

[Jenkins5]

Colin Walsh, Garin Cecchini, Will Middlebrook, Johnathon Villar, Domingo Santana, Keon Broxton, Kirk Nieuwenhuis, Zack Davies, Taylor Jungmann, Jimmy Nelson, Michael Reed, Orlando Arcia, Brett Phillips, Josh Hader, Jorge Lopez, Adrian Houser, Yhonathon Barrios, Damon Magnifico, Yadiel Rivera, Zack Jones, Corey Knuebel, David Goforth, Ariel Pena, Tyler Thornburg

 

Think everyone catches my drift.....play, develop, and see who can play