Brewers acquire P Oliver Drake from Baltimore for PTBNL/cash

[newrivervalley]

Like the move. RPs are interchangeable and age is not a big factor.

[SandyTolan]

Hi Guys, new here! Read the forums years ago and recently got back into it. Grew up in Milwaukee a Brewers fan and recently moved back from Ohio and hopefully catch a bunch of games this summer. Love the Brewer discussions. Looks like Drake throws split finger fastball also which seems to be a trend with David Stearns acquisitions. Perhaps they see more value in that.

 

Who else throws a split outside of him and Guerra?

 

 

Way to welcome the newcomer, TPlush. Geez! Anyway - AshleyP, glad to see you here. It does seem that Stearns likes to mine splitter guys - we'll see what Drake has in store. Enjoy the forum. The discussions can get pretty spirited.

[trwi7]

Way to welcome the newcomer, TPlush.

 

So asking a legitimate question is somehow deemed offensive by some on here? Jesus.

[adambr2]

Yeah, I think he was just legitimately asking who the other new splitter guys were, not trying to be confrontational. Not a big deal. Welcome Ashley!

[FVBrewerFan]

Yea, I agree with the jist of what he's saying. But it's not splitters, it's sinkers that Stearns covets. He wants guys that can induce ground balls, which always makes sense, but even more so when half your games are in MP.

[adambr2]

Yea, I agree with the jist of what he's saying. But it's not splitters, it's sinkers that Stearns covets. He wants guys that can induce ground balls, which always makes sense, but even more so when half your games are in MP.

 

Makes you think he must really believe in Villar as a legitimate 2B, especially with the contract offer.

[And That]

I disagree that Stearns is specifically going after sinker ballers or pitchers who throw splitters. I think it is more to do with diversity on the pitching staff. You don't want 12 guys who throw 4-seam/slider/change. Think he's just casting a wide net in terms of what stuff might work at the big league level.

[StearnsFTW]

The Brewers just left Toronto, and now they have Drake.

 

I see what you did there, Stearns.

 

I'd much rather have this Drake than the other one.

[JohnBriggs12]

Considering we traded away all the good players on the team except for Braun and didn't bring up any young guys, I'm simply amazed at how good a shape the team is in right now. I don't really understand complaining about Stearns. He has done an amazing job with these little moves overall.

 

 

He hasn't messed with the rotation and lo and behold it's now being led be 3 guys in the prime of their careers. If Guerra comes back strong why can't this roster compete for a wild card? Then I wake up and there is another Braun to Dodgers report? That's what frustrates me. The system has largely been rebuilt. The lineup today isn't bad. No need to tank now. Even Joe Maddon mentioned that the Cubs have played 3 really good teams including the Brewers who he said were "vastly improved".

[pacopete4]

Considering we traded away all the good players on the team except for Braun and didn't bring up any young guys, I'm simply amazed at how good a shape the team is in right now. I don't really understand complaining about Stearns. He has done an amazing job with these little moves overall.

 

 

He hasn't messed with the rotation and lo and behold it's now being led be 3 guys in the prime of their careers. If Guerra comes back strong why can't this roster compete for a wild card? Then I wake up and there is another Braun to Dodgers report? That's what frustrates me. The system has largely been rebuilt. The lineup today isn't bad. No need to tank now. Even Joe Maddon mentioned that the Cubs have played 3 really good teams including the Brewers who he said were "vastly improved".

 

 

Still need TOR pitchers. While it's been nice to see the guys pitch well, it's been two starts. Plenty of time to crash n burn the rest of the way. I don't want to see Braun leave but Stearns might see this as an opportunity to take a crack at getting a TOR arm.

[trwi7]

He hasn't messed with the rotation and lo and behold it's now being led be 3 guys in the prime of their careers. If Guerra comes back strong why can't this roster compete for a wild card?

 

We have a .500 record with a .900 OPS from our catcher, almost 1.000 from 1B, almost .900 from Santana and a combined 1.46 ERA from Anderson, Peralta and Nelson. Do you honestly expect all of that (especially the pitching part) to continue?

 

I mean, I could see Santana keeping this up and Villar and Broxton are likely to improve on their numbers but Thames has a .500 BABIP, Aguilar is .615, Pina is .429. That just isn't going to continue.

 

Neither is the 100% strand rate of Anderson or the 94.3% strand rate of Nelson, the 100% strand rate of Feliz, the 85% strand rate of Hughes, the 100% strand rate of Barnes or the BABIPs below .235 for Nelson, Anderson, Knebel, Barnes, Hughes, Feliz and Torres

 

I mean, we're bottom 10 in strikeouts from our pitchers, 4th worst in walks allowed, second best in home runs allowed (who thinks that's going to last?)

 

And that has still only gotten us to a .500 record.

[adambr2]

Considering we traded away all the good players on the team except for Braun and didn't bring up any young guys, I'm simply amazed at how good a shape the team is in right now. I don't really understand complaining about Stearns. He has done an amazing job with these little moves overall.

 

 

He hasn't messed with the rotation and lo and behold it's now being led be 3 guys in the prime of their careers. If Guerra comes back strong why can't this roster compete for a wild card? Then I wake up and there is another Braun to Dodgers report? That's what frustrates me. The system has largely been rebuilt. The lineup today isn't bad. No need to tank now. Even Joe Maddon mentioned that the Cubs have played 3 really good teams including the Brewers who he said were "vastly improved".

 

You are pretty bullish on the foundation for being a guy who isn't really a Stearns fan.

 

I don't totally disagree with you. There's a lot of question marks that if they break right, this team could surprise. I don't see trading Braun as a tank move, though. More of a confidence in their outfield depth and using Braun to shore up other moves.

 

I'm sure the plan isn't Nieuwenhuis every day if they trade Braun. If they don't get Puig back, I could see Brinson up sooner than expected, even if it ends up making him a Super 2. Maybe Phillips or Cordell for a bit, then Brinson, would be a creative way to cover the gap without using too much service time on any. Or they could go with Thames in left and Aguilar at 1st in the meantime.

[adambr2]

He hasn't messed with the rotation and lo and behold it's now being led be 3 guys in the prime of their careers. If Guerra comes back strong why can't this roster compete for a wild card?

 

We have a .500 record with a .900 OPS from our catcher, almost 1.000 from 1B, almost .900 from Santana and a combined 1.46 ERA from Anderson, Peralta and Nelson. Do you honestly expect all of that (especially the pitching part) to continue?

 

I mean, I could see Santana keeping this up and Villar and Broxton are likely to improve on their numbers but Thames has a .500 BABIP, Aguilar is .615, Pina is .429. That just isn't going to continue.

 

Neither is the 100% strand rate of Anderson or the 94.3% strand rate of Nelson, the 100% strand rate of Feliz, the 85% strand rate of Hughes, the 100% strand rate of Barnes or the BABIPs below .235 for Nelson, Anderson, Knebel, Barnes, Hughes, Feliz and Torres

 

I mean, we're bottom 10 is strikeouts from our pitchers, 4th worst in walks allowed, second best in home runs allowed (who thinks that's going to last?)

 

And that has still only gotten us to a .500 record.

 

Peralta, Anderson, and Nelson will certainly regress some, but Davies should be much better than this and Guerra will obviously outperform Milone (although even he should be better than this). There's certainly guys on the roster with unsustainable BABIPs but there's plenty of offensive players (Villar, Broxton, Arcia, Perez, even Nieuwenhuis won't be THIS bad.)

 

I'm not sure what to expect from the pen, but I do think Knebel and Feliz can be legitimate late inning relievers.

[homer]

Considering we traded away all the good players on the team except for Braun and didn't bring up any young guys, I'm simply amazed at how good a shape the team is in right now. I don't really understand complaining about Stearns. He has done an amazing job with these little moves overall.

 

 

He hasn't messed with the rotation and lo and behold it's now being led be 3 guys in the prime of their careers. If Guerra comes back strong why can't this roster compete for a wild card? Then I wake up and there is another Braun to Dodgers report? That's what frustrates me.

 

When the Brewers are a game over .500 at the deadline and trade Braun, I look forward to your reaction.

[DHonks]

This guy seems like a steal. Older, but terrific minor league numbers. With any results, he can be flipped in 2018 for something

[jerichoholicninja]

Considering we traded away all the good players on the team except for Braun and didn't bring up any young guys, I'm simply amazed at how good a shape the team is in right now. I don't really understand complaining about Stearns. He has done an amazing job with these little moves overall.

 

 

He hasn't messed with the rotation and lo and behold it's now being led be 3 guys in the prime of their careers. If Guerra comes back strong why can't this roster compete for a wild card? Then I wake up and there is another Braun to Dodgers report? That's what frustrates me. The system has largely been rebuilt. The lineup today isn't bad. No need to tank now. Even Joe Maddon mentioned that the Cubs have played 3 really good teams including the Brewers who he said were "vastly improved".

 

Briggs must be a politician. He can spin anything to make himself sound right.

[dacbrewers]

This offseason they acquired a few minor league pitchers

 

RHP Blake Parker and RHP Steve Geltz off waivers, and signed RHP Luke Barker

 

http://milwaukee.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/12/22/hunting-for-great-splitters-1/

Getlz has been pretty good in his first 6 innings...pretty much unhittable with 9 ks.

[superfly]

Hard to argue with anything Stearns is doing when he's finding garbage like Broxton on the scrap heap. He's churning the mediocre talent in the hopes of catching a whopper. He's the anti Ted Thompson who almost never makes a move.

[BrewersSuperCollector]

Considering we traded away all the good players on the team except for Braun and didn't bring up any young guys, I'm simply amazed at how good a shape the team is in right now. I don't really understand complaining about Stearns. He has done an amazing job with these little moves overall.

 

 

He hasn't messed with the rotation and lo and behold it's now being led be 3 guys in the prime of their careers. If Guerra comes back strong why can't this roster compete for a wild card? Then I wake up and there is another Braun to Dodgers report? That's what frustrates me.

 

When the Brewers are a game over .500 at the deadline and trade Braun, I look forward to your reaction.

 

If Braun wants to be traded.... He'll be a 10/5 guy in May

[JohnBriggs12]

Considering we traded away all the good players on the team except for Braun and didn't bring up any young guys, I'm simply amazed at how good a shape the team is in right now. I don't really understand complaining about Stearns. He has done an amazing job with these little moves overall.

 

 

He hasn't messed with the rotation and lo and behold it's now being led be 3 guys in the prime of their careers. If Guerra comes back strong why can't this roster compete for a wild card? Then I wake up and there is another Braun to Dodgers report? That's what frustrates me. The system has largely been rebuilt. The lineup today isn't bad. No need to tank now. Even Joe Maddon mentioned that the Cubs have played 3 really good teams including the Brewers who he said were "vastly improved".

 

Briggs must be a politician. He can spin anything to make himself sound right.

 

I express my opinion and I've been a baseball fan for nearly 60 years. You are free to disagree at any time, but personal attacks should be off limits on here. I take a lot of them because I don't always follow the latest herd mentality thinking. But attacks aren't going to affect how I view the game and this franchise. Sorry if that upsets your sensibilities that someone has a different opinion.

[jerichoholicninja]

I express my opinion and I've been a baseball fan for nearly 60 years. You are free to disagree at any time, but personal attacks should be off limits on here. I take a lot of them because I don't always follow the latest herd mentality thinking. But attacks aren't going to affect how I view the game and this franchise. Sorry if that upsets your sensibilities that someone has a different opinion.

 

Not sure how what I said was an attack. As others have pointed out you say a lot of things. Calling for signing Thames was one of them. So far it's worked out and you made sure we all knew that you wanted to sign him last year. You're love of Khris Davis but hated of other players who have the exact same game as he does is baffling. Your cherry-picking of stats to prove whatever point you want is well known. If you want to feel attacked, then that's cool beans to me. I guess we have a difference of opinion there and my sensibilities feel perfectly fine about it.

[3and2Fastball]

yes I personally find the herd mentality of ganging up on JohnBriggs12 here distasteful. Disagree with him on opinions but leave the name calling out. Varying opinions are valued, to me, it gets me thinking, keeps my mind open to other points of view.

 

Moderators: if this post is off limits or too far off topic I apologize.

[Thurston Fluff]

Hard to argue with anything Stearns is doing when he's finding garbage like Broxton on the scrap heap. He's churning the mediocre talent in the hopes of catching a whopper. He's the anti Ted Thompson who almost never makes a move.

 

That's just not true about Thompson. He is always changing the bottom of the roster, especially the practice squad. I think stearns is pretty much exactly like Ted Thompson so far. He has used free agency judiciously by shopping the bargain basement isle and uses the bottom of the roster to cycle possible players through on a regular basis. He has not gone after players you have to pay a lot to because they are a recognized name like Lohse or Garza preferring instead to look for guys who are cheap with some potential like Guera or Thames. Most importantly I think they both have an eye for talent and are not afraid to trust their eye and make deals that others might not have seen. Thames to me is a perfect example of that. Setting aside the age factor- which to me is more about the differences in the systems in place in each sport than anything- he is the equivalent of all the NFL rookie free agents Ted is willing to give a roster spot to.

[LouisEly]

Briggs must be a politician. He can spin anything to make himself sound right.

While not the worst thing that was ever said, this, IMO, does cross the line. Not by much, but it does.

 

Disagree by citing statistics or objective evidence, but not by calling someone a "politician" and saying what they are doing is "spinning".

[homer]

It's one thing to have a different opinion. It's another to bring up the same different opinion in each and every thread. The Khris Davis trade is long gone. There is literally no value to playing what if games about it anymore. And if you feel you are getting ganged up on feel free to send a mod a note and we will look into it.

 

Having said that, there's no call for snark or condescension or whatever else you want to call it directed at another poster. Please stop that or we will start issuing warnings which could lead to a ban and given how the team is playing I think we all want to participate in the discussion throughout the season. Thanks.