Is Stearns the early favorite for GM of the year?

[adambr2]

First off -- I know, no one is winning any annual awards in April. Lots of things can still happen. But this is a message board, and it's a topic of discussion, so I think if you look around the league and see what moves are shining the brightest right now, Stearns is your guy.

 

Thames alone is looking like someone who could net the award for Stearns. He won't continue his torrid pace, but I think it's already obvious he represents an upgrade from Carter, while even costing less. A move that was questioned around baseball is now looking like the obvious right call.

 

Shaw looks like a perfect fit here, and looks like a guy who may have been improperly valued in Boston. His lefty power bat is a great complement to a righty heavy lineup and plays very well at Miller Park. Thornburg is missed, but if Shaw turns into a 2.5-3 WAR or better 3rd baseman, it's obviously the right call for a reliever, without even considering what Dubon or Pennington turn into.

 

Don't forget about Bandy, who was acquired for Martin Maldonado and a AAA filler arm. Is Bandy going to fall off some? Of course he is, but the fact that it looks like we have a very solid catching duo going forward, both acquired for virtually nothing, is remarkable. If you had told me after Lucroy was traded last year that he wouldn't be missed much this year, I would have thought that was crazy. But so far, it's true - He just hasn't been.

 

Also, consider the cost value of Stearns' moves. Look at every guy I just referenced -- Shaw, Thames, Bandy, Pina...throw in Villar, Broxton, Guerra, all Stearns' guys. Add them all up. You still aren't even at $10M in annual salary combined. That's remarkable. Teams pay 8 figures a year in free agency to get a player that can give them average production. These guys were acquired for, in most cases, peanuts.

 

Finally, sometimes the best moves are the moves you don't make. While it was obvious that we were motivated to move Braun, and many, including myself, wanted to see something done while the opportunity was there to sell high, Stearns held his ground, set his price, and didn't deviate from it despite the temptation to move on it now. So far, that move, or lack thereof, is paying off. It still remains to be seen if Braun is moved, but everything that has happened so far this year, both with Braun and with the team, has given Stearns more leverage to dig in his heels to say, 'Meet our price, or forget about it.'

 

Before someone mentions Khris Davis or Jacob Nottinghamm, let me state the obvious -- no GM is going to hit on 100% of their moves, nor should we expect them to. I think the fact that you really have to scratch your head to come up with another move that didn't at least pan out to neutral is quite telling. You could even point to Jean Segura's breakout season last year after being traded, and Stearns still comes out smelling fine for netting the #65 overall prospect in baseball and a controllable #3-#4 starter in the deal.

 

So to sum it up, I think Stearns is killing it. And I say that with the full realization that it's still very early and there's a chance that some of these moves won't look as good at the end of the season (though they're almost all so low risk that it still wouldn't hurt). I think it's already pretty clear he knows what he's doing, and I'm glad he's leading the rebuild here. We're an up and coming team at the MLB level while also having one of the top farms in baseball. That's a far cry from where we were a few years ago.

[Brewer Fever]

The guy is looking savant-like with some of the talent he's unearthed for next to no investment. That's why some posters who are expressing doubts about him already are taking well-deserved flack.

 

Seriously, what else could you ask for at this stage? He's churning talent in every imaginable way - waiver claims, trade throw-ins, major prospects for relievers, Korean-leaguers scouted solely on tape. I hope people continue to stomp down the naysayers because it's a foolish side to be taking right now. I notice the "sky is falling because Miguel Diaz got away" crowd has been quiet lately. An ERA over 13 in the past week will do that to people. Even if Diaz ends up the second coming of Cy Young, it will just prove that there still has been no human to walk the Earth who's been perfect. Same goes for the Scooter crowd (OBP now under .300). Just proves some people are hard wired to be negative at all times. Sad really.

[adambr2]

The guy is looking savant-like with some of the talent he's unearthed for next to no investment. That's why some posters who are expressing doubts about him already are taking well-deserved flack.

 

Seriously, what else could you ask for at this stage? He's churning talent in every imaginable way - waiver claims, trade throw-ins, major prospects for relievers, Korean-leaguers scouted solely on tape. I hope people continue to stomp down the naysayers because it's a foolish side to be taking right now. I notice the "sky is falling because Miguel Diaz got away" crowd has been quiet lately. An ERA over 13 in the past week will do that to people. Even if Diaz ends up the second coming of Cy Young, it will just prove that there still has been no human to walk the Earth who's been perfect. Same goes for the Scooter crowd (OBP now under .300). Just proves some people are hard wired to be negative at all times. Sad really.

 

Absolutely.

 

I found myself annoyed with losing Diaz, but frankly, the better our system gets, the more talent that there's going to be that we just don't have the room to protect. And that's a good thing. As far as Scooter, I really don't know why anyone is that upset over him, he's just an old school baseball player with an ok floor but no real ceiling. Frankly, I'm kind of glad to move on from a time when the Scooter Gennett's of the world are the best our system has to offer.

 

Broxton and Villar could both turn out to be busts (I don't think they will, though), and they would still be good moves and dumping Scooter would still be the right one. Roster churning is going to churn out some duds from time to time. With that in mind the success rate Stearns has going on with his roster churning is outstanding. The rebuild is going as well as anyone could possibly ask for whether you're in the 'I want to get back to winning now ' or in the 'We need to be as patient as needed with this rebuild' crowd.

[MrTPlush]

Absolutely...not. You aren't winning that award without making the playoffs. If this team nabs a wildcard then he would have a shot...but without it no way he is even in the conversation.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Don't agree that he can only win if they make the playoffs. Making the playoffs is hard. This isn't the NBA. I think people know that.

 

If Thames has an all-star year and the Brewers finish .500 or better I think he has a very, very good chance.

 

Again, it's April, but I'm also already worried about another team taking Stearns away from us. I like the hire from the start. Still haven't been proven right, way too early.

[adambr2]

Don't agree that he can only win if they make the playoffs. Making the playoffs is hard. This isn't the NBA. I think people know that.

 

If Thames has an all-star year and the Brewers finish .500 or better I think he has a very, very good chance.

 

Again, it's April, but I'm also already worried about another team taking Stearns away from us. I like the hire from the start. Still haven't been proven right, way too early.

 

Agreed. Typically the GM of the Year and a playoff team go hand in hand, but there's precedent for winners who didn't. There's no way I can be convinced that if the Brewers win 84 games and miss the playoffs by 2 games, Stearns is not even in the discussion. I think most sports writers have a pretty decent grasp on what the expectations for the Brewers were heading into this year.

[MrTPlush]

Don't agree that he can only win if they make the playoffs. Making the playoffs is hard. This isn't the NBA. I think people know that.

 

If Thames has an all-star year and the Brewers finish .500 or better I think he has a very, very good chance.

 

Again, it's April, but I'm also already worried about another team taking Stearns away from us. I like the hire from the start. Still haven't been proven right, way too early.

 

Not saying he can't get some recognition, but I just don't see it going to a team missing the postseason. I disagree he has any kind of a good chance without a playoff spot. It's a not an award for an incredible year of rebuilding. It will likely go to a surprise playoff teams GM.

[stoutdude04]

Don't agree that he can only win if they make the playoffs. Making the playoffs is hard. This isn't the NBA. I think people know that.

 

If Thames has an all-star year and the Brewers finish .500 or better I think he has a very, very good chance.

 

Again, it's April, but I'm also already worried about another team taking Stearns away from us. I like the hire from the start. Still haven't been proven right, way too early.

 

Not saying he can't get some recognition, but I just don't see it going to a team missing the postseason. I disagree he has any kind of a good chance without a playoff spot. It's a not an award for an incredible year of rebuilding. It will likely go to a surprise playoff teams GM.

 

Hopefully he is in the discussion by the end of the season. That way we are in the thick of things and get to watch meaningful baseball(by a win and loss standpoint).

[Roderick]

A good start -

 

Bandy 30AB 1.085OPS

Pina 35AB 1.083OPS

Lucroy 47AB .501OPS