Is it possible that we could be buyers at the deadline?

[MillerParkSouth]

Attanasio meddling is my biggest fear. He's said all the right things about the rebuild so far but you know if we're close in July he's going to get trigger happy.

[Oxy]

Attanasio meddling is my biggest fear. He's said all the right things about the rebuild so far but you know if we're close in July he's going to get trigger happy.

 

I completely understand the re-build, and I'm all for it. The thing is, the MLB Roster is already very young. Our farm system is very deep (or so I'm told). We can only put 25 guys on the roster at the same time, and we keep drafting more guys every year. If we don't trade some of these guys, we lose them for nothing, so we might as well try to improve the MLB club for a fun little run while we are in it. Of course, you should be smart about it--you should always be smart about--but it shouldn't be wholly dismissed right of the bat.

[pacopete4]

Just because you don't sell in July doesn't mean you can't in December. If this teams in the mix, let's get after it. Have to change our history of being a bunch of losers at some point.

[Oxy]

Just because you don't sell in July doesn't mean you can't in December.

 

YES! If we trade away Ray, Hader, Cordell, and Reed and for Marco Estrada and Roberto Osuna--

 

Then trade Braun away in December for 3 more young guys--did we buy or sell?

[adambr2]

Ok, hypothetically if we bought, would it be possible to center a package around Orlando Arcia? I know his bat hasn't been all that great, but his D is as advertised, and frankly he's about where anyone would expect for his age. He's less than a year removed from being a top 10 prospect.

 

Dubon honestly looks pretty MLB ready now and could probably step right in at SS, and you've still got your supersubs in Perez and maybe Sogard.

 

I'm not necessarily even for or against it, more just throwing out ideas.

[brewmann04]

i think mark will let DS play his game.

[Oxy]

Ok, hypothetically if we bought, would it be possible to center a package around Orlando Arcia? I know his bat hasn't been all that great, but his D is as advertised, and frankly he's about where anyone would expect for his age. He's less than a year removed from being a top 10 prospect.

 

Dubon honestly looks pretty MLB ready now and could probably step right in at SS, and you've still got your supersubs in Perez and maybe Sogard.

 

I'm not necessarily even for or against it, more just throwing out ideas.

 

I like the way you think.

 

What tandem is more valuable? Arcia-Villar or Dubon-Diaz? Or some other combination? Villar just turned 26, and has the best MLB track record, so he may have the most value--but I'd have no problem trading him to get some pitching.

[logan82]

i think mark will let DS play his game.

We thought the same thing when he came in with Melvin. He was saying all the right things about how he didn't know baseball very well and he would let his baseball guys do their thing.

[MillerParkSouth]

If anything, I'd like to see us bring up some prospects to pitch out of the pen instead of making trades.

[MrTPlush]

Arcia could be an interesting trade piece(much like Escobar was) and you could also add a Broxton/Santana to the list of guys you could trade as you would replace with Brinson.

 

I wouldn't trade either though. Some of you guys are hinting at players controllable 3 years or less and I think such trade could be devestatingly bad for us. This team isn't elite this year and if it regresses next year you are in big time trouble. Too risky at this venture.

[MrTPlush]

If anything, I'd like to see us bring up some prospects to pitch out of the pen instead of making trades.

 

Insert Hader...though I doubt they already pull the plug of him as a starter.

[Sixto]

I'm all for rewarding the guys, and the fans, if we can somehow stay in it. Being a buyer doesn't have to mean mortgaging the future. I doubt anyone here, or anyone in the organization is in favor of gutting the farm system for a one year run. Stearns certainly seems to have a good head on his shoulders and has proven very creative in his acquisitions. I'm pretty sure he can handle adding a few pieces and rolling the dice. Sports is a mighty fickle thing. No one can predict next year or the year after. No one can predict what other teams may do or how the other teams in our division may perform in the coming years. Turning your nose up at a possible playoff run, especially if you're the Brewers is far sighted. We have the lowest payroll and an already well stocked farm system. It is possible to be aggressive and smart at the same time. It would be a tremendous morale boost up and down the organization for us to make a playoff appearance (insert random number here) years ahead of schedule.

[trwi7]

Interesting tidbit from MLBtraderumors:

 

"The Brewers entered Saturday having posted the same record as Arizona (25-18, with a plus-34 run differential), and their success is a “potential nightmare” for general manager David Stearns, one executive told Rosenthal. It’s doubtful Stearns believes the franchise’s rebuild is complete, yet owner Mark Attanasio might push to add, not subtract, if Milwaukee hangs around the playoff race in the coming months, per Rosenthal. "

 

I don't know what the answer is this year, but I only ask that Mark leave it up to Stearns. Don't meddle. Let him make the call here on what is done, whether we're in 1st or last. He got you this far.

 

This is exactly why I was so frustrated in that game thread when we were winning and still kind of am. I am still in sell mode with this team, at least a lot more than I am in buy mode but you know if we're hovering around a wildcard spot Attanasio is going to tell Stearns to either make or actively seek out win now moves. That's not what we should be doing at this point but it's looking increasingly likely to happen.

[adambr2]

Interesting tidbit from MLBtraderumors:

 

"The Brewers entered Saturday having posted the same record as Arizona (25-18, with a plus-34 run differential), and their success is a “potential nightmare” for general manager David Stearns, one executive told Rosenthal. It’s doubtful Stearns believes the franchise’s rebuild is complete, yet owner Mark Attanasio might push to add, not subtract, if Milwaukee hangs around the playoff race in the coming months, per Rosenthal. "

 

I don't know what the answer is this year, but I only ask that Mark leave it up to Stearns. Don't meddle. Let him make the call here on what is done, whether we're in 1st or last. He got you this far.

 

This is exactly why I was so frustrated in that game thread when we were winning and still kind of am. I am still in sell mode with this team, at least a lot more than I am in buy mode but you know if we're hovering around a wildcard spot Attanasio is going to tell Stearns to either make or actively seek out win now moves. That's not what we should be doing at this point but it's looking increasingly likely to happen.

 

I'm kind of mixed on buying as I've been very behind the rebuild and still feel they have a ways to go, but I get the desire if you're close to try to make a push and I get that you can only only have so many assets in the minors, that at some point you either need to promote them, trade them, or risk losing them.

 

The only thing that I think is really important this time, and I do think Mark has learned from the past, is that you need controllable assets if you're going to buy. Absolutely no rentals for any prospects of value, and preferably nothing less than control through 2019.

[Austin Tatious]

If you got the right pitcher with some controllable years, I have no problem dealing Corey Ray and Trent Clark. They are still big names and could fetch something good.

 

In the meantime, you still have Phillips, Cordell, and Brinson coming up. All three of them are top athletes.

[brewmann04]

Sorry I not looking to add relief pitchers for our prospects. We need to get starting pitchers back if we move any prospect

[homer]

I'm literally fine with whatever Stearns does.

[adambr2]

I'm literally fine with whatever Stearns does.

 

Me too. This guy is going to bring a World Series to Milwaukee, I really believe that. It won't happen this year, but it will eventually. But I trust his judgment, and I think he took this job with the understanding that he has complete control over personnel decisions.

[Greenleaf1]

I'm actually fine with digging into our farm system this year in order to bring back someone like Quintana or Cole, but I don't want to get in a bidding war over any of these guys, so I'd probably want to wait and see what's left after the Astros and Yankees have their say. I don't want to have to blow a team away in order to get what we want, and I'm sure Stearns doesn't want to either.

 

The advantage of trading for a controllable pitcher however is that if we end up failing in the 2nd half of the season, we can still get back 75% of the prospect price we paid by trading the pitcher away next year.

 

I do think we have to be careful with who we're trading though. Middle infield is an area of relative weakness right now at the top levels of the minors, and I'd hate to give away either Dubon or Diaz right now.

 

Outfield, on the other hand, is an area of extreme depth right now. I think that Broxton would be a good idea to shop around trying to get pitching in return, and Cordell's season so far at AAA has raised his value considerably (maybe the most well rounded hitter on the team right now in addition to playing 4 positions well). I'm honestly kinda liking the idea of including Broxton and Supak in a trade just so we can say that we got Quintana for a package of Ryan Cordell, Lucas Erceg, and Jason Rogers

 

But I third the notion that I'm literally fine with whatever Stearns does. The man has a KILLER track record so far.

[bill hAll Star]

Outfield, on the other hand, is an area of extreme depth right now. I think that Broxton would be a good idea to shop around trying to get pitching in return, and Cordell's season so far at AAA has raised his value considerably (maybe the most well rounded hitter on the team right now in addition to playing 4 positions well). I'm honestly kinda liking the idea of including Broxton and Supak in a trade just so we can say that we got Quintana for a package of Ryan Cordell, Lucas Erceg, and Jason Rogers

 

As much as I like Broxton, I think that the White Sox will get more than that. They probably want a package that has 2 players that can/could become elite.

 

1. Cordell is playing in Colorado Springs right now. I think he'll be a nice piece eventually but take his numbers at the plate with a grain of salt. A .270/.330 (Cordell's career up until this year) line can turn into .320/.380 very easily in a spacious, high altitude home field. Just ask Nolan Arenado, DJ LeMahieu, or Mark Reynolds (or really anyone else that plays for the Rockies/Colorado Springs).

 

 

2. I think Erceg will turn it around but the pause button has been hit on his potential to be a top 100 player.

 

Broxton is good but I don't think anyone is considering him a perennial All Star.

[Greenleaf1]

As much as I like Broxton, I think that the White Sox will get more than that. They probably want a package that has 2 players that can/could become elite.

 

I more meant he'd be the centerpiece of a package we'd put together in order to get pitching.

[bill hAll Star]

As much as I like Broxton, I think that the White Sox will get more than that. They probably want a package that has 2 players that can/could become elite.

 

I more meant he'd be the centerpiece of a package we'd put together in order to get pitching.

 

Right, but he'd have to be the 3rd or 4th best player/prospect in a trade for Quintana IMO. I'm not sure that Cordell or Erceg (time will tell) fit above Broxton by much.

[MrTPlush]

The advantage of trading for a controllable pitcher however is that if we end up failing in the 2nd half of the season, we can still get back 75% of the prospect price we paid by trading the pitcher away next year.

 

Till said pitcher regresses suddenly or they get a major injury.

[adambr2]

As much as I like Broxton, I think that the White Sox will get more than that. They probably want a package that has 2 players that can/could become elite.

 

I more meant he'd be the centerpiece of a package we'd put together in order to get pitching.

 

Right, but he'd have to be the 3rd or 4th best player/prospect in a trade for Quintana IMO. I'm not sure that Cordell or Erceg (time will tell) fit above Broxton by much.

 

Personally I think you're undervaluing Broxton, though I know his value is tough to peg.

 

.800 OPS centerfielders with solid D (I know he hasn't showed great D this year but still believe he is one) and almost 6 years of cheap cost control aren't easy to come by.

 

Looking at what the Rays got for Logan Forsythe, a top 30 prospect, that is at least the kind of value I would expect Stearns to place on Broxton. I'm not saying for sure we could get that, but that's how I'd expect him to be valued by us.

[Greenleaf1]

With all this talk about whether or not we should be buyers or sellers, I hope we don't end up just choosing one of those, or worse, doing neither.

 

We have pieces that make sense to sell right now (Braun or Broxton to open up a spot for an extended tryout of Brinson, Matt Garza), and it'd be disappointing if we couldn't use the second half of this year to start bringing up some talented prospects and see if we can really push this team to the next level. At the same time, I think if we're going to keep competitive this year then there's no reason not to consider some upgrades at pitching, whether it be in the rotation or in the bullpen.

 

Disappointing that it looks like Feliz is going to be a bust, but he was a $5M chance that might not pan out, and things could be a lot worse.