Brewers acquire Swarzak from White Sox for Ryan Cordell

[MrTPlush]

Anyone have a changed opinion on this after the Brewers made no other notable move(barring late announcement)? Kind of annoyed we traded for a rental bullpen arm and opted to get no additional help. Would have preferred no move.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Anyone have a changed opinion on this after the Brewers made no other notable move(barring late announcement)? Kind of annoyed we traded for a rental bullpen arm and opted to get no additional help. Would have preferred no move.

 

When we got Swarzak, I assumed it was done with the intention of getting something else. I don't really *want* the Brewers to sell off the farm to get a starter or a bunch of bullpen guys to chase the Cubs, but the trade just didn't make sense from the standpoint that it just didn't make sense to do in and of itself. It was like getting 2 flat tires and changing one of them, and saying "welp.......good enough!"

[NievesNoNO]

Anyone have a changed opinion on this after the Brewers made no other notable move(barring late announcement)? Kind of annoyed we traded for a rental bullpen arm and opted to get no additional help. Would have preferred no move.

 

When we got Swarzak, I assumed it was done with the intention of getting something else. I don't really *want* the Brewers to sell off the farm to get a starter or a bunch of bullpen guys to chase the Cubs, but the trade just didn't make sense from the standpoint that it just didn't make sense to do in and of itself. It was like getting 2 flat tires and changing one of them, and saying "welp.......good enough!"

 

Same. I thought there'd be more coming. I don't mind having another competent arm back there but it does seem pointless now.

[mrn1ceguy]

Anyone have a changed opinion on this after the Brewers made no other notable move(barring late announcement)? Kind of annoyed we traded for a rental bullpen arm and opted to get no additional help. Would have preferred no move.

 

Nope, because I still believe we have as strong a playoff caliber team as we did back in May and June, now with one better bullpen piece. I confident we can string together good starts for the rest of the season (and playoffs) with Nelson, Anderson, Davies, Suter, Garza, Woodruff (if needed). The bullpen has enough talent to be solid between Knebel, Swarzak, Hader, Barnes, Hughes with possible positive contributions from Wang, Jeffress, Drake, Web Jungmann. It's all up to the position players to start hitting again. If they get back to the way they were, we have a playoff caliber team.

 

Adding Gray or Darvish or Quintana doesn't drastically change the starting group (assuming no regression). Adding Wilson or Hand, while nice and something I would have liked, is not essential. Getting Granderson and/or Kinsler would have helped solidy our weakest two spots but pales in comparison to getting all the position players to score the runs they are capable of. If Braun/Shaw/Santana/Thames/Aguilar/Pina/Arcia hit like they had in our stretches of good baseball in June/July, we are playoff bound with the team we have.

[Ennder]

Anyone have a changed opinion on this after the Brewers made no other notable move(barring late announcement)? Kind of annoyed we traded for a rental bullpen arm and opted to get no additional help. Would have preferred no move.

 

When we got Swarzak, I assumed it was done with the intention of getting something else. I don't really *want* the Brewers to sell off the farm to get a starter or a bunch of bullpen guys to chase the Cubs, but the trade just didn't make sense from the standpoint that it just didn't make sense to do in and of itself. It was like getting 2 flat tires and changing one of them, and saying "welp.......good enough!"

 

Nope. I am hoping he likes it here and we sign him to a short deal in the off season. I just don't see Cordell as a big loss. Good enough you have to protect him in the rule 5 and likely expose someone else because of it, but not good enough to be a big part of the future. This is also being a little bit results oriented. The Brewers were in talks with others and easily could have added more, they just didn't like what they had to give up so it didn't happen.

[MrTPlush]

I have a hunch if he does well we definitely resign him, but I doubt being here makes him want to sign with us anymore than other teams. Still have to be the highest bidder.

[Ennder]

I have a hunch if he does well we definitely resign him, but I doubt being here makes him want to sign with us anymore than other teams. Still have to be the highest bidder.

 

It definitely makes him want to sign more if he likes it. Players want to maximize their money but they also want to find a good fit. If he has already seen the clubhouse and enjoyed it he is much more likely to sign where as he might have had some sort of prejudice against pitching for the team and just said no outright before. It really isn't just the highest bidder wins, it is the highest reasonable bidder and the best fit for most players.

[shanedog19]

Not sure if this acquisition will be enough to get us to the postseason, but Swarzak/Knebel is starting to look like an awfully good 8th/9th inning combo.

[TJseven7]

Anyone have a changed opinion on this after the Brewers made no other notable move(barring late announcement)? Kind of annoyed we traded for a rental bullpen arm and opted to get no additional help. Would have preferred no move.

 

When we got Swarzak, I assumed it was done with the intention of getting something else. I don't really *want* the Brewers to sell off the farm to get a starter or a bunch of bullpen guys to chase the Cubs, but the trade just didn't make sense from the standpoint that it just didn't make sense to do in and of itself. It was like getting 2 flat tires and changing one of them, and saying "welp.......good enough!"

 

Well its come out there was that intent but the price was wrong. There might be waiver action as well. Either way... the offense has stayed in the gutter since the ASB and its easy to think he's probably already won this team a game. Stearns is/was buying... responsibly... and this rental was a fair price. I doubt this organization looks back and says... if only we kept Cordell.

 

Also... this upper level starter stuff... add one to nelson anderson and who gets bumped of davies woodruff sutter garza... pick 2. Hader stays in the pen? I'm not saying Gray or Quintana isnt an upgrade but the pen past 3-5 guys (knebel swarzak hader barnes hughes)... 2nd and CF is what's holding this team back now. If nelson anderson are for real... davies has been a solid 4-5... suter is getting real interesting and we'll see what woodruff has soon. We aren't trotting out a peralta/guerra garbage man anymore. This system might not have an ace yet...but its getting pretty deep. Gray quintana aren't an ace either. Upgrade sure but Garza is sub 4... davies is sub 3.75 since start 5. Suter has been incredible - molina. We (scouts prospect rankings fans) are pretty high on Woodruff too.

 

I dont think paying top prices for very good (non ace) arms is wise for this team.

[Pugger]

Not sure if this acquisition will be enough to get us to the postseason, but Swarzak/Knebel is starting to look like an awfully good 8th/9th inning combo.

 

Agreed. Swarzak has looked good in his past few appearances and Corey is super when he is on.

[Humans Need Water]

Anyone have a changed opinion on this after the Brewers made no other notable move(barring late announcement)? Kind of annoyed we traded for a rental bullpen arm and opted to get no additional help. Would have preferred no move.

Good question. My stance hasn't changed; that being all we need is 1-2 solid pen arms. Which is what they did with Swarzak and Jeffress. I never understood the desperate need for a rotation arm and we don't desperately need position players. But we desperately needed a couple pen arms. I'm a big fan of Cordell but it is what it is. Best case he's a 4th OF on the Brewers so he was moveable. And if we resign Swarzak for 2-3yrs then that trade becomes an excellent one. The biggest moves in the off season will be to shore up the pen because now we'll be division contenders moving forward whereas coming into the season it wasn't about building a great pen to compete.

 

Will be interesting to see if they make a move this month to add anybody. I wouldn't give up any prospects for anything unless they're Tayler Scott types.

[DuWayne Steurer]

As others have said, this trade definitely hinges on whether or not the Brewers can resign Swarzak. It's not a "loss" if they don't, but in hindsight, it's easy to say it was a wasted effort if they don't make the playoffs.

 

I still feel like this trade would look better if it were framed within the context of another move or two, but they didn't need a starter, and the offense looked great coming into the all star break. Of course, a lot of people predicted Sogard would turn back into the .650 OPS guy he always was, and that's exactly what he's done. We don't know what was asked for Kinsler, so that's a moot point unless something happens from here to the waiver deadline. The A's wanted Brinson for Sonny Gray (no), Darvish is a two month rental (no) and I just honestly don't see Verlander as an actual upgrade over anything we have, plus the huge cost of paying him, and/or what it would cost in prospects to get him.

[chuckiehacks]

As others have said, this trade definitely hinges on whether or not the Brewers can resign Swarzak. It's not a "loss" if they don't, but in hindsight, it's easy to say it was a wasted effort if they don't make the playoffs.

 

For me, I don't see how this is related to the trade at all. He's a free agent. Resigning him is completely independent of the trade. They could have kept Cordell and signed Swarzak in the off-season. While there might be a slight chance their odds of signing him are increased by him playing in MKE for ten weeks, the reality is he's not likely signing an extension in August or September (has that ever happened?).

 

Swarzak will be playing for the team that offers him the largest contract next year. Getting traded mid-year doesn't change that.

[adambr2]

As others have said, this trade definitely hinges on whether or not the Brewers can resign Swarzak. It's not a "loss" if they don't, but in hindsight, it's easy to say it was a wasted effort if they don't make the playoffs.

 

For me, I don't see how this is related to the trade at all. He's a free agent. Resigning him is completely independent of the trade. They could have kept Cordell and signed Swarzak in the off-season. While there might be a slight chance their odds of signing him are increased by him playing in MKE for ten weeks, the reality is he's not likely signing an extension in August or September (has that ever happened?).

 

Swarzak will be playing for the team that offers him the largest contract next year. Getting traded mid-year doesn't change that.

 

I think they need to make an offer that's competitive with other offers he receives, but I certainly think playing here for a couple months is an important draw for a place like Milwaukee if he likes it here, wheras it probably would have been an afterthought if he didn't.

 

Regardless, if the move keeps us in the thick of things and helps keep things interesting for another move, I'm good with it, even if we fall short. Cordell was a nice player, but a fairly expendable guy in our system, and 4th/5th OFers like Cordell I find easier to part with than lottery tickets in the lower levels with much higher ceilings.

[Ennder]

Swarzak will be playing for the team that offers him the largest contract next year. Getting traded mid-year doesn't change that.

 

 

This simply is not true. Talk to a professional athlete about it just once and you know it. The money matters and if one team blows away the others this is true, but when someone gets multiple offers that are pretty close the situation usually dictates where they go. Whether they grew up in the area, dislike one of them, want to just be on a winner, have a house closer to one, likes the players on the team, has a history with the hitting/pitching coach etc. It isn't 100% just the highest bid wins. With a team like the Brewers it is even more important because a lot of players are going to pass just based on the market, being in the midwest, the colder weather etc. Being on the team, getting to know the players etc builds a lot of stock into the players chance to sign with the team.

 

If the odds of signing him next year started at 10% they are up to at least 20% if he enjoys his time with us.

 

Think of it in simple terms of you getting a new job. I'm sure there are areas you do not what to move to for work even without going to them. I would hate having to move to New York and I haven't spent more than 3 days there. If I spent half a year in the city my views could very well change. It is no different for a ball player. Now he isn't passing on a $10M deal to take $6M from us or anything, but if we give a fair market offer the odds have gone up for sure assuming he likes it here. He may hate it here and the odds go down.

 

This concept is the entire reason salary caps don't work. The Browns have to pay 50% more for a player than the Patriots do. It is a poorly ran franchise to begin with but it is at a bigger disadvantage in the NFL than any MLB team is even with the salary cap.

[JohnBriggs12]

I can see the Brewers bringing back Swarzak. He's in his 30's and not a premier closer, so the price won't be outrageous. He can't expect more than a 2 year deal I imagine either. Torres isn't likely to be back so it's pretty logical for the Brewers to try and keep Swarzak. The big market teams will focus elsewhere.