2018 Brewers 25 Man Roster [Latest: Starting rotation set, post #445]

[wildcat83]

Williams with a real bad outing at a real bad time.

[coolhandluke121]

 

Guys who can successfully pinch hit, especially for power, are not dime a dozen.

 

His 311 plate appearances last year were respectable, but aren't nearly enough evidence to conclude that he has fixed what made him waiver wire fodder after being a nothing prospect in the minors for nearly 10 years. His 83 plate appearances as a PH are but farts in the wind.

 

Needing statistical significance and large data sets is not exactly controversial in baseball at this point. It would be criminal to base a roster decision on his success as a PH last year.

[82brewcrew82]

 

Guys who can successfully pinch hit, especially for power, are not dime a dozen.

 

His 311 plate appearances last year were respectable, but aren't nearly enough evidence to conclude that he has fixed what made him waiver wire fodder after being a nothing prospect in the minors for nearly 10 years. His 83 plate appearances as a PH are but farts in the wind.

 

Needing statistical significance and large data sets is not exactly controversial in baseball at this point. It would be criminal to base a roster decision on his success as a PH last year.

Yet you're all kinds of sold on Oliver Drake and his one full season and statistically irrelevant 90 innings? Just say you just don't like the guy. It's a far more compelling argument at this point.

[wildcat83]

When do the rosters need to be set?

[CrewFanBrewMan69]

When do the rosters need to be set?

I think they can literally wait until about the first game starts. They could theoretically bring like 28 guys to San Diego and decide the morning of the game who’s on the 25 man.

[brewmann04]

i thought by WED?

[wildcat83]

Would guess they wait as long as possible to see if they can work anything out to trade someone rather than cut, especially with Aguilar/Choi.

[MNBrew]

Tom Haudricourt has frequently mentioned Wednesday as the day by which the roster needs to be set.

 

The deadline is never the morning of the day of the 1st game. I believe it's at least the day before the team's first game.

[coolhandluke121]

Yet you're all kinds of sold on Oliver Drake and his one full season and statistically irrelevant 90 innings? Just say you just don't like the guy. It's a far more compelling argument at this point.

 

They need a serviceable reliever, especially one who can get LHB's out. They don't need a fat RHB 1B who can't do anything at replacement level except maybe slugging. I doubt anybody does.

 

If Braun wasn't playing 1B and they had more relievers, I'd be keeping Aguilar and cutting Drake. But the real point is that there's no dilemma when it comes to moving on from either one of them once you have a legit long-term MLB player in that role.

[82brewcrew82]

Yet you're all kinds of sold on Oliver Drake and his one full season and statistically irrelevant 90 innings? Just say you just don't like the guy. It's a far more compelling argument at this point.

 

They need a serviceable reliever, especially one who can get LHB's out. They don't need a fat RHB 1B who can't do anything at replacement level except maybe slugging. I doubt anybody does.

 

If Braun wasn't playing 1B and they had more relievers, I'd be keeping Aguilar and cutting Drake. But the real point is that there's no dilemma when it comes to moving on from either one of them once you have a legit long-term MLB player in that role.

I don't think it's an either/or decision. Logical roster construction doesn't seem to be a priority for this group so I don't accept the premise that they "need" a guy like Drake. Particularly at the expense of a younger player like Williams. I was under the impression that marginal talent isn't going to block young players and said young players were going to be given a chance, no? Fact is we have the perfect guy to fill that role. He just happens to be starting.

 

I'd take Aguilar over Drake on this team pretty much every chance I get.

[adambr2]

Choi doesn't have an opt out of his Minor League deal until 5/15, so you can avoid making any tough choice on him for another 7 weeks. Easy choice is to keep him stashed at Colorado Springs and see what happens in the meantime.

 

They can send him there and keep all of the other 4 bubble guys (Hoover, Drake, Williams, Aguilar) for now if they keep Woodruff down til April 6th, but it doesn't sound like they're going to do that. I don't know why not, I thought that was the plan and it would buy more time.

 

There's got to be a team out there with a crap bench and a need for Aguilar that could give up some lottery ticket in A ball. If not, I think all 3 relievers make it. That was the original plan as I understood, to go with 8, and Woodruff doesn't really count even though they had talked aboit him in the pen til his 1st start.

 

You've got Braun and Thames that are basically going to eat up every start at 1st, Perez can cover in an emergency and you should have Choi at AAA for depth for now. I just don't see how they fit in a 1B only bat again.

[liveforoctober]

Counsell confirmed Barnes will be in the bullpen on opening day. Does that possibly cost Williams a job initially?

[Eye Black]

Choi doesn't have an opt out of his Minor League deal until 5/15, so you can avoid making any tough choice on him for another 7 weeks. Easy choice is to keep him stashed at Colorado Springs and see what happens in the meantime.

Can you share where you saw the May 15th deadline? I may have missed that update, but the original reports said his two options to void the deal were at the end of Spring Training and on June 15.

[adambr2]

Choi doesn't have an opt out of his Minor League deal until 5/15, so you can avoid making any tough choice on him for another 7 weeks. Easy choice is to keep him stashed at Colorado Springs and see what happens in the meantime.

Can you share where you saw the May 15th deadline? I may have missed that update, but the original reports said his two options to void the deal were at the end of Spring Training and on June 15.

 

It was in the latest JSOnline article about him. Down in the last 2-3 paragraphs.

 

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2018/03/25/surprising-ji-man-choi-has-turned-heads-his-hitting-personality/452758002/

[Eye Black]

It was in the latest JSOnline article about him. Down in the last 2-3 paragraphs.

 

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2018/03/25/surprising-ji-man-choi-has-turned-heads-his-hitting-personality/452758002/

Interesting, that is certainly better news for the chances that a valuable role becomes available for him on the MLB roster before he has to make a decision.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

While I'm still a bit puzzled as to why they didn't acquire a starting pitcher, I believe they made the correct decision choosing Suter and Woodruff to round out the starting rotation. I do wonder if Suter would have been ticketed for long relief or AAA, though, had Miley not gotten hurt? Regardless, I'm sure the team is likely going to need Miley (ugh), along with Guerra, Wilkerson, and perhaps even Burnes and Derby before the year is out. Hopefully Suter and Woodruff can prove a lot of us wrong and their production will prove that the perceived need for more starting pitching was off-base.

 

As for the position player group, not a lot of surprises here. I'm sure Stearns is tearing up the phones this week trying to find takers for Aguilar and/or Choi. It wouldn't surprise me in the least to see a small trade or two done this week. It's also a little disappointing that they sent Phillips down, and that they haven't found a taker for Broxton yet. But having those guys at AAA, along with Wren and Stokes, is really solid OF depth.

[coolhandluke121]

 

I'd take Aguilar over Drake on this team pretty much every chance I get.

 

You said I was biased and I clearly just hate the guy. Are you sure you're not the biased one? You want to waste a roster spot on a strictly platoon RHB 1B when you're already going to have trouble finding ab's for the former MVP you already have in that role. That's an awful lot of consideration to give a career minor leaguer whose track record is worse than Matt Clark or Jason Rogers.

 

There's no comparison between him and Drake in terms of fit on this roster right now. Ideally you don't want to even be having this conversation because you don't need either of them, but with Boone out, Drake is a no-brainer. It doesn't mean I like the guy at all, but there are few players less impressive than Aguilar fighting for roster spots in all of MLB.

[Fear The Chorizo]

It stinks for guys like Guerra, Broxton, Phillips and Aguilar as players to get squeezed out of MLB playing time by improvements to the roster, but overall it's good for the Brewers as an organization - particularly when the Brewers can exercise options to keep most of them in the organization as depth until a trade that works for the Brewers or MLB injuries requiring that depth present themselves. Fortunately it's not like the NFL where you have a pretty limited capacity to retain guys on the practice/development squad for depth and wind up jettisoning good players at certain positions because they need to keep #'s at other positions - even though the players at the other positions kept on an NFL gameday roster aren't any good compared to guys that needed to be let go. I'm for any trade that brings in a low minors lottery ticket or a decent prospect that's hopelessly blocked by superior MLB talent at his position from another organization for any one of Aguilar, Choi, or Broxton. That's essentially what those players are currently to the Brewers right now.

 

On paper, this roster is going to mash offensively compared to their team last season if key guys stay healthy. Starting pitching will have its ups and downs, but we have to remember that last year's team starting pitching performed pretty well while dealing with a bunch of crap, too. Nelson was lost for 1 month with the shoulder, Guerra basically lost his season after that opening day calf strain, Anderson missed roughly 1.5 months with his oblique, and Woodruff missed roughly 1.5 months after injuring himself warming up for what his actual MLB debut would've been and was rushed back. Suter also dealt with shoulder issues down the stretch, IIRC, and Garza was a walking DL stint.

[coolhandluke121]

While I'm still a bit puzzled as to why they didn't acquire a starting pitcher, I believe they made the correct decision choosing Suter and Woodruff to round out the starting rotation. I do wonder if Suter would have been ticketed for long relief or AAA, though, had Miley not gotten hurt? Regardless, I'm sure the team is likely going to need Miley (ugh), along with Guerra, Wilkerson, and perhaps even Burnes and Derby before the year is out. Hopefully Suter and Woodruff can prove a lot of us wrong and their production will prove that the perceived need for more starting pitching was off-base.

 

As for the position player group, not a lot of surprises here. I'm sure Stearns is tearing up the phones this week trying to find takers for Aguilar and/or Choi. It wouldn't surprise me in the least to see a small trade or two done this week. It's also a little disappointing that they sent Phillips down, and that they haven't found a taker for Broxton yet. But having those guys at AAA, along with Wren and Stokes, is really solid OF depth.

 

Agree with everything except wondering why they weren't more aggressive in search of a starter. I'm glad the plan is to develop young pitching. That's what a small market team should do. Just because they signed Cain doesn't mean they have to be all-in this year.

 

I share your desire to see Phillips get an opportunity and do well, but I acknowledge that I am biased in favor of his defense. My heart wants him to be good, but brain keeps telling me he's just a slightly better Kirk. If they stumble out of the gate and Cain waives his no-trade clause, I wouldn't mind dealing him this summer and letting Phillips/Broxton platoon in center.

 

Aguilar and Choi were acquired on the waiver wire and any team that wants them knows they'll be available again soon. I doubt they can even get a prospect comparable to Wilkerson for either one of them. It would be great to have them in AAA, as I see Braun and Thames both potentially needing some time off this year, but that's not really fair to them. It's a good rule, and the Brewers have benefited from it many times, so we can't complain when they lose talent the same way.

[JohnBriggs12]

Counsell confirmed Barnes will be in the bullpen on opening day. Does that possibly cost Williams a job initially?

 

Williams still needs to find consistency in his command. I'd be surprised if he makes the opening day roster. Besides if he's projected as a potential closer down the road, he might be better suited to handle that role at AAA rather than doing mop up or middle inning duty for the Brewers.

[RobDeer 45]

I know the new trend in baseball is to rely more on your bullpen. It kind of clicked with me today that I wonder if DS is going to really discount the price and years he's willing to offer for aging starting pitchers. Why pay for average, and potentially hurt your team in the long term (because of long contracts), when you can use young, average to just below average starters, and lean on your bullpen more? I think we will see more of an emphasis on our bullpen in years to come. I do think he will also make a trade for a good controllable starting pitcher in the coming years.

 

This is kind of a wacky comparison, but I think he's got a price for each player out there (signing or trade). Similar to how I go in to a fantasy football auction draft (In no way am I saying I'm a GM or an awesome FF player, just a connection I made in my head). I think he will hold strong to those prices. He may be way lower on some people, and therefore never come close to being able to get them. Similar to the pitchers he looked at this year. If he doesn't get them, he's ok and probably shakes his head and says, there is no way they are worth that. Especially important for a team that has to be extra careful with contracts. But when the market isn't reacting like it normally would, and he sees someone below his price, he'll jump on it. Like he did with Cain this year. Right or wrong, that's how I do it in my FF auction league. I don't do close to enough research (I have faith that the Brewers do), but I stick to the numbers I have. I kind of think that's going to be his approach. Way less emotion in his construction of a roster. Way more patience, and less "going for it" type moves.

[markedman5]

Suter looking good tonight vs the world champs ......so far

 

[82brewcrew82]

Suter looking good tonight vs the world champs ......so far

 

Good thing. We really need him to prove me wrong.

[MNBrew]

While I'm still a bit puzzled as to why they didn't acquire a starting pitcher, I believe they made the correct decision choosing Suter and Woodruff to round out the starting rotation. I do wonder if Suter would have been ticketed for long relief or AAA, though, had Miley not gotten hurt? Regardless, I'm sure the team is likely going to need Miley (ugh), along with Guerra, Wilkerson, and perhaps even Burnes and Derby before the year is out. Hopefully Suter and Woodruff can prove a lot of us wrong and their production will prove that the perceived need for more starting pitching was off-base.

 

As for the position player group, not a lot of surprises here. I'm sure Stearns is tearing up the phones this week trying to find takers for Aguilar and/or Choi. It wouldn't surprise me in the least to see a small trade or two done this week. It's also a little disappointing that they sent Phillips down, and that they haven't found a taker for Broxton yet. But having those guys at AAA, along with Wren and Stokes, is really solid OF depth.

 

Agree with everything except wondering why they weren't more aggressive in search of a starter. I'm glad the plan is to develop young pitching. That's what a small market team should do. Just because they signed Cain doesn't mean they have to be all-in this year.

 

I share your desire to see Phillips get an opportunity and do well, but I acknowledge that I am biased in favor of his defense. My heart wants him to be good, but brain keeps telling me he's just a slightly better Kirk. If they stumble out of the gate and Cain waives his no-trade clause, I wouldn't mind dealing him this summer and letting Phillips/Broxton platoon in center.

 

Aguilar and Choi were acquired on the waiver wire and any team that wants them knows they'll be available again soon. I doubt they can even get a prospect comparable to Wilkerson for either one of them. It would be great to have them in AAA, as I see Braun and Thames both potentially needing some time off this year, but that's not really fair to them. It's a good rule, and the Brewers have benefited from it many times, so we can't complain when they lose talent the same way.

I think JoeyMeyerBombs wasn't questioning their aggressiveness in search of a starter -- and no one outside the FO truly knows how aggressive they actually were -- just wishing they'd been able to close a deal. I wish they'd closed a deal, too, but if the best potential moves to be had were still questionable enough in terms of cost-benefit, I'm glad they didn't make a dumb or questionable move just to do something

 

I keep rooting for Phillips, too, but a still-young-ish guy with little more than a cup of coffee in the big leagues has to do better than go 7-for-49 with 20 Ks in spring training to earn a spot over guys with better MLB resumes (and ST performances) like Broxton, who himself seems to be a poster child for failure to make adjustments in one's approach at the plate..... My own hope over the winter was that they'd somehow trade both Broxton & Santana, keep Phillips as a 4th OF and Wren as a 5th OF. Not that it still can't happen at some point, though Haudricourt tweeted a little while ago that Stearns said he doesn't have any "serious" trade talks going on (TH's quotation marks).

 

To even suggest that they perhaps should ask Cain to waive his no-trade clause if they stumble seems far-fetched if not preposterous. We're all entitled to our own opinions, but everything I've heard & read indicates that they signed him to a long-term deal because they want him on the team. Phillips could be something special in the long run, too, but he's nothing near what Cain is -- keep in mind, too, that when the Brewers traded Cain to KC, he was no finished product, either, and it took him a couple years before he established himself as an everyday OF. It wouldn't surprise me if the starting OF in 2-3 years is Yelich-Cain-Phillips with Braun still starting at 1B (not that I'm rushing Braun to 1B), and I think that could still well be an elite or nearly-elite group of players.

 

Choi was a free agent signed to a minor league contract with an NRI, not a waiver claim, so he's already set to be in AAA unless he somehow makes the team. And I can't see Choi making the team unless Thames somehow doesn't.

 

I still like Aguilar and want him to remain on the team. He was a decent PH and I think he's one of those guys who has more value on the Brewers' bench than he does as a trade chip. At some point I wouldn't be surprised if one of Villar, Perez, or Sogard is eventually moved (probably one of the first two, I'd guess). And for as much as it's shifting to a "bullpen game," I think carrying 8 relievers is excessive and any NL team needs more than 3 non-catcher bench guys.

[brewerswinNLcentral]

i think philips will have a very good career. i think he will be a .270 to .280 hitter and very good defense too. if not this year, next year for sure. i love the guy. i am hoping he isnt traded...

he can throw out guys from a LONG WAYS away