Year-end News Conference Notes

[Bombers]

Just creating a spot to post some of the notes from the year end conference.

 

Stearns announced the whole coaching staff will return.

[TURBO]

Was really hoping they would "re-assign" Sedar.

[MrTPlush]

@BrewerNation

Someone said on paper the payroll next year looks like the payroll this year. Counsell: "I think David is going to do something about that."

11:21 AM · Oct 3, 2017

[Madhawk23]

They continue to say that they are going to need to prepare for Jimmy Nelson missing a good chunk of next season. I get the feeling that 2018 might just be a complete lost season for Jimmy. Best case scenario, maybe we get him back for the 2nd half of the season, but I'm not even sure if I'm counting on that at this stage. Shoulder injuries are just so tricky with pitchers. And to think all of this happened on a dive back into 1st base.

[MadThinker88]

They continue to say that they are going to need to prepare for Jimmy Nelson missing a good chunk of next season. I get the feeling that 2018 might just be a complete lost season for Jimmy. Best case scenario, maybe we get him back for the 2nd half of the season, but I'm not even sure if I'm counting on that at this stage. Shoulder injuries are just so tricky with pitchers. And to think all of this happened on a dive back into 1st base.

 

I see no issue with (nor do I read anything into this) situation.

Simply having them follow the idea "Hope for the best, plan for the worst" is a strategy well established and successful over time.

[jerichoholicninja]

Was really hoping they would "re-assign" Sedar.

 

As far I know, they just said all the coaches will be returning. Doesn't mean he will be coaching 3B again. He's been moved around before, no reason he can't again.

[FVBrewerFan]

Sedar was fine this year. I think CC probably talked about improving on outs on the basepaths. I mean I can remember a few stupid sends, but every team has those over 162 games.

 

Nelson, yea, they said they have a plan. One would hope! Not sure what else can be said about that, I don't expect him back at all next year.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

They continue to say that they are going to need to prepare for Jimmy Nelson missing a good chunk of next season. I get the feeling that 2018 might just be a complete lost season for Jimmy. Best case scenario, maybe we get him back for the 2nd half of the season, but I'm not even sure if I'm counting on that at this stage. Shoulder injuries are just so tricky with pitchers. And to think all of this happened on a dive back into 1st base.

 

I see no issue with (nor do I read anything into this) situation.

Simply having them follow the idea "Hope for the best, plan for the worst" is a strategy well established and successful over time.

 

To get through the year, you'll likely need at least eight starting pitchers if you're lucky, but probably more like 10. I'm thinking more and more they are either going to open up the wallet or make a big trade for a #2-type starter. That way there is still starting rotation depth, and if Nelson returns at any point next year, the results he gives you are gravy.

[3and2Fastball]

They simply have to acquire more pitching this offseason, both starters and especially in the bullpen, otherwise there is a chance there is a regression in 2018.

[monty57]

@BrewerNation

Someone said on paper the payroll next year looks like the payroll this year. Counsell: "I think David is going to do something about that."

11:21 AM · Oct 3, 2017

 

At a year-end press conference, he's not going to go into detail about things they're going to do this offseason, but this statement from Counsell is pretty telling that they're going to spend money. That means free agency and/or trading for veterans. I just hope that Stearns is able to convince Attanasio that while we add to the MLB team, we still need to maintain the strategy of continuing to add young talent to all levels of the system.

 

I expect Hader moves to the rotation, we find another starter in free agency or trade, we retain Swarzak and add another quality reliever. But I also expect that Stearns will do a lot of things that no one expects, so I think it will be a busy and interesting offseason.

[dacbrewers]

I'm surprised no one asked Counsell how it feels to set a MLB record for strikeouts (1571) by a team in a season.

[3and2Fastball]

I'm surprised no one asked Counsell how it feels to set a MLB record for strikeouts (1571) by a team in a season.

 

He might've been tempted to answer "ask David. I can only coach the roster I'm given"

[superfly]

I'd like to hear there will be an emphasis put on a STRONG bullpen if we aren't going to spend money on starting pitching. I don't want to see one, maybe 2 signings of O-K relievers that might be good, might be bad etc. There needs to be a lockdown guy and maybe more added, especially if Hader were to be moved into the rotation. This foolishness with relying on a bullpen full of guys like Barnes has to stop if we're going to be serious about winning.

[dlk9s]

I'm surprised no one asked Counsell how it feels to set a MLB record for strikeouts (1571) by a team in a season.

 

I'm not. It would be a stupid question.

[adambr2]

I'd like to hear there will be an emphasis put on a STRONG bullpen if we aren't going to spend money on starting pitching. I don't want to see one, maybe 2 signings of O-K relievers that might be good, might be bad etc. There needs to be a lockdown guy and maybe more added, especially if Hader were to be moved into the rotation. This foolishness with relying on a bullpen full of guys like Barnes has to stop if we're going to be serious about winning.

 

I don't think Barnes was the problem, but I can agree a strong bullpen is more important to this team than most. We lost so many games in the late innings and missed the playoffs by 1 game. Our bullpen wasn't as bad as some made it out to be, but it was amplified by an offense that simply couldn't come through in the late innings.

 

Someone noted that we had one of the best offenses in baseball in the early innings and one of the worst in the late innings and theorized that part of the reason is that we had such a high strikeout offense, facing high leverage, high K relievers late in the game really caused a lot of late inning struggles for us. That theory makes sense to me.

 

Aside from revamping our lineup to a lower K rate squad, which isn't happening anytime soon, the only real way to compensate is to assemble a top shutdown bullpen .

[adambr2]

On that note, I wish Taylor Williams had been given a longer look in September. He has that kind of high leverage upside that we desperately need. I understand we were in a pennant race but there were opportunities to get him some more work. Either way, I'd still trust him over Torres, or Drake vs. RHP.

 

Drake is nothing more than a reverse LOOGY. He may literally be the worst pen option against righties in baseball. I think back to the extra inning games against the Cubs, Bryant vs. Drake, which again, it's tough to imagine a worse matchup. I didn't question it much at the time but I have to wonder in retrospect why Williams wasn't used.

 

Inexperience to me isn't a good enough answer when your alternative was a guy with literally a 1.000+ OPS against him vs. righties. I think it's fair to question that.

[LouisEly]

To get through the year, you'll likely need at least eight starting pitchers if you're lucky, but probably more like 10. I'm thinking more and more they are either going to open up the wallet or make a big trade for a #2-type starter. That way there is still starting rotation depth, and if Nelson returns at any point next year, the results he gives you are gravy.

Agreed, but I would be surprised if they brought in more than one or signed a FA SP to a long-term (3+ years) deal.

 

They will have quite a bit of depth to draw from next year:

Majors: Anderson, Davies, Woodruff, one or both of Hader/Suter, Wilkerson

AAA: Houser, Burnes, Ortiz, Derby, Perrin

AA: Peralta, Ponce, Yamamoto, Medeiros

 

Then in 2019 you add Nelson back into the mix.

 

Because of that, I don't think they need to bring someone in for more than a one or two year deal. I don't know who that is. I agree that they will explore trades, but I don't know who that could be. I keep going back to Samardzjia - hard to believe he led the NL in innings with 207. Yes, there is age/salary risk and he has three years left, but because of that he shouldn't cost a lot in prospects.

 

As for anyone younger/cheaper than Samardzjia, if they can unload some of the glut of OFs and not have to package any of Woodruff/Hader/Burnes for pitching that would be ideal.

[3and2Fastball]

@BrewerNation

Someone said on paper the payroll next year looks like the payroll this year. Counsell: "I think David is going to do something about that."

11:21 AM · Oct 3, 2017

 

That is the biggest takeaway for me, and a message to those who don't think the Brewers will seek to improve the roster through free agency.

[monty57]

I'd like to hear there will be an emphasis put on a STRONG bullpen if we aren't going to spend money on starting pitching. I don't want to see one, maybe 2 signings of O-K relievers that might be good, might be bad etc. There needs to be a lockdown guy and maybe more added, especially if Hader were to be moved into the rotation. This foolishness with relying on a bullpen full of guys like Barnes has to stop if we're going to be serious about winning.

 

You sound a bit upset about the way Stearns built a roster that just exceeded expectations by about 20 games on a very low payroll. There is little doubt that Attanasio will raise the payroll significantly. We still need to trust youth, but some of our holes will be filled with more expensive veterans, and I would not be surprised if the Brewers pull off a move that gets us a big name. I have no problem with that, as long as it doesn't change the long-term plan of continually adding young, impact talent at all levels.

[jerichoholicninja]

@BrewerNation

Someone said on paper the payroll next year looks like the payroll this year. Counsell: "I think David is going to do something about that."

11:21 AM · Oct 3, 2017

 

That is the biggest takeaway for me, and a message to those who don't think the Brewers will seek to improve the roster through free agency.

 

Doesn't mean only free agency. Just as likely more Aaron Hill deals where we take on an overpaid player and a prospect just to get the contract off the other team's payroll. I would prefer that to free agents.

[Patrick425]

While I would not mind if the Brewers made a FA acquisition to shore up their pitching this off-season, it might be wise to wait a year since next years FA pool promises to be fairly deep.

[superfly]

I'd like to hear there will be an emphasis put on a STRONG bullpen if we aren't going to spend money on starting pitching. I don't want to see one, maybe 2 signings of O-K relievers that might be good, might be bad etc. There needs to be a lockdown guy and maybe more added, especially if Hader were to be moved into the rotation. This foolishness with relying on a bullpen full of guys like Barnes has to stop if we're going to be serious about winning.

 

You sound a bit upset about the way Stearns built a roster that just exceeded expectations by about 20 games on a very low payroll. There is little doubt that Attanasio will raise the payroll significantly. We still need to trust youth, but some of our holes will be filled with more expensive veterans, and I would not be surprised if the Brewers pull off a move that gets us a big name. I have no problem with that, as long as it doesn't change the long-term plan of continually adding young, impact talent at all levels.

 

 

I guess if you consider being upset that our staff as currently constructed was flawed then yes. No i'm not sitting here stewing about every day, but it seems to me as an armchair GM that it's common sense that if you have a sketchy bunch of starters then it may be a good idea to make sure the back end is strong, or vice versa. And no, Brent Suter is not a viable starter in this league, same with Garza at this stage of his career.

 

We sat here debating Sonny Gray/Quintana, but in hindsight the better move may have been David Robertson. That dude is a gamer and the type of pitcher we need to lock down the back side.

[MadThinker88]

Issue of trading for Robertson was the demand of taking another contract with him (Todd Frazier). It was a package deal in the eyes of the ChiSox..

There is also the matter of cost ... what prospects to send back. ChiSox wanted/ got Blake Rutherford in the return package plus other pieces.

 

Yes the Brewer system is much improved but the Yankee system is on par (or better depending on the source). Looking for equivalents, the Brewers would be sending Corey Ray (& I have written in many threads I am not a fan of Ray) plus other pieces.