Mike Fiers

[brewcrewdue80]

Fiers would be someone you talk about when better FA targets are signed by other teams and he becomes one of the better targets remaining. If a team goes ahead and signs him right away so be it. Fister was just that. The Rangers are now 1 SP less need so a guy like Chatwood becomes that much more available to sign, if that's your target.

 

Fister and Fiers are rebuild types, in my opionion, to fill out a Starting 5. Texas to me has that look to their roster. Sort of a borderline 80 win potential if all fall right(Fister pitching to Det/Wash levels) in order to reach that. It's the Melvin patch a sinking ship signing.

 

Stearns has shown he doesn't operate that way. I don't see him looking up Fiers to fill out the rotation.

[KeithStone53151]

Fiers would be someone you talk about when better FA targets are signed by other teams and he becomes one of the better targets remaining. If a team goes ahead and signs him right away so be it. Fister was just that. The Rangers are now 1 SP less need so a guy like Chatwood becomes that much more available to sign, if that's your target.

 

Fister and Fiers are rebuild types, in my opionion, to fill out a Starting 5. Texas to me has that look to their roster. Sort of a borderline 80 win potential if all fall right(Fister pitching to Det/Wash levels) in order to reach that. It's the Melvin patch a sinking ship signing.

 

Stearns has shown he doesn't operate that way. I don't see him looking up Fiers to fill out the rotation.

 

Good stuff.

 

I hope you are right on the Rangers. I'm eyeing up Hamels for a deadline rental/playoff push guy if we are in the race again.

[bill hAll Star]

Fiers would be someone you talk about when better FA targets are signed by other teams and he becomes one of the better targets remaining. If a team goes ahead and signs him right away so be it. Fister was just that. The Rangers are now 1 SP less need so a guy like Chatwood becomes that much more available to sign, if that's your target.

 

Fister and Fiers are rebuild types, in my opionion, to fill out a Starting 5. Texas to me has that look to their roster. Sort of a borderline 80 win potential if all fall right(Fister pitching to Det/Wash levels) in order to reach that. It's the Melvin patch a sinking ship signing.

 

Stearns has shown he doesn't operate that way. I don't see him looking up Fiers to fill out the rotation.

 

Oddly enough, both Fister and Fiers pitched on playoff or WS title teams this past year.

 

I'm not suggesting either are a possibility, but again I'll preach the same thing, and that is that we have a bit of money to spend. If we don't think that Burnes is ready to be a great MLB piece or that Wilkerson is any sort of MLB pitcher or that Suter is as good as last year or that Hader is ready...why not spend on a short-term guy as insurance?

 

If given the choice, I'd rather have a free agent fill out the rotation and then if said acquisition is a complete flop, go to Wilkerson or maybe Burnes is ready by midseason. The more options, the better. I trust Stearns' judgment that if he thinks we have 5 good pitchers then by all means, save Mark a little money. I'd rather have 8 options and settle on 5 with some depth than say, "well, I don't want to spend money on a guy because it may be more than I think he's worth" and then be throwing Taylor Jungmann and Aaron Wilkerson in the rotation in May when Chase Anderson pulls a hammy.

[LouisEly]

The appeal of Fiers is that he can probably be had on a one year deal (and he also has done really well against the Cubs - career OPS-A of .618, 12.2 K/9 - and Cardinals - career 1.45 ERA). The Brewers may need a starter in 2018, but in 2019 there will be plenty of competition for starting spots - Nelson, Anderson, Davies, Woodruff, Hader, Burnes, Ortiz, Peralta, Houser, Suter, Perrin, Derby.

 

What I don't want the Brewers to do is half-arse it with a #3/4 starter type on a multi-year deal (i.e. Cobb). Either go with a Fiers type on a one year deal and then go with prospects in 2019, or trade some prospects for a #1/2 starter with several years left on his contract and take on some salary.

[markedman5]

He did get non tendered

[CheeseheadInQC]

I don't have much experience tracking pitchers who have what are considered "deceptive" deliveries, but might switching back to the National League help Fiers for more than just the normal reason? I know interleague play eliminates this somewhat, but might he do better against hitters who are less likely to have faced him recently?

 

Like I said, I don't know if this is a factor or not, just something that popped into my head.

[DHonks]

I'd love Fiers and would be willing to offer $4 million with incentives. He could be a great steal

[Eye Black]

Reports that he is close to a one year deal with the Tigers (LINK).

 

Edit: According to Jerry Crasnick it is a one year, $6 million deal. Also said the Orioles had offered a two year deal.