FA Pitchers

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

My biggest problem or fear with having all of Williams, Woodruff, Suter, etc make the team out of camp is it likely means 1-2 of Miley, Gallardo and Guerra are cut. That provides a potential depth problem down the road in event of injuries, young guys hitting innings limits, guys sucking, regression, Jimmy not coming back, etc. having Woodruff or Sutter start in the minors and 2-3 of Gallardo, Gerra, Miley make the OD roster help hedge against that a bit. This especially makes sense if none of them show you there is a discernible talent gap.

 

I guess it depends on if the vet guys can be effective enough to earn a spot. If they determine one of the younger guys is head and shoulders better than one of the vets, he should get the spot. I get the need for depth, but there are always Miley and Gallardo types out there it seems.

[badger3034]

My biggest problem or fear with having all of Williams, Woodruff, Suter, etc make the team out of camp is it likely means 1-2 of Miley, Gallardo and Guerra are cut. That provides a potential depth problem down the road in event of injuries, young guys hitting innings limits, guys sucking, regression, Jimmy not coming back, etc. having Woodruff or Sutter start in the minors and 2-3 of Gallardo, Gerra, Miley make the OD roster help hedge against that a bit. This especially makes sense if none of them show you there is a discernible talent gap.

 

Well, someone is gonna have to go. They bought a lottery ticket with Yo and Miley, and they aren't (?) guaranteed any money unless they're on the roster as far as I know. Those two are only here to attempt to impress and earn a roster spot, their futures aren't guaranteed. I guess I'm confused as to why so many people are attempting to pencil those guys in as part of the starting rotation, especially Miley. Guerra is going to get every chance available to him to earn his spot in the rotation, possibly permanently. The guy was originally last year an opening day starter. Just take Willy Peralta for example, the Brewers gave him every chance to redeem himself, which admittedly was kind of stupid, but they're gonna let him try and earn his way into the rotation.

 

If the Brewers weren't to sign a pitcher like Cobb or Arrieta (I hope they do), I picture their pitching staff being something like this

 

Anderson

Davies

Chacin

Woodruff

Guerra

 

Hader

Suter, as a long relief/spot start option

Albers

Barnes

Gallardo

Jeffress

Williams

Knebel

 

Now that I really look at that, I guess I don't really have a huge problem with that staff, though adding a Cobb or Arrieta would bolster that staff quite significantly

[MNBrew]

Both Gallardo's & Miley's contracts are guaranteed only if they make the roster. That was well-reported at the time each signed. The Brewers aren't throwing away $2M apiece if neither make the team.

[pacopete4]

Stearns on adding anymore:

“We need to make sure that we continue to manage our payroll responsibly so we can continue to add to this group in the coming years as we remain competitive and look to prolong this stretch of really quality play.”

 

”It’s a balancing act. We want to aid this current team as much as possible, we also want to make sure that we have the ability to add to groups going forward in future years when the right opportunities present themselves.”

Obviously, there is GM speak and all that jazz but this sounds about right for where the Brewers are. They don't want to financially hamstring themselves for future moves down the road. Signing Jake Arrieta would do just that most likely. Cobb, maybe. Lynn... no thanks anyways.

 

 

 

 

More interesting tidbit from Stearns:

"There’s always a segment of the rumor mill that I read and I scratch my head a little bit and wonder where that came from, (but) this offseason there was a higher percentage of that."

He reads rumors? Interesting. Also, is he calling out one of our very own? Even more interesting.

[istanbultaye]

Has anyone asked him if he reads brewerfan.net? I remember finding out about this site when it was mentioned by Jim Powell back in the day.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Has anyone asked him if he reads brewerfan.net? I remember finding out about this site when it was mentioned by Jim Powell back in the day.

 

I have no doubt that if he doesn't, someone high up in the organization does. Don't underestimate how important it is for the front office to keep a pulse on the thoughts of the fanbase.

 

Hi David! Please don't go into the season thinking that Wade Miley and Yo are solid starting pitching options!

[MrTPlush]

I’m sure front offices keep an eye on rumors much for the same reason we do. Does he read HH19 or our gibberish...ummm, maybe not.

[Warning Track Power]

 

Please end this...

[TJH123]

Guerra, Miley and Gallardo all had ERAs over 5 last year, sorry if I don’t have high hopes for any of them to perform better than last year but there’s good reason to be skeptical. Suter isn’t built to go long into games. Woodruff and Wilkerson are very unproven. Chacin is average but nothing too special. As it stands, 3 of those 7 will get a rotation spot to start the year and who knows if Anderson and Davies get hurt in addition to Nelson already being hurt, forcing one of those other to pitch. Please sign Cobb/Arrieta. If the players we have are what we have at the start of the season and they perform well and get to the playoffs I will gladly eat my words but I just don’t have a lot of confidence in that group outside of Anderson and Davies.

 

Best options for the rotation on Opening Day looks like

 

Anderson

Davies

Chacin

Woodruff

Suter/Miley

 

That group is alright but not something that makes me think playoff team. Again what if Anderson, Davies, Chacin or Suter get hurt? I don’t wanna rely on a bunch of guys who had ERAs over 5 last year. Getting Jimmy back should help but who knows if he’ll even be the same, and there’s 1/3 a season of production we won’t get from him at the start anyways.

[pacopete4]

Getting Jimmy back should help but who knows if he’ll even be the same, and there’s 1/3 a season of production we won’t get from him at the start anyways.

 

If it makes you feel better, Jimmy posted a mid 5's ERA with a whip of 1.535 in March/April last season (5 starts or 1/4 of his starts).

[TJH123]

Getting Jimmy back should help but who knows if he’ll even be the same, and there’s 1/3 a season of production we won’t get from him at the start anyways.

 

If it makes you feel better, Jimmy posted a mid 5's ERA with a whip of 1.535 in March/April last season (5 starts or 1/4 of his starts).

 

Davies had a really bad April too, but I feel like they’re still more likely to perform better at the start of the season than the other guys that are options at the bottom of the rotation, as are Cobb and Arrieta

[badger3034]

What kind of worries me if the Brewers don't sign a SP this offseason, their plan is to sign a lot of these guys on the roster right now when they become contract eligible. That doesn't sound bad upfront, but the thing is, are most of these guys going to be worth multiple year contracts? Braun, Cain, and Yelich are, but are you going to fork out $10-15 million when Santana becomes eligible? Davies? Nelson, if he doesn't come back the same way? Thames, Aguilar when their deals are up? Shaw? Knebel? I have a feeling that the players we have now are going to still be on the team in 4 years-ish, and I guess I don't feel that bad about it. I feel like a lot of these guys are attached to Milwaukee, and when I watch them play, they put their hearts on their sleeves. You can really see their emotions come out and feel a passion for trying to win. The only problem is... I don't think this team alone can win a world series. Even if everyone of them played at their ceiling, I still think we will be below the top 3 teams in baseball. That I think is why I have a problem with them not spending their payroll now. You do have minor leaguers like Hiura or Burnes that will come up and help out a lot, and could blossom into all-stars, but it just feels like they're just going to be a revolving door where when their prospects get to their ceiling, its time for their payday, and the Brewers won't pay up. It's a scary and pessimistic thought, but that's what I've gained from Stearns dialogue

[Greenleaf1]

Let's say the Brewers do sign one of the 3 top FA pitchers, doesn't this put our payroll a little too high considering arbitration raises over the next few years? We would be at $105-$110M already this year, plus probably add another $10M/year the next 2 years in arbitration raise and we could be pushing $130M in 2020 just with the guys we already have. That seems a bit high for the Brewers. Maybe this team caps out in the $120M range sometime in the next couple years but you'd think they'd want some flexibility between then and now to add pieces later on.

 

I'm not sure we can afford any of these 3 guys, particularly when it seems like we could be calling up guys like Burnes/Peralta/Houser who could fill out the back end of the rotation (with maybe potential for more) and let Nelson/Anderson/Davies hold down the top part of the rotation. There's more risk to that approach but it also could potentially lead to a much more affordable and still pretty strong rotation.

[KeithStone53151]

Let's say the Brewers do sign one of the 3 top FA pitchers, doesn't this put our payroll a little too high considering arbitration raises over the next few years? We would be at $105-$110M already this year, plus probably add another $10M/year the next 2 years in arbitration raise and we could be pushing $130M in 2020 just with the guys we already have. That seems a bit high for the Brewers. Maybe this team caps out in the $120M range sometime in the next couple years but you'd think they'd want some flexibility between then and now to add pieces later on.

 

I'm not sure we can afford any of these 3 guys, particularly when it seems like we could be calling up guys like Burnes/Peralta/Houser who could fill out the back end of the rotation (with maybe potential for more) and let Nelson/Anderson/Davies hold down the top part of the rotation. There's more risk to that approach but it also could potentially lead to a much more affordable and still pretty strong rotation.

 

I can understand the concern. I wouldn't be as concerned about 2020 though as you would 2019. Chacin, Logan, Albers all fall off in 2020. And a number of fringy arbitration guys like Perez, Aguilar, Broxton, Bandy, Vogt, etc will probably be replaced by league minimum options by then. Even Villar will probably be gone in favor of Hiura by 2020. And Braun likely falls off the books after 2020. My point in all this, the biggest payroll concern year out of the next 4 years is probably 2019 by far. They could probably easily structure a Cobb 4/50 contract with 15, 8, 15, 12 and ease some of the burden in 2019.

[brewmann04]

I agree about the payroll and concerns and like your explanations. but if DS and Mark believe the brewers can contend this year they will have to add a quality Starter to take Nelson Spot.

[pacopete4]

This goes a little bit with all the free agents who are out there but I am always amazed at the players who don't want to go to spring training. Isn't that where you really start to bond with your fellow teammates? Isn't that where you get to put in some work and hit the golf course a couple times a week? I mean, I get it that it is probably redundant but it's baseball. They only get so many times in their lives that they'll get to do spring training and interact with the fans and the players of their organization. Don't they want to sign and be a part of that? Maybe it is easier for me, a person who never sniffed a spring training, but I feel like if you love the game and want to be a part of the team, you want to sign those contracts and get yourself into camp.

[TURBO]

This goes a little bit with all the free agents who are out there but I am always amazed at the players who don't want to go to spring training. Isn't that where you really start to bond with your fellow teammates? Isn't that where you get to put in some work and hit the golf course a couple times a week? I mean, I get it that it is probably redundant but it's baseball. They only get so many times in their lives that they'll get to do spring training and interact with the fans and the players of their organization. Don't they want to sign and be a part of that? Maybe it is easier for me, a person who never sniffed a spring training, but I feel like if you love the game and want to be a part of the team, you want to sign those contracts and get yourself into camp.

 

I think the average MLB player just doesn't realize how lucky they are to be paid like they are, to play a game like they are, and to be famous, like they are. I think they all take it for granted, while guys like us would give almost anything to be in their position.

 

As a kid, my lifelong dream was to be a baseball player. An obvious pipe dream, but I didn't realize that until my high school playing days were over. I probably could have played DIV. III baseball, but had to work to put myself through college, so there was no time to even attempt it. Instead, what I did was play fast pitch softball in 3 different leagues every summer, with great bunches of guys. We played tournaments most weekends, and the bonds that were made in that time of my life are and have been life long. Then came a wife, kids and work responsibilities. From there I moved onto slow pitch softball, same thing, but only 2 nights a week, and fewer tourneys.

 

I like to think if I were a MLB player, I'd want to take advantage of all you mentioned above...

[FVBrewerFan]

This goes a little bit with all the free agents who are out there but I am always amazed at the players who don't want to go to spring training. Isn't that where you really start to bond with your fellow teammates? Isn't that where you get to put in some work and hit the golf course a couple times a week? I mean, I get it that it is probably redundant but it's baseball. They only get so many times in their lives that they'll get to do spring training and interact with the fans and the players of their organization. Don't they want to sign and be a part of that? Maybe it is easier for me, a person who never sniffed a spring training, but I feel like if you love the game and want to be a part of the team, you want to sign those contracts and get yourself into camp.

 

Professional baseball players are just people. (I know, pretty deep ha?) Meaning they're all different. I'm sure some love every moment of the experience, and take it all in and appreciate it. Others may not want anything to do with the fans, or even other players. Not necessarily because they're jerks, they just may be more reserved.

 

One thing I do know for a fact. And this isn't something some guy on tweeter or facespace said, it was a conversation I had with a former player. He said after the season you have all sorts of affairs to get in order, then go on vacation, then come the holidays. Besides all that, some guys play fall or winter ball. He said you finally sort of settle in with your family and boom it's time for camp again.

 

So I don't think players in general either love or hate ST, it's some of both. As for the FA pitchers out there, they're just giving their agent 100% of the decision making authority. Is that smart? Maybe/ maybe not, but that's what they're paying them for. I highly doubt they're doing it just to miss camp, by the same token the desire to be at ST with players, fans etc. isn't that big of a deal when millions is at stake.

[Mr Southpaw]

I think this topic is divided into to sides. Do you believe in Suter or Do you not believe in Suter. If he pitches near what his results were from last year, we will be ok. He kind of reminds me of Mike Fiers from when the Brewers had him. 3.66 era for 341 innings over 5 years. Not bad, but you always expect him to fail. I think Suter can replicate these results.

 

Anderson

Davies

Chacin

Woodruff

Sutor at 3.66

 

That would be ok until/if Nelson gets bad.

[DR28]

Anderson

Davies

Chacin

Woodruff

Miley

 

Suter to bullpen as LR, spot starter.

[brewtank34]

How has Woodruff looked this spring? Has he earned a spot over Suter and Miley?

[DR28]

How has Woodruff looked this spring? Has he earned a spot over Suter and Miley?

 

How did Woodruff look his first 5 MLB starts?

 

Who cares what he looks like in ST, he's working on things.

[RollieTime]

How has Woodruff looked this spring? Has he earned a spot over Suter and Miley?

 

How did Woodruff look his first 5 MLB starts?

 

Who cares what he looks like in ST, he's working on things.

 

Really? Totally unnecessary.

 

To answer you brewtank, he’s gotten lit up. He has not earned a spot over those two up to this point. I don’t see Woodruff making the rotation as it stands today.

[trwi7]

This goes a little bit with all the free agents who are out there but I am always amazed at the players who don't want to go to spring training. Isn't that where you really start to bond with your fellow teammates? Isn't that where you get to put in some work and hit the golf course a couple times a week? I mean, I get it that it is probably redundant but it's baseball. They only get so many times in their lives that they'll get to do spring training and interact with the fans and the players of their organization. Don't they want to sign and be a part of that? Maybe it is easier for me, a person who never sniffed a spring training, but I feel like if you love the game and want to be a part of the team, you want to sign those contracts and get yourself into camp.

 

I don't think it's that they don't want to, it's just that it's way too long (maybe not for pitchers but position players.) I wouldn't want to be there for well over a month when I'm ready for real games in a couple of weeks. All that other stuff I wouldn't give a crap about if I was a baseball player. I hate golf, I mostly hate people so I would feel no need to bond with any of them.

[brewtank34]

How has Woodruff looked this spring? Has he earned a spot over Suter and Miley?

 

How did Woodruff look his first 5 MLB starts?

 

Who cares what he looks like in ST, he's working on things.

 

Really? Totally unnecessary.

 

To answer you brewtank, he’s gotten lit up. He has not earned a spot over those two up to this point. I don’t see Woodruff making the rotation as it stands today.

 

Thank you Rollie. This was the type of feedback I was looking for.