Current Free Agents

[mlloyd10]

What part of "We don't want Lucroy" did people seem to miss from Stearns comments? It was spelled out plain as day short of saying NO. Don't know why this keeps being a debate.

[tmwiese55]

Warning Track Power makes some good points there. I generally agree but of course we don't really know the asking price they're dealing with on Walker/Lucroy. But one year 'show me' type deals might not be the worst thing for either of them and obviously there is no real risk for MKE on deals like that

[Roderick]

Warning Track Power makes some good points there. I generally agree but of course we don't really know the asking price they're dealing with on Walker/Lucroy. But one year 'show me' type deals might not be the worst thing for either of them and obviously there is no real risk for MKE on deals like that

 

There is risk by the Brewers, it just isn't as much financial as roster management.

 

Walker is going to hit the end of the line sometime, and if it happens in 2018... The risk is that the Brewers will cut the wrong person if they sign Walker. Who gets the ax? Cut Villar/Aguilar and he lights it up for someone else at bottom dollar is a risk. Same it they cut Perez or Sogard and then need some versatility because of injuries (Walker).

 

I can see Lucroy as an obvious improvement over Vogt (even against righty pitchers). But, is he going to be cancer in the clubhouse if he is splitting time with Pina or heaven forbid getting less than half time because Pina is showing he is better, at least for this year.

[istanbultaye]

I enjoyed Lucroy's playing days with the Brewers in the past, but I will pass on having him return. I don't see it as likely that he would hit significantly better than Pina, but I do see it as likely that he would perform noticeably worse defensively.

[tmwiese55]

It would be Lucroy vs Vogt though, not vs Pina. I'd be really surprised if Lucroy wasn't better than Vogt this year, shocked even (barring injury of course). Issue of course is that I'm sure Luc wants somewhere to be a starter but I looked around the league and there aren't really much better winning situations to be in that need a C than MKE. If he can't get a 2-3 year deal and/or guaranteed starter PT from someone then here on a 1 year show me deal really might be his best bet.

 

Walker has a lot more variables involved due to Perez, Sogard, Villar already being here. So less 'need' so to speak and risk of losing useful players. If the Sogard deal wasn't guaranteed it would make a lot more sense, just cut Sogard and go with him.

[MrTPlush]

Jonathan Lucroy is not talking a one year show me deal to back up Pina. That is a straight fantasy. If he takes a one year deal he will go where he is considered top dog.

[tmwiese55]

That's where I had the big "If" in what I said. We're a few weeks away and he's still out there so must not have an offer like that. But we have no idea what's out there for him, and again look around the league at winning teams and see who needs a top dog. I wouldn't call it a backup either, more like a split job and then whoever does better will get more and more PT. Maybe he's waiting to see if a starting C gets hurt on a winning team in spring training. I don't know what's holding him up. I'm just saying if he's not getting anything in the market, but two weeks from now he kinda just has to take what he can get. Beggars can't be choosers essentially. Sure I'd agree that you'd think someone will offer better, but time is running out.

[Warning Track Power]

The larger point in my original post on the topic was there are some serious question marks at 2B and C currently. Can Villar bounce back to something resembling 2016? Will Pina regress with the bat in his hands? With players like Walker and Lucroy still out there, I would certainly take my chances with their consistency in their careers rather than hoping Villar bounces back and Pina sustains a breakout season at 30.

[danzig6767]

The larger point in my original post on the topic was there are some serious question marks at 2B and C currently. Can Villar bounce back to something resembling 2016? Will Pina regress with the bat in his hands? With players like Walker and Lucroy still out there, I would certainly take my chances with their consistency in their careers rather than hoping Villar bounces back and Pina sustains a breakout season at 30.

The market for both Walker and Lucroy looks weak. If they'll come cheap then maybe, if not, good luck for both trying to get paid on the multi-year big money deals they crave.

[coolhandluke121]

There is risk by the Brewers, it just isn't as much financial as roster management.

 

Walker is going to hit the end of the line sometime, and if it happens in 2018... The risk is that the Brewers will cut the wrong person if they sign Walker. Who gets the ax? Cut Villar/Aguilar and he lights it up for someone else at bottom dollar is a risk. Same it they cut Perez or Sogard and then need some versatility because of injuries (Walker).

 

I can see Lucroy as an obvious improvement over Vogt (even against righty pitchers). But, is he going to be cancer in the clubhouse if he is splitting time with Pina or heaven forbid getting less than half time because Pina is showing he is better, at least for this year.

 

All good points. Youth and versatility are important. Choosing Walker over Villar or Perez would be pretty risky. Choosing Lucroy over Vogt would be an easy choice if it were a real possibility one a 1-year deal and there were no extraneous factors, but there are.

 

I support an upgrade at catcher if it's possible. I think there's a better chance of them giving up a nice bundle of prospects for Realmuto than signing Lucroy. Not that that's likely either, obviously.

[danzig6767]

 

All good points. Youth and versatility are important. Choosing Walker over Villar or Perez would be pretty risky. Choosing Lucroy over Vogt would be an easy choice if it were a real possibility one a 1-year deal and there were no extraneous factors, but there are.

 

I support an upgrade at catcher if it's possible. I think there's a better chance of them giving up a nice bundle of prospects for Realmuto than signing Lucroy. Not that that's likely either, obviously.

I would also prefer something be done at catcher more than 2nd base.

 

Generally i try avoiding hyperbolic statements, but Vogt just might have the worst arm that i can recall from a Brewers catcher over the last two decades or so. It's like watching Khris Davis try to throw out a guy tagging up from thirdbase. No arm strength and inaccurate.

[Warning Track Power]

 

All good points. Youth and versatility are important. Choosing Walker over Villar or Perez would be pretty risky. Choosing Lucroy over Vogt would be an easy choice if it were a real possibility one a 1-year deal and there were no extraneous factors, but there are.

 

I support an upgrade at catcher if it's possible. I think there's a better chance of them giving up a nice bundle of prospects for Realmuto than signing Lucroy. Not that that's likely either, obviously.

I would also prefer something be done at catcher more than 2nd base.

 

Generally i try avoiding hyperbolic statements, but Vogt just might have the worst arm that i can recall from a Brewers catcher over the last two decades or so. It's like watching Khris Davis try to throw out a guy tagging up from thirdbase. No arm strength and inaccurate.

This has been the most underrated concern on the MLB roster in my opinion. I love Pina's D but if his O dips at all, he is essentially Martin Maldonado. Now being Maldonado, the reigning Gold Glove winner in the AL, isn't terrible but the other options Vogt, Bandy, Bethancourt do not inspire a lot of confidence.

[Greenleaf1]

Pina's not an offensive power house but he figures to be at least league average offensively for a catcher while providing solid defense, so unless you're talking about picking up a star catcher like Realmuto there's not much point in spending a ton of money for a marginal improvement. The best we can hope for is a better backup but I feel like between Vogt/Bandy/Bethancourt you're going to get enough production to not feel too bad about it (what team really has a great backup catcher?)

 

As for 2B, I think given the offensive upgrades we've made elsewhere, it makes sense to let it ride with Villar and see if he can return to form. If he can, he'll have a huge impact on our lineup, and if he can't and Sogard/Perez can't do it either, then we look at making a temporary improvement at the trade deadline or give Dubon a chance, then sign someone for 2019 as a stop gap for Hiura.

 

I'm not sure either one of these positions is going to be the reason we don't make the playoffs (although obviously if Villar/Pina step it up offensively they could have a huge impact). I'm also not sure I'd want the Brewers spending any more money on free agents right now or trading away lots of prospects for anyone else.

 

2017 was a surprise, but I'm willing to roll the dice a bit on our youth in 2018 (plus our upgraded outfield) and see if our young controllable guys and prospects can take this team to the next level on their own, then be ready to fill whatever gaps remain next offseason. It might make getting to the postseason this year a little tougher, but in the end I think it will put us in a better position to succeed in the future if we know which spots can be filled from within (the rotation could look like a real strength by the end of the year if Woodruff/Burnes can step in and do well, or if Guerra somehow returns to form).

[agent39]

One poster mentioned that the Brewers had offered Walker 2/$20M, I hope he accepts that offer soon.

 

That 2/20 was last year before the season ended. Walker and Lucroy aren’t going to get numbers close to what’s being thrown around on here IMHO.

 

Some players have already signed discounted deals, the ones who don’t cave will be waiting for the phone to ring. A lot of players are getting bad advice from their agents.

 

I had an exchange on Twitter about a month ago with Josh Kusnick and he really had zero clue or feel for this market, all he did is cried collusion because agents/players are/were getting desperate. He has since blocked me on Twitter which I take as a compliment.

No, youre right. My guy avoided fa and signed and I had a bad read on the market vs a fan. Im glad I blocked you. Ill figure that out here too.

[TJseven7]

Well you handled your guy well. Solid deal, comfortable place, a chance to reclaim his value in that place and land a pay day instead of ending up in a new place that could submarine him.

 

The collusion parts pretty hard to buy though because if it was collusion SD and PHI don't make those god awful offers. Collusion would require no team wanting to get better... and frankly that'll cost gms their gig as fast as spending poorly. Collusions ridiculous to speculate, the usual spenders not being buyers and the frugal setting prices is much more plausible.

[agent39]

Individually sure

 

 

All 30 teams....impossible

[TJseven7]

Individual collusion isn't collusion ;-)

[CheezWizHed]

We have other threads for collusion. Lets leave this one to FAs please.