Alex Cobb (Part 3)

[Brewer Fever]

They are going for it, to some extent. Lorenzo Cain was almost instantly signed after we got Yelich. That isn't just some kind of coincidence. Lorenzo Cain wasn't getting signed without Yelich.

 

I strongly disagree. I think they make the Yelich trade even if Cain went elsewhere and vice versa. And I think you're a perfect example of falling victim to coincidental timing combined with the unfortunate misleadings of an internet troll.

[nate82]

They are going for it, to some extent. Lorenzo Cain was almost instantly signed after we got Yelich. That isn't just some kind of coincidence. Lorenzo Cain wasn't getting signed without Yelich.

 

Incorrect Cain was someone the Brewers targeted well before Yelich was made available. The Brewers were going to sign Cain with or without Yelich.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

They are going for it, to some extent. Lorenzo Cain was almost instantly signed after we got Yelich. That isn't just some kind of coincidence. Lorenzo Cain wasn't getting signed without Yelich.

 

I strongly disagree. I think they make the Yelich trade even if Cain went elsewhere and vice versa. And I think you're a perfect example of falling victim to coincidental timing combined with the unfortunate misleadings of an internet troll.

 

I disagree. If there is anyone here not falling for the rumors, it was MrTPlush.

[MrTPlush]

They are going for it, to some extent. Lorenzo Cain was almost instantly signed after we got Yelich. That isn't just some kind of coincidence. Lorenzo Cain wasn't getting signed without Yelich.

 

I strongly disagree. I think they make the Yelich trade even if Cain went elsewhere and vice versa. And I think you're a perfect example of falling victim to coincidental timing combined with the unfortunate misleadings of an internet troll.

 

Yah, going to have to disagree with that one. Actually I might be the polar opposite..

 

There was some connection with those two signings. Those two major acquisitions don't just happen on top of each other like that. Did one depend on the other? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe getting Yelich created an urgency to finish up the Cain deal ASAP too.

[istanbultaye]

Attanasio had an interview with MLB TV where he discussed Yelich and Cain and both had been in the works for a long time, and if I remember correctly, he stated that the two moves were both desired independently of each other, and it just happened that they both ended up culminating at the same time. He had said something to the effect of, they knew Cain would be signing soon, but trade talks go on for some time, and then bang, it happens that they agree, so there is often less lead time to know that it's really going to happen.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

They are going for it, to some extent. Lorenzo Cain was almost instantly signed after we got Yelich. That isn't just some kind of coincidence. Lorenzo Cain wasn't getting signed without Yelich.

 

I strongly disagree. I think they make the Yelich trade even if Cain went elsewhere and vice versa. And I think you're a perfect example of falling victim to coincidental timing combined with the unfortunate misleadings of an internet troll.

 

Yah, going to have to disagree with that one. Actually I might be the polar opposite..

 

There was some connection with those two signings. Those two major acquisitions don't just happen on top of each other like that. Did one depend on the other? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe getting Yelich created an urgency to finish up the Cain deal ASAP too.

 

I have absolutely no doubt that they timed the announcements to coincide with the On-Deck event that weekend. Because that's the kind of fluffy crap this team's PR department pulls. I was kind of laughed at when I suggested it back then, but look at the history. This team loves to have player acquisition announcements at the end of January to line up with selling tickets right before On Deck. I do get it, but that doesn't stop me from thinking that it's hokey and juvenile.

[A Swing and A Drive]

I also don't think the Yelich and Cain signings had ANYTHING to do with one another.

 

Besides something like this...

 

My guess is that as a courtesy Streans called Cain and his agent, who were already expecting to sign with Milwaukee, and told them not to freak out about the forthcoming Yelich trade news and be confident that the Brewers are still interested in signing him as their CF and leadoff hitter.

 

My guess is that Cain and his agent did freak out and basically told the Brewers that they needed to sign him now or else Cain would turn and sign with another team (Rangers?) because he was sick of waiting around and didn't want to jeopardize losing other offers on his table.

 

Stearns and Attanasio then pulled the trigger and signed Cain and figured they would deal with their OF surplus as the offseason progressed.

 

 

Or that could be entirely wrong.

 

Perhaps they did both moves just to make sure Brewers On Deck was a successful event.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

An actual rumor from an actual source:

 

Milwaukee Brewers

Brewers owner Mark Attanasio and agent Scott Boras made a late-spring deal for a high-profile pitcher once before (Kyle Lohse), when Attanasio signed Kyle Lohse. But while they talked about Jake Arrieta, there’s no evidence they ever got close. They may make the most sense for Alex Cobb at this point. They do have interest, as well as a need. - Jon Heyman

[82brewcrew82]

Alas, but still not news really.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Alas, but still not news really.

 

It might be the first time a legit source said the Brewers had interest. But you're right, it could be Heyman just connecting the same tired dots we have here for months.

[82brewcrew82]

Alas, but still not news really.

 

It might be the first time a legit source said the Brewers had interest. But you're right, it could be Heyman just connecting the same tired dots we have here for months.

Hmmm, I thought Heyman had reported the Brewers as in on Cobb before.

[MKEguy]

For some reason, I still follow Heyman on twitter. He has been up in arms about Fa’s not getting the deals of the past and as soon as they used to happen. He’s also been trying to drum up interest by doing just this, team A should sign FA B. I take this alleged interest with a grain of salt, the guy is advocating for the players instead of reporting.

[SeaBass]

Alas, but still not news really.

 

It might be the first time a legit source said the Brewers had interest. But you're right, it could be Heyman just connecting the same tired dots we have here for months.

Hmmm, I thought Heyman had reported the Brewers as in on Cobb before.

 

There was a report back on Dec 31 on MLB.com, I believe from Jon Morosi, that the Brewers had been "in contact" with Cobb's representatives. I remember searching in the last week or so for something more concrete than rumor tying Cobb and the Brewers together and that was the only mention by a reputable source and it never really said that negotiations were occurring, just that there had been contact.

[brewmann04]

I wish he signs somewhere soon

[A Swing and A Drive]

[sarcasm]I heard that Cobb's agent had a missed call from Stearns but when he texted him back, there was no reply.[/sarcasm]

[DR28]

I heard that Cobb's agent had a missed call from Stearns but when he texted him back, there was no reply.

 

Shouldnt this be in blue?

[brewmann04]

if Mark wanted him he would have told DS to get it done.

[Boomer5]

I suppose fundamentally the question is: is the current collection of talent good enough to compete in the NL. I think the answer to that question is maybe.

 

In today's baseball, if you have a .500 record, more likely than not you are in the race for a playoff spot. Does the Brewers collection of talent scream .500 baseball, yes it does.

 

Are there any elite talents currently in the Brewers farm system that will help push the major league team into one of the three or four most talented teams in the NL... that I'm not so sure off. Time will tell.

 

But with playing .500 baseball, you wind up picking 20th in the draft and while there are no sure things in the draft, more everyday players are found in the upper half of the first round than the lower half. So with .500 baseball the farm system is not likely going to get stocked with elite prospects picking near the bottom of each round.

 

(Now to bring this back to Cobb) If the team is going to be around .500, and as a consequence likely will not have a draft position where they have the ability to add elite talent to the system in either 2018 or 2019, why not field the absolute best team you can especially when you can add major league talent to the rotation without giving up players already in the pipe line.

 

Hiura seems to be the only plus plus guy on the way though Lutz may push his way into that conversation.

 

The team is not young so the window is short, like 3 years max. For the starting line up, Yelich and Arcia are young and have upside. I would have added Santana but Stearns doesn't seem to want him here. The rest of guys seem like regression candidates unless people really like Villar.

 

I like Hader and Knebel in the pen. The rest no one knows until the live at bats start due to the general roller coaster nature of the pen arms. The rotation looks like a nightmare unless DJ pulls off a miracle. We really needed a reliable 2/3 type which is why this thread is still

going strong.

 

This team feels like a pretty old 500 caliber team. We have seen this movie before from the Senator but who knows. Maybe CC and DJ will pull this off.

[82brewcrew82]

The season has lost a lot of the promise/luster that was created with the Yelich/Cain acquisitions. It seems odd to spend the player and cash resources they did to achieve mediocrity. I know the FO will spin it but it sure seems like they had a plan that they failed to execute entirely. Now you have a mediocre team that is neither young or old and quite literally stuck in middling purgatory.

[Boomer5]

The season has lost a lot of the promise/luster that was created with the Yelich/Cain acquisitions. It seems odd to spend the player and cash resources they did to achieve mediocrity. I know the FO will spin it but it sure seems like they had a plan that they failed to execute entirely. Now you have a mediocre team that is neither young or old and quite literally stuck in middling purgatory.

 

I'd love to know what really happened between those two acquisitions and the nothing that followed.

[82brewcrew82]

The season has lost a lot of the promise/luster that was created with the Yelich/Cain acquisitions. It seems odd to spend the player and cash resources they did to achieve mediocrity. I know the FO will spin it but it sure seems like they had a plan that they failed to execute entirely. Now you have a mediocre team that is neither young or old and quite literally stuck in middling purgatory.

 

I'd love to know what really happened between those two acquisitions and the nothing that followed.

I don't know but adding a FA starting pitcher was never part of the plan. If the prices are too high now they were certainly too high before everyone watched this market play out. I think if the plan all along was to try Braun at first, he would have been working at it long before spring training. I think that whole notion sprung up once they were convinced they couldn't trade Santana and it just stinks of trying to make the best of a bad situation. Stearns thought he was going to get what he wanted for Santana and misjudged the market like everyone else.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

The season has lost a lot of the promise/luster that was created with the Yelich/Cain acquisitions. It seems odd to spend the player and cash resources they did to achieve mediocrity. I know the FO will spin it but it sure seems like they had a plan that they failed to execute entirely. Now you have a mediocre team that is neither young or old and quite literally stuck in middling purgatory.

 

I too wish they would have done more, but to call the team mediocre when they were one game from the playoffs, and made drastic offensive improvements to clean up deficiencies, I believe is shortsighted. I mean hell, might as well not even watch this year. When do the Packers start training camp?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I don't know but adding a FA starting pitcher was never part of the plan. If the prices are too high now they were certainly too high before everyone watched this market play out. I think if the plan all along was to try Braun at first, he would have been working at it long before spring training. I think that whole notion sprung up once they were convinced they couldn't trade Santana and it just stinks of trying to make the best of a bad situation. Stearns thought he was going to get what he wanted for Santana and misjudged the market like everyone else.

 

This I agree with. I think he had a grand plan coming into the offseason that was only half executed.

[gebc1997]

It is amazing how many pessimists and experts are on this board.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

It is amazing how many pessimists and experts are on this board.

 

+1

 

Don't tell them that, though. They'll only get defensive.