Best and Worst Stearns Moves

[jjfanec]

I love Stearns as a GM. He has done this rebuild way faster than I could have hoped. I was thinking over his record as a GM and was wondering what others thought his best and worst moves were

 

Best

1. Yelich trade. Just love the value they got. They sold high on guys and got a cornerstone player

2. Travis Shaw and Dubon for Thornburg. Shaw is underrated by many. Again another great sell high

3. Aguilar and Thames pick ups and signing. I cheated and put these together but they were the kind of under the radar moves that have solidified 1b for us while Braun struggles

4. Adam Lind trade. Loved the fliers and they have shown potential for sure.

 

Worst

1. Gennett and pretty much all things 2b (love for Villar and so hard). Hard to find a worse move than this. I wasn't a huge Scooter fan but to get nothing for a guy who has aged as well as him is rough

2. Not trading high on Santana. This may be cheating too but Santana was ripe to be traded. He doesn't have a set role in this team and his production wouldn't be super hard to replace

[Tbadder]

I more or less agree with your lists with the exception of Santana. He never was worth much. There’s no fooling naive GMs anymore, analytics have seen to that. I just hope he never leaves his modus operandi and continues to accumulate A ball players in some numbers. I want a pipeline of young players so we don’t have to depend on Yelich type trades. The Yelich trade was his best trade but I love the Lind trade best. I also think the Yelich trade is one that only comes generationally.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Honestly, his best move in the Brewers' favor came when he was the Astros' assistant GM.

[buckybrewer232]

Honestly, his best move in the Brewers' favor came when he was the Astros' assistant GM.

 

This was my thought as well. Not meaning to knock Stearns either, because I think he's been awesome. That trade with the Astros, though, was highway robbery.

[jjfanec]

The Astros trade was amazing. Such a huge move for our team obviously.

 

At the same time getting a 3b, 1b, and corner of who are all under contract for a while for Thornburg, brinson, Harrison etc is pretty huge. The top 4 of the lineup (right now the only good part) are all Stearns Moves.

[stoutdude04]

It's been brought up before, but did Santana have any trade value? I mean, it seems like DS was trying to find a suitable trade partner and nothing came of it.

[Roderick]

It's been brought up before, but did Santana have any trade value? I mean, it seems like DS was trying to find a suitable trade partner and nothing came of it.

 

Yeah, blaming Stearns for not selling high on Santana is ludicrous. It sure sounded like he was on the trading block and no one came a calling. We should blame Stearns for not trading Bandy for Archer straight up while we are at it (if we are going to make up trades that should have happened).

 

I give Stearns credit for not trading just to make a trade when it looked like we were overfull of corner OF/1B.

 

But betting on Villar instead of Gennett cost them the playoffs last year and is still costing them this year. And yes, I know he plays in the bandbox, but equalizing for that he is still a big step up.

[jjfanec]

It's been brought up before, but did Santana have any trade value? I mean, it seems like DS was trying to find a suitable trade partner and nothing came of it.

 

Yeah maybe he had nothing. I didn't have a lot of Stearns Moves I haven't liked though so I went with that

[wallus]

If we are going to count Gennett, we also need to blame Stearns for not hiring the Red's hitting coach that fixed his swing.

[Dragonbait]

Can we put not moving Jesus on this list as well?

[Fear The Chorizo]

I think had Guerra not injured his calf on opening day 2017, he'd be right up there on the list of best moves - Stearns got him on a waiver claim with his first move as Brewers GM

 

But betting on Villar instead of Gennett cost them the playoffs last year and is still costing them this year.

 

Following the 2016 season, NOBODY would've bet on Gennett over Villar as the everyday 2B option for the Brewers unless they had some unreasonable disdain for Villar. Gennett was a 0.9WAR player at 2B for the Brewers in 2016, while Villar was at 3.9 as a SS. It speaks volumes to Gennett's value at the time of his release in late spring training 2017 that the Brewers couldn't even trade him for a bag of balls. Kudos to Gennett for making the most of his opportunity on a doormat Cincy club and blossoming into an offensive force at 2B, but I don't view the comparison between him and Villar as the problem. Stearns opted to keep Hernan Perez on the 2017 team instead of Gennett, because Perez offered a ton more positional flexibility as a bench option. Gennett is a 2B and 2B only.

 

Who knows? If Villar cools off substantially maybe you'll get your wish and the Brewers will wind up with Scooter back at 2nd by August 1st...

[pacopete4]

The Gennett stuff reminds me a lot of discussing politics where one side leaves out a lot of the facts to make their case.

[JohnBriggs12]

I don't know how you can not include Khris Davis for Derby and Nottingham on the list of worst moves.

 

I believe Davis has the most HR in baseball since the start of the 2016 season and his back to back 40+ HR seasons is something no Brewer has ever done and while Nottingham has shown signs this year in 80 AB's or so he might have a major league future, and Derby could be a viable bullpen piece at some point, had he held on to Davis one more season, he'd likely have gotten a more substantial return.

[pacopete4]

No he wouldn’t because GMs know he’s a one trick pony.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I don't know how you can not include Khris Davis for Derby and Nottingham on the list of worst moves.

 

I believe Davis has the most HR in baseball since the start of the 2016 season and his back to back 40+ HR seasons is something no Brewer has ever done and while Nottingham has shown signs this year in 80 AB's or so he might have a major league future, and Derby could be a viable bullpen piece at some point, had he held on to Davis one more season, he'd likely have gotten a more substantial return.

 

Davis is older, more expensive and a worse defender than Santana. If Santana isn't worth anything, Davis is worth less than that. HRs are nice, but I think GMs are starting to see through those guys that only focus on that one aspect.

[adambr2]

I don't know how you can not include Khris Davis for Derby and Nottingham on the list of worst moves.

 

I believe Davis has the most HR in baseball since the start of the 2016 season and his back to back 40+ HR seasons is something no Brewer has ever done and while Nottingham has shown signs this year in 80 AB's or so he might have a major league future, and Derby could be a viable bullpen piece at some point, had he held on to Davis one more season, he'd likely have gotten a more substantial return.

 

Because Davis is a defensive albatross and making over $10M despite being barely over a 2 WAR player, and Nottinghamm and Derby are both pretty good bets to at least contribute something at the big league level at some point.

 

They could give us back Davis for free and I don't know that I'd take him. I wouldn't want to pay him over $10M and I have no idea where you could fit him into the OF.

[wallus]

Can you believe the A's are paying Khris Davis $10,500,000? Holy crap I would not have guessed that. His defense really hurts his value.

[YelichPosse]

From the bullpen (early returns) a great move was Matt Albers signing. A bad move Boone Logan.

 

Yelich and Cain moves look fantastic so far this year.

 

Khris Davis - yea forgot that one - yikes. (but that is not 'over' yet, and Khris Davis is essentially Chris Carter)

 

Junior as just a wavier claim? a slam dunk yes.

 

Shaw ended up a fleecing

 

Manny Pina also was somebody he got on the cheap , right?

 

His best moves though?....

NOT spending tons of money on bullpen or starters this last off season. They almost ALL have been busts or hurt. He followed the old football draft philosophy of "best available player" and then making it work with us. How awesome does our OF 1b depth look now?

 

Into this year , strongly disliked Drake, Bandy, Sogard, and Boone Logan. 2/4 are now gone. He's doing a good job of taking out the trash when the garbage men come. Let's hope he continues to upgrade the bottom of the roster, because thats where we will see gains. I love the top of our roster (sure we could use some more starting pitching - but that's most teams), but if we can continue to move the bottom closer to the middle... we will be successful!

[pacopete4]

Add resigning Sogard and Vogt this offseason as worst moves. Feliz as a closer a year ago. Feliz probably cost us a playoff spot more than anything. Risk/reward. We weren’t rewarded. This year, so far, has made up for that.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Add resigning Sogard and Vogt this offseason as worst moves. Feliz as a closer a year ago. Feliz probably cost us a playoff spot more than anything. Risk/reward. We weren’t rewarded. This year, so far, has made up for that.

 

Vogt hurt his shoulder in Spring Training. Hard to blame Stearns for that. If healthy, he would have been nice to have in a timeshare with Pina right now.

[pacopete4]

Add resigning Sogard and Vogt this offseason as worst moves. Feliz as a closer a year ago. Feliz probably cost us a playoff spot more than anything. Risk/reward. We weren’t rewarded. This year, so far, has made up for that.

 

Vogt hurt his shoulder in Spring Training. Hard to blame Stearns for that. If healthy, he would have been nice to have in a timeshare with Pina right now.

 

For me, no. He just wasn’t good enough defensively.

[Roderick]

Add resigning Sogard and Vogt this offseason as worst moves. Feliz as a closer a year ago. Feliz probably cost us a playoff spot more than anything. Risk/reward. We weren’t rewarded. This year, so far, has made up for that.

 

Vogt hurt his shoulder in Spring Training. Hard to blame Stearns for that. If healthy, he would have been nice to have in a timeshare with Pina right now.

 

For me, no. He just wasn’t good enough defensively.

 

I could not believe that the Cardinals first caught stealing was just the other day. Really shows that teams are not running as much, and it has become much less of a needed skill than framing, pitch calling, blocking.

[Tbadder]

That Astros trade was pure gold as well. And the Khris Davis trade? That’s the gift that keeps on giving. I’d rather have Phillips, Broxton, Santana, Braun in two years, a disease of unknown origin. You name it. But seriously, I think Stearns best trade is the one yet to come. Make a move oh Swami of the diamond. I await your magic.

[long ball]

The most underrated work from Stearns I think maintaining depth this season. He kept Phillips, Broxton, Choi, Aguilar, Santana, Braun, and Thames. All will likely play or have already played an important role on this team especially with the injuries they've had to deal with so far.

 

Also, as much credit we give Counsell for the way he's using the bullpen I think we need to give equal credit to Stearns. That's gotta be coming from the front office and kudos to CC for buying in.

 

As far as actual trades/acquisitions: Shaw, Yelich, and Cain all stand out as extremely important for the foreseeable future.

[markedman5]

No specific names but this is the best Stearn's impact IMO. What an amazing transformation from a few years ago.