That Was The Coolest Trade Deadline I've Ever Seen

[splitterpfj]

I really don't have anything to add, except, that was a lot of fun.

 

Half the world got traded in about a blink and a half - I loved it!

[OnaBadger58]

I really don't have anything to add, except, that was a lot of fun.

 

Half the world got traded in about a blink and a half - I loved it!

Agreed. Also seemed as if the Brewers were in the running for every player that got traded which adds to the excitement. Stearns was extremely active.

[coolhandluke121]

The Brewers made smart, incremental upgrades without giving up anything that's hard to replace. Unfortunately, a lot of other playoff contenders in the NL did the same. It won't be easy to win a wild card game, but they still have a chance at the division and they have about as promising a 5-year outlook as any other team in the NL, big markets included.

[shanedog19]

I like that we made moves but still kept the core of our farm system in tact. Well done Mr. Stearns!

[The stache]

It shows us all David Stearns is not afraid to make moves that will improve the team, all the while maintaining the future.

 

The team right now is light years better than it was a year ago. The additions of Yelich and Cain gave the top of the order an incredible amount of versatility. Two guys that could seriously hit, get on base, and run. That both were All Stars reinforced he was on the right track.

 

We got another great bullpen arm in Soria, a power hitting first baseman in "the Moose", and now a power hitting second baseman. Both Moustakas and Schoop were All Stars last year. Schoop was 12th in the AL MVP, hitting .293 with 35 doubles, 32 home runs, and 102 RBI. And, he's solid defensively, with a 1.5 dWAR since the start of 2016.

 

Most importantly, all these upgrades came without costing us Burnes or Hiura. And now that black hole in the bottom third of the order has vanished. We have all sorts of interesting lineup possibilities, and a greatly improved bench.

 

Thank you, Mr. Stearns. The road to greatness takes several small steps. We're headed in the right direction.

[Oxy]

I like that we made moves but still kept the core of our farm system in tact. Well done Mr. Stearns!

 

Yeah, I never understood the binary thinking of past GMs where you either folded or went all-in. We acquired two (EDIT: THREE!!) All-Star players and gave up (currently) mostly AAAA type players. Sure, they could develop into Major Leaguers, but other than Villar none of them were a lock to even make a meaningful contribution at the MLB level. And there aren't many people shedding tears over losing Villar.

[pitchleague]

It was cool seeing all the deals come through on my phone this afternoon.

 

Too bad I was at school and couldn't just sit and watch this all come across in real-time.

[LouisEly]

Maybe I'm overvaluing them, but I keep thinking that if the Brewers packaged Ortiz, Medeiros, and Carmona together they would have been able to get a pretty good SP.

[Oxy]

Maybe I'm overvaluing them, but I keep thinking that if the Brewers packaged Ortiz, Medeiros, and Carmona together they would have been able to get a pretty good SP.

 

Perhaps. Instead they got 2 all-star bats and an all-star closer. They needed hitting more than pitching--at least to make the playoffs.

 

I don't think they would have gotten an ace with that package though. If they wanted Gausmann or Happ, sure...but those guys aren't a whole lot better than who they have now, if at all.

[Ennder]

Depends on the SP you want. Lynn, Hamels, Happ etc are just not clear upgrades over the mass of #3/#4 starters we have now. That package is less than the Pirates gave up for Archer by a wide margin. Not sure who was left that was worth it.

[MadThinker88]

Maybe I'm overvaluing them, but I keep thinking that if the Brewers packaged Ortiz, Medeiros, and Carmona together they would have been able to get a pretty good SP.

 

I doubt it. I think you might want to review the linked item from Fangraphs..

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/ranking-the-prospects-traded-at-the-deadline-2/

 

Not much love for the departed Brewers prospects...

[Thurston Fluff]

Maybe I'm overvaluing them, but I keep thinking that if the Brewers packaged Ortiz, Medeiros, and Carmona together they would have been able to get a pretty good SP.

 

That wouldn't have helped us nearly as much as what we got for them. I understood why people said we needed starting pitching in the off season and even early in the season. I don't understand why people think that now.

[Pugger]

I like that we made moves but still kept the core of our farm system in tact. Well done Mr. Stearns!

 

Yeah, I never understood the binary thinking of past GMs where you either folded or went all-in. We acquired two (EDIT: THREE!!) All-Star players and gave up (currently) mostly AAAA type players. Sure, they could develop into Major Leaguers, but other than Villar none of them were a lock to even make a meaningful contribution at the MLB level. And there aren't many people shedding tears over losing Villar.

 

Villar always drove me crazy. He could hit decently enough but he made more boneheaded decisions defensively and while running the bases.

[Boomer5]

It’s great to see Phillips playing so well. He is a guy that you just want to succeed.

[Humans Need Water]

Maybe I'm overvaluing them, but I keep thinking that if the Brewers packaged Ortiz, Medeiros, and Carmona together they would have been able to get a pretty good SP.

 

I doubt it. I think you might want to review the linked item from Fangraphs..

 

https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/ranking-the-prospects-traded-at-the-deadline-2/

 

Not much love for the departed Brewers prospects...

LouisEly, no, you're not overvaluing them. And nobody needs to review what Fangraphs says. Their analysis of any player is based on some flawed model they created combined with nonsense. BP and mlb.com both reported heading into this season that Ortiz has been aggressive in his conditioning and came to camp in much better shape while also increasing his flexibility and stamina yet Fangraphs still pumps out the opposite 4 months into the season while saying he has "average big league ability". They're literally the only one's saying that. Everyone else has him pegged as a #2-3 (mostly at #3) but their flawed models pegs him at a 45 FV.

 

Phillips is a starting MLB CF/RF and when he *starts* he's productive. And that hasn't changed in the few games he's played in KC already. He was terrible as a pinch hitter this year with the Brewers and that's why his numbers look brutal (his 2 starts he hit 300). Ortiz is a great talent and he's still young, like Kodi. 91% of the innings he's thrown this year he's posted a 1.03 whip, 2.17 bb9, 9.1 k9, 2.45 era....he's had 2 bad outings spanning 5 innings that have ballooned his numbers and one was his first start back from missing a month due to injury. I hope the O's let him throw more than 70-75 pitches, unlike the Brewers, as he would have easily thrown 110 innings last year even with his injuries and same goes for this year. I get the nagging injuries with him and it's a concern moving forward but dude is a legitimate talent who's never allowed to throw 95 pitches like everyone else in our org. I believe he makes his MLB debut before the end of 2019. The reality is Phillips is MLB ready, already on the 40 and blocked by the Yelich/Cain acquisitions and Braun still here through 2020 while Ortiz has like 7 controllable rotation arms in front of him and Brown next to him combined with being Rule 5 eligible. Phillips/Ortiz were virtual locks to be traded for those very reasons. Carmona is 18 and already has hit tool issues plus he'll be blocked at SS (Turang); he's a lottery ticket here and elsewhere. While Kodi's performed well in the rotation this year and made strides he's not going to stick there nor is he a better rotation arm prospect than Burnes/Peralta/Woodruff/Ortiz/Brown and he's also Rule 5 eligible. No reason to have Kodi take up a 40 man spot next year when Suter's spot is already open due to TJ and most likely missing all of 2019 then when he's back in 2020 he becomes the strong multi-inning lefty pen arm and 6th man in the rotation with 4yrs cheap control still. I really like Phillips and Ortiz, and Kodi as a pen arm, but it made a lot of sense to trade them and in doing so we improved our MLB team while keeping our top 3 rotation prospect arms (and Brown who they're very high on) and Hiura, Ray, Dubon, Nottingham, Houser who can all help next year at the MLB level at some point during the season (and we kept Lutz/Erceg too). And yes, it was a fun end to the deadline.

[Warning Track Power]

It’s great to see Phillips playing so well. He is a guy that you just want to succeed.

Agreed. I irrationally hated to see him traded. He is just so likable and really my kind of player. I still would have preferred Santana and Lopez to KC as I really thought he would pencil in nicely as the RF of the future as a D first player. Regardless I will root hard for him.

[homer]

So if Brett Phillips puts up good numbers while starting, why couldn't he put up good numbers as a starter in Colorado Springs?

[pacopete4]

So if Brett Phillips puts up good numbers while starting, why couldn't he put up good numbers as a starter in Colorado Springs?

 

He doesn’t hit breakin balls that don’t break.

[bill hAll Star]

We'll have to let this play out a bit. A lot of decent lefty platoon guys could crush this version of Dylan Covey and James Shields/the trash bin of the White Sox bullpen.

 

I think Phillips is going to be a MLB mainstay and a solid platoon/defense guy, but I remember this time last year a lot of people freaking out that Garrett Cooper was hitting .400 in like 6 games.

[homer]

I like Phillips the person. I just think there are too many red flags with his swing for him to ever be a consistent hitter. 4th outfielder seems to be his ceiling, IMO.

[KeithStone53151]

Outside of specific brewers, I agree with the OP...that last hour was wild. I want to say there were maybe 4 trades before 2 pm central time that day, and we wound up with what 20 total? It seemed like every 4 or 5 minutes a new trade came through. Some very significant and not pure rentals, like Archer and Gausman. I'm so curious what it's like in Stearns office and the conference room they are likely using from 1-3 pm on deadline day. It must be friggin wild.

[KeithStone53151]

I'll also add that I'm very convinced we were in an intense bidding war with the Pirates for Archer. It would explain why he went for such a high price tag. I would venture to guess than Ortiz and Carmona were part of that package, likely along with others. When that fell through I would guess we stripped a bigger piece off the package(like maybe Peralta?) and pivoted to Schoop.

[MadScientist]

I like Phillips the person. I just think there are too many red flags with his swing for him to ever be a consistent hitter. 4th outfielder seems to be his ceiling, IMO.

Well if he develops, maybe the Brewers will sign him to a big FA contract in 5 years.

[Eye Black]

I'll also add that I'm very convinced we were in an intense bidding war with the Pirates for Archer. It would explain why he went for such a high price tag. I would venture to guess than Ortiz and Carmona were part of that package, likely along with others. When that fell through I would guess we stripped a bigger piece off the package(like maybe Peralta?) and pivoted to Schoop.

Ken Rosenthal’s post Archer trade for The Athletic made it sound like the Pirates quickly accepted the Rays asking price which was a shock to the point it left the Rays wondering if they should have asked the Pirates for even more. He made it sound like the Rays knew he was going to Pittsburgh very early in the morning the day he was traded. He also shared a narrative that Pirates GM Neil Huntington has had a fascination with Archer for over 10 years (from when he was still a young prospect back in 2007).

[SRB]

I was slightly underwhelmed by the deadline experience this year.

 

The Soria move I liked, but then I was too confused by the Moustakas and (even more so) Schoop moves to fully enjoy them like I would for a normal Brewers addition. I guess there was so much build up to the Brewers making a major move for a SP or another missing piece that when we finally did land a couple players it was a bit of a letdown.