Yasmani Grandal signs with Brewers - 1 year, $16 million. Mutual option for 2020.

[long ball]

This is a great deal for the Brewers. I would’ve been nervous on a deal for Grandal longer than 2 years so I’m very happy about this signing.

 

Adding a huge offensive upgrade at catcher could give the Brewers the flexibility to roll with what they have at second base. Open with a platoon and move to Hiura at some point and let him develop in the big leagues.

 

I don't think you make this type of move at the C position, only to leave the poo-poo platter at 2B. They are going for it, and the moves from here on out should reflect that I think. Sign a 2B, and let Hiura develop. Just a matter of who ...

 

Ya I won’t predict what they will do because I’ve been surprised at what they’ve done at just about every major acquisition the past two offseasons.

 

I just think there’s a pretty solid chance Hiura is up by May and now that they’ve significantly improved the offense at catcher there is less pressure on them to fill that offensive void at second. Not that I expect Hiura to be as good as Braun, but Braun played only about 30 games in aaa before being called up permanently.

[rickh150]

"Well, surprise, surprise, surprise," Gomer Pyle would beckon.

Well, a 2B or SP deal still could happen, but I'm not sure if it is now less or more likely after this signing. We can't have any payroll wiggle room now, can we? Yet, why stop now when a couple other holes could be plugged for a year? Great if we do, but not expected at this moment....

[3and2Fastball]

Love the Grandal acquisition! What a luxury at one of the few positions we had a clear ability to upgrade.

 

2016-18 Catcher Offensive Rankings (750 PAs min, 33 players total):

HR: Grandal (2nd, 73), Pina (30th, 20)

fWAR: Grandal (3rd, 9.0), Pina (22nd, 3.3)

wRC+: Grandal (4th, 116), Pina (22nd, 91)

SLG: Grandal (4th, .467), Pina (18th, .409)

OPS: Grandal (5th, .799), Pina (21st, .729)

BB%: Grandal (5th, 12.1%), Pina (22nd, 6.6%)

wOBA: Grandal (6th, .342), Pina (20th, .314)

OBP: Grandal (12th, .332), Pina (18th, .320)

 

2016-18 Catcher Defensive Rankings (1500 innings caught min, 36 players total):

DRS: Grandal (1st, 39), Pina (9th, 19)

 

Pina would have been acceptable as the starter, but a Grandal/Pina combo is killer.

 

Wow! Thank you for posting that. Really puts it in perspective

[Eye Black]

Yasmani Grandal’s career stats at Miller Park...

 

[pre]G GS PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS

16 12 60 54 7 16 2 0 4 15 6 18 .296 .367 .556 .922[/pre]

[502 to Right]

This is awesome!

 

Now if they can get Dozier for 2B. I think the Grandal signing takes them out of the running for Lowrie.

[CheeseheadInQC]

This would obviously fix things. And I think this should be done. But then there needs to be some concessions to small market teams like even more revenue sharing or a hard salary cap. If small market can't count on young controllable players teams like the Brewers are screwed.

 

I actually think greater revenue sharing would help the players. It would increase the number of teams willing to spend and most of the biggest market teams aren't spending up to their capacity because of the luxury tax. The knowledge that teams are on a more level playing field would also increase the fan pressure on teams to spend.

[Bombers]

This is like when the Indians signed Jack Parkman.

+1 ... this made me chuckle

[TooLiveBrew]

The lineup looks really solid...

 

Cain ®

Yelich (L)

Braun ®

Shaw (L)

Aguilar ®

Grandal (S)

Second Base (TBD)

Arcia ®

Cain

Lowrie

Yelich

Braun

Shaw

Aguilar

Grandal

Arcia

 

Is dreamy.

 

What an exciting signing! I guess the potential downside is it's only a 1-yr deal. But I'd much rather focus on how friggin awesome it is to add one of the top 5 players in the league at his position.

 

Lowrie would be another ideal addition! But also another very expensive one.

[OnTheBlack]

I’m sure players aren’t happy, but it seems that teams just simply don’t view large/long contracts as wise investments. Especially for smaller markets, they’re right. Something will probably need to change, but I don’t think it’s a conspiracy, just teams/GMs getting smarter and more efficient.

 

But don’t want to derail the topic - love the short deal for this team, and am anxiously awaiting who we are about to trade for Bumgarner.

 

 

I don't really know if this is derailing the thread. It's part of the discussion as to why we were able to sign a player many thought would get this amount over several years.

The 15K per inning sarcastic remark kinda gets me. We're not comparing these guys to average people, rather the market in which they operate. It's millionaires and billionaires. So if the millionaires think the billionaires are conspiring, it's their right to change the CBA.

 

 

 

Anyway, I like the guy's numbers, but my only problem is the last two years the Dodgers opted to bench him and go with Austen Barnes in the post-season after Grandal struggled very badly. That concerns me.....is as much as a few games should be concerned. Of course had he thrived in the post-season, he likely would have gotten this AAV over 3-4 years likely. But he sure changes the look of this lineup for the first 162 games....and he comes with very little risk.

[tigerbrew]

great move by Stearns.

 

Strange how things work out, the Brewers were close to signing Wilson Ramos to a one-year deal but the Mets swoop in to give Ramos a two-year deal because Grandal rejected their four-year $60M offer, and now the Brewers sign Grandal to a one-year deal instead.

[Lathund]

Wow I did not expect Grandal to be available for a 1 year deal. It's a high AAV, but because it's only 1 year there's very little risk. Continues the trend of Stearns valuing framing highly. And wanting LHH (Or better yet, switch hitters who hit well LH). Having Manny Piña as your backup, and probably starting a fair amount against lefties, is a pretty good situation to be in! And as always, I loved that it came out of nowhere.

 

And for those looking up stats, for catchers Baseball Prospectus is the place to go (Though the presentation of the data leaves a lot to be desired) as they include framing in their metrics. By their metrics he has averaged over 5 WARP for the last four seasons, coming both from very good offense and from being perhaps the best, or at least one of the best, framers in the game.

[RollieTime]

Wow, very surprised that we got Grandal on a one year deal. Not being tied into a long term deal is big in that it allows us to have a solid amount of payroll flexibility next offseason. I would think that Thames will be on the move shortly to offset the signing a little bit.

 

If the season goes south, Grandal could easily be moved for a couple prospects midseason. Hopefully we have a long playoff run, but it is a solid option to have if things don’t fall our way.

 

What is the payroll at after signing Grandal?

[NYChez]

Wow! Talk about an all-in move! This came completely and totally out of nowhere as well. Man I love how Stearns operates!

 

Also, this proves that the thought that the Brewers wouldn't spend this offseason is unfounded.

 

The beauty of this “all-in” move is that it doesn’t lessen the chances of the Brewers competing in 2020 and going forward.

[dlk9s]

I'll be sure to get tickets behind the backstop so I can chat with him a few times per game.

[wntrtxn21]

There's a difference between not getting a $300 million contract, and a 30-year-old catcher with Grandal's pedigree having to settle for a one-year guarantee, which seems crazy.

 

Everyone involved with MLB (except the minor leaguers) is making an immoral amount of money, but the question is why the lion's share of that is going to the owners who do absolutely nothing to generate the revenue.

 

The reason why is they OWN the teams and pay ALL the bills! If players don't like it they could try and get the cash to own a team and run it themselves.

[wntrtxn21]

If the price asked for one of those SPs is indeed Burnes, Woodruff, or Peralta, I'm not sure we were "in" with a legit chance of getting one of those starters, though I'd love to be proven wrong.

 

I do wonder if it makes it more likely a Thames or Anderson is traded for the best return offer the Brewers can get. I'd think gaining a bit of payroll wiggle room back might be valuable over the course of a season.

 

Grandal still doesn't solve 2B, but he sure seems to help the overall picture.

 

They aren't done making moves. This is an "all in" type of signing. They are going for it in 2019. They are going to find a solution at 2B. It wouldn't surprise me to see a big starting pitching move as well, whether that's Bumgarner, Kluber or some other front-line guy. Buckle up!!!

 

I don't think Stearns has the "Cubs-Dodger-Yankee" type cash to make any more deals, especially or a 2B wanting a large contract. Lowrie is reportedly looking for a 3-4 year deal in the $40-50M range. Not going to happen in Milwaukee. Bumgarner is making close to $13M which would put the Crew $31M over last year's payroll of around $90M. They just can't afford much more in MLB's smallest market.

[MrTPlush]

Well if you are Yasmani Grandal you get major one year money, get to shed the QO, and are likely to have your best offensive yet. He should be set up for a major payday even next offseason. If he was only getting offered 3/$36mil type money this move makes a good amount of sense for him.

[pacopete4]

Those expecting a big finale after this move might be disappointed. Not saying for sure that other big moves won’t happen but we have to be right at the end of our beginning of the season budget. Hopefully we can get someone to take Thames to free up space but there can’t be much room now.

[Invader3K]

Definitely didn't expect this news, but it's certainly welcome.

 

Baseball's free agency economics seem to be fairly broken, but good for Stearns to take advantage of the situation.

[tigerbrew]

Well if you are Yasmani Grandal you get major one year money, get to shed the QO, and are likely to have your best offensive yet. He should be set up for a major payday even next offseason. If he was only getting offered 3/$36mil type money this move makes a good amount of sense for him.

 

Yes, and he's getting $350K more than the QO, and moving to a more hitter friendly ballpark and to a championship contender where he will get to improve his stats and showcase himself for next year's FA.

[ZBTMP]

 

I don't think Stearns has the "Cubs-Dodger-Yankee" type cash to make any more deals, especially or a 2B wanting a large contract. Lowrie is reportedly looking for a 3-4 year deal in the $40-50M range. Not going to happen in Milwaukee. Bumgarner is making close to $13M which would put the Crew $31M over last year's payroll of around $90M. They just can't afford much more in MLB's smallest market.

Yes they can pending the definition of much more. Revenues have increases via national tv contract and MLBAM since the Brewers were maintaining $100+ million earlier this decade. Having a payroll between $130-140 million isn’t unrealistic. Im not saying they should, but bankruptcy isnt a concern to push it with temporary commitments.

[Humans Need Water]

This signing puts the payroll around 123M. There's no way we would be paying him 13M annually for 4yrs so being able to land him for 1yr is a huge boost to this team. Switch hitter with most ABs coming from the left side, where all his power is, will serve well in Miller Park and something Stearns seems to look for. Pineapple now becomes one of the best backups in MLB and the C spot gives us 2 starters now becoming a strength.

[Humans Need Water]

Those expecting a big finale after this move might be disappointed. Not saying for sure that other big moves won’t happen but we have to be right at the end of our beginning of the season budget. Hopefully we can get someone to take Thames to free up space but there can’t be much room now.

Trade Thames in a Lind type deal then get Bum. That only adds 6M to the 123M payroll we're sitting at right now and locks up the rotation with not only a vet with serious success but he's also a lefty. Even if he posts his 2017 numbers he's still one of the leaders of this rotation and it's a big boost (Nelson healthy also feels like a free rotation upgrade as well). This team is essentially set then outside of maybe some flyers here and there coming to spring. Plus 30-31M comes off the books after this season between Bum/Grandal too. I think this is the play that happens - nothing at 2b as Spangenberg/Perez platoon until Hiura then they both fall to versatile bench roles.

 

Take the 2018 roster and add Bum/Nelson to the rotation, Grandal at catcher and eventually Hiura at 2b with a better overall bench + full year of Burnes/Woodruff/Peralta. YIKES

[ThisIsMyCrew]

This is a lot better than raiding the farm for Realmuto.

[mtrebs]

FWIW, the Brewers removes the Facebook post announcing this signing.