Remaining top free agent predictions

[wallus]

This is pure gold. Because how could you possibly consider adding Harper if it meant you wouldn't know what to do with Travis Jankowski.

 

 

This is asset management gone crazy, no way those guys even come in the conversation as to why not to sign Harper.

[JackNicholson1974]

Imagine if Stearns had passed on Cain and Yelich because he was worried about having Broxton and Phillips manning CF and Lewis Brinson, Domingo Santana, Ryan Braun and potentially Hernan Perez all needing at bats in the OF...

[TURBO]

Imagine if Stearns had passed on Cain and Yelich because he was worried about having Broxton and Phillips manning CF and Lewis Brinson, Domingo Santana, Ryan Braun and potentially Hernan Perez all needing at bats in the OF...

 

*shudder*

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Of the top 12 originally listed about two weeks ago, only Pollack and Miley have signed. A bit part of me still thinks Stearns is lying in the weeds for Marwin Gonzalez. Obviously the Brewers are being loosely connected to Keuchel. Moose, Gio, Jones, Iglesias and Harrison make at least a little sense as Brewer targets. I don't think there is any way they pursue Machado or Harper.

 

Kimbrel probably makes the least amount of sense on that list. Now watch Stearns do something crazy and sign him.

[adambr2]

Orlando Arcia is one of the biggest joys of watching Brewers baseball. Kid loves the game. When people say the Brewers have an amazing clubhouse its because of Orlando.

 

Now if you said offer Dallas this contract, I'd be all for it.

 

3 years/$100M for Dallas Kuechel? Holy overpay.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Haudricourt may not know a heck of a lot more than we do regarding the market, but he is speculating that the Brewers aren't done making moves.

 

[RollieTime]

Of the top 12 originally listed about two weeks ago, only Pollack and Miley have signed. A bit part of me still thinks Stearns is lying in the weeds for Marwin Gonzalez. Obviously the Brewers are being loosely connected to Keuchel. Moose, Gio, Jones, Iglesias and Harrison make at least a little sense as Brewer targets. I don't think there is any way they pursue Machado or Harper.

 

Kimbrel probably makes the least amount of sense on that list. Now watch Stearns do something crazy and sign him.

 

Marwin Gonzalez is a great fit for us and could probably be had for a reasonable price. I don’t see him getting much more than $8 million per season for 3-4 years. Signing Gonzalez would also open the door on a possible Perez trade.

[PDCBalla]

Not that I disagree at all with what you've said above but would Hernan have any trade value to many other teams in the league?

[RollieTime]

Not that I disagree at all with what you've said above but would Hernan have any trade value to many other teams in the league?

 

He only costs $2.5 million and can be the backup at every position. He doesn’t walk a lot, but he is a solid player that has a little speed. I like Perez more than a lot of other people. His defensive versatility is attractive to a lot of teams. I would think we could fetch a couple intriguing prospects in A ball for Perez.

[MNBrew]

Hernan Perez at $2.5M vs. Marwin Gonzalez at $8M.... I value Perez's versatility but, especially offensively, he is what he is -- in other words, there are definitely other fish in the sea. Is the upgrade really worth the cost difference?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Hernan Perez at $2.5M vs. Marwin Gonzalez at $8M.... I value Perez's versatility but, especially offensively, he is what he is -- in other words, there are definitely other fish in the sea. Is the upgrade really worth the cost difference?

 

I don't think it's a "one or the other" proposition. There would definitely be room for two versatile defenders on this roster. As a switch hitter, Gonzales would be more consistent offensively. If Gonzalez is signed, it means Spangenberg likely goes to AAA as insurance.

[MNBrew]

Hernan Perez at $2.5M vs. Marwin Gonzalez at $8M.... I value Perez's versatility but, especially offensively, he is what he is -- in other words, there are definitely other fish in the sea. Is the upgrade really worth the cost difference?

 

I don't think it's a "one or the other" proposition. There would definitely be room for two versatile defenders on this roster. As a switch hitter, Gonzales would be more consistent offensively. If Gonzalez is signed, it means Spangenberg likely goes to AAA as insurance.

Someone asked about Perez's trade value, if any, if we signed Gonzalez, suggesting a potential cost savings, an either-or scenario, or both. My question was posed in that context.

[KCBrewerfan34]

Is anybody hearing we’re in on Harper if he would accept a 1 year deal?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Is anybody hearing we’re in on Harper if he would accept a 1 year deal?

 

Where is that coming from?

[pacopete4]

Is anybody hearing we’re in on Harper if he would accept a 1 year deal?

 

Where is that coming from?

 

HighHeat

[brewmann04]

Oh you didn't go there

[Fear The Chorizo]

Prefacing this with my opinion that there's no way either Harper or Machado take a 1 year deal - and even if they did I'd highly doubt they'd go to the Brewers...

 

However, between the two I think adding Machado to this roster would be the best move in a "go for it" type approach. As much as I detest Machado's antics from last postseason, the Brewers were in on acquiring him via trade, so there's obvious interest. Also, signing him to a 1 year FA deal could make their lineup options awesome. He could play 3B against lefty pitching, and would be a SS or 2B in name only against righties, with Arcia serving as the primary defender in all the shifting alignments. That also provides tons of cover for Hiura to get acclimated in AAA through 2019, and be called up only if he's lighting the world on fire.

 

Versus lefties:

 

Aguilar 1B

Perez 2B

Arcia SS]

Machado 3B

Braun LF

Cain CF

Yelich RF

Grandal/Pina C

 

Against Righties:

Thames 1B

Machado/Spangenberg 2B

Arcia SS/Machado

Shaw 3B

Gamel/Braun LF

Cain CF

Yelich RF

Grandal C

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

This week has been, without a doubt, the slowest of the offseason. With less than a week to go before Spring Training starts, there is going to be a lot of free agents, including several stars, still looking for work. So many of them are Boras clients, it's difficult not to blame him, at least a little bit.

[Fear The Chorizo]

This week has been, without a doubt, the slowest of the offseason. With less than a week to go before Spring Training starts, there is going to be a lot of free agents, including several stars, still looking for work. So many of them are Boras clients, it's difficult not to blame him, at least a little bit.

 

I really wonder if the biggest part of the FA angst in recent offseasons stems from the fact that Boras' and other premier agents' model of operations isn't sustainable, and he's essentially throwing a hissy fit about it trying to move the goal posts of the next CBA for MLB. Boras typically has the most talented FAs each offseason, and when big market teams think they have a shot at signing them they'll shy away from making middle/lower tier FA signings at those positions of perceived need until they're sure they aren't signing the marquee option(s). When the marquee options lead and insist on sticking to outlandish initial offers (10 yrs, $400M for example), it's not collusion for large market teams to not jump out of their shoes to immediately schedule meetings/negotiations. Because of that, months go by until Boras has had enough microphones in front of him to complain about it before his clients eventually get signed, all the while impacting the market for mid and lower tier FAs.

 

There's always been a huge disparity in payroll between huge and small market teams in MLB - in fact that chasm has actually narrowed substantially in recent years relative to the league during the FA era. Some of it is the luxury tax - not that the hugest markets can't afford to routinely pay it, their baseball people just know there's plenty of ways to field a really good team while occasionally dropping payroll for a year or two so that penalty isn't just burning up too much of their revenues for nothing.

[JackNicholson1974]

With the NBA trade deadline today I must admit, the lack of player movement is absolutely killing me man. I am dying for a resolution for these players. Lets get a move on.

[brewmann04]

I have to think things will break very soon with the start of Spring Training . You have to think Manny and Bryce will be signing very soon with their new clubs.

[JackNicholson1974]

I keep hearing that there are 100 unsigned free agents. Outside of maybe the top 8-10, I assume that they will all have to settle for minor league deals and big league camp invites? Is there a list somewhere of all of the remaining FAs?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/free-agents/available/

 

You have to scroll down to get to the guys who are still available, but this is the best list I've found.

[KeithStone53151]

Looking through that list, yeah maybe 8-10 should have major league contracts. The rest are prove-it minor league deal types at best...or simply AAA or out of baseball at worst. In what universe should every free agent get a contract?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I'd say of the free agents remaining, these guys should have ML deals

 

James Shields (borderline)

Bryce Harper

Manny Machado

Adam Jones

Ervin Santana

Dallas Keuchel

Craig Kimbrel

Matt Wieters

Denard Span

Gio Gonzalez

Carlos Gonzalez

Ryan Madson

Josh Harrison

Evan Gattis

Mike Moustakas

Jose Iglesias

Tony Sipp

Carlos Gomez (borderline)

Martin Maldonado

Marwin Gonzalez

Adam Warren

Cameron Maybin (borderline)

Derek Dietrich

Clay Buchholz

Edwin Jackson

 

Still quite a bit of value out there. No doubt that some of these guys are going to end up signing minor league deals and provide solid value.