Trade Deadline Rant- How are we better?

[thebruce44]

Nice bit of GM speak by Stearns.

 

"Black’s got as good a stuff as any reliever in the game."

 

Hey David, since the Brewer's bullpen is terrible, why do we have a TWENTY-NINE YEAR OLD reliever with "as good a stuff as any reliever" in AAA and Aaron Wilkerson is on the 25-man roster?

 

I can only think of two explanations for this. Either the Brewers are just plain stupid, or David Stearns really doesn't think that Black is that good. At least not as good as Aaron Wilkerson.

 

I think you are glossing over the third possible explanation. "Stuff" in the context of pitchers can mean different things to different people. To me, and I suspect to Stearns as well, "stuff" means talent/potential, more specifically velocity, spin rate, break, and potentially how well a batter picks up pitches due to delivery. Stuff, however, does not always equate to results, which is often times why you want a guy with good stuff but a lack of experience working in AAA.

[LouisEly]

Other than his K/9, Black's Minor League numbers are nothing special.

At 16.8 K/9, I'd say that alone is pretty darn special.

 

(His minor league HR/9 rate is 0.6, and his H/9 is 5.1. I don't know if that's "special", but I'd say that's pretty darned good.)

[jerichoholicninja]

Nice bit of GM speak by Stearns.

 

"Black’s got as good a stuff as any reliever in the game."

 

Hey David, since the Brewer's bullpen is terrible, why do we have a TWENTY-NINE YEAR OLD reliever with "as good a stuff as any reliever" in AAA and Aaron Wilkerson is on the 25-man roster?

 

I can only think of two explanations for this. Either the Brewers are just plain stupid, or David Stearns really doesn't think that Black is that good. At least not as good as Aaron Wilkerson.

 

I must have missed the time a GM said, "we traded some really good players for some really crappy players. we knew it was a bad deal at the time and we still did it anyway."

[TURBO]

It's HOUSER people, HOUSER! I've seen it misspelled on this site a ton lately.

[dlk9s]

Are you sure it's not "Brogdan?"

[lcbj68c]

Ultimately the Brewers are going to have to strike gold on finding a couple of solid starters this off-season as well as probably hitting on acquiring another impact bat.

 

That's my biggest concern. The Brewers failed on their rotation strategy in 2019, in my opinion and I don't have any faith they'll change their culture this off-season. The worst part of the 2018 post-season is it seemed to encourage them that you didn't need a rotation to win...just some guys throwing an inning or two and some better than average bats with a stud to carry you (Yelich). :Shrugs:

[AmFamFan]

To answer the original posters question I feel we are better not because of what we added, but because of what we did not sacrifice. I feel that management, like many of us here, realize that this year too many things did not go our way and the high level competition is just to far ahead of us to push far into the playoffs. Because of this they are getting a head start on next years playoff push and added some interesting arms that could be vital to our future success. Getting them now give them a chance to evaluate talent to help build next years team. Did we get better THIS year? Probably not, however, I am ok with them making the hard decisions to understand that this year is likely out of the questions. Hey, we may still catch lightning in a bottle, however, I for one am happy that they are looking at this for the future. I actually wish they would have moved Grandal to add a few more arms, but we never know how limited the market may have been.

[thebruce44]

Ultimately the Brewers are going to have to strike gold on finding a couple of solid starters this off-season as well as probably hitting on acquiring another impact bat.

 

That's my biggest concern. The Brewers failed on their rotation strategy in 2019, in my opinion and I don't have any faith they'll change their culture this off-season. The worst part of the 2018 post-season is it seemed to encourage them that you didn't need a rotation to win...just some guys throwing an inning or two and some better than average bats with a stud to carry you (Yelich). :Shrugs:

 

My bold prediction for 2020: If all 5 opening day rotation members and most of the backup plans spend time on the DL, their rotation strategy will fail again.

[JohnBriggs12]

Trading Aguilar put them at a greater disadvantage than they already had against their main rival in the division. And for what? A 12th or 13th arm on your staff who more likely than not will be completely forgotten in 5 years? Yes Aguilar was having a bad year though he'd been better since the first week of June and his season was a heck of of lot better than Shaw's. Where's this supposed depth at 1B anyway? I don't see a top prospect in their system who plays 1B. There's Freitas, but I guess Stearns hasn't noticed that he's bludgeoned LH pitching.

[sveumrules]

Depth at 1B is all around us.

 

We got Aguilar for free, Garrett Cooper was traded for a song (twice!!) & so on.

[sveumrules]

Quite possibly the worst Deadline in the history of the franchise considering we signed two guys in Moose and Grandal to big one year contracts, signaling to the fan base that we are playoff bound.

 

The Mets traded for Cano/Diaz & let Alonso mash from day one, the Phillies signed Harper/McCutchen & traded for JT/Segura, the Braves signed Donaldson, the Nationals signed Corbin, the Cardinals traded for Goldschmidt, the Padres signed Machado & let Tatis mash from day one.

 

All kinds of NL teams made moves in an attempt to make themselves more competitively viable, but with only five playoff spots not all if them were going to be playoff bound, no matter what signals certain fans received.

 

Before the season the Dodgers were the only team seen as a lock, which left four spots open for WAS, ATL, PHI, NYM, CHI, STL, MIL & any dark horses that might emerge from the remaining non-MIA teams.

 

With the number of teams competing for limited spots the most likely outcome for our season was always going to be a 162 game coin flip & here we are now living out that most likely outcome, spinning round & round in the air.

[Brew crew 92]

Trading Aguilar put them at a greater disadvantage than they already had against their main rival in the division. And for what? A 12th or 13th arm on your staff who more likely than not will be completely forgotten in 5 years? Yes Aguilar was having a bad year though he'd been better since the first week of June and his season was a heck of of lot better than Shaw's. Where's this supposed depth at 1B anyway? I don't see a top prospect in their system who plays 1B. There's Freitas, but I guess Stearns hasn't noticed that he's bludgeoned LH pitching.

 

Imo, Stearns chronic miss management of the roster has cost this team wins this year.

 

WHY IS DAVID FREITAS NOT UP AND PLAYING? WHY?

 

As Briggs has pointed out already, Freitas is destroying LHP. He’s destroying all pitching, and has been all year > .376 .454

 

His stats not inflated like so many others in AAA because of the juiced ball because he’s NOT a home run hitter, which makes his stats even more impressive than other PCL’er’s. K% > 14.7. BB% > 12.3. That’s Grisham level plate discipline, just what this team needs, especially vs LHP.

 

I would have traded Grandal at the deadline for a lottery ticket just to get his bat into this lineup.

[pacopete4]

[bill hAll Star]

Trading Aguilar put them at a greater disadvantage than they already had against their main rival in the division. And for what? A 12th or 13th arm on your staff who more likely than not will be completely forgotten in 5 years? Yes Aguilar was having a bad year though he'd been better since the first week of June and his season was a heck of of lot better than Shaw's. Where's this supposed depth at 1B anyway? I don't see a top prospect in their system who plays 1B. There's Freitas, but I guess Stearns hasn't noticed that he's bludgeoned LH pitching.

 

Imo, Stearns chronic miss management of the roster has cost this team wins this year.

 

WHY IS DAVID FREITAS NOT UP AND PLAYING? WHY?

 

As Briggs has pointed out already, Freitas is destroying LHP. He’s destroying all pitching, and has been all year > .376 .454

 

His stats not inflated like so many others in AAA because of the juiced ball because he’s NOT a home run hitter, which makes his stats even more impressive than other PCL’er’s. K% > 14.7. BB% > 12.3. That’s Grisham level plate discipline, just what this team needs, especially vs LHP.

 

I would have traded Grandal at the deadline for a lottery ticket just to get his bat into this lineup.

 

Those have been his ratios basically up-and-down in the minors and yet whenever he gets to the pros he does nothing.

[Brew crew 92]

Trading Aguilar put them at a greater disadvantage than they already had against their main rival in the division. And for what? A 12th or 13th arm on your staff who more likely than not will be completely forgotten in 5 years? Yes Aguilar was having a bad year though he'd been better since the first week of June and his season was a heck of of lot better than Shaw's. Where's this supposed depth at 1B anyway? I don't see a top prospect in their system who plays 1B. There's Freitas, but I guess Stearns hasn't noticed that he's bludgeoned LH pitching.

 

Imo, Stearns chronic miss management of the roster has cost this team wins this year.

 

WHY IS DAVID FREITAS NOT UP AND PLAYING? WHY?

 

As Briggs has pointed out already, Freitas is destroying LHP. He’s destroying all pitching, and has been all year > .376 .454

 

His stats not inflated like so many others in AAA because of the juiced ball because he’s NOT a home run hitter, which makes his stats even more impressive than other PCL’er’s. K% > 14.7. BB% > 12.3. That’s Grisham level plate discipline, just what this team needs, especially vs LHP.

 

I would have traded Grandal at the deadline for a lottery ticket just to get his bat into this lineup.

 

Those have been his ratios basically up-and-down in the minors and yet whenever he gets to the pros he does nothing.

 

Barely 100 ab’s, not enough. Look at Grisham, prior to this year‘s explosion one would think the same thing about him, sometimes IT JUST CLICKS > MAX MUNCY.

[trwi7]

Barely 100 ab’s, not enough. Look at Grisham, prior to this year‘s explosion one would think the same thing about him, sometimes IT JUST CLICKS > MAX MUNCY.

 

It usually doesn't click when you're 30 though.

[tmwiese55]

Right, more examples to the contrary. Of course it 'could' be real but it's very tough to bank on it. If you would've got something good back for Grandal it could've been a shrewd move/gamble. Even just a couple month hot streak before teams figure him out could've been great. Thing is almost no contenders need a C.

 

I can get behind the logic of rolling with the 3 Catchers after Grandal next year and spending his 18ish mil elsewhere like pitching though. I'd guess the combination of catchers ends up as 'fine', not Grandal level but not a big problem either.

[bill hAll Star]

I would actually love to see Stearns call up the guys that the handful of posters are always pining for (Orf, Freitas, etc.) and in an interview the next day said, SOMETIMES IT JUST CLICKS and then walked off the stage.

[tmwiese55]

Orf got some run last year. Being that it was for Sogard I was for it, as in, why not how could he be worse give him a shot. He of course did poorly. I think we've seen Saladino here plenty as well. Of course once in a while you'll have your Scotty Pods but it's just not likely. I don't hate it for trying to catch a hot streak or lightning in a bottle type gambles though, such as Sogard's first run here or when Saladino first came up last year. Those streaks can nab you a few extra wins but it's almost impossible to predict and you're just hoping to get lucky.

[Brew crew 92]

Barely 100 ab’s, not enough. Look at Grisham, prior to this year‘s explosion one would think the same thing about him, sometimes IT JUST CLICKS > MAX MUNCY.

 

It usually doesn't click when you're 30 though.

 

Yes true, but he’s been a decent hitter, it’s just the last 2 years he’s kicked it up, and when your K% is only 14.7 that is ELITE enough to translate.

 

As Briggs pointed out he’s hitting almost .500 vs Lefty’s. I mean come on!

[JohnBriggs12]

I still think Brewers should consider Pomeranz in the rotation. I understand he's been great out of the pen, but if you look at his starts for SF in June and July, he was effective in 5 out of 7 starts albeit in 5 innings only.

[willie key]

I’ve heard what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger

 

So we are all better people after trade deadline

 

 

 

So we got that going for us

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

The sample is still very small, but if things continue along this track, there is going to need to be a "David Stearns trade deadline eat crow thread". The Brewers went into the trade deadline needing to shore up the starting rotation, and grab a couple bullpen pieces, and so far, that's exactly what they've done. Lyles has been good in his starter role, and should be able to easily transition to the pen if the rotation gets overcrowded. Pomeranz has look terrific in both his pen appearances and his spot start yesterday. Faria gave up a couple hard hit balls in his two-inning debut, but was effective enough to put a couple zeros up, and will fit into that pen nicely moving forward. The wild card is Ray Black. He throws absolute gas, and has shown well so far in AAA. I expect him to also be up shortly.

[wntrtxn21]

I still think Brewers should consider Pomeranz in the rotation. I understand he's been great out of the pen, but if you look at his starts for SF in June and July, he was effective in 5 out of 7 starts albeit in 5 innings only.

 

Pomeranz has been great out of the pen. As a starter he is a 5 inning max guy. Better to leave him in the pen where he is highly effective. The Brewers bullpen has been up and down with a lot more downs than ups lately. I think Pomeranz can do more good there.

[willie key]

The sample is still very small, but if things continue along this track, there is going to need to be a "David Stearns trade deadline eat crow thread". The Brewers went into the trade deadline needing to shore up the starting rotation, and grab a couple bullpen pieces, and so far, that's exactly what they've done. Lyles has been good in his starter role, and should be able to easily transition to the pen if the rotation gets overcrowded. Pomeranz has look terrific in both his pen appearances and his spot start yesterday. Faria gave up a couple hard hit balls in his two-inning debut, but was effective enough to put a couple zeros up, and will fit into that pen nicely moving forward. The wild card is Ray Black. He throws absolute gas, and has shown well so far in AAA. I expect him to also be up shortly.

 

 

Confucius once said:

 

"Anyone asking for an eat crow thread, should be careful what they wish for"

 

 

then he added

 

"beware of using your hader on back to back days. The results can be mystifying"