Brewers decline option on 1B Eric Thames

[Oxy]

 

This an odd post, as the 2nd most productive player on the market is a guy we just let go and could have had for a modest $7.5M. Hopefully the trade market is more robust than that list...

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I wonder if Nick Castellanos could play a passable 1B? His bat would play there, and he could provide coverage at 3B and the corner OF (albeit poor coverage). He's entering his age 28 season, so he'd fit the team's window quite well. Low K rate and right-handed power. I'm not sure what kind of deal he's looking at, but I'd be all over that bat if the numbers work.

[Patrick425]

I read a Forbes article and therefore I believe the Brewers can spend over $600 million on payroll.

 

This!...and what I'm failing to understand is that by that same measure the Dodgers can spend $2 billion on payroll.

[owbc]

I think it's kind of exciting that management has thrown us a bit of a curveball. Trying to repeat the 2019 approach in 2020 (similar roster with a couple of short-term contracts) was unlikely to work out. This move seems to suggest a more significant retooling of the roster than we expected. Hard to figure out the exact intentions until we see who they bring in.

[82brewcrew82]

I believe Mr. Strearns and I have different opinions on what the term "robust" means.

[RollieTime]

I personally think Moose returning is almost a foregone conclusion. How about signing Josh Donaldson to play third with Moose transitioning to first? Sign both to a 2 year deal, Donaldson to something like 2/$40 million? Would that get it done?

[KeithStone53151]

 

This an odd post, as the 2nd most productive player on the market is a guy we just let go and could have had for a modest $7.5M. Hopefully the trade market is more robust than that list...

 

I think Thames was a bit lucky this year and played in a very strict platoon. Thames is closer to the Moreland/Smoak/Walker tier than he is to Abreu or Kendrick. There are at least a handful of guys on that list that will have to take minor league deals with a ST invite...could bring in a couple guys to ST and have them compete with Braun/Shaw as contingency if both suck. This could also of course be posturing and he hopes to bring Thames back for $3-4 million vs $7.5 million.

[True Blue Brew Crew]

Something's in the works. Has to be.

We say this all the time but nothing ever really is.

 

Yeah it's hard to come up with anything significant they've done in either of the last 2 offseasons. Just the usual bottom of the barrel scraping and mining for diamonds in the rough. The closest they've come to making as splash was trading for Yelich and signing Cain the same day in 2018 followed by signing Grandal and bringing back Moustakas in 2019. Other than those minor moves, it's hard to come up with anything significant.

[rickh150]

Not picking up the option of Thames is the most worrisome move to me. Do we all remember trying to find a 1B after Fielder left? Ugh.. Braun should move there, but still....

[RollieTime]

Something's in the works. Has to be.

We say this all the time but nothing ever really is.

 

Yeah it's hard to come up with anything significant they've done in either of the last 2 offseasons. Just the usual bottom of the barrel scraping and mining for diamonds in the rough. The closest they've come to making as splash was trading for Yelich and signing Cain the same day in 2018 followed by signing Grandal and bringing back Moustakas in 2019. Other than those minor moves, it's hard to come up with anything significant.

 

Exactly, Stearns has brought in significant contributors the last three offseasons in a row. Bringing in Aguilar, Shaw, and Thames after 2016, Cain and Yelich after 2017, and Moose and Grandal after 2018. I’m expecting this offseason (with already roughly $50 million off the books) to be the same. Significant moves will happen.

[82brewcrew82]

Something's in the works. Has to be.

We say this all the time but nothing ever really is.

 

Yeah it's hard to come up with anything significant they've done in either of the last 2 offseasons. Just the usual bottom of the barrel scraping and mining for diamonds in the rough. The closest they've come to making as splash was trading for Yelich and signing Cain the same day in 2018 followed by signing Grandal and bringing back Moustakas in 2019. Other than those minor moves, it's hard to come up with anything significant.

Hey! Look at the airplane buzzing your head!

[82brewcrew82]

Exactly, Stearns has brought in significant contributors the last three offseasons in a row. Bringing in Aguilar, Shaw, and Thames after 2016, Cain and Yelich after 2017, and Moose and Grandal after 2018. I’m expecting this offseason (with already roughly $50 million off the books) to be the same. Significant moves will happen.

I didn't say he didn't make significant moves. I remember after Yelich/Cain everyone was saying "this is the precursor to a big pitching acquisition". It didn't happen. His moves come out of the blue. Every time this board gets excited about a move being a precursor to another move it never really materializes. I don't think this move is a precursor to any other move in particular. That was the point.

[RollieTime]

Exactly, Stearns has brought in significant contributors the last three offseasons in a row. Bringing in Aguilar, Shaw, and Thames after 2016, Cain and Yelich after 2017, and Moose and Grandal after 2018. I’m expecting this offseason (with already roughly $50 million off the books) to be the same. Significant moves will happen.

I didn't say he didn't make significant moves. I remember after Yelich/Cain everyone was saying "this is the precursor to a big pitching acquisition". It didn't happen. His moves come out of the blue. Every time this board gets excited about a move being a precursor to another move it never really materializes. I don't think this move is a precursor to any other move in particular. That was the point.

 

I agree. There’s a lot of different options they could do at first right now. Who knows what they are going to do, but it’s definitely exciting to speculate. It’s a fun time being a competitive team while also having a lot of financial flexibility. It’s one of those offseasons where there are a ton of different avenues they could go down and almost all of them would make sense with so many moving parts.

[MrTPlush]

It’s a fun time being a competitive team while also having a lot of financial flexibility.

 

Except the current team is not competitive, it may not even be a .500 baseball team. We have financial flexibility because half our team is gone or due for raises in arbitration if we give it to them. They really don't have a ton of flexibility after arby raises and if they were to sign Lyles/Pomeranz/Moose/Grandal. All that and you really haven't improved the team.

 

It is nice we could decide to redistribute that to different needs...but I don't know if it is truly what most call financial flexibility. Usually that means you have a good roster and money to spend to make it better. Most of our money will be needed to hopefully give us a similar team on paper.

[82brewcrew82]

Exactly, Stearns has brought in significant contributors the last three offseasons in a row. Bringing in Aguilar, Shaw, and Thames after 2016, Cain and Yelich after 2017, and Moose and Grandal after 2018. I’m expecting this offseason (with already roughly $50 million off the books) to be the same. Significant moves will happen.

I didn't say he didn't make significant moves. I remember after Yelich/Cain everyone was saying "this is the precursor to a big pitching acquisition". It didn't happen. His moves come out of the blue. Every time this board gets excited about a move being a precursor to another move it never really materializes. I don't think this move is a precursor to any other move in particular. That was the point.

 

I agree. There’s a lot of different options they could do at first right now. Who knows what they are going to do, but it’s definitely exciting to speculate. It’s a fun time being a competitive team while also having a lot of financial flexibility. It’s one of those offseasons where there are a ton of different avenues they could go down and almost all of them would make sense with so many moving parts.

Exactly. I mean, they have a plan because a case could have easily been made to keep both Anderson and Thames and not shed that salary. They are going to at least try and make a splash an reshape this roster. Time will tell what that ends up being.

[82brewcrew82]

It’s a fun time being a competitive team while also having a lot of financial flexibility.

 

Except the current team is not competitive, it may not even be a .500 baseball team. We have financial flexibility because half our team is gone or due for raises in arbitration if we give it to them. They really don't have a ton of flexibility after arby raises and if they were to sign Lyles/Pomeranz/Moose/Grandal. All that and you really haven't improved the team.

 

It is nice we could decide to redistribute that to different needs...but I don't know if it is truly what most call financial flexibility. Usually that means you have a good roster and money to spend to make it better. Most of our money will be needed to hopefully give us a similar team on paper.

I think you are combining roster flexibility with financial flexibility. They certainly have some money to spend and could free up more. Braun, Cain, Shaw and Yelich were the nucleus of the 2018 team that came within a game of the World Series. Those guys are still here (whatever your opinon of Shaw is) and Have Hiura and maybe Grisham to add to that mix. We had Arcia and Pina starting regularly on those teams. They aren't ever going to have a Dodgers level rotation. I think they can add a starter and a bullpen arm in addition to bolstering the offense in most (but not all) the places that need it. This team isn't that far off.

[patrickgpe]

There is a chance they go rebuild mode. I don't think they will, but there is that chance. We'll have to wait and see what Stearns says or does next, you would think if they'e not rebuilding Stearns would say so soon to squash that talk. This board will be an interesting place if they trade Yelich and Hader.

there is no chance that the brewers rebuild. Hader and Yelich are at the top of their positions on reasonable salaries. The brewes will find a new 1st baseman and one has to believe that Stearns thinks he can do better, because the option was reasonable IMO. The Thames signing was out of the blue when this board was trying to figure out who would be our 1st baseman. I think history repeats itself.

[tmwiese55]

I was surprised by this news. Thought he'd be back to give some stability with so many other variables at other positions. Well at least now I'm a bit excited about what's gonna happen. Even if I'm a bit scared/skeptical on what it's going to be.

[True Blue Brew Crew]

We say this all the time but nothing ever really is.

 

Yeah it's hard to come up with anything significant they've done in either of the last 2 offseasons. Just the usual bottom of the barrel scraping and mining for diamonds in the rough. The closest they've come to making as splash was trading for Yelich and signing Cain the same day in 2018 followed by signing Grandal and bringing back Moustakas in 2019. Other than those minor moves, it's hard to come up with anything significant.

Hey! Look at the airplane buzzing your head!

 

OSS wasn't saying he expected a big move imminently. He's just saying that these moves indicate an aggressive plan to reshape this roster. I'm sure he's aware that it may take months to play out. You're the one missing the point.

[FVBrewerFan]

There is a chance they go rebuild mode. I don't think they will, but there is that chance. We'll have to wait and see what Stearns says or does next, you would think if they'e not rebuilding Stearns would say so soon to squash that talk. This board will be an interesting place if they trade Yelich and Hader.

there is no chance that the brewers rebuild. Hader and Yelich are at the top of their positions on reasonable salaries. The brewes will find a new 1st baseman and one has to believe that Stearns thinks he can do better, because the option was reasonable IMO. The Thames signing was out of the blue when this board was trying to figure out who would be our 1st baseman. I think history repeats itself.

 

I really hate definitive statements, it's not you it's me. Just like there's no way they make the playoffs this year.

 

Having Yelich and Hader in their prime is hardly a reason to prevent them from rebuilding. They do need 24 other players. The rotation is:

 

Woodruff

Davies

?

?

?

?

?

 

Plus, they need a C,1B, 3B, and arguably a SS. Just playing devils advocate a bit here, but wouldn't take much to make a case for rebuilding. And I'll repeat, I don't thin they will either...but its not unthinkable either.

[patrickgpe]

all of your points are valid. my reasoning is that attanasio doesn't seem to be the type of owner that wants to prematurely throw in the towel. The last rebuild they did a year late because of this. The brewers have alot of holes, but they should have money to fill them. Probably their biggest issue is that they have few prospects to get players via trade and the brewers don't exactly have enough financial resources to go head to head with the large markets on top free agents.

 

Regarding the rotation, you do have suter, houser, peralta right now. I would think they add one or 2 to that mix.

[82brewcrew82]

OSS wasn't saying he expected a big move imminently. He's just saying that these moves indicate an aggressive plan to reshape this roster. I'm sure he's aware that it may take months to play out. You're the one missing the point.

OSS was this:

Something's in the works. Has to be.

That would literally seem to imply that he thinks "something's in the works", like right now. Obviously they are going to adds players so yeah, in a general sense they are going to make moves "sometime". That comment doesn't need to made unless you think he was just stating the obvious.

 

Sheesh, but you keep doing you.

[ClosetBrewerFan]

You guys are all wrong. Obviously this move was made to free up another roster spot so we can take five rule 5 players

[LouisEly]

They could just be pooling money to make a run at Grandal. Especially since he's going to play some 1B it sort of explains not paying for Thames.

This is what I was thinking. Braun plays his 125 or so games at 1B, Grandal plays about 35 at 1B and catches the rest. Improves OF defense by putting Grisham in LF.

[tomwopat]

The subtext I see here is more brewing unrest between the union and ownership.

 

Stearns is essentially betting that there'll be more bargain basement deals available at the last minute that he wants to have the cash for. The value in this far exceeds the uncertainty of how he'll fill the hole, especially for a position like 1B where there's abundant internal and external options.

 

Think we'll see another odd looking roster, given his tendency to min/max. Could be several weeks into ST, if not the regular season before the roster is fully set.