Sogard to Brewers - 1 year, $4.5m w Club Option

[Fear The Chorizo]

I'm guessing this paves the way for Arcia to be traded somewhere in a deal that returns a 3B. If Arcia would be the centerpiece it'd be for some kind of salary dump trade of a good player with a big contract (Kyle Seager, for example). Or, Arcia might be part of a larger package that includes prospects to acquire a more talented player that isn't wildly considered a 3B but who could play there if they want to roll with Urias at SS (think Trevor Story).

 

When you look at Stearns' comments after the year multiple times about improving production from SS, it's really hard to see him starting 2020 with Arcia figuring prominently on this roster.

 

The Sogard signing obviously isn't the driver for it, but this type of move doesn't happen without other more significant changes potentially happening.

[Warning Track Power]

Ken Rosenthal

@Ken_Rosenthal

·

23s

Sogard’s deal with #Brewers is for one year, $4.5M with club option, source tells The Athletic.

 

That's ..... alot.

Whoa...I was expecting a $2m deal. That is a lot.

[xisxisxis]

Ken Rosenthal

@Ken_Rosenthal

·

23s

Sogard’s deal with #Brewers is for one year, $4.5M with club option, source tells The Athletic.

 

That's ..... alot.

We can't keep Thames as a LH 1B option as he's too expensive so we blow a wad on Sogard. Seriously? My god what an overpay...

[Warning Track Power]

Ken Rosenthal

@Ken_Rosenthal

·

23s

Sogard’s deal with #Brewers is for one year, $4.5M with club option, source tells The Athletic.

 

That's ..... alot.

We can't keep Thames as a LH 1B option as he's too expensive so we blow a wad on Sogard. Seriously? My god what an overpay...

Good point on Thames. I would've spent that money there myself but I think a lot of these moves are pointing toward something larger. MUCH LARGER. Stay tuned...

[KeithStone53151]

Ken Rosenthal

@Ken_Rosenthal

·

23s

Sogard’s deal with #Brewers is for one year, $4.5M with club option, source tells The Athletic.

 

That's ..... alot.

We can't keep Thames as a LH 1B option as he's too expensive so we blow a wad on Sogard. Seriously? My god what an overpay...

 

It's a touch more than I expected(I figured $2-3m as well, but all contracts have been higher than expected this year), but Sogard plays 2b/ss while Thames plays 1b and can take up space in RF...and Sogard put up a slightly lower OPS, with Thames heavily platooned.

[bill hAll Star]

Ken Rosenthal

@Ken_Rosenthal

·

23s

Sogard’s deal with #Brewers is for one year, $4.5M with club option, source tells The Athletic.

 

That's ..... alot.

We can't keep Thames as a LH 1B option as he's too expensive so we blow a wad on Sogard. Seriously? My god what an overpay...

 

Sogard and Thames are the same age.

 

Last season, Sogard had a season more valuable than Thames has ever had.

 

We also may bring Thames back.

[liveforoctober]

The salary tells me he is a part of the plans then for regular PT? I'm not sure you give someone $4.5 million to fill a Ben Gamel type role...

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Ken Rosenthal

@Ken_Rosenthal

·

23s

Sogard’s deal with #Brewers is for one year, $4.5M with club option, source tells The Athletic.

 

That's ..... alot.

We can't keep Thames as a LH 1B option as he's too expensive so we blow a wad on Sogard. Seriously? My god what an overpay...

 

Did I miss the news that Eric Thames signed somewhere else?

[iKezims]

"We need left-handed hitters!"

 

*signs LHH depth*

 

"...Not that LHH"

[reillymcshane]

I have a feeling we are going to have a rotating 2B/3B/SS of Sogard, Urias, Arcia and Hiura. Due to his bat, Hiura is going to play the most - and then the guys who step up are going to get playing time after that.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

It isn't a huge deal, but for those saying Attanasio and Stearns are afraid to spend money, they just gave a guaranteed $4.5 million to Eric Sogard. ERIC SOGARD!

 

The money is there. They are just being patient. Lots of moving parts, and we haven't seen the last of it. Not by a long shot.

[reillymcshane]

To be honest, if Sogard hits like last year - .290, .810 OPS, 2.6 bWAR - he's a great addition.

 

I'm a bit skeptical that he can repeat the performance - but we shall see.

[TURBO]

Wait, you are telling me that you can't sign a guy like Sogard for 2 million or less?

 

Ridiculous.

 

that is way too much to spend on him, WAY too much.

[adambr2]

We didn't learn from the last time we did this?

 

Good season last year but I wouldn't expect a repeat.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

What a weird wonderful team we are going to have this year.

[xisxisxis]

Sogard and Thames are the same age.

 

Last season, Sogard had a season more valuable than Thames has ever had.

 

We also may bring Thames back.

Thames has been a very consistent 2WAR/500PA player over his 3 years with the Brewers.

 

Sogard is also very consistent - he has never had 2 good years in a row. Never. I don't care what Sogard did last year as the chances he comes close to that number is 2%. The chance he put's up a less than 1 WAR year is ~50%. As a backup he's fine for change. As a backup for $4.5M when we don't have a 3B and 1B then that's just crazy. History repeating? Pay Sogard for his 2017 and get his 2018, pay Sogard for his 2019 and get?

 

And the way the offseason is going. Thames will cost more than his option so I doubt Stearns does that and points out his mistake. We're more likely to see Justin friggin Smoak.

[3and2Fastball]

Sogard is exactly the type of veteran you want in a playoff run. He’ll be very valuable coming off the bench, or making spot starts, or even having a bigger role. This is a very good signing that fits into the bigger strategy of roster building.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I wouldn't have minded sogard for a few million. 4.5 mil is kind of really stretching his potential value.

 

Sogard was 2.6 WAR last year, and IF he's that again this year, that's not really an overpay, but of all the guys that benefited from the juiced ball last year, you're REALLY REALLY hoping that Sogard is even half of what he was last year if you're throwing 4.5 mil at him.

[Eye Black]

Sogard played a lot of SS and 2b last year I believe. I really like him as a utility option. He actually had some stretches last year that his offense was eye-popping enough that I was starting him on my fantasy baseball team...especially early on.

 

He is the type of hitter that thrived with the juiced ball (Lemaheiu, La Stella, McNeil).

 

A guy that previously hit the ball hard to all fields but didn't have the power to routinely get it over the fence.

 

With the juiced ball, some of those went over the fence and many more of them hit the gap because it's harder to shift with guys hitting the ball hard with the entire field in play.

Entering last season Eric Sogard had hit 11 career home runs in the major leagues (debuted in 2010). Last season Eric Sogard hit 13 home runs in 396 at bats.

 

Who would have ever guessed a reduction in the seam height of less than the width of a human hair could make Eric Sogard a "power" hitter? Yet here we are... Incredible.

[patrickgpe]

I have been as positive as anyone else here on this offseason, but I don't understand this one. Yes he had a nice season last year, but I don't see how he fits here, with Arcia, Urias, and Huerra on the roster. The only way it makes sense is if you are going to trade Arcia and let sogard back up those positions. I do wish Stearns would focus on the open holes in the corner IF spots rather than adding depth to the middle IF positions.

[brewmann04]

last two days we filled our Needs at 1b/3rd platoons

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Jesse Rogers

@ESPNChiCubs

·

54m

Eric Sogard to the Brewers, as reported by

@Ken_Rosenthal. Cubs looked at him last season and now, again, wanted him this off-season, but goes to Mil. Cubs just can't add $$ until they subtract

 

LOL! The Cubs (!!!) can't afford Eric Sogard!

 

If I'm the Brewers, I'm still on the phone with Castellanos to ask if he'll be happy at 1B.

[bill hAll Star]

Sogard and Thames are the same age.

 

Last season, Sogard had a season more valuable than Thames has ever had.

 

We also may bring Thames back.

Thames has been a very consistent 2WAR/500PA player over his 3 years with the Brewers.

 

Sogard is also very consistent - he has never had 2 good years in a row. Never. I don't care what Sogard did last year as the chances he comes close to that number is 2%. The chance he put's up a less than 1 WAR year is ~50%. As a backup he's fine for change. As a backup for $4.5M when we don't have a 3B and 1B then that's just crazy. History repeating? Pay Sogard for his 2017 and get his 2018, pay Sogard for his 2019 and get?

 

And the way the offseason is going. Thames will cost more than his option so I doubt Stearns does that and points out his mistake. We're more likely to see Justin friggin Smoak.

 

Sogard Oakland days (I'm roughly averaging these):

 

Hart hit%: 19%

Fly ball %: 37%

 

Sogard post-Oakland days:

Hart hit %: 32% (34% and 35% recently)

Fly ball %: Also around 37% but was at 42% last year

 

We need to figure out what happened in 2018 and if it was just luck and if his extreme breakout was really due to the juiced ball (I'm sure it was) but he's a different hitter since leaving Oakland.

[brewmann04]

Very True Joey

[bill hAll Star]

I have been as positive as anyone else here on this offseason, but I don't understand this one. Yes he had a nice season last year, but I don't see how he fits here, with Arcia, Urias, and Huerra on the roster. The only way it makes sense is if you are going to trade Arcia and let sogard back up those positions. I do wish Stearns would focus on the open holes in the corner IF spots rather than adding depth to the middle IF positions.

 

Glad that we now have people suggesting the order of operations for a [so far] very good GM.

 

I'm sure he's just blindly throwing darts. When March rolls around: "Oh, crap! I forgot about a starting third baseman!"