Brewers DFA Smoak; Get Vogelbach

[patrickgpe]

former all star, left handed bat who hit 30 homers last year. I guess I can see why this was attractive to Stearns despite his career numbers

[Thurston Fluff]

Vogelbach was an All-Star LAST YEAR?

 

Ricky Bones was our all star one year as well. Each of them got there by being the least terrible person on a God awful team.

[wntrtxn21]

Per Rosenthal: Brewers DFA Smoak, get Vogelbach, source tells The Athletic.

 

What am I missing? Trying to save on the $1M buyout?

 

Just looking at stats Vogelbach is nothing special. Okay seasons in the minors, but I don't think there was anything special stats-wise as it is the PCL.

 

Vogelbach is another very low average, big whiff, swing for the fences on every pitch guy. I guess this is another one of Stearns throw-crap-against-the-wall type moves. Not much lost with Smoak. I guess they really don't think much of Healy either if he wasn't brought up. Is that 5 journeymen types Stearns has DFA'd so far?

[markedman5]

Vogelbach was an All-Star LAST YEAR?

 

Shows how misleading small samples can be.........and yet we fans fall,in love quickly when a guy has a good 30 games and give up on guys just as quickly when they don’t.

 

Especially this year.....lol

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Per Rosenthal: Brewers DFA Smoak, get Vogelbach, source tells The Athletic.

 

What am I missing? Trying to save on the $1M buyout?

 

Just looking at stats Vogelbach is nothing special. Okay seasons in the minors, but I don't think there was anything special stats-wise as it is the PCL.

 

Vogelbach is another very low average, big whiff, swing for the fences on every pitch guy. I guess this is another one of Stearns throw-crap-against-the-wall type moves. Not much lost with Smoak. I guess they really don't think much of Healy either if he wasn't brought up. Is that 5 journeymen types Stearns has DFA'd so far?

 

I honestly forgot Healy was even Brewer property.

[markedman5]

He did have a 16.5% walk rate last season .......behind only Trout, Bergman and Grandal.

[AJOHNSON104]

Are we back to the 1990's rosters of rejects, castoffs, over the hill vets and low level prospects. Not saying Smoak is the answer to our problems, but Voglebach has been horrible other than a hot streak early last year. I remember when I wanted an improvement on Overbay. Would love to have a guy like that now.

[brewers888]

Was not a fan of Smoak but yuk at Vogelbach. Hopefully he is strictly a DH because this team can't afford another butcher in the field. Not that this move signals this but I expect another big cut in payroll in the offseason.

[FVBrewerFan]

Why don't fans understand the smallest market in MLB has to take fliers on a group of players every year? Many don't work out, dfa, move on to the next.

 

This is the price for making a run twice in recent years, including one year where they gave away a ton of assets. Yet, here we are, roster filled with a lot of mediocrity and they're still right there in the hunt.

[Eye Black]

I don't think Vogelbach is any great upgrade over Smoak, and it is a definite downgrade defensively...

 

BUT....

 

I would much rather give opportunities/ABs to hitters that are nearing the peak of their theoretical aging curve than those approaching their mid-30s trying to scratch out one more productive season.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Not that this move signals this but I expect another big cut in payroll in the offseason.

 

It does not. In fact, I'm not 100% why you are bringing up that point (yet AGAIN) in another thread.

[SomewhereInTime]

I thought Smoak was OK. Clearly they wanted to get someone younger in there to see what he can do. I have been harking for a while that there is no long term plan at the corner IF's. This really doesn't fix it.

 

I mean Justin Smoak was one of the worst baseball players I've ever seen put on a Brewer uniform, he couldn't hit, run, or play any defense, but other than that, yeah he was alright.

[sveumrules]

Are we back to the 1990's rosters of rejects, castoffs, over the hill vets and low level prospects. Not saying Smoak is the answer to our problems, but Voglebach has been horrible other than a hot streak early last year. I remember when I wanted an improvement on Overbay. Would love to have a guy like that now.

 

Stearns & company have a 361-324 record so far, good for a .527 winning percentage.

 

From 1990-99 the Brewers posted a 742-811 record, "good" for a .478 winning percentage.

 

I'd say his rosters have been considerably better than what the Brewers put together in the 1990's.

[AKCheesehead]

Bref says he has stolen bases in the minor leagues. I can't imagine that guy stealing anything inedible.

[PeaveyFury]

Not that this move signals this but I expect another big cut in payroll in the offseason.

 

You've made that clear by posting it 682 times.

[Eye Black]

In case you develop the desire to watch 6-minutes worth of mostly "Vogel-bombs"...

 

[brewers888]

Doug Melvin must be excited by this move. Heck maybe he recommended it if he is still working for the franchise.

[JohnBriggs12]

Isn't Ryon Healy a better hitter than Vogelbach? Granted he hits RH, but his career numbers are better.

 

Think about it, Stearns basically got nothing in return for Aguilar, who's 20 RBI this year would be 2nd on the Brewers. He lets Thames go. He signs Smoak who they give basically 6 weeks and now they've signed a guy who's hit about 100 points less than his weight for his career.

[Jopal78]

Isn't Ryon Healy a better hitter than Vogelbach? Granted he hits RH, but his career numbers are better.

 

Think about it, Stearns basically got nothing in return for Aguilar, who's 20 RBI this year would be 2nd on the Brewers. He lets Thames go. He signs Smoak who they give basically 6 weeks and now they've signed a guy who's hit about 100 points less than his weight for his career.

 

Jake Faria dude. He's still at the Alternate Training site.

 

As for Vogelbach, he didn't hit well at Safeco: .186/.309/.379. He has been decent on the road: .204/.339/.412

 

Maybe there's some juice in there to be unlocked, maybe not. Best find out in the wacky 2020 season before adding First Base to the shopping list for 2021.

[RollieTime]

Not that this move signals this but I expect another big cut in payroll in the offseason.

 

You've made that clear by posting it 682 times.

 

Almost as many appearances as Claudio had last season!

[Oxy]

Whatever. I'm thinking/speculating that Smoak was looking to go the way of Cain (or wasn't a good fit in the clubhouse) so the Brewers just cut bait. Smoak was worthless against lefties anyway, so grab a lefty who is better or as good as SMoak from that side. Meh.

[brewers888]

When you shop at the dollar store you aren't exactly mining for diamonds. Vogelbach is probably no worse than Smoak offensively but he really needs to DH only. I guess Gyorko will play first full time but that would mean Sogard plays nearly every day.

[brewers888]

I would rather have just kept Smoak and released Peterson but I doubt there is much of a difference.

[owbc]

Thank goodness Smoak is gone, I couldn't stand watching him strike out or bounce into the shift.

 

Much more fun to watch Vogey strike out or bounce into the shift, and with any luck he'll accidentally make good contact and hit a ball completely out of the Am Fam Clamshell.

[Jopal78]

All of these guys (Smoak, Gyorko, Sogard) are short term pieces. In a 60 game season they probably know they’re in trouble if they get off to a slow start. At least Stearns is trying things to get the offense going