What is your 2020-2021 offseason plan for the Brewers?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

SS - Lauer - Huge risk giving him job, but we have to take some chances

That would be a HUGE risk, but I like thinking outside the box!

 

Well that's a brain fart. Fixed it

 

Also, Gyorko is a right-handed hitter. If he batted lefty, I'm positive the Brewers would have picked up his option, given the team's affinity for left-handed power bats.

[RollieTime]

I have put together a roster of their current players to give an idea of where they are at financially as of today. Let me know if I am missing someone or have something incorrect.

 

Brewers 2020 Payroll

 

Batters

Lorenzo Cain- $16 million

Christian Yelich- $14 million

Avisail Garcia- $10.5 million

Omar Narvaez~ 2.9 million

Orlando Arcia~ $2.7 million

Manny Pina~ $2 million

Daniel Vogelbach~ $1.5 million

Keston Hiura- $600K

Luis Urias- $600K

Tyrone Taylor- $600K

Jacob Nottingham- $600K

Mark Mathias- $600K

Total: $52.6 million

 

Starting Pitchers

Brandon Woodruff~ $3 million

Josh Lindblom- $3 million

Corbin Burnes- $600K

Adrian Houser- $600K

Eric Lauer- $600K

Total: $7.8 million

 

Relief Pitchers

Josh Hader~ $5.5 million

Corey Knebel~ $5.1 million

Alex Claudio~ $2 million

Brent Suter- $1.55 million

Freddy Peralta- $1.2 million

Devin Williams- $600K

Eric Yardley- $600K

Drew Rasmussen- $600K

Justin Topa- $600K

Total: $17.75 million

 

Deferred/Buyouts

Ryan Braun- $4 million

Matt Garza- $2 million

Jedd Gyorko- $1 million

Eric Sogard- $500K

Total: $7.5 million

 

Total Current Payroll: $85.65 million

[pacopete4]

The Cain and Garcia $26M really drain what resources we could've had for this upcoming offseason of some cheap contracts.

[titletownking]

Would love to see the Brewers non tender Knebel and Arcia and hope Cain opts out again. If you could get adequate value for Hader that would clear up quite a bit of space in the budget.

[Eye Black]

Relief Pitchers

Josh Hader~ $5.5 million

Corey Knebel~ $5.1 million

Alex Claudio~ $2 million

Brent Suter- $1.55 million

Freddy Peralta- $1.2 million

Devin Williams- $600K

Eric Yardley- $600K

Drew Rasmussen- $600K

Justin Topa- $600K

Total: $17.75 million

 

I won’t be shocked if the three highest paid relievers on that list aren’t with the team when 2021 gets underway.

[reillymcshane]

Relief Pitchers

Josh Hader~ $5.5 million

Corey Knebel~ $5.1 million

Alex Claudio~ $2 million

Brent Suter- $1.55 million

Freddy Peralta- $1.2 million

Devin Williams- $600K

Eric Yardley- $600K

Drew Rasmussen- $600K

Justin Topa- $600K

Total: $17.75 million

 

I won’t be shocked if the three highest paid relievers on that list aren’t with the team when 2021 gets underway.

I think Knebel will be let go with that salary. It's not as if he's looked good lately. And with all the relievers on the market - it can go to other areas.

 

I agree about Claudio. Just not that good. You can find someone else that fits the club better at that price.

 

Hader is interesting. He's a great pitcher, but I just don't see anyone ponying up a ton for him when there's a lot of other options available in the FA market who are pretty good, including Liam Hendricks, Brad Hand, Trevor Rosenthal, Trevor May, Blake Treinen, Alex Colomé, Kirby Yates, Greg Holland and Mark Melancon.

 

Are they as good as Hader? Probably not - but you can get them without giving up a couple of top prospects.

 

Thus, I think we'll just go with Hader and a killer bullpen (I'd like to add one of those relievers to our stable as well. Hader, Williams and a guy like Hand would be amazing).

[CheezWizHed]

Next year is going to be a $$ squeeze year for everyone I think. Many FAs will be signed to one year deals. So I guess that the Hader question will be answered on whether a team feels that giving up prospects for Hader is "cheaper" than paying for a FA reliever (i.e. concerned more with cash flow than talent "currency').

 

It is also possible that Hader might be more valuable at the trade deadline given the current situation.

[TURBO]

 

It is also possible that Hader might be more valuable at the trade deadline given the current situation.

 

Which I find to be very scary.

 

If he implodes in the first half, or is even just so-so, we will get nothing.

 

I'd much rather trade him off in the off season, depending on what we get obviously.

[DR28]

I really like this from Schoenfield at ESPN....

 

Predictions for all 30 teams.

Acquire Josh Bell from the Pirates, sign Tommy La Stella, re-sign Ryan Braun.

 

Bell will never happen but still like to think about it.

 

Edit: Added the link. Please link the source when quoting other websites. Thanks CWH

[CheezWizHed]

I really like this from Schoenfield at ESPN....

 

Predictions for all 30 teams.

Acquire Josh Bell from the Pirates, sign Tommy La Stella, re-sign Ryan Braun.

 

Bell will never happen but still like to think about it.

 

Even better was the Pirate's preview just below the Brewers:

 

What they could do: Well, I mean .... oh, let's not even go there.

 

What we predict they will do: Shed sad tears.

 

[DHonks]

I’d push for a reunion with our draft pick— 3 years $50 million for Brantley to be our new 1b or OF, whatever he wants. Of course I wanted to go after him last time as well

[RollieTime]

I’d push for a reunion with our draft pick— 3 years $50 million for Brantley to be our new 1b or OF, whatever he wants. Of course I wanted to go after him last time as well

 

I wanted them to sign him a couple years ago too. He’s exactly the type of bat they need. I wonder if Avisail Garcia could learn first base and spend some time between first and the outfield instead of Brantley? Garcia is 6’4 and could probably transition to first pretty easily. A top of the order of Brantley, Cain, Yelich, and Hiura would be pretty nice.

[TURBO]

I’d push for a reunion with our draft pick— 3 years $50 million for Brantley to be our new 1b or OF, whatever he wants. Of course I wanted to go after him last time as well

 

I wanted them to sign him a couple years ago too. He’s exactly the type of bat they need. I wonder if Avisail Garcia could learn first base and spend some time between first and the outfield instead of Brantley? Garcia is 6’4 and could probably transition to first pretty easily. A top of the order of Brantley, Cain, Yelich, and Hiura would be pretty nice.

 

That would still give us a light hitting 1B, which is just a bog problem for this team.

[wntrtxn21]

I’d push for a reunion with our draft pick— 3 years $50 million for Brantley to be our new 1b or OF, whatever he wants. Of course I wanted to go after him last time as well

 

I wanted them to sign him a couple years ago too. He’s exactly the type of bat they need. I wonder if Avisail Garcia could learn first base and spend some time between first and the outfield instead of Brantley? Garcia is 6’4 and could probably transition to first pretty easily. A top of the order of Brantley, Cain, Yelich, and Hiura would be pretty nice.

 

That would still give us a light hitting 1B, which is just a bog problem for this team.

 

not to mention a $17M price tag that Stearns won't pay and still a black hole at 3B.

[RollieTime]

Brewers’ Offseason Plan

 

The Brewers’ current payroll is in the neighborhood of $85.5 million. I would look to trade/DFA Arcia, saving $2.7 million and slot Urias into the everyday SS role. Vogelbach and his $1.5 million would be gone. Knebel would be non-tendered, freeing up his $5.1 million. Claudio and his ~$2 million will be DFA’d as well. I would also look to shop Hader, but will keep him on the roster for this exercise as I don’t think teams will be knocking down the Brewers’ door to add a relief pitcher who will be getting large pay increases after having a season without any fans. This would lower the current payroll to roughly $74.2 million.

 

I would look to add switch hitting Carlos Santana as the first baseman for 1/$5 million. He adds some pop to the lineup which we lacked last year and will take his walks. Next would be Tommy La Stella for third base at 3/$18 million. Not a ton of power, but will make solid contact, carries a minuscule K rate, and walks quite a bit. Nice leadoff hitter to add to the lineup the next few seasons.

 

Gyorko would be brought back on a one year deal for $2 million to play some first and third and be a nice bat off the bench.

 

And finally, I would add Charlie Morton on a 1/$10 million contract with $2 million deferred to keep payroll down, while moving Houser to the pen where he has pitched extremely well.

 

Batters

OF Lorenzo Cain- $16 million

OF Christian Yelich- $14 million

OF Avisail Garcia- $10.5 million

3B/2B/1B Tommy La Stella- $6 million

1B/3B Carlos Santana- $5 million

C Omar Narvaez~ 2.9 million

1B/3B Jedd Gyorko- $2 million

C Manny Pina~ $2 million

2B Keston Hiura- $600K

SS/3B/2B Luis Urias- $600K

OF Tyrone Taylor- $600K

C Jacob Nottingham- $600K

2B/SS/3B/OF Mark Mathias- $600K

Total: $61.4 million

 

Starting Pitchers

Charlie Morton- $10 million, $2 million deferred to 2021

Brandon Woodruff~ $3 million

Josh Lindblom- $3 million

Corbin Burnes- $600K

Eric Lauer- $600K

Total: $15.2 million

 

Josh Hader~ $5.5 million

Brent Suter- $1.55 million

Freddy Peralta- $1.2 million

Devin Williams- $600K

Adrian Houser- $600K

Eric Yardley- $600K

Drew Rasmussen- $600K

Justin Topa- $600K

Total: $11.25 million

 

Deferred/Buyouts

Ryan Braun- $4 million

Matt Garza- $2 million

Jedd Gyorko- $1 million

Eric Sogard- $500K

Total: $7.5 million

 

Total Payroll: $95.35 million

 

I tried to keep the payroll in the $95 million range as I feel like they will look to run a payroll in the $90-$95 million range.

[RollieTime]

A different idea I could see the Brewers doing and a much more plausible scenario instead of Morton would be bringing in a guy like Mike Fiers on a 1/$5 million contract to get a good quality innings eater type starter that keeps you in the game and has pitched 165+ innings the last three seasons prior to 2020.

 

The other $5 million could be used on bringing in a relief pitcher like Kintzler for $3 million with the last couple million going to some guy late in the offseason looking for work. Someone like Eric Thames if we have the DH spot would be a solid get. Jordy Mercer is another option. He’s a professional hitter that could start a bunch of games for you and not hurt you.

[TURBO]

I see no chance that we will have a payroll above 90 million.

 

I think our final payroll will look more like the $85 million, and that is max.

[wntrtxn21]

A different idea I could see the Brewers doing and a much more plausible scenario instead of Morton would be bringing in a guy like Mike Fiers on a 1/$5 million contract to get a good quality innings eater type starter that keeps you in the game and has pitched 165+ innings the last three seasons prior to 2020.

 

The other $5 million could be used on bringing in a relief pitcher like Kintzler for $3 million with the last couple million going to some guy late in the offseason looking for work. Someone like Eric Thames if we have the DH spot would be a solid get. Jordy Mercer is another option. He’s a professional hitter that could start a bunch of games for you and not hurt you.

 

I have liked Mercer for a while too. Good vet who can play an adequate SS and 2B. Another guy I like for a bench spot (if Stearns lets Arcia go) is Ehire Adrianza. Switch hitter who can play all the IF positions. I would rather go with a T. Walker at 2/$14M and forget Fiers and Kintzler though. I think Walker could bring more than Fiers. No need to spend money on the pen, depending on what happens with Hader. I think Vogelbach offers as much or more than Thames.

[wntrtxn21]

I see no chance that we will have a payroll above 90 million.

 

I think our final payroll will look more like the $85 million, and that is max.

 

I believe you are absolutely correct, but I hope we are both wrong. There is a lot of good talent available that could help the pathetic offense. And at reduced asking prices.

[Soupbone]

Stearns often zags when others zig. Might MA decide this is a good chance to go for it?

[schmidtac20]

I expect Hader to be gone.

[MrTPlush]

Stearns often zags when others zig. Might MA decide this is a good chance to go for it?

 

There is no reason to sugar coat it, the money isn't there and for that reason it won't happen even if he wanted to.

[PeaveyFury]

Stearns often zags when others zig. Might MA decide this is a good chance to go for it?

 

There is no reason to sugar coat it, the money isn't there and for that reason it won't happen even if he wanted to.

 

Is it sugarcoating it, or is it just idle fan speculation? Sure, there's lots of reasons to think payroll will be reduced. But by how much? People here are talking about an $80-90 million payroll as if its gospel, when in actuality, we have no clue if it'll be $85 million or $99.

[Eye Black]

MLB Trade Rumors takes a look at decisions facing the Brewers this offseason in this article, Offseason Outlook: Milwaukee Brewers

[DR28]

I've come to grips that we probably won't sign LaStella.

 

So I've set my sights on Carlos Santana and Asdrubal Cabrera for 1B and 3B... Both switch hitters, so they play every day.

 

Cain

Yelich

Hiura

Santana

Garcia

Cabrera

Narvaez

Urias

 

I really like that lineup.