Filling Out the Roster

[brewerfan82]

I was told it’s still January and there plenty of time that I shouldn’t be so negative but we are closer to Feb wonder how much more I should wait.

I don't expect a huge signing, but everything is more relative to how many free agents have signed and what other teams have done than it is to what month we happen to be in.

 

I'll repeat this from earlier in the thread:

 

This is a nice resource: https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/free-agent-tracker

 

If you sort by projected WAR, you'll find:

 

- 13 of the top 23 players are still unsigned (two players took the QO) - This includes Marcus Semien, Justin Turner, Joc Pederson, and Tommy La Stella who could be considered for 1B/3B positions

- 14 of the 25 players ranked 26-50 are still unsigned - This include Maikel Franco who could be considered for a 1B/3B position

- 17 of the 25 players ranked 51-75 are still unsigned - This include Travis Shaw, Jake Lamb, Marwin Gonzalez, and Todd Frazier who could be considered for 1B/3B positions

- 19 of the 25 players ranked 76-100 are still unsigned - This include CJ Cron, Asdrubel Cabrera, Brad Miller, and Jedd Gyorko who could be considered for 1B/3B positions

 

So 63 of the top 98 free agents are still unsigned, and that includes 13 1B/3B types that are still available.

 

Add to that:

 

- Only 7 teams have signed a top 25 free agent

- Only 14 teams have signed a top 50 free agent

- Only 16 teams have signed a top 75 free agent

- Only 18 teams have signed a top 100 free agent

 

And of the 35 players in the top 100 free agents that have signed, only one has gone to a NL Central team (Tyler Heinemann to the Cardinals... not a huge difference maker...).

 

So only 60% of the league has signed a top 100 free agent at this point and almost 2/3rds of the top 100 free agents are still available. It's a weird, slow offseason, but there are still a lot of players still unsigned and it's not like other teams (especially in the NL Central) have separated themselves from the Brewers this offseason. If the Brewers can even make a minimal splash and grab two players in the list above, they'll be ahead of the curve in the "offseason race" (heck Daniel Robertson has them ahead of the Cubs, Red, and Pirates already, lol, and arguably ahead of the Cardinals too when you factor in their potential losses of Wong, Molina, and Wainwright).

[josh]

Bingo. Lots of pieces still on the board. And the later it gets, I feel like the higher the chances of seeing some Yaz/Moose style one year deals.

[wntrtxn21]

Justin Turner just makes way too much sense for us and he would certainly be a guy that Attanasio would meet with to sell him on coming to Milwaukee.

 

IMO Turner is waaay off their radar. He's 36 and according to reports coming out of LA, he's looking for a four year contract. He made $19M in 2019 and I'm sure looking for something in that area per year. I just can't imagine the Brewers having even the slightest interest in him at this point.

[PeaveyFury]

Justin Turner just makes way too much sense for us and he would certainly be a guy that Attanasio would meet with to sell him on coming to Milwaukee.

 

IMO Turner is waaay off their radar. He's 36 and according to reports coming out of LA, he's looking for a four year contract. He made $19M in 2019 and I'm sure looking for something in that area per year. I just can't imagine the Brewers having even the slightest interest in him at this point.

 

What team in this environment is giving a 36 year old $19 million a year?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Justin Turner just makes way too much sense for us and he would certainly be a guy that Attanasio would meet with to sell him on coming to Milwaukee.

 

IMO Turner is waaay off their radar. He's 36 and according to reports coming out of LA, he's looking for a four year contract. He made $19M in 2019 and I'm sure looking for something in that area per year. I just can't imagine the Brewers having even the slightest interest in him at this point.

 

Sure, Turner wants $19 million per year on a multi-year contract. I would like that too. Both stand about the same chance of happening.

[Jopal78]

The reality is the Brewers probably have had discussions with multiple players at a 5-6 million dollar/season price point. Those same players are most likely shopping themselves around to see how much more they can get elsewhere before beginning to make decisions where they will work in 2021.

[TURBO]

Just who exactly are the "bigger FA" players still left that we would be interested in?

 

Seriously, are there any big name 1B or 3B just hanging around in free agency?

 

Still quite a few of the top guys out there:

 

1. SP Trevor Bauer - Gonna be WAY too expensive, but could you imagine throwing Bauer in a rotation with Woodruff and Burnes?

2. C J.T. Realmuto - Doesn't make a ton of sense, both financially and roster construction-wise, unless they are giving up on Narvaez.

3. OF/DH Marcell Ozuna - Brewers have been linked to him, so this is a possibility.

4. SS/INF Didi Gregorius - I think this is actually a pretty good bet for the type of FA Attansaio would be recruiting. He's be a major get, and would likely be the team's full time 3B.

5. 3B Justin Turner - Obvious position need, and if he were willing to signing a short-term deal, this one makes sense. I don't trust signing a 36-year-old whatsoever, though.

6. SS/INF Marcus Semien - This would make sense too from a positional need standpoint. Other teams have supposedly been talking to Semien about playing 3B.

7. SS Andrelton Simmons - He's the best defensive SS in baseball, so this only makes sense if they are going to move on from Arcia.

8. OF/1B Joc Pederson - Also a potential target that makes some sense. Good power and a LH bat.

9. SP Jake Odorizzi - Solid #3 starter. Shouldn't be super expensive.

10. 3B Tommy La Stella - Solid player, would fill an obvious hole.

 

Obviously there is much more on the market, but these are 10 guys off the bat who I could see Mark A. getting involved in their recruitment.

 

So many of those guys are unrealistic though.

 

You can take Bauer and Realmuto off the list immediately.

 

Ozuna is going to cost way more than we are paying, you can question this all you want, it would take a miracle to get him, and to be honest, he isn't what we even need.

 

Does Didi play 3B? My gut tells me he will get more than we can pay as well, so he is also unrealistic.

 

Turner looking for 4 years at his age? Nope, not gonna happen in Milwaukee. I'd love to have him on a 2 year deal though. I think he ends up back with LA. Just using other teams now to pump up his value, which could backfire on him.

 

The fact that others are in on Semien makes it very improbable that we outbid anyone...

 

Simmons? Are we moving away from Arcia? I haven't seen that anywhere in print. I fully expect him to be our starting SS in 2021.

 

Pederson makes sense, what is his cost? If there would be a bidding war, again, we are out.

 

Odorizi would be great, even at 8-10 million per year though, he is out of our price range.

 

I know some here think LaStella is our savior, would be a good get, but if he is so great, I'd think there will be a bidding war for him as well.

 

I know we will end up with someone, someplace, but I highly doubt anyone from that list above will be coming to Milwaukee.

 

I really have to work on my negative outlook... I realize that.

[DR28]

Why can't we be like the deferral kings, the Nationals and defer a ton of money to later years to sign Didi or Semien? I would love to add either to play 3B... Then just go with Vogelbach at 1B, I don't even care anymore.

 

No idea if Didi would move to 3rd tho.

[wibadgers23]

Lots of Brewers-related leaks today. Could just be a coincidence or maybe something is finally about to materialize.

[pacopete4]

Stearns trying to make Packer fans forget about the loss.

[Warning Track Power]

Give me my "Ryan Braun is returning for 2021 to play 1B" tweet and I will forget about Kevin King.

[Eye Black]

Lots of Brewers-related leaks today. Could just be a coincidence or maybe something is finally about to materialize.

I get the sense the Brewers might have one big 1-2 year offer in them this offseason.

[DR28]

Gonna miss out on LaStella as well, he’s going to Giants.

 

My god this offseason is getting worse by the hour.

 

NL Central is right there but nope we cant make any moves to improve this team.

[DR28]

Lots of Brewers-related leaks today. Could just be a coincidence or maybe something is finally about to materialize.

I get the sense the Brewers might have one big 1-2 year offer in them this offseason.

 

Haha good one.

[titletownking]

BOOM.

[wibadgers23]

Gonna miss out on LaStella as well, he’s going to Giants.

 

My god this offseason is getting worse by the hour.

 

NL Central is right there but nope we cant make any moves to improve this team.

 

Oh for Pete’s sake. La Stella is no world beater but he would have been a really nice addition to our lineup and would have filled a position of need. We’re gonna mess around waiting for a bargain deal and end up with nobody.

[DR28]

Gonna miss out on LaStella as well, he’s going to Giants.

 

My god this offseason is getting worse by the hour.

 

NL Central is right there but nope we cant make any moves to improve this team.

 

Oh for Pete’s sake. La Stella is no world beater but he would have been a really nice addition to our lineup and would have filled a position of need. We’re gonna mess around waiting for a bargain deal and end up with nobody.

 

Sure is looking that way.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Better hope that Yelich and Hiura rebound, because it sure appears that there are gonna be a lot of question marks on the rest of the roster.

[brewerfan82]

Updating this list from earlier:

 

This is a nice resource: https://www.fangraphs.com/roster-resource/free-agent-tracker

 

If you sort by projected WAR, you'll find:

 

- 13 of the top 23 players are still unsigned (two players took the QO) - This includes Marcus Semien, Justin Turner, Joc Pederson, and Tommy La Stella who could be considered for 1B/3B positions

- 14 of the 25 players ranked 26-50 are still unsigned - This include Maikel Franco who could be considered for a 1B/3B position

- 17 of the 25 players ranked 51-75 are still unsigned - This include Travis Shaw, Jake Lamb, Marwin Gonzalez, and Todd Frazier who could be considered for 1B/3B positions

- 19 of the 25 players ranked 76-100 are still unsigned - This include CJ Cron, Asdrubel Cabrera, Brad Miller, and Jedd Gyorko who could be considered for 1B/3B positions

A lot of guys going of the board tonight, but so far that only includes 2 of the 13 listed above.

[Eye Black]

I get the sense the Brewers might have one big 1-2 year offer in them this offseason.

 

Haha good one.

Why is that “funny” to you?

[DR28]

I get the sense the Brewers might have one big 1-2 year offer in them this offseason.

 

Haha good one.

Why is that “funny” to you?

 

Because it isnt gonna happen.

[Eye Black]

Because it isnt gonna happen.

This offseason they’ve now been rumored to have talked with Marcell Ozuna, Marcus Semien, Justin Turner, Joc Pederson, and Eddie Rosario. They aren’t having conversations with those players if they don’t have at least a little bit of money to spend. I’m not sure why it’s preposterous to think they could make a decent one or two year offer to someone. That doesn’t guarantee someone is going to take it, but it indicates they could spend some money for the right move.

[CheeseheadInQC]

I get the sense the Brewers might have one big 1-2 year offer in them this offseason.

 

Haha good one.

Unless they have basically just given carte blanche to agents to include them in rumors whether there is any truth to them or not, it is clear they do have a bigger offer in them given that they have now been linked to at least three guys with whom a $5 million offer gets you a laugh and a hang-up.

 

Whether the money they are offering will be enough to actually land one of these guys is very much in question, but there is too much smoke for the idea of a $10-$15 million one year offer to be laughable.

[josh]

Lots of Brewers-related leaks today. Could just be a coincidence or maybe something is finally about to materialize.

I get the sense the Brewers might have one big 1-2 year offer in them this offseason.

 

I agree, but there’ll be an option, too. Always an option.

[DR28]

I get the sense the Brewers might have one big 1-2 year offer in them this offseason.

 

Haha good one.

Unless they have basically just given carte blanche to agents to include them in rumors whether there is any truth to them or not, it is clear they do have a bigger offer in them given that they have now been linked to at least three guys with whom a $5 million offer gets you a laugh and a hang-up.

 

Whether the money they are offering will be enough to actually land one of these guys is very much in question, but there is too much smoke for the idea of a $10-$15 million one year offer to be laughable.

 

All these empty news stories prove nothing at all. If you believe that the Brewers are actually prepared to pay one of these guys, then good for you.

 

MA’s idea of value is to get a difference maker at a 7-figure salary, and that is extremely unlikely. So best case, the jury is still out on this owner and his commitment to winning (although some would say that last year’s off-season gave us all the evidence we needed).