Brewers sign Jackie Bradley Jr. (2-year/$24M with player option after first year.)

[Axman59]

This board would be more enjoyable to read if people spent more time simply expressing their own opinions rather than nitpicking or attacking what someone else wrote.

 

So... what is your opinion on the JBJ signing?

 

Part of a forum is the discussion... part of the internet is nitpicking... We try to keep the attacks to a minimum; at least compared to other boards.

 

 

I like it. I said months ago the Brewers had the ability to spend. And now they are. At least they aren't totally cheaping out.

 

And now we can enjoy these defensive gems for the next year or two.

 

[GenoSeligPrieb]

First off, thanks, RRB! You're still Joe Meyer Bombs to me! For whatever reason, my thousands of posts from the 90s didn't follow me, and there's still a damned 8 in my name!

 

Anyway, I just can't get excited about Narvaez and Pina, so I'm not inclined to re-evaluate that line of thinking anytime soon. Grandal & Pina? Loved it. Narvaez and Manny? Yikes.

[Bulldogboy]

People complain when the brewers don't spend money then complain when they do. Is Bradley the best use of cash?? Probably not but can he help them get where they need to go ?? I think so. The bench has the potential to be pretty good this season. The defense much improved. If Yelich is Yelich again and pitching is healthy pencil them into the playoffs. All you can ask.

[GenoSeligPrieb]

 

Now we don't like first round playoff exits? We've become spoiled. Well you have anyway.

 

Dude. I was a fan of Skip Lockwood and Gus Gil. So I think I've earned some impatience with the playoff stage being too bright for Hader, Suter, Gallardo...hell, Pete Ladd. I want a ring before I freakin' die, so yeah, playoff chokes don't do much for me.

[TURBO]

 

Now we don't like first round playoff exits? We've become spoiled. Well you have anyway.

 

Dude. I was a fan of Skip Lockwood and Gus Gil. So I think I've earned some impatience with the playoff stage being too bright for Hader, Suter, Gallardo...hell, Pete Ladd. I want a ring before I freakin' die, so yeah, playoff chokes don't do much for me.

 

I agree with Geno here.

 

Playoffs are nice, and when it was rare, I may have been able to say getting there was good enough, but not now.

 

We have become a regular playoff participant, time to do more than make it, and get bounced!

 

I too want to win it all before I die, just one time and I swear to God I'll be happy!

[brewcrewdue80]

I don't see the big deal with LaStella. I would rather have had Brad Miller for 1/4M than LaStella at 3/18+.

 

LaStella represented a tough out. Something last year's team seemed to lack. He would actually give you good ABs. That's the appeal. JBJ imo is an equal signing with higher upside.

I really like this signing 12 hours later. No second thoughts. I'm coming around on 4 starters as OFs. Theres been plenty of missed games that #4 gets his fair share of game action. 300PAs seem easy to get. In JBJ, he's not only LH to Cain's RH, he plays a GG quality defense. Obviously CFs can play a quality corner OF, vs corner OFs playing a quality CF. Huge depth insurance with little to no dropoff in expected offense potential.

If I was a random generator of Wins this season I think the low may have been 69/70 and today its 75/76. The high may have moved from 91/92 to 94/95. Floor improved 6games.

[sveumrules]

 

Now we don't like first round playoff exits? We've become spoiled. Well you have anyway.

 

Dude. I was a fan of Skip Lockwood and Gus Gil. So I think I've earned some impatience with the playoff stage being too bright for Hader, Suter, Gallardo...hell, Pete Ladd. I want a ring before I freakin' die, so yeah, playoff chokes don't do much for me.

 

Josh Hader has 12.1 playoff innings with 20 strikeouts, 2 walks and a 1.46 ERA.

 

Tough crowd.

[GenoSeligPrieb]

I hear ya, Sveum, but he did choke against Washington.

 

And yeah, I'm salty, seeing small market KC and Minnesota win multiple titles, Tampa winning the pennant again, and San Diego's ownership stepping up in such a big way, while the bar has been set so low, that our fans are OK with a losing season.

 

Hey, maybe in 2022, Manfred will expand the playoffs to 32 teams! Every MLB franchise...plus...hear us out, fans, not one, but TWO minor league teams! Round 1: Top-ranked Dodgers vs. the Durham Bulls, and the Yankees can face their AAA affiliate!

[DHonks]

This makes sense for a lot of reasons. Cain is probably best if he plays 120-125 games. Yelich usually misses 10-20 games with injuries (I think it's been back injuries mostly, not counting the fluke knee injury). Garcia plays hard, but didn't perform like an every day played. So to me it's easy to pencil in Yelich for 135-140 games, Cain 120-125, Garcia 110-120, Bradley 120-130

[MNBrew]

I hear ya, Sveum, but he did choke against Washington.

 

And yeah, I'm salty, seeing small market KC and Minnesota win multiple titles, Tampa winning the pennant again, and San Diego's ownership stepping up in such a big way, while the bar has been set so low, that our fans are OK with a losing season.

 

Hey, maybe in 2022, Manfred will expand the playoffs to 32 teams! Every MLB franchise...plus...hear us out, fans, not one, but TWO minor league teams! Round 1: Top-ranked Dodgers vs. the Durham Bulls, and the Yankees can face their AAA affiliate!

Welcome back, Geno. The 8 threw me off.

 

I was happy to make the playoffs last year, diluted as they were, but that's not synonymous with being content with a losing record. I'd think I'm one of many who was not remotely happy with the regular season record or pretty much any of the things that made it that.

[MNBrew]

Let me see if I can sum up the offseason. Our biggest need was a 1B and 3B. So naturally we instead signed a second 2B and moved our first 2B to 1B. Then signed a second gold glove CF and will not play him every day but instead will rotate him among the three other OFs. Which leaves us to 3B, which will likely be filled by our second SS. Makes sense. Stearns is definitely an orignal.

I cannot disagree that 1B & 3B were our biggest needs entering the offseason and at least some concern about both is justified because the solutions aren't automatic, lead-pipe cinches -- though that doesn't guarantee that Shaw/Urias/Hiura at the corners is a pre-certified failure, either.

 

However, given that players the Brewers targeted at those positions didn't end up in MIL for whatever the reason, Stearns & Co. still did the next best thing: They still made the team better than it was before. I can live with that and, in fact, am quite happy about it. How all the nuances of the resulting plan should/will play out isn't for me (or any of us) to know in advance. But Stearns & Co. being who they are, clearly they have a plan and I faith in their confidence about that plan.

[sveumrules]

I hear ya, Sveum, but he did choke against Washington.

 

Did Hader really choke against Washington though?

 

He struck out the first batter. He hit the second guy, but it looked like ball hit the knob of the bat & should have been ruled a foul ball, but wasn't. He struck out the next batter. Zimmerman hit a broken bat, bloop single. He was careful with Rendon, who walked. Soto singled & the tying/go ahead runs scored on an error.

 

Even if you want to qualify that one outing with at least three bad luck outcomes (erroneous HBP, broken bat blooper, E9) as a choke, Hader allowed zero runs in his other eight postseason appearances covering 11.1 innings.

 

That's essentially setting the standard at never allow a run ever, which seems like a pretty unrealistic expectation to me.

[anglotiger]

Lost in all of this is the amusement that one gets from the reaction of Cubs fans to this signing.

 

I spent a little time today perusing some blogs and articles, and reading the comments in response.

 

Any reasonably knowledgeable Cubs fan who talked about the value that the Brewers got, and how disappointing it was for them to see a rival make a good move, was immediately and mercilessly shouted down by what seemed like ten others - all scholars of the game, as the most vocal of Cubs fans are(n't). I didn't see any of the critics call one of them an "idiot" or a "moron", but they certainly implied it strongly.

 

The jealousy was so amusing. According to the naysayers, Bradley is one or more of overrated, overpaid by the Brewers, past it, never was as good as touted, in decline defensively for years, barely average in the field, a a poor-man's Joc Pederson or - and this was my favourite - the Brewers' version of Jason Heyward (never mind the massive contract difference) - and those are just the insults that I remember...

 

If it gets under the skin of Cubs fans that much, then the move is worth it for that reason alone...

[wntrtxn21]

I'll go back to my 2015 Royals comp. They were maybe just above league average on offense (guessing). Everyone goes one way, might be a smart move to go a different direction. We shall see.

 

In 2015 Royals were 7th in runs scored - had the fewest batting Ks - 2nd in batting average - 2nd in hits - 10th in OPS - tied for 9th in OBP - 7th in RBIs

[GenoSeligPrieb]

I hear ya, Sveum, but he did choke against Washington.

 

Did Hader really choke against Washington though?

 

He struck out the first batter. He hit the second guy, but it looked like ball hit the knob of the bat & should have been ruled a foul ball, but wasn't. He struck out the next batter. Zimmerman hit a broken bat, bloop single. He was careful with Rendon, who walked. Soto singled & the tying/go ahead runs scored on an error.

 

Even if you want to qualify that one outing with at least three bad luck outcomes (erroneous HBP, broken bat blooper, E9) as a choke, Hader allowed zero runs in his other eight postseason appearances covering 11.1 innings.

 

That's essentially setting the standard at never allow a run ever, which seems like a pretty unrealistic expectation to me.

 

Well argued, I know.

 

But, to quote Robert Plant, "and it makes me wonder.... " why the national stage is always too big for the Brewers, when they could finally break through, and reach the franchise's ultimate goal.

 

I know the stats guys will deride this line of thinking, but it kind of comes down to having "big-time players," ones who have major postseason success...guys who tend not to fold, when the chips are down. Those guys, like Justin Turner, are expensive, and of course Mark did at least see the value in trying to bring him in.

 

Think the Cubs would have won in '16 without experienced leaders like Lester, and Heyward, and *gulp*, even Chapman?

 

The Padres are following that line of thinking now, and I'm jealous!

[Lathund]

Lost in all of this is the amusement that one gets from the reaction of Cubs fans to this signing.

 

I spent a little time today perusing some blogs and articles, and reading the comments in response.

 

Any reasonably knowledgeable Cubs fan who talked about the value that the Brewers got, and how disappointing it was for them to see a rival make a good move, was immediately and mercilessly shouted down by what seemed like ten others - all scholars of the game, as the most vocal of Cubs fans are(n't). I didn't see any of the critics call one of them an "idiot" or a "moron", but they certainly implied it strongly.

 

The jealousy was so amusing. According to the naysayers, Bradley is one or more of overrated, overpaid by the Brewers, past it, never was as good as touted, in decline defensively for years, barely average in the field, a a poor-man's Joc Pederson or - and this was my favourite - the Brewers' version of Jason Heyward (never mind the massive contract difference) - and those are just the insults that I remember...

 

If it gets under the skin of Cubs fans that much, then the move is worth it for that reason alone...

 

If we went by Cubs fans evaluations of Brewers rosters and moves, Brewers would've averaged about 65 wins per year from 2017-2020.

[Pugger]

The only way to not love this deal is if you are living in the past and think that MLB rosters should be constructed to have 8 guys who will start 160 games for you.

 

JBJ has 5+ WAR upside when he has a hot year offensively, and we basically have him on a 1/$13M contract barring a major injury.

 

Will be a joy to watch him and Cain in the OF together at the same time. I kind of want to bring back Keon Broxton just for fun on days that Yelich takes off.

 

It will be nice to watch him, Cain and Yeli out there this season.

[Pugger]

Lost in all of this is the amusement that one gets from the reaction of Cubs fans to this signing.

 

I spent a little time today perusing some blogs and articles, and reading the comments in response.

 

Any reasonably knowledgeable Cubs fan who talked about the value that the Brewers got, and how disappointing it was for them to see a rival make a good move, was immediately and mercilessly shouted down by what seemed like ten others - all scholars of the game, as the most vocal of Cubs fans are(n't). I didn't see any of the critics call one of them an "idiot" or a "moron", but they certainly implied it strongly.

 

The jealousy was so amusing. According to the naysayers, Bradley is one or more of overrated, overpaid by the Brewers, past it, never was as good as touted, in decline defensively for years, barely average in the field, a a poor-man's Joc Pederson or - and this was my favourite - the Brewers' version of Jason Heyward (never mind the massive contract difference) - and those are just the insults that I remember...

 

If it gets under the skin of Cubs fans that much, then the move is worth it for that reason alone...

 

[StearnsFTW]

 

Now we don't like first round playoff exits? We've become spoiled. Well you have anyway.

 

Dude. I was a fan of Skip Lockwood and Gus Gil. So I think I've earned some impatience with the playoff stage being too bright for Hader, Suter, Gallardo...hell, Pete Ladd. I want a ring before I freakin' die, so yeah, playoff chokes don't do much for me.

 

Dude. OK. So was I. I appreciate some success. It's a nice change of pace.

 

After reading further, I see we're just going full non sequitur so I'll bow out.

[StearnsFTW]

Dude. I was a fan of Skip Lockwood and Gus Gil. So I think I've earned some impatience with the playoff stage being too bright for Hader' date=' Suter, Gallardo...hell, Pete Ladd. I want a ring before I freakin' die, so yeah, playoff chokes don't do much for me.[/quote']

 

Josh Hader has 12.1 playoff innings with 20 strikeouts, 2 walks and a 1.46 ERA.

 

Tough crowd.

 

LOL. I missed that part. Tough crowd indeed.

[torts]

i'll take one of Bradley/Cain/Garcia over a Kotsay-type any day of the week in the OF in a pinch.

 

Also, Mark A just sold his stake of his business, what I would expect to be for a couple boat-loads of money. I am happy he is willing to spend some of his well-earned capital on our smallest market franchise every year, consistently. would it be cool to have gotten another 3B besides future all-star Travis Shaw, sure, but I believe they see something we dont, know something we dont, in all of these moves.

[BallFour]

It is really going to break Cubs fans brains when they realize Jason Heyward has basically been Jackie Bradley Jr. since they signed him to a 8 year deal for 184 Million

[homer]

I'll go back to my 2015 Royals comp. They were maybe just above league average on offense (guessing). Everyone goes one way, might be a smart move to go a different direction. We shall see.

 

In 2015 Royals were 7th in runs scored - had the fewest batting Ks - 2nd in batting average - 2nd in hits - 10th in OPS - tied for 9th in OBP - 7th in RBIs

 

If you look at just the AL they were 4.47 runs per game (6th in that league). AL average was 4.39

 

Weird team - they were last in the AL in walks, fewest K's, 3rd in the league in doubles, 2nd last in HRs, 2nd in the league in stolen bases. So they didn't hit home runs, didn't strike out, didn't walk, hit a ton of singles and doubles and then stole bases.

 

Regardless, I think we can agree that offense was not their calling card. They led the AL in wins above average for relief pitchers (by quite a wide margin over 2nd place)

[homer]

The Skip Lockwood reference made me wax nostalgic for this card:

 

 

My brother gave me this (along with a Brian Downing I believe) to start my collection. I remember thinking it strange that he would wear a windbreaker under his uniform.

[tmwiese55]

 

I hear ya, Sveum, but he did choke against Washington.

 

Did Hader really choke against Washington though?

 

He struck out the first batter. He hit the second guy, but it looked like ball hit the knob of the bat & should have been ruled a foul ball, but wasn't. He struck out the next batter. Zimmerman hit a broken bat, bloop single. He was careful with Rendon, who walked. Soto singled & the tying/go ahead runs scored on an error.

 

Even if you want to qualify that one outing with at least three bad luck outcomes (erroneous HBP, broken bat blooper, E9) as a choke, Hader allowed zero runs in his other eight postseason appearances covering 11.1 innings.

 

That's essentially setting the standard at never allow a run ever, which seems like a pretty unrealistic expectation to me.

 

Well argued, I know.

 

But, to quote Robert Plant, "and it makes me wonder.... " why the national stage is always too big for the Brewers, when they could finally break through, and reach the franchise's ultimate goal.

 

I know the stats guys will deride this line of thinking, but it kind of comes down to having "big-time players," ones who have major postseason success...guys who tend not to fold, when the chips are down. Those guys, like Justin Turner, are expensive, and of course Mark did at least see the value in trying to bring him in.

 

Think the Cubs would have won in '16 without experienced leaders like Lester, and Heyward, and *gulp*, even Chapman?

 

The Padres are following that line of thinking now, and I'm jealous!

 

 

I'd venture some guesses on this and it mostly comes to perception being skewed. First, simply that we have only had a few playoff opportunities in 35 years, so we kind of amplify them. Teams like, LA, NY, BOS have had countless opportunities so eventually they're going to have things go their way, just the law of averages. MKE, not yet. Heck, you use Turner as a example which my vibe without checking stats is he's always been solid, however it took LA what 8-10 years of playoff tries to finally win? Yankees won in roughly 2010 and have been puttering out for 10 years straight now in spite of every advantage. But since a team with totally different players won 10 years ago they're not chokers then.

 

Second, factor to me would be that we're always the underdog which also lowers your chances. So we kind of get mad about choking/blowing it but really you went into an uphill battle.

 

Another perception thing would just be the titles or bust mindset these days pushed by the media. Take the LAD NLCS year. That team won two rounds of playoffs and took a loaded team to game 7. That's not choking or not being able to handle the big stage, etc. I don't know, just spitballing a bit.