Prospective trade deadline targets?

[adambr2]

Due to the love of the acquisition of middle infielders and our love of playing some of them out of position, We could go bargain bin shopping for Johnathan Schoop. The 6’1 247 lb slugger now plays 1st and looks to be better than most of our first baseman this year. Plus he could be 5th or 6th on the depth chart to play second base.

 

I think my personal preference would be to never let Johnathan Schoop get anywhere near Milwaukee in a Brewer uniform ever again. Preferably not even in another uniform since he seems to somehow figure out how to hit again whenever he plays against us.

[titletownking]

Due to the love of the acquisition of middle infielders and our love of playing some of them out of position, We could go bargain bin shopping for Johnathan Schoop. The 6’1 247 lb slugger now plays 1st and looks to be better than most of our first baseman this year. Plus he could be 5th or 6th on the depth chart to play second base.

 

No.

[jjgott]

Schoop would become the new Yuni B

[SRB]

Coming into today's game, Vogelbach is up to a .329 wOBA/108 wRC+ on the season, largely dragged down by a terrible start. That's not great for a 1B but are some of these trade options really any better?

[titletownking]

Coming into today's game, Vogelbach is up to a .329 wOBA/108 wRC+ on the season, largely dragged down by a terrible start. That's not great for a 1B but are some of these trade options really any better?

 

I’m fine standing pat with Vogelbach at first if that means 3rd base will be upgrade significantly. But…How about Moran? Cheap deal I believe and he would be a nice piece at 1st that should be an option if Pittsburgh listens in on him. Aguilar would be the dream scenario.

[Devinep]

Coming into today's game, Vogelbach is up to a .329 wOBA/108 wRC+ on the season, largely dragged down by a terrible start. That's not great for a 1B but are some of these trade options really any better?

 

He needs a platoon mate at the least. And with Urias’s versatility (and lack of establishment as a total regular) it would be good if that platoon plate could also play 3B. Asdrubal Cabrera makes the most sense to me.

[DoubleSwitch]

What about Kyle Seager? He's not having a great year, but that line is above average in 2021. He's left handed so he pairs with Urias, He plays decent defense and he has power that could play up in AmFam. Has a team option for next year that you'll probably have to buy out but he shouldn't be too expensive.

[sveumrules]

What about Kyle Seager? He's not having a great year, but that line is above average in 2021. He's left handed so he pairs with Urias, He plays decent defense and he has power that could play up in AmFam. Has a team option for next year that you'll probably have to buy out but he shouldn't be too expensive.

 

Seager's 15 million team option for 2022 converts to a player option if he is traded.

 

I could see scenarios where that either hinders (don't want to take on the future payroll) or helps facilitate (don't have to send out any top prospects) a deal.

[wallus]

CJ Cron on a minor prospect deal seems like the obvious move. Let him soft platoon with DV. He still murders LHP.

 

I think Stearns feels mostly comfortable with the rest of the lineup. I also see Ashby and maybe Small coming up to help the bullpen out.

 

Maybe this is the current run against losing teams clouding my mind but this team looks pretty good as is. Any upgrades to a lot of spots would be need to be a significant move that I don't know if we want to send out the prospects to do. Getting Cain and Wong back will help the depth out tremendously.

[nate82]

I don't think Seager's option would be prohibitive for the Brewers next year. I would rather spend that money on someone else or on another position(s).

 

Shouldn't take all that much to get Seager from the Mariners either way. Ray would be on the high end for a return with someone like Chad Spanberger and a few other lottery tickets on the low end.

[MrTPlush]

Coming into today's game, Vogelbach is up to a .329 wOBA/108 wRC+ on the season, largely dragged down by a terrible start. That's not great for a 1B but are some of these trade options really any better?

 

Lets see in a month. Vogelbach and Urias are both on hot streaks making them a bit more legitimate than they may actually be. If both those guys are actually what their current numbers reflect we may not be in bad shape...but my guess is one goes cold again dragging their numbers back to a less respectable range.

[brewmann04]

If Wong returns could Urias be the team 3rd baseman moving forward. I still think David is going to make some trading deadline move.

[MrTPlush]

If Wong returns could Urias be the team 3rd baseman moving forward. I still think David is going to make some trading deadline move.

 

Wouldn't shock me if he went out and got a 3B regardless. Any 3B could basically flip over to 1B if needed. So if either Vogelbach/Urias go back to sucking that player can just slide into either position full time. Worst case Urias can still find plenty of ABs around the diamond if they all hit. This is arguably what Stearns was trying to do with Bradley Jr. in the OF situation with Cain coming back after a year off (injury/level of play concerns) and Avisail Garcia (coming off a terrible 2020 and questionable track record). Even if Cain/Garcia excelled JBJ would still find plenty of ABs.

 

Or just use Luis Urias as a trade chip. I wouldn't rule this out if he is doing well. The fact they moved on from him at SS so fast and Stearn's comments post Adames trade I don't think the Brewers are extremely high on Urias. If they get a trade that gives them a good amount of value compared to how they feel about him I wouldn't be shocked if they shipped him off.

[umphrey]

I was wondering if Urias is out Ben Zobrist, an above average bat with no set position but plays almost every day

[MrTPlush]

I was wondering if Urias is out Ben Zobrist, an above average bat with no set position but plays almost every day

 

That is a lofty comparison. Urias has been a merry go round because he has been terrible for 90% of his career so far.

 

Zobrist was a versatile guy who could play multiple positions well and thats why he bounced around the field a bunch. He also could hit, something Urias doesn't have a huge track record of doing.

[sveumrules]

I was wondering if Urias is out Ben Zobrist, an above average bat with no set position but plays almost every day

 

That is a lofty comparison. Urias has been a merry go round because he has been terrible for 90% of his career so far.

 

Zobrist was a versatile guy who could play multiple positions well and thats why he bounced around the field a bunch. He also could hit, something Urias doesn't have a huge track record of doing.

 

Zobrist didn't get his first MLB plate appearance until his age 25 season.

 

Urias is currently at 635 career PAs with 60% of his age 24 season still remaining.

 

Zobrist wasn't Zobrist either yet at Luis's age, his breakout didn't come until his age 28 season.

 

Sure, odds are that Luis never tops the 45 WAR that Zobrist posted throughout his career, but when Ben was a 24 year old in A/A+ ball his odds of ever posting 45 WAR were miniscule & it came to pass, so who really knows?

[igor67]

I kind of Like Donaldson in a mix between a pure salary dump by the Twins and getting something of value from us. Mix of time at 1st and 3rd he can get some more rest with us than as a pure everyday player. Platoons well with Vogelbach. Maybe something like send Cain back to partially balance the salary (when he gets back). He might have some nominal value with the Twins to take the field and make it easier to trade Buxton who might actually net a solid return. At this point I have no idea who I would consider fair prospect compensation to send. Trying to figure out prospect values this season is interesting, and I wouldn't be surprised if down the line there end up being some real head scratchers that get done this year. Or the reverse and few deals happen because teams have difficulty agreeing on how to evaluate players.

[JohnBriggs12]

Coming into today's game, Vogelbach is up to a .329 wOBA/108 wRC+ on the season, largely dragged down by a terrible start. That's not great for a 1B but are some of these trade options really any better?

 

Lets see in a month. Vogelbach and Urias are both on hot streaks making them a bit more legitimate than they may actually be. If both those guys are actually what their current numbers reflect we may not be in bad shape...but my guess is one goes cold again dragging their numbers back to a less respectable range.

 

Vogelbach's approach doesn't match his physique. He's got 14 RBI in 140 AB's. Yeah he contributes by drawing a lot of walks and seeing a lot of pitches but don't you want your 275 pound first baseman driving in runs? Contrast that with Jesus Aguilar. Similar physique but Jesus has 49 RBI in 221 AB's. I think Brewers should focus on getting Aguilar back in a Brewer uniform.

[josh]

Zobrist didn't get his first MLB plate appearance until his age 25 season.

 

Urias is currently at 635 career PAs with 60% of his age 24 season still remaining.

 

Zobrist wasn't Zobrist either yet at Luis's age, his breakout didn't come until his age 28 season.

 

Wow, never realized how Zobrist went from rock-bottom bad at age 26 (OPS+ of 4!) to the highest bWAR position player in the American League at age 28. Hope springs attorney.

[bill hAll Star]

I kind of Like Donaldson in a mix between a pure salary dump by the Twins and getting something of value from us. Mix of time at 1st and 3rd he can get some more rest with us than as a pure everyday player. Platoons well with Vogelbach. Maybe something like send Cain back to partially balance the salary (when he gets back). He might have some nominal value with the Twins to take the field and make it easier to trade Buxton who might actually net a solid return. At this point I have no idea who I would consider fair prospect compensation to send. Trying to figure out prospect values this season is interesting, and I wouldn't be surprised if down the line there end up being some real head scratchers that get done this year. Or the reverse and few deals happen because teams have difficulty agreeing on how to evaluate players.

 

Given Donaldson's age/injury history/remaining salary and the landscape of baseball - I would send nothing back. If the Twins are trying to do a salary dump, I think basically leaving 2 years/$43 million to the next team is pretty fair risk for getting a guy that is starting to play like the older All Star that he is. I know there is a salary balance but I think if there was any balancing, the Twins would just pay $, not take Cain to get in the way of their fairly crowded OF situation.

 

The Twins probably will not dump longer-term guys but who knows. I think they still feel they can be competitive again in 2022 and their GMs probably do not want to hit the reset button as even though they've shown some great flashes, they could be canned with another down year.

[umphrey]

I would like Donaldson if he’s available. I think he probably won’t be and instead will be penciled in as a 2022 piece. Maybe they would trade him to get more ABs for Arraez but it would leave their depth chart really thin and they have no other internal option that I know of (Krilloff can’t play 3B as far as I know).

[DuWayne Steurer]

Coming into today's game, Vogelbach is up to a .329 wOBA/108 wRC+ on the season, largely dragged down by a terrible start. That's not great for a 1B but are some of these trade options really any better?

 

Lets see in a month. Vogelbach and Urias are both on hot streaks making them a bit more legitimate than they may actually be. If both those guys are actually what their current numbers reflect we may not be in bad shape...but my guess is one goes cold again dragging their numbers back to a less respectable range.

 

Vogelbach's approach doesn't match his physique. He's got 14 RBI in 140 AB's. Yeah he contributes by drawing a lot of walks and seeing a lot of pitches but don't you want your 275 pound first baseman driving in runs? Contrast that with Jesus Aguilar. Similar physique but Jesus has 49 RBI in 221 AB's. I think Brewers should focus on getting Aguilar back in a Brewer uniform.

 

 

Vogelbach has also been hitting 2nd for most of the last month, so he doesn't get the same kind of RBI opportunities. Apples to Onions comparison.

 

Aguilar has had almost double the plate appearances with runners on base to drive in.

 

I'm not even going to say I wouldn't be happy if the Brewers went out and got Jesus, but there's more to a skill set than RBI. If they want Vogelbach to get on base (which he does pretty decently), then I hope he keeps it up.

[reillymcshane]

I think Donaldson for Bradley would be a fair move.

 

Donaldson is owed around $62M - at least - over the next 2.5 years. Jackie is owed about $18M over the next 1.5 years.

 

Donaldson:

2021: $21,750,000M (figure about $11M or so left)

2022: $21,750,000M

2023: $21,750,000M

2024: $16M or an $8M buyout

 

Bradley

2021: $13M (figure about $7M left)

2022: $11M (assuming he picks up his option)

 

Bradley is a negative at this point. It's basically the Twins an $18M hit to get out of a $62M obligation. Saves you $44M. Nothing wrong with that. And perhaps they could hope Bradley figures things out by getting into a new situation. He's 31, so he shouldn't be this bad.

 

Donaldson is still a productive player, but he's showing a lot of signs of fading, and at his age - 35 - he's unlikely to get better. Still, if he could stay healthy, he could easily be a 2.0-2.5 WAR player. Solid defense, some power, modest average.

 

Donaldson fits a hole in the team, and no replacement on the horizon.

 

It's a lot of money to add to the payroll - but what the heck. Our corner IF has been a big black hole this year.

[Jopal78]

 

Donaldson is still a productive player, but he's showing a lot of signs of fading, and at his age - 35 - he's unlikely to get better. Still, if he could stay healthy, he could easily be a 2.0-2.5 WAR player. Solid defense, some power, modest average.

.

 

This is where it always becomes bizzaro world in these trade proposals. The player gets denigrated in order to justify proposing to acquire them for garbage. In this case, does Donaldson suck (showing a lot of signs of fading and lots of guaranteed money remaining)? If so, why would the Brewers want him? On the other hand if he’s easily a 2-2.5 WAR player why would the Twins trade him, especially for a surplus outfielder.

[Eye Black]

What about Rockies infielder Ryan McMahon?

 

According to Baseball Reference he’s been worth 2.6 WAR so far this season. He’s under team control for two more years after this one. He’s only 26 years old, and has played every infield position during his career (although I wouldn’t suggest ever playing him at shortstop where he’s played just 3.0 innings in the majors). His defensive metrics have completely flipped towards the positive this season while he’s split time between 3B and 2B. He is a left handed hitter, and he’d give the Brewers flexibility to shift between 3B and 1B, basically a much better version Travis Shaw.