Prospective trade deadline targets?

[brewerfan82]

I wouldn't drop Pina based on 83 at bats. He's been a pretty consistently solid offensive player his entire Brewer career and he's a nice veteran presence on this team at this point. Not to mention, part of the reason he only has 83 at bats is that he's the small end of a platoon, so the impact of replacing him would be proportionately small as well.

 

That said, after yesterday's game/lineup, I understand the want to upgrade the lineup against lefties. Getting Cain back to have in there instead of JBJ could be a big boost. Hiura hitting better would help a ton as well. If we're going to get someone from outside the organization, 3B is probably the best place to add. As others have mentioned, an Escobar/Cabrera type makes sense. And if they want to go big, Donaldson would be a huge addition to the lineup.

[nate82]

The Cubs are looking like they are dead again. Maybe try and pull off a trade for Bryant? Something around Turang, Small and another piece I think gets it done. I think the Brewers would be more hesitant to pull that trade off than the Cubs would be. The Cubs fans would get over trading Bryant to the Brewers if Turang or Small become a mainstay on the team.

[JohnBriggs12]

Brewers are 15-11 in Pina's starts. His 18% K rate is better than his career rate. It's tough getting out of a slump starting 1-2 games per week. He'll get some big hits. His slump gets magnified on days like yesterday when he's not the only backup in the lineup or when Counsell bats him way too far up in the lineup.

[rickh150]

Brewers are 15-11 in Pina's starts. His 18% K rate is better than his career rate. It's tough getting out of a slump starting 1-2 games per week. He'll get some big hits. His slump gets magnified on days like yesterday when he's not the only backup in the lineup or when Counsell bats him way too far up in the lineup.

 

I think he is getting the CC 2011 treatment. CC didn’t do much right the first half of the season (did he have a hit?). His reputation and past stats are allowing him to be around.

[LouisEly]

I know his defense and presence are top knot have, but an easy upgrade would be replacing Pina with a righty catcher who doesn’t hit like a pitcher. A cheaper, controllable backup would be Eric Haase from DET. He’s hitting decently, and his last 2 MiLB seasons were solid too. Plus he can play some OF

What about a catcher with an OPS of .744, .724, .702, and .751 over the last four seasons and plus defense?

 

If so, he's already on the team.

 

Oh you mean the guy with one hit in the last month? And an OPS+ of 51 through this season? I’m just not convinced he isn’t starting to fall off. That would be nice if he could get back to being a decent hitter though

Yelich had one hit over 28 PAs last July. Narvaez had a .568 OPS all of last year.

 

Guys have slumps over small samples. Might this be a small sample for Pina?

[Devinep]

Yelich had one hit over 28 PAs last July. Narvaez had a .568 OPS all of last year.

 

Guys have slumps over small samples. Might this be a small sample for Pina?

Yes it might. He also might continue to be an awful hitter and is there a point where the offensive production is just too lacking to play him?

[adambr2]

Yelich had one hit over 28 PAs last July. Narvaez had a .568 OPS all of last year.

 

Guys have slumps over small samples. Might this be a small sample for Pina?

Yes it might. He also might continue to be an awful hitter and is there a point where the offensive production is just too lacking to play him?

 

He's already barely playing. He has 83 ABs this year; compared to 145 for Hiura and 246 for JBJ, Pina's offensive struggles are having almost zero impact on our bottom line.

[Devinep]

Yelich had one hit over 28 PAs last July. Narvaez had a .568 OPS all of last year.

 

Guys have slumps over small samples. Might this be a small sample for Pina?

Yes it might. He also might continue to be an awful hitter and is there a point where the offensive production is just too lacking to play him?

 

He's already barely playing. He has 83 ABs this year; compared to 145 for Hiura and 246 for JBJ, Pina's offensive struggles are having almost zero impact on our bottom line.

 

I know. That is why I brought up Joey Gallo to play 1B/CF for those 2 positions of weakness. I was just also thinking Catcher would be an easy way to upgrade offense with how putrid Pina has been.

[brewers888]

Gallo is probably going to be way too expensive and I see him more of a Melvin type of player than Stearns but something must be done about first base. We can't continue to have multiple players in the lineup everyday with averages in the .150 range.

[PeaveyFury]

I see him more of a Melvin type of player than Stearns .

 

Could you elaborate on that?

[brewers888]

I see him more of a Melvin type of player than Stearns .

 

Could you elaborate on that?

 

Melvin was all about power even when it came to sacrificing the ability to make contact while Stearns tends to go for the multi position middle infield type like Peterson. Gallo offers the positional versatility that Stearns likes but I don't see him as much of a fan of the extreme swing and miss even if that comes with a lot of walks with a guy like Gallo.

 

Maybe I'm mistaken but Stearns passed on Gallo in the Lucroy deal in favor of Brinson and I see him passing on making an offer this time around.

[adambr2]

I dunno. Hiura, Keon Broxton, Vogelbach, are some big power/strikeout types. Stearns does seem to like versatile middle infidels but as far as a hit tool I'm not sure if he has a type.

 

Did we have an option to receive Gallo in the Lucroy deal? I've never heard that confirmed.

[nate82]

Eric Thames and Chris Carter would like to say hello.

[rickh150]

I see him more of a Melvin type of player than Stearns .

 

Could you elaborate on that?

 

Melvin was all about power even when it came to sacrificing the ability to make contact while Stearns tends to go for the multi position middle infield type like Peterson. Gallo offers the positional versatility that Stearns likes but I don't see him as much of a fan of the extreme swing and miss even if that comes with a lot of walks with a guy like Gallo.

 

Maybe I'm mistaken but Stearns passed on Gallo in the Lucroy deal in favor of Brinson and I see him passing on making an offer this time around.

 

 

Stearns Brewers strike out a lot….

3rd most in baseball this year

2nd most in 2020

5th in 2019

7th in 2018

1st in 2017 and 2016….. actually MLB record shattering each year.

[brewers888]

Eric Thames and Chris Carter would like to say hello.

 

Thames and Carter were both lost cost signings as was claiming Vogelbach. The Brewers drafts and big free agent expenditures mostly focus on up the middle athletes like Bradley and Cain. I just don't see Stearns being willing to pay a high price for a player like Gallo but we will see soon enough.

[Jopal78]

Eric Thames and Chris Carter would like to say hello.

 

Thames and Carter were both lost cost signings as was claiming Vogelbach. The Brewers drafts and big free agent expenditures mostly focus on up the middle athletes like Bradley and Cain. I just don't see Stearns being willing to pay a high price for a player like Gallo but we will see soon enough.

 

The "high price" is a good point. With a year of team control remaining and Texas being in a full scale rebuild, they can demand a pricey return for Gallo, and simply hang on to him until next year if they are not blown away by what they're offered.

[roadcrew3]

Story is the biggest needle moving bat on the market, and his salary coupled with his half a season of control might make him a more affordable acquisition (from a prospect perspective) than maybe is assumed. Rentals aren't going for the same top prospect type deals that they were a few years ago.

 

Between Adames, Urias, and Story who could play the best 1B? Or who could play the best OF while somebody like Yelich, Garcia, or Taylor plays 1B??

 

Excited to see what type of creativity Stearns & co come up with to try to improve the lineup.

[bill hAll Star]

I wouldn't be a fan of paying the necessary price to play Story, a decent/solid hitter at a premium position...at less of a premium position.

 

That ~.750 OPS we'd be expecting isn't a major upgrade from Shaw/Urias at 3B and obviously he's not playing 1B.

[SeaBass]

Yes it might. He also might continue to be an awful hitter and is there a point where the offensive production is just too lacking to play him?

 

He's already barely playing. He has 83 ABs this year; compared to 145 for Hiura and 246 for JBJ, Pina's offensive struggles are having almost zero impact on our bottom line.

 

I know. That is why I brought up Joey Gallo to play 1B/CF for those 2 positions of weakness. I was just also thinking Catcher would be an easy way to upgrade offense with how putrid Pina has been.

FWIW Ken Rosenthal has a blurb in his recent article that mentions backup catcher as a potential upgrade target for the Brewers at the trade deadline, so maybe you're on to something.

 

From the article:

The Brewers’ internal options at the corner-infield spots are more promising than they were a month ago, but still might not be good enough. At first base, Keston Hiura has batted .244 with an .848 OPS since returning from his second minor-league demotion on June 23, and Daniel Vogelbach could return from his strained left hamstring in mid-August. At third, Luis Urías is in a 1-for-19 slump, but prior to that had batted .300 with an .865 OPS in his previous 101 plate appearances.

 

The seeming revivals of Hiura and Urías and potential return of Vogelbach, however, will not stop the Brewers from seeking upgrades at the deadline. Club officials also could pursue bullpen help and a backup catcher, recognizing the team is capable of making a deep run in the postseason if the front of the rotation and back of the bullpen stay healthy.

[Bulldogboy]

Brewers need more pitching depth. Don't like Anderson or Lauer at all. How about bringing back Zach Davies when Cubs sell?? He would be a great fit between the hard throwers we have. He know the lay of the land and I trust him to help get us where we know to go by keeping the big three healthy. Shouldn't cost much either as a free agent coming up.

[TURBO]

Between Adames, Urias, and Story who could play the best 1B?

 

We don't know because none of them have played there, and more than likely will not this year either.

 

Or who could play the best OF while somebody like Yelich, Garcia, or Taylor plays 1B??

 

Again, we don't know because none of them have played there, and more than likely will not this year either.

[Devinep]

The Cubs are looking like they are dead again. Maybe try and pull off a trade for Bryant? Something around Turang, Small and another piece I think gets it done. I think the Brewers would be more hesitant to pull that trade off than the Cubs would be. The Cubs fans would get over trading Bryant to the Brewers if Turang or Small become a mainstay on the team.

 

Bryant would be the ideal pickup for the Brewers. Whether 1B,3B, or CF is the biggest weakness, or Wong being hurt again so Urias moving over, Bryant can cover defensively. And the biggest individual offensive need is a righty power bat

[wntrtxn21]

Brewers need more pitching depth. Don't like Anderson or Lauer at all. How about bringing back Zach Davies when Cubs sell?? He would be a great fit between the hard throwers we have. He know the lay of the land and I trust him to help get us where we know to go by keeping the big three healthy. Shouldn't cost much either as a free agent coming up.

 

2021 Zach Davies: 4.28 ERA - 4.80 FIP - 1.42 WHIP ... 8hits/9 - 4.7 BBs/5.7 Ks

2021 Lauer: 4.11 ERA - 4.90 FIP - 1.31 WHIP ... 8 hits/9 - 3.6 BBs/9.1 Ks

What would the Brewers gain?

[MrTPlush]

Eric Lauer and Brett Anderson are the exact kind of guys Stearns would go acquire to get veteran depth to fill out a rotation down the stretch.

 

I have to imagine starting rotation help is near the very bottom of things they will target. I can't imagine them spending the capital to upgrade one of those guys when said pitcher would be #4 in the rotation. That's a lot of capital to burn for a guy who wouldn't really see a start in the postseason. Their #4 and #5 guys are exactly what you want, guys that are fairly solid and give you a chance to win most days. They already have a rotation to win the division and get them to the postseason.

[bill hAll Star]

Yeah, I'm not down for acquiring guys like Davies.

 

If they acquire a starter, I would go for someone like Jon Gray or that type.

 

If you're going to get another "starter" you want someone like Gray that I'm assuming you can ask to put some extra effort in to only go 3 innings in the playoffs and go from 94/95 to 96/97 type of thing.

 

Davies is a nice pitcher and randomly gets hot when his mix of pitches is on, but he's someone I want soaking up innings over 162 games and you'll catch his 2 hot streaks and deal with the bad ones.

 

For the short stretch run and playoffs, give me someone that can turn his stuff up to be an elite 2-4 inning guy.