Article: Fix the Brewers at BrewersPayroll.com

[John Bonnes]

Think you know what the Brewers should do? Awesome. Time to put your money where your mouth is at BrewersPayroll.com. OK, well, maybe not money, but your ... ideas? Reputation? Are you confident enough to risk those?

If you are, you will be able to do two great things.

First, you'll have a chance to build your own Brewers roster. We've built out the basics with default numbers, but you can add the players and salaries you think the Brew Crew needs to target. If you're looking for more info, keep stopping by Brewer Fanatic. You can start with our recent five-part series on the Brewers Payroll in 2023:

1. The Infield
2. The Outfield
3. The Rotation
4. The Bullpen
5. How Much They Can Spend

The second great thing you can do is share your Payroll Blueprint in our forum by clicking on the "Share Blueprint to Forums" button at the bottom of the form. You'll connect with the most passionate, educated, and civil Brewers community on the internet, get feedback, and build support.

So want to start a movement to trade away a pitcher? Nab a Josh Hader replacement? Sign a centerfielder? Well, show us how you would do it by clicking through to BrewersPayroll.com and working through your ideas.

Then share it with us. Because obsessing about the Brewers is what we do.

Visit BrewersPayroll.com

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[jay87shot]

I feel that our payroll will actually be down this year. Attendance was down over 10% and our front office was quoted as saying we were over-budget multiple times. I would guess that the starting payroll will be more in the 120-125 range. However, I could see Mark A. keeping the pocket book open 1 more year and going for it before ultimately deciding what to do with all those 2024 free agents.

[jay87shot]

I feel that our payroll will actually be down this year. Attendance was down over 10% and our front office was quoted as saying we were over-budget multiple times. I would guess that the starting payroll will be more in the 120-125 range. However, I could see Mark A. keeping the pocket book open 1 more year and going for it before ultimately deciding what to do with all those 2024 free agents.

[Brock Beauchamp]

5 hours ago, jay87shot said:

I feel that our payroll will actually be down this year. Attendance was down over 10% and our front office was quoted as saying we were over-budget multiple times. I would guess that the starting payroll will be more in the 120-125 range. However, I could see Mark A. keeping the pocket book open 1 more year and going for it before ultimately deciding what to do with all those 2024 free agents.

I understand ownership not wanting to blow open payroll but now would be the wrong time to turn cheap. Either spend some short-term money now or blow up the team and rebuild quickly. This team has significant gaps that require free agents to fill. Either make a real effort to compete or start over.

But as you said, one more year of higher payroll before packing it in for a few years is a pretty likely scenario and I'm pretty okay with that.

[Brock Beauchamp]

5 hours ago, jay87shot said:

I feel that our payroll will actually be down this year. Attendance was down over 10% and our front office was quoted as saying we were over-budget multiple times. I would guess that the starting payroll will be more in the 120-125 range. However, I could see Mark A. keeping the pocket book open 1 more year and going for it before ultimately deciding what to do with all those 2024 free agents.

I understand ownership not wanting to blow open payroll but now would be the wrong time to turn cheap. Either spend some short-term money now or blow up the team and rebuild quickly. This team has significant gaps that require free agents to fill. Either make a real effort to compete or start over.

But as you said, one more year of higher payroll before packing it in for a few years is a pretty likely scenario and I'm pretty okay with that.

[MilwaukeeBravesFan]

I hope they make a run at Devers... it's probably their best chance at adding an impact player at a position of need that doesn't come with a long-term/expensive commitment (Abreu.) MLB Trade Rumors has his arbitration projected to be $11.1MM. Trading/non-tendering Tellez, Hiura, and Suter saves $10.5MM. Renfroe/Yelich/Brosseau could split time at DH or they could pick up someone on the cheap like Aguilar (who was released this year) and hope for a bounce-back year. Urias drops into a utility roll. Filling the remaining spots from within the organization keeps OD payroll at a reasonable level. 

The trick is getting Devers... I feel like Brice Turang + Joey Wiemer + misc. piece is fair value for 1-year rental of Devers. Both of these prospects profile as MLB players, with Turang having a higher floor/lower ceiling. Frelick + another prospect might also get this done, but a hitter of his quality should really only be packaged in a trade for more than a rental, imo. I might reluctantly be OK with this, but only if it was part of an "all-in" offseason strategy.

[MilwaukeeBravesFan]

I hope they make a run at Devers... it's probably their best chance at adding an impact player at a position of need that doesn't come with a long-term/expensive commitment (Abreu.) MLB Trade Rumors has his arbitration projected to be $11.1MM. Trading/non-tendering Tellez, Hiura, and Suter saves $10.5MM. Renfroe/Yelich/Brosseau could split time at DH or they could pick up someone on the cheap like Aguilar (who was released this year) and hope for a bounce-back year. Urias drops into a utility roll. Filling the remaining spots from within the organization keeps OD payroll at a reasonable level. 

The trick is getting Devers... I feel like Brice Turang + Joey Wiemer + misc. piece is fair value for 1-year rental of Devers. Both of these prospects profile as MLB players, with Turang having a higher floor/lower ceiling. Frelick + another prospect might also get this done, but a hitter of his quality should really only be packaged in a trade for more than a rental, imo. I might reluctantly be OK with this, but only if it was part of an "all-in" offseason strategy.