Article: How the Brewers - Like Many Small Market Teams - Fool Us About Baseball's Economics

[Devinep]

11 minutes ago, sveumrules said:

In 2011 the Brewers OD payroll of $84M ranked 17th. They won 96 games. They followed that up with a $98M OD payroll ranking 13th (highest ever under Mark A) and won 83 games.

In 2018 the Brewers OD payroll of $99M ranked 26th. They won 96 games. They followed that up with a $123M OD payroll ranking 17th and won 89 games.

In 2021 the Brewers OD payroll of $99M ranked 19th. They won 95 games. They followed that up with a $132M OD payroll, a big increase but not enough to get out of 19th place, and won 86 games.

That’s three recent-ish examples where increased spending didn’t result in increased winning.

I’d say sometimes spending equals winning and sometimes it doesn’t. Being able to spend more can be helpful if done intelligently, but it doesn’t guarantee anything either.

Again, nobody says spending  more guarantees winning and of course it must be done wisely. If the brewers spent more (and obviously did it wisely) it would make them better. Some people think they can and should do so. 

There’s a reason the Braves, Astros, and Dodgers are better teams than the Brewers. They’re just as smart but also spend money. That obviously doesn’t mean the Brewers can spend to those levels, but cutting payroll (like the Renfroe salary dump then not using that when Renfroe would be a good fit right now on the Brewers roster) while being competitive should be annoying to fans

 

[sveumrules]

7 minutes ago, Devinep said:

Again, nobody says spending  more guarantees winning and of course it must be done wisely. If the brewers spent more (and obviously did it wisely) it would make them better. Some people think they can and should do so. 

There’s a reason the Braves, Astros, and Dodgers are better teams than the Brewers. They’re just as smart but also spend money. That obviously doesn’t mean the Brewers can spend to those levels, but cutting payroll (like the Renfroe salary dump then not using that when Renfroe would be a good fit right now on the Brewers roster) while being competitive should be annoying to fans

 

Which free agents do you believe would have been wise signings for the Brewers this offseason?

[Hacksaw Jim Duggan]

2 hours ago, Devinep said:

Again, nobody says spending  more guarantees winning and of course it must be done wisely. If the brewers spent more (and obviously did it wisely) it would make them better. Some people think they can and should do so. 

There’s a reason the Braves, Astros, and Dodgers are better teams than the Brewers. They’re just as smart but also spend money. That obviously doesn’t mean the Brewers can spend to those levels, but cutting payroll (like the Renfroe salary dump then not using that when Renfroe would be a good fit right now on the Brewers roster) while being competitive should be annoying to fans

How many Braves, Astros, and Dodgers were free agents signees?  The only homegrown Brewers players are two starters and 1 reliever.  I think drafting and developing are the major reasons why the teams you pointed out are better than the Brewers, not the money!  This money fixes everything paradigm is a short-sighted fallacy.  I promise you the teams that spent big money the last few years on 2 or 3 players are not going to be players in free agency for a long while.  

[Devinep]

13 minutes ago, Hacksaw Jim Duggan said:

How many Braves, Astros, and Dodgers were free agents signees?  The only homegrown Brewers players are two starters and 1 reliever.  I think drafting and developing are the major reasons why the teams you pointed out are better than the Brewers, not the money!  This money fixes everything paradigm is a short-sighted fallacy.  I promise you the teams that spent big money the last few years on 2 or 3 players are not going to be players in free agency for a long while.  

The only fallacy being used is the (again) strawmanning of thinking anyone is saying “money fixes everything.” 

Whether those guys they have are homegrown or free agents is not the point l. The pint is that they spent more to KEEP those homegrown talents while many of the good players on the brewers will be gone in 2 years when their deals are up. Like I already said in my previous post, I wish they would spend by extending Burnes or Woodruff and start by paying them more this year 

[Devinep]

2 hours ago, sveumrules said:

Which free agents do you believe would have been wise signings for the Brewers this offseason?

I actually would prefer they use money they saved to sweeten the first year of an extension for Woodruff (Burnes of the price is reasonable).

I also would’ve kept Renfroe instead of dumping him for some “meh” from the Angels if I wasn’t gonna use that money somewhere else.

As far as free agent deals I would’ve done for about  the same price (and at least one of these players likely would’ve been better off in MKE than where they did sign) would be:

Michael Brantley, Josh Bell, JD Martinez (would’ve kept Wong if we signed any of them), Justin Turner, segura, Longoria, Drury, Boxberger, Wil Myers, probably some relievers I’m forgetting too 

[Jopal78]

3 hours ago, Devinep said:

Again, nobody says spending  more guarantees winning and of course it must be done wisely. If the brewers spent more (and obviously did it wisely) it would make them better. Some people think they can and should do so. 

There’s a reason the Braves, Astros, and Dodgers are better teams than the Brewers. They’re just as smart but also spend money. That obviously doesn’t mean the Brewers can spend to those levels, but cutting payroll (like the Renfroe salary dump then not using that when Renfroe would be a good fit right now on the Brewers roster) while being competitive should be annoying to fans

 

Trading Renfroe wasn’t a salary dump though. It’s a reallocation of resources. 

[Devinep]

21 minutes ago, Jopal78 said:

Trading Renfroe wasn’t a salary dump though. It’s a reallocation of resources. 

I would agree, if they had reallocated those resources to extending one of their key players, or trading for or signing a good player

[Hacksaw Jim Duggan]

1 hour ago, Devinep said:

The only fallacy being used is the (again) strawmanning of thinking anyone is saying “money fixes everything.” 

Whether those guys they have are homegrown or free agents is not the point l. The pint is that they spent more to KEEP those homegrown talents while many of the good players on the brewers will be gone in 2 years when their deals are up. Like I already said in my previous post, I wish they would spend by extending Burnes or Woodruff and start by paying them more this year 

Ok, who in the last ten years did the Brewers allow to walk away that you would have resigned.  You can't say Woodruff or Burnes since both are still in Milwaukee.  I agree Yelich was a foolish signing probably the worst contract in baseball, not because of the money but because of the longevity.  Did the team make a mistake by letting Prince Fielder or Zach Grienke go, did they make a mistake by resigning Bill Hall or Ryan Braun?  Use specific examples of Milwaukee being cheap with its cash and letting quality players walk.  

How did you feel at the time the Brewers resigned Yelich?  Did you think maybe the Brewers should have saved that cash to extend a young Brandon Woodruff or an up and coming phenom in Corbin Burnes?  Maybe the Brewers should start thinking about tomorrow instead of today?  Gosh isn't that what David Stearns has been saying?

[Devinep]

17 hours ago, Hacksaw Jim Duggan said:

Ok, who in the last ten years did the Brewers allow to walk away that you would have resigned.  You can't say Woodruff or Burnes since both are still in Milwaukee.  

I absolutely can use the pile of guys who are free agents after next year because I think I think they should have already extended at least one player, if not more, instead of cutting payroll this off-season. 

I also never mentioned the brewers letting guys walk previously aso idk what you’re point is here exactly. But in the last year they’ve traded They’re best hitter from 2022 and arguably the best reliever in baseball as salary dumps. And I’m actually more ok with the Hader trade than most people.