Team Offseason Wishlist

[lukevan]

Ben Sheets shuts up Brewers fans with 20 wins, 2.90 ERA. Not what I would want to happen, but Sheets then refuses a Brewers contract extension, signs with the Yankees and Brewer fans start wishing they still had Ben Sheets.

 

Brewers trade Dave Bush and Bill Hall for Bobby Abreu somehow.

 

I'd like to see the Brewers acquire Rocky Cherry and retain Ray King. Just because it'd be entertaining to see Ray chase Rocky Cherry around the stadium because he thinks he's an ice cream flavor.

 

Thanks, I needed that!

[strawbossisevil]

1. Make a second playoff run.

2. Give Yost a 3 year extension

3. Sign Cordero to a 3 year contract

4. Trade for a solid relief pitcher

[MNBrew]

1. Make a second playoff run.

2. Give Yost a 3 year extension

3. Sign Cordero to a 3 year contract

4. Trade for a solid relief pitcher

Ah, finally a non-sarcastic post that's also not screaming for Yost to get fired. Thanks, strawboss.

Here's my list. The team will...

 

1. contend to the end next year and consistently win the games they ought to win

2. play much better defense

3. hit consistently better w/ RISP

4. get significantly improved pitching, esp. from the bullpen

5. blow no more than half as many 3+ run leads as they have this year

 

Personnel-wise, the Brewers will...

 

6. re-sign Cordero -- a contending team needs a proven 9th inning guy, and Cordero likes it in Milwaukee; most teams, even contenders, would kill for their closers to have as much success as Cordero has had this year

7. include Counsell in a trade package with other moveable commodities (Mench, Jenkins, Vargas, Turnbow, &/or Hall)

8. straighten out the OF situation, esp. LF, in a sensible way -- not just slightly reducing overall congestion as they did when they dumped Clark

9. acquire a proven, productive veteran bat like Bobby Abreu -- then go get Cirillo, Mark Loretta, or both on the FA market

10. strengthen the overall quality of the bullpen so we don't have to see much of the likes of Aquino, Balfour, & Spurling

11. see Yost become a better manager, as witnessed by the Brewers keeping losing streaks shorter and never getting near the death-spiral situation they were in all July & August

12. somehow upgrade the production at catcher

 

I value change, but not just for change's sake. I value loyalty in a proper balance with production.

 

I expect the repetition of same mistakes that kept plaguing this team this year drastically reduced. And I expect the young players to continue to improve.

[brewmann04]

well we have to see what players will be back next seaon

I have to think this will be Miller and Jenks last season here .

Melvin has to clean out the bullpen bye bye to Spurling ,Wise, King .

Move a starter eithe Cappy Bush or Vargas

But i do have a Question was Bush a Closer At college could that be an Option

[KCBrewerfan34]

After today Yost probably put the final nail in his coffin. Leaving Vargas out there after the bad calls is UNFORGIVABLE. You lose with your best, when the score became 4-2 Linebrink has to be in that game. Good Bye Ned, your done!!!!

[Brewer Fever]

One thing...Fire Yost.

 

The rest will take care of itself.

[JohnBriggs12]

Two things need to happen. Several have mentioned the first it so I won't bother.

 

The other is the bullpen needs a major revamping. Doug Melvin made a huge mistake counting on the likes of Turnbow, Wise, Aquino etc. to get to Cordero. It was obvious to me they were short in an area that is so critical for contending teams. The difference between the Cubs and Brewers (other than the manager) is that Marmol and Howry are so much better than Turnbow and the Brewer 7th inning guy. Early in the year when Villanueva was throwing well, it wasn't as obvious but now it is.

[giffted1]

1. Make the playoffs next year.

2. Ned is back next year.

3. Give Cordero a signed check.

4. Make sure Cordero isn't our only reliable reliever.

5. Acquire either Mark Lorretta or Jeff Cirillo.

6. Bring the mug back.

7. The umping crew of Ed Montague, Jerry Layne, Chris Guccione, and Marvin Hudson are doing cricket games in Siberia.

8. Wrigley Field is condemned.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

One thing...Fire Yost.

The rest will take care of itself.

If only it was that simple.

[TooLiveBrew]

But if Ned is fired, I really hope that they would pursue Davey Johnson

 

Automator, I know you've called for DJ before, but I want to get your rationale. I know you've followed B'more, so I would trust your experience as reliable. I'd love to know more about other managerial candidates.

[brewmann04]

I really think Ned might be back but you might see some coaching changes

I also think the Brewers need a a bat to take Jenks Spot in Lf.

Estrada must be back because they is no option there.

Bush should be tried in the Pen since he was a college closer.

Melvin will also have to clear out the Bullpen and find some suitable replacements.

[Ennder]

I was worried about the bullpen going into this season and I'm worried about it going into next season as well.

 

Not exactly sure what to do about it, depends on what they do with Cordero and Linebrink. Turnbow cannot be an important part of the bullpen though, he just is not reliable enough on back to back days.

[Team Canada]

We either need a foolproof bullpen, or a different manager. Or both.

 

And I'm sick of running Spurling out there.

[bigbrewkahuna]

1.Put a price freeze on the Secret Stadium Sauce sold at the stadium.Love the stuff but the price is starting to get ridiculous.

2.Sign Torii Hunter.

[MoneyballMan]

Why does everyone want Cordero released? Who wouldn't want one of the top 5 closers in the game? A good team needs an excellent closer. Today cordero made 1 mistake. If Counsell would have drove the run in, it would still be a 1 run game. Cordero's numbers: REC 0-4 | SV 44 | ERA 2.83 | WHIP 1.09 Last year with Milwaukee: 16 saves, 1.69 era. Better yet, would you rather have Derrick Turnbow closing games?

Thank you for pointing this out. We need to resign Coco unless there's some other option available that I'm not seeing.

[MoneyballMan]

4. Fire Jerry Garcia, or at least make him shave his chin.

Make him change his name, too. "Jerry Garcia" is already taken.

I'll third this one - I hate that guy!

[brewmann04]

i would love having Tori Roaming Cf and let Hall move to lf and play Corey in Rf.

then get a pitcher or 2 for the pen

[brewtank34]

We need a #5 hitter to protect Fielder. keep Braun in the three hole. Put Hart in the #6.

Get someone of the cailber of Dunn, A. Jones, A Rod, Griffey Jr....not saying any of those guys, just someone of that caliber. (use Sheets in the trade)

 

Another #1 or #2 caliber Starter...

Move Braun to LF.

 

Keep Coco (unlikely though)

I can't believe I haven't mentioned FIRE YOST yet!

 

 

 

http://static.yuku.com//domainskins/bypass/img/smileys/pimp.gif

[brewmann04]

I wonder what Andrew Jones would Cost consider he has had a very bad year.

[Rorschach88]

1. Fire ned yost

2. I'd say hire some one with post season experience, but knowing the brewers past i'd be happy with them bringing frank kremblas up and giving him a shot.

3. If he exercises his player option, go after Luis Castillo

4. Trade ben sheets, and if the above happens throw Weeks in.

5. Sign coco, what else are we gonna do?

6. Any game that isn't aired on FSN Wisconsin should be aired on WMLW

7. Villy, Gallardo, Soup all in the starting rotation. If we don't trade benny, then he would be in there, if not then whoever we could pick up. Let Bush, cappy, and vargas duke it out for that final spot in the rotation. Heck, i'd be all for giving it to bush and trading away cappy and vargas.

8. Focus mainly on pitching when looking at free agents.

[iluvlamp]

People should really stop the madness. CoCo is gone. The bullpen next year will be a Melvin creation and I hope the new manager sees Turnbows inconsistencies. I am totally on board for Torii but we won't sign him for the same reason we won't sign Cordero. This team pays within it's means and I really hope we don't lose Jack Z. So spend 1/8 the money you would pay for Cordero and keep Jack!

[Jay Zahn]

A superficial look at the stats says that the Brewers have never had a good bullpen under Melvin-Yost-Maddux. I suppose if anyone's going to get fired it should be for that; it's been 5 years.

 

On the other hand, the 2002 team had a good bullpen, and 106 games were lost...

 

Anyway, the bullpen needs to improve. Cordero's good enough as a closer. He's not great, but teams can win without great closers. Part of the problem this year was that Capuano and some of the other starters weren't as strong as in the past (while still not being terrible), so Yost couldn't go with them as long, which exposed the weaknesses of everyone before Cordero more than in other years. Wise is probably gone, Turnbow will be back. I'll admit that after looking at the record I've lost some confidence in the management team to correct this particular issue.

 

Melvin was successful this year in shoring up the depth of the rotation. Vargas was perfectly fine as a 5th starter and then Hendrickson/Eveland type disasters were avoided. Perhaps if the starters are stronger next year the management team's weaknesses in the bullpen can be lessened.

 

The offense needs more OBP. It's tops in homers in the NL but 7th in runs because of a below average OBP. To me the most effective lineup this year was:

 

1. Weeks

2. Gross

3. Braun

4. Fielder

5. Hart

6. Jenkins/Mench/Hall

7. Estrada

8. Hardy

 

Gross may not be a long term solution, but he provided OBP out of the #2 spot which was needed. Hardy is not a #2 hitter. Hart is fine at #2 but no one else is strong enough to hit behind Fielder. Estrada and Hardy aren't going anywhere because of the positions they play. So either the Jenkins/Mench platoon will be gone or Hall will. The team needs OBP-heavy production at the other outfield slot. Gross could be part of that solution, or perhaps they can find it in one player. Long-term, does LaPorta get on base?

 

I'm fine with the bench; just continue stocking it with equivilant talent.

[MNBrew]

I've undulated on which would be best to keep between Bush, Vargas, & Capuano. And I think I've come to a prioritized conclusion:

 

1. Keep Capuano -- many rough games over the past season & a half, but has also proven to be a kick-butt starter for extended stretches -- too high a ceiling to be the one to go.

 

2. Bush would be my next to keep -- I don't know, maybe just the lesser of two evils. Also maybe better as a #5 starter than as a #4, and usually better for longer periods than Vargas, not to mention cheaper. Then again, he's ideally the 6th best starter, meaning he's a reliever until Sheets (or whomever) gets hurt. Or he's decent trade bait.

 

3. Vargas needs to go. The guy's record is deceiving because he's gotten so lucky so often, and his run support has been way above average most of the season. Not the consistency needed of a starter pitcher on a contending team. Plus, that record should still beef up his value somewhat on the trade market this winter.

[kgbaseball]

LaPorta's last season at Florida was ungodly. He had a 582 OBP in 52 games! Throughout his career at Florida, he was an OB machine. He strikes out his fair share, but not at alarming rates. Granted, this was all at college with an aluminum bat. He had a 392 OBP in 20+ games in West Virginia this season, so that is pretty impressive. I imagine he'll be a super-fast mover through the minor league system.

[Team Canada]

Keith Law's wishlist:

 

Shawn (MN): Now that the Brewers are basically done, what do you think they should be looking to add in the offseason? Any good middle relievers going to be available? Any starters they should be targeting?

 

Keith Law: (2:22 PM ET ) I believe more in developing your own middle relievers, rather than edwading them on the free agent market. I think their top priorities are as follows: 1. New manager. 2. Getting everyone in the right positions, which to me means Braun in LF or even CF, Hall at 3b, and deciding on Weeks at 2b or CF. 3. Catcher.