Overall Opinion of Melvin's Offseason

[brewjihad]

Many of the major sports websites have published filler articles that "rank" or "grade" all of the MLB teams' offseasons. Very seldom do they have any credibility. For example, SI.com's Jon Heyman ranked the Cubs offseason 9th and the Brewers 20th. It's almost impossible to compare two teams' offseasons because of their different needs, but everyone who is baseball-savvy enough to post here knows that. But still, I'm a bit surprised by the scepticism by the national media about the Brewers.

An extra starter could still be dealt, but the odds are that the haul would be prospects unlikely to contribute this year. So I think it's time there's a thread to see what the real experts' thoughts are about Doug Melvin's offseason overall. This isn't necessarily meant to be a direct comparison with the Cubs, but more an evaluation of the moves that were made over the winter. Are you happy with what has been done? Have the moves he has made handcuffed any future moves? And most importantly, do you think that the talent level has been improved enough?

Personally, I am pretty happy with DM's offseason. I was really surprised to see some of these breakdowns say things like, "the bullpen lost Closer Francisco Cordero, but the overall performance shouldn't drop too much." I really think this bullpen is much better than it was last year, there's plenty of depth. All you need to know is that Chris Spurling and Greg Acquino were on last year's opening day roster. This season, one or two very worthy candidates for the pen will start the year in triple A. The last option out of the pen will likely be a starter. Even Solomon Torres, projected as the 6th inning man, has closing experience. Melvin signed David Riske for a smaller contract than Scott Linebrink signed. Signing Mike Cameron was a logical move and was definitely the best available option to fill in the last offensive spot. Of course, DM gets extra points for bringing back Russel Branyan. I anxiously anticipate an announcement that Joe Winkelsas has been brought out of retirement. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

And the great part is, aside from the Riske deal (pun intended), no money is tied up beyond this year, putting the Brewers in great position to make more moves next winter. Say what you will about Gagne, Kendall, Torres, Cameron, and everyone else, but if any of them are bad this year they leave and their money can be put towards other positions and locking up guys like J.J. Hardy who are their arbitration years.

I think this post has gone on long enough now. What are your thoughts about the offseason?

[kilgore37]

Its a pretty good off season. Signing relievers is never sexy, and he failed to get a legit 3rd baseman. Plus our new catcher is no all star. Is the team better? Yes but I don't think by all that much.

[theavrock]

By no means did DM have a "sexy" off season, but it addressed all of our major needs. Improve OBP. Mench and Estrada out, Cameron and Kendall in. Improve team defense. CF and 3B greatly improved and LF slightly worse (if at all). Improve our bullpen. Questionable but I don't see it being any worse, especially given the fact that team defense has improved. It wasn't flashy but it was the moves that needed to be made to improve the team. Plus it gives us great flexibility with contracts for next season.

[sbrylski]

I think Doug Melvin did everything he could to improve the team. You could wish for a more "sure things" in the bullpen, or having gotten a LH bat or 3B (or both) instead of Mike Cameron, but its not like DM wasn't looking hard for these things. He got the best pieces he could and filled all the major holes on our team that could reasonably be expected to be addressed. For that, I'd give him a strong B grade.

[TooLiveBrew]

Plus don't forget the extra draft picks and the fact that Melvin gave up no one from our organization to make the improvements he made.

 

(though I suppose if I want to count the picks, I have to note that Melvin gave up some young pitching to make the Linebrink trade happen, obviously)

[brettac1]

I thought the '06-'07 offseason was brutal, but this year I think he had a great offseason. I loved the Cameron move simply because it got Braun off of 3B, which I thought was the only thing they HAD to do this offseason. They've stuck a lot of money in the pen, but the positive there is that it's with no long term commitments (Riske is pretty cheap even at three years).

 

Getting rid of Estrada was great as far as I'm concerned, even if they did replace him with another guy who sucks in Kendall.

[BrewCrewForever]

I love the Cameron and Kendall signings because they are vets who can get on base and Cameron brings great D to CF and got Braun off 3B. I was a pretty big fan of all the bullpen moves (with Gagne of course being my favorite) as well. I think this years bullpen will not wear down and will be enough to push us over the hump and into October baseball. Of course I think this team will be better then last year based on the fact that Braun and Hart will play full seasons and Weeks is 100% healthy for the first time and should show why he was the #2 overall pick in 2003.

[Ennder]

It was a weak free agent class and other than getting in on the Bedard/Santana action I don't really see where a big move could have been made. I'm dubious about Kendall still but I do think the bullpen has gained a lot of depth and that is the important thing with a bullpen. I'd like to see Vargas dealt before the season starts though, we still do have too many pitchers and it is going to mean leaving at least one of our better arms in the minors to start the year.

[mothershipconnection]

I was very pleased with acquiring Cameron, Gagne and Torres, moving Braun to LF, Hall to 3B, and shedding Estrada. I'm also happy about getting comp picks and not giving up any.

I was slightly happy with signing Riske and Kendall and dumping Mench.

I am not thrilled about acquiring Mota and the possibility of some of our good young arms being in AAA because they're blocked by guys I wanted to see traded.

 

I'm sure there are also some near-misses on trades that I'd be anywhere from unhappy to very happy about had they happened.

 

Overall, I'd say B+.

[GAME05]

I do think we have a legit 3B in Hall, but by moving him yet again you risk making a clubhouse leader unhappy about his value to the team and his role on it. I would have preferred signing a 3B and keeping Hall in CF only for that. That he got a one-year contract plus a team option for Cameron is a brilliant move, though. It makes us very flexible going forward on whether LaPorta is ready in a year or he's not.

 

I like the one-year Gagne signing, but the strength of the bullpen is a little scarier to me than it is most people. I'm not as keen on believing a strong bullpen makes up for a (potentially) weak closer. Even then, Mota won't be in a Brewers uniform for long and Torres has thrown an awful lot of innings the past few years. I'm not yet ready to say our bullpen will be an above-average one.

 

Certainly Kendall isn't going to be an All-Star or anything, but he's still an upgrade and I can't figure what else Melvin could have done to fill the spot.

 

The improved defense alone should net another 2-3 wins you'd figure. When you're a Kansas City or a Pittsburgh, a 2-3 win improvement isn't much at all, but when you fought for the division lead the year before, I'd say that's a significant improvement.

 

if none of our extra pitchers are traded before April I can certainly live with. We get ourselves injury insurance, plus at the Break we could use one to address a specific team need should we want to make a trade.

[sbrylski]

I do think we have a legit 3B in Hall, but by moving him yet again you risk making a clubhouse leader unhappy about his value to the team and his role on it.

 

We should really organize a fan sponsored Bill Hall day at the park. He really deserves it. Write a Bill Hall song to a well known tune and pass out flyers and get everyone singing it along the 3B line.

[rluzinski]

I was very happy to see Melvin willing to own up to prior mistakes and move Braun and Hall from their 2007 defensive positions. Cameron was an OK signing but there wasn't much to choose from in CF in the free agent market. Melvin spent a lot of money on a suspect bullpen, though, so that's a check mark against him, IMO. He also hasn't been able to turn any of his excess arms into anything (yet).

 

It's so hard try and compare GMs to each other. I'd rather they just try and summarize the off season moves and let the reader decide who did better.

[ozzybourne]

i give him a 'B'. solid for the bullpen--'A' slightly below average for the position players. let's say a C-. cameron is a B- and the lack of anything else is a D. at this point we have a weak bench.

 

oh wait -- i forgot about russell brayan.

[Bnowell4evr]

Doug Melvin added three former All Stars one being a 3 time Gold Glove winner to a contending lineup. To go with that that he didnt mortage away our future. I dont see whats wrong with that. Not to mention we received 4 early draft picks for losing Scott Linebrink and Francisco Cordero to restock our minor leagues.

 

If Gagne can stay healthy and doesnt have a complete meltdown like he did in Boston our bullpen should be in good shape. Getting extra arms like Riske, Torres and Mota allow Ned to have a shorter leash when Turnbow isnt on.

 

Everyone was down on Jason Kendall when we got him but how bad can he be compared to the junk weve had at catcher here of late? He cant be any worse than first pitch Johnny, Jake Taylor, Henry Blanco or Chad Moehler. The guy had a terrible half season but was playing good with the Cubs. If he can hit like he did when he was with the Cubs I think its a vast improvement. I personally think he can bounce back and will be a decent fill in for the next two years until Salome or Lucroy are ready.

 

Melvin set out and accomplished his goals to rebuild the bullpen, improve our defense and raise the team OBP. Sure I wish we wouldve went after Eric Chavez or Hank Blalock to give us a left handed hitting 3rd basemen to balance our right handed heavy lineup but what we've done should have us in contention till the very end. Overall I give Doug Melvin a B+ considering our budget restraints

[Fear The Chorizo]

Vargas absolutely needs to be traded - not really because he was really bad last season (he probably overperformed, actually), it's because the Brewers need to add more young depth in their minor league system, and Vargas no longer has an important role on this roster. He will have trade value at the end of spring training - there's minor pitching injuries already cropping up in other clubs' camps. Even if it's for peanuts, getting an opening on the 40-man roster by sending him elsewhere for a minor leaguer helps the team, especially if his salary is picked up by the other team. keeping Vargas would most likely end up blocking both Villenueva and Parra from starting the season with the big league club. I think you have to go with sheets, suppan, bush, capuano, and villenueva to start the season in the rotation, at least until gallardo is 100% healthy AND he's gotten enough work in spring training to join the rotation. thinking a bit ahead of time, Gallardo may very well be able to make one of the first 5 starts for the Brewers...the way the weather's been, I think there's a really good chance that the opening series in Chicago doesn't happen. We gotten above freezing maybe 2-4 days in the past month and the forecast is winterlike over the next 10 days. Amazing to me why the schedule makers put two brewer-cub series in chicago in April, especially when the brewers are 90 miles away, and have a dome.

[twobrewers]

I give him a B. Overall, I am happy.

However, obtaining Fukudome (and keeping him away from the Cubs) would have been an A.

I can't think of any other moves that would have been feasible that I wish he had pursued.

[Baldkin]

at this point we have a weak bench.

I don't get this sentiment, can you expand on it? I see people saying it quite often. We're gonna have 5 guys on the bench, right now thats filled by Counsell, Dillon, Gross, backup catcher and probably Gwynn.

 

I guess I don't consider that weak. Two solid bats (Gross/Dillon) and two glove guys, plus a catcher.

 

I'd give Doug an A for the off season. The 1 year deals are huge for the 'crew, leaves them flexible next year, and they can hope someone else steps up and is ready to close next year, whether its Turnbow, Riske, Mota or whomever else, once Gange walks and gives the team 2 more draft picks.

 

As for the questionable bullpen, it has to be better than last years.

 

Aquino, Francisco Cordero, Elmer Dessens, Brian Shouse, Derrick Turnbow, Carlos Villanueva, Matt Wise.

 

The fact is, Aquino, Spurling, and Dessens, McClung, and Cappellan threw about 100 innings last year.... I'd much rather have the 'pen we have now than watching those 5 go out there.

Having those guys led to the trade for Linebrink.

[Fatter than Joey]

Melvin spent a lot of money on a suspect bullpen, though, so that's a check mark against him, IMO.

 

Agreed. I really liked the signing of Riske -- but I think Mota/Torres and Gagne were all rolls of the dice.

 

Moving Braun off of 3b was epic.

 

I think Yost should have been fired.

 

I think he is at a "C" -- and that grade could go up or down by a full letter depending how the BP pans out.

[bcf5575]

at this point we have a weak bench.

I don't get this sentiment, can you expand on it? I see people saying it quite often. We're gonna have 5 guys on the bench, right now thats filled by Counsell, Dillon, Gross, backup catcher and probably Gwynn.

 

I guess I don't consider that weak. Two solid bats (Gross/Dillon) and two glove guys, plus a catcher.

 

I'd give Doug an A for the off season. The 1 year deals are huge for the 'crew, leaves them flexible next year, and they can hope someone else steps up and is ready to close next year, whether its Turnbow, Riske, Mota or whomever else, once Gange walks and gives the team 2 more draft picks.

I have stated that I thought our bench is a little weak too. I think that the difference is that there seems to be a lot of inexperience on the bench. Last year for example, the bench had cousnel, graffanino, miller, mench. while I will be the first to admit that isnt a very exciting group - they were a solid group of veteran guys. like I said, not exciting, but you know what you are going to get.

 

Dillion looked allright last year, but is still an unknown imo. munson and rivera have both been around for a while but I am not sure they bring as much to the table as Miller did. gross and gwynn were both here last year and can probably be better than mench was.

 

I guess I agree that our bench isnt in that bad of shape. I have just been more comfortable in the past...

[BrewCrewForever]

Does Gagne's contract have an option year? Or is it just a 1 year deal? If he has a big season as our closer do you think we would re-sign him to a longer deal?

[JohnBriggs12]

I give him a C+. The two primary needs were bullpen help and a lefthanded high average, high OBP hitter (either OF or 3B) to hit 2nd in the order between Weeks and Braun.

 

He did okay with the pen, but the Estrada/Mota trade was dumb especially in light of getting Torres too. How many $3-4 million righthanders do they need in the pen? Getting Gagne was fine (though I preferred Percival).

 

He failed to get the high average, high OBP lefthanded hitter. Cameron was not a horrible choice as an alternative, but he makes the lineup unbalanced and that is going to show more than some think. The defensive upgrade he provides may be enough to offset the lineup imbalance but overall I see it as no better than a wash.

 

As for catcher, there wasn't much out there, but I think some of the money he is spending on mediocre excess pitching could have been used to at least go after something a little better than Kendall who at best is a minor upgrade.

 

But his major failure (so far) is in clearing some dead money off the payroll. I know they drew well last year and should this year too, but since when does this franchise think they can afford to go to camp with 11 pitchers making over $2 million (9 over $3 million), several of whom are no better than near minimum salary guys they have ready? Bottom line, I don't think the the moves make much difference. Improvement has to come primarily from holdovers. Weeks and Hall need to produce and Sheets has to start 30 games.

[Ennder]

Yeah the Estrada deal does look bad in hindsight but I still can't call it a bad move. There was no way to know the pirates would trade us Torres and we'd sign Riske and Gagne. If any of those other deals fell through I actually wouldn't mind Mota being on the team.

[Dragonbait]

How did Melvin do this offseason?

 

Ask me in September.

[twobrewers]

But his major failure (so far) is in clearing some dead money off the payroll. I know they drew well last year and should this year too, but since when does this franchise think they can afford to go to camp with 11 pitchers making over $2 million (9 over $3 million), several of whom are no better than near minimum salary guys they have ready?

You might be right. But if we have the money to spend - having as many quality players as possible is a good thing. I don't think it is fair to judge too much based on costs. There is no way you can know what we have to spend.

 

Maddux was supposedly pretty excited about the idea of obtaining Mota. I am really excited about Mota.

 

Torres is also coming off an injury plagued season. So I don't know that Torres would have prevented us from trading for Mota.

[Tbadder]

I think it was a pretty good off season. If Gagne holds down the fort, they'll be no worse off than last year and probably better because of the overall defensive improvement.

 

The only place I see as a major failure is in obtaining a major starting pitcher. I think this is our achilles heal, and the reason why the Mets and Diamondbacks should be considered the favorites right now. I thought the two best aquisitions this off-season were Haren and Santana, followed closely by Bedard. If we make the playoffs, it'll be a short run for the Crew because their starters just don't match up.

 

It could be that Melvin's hands were tied, and that other teams were simply better armed than the Brewers for making trades and signing free agents, so that's why I'd give Melvin a B and the benefit of the doubt. I'd would've been willing to give up one of the young guys, probably Hart, for significant pitching, but I've always come from the pitching/defense beats hitting philosophy camp.