2012-2013 Offseason Thread

[Kerb Hohl]

Let's just consolidate this into a league-wide and Brewers thread.

I'll start with Hamilton. Looking at their salary obligations with Young coming off the books next year, Nathan being gone next year, Dempster not necessary to bring back, etc. I don't know why the Rangers won't just bring Hamilton back. I understand they have their rule of not going over $100 million but if he's "in the Brewers price range" he won't be $100 million anyways.

[humanrefutation]

They don't want to deal with his baggage anymore. That's all I need to know as a Brewers fan.

[WEFFPIM]

White Sox sign Peavy back, two years, $29 million.

That was probably one guy Melvin was looking at, like it or not.

[Captain Erv]

Here is McCalvy's off-season preview:

10/29/12 2:18 PM ET
Melvin looks to fill in rotation with free agents

By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com

MILWAUKEE -- On Day 1 of last year's free agent free-for-all, Brewers general manager Doug Melvin possessed a complete starting rotation. It was a luxury, considering that reliable pitching is the game's most elusive and expensive commodity, and Melvin was able to focus on filling some positional needs.

This year, the needs are reversed. The Brewers are mostly set on the field but have vacancies on the pitching staff, making it much more likely that Melvin is among the GMs seeking a starter in this year's market.

Yovani Gallardo will return atop a 2013 rotation that otherwise features question marks. Gone are Zack Greinke, Shaun Marcum and Randy Wolf, and Chris Narveson is coming off shoulder surgery. Marco Estrada was solid in Narveson's place, and the Brewers will have to decide which of their young stable of pitching prospects (Mike Fiers, Wily Peralta and Mark Rogers) is ready for full-time duty at the Major League level.

Manager Ron Roenicke would like to add least one veteran added to that mix of candidates.

"I don't want to say we 'need to,' but I think you would always like to," Roenicke said. "But who's out there, and for what number?"

In other words, if the numbers aren't right, might the Brewers stick with the in-house options and go with young starting pitchers?

Sure, that's an option.

"Do all of us have the nerve to do that? Do we have the patience to do that?" Melvin asked.

Of the Brewers' own free agents, right-hander Livan Hernandez and catcher Yorvit Torrealba already hit the market during the baseball postseason. Of the rest -- Greinke, Marcum and reliever Francisco Rodriguez -- only Greinke has a chance to return, and Melvin downplayed that possibility when he said he did not expect to pursue any of the top-flight free agents.

That market is open for business, and players can start signing with other clubs after 11 p.m. CT on Friday.

Contract issues
Free agents: SS Alex Gonzalez; RHPs Hernandez, Marcum and Rodriguez; C Torrealba.

Eligible for arbitration: RHPs John Axford, Marco Estrada, Kameron Loe, Jose Veras; LHPs Narveson and Manny Parra; 1B Travis Ishikawa; OFs Carlos Gomez and Nyjer Morgan.

Options: None.

Non-tender possibilities: Veras, Morgan, Parra.

Areas of need
Starting rotation: Among the notable names on the open market are Joe Blanton, Ryan Dempster, Jeff Francis, Greinke, Jeremy Guthrie, Edwin Jackson, Hiroki Kuroda, Francisco Liriano, Kyle Lohse, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Brandon McCarthy, Anibal Sanchez and Dan Haren, if the Angels decline his option. There is some depth there.

Of course, Greinke is the first choice of many Brewers fans given his success in a season and a half at Miller Park. When the Brewers traded him to the Angels in July, Greinke left open the door to returning. It's up to fans to decide whether Melvin was being sincere or positioning himself for the winter when he said, "My gut feeling is we are not going to be involved in the high-priced free agents."

Melvin added, "That's my initial reaction at this time, but things change. You move pieces on a roster to make available for someone else. I don't anticipate us getting heavily involved in the 'top-tier' free agents."

Bullpen: Closer Axford re-established himself in the second half, but changes are likely to occur in the innings leading up to the ninth. Rodriguez and Hernandez are gone via free agency, and Loe, Parra and Veras could cost more in arbitration.

The Brewers had 29 blown saves in 2012, most in the Majors and a new franchise record. The process of rebuilding the bullpen began even before the season ended.

"We've had statistical people and scouts looking at how bullpens are put together. It's very difficult," Melvin said. "You take [the Rays'] Fernando Rodney, last year he wasn't very good, now he's one of the best in the game today. Oakland's bullpen, you look at their bullpen on where they've headed this year, they've had a lot of young guys that didn't have good statistical years in the Minor Leagues. Bullpens are tough to put together because they have such a short period of time to perform."

Shortstop: The Brewers must decide whether Jean Segura, 23 years old next March and acquired in the Greinke deal with the Angels, is ready for the everyday job. He batted .264 with a .321 on-base percentage and .331 slugging percentage in 44 games in August and September. If the club wants Segura to get more seasoning, or wants an experienced backup, then Gonzalez is a solid candidate to return. He was impressive in a Brewers uniform before suffering a season-ending knee injury.

Outfield: Less a "need" than a possible place to add. If Corey Hart stays at first base, the Brewers would enter 2012 with Carlos Gomez as the everyday center fielder and Norichika Aoki in right. The possibility exists of a run at free agent slugger Josh Hamilton, who has already been linked to the Brewers this offseason as a plausible target if -- and this is a huge "if" -- he is unable to secure the sort of megadeal that would price the Brewers out. Hamilton would be a beast at Miller Park, and he could reunite with hitting coach Johnny Narron, who served as Hamilton's handler in both Cincinnati and Texas before taking the Milwaukee job.

2013 payroll:
The Brewers pushed their payroll to nine figures in 2012 for the first time, and will probably have to come back down. Greinke, Marcum, Wolf and Rodriguez cleared just shy of $39 million by departing, though some of that savings will be eaten up by raises due players like Aramis Ramirez ($6 million to $10 million), Ryan Braun ($6 million to $8.5 million) and Gallardo ($5.5 million to $7.75 million).

Adam McCalvy is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Brew Beat, and follow him on Twitter at @AdamMcCalvy. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

[jakecronus8]

I don't think even one of those pitchers will be anywhere near the contract they get, and only a few are any better than the options we have now. Please say no to the next Suppan/Wolf, and don't spend money or the sake of spending money.

[Turk Nowitzki]

LMAO at J.J Hardy winning a Gold Glove.

LMAO at Trout not winning one. What is the point of these anymore?

[BigDee]

The gold glove drought continues for the Brewers.

[Kerb Hohl]

Hardy actually wasn't far off deserving it. I know that UZR is shaky but it is one of the best measures we have and he was 3rd in the AL among shortstops. Worse things have happened -- like Derek Jeter winning them after 2007 or whenever he became completely worthless at SS.

[Captain Erv]

Jose Veras elects for free agency and The Angels trade Ervin Santana to the Royals for a minor league pitcher. Looks like Greinke will probably end up back in LA.

[Kerb Hohl]

I haven't had time to look at the prospect for Ervin Santana, but I'm not sure what the Royals have been doing here.

-Vin Mazzaro was an obvious fail that had his numbered propped up by a hot run in that stadium in front of a good defense.

-Sanchez I thought was decent and was proven horribly wrong.

-Santana - Why try it again? His home run rate is awful and he's only got 1 year on his contract. Seems destined to fail yet again in their attempt to acquire a pitcher.

I guess they need veteran MLB pitchers but I just don't like what they're doing there.

[Captain Erv]

The prospect is a 27-year old relief pitcher and the Angels will be paying a portion of Santana's contract, but yeah, I agree it doesn't make the Royals much better.

[Kerb Hohl]

Yeah, well that changes things. I don't like Santana's trajectory but I guess it can't hurt if they're looking for MLB pitching that suddenly could return to form.

[mlloyd10]

JIM BOWDEN ‏@JimBowdenESPNxm

Angels still working on various trade possibilities involving Dan Haren & expect to move him by Friday's option date according to source

Anybody think the Brewers could be involved?

[Kerb Hohl]

For a $15.5 option and/or pending free agency, I doubt it. You never know, I guess.

[trwi7]

Haren for 1 year would be far better than any free agent pitcher they could get for the years and price. I'd definitely look for a deal for Haren.

[ReasonablySober]

I'd actually prefer Haren at $12 million for one season than any of the other starting options for three or four.

[Kerb Hohl]

Yeah, don't disagree. What do we make of his declining velocity? Back issues and he is overcoming them/learning to age as a pitcher or a legitimate concern?

[ReasonablySober]

It's probably a legit concern to some degree, but he was pitching hurt last season and finished his last dozen or so starts with a low 3s ERA even with worse velocity.

I wouldn't give up anyone I thought all that highly of and I'd expect LAA to throw in $3 million but I think he's the perfect target to go after if we're serious about adding a legit starting pitcher.

[Captain Erv]

Tim Dierkes from MLBTradeRumors.com made his predictions for the top 50 free agents and has Dempster at 16 and Jason Grilli at 33 signing with the Brewers.

16. Ryan Dempster - Brewers. Count me as a skeptic on the Brewers-Hamilton idea. I do expect them to bring in a veteran leader for their rotation, and Dempster fits the bill. The 35-year-old enjoyed a decade in the Midwest with the Reds and Cubs, and perhaps at his age would be receptive to a two-year deal with a vesting option. I can see a strong market for Dempster, but it may be more about where he and his family want to be geographically.

33. Jason Grilli - Brewers. The Brewers may be willing to put some dollars toward revamping their bullpen, though Grilli will be a hot commodity after posting a 13.8 K/9 and 32 holds for the Pirates. Though he turns 36 in November, Grilli seems likely to find a multiyear deal as someone's new setup man.

Here are the rest of his predictions (of note: Greinke/Angels, Hamilton/Rangers, Marcum/Cubs):

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/10/2 ... ons-1.html

[MickeyDavis]

Whatever vet hurler we sign (and we WILL sign one), PLEASE let it be a 2 year deal MAX.