2014 Discussion Thread

[MickeyDavis]

Corey Hart, who didn't play a game for the Brewers this season while undergoing surgery on both knees, said Thursday he would take a significant pay cut to remain with the club in 2014.

Hart is eligible for free agency after the season and prefers to remain with the only team for which he has played. He had a $10 million salary this year at the end of a three-year extension.


"We haven’t had any discussions," said Hart, who dropped by to see his teammates on the final home stand as well as get checked out by the medical folks. "I’ve told them numerous times that if I was healthy I’d like to stay a Brewer and help this team out. They have a lot of good young players but they need a veteran presence. I’d like to be one of those guys. They want it; I just don’t know where that’s at.

"They’ve kind of hinted (they have interest) but it’s early, and coming off two knee surgeries I’m sure they want to see me get out there and run first before they actually talk to me.They want to make sure I can do the stuff I need to do, which I’ll be able to do. It’s a process. Can I run and do the cuts I need to do. Hopefully, they’ll see enough and keep me."

As for what he would take to stay with the Brewers, Hart said, "I told them I would be very generous to stay here. I wouldn’t sit there and ask for anything outlandish. I’d definitely take a discount to stay here because I think I owe it to them to stay here and be a cheaper player.

"Nobody wants to play for free but I basically sat there and watched all season. I owe it to them and the fans to come back at a cheaper price. That’s kind of what we’re hoping for but at the same time I don’t know what’s going to happen.

"If it’s up to me, I’d stay here. We’ll leave it up to them. If it’s something they want, then I’ll be here."

If the sides don't reach an agreement, this would be the last time for Hart with the Brewers but he said he's not looking at it that way.

"I’m pretty optimistic that I’ll be back," said Hart. "That’s what we’re hoping for. If I’m not, I’ll see these guys again. But at the same time, I’m going forward thinking I’ll be healthy and I’ll be back."

[Kerb Hohl]

Read a little report that there was one scout that swore Gennett would hit double-digit homers a few times because he squares the ball up well. That said, it's hard to explain this sharp of a jump suddenly within a week of being called up.

He's at least worth a platoon (though that's not ideal at 2B in the NL) as he hits lefties well.

[ReasonablySober]

DB, I'll eat crow so far on Gennett, but the real question is, what has he been eating this year? Did he honestly just bulk up and get home much more home run power in the past month? I'm sure you wouldn't even disagree with this much, but while I'm fine with trotting him out there next year, I still am cautiously optimistic about his long-term future as a good hitting 2B.

He's only hit six home runs in his 188 appearances. Two of them wouldn't have been home runs in the majority of MLB stadiums. It's not like he's looking like a future 25 HR guy or anything.

But getting a bat on the ball has never been a problem for him so I'm not really that surprised by this. He could always hit righties. Since power is generally the easiest and last tool to show up, maybe he does become a guy who could hit 10-15 HRs at his peak.

I don't see him being a star ever, but right now he looks like he could be a valuable platoon guy.

[Kerb Hohl]

Well, lots of guys can "square up the ball" and don't pick up power like this.

188 plate appearances and 6 homers would translate to 15-20. Actually, it translates to maybe over 20 with a full season. That's a tall order.

I'd be happy with a platoon guy but again, you don't normally OPS .730 in the PCL and then turn into an .800+ guy suddenly. Maybe some of it is growth but he'll probably regress a bit next year. Hopefully he's a platoon guy.

[ReasonablySober]

Well, lots of guys can "square up the ball" and don't pick up power like this.

188 plate appearances and 6 homers would translate to 15-20. Actually, it translates to maybe over 20 with a full season. That's a tall order.

I'd be happy with a platoon guy but again, you don't normally OPS .730 in the PCL and then turn into an .800+ guy suddenly. Maybe some of it is growth but he'll probably regress a bit next year. Hopefully he's a platoon guy.

Does it really translate to that many homers when you look at more closely? We're only talking about six home runs, and a third of them were balls that are caught in just about every other ballpark in baseball. If you want some better data, the number of doubles he's hit falls exactly in line with what he did at the plate last year, or one every 30 PA. He got lucky on a couple HRs but he's essentially doing what he's always done.

But if you want some kind of explanation he does say that he's seeing the ball better because the fields are better lit than they were in Nashville.

[raysbookclub]

I like Roenicke, but there's this one play the Brewers always run that just doesn't make sense to me. It's with a guy on 3rd, less than 2 outs, and it's a hit-and-run from 3rd to home. I'm fine with the squeeze bunt coming home, but the running on contact hitting a ground ball? Seems like the guy always is out at home.

I don't get why you run. If the ball's hit in such way that the runner can score from 3rd, he can score anyway, without running on contact. If the ball's hit in such way that the runner can't score, he's an easy out, even if he's running on contact. why not just hold him then?

Just watching the StL game on espn, we have Gomez on 3rd, no out, leadoff triple. Schafer strikes out--ok that's on Schafer. But then Bianchi does that hit-and-run, Gomez caught in a rundown and you end up with 2 outs, Bianchi on 2nd. Next guy ground out, no runs scored. Is it that hard to hit a fly ball with 2 hitters getting a chance to do it--doesn't even need to be that deep with Gomez the runner?!

I assume Roenicke's not tanking, but I just don't get it. Unless I'm missing something, hopefully this play doesn't come back in 2014.

[LittleRooster]

The play you're describing is called the, "contact play". And I don't think anyone likes it

[raysbookclub]

The play you're describing is called the, "contact play". And I don't think anyone likes it

sorry if it's been discussed. if it hasn't been, i'm genuinely curious, what's the rationale?

[LittleRooster]

Honestly, I have no idea what the rationale is. Maybe to put pressure on the defense? I've never understood the play

[trwi7]

It's all part of Roenicke's baserunning aggressiveness! And yes, it's stupid.

[WiscSports1]

Can we seriously stop winning? We're lowering our pick with every win.

This is same **** that cost us Trout when we beat STL a couple of years ago.

[LittleRooster]

Can we seriously stop winning? We're lowering our pick with every win.

This is same **** that cost us Trout when we beat STL a couple of years ago.

That's all I keep thinking about

[blazza18]

Didn't realise how much we actually rose. Last time I looked we had the 4th worst record and now we have the 11th

[ReasonablySober]

The reason the pick dropped so much is guys like Davis, Gennett and Thornburg played so well down the stretch. Gallardo and Ramirez rebounded in a big way too. Yea, it sucks that they don't have that high pick anymore, but the fact that the young guys looked so good softens the blow considerably.

And today we get to watch Nelson get his first start.

[chuckleslove]

The reason the pick dropped so much is guys like Davis, Gennett and Thornburg played so well down the stretch. Gallardo and Ramirez rebounded in a big way too. Yea, it sucks that they don't have that high pick anymore, but the fact that the young guys looked so good softens the blow considerably.

And today we get to watch Nelson get his first start.

Yep, just like the Bucks, I would love to have a high pick, but if the reason we have a lower pick is the young kids playing and looking good, well so be it.

[trwi7]

But the thing is it hasn't been the young guys playing well this month. Gallardo and Lohse pitching wise and Ramirez, Lucroy, Gomez lately and Aoki have been huge contributors to this.

Hopefully Toronto wins tomorrow and we lose to move up a spot. We're either going to be picking 11th or 12th.

[BUCKnation]

Unfortunately, we are one of the hottest teams atm.

[raysbookclub]

Wonder if the good end of the season by the young guys is for real. Thornburg like Fiers?

Seems like we have an alright team going into next year, with OF to be sorted and a 1B to figure out. But the top 3 central teams are too good right now. It seems like we're fully an ace or all-star corner IF away from competing.

[trwi7]

The problem is we thought last year the young guys were great and may get even better and they didn't and then they panicked and signed Lohse.

The Cardinals, Pirates and Reds are younger and better. We're just so much worse than all of those teams from the major league team and all the way down through the system. But Attanasio is like Kohl, always have to put the best team out there, can never rebuild.

[Kerb Hohl]

The problem is we thought last year the young guys were great and may get even better and they didn't and then they panicked and signed Lohse.

The Cardinals, Pirates and Reds are younger and better. We're just so much worse than all of those teams from the major league team and all the way down through the system. But Attanasio is like Kohl, always have to put the best team out there, can never rebuild.

Look, I'd love to have that first round pick back but, especially if we trade for a younger player, is that particular signing really going to destroy our team?

Herb Kohl normally had Michael Redd or Brandon Jennings in their primes. Attanasio had Braun in his prime, what we thought was a stud in Weeks, Hart, an about-to-explode Gomez. That is much more realistic of a move.

Attanasio has been too agressive, I agree. I stressed that in earlier years but didn't mind the recent surge. However, the main problem has been absolute poop from our pitching farm system.

Without Braun, with Weeks dead, and with Hart out...we still scored more than Pittsburgh. What's in their pitching staff? High-priced reclamation projects! Of course, Cole is really good and was the benefit of picking #1, Locke got really lucky...but after that, Liriano, Burnett, etc. were reclamation projects that weren't cheap. I'd have wanted Burnett and Liriano over Lohse on their contracts for sure, but if our offense was healthy, scoring 75 more runs than Pittsburgh and allowing 75 more would have had us pretty even with them. And they spent on pitching as well.