2017 Roster

[trwi7]

Maybe we sign a catcher for around 7 million in free agency to fill out the lineup.

We didn't trade for Susac to sign a free agent catcher and the only two that are worth $7 million are Wieters and Ramos and they're both getting much more than that.

[coolhandluke121]

Also wouldn't be surprised if they deal Nelson

I don't know what they'll get at this point. It's not like he's having bad luck. If anything, he was just having good luck early in the year. Even when he had good numbers, his FIP was over 5. He's just been dreadful. I would consider moving him to the bullpen if they really want to make something of his career. Otherwise he's just a stopgap innings-eater on a rebuilding team. He's pretty much like everyone else in the rotation except maybe Garza, who has a pretty long track record of success despite his struggles last year; contenders will want to see more sustained production before giving up something of value, so the Brewers will keep everyone and hope they improve their trade value:

Rotation (no particular order)
Nelson
Peralta
Davies
Guerra
Anderson
Jungmann and Wilkerson will be injury replacements and one of them will get called up if someone is traded midseason.

[El Duderino]

Yea Nelson has been terrible

The rotation is likely where Stearns is going to have to get creative or just catch a break as happens sometimes like Theo got with Arrieta. I'm not saying Stearns should be able to land a CY Young caliber stating pitcher off the scrap heap like Arrieta, but often enough non-rich quality teams do find a starter either in free agency who significantly outperforms his contract, in a trade land a guy who changes something up and becomes quite a bit better than he was, or how Stearns found Guerra.

It's a question mark though whether Guerra can repeat that success next year and stay healthy over 30 starts. Given though our farm system is so much more position player heavy compared to pitching, doing everything possible to find more Guerra types in hopes maybe one pans out could be huge.

There is also the option of trading a position player in the minors for a minor league starter, but for whatever reason teams don't make trades like that very often involving quality prospects for another.

[M-C-G]

What do people think the outfield looks like next season?

[coolhandluke121]

What do people think the outfield looks like next season?

Hoping for Broxton/Santana/Reed or some other scrub, expecting Broxton/Santana/Phillips, fearing Broxton/Santana/Braun. I would lean towards preserving service time but can see why they'd want to give Phillips a chance.

[M-C-G]

What do people think the outfield looks like next season?

Hoping for Broxton/Santana/Reed or some other scrub, expecting Broxton/Santana/Phillips, fearing Broxton/Santana/Braun. I would lean towards preserving service time but can see why they'd want to give Phillips a chance.

So Broxton is 25 this year right? If so, definitely time for him to get a full look.

I have watched as much as normal, but early in the season, I was not impressed with Santana, did he come around as the year went on?

I think Braun will be gong unless Mark A gets antsy and tries to get some pieces around him next year. My guess is Stearns had an agreement in place he wasn't going to have to deal with Mark A pulling the **** he did with Melvin, i.e. KRod, Supp, Garza and Lohse

[coolhandluke121]

What do people think the outfield looks like next season?

Hoping for Broxton/Santana/Reed or some other scrub, expecting Broxton/Santana/Phillips, fearing Broxton/Santana/Braun. I would lean towards preserving service time but can see why they'd want to give Phillips a chance.

So Broxton is 25 this year right? If so, definitely time for him to get a full look.

I have watched as much as normal, but early in the season, I was not impressed with Santana, did he come around as the year went on?

Broxton turned 26 in May. I think he's a lock. Allows them to possibly develop a late-blooming asset or, at worst, preserve the service time of better outfield prospects. He was pretty damn good overall.

Santana is a lock as well as long as his arm is fine. He's kind of a Chris Carter type but with potentially good outfield defense, as opposed to mediocre 1b defense. He's still got plenty of time to improve his K%. There's also just nobody who's a candidate to replace him. If they use someone's service time, it will be because they don't want to play someone completely pointless like Kirk or Flores again. It won't be for Santana. Ultimately with all their speedy outfield prospects and Santana's arm injury, I could see him at 1b.

If they keep Braun, it's not the end of the world. It's not like they're mortgaging the future. But considering where they're at, it would be pretty foolish to pass up any offer of value, not to mention the payroll flexibility. You never know this far in advance whether you'll need it.

[wichmae]

I think its a lock that Santana and Broxton go into the offseason as anticipated starters. Reed seems like a 4th OF guy. Depends on what we get if we do trade Braun. I have a sneaking suspicion that the Puig Braun deal will die with how much both players value has gone up down the stretch.

[Outlander]

I don't see Phillips in Milwaukee to start the year, really see it more likely that he is still in Biloxi. I would think Brinson is higher on the depth chart right now than Phillips anyway. The outfield could be a real cluster if Braun is indeed traded and Broxton isn't fully back from injury. Hopefully Santana can remain helathy as well.

[M-C-G]

Hoping for Broxton/Santana/Reed or some other scrub, expecting Broxton/Santana/Phillips, fearing Broxton/Santana/Braun. I would lean towards preserving service time but can see why they'd want to give Phillips a chance.

So Broxton is 25 this year right? If so, definitely time for him to get a full look.

I have watched as much as normal, but early in the season, I was not impressed with Santana, did he come around as the year went on?

Broxton turned 26 in May. I think he's a lock. Allows them to possibly develop a late-blooming asset or, at worst, preserve the service time of better outfield prospects. He was pretty damn good overall.

Santana is a lock as well as long as his arm is fine. He's kind of a Chris Carter type but with potentially good outfield defense, as opposed to mediocre 1b defense. He's still got plenty of time to improve his K%. There's also just nobody who's a candidate to replace him. If they use someone's service time, it will be because they don't want to play someone completely pointless like Kirk or Flores again. It won't be for Santana. Ultimately with all their speedy outfield prospects and Santana's arm injury, I could see him at 1b.

If they keep Braun, it's not the end of the world. It's not like they're mortgaging the future. But considering where they're at, it would be pretty foolish to pass up any offer of value, not to mention the payroll flexibility. You never know this far in advance whether you'll need it.

I actually think we have a ton of nice pieces on this roster next year, even if they keep the top end talent in the minors. What we are missing, is that really high end piece(s) on the pitching rotation and playing a position like 3rd. That .290 hitter that can give you 30 home runs with a decent obp. I like Perez but I think he is playing above his head, or at the least, I am not counting on him to produce the kind of numbers he was.

[coolhandluke121]

I've often asked myself how good they could be if they try to win next year, as long as they don't trade prospects. I prefer to continue rebuilding slowly but keeping vets who aren't great trade chips anyway (Braun, Garza, Carter) while using some service time a little early isn't nearly as bad as trading away prospects.

Braun/Brinson/Santana(Broxton/Kirk)

Carter/Villar/Arcia/Perez(Gennett)

Susac(Maldonado)

Thornburg/Hader/Torres/Magnifico/Marinez/Barnes/Blazek/Scahill

Garza/Nelson/Peralta/Davies/Guerra

That's a very potent lineup and a middle-tier free agent 3b like Valbuena would make them outstanding. It's a quantity-over-quality bullpen but it wouldn't take much money to improve that in free agency. All 5 starters have been wildly inconsistent this year and I wouldn't want to count on them being good next year, but I wouldn't exactly want to bet against it either.

[WeekapaugGroove]

If Phillips performs in spring training i wonder if they would consider platooning him and broxson in center.

[wichmae]

I really dont see any way Brinson starts in MLB next season. He only has 130 career AAA AB's. On top of that you start his clock earlier than anticipated. I imagine we could see a scenario like we saw with Arcia done with Lewis.

[wichmae]

If Phillips performs in spring training i wonder if they would consider platooning him and broxson in center.

I highly doubt either makes it out of ST on the 25. Theres no reason to make them super 2 players. Just conserve the arby clock and start with guys already with service time.

[mlloyd10]

So i keep hearing brewers will go after a 3B this winter - Think it will be Luis Valbuena on a 1 yr deal

[coolhandluke121]

So i keep hearing brewers will go after a 3B this winter - Think it will be Luis Valbuena on a 1 yr deal

I'm not advocating win-now moves but it would make a lot of sense. Think he gets good money and much more than a year though. Been pretty good for a while now. Arcia/Villar/Valbuena with Perez and Scooter on the bench is very impressive at the plate and in the field.

[wichmae]

So i keep hearing brewers will go after a 3B this winter - Think it will be Luis Valbuena on a 1 yr deal

I'm not advocating win-now moves but it would make a lot of sense. Think he gets good money and much more than a year though. Been pretty good for a while now. Arcia/Villar/Valbuena with Perez and Scooter on the bench is very impressive at the plate and in the field.

No sense to go after a 3rd baseman unless you trade Scooter and plan to permanently play Perez in OF. Only true FA's (6 year service time) are Aaron Hill, Luis Valbuena, Justin Turner, Steven Pearce, Mark Reynolds, Casey McGehee, Chris Johnson, and Jose Reyes. Sure there will be MiLB FA guys and non tenders but this upcoming FA class is incredibly thin. Theres no way Valbuena doesnt get a multi year deal. Just doesnt make any sense.

[wichmae]

I guess Adam Rosalaes and Sean Rodriguez would count as well. Valbuena is coming off a career year and only 30. I really see no way he gets only a year deal.

[coolhandluke121]

I agree completely. What I meant when I said it would make sense is that I could see the front office doing it. I am 100% convinced that they're committed to the farm system and changing the way they operated for 10 years. I'm not at all convinced that they're opposed to trying to win at the same time though. We sometimes have a bit of an echo chamber in terms of wanting to trade every vet, which is fine, but that doesn't mean that's the plan. I think they're happy to add any talent of any age as long as it doesn't directly contradict their commitment to building around younger players under team control at the same time.

Would signing Valbuena mean surrendering a draft pick? I don't know anything about those rules anymore - not that I knew them all in the first place. Same as the NBA; I just don't have the free time for all those ins and outs anymore. Anwyay, if they could sign him without giving up a pick, then I could totally see them doing it.

[wichmae]

Depends if he gets offered a QO. I just dont see adding a bigger salary player with a longer term commitment to a position of lower need. If your going to burn cash burn it on reclaimation projects like the new regime has done. Like Hill or Carter. Valbuena is arguably a top 10 free agent. The class is very very weak. Prado just resigned and Turner is a lock to go back to LA so that literally leaves Valbuena as the top 3rd baseman on the market. Its just not reasonable.