2023 MLB Thread

[Holy hell all time]

Winning the NL Central isn't the hardest thing in the world to do.  The division stinks.  Brewers should sell Burnes and Adames for sure.  If you can get value back to get off Yeli's contract you should do that too.

Shift the timeline to when Churio is ready to be the feature player on your roster.

[JWags85]

I don't follow the Brewers very closely, but maybe this is the right thing to do.

Still, from afar, it seems really weird that a team that just won its division BY NINE GAMES would go into full-rebuild mode.

The Cubs blew up the remnants of their WS team the year after they won the division in 2020.  If you're not absolutely in a position to win in the next 2-3 years, paying big bucks to pending FAs isn't necessarily prudent.  And that's what it feels like with the Brewers.

[Uncle Rico]

The Cubs blew up the remnants of their WS team the year after they won the division in 2020.  If you're not absolutely in a position to win in the next 2-3 years, paying big bucks to pending FAs isn't necessarily prudent.  And that's what it feels like with the Brewers.

Losing Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo was a short-term loss for a long-term gain and that time is now.  They were right to bid them adieu, too

[MU82]

The Cubs blew up the remnants of their WS team the year after they won the division in 2020.  If you're not absolutely in a position to win in the next 2-3 years, paying big bucks to pending FAs isn't necessarily prudent.  And that's what it feels like with the Brewers.

Fair point.

Winning the NL Central isn't the hardest thing in the world to do.  The division stinks.  Brewers should sell Burnes and Adames for sure.  If you can get value back to get off Yeli's contract you should do that too.

Being an NL wild-card team also isn't the hardest thing in the world to do. Aside from the top few teams, the league stinks. The Diamondbacks did it even though they won only 84 games. And then they got to the World Series.

But yes, point taken. I don't like tanking, but I realize it's necessary sometimes, especially for smaller-market teams.

[tower912]

I think the Tigers' brass thinks that if the young pitchers stay healthy, and one of the minor league hitters can play second and hit at the major league level, that Detroit can contend for the AL central/wild card.

[4everwarriors]

Peddle their collective asses, hey?

[LAZER]

Thanks for the insight.  This just smells bad.  Reinsdorf seems ready to sell or move the team and is eliminating payroll at all levels.  He is making his books look as good as possible.  The Nashville White Sox may be a reality soon.  What a garbage owner.  He has one championship that he produced since the 80s.  He lucked into Jordan.  Any schmuck could have built an empire around him. Kudos to him for not trading him. Which I'm sure he thought about.  Otherwise his legacy is nothing.  What a shame.  The only worse owners in all of sports are the McCaskeys.

Can't imagine Benetti's contract would move the needle for the White Sox's valuation. Are buyers of pro sports franchises even really doing a true valuation? Outside of big ticket items like TV contracts and stadiums, seems like it all just comes down to whatever someone is willing to pay.

[JWags85]

Can't imagine Benetti's contract would move the needle for the White Sox's valuation. Are buyers of pro sports franchises even really doing a true valuation? Outside of big ticket items like TV contracts and stadiums, seems like it all just comes down to whatever someone is willing to pay.

I don't think it has to do with valuation but more burning a bridge with a best of breed broadcaster (someone that enhances the fan experience/enjoyment) and making moves off the field that sour your fans to you.  The kind of thing you don't give a damn about if you intend to sell in the near future

[MU82]

Reinsdorf has been doing stuff to piss off White Sox and Bulls fans for decades.

[Lennys Tap]

I don't think it has to do with valuation but more burning a bridge with a best of breed broadcaster (someone that enhances the fan experience/enjoyment) and making moves off the field that sour your fans to you.  The kind of thing you don't give a damn about if you intend to sell in the near future

This

[DegenerateDish]

I don't know if I've shared this story on here before (probably at some point I did).

When I worked for the Bulls (2000), I was in season ticket sales, my first job out of MU. This isn't meant to sound like a humble brag, but the Bulls would receive hundreds of resumes weekly, from college seniors seeking jobs (Jordan era was over, but the Bulls brand was still very strong). I felt unbelievably lucky that I aced my interview and got hired. I was incredibly excited to get my dream job working in sports in Chicago.

Fast forward a couple months in, and I was miserable, I hated it. I still had plenty of friends in Milwaukee, and one July Friday, I was heading up there for the weekend. This is pre-cell phones, so I called my buddy Mark who was still living on campus, calling from my office line. We talked for 10 minutes at most. The Bulls wouldn't allow us internet access (yes, you read that right), so I had to make sure I knew where we were meeting up in Milwaukee and needed verbal directions.

Late the next week, I got an invoice from Reinsdorf's Bulls secretary for $6.47, for "long distance phone calls to 414 area code". I literally had to cut a check to the Bulls for $6.47. As an employer, I guess they had every right to do it of course, but it felt so petty. And the Bulls definitely had STH's in Southeastern Wisconsin.

I ended up leaving a few months later, and my dream job ended up being (for me), a nightmare. Ironically, especially as young as I was, it was the best thing to happen for me in my career.

Just thought I'd share some insight into my experience working for a Reinsdorf organization.

[JWags85]

Just thought I'd share some insight into my experience working for a Reinsdorf organization.

Awful but not all together shocking as bad as that seems.

When I was still at Pepsico, I was working on Tropicana.  As I got a bit more embedded with the brand teams, they thought it would be good for me to spend some time with the Single Serve sales unit.  While all the major grocery chains or big box stores had sales reps that handled the big volume purchases, places like convenience stores/gas stations, corner stores, medical facilities/offices with cafeterias, etc...  had a more local sales team which were guys with refrigerated trucks that had territories they covered and delivered/upsold to, all ranges of Pepsico products including sodas, Gatorade, and juices (instead of just one segment like the bigger retailer sales teams).  I went on a couple daily routes with different guys but went out twice with a younger guy I got along great with. 

One of his accounts, at the time, was the White Sox.  He said they were a penny pinching NIGHTMARE.  If a juice spoiled before the date, they demanded not only a replacement, but additional credits.  If he was out, or short of something, which was not uncommon at all for some of the products, they demanded compensation.  Its been 8-9 years, but he had a list of 5-6 things that were very out of the ordinary, but they were a huge account and obviously the ballpark account was even bigger so you didn't want to rock the boat.  And since his role was sort of a contractor/wholesaler element, he'd often end up paying out of pocket for some of their BS.  It was/is incredibly cultural.

And similar to your situation, it was just petty.  Nothing they would complain or fight him about did ANYTHING to meaningfully move the needle for their employees or staff, it was just to win some self initiated battle of nickel and diming.

[DegenerateDish]

Wags - What's funny about your story is I meant Reinsdorf in person one time. The Bulls office at United Center had a small break area that had a fridge always stocked with free Coke products.

The United Center had just switched over from Coke products to Pepsi products (this is probably July or August 2000). One of my co-workers and I went into the break room one afternoon, and Reinsdorf is bent down (he's very short in person) going through the fridge for something. He turns to us and asks "do you guys know where I can get a Diet Coke?". My co-worker and I were surprised and we said "Pepsi products have only been in here the last week, but there's still a Coke vending machine by the visitors locker room downstairs". Reinsdorf says "I better get that removed or the Pepsi people will have my ass."

It was gone the next day.

[MUfan12]

Brewers take the most affordable option and promote Pat Murphy.

[Jockey]

Brewers take the most affordable option and promote Pat Murphy.

I think this means there is a very high likelihood of several trades for prospects.

[cheebs09]

Rickie Weeks at bench coach will be interesting. It sounds like he could be a future manager.

[CreightonWarrior]

Brewers officially in "Trust The Process" mode?

[rocket surgeon]

Wags - What's funny about your story is I meant Reinsdorf in person one time. The Bulls office at United Center had a small break area that had a fridge always stocked with free Coke products.

The United Center had just switched over from Coke products to Pepsi products (this is probably July or August 2000). One of my co-workers and I went into the break room one afternoon, and Reinsdorf is bent down (he's very short in person) going through the fridge for something. He turns to us and asks "do you guys know where I can get a Diet Coke?". My co-worker and I were surprised and we said "Pepsi products have only been in here the last week, but there's still a Coke vending machine by the visitors locker room downstairs". Reinsdorf says "I better get that removed or the Pepsi people will have my ass."

It was gone the next day.

  love your stories dish!  epsecially the one about how the (white sox?) treated your family while your son was ill...hope things are going well for him and the family!

[Uncle Rico]

I think this means there is a very high likelihood of several trades for prospects.

Yup.  And the move to put Weeks on the bench almost assuredly means he takes over like Counsell did from Roenicke.

Brewers fans will bitch about Murphy getting promoted but whoever they hired would have lead to bitching.  They could hire Bruch Bochy and people would complain

[Hards Alumni]

Yup.  And the move to put Weeks on the bench almost assuredly means he takes over like Counsell did from Roenicke.

Brewers fans will bitch about Murphy getting promoted but whoever they hired would have lead to bitching.  They could hire Bruch Bochy and people would complain

Murphy is a temporary hire, for sure.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Yup.  And the move to put Weeks on the bench almost assuredly means he takes over like Counsell did from Roenicke.

Brewers fans will bitch about Murphy getting promoted but whoever they hired would have lead to bitching.  They could hire Bruch Bochy and people would complain

They are going the way of organizational continuity and won't be doing any sort of rebuild. The hire is fine in that context.

[Uncle Rico]

They are going the way of organizational continuity and won't be doing any sort of rebuild. The hire is fine in that context.

I think it'll be a "soft" rebuild

[cheebs09]

I think it'll be a "soft" rebuild

Agreed, I think they trade Burnes, and go for prospects who aren't too far from the majors.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

I think it'll be a "soft" rebuild

That is fair and likely accurate.

[Uncle Rico]

Agreed, I think they trade Burnes, and go for prospects who aren't too far from the majors.

What's dumb about is, it's the right thing to do with Burnes and Adames.  They can't give him the deal he wants unless it has an opt-out for the team after x number of years and he won't sign that.  If they sign him and he blows his arm out, then people will complain it was a dumb move giving a guy turning 30 a long-term deal.

Adames is fine in a vacuum but the system is loaded with middle infielders and he's such a boom or bust candidate, he's another one that if he's on the books and busts, he's hard to move.

Pull the band-aid on those two and see what happens