MLB 2023-2024 Offseason

[MU82]

Good for Mauer. Quite an achievement getting into the Hall - let alone on the first ballot - when you spend half your career as a lighter-hitting, poorer-fielding version of Mark Grace.

[cheebs09]

Yes, like getting Hoskins.  Low risk, big reward potential.  He's not an old guy (31 during spring training) who's been nothing but productive and consistent.

And agree again, a bright spot in what's been a crummy offseason for the Crew. When Eric Haase and a guy who's missed two full seasons (Ross) are your biggest additions until this, that's a very, very low bar to improve on.

I think it's been a fairly quiet offseason around MLB.

[lawdog77]

Good for Mauer. Quite an achievement getting into the Hall - let alone on the first ballot - when you spend half your career as a lighter-hitting, poorer-fielding version of Mark Grace.

Until he hit the juice in 2009

[The Sultan]

I think it's been a fairly quiet offseason around MLB.

Yeah, after the initial free agent rush, stuff happens later and later in the off season these days. Pretty much all over. Criticizing the Brewers for that means you should criticize about 2/3 of the teams in MLB.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Good for Mauer. Quite an achievement getting into the Hall - let alone on the first ballot - when you spend half your career as a lighter-hitting, poorer-fielding version of Mark Grace.

I take it you didn't vote for him? 

[MU82]

Until he hit the juice in 2009

I was talking about the rest of his career after 2009. Over his last 9 seasons = .294 BA, .412 slug, .788 OPS, 71 HR (9/yr avg), 526 RBI (58/yr avg). This stretch of mediocrity covered the majority of his career (62% of his games).

He was an outstanding catcher for a half-dozen seasons and had incredible timing to have by far his best season in his walk year, but then injuries and age forced him to play other positions (not very well) and DH, and he produced the above mediocre stats.

Also, a grand total of 1 RBI and .641 OPS in 44 plate appearances over 4 postseasons that featured first-round exits (all sweeps) ... so he wasn't exactly Mr. October, either.

I take it you didn't vote for him? 

Haven't had a vote for many years.

[JWags85]

7th all-time catcher using JAWS.

No dog in this fight but, yeah, I wouldn't have been fighting to put him in

Yea, until Mauer, there had been 2 MVPs as a C in 50 years in the AL (Munson and Pudge).  4 total in both leagues (the aforementioned plus Bench and Posey).  He won it in his 5th full season and had 2 other top 5 finishes in the other 4 years.  He was absolutely unreal through 2010, not 2009 (2010 was another GG/SS season hitting .330/.470/870.

For a HOF that has become very reliant on counting stats for entry for very good but not all time great players, first ballot HOF for someone who was clearly a top 10 C of all time for 5+ years at his peak isn't an issue to me.

[PGsHeroes32]

I was talking about the rest of his career after 2009. Over his last 9 seasons = .294 BA, .412 slug, .788 OPS, 71 HR (9/yr avg), 526 RBI (58/yr avg). This stretch of mediocrity covered the majority of his career (62% of his games).

He was an outstanding catcher for a half-dozen seasons and had incredible timing to have by far his best season in his walk year, but then injuries and age forced him to play other positions (not very well) and DH, and he produced the above mediocre stats.

Also, a grand total of 1 RBI and .641 OPS in 44 plate appearances over 4 postseasons that featured first-round exits (all sweeps) ... so he wasn't exactly Mr. October, either.

Haven't had a vote for many years.

I could be wrong. But the way you worded this with tossing the comma on after to then point to the stats again. Leads me to believe you are saying Mauer did not defensively play his new position well.

If so, that is wrong.

As a 1B he hit closer to Nick Punto than Albert Pujols. But he was a very good defender. Which should be no surprise given his athletic background.

[Dr. Blackheart]

A's Vegas deal shaky as expected. What a mess...

https://www.si.com/mlb/athletics/relocation/as-need-new-site-in-las-vegas

[tower912]

Tigers sign a top prospect to a 6 (with an option for 3 more) year major league deal before he plays his fist MLB game.  Colt Keith.
  Didn't Milwaukee do something similar?


If he pans out, it is a steal for the Tigers.  Club control until he is 31.

[The Sultan]

Tigers sign a top prospect to a 6 (with an option for 3 more) year major league deal before he plays his fist MLB game.  Colt Keith.
  Didn't Milwaukee do something similar?

Yep.

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/jackson-chourio-extension-brewers-reach-historic-82-million-deal-with-mlbs-no-7-prospect/

[The Sultan]

Looks like Burnes is on his way to the Orioles.

[GB Warrior]

An interesting if mildly underwhelming haul. The SS in the deal is MLB ready, so Adames might not be long for MKE either.

Makes the Hoskins deal somewhat confusing.

[cheebs09]

An interesting if mildly underwhelming haul. The SS in the deal is MLB ready, so Adames might not be long for MKE either.

Makes the Hoskins deal somewhat confusing.

Maybe the pitching lab unlocks something in Hall to make him a starter. I think some might have been hoping for a Cy Young Burnes return, but he hasn't been that guy the last two years.

[4everwarriors]

Looks like Burnes is on his way to the Orioles.

Done deal, huh, hey?

[HutchwasClutch]

Two good prospects and the 34th pick in this year's draft.  Plus Hall is a lefty where they're very thin. Ortiz plays a premium position too.  For a guy who might be in Baltimore only this season.

Ortiz is basically major league ready now and Hall made 18 appearances last year with the O's. 

The Brewers did fine in this, but still disappointing they've clearly written off contending this year. More unloading to come, Adames and Williams probably next to go.  Yelich too if they can find someone to take at least some of his contract.  Changing of the guard in Milwaukee. 

[HutchwasClutch]

Maybe the pitching lab unlocks something in Hall to make him a starter. I think some might have been hoping for a Cy Young Burnes return, but he hasn't been that guy the last two years.

Maybe, but there's definite value if Hall remains a reliever, where he was solid last year.  Milner'a been their only viable left reliever the last two years. 

[Uncle Rico]

Maybe, but there's definite value if Hall remains a reliever, where he was solid last year.  Milner'a been their only viable left reliever the last two years.

Rip off the band aid and trade Adames and Williams, too.

See if Hall can start, put Ortiz at SS and Black at 3B.  Maybe go Ortiz 3B, Black 2B, Turang SS. Go young across the whole roster.  Might suck this year but see what you got. 

[The Lens]

I have different expectations for the Brewers (Wild Card) than I do for the Packers (Super Bowl) because i realzie how market forces tilt the field in certain ways. I am not a Mark A hater.  I understand his realities. 

That all being said...

With Burnes, Woodruff and Peralta we never made it out of the WC round.  IMO it wasn't Mark's cheapness, it was his patience.  He listened to Stearns and bought in to the "bites of the apple" theory.  Sometimes you have to go all in. They did the opposite.

They'll probably be back winning close to 90 games very soon.  It's a very well run org.  But they won't go deep. 

I hope I am wrong, I pray that I am wrong. 

[The Sultan]

They went all in when they traded for Yelich and signed Cain the same day. TBH, I bet they viewed the Adames trade the same way.

[The Lens]

They went all in when they traded for Yelich and signed Cain the same day. TBH, I bet they viewed the Adames trade the same way.

That was almost a different era.  It was before any of the big 3 were rotation guys, before Hader was develeoped. 2018 was a horseshoe year in many respects. I am speaking more to how they managed the past 3-4 years.

[The Sultan]

That was almost a different era.  It was before any of the big 3 were rotation guys, before Hader was develeoped. 2018 was a horseshoe year in many respects. I am speaking more to how they managed the past 3-4 years.

The Adames trade was 2021. I think that was their "going all in" moment. And it almost worked right? They were the 2-seed with home field advantage in the WC round only to fold against Atlanta.

[The Lens]

The Adames trade was 2021. I think that was their "going all in" moment. And it almost worked right? They were the 2-seed with home field advantage in the WC round only to fold against Atlanta.

You could be right. I never saw it as that because I didn't view the investment as too substanial.  I know Ras and Fireisen (sp) were solid but not much more than that, in my eyes. 

I'll be honest, I need to stop posting. I cannot speak intelligently or rationally about Brewer baseball.  And the Hader trade killed me, that was classic "but the computer says so" move.   

[tower912]

Nah, keep posting.

[HutchwasClutch]

Rip off the band aid and trade Adames and Williams, too.

See if Hall can start, put Ortiz at SS and Black at 3B.  Maybe go Ortiz 3B, Black 2B, Turang SS. Go young across the whole roster.  Might suck this year but see what you got.

I agree to actively seek an Adames trade and see what we have or don't have with their young infielders. I'd love to trade Yelich too and do the same with all their young outfielders. 

Williams I'd be more reluctant to trade. If you're blowing saves, that's going to hurt a very young team's confidence.  But they're going nowhere this year, so I'd certainly listen on offers for Williams. It would just take one that you can't refuse for me to move him too. Especially any team getting him has club control through'25.