I've been my usual lazy self and not paid much attention to the goings on around the league this offseason. At least MLB has obliged by keeping things pretty quiet.
Finally we take a look at the Brewers, who started winning ahead of schedule last year and missed out on some pieces they could have used to bootstrap that process.
2017 Record: 86-76
2018 Projected Record: 78-84
Top projected hitter (ZiPS): Christian Yelich, 4.1
Top projected pitcher: Zach Davies, 3.2
Transactions of Note
- Traded for Christian Yelich
- Signed Lorenzo Cain
- Signed Jhoulys Chacin
- Signed Boone Logan
- Signed Wade Miley (minor league deal)
- Signed Christian Bethancourt (minor league deal)
- Released Taylor Jungmann
- Departing Free Agents: Neil Walker, Anthony Swarzak, Jared Hughes, Matt Garza
Projected regulars
- C Manny Piña
- 1B Eric Thames/Ryan Braun
- 2B Eric Sogard
- SS Orlando Arcia
- 3B Travis Shaw
- LF Christian Yelich/Ryan Braun
- CF Lorenzo Cain
- RF Domingo Santana
- SP Chase Anderson
- SP Zach Davies
- SP Jhoulys Chacin
- SP Brent Suter
- SP Brandon Woodruff
- SP Jimmy Nelson (eventually)
- CL Corey Knebel
Offseason storylines
The Brewers were one of the few active teams early in the offseason (i.e., before spring training because that's a thing now), signing Cain and trading for Yelich. However, despite the fact that they improved it was kind of a strange offseason. If the Brewers had depth anywhere, it was the outfield….so they acquired two more outfielders. Last year's CF Keon Broxton has been sent to the minors and will probably be traded, and Ryan Braun is in some kind of quasi-platoon now at 1B and OF. Braun has not been very comfortable at all at 1b, which is kind of amusing.
What the Brewers badly needed was starting pitching, especially with Jimmy Nelson as a big question mark following his major injury shortened breakout season in 2017. The Brewers ended up with Jhoulys Chacin and a bunch of lottery tickets on guys like Wade Miley, who suffered an injury late in spring training, and Yovani Gallardo, who was already terrible when he left the Brewers the first time. Last year's opening day starter, Junior Guerra, was optioned to the minors. They made offers to Darvish, Arrieta, and Cobb, only to see all three of them sign with other teams. Heh.
Comments
Gallardo was released which is also kind of funny.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
And I think that’s a relatively normal thing to wonder sometimes.
TyroneQuote Reply
They know who they’re taking. They’re not trying to decide which of the three completely different QBs is best to run their offense.
TyroneQuote Reply
Tyrone,
Yeah, seriously. And why did the Jets trade already? Are they saying they are taking whichever QB is left? Don’t get that.
MuckerQuote Reply
As always, the A’s were ahead of the curve.
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/22938422/los-angeles-dodgers-los-angeles-angels-game-called-due-sewage-leak-dodger-stadium
berseliusQuote Reply
Mucker,
I’m not down with trades this far out from the draft unless you KNOW who you’re getting. And maybe they do. CLE’s not taking Baker because Hue has a height threshold. If NYG goes QB, Gettleman seems like he’d prefer Rosen or Allen. So I’d guess the Jets are thinking Baker.
What really cracked me up is NYJ said they were targeting 6-7 players with the No. 3 pick. Seems like it would have made more sense to target those 6-7 players with the No. 6 pick and save the three second rounders they traded to move up…
TyroneQuote Reply
Tyrone,
But if NYG isn’t planning on drafting a QB (which is a terrible idea), they should absolutely trade back.
TyroneQuote Reply
Depending on the team (and the 1), that’s a great deal.
TyroneQuote Reply
Tyrone,
It’s going to be the Rams and they’re going to waltz their way to the NFC Championship Game.
TyroneQuote Reply
https://twitter.com/JeffPassan/status/979036891407355907
GWQuote Reply
GW,
he’s my new favorite player. no questions asked.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
Tyrone,
Yeah so why not do that trade on draft day? Don’t understand. Unless it’s cheaper now to trade. Draft day trades might be a little more expensive maybe? I don’t know, just don’t understand why you trade 3 spots from 6 to 3 and you have no idea if the guy you want will be there.
MuckerQuote Reply
thanks for this series, b. very useful.
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
setting an extremely dangerous precedent
EnricoPallazzoQuote Reply
GW,
I’d be more inclined to like Bauer, but he’s also a pretty vocal Trump supporter, so I hope he tears a labrum.
PerkinsQuote Reply
TyroneQuote Reply
For reference, Larry Allen (who Reggie so rudely tossed aside) “recorded an official bench press of 705 lb and a squat of 905 lb. He also did 10 repetitions of incline bench press weighing 520 lb,” per Wikipedia.
TyroneQuote Reply
EnricoPallazzo,
This is just sandbagging against the possibility that I will be too lazy to do a series preview tonight (dying laughing)
Berselius is too lazy to log in on his phoneQuote Reply
Tyrone,
That’s one of the most impressive things I’ve seen. The one he did against the Pats RT in the Super Bowl was impressive too. G.O.A.T
MuckerQuote Reply
Mucker,
The only thing that makes sense is if there are three players they value somewhat similarly at the top, followed by a steep drop. The styles differ so much, but I can see Rosen, Darnold and Baker all having a similar shot at success. It’s not like NYJ has much of an offensive identity, so why not set it based on the QB?
TyroneQuote Reply
Mucker,
Pretty much. Two fewer sacks than Bruce Smith in three fewer seasons. He was a freak.
TyroneQuote Reply
Tyrone,
That’s what I’m thinking but they could have stayed at 6 and most likely got one of those QBs. I can’t imagine 3 QBs go in the Top 5 but I guess weirder things have happened. Between Chubb, Nelson, Fitzpatrick, Ward, Barkley…..two of those guys are most likely going Top 5 too. Guess they didn’t want to take that chance. Feel like this trade was way too early. But what do I know.
MuckerQuote Reply
Tyrone,
Didn’t he have 21 sacks in the strike season? Like 12 games?
MuckerQuote Reply
Perkins,
Yeah and the charities he’s going to donate to are probably some charity that’s run by white supremacists so fuck him.
dmick89Quote Reply
Mucker,
It probably was, but I would think there was some logical reason. I really think the only way it makes sense is if they only value three QBs as first rounders and wanted to make sure they got one.
Mucker,
Yup.
TyroneQuote Reply
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2018-mlb-predictions/
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
A 76% chance of making the playoffs seems a bit low, especially since they only give a 55% chance of winning the division. But I imagine a hot start would bump those numbers up quite a bit.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Looks like no DL for Strop, and Butler gets the final bullpen spot.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
The Astros have the highest rating and they’re only at 81%. The Indians have the highest odds at 88% (and 99 wins), but the rest of the AL Central sucks. Only the Twins are projected to win more than they lose (just 83 wins). 538 still has the Cardinals as borderline good.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
I hope the Cardinals are a lot worse than borderline good. Their rotation seems to have a lot of volatility, so I guess it could go either way.
PerkinsQuote Reply
Perkins,
You never know.
berseliusQuote Reply
It’s kind of cool that the Cubs are the ones kicking off the season this year. Too bad for MLB that the other team is the Marlins (dying laughing).
It does seem a little odd that they didn’t do their weird multi-day ‘opening day’ this year, kicking off with a marquee-ish night game.
berseliusQuote Reply
berselius,
I think it is a direct result of the union asking for more off days in the season while basically fucking themselves in every other aspect.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Yoenis says this year’s Mets are better than the 2015 version. I admire his confidence.
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Rice Cube,
Just as this year’s Royals team is better than their 2015 one.
dmick89Quote Reply
dmick89,
Probably not after Salvador Perez hurt himself carrying luggage. Yikes
Rice CubeQuote Reply
Preview up
http://obstructedview.net/series-preview-chicago-cubs-0-0-at-miami-marlins-0-0/
berseliusQuote Reply