any Hot Stove thoughts ?

[neutral]

Middlebrooks for 3rd ? ... (only at a "you gotta earn it" salary)

Lind &/or Lucroy for top? tier prospects ?

An affordable SP add or two ? ... Henderson Alvarez?, Vance Worley?, Jeff Locke?, Carlos Torres?? (was SP before RP)

[Ghetto]

I don't think the Brewers are a player in the free agent market for anyone close to changing the team in a big way. The new guy has the big salaries he can't deal, so he will build the Brewers like the Astros were built. Through the draft, and a few money ball guys.

I'm a bit surprised the Brewers haven't dealt Lind already to an AL team looking for a left handed DH. I still think it will happen, though the prospects won't be ready to go for a few years.

[neutral]

I don't think the Brewers are a player in the free agent market for anyone close to changing the team in a big way. The new guy has the big salaries he can't deal, so he will build the Brewers like the Astros were built. Through the draft, and a few money ball guys.

I'm a bit surprised the Brewers haven't dealt Lind already to an AL team looking for a left handed DH. I still think it will happen, though the prospects won't be ready to go for a few years.

I agree that that's way to do it - just concerned about the willingness of the fan base to watch even worse baseball for 2-3 years.  I think they've gotta have decent defense and offense ... so that they're not stumbling around and not scoring at all.  They have no choice but to wait on pitching.  They can't afford to buy it ... so they'll have to develop it.  Lind & Lucroy for prospects 2-3 years away would put them on that path.  A lower-ish cost, mid-tier SP or two couldn't hurt either.  Add Trevor Cahill to the group I mentioned earlier.

[Ghetto]

I'd like to see mid level starter from somewhere, but a mid level starter is not cheap. They are still gonna be in the 5-8 million range, and IMO, that ain't happening.

Braun's 20 million is around 40% of the salary total, and Garza is around 20%. Those two are major leeches on the pocketbook for the Brewers. It handicaps them for a while. They also owe Kyle Lohse like 2 million. Very frustrating. It makes no sense how baseball guarantees their salaries. It hurts teams, and especially hurts the small market teams if they miss on a guy.

'They are on the hook for Braun until 2020 and Garza until 2017.

[wrestle84]

I would not be surprised to see Lind, LuCroy, and Segura moved at some point. We need a 1b, 2b, 3b, and SP of major league caliber. Scooter Gennett is not the future at 2b. It would be nice to find a taker for Garza and Braun.

[neutral]

Braun is too expensive to move - but will earn more of his salary than Garza ... who has been puss.

If he doesn't start out at least acceptably ... I'd just as soon release him - or be willing to pay the vast majority of his salary in a trade ... if you could find a willing partner.

I would kinda like to see them give Middlebrooks a chance at 3rd. He can play "D" - and he was a semi power prospect ... which might redevelop at Miller Park.

And - maybe, Locke ... to get a lefty into the rotation - not great ... but he shows up ... and he shouldn't cost that much.

And - it's time for Peralta to stay healthy ... and pitch to his potential.  He and Eddy Lacy should look for a group deal with a nutritionist.  Together they make a group.

[Ghetto]

The Brewers owe Braun almost 100 million. They aren't releasing that contract so he can sit home and collect. He will play regardless of his production, and no one will buy that contract. We are stuck with him, and can only hope he will produce and help the Brewers win games.

[littleguy301]

I think Lucroy could bring in a prospect that may be ready in a year. There is a need for catchers out there and he is a year removed from a pretty darn year (2014)

I also wouldnt mind Lucroy for another year or at least until the trade deadline. Just think if he starts out hot and stays injury free I see him as a pretty looked at trade material.

We are just plain stuck with Braun and Garza unless Garza starts out really hot and some team wants to take a chance. Braun, no way any team goes after him so we are stuck with him and I hope he returns to an all-star form of a few years ago.

Segura could be a possible guy that teams may want. I see or heard he isnt going to sign a 4 year deal to the team contract so I would guess he is gone either during the year or sometime soon.

Hopefully some of the prospect the Brewers have traded for devolp much quicker than people predict or it is going to be a tough few years to be a fan.

[neutral]

Mariners Acquire Adam Lind
By Steve Adams | December 9, 2015 at 10:55am CST

Another day, another trade for Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto. The Mariners and Brewers have announced a trade sending first baseman Adam Lind to Seattle in exchange for minor league right-handers Carlos Herrera, Freddy Peralta and Daniel Missaki.

As for the Brewers, they'll receive a trio of young arms that didn't rank in the Mariners' top 30 prospect on MLB.com's end-of-season rankings, although each is exceptionally young and has a good bit of time to rise up the prospect ranks in Milwaukee.

Peralta, 19, did rank as Seattle's No. 24 prospect in the eyes of Baseball America one winter ago. He spent his second season with the team's Rookie-level affiliate in Arizona this season, and while he logged an uninspiring 4.11 ERA in 57 innings, he also posted an electric 67-to-8 K/BB ratio while spending most of his time (nine of 11 appearances) as a starting pitcher.

Seattle only signed Herrera, 18, in July of 2014. BA's Ben Badler wrote at the time that Herrera's fastball was topping out at 90 mph as a 16-year-old, but his projectable 6'3″, 170-pound frame gave reason to believe that more velocity would come as he filled out. He also noted that Herrera had a 72-74 mph curve ball in his arsenal. Herrera debuted in the Dominican Summer League this past season, pitching to a 3.26 ERA with 73 strikeouts against just 13 walks in 80 innings.

Missaki, 19, is a Brazilian-born right-hander who, as Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel tweets, underwent Tommy John surgery back in May. Despite his young age, Missaki opened the season in the Class-A Midwest League and looked impressive in six starts, pitching to a 3.41 ERA with a 34-to-5 K/BB ratio in 34 1/3 innings against markedly older competition. He'll presumably be ready to take the mound this summer and could see some more action at Class-A upon a return to health.

The three prospects acquired here demonstrate that new Brewers GM David Stearns is committed to restocking the farm and won't be shy about moving Major League assets for players that are years away from contributing in the Majors. Each of the pitchers acquired has displayed impressive control for a young pitcher, which could be a point of emphasis in future trades as the Brewers look to return to prominence in an absolutely stacked National League Central Division

[Ghetto]

Seems like more of a salary dump than anything. Young arms are like rolling the dice, though, so maybe one of them will turn into a decent player at some point.

I don't have (or to be fair, didn't have) a ton of confidence in the Brewers developing young arms. Hopefully the new regime will figure it out, change pitching coaches at the lower levels, so we can build a decent staff. With the price of marginal starters/relievers, it is basically the only way the Brewers can sustain success.

[ougiqbxy]

All three of the guys the Brewers got for Lind are control pitchers who do not walk people.  

Gone are the days of the big strikeout, bashing offense and no control pitching. Moneyball is here.  

I still see Middlebrooks as a possibility because the Brewers will go after non-defensiive liabilities as stop gaps to help with the young pitching.  
I fully expect the Brewers to sign Danial Nava for their first baseman needs, unless Pedro Alvarez comes on the cheap.  Alvarez still is young enough and has potential for the Brewers to gamble in case he breaks out so they can flip him.  I also expect that with one starting pitcher.  I have been so enamored with getting Henderson Alvarez the moment the Marlins didn't tender him an offer.

Other things I want/do not want to see this offseason:

While demand is high for relief pitching (Did you see Axford just signed?), I do not on any terms want to see losing a person with a plus pitch that is already dominating.  Do not trade Will Smith.  Four more years of club control and arbitration will not come anywhere near the price relievers are getting nowadays.  I love him.

I have never liked Khris Davis so my opinion has always been low....but we need to find a trade partner for him just so we can have a place to stick Domingo Santana and see what he can actually do.   BrewCrewBall.com proposed a Khris Davis for Dylan Bundy (he's out of options for the Orioles) and with the Orioles retracting the offer on Chris Davis and potentially having him and Steve Pearce walk...they could use our Khris Davis.  I know that's really wishful dreaming, but man it would be sweet if it came to fruition.

[Ghetto]

I have never understood the Brewers love for Khris Davis. He has a below average arm, and strikes out a ton. He's the guy will have a multi HR game and then go dormant for 2 weeks.

I have no problem with getting guys who will throw strikes, but there are no guarantees with really young pitchers. If they can't throw it by guys, then they have to be smart pitchers. How do you measure that if they aren't in your organization?

We are going to go through quite a few lean years if they fully commit to this.

[neutral]

I've never cared for Davis either. Santana needs to be playing everyday MLB.

I still don't know why they don't bring Braun in to 1B.  I think he could be an (at least) average defender ... and his bat matches the position.

While I love the thought of Alvarez's offense at Miller - I don't want to add anybody anywhere with as flawed a aspect of their game as his defense at 1B ... (maybe if they play him at 3rd ... more of a reaction position - but I'd rather see Middlebrooks there). Maybe Nava.

Overall - defense is going to need to take away a few runs ... because they're not going to score many. No matter who the rotation turns out to be ... they can hardly give up more than last years'.

[easytopin]

OMG not Pedro Alvarez....This is a worse version of Jose Hernandez of years gone by.  High strikeouts little walks..on base percentage of .309 which is pathetic for a supposed All-Star.  Horrible fielder and our defense was bad at best last year. Virtually every starting Brewer got on base more than this all or nothing player. One of the worst Brewers ever Logan Schafer had a .300 on base average. Also I understand about the need to get younger but when we trade for guys fresh out of high school its a slippery slope.

Then there is talk of trading LuCroy..he is ten times better than no hit cant run Maldonado. LuCroy is dirt cheap on the payroll as well. As Lombardi said, "What the inappropriate term3 is going on out there"

[Ghetto]

For the next few years, the reason to go to Miller Park will be the tailgating for sure.