Team Spotlight: Milwaukee Brewers

Heltonfan · December 4th, 2007, 01:29 PM

The Brewers finally managed to get over the .500 mark this year, and they’re poised to take the next step in 2008. But they appear to be growing dumber. Between last winter’s Suppan signing and Davis/Estrada trade and this winter’s Kendall signing, Doug Melvin is back to looking like a middle-of-the-pack GM, if not worse.

Summary Statistics
Rotation: +32
Bullpen: -2
Lineup: +57
Bench: -5
Defense: -36
W-L record: 85-77

Rotation

Sheets 3.52
Gallardo 3.46
Bush 4.27
Suppan 4.62
Capuano 4.37

Yovani Gallardo is a stud. Given that he only turns 22 next year, and put up a 3.17 FIP in ’07, he may very well beat that projection. He’s one of the three most valuable pitching properties in the game right now, along with Lincecum and Hughes.

The Brewers have some real depth in the rotation, with Manny Parra (4.61), Claudio Vargas (4.86) and Carlos Villanueva (5.02) also available. It’s no wonder that teams are asking about Bush and Capuano.

Bullpen

Turnbow 3.70
Choate 3.91
Vargas 4.03
Wise 4.06
Shouse 4.12
McClung 4.19
Villanueva 4.23

Wow. That is a lot of mediocrity. Francisco Cordero really meant a lot to this team.

Lineup

C: Kendall -0.59 (.215, -4)
1B: Fielder 3.54 (.313, -7)
2B: Weeks 1.18 (.276, -17)
SS: Hardy 1.47 (.255, -7)
3B: Braun 3.35 (.305, -13)
LF: Gross 2.44 (.266, 6)
CF: Hall 2.01 (.265, -4)
RF: Hart 3.08 (.286, 0)

Signing Kendall at all is bad enough. Giving him a guaranteed $4.25 million (and likely double that, since he has a 2009 option that will vest easily if he remains the everyday catcher), is incomprehensible. He’s just a horrendous player in every way.

Worst. Defensive Infield. Ever. And those numbers, as ugly as they are, would represent meaningful improvements for Weeks and Braun.

That Gabe Gross projection looks a little funny, doesn’t it? I’m inclined to guess that he’s not quite that good; he’s been pumping up his rate stats playing part-time over the past couple years. Still, as the left-handed half of a platoon, he’s a real asset.

Bench

Munson .232
Counsell .204
Dillon .271
Mench .249
Gwynn .223

Joe Dillon is the guy who should be platooning with Gross in LF. Eric Munson, obviously, should be starting over Kendall behind the plate.

If I Were in Charge, I Would: The Brewers have a lot to gain simply by deploying their existing assets properly. The obvious things are those that I’ve already mentioned; platoon Dillon with Gross, and make Kendall the bullpen catcher. The tougher decisions consider their talented young defensive trainwrecks, Weeks and Braun.

Braun is the guy who gets most of the attention, but in order for it to make sense to move him to the outfield, you need to find a third baseman who can come close to matching the production of the aforementioned Gross/Dillon platoon, and that’s a lot easier said than done. Weeks, on the other hand, is much more easily fixed. He’s got great speed, and would be a much better CF than he is a 2B – basically, his situation is virtually identical to B.J. Upton’s. And, conveniently enough, the Brewers have Bill Hall, who was a better 2B than he was a CF. So just have those two switch positions, and you’re probably looking at a 1.5-2 win upgrade, maybe more if Weeks really takes to the outfield.

Beyond that, it’s hard to see much that this team can do to improve itself. They do really need a relief ace, though… I’d find out how much the Twins want for Joe Nathan. If they could get Nathan for Hall, and then sign Iguchi or something to take care of the resulting 2B hole, that would look pretty good. Or – and this would be my preferred approach – make a deal with the Yankees for Edwar Ramirez. The Yankees need starting pitching depth, and that’s precisely what the Brewers have to offer. I’ll bet the Brewers could get Ramirez for Bush or Capuano; plug Manny Parra into the vacated rotation spot, Ramirez into the closer’s role, and all of a sudden we’re looking at a likely playoff team.

December 4th, 2007, 01:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
Heltonfan Moderator Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Yerevan, Armenia Posts: 903	Team Spotlight: Milwaukee Brewers The Brewers finally managed to get over the .500 mark this year, and they’re poised to take the next step in 2008. But they appear to be growing dumber. Between last winter’s Suppan signing and Davis/Estrada trade and this winter’s Kendall signing, Doug Melvin is back to looking like a middle-of-the-pack GM, if not worse. Summary Statistics Rotation: +32 Bullpen: -2 Lineup: +57 Bench: -5 Defense: -36 W-L record: 85-77 Rotation Sheets 3.52 Gallardo 3.46 Bush 4.27 Suppan 4.62 Capuano 4.37 Yovani Gallardo is a stud. Given that he only turns 22 next year, and put up a 3.17 FIP in ’07, he may very well beat that projection. He’s one of the three most valuable pitching properties in the game right now, along with Lincecum and Hughes. The Brewers have some real depth in the rotation, with Manny Parra (4.61), Claudio Vargas (4.86) and Carlos Villanueva (5.02) also available. It’s no wonder that teams are asking about Bush and Capuano. Bullpen Turnbow 3.70 Choate 3.91 Vargas 4.03 Wise 4.06 Shouse 4.12 McClung 4.19 Villanueva 4.23 Wow. That is a lot of mediocrity. Francisco Cordero really meant a lot to this team. Lineup C: Kendall -0.59 (.215, -4) 1B: Fielder 3.54 (.313, -7) 2B: Weeks 1.18 (.276, -17) SS: Hardy 1.47 (.255, -7) 3B: Braun 3.35 (.305, -13) LF: Gross 2.44 (.266, 6) CF: Hall 2.01 (.265, -4) RF: Hart 3.08 (.286, 0) Signing Kendall at all is bad enough. Giving him a guaranteed $4.25 million (and likely double that, since he has a 2009 option that will vest easily if he remains the everyday catcher), is incomprehensible. He’s just a horrendous player in every way. Worst. Defensive Infield. Ever. And those numbers, as ugly as they are, would represent meaningful improvements for Weeks and Braun. That Gabe Gross projection looks a little funny, doesn’t it? I’m inclined to guess that he’s not quite that good; he’s been pumping up his rate stats playing part-time over the past couple years. Still, as the left-handed half of a platoon, he’s a real asset. Bench Munson .232 Counsell .204 Dillon .271 Mench .249 Gwynn .223 Joe Dillon is the guy who should be platooning with Gross in LF. Eric Munson, obviously, should be starting over Kendall behind the plate. If I Were in Charge, I Would: The Brewers have a lot to gain simply by deploying their existing assets properly. The obvious things are those that I’ve already mentioned; platoon Dillon with Gross, and make Kendall the bullpen catcher. The tougher decisions consider their talented young defensive trainwrecks, Weeks and Braun. Braun is the guy who gets most of the attention, but in order for it to make sense to move him to the outfield, you need to find a third baseman who can come close to matching the production of the aforementioned Gross/Dillon platoon, and that’s a lot easier said than done. Weeks, on the other hand, is much more easily fixed. He’s got great speed, and would be a much better CF than he is a 2B – basically, his situation is virtually identical to B.J. Upton’s. And, conveniently enough, the Brewers have Bill Hall, who was a better 2B than he was a CF. So just have those two switch positions, and you’re probably looking at a 1.5-2 win upgrade, maybe more if Weeks really takes to the outfield. Beyond that, it’s hard to see much that this team can do to improve itself. They do really need a relief ace, though… I’d find out how much the Twins want for Joe Nathan. If they could get Nathan for Hall, and then sign Iguchi or something to take care of the resulting 2B hole, that would look pretty good. Or – and this would be my preferred approach – make a deal with the Yankees for Edwar Ramirez. The Yankees need starting pitching depth, and that’s precisely what the Brewers have to offer. I’ll bet the Brewers could get Ramirez for Bush or Capuano; plug Manny Parra into the vacated rotation spot, Ramirez into the closer’s role, and all of a sudden we’re looking at a likely playoff team.