The 2018 Brewers should hit. Barring a major Spring Training trade, they’re set to enter the season with the deepest lineup in recent Milwaukee history. The lone remaining area of uncertainty is at second base, where incumbents Jonathan Villar and Eric Sogard figure to squabble for playing time, each trying to prove that their respective […]
Author: Noah Nofz
It’s Time for López
Over the next week, the 2018 Milwaukee Brewers and Brewers-hopefuls will trickle into Maryvale and begin their preparations for what should be an exciting season in the NL Central. Among them: Erstwhile top prospect Jorge López, who recently dominated Winter League ball for the third consecutive year. López has become something of a forgotten man […]
Don’t You (Forget About Jacob Nottingham)
By and large, selling a rebuild to fans isn’t that tough. The last two World Series winners, after all, run on talented young cores that were acquired via lengthy rebuilding projects. The truth is that it’s easier to lose when the future looks bright, and the Brewers system has in recent years been home to […]
Christian Bethancourt: The Upside of Underwhelming
On Monday, January 8, the Brewers signed catcher Christian Bethancourt, a 26-year-old former top prospect known for his strong throwing arm and athleticism. He happens to carry a career AAA slash line of .298/.326/.437, too, and hasn’t yet accumulated a full season’s worth of plate appearances in the big leagues. At least that’s one way […]
The Quiet Upside of Tyler Webb
As the 2017 All-Star break wound down on the morning of July 13, the insurgent Milwaukee Brewers ruled the NL Central by 5.5 games. Against expectations, the Brewers were in a position to buy at the deadline, and had already been linked to a handful of top pitching targets. That very day, the Cubs went […]
Understanding Brett Phillips
It’s hard to overstate the significance of the July 2015 trade deadline. No other 48-hour period has so dramatically altered the franchise than the one that netted the Crew Domingo Santana, Brett Phillips, Josh Hader, and Adrian Houser (to say nothing of Zach Davies, who found his way into Brewers blue through a separate deal). […]
Rule 5 Draft: Names to Watch
You’ve heard about the one about the slow offseason, right? We’re into December now and, for one reason or another, no one has managed to ignite the hot stove’s pilot light. That all figures to change soon. The 2017 Winter Meetings kick off on December 10, and the ingredients this year (Stanton, Ohtani, Darvish, Arrieta) […]
Checking In on the Lind Trade
On December 9, 2015, the Milwaukee Brewers traded their starting first baseman for a trio of teenaged pitchers. Adam Lind, the first baseman in question, had just batted .277 for the Brewers with 20 home runs, a high walk rate, and a TAv of .294. Defensive deficiencies prevented him from being more than an average […]
Corey Ray: Pedigree and Performance
In 2017, Corey Ray was named a mid-season All-Star for the Carolina Mudcats. He was selected to participate in the 2017 SiriusXM All-Star Futures game alongside fellow baby Brewers Lewis Brinson and Mauricio Dubon. During batting practice, Ray turned heads by walloping eight balls over the outfield fence, which was the highest total among the […]
The Houston Adjustment
Outside my apartment is a deep and endless sea of orange. I live in Houston, where the Astros just dispatched the Yankees en route to their first American League pennant. While it’s hard not to get caught up in the city’s infectious enthusiasm, mostly I wonder when Milwaukee will experience a similar moment. I grew […]