When the Milwaukee Brewers non-tendered Chris Carter and his projected $8.1 million arbitration salary, many wondered why the team would get rid of the National Leagues home run co-leader and how they would replace his run production in the middle of the Brewers lineup. Almost immediately, the team announced the signing of Eric Thames on a […]
Category: Articles
Cashing Out OFP
In 2016, MLB owners spent approximately $4 billion on approximately 1065 WARP produced by both batters and pitchers. While the common market assumption prices one additional win above replacement at $7 million on the free market, the vast majority of MLB contracts are not signed on the free market, which drives the cost of WARP […]
The Intriguing Brent Suter
Spring training is officially underway, and this year’s battle for roster spots should be one for the ages. On a rebuilding club like the Brewers, the first few weeks of March function as an extended open audition. You can see it all over the diamond. Keon Broxton digs in his cleats as Lewis Brinson nips […]
When Will the Brewers Spend Again?
For fans in other markets, the fact that the Milwaukee Brewers will enter the 2017 season with Major League Baseball’s lowest payroll won’t move the needle at all. Milwaukee is competing with Minnesota to the west and Chicago to the south, they haven’t ever won consistently, and are in the midst of a rebuild. And […]
Roster Surprises
It’s been 146 days since the Milwaukee Brewers have played a competitive baseball game against another team, defeating the Colorado Rockies by a score of 6-4 on October 2nd, 2016. That streak mercifully ends today, as our local nine kicks off this year’s slate of Spring Training games at 2:05 PM CST with an exhibition against […]
Optimal PECOTA Roster
Given the chance, it’s safe to say that everyone would go back if they could and do something a little differently. Maybe you’d not spend your high school years with a chili bowl haircut, or last week you’d politely decline a second piece of key lime pie because your server has “never seen anyone eat […]
Knowing Your Surroundings
It is no secret we are in part defined by our environment, and in some cases, like any Colorado Rockies pitcher in their entire franchises history, completely engulfed by it. In the case of Miller Park, the Milwaukee Brewers’ home since 2001, it too has created its own environment and effect on the Brewers and […]
On Tunnels and CSAA
At the end of January, BaseballProspectus introduced several new metrics to dive deeper into pitching analysis. Called Strikes Above Average is one potentially useful metric for judging a pitcher’s command since it assesses the called strikes that a pitcher creates (controlled for the umpire, catcher, and other factors). Pitch tunnels is another potentially useful metric, […]
Austerity and Collusion
The Milwaukee Brewers rebuilding and analytics campaign fits perfectly with a new narrative of revenue reorganization within the MLB. Mirroring a broader era of austerity in the United States of America, MLB owners are redistributing revenue upwards, to the detriment of both MLB and minor league payrolls, as well as draft and international spending bonuses. […]
Thinking Outside the Box 1: The Piggyback Rotation
“I don’t want to be the next Michael Jordan. I only want to be Kobe Bryant.” Over the past year and a half, a narrative of deep relief has been palpable among the Milwaukee faithful. Since David Stearns took the reins of the front office the Brewers have made grand, albeit remedial, strides to catch […]