Entering the 2018-2019 offseason, there remains a contentious debate among many Brewers fans about the need for the Brewers to improve starting pitching. Who can blame these fans? They just spent three weeks watching national analysts bludgeon the Brewers roster construction, bemoaning at nearly every chance that an ace would be preferable to whatever the […]
Tag: Corbin Burnes
Weekend Recap: Milwaukee LCS
After two games, the Brewers are tied 1-1 with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. The blown lead in Game 2 will not sit well with the team if they fail to advance to the World Series, but the Brewers are not in a terrible position as the series heads to Los Angeles. Everything […]
Is the Playoff ‘Pen Sustainable?
On Sunday, with the Division Series on the line, Craig Counsell turned once again to Jeremy Jeffress in the ninth inning, this time with a six-run lead. While Jeffress has been a lights-out closer throughout September and dominant all season long, it would have been his fourth inning pitched in as many days, after throwing […]
What is Player Development?
Brewers GM David Stearns had a wild non-waiver trade deadline to close July, and the GM once again proved that he was not afraid to deal potentially quality talent as the August waiver trade deadline was closing. As the waiver trade deadline closed, Stearns parted with college catching development project KJ Harrison (who might also […]
Grading the System 3
The splash happened: For two-and-a-half years, Brewers fans and analysts wondered aloud what it might take for GM David Stearns to trade an impact prospect at the trade deadline. The debate softened somewhat during the 2017-2018 offseason, as Stearns certainly proved himself capable of parting with (several) impact prospects. This transaction was always explained away, […]
The Brewers Can’t Afford To Be Dumb
In the first half of the season Craig Counsell acted intelligently, especially about the use of is pitchers. This was important because the back half of the Brewer lineup was simply terrible, and to win games, they had to lock down the opponent. This is basically what happened as the Brewers surged to lead the […]
Weekend Recap: Burnes and Saladino
Well, that was the definition of a no good, very bad week for Milwaukee. The Brewers were swept in a five-game series by the Pirates, they lost six games in a row for the first time this season, and, looking further back, they limped into the All-Star break with a 2-8 record in their last […]
Recycle the Rebuild: The Great Non-Move
Last year, I criticized Brewers GM David Stearns for his lack of midseason moves to address a starting pitching rotation that became greatly diminished down the stretch. The criticism was a part of a general frustration that the club had not done enough to reach the playoffs. After executing a very swift rebuilding effort (that […]
Aces Don’t Exist: Third Time Charmers
The Brewers are gaining a reputation for becoming a bullpen squad, part of the MLB bullpen revolution, and rightfully so. Over the offseason, the Brewers lost out on all the major free agency starting pitchers, and never consummated a trade for one of the (presumably, oft-rumored) available aces, instead remaining satisfied with marginal moves involving […]
Minor League Stories to Watch
Minor League baseball is underway, and the Brewers brought a strong system into 2018 in spite of recent trades and graduations. Expect plenty more graduations this year, and maybe some trades, too. What stands out about this Milwaukee system is its depth. There are plenty of talented players waiting to rise up and claim their […]