Dear Milwaukee Brewers Front Office, As I’m sure you’ve been made aware at some point, the Houston Astros have placed Carlos Gomez on release waivers. Even if you haven’t heard yet, you probably could’ve guessed, seeing as the Astros designated him for assignment earlier in the week. You guys know that Gomez was designated for […]
Tag: David Stearns
Investing in Executive Structure
One of the curiosities of the 2016 Brewers rebuild withstood the trade deadline. Mysteries about whether Jonathan Lucroy would be traded (he would), relievers would be traded (they would), starting pitchers would be traded (nope!), any position players would be traded (Aaron Hill), or any top prospects graduated to the MLB (Welcome, Orlando Arcia!) were […]
The Brewers By Elo Rating
FiveThirtyEight followed their fascinating NBA and NFL franchise value Elo Ratings by introducing such ratings for MLB franchises. Their published results are fascinating because they blend zero-sum judgments of each team (when the Brewers beat the Nationals, for example, the Nationals lost exactly the same number of points that the Brewers gained) with weighted predictions […]
Stop Comparing the Brewers to the Cubs
It’s easy to compare the Brewers to the Cubs. Both teams are in the same division, and one is gleaming the success of a rebuild. The Cubs are on pace to have one of the best seasons in recent memory. They are doing it on the backs of their young and talented stars. The Brewers are […]
The New Professional Orthodoxy
MLB analytics is an austerity movement. As MLB fans clamor for new metrics or data formats, the language of “market inefficiencies” and exploitation seep deeper and deeper into the game’s descriptive fabric. Amateur fan and professional executive interests align in the search for unforeseen, ignored, or under-appreciated skills in order to maximize value. Fans love […]
Processes and Gamesmanship
This weekend, I went on Baseball Prospectus’ Effectively Wild podcast and took part in their Brewers preview episode. I came to some pretty pessimistic conclusions about the Brewers future. I don’t see them contending in the next three years, and I don’t see a clear path to that point. It’s obvious what the Brewers need to […]
Addressing a Potential Problem with David Stearns’ Roster Building
I will begin this by saying that I am a fan of what new Brewers GM David Stearns has done this offseason. He inherited a team with a promising farm system but little major-league talent, and he has spent this winter accumulating useful options. None of them are likely to break out, but many of […]
Will Stearns Upgrade Center Field Next?
The Brewers entered the offseason with two gaping holes, in center field and at third base, and a couple of minor ones, notably first base and second base. Thus far this offseason, they have addressed three of those spots—first base, second base, and third base—although obviously to varying degrees. By bringing in Will Middlebrooks, Jonathan […]
Brewers Sign Chris Carter, Continue Upgrade In Key Area
David Stearns and the Milwaukee Brewers had been unnaturally vocal about their desire to sign a free-agent first baseman this winter. Media reports repeatedly connected Pedro Alvarez to the Brewers, to the point that it seemed inevitable. Of course, Alvarez made a lot of sense for the club, but Stearns changed speeds yet again this winter. […]
Top Brewers Storylines of 2015: Stearns In, Melvin Out
The number one story here at Baseball Prospectus Milwaukee has been the reorganization of the front office in the wake of the Brewers’ dreadful 2015. On September 21st, general manager Doug Melvin transitioned to an advisory role within the organization and made way for a new GM, David Stearns, formerly the assistant general manager for […]