30 Teams in 30 Days: Milwaukee Brewers

2012 Record: 83-79 (3rd in the NL Central) 

Key Additions:
Burke Badenhop (Trade w/ TB)
Tom Gorzelanny (2 years, $5.7MM) 
Mike Gonzalez (1 year, $2.25MM) 
Bobby Crosby (Minor League Deal)

Key Subtractions: 
Shaun Marcum (1 year, $4MM w/ NYM) 
Francisco Rodriguez (Still in FA)
Jose Veras (1 year, $2MM w/HOU) 
Kameron Loe (Minor League Contract w/ SEA) 
Manny Parra (1 year, $1MM w/ CIN) 
Raul Mondesi Jr. (Trade w/ TB) 

Which new guy will help the most? 
The Brewers didn't do much this offseason, and ultimately, combining the losses of Greinke and Marcum, they got a whole lot worse. With that being said, the moves that they made to bolster the bullpen are quite respectable. Look for Mike Gonzalez to be a factor in the 'pen. Gonzalez didn't pitch all that much in 2012, but when he was out there, he was quite dominant, posting a 2.98 FIP, and a 9.84 K/9. Gonzalez won't be a star, but the combination of him, Gorzelanny, and Badenhop should replace the likes of K-Rod, Veras, Loe and Parra quite nicely. 

Spring Training Battles

 Who will play first base until Corey Hart returns from injury? Hunter Morris, Taylor Green, or Alex Gonzalez? 

Morris, who put up incredible stats last year in AA, appears to be the favourite for the job right now. Personally, I don't think the Brewers should give him the job right out of camp. The Brew-Crew don't look like they are going to make the playoffs this year, and Morris hasn't had a single at bat in AAA. Why rush him? With Segura playing shortstop, the Brewers don't really have a spot for Alex Gonzalez. Gonzalez is no liability as a fill in at first. If not, you have a MLB ready, young player in Taylor Green, who many say could have a breakout season in 2013. 

Questions heading into the season

After Gallardo, how will the rest of the rotation hold up? 

The projected rotation for the Brewers includes Marco Estrada, Chris Narveson, Mike Fiers, and Wily Peralta. One thing that those 4 have in common is that they are unproven commodities. Also, each of them display a great amount of potential (with the exception of Narveson). Estrada is viewed by many as someone who can provide great production as a 2-3 starter. Fiers was brilliant in a small sample size in 2012, but many scouts say that his stuff isn't good enough to hold up for 2013. Overall, I would say that this rotation isn't going to cut it. Way too many uncertainties for me to put any trust in them right now.

How will Ryan Braun respond to even more steroid speculation? 

Braun, one of the game's best players, tested positive for elevated testosterone levels last year. This year, his name showed up in biogenesis records, next to names like Alex Rodriguez and Melky Cabrera. Just like last year, Braun doesn't appear to be phased by any of this, and stands by his word. Expect more brilliant play out of him in 2013, as he will once again prove his legitimacy as one of the greats in baseball.

Prospect who should have the biggest impact in 2013

Jean Segura, the centrepiece of the Greinke trade with LAA, has the shortstop job this year, and many are expecting big things. He doesn't hit for power, but has the ability to steal 35 bases, and doesn't have issues with getting on base. Although he is slated to start the season in the 9 hole, you could see him taking the leadoff spot away from Nori Aoki by midseason.

Projected Roster (Via mlbdepthcarts.com)

Projected 'Go-To' Starting Lineup (Click HERE to see last 7 lineups)
1 RF Norichika Aoki*
2 2B Rickie Weeks
3 LF Ryan Braun
4 3B Aramis Ramirez
5 C Jonathan Lucroy
6 CF Carlos Gomez
7 1B Hunter Morris* BA#4  
8 SS Jean Segura    

Projected Bench 
C Martin Maldonado 
IF Jeff Bianchi
IF Alex Gonzalez
IF/OF Taylor Green* 
OF Logan Schafer*  

Projected Starting Rotation 
1 RHP Yovani Gallardo
2 RHP Marco Estrada
3 RHP Michael Fiers  
4 LHP Chris Narveson 
5 RHP Wily Peralta BA#1 BP#1

Projected Bullpen 
CL RHP John Axford
SU RHP Jim Henderson
SU RHP Brandon Kintzler 
MID LHP Mike Gonzalez
MID RHP Burke Badenhop
MID LHP Tom Gorzelanny
LR RHP Mark Rogers

Projected Disabled List
Position Players
•1B Mat Gamel* +  TORN ACL - out for the season  
•1B Corey Hart +  KNEE SURGERY ON 1/25/13 - out four months  



Projected Record: 80-82

While the lineup is potent, this rotation will fail to bring the Brewers over the .500 mark. The loss of Zack Greinke (5.1WAR) will prove to hurt much more than they thought it would. While this year doesn't look great, don't look for the Brewers to be selling all of their players just yet. They could be major players next offseason, with all of the pitching talent in the 2014 free agent class. 

George Kottaras Designated for Assignment

George Kottaras Designated for Assignment

(Or to get more Canadians & Patch a hole in the roster)

            Today, with the return of Brewers starting catcher Jonathan Lucroy from the disabled list, the Brewers have decided to keep rookie Martin Maldonado as their backup catcher, and as a result veteran catcher George Kottaras has been designated for assignment.  This means that they have either 10 days to either place him on waivers (and if he clears to send him to the minors), trade him, or release him.  Tom Haurdicourt (@Haurdicourt) from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal tweets…

GM Doug Melvin said he is working on trade involving C George Kottaras, who was DFA'd. Hopes to complete it in day or two

            Meanwhile at almost the exact same time in Toronto, the epidemic of injuries to the Blue Jays continued to spread not only on the mound, but to the men receiving the pitches behind it.  Now that JP Arencibia has broken his hand, the top 3 young catchers are all injured for the rest of the season, including top prospect Travis d’Arnaud (torn PCL), AA catcher AJ Jimenez (undergone Tommy John surgery).   Essentially at this point the only healthy catchers in the Jays system are major league backup Jeff Mathis, pseudo-catcher Yan Gomes, & minor league journeyman Brian Jeroloman.  

            Kottaras is the perfect option to patch over this sudden hole in the Jays system.  Even though he doesn’t make a lot of contact (career .221 Batting Average), but over the past 3 seasons he has the 4^th highest walk rate among catchers with 600 PA, and also has impressive power, with the 13^th highest Isolated Power over the same period of time.  Even if we assume his walk rate is inflated due to him hitting 8^th in the NL in front of the pitcher, he’s still a very capable backup, in fact one of the better ones in all of major league baseball. 

            To put a cherry on top, he’s a good Canadian kid, born and raised in Markham, which isn’t really something that should come into play, but is just a nice bonus. Even better yet for Anthopolous, not only is he Canadian, but he's another Greek-Canadian, which given how well Anthopolous has done has to be seen as a point in his favour.

            On to the actual baseball reasons, I really view this as the perfect situation, for a number of reasons;

1. Kottaras’s skill set is a very nice compliment to Jeff Mathis, since Kottaras is excellent at getting on base, and that’s one of the few things that even this revitalized version of Jeff Mathis will never do well.
2. Since he’s been DFA’d the cost of acquiring him will be little to nothing.  I’d think it would be possible to get him for as little as cash or a Player To Be Named Later, but at most it would cost a C level prospect (like a David Cooper, or Marcus Knecht)
3. He wouldn’t even necessarily be a short term option.  He’s only in his 1^st year of arbitration (and as a super 2 player to boot).  He wouldn’t be eligible for free agency til 2016.  With Jeff Mathis as a free agent this off-season, getting Kottaras might give them some options going forward.
4. Lastly, like most Canadian baseball players, Kottaras hits left-handed, which is an especially useful skill for a catcher.  Given that every notable catchers in the Blue Jays (from Arencibia all the way down to AJ Jimenez in AA) are right handed, it could increase the chances of him sticking around going forward.

            While this might seem like a minor transaction, but I think it would make an awful lot of sense, and the downside is basically nothing.

Lee, Greinke Find New Teams

Cliff Lee, the most prize free agent of the 2010-2011 off-season,is off the market.A 2008 Cy Young winner, and October baseball fanatic, Lee signed a 5 year $120 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. Lee will join 2010 Cy Young winner Roy Halladay, Three time All-Star Roy Oswalt, 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels, and Joe Blanton, to make up the best rotation in baseball today, and arguably the best in history. Expect the Phillies to be serious contenders in the 2011 World Series chase.

On December 17th, Zack Greinke, a 2009 Cy Young winner, asked his team¸the Kansas City Royals to be traded.The obvious reason was because the Royals have finished in the cellar of the AL Central more than one would want too. On December 19th, Greinke was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. Just days before that, Shaun Marcum, the 2010 Opening day starter for the Blue Jays was traded to the Brew Crew.With those two additions the Brewers basically secure the division crown, in the NL Central.They now have an amazing rotation, to go along with one of the best offenses in the National League.

This might be a little to early, but this is what the 2011 playoffs look life in my head.

Phillies over Cardinals 3-1
Brewers over Giants 3-2

Yankees over Rangers 3-0
Red Sox over White Sox 3-2

Phillies over Brewers 4-2
Red Sox over Yankees 4-1

Phillies over Red Sox 4-3

The Phillies have too good of a pitching rotation,for the league`s best offense from Bean town to beat them.