How’s the velocity? Was way down before from what I read...
El-Ka-Bong posted:Sources: #Brewers have considered possibility of acquiring Mike Moustakas and moving Travis Shaw to 2B, but pitching may become the more urgent priority following Suter injury. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 23, 2018.
Done. Brett Phillips and Jorge Lopez going to KC.
Shaw supposedly moving to 2B.
Looks like the Brewers are doing the Moustakas deal...
I guess it’s.... creative?
Seems like an overpay, for a poisition without.a need (how Billy Bean to think Shaw at 2nd will go smoothly). I had hoped the assets could get us somewhere closer to a need. I guess Phillips was a casualty of the 40 man crunch?
They needed another bat and no question the guy can hit. I liked him better than Dozier. Sounds like his contract is similar to Soria w/ mutual option for 2019.
Only question is shifting Shaw to 2B?
I will go with glass half full and call this creative rather than confusing. There could be another move yet although it would be said to see Shaw moved as he has been a big part of this quick upswing for the club. And seems like a great guy.
They could always get creative with the lineup as well. More of a straight platoon at first (Shaw and Ags), Braun and Thames as a straight platoon in the OF and pulling Shaw in late innings when he is at 2B.
Not sure lineup wise, position wise, money wise and future wise but I endorse this move. I have always liked MM. I trust the manager and coaches will be able to jockey the players enough to put all in positions to help the club.
I think they needed to do something, they did. Could there be any more changes coming?
I think they may feel Shaw is ultimately a 1B. Where does Aguilar fit long term? Is he trade bait because he really is more of a 1B/DH type? Can’t believe they think Thames is a long term guy. The sooner they get rid of Braun the better.
Moustskas joins a curious logjam...
Music City posted:...a curious logjam...
They had a curious logjam in the OF before the season but they have needed every one of those guys plus. I guess with a being a small market (and cheap before MA), logjams seem bad. You can include me as 'fighting that feeling' as well.
They do need to add another starter of some sort yet however IMO…
Analytics guys on Twitter seem to really like the moves- if Shaw can handle the D the offensive improvements are substantial.
I don’t think the long term plan is Shaw at first or second. He’s a fine third basemen and those are hard enough to find
right handed pitchers have to love seeing this line up coming
Gotta do something about Arcia....he is just brutal at the plate
Article in the JSO:
Stearns thinking outside the box
Interesting that Stearns is not prioritizing fielding in an era where there’s more Ks than ever... might just be the answer to the trend.
Shaw at 2nd no worse than the guy from TB. Lineup just got tweaked for sure. Arica at SS would balance the defense.
Now who’s the new starter going to be?
DeGrom.
Or somebody mediocre who we don’t like because he is mediocre.
(Like Chacin)
I'm torn about giving up 'the farm' for an ace or snagging a middle of the road type.
I wish someone had a crystal ball regarding Jimmy Nelson...
DeGromme is worth everyone except Hiura, IMO. That’s the only guy I think is indispensable, because he’s Molitor.
The Mets can get plenty better with the other prospects they can offer. The Cubs aren’t going away- they need more pitching.
You'd be crazy not to trade Hiura for De Grom. De Grom is a proven MLB stud pitcher. Hiura is a possibility, a might be.
Another 2nd baseman?! Sooooo.......we started the season with Villar, Perez and Sogard. Signed Saledino. Signed Brad Miller. Cut Sogard. Still no production so let's trade for Moustakas and move Shaw to 2nd. Now they trade for Schoop?! WTF Another .220 can't get on base middle infielder. I like Stearns, but this erection he has for middle infielders is bizarre.
I liked the Moose trade but have no idea why they dealt for Schoop. Seems strange especially if they think Hiura is their guy long term at 2B.
Would have liked to see another SP but this shows that Stearns is all in on a bullpen leading approach. He must also think that either Davies or Nelson are coming back.
Can't say that Stearns is not creative. Couple points after reading up on this:
1. Schoop is red hot right now and, believe or not, was once in the top 12 in MVP voting some year. Not a great OBP, a major upgrade at the plate over EVERYBODY (except Shaw) the Crew has trotted out there.
2. Shaw has been brutal against lefties. Now you just sit him (or play the matchups with Moose) against them.
3. The Cubs have a lefty dominant staff. Need some right handed pop.
I wanted another starter like everybody else but maybe the right deal didn't present itself? They could still get somebody as well.
Is the team better than it was before the deadline? I would say emphatically 'yes!'
EDIT: I will also add that Aguiliar seems to be coming down to earth (we knew he would, right?). Allows for more lineup flexibility.
I believe the Brewers got Don Sutton on a waiver deal, so another starter could be acquired yet.
Verlander was a waiver deal last year. Worked out well. I will readily admit, the baseball trade set-up is confusing but we do know it still is possible to get another starter who will be available for the postseason.
Aguilar coming “down to earth” is the least surprising development of the year. That’s why they needed to add more offense. No way he could keep up that pace.
The starting pitching can be OK as long as the pen doesn’t falter or suffer injuries. I would have liked another arm instead of Schoop but I have to believe Stearns has a contingency plan. Dude is as prepared as anyone.
I wanted an ace, didn’t like the price particularly for Archer.
I like Scope though. I refuse to write Schoop.
Cubs getting Murphy for nothing to play second sure makes Stearns look like a chump
I'll be fair to Stearns and say that it's hard to believe just how bad Schoop has been after having been one of the hotter hitters in baseball shortly before being traded here. It's been one of his worst moves to be sure, but I don't know that anyone could have forecast Schoop becoming a guy that might not even be in the class of Eric Sogard.