While few pundits picked the Brewers to make the playoffs this year, Milwaukee's 4-15 record following Sunday's game has the Brew Crew poised for its worst record since going 56-106 in 2002. Worse yet, the organization's fall from grace has come at a time when three of the four teams ahead of it in the suddenly ultra-competitive NL Central could remain juggernauts for years to come.
The 1st-place Cardinals have long been baseball's premier franchise. In the 15 seasons since the turn of the century, St. Louis has played in the postseason an astounding 11 times, including winning four National League titles and hoisting the World Series trophy twice. And through astute drafting, strong trades, and prudent forays into the free agent market, the Cards don't look like they'll go away anytime soon.
After 20 years of futility, the Pirates, NL Wild Card contestants
the last two seasons, have built a winner with staying power. Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen are two of
the division's best 28-and-under talents, while minor leaguers like Tyler Glasnow,
Austin Meadows, and Reese McGuire will help ensure this winning tradition
continues.
When Theo Epstein took over as the Cubs' president in 2011,
he promised to turn baseball's perpetual doormats into a "player
development machine." Well, he wasn't lying. In less than four years, Epstein & Co.
have added the likes of Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Jorge Soler, Albert Almora, Kyle Schwarber and others to form the game's most impressive stable of
young, high-end talent.
Simply put, the Brewers picked the wrong time to enter baseball's abyss. However, there is a silver lining. Unlike most cellar-dwelling teams, Milwaukee actually has a decent number of star-caliber, cost-controllable players who would command a sizeable return if traded. This potential bounty would combine with the high-end prospects the Brewers have already accumulated to put the club on a sharp upward trajectory.
Brewers' GM Doug Melvin's sexiest trade piece is CF CarlosGomez. The 29-year-old Gomez is a 2-time All Star and
former Gold Glove winner whose WAR of 13.7 in 2013-14 lags only Mike Trout and McCutchen among center fielders.
Equally as important, Gomez is under contract through next year, when he
will earn a measly $9 million. Gomez'
broad skill set and affordability would easily net the Brewers at least one
A-rated prospect and two complementary pieces in a trade. Top suitors at this early date could be the Indians
and Mariners, whose incumbent center fielders Michael Bourn and Austin Jackson have been trending down for several years. The Blue Jays could also enter the mix,
especially if GM Alex Anthopoulos thinks rookie CF Dalton Pompey needs more
seasoning in the minors.
C Jonathan Lucroy, just 28, is another trade chip who would
bring back a bonanza in a trade. Not only
is Lucroy one of MLB's best-hitting backstops, but he's also outstanding at
pitch framing, a skill that's received increased scrutiny as more sophisticated
methods of statistical analysis within the sport have emerged. And like Gomez, Lucroy's contract--including
an affordable $5.25 million team option for 2017, he's due to earn just $9.25
million in 2016-17--ensures he can fit into any team's budget. The Astros, Marlins, Nationals, Red Sox, and White
Sox are all teams with aspirations of October baseball who could be seeking an
upgrade behind the plate. The return for
Lucroy should approximate the prospect treasure that a trade of Gomez would
fetch.
SS Jean Segura, 25, has appeared to bounce back nicely from a
down 2014, a year wracked by personal tragedy.
In 2013, Segura posted a robust .423 slugging percentage and 44 steals
to produce a solid WAR of 3.5. Not
arbitration eligible until after this season, Segura's upside and low price tag
would likely translate into a package of two solid prospects in a trade.
Those worried about who would replace the departed Segura
need to look no further than Triple A Colorado Springs, where 21-year-old
defensive wizard Luis Sardinas is holding his own with the bat. However, Segura's ultimate replacement will
be 20-year-old wunderkind Orlando Arcia, who's currently slashing to the tune of
.423/.492/.596 at Double AA Biloxi.
Arcia's glove is already big-league ready and once he fills out his 6-00,
170-pound frame he could project as a poor man's Nomar Garciaparra, but with
more steals and better defense. He's
that good.
Arcia forms one-third of a troika of talented Brewers
prospects. RF Clint Coulter is the
second guy fans in Milwaukee should be excited about. Coulter, 21, is a converted catcher, who in
his first full season in the outfield has evidently enjoyed being liberated
from the physical rigors of catching.
The Washington native has started off the year on fire, slashing .338/.434/.708
with 6 home runs in just 17 games at High A Brevard County. Rock solid at 6-03 and 220 pounds, Coulter's
power and patience at the plate mesh nicely with his cannon arm in the outfield
and evoke memories of long-time Angels great Tim Salmon.
Southpaw Kodi Medeiros is still just 18, which means that
the word "caution" is the first word that should be used when
describing his potential. However, his
97 mph fastball and dynamite breaking stuff could enable him to move quickly
through the Brewers' chain. He's also
off to a hot start, posting nearly a K/IP of nearly 12 and WHIP of .78 at Low A
Wisconson.
Any discussion about Milwaukee's future fortunes would be
incomplete if it didn't mention upcoming drafts. The Brewers under new Scouting Director Ray
Montgomery pick 15th this year in a draft that may be short on historical,
franchise-changing talent at the top but is still considered deep by most
insiders. And next year, assuming its
horrid start is not an aberration, the club will have a top-3 pick in a draft looks
like it will be loaded with premium talent.
Throwing in the towel on this season, and most likely 2016
and 2017 as well, certainly won't be easy for Brewers owner Mark Attanasio, one
of baseball's best front men. Despite
drawing from MLB's smallest metropolitan areas, Milwaukee's payroll has
consistently been in the middle of the pack as Attanasio has made winning a
priority since purchasing the team in 2005.
However, Attanasio should realize that taking a step back to regroup now
will put his club in a better position going forward to achieve sustained
success in dog-eat-dog world of the NL Central.
