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MLB Winter Meetings: Logan Morrison market "getting a bit warmer"

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The Brewers continue to be mentioned in connection to the longtime Marlin.

Rumors are swirling at the MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, and one of the latest involves the Brewers and Marlins. Jon Heyman has the scoop:

Logan "LoMo" Morrison is 26 years old, bats left-handed and is a career .249/.337/.427 career hitter over 363 games in four MLB seasons. Those numbers are a bit deceptive, though, as he's posted an OPS slightly over .700 in part-time duty in each of the last two seasons. The Marlins signed Garrett Jones today, so Morrison is a bit redundant on their roster.

Morrison's numbers would probably look better in an offense-neutral environment, as he hit 23 homers in Sun Life Stadium in 2011 but has hit just 17 in two years since the Marlins moved into Marlins Park. He's played 240 games in the outfield and 101 at first base in his career, but was exclusively a first baseman in 2013. FanGraphs has him as a very poor defensive outfielder, worth -15.6 runs per 150 games in left field according to UZR.

I guess Morrison makes sense for the Brewers in two situations:

  • First, if the Brewers aren't confident in their ability to sign Corey Hart, Morrison would be an alternative at first base. It's possible, though, that better offensive upgrades could be available.
  • Second, if the Brewers think Morrison can still play the outfield, then he could split or compete for playing time with Khris Davis in left field while also being available to take a game or two a week at first base.

The Marlins opted to tender Morrison a 2014 contract instead of letting him become a free agent last week, so clearly they think they can get something for him in trade. Morrison is eligible for arbitration for the first time in 2014 and Matt Swartz of MLB Trade Rumors predicts he'll receive $1.7 million.

It's hard to peg Morrison's value at this point. The fact that he's under team control for three more seasons certainly means he's worth something, but at this point he may only be a fringe major leaguer.


2013 MLB Winter Meetings Brewers News

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We're discussing the latest from Orlando in this continually-updated winter meetings guide.

Some things to read while looking for your saxophone.

We are 67 days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Maryvale and all eyes are on Orlando, where the 2013 Winter Meetings officially opened today. It'll be a week of rumors, speculation and alcohol consumption, and it kicked off this morning with a report that the Brewers are expected to meet with Jeff Berry, who represents Corey Hart, while the two are in town.

Tom Haudricourt, for what it's worth, reports that Hart is not expected to be in Orlando this week. I guess you could infer a lot of things from that, but to me it implies a general lack of urgency to potentially expand his market or get a deal done. Buster Olney also seems to suggest Hart is taking things slowly in our Tweet of the Day:

Jon Heyman (via Twitter) says Hart is also a target for the Mariners.

If the Brewers' discussions regarding Hart don't go well, there are still other first base options out there. Mass Haas of Brewerfan.net makes the case for the Brewers to consider Michael Morse, another player coming off an injury-riddled 2013.

The Brewers could also use this week to search for possible bullpen help. In his winter meetings preview Adam McCalvy mentioned that possibility. He also talked to Doug Melvin, who downplayed the significance of this week and the team's likelihood of making any major moves.

Of course, conversation continues regarding the Brewers' big move from last week, trading Norichika Aoki to the Royals for Will Smith. Here are the latest notes on the deal:

The Aoki trade would seem to open the door for Khris Davis to play every day in left field, but he told Todd Rosiak he's not taking that for granted. I suspect sometime between now and spring training the Brewers will look for a veteran to challenge him for that job.

Wouldn't it be something if the Brewers replaced Aoki with another Japanese outfielder? Pinstripe Alley says the Yankees are looking to trade Ichiro Suzuki this winter, and suggests they may have to eat some of his salary to be able to do so.

With that said, bringing in Ichiro would fill up a roster spot that could go to someone like Irving Falu. Lee Warren of Minor League Ball has a look at Falu's near-legendary status as a longtime Omaha Royal.

Elsewhere on the fringe of a roster spot, we have Johnny Hellweg. Curt Hogg of Disciples of Uecker looks at Hellweg's long-term prospects and hits the nail on the head with this line:

"Hellweg's future as a major leaguer rests on his ability to gain command."

There may be reason to be more optimistic about Jimmy Nelson's long term contributions at this point, but he also faces an uphill battle to make the Opening Day roster. Justin Schultz of Reviewing the Brew attempted to project Nelson's future and says "In all likelihood, Nelson will begin the 2014 season in Nashville."

In the minors:

  • All of the Caribbean League teams featuring Brewers were off on Sunday, but Morineko has more on Brewers offseason activity in her weekly look at winter ball, including notes on new Brewer Irving Falu in Puerto Rico and 2013 Huntsville Star Eric Marzec in Australia.
  • Carson Cistulli of NotGraphs, by the way, has details on how you can watch Australian games this winter.

Meanwhile, the rumor regarding the Brewers possibly moving spring training to Florida isn't going away. Space Coast Daily is the latest to report on the possibility that the Brewers could move into the Blue Jays' current facility in Dunedin. With that said, Adam McCalvy threw some cold water on the speculation this morning.

If the Brewers are considering moving to Florida, then 2014 could be one of your last chances to see the team in Maryvale. Spring training tickets went on sale on Saturday.

Around baseball:

Astros: Signed pitcher Scott Feldman to a three-year, $30 million contract and reliever Chad Qualls to a two-year, $6 million contract.
Mariners: Signed second baseman Robinson Cano to a ten-year, $240 million contract.
Marlins: Are expected to sign 1B/OF Garrett Jones to a two-year, $7.5 million contract.
Mets: Signed outfielder Curtis Granderson to a four-year, $60 million contract.
Nationals: Signed outfielder Nate McLouth to a two-year, $10.75 million contract.
Rangers: Signed catcher J.P. Arencibia to a one-year, $1.8 million contract.
Red Sox: Re-signed first baseman Mike Napoli to a two-year, $32 million contract.
Reds: Re-signed catcher Corky Miller to a minor league deal.
Yankees: Signed outfielder Carlos Beltran (three years, $45 million) and pitcher Hiroki Kuroda (one year, $16 million).

The Mariners made big news with the Cano signing, but even that wasn't a big enough splash to cover up this story: Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times has perhaps the most damning takedown of an MLB front office you'll ever see, with former Mariners manager Eric Wedge and advisor (and Brewers exec) Tony Blengino absolutely destroying Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln, team president Chuck Armstrong and general manager Jack Zduriencik. Among the allegations: Blengino, while working for the Brewers, wrote Zduriencik's job application for the Mariners.

The Winter Meetings are known, of course, for breaking and unscheduled news, but by the time you read this the first piece of scheduled news is likely to have been announced. The Veterans Committee will name their selections to the MLB Hall of Fame this morning and longtime managers Bobby Cox, Joe Torre and Tony La Russa are all expected to be inducted.

By the way, Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish is live in Orlando all week, so keep an eye on that link and follow him on Twitter for all the latest news.

In former Brewers:

History would suggest that Yuniesky Betancourt won't be the only free agent who has to wait deep into the winter (and maybe spring) to find a new home for next season. Kyle Lohse was that player last winter, and D.J. Short of Hardball Talk wonders who it will happen to this year. He suggests former Mariners first baseman Kendrys Morales, but I suspect Nelson Cruz is also a possibility.

Today in baseball economics: The Orioles are raising ticket prices for 2014, and Camden Chat has a great look at what that might imply about the franchise's long term economics.

With help from the B-Ref Play Index, we'd like to wish a happy birthday today to:

Plunk Everyone notes that Medich's 35 career hit batsmen are the third most ever for a pitcher born on December 9.

Today is also the 36th anniversary of the Brewers acquiring outfielder Ben Oglivie in a trade with the Tigers. We covered that event in Today In Brewer History two years ago.

Now, if you'll excuse me, it's my turn again.

Drink up.

Winter Meetings Rumors: Brewers talk to Mets, Hart

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This certainly doesn't feel like a team confident in their ability to bring Corey Hart back.

A few moments ago we learned that the Brewers are among the candidates to trade for Marlins first baseman Logan Morrison. They're apparently also still a candidate to acquire a first baseman from the Mets, and re-sign their own.

The Brewers met with the Mets today to talk about New York's available first basemen, but also met with Jeff Berry, who represents Corey HartAdam McCalvy has the scoop on Twitter from both meetings, and says "groundwork" took place on both fronts.

The Brewers and Mets were connected in rumors several weeks ago about a deal that could include both Norichika Aoki and New York 1B Ike Davis. The Brewers have since moved Aoki to Kansas City but appear to maintain at least passing interest in Davis, a 26-year-old .242/.334/.434 hitter. Davis hit 32 home runs in 2012 (no small feat at Citi Field) but his production declined sharply in 2013, as he hit just .205/.326/.334 in 103 games. He was much better after a month-long stint in AAA, though, wrapping up the season with a .267/.429/.443 line in his last 48 appearances.

The Brewers could also be interested in Lucas Duda, who is 27 and a very similar career .246/.342/.424 hitter. Duda appeared in 100 games for the Mets in 2013 and hit 15 home runs.

The fact that the Brewers have been connected to two different teams' available first basemen today would suggest that a potential return for Corey Hart is anything but a given at this point. Brewers execs met with Hart's agent today and plan to talk again but nothing is imminent, according to Tom Haudricourt.

Brewers Injuries: Tom Gorzelanny has shoulder surgery

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The lefty swingman won't be ready for the start of spring training, but could still make the Opening Day roster.

As part of his 3 pm briefing with reporters on Monday Doug Melvin revealed some bad news: Tom Gorzelanny recently underwent shoulder surgery and won't be available to pitch again until mid-March at the earliest. Tom Haudricourt posted the news first.

Gorzelanny made 43 appearances (including ten starts) for the Brewers in 2013 but also had two stints on the shelf with shoulder soreness, sitting out from May 7-25 and again from September 2 through the end of the season. He had told reporters his goal was to get back on the mound for the season's final game but he was unable to do so.

Even if Gorzelanny can pitch again in mid-March, it's hard to believe he'd be ready to be a member of the Opening Day roster with just two weeks of preparation. Shoulder injuries are notoriously difficult to rebound from, so it's possible the Brewers will elect to take it slow with him and allow him to open the season on the DL.

Gorzelanny is 31 and 2013 was his ninth major league season. This is his only recent bout with shoulder issues, although he did spend some time on the DL with elbow inflammation as a member of the Nationals in 2011.

Gorzelanny is due to make $2.95 million in 2014 in the final season of his two-year contract.

Logan Morrison trade rumors: Brewers, Blue Jays, Rays and Pirates interested in Marlins' 1B

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The trade market for Marlins' first baseman Logan Morrison is beginning to heat up as a number of teams have shown interest.

It is looking more and more likely that the Marlins are going to trade Logan Morrison, as the Brewers, Blue Jays, Pirates and Rays have all shown interest in the first baseman, according to Jon Heyman. However, the Rays may not be interested after all, as Joel Sherman notes.

Morrison is 26 and eligible for salary arbitration for the first time in his career. Although he was a top-20 prospect as late as 2010, he has yet to hit consistently in the major leagues. Across four seasons with the Marlins, he has hit only .249/.337/.427 in nearly 1,500 plate appearances. The Marlins could be tired of waiting for him to live up to his potential and unwilling to give him a raise in order to find out if he ever will.

The Brewers struggled mightily to find production from first base in 2013. When Corey Hart was unable to go, they trotted out a number of miserable replacements that combined for an anemic .206/.259/.370. Yuniesky Betancourt saw the second-most action at first base on the team. Although Morrison is no great shakes, he would be a significant upgrade over the in-house candidates.

The Pirates have a need at first base now that Garrett Jones and Justin Morneau have signed elsewhere. Ironically enough, Jones inked a two-year pact with the Marlins, making Morrison that much more expendable. Jones was used in both the outfield and at first base, which may be the kind of role the Pirates see for Morrison.

The Rays need a first baseman now that James Loney is a free agent, but there are conflicting reports as to whether or not they are interested in Morrison. The Rays got a nice rebound season out of Loney for only $2 million, but he is now a free agent and could be more expensive than they like.

It's a bit less apparent why the Blue Jays would be interested in Morrison. They already have the likes of Edwin Encarncion and Adam Lind at first base and DH, though they could be looking for someone to push Melky Cabrera in left field after his rough 2013.

More from SB Nation MLB:

The best remaining free agents in a post-Cano world

Neyer: Hall of Fame adds Torre, La Russa and Cox

Shin-Soo Choo, the last premium free agent available

Roy Halladay to retire a Blue Jay

Death of a Ballplayer: Wrongly convicted prospect spends 27 years in prison

MLB Winter Meetings: Brewers talk to Giants about Brett Pill

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Monday will not be complete until the Brewers have discussed all of the first basemen.

We've already reported that the Brewers have talked to Corey Hart's agent today. They're also considered a contender to acquire Logan Morrison from the Marlins and either Ike Davis or Lucas Duda from the Mets. The fun doesn't end there, though:

The Brewers have also reached out to Giants GM Brian Sabean regarding San Francisco first baseman Brett Pill, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. Pill is 29 and a veteran of three MLB cups of coffee, having played 111 games and hit .233/.279/.404 in the majors with nine career home runs. He's been almost exclusively a first baseman in the minors, but has played 15 games in left field over the last two seasons.

Pill is a less established commodity than the other first baseman we've discussed today, but he is a career .301/.340/.511 hitter over the last four seasons in AAA. Because he's both older and less established than a guy like Logan Morrison or Ike Davis, odds are he's also likely to have a much lower trade price.

Mets Rumors: Mets, Brewers met to discuss first basemen Ike Davis and Lucas Duda

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The Mets are in talks with at least four teams.

One of the main goals for the Mets at the winter meetings is to unload either Ike Davis or Lucas Duda, and they have already begun trying to do so.

MLB.com's Adam McAlvy said the Brewers and Mets met to discuss the Mets' group of first baseman. The Brewers, who expressed interest in Davis and Duda last month, are one at least four teams inquiring about Ike Davis.

With reports from earlier today that the Brewers are looking atMarlins first baseman Logan Morrison, it's clear that Milwaukee wants to upgrade at first base. No team got worse production (64 wRC+) from their first basemen than the Brewers in 2013.

While the two teams seem like a fit, it's unclear if a deal can get done. After the Brewers' trade of Norichika Aoki, there isn't an obvious one-for-one swap, unless the Brewers are willing to deal one of their starting pitchers for Davis.

Ike Davis trade rumors: Brewers talked with Mets about 1B

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Trade rumors are starting to heat up on Mets first baseman. Milwaukee is one of "at least" four teams interested in Davis.

It's no secret that New York Mets first baseman Ike Davis is available. Sandy Alderson has spoken on this in past meetings with the media, implying that both Davis and fellow first baseman Lucas Duda were trade bait. The consensus here is that one of them gets traded and the other will man first for the Mets in 2014.

After lying dormant for the last couple weeks, the Davis rumors heated up Monday. Newday's Marc Carig reported that the Brewers met with the Mets recently about Davis, and that Milwaukee is reportedly among "at least" four teams engaged in discussions with New York.

It was rumored earlier in the offseason that Milwaukee—who have had a void at first base since letting Prince Fielder go as a free agent—could have interest in the Mets slugger, so news that they've sat down with Alderson and company should come as no surprise.

After back-to-back seasons where he hit dangerously close to the Mendoza Line, Davis seems the likelier than Duda to get moved. Davis had promising rookie campaign in 2010, hitting .264/.351/.440 with 19 home runs, but hasn't quite been the same since injuring his ankle part way through his sophomore season.

While Davis' batting average is a measly .219 since returning from injury in 2012, there is definite interest from other teams around the league. Power is not often available on the open market, and when it is, it costs big-time money. With sluggers such as Robinson Cano, Carlos Beltran and Curtis Granderson off the market, the lack of power available is even more noticeable. In Davis' 2012 season, although he hit .227 with a .308 on-base percentage, he also slugged 32 home runs.

Teams like the Tampa Bay Rays and Pittsburgh Pirates seem to be matches on paper for potential trades, but it would be silly to speculate at this point. While GMs hope that Ike can be another resurgent power-hitting Davis—a la Baltimore Orioles first baseman ChrisDavis—many do not believe at this time that the Mets will be able to get any kind of sizable return.

As of pieces the Mets could be looking to get back in a trade... Well, shortstop, the starting rotation and the bullpen are all areas of need right now. Stay tuned.

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MLB Winter Meetings: Carlos Marmol talking to Brewers

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This may not be the rumor you WANTED to start your Tuesday morning with, but it's the one we've got.

At several points this winter it's been suggested that the Brewers are seeking a veteran reliever with closing experience. Today we have a specific example of that type of pitcher...although you may not like it.

Wittenmeyer covers the Cubs for the Chicago Sun-Times.

Carlos Marmol is 31 and an eight-year MLB veteran, having pitched from 2006-13 as a member of the Cubs before being traded to the Dodgers down the stretch. He was one of baseball's best closers in 2010, accumulating 38 saves, leading all of baseball with 70 games finished and posting a 2.55 ERA. Since then, however, he's been a pretty average reliever, carrying a 3.94 ERA over the last three seasons.

Marmol is great at getting strikeouts (11.7 per nine innings for his career) but is extremely vulnerable to walks (6.1 per nine). For comparison purposes, John Axford strikes out 10.8 per nine and walks four.

For what it's worth, the Brewers have said they're putting bullpen upgrades on hold until they figure out their first base situation. If you take that at face value, then it's probably safe to assume that any conversations with Marmol were preliminary at best.

Tuesday's Frosty Mug: Winter Meetings Day 2

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We're continuing to track all the action from Orlando in today's roundup of all things Brewers.

Some things to read while finding yourself.

We are 66 days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Maryvale, but one pitcher will be limited when he gets there: Yesterday the Brewers announced that Tom Gorzelanny recently had surgery to "clean up" his throwing shoulder and isn't expected to be available to pitch until mid-March. There's still hope he could be ready in time to make the Opening Day roster, but I wouldn't count on it.

The Brewers' contingent remains in Orlando this morning for the 2013 Winter Meetings, where they've been tied to nearly every available first baseman. They're reportedly interested in Marlins first baseman Logan Morrison, who Miami appears poised to trade after signing Garrett Jones. Jon Morosi of Fox reports (in twotweets) that the Pirates, Rays and Orioles are also interested.

Whoever gets Morrison should be prepared for him to come with a fair amount of baggage. While several teams were reportedly discussing his services Monday morning, he was busy writing a sexist tweet.

On top of Morrison, the Brewers also reportedly talked to the Mets about their first base surplus (they have both Ike Davis and Lucas Duda at this point) and talked to the Giants about veteran backup Brett Pill.

Despite all of these conversations with other teams, Adam Rubin of ESPN New York (via MLB Trade Rumors) reports that the Brewers would still prefer to re-sign Corey Hart. The Brewers met with Hart's agent (Jeff Berry) on Monday but nothing appears imminent.

The challenge with Hart likely continues to be the fact that several teams are interested on a one-year deal. If Hart is still capable of playing the outfield, Motor City Bengals has him as a potential cost-effective option for the Tigers.

Doug Melvin told Adam McCalvy that the search for bullpen help is on the back burner until the first base situation is resolved, but that apparently didn't keep him from checking in with former Cubs closer Carlos Marmol. For what it's worth, Melvin also told Tom Haudricourt (reported via Twitter) that former Brewers John Axford and Francisco Rodriguez aren't being considered.

Meanwhile, the search for bullpen help is certain to include some internal candidates. Adam McCalvy reports (via Twitter) that 2013 Huntsville Star David Goforth appears likely to get an invitation to MLB spring training. Goforth appeared in 34 games (18 starts) between AA and AAA a year ago and posted a 3.17 ERA over 125 innings.

New Brewer Will Smith will also likely get a chance to make the team in a bullpen role if a rotation spot is not available. Yesterday Tom Haudricourt talked to Royals manager Ned Yost about Smith and got this quote:

"There were times when I put him in games last year where he was unhittable. He's still developing consistency in his mechanics. When he's strong downhill, he's unhittable. At times he gets a little flat with his fastball but he has the ability to make adjustments. I think the Milwaukee fans are going to like Will Smith."

The search for a leadoff hitter to replace Norichika Aoki is also likely to happen internally. Justin Schultz of Reviewing the Brew has a look at Carlos Gomez as a candidate to fill that spot.

Rickie Weeks has batted in the leadoff spot in 612 of his 1021 games as a Brewer, but appears unlikely to fill that role in 2014. He did, however, hit 2013's seventh longest home run. We covered that event in Brew Crew Blasts yesterday.

In the minors:

  • Congratulations are due out this morning to Mitch Haniger, who was named to the Arizona Fall League's All Prospects Team. (h/t @BrewersPD) Haniger appeared in 25 games for Surprise and hit .280/.354/.480 with four home runs and 24 RBI.
  • Martin Maldonado went 1-for-2 with a walk, HBP and a run in Mayaguez's 6-3 loss to Carolina last night (box score). Irving Falu went 0-for-5 in the game.

The Winter Meetings wrap up on Thursday with the annual Rule 5 Draft, and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com notes that some teams have done better than others using that avenue to find pitching help: Of the 38 players that have stuck with their new teams since 2006, 28 have been pitchers. As part of the "Last Call" in this article, though, Adam McCalvy notes that the Brewers are unlikely to make a selection.

Major League Baseball announced their latest Stand Up To Cancer Auction yesterday, and as you might expect there are some one-of-a-kind experiences up for bids. Follow this link for details on the possibility of having the Racing Sausages attend your barbecue, throwing out a first pitch and going down Bernie Brewer's slide or getting a private batting lesson from Ron Roenicke. You could also win a pitching lesson from former Brewer and current Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio.

Despite all of yesterday's rumors, it was a pretty quiet day around baseball:

White Sox: Signed pitcher Felipe Paulino to a one-year, $1.75 million deal.

Meanwhile, in former Brewers:

With help from the B-Ref Play Index, we'd like to wish a happy birthday today to:

Today is also the second anniversary of ESPN's Outside the Lines reporting that Ryan Braun had failed a drug test and would be suspended to open the 2012 season, which we discussed in Today In Brewer History last year. It's also the 22nd anniversary of the Brewers trading reliever Chuck Crim to the Angels for reliever Mike Fetters, and we covered that event in Today In Brewer History two years ago.

Now, if you'll excuse me, there's another new study.

Drink up.

Edit: This is Nicole - throwing in this link to some British tabloid's fuzzy photos from Ryan Braun's wedding this past weekend, if that's your thing. Haudricourt had the link on Twitter this morning.

Constructing the Red Sox bullpen

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The Red Sox look to have a strong bullpen set up for 2014. How should the pieces be put together, though?

Despite the common thought that teams should avoid paying top dollars to fill out the bullpen, a solid relief corps can go a long way during the grind of a 162 game season. Even the best starting pitchers aren't going to have it every day, and even the most potent lineups are going to struggle to score runs. Having multiple arms to rely on in the bullpen can mean the difference between a playoff berth and watching from your TV for a borderline contender. Looking at the current Red Sox roster, the depth the organization has in major-league-ready pitching bodes extremely well for the bullpen. It remains to be seen if they will target another reliever, but they certainly don't have to at this point. Now that enough arms have been acquired, though, it comes down to how they should assembled to give Boston the best chance at returning to the promised land in 2014.

The very back of the bullpen is the complete opposite of a question mark. Despite some initial worries due to his lack of experience in the closer role, Koji Uehara did everything imaginable to dispel those concerns and put together one of the best seasons ever by a relief pitcher. In case of injury or fatigue, the Ben Cherington recently brought in some great 9th inning insurance in Edward Mujica. The former Cardinal is kind of a poor man's Uehara, in that he also limits walks at a high rate, allowing free passes to less than five percent of his opposing batters in every season since 2009. Between him and Junichi Tazawa, the Red Sox have two outstanding late-inning, right-handed options to get to Uehara. Over the past few years, Mujica has transformed himself into much more of a ground ball pitcher, making him a better option to come in with runners on base than the line-drive-prone Tazawa. Despite his low strikeout rate, Craig Breslow proved himself to be an outstanding late-inning option from the left side, and can face batters of either handedness. A three-headed attack to pitch the 7th and 8th innings is a highly enviable luxury for the Red Sox this year.

Beyond those big four at the back-end, the Red Sox have plenty of options to fill out the middle of their bullpen as well. As a total bullpen nerd, the player I am most excited about heading into the 2014 season is Andrew Miller, whose season unfortunately ended in early July, after being one of the keys to the bullpen in the first half of the 2013 season. After failing as a starter, the former top prospect has thrived in the bullpen, and struck out more than 35 percent of his opposing batters this past season. He has the upside to emerge as a legit late-inning threat next year. Also a lock to make the middle relief corp is new acquisition Burke Badenhop, who was traded here by the Brewers in Cherington's first real move of the offseason. The right-hander is somewhat similar to Breslow, in that he won't rack up strikeouts, but he'll limit walks and induce weak contact. With a career 54.6 percent groundball rate, it would make sense to see him a lot with baserunners on in hopes of a big double play. If they wanted to carry a 13th pitcher (which seems unlikely), Franklin Morales could find his way into the bullpen as a LOOGY. In 2013 he allowed a .184/.262/.184 line against lefties with a 13/2 K/BB ratio.

Photo Courtesy of Jared Wickerham

Depth in the middle relief area could be the real strength of this team next year. Beyond Morales, who could very well be on the outside looking in at the start of the season, there are some intriguing arms who will start the year in Pawtucket's bullpen. Rubby De La Rosa could profile as a very good starting pitcher going forward, but with his style of pitching and an already-loaded Pawtucket rotation, he will probably be relegated to the bullpen in 2014. If he can show some ability to limit his walks in AAA, he could be the first called up to the majors when a spot opens up during the season. There is also Drake Britton, who was a big part of the bullpen down the stretch in 2013. Despite pitching to a 3.86 ERA and 3.06 FIP this past season, there doesn't look to be room for the young southpaw on the roster right now. After only pitching in 5-1/3 innings at Pawtucket last year, though, some extra seasoning wouldn't be the worst thing for the 24-year-old's development. Further down the depth chart are interesting arms like Alex Wilson, Dalier Hinojosa and Brayan Villarreal.

Filling out the Red Sox bullpen will be their swingman, someone who can come in and pitch multiple innings if the starting pitcher falters early, and can also make emergency starts if necessary. Right now, the Red Sox have six major-league starters, in addition to the four they have in the minors. It seems to be almost assumed that one of them will be dealt, but it doesn't seem necessary. It's almost a certainty that one of the pitchers in the rotation will be hurt at some point, and having experienced depth could be a huge advantage for Boston. In the meantime, Ryan Dempster has pitched out of the bullpen before, and would be fine in that role. It would also give Brandon Workman some more time to start in Pawtucket, a role that hopefully he can stick in for the future. Yes, Dempster would be an expensive long reliever/swingman, but there isn't any obvious place where that money could be reallocated. If they did decide to trade someone like Dempster of Peavy, Workman would come up and join the bullpen in the swingman role after being stretched out in Spring Training. If it was Peavy that was dealt, there could even be the argument to start Workman in the rotation over Dempster to start the year, giving the team some more upside amongst their starting pitchers.

Read more Red Sox:

Fred Lynn - Top 100 Angels #54

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This is the FOURTHHalos Heaven offseason Top Angels list we have compiled. We did a Top 100 Angels list after the 2005 season (LINK) and another one after the 2008 season (LINK) and we published a book after 2010, the fiftieth season of Angels baseball (LINK) of the Top 50 Angels of the first 50 seasons. With analytics being radically more sophisticated, look for this offseason's list to measure advanced metrics and traditional stats balanced with where a player rests in the hearts of every Halo Fan.

#53 - FRED LYNN, OF

Fred was a Top 100 Angel on our list compiled after the post-2005 season, ranking 41st All Time (LINK) and 36th All Time on our list compiled after the 2008 season (LINK).

Of all Angels batters, Fred Lynn is tied with Tim Salmon for the second greatest OPS+ by an Angels player with more than 1,500 Plate Appearances. He had a 128 OPS+ over his Angels career. Only Vladimir Guerrero was better and once Mike Trout has more than 1,500 PA he will be ahead of Fred... but why then is Lynn ranked only 54th on this countdown? Well, Tim Salmon had that OPS+ in over 7,000 Plate Appearances with the club. As great as Fred was, he wasn't always around. His mark was set in his 1,947 PA.

Fred Lynn was an Angel for four seasons. Four seasons is 648 games. Fred played in 473. The team missed 52 games because of the 1981 players' strike but even with that factored in Fred missed almost 125 games with various tweaks, sprains, aches ad pains. It was his oft-injured status that pushed the Boston Red Sox to trade him and pitcher Steve Renko to the Angels after the 1980 season for Frank Tanana, Joe Rudi and Jim Dorsey.

He had won Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in 1975 so he came with extreme glamor. When the Angels acquired him in 1981 he was the third one-time MVP on the team - along with Don Baylor and Rod Carew. Reggie Jackson would be the fourth when he signed as a free agent before the 1982 season.

Fred had a down 1981, as did many players with the rhythm of baseball being broken with that large summer break. He bounced back for a monster 1982 season. He hit 38 doubles, 21 HR and had an .891 OPS (On Base Percentage Plus Slugging Percentage). His 4.7 Offensive WAR that year is in the franchise's top 30. Fred's 142 OPS+ that year ranks 22nd best of any Angels season.

He dominated in the 1982 playoffs, winning the ALCS MVP. Wait a minute... a player from the losing team won the award? Yes - Fred is the only player in baseball history to win a playoff MVP and be on the losing team. Nothing underscores more how the Angels choked away that series in that there was no standout Brewers player to deserve the award.

As an Angel he hit the only grand slam in All Star Game history - he did it in the 1983 game and won the game's MVP that year. This time at least his American League team won the game.

There were lots of highlights, good defense and big hits in Fred Lynn's Angels career, but there were not enough Plate Appearances for him to make it into the Top 50. But he won't be going off the Top 100 list for at least a few more decades.

Aramis Ramirez trade rumors: Brewers 'probably would not' move 3B

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Doug Melvin says the Brewers won't trade Ramirez. In unreported news, Doug Melvin has been in extensive talks with teams and an Aramis Ramirez trade is imminent.

The Brewers have third baseman Aramis Ramirez under contract for one more season and 16 million more dollars. The Brewers may have an opportunity to trade him this winter. But the Brewers won't trade him, at least general manager Doug Melvin says they "probably would not" entertain any offers, reports Tom Haudricourt.

Melvin says the team doesn't have a viable enough replacement for Ramirez on the roster to make him feel comfortable trading away their starting third baseman. So, two things:

1. The Brewers do not see Juan Francisco as a full-time starter, particularly not at third base

and

2. The Brewers still see themselves as viable candidates for a playoff spot

The second one is not a surprise. With Doug Melvin and Mark Attanasio at the helm, I'm not sure the Brewers will ever leave the mindset of, "well if all these things break our way, we might still be able to eke our way into the playoffs." I'm not saying they are right or wrong in this particular instance, but it's not surprising. If the Brewers didn't think they could compete, they wouldn't care so much about keeping an old guy on an expensive one-year deal if ditching him meant potentially getting even a small piece that could maybe help in the future.

The first one is, well, also not that much of a surprise. The Brewers used Juan Francisco as a starting first baseman for a lot of last season because he was the best candidate available. That's not praise for Francisco. That's an indictment of the Brewers front office's failure to bring in a competent first baseman. The team is chasing all of Logan Morrison and Corey Hart and Ike Davis and probably Yuniesky Betancourt to play first base. They don't have confidence in Francisco anywhere right now. The fact they tendered him a contract indicates that they see enough that he could change their minds, but they won't rely on him.

So, Aramis Ramirez will stay a Brewer. Unless, of course, the Brewers make another move to bring in a third baseman. But now we're thinking a couple moves ahead, so let's just listen to the nice Melvin for now.

Corey Hart free agent rumors: Brewers could move on from 1B after Winter Meetings

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Corey Hart may only have a few days remaining as a Brewers target.

The Brewers haven't had a first baseman since 2012. It's beginning to look like they'll have one once again soon, one way or another.

The Brewers are awaiting an answer from Corey Hart on an offer they made to him and have been actively engaging in talks with Hart's agents at baseball's Winter Meetings in Orlando. Team management is hopeful that they will have a definitive answer from Hart by the end of the meetings.

Here's the kicker, though. We know they have had a good, healthy amount of interest in both Mets' first baseman Ike Davis and Marlins first baseman Logan Morrison. However, Milwaukee will not make a trade until they receive a definite 'No' from Hart's camp.

It's been fairly evident that the Brewers' first choice all along has been to keep Hart. However, he has been receiving a large amount of interest on the market as a relatively cheaper option who could turn into the steal of the offseason. So much interest means that Milwaukee may no longer be a top choice for Hart. At the very least, it means the discount Hart talked about giving Milwaukee is all but null and void.

If Hart says no--if the Brewers offer him a one-year, incentive-laden deal and Hart says he has two year offers and won't do less--if the Brewers are officially out of the running--then Milwaukee might jump very quickly on a first baseman in trade.

There had already been heavy rumors that the Brewers were hoping to acquire Davis or Morrison (or Brett Pill!), but those rumors are coming well the Brewers are still waiting on an answer from Hart. Once Hart is off the market, those rumors should ramp up even further as a desperate Brewers team goes all out for one of the first baseman available in trade.

Doug Melvin and Co. certainly won't want to go through last year all over again. They are looking to jump on a first baseman quickly and could have this resolved anywhere from a few days to a week from now. If they wait, they run the risk of their targets all being taken off the market. And that's how you end up with Yuniesky Betancourt and Juan Francisco playing first base all year. Again.

Mets Trade Rumors: No deal with Brewers for Ike Davis

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The Mets reportedly asked the Brewers for young, controllable pitching.

The Mets reportedly asked the Brewers for young pitching in exchange for Ike Davis, according to Jim Duquette. After Milwaukee said no to the Mets' request—for Tyler Thornburg or a similar pitcher—the Mets told them they were out on the Ike Davis trade talks.

If Duquette's accounting of the trade talks is accurate, that could be good news for the Mets, assuming they have a better offer from another team for Davis. It's also possible, of course, that the Brewers are simply close to a deal with Corey Hart and would prefer him to Davis.

With Lucas Duda and Josh Satin on the Mets' 40-man roster, the team has reportedly been trying to trade Davis this winter. If they do, Duda and Satin figure to platoon at first base in 2014.


2013 Winter Meetings: Miami Marlins Day 2 recap

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The Miami Marlins are working hard on trading Logan Morrison, with as many as seven teams interested. But Miami did not pull it off on Day 2 of the Winter Meetings and may not do it before the end of the meetings.

The Miami Marlins spent the second day of the 2013 Winter Meetings still trying to find a way to send first baseman Logan Morrison out via trade. It helps that the team officially announced the free agent signing of Garrett Jones, who figures to take over for Morrison once he is dealt.

"At the beginning of our offseason, our goal was to upgrade our offense," president of baseball operations Michael Hill said. "In Jones, we feel like we've added a consistent, productive bat to our ballclub."

What Michael Hill says above makes almost no sense whatsoever. A "consistent" bat would imply that Jones somehow met expectations every season. But after a fiery rookie season, he had a near-replacement level performance, a mediocre campaign, a good year at the plate, and a season that led to him being designated for assignment. Jones is consistently decent against righties and equally consistently terrible against lefties. The "production" aspect of Jones's signing is not a large one either.

But Miami has gone ahead with this, and they may have to wait a while for resolution of the Morrison situation. As many as seven teams are interested in the ousted first baseman, but Miami may wait and see on his market.

With so many scenarios out there, the Marlins are taking a wait-and-see approach. Although it is inevitable Morrison will be dealt, there is no urgency to do so before the Winter Meetings wrap up on Thursday at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Resort.

"It could happen, but we don't have to make a deal," Hill said. "We don't have to make a deal unless it makes sense for us to do it."

Hill has a strong point in that regard. Miami has no need to trade until the season begins, as Morrison will not get paid until then anyway. Holding him until the right deal comes does not really restrict them in any way.

The teams holding the most interest in Morrison? Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports has those details.

Miami could find a strong buyer in the Mariners in particular. Nick Franklin has recently been deposed from the second base position by Robinson Cano, so perhaps Miami can fashion a trade up to Franklin's value that would involve Morrison.

There is some question as to whether the Marlins may fill their third base position via trade or signing. Earlier in the day, it sounded as though Juan Uribe was a potential target.

But while Rosenthal heard one thing, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald heard another.

A pursuit of Uribe would be an interesting move, especially since the market for his services has not come close to meeting his demands. Initially it sounded as though he wanted a three-year deal, but no one sounds interested in providing more than a two-year contract at most, and the Los Angeles Dodgers may have only offered a one-year deal with an option. Bidding lower on the years helps Miami, but it does not help when the team's budget is still constricted following their signings.

Stay tuned here at Fish Stripes for more 2013 Winter Meetings coverage!

George Brunet - Top 100 Angels #52

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This is the FOURTHHalos Heaven offseason Top Angels list we have compiled. We did a Top 100 Angels list after the 2005 season (LINK) and another one after the 2008 season (LINK) and we published a book after 2010, the fiftieth season of Angels baseball (LINK) of the Top 50 Angels of the first 50 seasons. With analytics being radically more sophisticated, look for this offseason's list to measure advanced metrics and traditional stats balanced with where a player rests in the hearts of every Halo Fan.

#52 - GEORGE BRUNET, P

George was ranked 96th on our Top 100 Angels countdown from 2005 (LINK) and moved up to #63 in our rankings posted after the 2008 season.

George Brunet made his first appearance in the minor leagues in 1953 at age 18. He pitched until 1989 - most of his time after the bigs being spent in the Mexican League, but still, that is 37 years of pitching in the pros. He had a heart attack at age 41 and pitched four more seasons.

READ ALL ABOUT IT AT THIS LINK.

George pitched for the Angels from 1963 thru 1969. He came from the Astros after their first year in existence and was sent to the expansion Seattle Pilots (who would later become the Milwaukee Brewers) in 1969, their first and only year of existence. While he had a losing record on the mound, he logged plenty of innings and was better than average for most of his tenure.

His best season was 1965 when he pitched 197 innings, allowed only 149 hits, struck out 141 batters and had an ERA of 2.56 and an ERA+ of 131. As his luck was with the Halos, he went 9-11 that season. In two years with the Halos he led The AL in losses. Yet the seasons (1967 and '68) in which he lost 19 and 17 games saw him post a 3.31 and 2.86 ERA respectively.

Brunet's 12.3 WAR is the 17th best by an Angels pitcher. He pitched in 194 games for the Angels, starting 157 of them with 33 Complete Games. He tossed 1,047 Innings, with a 3.13 ERA (Sixth best all time for Angels pitchers with more than 500 IP) allowed 862 hits, struck out 678 batters (Fifteenth most by an Angels arm) and had a 1.202 WHIP (Sixth best all time for Angels pitchers with more than 500 IP).

All of that adds up to an ERA+ of 102 which might seem quite stingy except that Brunet was in Anaheim at the height of the deadball era, when a 3.13 ERA wasn't quite the gaudy stat it is today. ERA+ equalizes across all baseball eras (as does OPS+, its offensive counterpoint), adjusting for the particular tendencies of the league averages in the season in which a given player competed.

Wednesday's Frosty Mug: Winter Meetings Day 3

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We're keeping an eye on Corey Hart while doing today's roundup of all things Brewers.

Some things to read while passing through.

We are 65 days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Maryvale, and today could be the day we find out if Corey Hart will have a locker in the Brewers clubhouse. Hart is believed to have received the Brewers' best offer and will decide today if he's going to return to Milwaukee, perhaps before noon. With that said, Hart was also expected to decide last night. We'll know when we know, I guess. The Brewers have suggested they'll be ready to move on from Hart if a deal isn't reached by the end of the Winter Meetings.

If Hart does decide to go elsewhere, the Brewers have kept their options open at first base. Adam McCalvy reports (via Twitter), though, that they're not interested in signing former Rays 1B James Loney to a three-year deal. Reports have also surfaced that the Mets asked for Tyler Thornburg in exchange for Ike Davis, and the Brewers said no.

Meanwhile, the Brewers appear to view most of their internal candidates as being a year away. Doug Melvin told reporters yesterday that Jason Rogers' third base/outfield experiments have created a consensus opinion that he's going to be a first baseman, and he wishes he'd given Hunter Morris some MLB time last September. (h/t @AdamMcCalvy in twoparts)

Aramis Ramirez has one year remaining on his contract with the Brewers, and it appears he'll be spending that season in Milwaukee. Doug Melvin told reporters he "probably would not" move Ramirez in a trade this winter. Ramirez, by the way, hit the Brewers' sixth longest home run in 2013.

Carlos Gomez also isn't going anywhere. He is, however, responsible for four of the Brewers' five spots on MLB Network's list of the top 75 defensive plays of the 2013 season.

This morning I realized that we haven't heard Kyle Lohse's name (or Yovani Gallardo's) come up in rumors a single time this week. Despite the fact that he's only been in the organization about nine months, Martin Maldonado (via Twitter) named Lohse as the leader of this Brewers team.

Elsewhere in the rotation, Curt Hogg of Disciples of Uecker has a look at the improvement one can reasonably expect from Wily Peralta following his up-and-down rookie season. He says, "To reach that 'next step,' Peralta's going to have to be more effective when ahead in the count"

Behind Lohse, Gallardo, Peralta and Marco Estrada, Tyler Thornburg currently holds the inside track for the final rotation spot. Jim Owczarski of OnMilwaukee.com talked to Thornburg about his first extended opportunity in the majors in 2013 and looking ahead to 2014.

There's reason for optimism regarding that rotation, but is it enough? Vineet Barot of Disciples of Uecker looked at the WAR projections and has the Brewers as a 78-win team for 2014.

It also doesn't take long for projections like that to change. Moments ago, for example, Tom Haudricourt reported (via Twitter) that the Brewers are one of several teams checking in on former Mets pitcher Johan Santana.

In the minors:

  • Until or unless Corey Hart makes a decision, today's big news comes from Nashville. Last night the city's metro council voted to approve plans to build a new stadium for the Sounds that would open in April of 2015. (h/t @AdamMcCalvy)
  • There's also ballpark news in the Southern League, where a deal is believed to be in place to purchase the Huntsville Stars and move them to Biloxi, Mississippi starting in 2015.
  • The Brewers are also believed to have hired longtime minor league manager Carlos Subero to manage the Stars in 2014. Subero has 13 years of managerial experience across three organizations, and served as skipper of the High-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in the Dodgers organization in 2013.
  • Meanwhile in the Dominican Republic, Elian Herrera went 2-for-4 with a walk in Oriente's 3-2 win over Licey last night (box score). Alfredo Figaro picked up the loss after allowing a single run over 1.1 innings of work, and Juan Francisco went 1-for-4 with a run scored in his first appearance since November 26.

Back in Orlando, Doug Melvin and Ron Roenicke were both interviewed by MLB Network at the Winter Meetings yesterday, and The Brewer Nation has video from both.

Around baseball:

Blue Jays: Are expected to hire former minor league manager Tim Leiper as their new third base coach.
Cardinals: Hired David Bell as their new assistant hitting coach.
Diamondbacks: Acquired first baseman Mark Trumbo, a minor leaguer and a PTBNL in a three-team trade that sent outfielder Adam Eaton to the White Sox and pitchers Hector Santiago and Tyler Skaggs to the Angels.
Mets: Re-signed pitcher Jeremy Hefner to a minor league deal.
Rockies: Acquired pitcher Brett Anderson from the Athletics for pitcher Drew Pomeranz and a minor leaguer.
Tigers: Signed outfielder Rajai Davis to a two-year deal believed to be worth $9-10 million.

Today in former Brewers:

Getting everyone in one place for three and a half days of Winter Meetings produces a fair amount of rumor and chatter, but I'd assume keeping everyone in a confined space for that long also creates some pretty remarkable drama. I'm guessing the scenario laid out in our Tweet of the Day happened more than once this week:

With help from the B-Ref Play Index, happy birthday today to:

Plunk Everyone notes that Maye's 19 career HBP are the fourth most ever for a player born on December 11.

Today is also the 28th anniversary of the Brewers acquiring pitcher Mark Clear from the Red Sox for infielder Ed Romero. We covered that event in Today In Brewer History last year.

Now, if you'll excuse me, someone let Jeff Karstens in here again.

Drink up.

Mets Trade Rumors: Brewers back in on Ike Davis, Rays as well

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The Brewers were in on Ike Davis. Then they were out. Now they might be back in.

Despite—or perhaps in response to—earlier reports that the Brewers were no longer interested in trading for Ike Davis, Andy Martino of the Daily News now says the Brewers may actually try to dip their toes back into those fetid waters pending the outcome of their efforts to re-sign Corey Hart.

Between Davis and Lucas Duda, the Mets would rather trade the former because of his higher projected salary for 2014. Both players are eligible for arbitration this offseason, but Davis is expected to get $3-4 million while Duda may only make $1-2 million next year.

Brew Crew Blasts #5: Francisco's Fireworks

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The fifth longest homer of 2013 was a blast to rival your Fourth of July celebrations.

Juan Francisco hit 13 home runs as a Brewer in 2013, and five of them came in a span of nine games between June 25 and July 5. The biggest of those hits was the last one, which came against Zack Wheeler and the Mets.

The Brewers were already trailing 7-2 when Francisco led off the bottom of the fourth, worked a full count and did this with the 3-2 pitch:

The payoff pitch was the only certain strike Francisco saw in the at bat, but it was a great pitch to hit: It was clocked slightly below 97 mph and this is the location:

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via www.brooksbaseball.net

The homer was Francisco's longest as a Brewer at 433 feet, but it was only his second-longest of the season: On April 10 as a member of the Braves he hit this 459-foot blast off Alex Sanabia and the Marlins. I love that highlight, if only because Braves announcer Chip Caray exclaims "That one's got a chance!" a split second before the ball caroms off the upper deck in one of baseball's largest stadiums. It was the second longest homer hit at Marlins Park in 2013.

Brew Crew Blasts is a multi-part series looking at the longest and most notable home runs hit by Brewers in 2013. You can see them all in their special section, or follow the links below to their individual posts:

RankDatePlayerDistancePost
10tJuly 1Juan Francisco428 feetPost
10tMay 14Jean Segura428 feetPost
9September 25Carlos Gomez429 feetPost
8May 31Jonathan Lucroy429 feetPost
7May 15Rickie Weeks430 feetPost
6August 27Aramis Ramirez432 feetPost
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