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Home , Alex Presley, Dansby Swanson, David Stearns, Eric Young (baseball), Gerardo Parra, Jonathan Broxton

Milwaukee Brewers News Clips Wednesday, December 30, 2015

MLB.com  Brewers farm system among most improved in 2015  Retooling Brewers to continue evolution in 2016  Young Jr. reportedly agrees to Minor League deal

Journal Sentinel  10 story lines that defined Brewers’ 2015 season  Jr. signs minor-league deal with Brewers

Milwaukee Business Journal  How much has been raised through sale of Brewers and Packers license plates?

http://m.brewers.mlb.com/news/article/160576804/atlanta-braves-top-most-improved-farm-systems Brewers farm system among most improved in 2015

By Jonathan Mayo / MLB.com | December 29, 2015

The objective of all Major League franchises is to compete for a title. The reality, of course, is that it can't happen for every team every season.

When a team isn't competing, it usually means it's rebuilding time, or they become "sellers," especially during the Deadline and the offseason. Depending on the state of the organization, the hope may be for a quick turnaround, or there could be a long-range plan in place.

As the calendar is about to flip to 2016, a bit of retrospection is in order. In the past year, some teams have improved their farm systems more than others. The following list of the five most improved farm systems in 2015 was compiled considering all methods of player acquisition: trade, Draft, international signing, even the Rule 5 Draft.

This isn't a ranking of the top farm systems; that's something that will come in the New Year after the new prospects rankings come out.

Atlanta Braves: When was hired by the Braves as the president of operations, after he served the team as a consultant for the 2014 season, one of his first orders of business was to rebuild a once-proud farm system. Atlanta used to thrive annually because of homegrown players, and it was seen as essential to get back to the "Braves way" of doing things. John Coppolella, now the team's general manager, worked in step with Hart to do just that, and no team has done more to restock the prospect shelves.

Starting with the trade that brought Manny Baneulos from the Yankees on Jan. 1 and ending with the blockbuster deal that netted them and , the Braves added no fewer than 12 players to their current Top 30 list via the trade market. And that doesn't include the or trades completed last December, nor does it include graduated prospect Mike Foltynewicz from the January Evan Gattis trade. And Hector Olivera doesn't count as a prospect according to MLBPipeline.com guidelines (we use the same rules that govern the international spending pool).

The big deals from this offseason brought in three sure-fire Top 100 caliber players in Swanson and Blair from the Miller deal and lefty in the trade.

Had that been it, the Braves would still make this list. But then their 2015 Draft haul has to be considered. Not only did the Braves go bold by taking , an injured high school lefty who had top of the round potential, in the first round, they also added young high school talent (the old Braves way again) with , and Lucas Herbert.

Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies made most of their noise at the Trade Deadline and during this offseason, breathing some much needed life into a weak system. Two trades -- the Cole Hamels deal in July and the one this winter -- brought in six players in their current Top 30, including four of the top five.

When Hamels was sent to the , the Phillies were able to add Jake Thompson, Nick Williams and Jorge Alfaro, all in the current Top 100 list, along with Alec Asher, who made his big league debut in 2015. The bounty for Giles was (Top 100) and Thomas Eshelman (2015 draftee), both in the current Phillies' Top 30. Vincent Velasquez graduated off prospect lists late this past season, so he technically doesn't count, but he was a top 100 prospect prior to his big league time with Houston.

Other trades brought in more talent: Ben Revere netted Alberto Tirado and ; 's return was Darnell Sweeney and John Richy; Jonathan Papelbon brought in Nick Pavetta. That's 10 Top 30 players (Cordero isn't in the Top 30) via trades. Throw in Cornelius Randolph and Scott Kingery from the Draft, Tyler Goeddel from the Rule 5 Draft and Jhailyn Ortiz, MLBPipeline.com's No. 8 international prospect whom the Phillies signed for north of $4 million, and the Phillies aren't far behind the Braves in terms of restocking success.

Milwaukee Brewers: The best deal for the Brewers may have been the one they didn't make at the July 31 non- waiver Trade Deadline. When the reported trade sending Carlos Gomez to the Mets fell through, they ended up making an even better deal, at least in terms of rebuilding their farm system, with the Astros. It brought in four prospects that landed in their Top 30, including Top 100 prospects Domingo Santana (since graduated) and Brett Phillips. Josh Hader should join them after a strong season and even stronger campaign. Adrian Houser threw well following the trade, too.

Zach Davies came in a Deadline deal as well, from Baltimore in return for , and he made six starts in the big leagues at the end of the year. That gave the Brewers immediate return in both deals, with Davies and Santana both looking like members of the 2016 roster, along with some future star-caliber prospects. Smaller deals at the start of the year (Yovani Gallardo) and at the very end (Jason Rogers) also netted Top 30- caliber prospects, but aside from the Gomez deal, it was the 2015 Draft that has helped restock the prospect shelves the most. The successful haul brought in four Top 30 players, with the Brewers getting high-ceiling talent like Trent Clark and Demi Orimoloye as well as intriguing college arms like Nathan Kirby (a first-round talent who had injury issues) and Cody Ponce. Add in the advancement of homegrown players like and Jorge Lopezand the Brewers have turned around their pipeline as quickly as any team.

Cincinnati Reds: The trading of was the icing on the Reds' rebuilding cake. From the Trade Deadline through the Chapman deal, Cincinnati dealt four players to bring in a dozen new young players. Some have already seen time on the Reds' Major League roster (Brandon Finnegan and John Lamb from the deal; Adam Duvall from theMike Leake trade). Some should help out at the start of the 2016 season (Jose Peraza and Scott Schebler from the Todd Frazier deal). Coming soon might be the best player netted in any of the Reds' trades, lefty Cody Reed, who was in the Cueto deal and is coming off a breakout 2015 campaign. The Chapman trade gave the Reds a potential replacement for Frazier at third eventually in Eric Jagielo and an intriguing arm in Rookie Davis among the quartet of young players received.

In addition to all of the trades, the Reds had a very strong Draft haul in June, adding five players to their current Top 30 list, headlined by high school catcher . Cincy even used the Rule 5 Draft to bring in an intriguing player, Jake Cave, and the club is also considered the favorites to land Cuban infielder Alfredo Rodriguez. Considering the success the organization has had in that market (See Chapman, Aroldis and Iglesias, Raisel), that should be seen as a major addition if and when it occurs.

Colorado Rockies: Any time you trade a cornerstone player like Troy Tulowitzki, the hope is to bring in an infusion of young talent to help rebuild. The Rockies did just that in bringing in three arms with big-league futures. Jeff Hoffman is the best of the trio and the one who has the chance to be a true frontline starter. has Major League time, and as a at that. Jesus Tinoco is the farthest away, but he had a very impressive full- season debut.

Besides the Tulo trade, the 2015 Draft helped the Rockies turn the farm system in the right direction. Five members of the team's current Top 30 came from last year's Draft after Colorado used its bonus pool -- the second-highest of any team -- aggressively. It started, of course, with getting Brendan Rodgers, who was No. 1 on the Draft Top 200 at the time of the Draft. The other four -- , , Peter Lambert and David Hill -- all were in the Top 100.

That wasn't the only way the organization brought in high-end amateur talent. The Rockies gave Daniel Montano, who was ranked No. 14 on the International Top 30, $2 million in July, and they handed out several other six-figure bonuses to Latin American talent.

http://m.brewers.mlb.com/news/article/160043696/rebuilding-brewers-2016-season-outlook Retooling Brewers to continue evolution in ‘16

By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com | December 23, 2015

MILWAUKEE -- In his annual open letter to fans, Brewers owner did not use the term "rebuilding." But he did ask for patience while he and general manager "take a step back and build more intensively from within."

That step back will manifest itself on the field in 2016 for a club stripped of many of its proven players, with more transactions possible before the start of next season.

"This approach … requires grinding things out, prospect by prospect and trade by trade," Attanasio wrote. "While we look forward to using [Stearns'] fresh vision to getting our baseball operations to where we want them to be, we are mindful that there is a lot of hard work to do, and we will not take any shortcuts or look for quick fixes."

In no particular order, here are five questions to ponder entering 2016:

1. How long will this take?

Stearns came to the Brewers from the Astros, who emerged from six straight losing seasons, including three with at least 100 losses, to win an Wild Card spot in 2015. Meanwhile, the Cubs averaged 93 losses over five consecutive losing seasons before winning 97 regular-season games in 2015 and advancing to the Championship Series.

Those are two notable recent rebuilding projects, prompting Brewers fans to wonder whether Milwaukee is in for a similarly long haul. Stearns and Attanasio have resisted weighing in on that question.

"We do not have a rigid timetable," Attanasio wrote in his letter, "because we believe it is vital to build a proper foundation for sustained success."

Stearns put it this way in his introductory press conference: "I am a big believer in not setting limits for any team, for any year. This is a game with a tremendous amount of variability, and we're going to take each decision as it comes. We'll make the decision in the interest of the overall health of the organization, and the product on the Major League field is certainly a large component of that."

2. Who's next to get traded?

As a result of their flurry of 2015 trades, the Brewers have only three players under contract beyond next season: Right fielder (five more years and $105 million), Matt Garza (two more years and at least $25 million) and catcher ($4 million salary in 2016 with a $5.25 million club option for 2017 that is likely to be picked up). The heft of Braun's contract, plus his recent health issues, makes him a difficult piece to trade. Likewise for Garza, given his ineffectiveness in 2015. Lucroy, though, has great value despite his own diminished performance last season, because of the scarcity of top catching talent in baseball, and his team-friendly contract. The Texas Rangers are the team most often mentioned as a possibility for Lucroy.

And if the Brewers opt to go all the way in their rebuilding, other players could be on the block. and lefty reliever are arbitration-eligible for the first time and come from positions of relative depth in the organization. Stearns left the Winter Meetings with some trade talks still active, so further swaps are likely.

3. Who's at first? And third? And center field?

The Brewers' focus is on the future, but they still have to field a team in 2016. Third base has been a question mark since Aramis Ramirez was shipped to Pittsburgh in July, first base is wide open after and Jason Rogers were traded away, and manager suggested at the Winter Meetings that the Brewers will also look outside the organization for a true to bridge the gap to prospect Brett Phillips' arrival.

"I think adding a center fielder will be a priority for the rest of the offseason," Counsell said.

While that search continues, the Brewers do have some internal options for the infield corners. For third base, Stearns has traded this winter for (from the Astros) and Garin Cecchini (from the Red Sox), each of whom are 24 years old and possess some upside. The Brewers also signed another former Red Sox prospect, Will Middlebrooks, to a Minor League contract with a big league camp invite. He'll compete for both corners.

As for first base, Stearns has said he believes he can fill the position via trade or free agency in the coming weeks and months. One free agent of interest is left-handed-hitting slugger Pedro Alvarez, who has been on the market since being non-tendered by the Pirates.

4. Is there an outfield logjam?

After coming to the Brewers in their July 30 blockbuster with the Astros (sending Carlos Gomez to Houston), Domingo Santana made a good first impression at the plate while filling in in center field. Now that the Brewers seem intent on adding a more traditional center fielder for 2016, Santana will have to vie for at-bats in one of the outfield corners, which are currently occupied by Braun and Khris Davis. All are right-handed hitters, though Counsell insisted during the Winter Meetings that there are plenty of at-bats to go around.

"It's the same question as [Gerardo Parra], Khris Davis and Braun last year," Counsell said. "They're different bats. The at-bats work out. They'll get plenty of at-bats. They're going to be factors and playing a lot."

The Brewers have also added two this winter via trades; Ramon Flores from the Mariners and from the Pirates.

5. Which prospects will make an impact?

Orlando Arcia, the Brewers' Minor League Player of the Year in 2015, batted .307 with 37 doubles, eight home runs, 69 RBIs and 25 stolen bases for a -A Huntsville team that went all the way to the 2015 Southern League championship series, all while playing Major League-caliber shortstop defense in his age 20 season. The Brewers have him ticketed to begin next season at -A Colorado Springs, but could be an option for the big league club as early as late May, when service time considerations are no longer in play.

Rebuilding means opportunity for young players, and Arcia is not the only one poised to get his break. Phillips has a chance to open at Triple-A as well, and is right behind Arcia on MLBPipeline.com's list of the top Brewers prospects.

On the pitching side, the Brewers gave a number of prospects a taste of the Majors late in 2015, from organizational Minor League Pitcher of the Year Jorge Lopez to Tyler Wagner, Adrian Houser and others. , acquired in a July trade with the Orioles, joined the starting rotation in September and could be back. Other young players will make the jump, too.

"It doesn't take time to sell it," Counsell said of the Brewers' rebuilding effort. "I think it takes patience to live through it."

http://m.brewers.mlb.com/news/article/160671268/eric-young-jr-reportedly-signs-with-brewers Young Jr. reportedly agrees to Minor League deal

By Adam McCalvy / MLB.com | December 29, 2015

MILWAUKEE -- Eric Young Jr., whose father manned second base in the early years of Miller Park, has reportedly signed a Minor League contract with the Brewers that includes an invitation to big league camp.

The club did not immediately announce the agreement, but ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reported Tuesday that Young would earn $1 million plus incentives if he makes the Major League roster. He represents another versatile import for Milwaukee general manager David Stearns; Young has experience at all three outfield positions, plus second base.

The elder Eric Young was a productive player for a poor Brewers team in 2002 before being traded to the Giants in August '03. His son was a 30th-round Draft pick of the Rockies that same year, and he debuted in the big leagues in '09. Young Jr.'s most productive season was '13, when he led the National League with 46 stolen bases while playing a career-high 148 games for the Rockies and Mets.

In 1,683 career plate appearances, Young Jr. owns a .247/.314/.328 slash line, with 144 steals in 179 attempts. He has made 200 Major League starts in left field, 48 in center, 34 in right, and 46 at second base.

Young is the 10th known non-roster invitee of the Brewers, and the second outfielder. The other is former Pirates center fielder Alex Presley. Milwaukee appears set at the outfield corners with a combination of Ryan Braun, Khris Davis and Domingo Santana, but the club has been stockpiling options for center field in recent weeks.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/363783601.html 10 story lines that defined Brewers’ 2015 season

By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel December 30, 2015

The 2015 baseball season was one of disappointment and transition for the Milwaukee Brewers, who took a major step back out of necessity to embark on a massive rebuilding plan.

For the first time since Mark Attanasio took over as principal owner in 2005, the Brewers scrapped everything they were doing and began the process of reconfiguring the roster. The change in direction included turnover at both the managerial and general manager levels and an extensive turnover in personnel.

Here is a look at 10 story lines that defined that season for the Brewers and their fans:

1. A NEW SKIPPER

It wasn’t just the 5-17 month of April that cost manager Ron Roenicke his job. It was that pratfall in combination with a 9-22 collapse at the end of the 2014 season that knocked the Brewers out of the playoff picture. Former player Craig Counsell was moved from a front-office role to replace Roenicke with the understanding that a massive rebuilding program was necessary.

2. CHANGE AT THE TOP

As the season progressed, it became evident that was a lame-duck general manager, with no mention of a contract extension. The Brewers finally made it official in August when Attanasio announced Melvin would step aside into an advisory role after the season, with the search for his successor beginning immediately. Melvin had been the only GM to serve under Attanasio, who decided it was time to begin the transition.

3. THE REBUILDING BEGINS

Before Melvin stepped aside, he initiated a much-needed rebuilding plan by trading away a slew of veterans in July and August. Aramis Ramirez was the first to go, followed by centerfielder Carlos Gomez and right- hander Mike Fiers, outfielder Gerardo Parra and relievers Jonathan Broxton and Neal Cotts.

4. YOUTH IS SERVED

The Brewers followed the recent trend in MLB of hiring young, Ivy League-bred general managers when David Stearns, a 30-year-old assistant GM with Houston, was named to replace Melvin. The hire dovetailed with the team’s massive rebuilding plan and signaled a change in player evaluation with baseball analytics playing a bigger role in building the roster for the future. Stearns continued the jettisoning of veterans by dealing first baseman Adam Lind during the winter meetings.

5. BRAUN BOUNCES BACK

With his five-year, $105 million contract extension set to begin in 2016, Ryan Braun bounced back offensively after finally finding a cure for a troublesome right thumb that robbed him of his power the previous two seasons. Braun compiled 25 homers and 84 RBI with a .854 OPS in 140 games before a troublesome lower back shut him down in late September. Braun had back surgery after the season but the hope is that he will continue to be productive offensively, giving a rebuilding club one bat it can count on.

6. PITIFUL PITCHING One of the main reasons for the Brewers’ early collapse was the complete meltdown of veteran Kyle Lohse and Matt Garza, the Nos. 1 and 2 starters in the rotation. Statistically, they were the two worst starters in the league and eventually forfeited their spots in the rotation. Lohse exited via free agency but Garza – who complained about losing his starting job and went home in September – has two years and $25 million remaining on his disastrous contract.

7. LEFT IN THE DUST

Complicating the Brewers’ path back to respectability is the increasing strength of the NL Central, particularly the top three teams – St. Louis, Pittsburgh and Chicago. The Cubs soared back into playoff mode, making it all the way to the NLCS by knocking off the Pirates and Cardinals. Smelling blood in the water, they put themselves in full go- for-it status by signing free agents Ben Zobrist, John Lackey and Jason Heyward this winter. The bar has been set very high in the division, leaving even more work to be done by the Brewers and Reds to compete again.

8. COACHING CAROUSEL

After inheriting a coaching staff on the fly a month into the season, Counsell – with assistance from Stearns – did significant retooling afterward. Bench Pat Murphy, pitching coach Derek Johnson, first base coach Carlos Subero and coach Jason Lane joined three holdovers, hitting coach Darnell Coles, third base coach Ed Sedar and bullpen coach Lee Tunnell, to form a staff light on big-league experience but diverse in background.

9. ON-THE-JOB TRAINING

With so many veterans being traded, the last few months became a mass audition for young players to prove they should be included in future plans. Outfielder Domingo Santana, right-hander Zach Davies and reliever Jhonathan Barrios were among those who showed enough promise to get a foot in the door prior to . Once camp opens, look for more auditions to take place as the Brewers put together a roster in transition for 2016.

10. RESTOCKING THE SHELVES

Last but certainly not least, considering the task the Brewers are undertaking, a farm system that was low on high- impact prospects was rebuilt via the string of trades in 2015 as well as a couple of solid drafts. At some point, highly regarded players such as shortstop Orlando Arcia, right-hander Jorge Lopez and centerfielder Brett Phillips will lead the way back to contending mode. Now we wait to see how long the process takes.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/363750551.html Eric Young Jr. signs minor-league deal with Brewers

By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel December 29, 2015

Infielder/outfielder Eric Young Jr., whose father played in Milwaukee during a previous rebuilding era, has signed a minor-league deal with the Brewers with an invitation to big-league camp, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reported Tuesday.

Crasnick reported that Young will receive a $1 million salary if he makes the Brewers' roster next season.

Young, 30, would be more of an extra piece providing speed and versatility. He can play second base — as his father did for the Brewers in 2002-'03 — as well as all three outfield positions.

In 557 major-league games with Colorado, Atlanta and the Mets, Young has batted .247 with a .314 on- base percentage and .642 OPS. He has stolen 144 bases, including 46 in 2013 while playing for both the Mets and Rockies.

Last season, Young played in 35 games for the Braves and 18 for the Mets, who purchased his contract Aug. 22. He struggled badly at the plate, batting .153 with a .217 OBP.

In 247 games with the Brewers, the elder Young batted .271 with a .340 OBP, 18 home runs, 59 RBI and 56 stolen bases.

The only father-son combos to play for the Brewers were Tito and , and Davey and Derrick May.

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/blog/2015/12/how-much-has-been-raised-through-sale-of-brewers.html How much has been raised through sale of Brewers and Packers license plates?

By Rich Kirchen, Milwaukee Business Journal December 29, 2015

Three Wisconsin legislators propose creating a Milwaukee Bucks specialty license plate for fans to show their support and to help pay for the new downtown arena — similar to the arrangement for Milwaukee Brewers and Green Bay Packers plates that support their respective home venues. How much has been raised through the sale of Brewers and Packers plates?

Proceeds from Packers plates have totaled $3,298,167 since they were introduced in 2001 and proceeds go to maintaining Lambeau Field. The Brewers plates, which were introduced in 2010, have raised $1,073,588 and are used to retire the Miller Park stadium construction debt.

In addition to the regular vehicle registration fee, motorists who buy Brewers and Packers license plates pay a $15 fee for issuance or re-issuance of the plates and annually make a voluntary payment of $25.

There are two Brewers plates — one with the team’s current logo and one with the retro ball-and-glove logo. The retro logo plate has been the most popular with 5,571 vehicles carrying that version as of July, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. The number of vehicles with plates featuring the current logo was 3,731 in July, the DOT said.

Revenue from Brewers plates peaked at $233,633 in 2014 and was $198,499 in 2015 through September, said Miller Park district executive director Mike Duckett. For the past decade, revenue from the Packers plates has ranged from $393,266 to $443,883 per year, according to the Green Bay/Brown County Professional Football Stadium District. The number of vehicles with the Packers plates as of July was 15,958, the DOT said.

The cost to motorists for the Bucks special license plates would be the same as the Brewers and Packers plates.

The Bucks license plates proposal calls for 80 percent of payments to be deposited in the state’s general fund until the state is fully reimbursed for its contributions to the Bucks new downtown Milwaukee arena. The state is contributing $55 million to the arena construction cost.

After that is paid off, proceeds will go to the Milwaukee Bucks charitable foundation.