Milwaukee Brewers: The Curse of A Deep Farm System

There are a lot of rumors out there involving the Milwaukee Brewers, but not all of them are exactly plausible.

Throughout the season we have seen some pretty vague, often times misleading articles. When someone speaks about their team acquiring one of our guys or vice versa, it is not always realistic.

Usually, every article begins or ends with the name. Lewis Brinson, Corbin Burnes, Luis Ortiz and Lucas Erceg are the desired return.  But the reality is those names are close to untouchable. The offer would absolutely need to knock David Stearns and company’s socks off.

The Milwaukee Brewers have been connected to every big name out there this off-season. And right next to it lies the name of one our future stars. Chris Archer, Danny Duffy, Whitt Merrifield and so on.  The fact is these teams want the best returns possible for these guys.

Here is where the disadvantages start.  When the Milwaukee Brewers acquire top talent they gave up major pieces.  Jonathan Lucroy, Carlos Gomez, Fransisco Rodriguez and Khris Davis are just some of the notable names dealt.

When making a trade for prospects GMs look at the longevity that particular player will have in their organization.  Some factors may include, MLB ETA, how the player will fare in the organization, and possibly untapped potential.  These are the real questions that entice baseball executives to trade away players that have had a lasting impression on their organization.

A team who inquires about Lewis Brinson or Corbin Burnes better offer a solid amount in return.  Some of the resulting asking prices have obviously had an impact on this slow off-season for Milwaukee.

The depth that the Milwaukee Brewers possess in their system is something every GM thinks they can take advantage of.  Understandably so, if we were to trade away Lewis Brinson in their minds we still have Brett Phillips and Monte Harrison waiting in the mist. Sadly it is not that simple.

Next: Understanding 2018 ZiPS Projections

Honestly, this slow off-season is the fault of the Milwaukee Brewers.  They own so much talent that teams want the absolute top dollar or prospects for almost anyone of there productive major leaguers.