Milwaukee Brewers: Is The Roster Ready For Camp?

Recent comments by David Stearns say that the Milwaukee Brewers might go to camp with no more moves made.

That means the Milwaukee Brewers gluttony of outfielders will remain a huge question for a little while longer. And you know what, that is not a bad thing. Immediate reactions might say that the team needs a pitcher, or that this will hurt potential of outfielders in waiting, but that is not true.

Right now, there are two outfielders(excluding Ryan Braun) who are established hitters at the MLB level. The other three are running on the fumes of potential and a good season. The trio of Domingo Santana, Keon Broxton, and Brett Phillips have loads of talent, but are not proven.

Trade Scenario

That experience comes into play because if a trade were made, one if not two of them would be wearing a new uniform. If all went well, a pitcher would be brought in, and that is helpful. But the market for pitchers right now is not one to pounce on. Despite any rumors of free agent signings or even trades, the available arms will not fulfill what the Milwaukee Brewers are looking for.

The Brewers might have made the statement that they are ready to compete, but it is not a 2018 or bust year. Youth and control run rampant throughout the lineup and that is what makes patience a valuable asset.

Making a smart move is more important than making any move. The free agent market is going to be too expensive. Signing one of the top arms would make keeping the young core together a lot more difficult moving forward.

The trade market could get an arm with control, but none of the ideal candidates are available. Waiting until the trade deadline would not be the worst thing. By then, there will likely be a much better option that becomes available.

Outfield Surplus

Keeping every outfield option give the Milwaukee Brewers just that, options. Each guy bringso something different to the game. Ideally, for me, Phillips fills out the outfield on a consistent basis. But Santana has a better bat, and Broxton is faster.

Either way, the flexibility for Craig Counsell is very apparent. Between Christian Yelich and Lorenzo Cain this is going to be a fight for one spot in the lineup. Braun is working out at first, and if all goes well it means he won’t be competing with the other guys.

Warning

This could be a David Stearns decoy. There are gears always for the GM, and this could just be an element of distraction while things go on behind the scenes. All of the rumors of recent weeks might have disappeared, or they might still be relevant. Who knows.

Next: Who Is On The Roster Bubble?

It has been an exciting offseason…well an exciting 90 minutes of an offseason. The way things are now would not be the worst thing in the world to start the year. It doesn’t mean this is the roster of the next decade, moves can still happen down the road. The right move is what is important.