Thanks for your comments. Please see the comments I posted in response to Spikes below. Additionally, here is some commentary from a similar trade I posted that you may not have seen. I think Stearns has the imagination but obviously he doesn’t have the financial support. In my opinion you either go for it or you don’t because that pitching bill is coming due fast and they need to win now. You never know what the future holds, especially in baseball. Hopefully, MA goes for it because the Milwaukee faithful have certainly been good to his investment in the Brewers (increase in franchise value, 13th highest attendance figure, five county tax for the stadium) yet he still wants more. MA, I implore you, let the urge to buy a premier soccer team die. I realize it is fashionable to keep up with the Jones’, or Khan’s, or whomever in the hedge fund universe, but win one here first. All of this talk about small market team economics and payroll is somewhat bullshit. MA, talk with the Lasry’s down the street. Hell, talk with Giannis. He’s an owner now. He’s got some change rolling around in his pocket. Anyway, yes, MA has Cain’s prorated $17 million left, not $17 million. I think you probably meant to prorate that like you did with the other amounts. Now, why would the addition of Verdugo and Martinez banish Cutch and Renfroe to the bench? Here’s how I see the alignment: LF Cutch/Yelich/Martinez CF Verdugo/Taylor/Cutch https://www.overthemonster.com/2021/1/15/22230899/mlb-top-center-fielders-alex-verdugo RF Renfroe/Taylor/Martinez DH Martinez/Yelich/Cutch The best guys play. Period. And don’t tell me Verdugo can’t play CF. The Brewers need offensive production from that outfield and this team has the skipper and analytics to put the team in the best position to win. This trade gives them a chance. The trade for Fulmer gives them a chance too. Again, the best guys play. Fulmer is either the closer or Williams graduates to closer. Alexander gives them a 27 year old arm with promise if they don’t want to retain Fulmer. 1Reply

Thank you for your commentary. I can't take full credit for this trade. JMONT suggested the addition of Schreiber and Renfroe. I wasn't inclined to include Renfroe. As it relates to Verdugo in CF, I don't know if you saw this link posted in the remarks section for a similar trade I posted. It is a somewhat interesting read but stats are stats and they change. The article referenced Verdugo's Dodger years and in 2019 he played CF well. I can understand the reticence of using him in CF once you look at some of the current Baseball Reference numbers for CF. https://www.overthemonster.com/2021/1/15/22230899/mlb-top-center-fielders-alex-verdugo I say you pull the trigger on a trade now so you can use July and early August as a proving ground to see if Verdugo could be the CF from 2019. Is it a Boston thing or not? Would Chaim insist on getting Renfroe back because JBJ still sucks and he'd want to save face? Does Chaim care about that? Who knows? Does the allure of bringing in a closer to slam the door shut on the Yankees and others appeal to the Bosox? Additionally, this could simultaneously provide Verdugo and Chaim a fresh start and move past the specter of Mookie Betts. In short, a piece from the Mookie Betts trade allowed for the eventual return of a superstar while allowing for future building blocks (Downs).