Another high-priced free agent?!"WhiteFanposts Fanshots

Sections Brewers Rumors and SpeculationConversation StartersWPA Game RecapsTransactionsLatest NewsMLB Trade RumorsBrewers Rumors and SpeculationReport lists Milwaukee Brewers among three finalists for free agent Dallas KeuchelNew http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-marcell-ozuna-jersey ,163commentsAnother high-priced free agent?!CSTShareTweetShareShareReport lists Milwaukee Brewers among three finalists for free agent Dallas KeuchelTommy Gilligan-USA TODAY SportsIt would be easy for one to assume that the Milwaukee Brewers are done making major moves for the 2018-19 offseason. After the blockbuster signing of Yasmani Grandal, the Opening Day payroll projection sits at more than $112 mil, which stands to set a new franchise record as it is. Grandal’s addition fills the need for a significant offensive upgrade to the lineup, and with the club seemingly content to field a platoon a second base, as well as plenty of depth in both the rotation and bullpen, it’s not difficult to start visualizing what the roster will look like on March 28th when Milwaukee opens the season against St. Louis.Slingin’ David Stearns may have another trick up his sleeve yet, however, if there is any truth to this recent report:According to Paul Crane, a veteran broadcaster, reporter, and play-by-play announcer with a pulse on the Braves beat in Atlanta, the Brewers are apparently one of three finalists for the services of free agent starter Dallas Keuchel. Milwaukee is reportedly competing with the Braves and Astros, but may be willing to go to three guaranteed seasons while the Astros are offering only two and an option year. What the Braves may be offering is unknown.Keuchel was predicted to land a four-year Michael Wacha Jersey , $82 mil deal by MLB Trade Rumors as the second-best free agent pitcher at the outset of the offseason, though it doesn’t seem like he’ll approach either of those figures based on Crane’s report. There are reasons to be skeptical of Keuchel as a free agent, starting with the recently-turned 31 year old’s age. He dealt with shoulder and neck issues during the 2016-17 seasons, though he did come back to pitch 204.2 innings last year. The 8.3% swinging-strike rate and 17.5% strikeout rate he posted in 2018 were his lowest since his rookie season of 2012. And, in terms of bottom-line run prevention, he’s been closer to average (4.55 ERA, 113 ERA- in 2016, 3.74 ERA, 91 ERA- in 2018) than ace (2.90 ERA, 69 ERA- in 2017) in two of the last three seasons.However, in an age where strikeouts are ever-increasing and an era when even the rich teams refuse to spend in free agency, Keuchel may be an under-valued commodity. He does possess two elite skills - controlling quality of contact and keeping the ball on the ground. Going back seven seasons to the start of 2012, Keuchel’s first in the big leagues Ozzie Smith Jersey , the left-hander ranks third-best among the 218 qualified starting pitchers by yielding a mere 25.3% hard contact rate and sixth-best by inducing soft contact 21.6% of the time. He’s also generated the fourth-highest ground ball rate among pitchers in that sample at 58.9%. Those strengths ought to fit particularly well within the Brewers run prevention system, which encourages hurlers who lack elite velocity to pitch to contact and allow Milwaukee’s precise shifting of defenders to turn balls in play into outs.The Brewers are perhaps more willing than any other organization to overlook low-endfastball velo and don’t figure to be scared off by Keuchel’s 89 MPH heater nor his 6.7 K/9. Despite underwhelming “stuff,” the southpaw has put together DRA- marks of 86 or below in each of the last five seasons, including a 57 DRA- during his Cy Young season in 2015. The high price tag that typically accompanies a free agent of his ilk would be something that normally scares off a small-market team like Milwaukee, but if Stearns sees a possibility to mine surplus value from a player who he ought to be quite familiar with from their days together in Houston, then perhaps he can convince owner Mark Attanasio to further augment the payroll in the quest for a World Series.Statistics courtesy of Fangraphs and Baseball Prospectus The Orioles have settled on their pick for a new GM and unless things get weird they will make that official soon, perhaps even today. Also, it’s Dylan Bunday’s birthday."WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Commentary & AnalysisOrioles ProspectsOrioles Game RecapsOrioles News and RumorsCamdencastBird DroppingsThursday Bird Droppings: Where the Orioles might make it official todayNew,626commentsThe Orioles have settled on their pick for a new GM and unless things get weird they will make that official soon, perhaps even today. Also, it’s Dylan Bunday’s birthday.who the better players are, and they might help the Orioles see some of their returning players improve as well, but it’s going to take time Albert Pujols Jersey , a whole lot of precious time, to have sufficient talent to where contention can be in the cards again.Around the blogO’sphereMore on Mike Elias’ expected hiring by Orioles (School of Roch)Let’s all be thankful that the reported early favorite Ned Colletti did not get the job.Initial thoughts on Mike Elias as the Orioles’ new top executive (The Athletic)Dan Connolly wanted a top executive who has experience as a GM or president of baseball operations already. I’m glad they didn’t listen to him when making the choice.The Orioles will just lose with or without Manny Machado (NBC Sports)I think U2 sang about something like this in The Joshua Tree.Hal Steinbrenner on Manny Machado’s ‘Johnny Hustle’ comments: ‘That ain’t going to sell’ (Baltimore Sun)For that hopefully small audience of people who care what one of the sons of George Steinbrenner has to say about Manny Machado, here you go.Birthdays and anniversariesIn 1983, Cal Ripken Jr. was awarded the AL Most Valuable Player award for the first time. In the process, he became the first player to ever win the Rookie of the Year award and the MVP in back-to-back seasons.One current Oriole has a birthday today: Happy 26th birthday to Dylan Bundy. There are also a pair of former Orioles with birthdays today. They are: 2002 pitcher John Stephens, and 2004 short-timer Darwin Cubillan.Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Your birthday buddies for today include: Simpsons debate topic William Pitt the Elder (1708), American modernist pioneer Georgia O’Keeffe (1887), singer-songwriter Petula Clark (1932), wrestler “The Macho Man” Randy Savage (1952), rapper Ol’ Dirty Bastard (1968), and actress Shailene Woodley (1991).On this day in history...In 1777, the Continental Congress approved the Articles of Confederation.In 1806, while exploring territory included in the Louisiana Purchase http://www.stlouiscardinalsteamshop.com/authentic-marcell-ozuna-jersey , Lieutenant Zebulon Pike caught site of a mountain peak in what is today the state of Colorado. The peak still bears his name.In 1864, General William Tecumseh Sherman began his march to the sea, which you may recall from history class if you were paying attention.In 1939, the cornerstone of the Jefferson Memorial was set down by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The memorial was not dedicated until 1943.**And that’s the way it is in Birdland on November 15 - or at least, unless something happens later, which I really hope it does, because if the Orioles go two full days between Elias’s name getting out into the public with no official announcement, I’m going to start worrying about something weird and bad happening. Have a safe Thursday.