The Milwaukee Brewers: Rebuilding a Franchise
Miller Park, home of the Brewers baseball team, located in Milwaukee
Since 2011, when the Milwaukee Brewers made it to the NLCS [National League Championship Series] against the St. Louis Cardinals, they have maintained a .517 win-loss ratio. As for this past season, much has changed and still is currently changing for the Brewers organization.
Our story begins two years ago, in the 2014 MLB season, where the Milwaukee Brewers found themselves sitting atop of the league. A playoff appearance was bound to happen, but something stopped that dream. Milwaukee flipped their bats 180 degrees and had a disappointing end to their season in 2014, leading to a disaster that was the 2015 season.
Since the resignation of Doug Melvin as General Manager, to a more advisory role as the President of Baseball Operations with the Brewers, the team has made drastic changes to rebuild. New General Manager, David Stearns, has now made his ninth trade, little over two weeks ago, since taking over after the 2015 season by sending starting leftfielder Khris Davis to Oakland for two prospects, catcher Jake Nottingham and pitcher Bubba Derby.
Arrowhead junior and longtime Brewer fan, Nathan Kobb was very surprised with the Khris Davis trade.
“I thought Khris Davis was turning into a star player and would be a big contributor this coming season, but now he’s gone,” states Kobb, “I didn’t think he would be traded, let alone for more prospects.”
Another huge trade included a five-player deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, which included star shortstop Jean Segura. The Brewers traded Segura and pitcher Tyler Wagner for Arizona right-hander Chase Anderson, shortstop Aaron Hill, and Minor League shortstop Isan Diaz.
The Journal Sentinel’s Tom Haudricourt article, “9 Trades, 16 Players for Brewers…and Counting?” quotes Stearns on his thoughts about the organization’s progress: “‘We have made a lot of moves,’ said the Milwaukee Brewers general manager. ‘I imagine not all of our off-seasons will be quite this active.’”
“‘We think we’ve made progress. We’re confident these will put us in a better position to succeed moving forward, but time will tell.’”
Hopefully Stearns actions will result in success for the 2016 season, which is less than two months away. Opening Day for the Brewers will be on April 4, 2016, against the San Francisco Giants.
