What the Brewers Should Do
by Ross Friedman
What do the Brewers need to do? Start over. If not
for the very good trade they made last season that
sent Bob Wickman to Cleveland for Richie Sexson, I'd
say this organization is completely lost and clueless.
Every team's goal should be to make the playoffs and
win the World Series. There is no possible way the
Brewers will do that in the year 2001, or 2002 for
that matter. Therefore, the Brewers need to be
looking further down the line. Maybe have the 2004 or
2005 season as a "push-year" where they go for their
playoff run. If they start planning correctly now,
they should be able to do that.
This means trade anybody and everybody on the team
with trade value that likely won't be too productive a
player 4 years from now. Bring in prospects and
younger players who will be ready to blossom as major
leaguers for that push-year down the road.
The Brewers only have three players on from their
Major League roster that they really need to keep.
Richie Sexson, Geoff Jenkins, and Jeff D'Amico are the
three players the Brewers should now be trying to
build around.
Unfortunately for the Brewers, they do not have that
many other players with significant trade value.
Right now a number of teams are interested in Jeremy
Burnitz. Burnitz is a free agent after the 2001
season and the Brewers can get a few prospects for the
outfielder who turns 32 in April.
Also, the Brewers should find a way to get Marquis
Grissom and Jose Hernandez off their roster for
whatever they can get for them. Save that money for
other players who will be around for the playoff push.
The other two players the Brewers should definitely
trade are Curt Leskanic and David Weathers. Weathers
is currently 31 years old and Leskanic turns 33 in
April. Both had great years last year and would be an
asset to almost any team's bullpen. However, four
years from now they probably won't be too effective
anymore. So the Brewers should trade them now, as
their values are most likely at their peak. While
Weathers had a 3.07 ERA in 69 appearances last season,
Leskanic had a 9-3 record with a 2.56 ERA in his 73
appearances. Now is the time to trade them.
There is one Major League player the Brewers should
try to trade for, if they can get him to sign a
long-term deal. However, that may be a difficult task
as Johnny Damon is represented by Scott Boras. Damon
would be free agent after the 2001 season. He would
be a good fit for the Brewers and the Royals are
rumored to want bullpen help, which the Brewers can
provide.
Next, and this may be too late already, the Brewers
should get Ichiro Suzuki. If any team could pull off
winning the blind bidding it would definitely be the
Brewers. After all, the bids were submitted to Bud
Selig. If Suzuki, the 7-time Japanese batting
champion, is a player like Kenny Lofton in his prime
as he is being compared (in other words a great
fielder and wonderful table setter), he would easily
be worth the $5-6 million price tag per season.
It is a risk, but some risks are worth taking.
Everybody thought the Yankees were crazy when they
signed Orlando Hernandez to a 4-year, $6 million deal
when he came over from Cuba. That's $1.5 million per
season. Now there are 29 other teams wishing they
took that risk.
The Brewers should do it with Suzuki.
If the Brewers could put together an outfield of Geoff
Jenkins, Ichiro Suzuki, and Johnny Damon, with Richie
Sexson at first base, they could have half of their
position players set for a long time with young
exciting, talented players. In other words, something
to build on.
Plan B: If the Brewers cannot pull off a trade for
Johnny Damon, try to make a deal for Scott Williamson
of the Reds who Jim Bowden is shopping.
2001 Suggested 25-man Roster:
Lineup
CF-Ichiro Sukuki
LF-Johnny Damon
RF-Geoff Jenkins
1B-Richie Sexson
3B-Tyler Houston
SS-Mark Loretta
C- Raul Casanova
2B-Luis Lopez
Bench
C- Henry Blanco
C- Kevin L. Brown
IN-Ron Belliard
IN-Lou Collier
OF-Lyle Mouton
OF-James Mouton
Starters
Jeff D'Amico
Jamey Wright
Paul Ridgon
Jimmy Haynes
John Snyder
Bullpen
Ray King
Juan Acevedo
Valerio de los Santos
Mike Buddie
Allen Levrault
Horacio Estrada
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