After years of absolute horror against the Brewers, I'll take it.
I'm optimistic they can be a near .500 team next season with just a few added pieces.
Rotation: Brubaker, Contrares, Keller, Thompson, Mike Burrows
Is this rotation terrible? No.
Is it anything more than decent? No.
Could they find better backend arms? Maybe, but would they pay the cost to do it? Doubtful. My thought is they (Thompson and Burrows) will be there after ST.
The rotation is good enough to break the 100-loss schneid. Add a Priester cup-o-joe in September for added zing.
Last thought here: if Keller's improvement continues and Thompson returns to his 2021 form, it's a borderline good rotation. Pie-in-the-sky, perhaps, but we can dream.
Relief is in better shape after the trades for Holderman and Oviedo. Bednar, De Los Santos, Crowe, Beede Holderman, Oviedo, and Bryse Wilson (2.08 ERA as a reliever this season, albeit over just 11 IP) is solid. They have to add some organizational depth pieces, but that is all that's necessary.
An infield of Hayes, Cruz, Marcano, and Chavis is the likely crew that starts us off in 2023 (possibly Kevin Newman at 2B if he's still with the club). At some point we figure to actually see what Ji-hwan Bae can do in the big leagues. I am hoping it's soon, before September. I have him penciled in as the utility man of 2023. And there's Diego Castillo. Solid defensive piece, hopefully he can find the bat again.
Catcher could stand to be upgraded. Heineman and Delay are just OK. Delay is at least flashing a solid BA right now. Perhaps they bring back Roberto Perez.
Jack Suwinski seems to be bouncing back in AAA. The K-rate is trending downward and the average is ticking up. With 4 HRs in two weeks, the power is obviously there. Reynolds is Reynolds (and I think they'll get a deal done). RF is a bit up in the air, but Cal Mitchell has hit well since coming back up (.282) - hopefully that continues. After those three, I would tentatively have Swaggerty up as the versatile, can-play-all-corners 4th OF. Whether he can perform well enough to remain is his big question.
What they lack for sure is a heavy bat DH who can also fill in at RF and 1B when needed.
Overview - 24 of 25:
OF: Reynolds, Suwinski, Mitchell, Swaggerty
IF: Hayes, Cruz, Chavis, Newman, Castillo
C: Heineman, Delay / (R. Perez?)
U: Marcano, Bae
DH: ?
Rotation: Brubaker, Roansy, Keller, Thompson, Burrows
Relief: Bednar, De Los Santos, Crowe, Holderman, Oviedo, Beede, Bryse Wilson
Opening Day:
1. Marcano - 2B
2. Reynolds - CF
3. Cruz - SS
4. DH
5. Suwinski - RF
6. Chavis - 1B
7. Hayes - 3B
8. Mitchell - RF
9. Catcher
SP: Brubaker
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Needs:
High priority: Power bat for DH + 1B/RF depth, catcher upgrade
Low priority: Backend rotation arm(s), relief pitching organizational depth