Following the Brewers exit from an exciting playoff race, the off-season processes were put into motion. Brewers’ president of baseball operations David Stearns has already started to create a plan for the 2023 season, which will hopefully put them back into the playoffs.
However, following the unfortunate finish this season, Stearns sat down and addressed the media to speak about the season and field questions. He had some interesting quotes during his press conference, but more importantly he mentions the expectations he had set and the vision for the team he created at the deadline.
Stearns Addresses Media Regarding Season Outcome
As David Stearns spoke to the media and answered their questions, he was fairly straight forward about the potential he saw in the team. First and foremost, Stearns got right into it and spoke about the Josh Hader trade and the impact he felt it was going to have versus what actually happened.
The Hader trade is obviously controversial across the league, with Brewers fans being against it the most. Stearns didn’t try to explain himself again for the trade, or the mindset that went into getting rid of Hader. He focused on the potential the trade had for the future. Stearns was quoted during the conference saying, “Looking back, I remain very excited about the young talent we have in the organization. I also realize that we went into a Trade Deadline in playoff position, and we didn’t make the playoffs.”
Stearns pointed out the “young talent” that the Brewers have, which he added to when he acquired Esteury Ruiz and Robert Gasser from the Padres. However, the issue was that the Brewers needed more depth for the major league squad, and as Stearns mentions, the team had a playoff spot at the time of the trade. Stearns mainly spoke about pitching, so the potential value that acquiring a batter like Eric Hosmer (who would’ve needed to waive his trade clause) or Luke Voit was not discussed.
Brewers’ Crushed Morale
Anyone who watched the Brewers significantly this season before and after the Hader trade noticed something. The team played emotionless baseball for a stretch, and morale was certainly hurt. The Hader trade certainly impacted the Brewers team, as Devin Williams and others pointed out in their comments following the shocking move.
After trading Hader, the Brewers were swept in their first series without him against the Pirates and ended 12-15 for the month of August. Stearns mentioned the concept of the team being impacted on and off the field and he stated, “It goes hand in hand.” It seemed evident this is true, since the Brewers struggled losing a core teammate in Josh Hader. Hader struggled with the move as well. He recorded an ERA of 25.71 across his first seven appearances and lost his role as the closer for the squad.
Was the Bullpen Solidified for the Brewers?
One of the bigger takeaways from the Josh Hader ridden media conference, Stearns spoke about the outlook the team had on the bullpen. He expressed that he felt “confident” in the “flexibility” and “depth” of the Brewers bullpen after acquiring Matt Bush and Trevor Rosenthal. The right-handers are solid additions, when healthy, but they simply weren’t the answer.
Matt Bush finished the season with an ERA of 4.30 across 25 outings for the Brewers. Bush is 36-years old and his purpose is to eat up innings, which he did just fine. He won’t do anything special or over power batters but he’s another arm. Rosenthal, on the other hand, was a flop. Much like Dinelson Lamet, Rosenthal never threw a pitch for the Brewers. He hasn’t played in the MLB in two years following multiple injuries.
Lamet also didn’t help solidify the bullpen, since he never got to play. The Brewers were required to release a pitcher from the 40-man, and newly acquired Lamet was chosen. He was later picked up by the Rockies and settled into a long relief role. He finished the year with an ERA of 6.12, but threw a 4.05 after joining Colorado.
The Elephant in the Brewers’ Room
Clearly, every move cannot go the way everyone hopes for. Stearns was the first one to admit this and took responsibility for the outcome of the 2022 season. He was quoted saying, “And we didn’t reach our goal this year. We didn’t meet our expectations.” which ultimately encapsulates the Brewers season into one quote.
The Brewers were not only struggling on the field, but also struggling to get people to join the team. Obviously, fans and friends are not in these negotiations, but there are details that emerge. Stearns stated early in the year that he tried to acquire a major bat for the Brewers. However, the deals ultimately fell through. If and when the Brewers acquire a bat will it make a difference? Could that have helped the Crew overtake the Phillies or Padres?
Stearns on the organization's goal to win a World Series: "That is our aim, that is what we're working towards. We're gonna show up to spring training next year with that objective." #ThisIsMyCrew pic.twitter.com/ixI8PWVuji
— Bally Sports Wisconsin (@BallySportWI) October 11, 2022
Nobody will ever get to know what another bat could’ve done. With 18 arbitration eligible players and countless impending free agents, Stearns will have plenty of work to do to get the Brewers back to where they need to be. The road to getting the team to the playoffs may only get harder. Hopefully Stearns is able to have a productive off-season for the team.
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