As much of the baseball world debates why the Milwaukee Brewers and Athletics are facing off at the smallest ballpark in the majors, the team's front office has been hard at work behind the scenes. But given the meteoric rise the Milwaukee Brewers have undertaken in recent years, many casual baseball fans are left to wonder how a small-market franchise like Milwaukee managed to pull this off.
Despite ranking 19th in total and active payroll, Milwaukee is one of the hottest teams in baseball with elite talent in the bullpen and the batting order. Much of that success should be credited to President of Baseball Operations Matt Arnold and his elite staff, who find, develop, and retain talent like no others.
They've been staying the course this week by securing another one of their top young players on a long-term contract. As reported by ESPN's Jeff Passan, the Brewers just signed outfielder Luis Lara on a new seven-year, $31 million deal. The 21-year-old switch hitter stays with the franchise during an unbelievable season for the Brewers' Triple-A affiliate, Nashville Sounds, where he's posting a .948 OPS with 70 hits, 27 RBI and 19 stolen bases in 57 games.
This follows in line with the eight-year, $51 million deal they gave to the team's No. 4 ranked prospect, Cooper Pratt, in April. Even while looking like a World Series contender, Arnold and the Brewers' front office are operating as if it's business as usual. While these are solid deals and there is room to do both, it also poses questions about where the team's priorities are.
The Brewers are doing a great job securing their future. Now it's time to buy in on the present.
It's well established that the Brewers have one of — if not the best — farm systems in all of baseball. That's the main reason they're on pace for their first 100-win season in franchise history, as of when this is being published, and their pipeline for bringing star talent to Milwaukee without spending big in trades or free agency.
But that shouldn't deter them from going all-in on this rotation as the MLB Trade Deadline nears this August. Statistically speaking, the Brewers are a top 5 team in both offense and defense in most categories this season. From their unbelievable young pitching rotation to the plethora of high-impact batters throughout the roster, Milwaukee has a chance to go all the way this year.
Securing the futures of your best prospects is simply good business for the Brewers, but it cannot be their sole focus at this stage of the franchise's evolution. It's time to make all of the hard work and sacrifice worthwhile by taking a bit of a risk and trying to add to the team — not just keep players who are already in the system.
It might not work out, but it's certainly worth the risk — especially when you know there's exceptional young talent on the rise with an eye on your rotation. That's the luxury the Brewers are working with this season, and they shouldn't take that for granted.
Add us as a preferred source on Google