Doug Melvin, the Milwaukee Brewers general manager, is considered one of baseball's best. He slowly but surely brought the team from the pit of the NL Central to the throne in 2011. The question is, however: Is he really that good a general manager?
Melvin has done a lot to improve the Brewers, that much is certain. But he has also made some questionable moves that no one seems to be talking about.
I'm going to examine four trades that Melvin has made in the past five years. You be the judge.
Is Doug Melvin an overrated general manager?
The Trade for Nyjer Morgan
Without Nyjer Morgan, the 2011 Milwaukee Brewers most likely wouldn't have made the playoffs. Morganâ€"or, as he is more popularly known, Tony Plushâ€"was the spark plug for the NL Central champions.
The only reason the Brewers acquired Morgan was because Corey Hart was going to start the season on the disabled list. The Washington Nationals were calling teams basically begging them to take the eccentric Morgan off their hands. Doug Melvin and the Brewers obliged, sending minor-league infielder Cutter Dykstra and cash considerations to the Nats for Morgan.
Morgan had his best year in the majors, splitting time with Carlos Gomez in center field. T-Plush hit .304 and had one of the most famous hits in Milwaukee Brewers history: a walk-off single in extra innings in the National League Division series versus the Arizona Diamondbacks
Even if Morgan isn't as productive as he was a season ago, this trade was exactly what the Brewers needed.
Grade: A
The Trade for CC Sabathia
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In 2008, the Brewers were one excellent pitcher away from the postseason.
Doug Melvin pushed all of his chips into the middle and acquired ace CC Sabathia from the Tribe, for Matt LaPorta and irrelevant minor leaguers Zach Jackson and Rob Bryson. The Brewers traded away their top prospect in first basemen Matt Laporta, but with Prince Fielder, the Crew had no spot for him.
Sabathia went 11-2 with a 1.65 ERA after being traded to the Brewers. Sabathia almost single-handedly pushed the Brewers into the playoffs as the wild card. Melvin made a gutsy and risky decision by acquiring Sabathia and it paid off. The Brewers even made Sabathia a respectable offer to stay in Milwaukee, but Sabathia, unsurprisingly, signed with the New York Yankees.
Matt LaPorta, on the other hand, has been a bust in the major leagues. In three seasons with the Tribe, Laporta batted for an average of .238 with 30 home runs. That's not the type of production the Indians were expecting. LaPorta is currently in Triple-A, having been sent down after hitting .197 during spring training.
Even though Sabathia only pitched for the Brewers for half a year, he led the Brewers to playoffs for the first time in 26 years,
Grade: B+
The Trade for Zack Greinke
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In late December, Doug Melvin made another all-in move. The Brewers acquired former Cy Young winner Zack Greinke to firm up their rotation. They also acquired Yuniesky Betancourt as part of the deal.
Milwaukee's farm system was hit hard by this trade. Milwaukee sent shortstop Alcides Escobar, outfielder Lorenzo Cain and pitching prospects Jake Odorizzi and Jeremy Jeffress to the Kansas City Royals.
After trading Escobar, the Brewers now had three different shortstops in three years. Escobar and Cain were the players that the Royals were most interested in. Both players have Gold Glove talent and would make any team better defensively.
Zack Greinke was a big part of the Brewers' regular season and postseason success in 2011. Greinke won every start at Miller Park and finished the season 16-6 with a 3.83 era. He has been lights-out since coming to the Brewers, and many fans hope Melvin offers him a contract extension soon.
This trade is more difficult to grade than the others. Escobar and Cain are both starting for the Royals this year.
Escobar, better known for his defense, was the reason the Brewers traded JJ Hardy to the Twins in 2009. He was supposed to be the future of Milwaukee's defense. Instead, Milwaukee had Betancourt, a dreadful shortstop last season. Cain is also more of a defensive player than an offensive player, but the Brewers already had speedy Carlos Gomez to man center field.
Although trading for Greinke helped the Brewers become World Series contenders, it left them very weak at shortstop. Melvin probably regrets trading Hardy now. This trade will look a lot better if Greinke signs an extension with the Crew.
Grade: B-
The Trade for Shaun Marcum
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This trade could go down as one of the worst trades in major league baseball history.
A few days before acquiring Zack Greinke, the Brewers traded for starting pitcher Shaun Marcum. In return, the Brewers gave the Blue Jays top prospect Brett Lawrie. Many Brewer fans were anxiously watching the progression Lawrie was making in the minors. They couldn't wait for him to be a member of the Milwaukee Brewers.
But Doug Melvin, wanting to win now, traded for a proven pitcher, making Milwaukee's rotation one of the best in the National League.
Shaun Marcum, a control pitcher, had a solid year with the Crew in 2011. He posted a 13-7 record with a 3.57 ERA in 33 appearances.
Marcum is off to another great start in 2012. He is a free agent at the end of this season. If the Brewers do not resign him, this trade could look pretty bad.
Brett Lawrie tasted the majors for the first time in 2011 for Toronto, appearing in 43 games. He hit .295 with nine home runs and 25 RBI's in 150 at bats. He already has two homers this year.
If Lawrie continues to improve and become the All-Star many people think he will be, the Blue Jays will have gotten the better end of the stick.
If the Brewers do not resign Marcum, this trade will be terrible. It will be turn into a horrendous move by Doug Melvin. If that happens, grade this trade an F.
Grade: C-
Grading Doug Melvin
Doug Melvin takes great risks and is definitely not afraid to fail. You have to give him credit for that. But there is a point when risky moves become stupid moves.
If Greinke and Marcum both walk after this season, the trades to acquire them will be frowned upon. Melvin must do everything he can to keep them.
At least Melvin is doing everything he can to help the Brewers win now.
Grade: B-
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