What we learned: February 3, 2015

Brewers News and Analysis

• Cuban infielder Yoan Moncada is expected to be cleared to sign with a team soon, but will the Brewers have a shot at acquiring him? It's a long shot if there is one, and Noah looked at the obstacles standing in the Brewers way if they want to sign him.
• Could the small market for James Shields make the Brewers contenders for him? Noah notes that James Shields is pushing his asking price down, and that could put him back in the Brewers range.
• If you had a vote for the Brewers Walk of Fame, who would you elect? That's what airfigaro wants you to consider, as he puts together a BCB Brewers Walk of Fame ballot.
• With the Brewers making a few roster moves in the past few weeks, Nicholas Zettel of Disciples of Uecker revised his organization depth chart.
• Kyle Lesniewski of Reviewing the Brew put together some projections for Jonathan Lucroy in the 2015 season.
• Corey Knebel didn't need to join the Brewers to call himself a brewer. One of his hobbies is making his own beer, and Adam McCalvy of Brewers.com recently talked to him about this new hobby.
• When asked what he would like to change in the past, Cecil Cooper had one answer: If Rollie Fingers had been healthy at the end of the 1982 season, the Brewers would have won the World Series.
• The Brewer Nation blog continued their countdown to Opening Day with their Brewers by the (Jersey) Numbers series, covering #63 Brooks Hall yesterday.
• Marcus Young of Miller Park Prospects put together a mailbag post, answering some questions about the current state of the Brewers farm system.

Around Baseball

Transactions

• The Rockies signed reliever (and former Brewer) John Axford to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training. He will earn $2.6 million if he makes the team, with an additional $1.5 million available in incentives.
• The Padres signed catcher (and former Brewer) Wil Nieves to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training. He is expected to compete for the backup catcher job.
• The Giants avoided arbitration with first baseman Brandon Belt and signed him to a one-year, $3.6 million contract.
• The Mets avoided arbitration with first baseman Lucas Duda and signed him to a one-year, $4.2 million contract.
• The Diamondbacks signed catcher Gerald Laird to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training.