Source: Brewers Have Talked to Red Sox (Winter Meetings Update)
a.k.a. “So, about that tweet…”
During the morning on Tuesday, I tweeted out the following:
I’m told that the #Brewers and #RedSox have touched base on a couple of ideas. Nothing pending as far as source knows. Details later.
— The Brewer Nation (@BrewerNation) December 9, 2014
I promised to expound on it here on the blog because of the nuance involved.
Based on a Nick Cafardo report from prior to the Winter Meetings that said that the Brewers were showing interest in Allen Craig, I reached out to a source who confirmed that the sides had talked about Craig and that Gerardo Parra was a name that came up in those discussions. They were characterized as “preliminary at best” (my wording) but as something that had been discussed.
In addition, it was shared that the Red Sox had inquired about Yovani Gallardo. It wasn’t stated when, but it would make sense if it was in the same pre-Winter Meetings conversation. That would be in line with Doug Melvin’s public comments that as of the end of the day Tuesday, the Brewers contingent hadn’t met with any other team’s representatives in San Diego. Melvin has since admitted to meeting with a team on Wednesday, but wouldn’t say which.
A possible return from the Red Sox was not known (or at least not shared) by my contact. My own deductive thought process believes that the Red Sox probably were and are making many exploratory calls on starting pitchers potentially available in trade as they (correctly, it turns out) expected that they might lose out on Jon Lester in free agency.
The Gallardo option, real or not, it felt to me, was not a top option for the Red Sox…
Sawx missing out on Lester could open the door to one of the #Brewers things. I’d guess that’s still an option or two away though if at all. — The Brewer Nation (@BrewerNation) December 10, 2014
…and chatter from the Winter Meetings seems to have supported that idea as the Sawx have been linked to Wade Miley (“talks broke down”) and others today. That’s why I tweeted this on Wednesday morning…
If Wade Miley goes to Boston (as is said close by @jonmorosi), that’d basically eliminate one of the two things I heard. Write up tonight.
— The Brewer Nation (@BrewerNation) December 10, 2014
So for now, it’s quiet as kept for the Brewers. Doug Melvin told reporters during his Wednesday evening briefing that he anticipates finding bullpen pieces later in the off-season once prices begin to come down.
Doug Melvin plans to wait to fill out the bullpen. Thinks there will be talent, value available later — like Neshek, Duke last yr. — Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) December 11, 2014
And it has also been echoed by Mark Attanasio that the Brewers aren’t really in much of a position for major free agents as they are pushing the limits of their budget.
With a payroll projected to approach $110mm, #Brewers are near the high end of an acceptable range over a 10-year period, Attanasio said.
— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) December 10, 2014
So, in all the Brewers are beginning to make Winter Meetings contacts but haven’t yet consummated any deals. With Melvin telling reports that he intends to pass in at least the MLB portion of Thursday’s Rule 5 Draft, the Brewers could very well leave San Diego with no transactions on the books.
It definitely helps that Melvin & Co. brought in Adam Lind early this off-season and retained Aramis Ramirez. Even though it doesn’t, the Brewers could field a capable 25-man roster if the season started tomorrow.
Before fretting, keep in mind that there are still plenty of shopping days until P&C.
***UPDATE*** 9:13pm CT ***UPDATE***
I now see this tweet from Jon Heyman, saying the Wade Miley has been acquired by the Red Sox, so I’d guess that the Yovani Gallardo chatter will never result in anything, let alone ever be confirmed as true.
The Brewer Nation 
It would be nice if a winner happened in Milwaukee, but that is unlikely since they do not seem to want to spend for help.
Very interesting. Personally, I think Yovani seems to have had increasingly difficult outings. Even his body language suggests apathy at times. Perhaps new blood for the Crew would be a good thing and Yovani might find that “spark” he used to display. A potential win-win.