[BirdWatcher]

Although the team has been playing better lately, the Brewers remain 9 games behind the MGL leading Charlotte Sting in 4th place.

And with the offense sputtering the Brewers made what many might consider an odd decision, trading two of their biggest name position players, third baseman Jamison Bash, the reigning MGL MVP, and long-time second baseman Tanner Yurek, a two-time All-Star and fan favorite, to those same Sting for 29-year old left-handed starting pitcher Erik Sloan and a borderline prospect.

The reality is that Bash and Yurek, both heading into their later years as professional ballplayers, are putting up horrible numbers at the plate this season and neither provides particularly good defense. Bash was the best power hitter on the team but has a slash line of .209/.275/.350 and is being paid 350 K to do so little. Yurek's slash line is not much better at .219/.300/.298. And after years of being one of the Brewers more consistent power hitters, he has hit exactly zero HR's this season.

Rookie Jonathan Koch has earned the lion's share of the starts at second base and he will be supported by defensive specialist Oscar Vargas. Rookie Mike Foster was promoted from AAA to take over at third and show the team what he can do, again with assistance from the versatile Vargas. Plus, Jack Hinkel is sent back to AAA and reliever Jordan Stephens rejoins the Brewers bullpen. Stephens provides the additional skill of being a fine hitter, with plus power, who can also play third base.

In Sloan the Brewers add a lefty to the rotation as a hedge against the probably loss of Daniel Torres, who has shown great declines in performance this year, at the end of the season. Sloan is a ground-ball pitcher with great control whose strongest pitch is the screwball and who is under contract through the 1975 season.

Bash is a superstar and Yurek was a local favorite and their loss has affected the local fans greatly. The addition of Sloan helps a bit, as he is a well-known player who was a fan favorite in Charlotte. But in the short run, and with the Brewers disappointing season thus far, all indications are that this is a net loss for the team in terms of fan support and interest. But it was a decision made not for the short-term but for perceived long-term gain, if nothing more than addition by subtraction- purging aging high-cost, under-performing players with an eye towards giving younger up-and-comers a chance to prove their value.