[MLB] Brewers make trade for Greinke

http://onmilwaukee.com/sports/articles/brewersgreinketrade.html

The Brewers have reached a deal with Kansas City for right-hander Zack Greinke Saturday, agreeing to send four players for the former Cy Young Award winner.

According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the Brewers would send the Royals outfielder Lorenzo Cain, shortstop Alcides Escobar and prospect pitchers Jake Odorizzi and Jeremy Jeffress for Greinke, who went 10-14 with a 4.17 ERA last season with Kansas City.

The Brewers are expected to receive another "major league" player in the deal, according to the source.

The Brewers were in desperate need of frontline starting pitching and went into the offseason with that in mind, but have paid a fairly steep price to upgrade the rotation.

Cain was considered the front-runner to earn the starting job in centerfield after impressing down the stretch in 2010 while Carlos Gomez, acquired last winter for shortstop J.J. Hardy, struggled to get on base.

Escobar was the "shortstop of the future," and paved the way for Hardy's move to Minnesota for Gomez.

Jeffress finally made it to the big leagues in 2010, his minor league career stalled at times by suspensions for violating baseball's drug policy. He went 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA in 10 outings for the Brewers.

Odorizzi was one of the Brewers few pitching prospects and went 7-3 with a 3.43 ERA in 23 appearances (20 starts) for Class A Wisconsin this season. He combined with reliever Adrian Rosario to throw a no-hitter against Cedar Rapids in August, striking out 10 in eight innings.

Just before the winter meetings, general manager Doug Melvin shipped top minor league prospect Brett Lawrie to Toronto for right-hander Shaun Marcum.

 

They have added both Greinke and Marcum to their staff this offseason.

A top three of Greinke, Gallardo, and Marcum is pretty nice. Considering they still have Fielder and Braun anchoring the offense they should be in the running for the NL Central crown this season.