Crew could bolster rebuild at Winter Meetings

MILWAUKEE — The Brewers’ rebuild rolls on at the Winter Meetings, where GM David Stearns will continue fielding calls about players as he seeks to further bolster a Minor League system rated No. 1 by MLBPipeline.com.

Stearns could field an Opening Day lineup, starting rotation and bullpen with players already on the 40-man roster, but he is likely to make some moves to alter the field before then. At the top of the list of trade chips is Ryan Braun, who is as curious as anyone about whether he will still be a Brewer come Spring Training.

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MLB.com and MLB Network will have wall-to-wall coverage of the 2016 Winter Meetings from the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center outside Washington, D.C. Fans can watch live streaming of all news conferences and manager availability on MLB.com, including the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 8 at 8 a.m. CT.

Club needs

Prospects: The biggest need of all for a club undergoing a rebuild is prospects. Stearns has proven he will take the best player he can get, regardless of position, though he has an affinity for up-the-middle players like shortstops and center fielders.

Left-handed bats: The Brewers already acquired one left-handed hitter in free-agent first baseman Eric Thames, but are on the lookout for more in an effort to achieve better balance. Third base is one spot where they could add. Switch-hitting Jonathan Villar could play there, but some Brewers decision-makers prefer him at second base. Hernan Perez could play third, but he is probably better as a utility man, starting regularly, but at a variety of positions. Free agency doesn’t offer much help. The list of available third baseman is short, led by Justin Turner, a right-handed hitter who would …

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