Brewers Farm Director Tom Flanagan is Overseeing a Replenished Farm System

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Photo credit: Scott Paulus/Milwaukee Brewers

Welcome to The On Deck Circle, Brewers writer Kyle Lobner's weekly preview of the team's week to come and beyond.

This week we flip the calendar to May and, unfortunately, we’re forced to acknowledge that the first month of the Milwaukee Brewers’ 2016 season was every bit as bad or worse than many predicted it would be. While the major league team sits in last place, though, hope for the future is not far away: The Brewers’ recently replenished farm system is drawing more attention this season as top prospects and recent draft picks figure to play a key role in the organization’s attempt at resurgence.

That minor league system is operating under the leadership of longtime Brewers employee and first-year Farm Director Tom Flanagan. I talked to him this weekend about life in his new role and the first month of the minor league season.

What's the first month of the season been like for you?

It's been good. Just trying to keep up with all that's been going on in terms of four full-season clubs and our extended spring training, and we actually have our extended spring going down in the Dominican Republic as well. So it's really just been a lot of communication, keeping tabs with the staff in each place and as I've made the rounds to most of the places already, just spending that time getting feedback from the staff and bumping into the players to get their thoughts as well. Just trying to make sure everybody's getting settled into their routine, getting the work in that they need to do and making sure what we have at each affiliate is what the players need and the staff needs to make things run smoothly.

So you've been getting a lot of travel in. That has to be pretty hectic.

Yeah, it's been all right so far. The biggest battle so far is the weather. I've had to call a few audibles where I've had a trip planned and then the forecast goes south and I've had to make a few detours. But it's been fine. You can only be in one place at a time so wherever you're at, you're always near your phone and you're always texting, emailing and calling different folks to keep in touch and keep on top of things. That helps.

Are you satisfied with what you've seen across the organization over the first month?

Yeah, I think so. The thing I stress the most is that it's important for the guys coming out of spring training to develop a routine and get down to what works for them. I think overall players are doing that. There have been a few minor injuries here and there that have caused a few adjustments but for the most part guys are just getting their at bats, getting their work in, getting their innings and guys are off to a decent start. I know it's tough with the weather in some spots, especially offensively, but I think as the temperatures rise the bats will start to come alive, and hopefully the pitching continues. A number of arms have gotten off to a hot start here, so that's encouraging to see.

When do you start to feel like you've seen enough from a player to make an evaluation or start moving guys around?

It's really very individual. It depends on the player and the individual situation. It's not just what they've done in 2016, it's the whole history that they've had to this point since they've entered the organization. We've had plans in place for these guys from when they've signed, and you continue to modify those plans and update them and develop as they move through the system. So it really depends on the individual and not so much on the time served, so to speak, or their age. It's really a combination of factors with everything from our roving staff to our scouts that see the players. It's more of an art than a science in terms of when to move them, but it's really a constant, ongoing process that you're always watching, trying to help them and monitor their development so that at the right time they can continue to be challenged.

Is it hard not to overreact to slow starts or guys who are outperforming expectations in a small sample size?

I don't think it's hard. You're always pulling for the guys and you want to see them do well but at the same time it's almost as important to see how they handle a little adversity. They're going to hit adversity throughout their career, you see guys do it at the big league level. So it's just a matter of getting them the resources so they can learn to cope with adversity at times, and get through it and, when they're not playing well, just continue to make their pitches and get their hits in those situations where they gain confidence that will come back and reap benefits for them down the road. Where they know they've been challenged before and they've gotten through it so they hopefully will continue to do that as they move up through the system.