TooLiveBrew

With the Gamel example his "natural position" didn't mean anything, except that he couldn't hack it there. While I agree with you in general that it's not good policy to move guys all around, I don't agree at all that Gamel fits that type of policy. The Brewers only moved him when he proved beyond a doubt that he wasn't a good fit, long-term, at 3B. That said, the idea of moving Weeks to SS isn't realistic enough to warrant serious discussion. He's an excellent athlete who took a looooong time & lots of hard work to develop his technical skills to merely a league-avg. level at second base -- the easier position. If the Brewers had started Rickie off at SS, I guess it's possible that he would've developed similarly on defense over the years... but his arm accuracy was so bad until very recently that he just never really gave the Brewers that option.

I don't think you're right about Gindl's power -- give him two more full seasons at AAA and I feel pretty confident he'd put up comparable power numbers to what Green did this season. However, I will admit I'm mostly just assuming Green won't be an effective bat against MLB lefties.

Gindl had pretty severe H/R slugging splits this past season. He clearly has been a more patient MiLB hitter than Hart, but I doubt Gindl projects to OPS close to what Hart has done at the MLB level. His AVG/OBP split will undoubtedly be higher, but he might not be able to match Corey's OBP production in a full-time role. Gindl & Green are pretty similar bats -- good platoon options, but probably not full-time MLB-caliber.

Fiers has a nice floor as a #5 his ceiling isn't all that much maybe a #4 pitcher if absolutely everything goes correctly. I don't disagree, hence why I questioned Nelson being on ahead of him. I guess I take them not playing him there to say that he can't handle SS. I just assume it's an arm strength issue, since he's so small. I certainly am not down up on Gennett, but I think he profiles more like a Taylor Green or Logan Schafer than a starting-caliber player. I don't think he's a guy that we should hope for big things from.

I agree on Kjeldgaard. I wouldn't guess Wheeler's spot is exactly set in stone, either. I'm excited about Manzanillo. I really hope he forces his way to Milwaukee in 2012.

Greinke makes most sense to extend, to me. If Axford wants to take less overall money in exchange for financial stability, I guess you'd have to consider it. And as long as no more than four seasons were offered to Marcum, the Brewers could lock up a pretty impressive core for the rotation.

I love those old Blue Jays unis, too, and also agree that they shouldn't go full-'old school'. You can't go wrong with this logo... http://www.sportslogos.net/images/logos/53/78/thumbs/ogopr90c4s7q4ez68ga7vhbyh.gif http://www.sportslogos.net/images/logos/53/78/thumbs/wcq5l2h3sugh536gzg9pqya8e.gif ... but I actually thought their late-'90s update of it was pretty good http://www.sportslogos.net/images/logos/53/78/thumbs/98256e6rrugp88puehfylgn2k.gif http://www.sportslogos.net/images/logos/53/78/thumbs/sx4rcd9ep8ecty3mrs5x6qag9.gif If I were calling the shots here, I'd be tempted to go with the updated version, especially the one with no font/text. I think that looks great. (h/t to SportsLogos.net)

Maybe both? I certainly don't see how you put Jimmy Nelson in the Top 10 before Fiers.

Doug Melvin told Adam McCalvy that Rogers & Scarpetta were awarded 4th option years.

Borrowed from a markedman5 post...

Per an Adam McCalvy tweet, "Scarpetta/Rogers awarded 4th options." That's good news for the Brewers. They may be important depth.

I love that Orioles logo, & the update of it looks great.

Posting fees never seem like a good idea to me, unless you get the player at a discounted salary.

Why would you pay Mark Kotsay that much money? He must be an awesome guy, because otherwise I just don't get it.

Nice to see some more love for Bradley. I know colbyjack has been really high on him.

The tallest shortstops that I know of are Derek Jeter, who is terrible defensively, and Troy Tulowitzki, who is a freak of nature. Alex Rodriguez qualified for freak of nature in his younger years, too. I think if you have a taller guy at SS, he has to be athletic & quick enough to cover as much ground as the Furcals of the world (or thereabouts). Those guys just tend to be rare. Saying that a guy will get too tall for shortstop always seems like a nice way of saying he's going to put on too much weight & not be quick enough anymore to handle the position. Doesn't always mean a guy gets fat, but I bet someone like an Aramis Ramirez played in a Latin American league or came to the states as a shortstop. Hanley Ramirez is another good example of a guy getting big enough that maybe he's not a good fit at SS anymore.

I still like Matheny, & wish him well. It'll just be nice to not have to look at LaRussa anymore.

I'd rather the Brewers bring in players that won't block prospects that are knocking at the door to the Majors (Taylor Green). Especially when they'd have to give up prospects of their own to do it. I respect this stance, & I don't believe that anyone was clamoring any louder than I was for Green to be up & playing ahead of McGehee this past season. But I dunno... even I don't view Green as a legit prospect at this point -- I think of "prospect" as young player who you believe can be a fulltime starter or fulltime in whatever role you view him occupying (semantics, I know). Can Green be a useful player? Yes. Is a LHB-only platoon player a prospect you worry about blocking? Not really for me. He'd still be great injury depth & a very legit 2B/3B backup, & have plenty of PAs from season to season. I mean, you have Weeks, whose all-out style of play probably means he won't have many 140-150+ start seasons, plus Green could give him days off against tough righties. Then Green would have the same role to back up (in this hypothetical) Headley -- who it sells entirely short to pigeonhole as a "career .735 OPS" guy, suggesting that's his true talent. This deal just makes a lot of sense to me. I'd be fine with selling high(ish) on Thornburg -- for as much as I like him, the odds on him winding up being a more productive player than four seaons of Headley are very slim. Now, if Peralta had to be included... I'll pass & thanks for chatting http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif I do realize the Brewers wouldn't get Headley cheaply, but since he's in his prime & a good player at 3B he's a guy I could stand to see the Brewers pay to acquire... but to an extent.

At $15M+ over the next 3 years, he's far from cheap. I like him, but Green might give you 90% (or more) of the production for 10% of the cost. No, he won't. Green's at best an average fielder, and only has value from the LH side of the plate. He gives you roughly 2/3 of Headley's offensive value, & then Headley's full-time PT ability & defense make him far more valuable. $15M over 3 years for the kind of production Headley will give at 3B is good value. It's not that I'm not a believer in Green as a platoon bat, but I'd much rather have Headley. I really don't think people aren't aware that Green & Gamel's cheap salaries are valuable. There are lots of discussions about that both in this forum & the MLB forum.

Interesting... is "reluctant to move him" classic GM-speak? Here's the story, via MLBTR -- http://mlbbuzz.yardbarker...in_coming_months/8044309

Green is cheaper and I think can produce just as much. I think he can produce just as much, but only at the plate & from the LH side only. Headley's value is that he can give you Green's likely offensive upside from both sides of the plate, & he has the reputation of being a better defender. Green's great for what he is, a cheap upgrade as pretty well-groomed lefty bat. But if Headley became available this offseason, I'd love to see Melvin jump at that opportunity. He's put up a career road slash line of .303/.364/.441/.805 line (over 1,117 PA). He's also been a high-efficiency base stealer. Just too much for me to like about this guy. I'm confused about the salary situation -- does he have super-two status? Cot's Contracts lists him with 2.123 yrs. of service time. Headley at $3M in 2012 would be a great deal, as would paying his escalating arbitration salaries. Many posters here are eager to sign Hairston Jr. to a $2.5M AAV or so contract. And for maybe $9 or $10M total for the next two seasons Headley could be in the mix? I'm all for that. Nothing against JHJ either, just a comparison. Green would still be in the picture as a 2B/3B reserve & good lefty bat off the bench. He'd basically fill 2/3 of the Counsell role, but with a bat that can make an impact. A couple shortstops could be found from the Barmes/Santiago/Furcal FA mix, or Jack Wilson/Brendan Ryan/whoever else on the trade market. Heck, if you can find a LH shortstop to platoon with... gulp... Yuni, do it if you can keep costs down while still improving at SS. Headley's a good player, and I'd love to see the Brewers capitalize upon the Padres' inability or unwillingness to pay him during his prime seasons.

One guy that I legitimately would like to find out more about is Seth Harvey. Since being drafted out of Washington St. in the 37th round of 2010, he's posted a sub-3 ERA & better than 3/1 K/BB ratio in 55.1 relief innings. I'm assuming that, since he was such a late pick, & that he hasn't been pushed more aggressively, that his arsenal isn't very impressive. If rams or anyone else could provide some scouting info on him, I'd be grateful.

Oh, good. The Yuni Betancourt debate lives to see another offseason!

That orange & blue/teal color scheme certainly fits with the Dolphins'. I wonder if that was part of the uniforms/color scheme decision, too -- to further help rebrand themselves as Miami's team. And actually, looking at the jacket worn by Bonifacio in the picture splitter posted, that seems almost reminiscent of the Heat's red & black. I realize I'm probably reaching at this point, though.

Wow. I don't even want to think about how much time & effort went into this, rams. Took me about 15 min. to read through it all, and it was well worth the read. It's pretty apparent that the Brewers' system still has a long way to go. However, between the last draft, & as you noted, the excellent work in LA, they're certainly heading in the right direction. Overall, though, I guess Brewers fans will have to look forward to the system being 'set back' again by graduations of guys like Green, Gamel, Peralta, Rogers, & Kintzler. Awesome job, & thanks for the great reading/discussion material.