TooLiveBrew

To me at least, it seems ESPN has really been jumping the gun on reporting trades/transactions this past year or two even moreso than is normal for that conglomerate. I can't remember precisely, but there was a rumor of a coach taking a job (iirc the U of AZ hoops gig... maybe Tim Floyd?). The coach had apparently traveled to the campus of said 'new' job, and ESPN busted out, reporting that this was a done deal, complete with 'expert analysis' on the move. The next day, after it became abundantly clear that the visiting coach had done just that -- visited -- and not actually taken the job, ESPN didn't even retract their incorrect report. It was framed in this manner: '[Coach] pulls a 180, changes mind & stays put'... when it clearly was 'Shoddy reporting makes network look bad once again'

Very good outcome for the Brewers. The Cubs may have the dough, but their lack of prospects really hurts their ability to make a deal. Yeah, this was really a good thread to see. And, while I was relatively confident that the Cubs didn't have the firepower to land Peavy, as others have already mentioned am I glad to see he didn't wind up with the Mets, or Phils, or Cards, or Dodgers, etc.

Gamel's 3-R HR on Monday night could have won the game for us, though -- It goes both ways, imo. And if Gamel is up, he should be up to play everyday, regardless of the pitcher. He's already proved he can handle LHP in the minors, so there should be little to no worry about playing him against lefties. Mat's not a guy the Brewers plan on platooning once he sheds the 'top prospect' label, so honestly I wish they'd stop doing it now. To clarify, I want to see the platoon at 2B (Counsell/Hall), and like Ennder mentioned let Hall spot-start against RHP. I think we saw with Weeks this season that raw athletic ability can translate to good defensive value, but it can take patience. Gamel made a play against the Cards down the 3B-line on Monday that few MLB 3B can even get to, let alone hose the baserunner with a laser-beam throw to boot. When he made that play, I saw why the Brewers have stuck & continue to stick with Mat at 3B. Not only is his offensive value enhanced, but the guy has the tools & talent to be a good defender at third. Unlike the Braun experiment, Gamel actually looks to have a skillset that lends itself to playing 3B. I am confident the throwing issues/mechanics can get cleaned up. Cripes, just let Mat work with Sveum & Randolph if Weeks's results are any indication. Of course, Don Money couldn't hurt either http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif Back on-topic to Hall... Billy just is what he is. He's a lethal option v. LHP that absolutely belongs at the #2 spot (& several other places) in the lineup. He's turned himself into a very solid defensive 3B, & gives Macha just one more weapon on the 25-man roster.

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/pics/brooks_kieschnick_autograph.jpg http://www.freewebs.com/baseballautographs/brookskieschnick1.jpg Great interview... both Todd & Brooks. It's awesome that the Toolshed nickname is official.

Morgan will be missing the Sunday game to attend his daughter's graduation. Hopefully she ended up more intelligent than her father. If only he were the commencement speaker. In an ESPN.com chat, Morgan was asked what he thought of Moneyball. He confessed he had only read an excerpt in the New York Times Magazine, then went on to write: "It's typical if you write a book, you want to be the hero. That is apparently what Beane has done. According to what I read in the Times, Beane is smarter than anyone else. I don't think it will make him popular with the other GMs or the other people in baseball." Beane, just to clarify, did not write Moneyball, any more than Joe Morgan has read it. Later, in another chat, Morgan was asked what he would do with the A's if he were Billy Beane. "I wouldn't be Billy Beane first of all!!" Morgan replied. "I wouldn't write the book Moneyball!"

No worries... I was the one that screwed up. And honestly if the mods want to delete this, go for it.

Say It Ain't So, Joe (SFWeekly.com article) I could post excerpts... but I think it'll be more fun for everyone to post their favorite stuff. I was glad to see the article took Morgan to task. EDIT: Whoops, this is an old article... saw it in discussion on another site & it was posted as though it was new. My fault for not checking more thoroughly. Here is the FJM.com take on the article, fwiw.

I think heading into the season, I felt this team was about 85-win talent. Even with this hot streak, I'd be surprised if the overall expectancy (based on the possibly faulty starting point of 85 wins) has bumped up into the 90s. As has been mentioned, the team will get cold... just as it's been hot recently. Just like it's a bad idea to hand out a contract extension on a 15-game hitting streak, imo it's unwise to start bumping the expected wins total too far north just because of this torrid stretch of play. By my crude & unskilled math, an 85-win talent team 'should' have roughly 20 or 21 wins at this point (as opposed to the 25-14 record the Crew boasts). So assuming this is a hot streak & not newfound talent, I think the range of 88-90 wins is probably about what I'd forecast at this point for a season total. I still think the Reds are a 4th place team Me too -- no way are they more of a concern this season than CHN or STL imho.

I didn't like the Gross deal either since we needed a LH bat and he was ok in the field, but he's hardly irreplaceable. I still feel like he's enough of a step above guys like Duffy/TGJ that he's also not as easy to find as some may have thought. I didn't like the deal then, and I don't like it now. I thought there was some talk at the time about Gross being able to get more PT in Tampa, but I might just be making that up. To me, if you want Gross-caliber or better at the 4th OF, you have to mine guys like Gross, Nelson, Gillespie, etc. until one or some of them fit. If the flip-side of this discussion is that they need regular PAs to hit normally, then it becomes that much harder to keep around 4th OF that aren't basically replacement-level at the plate. I just think Nelson & Gross are two examples of guys that clearly aren't starters on the top teams in the league, but can actually do some damage at the plate. If that's not the kind of player you have to keep for the 4th OF spot, who is? Do you throw money at a FA patch? Gillespie sounds similar to Nelson at the plate (with perhaps a better BB rate), but maybe superior in the field. If he's the reason why the org. saw fit to let Brad leave, so be it. I'll just have to trust that.

is he a plausible 1B/OF bench guy type? I love his plate discipline & apparent polish.

That's right... DeRosa was a trade. As for Wood thought/mention, I thought newly-signed FA can't be traded until being passed through waivers after the 7/31 deadline.

Nelson was a guy who after 4 or so years of time in AAA put up decent not spectacular numbers. As a 1b his numbers are pretty pedestrian, as a below average defensive corner outfielder his numbers aren't that special either. My prediction is the guy is going to be a career bench or platoon player if he can stick in the majors at all for more than a year or two I believe my point was that I valued Nelson as a LHB off the bench that projects (MLEs) to OPS around .800 against RHP. Instead of having to comb the waiver wire or find an unemployed vet (a la Catalanatto) each season, having that role filled cheaply over the next few seasons would have been nice. I'm not sure if Nelson needed more regular ABs or not to find success... he had some success in the same role in 2008. I just think we cut him loose for nothing... and for no real reason. The only reason I can think of is that Melvin wanted Brad to have a shot at more PT, which obviously isn't a move made with the Brewers' best interest in mind (not that I really find anything wrong with that if that's how it happened).

The attitude of the Brewers has certainly seemed to just embrace all the erroneous assumptions people are making about the untuck'em & just say, 'Oh, we're cocky & arrogant because we do that? Alright... sure. We... do it because we're better than you, yeah that's it!' Honestly that's the point where I find myself arriving on this. Nothing about the untucking is arrogant or anything less than harmless... but if it can mess with inside opponents' heads if there's this aura of swagger & arrogance, go for it. The Cards couldn't even carry the collective jocks of the Brewers this past series, and if this whole nonsenical 'saga' has anything to do with it, great! EDIT: Reminds me a bit of how the Beatles played with people when the 'Paul is dead' rumors came out. Just go with it http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

We've all seen the posts of how Nelson Cruz is going to be a star or Dana Evelend or Will Inman or JDLR or Ben Hendrickson or Joe Dillon and now its Brad Nelson. Where are the posts that Nelson is going to be a star?

I don't think we will miss Brad Nelson one bit now or in three years. The Brewers have improved as a team and they don't have to keep marginal guys around for years and years hoping one pans out. To be fair, Brad Nelson is a pretty solid hitter who would have helped fill out the Brewers' bench & depth nicely for the next 4+ seasons. He had a bad stretch of 20+ AB (poorly-timed since it was right out of the gates) that got him released... I just don't think his scenario matches up with what you describe here. The Brewers certainly weren't handing him the 1B job to lose; just a bench role. In case it wasn't clear, I agree with Paul. However, fortunately for the Brewers guys like Catalanotto should be available & relatively cheap going from season to season. It just would have been nice imo if the Brewers knew they didn't have to worry for the next few seasons about where to find a bench LHB that projects to post an .800-ish OPS against RHP.

That's true... but I would prefer to see [Counsell/Hall platoon at 2B + Gamel at 3B] over [Gamel/Hall platoon at 3B + Counsell/Grudz. platoon at 2B] I am by no means an avid proponent of Counsell being even a semi-full-time player, I just prefer that over adding Grudz., I guess.

I agree with both angles of the point here. I think I'd roll the dice with Hart at leadoff as well, but clearly the problem is that if he flops there, there really isn't a good choice for leadoff. Yes, Counsell fits some elements of a leadoff hitter's profile, but he's not the player I want to see getting the greatest number of PAs v. RHP. Toss that one around in your brain for a bit... the most likely move Macha will make here is to ensure that Counsell gets more PA v. RHP than Fielder, Gamel, Braun, Hardy, etc.

Basically anyone trying to argue that Soriano is a better fielder than Braun 1) is a Cubs fan/homer 2) has never seen either guy play LF for more than a game or two 3) is a Cubs fan/homer that has never seen either guy play LF for more than an inning or two Right now, the two aren't all that far apart defensively, but as noted by others, Braun is young & improving in LF while Soriano is getting older & his feeble skills are actually declining. I really don't see Soriano's arm as even really being better than Braun's... I think teams have tested Soriano in the past & perhaps his throwing value has been inflated a bit? Not saying his arm isn't good, I just think Braun's arm is too.

I just don't like Grudz for the money & roster spot. If we're bringing in a solution from outside the org., I'd much rather it be a guy that is going to be able to step in as a full-time (or close) player. We have internal options if platooning is the path that will be followed. We're going to need help at 2B for the early part of 2010 as well, since as accurately documented in Weeks's previous wrist procedure, the actual full recovery time is 12 mos. So again, if someone outside the org. is brought in, I'd rather it be someone that you can actually play against LH & RH pitching, or at least someone to fill the RHP side of a platoon in order to keep Counsell free to play all over the diamond. Moving Hall is a fine idea if you believe Gamel can handle the everyday job at 3rd but you'd still likely get more production out of a 50-50 or 60-40 split that includes Grudz I believe Mat will be fine, and furthermore I think it'll be better for him long-term to play against RHP & LHP & just play 'everyday' at 3B.

I think it was hawing that coined this as 'Mat the Batt' last night in the chat. I love that twist on what to me is the obvious choice http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

Where are you going to find another guy who hit .395/.459/.523 vs. lefthanders last year? Well, basically Bill Hall. Continuing to play Hall v. RHP would be a big mistake. Imo the solution here is fairly simple... Counsell/Hall at 2B, & Gamel playing 'everyday' at 3B -- enough off days for all can be had between Counsell/Hall/Gamel/Iribarren. There's just no need to sign the aging/aged Grudzielanek, esp. when there really isn't a spot for him. If you sign him, no room for Iribarren as that second LH bench bat. And expecting anyone, let alone an older player, to replicate a .395 BA is just setting yourself up for huge disappointment.

I really worry that this is going to play out like the Balfour situation. I think it's pretty obvious that the Brewers are already missing what Nelson brings to the table.

Yep, at this point it is embarrassing how much of a hard-on other teams have for Braun. They are making up slights at every chance. Oh, and the StL color commentator was back at it again last night. Apparently Braun's sliding catch later in the game was just too much. The dipwad kept talking about it, and how unnecessary the slide was. The long & short of this to me is.. 1) Idiots are getting upset & slinging mud 2) We are getting upset that mud is being slung 3) We are trying to rationalize what is essentially irrational behavior & thought processes from said idiots 4) We are getting frustrated, annoyed, and confused If there were people getting upset here in the St. Louis camp that weren't complete & utter jags, I would probably feel there is an issue to address. As it stands, one or two mediots are getting the soft-skulled fans of the Cards (not saying all Cards fans are...) to transfer their frustrations of pwnage at the hands of the Brewers onto some actions about which they know zilch. HEY! STOP KICKING OUR TEAM'S BUTT! *announcer blabbers & whines about unrelated matters...* HEY! STOP UNTUCKING YOUR SHIRT, MAKING DIVING PLAYS, AND IN GENERAL MOPPING THE FLOOR WITH OUR TEAM! To me, this is all that's happening. I really can't get myself to feel offended and/or intrigued enough to care. Basically, the Cards are pissed we're beating the snot out of them. They then project some unrelated perceptions of the Brewers being a bunch of punk kids onto that frustration. Remember that awesome, gorgeous, amazing, attractive girl/guy that you've been ogling for months? You ask him/her out, and for some reason are shot down... heck, even in a legit & classy manner ('Sorry, someone else already asked me out')... all of a sudden that same person sucks, and isn't attractive anymore... even though the only thing that's changed is what you're projecting on him/her. Yeah, that's my convoluted analogy. I would take his defense over Soriano's any day of the week though Soriano has a cannon for an arm that makes up for his poor fielding Braun's displayed a pretty nice arm out in LF as well. I agree that Braun > Soriano in the field (& overall) any day of the week & twice on Sundays.

Cardinals tv color commentator Al Hrabosky (I believe I have the right name) tonight had some thoughts on pitchers nowadays in the bottom of the 4th. He honestly sounded like he couldn't understand how guys can't be ready to throw over 100 pitches every day after throwing batting practice as well anymore. 'you used to have 4-man rotations' [nowadays,] 'you baby the heck out of them, and they all get hurt anyway' To me it's spooky that this mentality is spread to thousands & millions of fans across the airwaves every season. I wish there was a way to stop it.

I say Hall won't be hidden against righties because it seems best to have Councell spell 3rd base. I may draw FtJ out with this, but here goes... Counsell spelling Gamel at 3B <<< Not batting Hall v. RHP A handful of spot-starts against RHP for Hall so that Gamel can play everyday is fine by me, but the offense just took a big enough hit in losing Weeks. We don't need to compound that weakness by continuing to play Hall against righties now that there's an alternative.