TooLiveBrew

I don't really know much about Morrow besides that he was a reliever who they are trying to turn into a starter and that he's young. Is he a top of the rotation type starter? If he is, I would do the deal. I'm no expert, and am not especially familiar with Morrow, but from what I can recall in watching him pitch some this season for the M's, yes, he is a top kind of talent. Putz had some injuries, but I don't think anything major enough to really be concerned about. I'd just worry about the price tag to add Morrow onto that kind of deal.

The Cubs weren't part of the bankruptcy filing, fwiw

Hopefully his defense can at least be league average. The Chone 2009 projections have him as a -5 at 1B & a -12 at 3B, fwiw. Not very encouraging. For reference's sake, Hall is listed at -3 at 2B & -1 at 3B. Branyan: -1 at 1B; -5 at 3B

I'd try contacting the club (like you mentioned). I'd go with a phone call first just so you have a name of someone with whom you spoke, as opposed to just sending in a letter or email & possibly never knowing if anyone even read it. Aside from that generic advice, not much help for ya. Good luck.

Abreu would have to play LF in order to not entirely kill us defensively, & Hart can't handle CF without costing us runs either. If we're going to keep an aging OF, Cameron is a far better choice to Abreu imo.

I think the first decent offer Sabathia gets from a California team, he's going to sign. Unless you're qualifying the Giants' offer as not decent (I wouldn't disagree), he's got one already.

Agreed Zach. Our bullpen situation is looking pretty solid as of right now. I can't believe I forgot Dillard http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

Don't forget that Swindle's deal can be a minor-league deal if he doesn't make the club (iirc), and Julio's deal can be completely voided if he doesn't make the club. I'm a big believer in DiFelice, and really want to see him given a shot out of the 'pen.

JBriggs is just the guy that's always going to argue that Sheets is a big wussy, yoshii... and that players 'deserve' getting booed when they're being booed. Nevermind your 100% accurate observation that the Brewers don't even sniff playoffs without Sheets. He got hurt! Booo! I'm thrilled Shouse declined. Imagine getting a sandwich pick for 40 year old loogy who would have been behind Stetter in the pecking order anyway. Well said. That's exactly the reaction I had upon reflection.

Sabathia is so good a player that I really don't mind the wait. There really just isn't much more than a handful of pitchers of his quality around. I'd expected to have seen him sign with another team already by this point in the offseason. So, naiive as it may be, I'm just intrigued that the Brewers are still technically in the running.

His agent has said in an article that he has been working out to get in better shape for 2009. What would you expect his agent to say? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif I agree that on the risk-reward angle with Penny. He looks to have had some serious shoulder trouble in 2008, but if he could be had for that $5-8M range, I agree it'd probably be a better reward than Gagne was potentially, if only because Penny would likely throw more innings.

It would be rediculous to pay him what he going to get in arbitration when his value in wins is so low to this team because of his defense. I don't think it would be ridiculous. I think he's a very good bet to hit more HR in 2009, and his plate discipline appeared to improve all throughout 2008. His defense really can't get much worse (honestly through dumb luck he could be a decent tick better in '09), and I think his offense should be expected to improve -- if only slightly -- as he matures beyond a very young age of 24. The weight & conditioning is going to be a major factor, though. If he shows up for 2009 in even worse shape... yikes.

Even though a win in April counts as much as a win in September, the pressure is certainly greater in September, and when the team takes a dump when the pressure is on, that doesnt bode well No, it tells you nothing more about what kind of performance to expect in the future. Nothing (just like any other random small sample of playing time). Remember how un-clutch A-Rod was definitively deemed due to the 2005 & 2006 postseasons? Then that idiot came back with a solid 2007 postseason just to tick everyone off. Oh and he definitely remembered how to hit in both the 2006 & 2007 regular seasons, which is problematic when you argue that the 'pressure packed' games tell you more about predicting player performance. Another example is Sabathia's 2007 postseason. He seems to have done just fine & represented his career numbers rather than suddenly being afflicted with suckiness. I just can't muster up enough energy to start panicking about the Brewers' off season in December. Plenty of time to wheel and deal. BF.net should establish a perennial 'Panicking about no moves so far this offseason' thread "I don't want to give up either one of our shortstops," Melvin told the newspaper. "That's a premium position. J.J. has two years left [before he's a free agent]. It's just too hard to find shortstops. ... If we went with Escobar, he might struggle for a year or so offensively." That's from the article logan linked. I like to hear this from Melvin -- it really sounds like his plan as of now is Escobar in AAA for 2009, and perhaps super-two-ing him for 2010. Sounds like the next offseason is about the soonest to think that Hardy would be traded, unless things change relatively drastically.

I found comparing the contract situations for Peavy & Sabathia interesting. 4 more guaranteed seasons on Peavy's contract: 2009: $8M 2010: $15M 2011: $16M 2012: $17M 2013: $22M club option ($4M buyout) That's an AAV of $14M -- around the AAV people are tossing around for Sheets -- prior to 2013. AAV of $15.6 through '13. Sabathia's reported deal (if he accepted the Crew's offer) would run guaranteed through 2014 at an AAV of appx. $18M. 2013 will be both players' age-32 season. Peavy had some elbow soreness this season, but to expect that Sabathia would get through that entire 6-year stretch without any arm trouble is playing slim, slim odds. He's been one of the hardest-worked pitchers in the game the past 2 seasons, and Yost really abused his arm in 2008.

Goosebumps (again), eyes well up (again -- only a tad this time though).. thanks Crazyk! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif What a moment.

It actually gave them a two run lead. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif Ack! I knew I should've checked that game log. Thanks trwi http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

That game was awesome -- Weeks's first career HR too, right? I was at that one, and won't soon forget it. Both were absolute bombs -- typical Weeks laser-beam HR to left; Prince pinch-hit & went oppo to LC for the 3-R shot that gave the Crew a one-run lead over the Twins.

$40M or so can really change someone's impression of a place. Heck, $10M worked on Gagne.

What's the point in overpaying for Spann and creating a hole at SS? Our OF is already set if that's the alternative. You don't think some AL team wouldn't bring him back on a one year deal? He'd be a decent fit for a bad or middling AL team as DH, or as a bench player on a good team. He's not really suited for CF/OF anymore though. Maybe LF.

...move Braun back to third. Clancyphile... let it go. Not happening.

If you're talking Putz & Beltre, I think the asking price would probably include Fielder/Gamel/Escobar/Parra/Yo. Obviously not all of those, but I'm not sure that trading any one of those guys is the right kind of deal to make right now. Who knows what role Hall really would have, but super-utility guy sounds about right. Only problem there is that our 3B, SS & 2B are all righties, so many of the ABs for Hall would come against RHP, which is obviously a bad idea. That contract really screwed us over. Criminy. $6.8M for '09 & $8.4M for '10. Thank god the '11 year ($9.25M) is a club option. Those were some expensive home runs back in 2006. I assume you meant Hart instead of Hall. I would definitely be on-board with sending Corey out as the main piece to net Beltre & Putz. I don't know enough about the other players you listed though. If Beltre & Putz were brought in, & Dunn could somehow get signed, wow. I'd feel very happy. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

Yeah -- the fact that he's in his walk year might hold his value down a tad in terms of the asking price, and honestly with Gamel on the way he might be great as a placeholder that would actually improve our team instead of just keeping a seat warm.

I'm don't know how much sense it makes to have a defensive liability who has yet to play in AAA play the hot corner even as a platoon player. Especially for a team with playoff aspirations. Plus we'd burn a season of our best prospect's service time in a part-time role. I sure hope that's not Melvin's plan.

Greene might have JJ Hardy power, but if he hits .250 he will be lucky to have an OBP over .300 and that is the part of his game that is the stinkiest. He surely doesn't carry a very nice OBP, but as mentioned is a slick fielder at short & can provide some pop at the bottom of the lineup. And he's entering his age-29 season... and his injury (broke his hand punching something in frustration) wasn't horrible for future performance. I like this move for the Cards for a couple of RP prospects. They want to win now & the chances of this trade looking terrible a few years from now is probably not very strong. Fwiw, the link in the lead post doesn't take me to the story.

He plays hard, is often productive offensively, and is a leader. His defense is where he brings consistent value. Hard to say about the offense -- career batting line of .269/.312/.375/.687. Basically Craig Counsell without the plate discipline, but his 2004 & 2007 seasons are strange outliers (as in, they were solid/good). Literally every other season he's played, his offensive line has been basically that career line, but two seasons he's been relatively good. I honestly don't know what to make of those two seasons, because my gut tells me to trust his career totals more than just two good campaigns... but esp. 2007 was so good for a SS that defends as well as Wilson. EDIT: Guess I could post his good seasons. Just puzzling... 2004: .308/.335/.459/.794 2007: .296/.350/.440/.790