TooLiveBrew

I'm hoping you're saying it is apples to oranges because Turnbow did a decent job at a reliever and Cappy was mostly awful after the first month of last year. Turnbow's extreme lack of control displayed in 2007 is far more concerning than Capuano having a lot of bad luck. Chris obviously didn't pitch his best, but it's getting frustrating imo for people to have to shout down those who aren't willing to look into his performance.

Cappy has an 18 ERA this spring and its no big deal. Turnbow walks 2 guys and gives up a couple of runs and people want to buy him a bus ticket out of town. Capuano... Spring Training. Turnbow... control problems for the bulk of 2007's regular season. Apples - Oranges

Just voted for her... sadly the tally shows her down 889-764. I can vote again from home. Good luck Brianna!

Well we'll just have to hope that DM & Yost aren't into 2 IP samples of work, and instead rely upon Chris's hundreds of MLB IP & what their coaches have to say.

Ha! Well-played. That sounds really cool. Those are the experiences that make ST so special.

Nice stuff, Schlitz. How'd you get the one from behind TBow as he's throwing? Did you pass your camera down to a player?

I don't believe the Brewers have ever trained in Florida and I would be stunned if they made the move there. A state-of-the-art facility with some perks might be a pretty hard offer to turn down, though. Maryvale is a nice complex, but not enough so that a shinier facility wouldn't interest the Crew. Besides, couldn't they retain ownership of Maryvale and lease it out?

How do you mean it's very different from the P50? Just that BF's is updated more frequently? I know the two are not identical, but I thought the MadFriars' was similar, obviously since I mentioned that.

So it's a cartoony massive sim? That's interesting.

If you have one guy that can make 25 starts and have an era of 3.3 and two other guys that can make 35 starts and have an era of 4.95, you make sure the first guy gets his 25 starts. Period. It's not like you can't have those other two guys on the roster, or move them up when needed. I respect what you're saying about Cap/Bush not being lost & gone forever, but I think it's a stretch to say that Parra would be that good over 25 starts (ignoring of course inherent problems with ERA as a pitcher's stat - just a comparative/relative tool here). He just hasn't done enough to indicate that we should expect that from him imo. It's not as cut & dried / black & white. You can't objectively handicap two mid-4 ERA guys as "4.95", and you can't categorize Parra as an ace-in-waiting when he hasn't even been able to stay healthy enough for 150 IP in any of his 6 minor-leauge seasons. EDIT: If parra was some fragile thing, more is the reason to make use of him now before he shatters. If? I understand your point that he appears to be past certain injuries from his past, but to me he's got to prove his ability to stay on the mound before I hand him a serious rotation spot on a contending team. I know the injury last year was fluky, but he's had shoulder trouble, which can always recur. I don't want to throw him to the wolves & hope for the best - we have 2009 & onward to consider, too (as in, post-Sheets)

Agreed again on Bo Ryan. Hawk is another one, since the Packers can actually retain FAs.

Cartoon - http://static.moviegallery.com/images/games/boxart/12170.jpg http://2ksports.com/_img/screens/mlbpp/mlbpp-screen01.jpg

the argument in my mind is that Parra is head and shoulders better. He can excel right now in the majors. He's got the stuff and makeup. He's wasted too much time on minor league DL. But it's not that he "wasted" time on the DL, it's that he hasn't been able to stay off it. That's part of how 'good'/effective a player is, too. There's just no way Parra is better quite to the extent you're arguing imo, and when you factor injuries/injury history in, he's got to come out at least a step behind Cap/Bush. If you can't stay on the mound, you can't be called "head & shoulders better."

For the Rays, I'd bet that move takes place in less than 5 years. Both the Yanks & BoSux are getting pretty old, but have solid young talent coming along, too... just not the dearth of it that TB has. By 2010, I'd fully expect the Rays to be at least competing for the AL WC. Holy crap, did I just type that? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

Isn't this akin to the minor-league club that 'offered' Bonds a chance to make their team? I don't get the point of doing something like that/this - is it supposed to be funny? Comes off as unprofessional to me. I definitely got the sarcastic/joking tone from that Stars letter.

Right, but Parra's never been able to manage anywhere near that total, and then if there's postseason you're talking completely uncharted territory (if you weren't already) for an IP total. Manny hasn't proven that he can handle any of this.

I don't see any mention of Sackmann in there

For being a doctor, you sure ignore health concerns with Parra. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif Manny is the most obvious first choice of someone to go to AAA. He's young, and needs to stay healthy this season - first & foremost. As others mention, his PC can be monitored much better at Nashville. There's simply no reason for him to be asked to be an MLB veteran when he isn't. Your notion that there's simply no way in the universe that he'd pitch more than 165 innings is just a hunch imo. As posed before, what happens if/when he's at 165 IP in mid-September, and is needed for a playoff run? That's of course assuming that he'd be able to make it through 165 MLB IP. Given his injury history, I don't want to roll the dice when his workload can be limited most effectively at AAA, allowing for a fresh-armed Parra callup at the first injury or simply by mid-season if by some fluky reason no SP gets hurt. In terms of ability, I don't think Manny at this point is that much better (if at all) than the grouping of Cap/Bush/Villy. Plus, to go further on the IP/durability concerns, the 132 2/3 IP he mustered in 2007 is his highest IP total since 2003 in low-A ball (138 2/3 IP). Great care needs to be taken with Manny's left arm.

Linkage March 5, 2008 Future Shock Organizational Rankings, Part 2 by Kevin Goldstein 1. Tampa Bay Rays Last Year's Ranking: 1 Why They're Unchanged: Evan Longoria's full-season debut went even better than expected, and they added No. 1 overall pick David Price to the system. Strengths: Yes. There are just tons of prospects everywhere, as 20 of MLB's 30 teams don't have one prospect ranked higher than Tampa's fifth-rated player. Weaknesses: It's hard to figure out what to do with all of this talent. Seriously, they're not just No. 1, they're No. 1 by a mile. Outlook for 2009 Ranking: Unchanged. Even with Longoria in the big leagues, the Rays have more than enough talent to remain at the top, and once again, they have the first overall pick in June. 2. Oakland Athletics Last Year's Ranking: 23 Why They're Up: Their rebuilding process got off to excellent start, as the Dan Haren and Nick Swisher deals brought in a bevy of excellent prospects to restock the system. Strengths: Their High-A rotation will have three Top 100 prospects, and there are more arms worth noting at nearly every level in the system; Daric Barton is ready to step in at first base; Carlos Gonzalez is nearly ready as a five-tool outfielder. Weaknesses: Infielders. Outlook for 2009 Ranking: It's hard to go up, but most of their talent, especially the pitching, has a maturation date of 2009 and beyond. 3. Texas Rangers Last Year's Ranking: 22 Why They're Up: Deadline deals filled the system with prospects, as six of Top 11 weren't with the organization at the beginning of year; Chris Davis turned into legitimate power-hitting prospect. Strengths: Young power arms; high-tools prospects; catching. Weaknesses: Left-handed pitching; outfielders. Outlook for 2009 Ranking: Holding the line, if not going up, as only Eric Hurley might lose eligibility. 4. Boston Red Sox Last Year's Ranking: 11 Why They're Up: Clay Buchholz became the top pitching prospect in the game, Jacoby Ellsbury grabbed the center field job, and they had a strong '07 draft. Strengths: Right-handed pitching; toolsy outfielders. Weaknesses: Catching; pure power prospects. Outlook for 2009 Ranking: Down significantly, as Buchholz and Ellsbury move to the majors and leave no elite prospects in their wake. 5. Los Angeles Dodgers Last Year's Ranking: 5 Why They're Unchanged: Clayton Kershaw became the top lefty prospect in the game, and the '07 draft added even more pitching depth; Chin-Lung Hu added an offensive game to supplement his already Gold Glove-caliber defense. Strengths: Andy LaRoche and Hu make one of the top left sides in the minors, and there are more third basemen and shortstops to brag about beyond them; power arms. Weaknesses: Outfield prospects; catchers; right-side infielders. Outlook for 2009 Ranking: Little movement, but possibly down if the Dodgers do the right thing and make LaRoche their everyday third baseman this year. 6. New York Yankees Last Year's Ranking: 3 Why They're Down: The performances of Joba Chamberlain and Ian Kennedy, along with Austin Jackson's breakout, were offset by Philip Hughes' graduation to the majors and injuries to Humberto Sanchez and Dellin Betances. Strengths: Pitching, pitching, and more pitching; high-ceiling outfielders; big investments in Latin America. Weaknesses: Infielders and catchers. Outlook for 2009 Ranking: Down a bit, as Joba and possibly some others will lose eligibility. 7. Cincinnati Reds Last Year's Ranking: 10 Why They're Up: Jay Bruce went from an excellent prospect to the best in baseball; Johnny Cueto proved that his '06 breakout was for real; their '07 draft added much-needed depth. Strengths: Two top ten overall prospects and four in the Top 41; the system has at least one decent prospect at every position. Weaknesses: The overall quality in the organization drops off significantly after the top four; they have few power arms after Homer Bailey and Cueto. Outlook for 2009 Ranking: A downward slide is inevitable, as Bruce and Bailey move up to the big leagues. 8. Atlanta Braves Last Year's Ranking: 14 Why They're Up: Jordan Schafer's big step forward; the trade of Edgar Renteria added two Top 100 prospects; their 2006-07 drafts look strong. Strengths: Tons of interesting young pitching; multi-faceted outfielders. Weaknesses: Catching and infielders. Outlook for 2009 Ranking: They shouldn't be down, as few of their top prospects will reach the major leagues this year, and some of these pitchers might end up as even better than advertised. 9. Colorado Rockies Last Year's Ranking: 2 Why They're Down: For all the right reasons, as Troy Tulowitzki and other rookies took Colorado to its first World Series. Strengths: Pitching depth; infield prospects. Weaknesses: Outfielders; left-handed pitchers after Franklin Morales. Outlook for 2009 Ranking: They could be drop down even more as more players move to be big leagues, and the talent coming from the lower levels fails to offer the same potential. 10. Baltimore Orioles Last Year's Ranking: 18 Why They're Up: They drafted the best college position player in Matt Wieters, and added a ton of talent in the Erik Bedard trade. Strengths: Right-handers who throw hard; power prospects; just on his own, Wieters makes catching a strength. Weaknesses: Athletic position players, especially in the middle infield and center field. Outlook for 2009 Ranking: They could be up if third baseman Billy Rowell and right-hander Brandon Erbe can return to previous form. 11. Los Angeles Angels Last Year's Ranking: 3 Why They're Down: No one big thing, as their stock of prospects Brandon Wood, Nick Adenhart, Sean Rodriguez and Hank Conger is all good it's just not as good as it was last year. Strengths: Infielders with power; right-handed starting pitching. Weaknesses: Very few outfield prospects; there's a bit of a gap between talent nearly ready for the big leagues and young players who will take a while. Outlook for 2009 Ranking: They could slip down further if Brandon Wood and Nick Adenhart lose their eligibility--otherwise, they'll likely remain unchanged here. 12. San Diego Padres Last Year's Ranking: 29 Why They're Up: Matt Antonelli and Chase Headley both exploded onto prospect lists; the team invested seven figures to add Matt Latos as a draft-and-follow; the windfall of '07 draft picks added much-needed depth. Strengths: Right-handed pitching, of both the power and finesse type; advanced hitters with on-base and power skills. Weaknesses: Left-handed arms, upper-level pitching. Outlook for 2009 Ranking: Down. Headley or Antonelli, and maybe both, will reach the big leagues this year, and it's doubtful that the system will find that kind of lightning in a bottle (twice) for a second consecutive season. 13. Milwaukee Brewers Last Year's Ranking: 7 Why They're Down: When you add players like Ryan Braun and Yovani Gallardo to the big leagues, you're allowed to be drop down a bit. Strengths: More of a well-rounded system than one that is overloaded in any one spot; top two prospects (Matt LaPorta and Manny Parra) should both be helping in the big leagues in short order. Weaknesses: After Jeremy Jeffress, there aren't a lot of power arms; after Matt LaPorta, there aren't a lot of power bats. Outlook for 2009 Ranking: Down a bit. The Brewers have turned themselves into a competitive team through scouting and player development, but the well might finally be running a bit dry. 14. Washington Nationals Last Year's Ranking: 30 Why They're Up: Chris Marrero is one of the better young sluggers around; the only thing better than having a ton of draft picks is knowing what to do with them, as the Nats used the 2007 draft to load up the system with a potential front-line starter in Ross Detwiler and another outstanding young masher in Michael Burgess. Strengths: Young power hitters; many good arms at the lower levels. Weaknesses: No position players that are close to big-league ready; short in infielders and catchers. Outlook for 2009 Ranking: Looking good. While Detwiler could lose eligibility as early as this year, there's still a lot of young talent here that could potentially step up and take his place in next year's Top 100. 15. St. Louis Cardinals Last Year's Ranking: 27 Why They're Up: Colby Rasmus emerged as one of the top power/speed prospects in the game; 2006 draftees Chris Perez and Adam Ottavino shone in their full-season debuts; catcher Bryan Anderson raked at Double-A as a 20-year-old; older prospects like Joe Mather and Jarrett Hoffpauir took big steps forward. Strengths: More up-the-middle prospects than most, with Rasmus, Anderson, and middle infielders like Jose Martinez and '07 first-round pick Peter Kozma; a good number of quality arms at Double-A or higher. Weaknesses: Their pitching has depth but lacks a high-ceiling starter; not much speed and athleticism after Rasmus. Outlook for 2009 Ranking: It depends. If Rasmus gets enough big-league playing time to lose eligibility, their ranking will go down because there's no other elite prospect in the system, nor a player capable of making a step forward into the Top 10. Kevin Goldstein is an author of Baseball Prospectus. You can contact Kevin by clicking here or click here to see Kevin's other articles.

Found this article on Crabbe today: "Versatility will be the key..." By Tom Krasovic UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER March 5, 2008 PEORIA, Ariz. - The Padres could have a roster spot for a utility man who can play both the infield and outfield, get on base and steal a base. Callix Crabbe showed those capabilities as a Brewers minor leaguer. This month, the Padres are evaluating whether the native of the Virgin Islands is ready for the majors. Crabbe has appeared "comfortable" at three infield spots and right field, manager Bud Black said. The switch-hitter, who is 5-for-13 with a double, also has given Black clues to his .369 on-base percentage in more than 3,000 minor league plate appearances. The versatility obviously is a big plus for him," Black said. "There's a short little quick stroke offensively. He puts the bat on the ball. He's got the line-drive, gap stick from both sides of the plate." Black wants to see more of Crabbe, 25, at shortstop, center field and right field, three positions that will stretch him. Not since 2004, when he made four errors in six Single-A games, had Crabbe played shortstop. Not until last season did he play in the outfield, drawing 38 games there in Triple-A. Because Crabbe was a Rule V selection, the Padres must expose him to waivers and, if he clears, offer him to the Brewers if he doesn't make their 25-man roster. The 5-foot-8, 190-pounder is one of several utility men competing for a bench job. Another veteran minor leaguer whose primary position is second base is Edgar Gonzalez, brother of first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. He is 5-for-8 with four runs scored in five games. I definitely echo the sentiments that the Brewers should take Calix back if he's made available.

The track record that has people wanting Capuano in the rotation was compiled in 2005 and half of 2006. Wow. How many times do you want to have the Capuano argument? Each time it's like you've never encountered the counter-argument. You've made this statement so many times, just to have it refuted... yet here it is again. Defense has no impact on pitching! Bullpen support has nothing to do with Cappy's WOAHs from 2007! Bad luck means a pitcher is no longer skillful! Bush is definitely better than "a bad 4th starter", but you've had that argument before, too. Do you make these comments to instigate? Man, you've had the Parra & Villy arugments before, too. Villy definitely does not have 4 plus pitches. He has an average FB, a plus CU, and some so-so breaking stuff. Villy is no better suited than Bush or Cappy, but what's the use - you've been told this before.

Doc my guess is that this is equivalent to the P50, where what you're citing is more akin to Haudricourt's rankings or BP/BA ranks. Not that the other ones are wrong, but these guys follow the Pads' minor leagues like Mass Hass / CJ / etc. I got the impression that they both kind of expect Inman to be in the top 20/10 this season, but are waiting to see it with their own eyes.

If Rickie hadn't yet made an E in ST, I wouldn't feel any better about his D, so I definitely don't feel worse that he's made some E's.

ok, maybe he's clean. but many are not. and many have been lieing through their teeth for over 15 years. I don't know why the reaction is so strong against Big Reed's concern. It's not like players have given no reason to be skeptical - it's not Reed's fault. Real or not (obv. the former), Young's case here is a good example of some of the damage done to credibility by the abuse of PEDs & masking agents.

Possibly, but I think Joe's shown what he's fully capable of doing. He's a perfect PH, he can play some IF & OF, I just think he's too versatile to stash in AAA (if he has options left).