TooLiveBrew

I remember that monty57 almost immediately pointed out that Lohse would probably be hard to trade, because teams weren't willing to give up a 1st rounder & the cash to add him as a FA. And routinely the reaction to that idea was that it was so harsh & negative, & Lohse is a good pitcher, etc. Now, we appear to be committed to Lohse for the rest of his deal, unless we'd let him go for a draft pick or a lower-tier prospect. I actually hope they send him through waivers now, to see if any offers on him are made.

So would you have stand pat I wish Melvin would have looked elsewhere. Just because there weren't rumors about a player doesn't necessarily mean he wouldn't have been traded. At the time, Lawrie was a top-50 prospect & I think there would have been interest from other teams with young pitching depth.

While I agree to a point with the we traded it all away to win now, who did we really trade away that could have been a cornerstone for the future? This is not the point, yet it's nearly always the point that those who disagree with the organization-building approach (as opposed to the MLB-team-building approach Melvin & Attanasio seem to like) take away. The point is that, when making trades, there is nothing limiting the organization to trade for short-term rentals. To use the Lawrie example... when he was traded, I feel extremely confident in saying that Lawrie could've brought back a good young SP that the team would've controlled for at least 4-6 seasons. Instead, Melvin opted for a player who was under team control at most for two seasons, and on top of that was an aging SP with serious injury history & poor velocity (aka someone who was not likely to age well). If this discussion continues to get reduced to the blinders-on 'Well no one they traded away would've been a key player for the Brewers', then this conversation will just continue to spin its wheels. Both sides of this discussion have to be willing to step back & consider things on the larger scale.

So... outside of when they were at full strength & were historically bad, they've been an under-.500 team. That's supposed to instill confidence? And what good is having a .500-ish club, anyway? That's no-man's land.

Sounds Walk Off Against Vegas, 3-2 Velez RBI Single Gives Nashville Its Season-Best Third Straight Win Nashville Sounds http://i.imgur.com/GSvrgjv.jpg The Sounds celebrate their walk-off win (Mike Strasinger / Nashville Sounds) AUDIO: Kentrail Davis Scores On Wild Pitch AUDIO: Robinzon Diaz RBI Fielder's Choice AUDIO: Eugenio Velez Walk-Off RBI Single NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Eugenio Velez laced a one-out RBI single to center in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Nashville Sounds a 3-2 walk-off victory over the Las Vegas 51s on Wednesday evening at Greer Stadium. With their fourth last at-bat win of the year, the Sounds (41-71) matched their longest winning streak of the season with their third straight victory. In the decisive frame, Hainley Statia led off with an infield single and was sacrificed to second by Kentrail Davis before racing home on Velez's line-drive game-winner over the center fielder's head. Velez has hit safely in his last four games at a .538 clip (7-for-13), including three extra-base knocks. Nashville had held a 2-1 lead in the top of the ninth before a blown save necessitated the walk-off heroics. Starter Jimmy Nelson worked five scoreless innings for Nashville, striking out seven batters while scattering three hits during his season-high 108-pitch outing. He departed in line for the victory but was left with a no-decision following a late blown save by the Sounds' bullpen. With the effort, the 24-year-old lowered his Triple-A ERA to 3.47 in nine starts. The Sounds took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Kentrail Davis (2-for-3) led off with a single, was sacrificed to second by Velez, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored when Las Vegas starter Chris Schwinden uncorked a wild pitch. Nashville doubled its advantage to 2-0 in the fifth. Blake Davis (2-for-3) led off with a single and later scored on a Robinzon Diaz RBI fielder's choice. Las Vegas halved the lead to 2-1 in the seventh when pinch-hitter Jamie Hoffmann belted a leadoff solo homer to left off Sounds reliever Travis Webb, his fifth longball of the year. Hoffmann, who remained in the game in left field, continued to torment the Sounds in the bottom of the eighth, when he threw out Statia at the plate as he attempted to score from second on Kentrail Davis' two-out single Hoffmann struck again for the 51s in the ninth, tying the contest at 2-2 with his second roundtripper of the night. The veteran belted a leadoff solo shot to left-center that careened off the guitar-shaped scoreboard. Right fielder Sean Halton ripped a one-out double to left in the fourth inning to extend the Sounds' longest hitting streak to eight games (9-for-29, .310). The teams continue the series with another 7:05 p.m. meeting on Thursday night. Left-hander Chris Narveson (2-6, 6.15) will make the start for the Sounds and face Albuquerque right-hander Giancarlo Alvarado (4-0, 2.08). Nashville Box Nashville PbP Nashville Gameday

As 'chris'-tened by Chris Narveson (iirc in ST 2012), Jimmy Nelson is "Downhill Thunder" That's such a sweet nickname... surprised you either missed it or didn't remember it

You wanna play The Repeater? Did that once, while we were taking tickets for a group campsite for a tournament. One guy would walk up to the car and ask "How many tents for you guys tonight?" And I'd walk up and do the same thing right next to him. It was pretty awesome... considering he'd never seen Super Troopers. Also, "That'll happen" followed by someone echoing "That will happen." is quite often said amongst my friends. That's pretty cool. I've never (yet) had a real-world opportunity to play it!

If they're willing to move Bauer, they'd be able to get someone younger than Lohse. Now, if they'd somehow agree to that deal, I'd say 'yes' & hang up before they could change their minds.

You wanna play The Repeater?

He's heating back up!

Awesome!

Since the Sounds had a delayed start, I'm going to be in bed before it ends. If anyone wants to take this game tonight, feel free. Otherwise I'll try to get it tomorrow morning before work... unless Jim beats me to it.

It's like a Mad Lib. A terrible, disappointing Mad Lib. .... ....

Wow, yeah -- thanks for finding that shot from last year. Gorgeous, gorgeous sunsets at Kindrick Legion Field.

One thing I look forward to once the short-season leagues start is the sunset photos that always come from Helena.

He has raw strength, raw power, & is a left-handed bat. Imo that's as close to "potential" as he's got. He's a bad defender (NO idea why clubs stuck with him so long at 3B) & not a good contact hitter. It's a sad commentary on the state of the Brewers that he's getting regular playing time. Agree, I should have worded my post differently. He has a ton of power potential. I would like to see Halton man 1st the rest of the year. Sorry, I didn't mean for my post to pick on yours as much as it did. Mostly I just wanted to vent about how annoying Francisco is (imo) at this point.

Oh lord... thank you so much for linking to his Twitter account. Guy is a must-follow. #besthashtagsintheBrewerssystem? #besthashtagsintheBrewerssystem

Sounds Avoid Sweep With 4-2 Victory Nashville's Aaron Laffey Nets First Win As A Sound Nashville Sounds http://i.imgur.com/6f4mr7c.jpg Aaron Laffey, archive photo (Mike Strasinger / Nashville Sounds) PAPILLION, Neb. - The Nashville Sounds edged the Omaha Storm Chasers by a 4-2 margin Monday night at Werner Park to avoid the four-game series sweep. Tied 2-2 in the 5th, Sounds first baseman Hunter Morris, 2-for-5, gave Nashville its second lead with an RBI-triple into left-field. The hit landed in the shallow outfield and was kicked into foul territory by the sliding outfielder to advance Morris three bags and score Eugenio Velez, who reached base on a ground rule double. The Sounds held the lead the rest of the way, courtesy of a solid 103-pitch outing by starting pitcher Aaron Laffey (5-5), who scattered five Omaha hits across seven innings to allow just two runs. The lefty picked up his first win with the Sounds with the quality start. Johnnie Lowe pitched a hitless eighth inning to set up closer Jesus Sanchez for his second save. Sanchez worked two quick outs in the ninth, but put runners on the corners before recording the final out. Initially Omaha took a lead by scoring a run in the first inning on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly from Brian Fletcher in his first Triple-A plate appearance; but the Sounds answered in the top of the second inning with two runs to take a 2-1 lead. Josh Prince drew a bases-loaded walk for the game-tying run, while the go-ahead run scored on a double-play. The Chasers leveled the game when Fletcher connected for his first Triple-A hit: a home run over the left field wall in the fourth inning. The solo shot was the last of Omaha's offensive highlights. Omaha turned four double-plays against the Sounds, matching the most allowed by Nashville since Oklahoma City did so on April 29. With the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning, designated hitter Robinzon Diaz gave Nashville an insurance run with a sac-fly to score Blake Davis, 1-for-3, and make it a 4-2 game (audio). Omaha's Justin Marks (4-11) was charged with the loss, allowing the Sounds three runs, one earned, on five hits and six walks over six innings of work. The Sounds return to Nashville Tuesday night to host the Las Vegas 51s (Mets affiliate) to a four-game series. Throwing for Nashville will be RHP Johnny Hellweg (9-4, 2.44) opposite the Chasers' RHP Rafael Montero (2-2, 4.50). Nashville Box Nashville PbP Nashville Gameday

He has raw strength, raw power, & is a left-handed bat. Imo that's as close to "potential" as he's got. He's a bad defender (NO idea why clubs stuck with him so long at 3B) & not a good contact hitter. It's a sad commentary on the state of the Brewers that he's getting regular playing time.

MLBTR link

MLBTradeRumors piece, full of tweets from sportswriters trying to make sense of the details. Another team fulfills its desire for bullpen reinforcements. Really hoping the Brewers are able to cash in on the chance to sell high on guys like González, Axford, & Henderson.

Imo the easiest way to answer these questions is to always flip it around & ask yourself if you'd sell this player in exchange for 1+ season of this player. In short, if I'm the Rangers, no I wouldn't consider moving Gallo for 1+ season of Aoki. If I'm moving a 1st/supplemental round pick who, at 19 years old is living up to his gigantic power potential in A-ball, I'd better be getting back a better return than 1+ seasons of a pretty average or replaceable corner outfielder.

I'd never heard this -- can you go into more detail? That sounds crazy... how would that even work? Can a team kick a player off like that in NCAA sports? Love Me, Hate Me: Barry Bonds and the Making of an Antihero, by Jeff Pearlman. By the way, you should know that the Sun Devils were rated number one in the nation for most of 1984. In Honolulu, Coach Brock laid down an 11:00 p.m. curfew and put his three co-captains (outfielder Oddibe McDowell, shortstop Romy Cucjen, and pitcher Kendall Carter) in charge. Four players broke curfew, including Barry Bonds. "At the stadium the following afternoon, (co-captain) McDowell gathered the four night crawlers together. 'We're trying to win a national championship, and you guys are just killing us,' he said. 'So when we get back to Tempe, y'all are gonna have some serious punishment running to do.' Three of the four nodded in agreement. Barry did not. He looked McDowell in the eyes and said, 'Who do you think you are? You're not the coach here. Jim Brock is. You can't make me f---- run.' "Upon returning to Tempe, Brock suspended Barry and held a team meeting without Bonds. 'It's been brought to my attention that a lot of you think Barry is causing more harm than good,' he told his players. 'And I don't believe I can excuse his actions any longer. So here's the deal -- I'm going to give you boys the authority to vote on Barry's future. Do you want him to continue on the team, or do you want him off? Keep in mind, our ultimate goal here is to win a national championship, and he's obviously a big part of that. But it's your decision.' Brock walked off, and his troops retreated to the players' lounge to talk." What did a team in contention for the national championship decide? Every player voted to expel Bonds, save two: outfielders Devereaux and Todd Brown. Turned out the vote was about Bonds, not about Bonds missing curfew. Team members complained he was late for practice and first to leave practice. They didn't like how he referred to himself in the third person, blamed others for his mistakes, would never throw home from the outfield for fear scouts would see he had a weak arm. Then came a moment like so many other moments in Bonds's life...someone -- usually a coach -- always someone who wanted to use his talent, picked up the pieces. "Brock told the team that because the vote wasn't unanimous, he could not -- 'with a good conscience' -- expel Barry." Awesome stuff! Thank you for sharing.

Geez, ruff crowd in here...

I think so, too, and have updated the thread title