Boy Jeenius

Pettyjohn having an "interesting" day through 6 complete.

Trading Hall this offseason would be selling low. DM is real adept at selling high. IMO they have higher hopes for Hall in the long run. This may be a place where Escobar may have some trade value, but I think that's a year or even 2 away. I don't think the Brewers are a match for the Padres right now. Their farm system is still real thin, even after adding Inman and Garrison.

Really don't understand the move now. Spurling just didn't suddenly become bad, he was always bad. Fielder is suspended soon and Graffanino is hurt. They'll need someone to play 1st base(well), plain and simple. Hart maybe could play a game or 2 sure, but having that lefty bat is important.

So maybe there's a reason, like he's nicked up a bit or something else that's not reported. Just because we don't read about it doesn't mean something might be amiss. Shouse had been a pretty productive and trusted guy lately. I doubt he suddenly fell out of favor.

Check Mike Schmidt's first years fielding (and hitting for that matter)stats. They are brutal. He too was a converted ss. You just have to stay patient with extremely talented young guys(especially if they can rake it) and they'll come around. IMO it's extremely short sighted to look at a rookie's or second year player's performance and call for position changes. I can only tell you that any of us that played the game for a long time, would tell you that we were completely different players at 27 or 28 than when we were 21 to 24. I urge us all to be patient and let them grow at their own pace, not our percieved(irrational) pace.

Big, big time bummer. Very, very good player on a whole lot of great teams. I loved him as an announcer too. I'll never listen to "Paradise By The Dashboard Light" the same way again. Condolences to his family and freinds.

NFL is a hard cap. Lot's of veterans with big salaries find this out every year. They market the NFL as a singular unit and have the richest of all TV deals pumping $$ into their coffers. Green Bay winning in the 60's when TV became common place in all homes allowed them to agree that all teams work with the exact same rules and dollars. They could not effectively put in a deal where New York and Boston and Philly had the best team every year. TV exec turned commisioner Pete Rozelle was the genius there. NBA was supposed to be a hard cap too until it looked like Larry Bird was not going to be re-signed by the Celtics, so they changed that rule fast. However the NBA is unique in that they took a different path. They partnered up with the players association and essentially made it a marketing company. Instead of teams, they agreed that they could make more $$ by selling the stars of the league and marketing shoes, jersey's etc. In doing this they put in much tougher policies on conduct and a tough drug policy(except for marijuana) and working together it really took off. Everyone became VERY rich, including their marketing partners like Nike. However in doing so, the game has become really boring to people after they reach the age of 35, when the marketing pizzazz junk wears off (like me). I haven't watched an NBA game in 15 years, and I used to love the Bucks. David Stern is the markerting genius who figured this out. That's why he has so much power, and guys get fined and suspended all the time for seemingly harmless stuff. Anybody who sheds bad light to the people who pay the bills(white middle class) gets slapped down hard. It's also the reason USA is no longer the world power in basketball. Good teams beat good individuals every time. Young players know the way to the NBA is to be a star, not a winner. Baseball owners, historically, have been just plain dumb, with little or no foresight. Selig will be treated kindly by history, for getting this thing squared away by making the unpopular(but often correct) decisions.

Good point Colby, I had not thought of that. The picks won't really be diluted in value, because that talent will go back too(Texas' #1 has signed with Navarro JC and one of the sandwich picks was a college junior). I guess some of them might go to a 4 year. Interesting day or 2 ahead. Didn't I read that MLB was trying to push the slotting $$ back a bit, as well as moving up the signing date?

No reports on Brewers out there yet, but there is an alarming trend this year that may significantly affect them in the 2008 draft. As of this AM, 18 of the first 64 players drafted have not signed. The newest "slotting system" of bonuses has many players and their advisors(agents) upset. There is a good chance that many of these players will go back into next year's draft, and the teams that drafted them will recieve the corresponding pick next year. So for draftniks that are excitedly looking forward to Milwaukee getting 4 extra picks from Linebrink and Cordero, those picks could be moved back considerably (as well as their 1st and 2nd rounders etc) as well. Texas alone has not signed their 1st rounder(#17), nor their 2 sandwich picks(35 & 64). They also appear to have lost their #5 (no compensation).

21 people tonight, I put the attendance figure over the top. The very first foul ball came right at me, so after I had the first one, I let all the rest go untouched. I saw a lot of really good players tonight - all played for the Royals. That 18 year old reliever they brought in (Lehmann) to close brought pure gas and outclassed any Brewer that came to the plate. Paciorek had a nice night, but Trejo & Whiteside did not play. Uneventful night for Hereaud, Snijders had no clue at the plate - not one. A couple of real fluke type runs scored on Morales. He looked pretty good, actually. Crespo really throws hard - very hard. He just lets too many drift over the center of the plate. Cost for the game was free, so all in all a fine buy for my entertainment dollar.

Why would KC want to trade De Jesus? They are building from within. He would seem to be a key component to that end.

I'm off to the AZL Brewers game tonight. I've never been to a rookie league game and I'm pumped. Observations to follow.

If our team has a solid GM with a track record of success (and of course DM is great) and he trusts the franchise's success to that person, then I all for it. I could care less who it is. That's how I evaluate a manager. The beauty of baseball is that this is a game where we all have a pretty good idea in general and we think we know what's going on. Therefore our opinion of a situation must be right. It's a great game to talk about and rehash. If us fans were aware of just how little we actually know about what's going on with the team, clubhouse, game/seasonal startegies, I think many would back off with their criticisms.

Perez took speed, not steroids.

#2 for LaPorta? Has a #1 pick rated that high so early? I'm not disagreeing, just wondering.

Same here. DirecTV is a slam dunk. Stop the agony and switch today, or as soon as your one year commitment ends.

Yep - It's a Textbook alright - knee jerk reaction. Stuff was planned just fine. Yost did not make the error on a slow roller to the mound or give up a 2 run homer, Yost did not fail to call Rowand out on a check swing when replay showed he went, Yost did not walk 2 and hit one, Yost did not let the playable ground ball roll under his glove to tie the game and on and on and on...................... The manager blew this one with bullpen mismanagement? He put 4 guys in a position to succeed, only one of them had to come thru and , but not one of them did, and somehow it's the manger's fault? I completely disagree.

Sex Panther Great Odin's Raven Blackbeard's Delight Hey Aqualung I Killed a Guy With a Trident Bark Twice if You're in Milwaukee Son of a Bee Sting It's the Pleats I Wanna Polka Raccoon in the Copier

Some time off for Villy would seem like a good move. He's really been worked hard this year, especially for a young guy. He has not earned a demotion, but some time off might be prudent.

I'm on board with demoting Cappy instead of Bush. However, Bush and Vargas look like they may be pretty effective from the pen. We have not yet seen Cappy in that role

I am a big Nelson fan. But I was curious when the JS said today that the Rangers wanted a 1B prospect, but the Brewers could not help them there. Sadly, this may say it all, as to where is status might really be.

Yeah, those 2 lead off hitters will get in, maybe 1st ballot for Henderson, Raines probably too with it being a lean year. These slim pickings bodes well for Rich Gossage.

Did Bill Schroeder just call the busts in Cooperstown "Head Butts"? Yep, I just checked my TiVO. That's a classic brain cramp moment.

McClung gets 3 k's in an inning of work. Barney mops up. Sarfate and Dillard both act like they've never pitched before. Deflating. Donovan Hand with a very impressive debut in WV,

Sarfate - wow - Got a start - maybe showcasing him for a trade? - Wow - not good - in fact - oh my. Dennis please - no - oh what to do? A BFN favorite disintegrating before our very eyes. Say it ain't so Dennis! Someone help me - talk me down off the ledge.