Herm

I believe I saw that Texas will play on Sat 6/18 in CWS. Has anyone seen if Jungman is scheduled to pitch in that one?

interesting considering their connection from the draft, Delmon Young agreed to one year $5Mish deal today to avoid arby http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/spring2011/news/story?id=6127424

When people are talking all time greats and looking at career numbers, it's guys like Feller that get shorted in people's minds. Feller gave up three full seasons in the prime of his career and most of a fourth season serving in the military in WWII -- and when you look at his stats he had dominating 20+ win/low ERA/high K seasons on both ends of that. In his case his career total I think is 266 wins --- but looking at his numbers those missing seasons could easily have added 80+ wins and 900+ strikeouts, which would put him in the 350 win/3500 strikeout range if I remember the #s correctly from the paper this morning. Gotta stand up for my fellow Iowa farmboy... Edit -- Ironic that in a post about guys like Feller getting shorted, I did the same -- looked up the numbers and in the 3 yrs before service he averaged 25.3 wins and 256 strikeouts, in the three full seasons after service he averaged 22 wins and 236 strikeouts -- and how about a 348 strikeout season in his first year back... Wow.

Responding to a couple of earlier questions, I went to a T Rats game this weekend and my observations: Pokorny - Struck out the side to close game I saw. No radar readings but he did appear to throw a tick harder than other pitchers in that game and appeared to have reasonably good life. Hard to project and I don't have a good comparison in mind. Looked decent in this setting, but my best guess is he's "just a guy" to use football scout lingo. Dykstra - Looked good offensively, quick bat, good baserunner. Arm looked quite weak though -- I don't see any chance he sticks at 3B (which is where he's been playing all year) and I'm not real sure where that arm would play. Morris -- Went yard twice, one of them easily clearing the beach area beyond right center wall. Legit power with a smooth, easy stroke. Kentrail Davis -- Puckett type body. Very legitimate bat - quick stroke, good pop. 3-4 with a triple, hit it on the screws all 4 times. Showed good burst on the triple from a speed standpoint. Odd play in RF on fly ball with runner at 3rd tagging -- he caught it then on attempt to make throw he face planted into the ground and held the ball, appeared to be some kind of leg situation (maybe felt something in troublesome hamstring as he set for the throw). Arm appeared adequate for RF. Most impressive to me was his last AB with 3 hits already in the book -- worked a walk after an 0-2 or 1-2 count, fouled off a couple of tough pitches and took a couple of close ones to draw the walk, looked real confident in the way he knew zone. Looks for real to me. Stayed the longest to autograph for the kids after the game, for what that's worth... Kh Davis -- Didn't do much and did not stand out offensively or defensively to me. Richardson -- Looks the part, clearly a good athlete. Didn't see much since he was tossed after he got HBP then got in a tussle breaking up double play. Gennett and Garfield did not play. Rigberto Almonte threw one inning and has a live arm but short-arms it a bit. Nieves started and went just shy of 5 innings, nothing spectacular but has some ability.

Has enough happened this spring to justify a refresh of the projection -- ie Lofgren acquired for good and being stretched out to start and other spring developments, Halama released, etc. I'd love to see an updated projection...

Another reason to like/respect Thomas -- I don't recall the exact timing or details (I'm sure someone could find details) I believe around '94 or '95, sometime well after rumors and discussion about steroids were out there but before the Sosa/McGwire hysteria, during spring training Thomas got sick of the questions and arranged to have him and all or most of their team tested voluntarily, essentially called out all of baseball to do the same. Interestingly, it was the players union who stepped in and said no way -- wouldn't let them go through with it. This is part of the reason I put a lot of the blame on the union, even moreso than Selig/baseball mgmt, for turning a blind eye to the whole scene. Individual players wanted testing, but collectively the players union wouldn't allow it. Crazy stuff.

1. Alcides Escobar. I grew up watching Ozzie and I'm hoping AE can approach that kind of career. Not too much to ask, is it? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif 2. Mat Gamel. I expect him to have a substantially better career than McGehee. I just hope it happens in Milw. 3. Jonathon Lucroy. Light on flash, heavy on substance. ETA mid 2010. 4. Zach Braddock. A year or two in relief then into the rotation, health permitting. 5. Brett Lawrie. I want to see some stronger results before comparing him to Rogers Hornsby. 6. Jeremy Jeffress. Off the charts talent still….to re-phrase from Bull Durham, $10 million arm but a $10 bag. 7. Mark Rogers. I expect a breakout year. Will be in rotation at start of 2011, with some starts next year. 8. Lorenzo Cain. Looking in the rear view mirror at #10. Seems like somewhat of a do or die year for high-level prospecthood. 9. Angel Salome. Health fuels 2010 resurgence garners mid-season pitching help via trade. 10. Logan Schafer. AA is big test - real deal or topping out? 11. Jake Odorizzi. High hopes for him and several others in next tier of SP prospects 12. Eric Arnett. Safest bet of my bottom 10 to reach top couple spots by end of 2010. 13. Kentrail Davis. My 2010 sideshow is to see if D'Vontrey or Kentrail emerges as The Next Big Thing. 14. Josh Butler. Only P in my 10-20 who might help this year. 15. Amaury Rivas. See Odorizzi comment. 16. Cody Scarpetta. See Odorizzi/Rivas. 17. Nick Bucci. See Odorizzi/Rivas/Scarpetta 18. Wily Peralta. Are you detecting a pattern? 19. Evan Anundsen. Ditto. 20. D'Vontrey Richardson. Longshot to soar into top tier this year. Comments: Second ten is pitching heavy. The next year or two will be critical to see what's really there. Close but no cigar: Tyler Green (stock dropping out of sight), Chuck Lofgren (only because I'm not sure how he makes the roster and stays there all year; perhaps a season-long case of tenderitis?), John Axford (although I think he'll contribute this year), Kyle Heckathorn (my most likely of the upper tier pitchers to be a bust). Helium: Dell Howell, Brooks Hall, Maverick Lasker, Max Walla, Cameron Garfield. Stones: Tyler Green, Kyle Heckathorn, Caleb Gindl, Eric Farris. My curiosities for this year: Jose Garcia (Christian Guererro anyone?), Scooter Gennett, Efrain Nieves, Seth Lintz, Josh Prince.

As discussion point, I've added current P50 rating 1. SS Alcides Escobar (1) 2. 2B Brett Lawrie (3) 3. 3B Mat Gamel (2) 4. RHP Eric Arnett (6) 5. C Jonathan Lucroy (4) 6. OF Kentrail Davis (12) 7. LHP Zach Braddock (7) 8. OF Lorenzo Cain (9) 9. RHP Jake Odorizzi (19) 10. RHP Kyle Heckathorn (14) 11. RHP Mark Rogers (16) 12. OF Logan Schafer (13) 13. RHP Cody Scarpetta (15) 14. RHP Wily Peralta (10) 15. C Angel Salome (5) 16. RHP Amaury Rivas (23) 17. OF Caleb Gindl (11) 18. OF D'Vontrey Richardson (not ranked) 19. 2B Eric Farris (43) 20. 3B Taylor Green (8) 21. RHP Jeremy Jeffress (21) 22. LHP Del Howell (37) 23. RHP John Axford (30) 24. RHP Josh Butler (18) 25. RHP Alex Periard (24) 26. RHP Evan Anundsen (17) 27. RHP Brooks Hall (36) 28. OF Max Walla (27) 29. RHP Nick Bucci (25) 30. RHP Maverick Lasker (44) Big "movers" Salome -10 Odorizzi +10 Lasker +14 Howell +15 Green -12 Farris +24

From Hardricourt's blog - his comments:

I like my starters young and unproven (aka cheap and high ceiling). Rather than go for retreads/bounce-back types, I'd want to target relatively pitching rich organizations and try to pluck a talented up and comer in exchange for some combination of offensive assets (Hart, Hardy, McGehee, Salome, Cain, etc). My first thought is the Rays. What would you speculate that it would take to pry Wade Davis or Jeremy Hellickson away?

Hope this Garvey is not one of Steve's offspring. Hated that dude with a passion back in the 70's early 80's

Isn't the deadline in the next couple of days? Anyone have an update on status with Davis, Hall, and/or Scooter Gennett?

Back when Gamel was tearing up AAA and Salome was struggling like crazy earlier in the season, I'll bet no one would have foreseen a time when Salome's BA would leapfrog Gamel's. He's just about there. And how long until Jesus finds his way to Brewers' primarily soft-tossing pen?

Just going by prospect ranking (Phils prospects # 2, 3, 4, and 10 went to Cleveland) the comparable Brewers trade would have been something like Escobar (or Gamel), Lawrie, Lucroy (or Salome), and Peralta (or Cain). I'd say no thanks to anything like that....

How about this for a mid season acquisition? http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4302422 Of course there are many questions: 1) how high will the price tag be? (article guesses $30-$60M range) 2) will Brewers be in the mix? 3) how ready is he (article questions readiness based on maturity, off-speed pitches, performance at WBC) 4) how long until he gets visa issues etc sorted out? Of course, we already know that being 21 and throwing 100 is no guarantee of success (see Jeffress thread....)

Great umpire name: Huntsville Stars Manager Robert Miscik ejected by 1B umpire Booter West.

Can someone fill in the blanks based on how the comp picks worked out? LaPorta + Brantley = a couple months of Sabathia + _________________ + _____________________ Shouse = _____________________ Inman + Thatcher = a couple months of Linebrink + _________________ +_____________________ Anyone else over last couple of years that netted a comp pick?

Jeffress Rogers Braddock Odorizzi ScarpettaPeraltaFredericksonLintz And I'm really curious to see how Dillard does in AAA and if he gets a shot as call-up

If I'm Aguilar or Dillard I interpret this news as a vote of confidence.

Auto - How about if he closes out a blowout in WS game 7 so it's not a save situation? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

I don't have the link but remember reading Melvin say something to the effect that he's not pursuing Kapler in part because he wants a LH option off bench instead (this was before signing of Nixon and Duffy). I also recall hearing that Seattle was pursuing Kapler.

Interesting perspective. Lucroy is 2nd of 55 catcher prospects in CS %, while Salome is 46th. Lucroy mentioned with "The Good" (primarily crediting his quick release) and Salome with "The Bad" (where he's described has having the tools including a strong arm but struggles with accuracy and release). The good news for Salome is that his 26% rate is a big improvement over the previous year, so perhaps that's indiciative of ongoing improvement.

Major scoop here. My 11 yr old son was just having pizza at Lisa's Pizza in Shorewood and Melvin was there. My son tried to eavesdrop and the only name he could hear Melvin mention when Melvin was talking on the phone was Randy Johnson. He could not make out much else. It was an iPhone. So there you have it, it's official. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/laugh.gif

He has two chances - slim and none.

so help me god, if Hart swings at first pitch.....