Jarjohm

Pretty interesting article on Aoki on ESPN's Sweetspot: Brewers might import former 'next Ichiro' The article discusses an MLB projection for Aoki:

Yep, mentioned that in the same paragraph you quoted.

This is 100-percent speculation and I have no inside sources, but I've seen Graves Disease, or the treatment of it, mentioned as a possibility a few times since the news of Braun's positive test broke. After a quick search, I found that the disease causes the thyroid gland, which helps maintain natural testosterone levels, to become overactive. This can lead to wildly fluctuating levels of testosterone, although in men it seems to typically lower testosterone levels. Those pointing to Graves as a possibility have also mentioned that it often causes "protrusion" of the eyes, which can cause them to bulge out and appear larger. I'm no doctor (and I'm still not sure how this would explain the synthetic testosterone), but it at least seems a bit more plausible than the herpes theory. Any doctors out there who can add more or rule Graves Disease out?

A lot of what I've read since I ran across the rumor seems to indicate that medication for that issue would not influence a drug test or testosterone levels, but a poster on Brew Crew Ball did have this to say:

The rumor several of the posters have referenced is almost assuredly the same one that's been on social media sites and a couple of blogs the last couple days. Some of the dialogue coming out of Braun's camp does seem to line up with it as a possibility, but I haven't seen a real source even hint it could be true or that it's even medically possible this could influence a drug test. Here's a link: "More Braun Than Brains" - Hire Jim Essian

I hope it's Aaron.

Here's a screen cap: http://p.twimg.com/AahM-kVCQAEeUpd.jpg

How can you buy seats to a game that still might happen on the road? Do you just lose your money if Game 1 is in Philadelphia or Arizona?

It looks like the vote will go down to the wire. "New Noise" is only a few votes down from "Bulls on Parade," which had been down by like 30 yesterday. I dig Rage, but I think Miller Park Drunk put it best: "Hard not to like this one, but do we really want a song about the American military-industrial complex leading us into the ninth inning of a potential win? Isn't that a bit heavy?"

"New Noise" is up by 26 votes now on "Bulls on Parade." If it holds the lead, I hope Axford doesn't override the vote (although I'm sure he probably will). "New Noise" would be such an epic entrance song.

"New Noise" was within six votes of "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" last night when I checked, but for some reason "TGTB&TU" is making a charge today. It's up by almost 20 again. I don't get it. A closer's entrance song should pump up the crowd. You won't even be able to hear that song over cheers... If you haven't voted yet, vote "New Noise." If you have, tell everyone you know to vote: Axford's Entrance Song Poll - Round Two

I don't even really understand why "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" is an option. It wouldn't work as a closer's song at all. I get the Western showdown angle, but that music would not pump anyone up.

I've been calling for a closer to use "New Noise" for like 10 years. If it happened in Milwaukee, it would be amazing. Some have suggested that if Axford uses "New Noise," it should start midway through the song where it builds to the intense finish (since the song is long and has a lot of ups and downs), but I think the intro is too good not to use it. I think he should mash the two together so it'd be something like this: http://www.mdn.fm/files/242517_oeceq/The+Refused+-+New+Noise+(Axford+Cut).mp3 Watching Axford run out as "New Noise" blares over the Miller Park speakers would be epic. And it's so close, we have to make this happen.

Brewers MLB.com beat writer Adam McCalvy has also joined the competition. He informs me that he is not very well versed in college basketball. So, he's the early favorite to win.

Cory Melvin (Doug's son and a Brewers scout) and Kyle Lobner of Brew Crew Ball fame have also joined the fold this morning.