Tbadder

If Corey keeps his current production for sometime, well then, the young man sold himself short. If he regresses then we don't lose much. But the real upshot here is more pressure on the minor league system to produce young cheap starters--and I can't see that happening. This does nothing to improve the team. If the idea is simply to hold the current pattern then kudos all around. If they were forced because no one will trade pitching for hitting then so be it--a pig's purse is better than a pig's ear. Assuming Fielder ISN'T traded that means we can spend more money in the offseason on Suppan/Wolf types. That's exciting. I'm glad that Gamel is seemingly back in the picture.

Just a question. I think the rarest thing that could happen would be a cycle of home runs in a single game--you know, a single hr, a two run dinger, a three run bomb, and the grand salami? Anybody know if this ever happened in the majors or minors. I suspect it never happened in the majors since we'd all pretty much have heard about it. Of course four grand slams would be better I suppose.

I think Scott Boras and Fielder's contract demands pushes Fielder's value so low that I think the Crew should hang on to him and take the draft choices. Add in a perceived regression in production, it might be that Prince is no more valuable than Hart. I can't see the Sox making any moves now anyways--they're riding roughshod over the American League. Why mess with a streak? Just a thought.

From a baseball point of view strictly I say we should sign him. There's nothing coming down the pipe from the minors and his combination of speed and power puts him in the top half of all 2nd basemen as far as I'm concerned. I also think his power will continue to increase while his speed will surely decrease. I think he could be destined for the 5th spot in the line up.

If the team's not hitting I'm putting Edmonds in there. If it's purring on all cylinders I'd take out one of those cylinders and let Gomez play. He really is bad isn't he? Too bad, I love his range and arm. If I'm him I stop shaving until my OBP reaches .350. That ought to get him into Ripley's at least.

I think that's a good point. baseball doesn't happen in a vacuum. It happens in a tradition, that for better or worse, is generally respected. I don't care either about shut outs and complete games, but pitchers do. It is a source of pride, and I imagine, a source of negotiation that no starting pitcher wants to cede to a team. It's unfortunate but remember Hume said that "reason is the slave to emotion" and no mathematical proof can stand up to that my friends. We are doomed to stupidity.

He'd have to have two or three really good outings in a row after coming off the DL, and someone would have to be desparate enough to take a flyer on him, and we wouldn't get much, and we'd probablt have to pay some of his salary--that should get it done. But if his problem has been injury all along and he reverts to last years form you probably want to keep him anyways.

This does bring up an interesting question though, is Strasburg now the most valuable piece of property in the major leagues? I know I'd rather have him than anyone else, even that guy from the Cards. On the other hand I do believe, by virtue of two of the contracts, that Braun, Fielder, and Gallardo could get it done. Afterall they could flip Fielder immediately for a back up catcher and a top flight A ball pitcher.

If we really want to get trade value for Fielder then we're going to have to drop our demand for MLB pitching ready players. If we're willing to take High A ball studs, say a Mike Trout type plus a true stud arm, I think we could get 2 or 3 other prospects in the second tier as well. But young, major league ready arms--forget it. Maybe if some gets desparate I suppose.

Braun and Fielder are fine. The only bad thing is that Fielder is lowering his trade value, which hurts the Crew.

I'll tell you what I really liked to hear was Seid on the broadcast Tuesday night saying that his first goial was to build a championship rotation through the draft. That's the kind of thing that floats my boat. That's long term, anti-quick fix mentality i believe the Crew need. great point about the Wolf vs. Chapman comparison.

No, given the proof it isn't an over the top statement. Where do the Brewers rank among teams in pitching for the last 40 years? It's a track records. And were not just talking about one kid. He is an example of innumerable kids as the stats above prove. What about the Nuege, Gold, etc. The Brewers are littered with examples; they're coming out of our ears--failure after failure. Other teams fail as well for sure. But know body fails like the Brewers other than perhaps the St. Louis Browns. How many losing seasons, one stacked up upon the other, do we have to have to admit we have a mediocre minor league system, especially when it comes to pitching. In the history of the Brewers, of our best teams, they've always been driven by offense. And if I can find lots of Eric Arnetts, then how is the statement over the top when it happens all the time--kinda defies the definition of over the top when in fact it's run of the mill. Just more run of the mill for some organizations.

As always I take the more pessimistic view. Until the Brewers create an actual pipeline to the majors they are going no where. Coupled with problems like Arnett and another hitch is put in the process. The Brewers are going to have to do a better job actually developing talent, and I'm not sure they are there yet. They seem pretty good at identifying talent, but that isn't gonna help if an organization can't turn that talent into something. Trading Prince is gonna make us better for sure, but it's also gonna make us worse no doubt. You don't just replace guys with an OBP above four hundred with tons of power. To put our hope on Hart and McGehee, well, I think that's silly because the track record isn't long enough or consistent enough. In fact Hart is about to get very expensive, especially if he flirts with leading the league in HRs this year, which again will hurt our ability to get better. I think a lot of the Brewers' ability to become competitive and stay competitive is up to the Brewer fans. If they start supporting them through thick and thin, through the up cycles and the down cycles, then we have a chance. But if they're gonna take their money elsewhere because we're not in the hunt for a playoff spot, well, then stick a fork in the organization--no chance whatsoever. So, do they have to rebuild? I think that can't afford to rebuild, which will lead to their demise because of so many fair-weather fans. They've got to rely on the band-aid approach which is pretty much proven not to work. And Cliff Lee? Come on, Cliff Lee wants to come to Po-Dunk America? I don't think so. I'm Cliff Lee and I'm saying, "I think I'll go to one of the least successful organization in the history of baseball." I don't see it happening, especially when several contenders and big-market teams will be all over him. And if I'm Milwaukee, do I want a guy like Cliff Lee? No way. The dude's second home is the disabled list. I want no part of him. Being good takes time. Lots of time. And since time is running out on much of our talent like Prince I can't see them doing any other than doing things the right way and being very, very patient.

I loved Manny last night. I'll take 4 walks and 10ks in 5+ innings. It might not be ideal but it's better than anyone not named Wolf or Gallardo on the horror that is our starting staff.

Good job Crew. I really thought that they'd cut him before they broke for camp, but hey better late than never. It probably only cost the Brewers a loss or two to keep him so in the big picture he probably didn't kill them this year. If management learns it lesson from the Suppan-tragedy then it will be worth. If not, then we need to throw rotten eggs at Melvin and Mark.

What I like most about the pick is that it kinda proves the Brewers will stick to their board, and past failures be damned. I don't know if he's any good but he sounds like a guy that is an over-the-slot pick, which makes sense since they don't have as many picks as they've had in the past.

Yep--I've come to that conclusion. I don't have to see anymore. I hate pitchers who throw 86-87 mph fastballs, always have. He may become another gritty 5 inning pitcher for the Crew, but I've pretty much had my fill of that kind of guy. I've been watching them for 40 years now.

Well, now we know. Capuano has no business pitching in the major leagues. He throws at a perfect hitters speed and anything above the belt is gonna get whack-a-moled. A good story, a tough guy, a good guy, but that tear in my eye isn't out of the sense sentimentality.

The problem here is that just about everybody's right including Macha. Look, you don't think that Macha knows he has no pitching. I might not like him but he's not stupid. There's about a trillion number 5 starters on this team if you include Joe Inglett and why not include Joe Inglett at this point. What he's trying to do with pitching is exactly what most managers do with hitters, look to see if he can exploit a platoon situation. Traditionally baseball doesn't handle pitching staffs this way and that's going to rattle some people. Bush, who is the new Corey Hart, (pay me millions upon millions next year) is upset because it could cost him a lot of money. Well,maybe instead of complaining he should act like a #3 pitcher instead of Jeff Suppan or Joe Inglett given the chance. Eric Arnett--there I said it. This is the reason the Crew is doomed to mediocrity. We are wholly incapable of producing starting pitching that is meaningful. They need to go out and find a guy who can actually recognize young talented pitchers and sign him to lots of money--whatever it takes, a guy with a track record.

For now I choose to look at Heether as the Dana Eveland of utility infielders--intriguing, but not so good. Truth is, he was buried in the organization, but it's just as true that Melvin needs to learn from his own successes. Give a guy a chance, especially when he's cheap because you may catch lightning in a bottle ala Axford, McGehee, etc.

Hmmmm...so someone does something that's never been done in the history of baseball and we should ignore that? I'm gonna be super bored with the first guy to reach 900 homers.

Yeah, I gotta agree I'm totally bored with 500 dingers and 3000 hits--have been for some time, ho-hum. Marketing is never important. Baseball statistics as a matter of historical record however have longer legs. If fans can't wrap their heads around 600 saves then they should do what they're best at--wrapping their hands around a Pabst. P.S. the cost to a team that has no hope is virtually negligible.

This is a case where I feel Selig could step in and make the change. The next player went out and so the adjustment would be minimum. More importantly, the class that everyone showed after this unfortunate experience was really admirable. In a cynical age, some old fashion sportsmanship made me proud to be a baseball fan. This was gutwrenching for everyone. Hats off to all the parties.

Trade him now! I do not believe in leopards changing their spots. I'm glad for his sake, really. He's kept the hounds at bay but now's the time Dougie. Do we really want to pay this guy 5 or 6 mil next year? And for god's sake I don't want to hear anything about extensions, etc. On a side note, he gives credit to Sveum for some adjustments to give him more lift--if true kudos to Dale (the guy who should be our manager).