Tbadder

I just can't believe Suppan has much value at all. That contract is just awful. Maybe we can exchange a bad one year contract for some hopeless player for two years of a bad contract with a good guy that just doesn't have the best ability but will spin a few gems. A kind of NBA type trade.

Was Fryer moved off of catcher because he wasn't able to progress at the position or because others had proved to be defensively superior?

The Post Zach Jackson Era Begins has got to be the funniest headline I've seen here. LOL indeed.

Yeah, I think the only bad thing about this trade/day is Mark admitting the Crew would lose money this year. I was one of those guys saying that the team resources made them definitely a small market team and the Crew should take a small market approach/stance, but I was really hoping I was wrong. So now we know where the team stands financially. It seems pretty obvious that Milwaukee will have to sell out nearly every game every year to keep payroll up--that's a lot to ask from a blue collar town. I know I've had to keep cutting back the amount of games I've gone to over the years from a high of about 25 a year down to 0 this year. Not looking for sympathy, but I know a lot of people in the same boat. I just really hope that the good people of Milwaukee will no longer be fair weather fans, and continue to sellout Miller park when the team goes through the inevitable cycle of up and down. This, for me, is the second most exciting day as a Brewer fan, and I'm loving it. I think the absolute magic of Jack Z. and his staff is primarily responsible for our ability to make this move, that and the support Milwaukee fans have shown the last three years. Here's hoping this is the beginning of a long love affair and a streak of competitive teams that is at least a decade long.

WSSP just stated that the Cubs are talking to Oakland about Harden. I'd love the Cubbies to do something desperate.

Look, I really see this trade as the 2 picks will make up for Green (can't convince me Cleveland wouldn't take him, until they don't) and others. So it's really LaPorta for CC. I think that's fair. A little risky, but as others have pointed out he's a duplicate.

Unless this is a chance to limit Parra's innings. Just a thought.

Somebody here said we overpaid for CC. I agree. But I also think it's the right thing to do. It's something small market teams need to do. Go for the gold as long as you can restock your system while doing it. Next year really could be a down year since we'll need virtually a new pitching staff (slight exaggeration I know). So this is it. The eggs are in the basket.

okay, now I want the brewers to make the playoffs but not win the world series

I'd rather have CC, but I also think it's an impossible task. I doubt they sign Sheets, but if anyone is gonna take a 5 year 100 million dollar deal it's him. Too bad the Crew will never offer that kind of money. We just gotta hope good teams sign Bennie and CC so that they'll get 1st round picks and not 2nd round picks. Keep those draft picks coming,and for god sakes lock up Jack Z. somehow. I don't care how--pay him more than Melvin. He is the most essential person in the organization.

I think Lawrie is the 3rd baseman. I never bought into the catcher thing--not with Lucroy and Salome. I think for the sake of appearances they'll put Gamel in RF. But he'll be Fielder's replacement when he's traded.

I think that Green is going to be the real loss here. If Cleveland is smart they'll take Green. I wish they'd settle on Lucroy, but cest la vie.

Just reporting what i heard on WSSP.

They better not be done. They've got to get a lefthanded bat for the bench and a reliever.

Green has been pulled from the line up tonight. I'm guessing that Braddock is the other player.

If Young for Garza Why not Escobar for Kershaw

Yeah, I think it's close enough between the Cubs and Crew that one truly horrific injury could tip the balance.

Right now Corey Hart has a stronger claim than does Braun. That's what I was thinking. Hart has been more reliable and productive. Braun isn't even our best outfielder.

I think you've got to root for the Cubs. The Crew simply isn't as good as the Cubs. They'll get hot again down the road and lengthen out their lead again, but the Cards could tumble (given their starters I find this unlikely, so I think it'll be a dogfight the rest of the season with the Cards). GO CUBBIES!

I don't think he has much of a future beyond being a spectacularly good long reliever. I can see him racking up 10 three-inning saves of year if Yost or subsequent managers use him right. I can't see him as a starter because his pitches simply aren't good enough. They're adequate, and he's got a great head. But his stuff isn't even as good as Bush's. Now this isn't a bad thing. The Brewers need to see the importance of developing all kinds of relievers, so they don't have to have the yearly merry-go-round. I just love to see this guy come into a game when the Brewers are winning 5-1, but the starter has throw a 100 pitches thru six innings. He could be a real bullpen savers. Too many managers burn 3, even 4 relievers in a situation like that.

I still think we're at least a month away from even thinking about a Wildcard. I'd rather not have the team entertaining the notion, scoreboard watching, notching wins and losses in an attempt to figure out the possibilities. Right now were one Ben Sheet's injury from being out of the race. A million things could happen good or bad. The variables are immense. I don't get the speculation. Now if we get CC, then you have to start doing all those things that waste your time.

I'd say that Hardy rates average as a defender overall, but with a plus arm. I'd rate his offense above average. If he ever learns to hit the curve ball like he hits the fastball, I'd say he's an All-Star. Otherwise a shortstop that is consistently in the top half but never close to elite.

I like it because it is funny (insert Nelson Mundt haha here). No one ever claimed you had to be smart to play ball. Chalk one up for the cosmic balance.

Just a question, and it's serious, and not asked to be a jerk, but does Braun really deserve the All-Star start? He's clearly not the player he was last year. Is everyone else in the NL so bad that Braun is one of the three best? It might be true (I don't know) but if Braun really is one of the three best that's pretty sad.

My number one vent this season so far is Ryan Braun's hitting. It's almost gotten to the point where it's a joke. Get two strikes, throw the ball 12 to 18 inches off the plate and he'll swing. If he doesn't smarten up he's gonna be one of those mistake hitters with a good AVG. and a Johnny Estrada OBP. My number two vent this year is the Brewer farm system. There's just no help there. As pointed out above, The Crew simply is incapable of producing pitching talent. And when it does it's afraid to give it a try. (This is changing very slowly, and I'd expect that in three years this won't be as big of an issue.) The Brewer farm system is great a producing sluggers at their position, and power is a very, very, important offensive weapon, but it is not the only weapon. OBP guys are in short supply; guys who can bunt, hit to the right side of the infield, work a count, exhibit plate discipline, etc. are barely there. And defense, thank god for Escobar, if it weren't for him, well, I don't know. Does any major league franchise produce such consistently poor fielders. I do believe that the Brewers will get better in the pitching department if, and only if, they've changed their drafting strategy. This year's draft of going for the big bat first (even though Lawrie doesn't have a real position and will probably be below average defensively) and then loading up on pitching is really sound I think. I hope it continues. I feel the Brewers are almost there as an organization, that they almost grasp the notion that the minor leagues need to produce players every year. Not just the waves that come every three or four years, that they have to produce major league replacements before starters reach free agency so that they can trade those players a year or two before they hit the market, so that they can keep replenishing themselves.