Tbadder

This is only a question Endaround, I really don't mean any thing by it, but isn't that .5 win only an offensive measurement?

All this worry over Gabe Gross is hiding the real problem--the lack of lefthanded pop in the starting line-up, not the bench where a guy like Gross is going to get two at bats a week after Cameron returns. Whoever, and that includes Gwynn, is the 4th or 5th outfielder is going to be a non-factor. In fact, I go so far as saying that if Gross would've turned out to be the difference between us and our dividsion rivals, then we have no business being in a rivalry. I'm betting that Kapler is worth zip and gwynn is worth zip and Gross is worth a low-prospect. I would've simply cut Kapler if I were GM, but I understand Melvin's thinking--"someone's got to go, we'll at least get a pitcher we were interested in from the beginning." The move makes lots of sense in the big picture, not so much in the small picture.

Smoltz is more than a Hall of Famer; he's a slam dunk 1st ballot Hall of Famer and anyone who doesn't vote for him is a moron extraordinaire.

Trading Gabe in the end won't matter because he was never going to be a difference maker. He was a team-first, classy guy who provided occassional power and a decent OBP. But he truly was a liability in the field on a team where offense isn't a problem and defense was suspect at best. Even though I'm convinced that Gross is the better than Gwynn overall, he's a worse match for the Crew who need Tony's skill sets more. If we need a lefthanded bat that badly then Melvin needs to trade for a starter, not keep a part timer around for the twice a week at bat. The only thing that disappoints me is that the Kapler signing caused this. If Butler turns out it'll be a slam dunk trade because Gross isn't essential. But I would have DFAed Kapler and called up Gwynn.

I think when the Brewers draft his brother, we'll have pretty-near the best lead-off hitter in baseball eventually.

I do believe that the problems on offense will be long term. Obviously Braun and Fielder are being pitched very differently, and it's just as obvious that they lack the ability to be flexible and change their approach. Until they stop trying to get by on hitting the crap outta the ball I'd expect the offense to struggle. I think Fielder knows exactly what he has to do, but it just galls him. Can't say I blame him, but the league has decided, "hey Prince, you're never gonna hit 50 homers again unless you pummel the leftfield bleachers." And Braun, I feel even more for him. The talk of greatness, the certainty that the Brewers had produced somebody really special, his natural swagger, he must've thought he was invincible. Now, he's just lost up there, I mean truly lost. Pitchers are just laughing at him...3 inches off the plate...6 inches off the plate...a foot off the plate. I'd guess some time after the All-Star break the light will finally click on. Then watch out; they may take a very bloody revenge on the league. I think this is time well-served by both players, a humbling catharsis, that will pay benefits down the road. Or, they could just suck right now. I dunno.

I don't think that putting Turnbow in has any thing to do with getting his confidence up, no matter what Yost says. I think it's a matter of getting his value up. The Crew know he's no long term solution, so they are hoping against hope that Turnblow goes on a hot streak so that they don't just have to DFA him. And as far as that double last night, that's what happens when people believe that a guy who should only be put in leftfield plays in centerfield. Do you really believe a team can get away with playing a horrible defender in center and not pay the cost? Didn't they learn any thing from the Braun/Hall debacle? When your team isn't hitting at all every game is gonna be tight, so you better put your best defenders out there and hope you can win, oh I don't know, say by the score of 3 to 2. Kapler should be playing center and Gross should be doing what he does best, which is being a lefthanded stick off the bench.

If, and right now I still am looking for a break out year, if Weeks continues to be statistically extreme and uneven I believe he will be one of the young guys that Milwaukee will part with rather than signing him to something long term. I get the sneaking suspicion that the organization has made a decision to use Braun and Fielder as anchors and everyone else is complimentary. 2B is not terribly hard to replace, trade for, or develop. And if Weeks doesn't really prove himself to be an Utley Mini-Me, then he'll move on as soon as it cost the Crew big bucks.

I love that these guys have kept their heads. They really battled some tough pitchers, hung close, and stole a few games already. I'd say that's maturity and leadership.

Now, I could be totally off base here, but I heard we aren't getting any money because our payroll is sufficiently high.

When we signed these guys it was touted that many of them (Torres, Riske, Gagne) could close. Why not give one of the other two the chance?

By the way, I'd definitely be interested in a Tim Lincecum/Matt Cain for Corey Hart type deal next off-season. Yes, it'd be a lot to give up, but to get that frontline starter who's young and still cheap I'd give up Hart. Especially with Matt LaPorta on the way to take his place. I would hate to see Corey go though. We agree on this for sure. How about this for a dream scenario. We re-sign Sheets for 4/65, trade Suppan, and then sign Garland for 3/33? Sure, that's very unlikely, but it goes back to my point. Melvin's done a fantastic job of putting this team together. He'll figure something out. Call me old school Brewer fan--I can't imagine the Brewers doling out this much money at once, especially with this new strategy of giving young studs like Tulo and Young large contracts. The money we throw at Braun and Fielder, if we do, is going to determine a lot. I'll concede the point that Gallardo might develop into an ace, and that would be great. Maybe my problem is that my definition of an ace is someone who brings it at 95mph or devastates hitters with an unhittable curve/off speed pitch. I don't see either of those pitches for Yo. But Gallardo could become more of a Harang type ace I suppose. But in the end Sheets to me is the better pitcher, more ace-like if you will, and so that's why I probably think of Yo as a number2. Parra just has too much to prove and no real track record when it comes to pitching 200 innings a year and consistently making it through 6/7 innings of work, and while I love the idea I can't count on it as a GM, and I'd have to be forced to act accordingly. Villy we're never going to agree on, though I certainly hope you're correct.

The bleakness you're talking about is how bad our pitching will be in 2009. Again, we have no idea how Gallardo, Parra and Villy develop. Those three right there could give you a great 1-2-3. Maybe YO turns out to be an ace, and the other two not as good. I don't know, which is my point. Yes, I am pretty bleak about the 2009 staff too. Assuming, which I do, that Sheets is unsignable. Yo I think will develop into a very good 2 or 3. Para and Villy, you correctly point out we don't know about. If I'm speculating intelligently (hopefully) that Parra could be a good 2 or a good 3. Villy looks like a average 4 or good 5 to me. But since we don't know, it might be just as likely that Yo reverts to a solid 3. Parra never gets beyond a 4. Villy ends up as a long man in relief. That kind of uncertainty is a red flag if I'm a GM. And if I were a GM I'd be trying mightily to improve my starters. Now I'd take three startegies: a) desparately searching for Sheets money in a forlorn hope we sign him b) looking into a Young/Garza type off season trade c) concentrating my extra draft choices on pitching So in some ways we don't differe that much. You think Yo could be a 1; I think it's more likely he's a 2. You think Parra could be a 2, I agre. We seem to have a real difference of opinion on Villy though. Cool. Even if we lose Ben Sheets, I can envision a scenario in which we're better next year. Sign a guy like Derek Lowe, Yo becomes an ace, Parra becomes a reliable number 2. We sign Juan Cruz from the D-backs. A rotation of Yo, Parra, Lowe, Suppan, Villanueva. BP of Juan Cruz, Luis Pena, Salomon Torres, David Riske, Brian Shouse, McClung... I can't see us being a major player on the free agent market. Seeing that Lowe (who I don't believe is as good as Sheets) is going to command significantly more money than Suppan, I can't see the Crew being a player. Pena? I'm hoping; it'd be great, but I'm not holding my breath. I loved the Torres/Riske pick up. McClung...I'm hoping he gets cut this week, so we differ there.

I'm totally in agreement with TLB on this one. Salaries are getting to the ridiculous level again. At this rate we'll be looking at our first 300 million dollar contract very soon (and ironically it could be Fielder if he keeps hitting 50 a year). If I'm remembering correctly, the value of the Brewer franchise is some where around 280 million. That buys you one year of the Yankees plus change for a private jet.

First, I'm pro-Gagne. I thought it was an excellent pick up by Melvin because I think he'll be at least a type B free agent. I also predicted that he'd save 37 games and blow 7, mostly early as he regains his form and confidence. Having said that, I don't believe that results are the only thing that counts, and right now he's: a) throwing too many pitches b) hasn't locked into the strike zone c) hasn't shown a consistent fastball d) appears to be struggling, his body language is just awful e) is always hunting for a pitch he can count on So I remain a little skeptical. If he can't solve some of these problems by the All-Star break we could be in for a rough ride at times.

Probably too obvious. Are you saying you think he could be a legit major league starter? (I honestly don't know and wouldn't that be exciting).

I just can't see the cardinals. Gosh, there everyday line up just stinks except for the glory that is Albert. The outfield is atrocious, the defense out there even worse. I love Duncan and his ability to work with pitchers, but every year LaRussa comes that much closer to entering a sanatorium. Okay Molina is top flight as well. But Izturis? Schumacher? Ludwick? If everything goes right for them I can see them being obnoxious and pesky, but there also one injury away from a complete House of Cards (pun intended, sorry) and finishing last in the division. Don't bad teams even have some good runs?

Oh, and by the way. I know it wasn't much, but didn't it seem like Hurricane belonged on a big league team, albeit as a reserve? I really thought he carried himself well. He was smooth in the outfield, and he's got a little pop in his bat. I thought being picked off was an overenthusiastic mistake after his first major league hit, but he seems like he'll be a very servicable back up in the near future.

Doh! I admit I hadn't thought about that End--thanks for pointing it out. Unless there's a Turnbow trade in the works!

The guy loves Corey Patterson--nuff said. But seriously, he reminds me of a poor George Allen, they way he hates on young talent. Maybe that changes this year with his two young stud pitchers. I think it's a reach to say any manager is the cause for a pitcher's long term disabilities, so I'm just not comfortable there. I think he has to take some of the responsibility, but the players performance is the primary reason any team loses, so again I'm uncomfortable. I think that was a great thought about Yost brings Maddux. I guess I really do like Yost better. Dusty's in-game decision making is even more questionable that Yost's.

What's the harm in continued experimentation. If Sheeter does all of a sudden find a plausible change up he could really be elite. I think a change up could make him devastating even though he doesn't strictly need it.

In a best case scenario Parra, Bush, and Villy realize their potential. In that case I don't think the Brewers could avoid the playoffs. That's why I think Melvin's hands are tied somewhat.

While I love this pitcher, but I hate the dominoes that will fall because of it. Moving one pitcher because Yo is coming back (DFA McClung) is easy, but moving two pitchers means something else: McClung dismissed and Parra sent down, or McClung and Turnbow dismissed and Villy sent to the pen I don't like either of those options because because the later will stunt the growth of said pitchers.

I'll get killed again, and told I'm nothing but pessimisstic, but once again, this rotation is not good enough to win the division or make the playoffs unless another team falls apart through injury or unexpected non-performance. Parra, Villy, Bush, Suppan are all too inconsistent or all unrealized potential. Sheets always misses time, though my gut tells me this year he'll be alright, and Yo-Man is coming off an injury, and while I don't think it'll affect him long term, we still have to wait and see. So once again I think the starters will put undo pressure on the bullpen in terms of total innings pitched, and while I love what Melvin did in obtaining pitchers who can go more than one inning I still think there will be strain there that other bullpens are not under. I think it's inevitable that our pen suffers in the second half of the season.

You know, we spend the whole off season looking at rosters, trying to imagine how it's gonna go. We pour over stats, look at ages, check peripherals (sic?) etc., etc. Conclusion: Brewers are good; Cards are bad. Lets go back and compare their line-ups, their starting staffs their bullpens. What's changed? No body and no team is ever as good or as bad as they are at a given moment.