LouisEly

Neuhauss - called it!!

When I graduated HS at 17 I was 6'2", 170. By the middle of my sophomore year I was 6'3" and a solid 200.

Welp, there goes Caratini. Bostick gone too. There go my 4th & 5th round predictions.

Come on into the chat room...

I'll take Ethier... ... so long as the Dodgers take Weeks and Lohse and give back Lee, Magill, and Thomas.

Tyler Wagner is making a nice transition to starter this year. Had a bit of an issue with control in this game (5 BB), but two hits and seven K's in four innings is pretty good. For the month of May, Wagner had one bad start but still finished with a 2.18 ERA in 33 IP with 24 H, a 33K:8BB, and 3.64 GO:AO. Yes, he's a college pitcher in low-A, but he was a closer at Utah transitioning to starting. Viramontes is intriguing... in 15.2 IP he has walked 16 and struck out 23; last night he had 3 WP in one inning that led to or caused the two ER he gave up. Last year he struck out 53 in 37 IP. Would be curious to see a scouting report on him and what he throws.

See: Modahl, Diane There is a reason these testing protocols are in place. It isn't legal mumbo-jumbo to give loopholes and technicalities to escape through, it is because testing is a very inexact science to begin with, and not adhering to these protocols can and will lead to incorrect results and conclusions. There is a reason samples have to be stored in a specific manner. Others have posted more specifics, but ask any testing scientist about the importance of following these protocols and what can happen if they aren't followed.

I'm not real excited about Pinder. I know they use different bats now, but his stats don't scream anything special. Supposedly he's a very good defensive 3B though. I'd rather have a higher upside 3B prospect like Ward, Demeritte, McMahon, or Victor Caratini, but if those guys are gone, the Brewers have gone pitching with their first three picks, and Pinder is still there in the 4th I could go along with that. How would Salazar be depressing? PG says "power arm up to 96" and other scouting reports say 95-97. BA has Dozier at #39; he's 6'4", 220, so likely he will move to 3B instead of 2B. He slugged .755 this year with a .482 OBP so I think he can hit just fine for a 3B. I don't think he'll still be on the board at #54. I could definitely get behind Cody Reed with pick #90.

#54: Kevin Ziomek, LHP, Vanderbilt or Blake Taylor, LHP, Dana Hills HS (CA) #72: Tucker Neuhauss, SS/3B, Wharton HS (FL) or Drew Ward, 3B, Leedy HS (OK) #90: Kyle Crockett, LHP, Virginia or Carlos Salazar, RHP, Kerman HS (CA)

Melvin has said you can get more for position players in the off-season than at the trading deadline. Maybe that's the case, maybe it isn't. I don't necessarily think they need to do a fire sale. Three moves I think will put them in good spot and still maintain the core of the team: 1) A-Ram + K-Rod to Dodgers for Lee + Michael Thomas (if they can't get Lee, then Magill + Pederson + Thomas) 2) Gonzalez + Kh. Davis to Indians for Salazar + Cody Anderson 3) Aoki to Red Sox for Cecchini, Ranaudo, or Owens -or- 3) Aoki to Giants for Kickham or Agosta+Duvall Lee/Magill and Salazar give them upper-level pitching prospects, Thomas gives them a LHP prospect, and Anderson gives them a lower-level pitching prospect. Pederson would be RF/CF of the future and give them the flexibility to move Gomez down the line. Cecchini gives them their 3B prospect, or Ranaudo/Owens would add more pitching. They will still be bad this year and next giving them two years of high draft picks, then in 2015 have pitching reinforcements (Lee/Magill, Nelson, Hellweg, Salazar, Jungmann, Pena, Thomas) and/or Pederson arrive to supplement the core (Braun, Segura, Gomez, Lucroy, Gallardo, Peralta). They're not going to get anything for Weeks now; give him the season to get back on track and see if he can increase his value and move him in the offseason. Hart like Weeks has no value now, and will very likely pass through waivers in August and give them until late August to see if he can increase his trade value.

In this case, in case of another short start prior to Saturday. Figaro is starting on Friday - the Brewers will be lucky if he can go five innings, and it also means their usual long man (Figaro) isn't available on Thursday.

If the Brewers would have traded Fielder for Hudson they would have nothing to show for it - Hudson blew out his elbow 9 games into 2012 and hasn't pitched since.

ESPN has been showing the video interview from five weeks ago with Bosch where Bosch states (paraphrase) that he had no contact with Braun and provided some information to Braun's attorneys.

Makes sense. Narveson wouldn't be able to go after throwing 45 pitches last night, and based on his performance has a few kinks to work out. Thornburg started on 6/1 so he's had three days rest and could go multiple innings in relief.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1vTiNr6S3Lk/Tb8UGdRyiwI/AAAAAAAABMI/DfHDziw4BHM/s1600/NotDeadYet.jpg And what's gotten into R.J. Seidel? Did he learn a new pitch like a cutter or something?

This. My biggest concern is that MLB agreed to support Bosch and/or "put in a good word" for him for any federal prosecution. THAT crosses a big, big line. Now I have no reason to believe anything Bosch says because he could very well just tell MLB what they want to hear in hopes that MLB helps save his behind with the feds. Way to give an incentive to tell the truth. Here's a question - if players are unpaid during suspensions, and if A-Rod gets a lifetime ban, does that mean the Yankees no longer have to pay his contract? Doesn't A-Rod already have strike one for admitting PED use a couple of years ago?

Cleveland is only a game back of Detroit, has had LHRP that makes Parra look like an ace, and their closer Perez is on the DL. The problem is that Salazar, while only their #6 prospect going into the season, has pitched so well this year that I don't know if Gonzalez can get him. Cleveland could use an upgrade over Brantley in LF... if Gonzalez can't get Salazar, throw in Kh. Davis.

Looking at the Nationals roster, they might make a great trading partner for the Brewers. Nationals needs: 2B - Espinosa and Lombardozzi have made Weeks look like an All-Star this year LHRP - have nothing in the bullpen for LH relievers except Zach Duke, and he has been terrible OF - Werth is hurt but expected back (if people think Lohse, Weeks, and A-Ram have bad contracts, look at Werth), but Span is nothing special and their bench has been awful Obviously this hinges on two things - the Nats getting some of their injured players back and making a run the next six weeks, and Weeks finding his stroke. While Weeks may be unlikely, they may be very interested in Gonzalez/Gorzelanny or Aoki as both will address needs without adding much salary. What the Brewers can get: Gonzalez/Gorzelanny or Aoki could get Robbie Ray, Matt Purke, or Sammy Solis giving the Brewers some LHP prospects. Weeks could be a "change of scenery" trade with WAS for Haren - he hasn't been good and his contract is up at the end of the year, freeing up the salary. Discuss...

Much like Sabathia, the Brewers expected to get a draft pick for Marcum if they could not extend him and he ended up leaving. Unfortunately a poorly-timed injury for Marcum made offering him a qualifying offer a poor risk. The plan wasn't to rent him for two years and then let him walk for nothing. Part of the reason for the state of the franchise is bad luck - not getting a 1st round pick for Sabathia (that could have been Trout) and Marcum getting hurt right at the end of his contract and not getting a pick for him leaving. Before people start posting that the Brewers sign or trade for injury-risk pitchers, injuries can happen to any pitcher at any time. They can happen in the early 20's (Liriano, more 1st round draft picks than I care to list), mid-20's (Prior, Hudson), or late 20's (Webb, Billingsley, Wood, Kazmir, Carpenter). Edit: forgot about Hudson, who apparently was offered to us for Fielder. There would have been another injury.

Dave, I will disagree with you on this. Five players rom Seid's 2009 draft have already made the majors (Fiers, Kh. Davis, Burgos, Prince, and now Gennett; could have been six if Lamontagne had not gotten hurt). One from 2010 has already made the majors (Thornburg), two more are knocking on the door (Morris, Nelson), and a fourth was traded for a major-leaguer (Keeling). None of them first-round picks. Jack Z's 2005 draft was a once-in-a-generation draft - those years just don't happen for any team, and is offset by how poor his 2006 draft was.

Looking at the Dodgers roster they appear to make perfect trading partners - their weaknesses/areas of need match up almost perfectly with the Brewers areas of depth and players they are looking to trade, and the Dodgers are one of few teams not concerned with payroll. Dodgers needs: Infield - SS has been terrible, H-Ram likely goes back to SS when he comes off the DL. Unfortunately Uribe has been decent at 3B but hopefully he can return to 2012-2011 levels, and Ellis is nothing special. Closer - League has been bad, Belisario is having a season Jose Veras would be proud of, Jansen and Rodriguez have no experience closing. If Weeks can find his stroke it seems to set up for a potential blockbuster trade... Brewers send to Dodgers: Weeks, A-Ram, K-Rod Dodgers send to Brewers: Ted Lilly, Juan Uribe, Zach Lee, Matt Magill, Michael Thomas, Duke von Schamann Why take expensive and old(er) players in Lilly (37) and Uribe (33)? Dodgers aren't concerned with payroll but aren't likely to add a lot more salary so this helps balance that part out as well as roster spots, both are free agents after 2013 freeing their salary (and Weeks/A-Ram's) from the Brewers payroll, both are playing well enough at key positions that the Brewers may be able to flip them for a prospect in another deal, and taking their salary in the deal will likely allow the Brewers to take better prospects from the Dodgers. Lilly can also help stabilize the rotation and keep the bullpen's arms from falling off while letting Hellweg/Pena/Thornburg develop in the minors. Even if Weeks doesn't find his stroke, A-Ram and A-Rod would match up very well with the Dodgers needs and could net three of the four aforementioned Dodgers pitching prospects. Go ahead, tell me how terrible this is and how dumb I am...

Anything else, Nostradamus?

The Uni-Juaner

Not without the players union suing you or accusing you of something. Weeks playing poorly on a team playing poorly and bringing up a LH bat to platoon with Weeks is pretty easily justifiable. If the Brewers start playing well, Weeks starts playing well, or sitting Weeks for another RH bat it becomes not so easy to justify.

It's comforting to know that our GM does not recognize the name of the likely 1st overall pick in next year's draft. Particularly when he himself (Melvin) drafted him in the 16th round a few years ago. 1) I hope right now our GM is focusing his time, effort, and energy on the players eligible for the 2013 MLB amateur draft as well as acquiring other available talent for the organization and spending absolutely no time, effort, and energy worrying about amateurs who are not eligible for the 2013 draft until after the 2013 MLB draft is over. B) My understanding is that the GM is usually only involved with picks in the first two rounds of the draft (like how Melvin overruled Jack Z. and drafted Gallardo instead of the guy Jack Z's recommended), and that the 3rd round and on is usually the responsibility of the amateur scouting department and their recommendations because beyond the first two rounds there are way too many players for a GM to scout personally in addition to his primary responsibility which is the major league club and minor league organization. Chances are Rodon was a recommendation of the scouting department if they asked him if he would sign for 4th round slot and picked him again in the 16th round. Now that being said, I sure hope the Brewers amateur scouting department knows who Rodon is and I'm pretty sure they have him on their radar.