LouisEly

You have to raise the bar for first basemen because of the relative physical ease of playing 1B versus every other position. And that's the big argument against Edgar Martinez - he was a DH, so he didn't endure the grind of having to go out and play defense for 9 innings, even if it was standing around at first base. He got to sit on the bench and rest between ABs. That is a tremendous advantage because of the physical toll that playing 154-162 games a year places on the body. Someone mentioned Palmiero being one of only four players with 500 homers and 3000 hits. Dawson IIRC was one of only three players to hit 400+ HRs and 300+ steals, the other two being Willie Mays and Barry Bonds. They are also the only ones with 400+ HRs, 300+ steals, and 8+ Gold Gloves (back when Gold Gloves meant something). Dawson also never DH'd until he was 38; Jim Rice was two years retired at that age with a couple hundred games as a DH under his belt. Don't underestimate the advantage that rest has over such a long season. As for OBP... no one ever walked their way into the HOF, and no one ever will.

Marquette could really have used Trevor Mbakwe last year. This year too, but last year's team was so talented but had no inside presence.

I could care less how the Brewers compare to other teams, the only thing that matters is the end result. My point was what if that entire draft year was a stinker? I don't think you can say a pick was a bad pick if almost all of the next 30 picks were just as bad. You only have a certain bucket of players to choose from each year, and in baseball you can't trade the picks - you have to pick someone. If you want to reference the 2000 draft, are you saying that the only teams with competent scouts in 2000 were the Phillies and Braves? Or should we criticize the Braves for drafting Scott Thorman and Aaron Herr even if they also picked Adam Wainwright and Kelly Johnson? If the end result over several years isn't good, then yes, something needs to change. But my point was in reference to one pick and one year - "a draft", not "drafts" or "drafting".

The only difference between a guy flaming out at AA/AAA or rookie ball is that perhaps you can fool someone into thinking they are a decent prospect in A-ball and include them in a trade for a major leaguer. Other than that there isn't much difference; the question is whether or not a Will Inman, Steve Garrison, or Michael Brantley can get you someone who helps you get into the playoffs. Only a handful from each draft make it to the majors anyway, so if they flame out earlier the bonus is that they get out of the way of the development of other prospects sooner. The percentages in baseball are much lower, even in the first two rounds. We as fans are spoiled because of the success of the Brewers recent drafts - to have so many consecutive 1st round picks make the majors (Fielder, Weeks, Rogers, Braun, Jeffress, LaPorta, and almost assuredly Lawrie) is above-average. Arnett might be the first true first-round pick, not including supplemental picks, to not make the majors since Mike Jones in 2001. People want the Brewers to draft high ceiling guys, but Frederickson, Lintz, Walla, and the like ARE those high-ceiling prospects. That's the downside of drafting them - they tend to be boom or bust. The only question is whether there were a number of guys drafted shortly after them who go on to be solid major leaguers. The gauge of a draft is whether or not overall you did better, the same, or worse than most other teams.

I know when you get to the end of the list it is like splitting hairs, but still no love for Corey Frerichs. While he lost a year to injury, between 2008 and 2010 in 159 innings he gave up 116 hits and struck out 171. Walks a little high, but he closed for Brevard. We'll see if he can sustain that at AA and become a legitimate relief prospect. Another guy who might sneak up on some people is Mike Walker. Second to Hawn in SLG and HRs, he led Helena in OBP at .413. Defense a little shaky with 14 errors, but if he can sustain the OBP and increase power a little he'll be on the map soon.

Thanks brewfan, seems like you may have some inside info? I find it odd that someone who was drafted/signed to play professional ball would not treat their offseason workouts like a professional. If I had a chance to play professionally I would put everything into it that I could. While Hopkins had fewer errors, Walker led the team in OBP and was second in OPS and HRs to Hawn among those with a significant sample size. I think they will find a place for Walker to start somewhere.

The model number is MC086LL/A if that helps

Brand new sealed in box, got as gift from one of my bosses but I don't see myself using it. I already have an Evo 4G for all the mobile apps I need, WiFi connectivity, 4G speed where available, etc., plus I have a couple of mp3 players for working out and if you watch Woot every two months or so you can snag a .mp3 player for under $20. That, and I hate iTunes. These go for just over $200 on Amazon; yours for $150 now $125. Will also take Crate & Barrel, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, and Target gift cards, or trade-in value towards an iPad or equivalent tablet computer.

Let's not underestimate how difficult their schedule has been the last month - @Utah, @Denver, Miami, Orlando, @Dallas, @San Antonio, Utah, @Portland, @LAL. To come out of that stretch 6-6 with the injuries they have had bodes well for the rest of the season. The first week of January will be tough with Dallas, @Miami, @Orlando, and Miami, but after January 12th their schedule gets pretty easy. All things considered, I think they are in relatively good shape right now.

I'm wondering if there are statistics out there that show what % of DUI fatalities involve mild intoxication (.06-.10%), moderate intoxication (.11-.16%), or severe intoxication (>.16%). Maybe it's just press bias and you only hear of cases like this in the media, but it seems like whenever you hear about a DUI fatality it almost always involves someone at least twice the legal limit or more. I have always wondered the same thing about different tiers of penalties based on what the offender blows. It seems to make sense that the more drunk you are, the harsher the penalties should be.

Can we get a Search Tag for HDTV/TV sets? There have been several threads on this in the past. Considering that there's a search tag for "manboobs", I think TV shopping warrants its own search tag. Also, one thing to be careful of on Craigslist is that a significant amount of stuff on it is stolen. Another thing to be careful of specifically to TVs, I've seen posts offering great deals on TVs that link you to foreign websites. Most people here are bright enough to recognize that scam, but be cautious - as they say, if it sounds too good to be true there's gotta be a catch. Ask if they still have the box it came in or the instruction manuals.

Tips for the Evo: - Make sure you aren't running things in the background that you aren't using, like Wi-Fi or 4G. Only have those turned on when you need them or they will drain your battery quickly. - When you set up your email account, if you access your email on your home computer via Outlook/Thunderbird/etc. make sure to look at the setting "Delete messages on server". If you are like me there are some things you don't want cluttering up your messages on your mobile device but want to keep (messages with links, attachments, etc.). If you have this selected and you delete the message on your phone it will delete it on the server and you won't be able to download it to your computer. Same if you use a web-based email program (Hotmail, etc.) - it will delete on the server and the message will be lost. I deselected this option. - The Facebook app that is pre-installed on the phone may not work right. I had issues with it and installed the version on the app market and it works perfect now. - When using internet, if you do a "clear history" you can still access those pages via the Forward/Back buttons until you power off the phone. You know, in case you are browsing any websites you don't want someone else to see...

Instead of chorizo, put honey-nut cream cheese and crushed almonds in the bacon-wrapped stuffed dates. And use maple bacon.

I have seen very little discussion of it on this board, and every time I have made a comment about it is has gotten zero response. Particularly in regards to trading Fielder - in all of the discussion about that I have seen few if any people bring up the argument that he is the only LH impact bat we have. Maybe it's being discussed in threads that I don't pay attention to or have gone off-topic.

Back to the topic at hand, I'm glad to see that someone else recognizes the need for LH/RH balance in the lineup. While the Brewers were 4th in the NL in runs scored, I recall a number of times where they were completely shut down by tough RH pitchers who either pitched around Fielder or weren't scared of Fielder because at worst they would give up a solo HR to him because no one else was on base. Perhaps the Brewers feasted on LH pitching and weak RH pitching to pad their stats (i.e. hanging 20 and 17 on PIT, 17 on ARI, etc., but then get blanked by Zambrano/Dempster, etc.) I believe that a big part of the success of the Yankees and Red Sox the last decade has been not just because they have the largest payrolls in the league, but because of who they spend their money on. They overpay for good LH bats to balance the lineup so that they are equally effective against RH and LH starters. Take a look at some of the impact LH hitters each has had in the last few years: Red Sox: Ortiz, Drew, Lowrie (S), Varitek, Ellsbury, just signed Gonzalez and Crawford Yankees: Teixiera (S), Cano, Swisher, Granderson, Gardner, Posada (S), Damon, Cabrera (S), Matsui That was the one thing that stuck out when I was at the Red Sox interleague series - how many LH hitters they had. Given that about 2/3rds of all pitchers are RH, having good LH bats that hit RH pitching is an asset. While individually guys like Braun, Hart, Weeks, etc. had good years, you have to look closer - for example, it doesn't help if they hang 20 on the Pirates and then get blanked by Zambrano & Dempster - the stats will show they scored 20 runs over 3 games, or almost 7 runs/game. But they lose two of those three games. If by having LH/RH balance they score 12 against the Pirates and 8 in the other two games, they have a much better chance of winning 2 of those three games and possibly all three. Hopefully Counsell can get 1/3rd of the starts at SS against RHP, and add Dickerson, Gamel, and Kottaras getting starts against tough RHP I think the Brewers will have more success.

There is no good side... The silver lining is that this guy hopefully will never hurt anyone ever again. The purpose of jail is as much to keep harmful people out of society as it is to rehabilitate them and change them into productive members of society. Someone who has repeatedly broken the same law has no respect for the law or why it is in place to protect society; therefore they need to protect society from this person. There was no reason for that person to drive. None. So what if the person who was supposed to give you a ride was drunk too - go sleep it off on the couch, on the floor, somewhere. Don't get that drunk to begin with. Nothing is that important to have any reason to drive when drunk. This is the scariest part of the article: "Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas said his office has won 49 convictions for drunk driving homicides since 2008." 49 drunk driving homicides in Orange County in two years.

Lil' Smokies... on mini-buns or bread... with relish and Beer 'n Brat mustard... MMMMMMMM. Hawing, go invest in a power inverter and plug in a little cooker to keep them warm on your 2-hour drive.

It is more of a shift to pitching than a depleted system. You can always trade pitching for bats. Rogers, Peralta, Rivas, Heckathorn, Scarpetta, Thornburg, plus guys like Nelson, Lamontagne, Merklinger, Bucci, Lasker, Arnett, Fiers, Hall, Howell, Miller, or Ross have either potential or have shown promise. Add to that two of the top 15 picks in next year's draft, and I don't think they system is as bare as some think. Oh, and they still have that Gamel guy too. Braun, Hart, Lucroy, Gamel, and McGehee aren't going anywhere for a while; if Fielder leaves they move one of Hart/Gamel to 1B and the other RF. Schafer could be ready in CF in 2012. If they extend Weeks he won't be going anywhere for a while; if they don't they'll get players in a trade for him or comp picks (Weeks was 5th among ML 2B in OPS last year just barely behind Utley - don't know if that means Type A) and they have Farris and Gennett coming up. The only hole in the upper levels of the organization where they don't have a young ML starter, a guy locked up for 3-4 years, or an upper-level prospect is SS.

Ned just did more for the Brewers than he ever did as a manager.

On a slightly related topic, I received an iPod Touch 8G as a gift from some people I helped with a big project. I already have two mp3 players that I prefer for working out/running (which is the only time I listen to any type of music player - have satellite radio for the car) because they are smaller/lighter/easier to use that hold more than enough music for my taste; I have the HTC Evo for all the mobile apps I need, wireless connectivity, and 4G service; I really don't care for watching TV/movies on a screen that small (and if I did the Evo's screen is larger and it has a kick stand so I don't have to hold it)... ...so my question is, is there anything that the iPod Touch has that I don't already have with the Evo and the mp3 players? I'd hate to sell it because it was a gift from great people, but I'd feel worse if they bought it and I never used it.

How about a little celery stuffed with cream cheese cut into 1/2" sections in addition to the pickle and olive varieties? Oh yeah, and some Lil' Smokies on mini-buns (or bread) with relish on them.

Some observations: 1) If a "bare cupboard" means still having Rogers, Rivas, Peralta, Heckathorn, Kentrail Davis, Scarpetta, and Thornburg, then call me OK with this trade. As mentioned they have two of the top 15 picks in the draft this year to replace Lawrie and Odorizzi; assuming they draft a pitcher with one of those two picks, that person won't arrive much later than Odorizzi would have. 2) I've been saying this for two years - the Brewers must really like Logan Schafer. Long-term I think he's a better fit than Cain because Schafer's left-handed and the Brewers need more balance in the lineup. However Schafer will have to start the year at AA after missing essentially all of last year. So... C) Which would be worse overall, factoring in both offense and defense - "Gomerson" in CF, or move Hart to CF and play Gamel in RF? The latter would be tough defensively, but it would be a big boost to get another good lefty bat in the lineup... 4) Speaking of which, whomever mentioned Podsednik might be on to something. Weak arm, but he adds a left-handed bat to the lineup. 5) Since the Brewers weren't going to acquire good young pitching for Fielder, what if they traded Fielder for a top young SS and CF? Put some combination of Hart/Gamel at RF & 1B, and they fill the holes at SS and CF.

A million dollars isn't a lot to pay for a backup CF who is above-average defensively and has above-average speed as a pinch-runner - I'd say that's the going rate for someone with those skills. Remember, Cain is their starting CF and Gomez is now the 4th/5th OF.

Well, I would definitely not trade him for Shields. Shields has gotten worse each of the last two years, and led the league in HRs given up last year. Not a good trend. I voted neither because with the addition of Marcum I don't think the Brewers need to trade for another starter. Capuano would be a great #5 (IIRC the average ERA for a #5 is something like 5.50 and for a #4 is something like 5.00) who they could sign for the same or less salary than Shields without having to give up talent. Heck, Bush would make an above-average #5. And they will have Rogers and Rivas - possibly Jeffress if they move him back to starter - at AAA if something goes awry. Gallardo, Marcum, Wolf is a good enough 1-2-3 for a team with Milwaukee's offense; Narveson and Capuano would be above-average for a #4-#5 combo. Then in 2012 you have Gallardo, Rogers, Marcum, Wolf, and Rivas as your starters - pretty darned good. Plus you will have Peralta, Heckathorn, Scarpetta, Lamontagne, and Fiers at AAA knocking on the door in 2012. So IMO they only need a one-year patch at SP, and since Rogers and Rivas will be ready in 2012 - if not mid-2011 - I don't think it is worth giving up Axford for a one-year need.

Second the Evo - love it, and never have had a problem with Sprint. I think I have had Sprint for almost 10 years. As for junk apps, I always read the ratings before downloading and that usually tells you how good they will be, and most of the problem with apps are on other Android phones and not the Evo. One technicality, the $10/month is not for 4G - it is for the data usage of this type of phone, regardless of whether it is 3G or 4G. However, I have heard rumblings that AT&T will assess a data surcharge for iPhone users that will make that look cheap. But the 4G... where they have it is awesome. At the UW-UNLV football game I couldn't get any data transfer out at the stadium, so I turned on the 4G and it worked like a charm. As for the iPhone, everyone I talk to who has one says the same thing about it - great device, awful phone. A friend of mine says he has a big issue with transferring calls from one tower to another when he is driving - says it always drops his calls when he has to switch to a different tower. I have a friend who lives in San Francisco, and one weekend during Oyster Festival he had to drop down from the 3G network to the 2G network just to be able to make calls and send texts - that's how jammed the 3G network was. AT&T doesn't have the bandwidth to handle all of the iPhone users.