LouisEly

In two years though the core will also consist of Gamel, Gillespie, Cain, Escobar and Salome, so you probably arent going to be giving huge raises to all the players you mentioned, you'll probably trade a few of them. The Brewers complete inability to develop pitching is really showing its ugly face right now because not only are we looking for starters, but also relievers, and we have zero options in house to fill them, except for possibly Dillard and Stetter. The first part - 'zactly. Plus you can possibly add Aguilar, Jeffress, and maybe others (Lucroy, Pena, Periard, Nelson, DiFelice, Welch, Wright, Iribarren) to that list, and Gallardo and Parra will be cheap for two more seasons. Sabathia may cost a lot, but they will have plenty of guys to fill out a number of starting spots and the bench at the ML minimum. (Maybe we'll get lucky and the Yankees will have so many injuries at SP that they will take Suppan off our hands early, freeing up more salary.) The rotation in 2010 could be Sabathia, Gallardo, Parra, DiFelice, Welch/Wright (if they can trade Suppan), in which case the total salary of the five starters could be only $25M, worst case $37M if they can't trade Suppan. $37M for a starting rotation with Sabathia, a legitimate #2 (Gallardo) and #3 (Parra), and average #4/#5 starters (with Jeffress and Periard waiting in the wings). By golly, this Melvin guy might just know what he is doing. I was going to post the same thing about Abreu... I don't know if Hart can man CF but Abreu would be a perfect addition if the can offset that with trading Cameron (or package Hart with Suppan for something).

Second the Arby's Beef & Cheddar... with curly fries dipped into a mix of 6 parts Arby sauce and 1 part Horsey sauce. That's the birthday meal right there. And being on the West Coast... In N Out 4x4, Animal style. I didn't know Quizno's has $5 Roast Beef & Cheddar... damn, and I thought it was nice to have a Subway exactly halfway between the gym and home. $5, 5-minute dinner is awful convenient.

Good catchers are never left off of the 40-man. Besides, with Salome and Lucroy at AAA and AA respectively (plus Palmisano, Corporan, Fryer, Zarraga, Lawrie) it's not like they need to add catching to the system, and I wouldn't want to sacrifice a roster spot to hold someone. They made the playoffs last year, and if they can get just one of Sheets nor CC back they can still contend this year. Heck, I think if their offense can revert back to 2007 performance they can contend for a wild card spot without Sheets or CC. I don't want to sacrifice depth at a position on the ML roster, and thus sacrifice a couple of games that could cost a playoff spot. You never know - if Zambrano and Harden get hurt (which is very possible), the division will be wide open. The Cardinals went to the playoffs just two years ago with 83 wins, and subsequently won the World Series. If this was 2002 then I'd say, "Heck yeah, take a flyer on a Rule 5 guy." Not now - too good of a team to take that risk. I like Brian's suggestion of Morlan - if they still have a bullpen hole I might find a AA reliever a possibility. But not a position player.

The reason gas prices shot up so much was because of speculators investing in the commodities market. With the stock market (at that time) flat for several years and the housing market dropping, one of the few things that was steadily increasing in price was oil. So the investment houses and hedge funds started buying up oil contracts, and that artificially shot up the price of oil. I had head that at one point an investment group in northern Europe held 11% of all oil contracts. Just like the stock market in the late 90s and the housing market in the early 2000s, prices were artificially inflated due to over-investing. Well, when gas got so expensive it had such an effect on the economy (inflation and consumer spending, not to mention public outcry) that the government stepped in and said they were going to start investigating the trading of oil futures. When that happened, many investors got spooked and dumped their oil contracts, thus beginning and the major reason for the drop in oil. Yes, some people changed jobs/driving habits, but that effect has been minimal because it's not like people are driving 50% less than they used to. Layoffs, and people not driving to work at all, probably has had a bigger impact. And I'm sure China is buying far less. What's going on now is that with the drop in the stock market, these investment houses need money to shore up other positions and losses so they need to sell assets - thus more pressure to sell oil contracts, and thus why prices are still dropping. The weird and scary thing is that gas prices have dropped so much and it has not boosted the stock market at all... usually those two things are inversely related.

Somewhere LouisEly is smiling. I'm somebody! Things are going to start happening to me NOW!!

According to Fox Sports, "sources indicate that he almost certainly will not accept it": http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/8793240?MSNHPHMA Take it for what it's worth.

Fourth wave - Gamel, Escobar, Salome, Iribarren, Dillard, Pena, Nelson Fifth wave - Jeffress, Aguilar, Cain, Gillespie, Welch, Wright, Errecart Sixth wave - Green, Lucroy, Periard, Anundsen, Fryer, Wooten Seventh wave - Gindl, Braddock, Scarpetta, Seidel, Peralta, Wilson Eigth wave - the 2008 draft class, Nieves, Zarraga Like I've been saying, the cupboard is not bare. While there are less superstar prospects (no real Braun, Fielder, Weeks, etc.), they have a lot of solid major leaguers that can be starters or at least fill out the bench. They also have a lot of trading chips with which to fill holes on the major league team; I expect three of the above names (excluding Gamel, Escobar, Salome, Jeffress, Aguilar, Green, and Lucroy) to be packaged this winter for some bullpen help. For the right pitcher, I would include one of Salome or Lucroy. With Lucroy blocking him, it wouldn't surprise me if Fryer is traded while he is hot (sell high), and some say that Corporan is underrated and ML caliber defensively. And don't underestimate what Salome or Lucroy could be traded for should both develop into solid major leaguers. Considering that the only positions that are not manned by young, high-ceiling players are 3B, C, and CF, they have potential replacements for those positions in Gamel (if his defense improves)/Green/Wilson, Salome/Lucroy/Fryer, and Cain. I don't know if Cain will be ready by 2010, so they may need a stopgap in CF for a year, unless they feel that Hart or Braun can be moved over or Gillespie is athletic enough to play there for a year. They have starting pitching, but it is at least a year off and other than Jeffress is not a #1 or #2 caliber starter. Gallardo, Parra, Jeffress, and company (Bush, Welch, Wright, Periard) will have to hold the fort and stay healthy until the 2007 and 2008 draft classes are ready.

1) Neither CC nor Sheets returns and Peavey is traded to the Cubs. 2) Something happens to Prince and he is out the whole year.

One thing that I think gets lost in the shuffle is part of the reason for all the pitchers in the 2008 draft class was need, but part of it was being so stocked at the fielding positions and so young at the ML level that there wasn't any real need. I was disappointed that Connor Gillaspie didn't last until #32, as I thought Jack Z would snatch him up if available; he would make a nice contingency play if Gamel's defense forces him away from 3B and I was worried that Green would be the PTBNL. I would second that 2B is rather weak, but you could slide Green over there and I would not be at all surprised if the long term plan is to slide Hardy over to 3B and move Green to 2B. And of course Lawrie could always move over to 3B - BJ Surhoff did exactly that, and if Lawrie has a career like Surhoff it will have been a great pick. And if Weeks should happen to finally put it all together he is still only 25 so he could be around for quite a while longer too. Not to nitpick, but I would probably switch Palmisano and Corporan. And now with the retirement of Torres they may have to part with some prospects to get some bullpen help, and I expect them to do just that. Until that happens, I'd pencil in DiFelice as the #5 starter and either McClung or Riske as the closer.

Found it! Nick Fiorucci feat. Kelly Malbasa - "The Night". Big thanks to baldkin, as they played it on Sirius 38, for the first time not during some DJ's Mix.

You forget how strong Fielder came on at the end of the season - he finished with 34 HRs, 102 RBI, .879 OPS, that after a 50 HR, 119 RBI, 1.103 OPS season. To only have to pay $7.5M for someone after two seasons like those is not bad at all.

Everything Valpo said. I think this quote from Cam kind of sums up where most people (or at least most of those who are challenging picking up the option) stand: I just spoke on the phone with Cameron and he is pumped about coming back to Milwaukee. And he said he honestly was surprised that the option got picked up because he wondered if the Brewers would have to divert the money elsewhere. "I know we've got so many young players about to get pay raises," he said. "I didn't think my option would get picked up. This was a surprise, to be honest with you. I think most of those who are challenging the signing are not challenging whether or not Cam is worth $10M - considering offense and defense he is worth what equates to a one-year, $10M deal. The point that most of those who are challenging the move are making is whether or not the money could have been better spent elsewhere. While MA has much deeper pockets than Bud, those pockets are not limitless. DM has X amount of $$ available with which to build this team. Perhaps $2M spent on a Kapler/TGJ platoon as a stopgap until 2011 when Cain might be ready to take over (I don't think Cain is going to jump from a handful of AA at-bats in 2008 to the majors in 2010 - he'll be at AA in 2009 and will likely need another year of upper-minors experience) with the other $8M being spent elsewhere, if spent in the right areas on the right player, might be better in the short run or long run. Perhaps trading some of their surplus (RH corner OFs) for a CF from somewhere else may have been overall a better move. All things being equal, I think Cam is worth one year at $10M. But I am open to the possibility that if that option comes at the expense of other areas (namely pitching or not being able to afford Hardy, Hart, or Fielder) then perhaps it might not have been the best move.

Maddux seemed to be good with players off the scrap heap who have bounced around or came in from a different organization. He didn't have a lot of success though with the young guys who came up; whether that is an indication of the true talent of the players who came up or whether it is Maddux's style that doesn't work with rookies I don't know. But I have heard third-hand that Maddux is difficult for young players to work with because he is always tinkering with them and changing their mechanics, even when they are warming up in the bullpen. So maybe with a new wave of young guys starting to arrive they might benefit from a different approach. I guess we'll see. If Dana Eveland, Ben Hendricksen, and Mike Adams were still here they would be parading him straight to the airport.

If I were LA... would I give up a guy who pitches roughly 70 innings a season plus an average 1B for Prince Fielder? IN A HEARTBEAT. Broxton, while he throws hard, is not unhittable (1.17 WHIP and 3.13 ERA last year, 1.22 WHIP and 3.03 ERA for his career; for what it's worth, Dave Bush had a lower WHIP last year and almost an identical career WHIP of 1.23), and like I said, he only pitches about 70 innings a season. Broxton is also roughly the same weight as Fielder too. Fielder >>> Broxton + Loney. The Dodgers would have to add in a good starter prospect for me to make that deal.

Personally, I've never thought much of Affeldt. He's like Schoenweis...so much talent, just a bad pitcher. Looking at what he has done out of the bullpen the last two years I don't think "bad pitcher" is the appropriate label. He has done just fine as a reliever. I wasn't advocating him as a starter.

1) The Dodgers - especially if Manny ends up leaving. They will be in need of power again, they have the pitching prospects to send in return, they are not afraid to spend money, and they need a name/face to put to the franchise. The Brewers can get a lefty bat in return (Loney - still young, has potential) plus some arms (a starter prospect and Broxton?). Potentially can add in Hall to give them a RH bat to play anywhere in the infield. Fielder and Hall for Loney, Broxton, Billingsley, and another pitching prospect? 2) The Orioles - they have a need (Kevin Millar was their 1B last year), can use the DH, and they are not afraid to spend money. Unfortunately I don't know that they have the prospects to send in return. I doubt they would part with Markakis, and I don't know that they have a lot of pitching to send in return. Brian Roberts could be included in a trade though. Go ahead, tell me how unrealistic these are...

Not sure why we need Salty when we have Salome, Lucroy, and Fryer coming up in the next 2-3 years, and Lawrie and Zarraga potentially in the next 4-5.

In order to give up/receive compensation, the player needs to be tendered an offer of at least 80% of their previous year's salary, correct? If so, who is likely to be tendered at least that much, and who is likely to not be tendered? Also, does this include players with a team option? IIRC, Torres has a team option, and it is very likely that they will pick it up. Some type B guys who I don't think are much of a step down from the Type A guys who intrigue me - Affeldt, Ayala, Beimel, Blake, Bradley, Garland, Looper. How Beimel is a type B and Marte and Darren Oliver is a type A is strange; he, Affeldt, or Ayala could help fill out the bullpen. Should neither Sheets nor Sabathia be back, a guy like Looper or Garland could help fill out the rotation without having to give up a first round pick. Looper also has previously closed, so he could be moved back into the bullpen if needed. Gallardo/Parra/Bush/Looper-Garland/Suppan would be league average, and if their offense can revert to 2007 numbers their above-average offense would keep them in the playoff chase.

I think it was a mistake to limit the interview process to just the three guys. But who else was available? Some people here are throwing around names assuming that just because they can think of them means that they are available and interested in managing the Brewers. The season is just over, not many good managers are going anywhere, maybe guys like Jim Leyland are still going to be employed when next season starts, and maybe guys like Bobby Valentine are happy enjoying their retirement. I don't want it to suddenly be January and still be without a manager because they're riding on the hopes of someone who never materializes, and now the pickings are slim. Maybe this is it for experienced managers. Other teams are going to start hiring, and the longer they wait the more they risk someone else hiring the best guy for the team. Yes, all managers sound good in their opening presser, but I like these comments: He also said, "The job of a manager is not to be a buddy of the players. You have to make tough decisions over the course of a year." As for who plays and doesn't play, Macha said, "Some players think it's personal but it's not. The manager is responsible for wins and losses." Rather than get opinions of the players from coaches who have been here, Macha said he wants to go down to spring training and make those judgments himself. In other words, he wants no preconceived notions of what they can do. While I agree that a manager doesn't make a whole lot of difference in baseball, I think a good manager can get 10 extra wins and a bad manager can cause 10 extra losses. Assuming an average 81-81 season, 10 more wins gets you 91 wins and usually into the playoffs. That's a pretty big difference.

I agree that hopefully this moves Hall into super sub mode Given that he can play 3B, SS, and 2B, that would be a great role, and can open up another bench spot. Good call on Iribarren filling the other backup IF role, however I do think they will find someone to bring in to compete for the role. According to the site though Iribarren still has one more option remaining. I'm wondering though... are they trimming bench payroll because they are preparing to put a lot of money towards someone?

McGehee is definitely a low ceiling guy, but he has some solid tools. As noted already, his defense is a big plus at third base, and he can catch. Couldn't you take that same exact sentence a few years ago and replace "McGehee" with "Chris Coste"? Coste has gone on to have quite a nice little career as a fairly important role player with the Phillies. If this guy can turn into the next Chris Coste (and six years younger than when the Phillies picked up Coste) it could turn into another nice little nugget that Melvin found. As for Joe... I really like you as a player and I think you deserve an opportunity somewhere, but there is no opportunity here for you. Hopefully Jack Z. can find a place for you on the Mariner's 25-man roster. Best of luck, and may you have a John Jaha/Bucky Jacobsen career year somewhere. (Anywhere except the north side of Chicago.)

Wow end, do you even read the posts before you fire off something negative? Get a clue...sheesh.http://images.yuku.com/image/gif/ecd15d96863718c28a23cc4dfa674d743c84118.gif ------------------------------------------------------- I think the key words in the article/TH blog were "substantial package". Like someone else said, they aren't giving him away, but he isn't untouchable either. If someone blew me away with an offer of at least two stud pitchers and a stud LH 3B, all 27 or younger, I would definitely listen.

Also, unless the bigfoot has a highly adapted digestive system, it would be hard for it to survive on the available diet in the Pacific Northwest. I would think that if bears can survive in the Pacific Northwest, that a "bigfoot" like creature could also. Here's the real truth about Bigfoot: http://images.yuku.com/image/jpeg/b8b359bb96bb8f4330251fb7cb45150370d9f7e.jpg As far as Oswald & Kennedy, if my brother can split the heart in half of a deer running full speed with a shotgun at the age of 14, then just about anything is possible. There was a whole special about whether or not we actually landed on the moon. It was pretty convincing. The mountains and sand around Area 51 looks an awful lot like the background in the video footage from the moon. And if you put the film on slow motion it looks like minimal gravity. Then again, my friend who works in the aerospace industry says he bounces lasers off of mirrors mounted on the moon. But I've seen the lunar module, and I have a hard time believing that rickety little thing can withstand minimal gravity and protect from the sun's radiation.

Which one of you clowns crashed the server last night? I wanted that Midway 10-game stand-up video game, but alas, I have no room with it. Gotta get my own place. Gotta figure out how I'm going to get a place for under $500K here on the west side of LA first, then figure out how to get a $200 arcade game.

In other news, Grenadine now has one less use. (Don't tell me you never put a shot of Grenadine in your Zima.)