TwinsBrewersWorldSeries

if Rolen is a "negative", why don't we add Billy Hall going to TOR then? Rolen had a .350 OBP this season in a "terrible" year. Two years of Roy is worth 3 years of Prince + Escobar. Overbay was an extremely popular player here, and would be again. Rolen would be a good PR move as the casual fan probably still considers him to be an above average 3B (which i'd argue he still is) The .360-.380 OBP, .800 OPS players are EXACTLY who we need to target right now, and both O and Rolen fit this. We might be able to find mid-level FA that are servicable (rather than acquire O & Rolen) , but at what financial cost, and for how long of a deal? Braun's contract kicks in about 2011, as would a Hardy extention, Yo arbitration, etc. As pointed out in the Sabathia/Sheets discussions, the problem financially isn't the next year or two, its in 2011 and 2012 when the "core" gets raises from contract extentions. EDIT: I competely agree that this is based on signing JJ long term. In addition to being an extremely popular player, Hardy is an elite SS. We don't move "elite" SS to another position for prospects.

I recognize that Escobar is CHEAPER than Hardy. Presumably, the only reason Hardy might not be here long term is money. For years the Brewers have shipped out costly players for unproven players. We have the financial resources to retain Hardy, and if Ecobar has similar trade value one would use basic logic that Hardy + traded player > Escobar + traded player. If Escobar was likely to put up a .280/.350/.470 25 HR line, i'd be fine with him, but everything he has shown me thus far leads me to believe he is a .250/.300/.350 hitter. Replacing our best hitter (this season) with another Billy Hall simply isn't a good idea

This trade makes so much sense in my head it hurts. It accomplishes three main off-season goals: 1) Acquire a frontline starter 2) Get max value for Fielder 3) Gives the team a chance to 'reload" and contend in 2009 and 2010. Rolen is signed for 2 more years (2009 and 2010). We almost acquired him for this season, and he could be counted upon to put up a .260/.350/.800 line with outstanding defense. We platoon Overbay/Gamel at 1B (yes I know this requires moving Gamel, but he can't be a worse defender than Fielder). Escobar, in the short term, isn't in the Brewers plans. He might become extremely valuable in the future because of his defense, if his bat picks up, but we already have an elite SS. Why trade an elite SS to make room for someone that MIGHT be good. Halliday is owed $14.25 million in 2009 and 15.75 million in 2010. Significant money, but for a top of the line starter, a two year commitment is pretty optimal. Halliday/Yo/Parra/Bush/Soup is a playoff worthy rotation With power from Hardy, Braun, Cameron, (and possibly Gamel), we get some OBP guys Overbay, Rolen Why Toronto Makes this trade: 1) They get an elite 1B/DH (hole) 2) They get a possibly elite SS (big hole) 3) They shed some salary Why Milwaukee Makes this trade 1) Because of his age/salary, it will take more to get Matt Cain than Halliday 2) Because the Brewers want to reload and not regress in 2009 3) With our 4 picks in 08, and 4 comp picks in 09, we can reload for when Cameron/Halliday/Rolen come off the books in 2011

This reeks of the "trade your HOF QB to make room for a three year rookie" to me. If Escobar is supposed to be BETTER than Hardy, he is controlled cheaply for SIX more years instead of two, and should have more value to another team. If Escobar is not supposed to be better than Hardy, then why even discuss this? How about Fielder and Escobar to Toronto for Rolen/Halliday. Move Gamel to 1B, resign Cam. 2B Durham, SS Hardy, LF Braun, 1B Gamel, 3B Rolen, CF Camerson, RF Hart, C Kendall - Kapler, Rivera, Weeks, Hall, Utlity OF Halliday, Yo, Parra, Soup, Bush Focus on the bullpen with FA or minor trades.

10 more outs and we are no-hit .... AGAIN

I'm excited, based on our recent road play, but still worried that the final roadtrip of the season (the only road games left on our schedule after this weekend), will doom us. I think its essential that we take 2/3 from Pitt this weekend, and atleast maintain (if not increase) our Wildcard lead over the 10 game homestand prior to that last roadtrip. I think the Cardinals have proven they aren't going away, and I would really hate to need two or three wins against the Cubs in our final series to clinch. Chicago will be going for the nail in the coffin (to clinch the division) when we travel there, Philly will be in a dogfight for a playoff berth, and we always struggle at Cinci. I'm dreading that we come back from that trip 2-8, and trail the WC leader by 1-2 games heading into the final week. An 8-2 homestand, with no better than 6-4 (for the cards, phils, and mets) would ease my fears, but i think this is going to go right down to the wire

Interesting... i just think classifying us as the smallest market is somewhat subjective. Given the financial backing from the Milwaukee Area A publicly financed new stadium The overall sports crazy environment of Wisconsin (Badgers & Packers especially) i don't think its more of an accomplishment for us to do this than say the Twins, Royals, Pirates etc...

Our stadium simply isn't big enough for us ever to reach the 4M plateau unfortunately... I'm curious also how they calculate Market size. Isn't Milwaukee something like the 16th biggest city in the country? I imagine the suburbs and stuff count, but for some reason i find that our marketing ourselves as the "smallest market" is a bit inaccurate. Maybe we have the smallest TV contract or something, but i'm curious to actually find our what is exactly considered the Brewers market. EDIT: Found these 2005 numbers Milwaukee: 569,000 plus Waukesha, Brookfield, Racine, Kenosha, West Bend, Delafield, Pewaukee.... Seattle 573,000 Boston 559,000 (major suburbs i'd imagine) Denver 557,000 Atlanta 470,000 (major suburbs) Cleveland 452,000 Kansas City 444,000 Oakland 395,000 Minneapolis 372,000 (St. Paul) Arlington (Texas) 362,000 - no idea how this market is divided Cincinnati 308,000 Pittsburgh 334,000

It doesn't help that our owner (CP) makes most Twins fans want to puke. Alot of us still haven't forgiven him for trying to contract the team in 2001.

(Taken from my post on badgermaniac.com) Sabathia is 8-0 with a 1.60 ERA. He's started eight games. Its unlikely he matches his stats from the first nine games with his next seven starts (Brewers have 38 more games, he should start 7 more) Assuming he would match, here are his final NL stats 128 IP 98 H 26 R 24 ER 26 BB 120 K 1.65 ERA 0.97 WHIP .203 BAA 14-0 Those are Roger Clemens-esqe numbers from a few years ago. If I add CC's AL #s to these projected NL #s, here is the comparison between CC and Brandon Webb CC 20-8 (14-0) 250 IP 215 H 74 ER 60 BB 243 K 2.66 ERA 1.09 WHIP .222 BAA BW 23-5 (23-5) 228 IP 203 H 73 ER 55 BB 188 K 2.88 ERA 1.13 WHIP .238 BAA I'd say, all in all, these numbers are very close. CC's ERA, WHIP, and BAA are slightly better, he has an edge in IP and K, where Webb has an advantage in record (23-5) assuming we are considering total numbers. CC's NL #s will be unquestionably better, but only 16 of his starts (versus 34 for Webb) will be in the NL. This is a tough one, but if CC goes 13-0 or 14-0, with an ERA below 2.00, i think he deserves the CY Young nod. Its tough not to give a 20 game winner with an ERA below 3.00 the nod, but 14-0 with a 1.55 ERA is just sick.

I would think corporate sales/group sales would go WAY up if the team won the World Series. This might not bring in the bandwagon fans as much, but having a party/corporate gathering at a baseball game being played by the defending WS Champs is pretty much a lock to be a hit. Everybody loves a winner. If anything, a WS wins would earn the Brewers MORE FANS, or people who might just tune in for the WS and decide to "check out the team" the next year.

Camp is heating up and the season opener is only two weeks away. How does everyone see the team stacking up this year? I think we'll win a game we shouldn't (Ohio State), losing a game we shouldn't (Iowa or Illinois), and be par the course on the other games and end up 11-1 (7-1) and head to Pasedena. This seems to be a put up or shut up year for BB. He exceeded expectations with a senior laden team full of BA recruits in year one, and struggled somewhat last year with a team that was expected to do better. I've seen most predictions in the press having the Badgers in a BCS bowl this year so our street cred as "overachievers" will definitely be tested if we have two "duds" of a season in a row. GO RED

I have a couple ideas for marketing this season as well. Not sure if its the Dallas Mavericks or another team, but i thought i read that they were going to basically give away 2nd deck seats for free or close to free. Now Herb Kohl doesn't have the money Mark Cuban does but... 1) I'd offer any seat in the upper deck for $10. I think the biggest complaint about the NBA is the ticket prices. I of know Herb & Bucks management did some creative things to drive down price last year, but i think $10/across the board every night, no gimmicks, would be a great way of building a fan base for this rebuilding team. 2) Upper Deck Season tickets......... 41 games for $100.00 You heard me right. only $2.50/ticket. So many of these tickets go unused that its basically a right off anyways. To sweeten the pot, i'd even throw in a lower level seat for a game of the fan's choice. I imagine college students would be all over season tix at that price and would help restore a "fun atmosphere" to the games. The concessions revenue would more than make up for the lost ticket revenue anways. Milwaukee has already shown that it will support a winning team. To have rabid fans during the rebuilding years, you need to be creativen or be the Packers

I think you guys have nailed it with regards to building a team. We were one shot away from the NBA Finals in 2001, and that team was largely built on draft picks, a team concept, and a good coach. We can add role players (6th, 7th, 8th men) as we go. Right now we need to stockpile youth and let them fight it out for playing time. I agree with whoever said that cap space is valuable. Draft picks (below say 5th or 6th in the first round) are pretty much worthless to contending teams and we sholuld try and amass as many draft picks as possible over the next 2-3 years. I'm not sure what the 'minimum salary cap" is, but besides Jefferson, Bogut, Alexander, and maybe Redd/CV, i'd try to get rid of as many players as possible and replace them with draftees who are hungry for PT and haven't landed a bloated contract yet. The key to the NBA is to develop talent and pick the right talent to KEEP. The current CBA gives a huge advantage to the hometown team in keeping a player though most "Max Contract" guys are rarely worth keeping around

on ESPN radio this morning they were trying to argue that the NBA/basketball have become the most popular sport worldwide (even more than soccer). I thought that comment was beyond stupid. Basketball has made inroads lately and IS more popular internationally than American Football, but soccer is, and always will be, the world's sport. If the US ever actually got good at soccer, its popularity would SOAR in the US

I saw that too endaround? I think the announcers jinxed us saying that no one expected the US to advance, and then they were saying the USA was going to advance after two games. Granted, goals in the last minute aren't common, but now the US needs to win the final game to advance... IIRC, we are 1-0-1, the Netherlands are 0-0-2, and Nigeria is 1-0-1. If we TIE Nigeria it might come down to goals. Since the announcers w ere saying we might be able to advance with a tie maybe we beat Japan by more than Nigeria? That goal was actually HUGE for the Netherlands. If they lose, they are OUT, now they are all but a lock to advance.

playing off the other thread (about who to call up on 9/1), who are the minor league players we're likely to lose in the rule 5 draft? This disadvantage of having a great farm system is that other teams will raid us during the offseason, but i'm wondering when we remove the Mota, Counsell, Gagnes etc. of the world will we have enough spots on the 40 man to protect all of our key prospects. How many years do new draftees get in the minors before they must be added to the 40 man? 3 years?

playing off the other thread (about who to call up on 9/1), who are the minor league players we're likely to lose in the rule 5 draft? This disadvantage of having a great farm system is that other teams will raid us during the offseason, but i'm wondering when we remove the Mota, Counsell, Gagnes etc. of the world will we have enough spots on the 40 man to protect all of our key prospects. How many years do new draftees get in the minors before they must be added to the 40 man? 3 years?

wow, that is shocking

obviously i'm a HUGE ChiSox and Cubs fan and the name is just a cover (blue) Time to squash talk of a CHI-CHI, FL-TB, or LA-ANA world series............ its time for an all Midwest/Small Market Series!

This might be ESPN hype (per usual), but they are really pushing basketball as a global game and mentioned that its possible some European team would offer Lebron insane money to go the other way across the pond. Money aside (i'm sure European Markets could support it), are there any European leagues as good as the NBA. I imagine the fundamentals over there are much better but the talent level probably isn't. In international play, the Europeans have routinely destroyed the American team (atleast until this year), but as many have pointed out that might have been the result of national teams playing together for years while Telam USA only practiced together for a few weeks. I really dislike Lebron, but it would be interesting if he bolted for a 5 year $200m deal or so in two years when he's a free agent. He's much younger than David Beckham, but this might be the same move as Beckham made a last year.

When were Yo/Manny brought up last year? Might they qualify as a "super 2" after next season?

The Dan Haren thread really got me thinking, and as we approach the point where we want to sign Yo and Parra to an extention (not yet), i've been pondering when the optimal time is. Parra is 25 (finishing year 2) Gallardo is 22 (finishing year 2) Parra might be a bit older than usual to get established in the bigs (i'd say the typical above average/elite player that we'd want to extend probably breaks in at 21/22, maying them 27/28 in their first season post-arby. With the market majorly overpaying elite talent its almost hopeless for small market teams to get an above average/elite player to sign an extention when they have one year until free agency. Three or four years until free agency, the player is just becoming arbitration eligible and it doesn't make sense to pay the player more especially since they are likely to sign somewhere else post-arby anyways. However, i think 2 years pre-free agency is the optimal time to sign a player (especially a pitcher) to a four year deal. A player with four years of experience typically has been paid their signing bonus, three years of pre-arby money, and a few million their first year of Arby, unless they have an early MONSTER year like Fielder/Howard. These players might be looking at $15/18M per if they wait two more years for free agency, however, with less that $10M, actually less than $5M in most cases, in the bank after their first four years, most players would be smart to lock up $40/50M guaranteed. If they play the arby game, they'd probably make $12-15M in years 5 &6, but if they get hurt, they get nothing. As someone noted in the Dan Haren thread, the difference between $0 and $40M is much bigger than $40M and $60-70M. With this approach, if Yo & Manny have a solid/great years in '09 and '10, i'd offer them both a 4 year deal in Winter 2010 to buy out 2 years of FA. (try to sign for 45-50m deals). Despite Sheets injury issues, would anyone have complained if we had given him (in winter '06) a 2 year/32 million extention for 2009/10? An injury could hamstring a team, but those are the peak years on their arms, and if we don't extend now, there is zero chance they sign a TWO year deal as a free agent. You either sign them 2 years prior to FA, or lose them. I'd also use this approach with JJ Hardy this winter. Hardy has the advantage in that an injury likely would be less career threatening for a position player compared to a pitcher, but JJ probably had a decent but unspectacular signing bonus, $300-400K the past three years, and $2.5m this year. If we keep him through arby, he probably gets $4.5-5M this year and 7-8M in 2010. If we offered him a 4 year/40-45m deal it would be equivalent to a 2 year/$27M extention. $13.5m might be a little high to pay for JJ/season, but if he keeps up a .280/.350/.475 line, he's extremely valuable to this team and would still be very marketable in years 3/4 if we decided to trade him. If Hart is willing to sign a Braunesqe deal, i maybe offer him this offseason, otherwise, wait on Hart/Weeks until next winter and offer them a similar 4 year deal (if Weeks ever turns it around)

Al- i know there are statistics to back up your argument, but i personally disagree. Sabathia has already won us 5 games, and given our track record since his acquisition there is a high likelyhood we might have lost most of those games. Some things in baseball are above the numbers. The best team on paper rarely wins the championship.

The saying goes, buy low, sell high- If Sheets has a subpar August, i say we offer Ben 5/75 and he'd be smart to take it. If he goes on the DL, or continues to struggle and finishes with an ERA over 4.00, nobody will offer him close to $15m/year nor more than a few years. 15 per is expensive, but won't break our back like 6/120 would be. Sheets might give us 22-24 good starts a year but those starts are the difference between 80 wins and 90 wins/season