endaround

Rookie NL pitchers leading Gallardo in VORP: Peter Moylan Manuel Corpas Tim Linecum Lee Gardner

I thought we had established long ago that when Mench was playing Hart was hurt. Hall made some great plays, but he was still nowhere near average as a defender. No, you may have thought that but Yost told Attanasio, you knwo teh owner, that Mench was playign "cuz he was hittign .400!" And even when Hart was hurt why was Mench playign over Gross, you know the guy Yost is so smart to be playing now? Hall as a 3B-84 games 2 FRAA. Pretty much the definition of average.

I think you're missing the big decision that had the most negative impact on the Brewers, moving Hall to the outfield. Basically if caused the Brewers to have three of the worst defenders at their position playing at the same time. Hall wasn't a great defensive infielder, but he was average, a level Braun and Weeks will likely never reach. If Hall isn't moved, you have Hart in center meaning less Yost sitting Hart for Mench's "hot" hand. You have a Gross/Clark platoon meaning no chance for Gwynn to make the team and getting hot for three games and killing the offense for the next month.

He said make contact. That precludes TGJ.

Love how Bill blames Braun for "going on his own". Hart just happened to magically know Braun was going on his own so went at exactly the same time. Also love that Yost screws up the chance to get Mench against a lefty for sure.

Just in case nobody is aware, I hate watching the Brewers defense.

Spending 15 million on a player who hasn't been good defensively since 2003, fell of a cliff offensively this year, and will be 31 to start the season makes no sense.

The Yankees need a closer, so no resigning Cordero isn't possible. The problem isn't next year so much at 2009 when Sheets contract is up Suppan starts making $12 million a year, Weeks, Fielder, and Hart hit arby, Hardy is in his second year.

The Brewers have money. They will be jettisoning the following: Clark/Dessens: $3.5 million Cordero $5.4 million Graffanino $3.25 million Koskie $2.0 million Miller $2.25 million Vargas $2.5 million Thats a sizable chunk of change for a lots of deadweight. And thats nto even including Mench or Jenkins.

My beef with letting Hall bat in the 8th with one out and runners on the corners was because it just delayed the inevitable. Why not PH Jenkins, then switch to a RH batter before Hall K's? Why wait until there are two outs to force Tracy's hand. Bill Hall should not have hit in that position, and just might be on his way to a career platoon type player. Although, he even looked awful against a lefty yesterday. Ned never forces the hand of the opposing manager, which is why he is out-managed almost on a daily basis. If Ned's players don't execute the way he foresees them to, it's game over. The only right handed batters left were Estrada and Rivera. Which when you are trying to avoid the GIDP are the last two guys you want hitting. Yes, however, if you PH Jenkins for Hall, then the Pirates bring in Grabow, which Ned let Jenks face anyway. Then the next batter you bring in someone else (Estrada, Rivera, whatever), and you don't have to worry about a GIDP, because Jenks already made the second out. I think sheethead makes a great point. If Jenks is going to face Grabow anyway, he should have PH for Hall, not the pitcher. See, I'm assuming rational actors here. Allowing Jenkins to face Grabow is just stupid, and even there Jenkins/Gross increases you GIDP chance (see the ball Jenkins did hit off Grabow). If you're pulling Hall and Grabow comes in you should pull Jenkins and get to Estrada. Now you have to pinch hit Gross 9th and your bench is down to Stockman, Gwynn, and Nix in a tie game in the 8th. Again its not a slam dunk to pull Hall when doing so burns 4 players. Now Jenkins vs Grabow with the bases load is another matter....

My beef with letting Hall bat in the 8th with one out and runners on the corners was because it just delayed the inevitable. Why not PH Jenkins, then switch to a RH batter before Hall K's? Why wait until there are two outs to force Tracy's hand. Bill Hall should not have hit in that position, and just might be on his way to a career platoon type player. Although, he even looked awful against a lefty yesterday. Ned never forces the hand of the opposing manager, which is why he is out-managed almost on a daily basis. If Ned's players don't execute the way he foresees them to, it's game over. The only right handed batters left were Estrada and Rivera. Which when you are trying to avoid the GIDP are the last two guys you want hitting.

I don't understand the criticism of allowing Hall to bat. Yost's choices were Jenkins/Gross vs Grabow or Estrada both situations hardly a huge improvement when trying to avoid a GIDP. Now allowing Jenkins vs Grabow to occur when RHs are hitting .296 vs Grabow and LHs .236, well thats another story.

Yes because everyone knows you never face the powerful Theriot! After all he hit that ball all the way to the shortstop!

Not to mention Linebrink was likely ready to go since he was warming after the second walk and was warming while Stetter was in.

Maybe the DBacks want Vargas back! Vargas and Jackson for Quentin seems fair to me, but just like Vargas for Murton unlikely to happen due more to the teams involved than the actually needs.

The Braves are done though, so I wouldn't be surprised if Cox doesn't lay of the whip to help out Yost.

How much does Colorado use the shift though? Thats why the Brewers get such high OOZ marks (that and the fact Hall was one of the best I've ever seen going into the outfield for shallow flies).

Vizquel still leads the league in RZR among qualified players, though its basically a tie with Reyes who has a better out of zone rating.

Real World killed the Video Star

No it isn't normal, BP's defensive stats aren't updating for some reason so WARP and their defensive metrics are unavailable. It wouldn't be surprising to see Tulo out do Braun in WARP because Braun just is that bad. Now WARP has problems. For example shifts can cause havoc, which I think is why Fielder went from being below average last year to horrendous this year. Jonah Keri will be going over the ROY today on Page 2 on ESPN and he should have the WARPs then. Here's his article from Yesterday for MVP, CY Young, Exec of the Year and Bust of the Year. Jonah Keri

Vargas will be the Brewers 8th best starting option (Sheets, Gallardo, Bush, Capuano, Parra, Suppan, Villaneuva) and is set to make $5 million next year. I see no way he comes back.

Amazing how people overlook the fact that Hudson has had a stellar season.

The only time I really remember Dennis' dad being upset was when they found out the Brewers got another option on him for this year. He seemed like Dennis should either be in Milwaukee or let go and not end up in Nashville again.

Cubs lose and burn through their bullpen to do it.

Dunn has a no trade clause with his option. Any trade for him will almost certainly entail a large contract extension.