Ralph Wiggum

Potato, po-tat-o....Burns is bad, and Swindle and his sidearm 75 MPH lefty junk has been absolutely brutalized at the MLB level. He'll be brutalized again. Why does it seem that Swindle gets so much love here? He is a bad MLB pitcher, pure and simple. I don't care that nobody in AAA can hit him, he gets lit up every time he enters an MLB game.

MLB Trade Rumers reports that Arnett has signed http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/ Let the speculation on where he'll be assigned and how long it will take him to reach Milwaukee begin...

It seems to me that there are some fans that want him to fail because of his name. I don't get it. I always thought that TGJ had a Scott Podsednik-like ceiling, and he very well still might. He's never going to be a superstar, but he does have some inherent value. He's a plus defender and has good speed. Heck, Juan Pierre has been getting by on that skill set for a decade, despite absolutely no other redeeming qualities. The truth is, he's about even with Chris Duffy (they have nearly identical minor league stats), and had Gwynn had the spring Duffy had, he'd be on the roster right now. Neither are going to ever be world beaters, but they both are useful. If Cameron were traded and Duffy went down, I would rather see Gwynn manning CF than a complete retread like Tyner or a raw rookie like Cain. His name could by Floyd Johnson for all I care...if he can play good defense, run a little bit and not clog up the base paths, he should fit into this line-up. Personally, I've seen much, MUCH more Tony Gwynn Jr. hate than I have TGJ love around here. He's like the bizarro Russell Branyan, and just as polarizing for some reason.

I'm almost positive I read somewhere that Melvin pulled his scout back after learning Cordero would only be throwing at 80% in the workout. Perhaps in one of the Gagne stories or in one of JSOnline's mid-week "Cactus Juice" updates? That doesn't mean that there still isn't interest on the Brewers' part, but perhaps there are using caution.

I think you'd see Hart slide over to CF and Nixon in RF before Trot played CF. I don't think he was ever a great fielder, and his skills have probably eroded some since his prime of 5-6 years ago.

Brawndo, what have Swindle and DiFelice and especially Morlan done that makes you think they will be better options than Coffey, Julio and Gagne? Is it just because they haven't been given the chance to fail at the MLB level? I fail to see any upside in a guy like Swindle (who has mediocre MLB stuff at best), and while DiFelice has some value as an emergency arm, I don't see how that is more valuable than a late-inning reliever who throws gas and has had past MLB success. Swindle and DiFelice would have been in MLB bullpens long before now if they had any value. I'm all for giving the new guy a shot, but this isn't 2004 anymore. The Brewers have went out and gotten relievers with past MLB success because they expect to make a run on the playoffs this year, and want guys that have been there and have been successful. I truly believe that the Brewers' days of having a bullpen stocked with career AAAA pitchers is over. That ship has sailed.

I think Gwynn could possibly fill a valuable roll as a pinch runner/late inning defensive replacement. Really, with the possibility of Counsell, Nelson, Irabarren and whoever isn't playing 3B that given day (Hall or Lamb) all available for pinch hit duty, the all-purpose backup OF role probably isn't a huge deal. I doubt Edmonds would want to come here to sit, when he could probably find a platoon role somewhere else.

Past success and the fact that both Julio and Coffey are at the age where their skills should not be falling off tell me that at least one stands a good chance of being a solid contributor this year. Both had very good numbers in limited MLB innings near the end of last year. Yes, both have a small history of melting down when in the closer limelight in the past, but also have had periods of great success at the MLB level. The Brewers aren't looking at either one to close games, unless something catastrophic should happen. Perhaps I'm wrong about DiFelice, and he'll turn into a successful MLB pitcher ala Doug Davis with his new cutter. However, the track record for MLB pitchers making their debuts following their 30th birthday isn't exactly stellar. Once in a while you'll see a fluke, but for the most part, career minor leaguers are minor leaguers for a reason. I'd love to be proved wrong on this, because it will mean that DiFelice has exceeded my, and most everybody else's, expectations. I have a hard time seeing him ever be an above-mediocre MLB pitcher, though. Of course, I was never a fan of Carlos Villanueva either, and he exceeded all my expectations.

I think everyone can agree that this is a HUGE year for Corey. He needs to improve several areas of his game in order to reach the high potential he has. Obviously OBP is the biggest, and much of that is a lack of plate discipline. Hopefully Svuem can get through to Hart (and Bill Hall, and Rickie Weeks) and get him to wait for his pitch, instead of flailing away at pitches outside the zone. I believe that Hart has the potential to be a 30-35 HR, 110 RBI, 30 SB player, which would make him a perennial All-Star and one of the most valuable OFs in the game.

My argument with Cappy would be a unmatched work ethic and past major league success. The argument with Green and Wright is obviously youth/upside and solid minor league numbers. It's the whole results versus potential corollary with those two. I agree with you completely in the issue of depth. Having someone like DiFelice stashed in Nashville with the ability to perhaps come up for a spot start or a pen fill-in for a few weeks is a nice option to have. What would bother me is if he gets a spot out of spring training at the expense of a solid MLB relief arm like Gagne, Julio, Coffey, McClung or Riske, all of whom have MLB closing experience, or a potential future contributor like Morlan or Dillard, who may have closer-type stuff.

But how many of those MLB squads are or will be contenders for a playoff spot? Yes, someone like D"I"Felice may be useful to a non-playoff contender as a regular, or perhaps as a short-term injury fill-in, but for a team with solid rotational and bullpen depth, he's simply an extra with a non-speaking line and 2 seconds of face time. Basically what I am saying is if the Brewers are in the position to depend on DiFelice as a valuable member of the team this year, things will not have gone according to plan. Given the history of this team, that is entirely possible. However, DiFelice is at least 10th or 11th on the starting rotation depth chart (Gallardo, Parra, Bush, Looper, Suppan, McClung, Wright, Green, Capuano and maybe even Villanueva are above him), and probably at least the 10th option out of the pen (behind Hoffman, Villanueva, Riske, Gagne, Julio, Coffey, Dillard, Stetter, McClung). That tells me, barring significant injury/underperformance from MANY pitchers within the organization, that DiFelice will be lucky to see Milwaukee this year. That isn't even taking into account the potential of a breakout season from someone like Chris Narveson, Brae Wright, David Welch, Sam Narron or Lindsay Gulin, all who have more upside than DiFelice. The team also seems to really like Omar Aguilar, Swindle and, for some reason, Joe Bateman. I'm not saying all those guys are ahead of DiFelice on the organizational depth chart, but most, if not all of them have better natural "stuff" of something else (lefthandedness) going for them.

I continue to not understand the love for DeFelice that some on this board seem to have. He's a 31 year old junkballer that tops out at 88 MPH. He toiled for 12 years in the minors before getting his first call up last year, to mediocre results. Yes, it's a nice underdog story and all, but I would hate to see the Brewers get rid of a reliever with legit MLB stuff like Coffey, Julio or, yes, Gagne, to keep the epitome of a AAAA pitcher. Dillard on the other hand I like. I think he's young and has good upside. Plus, he's an extreme sinkerball specialist, which this team cannot have enough of.

The guy was pretty lights out in a set-up role at the end of last year, and still has very above average stuff. As far as I'm concerned, you can never have enough guys on the staff with big game closing experience, and by my count, Hoffman, Gagne, Julio and Coffey all have that. Plus with the team still considering Chad Cordero and Izzy...wow, on paper at least, that looks like a solid pen.

Didn't Jim Palmer try this about 15 years ago? I seem to remember a nearly 50 year old Palmer throwing some meatballs in a comeback attempt with the Orioles. Didn't work then...but who knows.

Why would he be relieved? He should be sad, because he had every opportunity to prove himself last season when the Brewers were in desperate need of relief help, and he simply could not throw the ball over the plate. Is he "relieved" to be out of the Brewers organization? Is he "relieved" that another team had the gumption to pick him up? Did he not feel like the Brewers gave him enough of an opportunity? That's bogus, to say the least. Pena had a high ERA and an inordinate amount of walks in Nashville. He never did a thing to deserve a shot in the Brewers' bullpen. I'm sorry, but using the term "relieved" just sounds like an agent trying to save as much face as possible for one of his players.