JohnBriggs12

I think they'll bring up Lalli and create roster space by taking Manzanillo off the 40 man. Bianchi to the 60 man is another possibility. Gonzalez will play 3rd. They could also bring up Gindl and option out a pitcher. Davis looks overwhelmed right now. He's not major league ready. Schafer should be starting in place of Braun.

Fingers made a shade under $3 million in his career. Of course in today's dollars that's about $15 million or roughly what a guy of his stature today makes in one year. That's plenty if invested wisely, but it's a far cry from today's salaries. He's also had some endorsement deals over the years including one fairly recently. He was in that Pepsi commercial about a year ago that featured hall of famers in the corn fields.

He could save those big fees charged by the auction house and just go to Vegas and drop in on the Pawn Stars. They'll pay cash and have an interesting episode.

Sounds like Rams's guess of 70 -> 85 -> 100 is what we should be looking for, heading forward. I'd rather they control Thornburg's innings now so he's got bullets left for a call up later on. With two guys in the Brewer rotation having options, that could happen any time.

I think the discussion here is apples and oranges. If you want to make a prospect list basically a scouting ranking, fine, but call it that. If you want to make it a measure of likely impact in the major leagues, it's something else. Some guys make it to the major leagues without ever appearing on a prospect list through doggedly working their way up the ladder. Maybe he was ranked in the high 40's once, but I don't recall Carlos Corporan cracking the Brewer top 50. Now he's had a fairly extended period in the big leagues, albeit as a backup catcher on a bad team. Still that's a lot better than Lou Palmisano who was in the top 20 for quite a period as I recall.

Halton showing ability to play multiple positions increases greatly his chances of having a major league future in a utility role.

It's not disturbing enough that Gonzalez is playing where he is and hitting where he is, but it's that Roenicke acts like he thinks it's a real smart move too. Not only is a SS starting at 1B but his backup is another middle infielder. I like Yuni more than anyone else here, but he's very similar offensively to Gonzalez. Yes he had a hot spring with the bat, but he'll cool off being on the bench likely negating that anyway. Are they telling us that there's no experienced 1B available with a bat better than these guys? If they can't find a big bat, at least stick a lefty bat in there or give a guy like Halton or Morris a shot for a month. At least their offense profiles to the position. Ishikawa would be a better alternative too.

I didn't want to bring it up, but during the chat on MLBtraderumors the moderator guessed that Valverde would eventually sign with the Brewers. Have to think that it's being discussed now.

No other team in baseball wanted a 36 year old Gonzalez coming off of ACL surgery that caused him to miss most of last year. There were teams out there looking for SS too. But because he had a good offensive month in a Brewer uniform prior to the injury, somehow the Brewers think he's capable not only of filling in at a defensive position, but also at a prime offensive position that he's heretofore never played and batting in the middle of the order? Incredible.

Sean Halton has never been on their radar, but he really had a pretty solid spring following a decent year at AAA. Granted they'd have had to open a 40 man slot for him, but really why not give a guy like that a shot for a month and maybe you'll discover something? They did bring him along for the exhibitions in Miller Park so they must have seen something there. He sure fits the 1B mold a lot better than Gonzalez.

Ryan Ludwick dislocated his right shoulder in the Reds opener. It's not clear how long he'll be out.

Record: 89-73 Division: 2nd behind Reds, Wild Card: Earn 2nd Wild Card All-Stars: Braun, Ramirez, Gomez Surprises: Gomez, Burgos, Segura, Aoki (will be in top 5 in BA) Disappointments: Gonzalez (will hit under .200, and be released in June), Henderson, Kintzler, Maldonado (a WBC casualty for inaction)

Boras had Gomez signed to create more of a buyer's market for his real prize client next year, Jacoby Ellsbury. It had nothing to do with him being kinder and gentler.

I really hope that he is learning some discipline. I also hope it doesn't adversely affect the rest of his game. In 04 and 05 Brady Clark attacked first pitch fastballs with a vengence and became a .300 hitter. It was suggested he needed to walk more as a leadoff hitter and he started taking more pitches in 06, and was never the same guy. I would take the Carlos Gomez of last year in the 7th spot in the order. If he can get on at a little higher pace and still hit 20-25 HR and knock in 80 or so runs, great. What does worry me a bit is taking more pitches might lead to more K's as well as BB's.

You are completely misinterpreting the move of Narveson to the pen. He's coming off an injury and they don't want to push him hard early. This gives them time to further evaluate both Peralta and Fiers in games that count. It's fairly likely that at least one of those two struggles, and if that happens we'll see Narveson in rotation by May 1.

Stinson had a 1.638 WHIP at AA last year. That's a lot of baserunners. Like I posted earlier. guys like him are out there and available any time. I think the Brewers can take this hit.

Mixing up your rotation with a lefty helps the other guys in it. That's why as long as he's performing, Narveson will be in the rotation. I think those of you calling for him to be just dropped or shunted to the bullpen are forgetting that from May of 2010 through most of 2011, he was a pretty solid starting pitcher. I think Fiers can still get a spot. Peralta is going to get a couple starts out of the gate, but I don't think he's set in stone either. Over the first couple weeks, it's likely there are going to be 2 or 3 short starts and Fiers is going to get some innings. After a couple times through, Lohse will be fully extended and the need for a guy specified as a "long man" will pass. If Peralta were to struggle and Fiers be solid, they'll just send Peralta down and keep Fiers. Now if both Fiers and Peralta perform and Narveson has a couple bad starts, then I can see Narveson going to the pen. They won't just release him and he doesn't have options. Let's not forget too that Estrada isn't in the "established" category quite yet either. He makes enough where his roster spot is secure, but if he has a string of bad starts, it's not out of the question that he'd end up in the pen too. The only two guys who are starters come h*** or high water are the guys making the big bucks, Gallardo and Lohse. They have less flexibility than they had before Lohse, but they still have some. Peralta has options and the Brewers have guys in line to take his spot if he doesn't perform. Not just Fiers of course, but Burgos and Thornburg as well if they are dealing in Nashville. That depth could also come in handy if there is an injury that takes someone out as it did with Narveson last year.

The Pirates just designated 1B Clint Robinson for assignment. Robinson posted 1.035 OPS in AA at age 25, then followed that up with AAA seasons of .932 and .845. I use him as just another example of a guy that mashes minor league pitching but at 28 is having his window to become a major leaguer closing. We get all excited by guys putting up big minor league numbers but the biggest jump of all is from AAA to the majors. There's a reason guys who put up big numbers in the big leagues get big bucks. There's just not a lot of guys that can do in against major league quality pitching, Pinning hopes on Morris is a gamble. Brewers know what they have in Hart. Yes, he's a lot slower than he used to be, but in reality his game is now all power, and that's what you want at 1B.

We'll see. He's not as power challenged as say a Chris Getz. I think it's possible he has some time as a regular in the big leagues. He's the type that is going to need an opening created by an injury that allows him some extended playing time. If he shows he can maintain a BA around .280+ over a significant amount of AB's, he'll probably go on to a solid career if he gets with the right team. If Weeks doesn't hold up physically the next 2 seasons, that could be the Brewers, because Brewers can void Weeks 2015 deal if he falls short of 1,200 plate appearances in 13 and 14. I doubt he'll ever be a "core" player, but starter for a year or two in different spots, sure he could.

Braun is in his prime. Gomez is entering his prime. Aoki is in his peak seasons in MLB. Segura is just starting. Weeks is in his prime. Hart is still in his prime for a year or two. Lucroy is just entering his prime. That only leaves Ramirez who's past his prime years but still productive for the position. You accumulate talent so you reap the benefits of it in its prime years. I think the window on this group is still open for 2-4 more years. Tweaking will need to be made for sure, but surrendering to a complete rebuild? Not in the foreseeable future.

I think they'll waive Santo Manzanillo or Josh Stinson or both off the 40 man for room. Stinson's had a decent spring but really he's at best a 12th man on a staff and those guys are a dime a dozen. Manzanillo only has one option left and he's more than a year away. Eventually I think Rogers will have to improve his velocity or he'll be waived or moved to the 60 day. There will be a glut of guys waived off of 40 man rosters this week. Most will make it through. It's not that big a deal. With Bianchi able to become a FA however, I suspect the Brewers won't take that chance.

Gobias, You won't get an argument from me on your point. I think Gonzalez at 1B is wrong headed. But why couldn't he just move Gonzalez to SS and play Yuni at 1B if he wants to rest Segura? We are in agreement that makes more sense. But the did win a ton of game with Yuni at SS too, which disproves most on here who had said that it was going to be a disaster. It wasn't.

The Brewers have a .593 regular season winning percentage with Betancourt not just on the roster but the starting SS. I think he's a clear upgrade on the bench over a guy (Murphy) with career numbers of .205/.270/.373, and who was booting balls this spring all over the infield.

You have a guy on third and less than two out and need a SF, Yuni's your guy.

I'd put him at 1b and let Gonzalez go back to his backup SS position. Yuni had a red hot spring for the Phillies. What this does roster wise? I'm thinking they'll try and get Bianchi through waivers. I also smell a deal cooking involving Gonzalez to a team needing a SS for an actual 1B. Brewers and Gonzalez could have had an understanding that if a team inquired about him to start, that the Brewers would try and move him.