JohnBriggs12

No he's not. You don't see him sitting and talking to other infielders, all of whom are veterans and don't really need his "guidance". He's not talking to Roenicke during a game discussing strategy. What coaching is he doing? He's taking up a valuable roster spot that should be someone else's,

Clinching early so you can set your rotation is more important than seeding.

Ok, we've got a thread for Giambi and Stairs and even Overbay. Some have mentioned Thome. But the guy I want is Matsui who has been on an absolute tear recently (24 for his last 47). Yeah, it might take a little more to get him since he's been a regular DH, but who wouldn't want to see Matsui stroll to the plate late in games instead of Kotsay or heaven forbid, Counsell.

Barmes had earlier stated he hoped to re-sign with the Astros in the off season. With all the holes they have to fill with youngsters elsewhere, the Astros are going to need a veteran or two, and they will be hard pressed to lure free agents there. If they dealt Barmes, they might lose the inside track to re-sign him.

I'd rather trade for Matsui, Giambi or Thome to be that late inning threat off the bench.

I think you are missing his point. While Stairs is likely done, a veteran LH bat to bring up late in games is certainly better use of a roster spot than is Wilson or certainly Counsell. Here's 3 to ponder: Hideki Matsui, Jason Giambi, Jim Thome

Man, you love your small samples. They continuously lead you astray but you never seem to notice. Here are two off the top of my head: http://brewersfandemonium...ne-talk-me-off-the-ledge http://brewersfandemonium...allardo-tipping-pitches- You have to admit that both look silly in retrospect, right? ZiPS ROS ERA Projections: Greinke: 3.18Marcum: 3.53Gallardo: 3.57Wolf: 4.15Narveson: 4.50 Nerveson is an excellent #5 but he is clearly a step down from the first four starting pitchers. It might make sense to start skipping him soon. And you are the master of the overstatement: Compare these two pitchers lines over the last 2 seasons and tell me who is a step down from who? Pitcher A: 354 1/3 innings, 349 hits (8.8 per 9 innings), 44 Home Runs allowed (1.1 per 9 innings), 238 K (6.0 per 9 innings), 135 BB (3.4 per 9 innings), 1.37 WHIP, team record in starts: 28-28 Pitcher B: 294 2/3 innings, 302 hits (9.2 per 9 innings) 32 Home Runs allowed (1.0 per 9 innings), 242 K (7.4 per 9 innings), 106 BB (3.2 per 9 innings), 1.38 WHIP, team record in starts: 26-24 Pitcher A: Randy Wolf Pitcher B: Chris Narveson "Clearly a step down"? I don't think so. Small sample? Again, I don't think so.

Brewers' remaining road schedule is very soft. Every road trip but one includes one series against either Astros or Cubs. The lone exception isn't that daunting either with the Beltran-less Mets and what I expect to be a slumping Pirate outfit. Why skip Narveson? He's 2-1 with a 2.93 ERA in his last 5 starts. In his career, he's 6-2 with a 3.29 ERA in August and September. Brewers are 9-2 in Narveson's last 11 starts.

"Brewers/Cards have 12 left, so one of them is going to lose" The trouble for the Reds is they have to overcome both, and one is going to win too. Brewers have 12 games left vs. Astros and Cubs and 9 vs. Pirates who they've owned. I think they'll pass the Bucs, but I don't see them overcoming either the Brewers or the Cards much less both.

Of that group, I like Byrdak or Gonzalez. I'm not a big Grabow fan. Gonzalez' ERA is high, but his lefty/lefty splits are still good and that's in the AL East.

Thornton isn't really a loogy. He's a power guy who's equally effective vs RHB. He's also owed $5.5 million in each of next two seasons. His numbers this year aren't great but a he was snake bit early on as a closer giving up a lot of bloop hits, and bleeders through the infield and that got to him mentally a bit. Picking him up might be a move not just for this year. Ohman is more a pure loogy. He surrendered 6 runs in his first two outings of the year and since has been pretty solid. Either guy has value if they can get through waivers. My sleeper is Tim Byrdak from the Mets. He's been pretty solid this year and in a series vs. Cincy last week he was brought in twice to face Jay Bruce with men on base and he fanned him both times.

I agree with a lot of what's in your post beyond these two points, and I think some people have tended to evaluate DM with one-sided negativity. But: (1) You're completely missing the point about why the Carroll move stinks. Hairston, right now, is probably our best option at four positions: cf platoon partner, 2b, ss, and 3b. Obviously he can't play all four. Lopez is decent cover for 2b, as these things go. Carroll was decent cover for the cf platoon, as these things go. At ss and 3b, we have . . . well, we know what we have. Dumping Carroll forces the cf platoon to the top of Hairston's to-do list. This is especially inexcusable when we're carrying not one, not two, but three bad shortstops. Even if you think Yuni should get more rope, there's no strategic value in carrying both Wilson and Counsell over Carroll. (2) Your "beyond rational" accusation is ridiculous. You really think "all" (your word) of those carefully thought-out assessments of Melvin's mistakes are entirely outside the realm of reason? That they're random collections of nonsensical words? Come on. There's a big, really important difference between "not what I think" and "not rational," and when you ignore that difference, your own credibility suffers a lot, at least IMHO. I totally agree that neither Counsell nor Wilson serve any purpose whatsoever on this roster and they just tempt Roenicke to occasionally use them. They'd be better off with Carroll and Farris. Farris at least has some value as a PR (something that is missing without Gomez), and Carroll was likely to provide solid D and at least as much offense as Gomez. Plus that would have freed up Hairston to move all around the IF.

Honestly I think you are right about the fans but wrong about Betancourt. Appearing to lolllygag isn't the same as actually lollygagging. The greatest player ever to wear a Milwaukee uniform "appeared" to lollygag. That's Hammerin Hank Aaron. Read his book "I had a Hammer". Aaron was crucified as a lazy player early in his career, for the simple reason his gait was loping and he didn't dive after balls. People contrasted that understated style to the flamboyant Willie Mays at the time. I've never seen Betancourt lollygag. A lot of guys fake effort. That's easy to do. Yuni isn't one of them. Betancourt doesn't dive after balls he has no chance to get to (by the way Hardy didn't either). He runs hard on the bases. Believe me if he were actually lollygagging, it wouldn't be accepted in the clubhouse. Betancourt by all accounts is very popular with his teammates. It was reported he spent a lot of extra time in the cage working on staying back on pitches. It's paying off. Fans need to give it a rest.

Killing the team? They look pretty alive to me. They are 10-6 since the break, back in 1st place, and Betancourt's offense has been a factor.

They won't DFA the SS with the highest BA in the NL over the last month and a .974 OPS since the break. Melvin traded for Betancourt. Do you honestly think he'd DFA him now? I don't see it. They may pick up another IF if they can get one cheap, but it's no certainty that he'd even take over the starting SS job as long as Yuni is hitting. Counsell is hanging by a thread.

Perhaps this is wishful thinking, but after pondering it for 24 hours, it's possible the Brewers came to the conclusion they don't need to save a roster spot in case of a deal, that releasing Counsell is the next logical step to free up room.

Part of being "done" is not being able to overcome what professional athletes have to deal with. Travel is part of the game. Counsell is done. Release him, eat his remaining salary.

Just DFA him already. Better yet, release him outright. My goodness, we aren't talking about a HOFer. Good guys and much better players have been released outright at the end of their careers throughout the history of the game. I remember when the Brewers picked up one time Milwaukee Brave Felipe Alou at the end of his career. Fans had warm feelings about him too. He was released after 3 AB's for the Brewers for one simple reason: he was done and so is Counsell. You'd be doing him a favor saving him from further embarrassment.

I think Farris is just a temporary move until they complete a deal for Carroll (hopefully) or Barmes to play 2B. Unfortunately it probably means they'll stick Counsell out there again. Ugh! Farris is better offensively than Counsell by a long shot, but Roenicke has blinders on. Farris is already on the 40 man and Green is not. That may be a factor too.

They should bring up both Taylor Green and Eric Farris, and DFA Counsell, until they can get Jamey Carroll in a deal, when you send Farris back down. Rotate Green between 2B and 3B and Carroll between 2b and SS. Carroll makes more sense than Barmes because he's a good option to lead off. With Weeks down, Hart will be needed in the middle of the order.

No, Green would play. One reason he hasn't been up yet is just such an occurance. He's been playing everyday and there's no reason to have him up sitting. On the other hand this might prompt the deal for either Barmes or Carroll who instead of replacing Yuni, would play 2B.

I don't see Rasmus as a major loss for the Cardinals. Jay is capable of playing CF and he's having a better year anyway. Plus I don't think they'll have a problem getting another OF somewhere.

Reno is and always has been a hitters paradise. I happened to be there on business in 1992, and took in a game between the Stockton Ports (then a Brewers affiliate) and the Reno Silver Sox. The final score was something like 26-17 in favor of Stockton. Pena is putting up big numbers for Reno. But so is 35 year old middle infielder Cody Ransom, who's numbers read: .331/.412/.657 with 26 HR and 89 RBI. As a team, Reno is hitting .314/.394/.530. That's a team OPS of .924! Virtually every regular is hitting over .300. Take the Pena numbers with a huge grain of salt.

Great tweet from Joel Sherman (who's been tweeting that Brewers are still pursuing Beltran) quoting an AL executive as saying "Mark Attanasio is a go-for-it guy. He has a big market gene." Exactly why I don't think Fielder in 100% certain to be playing elsewhere in 2012.

Hello, the White Sox are 3 1/2 games back with 60 to play. I think that qualifies them as "in the race".