JohnBriggs12

Let's just suppose that Beltran bounces back in the first half but as expected in mid to late July the Mets are still well out of contention. Assuming he'd waive his no trade contract, and he is owned around $7.5 for the remainder of 2011, what would it take to get Beltran and how much of the $7.5 million remaining would the Mets be willing to pick up? Beltran, assuming he's healthy, to me could be the ideal guy to give them the mid-season boost at a position of need. That's another reason I wouldn't be overreaching financially to try to upgrade at SS right now.

Alberto Collaspo put up nice numbers in 2009 for KC: .300/.356/.457. I would think the Angels will start the season with him at 3B to see if he can recapture that form before they deal a valuable chip like either Aybar or Izturis. They have the money to pursue a more established guy than McGehee too if they wanted and since they can take on salary, they wouldn't have to give up as much talent. I also don't think the Brewer lineup is deep enough to absorb the loss of McGehee especially looking ahead beyond 2011. Besides, what have you gained if you give up defense at 3B for defense at SS? Granted McGehee's not Brooks Robinson, but he's a lot steadier than Gamel. Nevertheless it's something that can be monitored for a midseason move. By then, their needs may include someone like Parra if he's indeed pitching well.

The guy drove in 78 runs last year with 47 extra base hits. I'm having a hard time wrapping my brain around some of the comments on here. Someone said he's got no power and doesn't hit for contact? He struck out 64 times in 556 AB's last year. That's 1 K every 8.7 ABs. For his career he's struck out once ever 10.5 AB. Counsell's struck out once every 7.1 AB's for his career. Someone explain to me how the value of a walk is the same with the 8th hitter and the pitcher batting behind you as it is toward the top of the order? It makes some sense to have an 8 hitter taking a walk when leading off as that sets up the pitcher to bunt him over, and that's why I'd hit Betancourt 7th. I admit I haven't seen enough of his defense. But this isn't 1970, when a guy who struck out 5 guys per 9 innings was considered a strikeout pitcher. This Brewer pitching staff will strike out a ton of hitters. Most of the balls hit in play will be in the air. The need for infield defense just isn't nearly as strong as it once was. Betancourt isn't a top SS. He's clearly a stopgap. But it just seems like people are needing to find something not to like about this team. I was as big a backer of Escobar as anyone. I think he'll be missed. But I'm not slitting my wrists or wringing my hands. I fully understand what Melvin is doing. Melvin needs to win now for his own security. If Betancourt is as bad as he's being portrayed to be, then Counsell will get more playing time. Perhaps Cruz or Farris (I completely agree that he should be given a chance at SS in AAA) will be better options or another deal will be made. But the SS on the market like Cabrera and Renteria are well past their prime. As for trading for another SS, the Brewers are essentially out of bullets that could be used without weakening the team somewhere else. With this rotation, the division isn't going to be won or lost based in April and May based solely on the play or lack of it from Betancourt or the other favorite whipping boy Gomez anyway. Offensively, it's far more important for Fielder to look more like the hitter he was in 09 than in 10, and for Hart to come close to repeating his 2010, and Lucroy to definitively prove he's got a first string catcher's bat, than it is for the SS and CF to get on at a .320 clip instead of a .290 clip.

In 2010, he was +1.3 WAR. That was virtually equal to Hardy and better than Renteria, Orlando Cabrera, Escobar, Cedeno, Theriot, Brendan Ryan, etc. I was no big fan of getting Betancourt either (though seeing the over-reaction to him he's quickly becoming one of my favorites), but to label him based on his 2 worst seasons (out of 6) just isn't fair. The guy's performed well enough to hold down a starting shortstop job in the major leagues since he was 23. That says something.

Betancourt had 5 fewer RBI than Fielder did last year. He hit .289 in back to back seasons (06 and 07) in Seattle. He's averaged 30 doubles a year over the last 5 seasons. His career fielding percentage (.970) is higher than Robin Yount (.964). Sure he doesn't walk much. So he's Ozzie Guillen with a lot more pop offensively? I agree with Melvin that down in the order, that's not such a big deal. In fact it could be considered a plus since the 4, 5 and 6 hitters figure to be on base a lot ahead of him. He's below average defensively on a team with 2 likely 200 strikeout pitchers in Greinke and Gallardo and 3 other starters that averaged 148 K's in 2010. None of their 5 starters had a GB/FB ratio of over 1. They are all basically FB, strikeout type pitchers. I don't see this as the problem it's being made out to be. If the staff was full of sinker/slider guys, yeah it would be an issue. But it's not so everyone should relax.

Jones isn't a bad idea, but I'm not sure if he can produce if he only got 175 AB's. If you prefer not to use Gamel off the bench, and want a cheap veteran lefty bat, Mark Kotsay might not be a bad choice. The Sox had a lot of outfielders last year and didn't use him defensively much, but he can certainly still play some OF. Offensively he's never been great but he's still useful.

He's worth more than that even after two "lost years". I think the Indians would want a young, close to major league ready arm in a deal for Sizemore in addition to Gomez.

Turnbow always struck me as a bit of an immature flake.. I think that appealed to many people who watched "Major League" one too many times, but Axford seems much more serious, professional and in control. I don't see the Axford losing it like that. Rolling the dice on another young guy with no closing experience is far too risky.

How does Cruz' skill set match our needs? Wasn't Melvin trying to get Eric Hinske earlier talking about the need for more power off the bench? Boggs has a little more power than Dickerson but neither would be considered power bats. Cruz hit 10 last year at AAA but he's hardly a power guy either. Then there's Counsell who's muscles up once or twice a year. Gamel's skill set on the other hand isn't that far off Hinske's. Now they may decide they can't get Gamel enough AB's in that role and/or they fear what happened with Brad Nelson a few years ago. So they may opt for a veteran if one becomes available but I doubt they are specifically looking at a RH bat. Personally, I'm of the opinion that Gamel needs to stick in the majors. He turns 26 in July and won't grow as a hitter facing AAA pitching for another season. I'd find him AB's in RF and 3B by sitting Hart and McGehee occasionally against tough right handed pitching. I'd also DH him in AL parks.

It's all about improving efficiency for Rogers. His stuff is more than good enough to get out major league hitters. But if he's hitting the 100 pitch mark in the 5th inning, he's not helping. I think if he can show he can go 6 innings in 100 pitches, then at some point, either later this year or more likely next year, he'll be in the rotation.

He's expensive and a terrible defensive SS. So why would we want him? He's so terrible he won a gold glove there in 2008, his last year as a SS. Seriously, Texas moved him off of SS for Andrus who's a defensive wizard. He's at least as good as Betancourt, and a lot better hitter and you'd only need him at SS for one more year, then he could move either to second to replace Weeks or first to replace Fielder. That being said, I think the chances of him becoming a Brewer are less than 1%.

That's a valid point if the decision were between two pitchers of equal ability. If they were to option McClendon, it should be to keep Justin James though, not Green.

One of the most imposing looking if not the most imposing looking hitters in a batters box that ever played.

Brandon Boggs is a switch hitter and probably has an inside track to a backup OF job for that very reason.

Derrek Lee will be 35 and is coming off a year where he posted a .751 OPS. He'll be lucky to improve upon that against AL East pitching.

The Brewers are number one as winter season? I'm not sure what this means. Not so much specifically the farm system as Escobar and Cain were already major leaguers and Jeffress could well have had a role this year, but they certainly surrendered a lot of young talent.

Starting pitching depth is overrated. No team with a top 3 that the Brewers have has a guy capable of stepping in for one of those guys without a huge dropoff. The Brewer depth in that area is where it should be, starting for Nashville and not pitching here and there out of the pen. I'm comfortable that Rogers, Rivas, and Dillard are all capable of coming up and making a start or two if necessary. If they lose any of the top 3 for a significant time, that's a problem. I think they need Gamel to have a role on the bench and I'd try to get him 250-275 AB's between starts at 3rd, RF, DH and as primary PH. That's basically the role they were looking at for Hinske when they were pursuing him. Get him work in the corner OF spots in spring, because if Hart or Braun go down, Gamel's the guy I'd go to. Boggs and Dickerson should be decent enough. Counsell and either Cruz or Farris are fine. Backup catcher is a concern.

I really think McClendon easily makes the Milwaukee roster over Sean Green. Green is the reincarnation of Chris Spurling. Gives up a hit an inning, doesn't have good control and is over 30.

There's really no position player under 24 that you can say in the next 3 years is a likely starting major league player. Guys like Fielder, Weeks, Braun, Hardy, etc. were as minor leaguers. My guess is that most systems have at least one or two of those types. There are some that bear watching ala Davis that could become that by the end of the season though. Likewise, there's really no one single pitcher under 24 that is considered likely to be in a rotation within 3 years. There's plenty of candidates (more so than the recent past) that could develop into that but they are not there yet. When ranking teams, I think BA puts most it's weight on the number of these types each team has. Gamel, Rogers, McClendon, Faris and Rivas will all be 25 on opening day. They could all be contributors this year, some more than others, but I would think BA no longer looks at them the same way they look at 21 and 22 year olds. If Weeks and Fielder aren't signed, they will need to fill in around a core of Braun, Hart, McGehee, and Lucroy with moderate priced FA. That should allow them to sign at least one of Marcum or Greinke to an extension. The other should bring back at least one quality young arm in a deal next year. Wolf could also be trade bait with a solid 2011.

I decided it wouldn't be good form for me to say something negative about Capuano in the thread sending him messages. But am I the only one that remembers that the duo of Capuano and Turnbow cost the Brewers a division title in 2007?

I tend to agree with the consensus that this was pre-Saito contact. If it's not, and they are truly interested, I would think Melvin would have deal in place for Parra to make room.

Seattle is actually almost 700 miles closer to Japan than is Los Angeles. San Francisco is about 300 miles closer.

Gomez batted 25 points higher and slugged 50 points higher than his season totals when batting 2nd. Though still not an ideal number 2 hitter, I think you maximize his production there. You also eliminate having a weak bottom of the order of Betancourt, Gomez, Lucroy and the pitcher. Hart did well hitting 2nd last year. He did better hitting 6th. I'd rather have a 100 RBI guy down there driving in runs.

Absolutely. The notion that backup starters can be parked in the bullpen is rather silly anyway. The Brewers are all in for 2011. The time for sentimentality in roster decisions is over. Not only is the rotation set, so is the bullpen now. Barring an injury between now and opening day, the 12 man staff likely will be: Greinke, Gallardo, Marcum, Wolf, Narveson, Parra, McClendon, Loe, Saito, Hawkins, Braddock, and Axford. Every other guy in camp is a long shot.

I like it too. They spend less than half of what they spent on Hoffman last year and barring a complete collapse (that's possible at age 41), they'll get a lot more out of Saito than they did from Hoffman in 2010. With Hawkins and Saito, neither should have to be over used.