JohnBriggs12

Even though it's preposterous, a story like that makes my palms sweat. Nobody believed the first reports about the Braves moving either that appeared in 1963. Turned out the deal was already cut. The one thing to worry about is somebody with deep pockets offering MA a deal he couldn't refuse. Still, I don't think MLB would look at Orlando as a market that could sustain major league baseball without killing another franchise (Rays) who are 90 minutes down the road.

Adding to Ennder's point, I think it's going to be very important for at least one or two pitchers in the system to step forward and be knocking on the door by the end of this season and a year from now we're looking at them as factors in Milwaukee in 2011. Rivas and Rogers are 24 now (or Rogers will be later this month) should be the likely candidates. They need one or both to earn their way to Nashville by midseason. Rogers needs to be able to throw more innings. The next group behind them, Arnett, Bucci, Scarpetta, Odorizzi, Heckathorn etc. is were the depth really lies. Hopefully, they stay healthy one of those guys is a factor by 2012 and most are by 2013. If that scenario plays out, then the payroll can be re-allocated less to mid rotation veterans and more to keeping star players in the fold.

Bragan managed the Milwaukee Braves in their final 3 seasons. For those that don't know, prior to 1965, Braves ownership announced publically they were moving to Atlanta. Only a court order kept them in Milwaukee for 1965 to honor their lease. It was a bitter time. The Braves games were being telecast all right, but to Atlanta. They did have a radio deal so we did hear the games and I as a 12-13 year old clung to the hope that a pennant was the only thing that could shame baseball into keeping the team and that was a pretty good team that was capable. Management of the team stayed far away from Milwaukee that entire season. So fairly or unfairly, the symbol of management became Bobby Bragan, in large part because of his southern roots and drawl which back then was like fingernails on a blackboard to Braves fans. I attended 7 games that year at County Stadium. Each and every time Bragan popped out of the dugout to talk to a pitcher, the fans let loose with boos. Taking their team didn't sit well with fans. So Bobby, just one more time: Boooooo! and RIP.

I don't think room on the 40 man is an issue. There are guys that are expendable on there. Dillard is probably most "on the bubble". But I can't see another major league FA deal unless they shed salary some way.

I'll say it until I'm blue in the face but there is nothing in Escobar's minor league record that indicates he won't hit. He's got the experience with over 2,500 minor league AB's. He's got over 750 professional hits. His worst offensive year was as a 19 year old in the pitching dominated Florida State League, which he returned to the following year and hit .325. He's been young for every league he's been in at every step and still has a career .293 BA. He he put up better numbers at Huntsville (.328/.363/.434) than Hardy (.279/.368/.428) did, and unlike Hardy, who's lone AAA season was cut short by injury, Escobar had the benefit of a full AAA and partial major league season before being thrown in as the everyday guy. He's also coming off a winter league season where he led the Venezuelan league in hitting.

They overpaid IMO. Not by a lot though. They are gambling they get the 08 version and not the 09 one. My guess is he'll never be the guy he was in 08 though. At least now they can put Scotty Pods at DH.

Edmonds had already lost a lot of range already in 2008. Can't imagine 2 years later, he'd regain it. He's a guy that you might want to pick up late in the year for his bat off the bench ala a Matt Stairs. But that's about it.

In 2008, Gomez hit .258, stole 33 bases, scored 79 runs and knocked in 59. Forget his OBP, if he can duplicate those numbers, he'll be an offensive contributor. The Brewers see Gomez and think Michael Bourn with a little more power potential. Bourn took a big step forward offensively and won a gold glove in CF making spectacular plays in CF. As for backups, forget guys like Edmonds. He hasn't played in 2 years and his range was gone then. The Brewers have guys they can turn to if Gomez falls flat. Gerut, Oeltjen and even Logan Schafer are available and could factor in at some point if needed.

I don't see a major drop in offense if any. I see slight upgrades at 3 positions, C, SS and 3B. Zaun's no world beater but he should outperform Kendall. Though he'll likely start in AAA, by midseason I see Lucroy taking ABs away from Zaun. My views on Escobar are well documented. I think he'll give them more consistent offense certainly than Hardy did in 09 and I think a full year from McGehee at 3B will be better than 1/3 of a year from Hall, and the mix and match that followed. The bench right now is a question mark. It's hard to expect anything close to another year like 09 from Counsell. The potential for a noticeable dropoff is in CF. But many have overestated Cameron's offensive contributions. For a middle of the order hitter with power, he wasn't a big run producer. Gomez looks pretty feeble on paper admittedly, but I don't think they'll stick with him come heck or high water. Gerut and the talent at the upper levels could push him. The rotation would appear to be improved, but lets see. I definitely expect Wolf to be an upgrade over Looper. Davis is Davis. Somehow he survives despite baserunners all over the place, but really he's no better than a 4th starter in a good rotation. Either Bush or Parra has to be better for them to have any chance though. I'm not holding my breath. I'd be willing to bet that a prospect emerges this year from AA or lower and sees time in the rotation when all is said and done. The bullpen looks strong and deep right now and if Hoffman has another year in him, I think it's the class of the division. Even if one or two guys regress a little, I think it's possible for a guy like Villanueva to bounce back and be more consistent. More than anyone, he might have suffered from overuse and changing roles. Vargas is the wild card. He sure looked comfortable in a late inning role last year. Plus there's arms that will be at AAA that might mix in at some point. The bullpen played a huge role in the early season success last year. With a little help from the starters, it could carry them further this year.

For one, I'm glad to see Pineiro out of St. Louis and out of the NL entirely. I would have preferred him over Wolf myself, especially on a 2 year deal but at least he won't torment the Brewer hitters this year. TooLiveBrew: Sheets does look like Met now doesn't he?

Very little time elapsed between the Brewers seeing Mulder "throw" and Davis being signed. Reading between the lines, I don't think Mulder blew them away.

Boy, there's an awful lot of enthusiasm for a guy who's gone 4 straight seasons with a WHIP of at least 1.5. I don't hate the move as the price wasn't steep, but I would have preferred either Garland or Washburn. Washburn has never had a WHIP over 1.5 and Garland has just once. As for the rotation, I see it as Gallardo, Wolf, Bush, Davis, and Narveson. I see Parra being traded in ST. Bush would have been in jeopardy if they had signed a right hander but he's now needed to balance things out. They just cannot have Parra and Davis in the same rotation unless they want to boost beer sales. I see Narveson getting the 5th because he's under control in future seasons, and as long as they are going to have 3 lefties in the rotation, it make sense for them to have a righthanded long man in Suppan. Plus if anyone falters they can always insert a veteran in Suppan.

On May 16, the bobblehead will feature Hall of Famer Hank Aaron hitting his 755th and final home run as a Brewer. It always bothers me that no attention is ever paid to Aaron's 754th home run. If you read his book, he lists it as one of his most memorable, way ahead of his 755th, and certainly his biggest as a Brewer. Since most of you are probably not aware of the circumstances, let me fill you in as I was there. The Brewers were struggling in 1976. Unlike 73, 74, and 75 when the Brewers stayed near the top of the standings into July, 1976 was kind of a downer. The Yankees were controlling the AL East, and the Brewers were struggling along in the cellar. But that July weekend, the Brewers were showing life for the first time all season. They had a 4 game win streak going into the 2nd game of a (gasp!) Sunday doubleheader against the visiting Texas Rangers. It was a glorious humid summer day with a big (for then) crowd of 28,000 on hand. That year was about the last I remember before Sunday doubleheaders were phased out completely. A good portion of that crowd had stuck around late in the 2nd game and saw the Brewers rally to tie it in the 9th on hits by Bernie Carbo and Robin Yount. After Bill Castro (yes, that Bill Castro) retired the Rangers in the 10th, Aaron, who had done nothing up to then in the game, sent a glorious blast over the left field wall to win the game. The crowd, sensing that they had just seen the last such moment in the career of the Home Run King, went nuts. For 5 minutes, it stood and cheered and waited for Hank to be brought out from the clubhouse for a final bow. For those of you too young, I can't possibly describe the emotion in that crowd. Remember in 1976, the abandonment of Milwaukee by the Braves and the loss of star like Aaron was still fresh in fan's minds and here 11 years later was the same Aaron that had thrilled Milwaukee so many times as a Brave was doing it one more time. It remains my favorite Brewer moment of all time that I witnessed and I witnessed a lot of them.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Mets signed both Sheets and Pineiro. That could make Maine expendable. The area they need help in is the bullpen in my opinion. They are so thin there that they are banking on a comeback from Kelvim Escobar. That's one area the Brewers have some depth both at the major league level and in AAA. Coffey and a prospect for Maine might interest them.

I think Sheets ends up with the Mets.

That's a win for the Brewers. Weeks is a bargain at that price if he's healthy. I expected a significantly larger raise. Weak market for 2B may be playing in.

I think the tradition that no player in arbitration gets a cut developed over a period of ever expanding FA salaries that was the norm for decades. In the past 2 seasons, FA contracts have shrunk. Eventually this is going to filter into the arby system as well. But to do so, teams are going to have to be willing to take it to hearings.

No actually they'd have 5 pitchers for 3 spots and in reality it would be 4 pitchers for 3 spots as Narveson would likely get pushed to the pen. Bush is by no means secure if they add a FA especially if you figure that he's the only one they could save money on by cutting.

I don't think anyone's throwing Gerut under the bus as Ennder suggests. I think there's a consensus that he's capable of putting up a lot better numbers. But it's a valid question why the Brewers would fear a hearing that might save a couple hundred thousand dollars for a guy who went from an .845 OPS in 08 that earned him $1.775 mil, to a .654 OPS in 09 and who on paper is their 4th OF. That's a pretty dramatic dropoff in production. My only conclusion is they want him happy largely because he might well turn out being an everyday player. Now as for only 1/3 of arby awards being guaranteed. That doesn't bode well for Bush if they bring in one more starter. Saving 2/3 of Bush's contract will net them around $3 million which is nearly enough to pay for a year of Davis, Garland or Washburn especially if they backload a 2 year deal.

Gerut didn't earn a raise, but for whatever reason the Brewers have always been willing to pay the couple hundred thousand extra to avoid a hearing. Doesn't make sense but that's what it is. If they'd offered $1.8, they'd have won easily. That being said, Gerut stands a good chance of playing a lot of CF. Gomez never hit over .300 or posted an OPS over .800 in the minors. He's borderline overmatched against major league pitching right now. Yes he was brought up too early. I'm all for bringing up young talent but his numbers didn't warrant it. He may need a half season at AAA to regain confidence.

Not unless it's late in spring training. The closer it gets to ST, the more teams opt to want to see what they have before dealing.

Both together don't have half the value of Fielder. If Fielder matches his 09 numbers this year, $20 million is a bargain because you just don't replace those numbers. Now if you think his normal production is about what it was in 08, then you can find guys who can approach that for a lot less. My thinking is if the Twins can afford Morneau and Mauer, at least for a few more years, then as reasonable as Braun's deal is, the Brewers should do what they can to keep Fielder and Braun together, even if it means surrounding them in the lineup with pre-arby and bargain veterans because any lineup boasting those 2 is a formidable one no matter who is surrounding them.

Garland's peripherals are putrid, he only averages mid 4s for a K9 and is now on the wrong side of 30 Warren Spahn: Career K/9 rate: 4.4, Wins after turning 30: 284. Not saying Garland is Spahn but just that K/9 isn't a true indicator of success or that 30 means anything. WHIP is much more indicative. Garland's worst year was 1.505 in the AL which matched Suppan's best as a Brewer. His career number of 1.387 defines average. Garland is an average major league starter. Last year the Brewers had one starter better than average and 4 well below average.

Counsell could have been traded in August and brought back this year. I disagree completely with Invader3K. There was no way the Brewers with their rotataion were going to catch the Cardinals. Once they traded for Holliday on July 24th, the division race was over. You had to be kidding yourself if you thought the Brewers had any chance unless you thought Wainwright and Carpenter would suddendly fall apart. Not only was the division out of reach by then, the Brewers were behind 6 teams in the Wild Card race and with their pitching really had no chance there either.

How will they cost less than Byrnes? Brewers could sign Byrnes and only be on the hook for the major league minimum. Brewers could use a veteran backup who hits righthanded.Byrnes has bounced back from poor seasons before. He went from .665 in 05 to .795 in 06. He's had poor years but even in those years he still makes contact. I doubt he'll be in the lineup much. His value would be as a veteran PH that gets his bat on the ball, and an OF that could be used in double switches. Even in an off year he posted a 1.089 OPS vs. the Cardinals, a 1.108 OPS against the Cubs and a .900 OPS against the Astros. He struggled against the Dodgers and Giants and Brewers. I think he'd be a shrewd pickup. Heether's got 3 options. He doesn't need to sit on a major league bench.