JohnBriggs12

Count me in the group that thinks Hoffman isn't a priority. I think he'll still be solid next year but I don't expect a 92% save percentage, nor do they necessarily need that as a team to win (see the Phillies). They will need to pony up to get the kind of starter that would actually make a difference. Now if they can save enough through non-tendering Bush, letting Cameron and Kendall go, and not picking up Looper's option to add a quality starter (none of which they are guaranteed to do) and keep Hoffman that's fine. But in that scenario, they'd also need to consider adding an OF bat or keeping Lopez too. I still don't understand the thinking that being 5th in runs scored is good enough. Is the goal to have the 5th best team or the best team? Sure 5th in runs scored is fine if your 1-2 in pitching but that's not happening. I also don't think Coffey would necessarily be the replacement. Vargas has looked very, very good in late inning situations (so much so that's he's earned some money too and should be retained) and there will be other less expensive relievers on the market. Chris Smith has emerged as dependable too so they have some depth in that pen to choose from. I'm not counting on Weathers either because he's near the end and not all that reliable. I also don't think Hoffman puts one fan in the seats. People don't buy tickets based on seeing a closer. Yeah, it's a neat show when he comes in which does add to the experience at a game but there's no guarantee you will see it so why would you make a ticket purchase decision based on maybe seeing the closer?

Count me in the group that thinks Hoffman isn't a priority. I think he'll still be solid next year but I don't expect a 92% save percentage, nor do they necessarily need that as a team to win (see the Phillies). They will need to pony up to get the kind of starter that would actually make a difference. Now if they can save enough through non-tendering Bush, letting Cameron and Kendall go, and not picking up Looper's option to add a quality starter (none of which they are guaranteed to do) and keep Hoffman that's fine. But in that scenario, they'd also need to consider adding an OF bat or keeping Lopez too. I still don't understand the thinking that being 5th in runs scored is good enough. Is the goal to have the 5th best team or the best team? Sure 5th in runs scored is fine if your 1-2 in pitching but that's not happening. I also don't think Coffey would necessarily be the replacement. Vargas has looked very, very good in late inning situations (so much so that's he's earned some money too and should be retained) and there will be other less expensive relievers on the market. Chris Smith has emerged as dependable too so they have some depth in that pen to choose from. I'm not counting on Weathers either because he's near the end and not all that reliable. I also don't think Hoffman puts one fan in the seats. People don't buy tickets based on seeing a closer. Yeah, it's a neat show when he comes in which does add to the experience at a game but there's no guarantee you will see it so why would you make a ticket purchase decision based on maybe seeing the closer?

Count me in the group that thinks Hoffman isn't a priority. I think he'll still be solid next year but I don't expect a 92% save percentage, nor do they necessarily need that as a team to win (see the Phillies). They will need to pony up to get the kind of starter that would actually make a difference. Now if they can save enough through non-tendering Bush, letting Cameron and Kendall go, and not picking up Looper's option to add a quality starter (none of which they are guaranteed to do) and keep Hoffman that's fine. But in that scenario, they'd also need to consider adding an OF bat or keeping Lopez too. I still don't understand the thinking that being 5th in runs scored is good enough. Is the goal to have the 5th best team or the best team? Sure 5th in runs scored is fine if your 1-2 in pitching but that's not happening. I also don't think Coffey would necessarily be the replacement. Vargas has looked very, very good in late inning situations (so much so that's he's earned some money too and should be retained) and there will be other less expensive relievers on the market. Chris Smith has emerged as dependable too so they have some depth in that pen to choose from. I'm not counting on Weathers either because he's near the end and not all that reliable. I also don't think Hoffman puts one fan in the seats. People don't buy tickets based on seeing a closer. Yeah, it's a neat show when he comes in which does add to the experience at a game but there's no guarantee you will see it so why would you make a ticket purchase decision based on maybe seeing the closer?

The value of Fielder isn't going to based on prior deals. It's going to be based on supply and demand at any given time and that's why the Brewers are better off hanging on to him for now despite what Attanasio thinks. As good as Fielder is, he's a first baseman and/or a DH and there's a lot of good hitters that occupy roster spots for the limited amount of teams that could afford Fielder beyond 2011. Ike Davis appears to be a very good prospect, and it's understandable that a team like the Mets would rather make a big splash with a proven commodity like Fielder than go with the prospect. But if they are willing to do that deal now, they'd be willing to do that deal 12 months from now too as Davis will still essentially be a prospect and Fielder will likely have had another monster season under his belt. So if Davis is a guy the Brewers covet to replace Fielder, do the deal after next season. You'd get another year out of Fielder and have Davis closer to being able to be his replacement.

Duchscherer is more than an injury risk. He's not pitching now because he's battling clinical depression. Pineiro = Hudson, not Suppan. Look at Pineiro's first couple years in Seattle. He was 30-18 with a 3.52 ERA as a 23-24 year old. That's a 2 year stretch better than any Suppan has had. What's impressive about Pineiro is he's leading the NL in both fewest walks per 9 innings and fewest HR per 9 innings. That's an incredible double that I doubt has ever been accomplished. Usually guys that don't walk guys give up a fair amount of HR. It will probably take numbers similar to what Lowe got from the Braves, but he's younger than Lowe and Brewers would get the added benefit of taking him away from the Cardinals. For the Brewers to have a realistic chance next season, not only do they have to get better but the Cardinals have to take some hits. Right now there is a pretty big gap between the Brewers and the Cardinals. The article doesn't even mention Jason Marquis. His 09 season might be as impressive as Pineiro in that he's pitched in Coors and only allowed 15 HR in 206 IP. Both Marquis and Pineiro have been going deep in games. Suppan as an innings eater was always a myth at least since his days in Kansas City. He was a 6 inning pitcher in St. Louis even in 2006. If Hudson's available, I'd be happy with one of Hudson, Pineiro or Marquis. These guys are all ground ball machines, especially Hudson and Pineiro.

Weeks playing 2B doesn't preclude them from signing Lopez. Lopez can play 2B, SS and 3B and has played OF in a pinch. With Weeks back the starters at those positions include McGehee, who will be coming off knee surgery and has had one season in the majors, Escobar who will be in his first full season, and who is not the finished product either physically or offensively, and Weeks who has suffered from nagging or worse injuries for much of his career. Having 4 starter quality players for 3 positions is workable. Remember 06, when they started the year with Koskie, Hall, Hardy and Weeks? Hall appeared to be the odd man out but he ended up playing everyday at SS. There's 486 starts at those positions in a season. Divided up by 4 and that's over 120 starts per man and that's assuming no injuries which isn't likely. Now some will counter that Counsell, who will be 40 next year, can handle the backup role. Maybe, but should one guy go down, do we really want a 40 year old Counsell playing every day? My assumption in all this is that Gamel is either traded or moved to the OF where he will start the year playing in Nashville and eventually be starting in RF for the Brewers. It also goes without saying that Hardy has been dealt. It also would not make sense to bring back Counsell under this scenario. The 6th infielder job would go to either Iribarren or Heether, both of whom are minimum salary guys.

Villanueva wasn't that bad. His peripherals nearly matched what he did in 08. He was certainly better than McClung. Villanueva's WHIP of 1.41 is much better than McClung's 1.633. Villanueva also had more K's per 9 innings, a better K/BB ratio, and fewer HR per 9 innings. The stretch that "Mclung did well in the bullpen" wasn't any longer than the 2 seperate good stretches Villanueva put up. As a reliever, Villanueva has had scoreless outings in 71.9% of his appearances. That number is closer to Coffey's 75.7% rate of scoreless relief appearances than it is McClung's 59.4%. If Villanueva's a D (I'd give him a C- or a D+), then McClung is a D-. I also thing your grade on Rivera is off. His numbers are pretty average for a backup catcher, so he should be a C, not a D. Otherwise, the grades are pretty well on save Bush who I'd give a D- based on results vs. expectations.

You are crazy Invader3K. Why should the Brewers help the Cubs get out from under a bad contract? You think it's any better of a contract if he's a Brewer? I think not. He's got talent but you said it yourself, he's a head case. Who needs that for $75 million over the next 4 years? Besides, if they were dumb enough to do it, it would free the Cubs up to upgrade elsewhere. I certainly wouldn't do it.

Kawakami is not a bad idea. His numbers across the board are those of a solid #3, not a #4 as Hate those Rodents suggest and he keeps the ball in the park pretty well which I think the Brewers see as a priority. I think the Brewer strategy realistically is to add two #3's, one through trade and one through FA and hope one pitches like a #2 like Pineiro and Marquis did this year. I like how the Brewers match up trade-wise with Texas myself. Texas could lose Byrd to FA (Byrd is an excellent target for Brewers too if they deal Hart), and the guy I think would target is Brandon McCarthy, who's got 2-3 stuff and is younger but who's had a variety of injuries but is now healthy. His numbers look like a #4, but that's in the AL. I think he'd do very well in the NL.

I doubt the Astros would trade him in the division. If you assume the Brewers can afford to add a pitcher for $15 million per year over the next 2 years, then can't you assume they could afford another $30 million over the 2 years after that? If so, that should be enough to land another in-division FA starter who's a year younger than Oswalt, is coming off a much better year, and won't cost anything in players other than possibly a draft pick. That guy is Pineiro. Now $60 million/4years for Pineiro is a stretch but he possesses something the Brewers covet. He keeps the ball on the ground and doesn't give up a lot of HR and taking him away from St. Louis weakens the best staff in the division.

I sure don't always agree with X ellence but he sure makes some good points about Bush. We know Suppan will be back. It's likely that Looper will too. I'm fine with those two as 4 and 5 starters but that's a ton to spend on those spots. Bush has not shown me he's a number 3 so why commit real money to keep him? Ideally, they'd be able to include him in a deal for a legit younger and cheaper #3 with Hardy or Hart. On the off chance that either of those guys brings back a #3 by themselves, I could see going the non-tender route to open up that spot and save some money because they are also going to need to fill the #2 spot via free agency with a guy who's probably more of a 3 than a 2 (but that's another matter). That would leave Parra as the 6th guy (depth guy). I'd prefer having Parra at #6 than Bush because he's cheaper might still have some upside, and they could use another lefty in the pen if that's how it works out. Non-tendering a player isn't "just letting him go". Saving several million dollars that could more wisely be used elsewhere is a return.

I've always liked Mike, but he's a backup that should be playing a couple times a week. He might be okay splitting time but really, I'd like them to find a true starter who's better than Kendall or Rivera. It's the one position other than SP where they have room for a huge upgrade. Both Salome and Lucroy are prospects but not sure things and both would appear to need another year in the minors. I think Salome can hit well enough, but 10 errors and 8 PB in 72 games tell me he's not ready yet. I've suggested Brewers go after Kurt Suzuki (see trade thread). I'm not sure Oakland would be anxious to deal him so the Brewers would have to pony up. But he represents the type of guy who could be a true upgrade. Other guys that could be had all don't seem to be any better than Kendall. Schneider was worse than Kendall this year and turns 33 in November. No thanks. Earlier I thought Chris Snyder might be a good buy low pickup but he's been awful this year. Maybe he'd be worth a shot, but I wouldn't give up anything of value.

Win each series, especially vs. the 3 playoff teams remaining on the schedule. Not that it accomplishes much though it would likely get you to .500 too, but it's a boost going into the long off-season to have finished off the year winning series vs. 3 of the 4 playoff teams.

I heard this morning that the players union may file a grievance on behalf of Bradley. I would expect the Cubs to eat his remaining contract and try to fill his spot through some combination of Fuld, Colvin, Hoffpauir or Fox who are all minimum wage guys which softens the financial blow. While none of those guys is likely to set the world on fire, they figure just not having Bradley around will help the clubhouse considerably. Where the Cubs are really in trouble is with the underachieving Soriano who looks like he may be nearing the end at age 33, and who they owe $18 million a year for 5 more years. He's not the clubhouse cancer Bradley is, but imagine paying that much for a .726 OPS from your LF? Their two best players this year, Lee and Lilly, are FA after next year too.

I have to disagree, they had a number of guys overachieve like Bourn and Wandy that offset those bad players. That was easily a sub .500 team to start the year and I honestly expected them to be fighting it out for last place. I'll give you Bourn though he wasn't that big of a surprise given his talent, but Rodriguez was very good last year. What he did this year is no surprise. Berkman's been one of the premier hitters in baseball. He fell far short of his norms. Oswalt has been a top NL pitcher this entire decade and while not awful, he was far from the ace he's been. Where would the Brewers be if Fielder had 73 RBI right now? Berkman has meant as much to that team as Fielder has to the Brewers.

I disagree that they overachieved. Oswalt and Berkman had their worst years ever. Normal years from them and they keep I-Rod all year, and they're an 85-88 win team easily.

Look most Brewer fans follow the Packers with the same passion they follow the Brewers. Packers play 16 regular season games. Brewers play 10 times that many. It's simple math. The more meaningful game by far is the Packer game and that was clearly going to be the case for the past 6 weeks at least. 30,000 is a rather remarkable turnout if you ask me.

Yeah, those guys that drive in 100 every year are a dime a dozen.

There's no guarantee Gamel will be in the big leagues for 3 years much less 6. The Brewers have alternatives the next few years at 3B. They have only two prospects at C that could possibly perform as starters at some point. EL Caballo, you want to compare Kendall with Suzuki? Suziki's slugging .412. Kendall's "slugging" .288. That more than makes up for 17 points of OBP. (Suzuki's OBP is actually .308 to Kendall's .325 as of today). Suzuki has scored 67 runs and driven in 79. That's 146 runs he's been part of for Oakland. Kendall's scored 44 and driven in 34. That's 78 total, a difference of 68 total runs. Suzuki is also 9 years younger than Kendall, and right in his prime. He's far from a stopgap. He would give the Brewers the best catching situation they've had this decade. In an ideal world if you were going to trade Gamel, sure you'd want a major league ready starting pitcher who projects as a 1 or 2 starter. You might have been able to get that had Gamel been lights out this year at AAA. But even then, teams are reluctant to give up really good young pitching. But he wasn't lights out. He was surpassed by McGehee on the Brewer depth chart and likely will start 2010 back in Nashville. Unless his numbers improve significantly there next year, his status a prospect will drop considerably. Yes the big need for the Brewers is starting pitching, but they also have a hole to fill behind the plate which hasn't been adequately addressed during Melvin's tenure. Suzuki had an OBP last year of .346. For a catcher that's well above average. So he gave up taking some pitches to become more of run producer? He'd likely to hit 7th were he to become a Brewer and with the 8th (Escobar) and 9th spots behind him, OBP is not as valuable as having a guy who can drive in runs.

Once a player produces at the major league level, what he didn't do in the minors becomes almost totally irrelevant. Would it make you feel better if he had? Good minor league seasons aren't necessarily predictors of major league success. Part of the purpose of playing in the minor leagues is learning to improve as a player. McGehee's numbers didn't fall off as he moved up. In fact, they generally got better the higher up he went so there is evidence he was learning something. There's no guaranty that any player won't fall off. But McGehee's earned a major league job. Gamel can do it, but he's still got work to do. His OPS was .839 at AAA this year. That might be better than McGehee did in 08 McGehee did drive in 92 runs in AAA last year showing a knack for the big hit that's carried over in the majors.

Suzuki's in his prime (he'll be 27 in 2010) and a year away from arby. He puts up solid numbers for a catcher (78 RBI). Oakland has a need for a young 3B. They have a former 1st rounder, Landon Powell to replace Suzuki.

I think everyone agrees that they have to bring in a starter via trade or FA if not 2. That guy will have one of 5 slots. They can conceivably bring back all 5 guys from this year, but at least one would have to pitch out of the pen assuming all started the year healthy. Now one time mediocre starters can make very serviceable relief pitchers. Claudio Vargas is a prime example right now. The question is do you want to pay a premium for guys that are just as likely to be middle relievers because they had recently been starters. They don't have a choice with Suppan, but they do with Looper. Bringing back all 5 current starters and expecting anything different than what happened this year is the definition of insanity (doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result).

I'm not anti-Gerut by any means. I think one reason I like Byrd is that Hart matches up with some teams that have pitching to deal that Hardy doesn't and it would give Melvin more options in dealing for pitching or that overlooked need, catching. If they added a Byrd, they wouldn't be forced to keep Hart if they let Cameron go. I think an OF of Braun, Gerut and Byrd might be pretty decent as both Gerut and Byrd could play CF. Gerut as a 4th OF is a nice option too.

I disagree that he "frequently misjudges the trajectories of balls" or that he's a below average LF. Apparently obsessedwithbrewcrew hasn't seen some of the stiffs out there on other teams. What he's he's still learning is when to go all out on a ball in front of him and when it's best to play safe. His tendency is to dive for balls in situations where it's better to give up the single and hold the man on first. Other than that he's a pretty good outfielder. It's not that big a stretch that he could play CF but he'd need a couple ST first. I don't think it's in the plans though.

One of the primary arguments made for bringing back Cameron is the lack of alternatives in CF. Byrd will be a FA and might be a guy worth pursuing if the price is right. Sure, he's not a world beater and like all Texas numbers, they have to be measured a bit, but he's a solid major league OF. Heck, even if they did bring back Cameron, a guy like Byrd would certainly allow them to deal Hart.