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JohnBriggs12

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Everything posted by JohnBriggs12

  1. JohnBriggs12
    I don't think Howard even compares to Prince. When Howard was the age Prince is now, he was in the minors. Howard also strikes out at a Russell Branyan rate. There is no way he can maintain a BA over a career above around .270. Is Prince big? You bet. Is Carlos Lee big? He sure is. Can the both hit? Definitely.
  2. JohnBriggs12
    Until we see him I don't think we can assume Fukudome isn't an upgrade. The Cubs certainly think he is. He's replacing Jacque Jones and Cliff Floyd, so it's not a stretch to think he's better than them. We do know he's better defensively. Soto should be better than what they got out of Barrett and Kendall. He could be a lot better. It could be argued both Soriano and Lee underachieved last year. Sure they're both over 30, but still capable of monster years. Other than perhaps Lilly, by a small margin, I don't think any of their starters overachieved last year. Zambrano's certainly capable of better numbers. Their pen remains solid and deep with few question marks. Marmol's stuff is electric. Uncle Lou isn't what he was, but Yost isn't in his class. Look, they're not unbeatable but I think nationally they are seen as clear favorites. Can a case be made for the Brewers? No question. But as much as I want to say the Brewers are the best, it all comes down to the health of Ben Sheets in my mind, and even with no arm problems he misses games and that bothers me more than anything.
  3. JohnBriggs12
    Ennder, You're right that this team should win 3 or 4 more games. The problem is that leaves them with 86-87 wins which won't be enough. The Cubs played .580 ball over the last 100 games. Translate over a full season, that's 94 wins. Last year at this time, they were coming off of a last place finish. Now they have everyone back, a manager that knows his team, and they've added a little here and there (and are still looking for more). The opportunity to "steal" a division with 85-87 wins doesn't come along every year. The hope (as it always is) rests with the health of one Ben Sheets. If he ever made 33 or 34 starts, this could be a 92-95 win team. But we're more skeptical than ever about that happening based on what we saw in 07. We've also now seen Yost in a pennant race, and that doesn't make us too confident either.
  4. JohnBriggs12
    I agree with Wiggum. You aren't going to replenish a farm system with one draft no matter how many picks you have. I don't think however, dealing guys like Vargas or Turnbow or both who make over $3 million will bring you anything of real value. The real value in trading those guys is saving their salaries. In fact, I think both right now go into spring training as strictly insurance policies in case of injury to other pitchers. If everyone gets through spring healthy, they stand a good chance of being dumped to anyone who offers anything. In fact, Melvin might even have to gamble and waive them and hope someone is willing to claim them and their salaries.
  5. JohnBriggs12
    Except for Turnbow, all of those guys have at one time or another come back after poor major league seasons and been very effective and even Turnbow made some improvement from 06 to 07. Mota in particular has followed up bad years with exceptionally good seasons. He's done that more than once. Torres went from 7-5, 4.76 in 03 to 7-7, 2.64 in 04. Gagne is further removed from serious arm problems and was very good for Texas for 4 months last season. Furthermore, they don't need all of them to be great, just 2 of Gagne, Torres, Mota, and Turnbow, and as long as Riske performs close his level last year, that will give them 3 solid veteran short relievers. The roles may end up having to be shuffled at some point, and they don't have a very good manager using them, but all in all it should be a better pen. Plus they have a wild card in McClung who could figure in there too. As to logan's concerns about multiple inning pitchers, somebody will have that role. It could be Capuano. It could be Vargas. It could be both those guys if they trade another bullpen arm. Torres in the past has been more than a one inning guy. What logan brings up though speaks to the Turnbow situation. If all the guys they acquired perform to expectations, Turnbow has no role because he can't go beyond one inning. That's why I think he can still be traded.
  6. JohnBriggs12
    It wouldn't matter whether a game were included with a package or not. This is the internet age. People buy "ticket packages" often with the intent of reselling some of those tickets at a premium online. Heck there were plenty of Giant fans at Lambeau Sunday. A Packer season ticket holder could practically finance his entire season by selling a playoff game at triple the face value. It happens all over.
  7. JohnBriggs12
    I wouldn't call any of the guys they picked up "reclamation projects". I'd call them "bounce back" candidates, because all have had success at this level over a period of time and performed below career norms in 07. There's also a lot to be said for experience when games are on the line and these guys have it.
  8. JohnBriggs12
    Well said Tbadder. I might look to try to bolster the upper level arms supply with guys who at least project to bottom of order starters or setup relievers.
  9. JohnBriggs12
    The name that keeps coming to my mind is Brandon Inge. Detroit wants to unload him. And though their rotation is set, they really lack a veteran who could fill in if a starter goes down. I still think Inge could catch and actually press Kendall as a starter on the Brewers and haven't the Brewers become kings of the position switch? He's got a big contract, but if you unload an arby eligible pitcher, you at least make Detroit take money back.
  10. JohnBriggs12
    splitterpfj, Tommy John came up as a hardthrowing lefty and a good one. He was dealt by the White Sox for Dick Allen, one of the biggest stars of the game at the time. That gives you an idea of his value. The Sox were desperate for offense and a gate attraction in those days. That he basically re-invented the way he pitched and actually became more successful is one of the most remarkable stories in the history of the game. But even if he didn't do that, his numbers are HOF worthy in my opinion. He won 52 games after turning 40. Other than the great Warren Spahn who won 75 after his 40th birthday, that was unheard of prior to that time.
  11. JohnBriggs12
    Absolutely Tommy John belongs in the HOF. The argument against is his strikeout total? What difference does it make how you get guys out? Also that he took more years to get 288 wins than Blyleven did to get 287? John missed a year and a half in the prime of his career. Had he been healthy he would have had 310 wins. He was cost another 6-8 wins by the strike in 1981 which wiped out two months of that season. Besides 288 wins is a lot and deserving on it's face. Not only did he win one more game than Blyleven with virtually the same ERA, he also had a significantly better winning percentage .554 to .534. His winning percentage was comparable to Don Sutton's .558. He also compiled a 4-1 record in the World Series with a glittering 2.08 ERA. Compare that to Sutton's 2-3, 5.26. He did benefit from playing for some good Yankee and Dodger teams but he also was hurt playing for three of the worst teams of all time, the White Sox from 68-70. John also wasn't a bad hitter, with 5 career HR and 54 career RBI though half his career was with a DH. During the time the Yankees were big time Brewer rivals, there was nobody better against the best Brewer teams of all time. John was 17-9 with a 3.13 ERA vs. the Brewers of Cooper, Molitor, Yount, etc. On that alone, I've got him in the HOF. The Brewers had much better luck against Ron Guidry. John would frustrate the heck out of the best hitters in the game.
  12. JohnBriggs12
    We need a third baseman, not a left fielder. We have a third baseman who was just Rookie of the Year.
  13. JohnBriggs12
    sbrylski, Did you read my initial post on this thread? Texas just traded the guy listed as their 5th starter on the team's website. They now need another starter (ala Vargas or Capuano) to fill that slot. Texas could not trade Catalanotto prior to today because they had no adequate replacement for him so any inquiry would have been rebuffed. Now not only do they have another left handed hitting outfielder in Hamilton, they are short one more starting pitcher. Catalanotto's contract is modest for a veteran. It's far below what Jenkins just signed for yet he provides the better contact and on base skills that is needed in this lineup. Any salary he has would be offset by their taking Capuano or Vargas in return.
  14. JohnBriggs12
    Colbyjack, I've been following this very closely and I don't recall one quote where Melvin said anything about "preferring" a 3B. I did read where he was somewhat frustrated that he couldn't find the OF bat he was looking for so he expanded his search to include the "possibility" of adding a 3B, and moving Braun to LF. It was posters here that jumped on the Rolen rumor to conclude that Braun to LF was set in stone.
  15. JohnBriggs12
    Can he play 3B regularly? No? And that, Melvin has said he's looking either for a LF or a 3B. In fact he was looking for a LF before he even considered 3B but none were available at his price that fit his description. It was only then he started looking at 3B. Well now Catalanotto might be available. Nobody on the Brewers has ever said Braun is definitely moving off 3B.
  16. JohnBriggs12
    Catalanotto is a far, far more accomplished hitter than Gross and far closer to the description that Melvin says he wants. He's been a regular platoon guy his entire career. Gross has been a bench guy. As a number 2 hitter in his career, Catalanotto has posted .299/.359/.451 in over 1500 AB's. He fits Brewer needs to a tee. He's lefthanded. He plays LF. He's tough to strike out (as opposed to Gross). He gets on base (.359 career).
  17. JohnBriggs12
    Hmmm. Texas now has Hamilton and Bradley in the OF and Ben Broussard at 1B and Blalock at 3B. That's a lot of lefthanded bats. I cannot imagine why they'd need Frank Catalanotto now. And they surely could use a starting pitcher. Is it possible that Melvin will re-unite Catalanotto and Kapler as his LF platoon?
  18. JohnBriggs12
    I disagree. He'll be 38 years old in August. He hasn't hit .265 since 2002. If you look at his 06 splits, he hit .152 after August 1st of that season. Counsell got every ounce out of his ability but even that ability has been fading. The best we should expect would be to slightly rebound and hit .235 to .240 but even that's a stretch. His approach is to pull everything. He lacks the tools to have success doing that at his age. As for the bench as a whole, it was bound to be less experienced (re: cheaper) as the everyday players and pitchers start to earn more. This year they had to spend on the bullpen. Last year they spent as much as any team in the league on the bench. They can't afford to keep that up.
  19. JohnBriggs12
    The platoon idea with current players is a last resort. But if it came to that, I'd prefer Gwynn over Gross. Look Gwynn is not his dad. But he does bring something to the table especially on defense. Gross was somewhat of a butcher in the OF and when he was used in a platoon late in the year, his offensive production dropped after two weeks of steady play. He's useful, but as a backup corner guy. Gwynn would give speed to the lineup. If he batted 2nd, ahead of Braun and Fielder, he'd see fastballs almost exclusively and I think he'd hit close to .300. He wouldn't walk much because he's not a power threat and pitchers will come right after him. But with a .300 BA, it doesn't take many walks to get that OBP to respectable .340-.350 level. If you dropped him down to 8th ahead of the pitcher, I doubt he'd hit more than .270 or so. But his speed is still useful in that spot too. Finally, if he failed, you could always go back to Gross who's a more known quantity. Conversely if Gross were to fail, then you're option is Gwynn. I like it better the other way around.
  20. JohnBriggs12
    The O's now need a shortstop. Bill Hall? I don't think Hall and Capuano would get you Bedard. But Hall and Villanueva could. Yeah that's a lot but think of a rotation of Bedard, Sheets, Gallardo, Suppan and either Parra or Bush. And you'd still have pieces to get the LH bat either at 3rd or LF. Edit: How about Hall, Villanueva and Capuano or Hall, Parra, and Vargas for Bedard and Aubrey Huff.
  21. JohnBriggs12
    Blalock in a lineup that includes Weeks, Hall, Braun, Hart, Kendall, and Hardy, isn't going to hurt you that much against the occasional lefty batting down in the order where he'd get at most 3 and quite often 2 plate appearences. His overall numbers vs. lefties are .230/.285/.354. Not good but it's not like he can't get a hit now and then and then be there later in games to face right handed relievers. The NL Central's best pitchers are predominantly right handed. Having a lefthanded bat to compliment Fielder is a plus.
  22. JohnBriggs12
    I'm fine with Blalock. Sure he's had some home/road split issues, but I think batting in that Brewer order, he's going to thrive. I hate to give up completely on Braun at 3B though. I'd still start Braun there against lefties occasionally just to keep future options open (such as when LaPorta comes up to play LF). It's time to turn the page on Turnbow. He needs a change of scenery. McClung has similar stuff without the baggage. They could also use a roster spot for a 2nd lefty (either Choate or Stetter).
  23. JohnBriggs12
    Why would Hardy be moved to 3B? His range is below average. In fact his range factor of 4.0 was lowest among NL shortstops with at least 1,000 innings played. Who replaces him? Baseballamerica projects Escobar there in 2011. Personally, I think Brent Brewer eventually is the guy 3 or 4 years down the road. Yeah he made a ton of error last year, but he was just 19 playing full season ball.
  24. JohnBriggs12
    Hardy will be a 3rd baseman sooner or later, but I doubt Weeks ends up there.
  25. JohnBriggs12
    Where did my post say Parra AND Villanueva? My post said "count me in for Parra OR Villanueva" TCSM, that inning here and there is often the difference between winning and losing and it's currently manned on this staff by either Riske (who's never been a full time closer) or Turnbow. Nuff said.
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