JumpinMacFlash

I think they had the same issue in 2005 (?) when Beltran was selected for the AL team and then was traded to Houston. For the record, he played on the NL team and I believe he was selected by the staff.

Isn't Errecart injured?

With Price coming up next year he could be replaced in their rotation and he's their 3rd best pitcher behind Kazmir and Garza. That might be true, but why would they replace Shields? Why wouldn't they keep Kazmir, Garza, Shields and Price in the rotation and replace one of Andy Sonnanstine or Edwin Jackson? Kazmir signed an extension and they control Garza and Shields for four more years (right?). I don't know why they would trade one of their starters. In the AL East, I don't know why they would want to deplete their major league team. I would like Shields, but I don't know why they would want Fielder. Pena is signed to a reasonable deal and Fielder would cost a lot in the coming years. I would think they would rather invest their money in the pitching.

I would think that if Prince were traded, it would probably be likely that LaPorta would take over at first. It just seems odd that Melvin would promote someone from AA. There was also talk of Escobar coming from AA. How often has he done that? Not many that I can remember. He's always taken players a level at a time when they get higher up in the minors. I guess there's always exceptions.

Roll the dice and let's play some October/November baseball... I agree completely, I'm a fan of trading for Sabathia. I totally understand the reasoning for the Linebrink trade. Anyone could see we needed the bullpen help. At the time, Inman was one of our highest-rated prospects, and people were upset with him being included for what would probably be a rental and maybe only 30 innings pitched. However, about a year later, most of us have accepted that it was necessary, and we do have two prospects out of the deal as well. Now we have people concerned about including LaPorta for a rental of another pitcher. Sure, LaPorta could be a very special player, and I agree with that sentiment. A lot of people thought Inman could be a special player too (I was one of them). I've accepted and better understand the idea of compensation picks for free agents since then and I think about that more during trade proposals. I think, given that year of time, people will still be able to accept and understand the reasoning if LaPorta is traded, much like they have the Linebrink trade. Since joining this site, I've followed the minor leagues a lot more and have gotten attached to prospects. I hate the idea of losing players that I like just as much as Braun and Sheets even though a lot of them may never play for the Brewers. I think about Indians fans and I wonder how some of them felt about trading Sexson, Burnitz, Giles and Casey for parts to their postseason teams. I bet they have to wonder what could have been if those players had stayed, but what would have happened if they weren't traded? Would that run of postseason appearances have occurred? No one knows for sure. It's a different way of looking at things, but the Brewers have never played a postseason game during my lifetime and I would love to see one. I still think they'd be primed for a good run of success even if they trade LaPorta and Green and they can't sign Sabathia after the season. I just know that this whole scenario and season is exciting and it beats the hell out what we've seen lately.

OK, I used to watch Bozo, but yfinn, that is the creepiest damn picture I've seen in a while.

If the guy really didn't want to be turned in or caught, he should have covered himself with Secret Stadium Sauce. Everybody loves Secret Stadium Sauce.

It would be awesome if Carlos could stick as a starter, but he just hasn't been able to yet. I'd just love to see him put it together in the rotation, but like most have said, if he's having success in his current role, why move him now? Unless you have someone truly special as a relief pitcher, I don't like investing a lot of money in the bullpen because they roll over so frequently that a decent reliever can be pulled off the scrap heap, even if it is for only a season, and Melvin has had pretty good luck at finding some decent arms. That being said, if he doesn't stick in the rotation, I wouldn't be opposed to offering him in a deal for help in other areas down the line. I don't know, I like the guy a lot and he's had a lot of success in his current role, but I think he could bring a lot of value in return sometime in the next couple of seasons.

Well, judging from his comments, I'm guessing that Sheets isn't interested in negotiating during the season. I honestly see no way Sabathia would sign a long-term deal, but that doesn't really bother me. I'd rather sign Sheets because he would probably cost less, and if healthy, would be equally productive. I think the team can sign one of them, and I think they would have it right, because I don't think Sabathia is worth $22-24 mil per year, but Sheets is probably worth $17 mil per year when healthy. The last deal that Haudricourt reported doesn't bother me. Melvin is going to have to give something up, and I've just kind of accepted that. At least we're not talking about Scott Linebrink here. That deal really made me mad when I heard about it. If we're going to give up one of our top prospects, I'm more comfortable giving up LaPorta for Sabathia than I was Inman for Linebrink. The only thing that makes me kind of nervous is Jeffress not starting last night and not scheduled to pitch today either.

Tom Oates wrote this in the July 1 Wisconsin State Journal regarding why he feels the Brewers wouldn't be able to trade for Sabathia. I read it and thought it wasn't that well thought out. First, Cleveland might not deal him. OK, granted this was written two days ago, but Cleveland has the second worst record in the AL, are last in the Central and are 12 games back of Chicago. Looks like selling time to me. Second, the Brewers aren't the only contender sniffing around for pitching help. True, but can other contenders put together the same kind of package that the Brewers can? He mentions Boston, Philly, Chicago, the Dodgers, the Yankees and Tampa Bay as other suitors. In all reality, TB is the only one that could put together the same kind of package, but they have very good starting pitching and will probably fill from within with David Price at some point. Third, the Brewers might be priced out of the market. Oates says that C.C. would net a larger return if the team trading for him signs him to a contract. Sabathia, if I'm right, doesn't have a no-trade clause, so why would the team have to agree to a new contract? He has no leverage to force them to. Besides, why wouldn't he test the market? He'd make more with more teams competing for his services without trading prospects. Also, just because he would sign a contract doesn't mean the price would go up, look at the Johan Santana trade. Not only that, even the last part of his $11 million salary for this year shouldn't be an issue because Attanasio said there is the flexibility for it. Finally, Brewers general manager Doug Melvin might not be willing to give up what Cleveland wants in return. I guess there's no way to prove this, other than Melvin saying that if help was available, he wouldn't hesitate to do it for the right price. I don't know why I felt compelled to comment on this, it just seemed hastily thrown together and not well thought out.

Olney also said that the Indians had multiple scouts in Huntsville as well as Brevard County like TH said.

The Cubs already lost today and the Cardinals are losing 9-0 to the Mets in the 5th.

Fantastic! I would have hated to drive to River Falls if I won...

By the falls, do you mean Menominee Falls? I'm going to throw my hat in the ring, why not? Pedro, you rock!

I really like Green and I agree that Gillespie gets overlooked because of the others around him. I was thinking more along the lines of Pena. I was under the impression that he's been fairly streaky and walk-prone. I thought he would be in the ML bullpen by now, but I would think that Cleveland would be more interested in a starter rather than a reliever.

I'm really bad with trade proposals and usually never comment on them because I doubt that I know what I'm talking about, but do you really think that would be enough?

I really like Taylor Green, he's one of the players I always check the Link Report for. He reminds me of one of my all-time favorite Brewers, Jeff Cirillo. That being said, I wouldn't be opposed to giving him up for Sabathia. I'd rather lose him than Gamel. I think Gamel can be a real special player and has a higher ceiling than Green. But I'm guessing that it will probably take at least two or three other players. If this trade were to happen, I wouldn't be surprised to see Salome included as well. I'd also guess that Cleveland would want a pitcher coming back, but with the complete lack of advanced pitching prospects in the system now that Parra and Gallardo are in the majors, I'm not thinking that would happen. I don't see Melvin giving up Jeffress too. What about Braddock? Going off the Power 50 rankings, is it too much to give up No. 5, 6, and 7?

Crossface, your last post pretty much sums up how I feel. I realize that Weeks has an incredible amount of potential, and much more potential than J.J. does, but at the same time, he hasn't truly realized that potential save the last part of last season, and would probably have more value in a trade than Hardy would because of that potential. I would really hate to see either one of them go, but I tend to agree that seeing Weeks go would be more likely to happen, especially with the attempt to shore up the team defensively. I think the inclusion of Weeks would also improve the odds of not having to give up Gamel or LaPorta.

I'm not really enjoying my job too much this summer. I don't get paid for all the hours that I work, and I have to work at home on my own time because of the workload I'm usually given. I don't think I'm challenged and it makes me disinterested a lot of the time. I'm also looking for another job to work before school starts again in the fall, but no one around here is hiring. I almost forgot, I found out that I'm making less money that I was originally told when I started. Awesome! I'm also practically broke. Oh happy day.

Or "Yanks' Wang out six weeks?"

I really hate it when the Brewers get national attention and writers and editors think it's a great idea to make a catchy headline playing off the word brew (i.e. "Strong Brew," "Strange Brew," "Something's Brewing"). Maybe I'm being picky and should appreciate the publicity, but good lord, stop trying to be cute.

What about McCann, Soto, and even Bengie Molina? I think all those guys deserve to go, along with Martin, well before Kendall. I like Kendall, I think he's a nice player, but no other NL catcher having as positive of an effect? McCann is 8th in the NL in OPS. Soto, Molina and Martin all have an .800+ OPS as well while Kendall is sitting at .674. I know part of your argument is overall impact (calling the game and defense), but aren't those other four just as good defensively? I haven't heard any real knock on them. I know this is a bad barometer for defensive prowess since the award is practically meaningless, but Molina and Martin have each won Gold Gloves. I don't think you're giving the rest of those guys enough credit. If Kendall keeps playing the way he has though, he should get his option for next year picked up, which I would think means more.

It's getting really ugly in Platteville for the third time today. It's a little more unnerving because it's dark out, but before the sun was setting, it was this odd yellowish-green color outside. The tornado siren went off for the fourth time about 5 minutes ago. I don't know what station to use for weather updates for town. The lightning is outrageous and is causing the streetlights to shut off. It gets eerily calm outside and it freaks me out.

Two tornadoes touched down a couple miles north of Platteville this afternoon and another one by Livingston. No pictures, sorry, but I did see one of the funnels come down.

Stephen Fry?