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Erik Cordier is from Sturgeon Bay and lives in DePere, WI. Has anyone payed attention to Rogers' antics during games this year? The two games I have seen him pitch in, coaches have had to come out to the mound early just to settle his emotions down. Also, he has displayed a nasty mouth to two HP umpires ... when he was batting. Has he always been a hothead or is this something new with him?

"man, could things at the plate get any worse for Josh Brady?" Yes. Look at Minnesota's 1st round pick in 2004 (20th overall), Beloit's Trevor Plouffe. In 12 games he is 3-44, an average of .068. I wonder if he isn't going to be a poster child for a player who was brought up to low A level too early? I don't know but I think that because the expectations as a 1st rounder and 19 y/o millionaire to succeed are great, it appears at least early on he not ready to produce in that level. How would Plouffe deal with a demotion to rookie ball? The pressure on him to perform right now is great. The problem for Minnesota is this: do they send him down to gain his lost confidence, or do they continue to allow him to stay in A ball and risk ever regaining his confidence again? Good luck to Trevor.

The Milwaukee crowd was embarrassing last night. One would think that when you pay $75 for a ticket, sit two rows behind the dugout, you can somehow insulate yourself from observing drunks, fights with out-of-towners and f-bombs. Not in Milwaukee. St Louis fans and many other teams fans are classy and knowledgeable. Not the home town fans last night in Milwaukee. Only 22,000 people show up to watch a first place team with their ace Ben Sheets on the hill and the National League's best team in the Cards in town. You must be in Milwaukee. When it takes you over an hour to leave the stadium parking lot with a relatively small crowd. Your in Milwaukee. After the game, walking across the overpass to the parking lot, 20 somethings drunk on their feet, kicking plastic cups and bottles, yelling proudly about how 'drunk' they are and dropping more f-bombs. In the parking lot, drunks hanging out their car windows, reckless driving around the parking lot, people urinating in the parking lot, people dumping hot coals on the ground. Absolutely no sign of MPD or MCSD anywhere. You were in Milwaukee last night. Sorry Brewer fans. I'm trying not to paint with a broad brush. I know this does not apply to most fans, but far more than I want to ever see again. It was embarrassing for Milwaukee last night given how many Cards fans were present. It was close to a downright rotten experience. I was very glad I didn't take my wife and young son to that mess last night. That's it. I had to vent this somewhere.

IIay: I don't disagree with your points numbers 1 and 2. However, I disagree with your conclusions. This year's draft is like no other previous to it. It's about saving money and reducing slot $, not spending it because teams have extra $ based on last year or years before. This does not apply to just the Brewers, but a league-wide philosophy as 'mandated' by the Commissioner's office.

If the umps are giving an extra 6-8 inches off the outside corner, why not take advantage of that? He's smart enough to keep pounding that location as long as the ump continues to call those pitches strikes. He was very effective the other night using the wider than usual K-zone. But as you say, at this time he lacks the power of a solid ML pitcher. Seems like a proto-type Oakland pick. Like colbyjack, I too like what the Dodgers and A's did with the draft. I would most definately label this year as the "Signability Draft" (see KC, SD as examples). It would appear by the picks already signed, that they are signing for slot or just less than slot as dictated by 'Commendant Selig'. To this point, no club has 'overpaid' the slot. Many clubs struck pre-draft deals with their early round picks, thus taking the bonuses this year down under last year's 14% reduction from 2002. I'll make further comments on this year's draft in a few days from now.

I like the way the Titans are rolling right now. They get SC next. Then CSF will take on Texas in what I think shakes out to be a great Championship series. Man, I just can't believe the "1990's Atlanta Braves strike zone" the umps are giving the pitchers. Seems like pitchers are getting an extra 6 to 8 inches of plate on the outside corner. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/ohwell.gif

Congrats to the Brewers who signed Stephen Chapman. You are getting a fine young man and a wonderful family to add to the Brewer family!

The HS v college debate is not complicated. The reason HS pitchers have more upside over college pitches is simple: If a HS pitcher is very good he goes right into professional baseball. If a HS pitcher is not good enough to make into in professional baseball, he goes to college. (This does not take into consideration sign-ability...but mostly on talent alone. Important characteristics like emotional and physical maturity obviously develop more slowly with certain HS kids making the college option necessary.) HS pitchers have more upside than college pitchers because when both groups were of the same age, the HS kid was simply a better. And as a HS kid gets into professional baseball, he gets the benefit of at least three years of professional training and tutoring designed by the team that picks him, not by a (relatively) 'inferior' college system. colby: We are very happy to drafted by the Royals! Before the draft we believed the Royals were the perfect fit for Erik and low and behold... From KC Royals SD Eric Ladnier...(unknown which newspaper quoted him), copied from a KC Royals website... Erik Cordier Another second-round pick was right-hander Erik Cordier from Southern Door High School in Sturgeon Bay, Wisc. "We've seen up to 96 (mph), tremendous life on the fastball. Very, very fresh arm, obviously, because of where he comes from he hasn't pitched a lot of innings," Ladnier said. "For a high school kid, he has a tremendous upside to be an upper level starter but the development process obviously is going to take longer. We got the three pitchers (Campbell, Howell, Buckner) who could get through the system (quickly) and we felt like here's a guy we just can't afford to pass on. He will take longer to develop, but Cordier has the highest ceiling." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HBP on a 1-2 count and giving up a single on a 0-2 count to Beltre...that shouldn't happen. He was getting ahead on everyone but cannot put batters away. Getting outs is great, but ML hitters make productive outs and move runners. A closer has to have the ability to get strike outs. Kolb for some reason doesn't get it done that way. He has 5 K's on the season. Why would anyone think the Brewers should draft anything but pitchers in the early rounds this year? "Man OH Man". -------------------------------------------------------

Never caught that...too busy watching SportsCenter. Thanks...

I've meant to ask you this for a while: What does "boo-urns" mean?

HD RHP Forrest Martin had another solid start: 7 inn 4 r 3 er 7 h 0 bb 6 ks He got no decision in the Mavs 5-4 win.

Anders34 What I meant is that what you see now is what you'll get later. He's turns 21 this year and is now listed at 6'0 190; he's RHed and throws (quoting you) 91 MPH. Given just those facts, it seems to me that he does not project well to grow bigger, increase velocity, or improve a whole lot because he's been 'coached up' in a great system. In my estimation he does not "project" to get appreciably better. So for those reasons, I don't see the words "big league closer" in his future. I wonder what team is really willing to spend a 1st round pick on a relief pitcher who IMO does not have the power arm to start or close?. Certainly, he has off the chart make up.

Do you think that any club would take this college relief pitcher with almost no projectibility in the first round, considering the depth of pitching in this year's draft? I don't even see the A's reaching for him.

Electing to INT BB Hidalgo after falling behind 3-1 in the count was the correct move. 1st base was open and Hildalgo is hitting .549. Berkman, hitting .111, was hitting from the right side, not his better side. He hit a terrible pitch by Davis, an 85 MPH slider right in Berkaman's wheelhouse. The reason why Davis looks good for 2 innngs then looks very hittable after that is simply that the lineup sees him for the second time. Davis' stuff is at best, middle relief quality and I think that's where he belongs - in the bullpen. At least it would give the MGR a left handed option out of the bullpen.

Well - zero is not possible on the 20-80 scale. I think his FB was an 80 and if you think he had a 20 on command, then I think the blame falls on KC's scouting department. Let's say overall he's a Colt45. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/happy.gif I'm not saying any team should go out and throw down 2M$ on a raw project. But if a team only drafts "finished products" with lower ceilings because they cannot scout projection effectively or they have no confidence in their own player developement ability, that team will never contend for a title. I agree with you on drafting higher ceiling, projectable prospects.

I define "stuff" as having the God-given ability to throw a baseball with ease -- or in otherwords, it's "good arm action" and how your pitching arm naturally works. "He has 'the stuff'." Ever go to a HS field and watch kid's throw a baseball. Most kids throw like their tossing a hand grenade (awkward and labored). Only a very few actually appear like they are comfortable throwing. That is something that is God-given - like the ability to run fast. Yes, both can be improved but only to a degree. No matter how hard I train myself, I will never run a 10 second 100M. Very few people are born with that level of natural ability. Same with a pitchers abililty to throw hard. I could train all my life, but never be able to throw a baseball 100 MPH. However, I could develop the ability to locate. Velocity is a rarer commodity. On the other hand, control is the ability to throw strikes. Command is the ability to locate within the strike zone. Control and command is something that can be developed more profoundly than velocity can be improved. The reason is that C and C are products of solid, below-the-waist mechanics. Balance is probably the most key element but leg lift, stride, foot plant and hip rotation direct where the ball is going to end up. These are things that are teachable and correctable. Colt Griffin was a sexy pick because he has the unique ability to throw very, very hard. Was he a bad pick? Who knows? But if you think he was, that has more to do perhaps with KC's individual scouting and player development issues related to Griffin, not that sexy HSer's should be avoided like the plague. I don't understand the comment "the Colt Griffin rule". What is that? Does it apply to the Josh Beckett or Kerrry Wood, too? What is more valuable, velocity or command? I think velocity. Yes, you need to throw strikes (control). But you can get away with lesser command with greater velocity, and I believe command is developed. Put plus velocity and command together and you have a front of the rotation pitcher. Do pitchers with average velocity always have pinpoint command on every pitch? NO. Put average velocity and command together and you have...what? Name your favorate Brewer starter...besides Sheets. Do you win a division with a starting rotation "stocked" with #5 starters and long relief guys? People say pitcging help is on the way in the minors. Are those guys 88-91 MPH pitchers with command? Or are they higher ceiling hopefulls with front of the rotation arms? What do the Brewers need in the upcoming draft, more of the former or the latter?

Drew returned to the Florida State line up this weekend after being out for ten games with an injury. Drew vs. NC State pitching went 0-12 with 5 strikeouts.

http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/glasses.gif nm

colby: Is there any site on the net that you're aware of that keeps a "running tot'" or up-to-the-latest-trade draft position board? With all the trades happening with type A, B, and C players, and the comp picks associated with them, it would be interesting to see where the clubs are picking and gaining draft position(s).

This according to Baseball America: KC picked up Seattle's 1st round pick (22nd overall) by signing Raul Ibanez.