ILuvDaBush

I was actually wondering, what is the availability of Dustin McGowan? I remember they were in discussions with SF to trade Rios for one of their Big Two, but they broke down, so I have reservations in believing they went from famine to feast so quickly. But if they are available, KNOWING the Doc is off limits, I would prefer our once prime target, Gord's fave and mine, McGowan.

Betancourt would be tantamount to Linebrink last year, so you're giving up Salome (our third best prospect this year, paralleling our #3 last year, Inman) and probably Gillespie for Betancourt, then getting CC for Green and Charlie V? Probably won't happen, since they really don't need a pitcher who can't break our rotation, and theirs would seem to boast better depth. Also, Betancourt is just the type of bullpen arm that is overvalued by their own team, hoping for contention in the near future, which is what Cleveland considers itself doing next year. Rafael Perez might be able to be had, but would he be a sizeable upgrade? As to whether we should punk next year in hopes of this year, honestly, are we that much worse next year compared to this year, because we lose Counsell, Gagne, Mota, probably Kapler, and maybe Cameron and Sheets? Did I mention we'll be toasting Mexico's finest every fifth day, a real bull dog of a Brew? I'll concede that Branyan and, to a degree, Kapler and Kendall, have been playing over their heads, but look at the two teams above us. The Redbirds boast an outfield of Skip Schumaker, Brian Barton, and Ryan Ludwick, and that could supposedly rival ANY OF this side of Arlington? Really? Well if you believe that, then listen to this. Our friendly neighbors to the south boast the greatest rookie catcher outside of Bench and Piazza, while their rookie OF (only in the loosest sense of the word) is going to be starting in the Popularity Game, no doubt because his OBP is higher than any regular on the Brewers. Now I know that it is also grounds for "Going for it" this year, but doesn't that make you think that next year could be even better than this year? It SHOULD be better, just because our players will all be a year older and wiser. Yo for Pres' in 09! Rickie, the VP. The YO! Rickie! Ticket!

Can Prince play left? (I'd put it in blue, but given the general "color" of this thread, I think it goes without...writing)

I know, given our recent draft, that we have shifted our emphasis to pitchers who can hit, but I hope we don't see Micah Owings buttoning up the Brew Crew Blue soon. But seriously, with our OF depth, and their recent injuries, it has to involve an OF... Or perhaps bigger, Hardy/Hart for Drew/O-Dog/Scherzer. Not a fan of the O-Dog, but that's more about my affinity for Weeks.

I've been expounding on the idea of trading Prince for the King for awhile. If we were going to trade Prince for pitching, he would be the most ideal target, as their contract situations are similar and both teams need the others' skillset at present more than their own player's. But giving up Jeffress along with Prince...is a bit out there. No player in the majors has power like Prince (Ryan Howard included) and no RH pitcher in baseball can boast a better repertoire than the King (Webb/Peavy/Beckett included). It makes perfect sense straight-up, especially given Prince's popularity and his father's popularity in Japan. But with Jeffress, no deal. Brantley....could happen. Jeffress...not so much. It would sap our top pitching prospect from the system and we aren't exactly busting with heirs.

Can we compare Prince's numbers in the four-hole to Braun's in the four-hole?

Crazy video game trade idea. Sheets Fielder Torres Jr. Gwynny for Granderson Bonderman Porcello Zumaya The only problem for the Brewers would be how it puts a stop sign on our minor league outfielders, or allow us to trade Granderson or Hart. Nevertheless, Granderson has a long term contract and I'd be willing to take a flyer on Bonderman. Porcello and Zumaya are big-time arms, while the Tigers get the hottest closer in baseball. Definitely video game only, and honestly, I think higher of Sheets and Prince than most, and would probably tell the Tigers to shop elsewhere, but if we were going to package them, you could do worse.

To be honest with you, I would welcome going to a slightly snowy day of baseball. It's a rare occurrence and it is easily one of the best "homefield advantages" I could imagine. And imagining Coco Liriano pitch an Opening Day gem, in a blinding white squall of a storm, having hitters bail as he paints the inside black of the plate with a sick slider...makes me giddy for Upper Midwest April baseball. If only we BEGAN the season with a "natural rival" and got to do a 3 and 3 at Miller, then their new monstrocity...

More than likely, it is going to be a trade similar to the Miggy Cabrera trade, with hopefully more advanced player(s) involved. Maine AND Pelfrey MIGHT get it done, but the Mets' minor league poo-poo platter wouldn't really interest a team whose AA team is pacesetting. Also, if Prince is going to be shopped, I would imagine he would have more value to an AL club, a la Miggy Cabrera.

Also, let's look at the "best" trade of the offseason, the Hamilton trade. Would the Reds trade Edinson back to the Rangers for Hamilton? Would the Rangers trade Hamilton back to the Reds for their pitcher (this may actually be plausible, as pitching always beats out hitting...but the guy is the AL leader in HR's and RBI's, ie. NO!). Much like the Brewers wanted to refresh their system from the ground up and the Padres wanted to get some advanced minor league pitching, the deal worked out exactly how both parties planned...except for the whole Linebrink aspect.

3.82ERA 7.46K/9 2.94BB/9 3.42ERA 8.71K/9 3.85BB/9 The difference...one comes with a team option for next year, and at a much more palatable price. I like K's and I like Harden.

As I've long said, sign me up. He is the most talented pitcher supposedly available, unless you believe Ben can be had.

I know that many times Melvin has said one thing, and then done the complete opposite, but I truly believe him when he says that unless the Brewers fall COMPLETELY out of contention, Sheets will be pitching for Milwaukee come September. Considering the Rockies surge last year, and given the fact that while we're a small-market, we don't have small market attendance, it would be foolish to trade one of our most marketable icons. Would I do Masterson or Buccholz, Billingsley or Kershaw, Price or Shields, Scherzer or Liriano for Sheets? Almost undoubtedly. But I find it impossible to believe talents like those are available for two months of our ace.

As TLB stated, it isn't a matter of his hits FALLING in as much as he's just rifling them at fielders. So many times, he'll pull one right at the 3B, who has enough time to double clutch and still throw him out. It's frustrating, but you just know eventually the law of averages will even out and he'll actually take off A-Ram's head. OH, HOW I WAIT!

I'm quite the proponent of Melvin's, but it must be asked, How many ace pitchers has Doug Melvin acquired? He lucked out by inheriting Sheets, and Jack Z. acquired Yo, and it's even debateable if Yo is a certifiable ace. But for the same reasons that I bring up Doug's history is why I wouldn't be behind giving Ben a 5/$100+ contract. With our youth due to be paid in the following five years, I just don't see how you can be committing a quarter of your payroll to one gent. I was hoping for a Chris Carpenter-type deal, but I'd be willing now go 5/80 to 7/120.... He is the Golden Boy of Milwaukee, and I want to see him in pinstripes long term almost as much as I would enjoy seeing the Regal One retire as a Brewer (and not in the next 3 years, which is about the only way it will happen as long as we flourish in the NL).

Complete and utter! Bases-loaded, no outs, and two lefty killers due up against a glorified set-up man. I shut my eyes, KNOWING we were going to win. Right??? RIGHT?????

Well the Reds just took a series from the Yanks, the Cubs (the best record in baseball) were swept by the Rays, the Cards took one from the Red Sox, the Brewers swept both the Jays and the Orioles... I would say an argument could be made that we are the best division in baseball.

Is there any position that is without a suitable replacement, outside of Sheets (who could have been theoretically replaced had Yo and Cappy proven healthy), Braun, and Fielder? Our closer faltered and we had another one waiting in the wings. Our top two set-up men were injured and...well I don't know what happened to T-Bow but it isn't good. Mota has done a pretty good job shoring it up, his recent hiccups included. Bill Hall is still feeling the repercussions of not being allowed to wield a pink bat everyday, and yet we still lead the NL in HR's from the hot corner. Weeks (who I still am as high on as Mota) and Hardy both have had to deal with injury, and we barely missed a step as they recovered. Kendall has earned his paycheck without even swinging a bat. And Cameron is a leader and a welcome addition to a recast outfield. Free agency failure? Hardly. Perhaps a disappointment if you narrowly focus on Gagne, but, as stated earlier, we still have more than half a season left to see him succeed. Imagine, with all the money bandied about this offseason, we spent LESS on all these contracts than it would have taken to sign Coco for the four years. Or, and I know this is like comparing apples to oranges, would you rather have Coco's contract or Braun's (and mind you, for twice the time with Braun, but that's ignoring ML-service time)?

There's quite the chasm between encouraging a bit of capitalism for your premier fans and cutting out the fan altogether. I pitched with some friends last year on season tix and was very happy to find out the ease by which I could "share my seats" with other fans. If only the Cubs had a patron like Pedro, the self-less saint of spreading the experience.

There is still a lot of time left before the trade deadline, and if a lot of other teams still view themselves as contenders and CC is the only pitcher available, they will get quite the haul. Even if there are multiple second-tier options available, I still believe the Indians will get a good package. But I wouldn't be on board for trading a top 10 hitting prospect, who is also very close to the majors, for a few month rental. Even with the draft picks, there is so much more volatility in draft picks, from signing them, to nurturing them to where our big bats are now. Then again, if and when CC were to meet Zambrano in a matchup, it would have to be in the top five for highest combined weight between two opposing starting pitchers. And honestly, the only one-for-one trade involving Prince for a SP would be the Prince for the King (Felix, that is).

With Yo/Braun/Fielder/Hart/Weeks/Hardy/LaPorta/Gamel under control for, at minimum, a couple of years, chances should be prevalent in the near future. A top-of-the-line pitcher intermingled with sluggling studs. That's a playoff team.

203IP/2.88/216K/50BB/1.04WHIP/18HR 125IP/2.53/121K/43BB/1.06WHIP/7HR Those are their respective lines from 2005. Eerily similar, but while the Coliseum is a good place to pitch, it is a far cry from Petco.

Harden truly is a proven ace...when healthy. To me, he is the Jave Peavy of the AL, with the injury cloud continuing to rain on his Cy Young Parades.

What about Rich Harden? When healthy, he is the best of the three (and don't bring up the Cy Colon Award he won last year). A healthy Harden is like a healthy Sheets, and imagine marching into the postseason with Sheets and Harden leading this year, then Harden and Yo next year, unless we sign Big Ben, which I am all for. The Canadian connection is there, and LaPorta would seem to be the ideal cornerstone hitter that the rebuilding A's need. I know many will say that we would be overpaying with LaPorta for an injury risk like Harden, but he has a very palatable deal and supposedly Billy Beane has been asking for a lot. Honestly, it may very well be overpaying, but if he's healthy, there are only 10 pitchers who I would rather send out there to pitch a make-or-break game....and we already have two.

Give me whichever one comes easier, Greinke or Harden. Either one is a mutiple year rental and both are proven aces, albeit with red flags.