SoCal Brew Crew Fan

If they can get blanked by a guy they usually own, why not own a guy who usually blanks them?

If he stays healthy, the Brewers just put a floor on what he'll get. The offer from the Brewers will likely still be there, unless DM uses that money elsewhere. Most of baseball has more dough than the Brewers. This is the problem the Brewers have had with FAs. Overpay or they just shop the offer to a place they'd rather be. The offer is there, he has a week to decide, if he doesn't accept just move on.

Nice start for Estrada. That first homer was a cheapy. As mentioned, he probably gets pulled after 6 if our pen was in order. Meh...let's face it, the Reds are just a better team this year...better them than the Cards.

I saw that on twitter as well.link?

Nice of the DBacks to gag a 6-0 lead and lose to the Reds, 7-6. Now back 7.5 heading to Cincy.

I feel like a Mets fan.

Will Texas let us use Greinke for one batter?

Johnny Wholestaff pitching quite well today.

Ax man. It's only the 5th, but that's a high leverage situation. Nice K.

Gord said on Extra Innings last night they were hoping for 5 innings since he hasn't pitched as much since he went down. To be fair to TT, last time a couple of his homers were from RR leaving him in too long. Certainly not the issue today.

Did you mean, Sandy Guerrero gives up a ton of homers?

Cue the Benny Hill music...

I doubt he did it on purpose at 0-2 to load the bases...but then again, it is the Cards.

"Pretty sure the question was what would you do if you were DM and RR. Those guys aren't billionaires." I don't believe MA is either. Very wealthy indeed, but not in that league.

"The bullpen single handedly has taken down the 2012 Milwaukee Brewers." "If they bullpen performs at league average, the Brewers are atop of the division right now" No, I don't buy that. Let's run through some math we did on one of the last bullpen threads. The average NL team ERA for bullpens in 3.85. The Brewers are at 4.57, a difference of .72. Our relievers have pitched 34.7 pct of their innings. This means they have been about .25 runs/game worse than average, and have given up 22.4 earned runs over 90 games more than would be expected if they were average. Granted, a fair amount. Somebody will have to help me with the next step on wins. This much I can figure out, it's not 8 games or 22 or whatever. Probably 3-5 games is a better estimate.

I'd try a seance with Ruth, Gehrig and Mantle or get the guy from Back to the Future to bring Hank Aaron back from 1957. Those have about the same chance as Wright, Hamels or Josh Hamilton playing in Milwaukee...at least before they fall off a cliff at age 38.

Hey splitter In addition to this, what happens when a team signs an FA to the draft pick they forfeit? If it doesn't go to the team that lost the FA, does it go into the lottery or just get wiped out?

If you combine the half dozen or so threads on the pen, there are posters calling for just about everyone to be DFA'd. Should Ax lose the closer role? Probably...but as several have mentioned it's not like they can hide him from meaningful situations. The best thing is to hope he figures it out so we can rely on him next year. Relievers have short fuses and are often volatile. He's figured it out before, no reason he can't again. If he does, he'll be a very valuable asset. Way too early to declare him Turnbow. Maybe he's like Dan Plesac...not effective enough to close, but he had a long career as a set up man. Although Ax hasn't lost the velocity that Plesac did. Should KRod close? Yes. He hasn't been much better, but he has been better. Why not showcase him a little more for a potential trade. At least he's closed before so he won't freak out. Let Axford work some lower leverage situations and hope he turns it around. Is there anyone to bring up? They could bring up Henderson and will shift Thornburg into a role after this spot start, but who knows what they'll get. Worth a shot, but I wouldn't bet on a meaningful change to the pen performance. Sure you could cut Parra...or Loe...or Veras...but replace them with what? Maybe DM can find some scrap heap guys, but he's more likely to find the next Daniel Ray Herrera than the next Ax man. They aren't close enough where you'd want them to trade for help. Parra is inconsistent but sadly may have been our most effective reliever so far. There just aren't a lot of options. Bullpens are a crap shoot...last year everything came up huge, including some big time unsustainable luck from guys like Hawkins. This year, bad luck and bad performances. The one thing I can't stand is all the personal venting on twitter, etc. on Axford. The dude is a stand up guy and doing his best. He just isn't good right now...it's not like he's Gary Sheffield firing balls into the stands on purpose. He's trying his best, and I doubt anyone is taking it harder right now than he is.

don't forget our manager...As bad as the bullpen has been, RR has to be responsible for 4-5 losses himself with his lack of game managing skills. (Probably more, but I am being generous) Not even Dusty Baker could Lose that many games...and I'm being generous.

They really have no options for the pen. Ax is lost, there are no adequate replacements although KRod will probably get the shot. One had to hope the AS break would get them healthy or in a groove, but it doesn't seem to have happened. It's just not going to happen this year. Another season officially ended with the Cards and Motte closing it out...what a gut punch.

Unless they make someone their Colby Rasmus and trade for an entire bullpen, they don't have a prayer.

The problem is who would be in the committee?

I wish he could at least find the 2010 Ax.

Are we sure the fan was drunk?

KRod really was getting squeezed there...way to get out of it though. Ax will have his work cut out with the PHers next inning. Could use a little Badger Mutual action here.