liveforoctober

With McGahee on the roster there is no reason why Rivera shouldn't get some pinch hitting opportunities and/or Kendall shouldn't be getting pinch hit for in late big spots...

I couldn't disagree with this more. Physically speaking batting is the same whether you are batting first or ninth or anywhere in between... but psychologically you can seriously mess with a hitter's mind where you put him in the order. I'm sure you have played baseball before, so you know that if you are not in the right mindset when you go up to the plate, it doesn't matter what you can do physically. If a guy has always prepared to be in the on deck circle when the first pitch is thrown, and suddenly he is still sipping water with 2 outs and just then he has to go get his batting helmet... you can get anxious. Vice versa, if you have always prepared to wait through the first few batters and watched the pitcher throw to a few guys and now you are the 2nd guy to face him... you can absolutely feel rushed. Of course it happens, and yes guys adjust, but the timing of the switch is what confuses me. Furthermore, you know that the pitches a player gets is completely different depending on where he bats in the order. The great hitters like Pujols and Chipper Jones and possibly someday Ryan Braun maybe it wouldn't matter as much... but fringe all-stars like JJ and Corey Hart it makes all the difference in the world.

It's very humbling how fast things can turn. Baseball doesn't matter all too much right now...

I don't know... I guess I just find it hard to believe that two guys who were as locked in as Corey Hart and JJ Hardy during spring training...could both look so terrible at the plate these first two games. I understand this could just be a temporary move to see what happens... but how long do we experiment with Corey in the 2 spot and JJ hitting 5 before we go back to the old ways? By the way, it was only the 2nd batter of the season on Tuesday that I was throwing something at my TV when Corey swung at the first pitch and almost grounded into a DP. Hart is the opposite of a patient hitter... which is generally what you ask for in that spot. I understand the fact that he beat out that throw and it wasn't a DP is a big reason why he is in the second slot... but still. Just sayin'... (edit: thread title --1992)

Just curious... but Lincecum vs Suppan is obviously a mismatch in their favor. If we get this game in and it is played in drizzle and semi-showers and cold and damp and all that... does that make it an even bigger mismatch or does that even things up a bit? Who would it effect more? The young flamethrower or the grizzled innings eater?

Former Brewer sighting... Laynce Nix (I was unaware) has beat out Jacque Jones and Jonny Gomes for the final outfield spot in Cincinnati. He grounded out in a pinch hit spot today. Good for him.

Apparently Zach Jackson has won the long man job out of Cleveland's bullpen... Cliff Lee gave up 4 runs in the 2nd in Texas and ZackJack was up and throwing in the pen... just an FYI...

Amen. Take a deep breath and hit your spots Soup... let's steal one to start the season.

Still one of my favorite plays over the past few years would be when there was a runner on third and a medium fly ball to right... you know Jenkins was going to come up gunning and it was going to be close. Anytime the situation came up and the fly ball was hit... my friends and I would sail off our couches yelling "Here we go!" "He's gonna test the arm!" ... ... good memories. Best of luck to him.

According to ESPN and a few of their allies... JJ Hardy is projected to be the best defensive shortstop in baseball this year. http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4029959&categoryid=2521705

I'm just trying to find a way to make this a positive turn for the Brewers... and all I can come up with is... 2008: Marmol/Wood > 2009: Marmol/Gregg Wood to Gregg isn't a big downgrade... but I fear Kevin Gregg much less than (a healthy) Kerry Wood.

Interested! I'm pumped for both seasons to start!

It looks more and more like Mike Lamb will make the team out of spring training and McGahee will start down in AAA. It makes some sense I suppose that without an option, we lose Lamb with McGahee being on the team... and when an injury occurs... we then have to either dig up Irabarren or Gamel, as we won't have Lamb. With Lamb on the roster, McGahee becomes the first call-up, which is optimal. I don't like the idea, it is the same reasoning that is going to keep Tony Gwynn on our team and keep Chris Duffy in AAA. However, trying to make myself feel better about it... McGahee's OBP this spring is his batting average since he hasn't walked yet (.373). After tonight 3 walks, Lamb's OBP is .340, and while I'd rather have McGahee's doubles and Home Run's than Lamb's walks... *sigh*

Bill Schroeder was just talking on the air about the roster and the final bench spots that were up for grabs... and he said that "nothing is certain"... but you can "read between the lines"... and he said he thinks Duffy has earned a spot and that McGahee has earned a spot and that the final spot is going to come down to Lamb and Nelson. If that's the case it's Nelson without thinking... right?

For these first two series... I kind of like this move to be honest. It sets us up to be favored in 2 of 3 in SF... and then Looper and Bush in our first two home games. After that... once we get into the season and have to skip starts... they better be skipping Suppan and not anyone else.

I guess in my opinion... Brewers' news is Brewers' news. Of course there are varying levels. When the Brewers make the playoffs, it belongs on the front page of the entire paper. When they win a game, it belongs as a sub column depending on the rest of that days news. When they win in dramatic fashion, it gets bumped up. So when they sign a low level prospect to fill a void, then just add it as an addition to a different story. Write your story about Trevor Hoffman possibly starting the season on the DL, and at the end of the column, in an "additional notes" section... mention that the Brewers purchased the contract of infielder Sergio Miranda from the White Sox. When the Packers release someone from their practice squad... we hear about it the next day. I guess I don't see how this is different. When I see Miranda's name on one of our roster's when the season starts, I'm going to wonder who he is and where he came from, as will most serious Brewer fans. Especially, in this case, those who don't frequent this website. Is this relevant news to the 2009 Milwaukee Brewers roster? No. Is it relevant news to diehard Brewers fans? I would think yes. I also assume that it is only us diehard fans who frequent TH's blog enough that he has been able to keep this part of his job all these years. *shrugs*

For what it's worth... the Brewers won by one run in a game where Brad Nelson hit a pinch hit solo home run in the 7th. Just a side note for those arguing for Tony Gwynn getting the final spot on the 25 man. Just my opinion... but I want the bigger bat rather than the speed off the bench late in games...

DiFelice's spot in the bullpen, which many on these boards thought was all but locked up... was thrown right back up in the air today. Macha started him to make sure he faced a real lineup rather than the scrubs he has been getting lately.. and DiFelice was rocked. Villanueva came in and promptly gave up 2 runs in his first inning. Weeks a 2-run jack and Hart a sac fly are the Brewers tallies. 8-3 in the 4th.

I can't imagine the Rays are looking for a replacement outfielder if Upton is only going to miss a few days or a week like they are expecting...

I emailed Haudricourt a few days ago about it... and this was our little transcript... (green text is me, red text is TH) There is a thread on the White Sox boards stating that Sergio Miranda was traded to Milwaukee... http://www.soxtalk.com/fo...ndex.php?showtopic=70415 Any chance you could dig for us to see if this has legs? The guy played in Class A ball last year. Is this a big deal for you? If true, it's obviously a minor transaction. TH Assuming it's not part of a bigger deal, that is. And Doug Melvin told me yesterday he was engaged in no trade talks with another club. I assumed it would be a small deal if it did happen... the reason I am curious is because Tony Gwynn (provided he could pass a physical) makes sense for the White Sox. They need a center fielder and a lead off hitter, and while Gwynn doesn't provide the greatest offensive production ... he is an upgrade to Wise in center defensively, and can help on the bases. If I'm correct, Gwynn doesn't have an option left? .. and I doubt he'd clear waivers. With Duffy and Nelson being our probable 4th and 5th outfielders... I'm assuming Gwynn starts the season on the DL. I am also thinking Lorenzo Cain nullifies Gwynn... since they are the same person. So a Gwynn trade makes sense for a lower level ballplayer or two I would think. Obviously this is pure speculation on my part... but my brothers and were talking about this a few days ago... and seeing the White Sox needs we thought it made sense and then we saw the thread on the White Sox board and wondered if it had any relevance to what we were talking about. I told them I would email you and see if there was anything rumored down by you. That is all... I didn't mean any harm. Thanks for the responses though. Here's all that happened. The White Sox were going to release this kid and the Brewers needed a middle infielder for one of their mid-level teams, so they purchased him, I believe. Nothing more to it than that. The Brewers aren't going to trade Tony Gwynn for a non-prospect, low-level infielder. TH So that was that. According to TH, he was released and we signed him... nothing more. I was a little insulted with his responses... he was talking down to me.

Lorenzo Cain makes Tony Gwynn obsolete... and I think he is out of options. He wouldn't clear waivers and will probably start the year on the DL. At this point, anybody or anything for Gwynn is a good deal, IMO. Knowing Mark A. is concerned with the teams $$, I would be happy with a Gwynn for Miranda and cash considerations. If the Miranda trade is true... I would like the player to be Gwynn though.

A few things that I am picking out here... one is an ESPN article saying the White Sox are desperately in need of and want a lead off batter. http://sports.espn.go.com...name=mlb_spring_training The other thing I picked out is that they want it to be a center fielder... http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/1661 Can we please gift wrap them Tony Gwynn for some money or a thank you card or something?

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea. I do think that Weeks is the best lead off option among our starters..... but I think he is a better offensive option somewhere else in the lineup where he can be a free swinger. I also think that of all of the spots in the order... leadoff is where Kendall would be most effective because he will take pitches and let the other guys see what's in the arsenal. With that said... I'm trying to decide whether the switch is better for the team overall. Would a leadoff platoon be advantageous at all? Where Rickie leads off against lefties and Kendall leads off against righties? Against LHP, Rickie can be Rickie... and against righties... Kendall can do his patient thing and Rickie can swing at what he likes and not get taken advantage of while trying to fight the "passive-aggressive" nature of the spot. Does that make sense at all? I guess I'm just confused over the issue...

If you watched the USA's reaction to their win last night... I think you're appreciation for the tournament had to have gone up. All of those guys care. The tournament could use many changes... including expanding rosters so they can play more games in fewer days. This tournament needs to take a few weeks... not a month or more. Besides, with expanded rosters, you will really dig into the "depth" of the countries and I think it will hold more water as to which countries house the best baseball players. I love the tournament though and wish there was a way to help advance it...

Fair enough. I don't really have a problem with your opinion .. and I guess my whole "theory" is contingent on Bill Hall hitting off of lefties. If Hall puts up regular 3rd base power numbers against lefties ... then I can stomach, and even appreciate Counsell against righties. But I understand your side and would actually be excited to see Gamel get some regular at bats. I do agree our offense is going to have to step up this year if we are going to compete... we just need production from top to bottom and if that is Lamb or Counsell or Gamel or whomever ... I just want good at bats...