derflotr

Ugh, off days are so much worse after a loss.

I don't want to hear how McGehee blew the game. Axford pitched poorly. Horrendous 0-1 pitch to Hernandez, walked Votto, Got away with meatballs to Bruce and Gomes. McGehee's mistake didn't help, but I'm not sure every CF in the league makes that 2nd out anyway.

What a miserable way to start the season.

I'm very relieved Boggs accepted the assignment, he'll be on the roster at some point this season.

DVR'd. Sincerely believe this will be a special season. And by "special" I mean down-to-the-end drama like we had in 2008. I've got the typical pre-season optimism and ready to watch baseball every day for the next 6 months. Can't wait. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

I don't think Ishikawa is as good as you're letting on. Maybe he's a slight upgrade over Kotsay power-wise, but he's never played a major league inning anywhere else except first base. I just don't see him getting any playing time on this team in 2011 without an injury to Prince. Strict pinch-hitting duties. Kotsay might have had a rough 2010, but he still managed to only strike out 36 times in 359 plate appearances. I realize an out is an out but putting the ball in play would seem like a preference to a manager like Roenicke. Bench players come and go, Ishikawa isn't so special that you drop everything and sacrifice anyone to get him.

My guess is that this topic has already been exhausted due to Prince's situation, but Mitch Moreland looks more and more like Texas' long-term first baseman. I know the assumption is that Mat Gamel fills in, whether he goes to 1B or McGehee shifts over. But a little depth couldn't hurt. Do the Brewers have anything to offer Texas for him?

Remember Matt Wise cutting himself with a pair of salad tongs?

Gomez shouldn't be hitting anywhere near the top of the order. The 8th or 9th spot in the order is where he belongs, even if he improves some at the plate. Of course not. Anyone with a .290 OBP shouldn't be there, but if he actually shows improvement and keeps it around .330 by June I'd do it. The guy's a game-changer when he's on first base. Pitchers are going to die having to pitch to Braun/Fielder/McGehee with Gomez hopping all over the place on the bases. I'd rather have a .330 Gomez there than a .340 Hart. But it's all so unlikely it probably isn't worth getting into...I mean, if I had my way Braun would be hitting 2nd and Gomez would hit 9th, but baseball is so stubbornly traditional the best hitters on the team absolutely have to wait at least 2 turns to hit.

If he can just manage to keep his OBP at .320-.330 and get comfortable in the 2 hole the offense goes from quite good to really, really good. Assuming health, of course. He is an absolute nightmare when he's on base. It bothers me when I hear TV people like Bill yesterday saying immediately after a HR something like "his manager wants him to keep it on the ground". Just drive the ball. Line drives. He's got tremendous bat speed, maybe he profiles more as a power hitter. Either way the goal should be to make him a threat in some capacity so pitchers actually have something to fear when facing him.

I didn't realize the Brewers traded for Holden Caulfield

I'm pretty sure that the Brewers re-signing Hart and Weeks is preparation for life without Prince.

I love Rickie as a player as much as the next guy, but all of these guarantees for a guy who's played one nice, full season out of six? There's always a risk with long-term deals but I can't help but feel this one's as risky as any. But I'm truly happy for Rickie and his family. We all know he'll earn it as long as he's on the field.

Everyone's going to miss you, Chris. For my part, it's always refreshing to watch you pitch - your focus and attitude on the mound is quite a contrast to what a lot of us have had to endure as Brewers fans in many recent years' past. Regardless of the situation you are constantly on the attack and throwing strikes, which I for one have always appreciated. I wish you well on your future endeavors, and I'll be watching as often as I can!

In conversations with Brewers fans I know shortly after the season, everyone was using the same line - "we should just go get Cliff Lee". Not in a serious tone but in that mocking, never-going-to-happen tone which implied that drastically improving the pitching staff was going to be difficult if not near impossible. I think it was common knowledge that the 2011 free agent class of starting pitchers was (is) pretty uninspiring after Lee. So let's say hypothetically Cliff Lee signed on with the Brewers straight away with the contract he was given by Philadelphia. 5 years of Cliff Lee, 32, for $120 million. $11 million in 2011, $21.5 million in 2012, and $25 million each of the remaining 3 seasons with a vesting option for a 6th year at $27.5 million. Perhaps he structures his yearly salary differently based on Milwaukee's situation, but for the time being let's pretend he does. His 2011 salary is very affordable and the Brewers have plenty of flexibility financially to pick up a one-year-rental (maybe two) via free agency or by trade. But after 2011 that flexibility is gone and for at least the next four years the Brewers owe a single pitcher 30% of the payroll. He will get paid more as he gets older with the potential of regression and general wear and tear of a major league pitcher's career. The Brewers will be consistently working around the contracts of Braun, Gallardo, Hart, and Lee to fill out a competitive roster. However, he is currently as good as any pitcher in the league and will be teamed with Yovani Gallardo for at least 3 seasons, making them pretty strong rotation-wise nearly regardless of who takes the remaining spots. He is one of the faces of the franchise and Milwaukee becomes more attractive for free agents. Pitching prospects at the lower levels have plenty of time to build their arms and the organization can be patient with their progress as their current needs aren't as dire. The Brewers still have a long-term answer at SS in Escobar and should they be too constricted to re-sign Rickie Weeks, Brett Lawrie could be pushed into action by 2012. Or... The Brewers do as they have and trade away Lawrie, Escobar, Cain, Jeffress, and Odorizzi (sounds awesome all together, right?) and acquire Shaun Marcum, 29, and Zack Greinke, 27. Both players are in the prime of their career and are making the infamous AL-to-NL switch. Greinke is signed for $13.5 million for the next two seasons and Marcum is due a nice raise in arbitration for 2011. I won't bother to try and guess a number. The Brewers' rotation is excellent in 2011 and 2012 and though I can't imagine it likely they're both extended with the Brewers, I think one of them will be. Even if they both stay they will maybe make up 30% of the payroll and with Gallardo make the Brewers a perennial competitor regardless of who's on the lineup card with Ryan Braun. But, their farm system takes a significant hit, and they'll be heavily relying on health at the big league level to remain competitive. CF depth is in the low levels of the minor leagues, SS depth doesn't exist, and though there are a number of big league talent arms in the system, they just lost possibly their best in Odorizzi. Their defense may struggle more than expected with Escobar's departure, which could compromise the better pitching they just spent so much to get. Now I make a lot, and I mean a lot of assumptions here. Feel free to call me out on them. But seeing as you guys are the most educated Brewers fans I know, I want your opinion. Did Doug Melvin actually do better than - what was deemed far too good to be true - sign Cliff Lee?

I would guess the Cardinals...someone to counter the Brewers acquisition of Marcum and Greinke.

I don't think outsiders really realize how much better the Brewers just got. I guess I much prefer it that way. The trickle-down effect of adding Greinke and Marcum will be enormous. If the Brewers have health on their side this season there's little keeping them from a deep playoff run.

I particularly like the "potential batting champion" comment about Brett Lawrie. Bet he wouldn't have said that if Lawrie hadn't been traded.

I like the Punto idea.

I don't think so. Can't imagine the Brewers are ready to expand the payroll much further...if they do it would more likely be for a SS. I don't see a reason for the Rays to deal Upton if they get no salary relief.

Isn't Luis Cruz excellent defensively? Because that's all I'm concerned with, I don't really care if he's a black hole at the plate.

I don't think trading Gamel is a great idea, as there is now even less chance the Brewers keep Prince past 2011. It depends on where you'd rather find a fill-in. 1B or SS with Gamel at 1B?

Considering the Brewers took on cash as part of the deal for Greinke, I can't imagine there's much more wiggle room in the payroll. I would absolutely love to have Cam back - one of my favorite players - but I think the Brewers are prepared to start Gomez/Dickerson out there and focus on trying to improve at SS.

I'd positively LOVE to have Mike Cameron back. But is that realistic? How would the Brewers manage his salary?

We still have Mark Rogers and now have Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum. Bravo, DM. Seriously, the Brewers didn't have to give up a blue-chip prospect to get this done. That's why nobody thought the Brewers had a chance. I'll really miss Cain, but he doesn't strike me as a potential perennial all-star like most guys involved in these sort of deals. Same with Escobar. There is so many questions about Jeffress' development and Odorizzi is still a year or two away and it's not like he's Bumgarnering it in the minors. Now all of these guys could certainly be contributors on a MLB club, but ordinarily in a trade for a guy like Greinke it takes more than that. DM bought 2010 Greinke, not 2007-2009 Greinke.