nate82

I hope they either shorten spring training or just end the season at the end of August and start the playoffs in either the first or second week of the playoffs. I wonder how the teams that win the division will handle the week off. You would think that would hurt the division teams more so than the teams that played the week before. I know Selig wanted just a one game playoff between the two wildcard teams while the players union wants a best of three I think it is. I agree with Selig though it looks like there will definitely be an expansion to the playoffs in 2012 now.

Well it isn't really bare there are some pieces that the Mets would want in return I am just not sure it will be enough of a return. Right now it is completely speculation because you have no idea who is going to be in the race for a playoff picture and who will be looking for an upgrade at SS. While I agree with the MLBTR speculation on the teams I see that they have some faults in their evaluation. First one being the Twins as I don't see them making a major trade and I can't remember the last time the Twins made a big trade that brought in a big name player like Reyes plus the Twins look really bad right now and are in danger of not being in the playoffs yeah I know it is early but that team does not look good. The Cardinals are another team that just does not make sense. The Cardinals would need a perfect scenario in order to even make the playoffs and they have Pujols to worry about first and I just do not see the Cardinals pulling the trigger on a Reyes trade when they have so many question marks on their team. The only team I can see making that trade would be the Reds or the Giants and I have questions on the Reds in that they look to be comfortable playing Janish and Renteria at SS. The Giants are also questionable in terms of do they want to give up the prospects to get Reyes and I believe the Mets are going to ask for something big in return. Now this also doesn't include players like Hardy if he gets healthy or Drew being on the market. Hardy will come cheaper so that would be a move the Twins, Giants, or Reds would make and I think you could put the Cardinals in this spot also. Now Drew will be the main target if he becomes available. I believe this is where the Cardinals would come in because they would have control of Drew for one more year I believe which would help them for the next year and they could possibly still resign Pujols. If Drew becomes available that will take out some of the leverage that the Mets will have in trading Reyes. Now lets say the scenario unfolds like this the Cardinals and Twins are out of the playoffs picture while the Brewers, Giants, and Reds are still in it. Hardy is now fully healthy and is on the trading block and the same with Reyes and Drew. Hardy is traded to the Giants and now that leaves Drew and Reyes available. If in that scenario that leaves the Brewers and the Reds as the main competition for Drew and Reyes, I don't believe the Brewers have the prospects to get Drew but I do believe they have just enough for Reyes. I believe Drew will be traded to the Cardinals as this is a move I can see the Cardinals doing for the next season to see if they can keep Pujols. That now leaves the Reds and Brewers as the main suitors for Reyes the Reds may up the price on Reyes so the Brewers do not get him that is possible but in the end I don't see the Reds offering a real serious trade for Reyes unless Stubs starts to falter as their lead off hitter. I could see a trade that would be Gennett, Scarpetta, Schafer/Komatsu, and PTBNL for Reyes. I am not sure the Brewers would have enough in terms of finances to pull this off though but if money wasn't an option I would do a Reyes and Rodriguez for Gennett, Scarpetta, and Betancourt with the Brewers taking on all of the salary for Reyes and Rodriguez. Betancourt would need to be added or Hawkins would need to be added in order for it to work financially this year for the Brewers but this would mean that Mark A would have to really open up the wallet and take a hit this year. The Brewers may have to add in a prospect in the mold of a hard throwing relief pitcher or a #4 or #5 type of a starter. Scarpetta would be someone who the Mets could throw into their rotation next year and Gennett could also be ready by next season depending on how aggressive they are with him. Scarpetta would be someone that would benefit in pitching in the NL East with all of the pitchers ballparks the NL East has. Gennett is an organizational need at 2B and he would fit into the new Mets managements plans.

I am actually a Brewers/Bears fan I guess watching the Bears practice in the summer made me a Bears fan never really thought about it. My youngest brother is even weirder he is a Chiefs/Cubs fan.

Beltran can only play RF or LF and I am not sure he really can play either of those two positions every day and I am not even sure he can go more than two games in a row. Health wise Beltran is not worth it and the Mets would be ecstatic to get Gomez back in return for dumping Beltran who has no value. The Brewers wouldn't be able to offer Beltran arbitration. Reyes maybe more realistic but I think that is going to cost the Brewers Rogers and Gennett at least with more being sent to the Mets. The only good thing the Brewers have going for them is that there will not be that many teams looking for a SS at the deadline. The only teams that I can think of right now that would need an upgrade at SS would be the Twins, Giants, and Brewers. I don't see the Twins making a big deal for Reyes and the Giants probably won't either so that leaves the Brewers and maybe a surprise team in the Red Sox but I doubt they will get involved. Reyes makes sense for the Brewers but I am not sure the budget will allow it but I think Mark A. will open up the books and take the chance if the Brewers are in it and are close. Reyes would definitely take Rogers, Gennett, and another prospect while Beltran even if healthy at the most the Brewers should give up would be Gomez. Beltran really is a DH option at this point in his career.

No, we haven't. Hardy has been much more valuable than Gomez. We didn't need Hardy last year but this year he would be really helpful.Hardy would be adding negative value to the team right now. If Hardy was on the Brewers right now Counsell would be the everyday SS. Hardy right now is a platoon player because he can not stay healthy.

Would JJ Hardy be a huge upgrade for the Brewers? I would think that would answer that question... Hardy has zero value when he is sitting on the DL.

Not going to happen. I don't see the Blue Jays giving up on Escobar.

Agreed. When coming home from the game today and listening to that made my day.

That maybe a possibility but the DH has prolonged careers for players who normally wouldn't have a long career. I don't see the players union giving that up especially with the way that baseball has been going recently with more younger players than older ones filling out the rosters. As for the second part I can't remember exactly what Selig's intent was for the earlier realignment but I doubt he would have touched on the DH subject. I believe Selig's plan was more of a regional one where it would cut down on travel times. I think Houston moves to the AL West in the realignment I am not sure on that.

I wonder if a package centered around Gennett would be enough for the Brewers to get Reyes. Definitely would have to be more than Gennett and I am not sure what else other than 2B that is a glaring hole in the Mets organization that they would want.

I have a strong feeling that if Axford falters during the year that Melvin will go out and trade for Francisco Rodriguez. There was reports earlier in the year that the Mets were looking to limit Rodriguez's in the number of games he would appear in. If the Mets are out of it by the deadline which I believe they will be I believe Rodriguez would be the player Melvin will go and trade for. This just feels like a trade that Melvin will go out and do at the trade deadline if Axford is not performing well or the bullpen in general is not doing well. I am not sure what the Mets would be looking to get for Rodriguez if the reports/rumors are true from earlier it may not be all that much that will be needed to get Rodriguez. If the Brewers take on all of Rodriguez's salary I believe the prospect going back will not be all that big.

Selig is looking at realignment but that shouldn't be a surprise to anyone since Selig wanted to do the realignment earlier. I don't think this will go anywhere as I don't see the baseball traditionalists going for anymore realignment for one it would be having the DH in both leagues as you will need to have an inter league game everyday and secondly the players union will not give up on the DH. So for the realignment to happen there will have to be a DH in both leagues which will not happen thus the realignment will not work. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/04/selig-on-mets-contraction-realignment-playoffs.html

I believe Garfield belongs where he is at right now but having the two in the same spot is a big mystery. I thought it was a forgone conclusion that Garfield would be staying in WI this season due to his age and his play last year.

Izturis is better defensively than Betancourt is and that would be a guaranteed improvement over Betancourt. Offensively they are the same with Betancourt having more power but I will take Izturis's horrid offense with better defense over Betancourt's horrid offense and horride defense. There is no one available who is going to give you an improvement both offensively and defensively at this time.

Cesar Izturis is probably more of a realistic possibility than any other player at this time and will be available at the trade deadline also.

Because Glaus has no movement anymore. Put it this way would you play Fielder at 3B or in the OF? Glaus is about equal to what Fielder is defensively now.

I wish Melvin would have went after Dye or Glaus instead of Kotsay. Both Glaus and Dye would have been defensive liabilities with Glaus being a pinch hit or when Prince would need a day off type of a player. I believe Dye would have been a better pick up than Kotsay though especially with the injury to Hart.

Short answer no to the first question. Somewhat long answer 2012 3B Free Agents: Casey Blake LAD *, Mark DeRosa SF, Greg Dobbs PHI, Aramis Ramirez CHC All four of those options would be just as good or worse than McGehee defensively so no improvement there and offensively you are probably looking at a drop off probably a considerable one. The best option would be keeping McGehee at 3B if you have to you can move him to 1B but I would rather have Braun at 1B than McGehee as Braun's lack of defense in LF hurts the Brewers more than McGehee's defense at 3B. Plus there are options in the OF next year with Gamel, Schafer, Komatsu, and Gindl. I could see Gamel in LF/RF with Hart either moving to LF or staying in RF. Komatsu or Schafer could handle CF fine I actually believe Komatsu will finish out the year in AAA this year and will be a strong contender as the starting CF in 2012 for the Brewers along with Schafer, Morgan, and Gomez. Defensively the OF gets better by moving either Braun or Hart out of the OF would see a bigger improvement defensively without Braun in the OF.

Rather pricey like Alienware but I have never had a problem with this company when I have bought from them. http://www.falcon-nw.com/

Shouldn't be an issue if the output is HDMI.

What are you looking to spend price wise?

I think people are over stating how good the Red Sox are. After Lester and Buchholz there are a lot of question marks in the Red Sox rotation. Will Beckett be like he was in 2009 and 2010? Lackey is another question mark in the rotation with Matsuzaka being the biggest question mark in the rotation. I am not all that certain that the Red Sox are this dominant team that everyone is making them out to be. They have some serious questions marks in that starting rotation but it is not as bad as the Yankees have as I don't see them making the playoffs. Philadelphia also has some question marks but that is mostly due to injuries on their offensive side but their bullpen is not all that good. I don't see the Rays making the playoffs I believe the AL central will have two teams in the playoffs the Rays bullpen is what will do them in. AL East: Red SoxAL Central: White SoxAL West: A'sAL Wild Card: Twins NL East: PhilliesNL Central: BrewersNL West: GiantsNL Wild Card: Braves Playoffs: Red Sox over Twins; White Sox over A's; Brewers over Braves; Phillies over Giants;ALCS: Red Sox over White SoxNLCS: Phillies over BrewersWS: Phillies over Red Sox AL MVP: Adrian GonzalezNL MVP: Ryan Braun AL Cy Young: David PriceNL Cy Young: Tim Lincecum AL Rookie: Jeremy HellicksonNL Rookie: Freddie Freeman

Metallica - Nothing Else MattersMetallica - Fade to BlackMetallica - ...and Justice for All

None and they have until June.

A friend of mine who is a scout doesn't like Bradley at CF but he has been wrong before about things like this. He doesn't really like his speed and his potential for power. I am not sure I agree with the assessment that he gave me but I have concerns over Bradley. I don't think the Brewers would shy away from a Boras guy if he is the best player available at that time and they thought they could sign him. If Dickerson is still available in the second round wouldn't that be a good gamble on the Brewers side to take him if he is available in the 2nd round. I don't think he will last beyond the compensation picks as I think the Rays would take the risk on a player like that.