nate82

Didn't they make a big trade in 82 or was it 81? Fingers and Sutton come to my mind.

Trading for Fuentes could actually be more costly than trading for Sabathia. With both Boston and Tampa Bay looking at Fuentes it could get real ugly and real fast to for the Brewers. I would be more content with what we have right now even just keeping Mota in the pen for blow out games only. Mota would only see the mound if we were up by 8+ runs or down by 6 or more runs.

Gwynn and Crabbe would also get it done. I wouldn't mind if we lost both Gwynn and Crabbe since both are blocked from ever getting to Milwaukee.

DFA Mota already. He is worse than Turnbow has ever been for the Brewers. This was just an unacceptable performance by Mota today. Absolute garbage by Mota.

In Buster Onley's blog free preview btw today for ESPN insider stuff. Olney has this to say. "Heard this: Right now, the Red Sox and Rays essentially have no interest in completing a trade for C.C. Sabathia, because of other concerns. For Boston there may be a developing need for a bat, depending on how David Ortiz recovers from his wrist injury, as well as bullpen help, and for Tampa Bay the priority is going to be a right-handed hitting outfielder -- someone like the Pirates' Xavier Nady -- and perhaps some bullpen help. The Phillies, on the other hand, have the motivation to get a Sabathia deal done; the question is whether they would be willing to package a group of prospects from their relatively thin farm system for a rent-a-pitcher." Not sure how long the free preview will be up but here is the link.

The batting in front of the pitcher whining.

Bedard is the only pitcher that comes to my mind that wouldn't take the whole farm to get. Maybe even a free agent signing of Oliver Perez.

Mcclung?

I'm sorry but there is no way that the Rays will have enough after getting a bat and Fuentes if they even get him. The Red Sox are also looking at Fuentes. The Rays have enough to get all 3 but they are not going to do that. There is no way the Rays trade Price which is what they would have to do to get Sabathia, Fuentes, and Bay/Holliday/Nady. I don't think the Rays are willing to do that because it would clear out their farm system. The Rays and the Red Sox are going to overbid on Fuentes well whoever wins that sweepstakes is going to over pay. The Rays I believe will target Holliday more than Sabathia. Yes Sabathia on the Rays would be nice for them but what they really need is a guy in the bullpen to replace their closer who just went down with another injury. I don't see the Rays as a serious contender for Sabathia at all. Now the Dodgers could give up someone like Kemp or Broxton for Sabathia plus some other minor league options but would they really do that? I'm not familiar at all with the Dodgers minor league at all so I'm not sure what they have. I believe they have a few pitching prospects? I guess the Phillies have dropped out now? I still didn't get why the Phillies would be in it they really don't have that strong of a farm system. The Red Sox still could add Sabathia especially the way Matsuzaka pitched tonight. It looks like he hasn't fully recovered from his injury yet. A Moss + trade could easily get Sabathia from the Indians. Do we have anything to match that that wouldn't include LaPorta or Gamel? I bet the Cubs get Burnett, the Rays get Holliday and a reliever, the Red Sox get Fuentes, and the Dodgers get Bedard. That leaves the Brewers and another random team in the Sabathia running.

Yes and ties also I believe.

I really don't see the Cubs as a possible suitor for Sabathia at all the Indians may try to pull them into it but the Indians know they are not going to get a serious offer from the Cubs. The Cubs are not willing to let go of Gallagher so I'm not sure who the Cubs could throw in who could beat the Brewers lowest offer to the Indians. If they throw in Vitters maybe that would kill the Brewers low offer but I don't think the Cubs will do that. The Cubs if they would offer a Izturis, Pie, Hill, and Patterson at the Indians it still wouldn't be as good as a Gillespie, Nelson, and Dillard but it would be close. If you add Bush or Villanueva to that deal and it kills the Cubs offer completely and the Cubs really don't have much else to give to the Indians other than more depth which is what their original trade would do anyways. I'm not sure what the Phillies would offer though. I'm not sure they would give up someone like Worth and I don't even know if they even have the prospects to contend with the Brewers in a trade. The Phillies may want to have Sabathia just like the Cubs but I just don't see them as a team who has the prospects to get it done. This maybe another Santana deal that goes down where the Indians get the best available package that fills needs for them. Nelson, Villanueva, Dillard, and Gillespie all fill needs for the Indians. Villanueva could step in right away and start for the Indians and Nelson could step in and be their every day 1B for the next couple of years while Gillespie could be in their lineup next year and Dillard adds a nice bullpen arm for them. To me Boston maybe more concerned about a bat but if they expect Matsuzaka may have more trouble with his health they may get Sabathia now than wait until free agency. To me Boston scares me the most because they can match the Brewers upto the Brewers offering LaPorta and Gamel.

The Brewers still have the best offer for Sabathia with or without LaPorta or Gamel in the deal. I still think a pitcher is going to have to be thrown into the deal either Bush or Villanueva will be traded I'm guessing it will be Villanueva. A deal that sends Gillespie, Nelson, Villanueva, and Dillard would get the job done for Sabathia and a throw in player and it would be better than anything the Cubs could put together and the Phillies could put together unless both would be selling off the farm. I really don't see the Rays trading their minor league pitching for Sabathia. I believe the Rays are going to use that depth to land someone like Bay, Nady, or Holliday. The only other team that could match us with any offer short of a LaPorta/Gamel and a Salome/Escobar/Gillespie or any other player would be the Red Sox.

I wouldn't mind as much if we gave up LaPorta since he is just another RH batter. Jeffress and Gamel on the other hand are both LH. Both give more value to the team than LaPorta does. I really don't want to give up LaPorta just to have Sabathia but if it means going to the playoffs and having a chance to make the World Series this year then I will dump LaPorta and take Sabathia. It is really hard to get into the World Series. There hasn't been a repeat winning team in the World Series for a very long time. I believe the Brewers could restock even after trading away LaPorta + for Sabathia. If it means the playoffs with Sabathia this year that means a lot more revenue for the Brewers this year. Which means we could sign either Sheets or Sabathia to a long term deal.

I don't think you have to give up a Jeffress with a LaPorta or a Gamel. I believe the Brewers could get away with either Villanueva or Bush being added into the trade. Not an ideal option though I wouldn't want to see Bush or Villanueva go but if we land Sabathia I wouldn't mind as much. It would still hurt the Brewers especially if Villanueva is the one that goes. Remember Sabathia is going to be replacing someone in the rotation. More than likely it will be Bush and I'm not that confident in Bush being a good bullpen guy like I am with Villanueva.

If Burnett pitches good for the rest of the season he is going to opt out and he will get 5 yrs $80 million. If he pitches poorly he is still guaranteed $24 million. Its a win win situation for Burnett and a losing situation for the Brewers. I just don't like Burnett and the way things could possibly go. I would rather take the sure two picks and take Sabathia than take an unsure thing in Burnett which could be a disastorous outcome for the Brewers.

The Dodgers are not really thin at the OF spot. They still have Jones, Ethier, and Kemp and Pierre was just filling in for a lack luster Jones. I also don't see what kind of a pitcher you could get for TG from the Dodgers at most you could get a minor league pitcher for TG from the Dodgers. The Padres are more of a trading partner than the Dodgers are for the Brewers. Since Crabbe and Gwynn are players that they are really high on. Gwynn all be himself could land Maddux but you would probably need to trade Crabbe and Gwynn for Wolf though.

Also you are devaluing Orlando Cabrera and yet putting Yunel Escobar higher. Both are about equal in defense but I believe Orlando will have a better career hitting than Yunel will. Also Stephen Drew is about on par with Hardy. Both are tier 3 short stops in the league. Also Jeter and Tejada can really no longer be considered top of the line short stops anymore. Both of their range and to a lesser degree their offense has been declining.

Tier 1 Hanley Ramirez Jimmy Rollins Troy Tulowitzki Tier 2 Jose Reyes Yunel Escobar Michael Young Orlando Cabrera Tier 3 Derek Jeter Miguel Tejada Christian Guzman Rafael Furcal Edgar Renteria JJ Hardy Johnny Peralta Stephan Drew Khalil Greene Tier 4 Ryan Theriot Jack Wilson Adam Everett Jerry Hairston Bobby Crosby Y. Betancourt Tier 5 David Eckstein M. Izturis Jason Bartlett Julio Lugo Brendan Ryan Omar Vizquel Freddie Bynum Tony Pena I put Tulo in tier 1 because he has one of the best gloves and range for a short stop out of all of the short stops in the league.

What splitterpfj posted was that the Brewers wouldn't give up two of the listed five. Which makes 100% sense you don't really want to give up two stud prospects just for a three month rental player. With that being said it will be a A list player +, other minor league prospects not on the A list. The A list is the 5 named players. So a LaPorta, Nelson, and Villanueva would be a possibility but not a Gamel and LaPorta or any combination of the players on the A list.

First thing the Brewers are not a small market team. They are a mid market team. Stop with the small market [removed] its not true that is just the woah is me crowd speaking. The Brewers are in fact a mid market team they are not the Yankees, Cubs, or Red Sox. The Brewers can compete with the Indians, Twins (another mid market team), and the Cardinals for players. Theres not that many small market teams any more in the MLB, NFL, NBA, or NHL. Small market teams currently in the MLB are the Marlins and the Nationals both are coming around to being mid market teams. If you want to see proof why the Brewers are no longer a small market team look at the sales the team made the last couple of years. I believe they have been ranked in the top 10. There was an article floating around at the Brewers web site I believe it was not to long ago about this. Secondly you don't have to sign both Sheets and CC for the trade to be successful. Both will be type A free agents and will probably go to teams that have good records like the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, or the Cubs/White Sox. We would get 2 extra first round picks plus comp picks which would be like losing 4 players. With the way we have drafted having those 2 extra first round picks would help out a lot for the future. EDIT: Abbreviating for swears is not allowed. -PF

The two starting pitchers makes sense since the Padres love Crabbe and Gwynn I could see both being traded for Wolf or Maddux. So our suspicions were correct that they wouldn't trade two players from the AA team which is what we just talked about in the last page. I think a LaPorta, Weeks/Hardy for Sabathia would be a great deal. The Indians would probably want Weeks more than Hardy especially after losing Phillips. I'm guessing that a LaPorta, Weeks/Hardy would be the starting point for the Indians probably ending with Villanueva or even possibly Bush (I doubt it though) for Sabathia. I believe Bedard could be had for less than Sabathia with us only giving up two players like a Weeks/Hardy and Villanueva for Bedard. Would be nice to have a rotation of 1) Sheets 2) Sabathia/Bedard 3)Maddux/Wolf 4) Parra 5) Suppan. Would be crazy to have 3 lefties in the rotation though. I'm not sure how that would work out though.

Once Sheets and Sabathia are off the market it comes down to Penny and Burnett on the market as the next best pitchers available. He could get $10M+ in the free agent market next year.

Burnett has a player option for next year. If he sucks he takes his salary if he is awesome he walks and tries out the market.

Padilla would have been a good pickup the year we got Suppan which is when he was a free agent. Trading for him wouldn't be a good idea unless it means we are trading Gwynn and Crabbe for him.

Cleveland is trying one last time to see if they can resign Sabathia. If they are not able to resign him they will be looking at a trade that would land them the 2 comp picks they would receive at the end of the year if they would just keep him. It will all depend on what the Indians needs are and if a LaPorta or a Salome will be center pieces for them. I believe LaPorta is more of a center piece than Salome is. But Salome is a catcher and catchers are always in demand like pitchers. LaPorta is more of a fit if the Indians believe Hafner can't return to what he was two years ago. To me the Brewers are more compatible with the Indians in terms of trading partners. Nelson could also be put into the deal and could start at 1B for the Indians almost right away. A LaPorta, Nelson, and Villanueva deal the more I think about it would be a great starting point for a Sabathia and a bullpen arm. The Brewers might have to throw in Hall or Hardy though not sure on that since I believe Iribarren or Crabe could fit those spots also.