silversurferr

I am not a Davis fan. However, he will help the rotation. Everyone concedes that Wolf is better than Looper. And remember that Gallardo will improve, Parra will improve (can't pitch worse), and Bush should be healthy and solid. Reminds me of the '82 staff. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

Parra and Bush will be improved over last year. Parra could significantly improve. People forget or ignore that Gallardo is very young and should continue to improve. Wolf is a huge improvement over Looper. Suppan is Suppan. Pen looks solid. My big worry is that Hoffman crashes and burns. More than anything, bad closers crush souls.

Great article! Confirms what I saw (way too much) from Parra last year; nibble with junk, get behind, hittable fastball down middle. Hopefully new pitching coach Peterson can help Parra either gain movement on fastball or locate it better. Hint, throw the fastball on or off the inside corner more often.

Another possible fit is Atlanta, which needs OF depth and has an excess of pitching. Hart to Atlanta for Derek Lowe (with Atlanta picking up a chunk of his salary). Or, Gamel and Hart for Vazquez. (Atlanta could move Chipper to first.)

Sox would not trade Bucholz for Gamel. That is silly. I see Bucholz as a solid number three with potential to be a two. I think would have to knock their socks off (pun). Hart, Gamel, Bush, and a prospect seems more like it. And Boston still would not do it.

I like Gamel, but if the Brewers thought he was special, they would clear a spot for him. This is the year to do it; Gamel is young, but not that young. 24, 25 is the age that truly elite prospects make their jump. To open a spot, they would trade McGehee or Hart. BC of the Figgins signing and the Bradley trade, I do not think Seattle is a taker for Hart or Casey. Gamel for Morrow does not make sense for either side.

Wolf and Hawkins are solid but not spectacular. Looking at what others have signed for, I think both contracts are decent values. The questions I have about the staff, assuming nobody else is added, are whether can Hoffman repeat what he did last year, and will Parra finally improve? Hoffman scares me, but he will get the job done. Parra irritates me; this has got to be the year he shows some consistency with his promise. Contrary to many who post, I do not think his stuff is that wonderful. But he could be a decent pitcher if he throws strikes.

I agree with Ennder. Hudson used to be very good. Now he is coming off an injury. I don't view him as a a superstar. I did not understand Atlanta's rush to spend big dollars on him. I think Wolf is similar in value at this point in their careers.

I did not mean TRADE Villanueva for a better pitcher. Obviously, I do not think he has much value. Clear the spot, and add a better arm. Move Villy, trade Hart for a pitcher, play Gamel in RF.

I would like to see them move Villy for a better arm. I do not understand fan fascination with him. He is mediocre out of the pen (who occasionally gets destroyed), and no matter how you spin it, he is a liability as a starter. He is a back-end bullpenner.

I also would like Bedard over the other "innings eaters." What kind of attention from the league has Bedard got so far this winter?

Whatever. During the playoff run, Weeks was leading the league in some of those advance and score per time on base stats. (Have not looked it up, but Hart seems to be the opposite side of the equation. Blazing, but unutilized speed.) That is the key. Get on, run fast, score. If stealing helps, do it. If not, wait for Braun and Fielder to clear the bases.

I think we are doing many of the same things the Twins are doing. Big difference is that we have not spent as much draft energy on pitching, and when we have, we crapped out. As much credit as Jack Z gets for the core offense, he should get as much blame for the lack of young pitching talent. I assume Jack Z was also involved in the Rogers, Jeffress, et al, picks.

Speed is a viable offensive weapon. Do not need to constantly attempt steals to be effective. (Robin Yount was one of the greatest baserunners of his era, and he sparingly attempted to steal.) Coaching these guys to situationally advance (i.e., first to third) comes before teaching them to steal. Weeks is excellent. From what I saw at Minny, Gomez has been somewhat slow on the uptake; alot of boneheaded baserunning. Escobar? We'll soon see. Coaching will be very important for this year's young team. Macha is solid, but I really like having Randolph around to lead the charge.

Wolf is a solid two-three guy. Very good signing....if he stays healthy. And he's a lefty, which give us room to move Parra, if necessary, in a deal for a pricier, but better veteran. Oh yeah, three other reasons this is a good signing: 1) Washburn, 2) Davis, 3) Garland. Yikes! Ducked those (83 mph) bullets!