pete

The thing is that at a point you're not improving your team, you're just wasting money through salaries and through having guys who could perform but aren't given the chance. The Brewers aren't exactly strict adherents to the notion of competing for jobs. I don't mind Krod, but at 1/5 or so, if he falters and there are guys behind him doing better, he steps aside. Now he's moved into the contract plays territory. They didn't need to add a "closer." Maybe Melvin or Attanasio or others in the FO felt the need or they wouldn't have been the ONLY team to show serious interest in Papelbon.

Again, I don't mind if I'm wrong, someone tell me, but didn't Braun not do the glove thing every time last season? If its a neurosis, have you noticed how wide spread it is? How do you feel about Josh Harrison's need to tap each toe with his bat while he walks away, then take practice swings? How about Tulo? He takes more time than anyone I've ever seen and he just meanders around.

I think it was an MLB video with him or maybe it was the ST story and it was something to do with an injury. I think he hid it from the team which is a negative in itself, but whatever. Hopefully he is back, but if he isn't throwing well he could get let go.

C'mon, he was truly excellent 2 seasons ago and still good last season. I suppose if you believe there is a decline going on you'd give up on him. Excellent at getting ground balls too.

Wasn't Coulter a state wrestling champion? I know some kinds of athleticism might not translate into being a good outfielder, but wrestling is hella athletic. Also doesn't he have a strong arm? Descriptions of Schwarber are always something along the lines of more athletic than you would think by looking at him. I finally got around to listening to McDaniel and Cistulli yammer about the Fangraphs list. Part of his rationale for placing some Cubs prospects where they were is because the Cubs told him they were super awesome. Kris Bryant can play CF and the like. He couldn't define what his list is about. Yes, floor and ceiling kind of, but said things like it included what he called "trade value" which is why some rookies and J2 guys are on it. Another factor was what he expects next years list to look like. He had a rather meandering explanation of how picking certain prospects and being wrong didn't generate negative criticism and vice versa. Actually, I'm not confident that's a good explanation, but he admitted its not a best of anything, he doesn't try to make it that and some choices are based on expected reactions. At least he's honest, but that is lame.

Jimenez is supposed to be a plus defender. He's actually got a fairly low K rate and a remarkably consistent OBP that isn't bad. If Cecchini ends up iffy as a 3B, the walks may not matter. The walks may not translate to the majors at the same level with better pitching and scouting. I don't think its so easy to forecast what either guy will be. It would create more buzz to trade for Cecchini.

I don't know if its true, but according to a Chicago radio person, there is 11 minutes of actual football in an NFL game.

They have a decent movie on that channel now and then. We get AT&T Uverse and I had no idea that we got it. I discovered it when they had one of their preview weekends where most everything comes in and I was just clicking around channels one by one. We don't get most of the channels around it and the ones that come in are Lifetime type things. They generally group types of channels together but odd ones are here and there. Another odd channel that's moved around and changed names is AWE, formerly the Wealth Channel. There's lots of super luxury shopping and cruises and what not but some unusual history shows. The one that I find kind of mind boggling is a 2 or 3 part series on Marijuana that is mostly about its health benefits. Also an entertaining cooking show called Secret Meat Business. Another one I'll look at on rare occasions is China News Network, 3600, on AT&T. Everything around it is blocked. I guess its for bilingual Chinese? They often have lots of video of events around the world and they have local correspondents as well. Its interesting to see something like an English speaking Russian reporter talking while some event is occurring in Russia.

I'd be ok with skipping the National Anthem. I don't really want any politics or religion at a sporting event. Do you consider GBA a tradition for some reason? It was sung before 9/11 at some ball games. Take Me Out To The Ballgame is the tradition that was lost.

Would it kill Jon Heyman to ever name a source?

The media has been beating this to death. The Brewers radio show on WSSP was awful after the Thornburg interview with their resident Cubs fan throwing out every negative spin possible. Oh nooooooo... Marco Estrada is gone. Gallardo is gone. Both were very, very valuable declared the Cubs fan. Now its like a cliff. Then every one negative on the Brewers started texting and tweeting and calling in. If WSSP made known that they were taking resumes for his position, I'd bet they could get thousands. Yet they keep a guy who enjoys playing sound clips of every Brewers and Packers failure. Is the station owned by people from Illinois maybe? Jungmann has routinely been written off as a bust or maybe a reliever by outsiders, but he's up to about a K per inning and has an elite ground ball rate. If he weren't a Brewers prospect, that's what you would be hearing about. You already mentioned Thornburg. Its not completely out of the question that Hellweg or even Pena become credible options. Mid season other teams would bring up guys like Tyler Wagner with his age and experience. Will Smith could swing into the rotation. I'm probably forgetting someone. Yeah, the people who want a rotation full of "names" won't like those choices. But look at what other teams have as depth. It isn't pretty. Do you think the Cards might need 7 starters this season? Who is after Marco Gonzalez? Cubs fans are in a lather over the super depth and then talk about Wada and Turner. Pirates are looking at Brandon Cumpton types if Kingham isn't ready or they need more than one. The national media is the same yet they talk about guys like Stephenson and Glasnow as if they might help this season. Where can I bet on that? I think the Brewers are better off than most teams.

Supposedly bone spurs in his foot caused problems last season.

Melvin might have included a quicker path to the majors.

They've been graduating players too.

I think the Cecchini prospect luster may be a little less shiny these days. If Melvin could work out a trade for him, skip Amaro and Papelbon. Work something out with the Red Sox.

MLB will fix that and it won't be so that domestic players get more.

The McCalvy interview this morning on WSSP, going by memory, he said that the Lohse deal was a MA thing and a couple of the Krod signings. He also didn't sound enthusiastic about Perez filling the closer role although he thought he might make the team. He also made the argument that has been made here that there are enough potential guys who could close that its not a worry. The thing that struck me was that it sounded as if the MA deals were independent, rather than an idea that he pushed.

Here's an interesting quote from Joel Sherman in the NY Post: In fact, the strong vibe I have received from the Yankees is it is too much risk for a player who might be two years from the majors... Nevertheless, as long as Yankees evaluators believe he has a chance to be an All-Star or better — the little bit that has crept out about their thinking is that they really like this young Cuban — then they have to take the gamble. The last phrase about taking the gamble I believe is Sherman's thinking not the Yankees. After ripping the guy about an earlier article, I thought he did a nice job of arguing that they should spend even up to 100 million to sign him. Also, maybe 2 years from the majors? Is his contract going to be minors time plus 6 years in the majors or just a 6 year contract?

Is my memory failing me or did Braun not do the glove thing every time last season? I guess comparing rituals is kind of pointless, but the Josh Harrison toe tap every time... come on. But the Tulo wander surely takes the most time. The new rule should be called the Tulo rule

I'd expect them to get either more than 60 innings or less, that is its a big win or they just write off the money. Other than Capuano, what other double TJ pitchers have been successful? I just don't know. The Brewers do have the experience of rehabbing Capuano and dealing with his medicals. I remember a news story with either Medlen or Beachy that talked about how they looked at video to study their mechanics after they found out they needed a 2nd TJ. I thought that was crazy. In the radio interview that Mass Hass linked to with Will Carroll he mentioned in passing a huge number of TJs by Atlanta pitchers (I don't trust my memory for the number) and it was a contrast to how few the Brewers have as he discussed Hellweg.

Is it possible to do it without a loss of quality?

Predictably with ST underway for the Phillies, being traded was asked about. It sounded as if he would waive his no trade clause and whether he would require his option to be picked up, he gave an elaborate maybe. The go team go enthusiasm quote was: If Toronto wants me, if Milwaukee wants me, whoever wants me, they’re going to get someone who knows how to compete and go play ball and lay it on the line. What I didn't realize was that his notorious quote that it was mind-boggling to want to be on a losing team was made at Miller Park in July. Not much else there but if someone wants: http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/20150222__Fan_favorite__Papelbon_seems_to_soften_over_leaving_Phillies_.html

Take Me Out To The Ballgame would span generations.

I agree. I can see it being arguable if the offense is fantastic, but in the past it seemed automatic to drop a guy down if he wasn't a good defender. It almost seems as if the Cubs have many convinced that he has a good shot to stick at catcher. I just saw a video of Touissant. That delivery is a scary mess to my amateur eyes. Bradley hasn't done well. I dunno... Regarding Medeiros: I'm pumped. I think its a great pick. I know there's a lot of disagreement. LH who throws in the mid to low 90s with movement and has a plus 2nd pitch and a third pitch already? If only he was as good as Rob Kaminsky!

2. No, they don't want guys meandering around like Tulo or toe tapping like Josh Harrison or doing the glove thing like Braun.