tosabrewfan

In what way? My thought is that another 4/5 pitcher doesn't help this team win this year. Put another way, why give up anything to move from 81 to 83 wins this year (I'm not conceding that Correia gives you two wins over Burns/other internal options. I'm just using two wins as a optimistic estimate of Correia's contribution). With no real shot at the wild card and three teams above us in our division, Correia is not a difference-maker for this year and I hope to not have to watch him pitch next year.

How is trading a few of our prospects now "throwing away our chances in 2011, 2012 and 2013?" My reasoning above is that once Gallardo is in arbitration, and Fielder is gone, it is not likely that we will have the means to replace all of our current offensive production and sign another stud pitcher. By your own reasoning, how much does not making a trade this season improve our chances to win a World Series in the 2011-2013 timeframe 5%? 6%? 10%?

I don't get the unfounded optimism about "the future." The way I see it, if you can trade some prospects this year (including Gamel or Escobar) for a pitcher like Halladay (a top-level starter with 1.5 years left on his contract) you should do it. Here is my reasoning: 1. The NL Central is a mess this year and we have a better than average chance of making the playoffs, but we can't advance beyond the first round without at least 2 top-level pitchers. 2. No matter how good Gamel or Escobar can be, I don't think that you can count on the team ever having a better 3-4 hitter combination than Braun and Fielder. Halladay would allow you to compete during two seasons that you have both Braun and Fielder. 3. We should sign a pitcher before Gallardo reaches arbitration - for obvious reasons. 4. If the goal is to win a championship, mid-market teams are going to have to accept some down years. (I am assuming that the goal is to win a championship, not to consistently field an above-average team similar to last years"). 5. The Brewers are going to need to find pitching in the off-season even if they don't trade for a pitcher during this season.

When I called, I was told that the only way to get a pass was to buy it at the Miller Park ticket windows. I asked about ordering over the phone and was told that was not an option. It was $20 and only general parking is available.

I called the Brewers on this issue - here was the result: They will not be selling any parking on the day of the game, but advance parking passes were still available, as of last night, for both games. To get a pass, you just need to go to the ticket windows at Miller Park.

I'm not thrilled with the booing, but don't you think booing him before he gives up the run indicates to Ned that 40,000 people think he is making the wrong decision in bringing Gagne into the game? If the fans only booed after Gagne inevitably blows the lead the argument would be "hindsight is 20/20. Either way, continuing to use Gagne isn't going to change the fact that the Brewers blew 10 million on a terrible relief pitcher, however, it may mean that Gagne's actual cost will be 10 million + the 2008 Brewers playoff chances. If the fact that Gagne was booed before he gave up the lead at all persuades Ned not to use him in the future, then I'm all for it (and no, I don't think the manager should manage to the fans, but I do think that everyone in the stadium knows that Gagne is garbage this year). Maybe Craig Counsell can tell Ned that Gagne should be put on mop up duty - mopping up the clubhouse after wins he wasn't able to blow.

Latest news per TH of JSOnline: "As I write this blog, right-hander Yovani Gallardo is throwing a simulated game to a handful of Brewers hitters. Gallardo has been out since May 1 with a torn ACL in his right knee and the Brewers have maintained it is a long shot that he will pitch again this season. But to be at the point of throwing a simulated game means he's not that far away from being ready to pitch in games. The problem the Brewers have is that the minor league season is over and therefore he can't go on a rehab assignment there. Might we see Gallardo again this year? And, if the Brewers make the playoffs, would they include him on their playoff roster? Because he is on the DL he could be added to the playoff roster. All interesting questions that I'm sure won't be answered at this time for fear of causing a letdown should Gallardo not make it."

Assuming this playoff schedule is correct, does anyone know how the Brewers will determine which game of the NLDS and NLCS each 9 pack holder would have an opportunity to purchase? For instance, will it include different plans (e.g., Plan A would be Game 3 of the NLDS and Game 4 or 5 of the NLCS, with Plan B being Game 4 of the NLDS and Game 3 of the NLCS), or will the Brewers make an arbitrary decision as to which game each 9 pack holder can purchase?

You mean the same Witrado that published a story on Braun this morning that didn't seem to have any information more recent than Wednesday? He's got a job that many people would envy, but absolutely no talent.

Heard that Gorzelanny was rejoining the team from AAA tonight. Maybe the Pirates will trade one crappy LH for another. Let's just hope that Snell didn't lend them his iPhone with video of CC.

There are any number of reasons people would buy a 20 pack and then stand, including the following: (1) I don't think that they sell SRO 20 packs; (2) if you are meeting people at the ball park and they have seats in a different section; (3) personal comfort; (4) better or different sight lines; (5) annoying neighbors in your assigned seat. There are many times that I have a seat (even a good seat) and just enjoy walking from place-to-place. I have always touted this as a feature of Miller Park. Generally, I believe that any problems with this issue will work themselves out (i.e., if there are more people standing, it becomes harder to see from the concourse areas and people will be more likely to go back to their seats). On the other issue - spitting in public is not cool, whether it's a ballpark or mall. At the ballpark the players are allow to do it, but there is no reason that the fans should do so - get a cup - it's not that hard. On the other issues, however, it's a ball game not an opera performance.

And that is why TH clearly has no idea how to maintain a blog for a major professional newspaper. The credibility that is lent to a blog run by the JS requires that TH not post personal attacks, or inaccurate breaking news, on the blog. The argument is that TH should know that it is wrong to post personal attacks with contact information, just as he should have known that his readership was slightly larger than Badger Blogger (the Ned Yost blog). The fact that TH doesn't know these things is a failure for him, and for his managers for failing to get him the proper training. Everytime TH makes these errors, which are fairly major, he damages both his credibility and the credibility of the Journal Sentinel.

BTA - I agree that banning Adam would not have made a lot of sense, but it certainly would have been more reasonable than the "retaliation" that TH actually engaged in.

I don't think that it is unreasonable to hold a professional beat writer to at least the same level of accountability as your average blogger. If Tom Hardricout knew anything about the Internet (channelling Ned Yost), he would know that publishing someone's full name and email address as a response to receiving some criticism (directly or indirectly) is considered the "nuclear option." TH could have explored avenues such as (1) ignoring Adam's criticism and trying to be less incindiary in his comments in the future (2) banning Adam from the blog (JS requires registration) or (3) corresponding directly with Adam to address his concerns, instead of publishing Adam's contact information. TH severly screwed up. As much as I appreciate the information shared by the blog, TH clearly has no idea how to maintain a blog for a major professional newspaper (remember when Yost got fired). TH is the first to criticize Yost when he gets snippy, but obviously cannot recognize the same type of behavior when he exhibits it. Based on this and prior incidents, the JS clearly needs to hire someone to provide additional training to its writers with resepct to blogs. Until someone has that training, the "blog" should really just be an "opinion-free" zone.

Regarding ESPN Top plays: By this morning Kapler was pushed back for the US relay team winning gold (which is not a play) and the Reggie Bush meaningless hurdle.