CheezWizHed

A little different format, mainly because I think differently... http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif Also, I added in parenthesis if a player has an option remaining (Y/N) for the bubble type players (who cares if Fielder or Greinke has an option remaining). Pitching: Greinke - DL 1) SP - Gallardo 2) SP - Marcum 3) SP - Wolf 4) SP - Narveson 5) SP - Rodgers (Y) / Rivas (Y) 6) RP - Braddock 7) RP - Saito 8) RP - Hawkins 9) RP - Axford10) RP - Parra11) RP - Loe 12) RP - Green (N) / James (Y) / McClendon (Y) Position Players: Lucroy - DL13) 1B - Fielder 14) 2B - Weeks 15) SS - Betancourt 16) 3B - McGehee 17) LF - Braun 18) CF - Gomez 19) RF - Hart20) C - Kottaras 21) BU IF: Counsel 22) BU C: Nieves (N) / Maldonado (Y) 23) BU OF: Dickerson (Y) / Boggs (N) 24) Utility: Kotsay (N) / Cruz (N) / Almonte (MiLB contract?) Last spot: 25th) Anyone who loses out from spot 12 or 24. Probably Out:SP - Scarpetta (Y) SP - Merklinger (Y) SP - Peralta (Y) RP - Kintzler (Y) RP - DiFelice (MiLB contract) RP - Egan (Rule 5 draft) RP - Stetter (Y) IF - Gamel (Y) IF - Farris (Y) OF - Reed (MiLB contract) Edit: tweaked the 25th spot.

I seem to remember a pitcher that cut his finger cutting food for cooking. Matt Wise and the salad tongs? Also make sure every pitcher has the correct pillow to sleep on when he travels!

As you can imagine, there were many candidates requesting to write for the Mets... Given their off-season, I can't imagine! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif I welcome your first step into the Brewer Fan conversion!

Why are you having your game broadcasts from the seating bowl this season? Very simply, to add to the fan experience. There was plenty of room. Fixed!

I'll I have to add is this: Its sure nice to have multiple SP prospects as options rather than the usual AAAA fodder we normally have as backup SPs.

I whole-heartedly agree. Seriously, pickup basketball? That's a completely random injury, and if he replayed that game one hundred times, he probably wouldn't get hurt in any of them. He could've injured himself fallling out of bed. Agreed. Seems like we should be wrapping these guys up in bubble wrap and hiding the salad tongs! When I heard him say that he hurt himself doing something foolish, playing a game of BB wasn't among the things that came to mind.

His elbow position during his swing is throwing everything off and causing his back pain!

Given the constraints of the OP, I'll pick four players. Two pitchers and two everyday players. One each for a national scene breakout and one each for a BF.net breakout: National Scene Breakout: Erik Komatsu - Little Pine is rated at #10 here, but still overlooked nationally. I think he is going to have a big season after escaping Brevard's power sapping humidity and some injury problems the year prior to that. Schafer is the CF of the future that most people talk about for the Brewers (and I like him too), but I think Komatsu is going to jump into that spot-light this year. Dan Merklinger - This was a close choice between several pitchers. So many of the high level pitchers we have are underrated by the National media (Rivas, Heckathorn and even Peralta are shunned while Scarpetta gets more National media love, it seems). Something about Merklinger reminds me of Capuano. No great individual pitches, just seems to know how to put it all together. BF.net Breakout: Cody Hawn: Cody was kind of lost in Morris' shadow last year. And college hitters should kill R+ pitching, but I just kind of like the guy. I'm hoping Morris can play 3B or LF just so Hawn isn't trapped behind him (he really should have been at A-ball last year). Garfield was a close second, but maybe because I like Jim Davis... Matt Miller: I was going to go with Jimmy Nelson, as he seems overlooked a bit, but he is ranked pretty high on the P50. But Miller seems to be the forgotten one of the top three signed pitchers from last year's draft. With a mid-90's fastball, I think he, Thornburg and Nelson will make us forget about losing ... (what was his name again?).

It is revealed that The Ax isn't an Canadian, but was actually born in Greenland. He feels better about himself for not being Canadian and strikes out 27 batters on 84 pitches. Which causes DM to trade him to the NYM for Mike Nickeas... http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif Other predictions: We will see the first Robin of spring. Preferably the Yount type.

Playing Cruz in LF certainly looks like they are planning on having him play Inglett's role from last year. I'd put money on him landing a 25-man roster spot. Not saying that I think he should (I'm in wait-and-see mode), but that the Brewers are setting him up for it.

We had a choice: A) Stand pat and put a .500 ball team out this year. Then trickle in prospects Lawrie and Odor, etc... in the next couple of years to hope we remain a .500 ball team. B) Create a hole in our minor league system and acquire players to help us win right now. So having playoff chances for the next 2 years, before having a talent drop off (maybe) and play as a sub-500 team for a couple years while rebuilding. As a Brewer fan, I'll take B every time. Take the window of opportunity and go for the WS. Even just getting to the playoffs or winning the Central would be worth it. You really want 3-4 more seasons of "We were close to winning the wildcard!"?

The Village of Schaumburg dropped the ball too by demanding too much in rent. Now they don't have any tenant. Yeah, but it will fill quickly. The north side of Chicago is starved for good baseball! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

I never thought it was a big deal if a player is just renewed. Gallardo, Hart and Fielder were all renewed at some point and that didn't change anything. I think it just shows that the player doesn't agree with the club's assessment of their worth. So it shows some level of unhappiness. Of course, it means different things to different people... If I remember right, Fielder was quite negatively vocal about it. Now, did that change future negotiations? Probably not, but its still nicer to see them sign than not.

I hope at the end of this season we are having this same argument due to the wealth of choices for a real MVP! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

They will need to be careful about leaning on Counsell too much. Counsell could be the defensive replacement in the 8th/9th inning of every game this year. Its if he has to start more than 1-2 games per week that is going to be too much for him.

I'm on my Palm Pre (which MLB.com says is supported), trying to listen and it says I can only do this on my mobile device...

I'll answer from my extensive years of catching in high school... http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif Pitches are not the same from person to person. Fastball, sure is pretty much the same. But curveballs, sliders, etc... all break differently. Plus talking to someone isn't quite the same as catching them, especially in game situations. Also, being able to recognize when someone is off their game a bit, so you can adjust. You can't simulate those types of things around a table. Imagine trying to dance the flamenco by sitting around a table and talking about the steps. Its not the same as live reps.

On a more important note, Derek Jeter was somewhat disappointed by his Corned Beef on Rye today. Joba ate a bucket of fried chicken, extra crispy. I'm surprised they didn't hire Randy Moss to be a roving ESPN reporter for this all important issue.

I voted here (and at JSOnline) for Braun. I think of the two, Fielder has more pressure on him and thus, more likely to put up a poor year. Granted, following his every-other year trend, this would be his "up" year. For Braun, I think last year in the middle of the year, he was hurting more than he let on. His June was poor and his July absolutely dreadful. But the months before and after those two were stellar. Braun also strikes me as someone who can play to the level of his team, so adding Greinke and Marcum is going to be big motivation for him. But, they will still be neck and neck, whomever comes out as "MVP". Edit- I didn't realize Braun has an every-other-year trend going on also. If both Braun and Fielder have "up" years... wow.

I know it's in jest but they both have their 1B of the next few years in uniform. Why would that prevent them from talking about NYY and Boston landing Prince? Both teams could have 2 DHs and 5 1Bs and ESPN would still come up with some scheme for NYY and Boston landing Prince Fielder and Prince Albert. Because that is all true baseball fans really want to know about.

I completely agree with him! All of this minor league teams... who need them? I vote we make two leagues: MLB-A and MLB-B. Then put all the true "major-league" teams in MLB-A (the NYY). The rest of the teams can be in MLB-B.

Guessing they'll do a two minute interview with Prince and then spend the rest of the show talking about the lunch options for the Yankees and Red Sox and then end the show with the hosts voting on which team will land Fielder next year. Fixed. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

And down the stretch, its Braun and Fielder neck and neck... now Fielder edges ahead by a nose... Today's JSOnline poll has 79% of people think Braun will have the better season (1205 responders). Granted, today's main article was about Braun...

There must be some days that Branyon is feeling a little down and depressed. So he thinks, "I'll just go read BrewerFan.net for a little while. That will make me feel better!"

Ya I think Prince is all but gone after the weeks singing. I've never heard Weeks sing, but it can't be that bad! http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif