GB12

Well it is the Giants. I'd be more worried if it was a AAA.

And we think Ned is bad with pitching changes. Good god Bruce Bochy

Prince Fielder's 100th HR? Not a huge deal, but I guess that kind of counts.

Angel Salome is also missing from the Huntsville lineup...

No one's saying it was straight up, Ford would be included though.

I understand what you're saying about the risk involved, but as far as pitchers go Sabathia seems like a very safe bet. This is a guy that I think the risk would be well worth it. The only way for us to get top pitchers otherwise is from homegrown products like Ben Sheets. And even that is only for a couple years before they get big contracts themselves. To get a pitcher this good in the prime of his career would be huge to stay competitive with those big market clubs. Now like you're saying it'd be a huge setback if he does suffer a bad injury or performs poorly, but the chances greatly favor CC staying on his current level at least in my mind and he has a fantastic track record of good health. I'm not really arguing with you because you're right and that's why he won't be with us next year, but if it were up to me I'd keep him around. Replacing the guys listed wouldn't be all that tough. There's a lot of dead weight there. Sheets and Cameron are really the only guys we'd have to replace. Replacing Sheets would be an easy fix. Put Gallardo in his spot in the rotation. For centerfield we could either call up an OF prospect to go along with Braun and Hart or sign someone. Cameron is due $10 million next year and he's just not the kind of player that deserves that much. We could find a cheaper option in free agency that'd probably do just as well as him. We'd pick up a reliever or two, but it's not like losing Gagne and Mota would hurt our bullpen at all. There was still quite a bit of money to work with even after taking out what CC would get. We have plenty of power for our lineup, but we need at least one top level pitcher if we're going to do anything.

Wow, I was so close to starting a thread asking about Street back on Tuesday. I had it all typed up and everything, but decided not to post because I thought there was no chance. If we could actually do it I'd be all for it. As long as it doesn't include Escobar, Gamel, or Jeffress do what it takes. A good late inning guy and our world series chances take a big step up.

I know I'm probably dreaming here, but I think there has to be at least a strong attempt to sign him longterm. He's everything we could ask for and is pitching lights out so far in 3 starts with the Brewers. As much as I like Sheets, if we forget about him and go hard for Sabathia maybe there's a chance we could get him. We have a lot of big money contracts coming off the books this year that could go into resigning him. Gagne comes off the payroll this offseason, there's $10 million. Sheets leaves town, there's another $11 million. We'd have to pay Cameron $10 million for his 2009 option so I'd say he's gone, there's another $5 million. Chris Capuano's contract is up after this season, $3.75 million. Turnbow aswell, $3.2 million. Counsell's likely done, $2.8 million. Mota, $3.2 million Cluadio Vargas was still getting money from us this season, $0.9 million. That right there is $39.85 million coming off of our payroll. Take off the $11 million CC's currently getting and that's $50.85 million! Now of course we're going to have to sign other free agents, extend/resign our own players, arbitration, and so on, but even after all that we'll still have a large portion of 2008's payroll unused. Say it would take a deal averaging $19 million a year to lock him up (which would make him the second highest paid pitcher behind only Santana). The length of the deal would probably be for 5 or 6 years. Based on the above numbers and what comes off our payroll we could cover that and still be under the 2008 payroll. We could front load it a bit placing maybe $22 million in the first year still giving us over $28 million to spend elsewhere. We'd then have the remaining $73 million to pay off over the next four years. 2010 we'd be in about the situation as in 2009 and say $21 million that year. The final three years we'd have $52 million left, but in 2010 we get rid of Hall and Suppan's big contracts which clears $20 million between the two of them. $20 million in 2011 and we're down to $32 million over the final two years. The final two years would be easily covered. That'd all be possible if the payroll stays at the current level. Attanasio has raised the payroll at least $10 million a year since he bought the team too. I'm probably quite a bit off in the paragraph right above this one, but you get the point, and put the numbers how you want it should work out. It's not at all impossible to resign CC and if we are commited to doing so we should be able to get it done. Aside from the money I don't see any reason why we wouldn't want to lock him up. He's one of the best pitchers in the game and has been lights out in his brief time in Milwaukee. He's only 27 and in the prime of his career. If you want a top pitcher this is the way to get it. Any younger and he won't be available, any older and you're taking a risk of giving money to a player on the decline. He's the perfect guy to go after. He's also very durable without injury problems like Benny. He has started at least 28 games and pitched at least 180 innings in all of his 7 years in the majors. With Sabathia and Gallardo at the top of the rotation we'd be serious contenders for years to come. PS: I'm kind of expecting some harsh critisism from this post, but even if I'm off a bit (or a lot) it should bring some good discussion about it.

Is it me or is Ben Sheets always scheduled to pitch when things like this happen

Yeah, I'd much rather have him playing every day in AA or AAA than once a week in Milwaukee.

I like LaPorta and want him to do well. Just not so well that we're really kicking ourselves about trading him.

Roberts is exactly what we need and would make us a serious World Series contender. Even with Sabathia I don't think we can win the World Series. He'd be an upgrade at second and a huge upgrade as a lead off hitter. I've been a pretty big Weeks fan, but it's time to move on. If we're going to win it all Rickie can't be our lead off man. Also I'd say do what it takes to get Roberts in Milwaukee. By trading for Sabathia we said we're going for it. Why not make it more of a possibility if the option is out there. Weeks, Salome, and a lower prospect could probably get him. That wouldn't even hurt our future much if at all. We have two other strong catching prospects still and we'd have Roberts in 2009 as well. As long as we don't give up one of the big 3 do whatever it takes.

Here's your answer http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=772041

Sabathia made Votto look downright silly on that pitch.

I agree, I want Brian Roberts BAD! I would give up anything not named Gamel or Escobar for him. Might as well. By getting Sabathia we've decided to go for it this year. Why stop there? Roberts would greatly improve our World Series chances. I haven't checked, but I'm pretty sure there has never been a World Series champion with a leadoff hitter batting below .220.

Plus Hall kills the Reds.

Yeah, I don't really like fielding % or any defensive stats, but the guy I quoted said the stats show he is below average which is not true.

He is leading NL shortstops in fielding percentage

I find it funny that they have a poll up where you can vote for who you think should be allstar starters. I mean, isn't that what the allstar voting was for...

They are still leading their division. It'd take quite a losing streak to turn them into sellers.

Well it can't put him into anymore of a slump than he's already in.

It sounds like there are a lot of Brewers fans at the game.

I was actually thinking he could be had for a lot less than $5M, if the Brewers extended him an offer soon. I was hoping for more in the range of about $2M, but maybe I'm way off. With the uncertainty and bouncing around he has gone through recently, I would think he'd just be happy to have a little security. I'm not sure he's going to want to risk allowing an injury or major slump to put him in a position to be without a definite major league job again to start 2009. I think the best option would be to offer him a low salary multi-year deal. I don't know how much he's getting paid right now, but on a minor league deal it's probably under $800,000. See if he'd go for $2mil/year for 2 years. He can hold the 3B until Gamel is ready and could be a possible quick fix at first then if we trade Prince. We should do it soon though because if he hits around 25-30 HRs his price will be driven up.

You know, CC is undefeated at Miller Park while pitching for the "home" team...

I'm not going to lie, I didn't mind at all that we didn't resign Linebrink.