Hate those Rodents

I don't know about that one. You can add: 4) We need a big game pitcher if we're gonna contend. We're gonna sign Jeff Suppan. I don't know that that wasn't Doug's call. I think he only meddled this year when he needed to (telling Doug to "overpay" if he had to for CC and telling him Yost had to go). I think he gave the keys to Doug prior to this year. Circumstances came up where he had to get involved this year. I doubt it was Mark that said "we GOTTA get Soup". I think he did tell Melvin we needed to spend money on a free agent to prove to the fans we are for real about building a winner. Melvin chose to spend the money on Soup.

If Iorg were interim manager and able to beat the Pirates and the already clinched Cubs to get us to lose in the playoffs, some people would say he deserved to be back. Sveum had MANY flaws in his time here. He wasn't even a good third base coach. I did like Sveum's personality and think he belongs on a MLB staff though. I also thank him forever for getting us to the playoffs though, for which I am convinced Yost would not have been able to do. That brings me to point two. People seem worried that Melvin's extension was contingent on him agreeing to a possible desire of Mark A to bring on a veteran manager. Why? Attanasio has meddled very little and the times he has he's been right. 1) You need to fire Yost or we will not make the playoffs 2) I don't care if they insist on LaPorta, get the CC deal done if we have to add..... 3) We can do better than Sveum. Fire him and bring on someone more experienced... .....I will have no problem with Attanasio making the right call for his franchise again and still will not call him "meddling" or a "micromanager" like some post tones indicate some are feeling. Edited here for a third point/opinion: Calling these names "retreads" or something to that effect is unfair. Yes, sometimes there are hires that don't deserve ANOTHER chance. But these guys had to work their way up the ladder to become a manager just like everyone else. At one point, they were the "hot" and "new" candidate. I just think some are too harsh on some of the names being thrown around here. All have had success and all have had some failures just like anyone in baseball. My bet is whomever we hire will be much better than Yost or Sveum and will lead us to success IN the playoffs in the very near future.

Do we know for sure if the players didn't like Yost? I know most of us here thought we could do better with another manager, but do we know the players felt the same way?

I'd rather just buy the team a bunch of board games to play in the clubhouse. I think that would help us win more games moreso than signing Milton Bradley.

He's older, gray hair and glasses. Kind of reminds me of that guy down in Tampa now...

Of names that always seem to get brought up or used to...Frank Catalanatto undisputedly tops the list.

They've had a great year. But I wonder if there's any "Corey Hart's" out there on that team. Billingsley comes to mind, but I know his price will still be pretty darn steep.

I know we all love the guy and he's the most valuable player on our team (for those under contract). He's also signed longterm to a modest salary. That said, I want to hear who people would trade him for in a 1 for 1 trade. Are there any posters that would not trade him for anybody? Can anyone come up with a list in the double digits? I just am interested to see people's perspectives on just how much Braun is valued here and loved here.

AA and AAA are not that different. If you put up good numbers in AA, you'll put up good numbers in AAA (likely). I think if they proved to be very good at AA AND (this is important) AND there is a hole on the major league team or a player can be moved to help another area (Hardy for example) I would have no qualms about inserting the player into the major league lineup (thinking Gamel and Escobar).

Weeks 2B Escobar SS Braun CF Abreau LF Gamel 3B Hart RF Nelson 1B Kendall C Pitcher This also assumes Hardy (plus) for Verlander and Fielder for Cain. Not thrilled with Nelson at 1B obviously and that would probably be upgraded or platooned. Abreau would be added and Braun I think could be an excellent CF but not sure we'd move him for a second year in a row. I have no problem going with Escobar and Gamel if we can have a pitching staff like we'd have under this scenario and if we could add a bat like Abreau in the middle.

There's a chance Melvin isn't around much longer to even be a part of making a long term plan.

how does that change your off-season plan? Are you more willing to trade Fielder and/or Hardy? Are you more willing to let Gamel and Escobar be in the everyday lineup? Let me know what your thoughts are on how your offseason plans and plans for next season would change.

If we keep Hall as a supersub, we should be able to go with a guy like Nelson as well as a fourth OF (Kapler or Gwynn) and two other options for 3B (say Lamb and Dillon just to put names down). Point being, if Hall is kept as a guy that can fill in at 2b, 3b and SS, we should have room for Nelson. If we resign a guy like Counsell, it becomes unlikely we'd have a roster spot for him.

Quite honestly, we can cut cost so many ways. Now people will be against a lot of this but here goes my cost cutting, still be a playoff team idea. 1) Let Cameron's 10 mil walk. He's good, but we need to pay CC. Move Braun or Hart to center. Insert Gamel or Kapler at the other OF position. Gwynn could even play CF. 2) Go with Lamb at 3B at least as part of a platoon. Could even play Gamel here. Either way, it's cheap and should be better than last year. 3) Hall stays as a supersub. 4) Bullpen is Coffey, McClung, Riske, Stetter, Shouse, Dillard, Villaneuva (don't spend money here either, have faith in younger/cheaper guys). If you essentially use these ideas, we don't need to sign ONE other player outside of the system. Yes, players will get raises. But, this brings back almost the same team with playoff experience and youth that will only improve through the year. Resign CC and look for answers at other places from within I guess would be my off-season plan in a nutshell.

I wonder what Brad Nelson could do. Maybe he never gets a chance, but say (knock on wood) Fielder goes down in early May. I wonder if he can hit .280, hit 25 homers and get 85 rbis and walk a bit. I have been impressed with him. Some people actually get better in the majors and he strikes me as a guy that might improve his play and numbers once he gets there. At least I'm hoping that is the case.

I'd throw in guys like Garrett Atikins in that group ahead of JJ too.

Gamel, Escobar, Salome, Gillespie, Cain, Green, Lucroy, Jeffress? Here's mine Gamel - I want him to get a fair shot at 3B, only competing with Hall/Branyan/Dillon. I don't want any salary added to this position until the brass feels he CAN'T play third and moves him to a corner outfield position or 1B. Plan is to be on the 25 man starting next year and either platooning or starting at 3B. Escobar - Depends on Hardy. I think we can live with him in the majors next year, but I only bring him up if Hardy is dealt (and I don't advocate a position switch for Hardy). I am going to go ETA of 2010 for Escobar and pencil him in as the starter at SS in 2010 with Hardy being shipped away the following off season. Salome - 2010 starting catcher. His bat is going to be top ten possibly for the position. Give him a full year at AAA to be hopefully at least average at catcher. Gillespie - 2010 major league outfielder. Here's a guy I think that we develop at AAA for a full year and he hopefully shows he can be a very good corner outfielder. I think he's a lock to be on the 2010 25man roster, it's just a matter if he develops to the point where he's a guy we need to make room for as a starter right away or if he starts as a reserve. Cain - 2010 major league outfielder. He'll need to continue to show great progress and develop more of his five tools, but he's a guy I think we are all hoping can be our CF of the future. I think there's a better chance he needs to start 2010 either at AAA or as a reserve than Gillespie, but a lot can happen in a year. Green - Gamel gets first shot at third. If he can play decent enough defense, Green gets moved to second. If Gamel proves to the brass that he needs to be moved, Green stays at third. My ETA for Green is 2011. I'd like him to play both 2B and 3B this year at AA. I can easily see his ETA being 2010 if he progresses quickly and based on Gamel's position Lucroy - 2011 backup catcher. It's hard to say if he can overtake Salome. At this point, we gotta expect Angel to end up getting more starts than Lucroy. I think Kendall and Rivera are gone in two years and we let these two take the reins at catcher (until Lawrie moves up to complicate matters). Jeffress - 2010 starter. I think he starts the year at AA and moves up half way through. If he looks good, as we all mostly think he will or hope he will, then he is penciled in easily as a starter in 2010.

If his meddling was the only reason Yost was canned (and subsequently the only reason we were even in the playoffs) than I hope he continues doing so when his GM is "too patient".

If you have Braun, Fielder, Hart, Hardy, and some addition at 2B/3B then you might have five guys with 25+ home runs. I see no reason why we can't go with Gwynn, Kendall, Escobar in that scenario. That said, I know people hate Gwynn and would rather spend eight figures on someone else rather than give him a shot for a year.

The ones that really matter are undetermined yet, so in a way it's pointless to look at them. I know some on here can ballpark it for ya though.

That's an awesome list that should get some discussion going. Unfortunately, I think it's in the best interest of a team like Milwaukee to build the offense through our current young guys improving (Braun, Fielder, Hardy, Hart, Weeks, even Gwynn) and infusing Gamel, Escober, Salome, Gillespie if the vets (Kendall, Cameron, Hall, Branyan, Durham) don't maintain or improve. Pitching is where we can add salary and look outside imho. Names that jumped out to me included Willis (did great in NL), Padilla (Melvin likes him and likes trading with Tex), and Washburn (I think we could swap them Suppan and a marginal prospect).

Keep Gamel at third and give him a good shot at winning the job.

I am amazed so few of you seem to have any plan for Gamel. He's probably our top prospect. I realize the concerns on his defense at third, but it is pretty shocking that many want Hardy moved to third or for us to throw a bunch of money at a third baseman. I am not saying he is even ready for the majors this season, but if the brewer brass hasn't moved him, isn't it pretty likely the guy is the future (maybe sooner than later) at third base. The kid seems to have an all star caliber bat, though again I note he's Braunish defensively from the stats we've seen.

Hard to say. If we offer him 100 million for five years, is that enough money to get him to stay? Maybe and maybe not.

Off topic a bit, but do most think Gamel is ready to HIT at the major league level? I guess I'm thinking if we can upgrade defensively at first base and get a stud pitcher, maybe we could live with Gamel playing some third for us next sesason.