Warning Track Power

Not a chance. Mark Trumbo is a stud.

I agree that we really missed the ball. An experienced power bat is what we really need when we have the Kotsays, Counsells and Nieves on the bench. Branyan brought exactly that. As big on Katin as I am, his lack of experience in a PH role off the bench may not translate. Experienced power bat on the market and we apparently just said no. Great.

I am with you on this as well. Nieves may be very serviceable as the player-coach mentor role for Lucroy and that adds some value. However, the problem I have is that Melvin, Ash, Roenicke...whoever it was, decided to fill out the CF and SS positions with Gomez and Betancourt. I love Gomez on D and loathe him and Yuni B at the plate, and when you stack these three back-back-back at the 6-7-8 spot in the order and follow that with the pitcher, it puts enormous pressure on Weeks-Hart-Braun-Fielder-McGehee to produce runs everyday. I can make due with Gomez's O because of his D but I can't make due with Betancourt period. This is the reason I struggle with Nieves being on the roster. He's a victim of circumstances of Betancourt bringing nothing on O or D and Gomez bringing amazing D and no O. If Hardy or a league average SS were on the roster, I could deal with Gomez and Nieves in the 7 and 8 spots, but because of the albatross at SS, Nieves becomes expendable.

To be honest with you guys, I think the remedies for the bench are really simple and maybe it would take a little more work in the end than I think to accomplish them but I would be much happier with the following: Backup C: Rivera or Kottaras, Nieves DFA. I know I just said it but him being on this team amazes me. No great defensive skills and is so far from the Mendoza Line, that the Line is a dot to him Backup IF: Counsell. He's here for 2011 no way around it. Deal with a new backup in 2012. Still brings good D so I don't have such a bad taste in my mouth. 4th OF: Gomez. I'm fine with him as the D replacement and PR. He brings a defensive skillset few have. He's valuable. 5th OF: Kotsay. Same as Counsell. I don't mind him in this role at all. He has been better than I thought he would be. For the 5th spot on the bench, I would do one of three things: 1. Trade for a Hardy-type SS and make Yuni B the backup at SS for the rest of the season and buy him out at the end of the year. At least in the backup role, Yuni B could theoretically be a power hitting PH, something they lack now. I would be ok with that bench. Not in love with it but ok with it. I think this is our best option for a decent bench as the next two do not address the inequalities of IF/OF backups. 2. Bring Brendan Katin up. As it doesn't appear the Brewers have any plan for him to be part of the organization long term, what would it hurt to put him on the bench as the power bat? Him and Kotsay split the 5th OF/PH role depending on situation. Boggs is in the role now but I am not in love with him like some are. 3. Sign Branyan. It's the IF equivalent of what Katin would bring. Backup Prince solely and in a severe pinch, backup McGehee for a day if Casey were to get hurt during a game. It all seems so simple from the outside looking in. I am so concerned that this bench, as composed now, will kill us at some point.

What is the story with this bench? It lacks any type of rational thought in its overall composition. Individually, I can understand Kotsay as the 5th OF/PH, Gomez as a late inning D replacement/PR and Counsell as the versatile good D at 2B, SS, 3B. But there is no need for Wilson, nor is there a need for 2 catchers. As has been mentioned ad nauseum, Rivera or Kottaras are fine as a backup C as they won't see much playing time with Lucroy being a stud, but Nieves holding down any kind of roster spot is laughable to the point of tears. And Wilson seems to be the IF equivalent of Nieves. Look at Colorado and that is a bench. Spilborghs is a legit OF with D and pop, Morales is about as good as Kottaras, Wigginton/Jose Lopez are solid if unspectacular, Giambi is a beast to face at anytime. I'm not saying we can match them, but there is a bench that strikes fear in me and any one of those guys could spot start for a week and you'd feel ok about it. How good will we feel if Lucroy were to get hurt again? Or if Kotsay had to become a more regular player than he is now? Or if Wilson/Counsell were manning 3B if McGehee went down? I just don't get the bench on this team at all this season. Additionally, when the Reds can throw out a Hanigan, Renteria, Fred Lewis, Chris Heisey combo...it makes me worry about any type of injury to any regular and what it will do to our chances this season.

I'd bet YOU could match that line TLB.

The Brewers are 27-23. This puts them on pace to be 81-69 through 150 games on September 16. My question to you is if I were to give you the option of: 1. Taking that record right now and ensuring that the Brewers would be 81-69 at 150 games OR 2. Play out the schedule and risk having a worse because you think they will be better than that at 150 games? Which would you take? Now keep in mind, there would still be 12 games left in the season and: Brewers would conclude with: 3 @ Reds, 3 @ Cubs, 3 vs. Marlins, 3 vs. Pirates Reds would conclude with: 3 vs. Brewers, 3 vs Astros, 3 @ Pirates, 3 @ Mets Cards would conclude with: 3 @ Phillies, 3 vs Mets, 3 vs Cubs, 3 @ Astros 81-69 would look awfully good considering the upcoming June we have, but I am not sure I could predict anything more than 6-6 in those final 12 on May 25. Would 87 wins take the NL Central this year? What are your thoughts?

If McGehee falls into the .270/.340 area with 15-20 HRs and 70-80 RBI I will be ecstatic. I never had him pegged for the type of player that would put up the numbers he did last year. I'm no coach but I think Sveum needs to take a lok at his swing. He seems to be dipping his right shoulder an awful lot and it seems to be quite pronounced. I don't recall it ever being that extreme in the past.

Seriously?! What is the deal with Katin not even getting a whiff of the Majors? He strikes out a ton but it sure does seem like we have the RH version of Russell Branyan sitting in the Minors. I don't get it if that is the true reason Rivera is up. The decisions with the bench this year have blown me away. First with Kotsay (which hasn't been abyssmal like I thought it would), Almonte aka Erick Mouton being on the roster, Nieves over Kottaras, 1 utility IF, 3 catchers, etc...makes you wonder if its Roenicke and his staff as I don't recall DM ever trotting out such an odd collection of bench players.

Seriously? This guy is going to be on the Major League roster? I would rather have Nieves on the roster based on this guy's "stats."

Response to (2): Other than the LH heaviness of it, I don't have issue with that bench. That looks better to me than what the Brewers will have tonight against Washington.Response to (3): I doubt that any acquired SS becomes a bench player. If the Brewers are going to acquire a SS then that player will immediately become the starter. I don't foresee any scenario where we trade for a backup SS when Counsell is still here. Maybe in 2012, but not in 2011. I believe DM is more than willing to give up Boggs, as evidenced by already putting him on waivers, but is terrified of losing Nieves for some reason (see: why Kottaras was sent down instead of Nieves). Having said that, when Nyjer is back and takes a roster spot, there really is no room for 2 backup Cs when neither is above average at the plate. I doubt we pick up Branyan but it is not because of a corresponding move to find another backup SS. I could see a scenario where the eventual (hopefully) acquired SS immediately becomes the starter and YuBet is DFA'd or traded for a bag of nuts with the Brewers picking up the $2MM buyout for next season. This leaves room for one more spot on the roster, be it Branyan, Boggs or whoever else.

Besides the fact that the Astros would have to be on board with this, you'd have to get a team from the National League Central to agree to move to the NL West. What I meant was, do the number of interleague games teams play per season allow for one interleague series to be played all season? Here's a question I would love to see answered by MLB in general and that is if the DH were added to the NL or the DH was eliminated from the AL, what would stop radical realignment from occurring? As I see it now, the history of certain rivalries and the different rules regarding the DH are the only thing preventing a geographical realignment ala the NBA. Would baseball purists defeat the idea of geographical realignment? EDIT: Would basbeall get behind something a little different in the NL and the AL in terms of the number of divisions? In essence, with 14 teams in the AL and 16 team in NL, what I would propose (not sure if I like it) keeping the current divisional format in the AL and create 4 divisions in the NL of 4 teams with the worst division winner playing in the newly created Wild Card round? Something like this: Cincinnati Reds Milwaukee Brewers San Diego Padres Philadelphia Phillies Miami Marlins Chicago Cubs Los Angeles Dodgers New York Mets Atlanta Braves St. Louis Cardinals San Francisco Giants Washington Nationals Houston Astros Colorado Rockies Arizona Diamondbacks Pittsburgh Pirates Kansas City Royals New York Yankees Seattle Mariners Minnesota Twins Boston Red Sox Oakland Athletics Chicago White Sox Baltimore Orioles Los Angeles Angels Cleveland Indians TB Rays Texas Rangers Detroit Tigers Toronto Blue Jays

I like where your head is at. Nothing would make me happier than to see JJ at SS. However, I doubt it'll happen. Too much bad blood from his demotion. He's my ideal but I think Ryan is the more likely candidate.

I know others on this site have brought him up as a possible trade candidate come midseason if the Brewers finally have enough of the YuBet experiment (I know I have) but I am not sure what he brings to the team. I never really followed him much on the Cards and don't remember him being a thorn in the Brewers side ala Ryan Theriot so I am not sure as to what we would be getting if we were to acquire him. He seems like a perfect candidate for us to acquire with the Mariners having Ackley ready, Jack Wilson and Chone Figgins in the IF already. But I don't know much about his game save what Baseball Reference says, so I have questions... 1. Would he be a significant defensive upgrade over YuBet? 2. Would he be a significant offensive upgrade over YuBet? 3. Is he the best realistic candidate, in your opinion, for the Brewers to try and upgrade SS? (With the caveat I don't believe Reyes & Furcal are realistic options for the Brewers) 4. What do you think it would take to acquire him? Jack Z. knows the system pretty well and I doubt a player from our MLB roster would be moved to get Ryan. So what would it take and what would you be willing to give?

I love this lineup. Not sure how it can get any better with this group of players.

With the CBA set to expire and negotiations already under way for changes in the MLB Playoff structure, what changes would you most like to see implemented? There are a number of things I would like to see but am not sure how MLB, the players and fans would receive them, but I for one would like to see the following changes made: 1. Add 1 Wild Card Team: Obvious. It's going to happen. The format remains to be seen but I would like to see a best of 3 series at the home of the Wild Card team with the best record. Start the Divisional series the next day after the 3 game series (i.e. if the Wild Card Round is September 28-30, begin the Divisional Series October 1) and really give the incentive to win the division. 2. Go back to 154 game schedule to accomodate extra Playoff Round: I don't know how well this would be received by anyone, and as much as I love baseball, I hate seeing early November games played in 30 degree weather. Since the extra playoff round is coming, cut off a few schedule to accomodate the added series and finish the season in mid -September. I don't know if the owners would approve of the lost revenue of 4 games, but I believe its in the game's best interest. 3. Eliminate the DH: This is an argument for another thread I know, but it is what I would like to see. I think it is so bizarre that MLB has two separate rules. It's like if the NFL had the NFC having 12 men on the field, while the AFC uses 11. Bizarre to me. Add a roster spot or two to the 25-man roster, so MLBPA doesn't take issue with the loss of positions and phase it out over a 5-year period. 4. Move the Houston Astros to AL West: With no real rival in the NL Central and a natural one in Arlington, I think this is a move that needs to happen to create divisional parity. Interleague play isn't going anywhere anytime soon, so why not play one interleague series every day of the season? I for one, am in favor of a radical realignment along the lines of geographical boundaries (i.e. Brewers, Cubs, Twins, White Sox in one division) but I doubt that is realistic or likely and neither is contraction, so this is the simplest solution. Not sure if the dynamics of this would work but it is worth investigating.

After trying to get through this amazingly in deptht hread about the value of Kotsay v. Branyan, allow me to digress and go back to the original thought of the post. Does bringing Branyan back improve the Crew? I don't know how I feel about that but I would love to see him back as the rest of the bench consists of Kotsays and Counsells, which lack the threat of a HR in the bat. I too could see him filling the role of Jason Giambi for the Brewers. A very spot starter who could PH and provide some thump and the potential to draw a walk and be PR for with Go Go when Morgan is back. Signing Branyan does nothing to make the bench less LH but the potential exists for the bench to better in the event he returns. Dealing in reality. The most important thing in this discussion in my opinion: Kotsay, Counsell & Gomez aren't going anywhere and if it is being considered, it likely comes down the 3rd catcher and Boggs and his unfortunate position. Boggs doesn't really have a role on this team once Morgan comes back, as it is unlikely the Brewers will keep a 6th OF even if Branyan isn't signed. Looking at how a potential bench would look like with and without Branyan: Bench 1: Branyan, Counsell, Kotsay, Gomez, Rivera (I refuse to believe Nieves is long for this team) OR Bench 2: Boggs, Counsell, Kotsay, Gomez, Rivera I have to say I like the bench better in the 1st. It comes to late inning PH and that is what you are comparing with Boggs and Branyan. And I for one go with the eye test. I would feel more comfortable with Branyan up in the 9th inning, down 1 run, against the other team's closer than Boggs. I like Boggs. Wish we had a spot for him. But the reality of the 2011 Brewers is, that when healthy, Boggs is the 26th man due to the position he plays. Give me Branyan.

I was born in 1982 in Southern California to Wisconsin born parents. I spent every summer in Milwaukee until I was 15. Like the Bears, I could never really develop the animosity towards the Cubs, mainly because the team and their fans didn't really do anything to break my "fan heart." I mean starting around 1992, when I really started remembering things, the Bears nor the Cubs ever really affected the Packers or Brewers. Sure there are exceptions: *The Bears 2001 season where the Bears fluked there way to 13-3 *The Nick Collins spitting incident in 2010 *The Cubs ridiculous 2008 season where we just couldn't get close enough However, none of those incidents in my mind ratcheted up the hate. Not even the players on the team brought up any feelings of hate. Sammy Sosa was a clown, who eventually was exposed but he wasn't an arrogant jerk (from my standpoint) like Barry Bonds. I actually respect the way the Bears play too (save Jay Cutler). The Vikings and Cardinals on the other hand have had no share of special players and situations to make me despise them. The Vikings had generally unlikeable players. Cris Carter with his constant whining. Randy Moss with his massive talent and miniscule heart. Daunte Culpepper and his "Get your roll on 'Pep." Jared Allen's stupid lasso (even though I like how he plays). The Williams Wall built on banned substances. The Whizinator. The Love Boat...that's just a small sample for the Vikings. The Cardinals, as has been mentioned ad nauseum, with their arrogance and right way to play baseball mantra. I mean you talk about taking the fun out of baseball. To be upset about Mike Cameron's "untuckem" or any numerous unspoken rules of baseball violations teams have done against them. Last I checked they weren't the Cape Cod, Malibu or Miami Beach Cardinals. Tea and crumpets aren't served after reaching 1st base. They act like they're white collar and really they're from St. Louis.

Personally, I don't think Almonte has a shot at being on the roster when he comes off the DL. Especially when Nyjer comes back. Almonte goes to Triple AAA and Boggs gets DFA'd when Nyjer comes back. Not only that, Kotsay is going nowhere this season. He's on the team all year.

I'm on board with anything that allows the financial flexibility to allow for the re-signing of Greinke and/or Marcum. This to me means putting Gamel into the lineup at 1B, with a relatively inexpensive option as a backup, in the event he doesn't hit (unlikely) or field (possibly) enough to warrant the starting gig. Players like Hafner I will respectfully pass on.

I'd welcome this immediately, but don't know what the Brewers would have to give in a trade. Would a Parra-Stewart deal work? I don't know about the extent of Manny's elbow, but it seems like a deal worth investigating given both Stewart's and Parra's fallen star prospect status with each organization. Putting Stewart on the bench would do nothing but make us stronger this year. Yes, we still have a LH dominant bench, and yes he has struggled mightily this season, but Stewart allows for 1B and 3B backup allowing Counsell to focus solely on SS. I like this idea.

Must be a location thing....being in SoCal must give me a different perspective than most because I can't find it in me to hate the Cubs. The Cards absolutely for all the reasons mentioned. They are the Vikings of MLB (for other Packer fans). But the Reds...man. I don't know if its Dusty Baker or that Johnny Cueto with his kicking antics in the Cards feud last season. I can't nail it down. But the Reds hating for me is becoming much more prevalent which is weird because I love Phillips (especially for his role in the StL brawl), Votto, Bruce and Stubbs as players.

Can someone explain to me why I have begun to hate the Reds more than the Cardinals? I don't think it has anything to do with my perception that the Reds are better than the Cards but I can't peg it down. Anybody else having this happening?

Anyone have any interest in Ian Stewart? Seems like he may have totally fallen out of favor with the Rockies given some of the recent quotes made by Jim Tracy. I am not sure where we would play him this season with Fielder and McGehee and I'm not sure if he would it next season given McGehee and likely Mat Gamel. Still he is a decent bat, as evidenced by his 25 and 18 HR seasons, who strikes out a bunch, hits for a lower average but can draw a walk. I don't know much about his D as I don't watch Rockies games enough to make that call. May be an option worth looking at for 2011 given Fielder's departure and some people's unhappiness with McGehee.

It wouldn't be a 1 for 1 deal. It would involve multiple players on both sides probably more so on the Brewers. The Brewers would have to give the Angels some insurance. I'm still pretty upset about "insurance" deals with Carlos Lee/Nelson Cruz trade still fresh in my mind...4 years later.