Warning Track Power

I know we aren't likely to go 6-0 the rest of the homestand, but a 5-1 or 4-2 mark is definitely doable when you have Yo pitching twice and Marcum once. If they can manage that, a 5-5 or 4-6 record is achieved and all things considered, is relatively respectable coming against perhaps 2 of the Top 3 teams in the NL and the biggest rival. Keep in mind, we are only one blown Axford save and one Saito-implosion away from being 2-2. Like McCalvy said, that wasn't Saito today and that wasn't the 2010 Axford on Opening Day. Betancourt, Nieves, Kotsay & Gomez are another story.

Not to sound too much like the world is falling after 1 game but I had a Yankee fan friend of mine tell me sorry today as he watch on MLBtv at work. I told him that it's the Brewers and that we are a cursed organization. When I think about it, I really do believe this. The Brewers always seem to make life miserable on the fans. I don't know if it is our penance for having such great success with other state teams since the early 90s, see Badgers and Packers, but it always seems like the Brewers find new ways to rip our hearts out. Sure the Packers have had their share, (4th and 26, 2007 NFC Championship game) and the Badgers as well (1998 Cincinnati loss, 2011 Rose Bowl) but those were amazing teams that still got into the playoffs and had a great regular season. The Brewers really are a special class of heartbreak because all of the heartbreak comes in the regular season (2007 season choke, 2009 second half swoon, even 2008 if not for the Mets) and/or in ways that you don't expect (Axford today, Gagne in Game 1 of the regular season in 2008, CC in Game 2 2008 NLDS). I still love them though. Keep the heads high.

Well you're leaving out the fact that all the west coast teams would have to travel two time zones as well for division games as well. Please don't interpret as smarmy or nasty but is it fair Seattle is 1,000 miles from the nearest team? Or that the east coast has so many teams within such close proximity? Is it more fair that the divisions aren't equally balanced? I think its just the way things go based off locations of the teams. I'd rather have equal balance in divisions and have some time zone issues, rather than the current setup with a 6 and 4 team division.

I absolutely cannot believe that game. Of all the ways to begin this season. Unreal.

How about this for a shocker...Brewers win 5-3. Betancourt hits a 2-run HR that provides the difference. 1-0 Brewers record in March.

For clarity's sake: I fully expect Gamel to be the starter at 1B in 2012 and hit fine. I am suggesting Ishikawa ONLY as a backup option for D and PH. Not as a starter. This position is apparently what the Brewers have in mind for Mark Kotsay and I am speculating we can expect a backup 1B and PH as a position on RR's bench moving forward. Ishikawa fills that specific role in 2012 and moving forward. Invader: As for finding something better on the FA market after the season, keep in mind this is only in a backup role for 1B. I am not sure who would be better suited as a D replacement and PH. EDIT: For what it's worth, Ishikawa was 7th in the NL in PH last season hitting .319 (15-47)

Angel Stadium (1B - LF): West to East Dodger (Home - Center): Southwest to Northeast

Kotsay defenders? http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/laugh.gif Fielder is gone in November or December. We will likely need some help at 1B if Gamel is the plan. He could very easily be I am expecting him to be a butcher on D and having a backup like Ishikawa would prove useful for the future. Ishikawa is more for the future than the present.

That is the exact opposite of what I have heard. And even if your statement is true, the unbalanced schedule can stay in a 2 division format and is not a reason for the lack of implementation. So divisional teams play each other 12x instead of 18x or whatever it is now. There is unbalanced schedule with a 6 team division, why couldn't there be one with an 8 team division?

I know we have discussed this before but I actually think the next logical step is to: *Ditch the hated unbalanced schedule. Play all teams in you league, AL or NL, equally. *Go back to east and west divisions to create equal opportunity for all teams. The fact one division has 6 teams and one division has 4 teams is dumb. The powers that be in baseball really screwed up in my opinion when they realigned the divisions and then created an odd number of teams per league. This creates a parity for the divisions *Take the 2 division winners and the next 3 teams with the best records for the playoffs. Theoretically, 4 teams in the east and 1 in the west could make the playoffs. *Implementing the second WC is unaffected. NL WEST LA, SD, SF, COL, ARI, STL, CHC, MIL NL EAST ATL, PHI, NYM, FLA, WAS, PIT, CIN, HOU AL WEST LA, SEA, OAK, TEX, KC, MINN, CWS AL EAST NY, BOS, TOR, TB, BAL, CLE, DET I don't see expansion on the horizon and I believe this to be the most equitable solution to all problems relating to the AL East TB conundrum (with only 2 teams making the playoffs in the event of 3 90-win teams) and the unbalance within divisions. This must be too simple of a solution for MLB to understand.

Don't know why I would even mention this because Kotsay isn't going anywhere but... Travis Ishikwawa looks like he is going to be released as Brandon Belt will be the Opening Day 1B for the Giants. Ishikawa is IMMENSELY better than Kotsay is and would not cost much. Additionally, his role on the Giants (pinch hit, defensive sub, pick it at 1B) fits perfectly with what Kotsay is supposed to do for the Brewers. Plus his glove is awesome. I know it wouldn't be the best business practice in that Kotsay just made the team, but Ishikawa would be a significant upgrade immediately and could fit the role for the Brewers for the next 5 years. I would be extraordinarily tempted if I were Melvin to cut Kotsay, even with his guaranteed contract, play Nyjer in RF until Corey gets back and pick up Ishikawa.

Man those Arizona Bark Spiders are terrifying! Even the little ones.

I enjoyed her as the Brewers sideline reporter a few years ago for sure. Better eye candy than Telly Hughes. However, Trenni is overrated. Big time.

I like your style Briggs. If these guys get healthy in April and just play to their career norms no one will touch us.

[quote name= DocBucky]They all seem pretty forgettable to me, with Prince's being the best of an underwhelming group. None can stand up to the Mariners spot I'm sure a few of us saw during the Brewers/M's spring training game: If I wasn't so attached to "Warning Track Power",?Larry Bernandez would be my new name. That is quite possibly the funniest commercial ever. ??

I'm actually pretty happy with my prediction from December: Brewers 88-74 Reds 86-76 Cards 84-78 I feel the same about the Brewers and Reds. I will amend the Cardinals downward by 2 games to 82-80.

Really? Someone please explain to me this sadness over losing Luis Cruz. I understand the Chris Dickerson/Brandon Boggs love as they potentially could have added pop in the bat as well as glove in the field. However, I can't for the life of me understand Luis Cruz love. From everything I've seen, he is the SS version of Wil Nieves, decent glove and no bat. This has to be more about anti-YuBet than it does pro-Cruz but that's just my assumption.

I guess this solves the all LH bench problem that we all assumed we would have. Yuck. Nieves over Kottaras is not something I personally will not like. If Nieves were some kind of defensive whiz behind the plate I could get behind it, but as he apparently excels at neither hitting or catching, I'd rather have the potential pop of Kottaras' bat. As for Gallardo being comfortable with a catcher, our #1 pitcher better get comfortable with our #1 catcher. Love to be the optimist in thinking we're making the postseason, but I'd hate to trot out a bottom of the lineup in Game 1 that looks like Betancourt, Nieves, Gallardo against Roy Halladay/Tommy Hanson/Tim Lincecum/Ubaldo Jimenez.

I'm becoming (convincing myself) more comfortable with Kotsay. I think he can bring a decent bat to the bench, won't strike out a ton and will sometimes draw a walk. I don't care much about WAR in regard to him as he won't see the field much at all once we are healthy. He will truly be a 5th OF and backup 1B, and both positions will likely get nothing in terms of playing time. And in the event of a serious injury, Gamel likely is the everyday player in RF/LF/1B and Nyjer in CF. If Kotsay can just fill a PH role and deliver decent O numbers we will be fine. My biggest issue with him is if Roenicke/Melvin decide to trot him out as an everyday player if Hart is out much longer than the first week. Gamel should have enough time to get caught up from his ST injury by the first week and legitmately should be in the Majors and seeing a majority of those ABs if Hart is out longer than the first week or so.

Gonzalez and Howard are both better than Fielder too. Fielder is on par with Morneau, but better than Dunn Gonzalez has been extraordinarily overlooked because he played in SD. Believe those predictions of .330, 40+ HRs, 130 RBIs. That guy is insanely talented, was surrounded by mediocre talent and played in a National Park at Petco. Plus he can pick it at 1B. He'll prove to be the 2nd best 1B in baseball by far this season. There are going to be three tiers after this season: 1. Pujols 2. Gonzalez 3. Everyone else

(I am an acknowledged JJ supporter. Probably my favorite of the Braun-Weeks-Fielder-Hart-Hardy "Baby Brewers" that lead to the 2008 playoff appearance) Not trying to relive the JJ trade but...It is understood that hindsight is always 20-20, but Alcides always reeked of a propsect to be traded to me. His skillset is not what I would call special for his position. In this era, special SS prospects are Hanley Ramirez, Troy Tulowitzki, Jose Reyes. Players that can not only pick it at SS but bring more than a little something with the bat. IIRC, Alcides was always known as the guy who could bring the D but was expected to hit about .250-.260 in the Majors. Now if he could've had an OBP around 100 points higher than his BA like say Rickie Weeks, I would see some serious value in Alcides. But I never saw it with him. A player like that, who brings all D and limited O is more Luis Cruz than Jose Reyes. JJ would bring to this team exactly what we are missing this season with Betancourt and what we were missing last season with Alcides. JJ is just a solid all around player. He may not make the highlight reel play on D and he may never be the .280, 20+ HR all star SS again, but he brings a consistent glove on D and any offense from him would have just been a plus. Even in his worst 2009, with a .229 AVG, his OBP was at .300 or the the best possible scenario for Betancourt in 2011. DM should be trying to acquire Hardy now IMO and start mending the fences because he is the most affordable FA option with a relatively high ceiling still as he will only be 30 during the 2012 season. Furcal, Reyes, Rollins all will cost way more than JJ and he may give similar production to every one of those except Reyes. EDIT: And as a side note, with JJ at SS THIS season, a lot of those questions about defense undermining the season would go away. I know JJ isn't coming to Milwaukee in 2011, I just thought it's worth noting that we had a solution to SS internally at one time (hindsight 20-20 I know).

Didn't read through the entire thread but here are my thoughts: *I am not worried about Morgan's anger issues until there is something to worry about. He seems to play hard all the time and his outbursts last year, IIRC, were not the result of dirty play. Now I have to say that I do not recall all the situations precisely but to insult the Classiest Team Ever is not hard and the beanball incident with Florida was baseball. The incident/suspension with the fan in Philly was rescinded so there must have been other factors in play. *Morgan is an asset for this club in the event Carlos continues to underachieve. Even in a perfect world where we had both guys at the beginning of ST, I would have rooted for Carlos to take the reins on the CF job because his skillset, if ever realized, is amazing. Nyjer should only see significant starts in CF if Carlos puts up a line of sub .240/.300 through mid-May. *Swapping Morgan for Dickerson is a win. I love Dickerson and would've thought our OF depth with Morgan and Dickerson would've been the best option to win in 2011, but if I had a choice, I take Morgan because it allows for so much more in the future. If Carlos fails and Morgan becomes the CF, in 2012 when Prince leaves, it allows Morgan to hit leadoff and drop Rickie into the #5 hole. Having a lineup of... 1. CF Morgan 2. RF Hart 3. LF Braun 4. 3B McGehee 5. 2B Weeks 6. 1B Gamel 7. C Lucroy 8. SS ?? ...would still be a very good lineup given the rotation we have. *The bench is weird. Reed and Morgan bring the same thing, speed and CF depth. Kotsay is a light hitting, RF/1B that should never see the field. Counsell is a light hitting 40 year old that can't play too much for fear of wearing down. Almonte doesn't seem to have a natural position. Not a lot of thump on the bench unless you count Kottaras. I am worried about the bench to be honest and wish we had a Gabe Kapler-type corner OF or Russell Branyan-type backup IF to replace Reed or Kotsay and give the fear of a PH HR rather than the slap hitters that are currently on it. Overall a win, but the bench composition scares me. A lot.

AL East Boston Red Sox AL Central Chicago White Sox AL West Los Angeles Angels AL Wild Card New York Yankees Boston on paper is a beast and should have the best record in baseball. I think the Yankees have one last run with this set of players (Jeter, Posada, Mo, even A-Rod) and I expect both of them to win 95-100 games. I think the Angels are really getting overlooked as their rotation is every bit as good as the Brewers #1-4. I think they win 90ish games and Texas falls back to about 85. However, the real beast of the AL is the White Sox. That lineup, combined with the pitching staff, assuming Peavy can pitch, is a legit championship team. 100 wins is possible. NL East Atlanta Braves NL Central Milwaukee Brewers NL West Colorado Rockies NL Wild Card Philadelphia Phillies Phillies seem to have a bit of bad karma going into the season but have too much talent to not make the playoffs. Like the Yankees, I feel like this may be one of their last runs as their lineup is aging very quickly. Though they will have excellent pitching for the next few seasons. May be the Giants east after 2011. The Braves are solid everywhere. I expect McLouth turns back to McLouth and Freeman performs at a 2005 Lyle Overbay level. Their pitching lacks the dominant ace though and that will hurt come playoff time. The Rockies pitching scares me after Ubaldo but there may not be a better 1-2 combo than Tulo-CarGo. Sorry Braun-Fielder. Ian Stewart breaks out to make it a scary 3-4-5 which carries them past the Dodgers and Giants. As for the Crew, it's a homer pick but in the Central, no one can honestly match the Brewers everyday lineup and no one can match Greinke-Gallardo-Marcum. Assuming the bullpen isn't a trainwreck, the Brewers win the Central by 2-4 games over Cincinnati by going 88-74. PLAYOFFS ALDS White Sox/Yankees: White Sox in 4 Angels/Red Sox: Red Sox in 5 ALCS White Sox/Red Sox: White Sox in 6 NLDS Brewers/Braves: Brewers in 4 Phillies/Rockies: Phillies in 4 NLCS Brewers/Phillies: Phillies in 7 WORLD SERIES White Sox/Phillies: White Sox in 6

This would be the worst trade of all time....5 WAR worth of players for less than 2 in McGehee. I mean loving the home team is one thing, but stacking up your teams guys for fantasy isnt always the best move. And the guy won't take the deal! I know this isn't the thread for fantasy baseball talk but since you responded...I am burned every year by Zambrano (suspension and relieving last year) and Stewart, despite his hitting 18 HR in under 400 ABs and limitless potential, may be splitting time with Ty Wigginton. I'll take McGehee over the two of them any day.

The Brewers can't survive the injuries like the Packers that's for sure... Are we really looking at the potential opening day lineup of: 2B Weeks 3B Counsell LF Braun 1B Fielder RF Kotsay C Kottaras CF Gomez SS Betancourt YUCK! I can't imagine a worse spring training than this one (save all these injuries being season enders).