Warning Track Power

Who else is terrified that this may be Doug Melvin's second big move of the winter? http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2014/12/16/dodgers-dump-brian-wilson-eat-95-million/20490235/

I think this pretty much sums up where the Brewers are right now. Good enough to be competitive and potentially in the playoffs if everything breaks right for them (see 2014 minus September) but more realistically are a .500 team that cannot compete for the division and are a step or two behind SF, LA, STL, PIT, WAS. Additionally, the farm system doesn't have the Braun, Fielder, Weeks, Hardy, Hart type players that gave us hope on the horizon. Essentially, it appears the Brewers today are at the zenith of how competitive they can be for the foreseeable future without much hope in the way of elite prospects on the horizon. That is depressing...

I know I am the only one but I would really like to see Matt Kemp in Milwaukee. Kemp is a good guy and has a good reputation out here in Los Angeles. Underappreciated if not overpaid. Not realistic as it hurts the payroll, doesn't fill an organizational need necessarily (although a 2-3-4 of Lucroy-Braun-Kemp would be nice) and flies in the face of the direction I want the team to go (i.e. build through the draft), but I sure would like it as a fan.

@Molitorfan: Man...I don't know about that. Trading Lohse + for some combo of: 1. Cecchini, who based on the minor league stats, could be Cirillo-like at 3B and solve an organizational hole long term. 2. Craig, a former/potentially still, elite hitting RH 1B to platoon with Lind 3. Ranuado, a really solid looking RHP Seems like a pretty solid deal to me. Lohse isn't likely to be re-signed, Jungmann is a worse prospect than Ranaudo and we have no RH option at 1B or long term solution at 3B. If Boston were to offer those three for 1 season of Lohse, Jungmann and something else I would be all over it.

Would really love to see the Brewers bring this guy in. His speed would definitely play at SS and his glove won't hurt the team. It also would allow the Brewers to employ a rotation for Segura in the middle infield by keeping him in the lineup with Cabrera by playing Segura at 2B as the RH platoon with Scooter.

Would Allen Craig be an option for the Brewers to look into to be the RH platoon with Lind and the 4th OF? He has a career .285/.323/.514 in 520 PAs against LHP. With Boston acquiring Hanley for LF, he may be someone the Brewers could target. I would like to see his bat in our lineup if the cost were affordable.

Lucroy is such a bargain and we have him until the end of 2017 or the end of his age 31 season. Given his fan favorite status, I truly believe he will be here for his career.

Not sure how I feel about this deal yet... On one hand the Cardinals improved their lineup, on the other hand they just sent away Shelby Miller (who has top of the rotation potential) for a guy who is one season away from becoming a free agent. On the face of it, I will say the Braves won but won't be surprised to see a breakout from Heyward in 2015 where it becomes a push.

Matt Garza's agent is Nez Balelo. Now if you're saying Boras convinced Attanasio to sign another client's player, then that is a different story.

Trading for Heyward would be great for the Brewers. I would gladly give up K. Davis and one of Yo or Lohse for him if they believe they could extend Heyward.

Just received an email from the Brewers and I have to say that I find it interesting the color and theme that they are going with for the 2015 Giveaways: http://mlb.com/mil/ticketing/allfans.jsp?partnerId=ed-8775246-750780533 The prominence of the ball and glove logo, blue and yellow colors and lettering in "2015 Brewers All Fans Giveaways" has me curious as to whether this is a theme for the giveaways or something larger.

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/mlb/story/_/id/11718304/los-angeles-dodgers-talked-josh-byrnes-gm-job It's also unclear whether Friedman will retain longtime Dodgers scouting director Logan White, who is well-respected within the industry. If the Dodgers were to let Logan White go, I would be very happy to see the Brewers pursue him.

I would rather see them sign Chase Headley who is a younger, switch hitting, better defender and (arguably) better offensive player for the future.

My list of priorities for the Brewers: 1. Focus on Development: The time is now. The St. Louis team and their voodoo aren't going anywhere. The Baby Cubs are arriving and their pockets are deep. The Pirates, while certainly not world beaters, are deeper than us, and the Reds seem to be in a similar boat as we are. I am not sure there is a move out there that would allow us to catch the Cardinals in 2015 or the Cubs once their rise begins in 2015, so we need to focus on the development of the team for the next window which could occur within 3-4 years. Focus on scouting and developing the minor league system and stop making deals for the present. 2. Fire Roenicke: Horrible fundamentals pretty much sums up the Roenicke Brewers. I can't stand seeing other teams play so solid fundamentally i.e. not running into baserunning outs daily, ability to bunt, work a count, situational hit. The Brewers do none of these well and it was maybe ok when we had Braun and Fielder bopping the ball around the yard, but that isn't the team we have anymore on O. Hire a manager like Buck Showalter who is a presence and who isn't the players best friend. This team needs a dad, your biggest support and your biggest critic when you aren't doing the right things. Roenicke is not that guy. I am not sure who that guy is but this team needs some discipline desperately. 3. Sign Chase Headley & let Aramis Ramirez walk: The Brewers are a .500 team today and probably are a .500 team next season with no tweaks. If they somehow catch lightning in a bottle, they may be a 85-88 win team next year or they may be a 75 win team. Unfortunately, this isn't good enough for a fire sale and Attanasio would never trade the guys necessary to completely dismantle the team and re-build (Braun, Lucroy, Gomez) properly. The goal should thus to be fill in the areas of deficiency to hopefully catch that lightning while you focus on re-building through the draft and scouting with high ceiling not low floor prospects. The 2014 draft with Medeiros, Gatewood and Harrison and the Gilbert Lara signing were a good start. This starts with allowing an old Ramirez to walk and filling 3B with Chase Headley. For what may be a similar asking price, give me the younger, switch hitting Headley over the tail end of the career Ramirez. 4. Platoon Segura with Gennett at 2B and at SS. Sign a SS-first, Hairston-type UTIL IF: While I think Gennett will eventually hit LHP and I think he should get 33% of the starts against LHP in 2015, I think Segura needs to be part of a platoon at 2B and SS until he proves he is an everyday player again. Finding a veteran presence at UTIL (not Elian Herrera or Irving Falu), to platoon at SS, like a Hairston or Counsell, will have an enormous impact on the Brewers ability to field a team with depth in 2015. 5. Trade for Scott Van Slyke to be the 1B: With Matt Kemp, Adrian Gonzalez, Yasiel Puig and Joc Pederson blocking Van Slyke at the 4 positions he plays, the Dodgers may look to move him in the 2014 offseason. I am unsure as to what the richest team in baseball would want from the Brewers, but I am willing to move something of value to get him. 6. Stick with the rotation: While there is no true ace, I don't think trading Yo, Lohse or Garza will bring back the equivalent talent in return. As such, hold them to go with Peralta and Fiers in 2015. Now, if the Dodgers wanted Lohse or Gallardo for Van Slyke, by all means make the deal and stick Nelson in the rotation. While some may disagree with holding Yo, Lohse or Garza, if the Brewers were to get nothing better than say a Hunter Morris-type prospect in return, why make the deal? 7. Dangle Gomez in the event a franchise changing deal can be made: An affordable, in their prime, 30-30 talent with a Gold Glove is rarely available in a deal. If for some reason a team wanted Gomez and wanted to trade an ace prospect or fill multiple holes in the future, the Brewers have to consider this deal. While the team is a .500 team with him, the goal should be 3-4 years from now and if someone wants to meet the Brewers asking price, they should listen. 8. If Gomez isn't dealt, stick with the OF as is: A healthy Gomez, Braun, Davis and Parra is an above average OF on both O and D. Don't fix what isn't broken. I have other things that could be stated, but I think the Brewers can have the best of both worlds, remain an above .500 team while re-building the minors over the next 3-4 seasons, with minor tweaks in the offseason.

Lest we forget Kolten Wong's bat flip on last night's HR. I truly hate everything that the St. Louis organization represents.

3 games off on the Brewers record and holding out hope on the Dodgers. So glad I was wrong on Scooter.

Retiring a number for a man who never donned a uniform is incredibly lame. I have to admit that I am getting a little tired of the recognitions the Brewers have come up with. The Uecker seats were a classic...until they placed a Bob statue up there. The retiring of an oft-used number for a man who never donned a uniform AND who already has a statue in front of Miller Park is ridiculous. I often times wish the Brewers were run more like the Packers when it comes to honoring their greats. If Cecil Cooper # isn't retired, why should Bud Selig have a retired number? Lame.

Triple AAA Sheboygan, Triple AAA Green Bay or Triple AAA Madison all have nice rings to them.

So what you're saying is he can fill our gaping holes at 1B and RP simultaneously?

Please no... I am all for characters in baseball but his T Plush routine was so forced and barely tolerable when he was playing well in 2011 and became unbearable when he wasn't playing well in 2012. Thanks for the walk-off in Game 5 and one of the best memories in Brewer history but let's leave that in the past.

What a disappointment. Even thinking it through after the fact...What could Roenicke have possibly been thinking? Garza is pitching well. I could understand if we had a runner at 2nd and 3rd but man...he has us playing like we were losing 2-0.

I really don't like Roenicke sometimes. This makes no sense unless Garza is hurt

Agreed TLB. This team, while not complete, is rock solid in the following offensive areas and really couldn't improve much without hurting themselves somewhere else: C: Lucroy, Maldonado OF: Braun, Gomez, Davis, Parra 2B: Gennett SS: Segura 3B: Ramirez If Reynolds were our 1B/3B/PH and a backup to say Morneau or Napoli, and we had acquired say Darwin Barney to backup at SS and 2B, I would love this team. Hopefully the Brewers have a waiver deal in them to continue to add the necessary depth for a playoff run.

Fun fact: According to Baseball Reference, in 2013 Carlos Gomez had a defensive WAR of 4.6. In 2013, Gerardo Parra had a defensive WAR of 4.0. That is crazy good defense in the OF in late game situations.

Franklin and Smyly is all TB is getting? Is that possible?