Warning Track Power

Honestly, if they are continuing with the bobblehead trend, I would rather see the Brewers start having a themed bobblehead schedule. In other words, 2014 would see the Brewers honor a specific timeframe in their history, say 1998 - 2001, when they entered the NL and Miller Park opened. While I don't mind Gold Gove Gomez and Jean Segura this year, the Brewers could really do away with the rest of the lineup. So instead of Lohse, Vintage, Scooter, Chorizo & Yount 74, the Brewers could have a bobble lineup of Cirillo, Burnitz, Jenkins, Sexson and Team USA Ben Sheets. This to me is a way of keeping the bobblehead theme fresh for a few more seasons.

I also believe Ike will eventually be in Milwaukee so I will do the same... SS Segura 2B Gennett RF Braun 3B Ramirez C Lucroy 1B I. Davis CF Gomez LF K. Davis I like the idea of Gennett hitting #2 and seeing pitches to hit in front of Braun. I do have a hard time not putting Lucroy in at #2 but he is a very good run producer and could see him actually hitting #3 and Braun #4 if Ramirez were to be dealt. I am preparing myself for the Weeks leading off lineup that will be coming if/when he wins the 2B job over Gennett.

In a heartbeat...I would be willing to package up two arms, say Burgos & Pena/Blazek if that is what it took. I think the real question would be would you deal Johnny Hellweg for Ike Davis? I think I would but it would take a little more thought.

1. A focus on the Brewers being a small market baseball team. This doesn't mean being cheap, rather it means operating as an organization that emphasizes development from its system and doesn't rely on Suppan, Lohse, Looper type signings to fill roster deficiencies. Additionally, this does not mean we do not ever deal prospects, but when we do, it has to be for cost controlled and/or controllable talent. Lawrie for Marcum deals are eliminated. In 2014 for example, a Lawrie prospect would only be dealt for a Shelby Miller-type SP. 2. A determination of whether our organizational philosophy of pitching is flawed. The Brewers history is littered with solid hitters with Braun & Fielder, Jenkins, Sexson & Burnitz, Cirillo, Jaha & Vaughn, Yount, Molitor & Cooper. However, the history of pitching has been exceptionally atrocious. Either we are truly unlucky as an organization by having the same issues through the Melvin, Taylor, Bando, etc... eras or our scouting department is and has been full of terrible talent evaluators. Either way, this requires significant attention. 3. Ryan Braun returns full of contrition and re-establishes himself as the face of the franchise. Moreover, he becomes the leader or a leader of the clubhouse and firmly cements himself as a lifelong Brewer. This will also require fans of the team that were hurt by his actions, open themselves up to accepting him again as the healing process between player and fan is a two-way street. 4. The return of Yovani Gallardo, the continued development of Wily Peralta and the ascension of Tyler Thornburg and Jimmy Nelson. If the Brewers have any designs on contending in the near future with their core of Braun, Lucroy, Gomez & Segura, then they will need above average pitching. Given the relative lack of impact pitching in the system, the Brewers best hope is Yovani returning to pre-2013 Yo, Peralta ascending into an above average #3 in 2014 and Thornburg and Nelson developing into mid rotation arms by the end of 2014. If at the beginning of 2015, the Brewers can call Yo & Peralta legitimate #2s and Thornburg & Nelson average #3s, the Brewers immediate and long term future will be bright. 5. Solving First Base. I believe that an Ike Davis trade is a necessary risk provided it doesn't require a trade of Thornburg, Nelson or any other higher end prospect. While he could just be another Juan Francisco, he could also be a poor man's Chris Davis. Two sets of numbers, 1 is Ike in NY, the other is Chris in Texas: Ike: .242/.334/.434, 67 HR, 219 RBI, OPS+ 112 (1488 ABs) Chris: .248/.300/.455, 42 HR, 124 RBI, OPS+ 94 (882 ABs) Is Ike, Chris? No, but that isn't the point. The point is that the Brewers do not have anyone of Ike's talent to play 1B in the organization currently. Will he ever turn on the switch? I don't know but I am willing to take the chance given the talent is there.

I have wanted this kid in Milwaukee for awhile. Not only does Boston have Bogaerts, but they also have Garin Cecchini coming at 3B as well. I am not sure we have anything of use for Boston other than Aramis or Henderson, but I would love to see Middlebrooks at 3B for the next decade for the Crew.

Love this...Perspective. Yo's DUI was worse as well. Makes you realize how self-righteous we can be as fans at times.

@Turbo: Honestly, I think if Thornburg were going to be dealt for Davis then it would have happened already. As much as I will be disgusted by the prospect of Juan Francisco (who is rapidly ascending the Yuni Ladder) playing significant time at 1B in 2014, the Brewers need to hold on to their young pitching as much as possible. If I am Melvin, I should be willing to part with Hellweg, Pena, Burgos, Blazek, etc... or even some combo of those guys to get Davis but not Thornburg or Nelson. EDIT: I know it seems like I am talking out of both sides of my mouth by saying the Brewers should hold young pitching, but then advocate dealing Hellweg, Pena, etc... for Davis. The point is I think Davis is a 50-50 bet to productive at the Major League level, much like Hellweg, Pena, and those guys, whereas I feel Thornburg and Nelson have greater chances to be solid contributors than 50-50. The risks should be equal on both sides and Davis for Hellweg & Blazek seems more equitable than Davis for Thornburg.

No thanks. As others have mentioned, his act was tired and quite frankly, annoying. Additionally, we have players on the team currently like Schafer, Gindl and Davis who the playing time. I hope he catches on somewhere and does well, but I prefer to remember him as part of the 2011 NLCS team.

Knowing what we know now about our 1B situation, meaning we know it's not going to be a world beater, would you have done what it took to get Prince Fielder back in Milwaukee? The Rangers traded Kinsler and money and the Rangers got Fielder for 7 years $138 million. I would have to assume that any deal with the Tigers would have included Weeks, Henderson and a decent pitching prospect (Thornburg perhaps). Would you have done this? I would have and not because Prince is a great 1B or will age gracefully. I truly believe the Brewers are seriously lacking on field leadership right now. (Lucroy seems to be getting close to this now but not quite there yet) Prince seemed to be the leader of the team when he was here and I think it has sorely been missing.

This reminds me of a few years ago when someone at the JS (Michael Hunt?) floated the idea of retiring Jim Gantner's number. I can think of a TON of guys who had a greater impact on the franchise and who still don't deserve that honor. This feels like something similar to me. The Brewers have, for the most part, honored the correct men so far in Milwaukee history with Aaron, Yount, Molitor (who still needs a statue) & Uecker. (Fingers still feels like an enormous stretch to me as well). They don't need to have a Wall of You Were Here for 5 Years or the Wall of You Had One Really Good Year (Pat Listach).

I guess my thought on this is I think that you can take your pick of Bianchi/Green/Prince etc...and save the money for a different time and date. As it stands now, the 2014 Brewers, are a mid-high 80s win team with all the breaks and mid 70s win team without them, which means they likely are a high 70s to low 80s win team in 2014. Young isn't the difference between the Brewers being contenders. Save the $5 million and put it under the mattress.

Honestly Turbo, while it doesn't make it better for our beloved Brewers, I have found that with the economics of baseball saince 1995, it makes some sense to be a casual fan of a major market. For me I was born in Southern California which has always made me a casual fan of the Dodgers. Like I said, while it doesn't help the Brewers cause, it has helped me as a fan to fall back on a major market team that doesn't have the severe limitations of our Brewers. Just trying to help...

This entire situation is frustrating. Juan Francisco had more than half the season in Milwaukee to show that he doesn't belong as anything more than as a 25th man, PH power bat and yet somehow we are still discussing him as an option to be the man to get a majority of the time at 1B. Additionally, the idea of Michael Young playing over Sean Halton is maddening for all the reasons you mentioned in a later post. While Halton may not be a world beater, I would rather spend 2014 finding out what we have in him getting regular time than having old man Young playing 1B and padding his career statistics.

The fact that Juan Francisco somehow remains in this discussion is depressing me more and more.

Craig is, pending Tavares taking over RF. http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/team/depth_chart/index.jsp?c_id=stl Taveras is going to start in Triple AAA is what I have been hearing/reading because of the injury he suffered last year. I would also think the Cardinals would try to move Holliday to open up a spot for Taveras before they move Craig given Holliday's age and contract.

Yes...Holliday, Bourjos, Craig across the OF since they let Beltran go. There is no way that Adams will be in Milwaukee.

If you have any confidence in Rick Kranitz in a reclamation project (I don't), then Romero would be a heckuva nice target for a buy low guy. Not sure I would even give up Rickie for him, though I would like to take a chance on Romero.

I was/am a big Rickie fan but it is obvious that it is just the pure hate against Weeks for regressing so much in 2012 & 2013 from his 2009-2011 season form where he averaged .269/.357/.472. His dramatic fall off to a .222/.320/.384 in 2012 & 2013 because of...? His ankle injury in 2011? Dale Sveum leaving after 2011? His best bud Prince leaving after 2011? People just want him off the team period regardless if his presence would help the team.

Yup...I have no doubt. This offseason has been pretty frustrating so far.

I would still take Rickie, only for the fact that he may have greater value at the deadline than Dunn. I think I am also coming from a standpoint that if the choice is Ike or Dunn, I would go with Ike. I think Ike has too much potential still to not take that chance if Dunn is the only other option. Plus he is cheaper. At best, I think we would be lucky if 2014 Dunn hit .230/.330/.430 30 HR, 80 RBI with terrible D and 200+ Ks. Whereas with Ike, I think he could hit .250/.340/.450 25 HR, 80 RBI with average D and less Ks. For similar production and still with potential to grow, I would choose Ike.

I'd rather have Rickie than Dunn. Put it this way, you're dealing Rickie for a worse version of himself. Dunn 162 game average in 2011-2013: .197/.317/.405, 34 HR, 87 RBI Rickie 162 game average in 2011-2013: .237/.330/.411 22, HR, 59 RBI Rickie is also 3 years younger and at a more premium position. I'd put more money on a Rickie turnaround than a Dunn turnaround.

I might have done this trade given our absolute lack of anything resembling a stud at 1B/3B in MiLB. While Davidson is no guarantee at 3B, this would have allowed us to shop Ramirez for another piece to rebuild around.

If I am DM right now, I think you take the chance on Ike and possibly Smoak as well and let them figure it out Hart-LoMo style. Hunter Morris is going to be playing his age 25 season (born October 1988) and the Brewers apparently have zero designs on him being their 1B in 2013. Age 25 and not even being looked at for a huge hole at the MLB level makes it pretty obvious that the Brewers have some serious reservations about him being the "future." For comparison, Ike is only a year and a half older (born March 1987) and has had some success at the MLB level. I think it's time the Brewers bite the bullet and pull the trigger so long as Thornburg isn't involved. I will say, the fact that this deal hasn't been completed yet leads me to believe that DM is working on acquiring someone that we haven't even thought of yet, kind of like how the Greinke deal came relatively out of nowhere. Who that is, I don't know but I won't be surprised when it happens.

@Logan: Scooter has a career line of .297/.337/.409 in 2,049 PA in the minors. For comparison, Mark Loretta, whom I hope Scooter emulates his career after, had a minor league line of .289/.350/.381 in 1,456 PA. I will grant you that Scooter will need to cut down on the strikeouts and increase the walks if he is to reach Loretta status. That is what I would be working on with him in Spring Training if I were the Brewers.

Gennett is a perfectly fine 2B for a team that employs above-average to All Star potential players at RF (Braun), CF (Gomez), SS (Segura), C (Lucroy) and 3B (Ramirez). His line of .280/.330/.380 in the #8 hole will play just fine if surrounded by the aforementioned talent.