Thundercat32

dlk9s, can i get some recommendations in the brewers 2p2 thread from ya? anybody who hasn't seen the update to my newest fan from dallas thread. i'm going to be at the brewers/cubs game on the 28th of august. if anybody is going to that game lemme know so we can meet up and tailgate http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

any updates on rickie? rotoworld still has the 3-6 week projection from Ash as it's latest info. any faith in lopez out there? i actually think we could be alright with lopez. his 334 career obp is probably better than most backup middle if'ers you'll run across and honestly better than some starting 2b/ss out there.

8brew, lol, i'll check out red rock, but i hate country! lol i just wanna see what a country bar would look like in milwaukee. actually if you drive around the dallas area you'll go all week and not see someone with a cowboy hat or cowboy boots on. if you go west of dallas towards fort worth or outside of dallas in the country areas thats when it gets a bit country. kinda funny tho. i'm diggin callin all of these places in wisconsin and hearing the accent. i called this hooters in greenfield and the girl that answered the phone was giving me attitude, excepts she sounded like some 40 yr old chick on a farm with 8 kids, LOL! oh man that priceless. thanks for the tip on the lakerfront brewery tour. i've added that to my itinerary. packman87, i think typically i would pay a lil extra for a hotel with more amenities, but since this is my first time to milwaukee. i don't plan on spending much time in my room. i just want somewhere clean. doesn't seem like i can find a place during the week for less than $80 tho. i'm getting this "we have alot of wedding parties booked for those dates" routine. lukevan, that's a good point. i guess i just didn't expect the options to be so limited. and comparatively speaking, i had some friends come to stay in dallas super bowl week they were able to book a room at the laquinta inn down here (in a nice area of town) for $63/night all taxes & fees included. that's super bowl week. and you can find hotel rooms in dallas in the $40-$50 range 365/days a year. i could get a 4 star hotel room down here for $125/night. but to be fair, i know where to look and which plays are desirable and undesirable, so i have that working against me in milwaukee. i really do think it has something to do with dallas having more hotels total so they have to be very competitive with each other in their pricing. patrick, yeah i think it was lucille's, you're saying that place is lame during the week and only go on sat night, huh? thanks for the tips on which streets to hit up. that's kinda what i was thinking. just walk up and down some streets. like in austin, tx all you have to do is walk up & down 6th street and you'll find plenty to do. here in dallas you have 4-6 areas to hit up, so it's about knowing which places to hit up. i'd be in favor of hitting up water street, milwaukee street, and north ave from the sound of it. on brady street are you saying "hippy" as in trendy or as in 70s smoked out, far out man! kinda hippy?

update: i haven't posted on here in a very long time. i've still been keeping up with the brew crew tho. i have mlb extra innings this season so that makes being a brewers fan in dallas, tx about 1,000x better. so here's the big news! i'm coming home august 28th brewers/cubs! i'll be at the game and hoping to meet up with some of my fellow brewer faithful before the game for some good 'ol tailgating action http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif oh i'm also going to be in milwaukee for part of that week. i arrive tues aug 23rd, but i'm going to spend the day in chicago (cubs/braves i have the bartman seat, insanely happy about that, lol it defies logic really). i'll be back in milwaukee wed 24th/thurs 25th and then green bay fri 26th/sat 27th for my cousin's wedding. then at miller park bright and early sun morning the 28th. i'd love some tips on what to do and what to see in milwaukee. anybody have any good tips for a hotel? the best i've been able to find so far is the laquinta inn in brookfield for $62/night. i have the money, but that's kinda high if you ask me. i could stay in a 4 star hotel in dallas for $125/night. are hotels in milwaukee in short supply or something? or is something going on that weekend? i guess dallas just has more hotels so the demand is less, but that really baffles me. so far i've come across a few good ideas. wed: miller park tour, miller brewing company tour, there's a ladies night at some piano bar that was rated highly on tripadvisor.com, and possibly sneak in a lake front/riverboat ride thurs: i plan on sneaking down to burlington to see where tony romo learned his nunchucks skills, his bow hunting skills, his computer hacking skills... in general just soak up the greatness http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif then i don't really know what else to do. there's a hooters not too far from the laquinta in brookfield. i guess i could kill time there if i don't think of anything better to do. sat night i wanted to come back to milwaukee about 10pm and hit some clubs. i heard good things about cush. would anybody recommend any other places? thanks for the help fellas! i hope i get a chance to meet a few of you before the game, cheers

as a former Rangers fan, watching Boggs at the plate reduces my will to live

I guess I'm missing the part where re-posting it is a bad idea

copied from my post in the twoplustwo.com single season Brewers team thread. Referring to the April 18th 6-3 extra innings win over the Phils. "Betancourt is such an [expletive deleted]. I know I'm not telling you anything you don't already know, but his at bat in the 12th tonight just tilted me so hard I needed to come here and post about it. How in the name of all thats good & holy are you first pitch swinging there? Kendrick starts off walking Weeks, then airmails a throw to get Gomez at first, he leaves two pitches up in the strike zone to Braun one he misses for a grounder foul down the 3rd base line and on the very next pitch he misses up in the strike zone again Braun sent that one 399 1/2 feet to straight away Centerfield for the sac fly, then he throws a wild pitch to McGhee advancing both Gomez and Prince into scoring position, which forces Kendrick to intentionally walk Casey. I mean Keiran Lee has a better chance of coming back with a negative std test result at the local clinic than Kendrick does of finding the strike zone anytime this millennium. Bases are loaded and Betancourt sees 1 pitch. Thats just mindblowing, literally I question if you hooked Betancourt's head up with electrodes if you'd find any evidence of brain activity whatsoever. It was a stupid decision that wound up working out with a sac fly, but I don't think that excuses how bad it was." Betancourt provides a strong case for the use of capital punishment imo. (edit: language / please see language etiquette regarding the responsibility to edit out words that are filtered)

Like homer said this is a fun thread for now. It is fun to dream about the possibility, but here are some trends we can look at. I was surprised to learn Braun's career BaBip is .337, which makes his .361 BaBip this season seem somewhat reasonable. His walk rate is up to a career high 13.8 so far and the strikeout rate is down to a near career low at 17.3. His swinging strike % is down to 8.1 a career low again so far, his zone % is down to 43, a career low, and his line drive % is up to a staggering 26.8. We can infer from this information Braun is A) swinging and missing less in the strike zone B) letting fewer pitches go by him in the strike zone and C) making solid contact, or you could say hitting the ball and hitting it real hard http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif The .357 Iso is ridiculous and clearly unsustainable. So while he's currently tied for the Home Run lead, it's hardest to believe he'll lead the league in that category. I could see him easily winning the Batting title, and possibly finish as the RBI leader. All of that said he's only 27 yrs old and just entering his prime. I wouldn't rule anything out for him. Also, HiAndTight a 10% walk rate is well above the league average for the last several years, so saying if he could "even" manage a 10% walk rate isn't maybe the best phrasing. Braun's last 2 seasons at 8.1 and 8.2 are definitely respectable especially considering he's lowered his strikeout rate to 19.1 and 17.0 Lastly I have Braun on 2 of my fantasy teams (fell to me at the 12th pick both times, so sweet!) so lets go Braun-ie!!!

did Dylan Covey break up with Brewerfan.net creator's daughter or something? The first Dylan Covey thread gets locked, now I start one to talk about the biggest Brewers story of the day and its insta-deleted? I don't have a pm from any mods. Whats the deal? I asked for someone to point me in the right direction. Is that possible or is Dylan Covey discussion banned on this site?

mletto, yeah bro I saw your post, but that was going to take some time to really look at Melvin's pitching draft history with the Rangers. I did a quick look and CJ Wilson was drafted during the last year Melvin was GM. I think he should get credit for CJ, even tho the organization tried to turn him into a setup man. Colby Lewis is another story tho, he was drafted by Melvin, but then released (after Melvin was fired) bounced around from team to team and wound up in Japan. He was considered a "miss" until this season back with the Rangers, but I think you have to give Jon Daniels the credit for recognizing Lewis' transformation in Japan and also outbidding the other teams for his services. Melvin, had nothing to do with Cliff Lee, Tommy Hunter, Scott Feldman, Derek Holland, Rich Harden, or Neftali Feliz or any of the other bullpen arms. So really its just 1 guy on the Rangers current roster I'd give him credit for. I don't have the time to do it right now, but I'm going to take a look back and see how his pitching prospects panned out as a whole during his time as GM of the Rangers, I think that'd be a more accurate depiction of his success bringing pitching to the Rangers. Also your point about "we can dream about who we would like (as GM)" thats all this thread is. I'm not suggesting what you're saying isn't true. The next GM could very well be much worse than Melvin. I'm just saying Paul DePodesta is the nuts and I'd really like to see him named the new GM of the Brewers.

fyp

Phillies in 2008 had very mediocre starting pitching outside of Hamels. Rockies in 2007 didn't have a single starter with a sub 4 ERA. Cardinals in 2006 had very mediocre pitching outside of Carpenter. What you can't do is have mostly mediocre pitching and then a mediore bullpen and bad defense. It just makes it too hard to overcome with offense. We haven't developed many bullpen arms, we've had bad defensive players and we haven't drafted many good pitchers. You can't survive on offense alone. You're making some good points and I can see what you're thinking. I guess its true, but I'd still take all 3 of those rotations over the projected 2011 Brewers rotation, ainec. Also, ERA isn't the be all and end all of pitching stats. It actually just scratches the surface, maybe later today if I can remember I'll look up the '07 Rockies park adjusted ERA and see how that rates, I'd be willing to bet its significantly better.

There's a major flaw in your argument. Your 5th starter can post a 15.00 ERA and your 4th starter a 12.00 ERA, you lose every game they start, but still make the playoffs with the worst team ERA in the league. And yet when the playoffs roll around who cares about your 4th or 5th starter? When the playoffs start its about who's your Ace thats going to take the hill 3 times in a series and the 2 other starters you'll throw in a series. 2008 Philadelphia Phillies - Cole Hamels 3.09 ERA Jamie Moyer 3.71 ERA Brett Myers 4.55 ERA. And if I'm remembering correctly Cole Hamels was unhittable in the playoffs (had to look this one up) 2008 mlb postseason era leaders, Cole Hamels 5th with a 1.80 ERA and Joe Blanton 10th with a 3.18 ERA (Yo #1 with a 0.00 ERA in 7 IP, btw). Hamels was 4-0 in 5 starts during the postseason. I could look up the 2006 Cardinals, but I think it'd be the same thing.

Holy S, now I'm getting tilted.............................. ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGH I tried to hold it in responding to logan's post, but you seriously could not have just read my response and then post that. Like seriously? are you just trying to tick me off or something? I mean Jesus Christ bro, its obvious you haven't read this thread. I stated clearly (providing a link, so don't give me the I don't back anything up hogwash). Escobar was discovered in the Brewers' academy in 2003. He's a product of that academy's success and NOT the Brewers efforts to sign their own talent without an academy. Accuse me of not backing things up, not listening to ppl, and then you don't even get that right.

colby, I'm a little fuzzy on the math of mid to late 2003 to end of 2005, being essentially 1 year, but I didn't know about the international signing period so I guess that makes sense. Still a year is an eternity in the life of organization's farm system development. I can kinda see what you're thinking and I agree you can't be afraid to try different ideas from the norm b/c of what others might think. You have to go with what you think is best. The part that I think you're missing from that idea, is the live with the consequences part. Well intentioned people are fired from their employment everyday. And the sports industry is most likely the toughest industry in the country when it comes to results or you're fired. Look at Don Wakamatsu, fired after only a year and a half on the job. Is it his fault a bad team couldn't win baseball games? So the whole thing about we don't really need to worry about results, lets just look and see if they were trying is kinda absurd imo. And one thing I want to say, this is for anyone who thinks the DR academy closing wasn't a big deal and just trying a new idea, too bad it didn't work out, those things happen, yada yada yada.... Rolando Valles, who works for the Brewers as a Latin American Liaison and also at their current DR academy said this regarding Rolando Pascual (the highly touted 2005 Dominican pitching prospect) "He could have benefited from this program if it was in place and he took advantage of it.". Thats quoted from this article http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100310&content_id=8745114&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mil. Valles, basically says that young latin american players struggle adjusting to being uprooted from their homes, family, and culture at a young age (usually 16-18 yrs old) and sent to a professional team in the States. He knows, b/c he had the same struggles himself. Thats the whole reason academies were started in the first place, to help ease this transition process. Melvin and the Brewers front office, decided to by pass that process and instead use all of their money to sign the best prospect available. Then later a member of their own organization says that prospect needed a place like the current academy to succeed. He also says in that article Pascual is a bit of a rebel off of the field and has trouble staying out of trouble. So what a colossal error in judgement, yet its being overlooked and defended, with stuff like yeah, but you try things and sometimes they don't succeed. And as far as the 3rd most runs in the NL. Aren't you a little worried that type of talent won't continue to come in with Jack Z out of the picture?

They did give you an answer and you said so yourself. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's wrong or bad. logan, uh... not exactly. I asked why did it take 5 years to recognize the mistake and reopen the DR academy? I can understand Melvin was under orders to shut it down and keep it closed while Selig owned the team. However, the club was sold to Attanasio in '04, and the wheels didn't get in motion to renovate the Phillies old academy til 2009. So my question was why the time delay? This was a question, solely b/c Baldkin called me an idiot, essentially, saying Melvin had no choice he had to close the academy. Which I didn't originally realize it was a directive from Wendy Selig (per Baldkin). I still haven't gotten a reason from Baldkin or anyone else defending Melvin's decision to keep the academy closed why the delay, if the blame should go to Wendy Selig. The only answers I have gotten is regurgitated press clippings from the Brewers front office about why it was shut down originally. Not why there was a delay reopening a DR academy.

personally I don't care if they win another game all year, as 1 game out of the playoffs is the same as 100 games out. In fact, if you're going to miss the playoffs it can often make sense to lose more games for a higher draft position i.e. Mike Trout. However, that usually doesn't coincide with good play from key players for next year's team. So yeah overall I want to see good play. I don't care if it comes in a 4-3 win or a 3-4 loss. Here are the things I'm most concerned with for the rest of this season: 1) Sign Dylan Covey, letting him walk over $300k would be assine 2) I want to see Ryan Braun take a better approach at the plate, up his power #'s and get his average over .300 3) I want to see Jake Odorizzi finish strong at Class A, possibly earn a promotion to Huntsville 4) I want to see Alcides show any sign at all he's starting to figure things out at the plate 5) I want to see Rickie Weeks stay healthy for the rest of the season and maintain his production. Especially if they offer him an extension.

I'd like to make an observation so far from this thread. Most of the opposition to Paul DePodesta being the new GM of the Brewers is Doug Melvin ain't that bad, not Doug Melvin is better than DePodesta. Thats a huge difference. I said in my OP Doug Melvin isn't terrible and he's probably an above average GM. My position is just DePodesta (or Friedman) would be better.

I think you're angry at me or something, lol. I said a couple of things that weren't correct, but I'm new and trying to learn. I've cited several articles and sources in this thread, and nearly everything I say is based in some fashion from an article I read online. As far as the DR academy goes. I read that in this thread on Saturday night, at the same time I was chatting in the In Game chat. Baldkin said I'm missing that Wendy Selig forced Melvin's hand and essentially forced him to close it down so the franchise could be sold for more money. My question, was if she forced him to close it down in 2003, then why did it take til 2009 to re-open, when Attanasio bought the team in 2004? Nobody's given me an answer on that. In fact, the only answer I've gotten sounds like it was regurgitated from the Brewers front office staff themselves and I quote "Instead of spending a lot of money on a lot of players, we would spend the same amount on fewer and higher-quality players and bring them right to the States." said Brewers director of player development Reid Nichols. Quoted from this article, sixth paragraph down http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090112&content_id=3740907&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb Only no one has quoted Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash, who said "What we thought might be a competitive advantage, wasn't. So we'll go back to the tried and true method of signing and developing players in their native land and then moving from the academy to the U.S. only those who have graduated." (ninth paragraph) So even though the Brewers have since admitted it was a mistake and that if flat didn't work. I'm catching flack from Melvin supporters for saying the exact same thing Gord Ash said. Also, please make a note HiAndTight, I can back up what I'm saying here. I'm not throwing things up against a wall.

There are reasons to be disappointed with the Brewers and Melvin, but I don't think how the team approaches Latin America is one of them. colbyjack, I just don't see how you can feel this way. I asked this earlier and you haven't responded yet, but I'd like to know if the approach was quality over quantity. Then why did Pascual and Peralta not appear until 2006 in the Brewers Arizona league team, when the academy was shut down in 2003? From what you're saying they chose to shut down the academy so they could make these signings and yet it took them 3 years to find their way to camp? Gallardo grew up in El Paso, and went to high school in Fort Worth so he can't count as a Latin American signing. Really what we're left with is Alcides Escobar and a couple of guys none of whom are above the AA level. At least thats what I think I'm hearing. I mean Melvin has been here since '02, so I would like to see a better return than one upcoming shortstop and a couple of high upside AA pitchers. And it should be pointed out Escobar was signed in 2003, the same year the academy was shut down. Which tells me he was likely on the Brewers radar for some time before he was signed. So where are the quality guys we were suppose to be finding in 2004 and later? I also want to say I'm not a know it all, in fact I'm trying to learn. Its just the information I'm being told is incomplete and its leading me to more questions. But I'd like to learn from you guys. Hopefully, you will keep an open mind to my thoughts as well. Edit: I should say I like your points about Melvin, Canada, and Moneyball. Double Edit: found this information on Escobar's signing date and his relationship with the DR academy. "Alcides Escobar worked out for the Brewers for a month before they offered a $30,000 bonus. He signed on July 9, 2003." "It was Kelvim Escobar who turned on the Brewers to his cousin. He convinced legendary scout Epy Guerrero -- Mike Guerrero's father, who was working for the Brewers at the time -- to take a look at Alcides at the Brewers' academy in the Dominican Republic." from this article http://milwaukee.brewers....p;fext=.jsp&c_id=mil

You can put a team full of sluggers on the field with mediocre pitching and find success as long as the defense isn't bad as well. Ennder, what is your definition of success? If its win a title then I can't think of any teams who fit this formula who have won a title in the last 20 years. If its win the division then I'm sure there are a few examples of teams with this make up who have won a division, but I can't think of any off the top of my head.

colbyjack, I don't want to be redundant so I won't go into detail, but I just disagree with the DR academy. I'm curious about Rolando Pascual and Wily Peralta, baseball reference has them both appearing in their first games for the Brewers Arizona Fall league team in 2006. The academy was shut down in 2003. You stated the money saved was used to sign these prominent players. I'm wondering why the delay or if I'm missing something else?

Attanasio was just quoted in the JS yesterday http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/100200869.html saying after the season "We are going to be back to the drawing board and figure it out". That doesn't imply anything in regards to Melvin, but you have to remember to keep things in context any time a player, a coach, gm, or an owner say anything to the media. And that context is what'd you think they were going to say? Like Attanasio isn't going to come right out and rip his GM and start a needless controversy. I find that statement along with several others in the article to be a clear sign Attanasio isn't pleased with where things are and I think he might be starting to question "where are things going?". The best thing to come out of the article tho is the we worked harder at this trade deadline than we have in the last couple of years. Thats good to hear, I can live with not getting a deal done, but not due to lack of effort. Then again, you have to filter it with the, what'd you expect the owner to say, we sat on our duffs and let the phone ring? Still I think he was being genuine when he said it.

Baldkin, To pick up on our conversation from In Game chat, you left before I could explain where I was going with that. Ok so Wendy Selig got her panties in a bunch and demanded costs were cut and the mlb team was improved so it could be sold. So Melvin had to close the DR academy. My only problem absolving him of that is Attanasio bought the team in Sept '04. Melvin didn't re-establish the academy until 2009. How does it take you 5 years to realize that mistake?

I'd like to think Cain would of made an attempt to beat out that slow roller up the 1st base line. Instead of what Edmonds did which is just be a spectator.