brewcrewdue80

Well, the positive in Reynolds is that he can play 3b if/when ARam's knees falter and heads to the DL. Kinda the best backup situation on top of playing 1b since you know it's 2b/HR or K with Reynolds. His HR totals though can at least put runs on the Board. Better than Betancourt by far. It's a Minor League contract but with some assurance on a ML Starting job. I said it before, Ike Davis is Mark Reynolds only Ike bats from the LH Side while Reynolds is a RH bat. Better option with Juan Fran in a platoon situation. But really, I think the signing can be used more for 3b backup in it's value vs what Reynolds does for the team at 1b. And better signing come midseason if ARam is wanted at the trade deadline, you have Reynolds/Juan Fran at 3b and Halton/Morris at 1b at that time. Only bad thing is that you now have to wonder with 1b at 7/8 in order 2b at 7/8 in order...Or does 2b become #2 in the order? which can become a bad situation if/when Gennett doesn't bat .270+ and Weeks remains his .170 self in the first half. It really is time to move Braun/Lucroy to #2 in the order or play Gomez at #2 all year?

Nothing great nothing terrible with this signing. I like it though from a depth perspective if we had an injury filled year from Gomez/Braun. Makes me think a younger Nyjer Morgan when it comes to potential numbers if having to be thrown in to a lineup. Maybe it's a way to give competition among Shafer,Halton, and Gindl which if that is the case even better. Make them work for their roster spot.

Well it is a "Cub" so it should look childish. Should turn in to being a kids game experience. I just hope it's marketed that way strictly. Cause the adult side it is just laughable.

The Brewers have the rights to Morris for 6 years service time. If he starts the year and sticks it's year 1. In your scenario if we wait a little bit depending on the date he's called up it's 6years but Super 2 status could be attached to him meaning he gets an added year of arbitration, still the Brewers have him for 6years. They could wait til say end of June/ beginning of July to play him so that his service clock doesn't start fast enough to count the remainder of this year as year 1 meaning then they have control of him for 6more years beyond 2014. But the way I look at it, his age and the fact he didn't get the call up last Sept, are you really concerned about holding him down to remain controlled of Morris in 2021? vs. a FA that year? Because if that's your concern then clearly he's your best option for 1b today if he needs to be held on to for 7 more years. There shouldn't be a thought process to attempt to save Morris for age 32 after the Green/Gamel declines. What could be a useful season from Morris this year but instead wasted in the minors could turn out that next year the Gamel injuries take place with Morris and now you don't even get 1year from Morris. I understand holding back a kid for Team control reasons up to age 22/ maybe 23. But by age 24, if he's your best option to play at the ML level he needs to be played regardless of how it's sorted out in Team Control cost/Arb status.

Or Seattle dumps one of their now crowded 1b near the end of ST and we lay claim... I mean I believe Carp was a Waiver guy that Boston wound up paying for to make a trade via the waivers. There's bound to be someone like that...How about Chris Carter? I don't think Houston will keep him through this season once the decision to go with Johnathon Singleton is made but, I see him being a decent chance of picking up on waivers. It can be a sad Platoon of Francisco/Carter at 1b but one that you bat 8th and get 40HRs from? Maybe Morrison is waived by Seattle if Hart shows a decent bat/field in ST. It sucks yes to have 1b be questionable but at the same time I foresee a number of options appearing come end of ST to pick up and plug in. Last season I think Hart's, "I'm going to be back by end of May" statement led to Melvin unwilling to commit to a true 1b add-on. And then May happened and the season was over so yeah 1b never really had to be filled. I'd still have taken a harder look at Morneau and signed him personally. That's really the move that only I seen happened that didn't happen for us here. I get not signing Hart, we have his medical history followed him for the past year and there could be a big red flag on the longevity of his knees holding up vs. the cost to keep him. Still cross fingers that Morris comes to life and provides something unexpected at the 1b position right now. Figuring at least way better defensively than Francisco at a bat that OPS's in the range Francisco is expected.

Well, I dunno how many moves Melvin is supposed to make given the makeup of the important players. Clearly, C,3b,SS,2 2b, 2CF, LF,RF as well as your #1,2,3,4 in the rotation are covered. Melvin traded Aoki for Smith which adds to Nelson/Thornburg for competition as #5 SP. With the losers being solid looking Bullpen guys. Henderson as Closer. Leaves 1b, Super Utility and then 8th inning RP as kinda the need. Everyone is down on Hunter Morris for 1b but who knows? Maybe there's reason he's top 4 in the system's prospect rankings and bringing in a 1b to block him is a poor idea so not bringing one in is smart. Bianchi/Josh Prince are kinda the Super Utility guys at the moment which is suspect but who knows what becomes available on waivers that can improve on them. And we're linked to KRod who I feel will be the 8th inning guy. When pretty much your team's top prospects from the previous year graduated(Peralta/Thornburg/Gennett/Davis) or begin their career Nelson it is hard to visualize Melvin making moves to supplant those players when their careers are just getting started. It'd be something different if those prospects were ranked among the organization's 2nd 10 vs top 10, but they made the climb earned their shot and I think ST will be a time to show they still deserve it. I don't see a reason to bring in a #5 SP unless you were trading away Lohse/Gallardo or Estrada creating a need. We have a great Defensive Catcher for a Backup so that shouldn't be an area of need. You can't blame Melvin on the lack of signings. Maybe lack of creative trades. Whether it is Lohse/Gomez/Gallardo/ARam/Weeks in that respect. And at the same time when you're looking at trading pitching look at the FA market thus far, it's at a standstill waiting for the Tanaka signing to happen. Until a team is a loser in that sweepstakes Lohse/Gallardo/Estrada are likely not on some other team's priority to make a deal happen right now. They Traded Aoki which makes Gomez more important to stay for this year. You can't trade Braun/ARam/Weeks due to a major loss in value with injuries last season. You tell me what moves should have been made to quench your thirst on offseason activity?

I'd go with an emphatic Yes! I don't see Burgos at all as being a SP 4/5 as I do Thornburg. What Burgos is, is a long relief guy. 1-3ip BP guy. And while yes, Melvin said he doesn't want to deal his pitching, I would believe that to be more in line with SP not his RPs. Between Smith,Thornburg,Nelson I don't see a rotation spot for Burgos any way you line it up. It would take multiple injuries like last season to open it up for him. I have doubts the Mets are looking at Burgos though even as a blip on their radar for Davis.

WTP: #2&4 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. 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. If #4 happens then wouldn't #2 be moot? That would be 4 SPs brought in to the Starting rotation that we drafted/signed. I do think that from somewhere I read the Brewers Pitching philosophy and teaching techniques are on pitchers throwing more on a downward plane and that it could be attributed to the poor results of successful graduating of pitching prospects. So #2 could be an idea on that. To avoid that philosophy and teaching technique if it doesn't suit the individual. (Bradley? Jungmann?) I get the feeling that maybe their teaching technique if this is true is to help a pitcher potentially be more successful in Groundball inducing as well as injury hinderance, but at a cost of the individual's originality that may have lead to better control and velocity. (Kinda thinking along the lines of Atlanta's top prospect and now DBack SP Randall Delgado)

If a Pitcher is brought in on Garbage time situations should he be held accountable for his garbage performances? You're ignoring the 5BB-28K in 21IP for Baltimore. Is that Garbage like? That is in fact better than the k/bb ratio he had posted for Milwaukee prior to the trade. If one thing can help a pitcher succeed is his K/BB ratio. It's clearly why Estrada has been successful beyond expectations. And while KRod gave up more hits(as he should in the AL) he improved on his K/BB ratio. He gave up runs in 8/22 Appearances for Baltimore so ignore the 14 he didn't? And again three appearances of the runs given up were in blowouts. I'll just take a pass on the three and put it as 5/19 appearances giving up runs. At a 3ERA clip roughly. What should he be to not be Garbage in your opinion? Giving up Runs on a 1ERA clip? Yeah that's AllStar like. 2ERA clip? AllStar consideration. 3ERA clip? What you hope for out of a BP guy unless he's your closer and that is what he pitched to when not in garbage time. I'm just curious what your expectations are of him to not be "Garbage" If you follow BRef's WAR it reads as follows: 1.2WAR 2013 -.2WAR 2012 1.8WAR 2011 1.8WAR 2010 .1WAR 2009 2+WAR the previous 5 seasons. Pretty much you can expect 1+WAR out of him. Is it better than who he replaces on the roster? I don't know. But it would seem to be a safety net guy to have brought in for ST so long as the money is reasonable.

Here's the thing, Baltimore didn't use KRod the way he expected which was 8th inning/closer. Oh, he had a 4.5ERA with Baltimore? Look at his Game Logs. Worried about the 5HRs he gave up? What's he supposed to do? Nip at the corners and try striking guys out when his appearances on HRs given up were: 1: Down 6? 2:Down 11? 3+4: Ahead 3...Solo HRs and he actually K'd the side so those 2 matter 5: Down 2 So that one mattered too. Then add to it his final 2 appearances when Baltimore was out of the Playoff picture: 2ip 6H 3ER. That's pretty much 5ERs that were meaningless when looking at his numbers. 2ERs were also given up when he was removed with 2runners on base. 2more ERs were in a game Baltimore was ahead by 5. Here's what matters in his numbers with Baltimore: 21IP 5BBs 28Ks. That is impressive. If he's striking batters out and not walking them? He's going to be a successful BP guy. Sometimes it's important to look behind the boxscore on a pitcher's season's numbers because when the game is 5runs out of hand, a RP shouldn't be sitting there grinding to pitch away from contact. He's putting the ball in a place where it can be put in play. The worst thing he can do is walk hitters where the HR ball truly hurts. Take away the meaningless HRs/end of season performance and KRod pitched to 3.1ERA for Baltimore.

Let's put this in a simple comparison. Ike Davis is essentially, Mark Reynolds. Mark Reynolds was actually a better player at this point in his career than Davis with more HR better BA and WAR. In his first year in Arb Reynolds was traded for: David Hernandez who had given up 36HRs in 180IPs on his career to that point had roughly a 5ERA, had been removed from SP to RP role just nothing promising. And Kameron Mickolio who lasted all of 6 apperances for the remainder of his career. Now, Hernandez has turned in to the RP that everyone expects Thornburg to be a consistent presence out of the bullpen. But Hernandez hadn't had the start Thornburg has which is being a team's top prospect, going out and pitching as well as expectations or better. Just no way can you trade him for Ike Davis unless the Mets threw in a prospect or RP project that hadn't panned out like Jeurys Familia. Edit add: I don't think the Mets are in the driver's seat when their decision to move Davis is money based. The longer it takes for them to move him, means money spent they don't want to spend. Each payroll date hit by Davis will amount to approx. 291k or more than Thornburg's for the entire season after the 1st month. We're still 13weeks away til opening day so a long time to go by before that happens. If the trade worked for the Mets it's 3million saved for them on payroll while shedding Davis and adding Thornburg....I just feel like there may be some GMs out there who'd have the thought that you couldn't pay them 3million to take on Davis much less increase their payroll 3mil to acquire him while losing your team's previous year's #1 prospect.

This: Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN reports that free agent Johan Santana is mulling over multiple minor league deals Pretty much means nothing. He would only get his payday if he made the ML Roster. Much like KRod last year, there's probably going to be a deadline to date to determine when he's called up or he's released and a FA again. I can't imagine his minor league contract when picked up being above 4mil by any team interested when on a deadlined deal. That said, he's a great risk/reward pickup that as mentioned, he would most likely look to sign with a team where he has a SP shot to build upon for 2014/15FA. With Gallardo/Peralta/Nelson/Thornburg/Estrada/ and Hellweg as your #'s 2-7 You could be Johan thinking there's a #5 spot to be had come time for that deadline decision to call up to the ML club or be released. I see no reason for Tampa to be mentioned, adding Santana would be like telling all your prized SPs you don't have faith in them. The Yankees interest likely hinders on Tanaka because if they get Tanaka, don't really believe Santana has a spot. Houston? AL team in a HR friendly park against a division filled with breakout Hitters? I doubt he pitches below 6ERA pitching to 3.7ERA here. I think Pitts/Milw have an advantage because of the NL competition. Baltimore is the only AL team linked that maybe stands a chance.

Any kind of Winterball played by our 2 prized signings?

I'm just going to put this lineup card together and believe this is how it shapes out until further notice: 1-Segura 2-Gennett/Weeks Platoon 3-Braun 4-ARam 5-Lucroy 6-Gomez 7-Davis 8-1b Though, I'd honestly prefer this lineup: Segura Lucroy vs LHP/Gennett vs RHP Platoon Braun ARam Lucroy vs. RHP/Davis vs LHP Gomez Davis vs. RHP/1b platoon vs. LHP Weeks vs LHP/1b platoon vs RHP SP

Wow, you sir have brought up something that I think may be #1 of them all. There cannot be one BFnet-r here who didn't find how we ran the bases in to outs okay. It was frustrating and something that I truly think a team can work on and clean up. Please, get rid of the contact play that ends with the 1st or 2nd out at home!

No to Rickie being given the Starting role the first 6weeks. I mean really we want the chance of him locking in 600PAs? That's what the 6weeks can lead to. And if he's a .225-.235hitter and in the end of the season you sit him to avoid the 600PAs, then I foresee him having reason to file a grievance. But go in to this season stating, "We're going to platoon Rickie/Scooter" Rickie can't do anything about it. He shouldn't have batted under .185 through to the All Star breaks the last 2 seasons. And if he bats .200 as a 6week starter, how can you then turn him away from not remaining a starter? Because let's face it, his recent history would indicate that he can then finish the year a .240+hitter from then on so sitting him then he can have issue. Sit him early and let Scooter remove the 600PAs possibility before going to Weeks. What if Scooter bats .280 or higher? And if Scooter doesn't then send him back down to AAA and tell Rickie play his heart out for his next contract. But, if Scooter bats .280+ Rickie has no say in the deal unless he was being as good or better in the PAs he had. I want nothing to do with 11.5mil in payroll spent on Rickie in 2015. I would very much rather use that 11.5mil to lock up Segura long term/ extend Lucroy/ extend Gomez if he's for real. It's money as an organization we cannot risk spending.

Casey McGehee gave him the thumbs up applauding his fork ball and saying whichever team gets him will be very happy they did. I'm actually surprised that Miami hasn't been linked to Tanaka. Yeah I hate their owner and his strategy but wouldn't this seem like the right move to reapply his strategy? And with McGehee signed to Miami, what's the chances they were getting a decent scouting report from him to make it happen? Anyway, I read the Yankees have already posted for their ability to discuss with Tanaka, I think there's zero chance any team will outbid the evil empire. I wonder just how close in money Tanaka will make to Sabathia's. I mean New York has paid 15mil and now 16mil for 38/39year old Kuroda. I think due to Tanaka's age they will be nearing the 20mil/year threshold. Maybe it'll be 16mil per like Kuroda's but with incentives like 200IP is another 8mil. I can see NY doing that.

Thornburg has more pitches to throw vs what Fiers had. Fiers was never considered a SP prospect, a flat fastball, but a quirky deceptive delivery, worked to his advantage in the beginning but much like Dontrelle Willis or even Hideo Nomo, once you see the delivery enough and get it timed, boom he's no longer effective. Thornburg is a SP who's height makes it skeptical of sticking as a SP. Not his pitching ability/stuff. Why is Thornburg's 5'11" a concern of ability when Marco Estrada is 5'11"? Why aren't we concerned about Marco? If Thornburg can locate his multiple pitches he will stick as a starter much like Estrada has. Even so, I will take Thornburg in the bullpen before taking in Davis. Thinking of Thornburg's FB playing up out of the bullpen with his multiple pitches I feel like he's a solid under 3.4ERA Bullpen guy for the next 5years on this team locked in. You can pair the Bullpen with Will Smith, Hellweg, Blazek maybe even eventually Jungmann(losing faith he can be a SP) and that's a lot of bang for you buck and solidness in your bullpen for a long time. Just say no to sending Thornburg for Davis. Send them Pena or nothing and stick with what we have.

I say go hard after Tanaka. A top of the rotation of Tanaka, Gallardo, Peralta and Estrada is very good combine that with our offense and SP depth and it's a contender. But it's better with Lohse,Tanaka,Gallardo/Peralta and then Estrada. What if Gallardo blows this year too? Worse than last season? Obviously the Brewers don't pick up his option but now we head in to 2015 with Tanaka,Peralta and praying that Nelson,Thornburg,Jungmann/Hellweg 3 of the 4 being the 3s we all hope they are to be. There's no Guarantee that Tanaka is even any better than a #3 for a rotation. He could be a 185ip 3.9ERA guy. Again great to Compliment a Playoff pushing teams depth in the rotation but not someone you throw away your #1 and rely on. Especially when your former #1 is considered a #4 rotation guy suddenly. I just feel like it would be a complete waste of ML resources to acquire Tanaka at his cost, dump Lohse for prospects, and then hope your young staff pan out in to a Playoff berth and run? Darvish was a K machine with some wildness and in his first year had a modest 3.9ERA before refining in to the Ace he was projected this year. Tanaka isn't of Darvish talent. I think more Hyun-Jin Ryu like. Only he's pitching in a hitters ballpark so Ryu's 3ERA is Tanaka's 3.8 or more. What you're suggesting is more than likely passing on your chances this year for a post-season then, 2015 with or without Gallardo/ARam then is hard to make the playoffs. And at the same time that leaves 2016 our last big hope before Gomez departs. Truthfully, I like the Brewers better if they would sign Tanaka, trade Hellweg for Ike Davis and go out and compete in 2014. Maybe you trade Jungmann for Davis(let's be honest Hellweg has higher upside than Jungmann) If Melvin pulled that off after acquiring Wil Smith it could be a GM of the Year type stuff. I'd at least think we'd be a very dangerous team come playoffs with a healthy lineup. But, if you acquire Tanaka just to trade Lohse or Gallardo? for the asking price? No way is that a good plan.

Agree. Put Lohse on the block. The entire reasoning in everyone's mind by agreeing to pay Tanaka 15mil+ is because he can be the addition to send your team in to serious Playoff contention/WS hopes. Overpaying because he's young for a FA. You don't add Tanaka to get rid of Lohse or Gallardo. You're adding Tanaka because with Lohse/Gallardo/Peralta He becomes your #2-4 pitcher that plays with Lohse/Gallardo the next 2seasons and gets you in to the Playoffs and believing beyond the first round of it. I don't see Milwaukee doing that at all. At only 18 million a year and him only being 25 the Brewers should go 8/140 17.5 million a year. That's better than 6/125 I thought would be needed. He'd never make more than Braun. Braun is set to make 10mil this year 12mil next year. There is zero chance you can sign Tanaka for 8/140 pay him less than or equal to 10/12 the next 2 years and for the remaining money to then not exceed Braun's Annual Pay the remaining 6years. So indeed, Tanaka will make more than Braun, I just envision it being more than Braun this year and next year before settling in slightly below Braun. That's why I see this as insanity. A person who's never thrown a ML pitch, gone through the minors, is set to make more this year than a MVP with 7years experience being MVP-like. I just have this thought, why don't American kids just move to Japan and take their talents there for 2-4years after High School and let that Japanese club then post them? Because rather than now make 500k the next 3years, they will be seeing 7+mil come their way via a Free Agent contract? I'm waiting for someone to expose this loophole this way at some point. Just look at the number of players who've recently signed with Asian ballclubs, they are making more money there while rebuilding on their reputation to some day get a contract to come back. If it's working for ballplayers in their late 20s why not just seek it out in your late teens?

Yeah, but if the Dodgers are trading for him, it is because they are planning on playing him at least to start the season. And if his at bats get close, then it is a headache for the Dodgers. Hence his contract will be vested or they get a grievance as Weeks wants the vested year, so Weeks is not nearly as valuable if you know it is only one year. Barring Rickie batting .250+ he has zero reason to think of filing a grievance if a team chooses to platoon him to avoid his 600PAs. Having Rickie for just the 1year while Guerrero prepares is the positive for LA. They aren't dealing with someone on their roster beyond this season. He'd just be insurance. But this idea/scenario is based upon Guerrero continuing with health issues and/or complete look of lost at the plate in ST. I believe Mark Ellis' option was for 5 mil.? And he signed with the Cards for 5mil to be a 38year old barely .700 or really under .700OPS Backup! For deep pockets LA, I think for 6mil and staring at a situation at 2b like the 2013 Brewers were staring with SP just is reasonable to envision them making a play at Rickie late in Spring Training.

Don't forget that Tanaka's cost will begin at 31.7million less than Darvish because of the 20mil limit posting fee. So Darvish's 6/56mil contract was really 6/107.7mil. I guess on level with Darvish would then be 6/87.7mil with the Grienke deal being compared at 6/127mil Now with the 20mil max bid it's not just 1 team that will get to negotiate with Tanaka, so that too drives up his price. You're talking Tanaka being bid on by the Cubs, Dodgers, Yankees, Angels, Diamondbacks all discussing contract deals with Tanaka's agent. So a team isn't just negotiating to Tanaka's demands but having to negotiate a higher contract then what any of these deep pocket franchises care to offer. And in the Cubs, Yankees, Angels position, they don't have a top 100 Pitching prospect in their pipelines should they lose out on Tanaka. All indications are that ARod's suspension will be reduced a ton to nullified meaning the Yankees are already over the luxury tax for 2014. If that's going to be the case they'll jump on the bidding to I think Grienke's pay day 6/127 neighborhood. Eh, let's go 7/127.

This is the best top 4 that I have read, with the exception of Coulter. Moving a guy from catcher to any other position player isn't going to help him. If he has difficulty stopping passed balls, how is he going to do in the field? Trying to hide guys in the outfield doesn't fly for me. The Brewers minor league clubs already have too many bad outfielders that actually were drafted to play outfield. There my rant is complete. I didn't want to go with #2 or #3 because that would indicate the team is selling at the Trade Deadline meaning no shot of the playoffs. Trying to go with the club's idea that they are competitive enough to compete for the Playoffs. Otherwise, The Brewers #1 would have been to trade Gomez 2-3 weeks ago before Ellsbury/Choo signed. To do so now is missing out on the Rangers' prospects we could have asked for. Or had Seattle involved to nab a great couple pitching prospects. But, the idea with the 2014 organization is we're going to win. But maybe, just maybe Houston will get very interesting as a team and offer up a couple of those high end prospects to end 2014 making missing out this year mute.

I read in a Dodgers article about trading for Price and it said that Seager,Urias, Pederson, and Lee wouldn't get it done. Why? It said the Indians were being asked for Danny Salazar, Carlos Santana, and Francisco Lindor for Price! I mean again Tampas asking for essentially 3-4WAR ML ready pitcher in Salazar or Walker for Price's 4-6 alone. Then add in AS Santana and top 10 prospect Lindor? If the Brewers were to deal for Price that equates to Segura, Lucroy, and Peralta... Look Price is good..great even but tell me how he helps a team when you remove 3 solid roster players for 1great roster player? I'd balk if I were Cleveland alone at Salazar and Lindor! Asking for Santana? Really? This just shows why I believe we need to draft HS pitching every chance we get. Hitting on 1 will fill 2position players in the future and return a SP anyway. Damn you Gallardo! Because Skaggs and Davidson would be on our team today had he been his 200/200 3.5ERA self.

This is my guess. But comparing Grienkes deal 6/147 I feel is where Tanaka will fall. But 6/127 since the posting fee is $20mil. Some feel Tanaka wants just a 4yr deal to reach FA again at 30. So he likely goes with a 5yr deal at 110mil making it 5/130 with posting. You tell me how Milwaukee competes with that? How about the team that signs Tanaka loses their 1st rd pick? It's just insane to look at Tanaka being signed for what will amount to just about any Small Market Team's highest paid player. He will make more than Braun next season! Just watch.