brewcrewdue80

This went off topic and down the roster road but keeping with it: People are high on Morris. It's like Laporta/Green/Gamel when it comes to offense much in the minors to pine about giving a chance on the ML team. I don't care about the bat that's just a plus/bonus at this point. What I am annoyed "Read Pizzed" about is having non 1b play 1b! When you have a 1b who in AA last season won the GOLD GLOVE at his position! Did he win it for his bat? Is that what they gave him the reward for? It is utterly frustrating to think the management wants a has been SS..two of them man our 1b/3b. This, when a Gold Glove winning 1b is in the waits in the minors who just may have some 1b pop over SS's who have 'Lite Pop" for a SS. Adding that Weeks isn't the best defensively at 2b, Segura isn't the best defensively at SS and well, Ramirez being gone how we can expect a non-3b to be decent defensively is absolutely ridiculous! So rather than field a 1b who recently was rewarded with a Gold Glove for his performance defensively we put aged and certain stuck in mud SSs to try to field all these balls for Important outs!?? Yeah, I'm thrilled with our management!

Don't think we'll be seeing that BBs as this thread is hoping for. No walks in first 6games. It was a nice thought but a career Hacker doesn't become a BBs taker in one spring. As Monty said above I wasn't a fan of the extension but I always hold out hope that it's some other team that takes on the next 3years while we get his last "cheap season" I just hope Gomez cranks 15+HRs and steals 20+ bases while being around .250. And I hope he stays in the 6th spot and down in the order never seeing time in the top of the lineup.

I also think you dumb the game down for a manager. No do I put the lefty in to face this lefty in this situation and pull him after 1out? No do I send my closer back out in a tie game to pitch a 2nd inning. It'd just be the two pitchers go get em. JBriggs, Yeah we could do that too. That's the other part to this is maybe not needing an extra arm in the bullpen since there's the extra days of rest. I also thought on this strategy that with your two splitting a game and the 2nd pitcher having 70+pitch games that if an injury did occur on the Starters, This pitcher would be stretched out and ready to throw 85-95pitches filling in vs say the 70-80pitch limit for a couple turns 'stretching' his arm for a longer workload. Not dealing with that 3-5ip emergency start and subsequent abuse of relievers to complete the game has to have a good effect protecting dead arms later in the season.

I thought the Rockies tried something of what you're describing last season. Starters had like an 80 pitch count limit regardless if they had a no-hitter going..or had a shutout going. You're 3x3 piggy back idea...Is it something where pitchers go on 3game rest vs traditional 4? So 9Pitchers in theory pitching this strategy?

It's appalling to see RRR still say Axford is still my guy/man. When you are avg a HR given up for every other out? and given up HRs in all 3 appearances made on the year.? You want that to be your man? If it's one thing I don't want to see as my closer is the one who has a penchant of giving up HRs. Axford shouldn't be put back in a Closer's situation until he's gone 6ip w/o giving up a HR. Unlike last season, Axford isn't giving up these HRs to your typical Power hitting bunch. That was Dexter Fowler going Yard on him twice...and Aging, forever utility man Eric Hinske today. That to me is an awful sign. If the middle of the pack or lower guys in the power group can take him deep now, today, those HRs he gave up to the Power group last year are going to continue and maybe even at a higher rate.

This season is fast approaching washout! My fury with the team's moves and idea on fixing it via a Miami Firesale though is looking better and better of occuring with each loss. It's even better with Ramirez/Hart on DL so solid production from either upon return in less chances makes them look that more appealing. Segura going down after his start on the season is just such a low blow. I hope he avoids the DL and just has to miss a game or two. On Deck And now batting for the cycle in infield injuries Rickie Weeks...

I've often wondered why a team doesn't implement a 1/2 punch over an entire game with their #4SP and 1 lone RP...the team's potential #4. In the Brewers instance this would be Mike Fiers to start...Chris Narveson to complete the game. And constantly repeat this throughout the year between the two. Maybe Narveson has a start here and there while Fiers finishes the game. The way I look at it is 1 all the other Bullpen guys get a day off. Which, if the Ace struggled last time out and the #2/3 didn't throw 7strong innings or more leaves them to be fed to the wolves when the 4/5 guys pitch and they have those 4-5ip starts. I mean sure there's consequences in having to bat the pitcher an extra time or two....and if it's 3 or more I'd expect the team to be in control. And there may be days where the two of them can't complete a game combined. If that's the case though we're likely in an unforeseen extra inning game and there has to be an advantage having the 7th/8th/9th inning guys at your disposal still vs the opposing team's, as it's put low leverage guys, now in high leverage situation. It'd most likely result in a day off though for RPs and they'd be fresher for the #5SP's start. If the #5 pitcher's turn is up on a day off that's B2B days off for them with the Ace/#2 potentially having strong starts to give them even more rest. There could be competition for that #4 start between the two to earn the win vs stuck with a long save or long outing mopping up for a poor start. Maybe that Narveson RP role helps the offense in say a 4ip 5er start by Fiers thinking Narveson can keep them in the game and they rally. Last season had to be soo frustrating in those attempts knowing the ball would be given to KRod/Axford to close out their successful comeback only to see it blown. Thoughts? Comments? Throwing an idea out there that maybe someone older with more baseball knowledge, "Knows" why this idea isn't used. the potential 8ip/1ip combos ruin it? But what about starting Narveson then on next turn? Or at least have a game simulation immediately following the game to let Narveson keep his arm stretched for 80-90pitches? As a whole with younger pitchers or pitchers maybe limited to around 170ip or less, wouldn't this sorta allow them to make it through the year w/o attaining that limit come September?

I can't believe there is one single fan of Milwaukee with zero worry subconsciously of a Braun Suspension. Lifetime is obviously an overstatement, but 100 games seems forthcoming if MLB gets their way. I just don't like the future of this team beyond 2014. How about a change of pace: This signing was all about win today/put fans in the seats. Brewers aren't within 5games of 1st or below .500 at AllStar break the club turns around,Trades Gomez/Lohse/Aram/Weeks. So that in reality they didn't actually spend a lot of money on gomez/Lohse/Aram(Since Aram's year last year was very well worth the contract on its own) Gallardo is able to stay. Maybe Hart signs and plays 1b for 2years. And the incoming players from the trades all become valuable pieces beyond 2014. So, rather than look at the Farm System/Draft as building a team they end up building the new team via trades of proven quality prospects. 1 prospect drafted each from 2011/2012 reach near All-Star level Jungmann/Roache. Now the team has a future of winning for years to come! I can see the "Value" in Gomez/Lohse money owed being added value in trade. Remember the asking price was 15mil by Lohse for 4years. Rangers? 2+years 25mil...Brewers pick up the tab on delayed payout. That's the optimist in me. Gomez 8mil avg a year for next 3years? BJ Upton lite at Half Price? Rather than trade Gomez away with upcoming Free Agency he now has a contract of value. I wonder only because Gomez value at 4.3mil and Lohse at 4mil that it's set up brilliantly for the team to cheaply be invested on a potential great trade return on both. That's my hold out on this. the Silver Lining. Maybe rather than guesswork at 17 they get proven talent prospects at AA or higher. No QO on Gomez and a resulting pick, instead a proven prospect.

Wait did you just try to compare this thought of mine on a Team that had Super Roided Barry Bonds leading the way? The guy had near a .600 On Base% in those years. My whole argument in this is that this signing takes away the chance of finding an answer long term that the organization needs. And I'm adding to it the fact that this signing likely puts the team in the 78-87win total. That would mean an after 17 draft pick the next season. Increasing the chances of unlikely finding an answer from within in the long term. Sure, the Brewers may have won 85-90games tops without Lohse and gotten that same pick, but it could also have been doomed with its staff, regression takes place and a 70win team emerged. Like I said, this Lohse signing sets up for the CBA to change it's draft pick compensation..potentially by the next offseason. And the Brewers go down as having signed the worst deal of all in giving up their pick and being the last team having to do so. When Lohse falters due to injury(Again hasn't pitched B2B 200innings ever, and never made it 3 straight years above 175innings) the deal becomes even more laughable to every fan not rooting for Milwaukee. Hey, don't get me wrong, I love Aoki/Lucroy/Segura. But who pitches for the team after 2015? Lohse/Gallardo are gone then. And again the Lohse signing shows me no belief within there's a ML pitcher in the Farm system to step up as a #5starter at minimum. Zero highly rated Pitching prospects. And just recently we've had highly rated prospects like Minor/Delgado/Skaggs/Bauer/Teheran to name a few come up and be anything but spectacular. Weeks/Aram/Hart are gone...not necessarily a bad thing then but who replaces them? Braun has yet to be suspended lifetime by MLB but they are hunting him done like Lance Armstrong was and MLB will sure get their man. So I'm not counting on Braun to be around longer than 3years. Lucroy as a Catcher at 31, I'm not going to count on then to be as good as he is now. Add Gomez who could just be a flash in the pan 2012. Signs point up but I need to see it this year to have faith in it. Oh and Aoki, Bourn was dissed as a long term signing due to his game relying on speed. Aoki beats the ball in to the ground quite often and speeds his way in to 1st. How many years will he be able to keep that up? Not to mention 2016/17 can he even continue playing the OF effectively enough? I like Aoki for the added 2years. Maybe a 3rd but only if the team doesn't have any other younger options. So, again my only two mainstays comfortably are Braun/Segura. The rest aren't sure things to me for 16and beyond. And Braun has the whole witch hunt after him so even he's no sure thing. For 11million/yr the Brewers could have afforded Both Jeff Karstens/Brandon McCarthy and kept their draft pick. And honestly either of them can be as good any outing as Lohse. To sit out beyond Dempster only to sign Lohse baffles me. And the timing? Worse! Teams are cutting players loose leading up to Opening day and rather than see if an answer came about for a time being to allow Peralta/Fiers/Rogers to heal/figure themselves out they go and sign an ill-prepared Lohse/lose draft pick that's just over 2months away/ miss out the opportunities that may present themselves this week. Ask all of your in favor this/ What does Lohse have to do in 3years time to make the money part of this contract worth it? Just that alone? Then with the loss of the draft pick what does it become? Me worth it: 40-25 3.44Era 550innings. A Playoff Win It's not just get us in the Playoffs. He HAS to win a game on his own merit for this to become worth it. This is all very reasonable numbers based on his last 2seasons and the offense he has supporting him. Loss of Draft pick: His pitching throughout the season leads the team to a division title/a Playoff series win with him winning 2 games. Same stat line as above. If we don't win the division this signing is a joke. It's not about being "Better Today" We're risking so much for beyond today that this has to be about winning the Division only. If it's not about that then this signing is completely unwarranted. The End

Here's a shot at someone who posted that the odds of drafting a player being 5% success: Picks in last 25years at 17,18,19 so 75players that resulted in 5.0War or higher Careers: 17:David Murphy,Cole Hamels,Brad Lidge,Roy Halladay,Jeromy Burnitz,Cal Eldred,Charles Navy 7/25~28% 18:Ike Davis,R.A. Dickey 2/25~8% 19:Shannon Stewart,Alex Rios,Sean Burnett@4.9War,James Loney 4/25~16% Overall that's 17.3% of drafting All-Star material Players. To add, there's Shelby Miller/Michael Wacha on STL who have a good chance to succed above 5WAR@19 Corey Seager/Caleb Cowart Are potentials @18 CJ Cron for LAA@17 with potential So, as I put it earlier, we just dropped a 20% chance for improving the team long term 10% chance of a Superstar long term for aging Lohse at a cost higher than all the controlled years combined of the use of that pick. Oh and we move Stl. up to 19...see above with their potentials^ and their ability to continue to outclass Milw in the Farm system is probably locked now for 10years minimum. That's what I see with this signing, we are 10years from rebuilding it to a competitive level with Stl. And we now lose further ground on them versus potentially gaining on them. We already had talked concern with the Team's payroll troubles forthcoming beyond this year before extending Gomez and now this signing. This is bad. The team should consult with Jeff Loria on how to dismantle this payroll by end of season and start a rebuild. I give the team 2years of competitive play remaining before the shi! hits the fan and we go dormant...or I should say become a Doormat...for a decade or longer. I'm a Realist and telling it like it should. I won't let my mind be tricked to warm to this signing like other posters already in 2days time have begun. To say Mark A. is worried about filling the seats for 2013 is awful thinking if you truly believe that. If that is the truth then he is in for a big surprise when 2016/17/18 arrive and he has a team filled with nobodys not named Braun and Segura.....and....and

Ah, yes the this team becomes a playoff contender with Lohse reasoning vs. a mediocre club on it's way to a mid round draft pick next year. I said this as well what Lohse signing can impact the team. This Scenario: Lohse minus 17th pick. Takes a 70-88win team and makes them a 77-88team. Yep, I don't see a higher top win threshold. It's the lower win total going in to the year with what we have that makes the impact. 70wins would put the team in that bottom 10 record in Baseball. The caveat of bottom 10? Freedom to sign and keep your 1st round pick. End game scenario: 17thpick...poor season...top 10 pick...Free Agent signing/signings and 2014 and Beyond Success! Our scenario now: No Pick...Respectable season of .500 ball to Wild Card. Outside of 17pick next season(unprotected). No major FA signing...Money's already spent. Hope for success in 2014. Everyone is gone 2015 nobody is coming up to join club of All-Star value for years. Okay a little dark but it wasn't just the money aspect of it or the loss of pick it was the impact that Lohse secures this team a near .500 finish or better. I don't see the downside of 70wins or even worse from this team anymore. I was thrilled to go in to the year seeing young pitchers pitch with no expectations on good to great or just plain awful. I said earlier there's 9 guys this team should be trying out as their starting pitcher 3/4/5s before end of next season. And to me, let's face it if these players aren't thought of as studs, then the whole Major League service clock time doesn't apply to them in planning. Send them up/down/up down and in 2 or 3years clear them out if they aren't working. Now with what is happening, I see Scrubs as we've labeled them as our Minor League Pitchers who are going to be traded away to create space from overcrowding and get nothing of true value in return. The value in return may have come if they actually seen 10-25Starts and some ML team liked them enough to trade a real piece in return. So much bad can result from this and not a whole lot of good. Even if the Brewers make it to Playoffs, getting past Washington/Atlanta/ or the Dodgers/Giants....We aren't that good on paper. I don't need to see us be perennial Wild Card losers. I want to be able to field a team that on paper looks legit to beat any team in the NL. Lohse makes us further away from that long term.

Wait, Wait just a second...do you hear yourself? We Still have an Extra Pick after round 2? How can one argue with that after the argument is, 17th pick in drafts/majority of players drafted are busts?!!! And yet we are going to hit paydirt with the end of 2nd round draft pick? If you have that kind of mentality I'd be even more infuriated with losing that 17th pick. Since #70 is such a sure thing!

Question. Gomez/Lohse Boras players. Any chance he worked a discount in both contracts to get Lohse signed? Maybe it took this long to work out the multiple years payment plan on the deal? And I won't lie, I'm not a fan of either signings. I hope the value in these deals results in added trade value and an actual positive return when those trades happen.

I said this in the rumors thread, I'll say it again, There is nothing good about this signing. It is maddening, the worst team in all of baseball to sign Lohse just did. Worst Farm system in Division-1st rd. pick=No hope of improving farm system Best Farm system in Division +added supplemental pick...+ both picks move up 1 equals higher money in slots to sign their picks and higher chance of a successful pick. 34year old Pitcher coming off most innings pitched in Any 2year span of his 12year Career...SCREAMS Injury risk! Never had B2B 200innings pitched. So for the argument that Brewers didn't have 140+innings guys to count on? I don't have any faith Lohse pitches more than 170innings this year. That's 5spot starts to cover then with the original 140threshold we see the SP Lohse replaces. Now, add to it, 1week from Opening Day and Lohse suddenly needs to rush into readiness and I promise he will hurt himself doing so and/or be completely ill prepared/doesn't say he is/and is CRUSHED worse than Gallardo was last year to begin the year. Already we know Lohse to be a non K artist which now puts the pressure on the Infield to field these grounders and not make errors. I think I read Weeks was the worst 2b defensively last year? Already know that Ramirez doesn't grade out as anything more than avg. Segura, I don't think he's ready defensively...it needs more time/experience to catch up to his bat. These are all Negatives on seeing Lohse perform well overall for the Brewers. This will fail...It already has with the loss of the pick. How many SPs can the Brewers put in their AAA team? All these low ceiling/mid-floor guys who have capable arms to be given a chance are going to be stuck. Obviously Hellweg is a bust with this deal, so is Pena. Fiers, Thornburg,Bradley,Nelson,Burgos,Jungmann,Gagnon, and Rogers all of them must be thought of as busts. At least with Peralta/Narveson/Estrada/Lohse/Gallardo as your starting 5 for 2years or more that's what this signing tells me. We won't be welcoming any of them in to the rotation unless an injury dictates it so. This move blocks all of them that is 10 Pitchers stuck in the minors 9 with the obvious need to remove Rogers. I just can't fathom that not 1 of those 9 can't perform for the team, even briefly in stints being unknown to batters, to justify the certainty need to sign Lohse and lose the 17th pick. Why? I mean if the answer isn't within the farm system naming off those 9 pitchers...then it is even more important that the team has that 17th pick to potentially nab the answer, even blindly picking they have to have a 20% chance of success vs. use of scouting. Cole Hamels came from the 17th pick. That to me makes the draft pick a necessity. That potential Massive AllStar. Now, we have Lohse, far beyond the years of prime and we have him for 3 ADDED years beyond the prime. I am approaching it like this: Roy Halladay one of the best pitchers in my generation, almost won the cy young age 34. Age 35 became Kyle Lohse pre 2011/12. And his Spring Numbers aren't a good sign thus far he's solved his issues for Age 36. There is just no way Lohse lives up to this deal. We will not get 33mil of value in pitching from Lohse. Nevermind the 20%Chance of a Stud via Draft and that loss of value. Their is only 1 way this turns out positive for me and for the Brewers, and that is that he is traded...tomorrow or any time before he loses value and in return brings a prospect with around the same value of what that 17th pick brings.

I agree, this deal blows and I'm actually surprised by the amount of love for this deal. We are talking about a platoon player with a .294 career OBP making $9 million in as a 30 year old. Is his body going to hold up with his aggressive style of play? Don't get me wrong, I love having him on the team and love his excitement level, but last years 19 HRs seems like a fluke compared to his career numbers. This is the same Carlos Gomez that everybody hated just a few years ago. Well played Boras. 30years old and worried on body holding up for 2016? @9mil? We've got players in the minors who are hoping to make the team by the time they are 27. I only get worried about age when 32-34 hits. Am I fan of this contract? Yes/No. The team locked up a plus defender. But, to me like Rickie, the cost of this contract means he will be the Brewers #6 batter in the lineup or higher. I'm okay with him as a #6 but any higher, I don't like it. Now, to make Gomez #6 when Hart returns isn't probable so then he's #7. Obviously, with Weeks/Aoki days off he bats 1 or 2. Still, what I see is that he's not likely to see 600PA in any of the 4 years and that to me means liklihood that his numbers when it's said and done, wont make the deal look good. There are positives in Gomez's batting growth since 2011. The power while questionable on being legit to say 19HRs again, I'd say 14 is reasonable and not over-estimating. The speed has always been there and it's just having a green light on the paths to see 30SBs or more. I'm okay with this 3year extension as we had discussed the whole QO to him potential(13+mil for 1Year!) The team has Aoki/Lucroy/Segura/ and Braun for that matter at undervalued contracts. So if you want to be upset at 8mil/yr avg. when he has 4.3mil this year that Arby pretty much dictated, you're looking at a 3.7mil raise over his "Deemed" value. I see 5mil value easily on Gomez's Defense so then we're at 3mil/yr of potentially saying as overpay. For how the rest of the team is made up, between those 4, I see nothing wrong with the deal. It's not a deal that hurts the team financially on 3mil. overpay or less on a season.

From ESPN: The deal is the 4.3mil for this year signed in January then 14:7mil 15:8mil 16:9mil So, looking overall at really a 3year extension for 24mil.

Second letter in the blacked out name looks like it could be a lower case y. Could be a lower case j,g,p as well. That name isn't Ryan Braun. The last name has a letter that when written is above the black out area and raun wouldn't fall in that happening.

Not a fan of this deal at all. It's his Arby years of which he's likely never going to see 9mil/12mil in the end of them anyhow. The Options are the only case where should Sale pitch say top 12Cy Young potential at that moment of time I can say they CHW are actually saving money vs paying him big/watching him go via FA. Pitchers abuse their arms so frequently that 1 year away in these 5years would eradicate his Arby year value by quite a bit thus making this deal much worse. I'm a fan of these deals for Batters. With Pitchers, it's just far to risk involved vs just going Arb yearly. Shoulder/elbow issues take the pitcher out for 1year completely. Then there's the effect of restricting that Pitcher in his return in Innings like Washington had done with Zimmerman and then Strasburg. So 1 single injury effects 2years of value of contract.

Yeah, how does that make a Brewer fan feel with Henderson then Axford giving up runs in an important game?

I read that too and first thought was...hmm wonder what he's done lately and could the Brewers use him? One of my favorite hitters all-time with his ability to hit out of the zone.

You're right, not a whole lot of great results in the 16-18 pick range. Still, Lohse is a Zero Chance of being a Core Player. The Brewers already have a lack of a Core Player coming up in the Minors in the Scouts opinions. The chances of landing any core player beyond the 1st round have to be ridiculously slim. Over half of Lohse's pitching career are seasons over 4.6ERA. I'll bet $100 right now he has over a 4.6era in 1 of the next 2 seasons. That type of season is a complete waste! Unless he did so pitching over 240innings in 33starts but likely its over 180innings meaning not only did he suck but he didn't eat up innings as a starter which is "THEE ONLY REASON" to consider Lohse on Milwaukee! That is the only exceptable reason to me to consider Lohse and that's because we're looking at having a staff that aside from Gallardo, who can pitch over 180innings? Maybe there's 2 in Estrada/Fiers No one else I see doing so. Narveson coming off injury just feel he's going to be protected in pitches per start through the first half of the year. Peralta is too wild to run up pitch counts where 100 pitches get him in to 7innings but rather only 5. Rogers/Thornburg I just feel they wont accumulate enough starts. So Lohse in innings eating regard makes sense from every single outsider perspective. The team though signed Gorzelanny who with the excess in SPs already can serve as a Starter from time to time when needed. Then like Fiers last year, what about any AAA guy say like Burgos, who shows at that level he can be used for starts? The staff isn't what you hope for, but there's more than enough Pitchers floating around to eat up extra innings during a stretch where Starters don't go 5/6innings. So signing Lohse for innings purposes only while losing out on hmm what? a 20% chance of a "Core" Player via draft the team so desperately needs? It is just ********! Honestly. It's something different if the club had future "Core" players coming up in the works and 2years of Lohse keeps the team better competitive for Playoff run. As a whole, this team will either flourish, be mid ground or tank. Lohse signing keeps us from tanking but while we give up a 16th pick this year a mid ground-flourish year means we likely have a 20s pick in the draft i.e. slim pickings at a core player next draft! Say we tank but have a pick and then with a top 10 pick(Protected) we hit on both picks and sign a Free Agent 2014 with more value than Lohse has at no cost. Suddenly, the team's future is bright and we're competitive for years to come. Lohse/no pick/a 20s pick 2014 with no real return equals complete failure for what? 7years? That's how I see what a Lohse signing for the Brewers turning out. Scrap out years 2015-2022 all because of one aging, signing of Lohse. I like the fact that this team can flourish or fail and I wouldn't be upset if they failed this year trying out a bunch of their young players. Can I also say that, how awful,bad,sad would it be that a terrible Lohse signing with a Owners/Players Union looking over the QO to draft pick compensation rule, changes it/scraps it for 2014 and beyond.....and the Brewers will end up being always tied then as the worst deal that was the 1year QO/Compensation debacle of an idea.....Yeah no Please!

It will be Gallardo,Estrada that I'm comfortable with. After that, hopefully 2 of Fiers,Peralta,Rogers,Thornburg,Narveson at least turn out Quality Starts. The 5th guy just hopefully eats up innings. It's one of the reasons I wanted Karstens since you could get 7ip in 85-90pitches. I don't care if he's 2er or 5er. The important thing is not taxing the Bullpen every week. I do think this going with the young staff leads in to the amount of RP signing in the minors done by the club over this offseason. Somebody will be sent down often who has options while a mix of guys are called up for relief.

Everyone is right about the bottom 3rd in rankings. Not having a top 50 is really a result from failures of Jungmann/Bradley and Covey not signing when via draft picks. And then it's on Latin talent signings of which as mentioned Arcia is one to expect a future ranking in the top 100 with results thus far. While it sounds gloomy in comparison to other teams, I'm not going to wipeout all the other guys from becoming ML contributors for the Brewers. We'll let it all play out. There's a core to start with and the remaining needs will either be filled out with replacement level players via FA or these players in our system pan out and become part of the core. I can live with only the pitchers working out with the bats of Segura/Braun/Lucroy to build with. Taylor,Roache,Arcia and Coulter are the big 4 where if just 2 of them make it as core players the team is in good standing. Give it a year for these guys to crack this 100 ranking, Meanwhile the NL Central clubs each will graduate 2 of their top 100 players,Cardinals with 3, maybe 4 this year. So this will shift back towards us being equal with them. Won't lie the team desparately needs an OF to make it and 1b/3b to make it. Of course, via trade they could acquire at least one of the three and in Gomez/Hart/Weeks/Ramirez/dare I say Gallardo? there's players that you have to figure one will net a contributor.

1st ST Game Lineup: Aoki,Weeks,Braun,Ramirez,Lucroy,Gomez,Green,Segura. Morris as DH