SoupTown

Oxy, re the Cardinals closer by committee you mention - it was not by design. It was by accident / injury / ineffectiveness. And they did their best to NOT EMBRACE that. From a write up to before the 2012 season - referring to the 2011 year - I can find... "However, last year's Cardinals team lacked a true closer, and that problem was solved late in the season and in the playoffs. Jason Motte proved he's the man for the job by saving five games in the postseason, all while posting an impressive 2.19 ERA and a microscopic 0.49 WHIP." (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1090597-2012-mlb-predictions-st-louis-cardinals-season-preview) So you can see it was a problem to be solved. I do not see it as a problem to have 4 or 5 above average guys and any of them can pitch the 9th. But it is great you point out that example. The Cards plugged and played until they found the HOT GUY. And used that guy for a great reward. Good for Tony La (but by sheer accident - not design)

This idea that Tony La started - you should put all your eggs in one basket and trot that same basket out there every slim lead drives me NUTS. Axford is such a simple animal to predict. When he gets going well, he goes well for dozens of games on the trot. When he is shakey - he will be shakey (BAD SHAKEY) until he has three or four dominating innings. Then his long good streak will come. So, after a poor spring and a poor first couple of outings (BAD SHAKEY) you need to put him as a mop up guy somewhere until he shows three or so dominent outings. From an MLB reliever point of view (they are grown men and professional sportsman), I am flabbergasted so, so many guys can pitch the 7th... but not the 8th... or the 8th... but not the 9th. From a budget point of view I would simply like to have a bunch of ABOVE average relievers earning, say 3 mill each. And you mix and match situations depending who is 'on' and who is 'off'. 99% of baseball thinkers say CLUTCH (for a batter) does not exist. So why does CLUTCH exist for pitchers (a reliever who pitches well only in the 9th). So, I would contend that anyone who thinks closers need to be 'the one guy' should study batting splits. And they should find out the guys that bat well in the 9th, but not the early innings and vice versa. So you need to have a bench of batters that are indeed CLUTCH. If closers exist, there must be bundle of pinch hitters that only hit well as pinch hitters in high leverage situations. (now dare we explain why a run in the 7th is worth less than a run in the 8th and much less than a run in the 9th). And let us say there was indeed a reliever that was amazingly 'ON' at some stage. Or maybe just that good (say Rivera-like). You have a three runs lead in the 7th. The other mob has managed to load the bases with one out. I would love the ACE to come in and keep the three run lead. And let some (slightly) lesser guy pitch with the three run lead in the 8th and 9th. Now after my speech, the practicality of it all shows that we cannot find any recent good teams that went 'closer by committee' and were OK. Heck, we cant even have 8th inning by committee. This is just weird. Poor Ax. Just let him pitch in the middle until he shows his three great innings. It aint rocket surgery.

I am worried. Carlos did the big bat flip and stood up tall with chest out on the fly ball to right. Ueck called it, as you would have heard, 'get up, get up, get outta... caught'.

Ax threw that fastball almost right where Luc called it. Maybe he missed it two inches over the plate rather that just on the inside black. The guy simply guessed 100% right and swung away. I will never, never worry about such happenings. If Ax does not walk people and his curve ball is working, he will be great. Henderson throwing 97 was the pleasant surprise. I was impressed he shook off the Classic muck up and found a mechanical thing to fix... and fixed it.

It may 'ugly' for the low minors, but I would love the Crew to simply pick all high school guys - whether arms or positions. I am tired of the high floor, low ceiling college guys. In free agency you can get get plenty of low ceiling, fill players at a price you can afford. Mind you, the odd, high ceiling, 'was injured' college guy seems OK to draft, as well. And from a MLB viewpoint, we seem very 'set' for two to three years. So pick all 19 years olds - then when they are all 22/23, if they are no good, well you drafted bad and your MLB squad will be horrible in 2016. But this recent attitude of 'let us have a system will all mediocre guys, but if they pan out, we may be a .500 MLB team' has to change IMO.

I am kind of liking the new Boras with the new CBA. He does seem to have a good working relationship with Mark and Doug. I recall the poster who mentioned sleeping with the devil and feeling dirty. But, did we really get a number 1/2 starter for $11 mill a year! Is Milwaukee Boras's 'go to team'. We certainly paid our dues... e.g. Gagne at $10 mill 'just because we loved Scott'. Is it true, maybe, that draft picks and prospects are now over valued. And the Boras, qualifying offer, free agent is the new Money Ball bargain. That all said (a bit off topic) Lohse did say it was weird St Louis did not even try. And he would say more later on this... maybe. I kind of like the fire implied by that. Is it possible that Doug and Mark have moved to the positon of saying to Boras 'who's your daddy?' I can really, really see in future drafts where the Crew may even SKIP a pick to have the money to pick up a Scotty shunned client in a later round. I mean maybe Boras has a $2 mill prospect that he tells ALL will only sign if a first round pick. So he does not get picked. So, of course, no one will pick him in round 2. There is not slot money to pay. So the Crew can pick him in round 2, say, and offer 1 mill. And say 'Scott, my friend, we are here to help. The slot is only 500k, but we will double. Just say 'yes' to Daddy'. I pick round two because I think if you dont sign round 2 you get a comp pick next year. Am I right? What about round three? I can surely see Mr Scott becoming an asset for us.

I agree with the earlier comment that having a backup shortstop as your first couple of months first baseman is the biggest mistake of Doug's winter. It is a huge mistake. In trolling through MLBTRADERUMORS I find the Blue Jays (after claiming Lars Anderson have now designated him for assignment). 6' 4" left hand first basebman called a 'former top propsect'. He did play a smatter for the Red Sox the last three years (debuted at age 22). At AAA he is an .800 OPS guy. From Yahoo Sports: Lars was a top prospect in the Red Sox organization for a number of years, but hasn't made the jump to the majors. He was Baseball America's 40th best prospect before the 2008 season, moved up to 17th in 2009 then dropped to 87th the next year. In 6 minor league seasons, he has hit .272/.369/.432. He never developed the power that many expected. If we think our AA and AAA guys are not read for a couple months at first, a guy like this cannot harm. Honestly, it would be so much better to give a real youngish first baseman a 'go'. Surely, it is better than Alex - and then there is no need for Yuni. I wait for the day Yuni starts at short (our third string SS and Alex at 1st - our 2nd string short). But we could always use backup catchers at first Doug, Doug, Doug! What are you doing. It will only cost us a game or two, I guess. That will not matter... will it.

Can I peg Alan Williams as the new Mike Adams (indy guy that will be big). I remember being confused when we were desperate for relievers and the Crew let Mike go to SD - and he ends with a career to date with an era a tick over 2 and a whip of 1.06 From Alan's Indy coach: "When we saw Alan for the first time in spring training, we knew he had a unique package with his age and his power arm," Everson continued From brewerfan.net itself: Williams is a 6’3” lefty with low 90’s gas and a nice breaking ball out of the bullpen I guess a lefty that throws low 90s (and is young - 23) (and is now in AA) counts as a power arm. Now that he is at Huntsville it will become obvious what he really does throw and if he really is a prospect!

I can only hope that what a guy does in spring training (re attitude to at bats) does indeed follow into the season. I guess in game one for Carlos to draw two walks and NOT hit a home run, will be positive reinforcement. The guy has the talent to be elite. The contract is a great win-win (for him and the Brewers).