tmwiese55

Count me out on Phillips. With any kind of bounce back from Villar it really shouldn't be hard for him to match what's like from Phillips. Phillips is low obp type and all that too, I want another 'professional' hitter ala Walker. Man, he would be so perfect in this lineup. Friend and I were kicking around this year's version of Walker they could add if Villar flops again. Joe Panic is one we came up with. Harrison from Pitt is another and I think it was leaked they discussed him in the offseason. For Huera, I'm all for getting him up ASAP but i'm sure they'll factor in that Braun is going to be playing a lot of 1st (and it's not like Thames is good either) so you'd have a pretty poor right side of D. For me, if the bat is legit I probably go with him anyway but I totally see how they might hold off until next year Huera more time

Torts, yea sorry not meant to be directed to you specifically. Just the general notion of that out there. I'm with you, fine with both. People make mistakes and us average joes aren't perfect either.

He better not get a statue before MOLITOR! PEDs you're the devil. Coke abuse and you're still a beloved hero.

Loved the Stache's post, well said. Keep things in perspective. One thing I thought that last night when he was giving the onfield interview after the game is that seemed like the most honest, open, and just natural talking I remember from him. Most things he says are so canned/cliche but last night seemed much different. Just back to seeming just enjoying the game, idk maybe it was because he was freezing cold.

Seriously, he was barely halfway home by the time the catcher had it. And it wasn't a really accurate throw. Just horrible, no way around it. Just get the offense going now and make it a game, that's over now.

Yea Eddie should have been back to 1B coach a few years ago by now. That was laughable. Sure maybe they walk Arcia and the P is up with bases loaded. So be it, you start with top of order next inning. Or maybe they pitch to Arcia you get a hit and two runs.

Ramirez is one that probably shouldn't and won't get in, but he's a heck of a lot closer than people realize or likely will get credit for at voting time. Kenny Lofton is another recent one too. If I remember he didn't make it past one year on the ballot (could be wrong on that) in spite of a 299 avg 68 WAR and over 600 SBs. A very quiet darn good career.

This just made me remember the Bob Loblaw line "why should you go to jail for a crime someone else noticed". I've never been a big anti PED guy as I think it's all overblown, but this type of line makes sense to me because he's just one of a lot of people who did the exact same thing, he just got noticed.

Braun's suspension year and the thumb injury year right at his prime really kill his counting stats. If he was more in the 350-375 HR area now he'd have a great shot at upper 400s or possibly 500 if can hang on a few more years relatively healthy while currently maintaining above .300 avg. Now, he won't get close to 500 plus the scandal so no way for him unless he really has a health resurgence the next few years. At which point he'll just be accused of PEDs again, funny how that'll happen to him but for Big Papi it was a feel good story and he'll walk into the Hall in spite of being a user too.

I only saw the 8th inning for Drake and two of the outs were hit on the screws, so lucky. I expect more of the same as last year.

A rod admitted to using throughout his career after everyone else started putting up such gawdy stats. Yea wouldn't surprise me at all if Braun used in little cycles to get over nagging muscle injuries. What he was caught with were those tiny gummies where could probably take one night and it wouldn't be in the system the next day because it was such a small amount, or at least it would've be elevated enough to be considered a failed test.

First, I know he did it so it is what it is. However, a weird way to think about this as a 'bad luck' thing for him in that obviously the test should have never been leaked. Second, the Miami scandal was about as shady of an investigation any sports or criminal prosecution could do with essentially bribing the witness because MLB was so determined to nail A Rod. Basically MLB went way out of their way to tarnish two major stars (certainly an argument it was justified, not getting into that though here) whereas a few years earlier it would have all been swept under the rug and Braun would be just another great player regressing with age with a good shot at the Hall if he can add up some counting stats in his later years. And the only evidence was some names on a paper and a sleazeball's (being bribed) word that that's what the paper meant. Kinda just saying if it was a few years earlier or a couple different circumstances he'd have flown right under the radar like countless other guys have done. An example to the opposite would be Pujols.

Very true, it was pounded into their heads so 6 years later everyone still remembers. Just like how Ray Rice is a societal pariah, yet Tyreek Hill is loved because he's so entertaining on the football field. And countless other examples.

Gotcha, I agree on that notion that it looks bad after the suspension. And average joe fans aren't going to know anything about the thumb injury that essentially made that happen, so it looks much worse to the outside. Plus the litany of other injuries, although those could certainly be a part of PED use evidence in that he now can't use to get over those little things. The thumb specifically though was a fluky thing irrelevant to any of that but yes to the outside world it looks bad.

I don't agree with that at all. Lots of people would hold the PED thing against him regardless of how he handled it. Just the fact he did it. No doubt, the way he handled it made it much worse. Among knowledgeable local fans here I think it's legit. However, IMO average joe road fans don't remember how he handled it. Just that he was caught for it whereas they don't remember lower level players, he was MVP superstar level so they all remember. I think it's that simple. For what Plush just said, don't forget he had his best statistical season in 2012 after the failed test when there's almost no way he was doing anything illegal. Moreover, what's he gonna do vacate the MVP and give it to Kemp who was probably doing the same things? Check out who fell off a cliff more and there's probably a reason Kemp stayed completely silent on the whole thing.

I really can't believe Drake is still on this team. Hope he proves me wrong, but I think I saw plenty last year.

I've had the exact same talks with Cards fans at Miller Park when they'd boo him. And then I'd point out that their starting SS (Peralta) was in the same scandal. And never forget to mention that LaRussa was at the forefront of the entire steroid era in Oak (don't forget he gets to got the Hall on the backs of multiple steroid users but those same players aren't allowed in). And whenever they mention the cockiness then you point out that Pujolds in his prime was the worst or second worst after Bonds in regards to walking while watching his HRs. Yet Braun would get drilled over and over for it by LaRussa, to the point that he started that head down and smile at the dugout thing that came back out with that SD bomb. Cards fans are the worst. Basically you can find a player on every other team involved that makes each team hypocritical. Top of my head for SD, you have Caminiti.

The press conference was a huge mistake on his part since he knew behind it all that he was at fault. he should have issued a humble statement saying that he was glad the processed worked and his name has been cleared, then let it be. So for informed people, yes that is a legit reason. However for this particular question, the average joe fan of other teams really aren't that informed or remember all that in my best guess. It's as simple as he's the 2nd most famous steroid user in recent baseball after ARod combined with he's also the 2nd best player to be caught. So basically they just remember that he was in on it whereas they don't remember Jhonny Peralta, so it gives them something to be riled up about regarding the opposing teams best player. And haters love to hate. For a few things that I think I read in hear while quickly browsing that weren't exactly correct. Yes, the handler did screw up in that he I believe he said he kept it over night in his basement, not in a fridge. Then let it sit in the trunk of his car all day in something like 80 degree weather. I believe Braun's team or the team of an Olympic person recreated similar storage situations and proved that it can change the test results. Something of that nature. Moreover, I believe the other two players tested that day with Braun tested so drastically high that their results were thrown out and Braun's was barely under the limit to throw it out. So, clearly Braun was using, not denying that. But he might have been doing it in a way to avoid tests (like almost all guys in that scandal avoided failing tests) and the mishandling actually did lead to the failed test. this is going on so long ago that I'm not about to say I'm remembering everything 100% correctly so I don't want to argue about anything.

The positive thing I'm going to try to take away from the handling of pitching this offseason is that management must be fairly confident in guys like Woodruff, Burnes, Ortiz being legit quality starting pitchers in the coming years. I hope they're right, young cheap cost controlled pitching has always been our weakness and it is key for a small market to win over an extended period of time.

They have that offense now. It's just that the players refuse to run it more than like 25% of the time. Xs and Os is the easy part, they need someone who can actually get them to do it. I beg to differ. Their offense is high post isos and for some reason throwing the ball to henson at the elbow. Throw it to a guy with a height advantage 16 ft from the hoop and stand around. And a seemingly allergic reaction to shooting 3s. Pump fake that 3, drive in and shoot a contested 2. The opposite of modern NBA offenses.

You need someone that runs a modern NBA offense with ball screens, passing, player movement, and 3 pointers over contested ISO long 2s. The of course someone to just instill some kind of respectable defensive system

Right, a team would just take Choi/Lind types without giving up anything and not paying 5 million or whatever salary Thames has locked in. I seem to remember Jesus is out of options, is that correct? Sure would be nice to have both him and Choi at AAA ready to come up when one of Braun/Thames gets hurt.

Thanks guys. Seems like he's showing he's at least adequate playing the spot. But yea the injury concern will always be there

Seems like Braun played 1B the last 2-3 games, anything to report on how he did on D? Obviously an uneventful day is a good day, but from people who were there or watched the games? I know he hit the two ding dongs yesterday so maybe he is still a quality MLB hitter.

Agreed. My guess would be that he got boned by a team or two on generally ballpark agreed to trades of Santana. ETA: that was my worry when all this started. So you have money available to spend, rather than spend it on an OF and then try to trade for a P. Why not just spend on P and keep your cost controlled 25 yr old, just seems so much simpler and less chances of something falling through like has happened. But I do get it and am not about to stomp my feet, they think they Cain will not drop off hard and they value the contact skills and D. While knowing the risk of pitcher contracts for 30+ year olds. I don't think they're incompetent for misreading the Santana trade market or going this route for the reasons I just said, it happens no one is perfect, and likely someone along the way lied to him putting him in this spot. Now make the best of it, see how the season plays out up to the deadline and keep petitioning the league for the DH.