tmwiese55

I'm not super familiar with Santana's OF defense, but it seems like scouts consider his arm possibly his best single tool (I think MLB Pipeline had him with a 70 throwing arm?). Doesn't mean I think he's a Gold Glover, but it seems a shame to move him to 1B. Even if true. He's 6'5 and huge so his range can't be great and will only go down with time.

Same. I didn't think there was anything out of the ordinary with Bob's call. Within the context of the franchise, it is a big deal, because nobody has ever hit 252 before. That's a nod to the fact that we are a small market team, and usually when we have a true superstar that could hit 200 + home runs, we lose them to one of the big boys. Yount happened to play in a different era where players still stayed with one franchise. Within the bigger scheme of things, the history of the game, 252 isn't that big of a deal. But Braun is 31, and clearly his power hasn't diminished one iota. The thumb might affect how consistently he can turn on some balls, but when he makes clean contact, he hits the ball a really, really long way. Think about it. As bad as this team is, and even with the thumb issues, Braun is on a pace to hit about 30 home runs, drive in 100 runs, and steal 25 bases. You can say what you want about the mistake he made. But Brauny goes out there every day and plays hard. Our offense might be really sad right now, but seeing him at bat, it's clear he's not going to slack off because we're out of contention. That's a true professional. When TV did a little montage of his big HRs over the years it kind of reminded how perfect his swing is, probably prettiest RH swing in recent baseball. I know Pujols is a better hitter but his swing is ugly. I suppose Trout is probably up there now too. For some reason it seems over the years there's been tons of lefties with those picturesque strokes but not so many righties. Over the years I never recalled Bob having any ill will towards Braun, seemed to always speak good of him, heck really everyone has, even after the scandal. Other than the initial I can't believe he lied type of reactions. I just mean over the years I've never heard anything about him being a jerk behind the scenes or anything like you do other guys and Bob has given that impression too. However, I'm usually a TV guy the last few years so I only listen to the radio when driving so I don't hear him a ton anymore like I used too.

I didn't see or hear today's but I did watch the tieing one a few days ago. TV seemed to hype it a little and then did some follow up the next pregame. But really I don't think it's that huge a deal because it's such a low number. I'm not disagreeing with you or anything because I didn't hear Bob today but I'm just saying I don't think any of us really care that much and wouldn't have even if he was without the scandal. Things like 500th HR or 3000 hits would be a bigger deal but I don't think he's getting those after basically missing two of his prime seasons and with offense going down in general.

I think Davies is the most likely guy for next year so as long as his innings aren't too high I'd to see him get his feet wet.

Presumably he'll get one or two more cracks and then September will be here and they will let others have some starts. Several off days coming too

I feel like they should be getting him some work at 1B down there and see how he responds. At the very least can get the LHP ABs come September in MLB with an occasional start over Davis/Braun too. If he takes to the position well you can just slide him in there next year if Lind is traded in the offseason, or when he at least is traded by the deadline. Maybe that's a sign they plan on moving Braun to 1B this offseason though.

[sarcasm]Here's the solution:[/sarcasm] http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer/jon-heyman/25273893/after-big-year-at-triple-a-veteran-randy-wolfs-patience-may-pay-off

OK Cespedes makes sense. But who else is being counted as LF? maybe Pollack in AZ but I think he moves around and mostly plays CF. I think Upton is playing most LF this year but I'd take Braun over him. I couldn't quickly find one that breaks it down by positions. But just scanning teams I don't see anyone I'd take over him to play right now. Brantley in Cleveland could easily be argued above though and then guys like Upton, Braun, Cespedes are debatable. Seems like all the big hitters for OFs this year are in CF and RF is all I was saying and all those guys can easily play LF, Braun included.

Move him to LF and he'd probably be #1

Pretty much my take on it there. My understanding is kind of does happen already. Teammates know and just don't care. The teammates don't run to the media and out the guy and make a fuss, nobody cares anymore. And even those that don't "agree" (or whatever you want to call it) in this day aren't going to treat him any different, if they did the rest of guys around would attack him and he'd be the one on the outside. As an example, look at this thread. Those that say anything against are pretty much corrected and told they're in the wrong immediately by the rest. I mean at this point you're basically celebrated for it, which can also be seen throughout the thread. So those that don't agree will really have no choice but to accept it and in the long run will probably realize it doesn't matter, people are people. Several players over the years have been asked whether they knew of gay teammates and they've said yes, everyone knows and no one cares. Even with Sam everyone on the Missouri team knew. One of the biggest reason he felt forced to announce it is that it was so well known at Mizzou that he thought it would come out in draft prep by teams anyway so he'd rather get in front of the story.

You have to play in order to improve. With this logic they shouldn't even play next year because the team has no shot. Each should have some kind of cap that they could hit by the end of the year but it's way too soon now. Biggest thing is not letting them go past 100 pitches in a start. You saw this with Jungman this weekend when he gotten taken out. I thought that showed they are thinking about this issue, but they have to pitch in order to improve.

Haha. I saw Herm Edwards a few years ago on ESPN asked why the Broncos defense is so good (it was the Tebow year when they rode their D) and his answer was "they just don't let the other team score". I just had it on in the background while doing something else but I stopped and shut it off and do my best not to watch any NFL talking heads ever since. The games are fine but the hype machine around the NFL is unbearable.

What's crazy is the Cubs are exceeding expectations this year and really most of the young guys haven't done anything yet. Of course Bryant has been solid all year and the C that just came up has been great. But the pile of SS guys haven't really done much yet. They're so young and they're putting in their time, imagine when 2 or 3 others start hitting too. I'd put money they sign Price this offseason and then lookout next year.

Yea, game 6 in the NLCS. Up 1-0 with home field in both the NLCS and WS, makes the team a WS caliber team to me. The other team needed their bullpen with a bunch of no names guys to all of a sudden become unhittable because we beat up their starters every game. We had the better team, they got hot at the right time and that specific team was a bad match up for us with how they had Gallardo's number and just overall were always under our skin.

Cardinals will always be good it seems. Cubs should have a nice run here for a while. But I have a feeling Pittsburgh's window will be closing around 2018/19 right when we're hoping to be good again, freeing up some wins for us. We'll see, but I have a feeling they'll go on a similar path as we did.

Is Gordon a FA after this year? 31 yrs old now, so he'd be 38/39 at the end getting almost 20 per. And his best case offensive through his prime years thus far has been worse than Braun's post ped/thumb version he is right now. I know he's a good defender but so was Braun when he was in left. Ideally Braun's extension would be a year or two less but it also could've been much worse.

Cespedes brings far more defensive value than Davis. Cespedes has 20+ HR every year (I'm counting 2015 since he's at 19 now) of his career - four years in a row. I think he's a far better player than Davis. Fangraphs pegs his value at about 3.5 WAR on average over his career. In roughly two seasons of play, Davis has a value of 1.7 WAR per season. The value of the years is the big question - 4 years of Davis vs .5 of Cespedes. If you think Davis can produce 2.0 WAR a year for four years, that's solid value. Certainly more than a half season of Cespedes. And probably worth a decent prospect. I guess the question comes down to what teams see Davis' value is. His inconsistent play is concerning. I've said this before - I wouldn't be surprised if Davis hit .270 with 25 HR. I also wouldn't be surprised to see him hit .220. The Mets bought a known quantity in Cespedes - good fielder, good power. They value that certainty in a playoff run. I think the uncertainty of Davis gives teams pause to pay a lot for him. There are some obvious flaws in his game (arm), and anyone wanting him would be banking on his potential to emerge. I think everyone would agree on that. Keep in mind Cespedes is expensive on his current deal and about to go up to 15+ mil per year, probably more like 20. Davis is basically free for a few more years. Yea, very confusing thread though. And for every no name guy that does make it (Fiers, Podsednik), there are much more that have a hot few months or year and then do fall hard back to reality.

3/4 again today. I'm actually surprised by the recent hot spell from him, I didn't like a lot of his body language right after the deadline when they started losing hard. I went to two of the cubs games and he didn't seem to enthused at all, thought he might drop off a bit to finish the year. I suppose everyone's body language was rough thought right after the deadline as they had been playing well the last few months and then pulled the plug. Only natural to be a little down.

If he was so scared of his image being ruined he wouldn't have used PEDs in the first place so I am not really buying that argument. It was actually probably less of a risk after that because everyone outside of Milwaukee already hated him so what was there to lose? Not too much. The first test already killed everything outside of Milwaukee. Pointless to argue with you on this man. T-Swizz knows all, haters gonna hate. I actually think your remembrance of his rep among fans in 2012 is way off, most people thought he got screwed and was innocent and his monster season validated that, there were lots of people wearing Braun t-shirt jerseys with Innocent in the name area instead of Braun, saw plenty of custom made ones too. I believe he got a standing ovation the first game. It's pretty obvious why one would stop after the failed test. Without the subsequent events he would still be a hero in MKE rather than kind of a 50/50 split like it is now, and even people that generally support him now aren't about to pound their chests about him or anything. He also still could have made the Hall with a spotless career after. Why watch baseball with such a negative view of everything due something really so minor, why not just enjoy life and the competition of the game.

I thought this the weekend when played them too, I know Maddon is a good manager but what is he thinking with Coghlan in the 3 hole? Rizzo and Bryant should be 3-4.

Well I'd say foolish is a strong word. Why stop? because another failed test would absolutely ruin him, he could overcome the initial thrown out thing based on his story. Another fail would kill his image/pr/reputation, just like it did when he was caught in the biogen scandal. I would definitely wager on the side that he hasn't used since being caught at the end of 2011, and I think most would agree with me.

Question would of course be whether he counted as a failed test since it got overturned. Who knows. He would have to be an absolute moron to continue after though. Granted, he was an idiot if he took in the playoffs when he knows everyone will be tested in the playoffs though.

I think along with the thumb injury teams figured out to just pound him low and outside. Basically the only pitches he gets are high tight heaters, low outside breaking pitches, low outside heaters. At the end of last year and until May he hadn't figured it out yet, now he has but it limits him to going opposite a ton. Teams still keep doing it because it still does minimize him to a degree. Starting in May he pretty much stopped chasing the low outside slider out of the zone and it's made a huge difference. Like last night, if they have hang a breaking pitch, he usually crushes it to left.

I see what you mean for sure. I just think the spacing would be very difficult. It's not so much having guys out there that can't score, it's that a lineup of MCW, Monroe, Henson, Giannis, Middleton only has one 3 pt shooter. All can score other than Henson, just no one can shoot as of now (there's promising reports out there about Giannis and MCW's improvement in shooting this offseason though). The lane would be super clogged making it hard Monroe to score and hard for any of the slasher type to get to the rim.

They put a WS champion caliber team out in 2011. It just didn't work out. Bad luck combined with STL having Larussa and whatever magic spell they have did us in. Still find it crazy they didn't have a starter make it past the 5th and got more innings out of the bp than starters and still won. Bad luck in that if ATL (I think it was them that year) doesn't completely choke we never would have had to face STL. Bad luck that Greinke basically laid an egg in the playoffs, whereas other teams over the years have ridden an ace to a title. Biggest thing I probably would have done different is to just grab a strong defensive SS instead of Yuni, that team had plenty of O, didn't really need his HRs. Though he actually did well offensively in the playoffs if I remember correctly. I also think the 2012 was a very strong team that should have done much better. Of course you can nitpick things being a small market team we can't just do whatever we want, but overall you look at that team thinking there is a very good chance at a deep playoff run. I just bring this up as most people tend to rip the FO as if they're completely incompetent when really they did put together two seasons of championship caliber teams, just didn't work out. Perfectly reasonable to argue they should have done other things for the long term instead but their goal of putting a championship caliber team out there did happen.