paul253

I have a feeling he is going to kill a ton of people these last couple of episodes. Its going to be like the end of Comando awesome. Not only did he kill a ton of people, but it was a blood bath. I understand that he needed to gut that one dude to get the sim card, but what he did to those other Russians was something else. I wonder why he left one alive. This is Jack Bauer at his absolute best (or worse, I suppose). It'll be interesting to see what happens when Cole inevitably catches up with him next week. I personally think Jack's going to die. He's gone way too far this season to be able to walk away.

but his ceiling is a 2/3. I won't argue. Let's hope he hits that potential.

Why is Lawrie already being penciled in as a big leaguer? His stats tell me he's got plenty of work to do in the minors before we should even assume he'll get a fifteen day call-up in like 2013. The only thing about his stats is that he is 20 years old in AA. His K's are ridiculously high, but wasn't he in high school at this point two years ago? Personally I think he'll have to repeat AA next season, which is why I thought he should have been playing in BC this year, but I think he has plenty of potential. To be honest he's actually doing better in Huntsville than I thought he would be. How exactly does Rivas profile similarly to Dave Bush which is what you are saying That's not at all what I was saying. Just because Dave Bush is a #4 pitcher on our team, that doesn't mean every pitcher who has the upside of a #4 pitcher profiles similarly to Dave Bush.

Why don't we just get 12 closers and one long guy? We could have 9 pitchers pitch one inning, and four pitchers would get a night off, unless of course it goes into extras. Then you use the long guy for up to 5 innings and three guys would still get the night off.

I can't share that at this point. I think there will be at least two good SP arms to come out of the system in the next couple of seasons, which would go a long way to SOLVVing some of our WOAHs. It's not that I disagree with you, but I am wondering who specifically you mean. I think Amaury Rivas could be one, though he doesn't appear to me to be more than a 4-5 starter. Rogers certainly could be a #1 or #2 guy, but not until his control gets better. Same with Jeffress. Jeffress is a huge question mark right now. The only other two starters I could see coming out of this organization in the next two years are Butler and Anundson. But again, nothing more than a 4 or 5 starter. The best hope I see in the near future is Wily Peralta, but probably not until 2013. At least we have options, though. If we could just somehow find a guy who could teach all of these prospects how to throw strikes, the future would look so much better. Can you imagine if both Rogers and Jeffress could learn how to consistently pound the strike zone?

I think the Sexson deal and any deal for involving Fielder will be different. Even though they weren't exactly hall of famers, the guys Milwaukee got did improve the quality of baseball. Spivey was a former all-star, Overbay was a good young player. JDLR was supposed to be a big time prospect, but he could never put it together. Milwaukee doesn't need those type of players now because they still have a solid offensive foundation. What they need is good, young pitching. I agree with everyone else here. I don't want four average pitchers. I want one really good one. If we add someone like Green or Salome, then I want one really good and one above average one. I'm not naive enough to think we are going to get a sure fire future #1 starter. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect a potential #2 and a borderline #3/#4 though.

So between Lawrie, Gamel, and McGehee, we have a 1B, a 3B, and a RF? I don't really care how it's settled, just as long as it's done with the best defensive positioning in mind. What is going to happen in actuality is that this organization will not move anyone. Gamel will come up as a third basemen and rot on the bench behind McGehee, or he'll be traded when his value is lowest. And Lawrie will stick at second even though we have Weeks, Farris, Gennett, Dykstra and probably Taylor Green, all capable of playing that position. Yes, I have lost faith in this organization.

I guess I'm not stating the obvious, but I have to remind you that we have another full year of fielder under control and it seems like ownership at least wants to attempt to resign him for 2012. Even though the team is in suck mode, that doesn't mean they have to sell now. Technically most argue they would get the best value trading him in the offseason. I also remind you that trading for prospects is never a sure thing. Just look at the Indians and what they received for CC, LaPorta has really done nothing for them and were 2 years later. If you trade Fielder you have to get at least 1 MLB expierienced player. I know TB couldn't afford to re-sign him, even if they wanted to. My reasoning was that since he would still have a year left, TB could make a run this year and then trade him again in the offseason. Yes they would probably get less in return then they give up, but it's not like they are trading Corey Hart here. Fielder is still a darn good player. Or, if they choose, they can keep him then trade him at next years deadline. Or they could just let him walk and take the picks. Teams like TB value draft picks because their success is so reliant and homegrown players. What I am saying is that TB could trade for a very good player, one that could help them win a championship, and they'd have a couple of options of what to do with him. It's not like if they trade for him they have to re-sign him. Milwaukee is going nowhere. Their pitching is that bad and homegrown help is still a year away. I realize prospects are never a sure thing, but you have to take a chance on pitchers because for one, they are never going to be able to afford to sign an ace, and also because the way they've been drafting and developing pitchers. They have had basically no success in the past decade (Sheets, Gallardo and MAYBE Parra could be considered successes). Hellickson would be an ideal player for Milwaukee to take a chance on because in addition to being cheap and controllable for a number of years, you could probably argue that he is major league ready. Plus, as I eluded to in the past, and Lcbj is kind of getting at, Milwaukee could add a position prospect that is currently blocked (Green, Salome, Gindl) to sweeten the pot and get more/better pitching in return.

Great. Ken Macha has his excuse to put Suppan back in the rotation. If it's not Parra in his place (assuming this isn't a day to day thing) I'd just assume see Capuano pitch over any other candidate like Suppan.

Did that 101mph fastball that he threw happen to be for a strike?

TB would make a perfect trading partner for Fielder if we're willing to trade him about mid way through the season. Tampa could let him DH, hopefully beating the Yankees and Red Sox in the process, then trade him in the offseason to recoup some of their prospects. The deal could center around Hellickson, and Milwaukee could ask for two other minor league pitchers as well. I think it'd be a win-win. Milwaukee appears to be going nowhere this year anyway, and they could would to fill the Fielder gap in the off-season. Personally, I think Melvin's job is reliant upon him not bungling the Fielder situation, which I would define as letting him walk for only draft picks in return or trading him and not getting enough in return.

Yeah I've always thought one of the problems the Brewers had is just constantly throwing soft tossers out there to start. After Gallardo, you have Wolf, Davis, Bush, and Narveson. Do any of them throw harder than 90 consistently? You can only fool major league hitters with your soft tossing for so long. I think Parra needs to be given another shot in the rotation. I don't understand how he is of any value to the team coming out of the bullpen. As far as the changes go. I think Hoffman, Vargas, Suppan, Davis, and Bush need to go. Position player wise, Hart and Zaun need to go. Lucroy and/or Salome should be playing every day next season. It was mentioned before but Hart is making too much money for what he gives the team. Fielder needs to be traded as well. We need to stop fooling ourselves into thinking we will be able to afford to sign him. Boras will not let him sign for under $25 million a year, not after Howard's contract. Trade him for hard throwing pitchers. I would love to see the team either move Gamel to first base right away and have him play every day next season, or move Lawrie to first and sign a stop gap for 2 years (Derek Lee). I also think Carlos Gomez needs to play every day when he gets back. I like Edmonds, I really do, but we need to see if Gomez can cut it or not. If he can, then we have some decisions to make with Cain and Schafer. Finally.....Ken Macha needs to go. I just assumed he was a good manager because of how he did in Oakland, but I personally think he's a terrible manager. His bullpen management is awful. He sits young guys rather than letting them get consistent at bats, which is what young players need. He has no "fire" either. It's like he has one emotion....dull.

Just from anyone who has seem him play in person....does he look like he can handle shortstop? I would think if there's a chance he could play shortstop it would make sense that he stay there. It also allows Dykstra onto the field.

I was under the impression he was a shortstop, but looking at box scores he seems to be playing second base an awful lot. Does he still have a future as a shortstop or is he going to come up as a second basemen? It seems weird for him to be playing 2B considering how much depth there is at the position in the system and the lack of any high-ceiling shortstops. Plus, Cutter Dykstra has recently been playing in Wisconsin and he is a second basemen too, but he's been relegated to DH.

Let's hope so. He seems to have some control issues as well though. I don't understand why so many pitchers are having such issues with control.

The Brewers tried trading Gamel this past offseason, they couldn't get anything decent as a return. (Even with Hardy) The organization isn't the only one sour one him - the entire league is. That's because he spent a good portion of the season sitting on the bench. Whoever made the decision to call him up is at least partially to blame for this. Obviously Gamel has to show something, but it's hard to show something when you are relegated to pinch hitting duty. His injury could not have come at a worse time. All of these injuries are getting really frustrating.

No the Big East basketball would have to get broken up and the remaining schools could form some sort of basketball-only conference. Marquette, Georgetown, Villanova, St. John's, Providence, Depaul, and Seton Hall could join up with Xavier, Dayton and some others. I know it would suck to break up the tradition of Big East basketball, but obviously football is the key. If basketball was the key, the Big East would be the #1 league, as opposed to the league most likely to die.

Now before I even say this, let me emphasize that i am not suggesting it or thinking it would ever happen, but tonight at work I had a thought. What if the Big Ten and the Big East combined? Notre Dame would be forced to join or else they'd have to find another conference for all their non-football sports. That would the new conference 20 teams. Instead of 2 divisions, you go to four divisions. And instead of a championship game, you have a 4 team championship tournament with the winners of all the divisions. Each team could play the other four teams in their divisions plus four other teams throughout the conference, which would ensure rivalries like Michigan-Ohio St and West Virginia-Pitt would go on every year. I would envision the divisions to be something like this: West: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Northwestern North: Michigan, Michigan St. Notre Dame, Indiana, Purdue Central: South Florida, Louisville, Cincinnati, Ohio St, West Virginia East: UConn, Pittsburgh, Penn St., Syracuse, Rutgers They'd have huge TV markets from the likes of Chicago, New York, Detroit, and Philly, plus basically the entire east coast. Basketball wise you could have two 10-team divisions. Plus I have to imagine they could work out some huge TV and sponsorship deals for the conference tournament. Again, I am in no way suggesting this would ever happen and of course this isn't taking academics into account. I just thought it would be fun to suggest.

The current $33 million bullpen with a 5.38 ERA would beg to differ. I think if they didn't have to pitch 3+ innings every day it wouldn't be nearly as bad. Beside, most of that ERA is one or two pitchers (Hoffman and Hawkins, who also happen to be the most expensive relievers) and several VERY bad outings. They also already have several in-house options for the bullpen, including Axford, Stetter, and Braddock.

I'm getting a little tired of the old logo as well, actually. It was a nice touch for a season, but enough is enough. The only change I want to see is for them to take the gray road jersey and have them say "Milwaukee". I also actually wouldn't mind white hats with blue brims with the alternate blue jerseys and white pants, but I am sure I am the only one there. I think it would look good, but I don't know how to use any programs to see what it would actually look like.

To me, this team needs to trade away a lot and start over next season with the people who actually have a future in the organization. Trade Bush, Hart, Hoffman, Zaun, Davis and Counsell. After the year is over, trade Fielder. Get some young pitching prospects that can throw harder than 89mph. Figure out to do with Weeks. Figure out who your catcher of the future is. Figure out who is going to replace Fielder. Quit signing mediocre, over the hill players in an attempt to play .500 baseball and find some kind of direction for this team.

Why do they need to fast track him? If he cant throw strikes as a starter then he won't be able to throw strikes as a reliever. I'd rather just let him continue to start to see if his control gets any better. The last thing the Brewers need is another reliever.

I'm kind of in the middle with those selections. Nebraska brings very strong football tradition, and they are working their way back to the top of the college football world. They play "Big Ten football" with strong defense and a smash mouth offense. Nebraska-Ohio St, Nebraska-Penn St and Nebraska-Michigan would be national level games. Rutgers I guess is a good academic school. Their football program seems to be on the rise. I can see them being a Northwestern level team....middle of the conference standings, maybe one or two years at a time competing for the championship. Basketball wise both Nebraska and Rutgers are duds. Missouri...while I'm not too much of a fan, it does bring in a few markets and they do have a rivalry with Illinois going. If Notre Dame would ever get over themselves, they'd be a good fit, both academically and location wise. I don't see it happening. I think the Big Ten will initially add 3 teams and go to 14, then once the SEC, ACC, and Pac 10 follow, they'll eventually add two more.

What impresses me most about his A ball stats is the lack of walks. No walks in like 14 innings. I don't care what level you are pitching at, that's pretty good.

Does anyone know if there was some kind of clause in his contract about his? If he fails one more tests and gets booted for life, can the Brewers recoup any of his signing bonus? Man I hope he sticks around and throws strikes. Looking up and down the system, it's hard to see any sure fire #1 potential starters. Rogers maybe. Peralta maybe. Jeffress definitely has the stuff and a very over powering fastball. But if he can't throw strikes, it doesn't matter. He isn't going to be striking out guys like Pujols and Aramis Ramirez if the only pitch he can throw for a strike is a fastball. I wish him the best, but he needs to get his act together. Nobody is going to feel sorry for him if he fails another test.