paul253

Defensively I'd rather have the first one. Offensively, though, if you could substitute Abreu for Cameron I'd do it in a heartbeat. Its not knock on Cameron, but Abreu provides a few things that we need much more than what Cameron provides. In this market, I just don't think Cameron would have gotten $10 million. Teams don't pay players for good defense, and while his offense is certainly good, is it better than Dunn or Abreu or Burrell? Plus, its not just substituting Ibanez for Cameron. Its Ibanez/Abreu plus whoever else they can get with whats left of the $10 million. Maybe you take a chance on Crede. Or maybe you add Edmonds just in case Hart hasn't figured out those low and away breaking balls yet. Or maybe even Orlando Cabrera with Weeks moving to center (very unlikely but possible)

I guess I dont mind terribly having him. Knowing what we know now, though, I'd rather have Abreu and Crede for what they signed for. Also, if we wanted Cameron back, I have no doubt we could have got him back for a lot less than $10 million.

After seeing some of the players signing for what they signed for, I wonder if Melvin is really kicking himself for picking up Cameron's $10 million option. I got the impression earlier that Melvin picked it up with the intention of trading him, but found out that his salary was way too much for anyone to take on. I don't think there is any possible way Cameron would have gotten $10 million on the open market, and I think if they wanted him they even could have denied the option then offered arby, which would probably have led him to making closer to $7 million than $10 million. Though there is nobody that even compared defensively to Cameron, I think the Brewers could have signed Edmonds, Abreu and Crede for about what they are paying Cameron, maybe a little more. Incentives could have pushed those numbers up higher, but if the players reached the incentives it would mean good things. Signing Crede could have pushed Hall back to super sub which means we wouldnt have had to sign Counsell. Offensively, I think it would have meant for a more balanced lineup at the very least. I'd prefer not to make this a debate on whether Cameron is good for our team or not, as that topic has been beaten to death. Rather whether or not you think Melvin would still pick up the option based on what he knows now (what other players signed for, the inability to trade Cameron, etc.). Even if you want Cameron back but think we could have got him for cheaper.

I hate to tell the same stories as everyone on here, but my brother is a teacher. He tells me of these parent-teacher conferences in which parents complain about their kids grade and accuse him of all sorts of bias, racial bias included. The students here these parents spewing this crap and they start to believe in it and expect that from now on they are treated differently, almost preferentially. The sad thing is that its only going to get worse as the PC junk is catching on and punishment is getting to the point where it is useless, if it is even handed out at all.

I had mentioned Edmonds awhile ago as an alternative to paying Cameron $10 million. If he plays 2-3 days a week and puts up numbers similar to last year he'd be well worth it. Defensively he's not what he once was but he's not Manny Ramirez out there either.

Well now that all the good FA outfielders have been signed, looks like it'll be Hart. I don't mind him out there, he is a solid outfielder and can be solid on offense. Let's hope he can put that dreadful second half behind him and learn how to lay off those low and away breaking balls. Hopefully he has a good spring and gets his confidence back. I'd consider signing him to a 2 year deal right now, to kind of buy low on him. In two years hopefully both Cain and Gillespie will be available to replace him if necessary.

Ok no takers, but I was able to get someone. But I am also looking to put a bathroom in, again, as soon as possible, so if there are any carpenters or someone in a related field that knows how to do this and is looking for some work, let me know. I figure I'd go through here before looking on craigslist or something.

Hart & Abreu are probably about a wash offensively anyway, and then when you add in defense it's not even close. How can you say they are a wash offensively? Last season in probably a down season Abreu had a higher average, higher OBP, higher slugging, more RBI, almost 3x as many walks, as many HR's, and only 1 fewer SB. Abreu was either better than or equal to Hart in every offensive category. Granted Hart had a disasterous second half, but Abreu's careers numbers are better than Harts, and who is to say Hart will put up all star type numbers again?

Gotcha...I misunderstood. I think Abreu would be a huge upgrade to this offense, even as a platoon player. If you can get him for a one year deal under $5 million, I dont see how you can't do it. I like Corey Hart as much as the next guy, but if we can do better, we owe it to ourselves to do it. If it doesn't work out, you can always trade Abreu at the deadline or just let him go at the end of the season.

Does anyone have a link to 2009 salaries so far? All I could find was 2008. The way I figured, the Brewers shed about $41 million from player lost last season, plus whatever they paid Sabathia (Sheets, Turnbow, Counsell, Capuano, Torres, Mota, Kapler, Gagne, whoever else I'm forgetting). I'm trying to see how much of that and/or more they've added so far in the signings of Hoffman, Weeks, Fielder, Lamb, etc, plus raises to contracts in guys like Cameron, Hall, Suppan, and Kendall. I also wonder about those projections for Abreu. As late as 2006 his OBP was .427 (in Philly, 419 in NY). Even his down year last season at .371 is a significantly higher number than the Brewers team average and would have ranked right behind Fielder. It is not even comparable with Hart's .300 OBP. His numbers seemed to slide a bit when he went to the AL, so perhaps rejoining an NL team would push those numbers back up. He also had 22 steals last season, which would have ranked 2nd last season in Milwaukee. Plus, while he "only" had 22 HR's, HR's arent exactly a problem in Milwaukee but that still would have ranked 5th on the team. As far as his defense, yeah it is worse. But will he cost as many runs as he will add? I doubt it. I thought you would know better than to judge a guy by his RBIs and Runs Scored. As has been pointed out over and over on this forum, those are team stats. And it is no surprise that he would do well on those, considering he played for the Yankees. Thats true, but you still have to get on base in order to score runs. Plus its not like the Yankess offense was all that much better than Milwaukee's. Milwaukee had more HR's, more walks, more doubles, more triples, and a higher slugging %. Granted the Yankees had a much higher batting average and more runs scored (789 v 750) and obviously a better OBP (factor in the pitchers hitting for Milwaukee also). I wouldnt use the Yankees v Milwaukee offense to say Abreu's numbers would drop off if he goes to Milwaukee.

I recently moved into a new home and am looking to do some electrical work in the basement. Nothing major, just adding 2-3 outlets and hooking up some lights to switches. I was wondering if any there are any electricians on here that may be looking for a side job. I am ready to do it now, but obviously I'd like an estimate first. If you're interested, send me a message or something. Thanks guys. Oh yeah, I live in the Milwaukee area, closer to the west side.

I mentioned this awhile ago with Peavy, but I feel the same about Abreu. If money is the only reason they aren't going after him, I will lose a lot of respect for Attanasio. If you can get Bobby Abreu for that little on a one year deal, you have to go for it. It was so painful watching the offense in September and throughout the playoffs and it really hasnt been touched at all. Abreu's strenghts (OBP, left handed hitter, contact) are the Brewer's weaknesses, so he's an ideal fit. Like Peavy, if he doesnt want to come, he doesnt want to come, but you gotta ask.

Talk about low risk, high reward. Good move for Texas.

Not to mention first place tie with Denver heading into a huge weekend series. Anyone know if it's on tv? Quite honestly I'm sick of having to see the Bucks on FSN every weekend.

A Hart/Abreu platoon would be good, especially because you can give Braun a rest every now and then and Hart can even play a little center field. Abreu I think would be an ideal #3 hitter behind Hardy and in front of Braun and Fielder.

You mean like how Mario Williams went before Reggie Bush? This happens in all sports' drafts. Don't compare Mario Williams to Matt Bush. Mario Williams was considered to be a very, very good player and would have more than likely in the top 5 anyway, quite possibly number 2. Houston didn't draft him because they didn't want to pay Bush, they thought he was a better pick. The only way the players union will allow for the changes to be made to the drafting process is for the compensation picks that are tied to free agents to be dropped. I'd be fine with that. The compensation picks are a flawed system anyway, as the Yankees are showing. There needs to be a rookie cap and a world wide draft, then I'd be happy.

You mean like how Mario Williams went before Reggie Bush? This happens in all sports' drafts. Don't compare Mario Williams to Matt Bush. Mario Williams was considered to be a very, very good player and would have more than likely in the top 5 anyway, quite possibly number 2. Houston didn't draft him because they didn't want to pay Bush, they thought he was a better pick. The only way the players union will allow for the changes to be made to the drafting process is for the compensation picks that are tied to free agents to be dropped. I'd be fine with that. The compensation picks are a flawed system anyway, as the Yankees are showing. There needs to be a rookie cap and a world wide draft, then I'd be happy.

Also too, he was a type A this season. If he has a decent year he might be a type A again. Even if he accepts arbitration, at $3 million a year this year he wouldn't command a killer contract, plus you'd have an outfield spot open with the loss of Cameron and if Hart bounces back and increases his trade value could always consider trading him as well. I know its a lot of unknown for the 2010 season already, but I would have been willing to offer Abreu $8 million for a year earlier in the offseason. If you can get him for less than half of that, why not? Its not like he's a risk. He's been putting over very solid numbers and although they have been declining a bit, he's still a very solid offensive player.

The Boston Globe is reporting Abreu might have to settle for a one or two year deal in the $3 million a year range. I realize thats just one mans opinion based probably on nothing, but Abreu for $3 million would be a steal. Even as a backup who plays 2 or 3 days a week. That is not a lot of money for what he would bring, and would allow us to look around at shopping Hart or Cameron for more pitching depth.

Kind of highlights whats wrong with the MLB draft. Although he probably would have been a first rounder still, possibly a top 10, he was in no way the best player in that draft. San Diego drafted him because they didn't want to pay for one of the best players. How can you consider a draft to be fair when the best players are constantly falling because teams that need the most help can't afford to pay them? Hopefully when the new collective bargaining agreement comes up in a few years the draft is something that gets a strong look as I believe there are 2 or 3 things wrong with it.

Kind of highlights whats wrong with the MLB draft. Although he probably would have been a first rounder still, possibly a top 10, he was in no way the best player in that draft. San Diego drafted him because they didn't want to pay for one of the best players. How can you consider a draft to be fair when the best players are constantly falling because teams that need the most help can't afford to pay them? Hopefully when the new collective bargaining agreement comes up in a few years the draft is something that gets a strong look as I believe there are 2 or 3 things wrong with it.

Man I bet he is just kicking himself for turning down arbitration, not that wasnt kicking himself already. If he has this surgery is he out all of 2009? He could have made probably $11 million from arby and not pitched a single pitch all season. Too bad the Brewers won't be getting any picks for him, though.

You did say more than what you believe you said. Chase doesn't have great K numbers, but he has had success in the minors, and numbers in the minors are generally predictive of numbers in the majors. But not in every case, especially with the Brewers. I think you're reading too much into what I said. As I pointed out, Hendrickson, Martinez, and Eveland all had good minor league numbers and it didn't lead to one ounce of success in Milwaukee. So to simply that they'll be ok in Milwaukee because they had good minor league numbers is a bad argument, I think. Like I said, I think the deal is fine because Chase Wright probably has more upside than anyone else we'll have in Nashville, and he's certainly better than nothing.

Well, Paul, if we want to take that attitude about prospects. Matt Gamel hasn´t proven he can hit yet at the Major League level. Let´s never play the guy. We should have never gone with Gallardo last season, we should have signed some $10 Million dollar free agent who could put up numbers like Suppan, because we know for certain he can do it at the major league level. We didn´t know if Gallardo would be able to pitch at the major league level or not. Why even play prospects if they could end up disappointing us? Haha...ok straw I'll play along. For the second time now, all I said was that I cant believe that some people would be willing to put him in the rotation right now and that I would personally put Capuano in the rotation right now before I put Wright in there because Capuano has had success in the majors. Thats all....end of comment. I never said anything bad about him other than he hasnt had success, and that not even a bad thing as much as it is a fact. I never commented on the deal (I think its a good deal because we have zero depth and if two starters go down we are in big trouble, though lets not pretend that this deal is likely to put us over the top). I never made any predictions about what kind of numbers he is going to put up this year. I never said anything else. But good point about not judging prospects until they have had a decent chance to prove themselves, you're really at the top of your game tonight.

and he just had a sub-3 ERA in AAA last season. Now I´m not saying he is going to be a top of the rotation starter, but he certainly doesn´t appear to be nearly as awful as you make him out to be either Paul. Ben Hendrickson had a sub 2 era one year in AAA. Luis Martinez had a really good year, and Dana Eveland never really had a bad year in the minors. AAA matters absolutely nothing. Also, I am not making him out to be anything. All I said was that I cant believe people are willing to automatically throw him in the rotation, and that at this point I'd rather have Capuano in the rotation, which I would. Capuano has at least had some success where it matters, where as Wright has not.