paul253

That is awesome for Bobby Bonilla. It's like winning a contest or something. A million dollars a year for the rest of your life.

Does anyone else think maybe the pressure is getting to him? When he has pitched in the majors last year and in 2010 it was in the later part of the season when the Brewers were out of it. He pitched really well then. Now that he is competing for a rotation spot, knowing he is out of options, is it possible he is putting too much pressure on himself to perform well?

I'm changing my tune and officially calling for Khris Davis to get playing time at 1st base. I realize that it's not going to happen but he deserves a shot. He's got the highest OPS amongst guys with at least 20ABs. He can play 1st and also back up both corner outfield spots. Aoki Lucroy Braun Ramirez Weeks Gomez Davis/Gonzalez Segura Bench Schafer Davis/Gonzalez Green Maldonado Crosby

sucks to be a brewers AA/AAA farmhand who plays OF It's a good thing darn near all of our best position prospects are outfielders and that's all we seem to draft in the first 10 rounds other than pitchers. I don't like this at all. His "breakout" year included a .305 on base percentage (his only season with and OBP above .300 btw) and a .260 batting average. His power numbers really took off last season but we don't know if that is an outlier or the new norm. I just think this is too big of an investment for someone who has only had one above average season, especially with Schafer and Aoki both capable of playing CF for years to come.

Depending on what it costs I'd take a flyer on him for a one year deal.

Whoever #14 for Mexico is needs to be suspended for tomorrow's game. He was really out of line, throwing punches at whoever he could.

UConn and Cincy would leave today if they could for the ACC. I don't see the ACC getting any larger though soon and there isn't any good plan B's for them. I think they'll be in the ACC eventually. Someone is going to go to 16 (SEC or Big 10 probably) and after that happens everyone else will go to 16 teams. So if the ACC doesn't just add Cincy and UConn to get to 16 they'll add them to replace two of their current schools who leave. Virginia, Georgia Tech, and North Carolina have all been rumored to go to the Big 10, Florida St and Clemson have been talked about for the Big 12, and Virginia Tech has been mentioned for the SEC. All it takes is one more snowball for the next avalanche. The most ironic thing is that the ACC is going to end up looking very similar to the way the Big East should look: Boston College, Miami, Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Louisville, UConn, Cincinnati. If only West Virginia and Rutgers were there it'd be a solid conference.

The Brewers have done a good job at building up the depth but over the next two years really need to focus on ceiling. He also needs to diversify the draft a little. He drafts way too many outfielders and not nearly enough shortstops and third basemen. I realize that you don't necessarily draft for need but at some point you have to address glaring weaknesses. If Jed Bradley can turn things around, and it seems like he at least has an idea about what went wrong last year, and Taylor Jungmann can progress a little more Seid's results will look a lot better. I think last year's haul of Coulter, Roache and Taylor may end up being pretty good, though I was not a fan of the Mitch Haniger pick. The Brewers also need to be more aggressive with their players. It seems like no matter good a player is doing they absolutely will not make promotions until around the all star break.

I'm surprised Tyler Thornburg isn't listed. What does the guy have to do to get some recognition, other than maybe having scouts NOT call him a future reliever or not be a Milwaukee Brewer? He has a career minor league ERA of 2.77 with 311 Ks in 272.2 innings and is still only 24. I don't know how he isn't a top 100 prospect. Also, I'm assuming Jean Segura is no longer eligible?

Paul one thing you need to realize is that this gives the opportunity for Brewer fans across the state. If it was limited to area bars as it used to be, I would have a minimal chance of being able to go. If you are going to go anyway wouldn't you be able to go just go to the bar first? Either way, let's not kid ourselves by saying the Brewers changed the rule so people from outside the area have as good a chance to go. The Brewers did it to sell more season ticket packages. And like I said, I have no issue with them doing what they need to do to make more money and sell more season tickets. The issue I have is with how they run their lottery. I don't know why they need to jam all of these sales into one day but if they spread it out over two or three days then people who have already won the right to tickets wouldn't now also have to rearrange their schedule so they can be at a computer at a specific time on a specific date. I'm sure it wouldn't take too much work to offer the first 1000 people a code that works on day 1, day 2 and day 3, the next 1000 people a code that works on day 2 and day 3 and the last people a code that only works on day 3 (not necessarily 1000 people a day but some sort of breakdown based on how many tickets are available). Instead you have all these people trying to get in to buy tickets at the same time and naturally you experience problems.

My brother in law had 4 tickets lined up and the checkout button wouldn't work. He lost his shot at tickets. I used to go to Opening Day every year but I am sick of this. It started with the Brewers jacking up ticket (and parking) prices and no longer giving out opening day packages to local bars. And then making it extremely difficult to get tickets without buying a season ticket package. Now it seems like even this opening day lottery thing doesn't work right. If you "win" the lottery you shouldn't walk out without tickets unless you choose not to purchase them. There shouldn't be this mad rush to buy tickets you won the right to buy. Why not put a little extra effort into it and spread this out over a few days with the first winners having first choice so people don't have to sit at their computer for an hour on a Tuesday morning just to score tickets to Opening Day? I accept the fact that the Brewers are trying to maximize the amount of money they get out of this. It's just no longer for me.

I'm starting to wonder about this drawing. My brother in law wins, literally, every year. I win, literally, never!

It is a good idea but just like Olympic basketball when you have players who care more about money and a career than representing their country you're just never going to have the best of the best playing. The exhibition style rules certainly don't help either. What I love about Olympic Hockey when the pros play is that players WANT to be on the team. Some people have actually said they'll leave their NHL team to play if the NHL doesn't allow for a break for the Olympics. It's an honor to them. And even though I don't usually watch the NHL I will not miss a USA Olympic Hockey game, even if I have to DVR it. So compare that to the WBC. Even though I watch MLB every day I don't really care about the WBC because to me it's just a set of exhibition games in which the players don't really seem to care if they win or lose.

If Melvin traded players anywhere near the rate you people want he would have lost his fanbase years ago. How? People have never suggested trading anyone in the prime of their careers when they are still affordable unless that player is playing over his head and his value is likely to go way down. What we've essentially suggested is doing what he did with Zack Greinke, but doing it more often. Did the fan base go nuts when we traded Greinke? Of course not, because most people knew it was the best move. I don't think anyone will complain about how the Greinke situation played out. Trading Corey Hart would have been the same thing. Making moves based on what the fan base wants is foolish. Someone has a good year trade him ASAP and play for 2 years from now! STAT! Last years bullpen was mediocre at best going into the season, trading Axford would have just been foolish No it was not. Going into the season the bullpen was supposed to be a strength, with Axford, KRod, Lowe and Braddock. It ended up being a disaster and Axford was a major reason why. You could have gotten an elite prospect or two for Axford after 2011. Now you just have to hope he can come even close to what he did two years ago. Like I said, people have never suggested trading away guys like Weeks, Braun or Fielder in the primes of their career. But when it comes to guys like Axford, whose major league success seems to have come out of nowhere, maximizing his value wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. I'm sorry but for the most part closers are a dime a dozen. Replacing him wouldn't be nearly as difficult as replacing a Greinke or a Marcum. So if you can get a #2 potential pitcher by trading a reliever you have to at least consider it. And I'm sorry but sometimes teams like the Brewers have to play for "2 years from now". We can't go all in every year and look no further than this year to see why. We've gone all in the past 2 years and now it's time to come back to earth a little bit. Luckily our pitching prospects advanced right when we needed them too, but if Rogers had another setback or Fiers didn't pitch lights out we'd be looking at another rotation with guys similar to Braden Looper and Randy Wolf. Sometimes you need the prospects because they are going to build your core, cheaply, for 4 or 5 years.

Couldn't agree more TBL. I believe he also blew a chance to trade John Axford when his value was sky high. I am not sure if a trade of Hart would have even held up if it did happen but it seems like this is a result of the Brewers not being able to come to a decision on him. It's like Melvin couldn't decide if he wanted to trade him, keep him for the year, or extend him and in the meantime this happens. I think a scenario in which Hart walks for nothing is very plausible right now. I wonder if his status as a pending free agent affected his decision on which procedure to have because obviously as a pending free agent missing the entire season will cost you millions of dollars. So now he has this other procedure and you have to wonder if it will really solve the issue once and for all or if it is just bandage and another injury is inevitable.

Two things I don't want. A college pitcher who profiles as a mid to back of the rotation starter (which is probably the best we could get picking so low), or an outfielder. I think either a high potential high school pitcher, a shortstop, a catcher, or a power hitting third basemen would be ideal.

Just when there were some glimmer of hope that he may actually have a future in baseball.

I'd go with: Aoki Lucroy Braun Ramirez Weeks Gamel Gomez Segura

Trading Gallardo 2 years in advance of his contract ending just isn't the way Melvin thinks. No it's not. But if the Brewers starting pitching prospects make enough noise it's not out of the realm of possibility that Melvin trade Gallaro with one year left on his deal. It'd almost have to be the ideal scenario but if 5 of Peralta, Thornburg, Fiers, Rogers, Jungmann, Bradley, Nelson, Burgos, and Helleg can form a solid rotation in 2014 they may be able to move Gallardo and help restock the system. Unlikely though. Melvin should look at what TB got for Shields and really rethink his stance on his guys though.

Taylor Guerreri would have looked good in Milwaukee. He was a guy I really wanted in that 2011 draft. Also, the Brewers need to be more aggressive with their prospects. I see Coulter and Taylor as two guys who can make that list next season but not if they don't even see Wisconsin until August.

I think drafting for need in baseball, more so than any other sport, is a recipe for disaster I agree and I don't mean to imply that the Brewers should take the best third basemen available when they pick. That being said, when get to pick 150 is there really that big of a difference between the guy you rank 150 and the guys you rank 151 or 152? If the best player available is an outfielder but the next best guy is a catcher, shortstop, or third basemen I don't think you necessarily need to stick to best player available and can instead choose the guy who plays a position you have no decent prospects at. Last draft I hated how they picked Mitch Haniger with Joey Gallo still on the board. I'm not predicting Gallo is going to be an perennial allstar or anything but he would have immediately been our top third base prospect, by far. Instead you take yet another corner outfielder after having already picked a corner outfielder a few picks prior.

The Brewers have done a nice job of building up some depth but I'd really like to see them focus of high ceiling talent in the next two drafts. I'd also like to see them draft a little more for need as they have a ton of outfielder prospects and hardly any decent infielders.

I have DirecTV

I don't get FSW + but I have noticed a lot of games on that channel. The Bucks are on FSW all the time but even when they aren't they'll broadcast like Pac 12 college basketball games before they'll put a Badger Hockey game on. I'm hoping with the formation of Big 10 hockey next season the Big 10 channel will broadcast more games then they do now.

Just wanted to bump the Badger hockey thread. This must be the ugliest hot team in the history of college hockey. They've won 9 of 10 and have points in 13 of their last 14 games but the team just doesn't look good. That being said, they are only 4 points out of 1st place in the WCHA right now. Good defense but they still haven't settled on a #1 goalie. One other thing. I've been disappointed with the tv coverage this year. I have DirecTV and it I get more Minnesota games then UW games.