dadofandrew

KC is improving, TOR would be a contender if not for their division, and CWS are decent. That said, MIN looks to be in the unfun part of the success cycle, and needless to say, it looks superb compared to this year for W's and L's. Attendance wise, I bet they wish the White Sox would be visiting instead of the Jays, but that's for others to worry about.

I saw the graphic and commented on Ramblings it was incorrect. 12th game-winning HR maybe, depending on how it is defined.

As I talked about today at Ramblings, Yuni is -7 UZR for the year, and many SS's are worse, both in UZR and DRS. Saying it over and over does not make it so.

One thing to remember is they never play a one game playoff unless it's to decide who gets in, never for division/wildcard, or home field. Once you keep that in mind, you know what's a playoff and what's a tiebreaker.

They were going to call up another pitcher, and waited because Fiers just pitched the other day, so was unavailable. They said in the McClendon piece that he was one of three under consideration, assumed the others were Wily and Fiers. Yes, anyone could be brought in to throw to Rickie, without being on the roster.

He'll be on an Opening Day roster, without a doubt. If he doesn't figure into the Brewers' plans at least as a reserve, they'll have no trouble getting equal value, though it is slightly lower now due to no options. He's a former top prospect who had a 900 OPS in AAA, a 1000 OPS versus RHP, and can play four spots, three of them probably at league average or above. At the very least, he'll fit in nicely on someone's bench.

Gamel will certainly play somewhere, as he can hit and can play any of the corner positions. He might just platoon, but as a LH hitter, that's fine. He's improved every year in AAA too, a sign he has not peaked yet. He still has plenty of value too, as his name came up this summer in the Thornton discussions. Gamel has been blocked in the easy to play spots, and may well be in his 2nd/3rd year had Braun/Hart/Fielder not existed. The problem with Money is the same as Lopes...he does nothing to get guys to the next level, he just complains. After he left MIL, Davey was given all kinds of credit for the Phillies running game, and he was one of best basestealers to ever play the game. Why is Gindl not picking stuff up? Is he explaining stuff to him or just grumbling as he goes by. He doesn't even know what's wrong with McClendon, if it's velocity, control, or what, despite having access to a plethora of info? In his season ending chat, he blamed the lack of scoring on a "lack of team speed," saying guys could not score from 2B on many base hits, despite his team not having nearly as many slowish runners as the Crew. He doesn't seem to "get it," and is a world class grump. What's that old saying, if he was married to Raquel Welsh, he'd complain about her cooking? In Don's case, he'd do it in the media, which makes him an old grump, and unprofessional, who doesn't seem to develop players, help them improve, or do much of anything except the bare minimum of what he's told. All the guys who lacked in defense improved after they got to the bigs, not under Money, who was a tremendous defensive infielder. It's almost like he's got Ted Williams, "I don't know, just hit" syndrome.

TB has figured out a way to be competitive despite a low payroll, just like Beane did years ago. It's about finding the players who are undervalued. As of now, those are pre-arby players, with some cheap FA's found to fill out the bullpen. In many ways, I long for the days when the Brewers were building, and the mainstream was too busy watching the Packers or NASCAR to notice. We never went to a game this year because every game we looked at was packed. Deciding to go on a Friday night, and arriving 30 minutes prior to the game Saturday and walking up to the ticket window, and paying $12 each for passable seats are a joy set aside for those in TB, PIT, and SD.

The funny thing I see is all the examples people give...if the Brewers go .500, SL can only lose a game, for example. I promise you MIL's worst 14 game stretch is something like 3-11...that's what I worry about. Teams go into slumps all season, but no one recalls if it happens in April or May. Just imagine Axford struggling like Hoffman last April/May, or Braun or Fielder going down with a pulled hammy.

Teams like the Crew can easily get by effectively and cheaply by signing a couple guys like Eric Hinske and Xavier Nady...they provide depth to the corner spots and can platoon if needed at DH. When Braun and Hart was injured, they could have DH'd to ease their way back in. It doesn't have to be a spendy guy, as Thome and others have signed cheaply. It would create more jobs for those players, but they need not be $10M a year types.

I could put up those numbers in Albuquerque. He'll also be 26 next year. Is he a better prospect than Gamel? You could argue so, but at first glance, I'd take Mat's future. EDIT: Splits for Justin here. While I was joking about me matching his AAA stats...I might be able to give his road numbers a run for their money.http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif His size, or lack thereof, is a red flag too.

Gindl, Merklinger, and Manzanillo are no doubters in my mind. Wheeler and Wooten are possible as well, but it'd almost be easier not to protect them, as then the other team that wants them would have to keep them on the 25 man all year. They have the skills that could allow them to be kept (utility, middle relief), but neither has much of a ceiling, and are older. If they are added, and then have to be dropped when a FA is signed, all someone has to do is find a 40 man spot for him for 24 hours, then slip him off at some point.

If he never gets an XBH, he is very valuable if he can have a .364 OBP, at SS especially. However, he has a .322 OBP in over 400 AAA AB's, granted, at 20/21. I have to agree, he looks more like a utility guy than an Escobar.

Sure seems to me a young SS would have a ton more value than an older SP with only a year left on his deal. I'd expect to give younger talent, and be rebuffed anyway, as the Mets seem likely just to move him to 2B for a few years. I assume the Mets would counter offer for Peralta.

As pointed out before, Greinke does not agree to come to MIL if not for Marcum. I have long said I would have never dealt Lawrie. However, I do understand it. Above average SP's are hardly ever available on the trade market, and they cost a lot.

Wal Mart in Wausau had gold T-shirts today. Didn't see any jersey T's, but plenty of T's in blue, light blue, gold, and white.

Rickie may have been heading elsewhere for rehab or a medical appt.

BA was in Boston yesterday.

Not many 40+ year-old women that 22 year-olds look at in awe. Golly.

Farris would basically just be a PR, never mind his position. Eric would be wise to find a winter ball job somewhere and convince them he can play OF. As a utility guy with speed, a few teams may overlook his crappy OBP numbers. Fiers has pitched brilliantly, but are a few low leverage innings worth putting him on the 40? That's one less player to protect this winter if they add Mike. It'd be different if they needed him to pick up a couple starts. Gindl seems kind of repetitive with Green and Gamel, never mind Kotsay and Kottaras.

That's a mighty weak list. Jordan Brown would be my #1, Mike Rivera #2. Mercedes, Segovia, and Henderson would probably be the rest of my top five, based solely on velocity.

Gindl is the youngest, and has played very well at AAA at 22, just like Hart. I'm not sure what to think of Schafer, as he's missed so much time, but I like Gindl to at least be a platoon starter in LF/RF at some point. For a LH hitter, that's a full-time job.

KRod should not have been eligible, no one caught it.

I think they have to give 2K or so to MLB. About 5K for WS.

The entire top ten is home openers and Cubs' games. Tells you where the demand is. I would guess the top 20 is those plus all fan giveaways.