RyDogg66

I love the Dodgers as a fit, but they have been nortoriously stingy with their prospects. They rarely let them go until they have flamed out. (See Hanrahan, Jackson and Laroche to name a few)

In this scenario (which enough people have shot down that I know was a bad idea), Salty would be our catcher next year and our backup 1b, should we not be able to find one. as I said in the OP Blalock to 3b this year, Davis is a 1b/3b and Salty is a C/1b. Gives us lots of flexibility should someone get injured or a catcher getting hurt or not panning out, which has been known to happen. Neither Salome or Lucroy are beating down the door and I dont expect either to contribute in 2009, and 2010 is too far away to pencil them in as starters.

Fixing Basketball is what needs to happen. Basketball, to me is more like Football than baseball, and it should be played that way with the schedule. If I were commissioner I would immediately slash the season down to 60 games and play those 60 games over 20 weeks. The next thing I would do is have ALL teams play on the same days. Those days would be Wednesday, Friday nights and Sunday afternoons, with a marquee game on Sunday Night. Also, I would have weeks alternate home and road. A team is either on a odd week schedule or an even week schedule. If on an odd week schedule you would play Weeks 1, 3, 5, etc. at home, that would be Wed, Fri, Sun, and then even weeks on the road, Wed, Fri, Sun. I would also shorten the game to 40 minutes and take away a personal foul from each player, making it more like college with 5 personal fouls. The playoffs would be shaved to 6 teams per league, with the top two earning playoff byes while the first round goes back to a 5 game series for seeds 3-6. In the playoffs, no more than one day off in a row. This guarantees your top teams in the round of 4 in each conference, which has to be good for ratings, it also rewards them with a bye, rest and home court, thereby making the regular season more meaningful. To me, the nature of baseball being a game of repetition is the reason it needs to be played out to a 162 game season and played everyday, because the law of averages needs time to let the best teams rise to the top. I do not believe this is the same in basketball and 82 games is just way too long, especially when 8 teams make the playoffs. This is just my two cents as an extremely casual fan. It just seems to make a lot more sense.

I could hardly get past the opening roster announcements. Here it is, the home opener (right?) and I swear I have seen more enthusiasm at a county jail line up.

Where does Sheets fall on the list?

I wonder if we can give them Suppan and take back some salary like Lowell, that would actually help us by filling 3b and leaving just a hole at 1b.

What number is Macha. On the jsonline it looks like he is number 4.

Did they also get rid of "Packers Insider" Mike Clements?

I love that tag line. Melky Cabrera, just a guy.

I would think Nick Johnson, Ryan Zimmerman and John Lannan would be a start.

The thinking is that Blalock will be brought back for only 6.25 million. How is Texas going to replace Blalock for less than 6 million, especially when teams like Milwaukee might be willing to trade for him? Blalock is similar to Cameron in that he is priced for less than market value and the risk of just one year. I doubt he is cut loose.

Texas has never been shy about trading pre-arby talent (Adrian Gonzalez, Chris Young, Edinson Volquez, etc) this trade would be part Salary dump, part restocking. Hank Blalock (LH 3b) Chris Davis (LH 1b) Jarrod Saltallamachia (Switch Hitting Catcher/1b) Pitching Prospect For Prince Fielder/Bill Hall Texas is has some good young catchers in Gerald Laird and Taylor Teagarden. Our good young catchers are at least a year or two away, and it never hurts to have more, plus Salty can play some 1b. Chris Davis has 30 HR power, Ks a lot. I dont know about his defense, but he is also liste as 3b, so I would imagine it isnt horrible. Blalock is a salary pick up, and the reason we give them Hall. A starting pitcher that is probably along the lines of a Dave Bush type. 1. Weeks (2b 2. Hardy (SS) 3. Braun (LF) 4. Blalock (3b) 5. Hart (RF) 6. Davis (1b) 7. Cameron (CF) 8. Salty © Is this lineup better than 2008? My guess is it depends on Davis. If Davis can go 550 ABs and hit 30 Hrs with an OPS around .850 he would be a push from Fielder's 2008. In 295 At bats after being called up Davis hit 17 Hrs with an OPS of .880. This also gives us roster flexability. If Blalock gets hurt, Salty can play 1b and Davis can play 3b if needed.

Could we deal him to Texas for a package? Chris Davis might be a good stopgap, toss in Hank Blalok and a young pitcher or two and maybe we have ourselves a deal?

In regards to Lew Ford "still sucking", he did garner some MVP votes in 2004, finishing 24th in the balloting. Surprising, huh?

You do know that Melvin offered Macha the job in 2002, before Yost and before Attanasio, right? I'd like to think that was Melvin's decision back then, and if he hires Macha now, it would mean that he still thinks he is a good field manager. (edit: long quote --1992)

A 4 year 100 million dollar deal for CC would be a decent move. With pitchers, it is length more than money that I am concerned with. Sure, that 25 million in the 4th year could cripple us if CC tanks, but not as much as 18 million in years five, six and seven for a guy like Zito.

If my choices are Macha, Brenly or Randolph, I will take Macha by a landslide.

Every comment in the jsonline blog is negative concerning Cameron. It is almost as if they have no clue about baseball. Also, if we did decline his option, could we still offer him arbitration? Im not sure we could. Not that I would want to. I'd rather offer him arby next year when he is a type A free agent.

Im currently looking into a massive class action, let me know if you want in on it. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

Im sure the "credit crunch" hasnt affected you one bit, but I keep getting dozens of credit card offers each week and they tell me I am pre approved, but I know better than to apply because I have been rejected enough times already. I currently have one credit card, but it has a $4,500 limit, and my balance is somewhere between $4,400 and $4,500, where it has been the past 3 years, even though I havent charged anything on it in over 2.

Oh lord, Lay-a-way is back. I suppose so, all the credit has dried up.

It pains me to start this thread so early in the season, but I just read on jsonline that there is a chance for flurries this weekend. Nothing that will even stick mind you, but flurries none the less. So, BF.net weatherman, how will this winter compare to last?

2.49, made it to best of last 500 games list. Woo me!

Bigfoot in North America I doubt. A big hairy beast in the Himilayans? Now that I think could be true.

Here it is.