Invader3K

I don't think the manager is the issue. The offense has still hit these past two seasons. Would a guy like Bobby Valentine have been able to coax out that many more wins with the pitching rotation this team has had over the past couple years? I don't think even Connie Mack himself was going to inspire Suppan to throw harder or Parra to not implode on himself every other game. I'm all for Macha being gone after this season, but a managerial acquisition isn't going to cure this team's woes. Most of the blame probably lies with Melvin. I admit I was tentatively behind most of the moves he made this off-season (I wasn't excited by Wolf, Davis, or Hawkins, but figured they were safe moves that would help this year), but when almost none of them have worked out, I think he has to be held accountable to a high degree.

Well said hawing. Who knows, maybe the Brewers end up being the highest paying option for Prince after 2011? I'm not banking on it at all (I'm guessing Red Sox), but crazier things have happened in sports. Look at the various blogs all over the internet baseball world to get a gauge on how Prince is viewed. Whenever Fielder's name comes up, tons of comments about him being "fat & angry" follow. Now, I assume most baseball GMs are more intelligent than that, but there could be a perception that signing Prince long term is just way too risky.

Yeah, I don't quite get it either. Jackson hasn't even been that great this season. ERA over 5.00 and a WHIP just under 1.50. Not that exciting. Then again, Hudson's numbers don't look very good either (granted, he's only made 3 MLB starts in 2010). People talk up some of these pitchers on the trade market like they are much better than they really are.

No doubt, but eve without drafting Strasburg and Harper, they've been making some other solid moves lately. They have a nice bullpen already and could afford to deal Capps for a catcher with upside. Not like Ivan is going to be around to be backstop forever.

Yeah, with Morneau already on the DL, Mauer getting hurt would be a death knell to their season regardless.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/07/miguel-tejada-josh-bell-scratched.html Padres send minor league pitcher Wynn Pelzer to the Orioles in exchange. Not sure Tejada really qualifies as an "impact bat", though he's still a decent player at age 36. His OBP is down quite a bit this year, at only .308 currently.

Apparently the White Sox, "are on the verge of acquiring" Jackson, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi. Would send Daniel Hudson and another prospect to the D-Backs.

Getting a new GM who seems to have a decent idea of a plan has helped them tremendously.

I think this is a pretty good move for the Nats. While it looks like the Twins gave up a lot, I guess you have to give them credit for trying to improve their bullpen and trying to make a legit run this year.

Not sure how you can really quantify that at all. Anyway, Fielder isn't going to leave because the fans boo other plays when they're performing poorly. He's leaving because he can get a lot more money elsewhere.

I guess I'm just really disappointed in how things have developed in the past year or so. Some of it is bad luck, as can happen to any sports franchise. Corey Hart got injured at the absolute worst possible time, and I guess there isn't much of a market for big slugging 1Bs such as Prince Fielder right now. No one could have seen Hoffman completely dropping off a cliff since last season and basically killing any trade value he would have had, either. However, I also think Melvin has demonstrated a lack of foresight, and a lack of aggressiveness in addressing the club's core issues. I'm just not seeing any sort of long term planning going on right now to make sure this team makes a serious run at a championship while Braun and Gallardo are still here; and it really concerns me. Maybe Melvin does have a strategy in hand for the off-season, but his latest comments don't really foreshadow anything promising. I can just foresee now that we go into next season again with Hart and Fielder, after Melvin states he wasn't getting good trade offers during the Hot Stove season. We'll sign a veteran reliever to replace Hoffman, and another Davis/Looper type to fill out he rotation. The club will make a play for Cliff Lee (the only truly good free agent starter on the market this winter), but get blown out of the water by the New York Yankees. Melvin will sign a veteran Branyan type bench player that will play pretty well. Finally, the team will play well at the start of the season, but fade in June and July because the rotation isn't good enough. Fielder finally gets dealt for an OK-ish middle of the rotation starter with 2-3 years of service time left, and maybe a decent relief pitcher and other spare parts. Hart plays decently, but not as well as in 2010, and ends up departing in free agency after the 2011 season. Perhaps I am being overly pessimistic. I certainly hope I am. However, the overall makeup of this team just has not gotten it done since October '08. As Albert Einstein famously said, "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." It's time for this team to start doing things differently and thinking outside the box a bit more. We heard enough about this current core of players to expect bigger and better things than a single "one and done" playoff run.

I don't think Brewers fans are really any tougher on their players than fans in other cities.

It could possibly mean they think they can compete again next season without a major overhaul.

Scott Miller of CBS Sports says teams have indeed asked about Edmonds. Edmonds has apparently said he "doesn't want to go anywhere."

Yeah, I just saw that as well. I can't really see them making any significant trades during the season, if that is what he means, though.

I posted this thought in the Fielder trade rumor thread; but I'm thinking more and more that Melvin and Attanasio are going to hold on to Fielder (and possibly Hart) to try and make one more run next season.

I'm really thinking more and more Melvin and Attanasio plan to keep Fielder around to try and make one more run next season.

How are the Yankees going to be able to use him when they already have Teixeira under a long term deal? Please don't say "DH", either.

Assuming his surgery goes well and he is able to rehab, I'm sure he'll try to come back at least once more. Some desperate team will be willing to risk $4-5 million on him, despite all the warning signs.

Wolf is making just under $10 million each of the next two seasons. His salary isn't going to make or break signing a Cliff Lee or anyone else, considering all the other money coming off the books next season, and even factoring in arbitration raises.

Assuming he is dealt to a contender, why would he want to block a trade at this point? It's not like he's playing for much in Milwaukee at this point.

I agree, rcon. It seems silly that a team like the Rangers aren't willing to give something (even a couple of premier prospects) up and get a premium bat to make a deep run in the playoffs. What do they think is going to happen when they run up against the Yankees or Rays in October? With how uncertain the future of their franchise is, you would think they would want to try and go as far as they can and increase the team's perceived value.

Fans like to cheer for guys who want to be on their team. Go figure. Prince could have been a king here, but he's more interested in getting as big a payday as possible. He'll go be another fish in a big pond somewhere else. That is fine, and obviously he knows getting that huge payday just isn't possible in Milwaukee. I hope he's prepared for when he goes to a big market, and gets in a bit of a slump. The Milwaukee media hasn't ridden him too hard over the years.

It's looking more and more like the Rangers and Angels possibilities were just pure speculation. Reportedly the Rangers haven't even discussed Prince internally. I hope people aren't getting their hopes up too much.

Having something to snack on is nice. I don't live in Milwaukee, but a bar down the road from me provides free peanuts.