splitterpfj

http://sports.espn.go.com...y/index?athleteId=3708887 To all you parents out there...find a good pitching coach!

I just got off the phone with a buddy of mine in NY - he's laughing out loud at the notion of adding Cameron for Cabrera. He says Melky is as average as they come, and can't, "Hit for power like Cameron, run the bases like Cameron, or cover center like Cameron." NY wants a defensive upgrade in CF, for one season - Cameron is it, and they know it.

There has to be a pitcher in this, or it makes no sense. If there's at least a young arm who may help out, I can understand why you might do it, if there's not, this is a pure salary dump, disguised as an attempt to add a lefty bat.

I don't see anything positive about Cabrera for Cameron. The point is to get better, not just different. Who cares if Cabrera bats left-handed, if he can't get on base or hit for power? Nothing about Cabrera suggests this is an upgrade. He's younger, cheaper, and left-handed - none of which suggests he's a better player than Mike Cameron. If the money isn't used for a significant upgrade somewhere else, this team is getting worse offensively and defensively with this move. Worse pitching, worse defense, less power....but we've added a lefty bat....whoopdee-doo.

In the latest blog update at JSOnline, Tom H. reports that Melvin did talk to Texas, but has told them he will look elsewhere.

The Brewers scouted Padilla last July, and came away unimpressed, I'm surprised to see his name come back up. I want no part of Padilla, but Millwood might be able to help the Crew.

I'm very pleased to see this. The writers only began including online contributors last year, and all of those came from places like ESPN and Yahoo. The ESPN, Yahoo, etc, guys belong without question, but it's time to see places like BP being recognized. More and more fans get their information from places like BP, Hardball Times, etc, I'm happy to know those voices will also be heard when it comes to Hall of Fame balloting. Good move, writers, and congrats to Will Carroll and Christina Kahrl, of Baseball Prospectus. http://sports.yahoo.com/m...ore-Intern?urn=mlb,128191

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/35887119.html Hoffman is near the end of his career and probably will be looking for a one-year deal at a relatively modest price. Fuentes is in the prime of his career and is looking for a multi-year deal for probably something close to $10 million a year. And many more teams are after Fuentes than Hoffman, so the bidding will be more fierce.

We'll see what happens, but I think the Brewers are in a good position to land a closer right now. Fuentes and Hoffman are still loose, and Putz, Jenks and possibly Street are available through trades - Matt Capps may also be a possibility. The Cardinals will get somebody, and Detroit is pushing to trade for a closer, which leaves Milwaukee, and maybe the Rockies, unless they keep Street for that role. I think Fuentes goes to St Louis, and Detroit will deal for Putz if they can. If that happens, that leaves Hoffman free, and Jenks available...somebody will land here.

Congratulations to the Sabathia family! If you're the Yankees, and this is the flawed system they let you play in....why not go for it? It stinks, and it's Exhibit 9,302,604 of how messed up baseball's financial class system remains....but if I'm them, I go get him too. The Brewers have to add one starter, and could certainly use two of them, Doug has said he thought any changes would come through trades if they lost CC....so...let's see it.

Bill had talked about this during spring training, he said he'd be getting it done.

Thanks, davego. Those of you who are in the Madison area need to get over to Deming Way and check that place out...you won't forget it!

Glad you liked it, lukevan, thank you too!

Brad was great, very generous with his time and information. I hope you like it. -Todd link

I nearly did a Hall of Fame Trial on Gordon, I did not, because he played so long ago. This is a very interesting selection, Gordon was an excellent player, who's career was interrupted by the war. Gordon had huge power for a second baseman of his era. I don't think Mr Gordon was a slam dunk for the Hall of Fame, but I won't argue against his election either.

Baseball caught my eye when Hank Aaron passed Babe Ruth. There was a lot of fuss in WI about it, because Aaron had played for so many years in Milwaukee. I wondered what all the commotion was about, and I lived in Richland Center, which just happened to have a Brewers' radio affiliate, so the games were always available to me. I started listening to the games, then I was falling asleep at night listening to the games, and the next year I got into baseball cards....and here I am.

and the fact he's only 27 (i think) Close, he turned 28 in July.

Yes, it was arm problems for Moose. I believe he had a shoulder injury, I recall him starting off like a world-beater with Oakland, something like 6-1 out of the gate, but then he started missing time. Of the players the Brewers got for Moose, only Charlie O'Brien saw significant time in Milwaukee. Steve Kiefer was a classic AAAA type, Pete Kendrick was the young arm Harry Dalton wanted most....but injuries hit him almost immediately. Moose had a shoulder injury early in his career with Milwaukee, in 1978. He set a team record by striking out 14 Yankees in April of that year, but made only two more starts before hitting the DL, I believe that was a rotator cuff injury.

The case for Blyleven: I compared Bert to a group of ten Hall of Fame starting pitchers, all of whom were active during his career. The group consists of Bob Gibson, Gaylord Perry, Catfish Hunter, Phil Niekro, Steve Carlton, Fergie Jenkins, Jim Palmer, Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan and Don Sutton. As with the other players I've examined, I wanted to see how Blyleven compared to his peers who are in the Hall on a per season basis. W=wins, L=losses, CG= complete games, SHO=shutouts, HR= Home Runs Allowed, BB=Walks Allowed, K=strikeouts, ERA=Earned Run Average, S= seasons, 34 starts or 68 relief appearances=1 season S W L CG SHO HR BB K ERA 19.4 15.2 11.8 12.2 2.7 20.2 80.3 161.8 3.13 Group 20.2 14.2 12.3 11.9 2.9 21.2 65.4 183.2 3.31 Blyleven There were 10 Hall of Famers at his position during his career, an average season for the group was 15-12, Bert was 14-12. They threw 12 complete games per season, so did Bert. Blyleven held a slight edge in shutouts, walked 15 fewer batters per season, and struck out 21 more batters per season. Again, these facts are in comparison to 10 elected Hall of Famers from Bert's position, during Bert's era - same ballparks, same rules, same opponents, etc. The man is 5th ever in Ks, and 9th ever in shutouts. Ever...as in 4 guys have more Ks and 8 guys have more shutouts, in over 100 years of play. According to Baseball-Reference.com, 8 of 10 similar pitchers are in the Hall of Fame. 80% of his peers got 75% of the vote or higher. Blyleven's exclusion is absolutely ridiculous.

I'm no fan of Greene, this wouldn't bother me at all. http://blogs.nypost.com/s...8/12/khalil_greene_o.html

So says Peter Gammons. Why...because Houston is trying to cut payroll. Well now, that didn't take long, did it? Still mad at the Brewers?

According to this, the Giants have asked about JJ Hardy, but the Brewers have turned them down. link

I cannot reveal my source, but I can tell you Salome did not make this year's list strictly due to concerns over his size. Scouts aren't sold on his ability to hold up at the catcher position.

FTJ, people did like Rizzuto - myself included. If they had put him in as an announcer, I think it would have been great, his inclusion as a player was a major reach. Rizzuto won an MVP and finished second in the voting another time - I respect that. Rizzuto had the heart of his career ripped out by the war - I respect that. Career totals - 1588 hits, 38 HR, 563 RBI, .273 Average, .706 OPS Among the ten similar batters on baseball-reference.com, we find Jose Offerman, Jim Gantner, Tom Herr and Delino DeShields. I loved the guy, he was a great ambassador, and he deserved to go in as an announcer....but this is not, was not, and will not ever be a Hall of Fame player.

I do think the Yankee thing is overblown...Roger Maris isn't in, Joe Gordon isn't in, etc. I think Hunter wouldn't have gotten anywhere near the HOF without his time in NY, and I still can't figure out why he's in. Rizzuto was elected by the Veterans, but again, no chance if that same career happens in Missouri. Bill Mazeroski also got some indirect benefit, and also from the Vets. If he didn't hit that HR to beat the Yankees in the World Series, how many of us would know about him?