Matt Breen

Not to be a dick, but the game was tied for 2 pitches (first and last) and the Cardinals had the lead when the other 311 were thrown. Brewers never had the lead when any pitch was thrown Ha! I took that from a Cardinals message board. I blame those 'morans'.

313 pitches in this game. Cards lead for 311. Tied for 1. Brewers lead for 1.

Well, that was a nice way to finish a game. Well done.

Thanks to everyone who participated in our latest Top 25 poll. Here are some stats and numbers for this poll: Traded from the Top 25: Harrison, Diaz, Brinson, Yamamoto Newcomers to Top 25: Jean Carmona, Jon Perrin, Adrian Houser Number of ballots: 40 Number of players on ballots: 62 Mr. Irrelevant (1 point): Gilbert Lara, Michele Vassalotti, Carlos Luna Risers: T. Williams (+9), Nottingham, Lutz, Ponce (+5) Fallers: Bickford (-7) Please know that all write ups are my own observations and opinions. If you see any mistakes, please let me know. Sometimes autocorrect will trick me. Or I’ll cut and paste something incorrectly. Other times I just mess something up. I will update as needed. 2018 destinations are what is known as of April 3, 2018. There are a couple of players who we are uncertain about - and I will update as soon as we find out their specific club they will start with this year.

#1 (+3) Keston Hiura, 2B, age 21 977 points (24 1st place votes) - 40 of 40 ballots. A stellar 2017 debut and a great spring camp (.419 BA) has thrust Hiura to the top of the BF.net prospect listing. If he can settle in defensively, he has All-star potential. Anagram name: Haiku Stoner 2018 Destination: A+ Carolina #2 ( - ) Corbin Burnes, RHP, age 23 960 points (12 1st place votes) - 40 of 40 ballots. Athletic pitcher who attacks batters with a four pitch mix. Add in good control and you have nothing but success thus far for Burnes. If he continues his winning ways in 2018 don't be surprised if he is in Milwaukee by the trade deadline. Anagram name: Nubbier Corns 2018 Destination: AAA Colorado Springs #3 ( - ) Brandon Woodruff, RHP, age 25 908 points (3 1st place votes) - 40 of 40 ballots. After an encouraging stint in Milwaukee late last year, Woodruff will open in Milwaukee's rotation despite a lackluster spring camp. For Woodruff, now it is about developing consistency with his mechanics and staying healthy. Anagram name: Barf Food Rundown 2018 Destination: Milwaukee #4 (+1) Brett Phillips, OF, age 23 805 points - 40 of 40 ballots. A logjam in the outfield, along with a poor spring, has Phillips returning to AAA to start 2018. Phillips needs to use the time in the minors to cut down his strikeouts and improve his hit tool. Barring a trade, expect him back in Milwaukee at some point. Anagram name: Pet Birth Pills 2018 Destination: AAA Colorado Springs #5 (+1) Luis Ortiz, RHP, age 22 778 points - 40 of 40 ballots. Talented right hander with a good feel for pitching. With a plus fastball and slider, watch for Ortiz to continue to refine his change up in 2018. Also, look for the organization to continue to push Ortiz's workload, which has never surpassed 94 innings. Ortiz came into spring training having shed some weight - a positive sign for the youngster. Anagram name: Roil Zit Us 2018 Destination: AA Biloxi #6 (+5) Tristen Lutz, OF, age 19 764 points - 40 of 40 ballots. Hitting the ball - and hitting it hard - is one sign of a quality hitter. In 2017, Lutz produced elite exit velocities - velocities that would have been at home with the top hitters in the majors. The quick bat and live action are what make him one of the most exciting - if not the most exciting - hitter in the Brewers farm system. Lutz is still very young, but his power potential is tantalizing. Anagram name: Let Zits Turn 2018 Destination: A- Wisconsin #6 (+1) Freddy Peralta, RHP, age 21 753 points (1 1st place votes) - 40 of 40 ballots. An undersized right hander, Peralta struck out lots of guys last year (169k in 120 IP) and held hitters to a .178 BA. He also walked 62 batters. If he can refine his control in 2018, he can take a huge step forward in his development. Due to his small stature and control issues, some believe Peralta is best suited as a reliever - but the Brewers will continue to work Peralta as a starter until he proves he can't get the job done. Anagram name: Drafted Replay 2018 Destination: AAA Colorado Springs #8 (+2) Lucas Erceg, 3B, age 22 716 points - 40 of 40 ballots. Erceg's exciting 2016 debut was tempered by a solid, but not great 2017. He showed an over-aggressive approach at the plate - and needs to work on being more selective going forward. Erceg sports a tremendous arm, which gives him the potential to be an above average defender at 3B. Anagram name: Cage Ulcers 2018 Destination: AA Biloxi #9 (+2) Trent Grisham, OF, age 21 647 points - 40 of 40 ballots. Dude can take a walk like no one in the system (led the Carolina League with 98 free passes). But now is the time for Grisham to improve his hitting. With his patience at the plate, he doesn't need to hit .300 to be a success. But he needs to improve significantly on last year's numbers (.223 BA). Formerly known as Trent Clark. Anagram name: Mr Shattering 2018 Destination: AA Biloxi #10 (+9) Taylor Williams, RHP, age 26 552 points - 39 of 40 ballots. Everyone loves a comeback. Williams missed two straight seasons of baseball and his successful return as a reliever in 2017 was encouraging - even getting him cup of coffee with the big league club last September. His spring training numbers - 3.48 ERA, 12K and 3BB in 10.1 IP, has put in on the cusp the majors. Anagram name: Amorality Swill 2018 Destination: AAA Colorado Springs #11 (+3) Mauricio Dubon, IF, age 23 545 points - 39 of 40 ballots. Dubon is one of those guys who clocks in all over the prospect board. Some see him as a utility guy due to his lack of game power. Others see him as a slick fielding 2B or SS who has the potential to hit better than he showed in 2017. If Villar falters in 2018, and Dubon produces in the minors, he may get the chance to show his stuff in Milwaukee. Once he reaches the majors, Dubon will be the first Honduran native to play in the big leagues. Anagram name: Rumba Ionic Duo 2018 Destination: AAA Colorado Springs #12 (+5) Cody Ponce, RHP, age 23 458 points - 38 of 40 ballots. Big and hulking, Ponce has the profile of an innings eater type starter. For 2018, the Crew will want him to stay healthy (an issue that has dogged him) and pick up where he left off last year. Anagram name: Cop Coy Ed 2018 Destination: AA Biloxi #13 ( - ) Corey Ray, OF, age 23 449 points - 36 of 40 ballots. The fifth overall pick in the 2016 draft is looking to rebound after a lackluster year and a half as a pro. Some of Ray's issues can be attributed to knee surgery before the 2017 season - but his overall line (.679 OPS, 156K) was very disappointing. Although he is an exceptional athlete, Ray will heavily scrutinized. He needs to make necessary adjustments at the plate and show better strike zone judgment if he's going to avoid plummeting in our next fan poll. Anagram name: Racy Yore 2018 Destination: AA Biloxi #14 (new) Adrian Houser, RHP, age 25 366 points - 37 of 40 ballots. Brewerfan.net voters boarded the Houser train this offseason, vaulting the hard throwing righty way up our boards (and back into the Top 25. Despite limited time on the mound (following TJ surgery in 2016), Houser impressed the club in the offseason - both on the mound and off. His fastball can reach 97 mph. The club will work Houser as a starter, but if they are in need of a big arm during the season, he could end up in the bullpen in Milwaukee. Anagram name: Diarrhea Onus 2018 Destination: AA Biloxi #15 ( - ) Jake Gatewood, 1B, age 22 364 points - 35 of 40 ballots Showed signs of life last year with 40 doubles and 15 HR. Tremendous raw power, but lack of contact his limited him thus far. 2018 will be telling as he faces more advanced pitching. 2018 Destination: AA Biloxi Anagram name: Wade Goat Joke #16 (+2) Troy Stokes Jr., OF, age 22 325 points - 33 of 40 ballots Compact player with good speed and surprising pop. Stokes doesn't hit great (.251 last season), but he takes his walks. While Stokes has played all three OF positions in the minors, he has a weak arm, which may limit him to LF - or a bench role - in the majors. 2018 Destination: AA Biloxi Anagram name: Joker or Tryst #17 (+5) Jacob Nottingham, C, age 23 262 points - 31 of 40 ballots Improved as a catcher, struggled at the plate. Scouts see a lot of raw power in Nottingham - something he hasn't translated into game power. He just turned 23, so he's still young for a catcher, but he's going to have to improve at the plate if he wants to reach the big Leagues. 2018 Destination: AAA Colorado Springs Anagram name: Bacon Jam Tonight #18 (+7) Kodi Medeiros, LHP, age 21 254 points - 27 of 40 ballots Sporting a wicked slider and fastball combo, Medeiros continues to intrigue despite his struggles as a pro. He has shown some success as a reliever - and may end up there down the road. 2018 Destination: AA Biloxi Anagram name: Kiddie Romeos #19 (+2) Mario Feliciano, C, age 19 251 points - 31 of 40 ballots Athletic but raw catcher, Feliciano held his own as an 18-year old in 2017. Scouts see a guy with a good feel for hitting. Look for more doubles and a more robust batting average as Feliciano continues to mature. 2018 Destination: Will begin the 2018 season on the DL. Anagram name: America Oil Info #20 ( - ) Marcos Diplan, RHP, age 21 200 points - 27 of 40 ballots He throws smoke. Strikes out guys. Lacks control. Walks lots of guys. Needs to be more consistent and hone his mechanics. His high effort delivery may portend to a bullpen move in the future. 2018 Destination: A+ Carolina Anagram name: Pascal Nim #21 (New) Jean Carmona, SS, Age 18 186 points - 23 of 40 ballots Athletic SS hit .302 in the DSL last season. Carmona is still a teenager but shows signs of being a quality player - he has a great arm, runs well and has the size to develop some pop as he matures. 2018 Destination: Rookie Ball Anagram name: Major An Acne #22 (+1) KJ Harrison, C, age 21 171 points - 21 of 40 ballots Advanced college bat who continued to hit in his pro debut last season. The real question is if Harrison can stick behind the plate - where his bat would be a plus. 2018 Destination: A- Wisconsin Anagram name: Sir John Ark #23 (-7) Phil Bickford, RHP, age 22 152 points - 21 of 40 ballots Suspensions, failed drug tests and injuries have plagued Bickford, a talented right hander who sports an above average fastball and slider. He is the only player to fall down the Top 25 list (despite the Brewers trading four players from the last poll). Let us hope that the man gets his life - and game - together. 2018 Destination: Will not open the season on an active roster Anagram name: Bird Chip Folk 24 (+1) Trey Supak, RHP, age 21 137 points - 22 of 40 ballots Big man with a solid fastball, a good curve, and uneven results. Supak has fought injuries and inconsistencies throughout his career. The potential is there - and with a little experience Supak may be ready to make that next step in 2018. 2018 Destination: A+ Carolina Anagram name: Rusty Peak #25 (new) Jon Perrin, RHP, Age 24 109 points - 18 of 40 ballots By putting up nothing but solid numbers since being a 27th round pick in 2015, Perrin has worked his way into the BF.net Top 25. Congratulations! Perrin doesn't have great tools, but he throws strikes and pitches smart. Could he be our next Brent Suter? 2018 Destination: AA Biloxi or AAA Colorado Springs Anagram name: Roper Jinn The Rest Josh Pennington - 96 points Caden Lemons - 88 Zack Brown - 86 Gabriel Garcia - 85 Bubba Derby - 81 Carlos Herrera - 74 Nathan Kirby - 54 Aaron Wilkerson - 43 Ernesto Wilson Martinez - 36 Jorge Lopez - 32 Nick Ramirez - 26 Dallas Carroll - 23 Drake Owenby - 23 Kyle Wren - 17 Thomas Jankins - 16 Cody Beckman - 11 Tyrone Taylor - 11 Cooper Hummel - 10 Larry Ernesto - 10 Braden Webb - 10 Carlos Rodriguez - 10 Nate Off - 9 Aaron Familia - 8 Devin Williams - 7 Jay Feliciano - 6 Angel Ventura - 5 Johnny Davis - 5 Payton Henry - 5 Demi Orimoloye - 5 Je’Von Ward - 4 Tyler Webb - 4 Blake Lillis - 4 Joantel Segovia - 2 Quintin Torres-Costa - 2 Carlos Luna - 1 Michele Vassalotti - 1 Gilbert Lara - 1 All ages are as of April 3, 2018. Full voting thread: viewtopic.php?f=64&t=36499

Having lived outside of Wisconsin for five years, I had many opportunities to talk about Braun with people. For the most pare, people see him as a cheater, a liar and a weasel. He tried to game the system, lied about, then insinuated some low level sample collector had done something to frame him. The vast majority people don't know or understand the nuances of Braun's case. So when people start going to nitty gritty details it's pointless. They just see a cheater, a liar and a weasel. Most people I ever talked with regarding Braun didn't hold taking PEDs against him. They aren't happy about it - but they can understand why a guy does it. It was the way he handled the situation after he was busted. He didn't 'man up' and he tried to blame someone else. He wasn't just a cheater. He was also a liar and a weasel. It doesn't help that Braun was really good. People love to tear down people off pedestals. And he has a calm, cool arrogance that turns off many. The PED bust and all that followed only fed into people's perception of him. Again - Cheater. Liar. Weasel. They don't care about the nuances of the situation. They don't care that his test failure should never have been leaked. They don't care that he actually won his appeal. They don't care that the samples were compromised. They don't care about any of that. Because no matter what - in most of these people's eyes - they see a guy who is a cheater, liar and weasel.

I agree it's crap. You put on a shift and the guy took advantage of it. That's the Twins fault - not Cisco's. If the Twins didn't like it, they shouldn't have put on the shift.

Cardinals Lineup RF Dexter Fowler (S) CF Tommy Pham ® 2B Matt Carpenter (L) LF Marcell Ozuna ® 1B Jose Martinez ® C Yadier Molina ® SS Paul DeJong ® 3B Jedd Gyorko ® P Miles Mikolas ® Brewers Lineup CF Lorenzo Cain ® RF Christian Yelich (L) LF Ryan Braun ® 3B Travis Shaw (L) 1B Eric Thames (L) C Manny Pina ® 2B Jonathan Villar (S) SS Orlando Arcia ® P Zach Davies ®

The guy who started the Braun to LA trade rumor has apologized. Said it was a joke pulled on him. He goes into detail about it. http://www.thinkbluela.com/2018/04/apologies-from-an-april-fool/

Nice. I'll take it.

Hello, Ladies http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/headshots/mlb/players/full/6218.png&w=350&h=254

Just watched the highlights. Man, that was sweet.

How can posters report posts/posters? Sounds like a much more constructive response than the airing of grievances in the threads. Thanks mods On every post - in the upper right corner - there's an exclamation point. Click on that and you can report a post. Please note that mods aren't always available to respond to such reports. It may take time to have someone look at the report - and take an action (or not). Typically we look at reports and if it's an obvious infraction (let's say someone used profanity), we act (such as deleting the post and maybe putting a note in the thread asking people to respect the forum's rules). If it's a repeat action, we might PM the user with a warning. On rare occasions we will ban someone without warning if they do something really egregious. Thanks for asking.

awesome.

Win-Loss Record: 89-73 Playoffs (Yes, No): Yes Highest Playoff Level Achieved: World Series Victory All Star Game Representative(s): Yelich, Cain, Knebel, Hader Offensive Player of the Year: Yelich Pitcher of the Year: Anderson Most Surprising Player: Taylor Williams Most Disappointing Player: Chacin

With games starting, I would like everyone to take a moment and look at this post from last fall. The IGTs can really get off track if we let them - and I'd people to help out by reading this post about how we can make the IGTs a better experience. Thanks. viewtopic.php?f=65&t=35914&p=1062402

Yes, he was slow. It contributed to making him a bad outfielder. I looked at his dWAR rating on Baseball-Reference - in 23 seasons he only had a positive dWAR once.

Hughes did a nice job for us. Hopefully Jennings can do the same. He’s not a guy that has a bunch of blow up innings. That keeps you in games and gives you a chance to win. Exactly. No one should expect to pick up a great player at this juncture. You're just looking for a guy who can throw average baseball for the year. There's value in that.

Holland to the Cardinals. Locking this thread. If you want more, go to the major forum to chat. viewtopic.php?f=63&t=36567

Yeh, he was awful. 6.38 ERA after the all-star break. Had a 1.62 ERA before the break. Tale of two seasons for the guy. He was coming off missing an entire year, so it may have simply been fatigue. Who knows - but it is a red flag. St. Louis is a great spot for him as he'll get lots of save chances.

Staub seemed like a truly good guy - along with being a good player. I encourage everyone to read the write up on MLB Traderumors. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/03/rusty-staub-passes-away.html After he retired, Staub created a foundation to “give children the opportunity to live full, happy and productive lives and to give aid to the hungry.” They've raised millions and built food pantries all over New York. After 9/11, he established a fund for police and firefighters widows - raising over $110M to date. As a player, I remember Staub as a consistently good player. He wasn't great - but he was very consistent - solid power, solid hitter, took a ton of walk (he was also a bad outfielder from what I recall). He walked 1255 times in career - and only struck out 888 times.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/03/cardinals-close-sign-greg-holland.html 1-year, $14M

It was so awesome to see this pinned to the top of the forum. Been too long.

Watch for results in the next few days. Thanks to everyone who participated!