rickh150

Glad we kept the starter healthy for a change…or so we think. Also, why Nationals are not challenging a couple of balls in 9th are pretty bad strategy…gotta use on anything close in 9th, especially when having 2 left and base runners needed.

Crow’s curve was impressive….fastball had some movement with different arm delivery. I wonder where he slots in now with Gasser and Henderson.

I am not counting on his bat being as good as 2024 or as bad as 2025. My guess is that his at bats are considerably less than last season. I do like his glove on the team, especially as a late inning replacement, Unless he is worse than 2025, I count on his abilities for 2026 and 2027.

And the Dollars have an old stadium, as well. Why they don’t build a new one with all that money at their disposal….Im not sure. Probably something to do with lack of public funding. Ha.

Jason Seaver, “Well, well, well….” For the sky is falling, a .500 record is pretty good. Maybe Pat will lead the team in a Champaign toast ala 2005.

Made is best SS prospect in baseball. Tops. Plays SS in theory now…handwriting is on the wall and on the Pratt checks that Made will take backseat to him, whether Pratt comes up this year or next. That added investment to Pratt plays a big part to how the Brewers configure their infield and matters for the likely trades that will happen? Do you see the contract as a reason to give Pratt first crack at SS? Why or why not? Is Made’s future tied at all to Pratt?

Made: “My thoughts too! Why worry when I am the best? But, oh yeah, my employer sees me differently for the next 8- 10 years, an after thought mind you, at the position I currently craft and train daily.. And it’s not just a thought, It’s a big money almost guarantee that Pratt gets a long and extended shot at SS REGARDLESS how well I play there this year. The brain trust is THAT confident Pratt is a better SS than me…..the #1 overall (not just SS) prospect in baseball…that they’ll stake $50 million guaranteed he is better than me there! Why should I fret? Well, back to infield practice I go to practice those in the hole throws. La di dah, La Di dah…” “And oh….one more thing (Columbo), my thoughts too! The team can always find a place for good bats (well, unless you are Hiura in 2022 at DH). Just not at SS for me in Milwaukee….no matter how bad Ortiz bats there this season…or Pratt the next two/few.” (It is just a remarkable thing that right when the Brewers have the best overall/ SS prospect in baseball, they have their next 8-10 years planned financially at that position! So funny too. Hope it all works out truly…just fun to think thru from different possible views and conjectures.)

Woodruffs velocity was down in 2025 and is even more down in 2026 with various articles about this in spring training. He talks of it himself when mentioning that he didn’t want to use his bullets in minors which shows his max effort tops at93 ish now. I’m surprised his fastball avg was 93 for first game since I was at first game and saw many in low 90s…must have been cutters and sinkers. https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/brewers-brandon-woodruff-reveals-approach-200005482.html

It is SUCH a player friendly deal that EVEN Scott Boras tells him to take it! Can’t get much more player friendly than that. And I would love to know what deals the Miz and Made rejected before throwing this deal at Cooper. Seems like a candy store deal where mom gives you $5 to spend money on something. They were out of the jelly beans and the Cadbury eggs were too much so I got the M$Ms.

The position… what position does Made play regularly? I’d get him playing another position NOW….no reason for him to play mostly at SS now. Some, sure. But acting like this Pratt deal is a nothing burger..,it basically says we aren’t planning for Made to be a major league SS. I think that would be a big deal to what….the #1 prospect in baseball? And this just puts Peña behind another guy in the infield…which likely includes Williams, Made, and Pratt. Like another said somewhere, getting Williams and Peña outfielder innings regularly now makes sense too. The opportunities to play infield in Milwaukee for a minor league guy appears very limited for the next several years. And I didn’t even mention 1st rounder Fischer! I mean, anything can happen….goes without saying. …but the infield was crazy crowded already in Brewers MiLb. This makes it even more…and less flexible when giving a guy long term money. I chalk this up as still a good problem to have, iron sharpens iron competitiveness and all too. There are positives. But this is something going forward. Pratt is definitely getting a shot and that will keep others back in the minors, put a couple out to the outfield or traded to an organization with a better fit….all big deals to highly touted players, which we uniquely have mainly stacked in the infield. With Woodruff, he hasn’t finished a season since 22. And his avg velocity is not 93 MPH in 2026….not spring training and not in his 1st start. I think the team was shocked he took the one year deal, and the opportunity to get a high pick from his jettison elsewhere was the real goal…..just way too much money for him now. He makes more than our entire pitching staff…the other 12 guys!

Excited? Maybe kinda glad or pleased for him. Sure. Friendly guy and good for him thoughts…. I can see that. But we’re talking about some very highly rated prospects in Made and Peña getting the rug pulled out from underneath them. There is no regular SS time being projected NOW in Milwaukee for either. I think that would make Made especially concerned about the team’s plans for him. And if I’m him, I’d question why they would put me at SS to start almost any minor league game now. Just a very different kind of deal….the Brewers didn’t need to pay any meaningful $ for any infielder for the next 6-8 years. They are so deep and could keep Made/Pena down for 2-3 years. Yet they drop $50 mil on their 3rd or 4th best SS now while he hasn’t proven that he can hit AA pitching. I know the Brewers are good at evaluating talent. But this seems unneeded and maybe even problematic with other IF on the rise in the organization. We obviously like the Chourio deal and I hope to come to like this one too. Just odd. Almost as odd as dropping $22 mil on Woodruff to maybe pitch 100 IP this year throwing 91 MPH fastballs on a reconstructed shoulder. I’d rather spend the $72 million Woodruff/Pratt money on traded for players or extensions to current players.

My issueS plural with this are more about the domino effect…from one possible disgruntled employee to another. Contreras- “They are being cheap with me over $1-2 million so they can hand $50 mil to a kid that might be good when I’m outta here? Ortiz- “I guess my days are really numbered “NOW.” Frelick- “Good to see they are paying our 3rd or 4th best minor league SS 50 times more than I’m making this year.” Made- “What position am I crafting to get good at again? SS? Really? Pena- “What team will I be traded to? hmmm…. Fair or foul, human nature says this will breed a few issues that Murphy will not want in his clubhouse. I also don’t think the Brewers are doing themselves any favors long term by driving up the price of these deals for unproven players.

Get a cream puff…..how much do they cost?

Sportrac has Vaughn as a FA in 2027…what is it?

Triple check, then. I am looking at the actual shot clock! Above the rim. It even went backward for a bit from 30..29.30..29..28..27 The shot clock still could have been started a bit early. Not arguing that, but the actual shot clock was at 20 and ball/man were in backcourt. My question is about he actual rule….Is 20 the penalty, or is it more like an NFL zero on play clock and they look the other way until 19? No ref is counting with his arm 10 seconds either. The official clock on backboard is 20 and it easily could have been called a violation, giving Illinois great chance to win, stay in Big Ten contender status, and give Badgers another tough loss.