rickh150

I like Corey Hart. I would not want to lose him. In fact, if I had to do some wheeling and dealing, I would try and trade someone elso (Weeks, Gomez, Ramirez) so we could have him playing a great first base for the next three or four seasons and get a bit younger. I, however, am just floating this out there today. The Phillies need a few more bats in the outfield and to get younger a bit. Perhaps we include Thornburg and/or a double AA type pitcher with some upside. We're going to be losing Gomez after the season anyway- he's going to want a big contract. Hart is going to want a big extension too. Without trading another big contract, that looks to be impossible. We do have a bunch of young pitchers, meaning one of them could be dealt. Halladay is still a top 10 pitcher in this league. He is owed 40 million over the next two years. This year, we would have to add just about 4 million or so to our payroll to get him, minus Hart and Gomez contracts. Halladay/Yo would be our #1/2 with a host of possibles for the rest of the rotation. Aoki could man CF for the forseeable future. I believe he has five years remaining with arby. Gamel has a position at 1B or RF, with Schaffer also getting more time. Hunter Morris's path is cleared, as well to see what he can do. We are then considerated a legit threat for the next two seasons. The question is still would the Phillies do it? Well, I'm not sure, but it would have to entice them to get a much better OF. Plus, with their money freed up a bit for 2013 and a bunch for 2014, they could re-sign one or both of the current Brewers long-term. Plus, they haven't won with their three horses yet; last year they didn't even make the play-offs.

Just got it through Amazon. I bought two copies of it. Well, I shouldn't say bought. You can sign up for an Amazon credit card and get a $30 credit instantly to your account. I got two copies (free shipping!!!) and still have $4 in my account. I watched some of the extras. Good quality. Nice production.... One of the best features is the ability to switch from TV to Radio broadcast during the games. I love Uecker's call when Braun hits the bomb against the Cubs in 2008.

LOS ANGELES -- USC quarterback Matt Barkley suffered a sprained AC joint in his right shoulder against UCLA on Saturday and will not play against No. 1 Notre Dame this week, Trojans coach Lane Kiffin said Sunday night. Redshirt freshman Max Wittek will start in Barkley's place, Kiffin said. Barkley hurt the shoulder when he was sacked with two-plus minutes remaining in USC's 38-28 loss at the Rose Bowl. He was examined on the field by the school's training staff before walking off on his own but did not return to the game. "I feel bad for him and his family," Kiffin said. "This is obviously not how you want it to be." Roughly an hour after the game ended, Barkley left the stadium with his right arm hidden in a sweater. His shoulder appeared to be supported by a sling, but he declined to offer information on the injury, citing the program's policy. USC normally does not disclose or discuss injuries unless the players are confirmed to be out for the season. This will be Barkley's second time missing a rivalry game against Notre Dame. He sat out of the teams' matchup in November 2010 because of a sprained ankle suffered the previous week against Oregon State. .................. Everything went down way too fast. He won't comment on his own injury? Do you think Favre would have been ruled out six days before a game with a strain?

This whole Barkley thing at USC smells fishy to me. Here, the University of Southern Cal pulls him out of a huge Saturday game on the SUNDAY BEFORE because of a shoulder STRAIN...Stay with me here. 1. Have you ever heard of as highly thought of quarterback be pulled out of a start six days before a game, any game, for a strain. IF it is a strain, why not wait a few days and see how Barkley throws on Tuesday or Wednesday? Why the need to announce to the world so early that he's out for the game? 2. How much money will Notre Dame get for winning this game against USC (Championship)? How much will they get if they lose? The gulf between those two numbers is in the tens of millions range. If USC loses, there is relatively no gulf. They'll get a lower tier bowl 3. Of all the football schools outside of Miami, what college program gets itself into the most trouble for a variety of issues? On top of that answer, which coach has routinely made questionable choices outside the box of conventional thinking? If you're not with me, I'll lay it out.. Could USC have made a deal, intentionally keeping their QB out after talking with the Irish? Not saying USC throws the game, no way. USC simply says that they'll go with their back-up in exchange for some cash from the national championship game. Notre Dame needs to win this game. Barkley needs a little time to heal for his NFL career and bowl game. USC can get a preview of what they got in their Favre to Rogers transfer next year. Barkley does not even know about it. They tell him that they want him at 100% for the bowl game. They announce this last Sunday so no one can see how well Barkley can throw on Mon. or Tues. at practice. Plus, they can't make the injury too severe-shoulder STRAIN works. Can't throw for a week. How could they explain the huge improvement, right? Seriously, who gets benched six days before a game, not to mention a home game, Barkley's last home game ever, against the #1 team in the land for a strain?

Thanks for the quote, monty, .... I remember writing it with the Brewers a bunch of games under .500. Yet, I'll stick with those words. We're all happy that the Brewers showed some depth with their young pitching. Wow, Peralta, Rogers, Fiers, Estrada, Thornburg, Kintzler... they pitched great! What the Oakland A's have done.. yeah, that sure would be nice if we could do that. This would really free up some cash for other areas. Yet..... let's be real here. Our young pitchers, almost everyone that was called up, did well, that is true. Still. and this is my main point, they only pitched a fraction of a season. Peralta and Rogers numbers look closer to pedestrian if you throw in minor league stats, as does Fiers. Wouldn't you rather have a top two of Yo AND two reasonably priced years of a frontline starter followed by a bunch of young guns than just Yo or Yo and an overpriced, four year deal starting pitcher ala Wolf, Suppan? Our offense is legit. We could do damage with a slightly above average staff and bullpen. To not at least look at a Shields type would be a mistake. Of course, it all depends what is being demanded back in return. To get too deep into my defense wouldn't be smart... if the Rays asked for Peralta, Thornburg, and Fiers, I wouldn't be in favor, no. However, the Brewers would be rolling the dice to stick with a rotation of all youngsters. Why are we so against this? Is it because of the player, James "Big Game" Shields? If the name would be Cobb or Hellickson, would opinions change. Maybe we could be like the A's? But, probably not. Let's just get another anchor in the staff and go from there. Let our younger pitchers battle for the back-end of the rotation for a year or two. Put the ones who don't make the rotation in the pen, if need be. Maybe we could have an all-homegrown staff in a year or two... but not yet. By the way, the A's are on the verge of being swept in the first round of the playoffs. I'm sure they wished they had an ace up their sleeve.

According to Melvin, a veteran pitcher is needed. I believe he is right. Tampa looks to be a great trading partner.

If the Brewers skip Marco's start on Tues., or just push him back, Gallardo is set up to pitch on the last day of season on regular rest. I really like this idea for two reasons. One, we get our best pitcher another start on short rest. Also, if the Brewers have the WC wrapped up, Yo can pitch the WC one game playoff in Atlanta. I have also seen enough of Marcum. He hasn't been good. His pace is lousy; he reminds me of what he was doing in the postseason... very unsure of himself. Thornburg gets the nod for me. We gave Marcum more than enough rope to hang us last season; this year, someone else gets an opportunity.

I was all for Rogers being shut down. Keep him healthy and fresh for next season. Now, I'm not so sure. It would really be nice having him down the stretch. If Marcum continues with his struggles, Rogers would look better right now in the rotation. If that's out of the question, it would be nice to have him in the pen for the 6th or 7th inning, even extra innings.

This guy is dealing lately. When I think of this off-season, I keep coming back to his name. It makes way too much sense for both Tampa and Milwaukee. They need a catcher, an outfielder, and more young pitching, along with salary relief. My take is they want to keep Price around long-term, and that will be costly. The Brewers need a #1 or #2 type veteran starter, which Shields has been. The Crew doesn't want to break the bank long-term, and Shields has two club option years left for reasonable money (22 million total, approximately, I believe).

I like our young pitching...........................BUT: 1. Can we really count on any of them to fill the #2 and #3 spots in a playoff team's rotation? 2. Have any of them put up 2011 Greinke or Marcum numbers, even in their brief stints, to answer question #1. 3. I see Rogers and Estrada as middle relief upgrades. Estrada loses it in the 5th or definitely the 6th, and Rogers has too much baggage to pull 200 innings and not get hurt. 4. Do we remember what are staff was like without a Greinke, Marcum, Sutton or Sabathia on our staff? Proven pitching has gotten us to the playoffs Short-term, the Brewers staff has been impressive the last month or so. Long-term, I tend not to believe...yet. I've just noticed more and more people on this site content with our pitching for next year because what they have been seeing this past month or so. There are many who could be counted on to fill our #4 and #5 spots. Yes, they should be counted on for that. Yet, there are none who should be counted on to pitch 200 innings in the #2 or #3 spots next season. In a few years, I might like the idea of an all-Brewers, home-grown staff. However, with our offense producing like it has these past six or seven years, we have to strike (pardon the pun) this off-season. One of a Hellickson, Masterson, Shields, Felix (pipe dream) and a FA (Jackson ?) are needed to get to the playoffs and then COMPETE in the playoffs next year and 2014. For all who are penciling Rogers as our #2 and Fiers as our #3, I beg to differ.

Gallardo Shields or Hellickson (trade involving a combo of Maldy, Aoki, Morris, and young pitcher) Jackson (FA) or Marcum Fiers Thornburg or Peralta Rogers should be shut down now, in my opinion. He has DL written all over him if he keeps throwing into mid September. I'd rather put his power arm in the pen with less innings. Estrada should head to the pen, as well. I'd like to have Marcum back, as well, if he looks good in September-one year deal.

Of course, history doesn't equate the future. However, history can give a clue of what is to come. A person living in the slums his whole childhood could still become a successful president of a business in the US. However, it doesn't help one's odds. Trading Hart and Ramirez away helps how? We wouldn't be using this money to sign FA, right, according to those who want to ship them out. We would be getting little back for them, with many people making this case that prospects are being held more tightly than ever. We are much closer to getting into the playoffs with a trade for a high quality pitcher and a reshuffled bullpen than in a hopeless no playoff mode like the Astros. Sadly, many of the people that want to totally rebuild are the same ones who wanted to spend 135 milion to sign Greinke for 6 years. Isn't that a bit radical to change directions of a franchise based on one player? Can't we find a good upper level veteran to fill the #2 spot in the rotation so we can have hopes of the playoffs in 2013 and 2014? We are not that far away.

Brewers-I'd like to be at 1982 Game 5 ALCS (Coooop!) and see how it compares with 2011 NLDS Game 5 (Morgan), a game I'll never forget- perhaps best game I've ever seen. Ever- I'd like to see 1957 Game 7 in Yankee Stadium, watching the Braves or Bushville win it all.

He's taking the most money. It'll be a "business decision."

If the Rays try to put Shields through waivers in August, it wouldn't be beyond the realm of possibility that the Brewers would claim him. If I'm correct in thinking that the NL teams starting with worst records would get first shot at the claim, the Brewers could get a jump on the off-season. If the Rays are out of wild card running in a few weeks, they could look to move him to fill in at CF and C for the upcoming season. This would put the Brewers in a position to trade Aoki, Maldy, and a young AA pitcher for him. He'll make 21 mil in 2013 and 2014, and he'd fit nicely into the #2 spot of the rotation. Also, we then could look to boost our bullpen through FA and not pay the outrageous prices on the FA market for starting pitching.

With the Greinke trade, we're in an even better position to deal for a front line pitcher. Tampa lines up really well with us right now. They need catching, a CF, and more young pitching (as always, with them) with cost-controlled contracts. We have Aoki,Maldy, and an almost their pick of pitching for someone at AA. This off-season, I'd like to have Hellickson back, but two years of Shields wouldn't be bad either for 21 mil.

Underwhelming? Maybe. Yet, the Rays have to look at their budget more closely than we do (I can't believe I'd ever say that). Good, cheap, team controlled talent is a priority for them. Scary topic for them.... Price's pricetag in arby.

Fun times to think about possible trades.... The season is in the crapper, but hope floats to a possible playoff shot in 2013. We need starting pitching. We are all 99% sure that Greinke is gone. Marcum probably is gone. Wolf probably is gone. We need some stud pitching. The Rays have been the best team in baseball to deliver year after year of great homegrown, cheap pitching. They are resembling the A's from the early 2000's with Zito, Hudson, and Mulder, among others. We should be looking here first because they know they can grow more starters. Could this possibly get done this offseason? Hellickson for Aoki, Maldonado, Nelson----- We could get a young upper level pitcher for 4 plus seasons. We'll have a huge need for proven pitching next year, and his price tag shouldn't be much in the first year because he hasn't hit arby yet. We would have to give up Maldonado, a top catching prospect now you'd have to think. The Rays could get six years of him. Aoki would fit really nicely in CF with Upton being gone. We could bring up Schaffer or go with Morgan in CF again, with Hart in RF and Gamel at 1B. Aoki's contract is very team friendly for two more seasons, something the Rays depend upon. Nelson could restock some of their pitching. Moreover, the Rays have a lot of money tied up in two starting pitchers already for years ahead and Price will be hitting arby soon. They'll be looking for some good cheap investments in CF and C. Yo and Hellickson as #1 and #2 looks very good.

You can get a good look at a t-bone by....(Tommy Boy)

Aoki is signed for 12 and 13, with a club option for 14. However, I didn't think about his six years of service before FA. Is this true for international signees or can he become a FA in 15?

We all have been hearing about the Nationals' dillema of pitching the recovering Strasburg 160+ innings. What would we, as Brewers fans, say if our team was the Nationals? My view is that the Nationals GM has the right intentions of trying to keep his star pitcher healthy for this season and beyond. Strasburg, however, has good intentions of wanting to pitch every fifth day and help his team get to the playoffs for the first time; he doesn't want to be babied since he feels healthy. My guess is that he'll miss a few starts between now and mid September. However, even with a few missed starts, he'll be at 160+ by mid September, an inning total that has been floated out there as the ceiling for him this year. One option that I have not heard yet is this: put him in the bullpen in August. This would allow him to rest his arm a bit more by not throwing as many innings. They wouldn't have to pitch him consecutive days either. He could be an elite set-up man, and his innings would be in good shape come September. Then, in September and October, he could be back in the rotation and pitch in some crucial games down the stretch. He could pitch normally in the postseason(if they can get in after Strasburg's absence from the rotation in Aug.) because of the rest in August, even if he did go over 160 innings. Moreover, if the Nationals shut this kid down in September, I think they'll have a PR problem and a Strasburg problem on their hands, good intentions or not. The fans and Strasburg will be ticked off and in my view, rightly so.

We cannot get to the playoffs without top tier pitching. Nobody can debate this sanely. The Brewers haven't yet produced top end pitching at the ML level in bunches, talent that sticks. I'll say ever. The Brewers have made pitching trades that fit their team well for the short term, giving them windows of opportunity (I forgot to mention the K-Rod trade in an earlier post- another great trade). Why we should pin all our hopes to our next wave of pitching is not realistic with our pitching history. Maybe a couple will be year after year starters. But, to sit back and BE CONTENT with our pitching situation in 2013 and 2014 is nuts. We can't overpay on the FA market for Suppans and Loopers. Trading a few players for a #2 with an affordable contract would be a welcomed addition to a "big little" market that cannot do business like a dozen or so big market teams in baseball. Starting pitching, starting pitching, starting pitching.... With it you can still lose(see 2010 and 2011 Seattle Mariners). Without it, it's a guarantee.

I agree that rebuilding the minors is important. That's why it would be beneficial to trade Greinke now (we probably aren't in the playoffs, yet how cool would that be if we could get in this year yet) and trade for great price controlled pitching in the next couple of years. That has been the Brewer way.... trade for top notch starting pitching and develop position players for the big leagues or trades for starting pitching. Since we have no history of producing great pitching aside from Teddy, Yo, Sheets in the last 30+ years, we need to get it somewhere. We can't outbid big market teams either on the FA market. We, however, are on the cutting edge for trading for big time pitching. This has to continue to be the way we go. Without great starting pitching, this organization has gone no where. The correct answer is develop your own pitching. The real life answer, at least for the last 30 seasons and now for the Milwaukee Brewers, is trade for it. When we have traded for great pitching (Vuke, Fingers-81 Sutton-82, CC-08, Greinke, Marcum-11), we make the playoffs.

As I stated in the trades forum, James Shields is the answer. He is on the block to be traded, supposedly. He's much cheaper than Greinke- we get two years of him for one year of Zach. He's signed through 2014, with both years actually being club options. If we could get him now for a trio of let's say Maldanado/Bradley/Goforth (Rays need catching and value young pitching), we could trade Greinke for prospects and hopefully a good young SS. So, yes, trade for solid contract controllable pitching and trade Greinke.

mlbtraderumors has Shields on the market. Wow!!! He has two club options left on his deal, a really great deal for a small market. With 9 mil in 2013 and 12 mil in 2014, he has to be and better be on the Brewers' radar. His ERA is up to the mid 4's this year. Yet, considering the division- Yanks, Red Sox, Jays, not to mention the league- Texas, Angels, Tigers, those aren't terrible numbers. He finished THIRD in the CY Young vote last year, and he's only 30 years old. Moreover, this would keep the fan base excited for next season: Yo and Shields at the top wouldn't be Yo and Greinke at the top, but it would give us two years at what it would cost for one year of Greinke, not to mention the four more years we would be married to. Our young pitchers could finish out the rotation, with a cheaper FA signing possible too. Like most big market teams have done with us over the last umpteen years, we might be able to start looking at the lower revenue teams like the Rays for a trade. What could get it done right now... today? Well, the Rays have nothing set at the catching position with no catching prospect in the near future. It just so happens we have two pretty good young catchers. That could set up a nice exchange. We get a #2/3 pitcher for the next two years. The Rays get Maldonado, a good young catcher for six years. We probably would have to give up a good AA pitcher too, probably Bradley or Jungman type, along with something at A ball (Gagnon, Goforth, Ramirez). Would this be a fair and beneficial deal for both clubs? Since the Rays are rich in pitching and weak in catching, along with being salary strapped, I think this could get done if Melvin was motivated to move. We could then deal Greinke and K-Rod to LA (Angels need relief help too) for more needed prospects, maybe a Segura (SS) from the Angels. I'm for doing this now, while Maldy is hitting daily and while a pitcher of Shields talent and salary structure is on the market.