rickh150

Attanasio and Melvin always have to have one eye on the gate. They can't do what some of us would like and tear a mediocre team down for prospects that might be good. If we could get 3 million fans regardless of the team on the field, that would be different. ARam's contract isn't that bad if he can continue to hit .270/.340 with extra base power, plus staying healthy. There is no need to trade him.....yet.

After looking at those that are in- Aaron, Fingers, Molly, Robin, Cooper, Selig, Uke, Dalton, Gumby, Gorman, Money, Kuenn, (Braves side) Matthews, Spahn, Quin, Burdett- I believe a solid five could be put out there on a regular basis. 2012----Higuera, Vuckovich, Logan, Jenkins, Gary Vanden Berg 2013----Cirillo, Bamby, Caldwell, Adcock, County Stadium Public Address Voice of the Brewers (sadly can't remember his name) 2014--- Crandall, Oglivie, Simmons, Schroeder (about 30 years with team as player/announcer), a season ticket holder from 1970 2015--- Don Sutton, Doug Melvin, Jerry Augustine, Larry Hisle, long-time Brewers usher 2016+ Some from past lists could be included again with a few new names added yearly A loyal ticket holder, long-time usher, or some Brewer faithful in the media could be on this list of five yearly (not to say he or she would be the one voted in). Current players such as Hart, Weeks, Braun, and Yo could or should be added down the road. Fielder and CC would be choices in the future too. Maybe Counsell would be on the list one year. Brewer debate would be good for the organization. A time to remember the Brewers' good, solid players and loyal Brewers' fans or workers would be a welcomed tradition. So, I'll take Higuera in 2012, Bamby in 13, Simmons in 2014(he should be in the HOF), and Melvin in 15(Dalton made two playoffs in 16 years).

So inducting no one is better? Then we probably will have to wait until Braun and Fielder retire. We'd be missing opportunities to celebrate really great Brewer people. I'd rather make it a yearly thing, or even every other year, with a lower bar.

I have been thinking about this for a while. The Brewers Walk of Fame has not had an entry in many years. What a shame! Many are voted on, by the media I believe (another shame), but in the last five years or so none have gotten in. Here's an improvement: 1. Every year, one person WILL enter the Walk of Fame. This could be a former player, coach, manager, loyal season ticket holder, fan, usher, grounds crewe attendee, broadcaster, or anyone with Brewers scent on them 2. Brewers fans or management may nominate people- perhaps a note or e-mail would be required to describe why this person should be in the Walk 3. Brewers management or the media could cut the nominees to five 4. Brewers fans would vote at the stadium or online for the inductee, one per year 5. The inductee could speak before a Brewers game, throw out the first pitch, talk with Brian and Bill for an inning, and so on. Maybe the other four nominees or family of the nominees would be on hand. The Brewers should have one day a year, maybe in September when All-star balloting is long gone, when being a Brewer is celebrated. Brewer pride should be celebrated in itself. I'm sure some will argue that most players/coaches that haven't gotten the votes yet don't deserve to be in. Yet, if the Brewers are going to have a Walk of Fame, they should have an annual entry. Lower the bar a little to include more good, solid Brewer people, not just the usual all-stars or HOFers. Gary Vandenburg, Dale Sveum, a season ticket holder from 1970, Fielder, Braun, Hart, Gallardo, Counsell, Shroeder, Teddy H. or a few more guys from 82 could be entered shortly or in 10, 20 years. I don't think we'd have a shortage to pick from. How fun would this be!

Dealing K-Rod probably will happen before Greinke.

The Phillies won the WS in 2008, without CC, actually beating him in the NLDS Game 2.

Keep bunting, RR! You are making the Brewers a better threat to score runs in multiple ways. The THREAT to steal/bunt can occupy the pitcher's and manager's minds, producing errors and misplays by the opposition.

Don't we have issues at SS? Jeff Bianchi is hitting .321 at AAA, .330 for the year at AA and AAA. I know he probably isn't the answer, but I'd take my chances on him for a couple weeks hitting in the #8 spot. He's only had 3 errors this year. Plus, Money thinks enough of him that he hit 3rd for Nashville yesterday. Call him up (Izturis down). Time is not on our side to get this thing turned around. Go with the hot bats.

Not gonna happen............ Hamilton, a guy that doesn't drink anymore because of past/present addiction problems, is not going to be a BREWer and head to a place synomous with beer and tailgating. Not a good idea for him. Risky addition at a premium price for the Brewers.

With the extra wild card and one less team in the Central, along with a 85-90 million budget and promising young, cheap pitching, the Brewers shouldn't feel they are hopelessly out of it from 2014-2016.

If the Brewers rip up next year's contract, they could make it a new four year deal (60 million?). That might get it done. I too want the Crew to shore up pitching quickly, but this Hart deal is more urgent I feel. If it gets too late into 2013, he'll probably want to test the FA waters too thinking that the Brewers are taking him for granted. Hart was terribly under appreciated last year for his numbers in just five months of play. He is being under appreciated this year for his power and versatility, along with his willlingness to be yanked around in the order on a weekly basis.

Is it too soon to give Hart an extension? Should he get one? Should he be traded? These are topics that have been brought up here quite often within other threads in the last year (as well as a few years ago). I argue that the Brewers keep him: 1. He still has a lot of pop left in his bat for the next few years. 2. He has been playing, as RR said, "gold glove" caliber first base. 3. Hart has mentioned recently that he will bat or position anywhere just so he is still with the Brewers. 4. The Brewers likely could not get his production from FA without overpaying, ala Jason Worth, Jason Bay. 5. The Brewers have no power hitters coming through their system in the next couple of years. If we cannot sign Greinke, if we choose to let Marcum walk, if we decide to buy out Wolf's option, the next thing on the agenda should be extending Hart for another two or three years with a portion of that money.

Profar for Greinke and K-Rod and 10 million cash (contracts covered). Here's why it could work. 1. Greinke would help them more than any other player in baseball. He's pitching that well. His ERA is under 2 without the bad start in Wrigley. Darvish, Greinke, Oswalt= Wow! 2. K-Rod is pitching his best of this season right now. He struck guys out on 96 and 95 mph in Chicago. Huge surprise. 3. The Rangers bullpen came up short last year against the Cardinals. Bullpen depth hurt big time in the extra innings. They were inches away from a title only to have an unproven bullpen lose it to Berkman, Freese, and a few other Cardinal bench pieces. 3. Harrison, Lewis, Ogando, Feliz, and Holland are all banged up. 4. Andrus is hitting .300, has a .348 career OBP, steals a bunch, is only in his 4th season, and should still improve. He is home-grown, produces regularly, and is a fan favorite. It would be tougher for management to trade him down the road, especially after playing so well on playoff teams. 5. Most importantly, Melvin shouldn't underestimate the Rangers want to win this year. They came soooooooooo close last year. I argue that they want to win it all more than even we did last year, a year when we traded away a top 10 talent for two years of Marcum. A Cy Young winner, a proven veteran closer in the bullpen as a set-up man, and a boatload of cash could make this a possibility, especially for a team like TX set at SS. No where else could the Rangers get two better pieces to their puzzle for this season. Look at what K-Rod and Greinke did for us last season in the 2nd half. This could happen.

I've been looking for this year's playoff info for a while. This is what I have so far: - extra playoff team - one game playoff for Wild card winner - 2-3 format for division series I have been looking for more info on playoff situations: - What happens with tie-breakers? If two teams tie for the division and both would be in for the wild card, do they have to play a game to decide the division winner? - If three teams tie for the division or the last wild card spot, what happens? Is head to head ever used? These are just a few of the possibilities. Any help would be appreciated.

If deemed healthy, it would make sense for the Brew to sign him to a two year deal so they have some insurance in case Greinke, Marcum, and Wolf don't come back. Do it for now AND next year.

5 years for 100 million... basically what we offered CC.

I don't like the seeding part of the playoffs. Seeding should go by record, in my opinion. The Wild Card entry should not be the automatic #4 seed. Playoff Scenerio- these teams get in: Yankees 100 wins Red Sox 97 wins Twins 87 wins Rangers 95 wins Angels 93 wins Right now in baseball playoffs, Yankees would get # 1, Rangers #2, Twins #3, and Wild card winner, Red Sox or Angels would get #4......... The Yanks would have to play the Red Sox or Angels, even though they have more wins than the Twins. I would leave everything as is, except for the seeding part. I'd make the regular season record carry more weight, seeding everything on record in the NLDS. In my scenerio, the Yanks #1 would be playing the Twins #4 and the Rangers #2 or #3 would be getting home field against the Angels#3 or would not be getting home field against the Red Sox #2. This seems more fair to me. I like how the emphasis has been put on winning your division so you don't have to play in that wild card playoff. Yet, more emphasis is needed on the final record, as well, to decide home field.

No, I won't be able to make it. It sure sounds like a fun time, though, with all die hard Brewers fans around. By the way, what magazine/paper is doing the best burger contest?

Congrats to AJ Bombers for one of the best burgers in Madison. Not sure of the magazine or site doing the brackets, but it's down to the last two and AJ bombers is there.

I'm not sure what Marcum would want in $ or years, but looking at what he's getting this year, he'll want a boatload of cash per year. There's no way that he's getting a long term contract with the Brewers with that Suppan-like fastball. Greinke prices himself out of the Brewers range, probably. No one talks about Wolf, but he has an option for next year that is pretty high. How sad would it be for the Crew to have to pick that up just to form a staff?

Small topic, but it is February. The General lots took down a bunch of the numbers on poles that made finding your car a lot easier when the lots are fill, last year about every game. Easy fix in my opinion by just getting those numbers up again. Now it'll be Yount 9 instead of Mets 9 or whatever it used to be.

Since when are we supposed to believe Melvin in this part of the offseason? Of course he'll say that Gamel is destined to play 1B this year. Why wouldn't he? Gamel's trade value would take a huge hit.

When the Milwaukee Brewers reached Sept. 1, a few players were to be added, I knew. Yet, my wonder was what players would be added WITH Mat Gamel. By not even bringing him up at that point or throughout September, when the Brewers needed every last win to secure home field in the 1st round, the writing(in pencil, at least) is on the wall for Gamel in the Brewers' organization: he's gone by Opening Day. Why? - He could have been on the Brewers' roster. There are no rules to keep him off it. Yet, the Brewers felt he could not help them win one game. If they did, he would have been on the team in September. They needed every win, remember, and his Braun-like numbers warranted it. -Fielder, as a pre-rookie was brought up for part of a season to sit on the bench and soak it in and hit off the bench. They believed in him and wanted to get his feet wet for the next year. Gamel was in the same position with the same GM. Different decision - Gamel could have had a great experience watching a MLB playoff race. He could have a few meaningful pinch AB's in crucial spots. The crowd would have come to its feet to greet their new 1B in the making in a key spot. Talk about a confidence booster! All positives could have accomplished. A boost into this year could have been launched. The Brewers said no. -The Brewers had no legit power threat off the bench. In a pennant race, that could have been huge (think Matt Stairs). - The Brewers must think his trading value is looking pretty good right now. They must have thought that his worth could not have been added to in September that much, and that an 0 for11 could have done more serious hurt to a player's status, a player that has not ripped it up in the majors in his two short stints. I do not buy the Brewers view that they had enough lefties on the bench and that more batters could mess up BP. Come on! That's pretty weak. For you doubters, look at it this way: could any of you tell the future 2012-2017 IB of the Milwaukee Brewers to sit on the couch at home when he could be watching it up close, sitting between Braun and Fielder? The real reason Gamel was not in a Brewers' uniform in September of 2011 was hidden cleverly: Milwaukee is NOT high on Gamel. The dude will be shopped...seriously.

I'm continually amazed that there is no talk about an extension in the CBA. Or did I miss something and they agreed on a new one when I was on vacation? Why no talk anywhere? The NFL was talking about there agreement two years before it expireed. The NBA agreement is now always in the news. Although I'm sure much talk and stuff is taking place behind the scenes, this should be a bigger story. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there is no CBA for 2012, right?

Throw in another guy chucked at 3rd on the 3rd out and McGehee, yes, McGehee, being asked to double steal and take home. Terrible decisions on the bases. Agressive whatever. Just plain dumb.