adambr2

My apoligies for how this ended up looking after posting...I'm trying to figure out how to fix it up with my limited HTML abilities. EDIT: Okay, fixed. I just learned something else -- FireFox = Good for editing on here. GoogleChrome = Bad.

I thought it might be good to have a thread breaking down Doug Melvin's moves with the Brewers, both signings and trades, to see how he good of a job he's done for us. I'm sure I'll forget some, so feel free to add. Richie Sexson/Shane Nance/Noochie Varner for Junior Spivey/Craig Counsell/Lyle Overbay/Chris Capuano/Jorge De La Rosa This was definitely one of Melvin's better deals at the time. He was able to get Arizona to make an excessive offer for Sexson, who was clearly on his way out of Milwaukee at the time. Spivey was a decent stop-gap at 2nd for Weeks. Counsell was a servicable utility player. Overbay was a great stop-gap for Prince and eventually turned over for more players. Capuano's best days are behind him, but he was a huge part of our rotation in '05 and '06 and former All-Star. De La Rosa, had a good deal of potential, but never panned out as a Brewer. Lyle Overbay for Dave Bush/Gabe Gross/Zach Jackson Gross was a solid bench player, and Jackson, who was supposed to be the gem of this deal, never really panned out as a prospect, starting only sparingly in the majors as a spot starter call-up. This was still a good trade in the sense that he got a decent starter (Bush) for an average first baseman, though Overbay was very popular in Milwaukee. Doug Davis/Dana Eveland for Johhny Estrada/Claudio Vargas Not one of Melvin's better moves, though it was likely that Davis was on his way out anyway. Estrada was disappointing in Milwaukee, and Vargas was let go after a so-so season. Eveland would be a pretty decent option for our rotation right now. Carlos Lee/Nelson Cruz for Francisco Cordero/Kevin Mench/Laynce Nix Not a bad deal considering Lee's days in Milwaukee were numbered. Cruz ended up being no loss for us. Mench and Nix had no real positive impact for us, but Cordero shored up our problems at closer for the rest of '06 and all of '07. Scott Linebrink for Will Inman/Joe Thatcher/Steve Garrison Not a great deal, but not as bad as some make it out to be, since Linebrink was turned over for two more prospects at the end of the season, this deal ended up being a near wash. Signings: Jeff Suppan- Soup has been pretty disappointing, but I'd put a lot of blame for this one on Mark A. Eric Gagne - Another disappointment, but no long-term affect on the payroll. Another one where Mark A. had a pretty strong hand in the deal. David Riske - Has been disappointing so far, but it remains to be seen whether Riske can rebound from some '08 injuries to regain his effective form in 2009 and beyond. Ryan Braun - Just a great signing here, and it's not too early to say that. Bill Hall - Looked like a good deal at the time, but Melvin overpaid for Hall after a breakout '06. Hall has not impressed since then. Mike Cameron - Nothing to write home about, but a pretty good stop-gap in CF to take care of that position for us for 2 years. Jason Kendall - Again, nothing spectacular, but shored up our defensive catching problems and gave us a servicable catching stopgap for Salome. Minor trades/transactions: Trading Wayne Franklin for Villanueva ended up being a great deal for us, and trading a minor prospect for Torres may have been a difference maker in making the playoffs in '08. The Gabe Kapler signing was a great one year deal, while the Seth McClung/Grant Balfour trade worked out pretty well for both parties, though obviously it'd be nice to have Balfour now. Turnbow was a great scrapheap signing for a time, although he has since lost pretty much all psychological ability to pitch at any level. Summary: Like most GM's, Melvin has had both great moves and busts, some moves of which have looked different depending on the time that you looked at it. It also seems like it would be in Mark Antanassio's best interest to shy away from influencing Melvin and let him do his job on his own, though some may believe that if Mark A. hadn't forced Melvin's hand in firing Yost, we wouldn't have made the playoffs in '08. Overall, Melvin seems to have a pretty good handle on his job and hasn't made any major mistakes as general manager.

I think the Brewers offer $7M, and Boras asks for $10M, and it goes to arbitration, same as Howard's situation. Unlike Howard's situation, I think the Brewers win.

He has our only playoff win in the last 26 years.....so, he is a gamer. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

No. Now if you want to change the question to, "Was signing Suppan in 2006 a mistake?" I would reply with a resounding "yes".

Corey Hart: "We're trying to see pitches and see what we can do. ... I'm not going to sit there and walk, though." Yeah Corey, we noticed. (fixed code --1992)

Who says the Cubs are a lock?

Were you upset when Durham walked and Braun doubled in the 1st inning? They aren't going to get hits every time.No, they'll usually get about 4 per game (the entire lineup, that is.)

THANK YOU CRAIG!!! Now how hard would that have been to do, Corey??

THANK YOU CRAIG!!! Now how hard would that have been to do, Corey??

DFA Corey Hart.

DFA Corey Hart.

Is it insane that I would pinch hit for Hart here?

Is it insane that I would pinch hit for Hart here?

If I'm Pinella, I probably just walk Hardy and set up the easy K or DP with Hart. Only half joking.

If I'm Pinella, I probably just walk Hardy and set up the easy K or DP with Hart. Only half joking.

I played some RF in YMCA league when I was 12. Good enough?

I played some RF in YMCA league when I was 12. Good enough?

This is pathetic.

This is pathetic.

Bill Schroeder's theory is that we play better now because Yount is here and we don't want to disappoint him. Really, Bill. It's just that easy, isn't it?

Bill Schroeder's theory is that we play better now because Yount is here and we don't want to disappoint him. Really, Bill. It's just that easy, isn't it?

For this offense, that's asking a ton.

For this offense, that's asking a ton.

Jason Kendall for Brewers MVP? Bill, please just stop.