shtiny

There is only one reason, I disagree with the Yost firing…. it didn't happen soon enough. Ned should have been let go after the September swoon of 2007. He showed enough of his incompetence during that year and nothing has changed. He is a poor in-game manager, acts too much like a bench coach in his coddling of certain players, and never installed a winning attitude against tough opponents like BOS or PHI or NYM. Here are some of his major issues: Coddling of players: Why is Billy Hall playing on a regular basis? IMHO, Bill Hall needs to not play again the rest of the year. It isn't like he can actually hit left handed pitching. Right now he is hitting .313/.378/.542 against lefties… pretty good on the surface… but if you remove the pathetic left handed pitching that Pittsburgh throws out (Gorzelanny, Duke, Maholm, Burnett) and he is hitting .254/.323/.466 against the rest of the left hander's in the league. Those are not numbers that scream out BILL HALL NEEDS to play against lefties… those are numbers that say BILL HALL should be in AAA. Not defending other players: When Carlos Villanueva got out of a huge jam in a big game against St. Louis in late August, he showed some on-field emotion. This led to a mini-argument between Pujols and Villanueva. Instead of protecting his pitcher, he scolded him publicly and took Pujols side that Villanueva shouldn't have "shown up" the Cards in that situation. Creating clubhouse rifts [not in the clubhouse]: Yost had a well-documented exchange last year in the dugout with Johnny Estrada. This year, Manny Parra and Prince Fielder started a fight in the dugout. Outside of Jeff Kent and Barry Bonds, can you remember a time when this happened for all to see, much less twice by the same manager? Yost's disrespect of the media after the game was laughable, as he gave a ridiculous quote: "It's a little bit rude when your neighbors are fighting next door for you to go knock on the door and ask what happened." Really? The beat reporter for the Brewers doesn't have the right to ask what happened in the dugout during a game? Setting up a pitching rotation: Yost set up his September pitching rotation, by giving Sabathia 3 extra days of rest in August. His reason was to have Sabathia pitch twice against the Cubs. By doing this, Sabathia missed a potential extra start during the season. In addition, he missed both the Mets and Phils series… which IMHO were WAY more important than the Cubs Series. The goal is to make the post-season. His handling of Dave Bush is also beyond explanation. Admittedly, Bush had a very rough start to the season. He was 1-5 with a 6.56 ERA through May 22. But then, Mike Maddux (a/k/a GOD) changed his mechanics and Bush went 4-3 with a 2.70 ERA in his next 9 starts. So, what does Yost do? He puts Bush in a Home/Road Platoon with journeyman Seth McClung, so Bush would only start home games, and McClung only road games. In Bush's two starts prior to the decision he gave up 1 run in 16 innings… Obvious solution, would be to give Bush 16 days off before his next start? So, of course Bush struggles in his next 2 starts before going 4-0 with a 2.12 ERA in August. In Game decisions: Jason Kendall is an upgrade over Johnny Estrada. I get that. It doesn't mean that Kendall has to start EVERY game, including both halves of the doubleheader on Sunday. Kendall has started 139 out of 150 games. It isn't like they don't have a back up catcher. Rivera is hitting .311/.382/.443 in very limited time, which is pretty good for a defensive catcher. I also, understand that it is a tough decision to pinch hit for your catcher with only one backup, but with September call ups, the Brewers have 4 catchers on the roster, and Kendall is still hitting in the late innings against tough Right handed pitchers like Brad Lidge. I am not going to discuss his nonexistent bullpen acumen. Yost has been stuck with an awful relief corps during his tenure in Milwaukee, so it is easy to mismanage it. Riske should have been a good signing, but he has turned into a disaster. Gagne, Mota, Torres have had their moments, but none are dominant relievers that can be counted on for the long term. Joe Sheehan of Baseball Prospectus wrote a terrific article about his use of Brian Shouse on Sunday, which unfortunately is not an isolated incident. As an organization, the priorities don't align with a winning organization. Just this year they have focused way too much of their efforts on non-material things. Here are some examples. Internet Vote push for Braun and Hart for AS Team Pushing back a Sheets start so he could start the AS Game And most relevant: Focusing efforts on reversing a scorer's call for Sabathia no-hitter Yost was more upset about the No-Hitter denied to CC then he was about anything else in his six years as manager. (added some vertical spacing --1992)

isn't that even more of a reason to bump Sheets to Saturday and move Parra to Sunday? Parra would get one less start which he clearly needs more than Sheets. Also, why would the team want Sheets pitching in the AS game??? This would give him a good excuse to miss it. If there are no aspirations to win the pennant, then fine, hold him back for an AS game start and help the publicity of the franchise, but that isn't the case anymore. My main question, wasn't whether this would occur (moving Sheets up).... It was more of whether it was even a consideration. Does anyone think that Yost/Melvin have mapped out the schedule for the next 3 weeks to realize that the last chance to move Sheets up is tomorrow?

I have been having a lot of difficulty getting an answer to the following from anyone covering this team. Maybe someone here can help. Is there any chance that the Brewers will shuffle the rotation, and allow Sheets to pitch on Saturday on typical rest? If they do that, and push all the other pitchers back one day, then Sheets will pitch on Saturday, Thursday July 3rd, Tuesday July 8th, and most importantly Sunday July 13th (the day prior to the all-star break). If they keep the rotation as is, then Sheets will only have 3 more starts prior to the AS Break as opposed to 4. Is this something that Melvin/Yost has even considered? I see Sheets is scheduled to go on Sunday.

The upgrade of Kendall over Estrada is huge is many ways. My first thought about it was that Kendall had to have been more selective at the plate, because nobody is less selective than Estrada. It turns out that Kendall over his career sees about 375 more pitches per year than Estrada in the same amount of at bats. That will add up. Kendall has no power, but that is not the issue with this team, and clearly Estrada wasn't a big power threat either. Most importantly is the way Kendall works with the pitching staff. Despite completely struggling at the plate in Oakland, look at what he did with the pitching staff. First half Second Half Dan Haren 10-3 2.30 ERA 5-6 4.15 ERA Joe Blanton 8-5 3.28 ERA 6-5 4.89 ERA Chad Gaudin 8-3 2.88 ERA 3-10 6.30 ERA Lenny Dinardo 3-5 2.72 ERA 5-5 5.27 ERA That is an amazing jump, some of which has to be a product of Kendall leaving. Blanton and Haren both attibute a portion of their success to Kendall.

There is no reason for CC to get this much playing time. There was on off day last Thursday and one coming up this Thursday for the starters to rest. Why would you want to have Graffy and CC in the lineup together if it wasn't absolutely necessary?

was braun really intentionally walked??

braun 3-3 with a 3 run bomb

Can someone explain the 5 year forecasts? Year PA R 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS SPD AVG OBP SLG MLVr AVG OBP SLG EqA VORP Defense WARP 2007 (age 23) 573 82 35 5 23 80 42 115 19 7 5.5 .283 .341 .504 .089 .282 .338 .500 .281 31.4 134-3B -9 4.1 2008 (age 24) 556 81 34 4 23 79 42 111 18 7 5.2 .290 .350 .512 .122 .285 .342 .500 .286 30.9 130-3B -8 4.3 2009 (age 25) 536 76 32 4 23 77 41 108 18 6 5.2 .288 .348 .511 .115 .283 .340 .499 .286 26.1 126-3B -7 3.9 2010 (age 26) 527 73 32 4 21 75 39 100 15 6 5.1 .287 .347 .509 .110 .282 .339 .497 .284 22.4 124-3B -7 3.6 2011 (age 27) 533 75 33 4 23 77 39 104 15 6 5.1 .287 .347 .515 .118 .282 .339 .503 .285 21.6 125-3B -9 3.3 This is for Ryan Braun. It basically says he will be the exact same player in 2007 at age 23 as a rookie, as he will in 2011 when he will be a five year vet in the prime of his career????

GS: 19 IP: 119.7 H: 110 BB: 41 K:68 ERA: 2.41 Ratio: 1.26 G/F: 1.44 Really... this isn't someone you would want on your team. These are Suppan's stats after the all-star break. That is totally worth 10 M/year

The original quote came from my rotoleague site: allstar.rotoworld.com...here is the whole post: Rodrigo Lopez - S - Baltimore Orioles &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp BLOUNTS (Active) &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Monday Dec. 4, 2006 Five teams have reportedly expressed interest in Rodrigo Lopez, who is arbitration eligible one last time after making $3.75 million last season. The Diamondbacks and Rockies were among the teams mentioned in connection with Lopez last month. Talks of a Lopez-for-Kevin Mench deal with Milwaukee are dead, but it's possible the Orioles are discussing a deal that would send Lopez to the Cubs for Jacque Jones. Source: Baltimore Sun Dec. 4 - 11:42 am et

"Talks of a Lopez-for-Kevin Mench deal with Milwaukee are dead." I am not sure if that is good or bad? I don't really want Lopez, but the Brewers would be a better team in 2007 if Mench is not on it...

"Vernon Wells, who will be eligible for free agency for the first time next winter, has been omitted from the Blue Jays' 2007 ticket advertisements." Looks like he will be traded. What is the asking price?

the salaries I have are for 2007. The ESPN salaries are for 2006

How does this team, as currently constructed get to a $60 M payroll??

I was going through the salary structure of the team,and it seems to me that they could afford a contract like V. Wells and still stay below 60M. I am not sure what Weeks' contract number is for 2007, but according to: mlbcontracts.blogspot.com...ewers.html his number should be around 380K for 2007 (based upon 5.3/5 years) Position&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp MILWAUKEE&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 2007 Contract C&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Johnny Estrada&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 3,000,000 1B&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Prince Fielder&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 360,000 2B&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Rickie Weeks&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 380,000 3B&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Corey Koskie&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 2,000,000 SS&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp JJ Hardy &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 375,000 RF&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Corey Hart &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 360,000 CF&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Vernon Wells&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $17,000,000 LF&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Bill Hall &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 1,900,000 PH&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Jeff Cirillo &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 1,000,000 C&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Damion Miller&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 2,250,000 UTIL&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Craig Counsell&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 1,100,000 4th OF&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Gabe Gross&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 355,000 5th OF&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Brady Clark&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 3,800,000 SP1&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Ben Sheets&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $10,000,000 SP2&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Chris Capuano&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 1,750,000 SP3&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Dave Bush &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 375,000 SP4&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Claudio Vargas&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 1,750,000 SP5&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Carlos Villanueva&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 345,000 CL&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Francisco Cordero&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 5,000,000 SU1&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Derrick Turnbow&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 2,300,000 SU2&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Greg Aquino&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 360,000 SU3&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Jose Capellan&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 360,000 RP&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Matt Wise &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 1,000,000 RP&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Dennis Sarfate&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 345,000 RP&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Brian Shouse&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $ 975,000 &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp TOTAL &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp $58,440,000 Is there any way to package Jenkins and a couple prospects for Wells to make this happen??

What is the score... Mlb.com says 3-2 and ESPN says 4-2

What does Prior have to do to get a warning? Didn't take much for Bush last night. This game could get ugly

How does Jenkins not run hard down to first? I thought Robin Yount was brought in to make sure the team plays hard. It's not like it cost them a run though...oops... yes it DID

Brady Clark needs to pinch hit in this situation

Just a reminder that Chad Moeller has better career numbers both from a minor league and major league standpoint than Mike Rivera. When did Moeller ever hit 33 HR's with 101 RBI in a season or have an OPS of 935. Moeller's existance on this team makes no sense. Javier Valentin had similar stats to Rivera in the minors, and it seems like he has worked out well.