Fatter than Joey

Does anyone have any insight as to what is the story with this guy. I love his hitting ability, but the defensive issues are really beginning to scare me. I know this guy has been moved around a lot from team to team over the past few years. Is this because of defense or something else? Do you think he is just hurt and can't move well? Good post AJAY. In the last 2 seasons Lopez has been... 1.) Released by the Nats. 2.) Not Arby'd by the Cards 3.) Dumped by the Dbacks. This is no coincidence. Lopez is a very lackadaisical player, and I think teams are getting tired and aware of his act. Also, this is exactly the reason why I don't think it is a slam dunk to offer Lopez Arbys -- I do not think teams are going to be tripping over themselves to give Lopez a 2-3 year deal. Lopez would be a terrible utility IF, especially if he took the field at SS. The only way it makes sense to me for the Brewers to retain Lopez, would be if they thought Weeks was going to miss 40+ games next year. Daron Sutton was recently interviewed on Milwaukee radio about Lopez, and he stated that Lopez often has concentration lapses in the field. I think Sutton was being nice about Lopez. I would guess the fanbase for AZ was pretty united in seeing him dumped.

I hate FTJ. You hate that you love me so much

... why is Rosenthal talking about this like the D-Backs can just pull Davis back? Trade waivers are revocable. I think a lot of confusion about waivers is that there are multiple types of waivers, some revocable some not. Trade Waivers -- These are in place to basically keep teams from majorly rearranging their rosters during the playoffs -- This gives leverage to teams over other teams. These are revocable. It's basically a tool to "keep people honest" Outright Waivers -- These are really in place to give players some leverage over their career. If a team wants to send a player to the minors, but move them off the 40man, they have to be exposed to irrevocable outright waivers. This allows teams to pick up players that may be blocked, and allow some player movement. When the Brewers sent Turnbow down to AAA the last time, he was exposed to these waivers, no one claimed him, and he was allowed to pitch at Nash., but not be on the 40man. Unconditional Release Waivers -- These waivers are what Bill Hall will be on, if he is not already. This is for players the team wants to cut ties with. Whether they are revocable or irrevocable is moot -- Of course a player is usually DFA'd first, and then if no one shows an interest in trading for him -- they are given their release. Optional Waivers -- These are revocable as well -- These usually happen at the start of the season and are mostly a formality -- These are used if a player has an option, but they have been in MLB for 2-3+ straight seasons, when the Brewers sent Bush down last season he had to clear these.

Why all the hate? FTJ, no need to answer. They both have Kevin Costner

You are the fall guy. Heather Thomas was soooo clutch.

The nice thing is that none of the teams they have to pass for the Wild Card are really very good. Ultimately I think the NL WC will have more wins than the central champ.

Perhaps my logic & wishes are full of holes that will get crushed by the legion of knowledgeable posters in this community. Not on my watch, I'll be your wookie. Our owner may meddle a bit much for my tastes, but the one thing that makes me hold out hope is that, ultimately, he's made his way in life by being great with numbers. I have often thought that Mark A. looks like a muppet, and generally speaking, guys that look like muppets that are rolling in the dough, are doing so because they are pretty sharp. The one thing to remember, that Mark A., did not hire DM, and I don't think he would be MA's first choice -- however, I think there is no denying, that he gave DM plenty of time and space. I really don't think MA is meddling for the sake of meddling -- I think he is trying to avoid another crappy August of Brewer baseball. I really appreciate your desire to find a "new-school" manager instead of the "middle-school" managers we have had the last few years. I have a lot of hope that since Mark A. isn't an institutionalized "baseball guy" he might be more able to think outside the box. I do think though it starts with finding a replacement for Melvin.

Im not sure what I hate worse, U2 or Field of Dreams.

This is just another reason why Macha needs to be fired. I have to say. Regardless of all this crap, if Sveum ends up interim managing again, it will make me chuckle.

It took us stupid fans less than a couple hours to figure out that this might be a possible consequence of, or even the primary motivation behind, this move. We aren't "stupid fans" we are "geeks on the internet" and we really get off on this stuff.

OK, good, because I am feeling like a dork with headphones in the library, listening to nothing. Start dancing then.

Why send him to AAA to get him 3 day's rest? -- Why not DL him or just start Counsell.

The initial reaction I was reading all over the place was that they did this today in order to push back Hardy's FA one year. I think that was speculation mostly, although I would think if he was "tired" he could have been as easily DLed.

And Doug Melvin doesn't strike me as the type who would stick it to a player in that fashion. I agree -- the point I was trying to make, was that if they were going to stick it to JJ they could have either sent him down yesterday, or just keep him down a little into Sep. I agree with you though -- This could cost JJ a lot, although, not as much as his bad play is. None of these moves made today strike me as "Doug Melvin moves"

Agreed. That's weak. Yeah -- If I were Macha -- I wouldn't play him when he got recalled. I am beginning to wonder if they asked JJ to move over to 3rd, (perhaps because they were DFAing Hall), to make room for Escobar, and he told them to pound sand, and then they sent JJ to AAA.

They could just call him up Sep. 2 or something like that.

He'd have to spend 20 days at least

I am pretty sure Hardy would have had to clear waivers to go down. Optional waivers are different from August trade waivers.

If a player passes through waivers or is claimed by another team, can he only be traded for another major league player who has also passed through waivers or minor league players He could be traded for a PTBNL, but essentially you are correct

If they can buy another year before he becomes a free agent, that gives him another year to revive some trade value. So, you would start him ahead of Escobar for sure? What if Escobar takes off? I am not sure keeping Hardy around for another season is the best idea. If he doesn't hit again, at this point what have you really lost? If he is starting, you are losing baseball games, or at least some sort of opportunity to win them. If this truly adds a year of service time, this is the one move made today I can get on board with. It may be making the best out of a bad situation -- I can certainly see that.

exactly... After one year he still is a type A.

But wouldn't he be more valuable to a team if traded in the offseason with 2 years of control instead of a one year rental? Certainly in most cases.... My question was though, if you send a guy to AAA, does a team really care to have that second year. Frankly, if I were looking from the outside, I'd almost rather have the one year and then picks, rather than worrying he is going to stink for 2 years.

Jack Wilson had trade value and Hardy is as good or better defensively and a better hitter than him. More correctly put Jack Wilson+Ian Snell had trade value -- and that package did not net MLB pitching. He still has some trade value. I don't think anyone questions this -- the debate is more centered around "does this move help or hurt it"

I understand how the options/free agency work, but was asking on this case specifically. JJ is a player with 3 years of major league service time. JJ didn't get outrighted though -- he got "optioned". The 3 year mark has nothing to do with anything. If JJ had 5+ years of service time he could have refused the option. If Melvin can tack on another year of service time, that was the best way for the Brewers to increase his offseason value. Hardy wasn't doing them any favors, so Melvin is doing what's best for the team. I like it, and I like it a lot. Again, if Hardy spends the rest of 09 in AAA, why would teams care he has an extra year of control.

And tomorrow is Christmas, where Santa leaves us one more to open. I bet the clubhouse is toxic.