Raw Biz

Reading it wrong. He said a couple of guys already wrote a piece on the situation. Not sure if they covered the same sciency stuff that we would have but maybe SI just didn't want multiple pieces on the story.

As happy as I am that Braun isn't going to be suspended (and I was probably 70-30 sure that he would win), it would have been interesting to see how the team played without him. Everybody is talking about how the season would have been lost but I don't think so. Like it's been discussed so much, he's only one player and only contributes so much (i.e. WAR). But most reporters and the general fan don't think in those terms.

Harold Reynolds keeps calling this a steroid controversy. I don't think anyone really knows what exactly caused his T:E spike but yet he keeps calling it steroids. Just irresponsible and stupid.

I think it was discussed somewhere in the previous 70+ pages that MLB doesn't have to (and possibly contractually obligated not to?) say anything if Braun is innocent, since this never should have leaked in the first place. However, I believe there was some kind of provision that said that if somebody chooses to speak out about a result (i.e. Braun announcing he was innocent), that MLB could then address the situation.

Until they face each other at WM. And sadly, that's not in blue.

Thought the Smackdown chamber match was actually really good considering who was in it. The Big Show/Bryan pod break-in was pretty cool. It was really cool to see how nuts the crowd was going for Santino too. When he hit the cobra, I actually thought he had a chance to win for a second. The Cena/Kane match was pretty much what was expected. I did like the whole Spanish announce table part. Overall, I thought the matches were all fun and entertaining but no story lines were really advanced, other than maybe Sheamus coming out to attack Bryan. I was really hoping for a Rock appearance at the end but knew it wouldn't happen. And the big Laurinaitis announcement was that he wants to be the GM of both Raw and Smackdown? Pretty weak.

Just curious as to who's going tonight and where everyone's sitting. I'll be almost all the way at the top but I'm pretty stoked since this will be my first wrestling event ever. Kinda sad it's taken me this long but it should be a good time.

There was a way to transfer names and number of posts. You could even change user names and keep the number of posts if you wanted. You just had to email "reunite@BREWERFAN.NET" and ask for login info.

That was Michael Raymond-James, an awesome actor who was in True Blood and Terriers. His work on True Blood was really good. When I saw him, I thought "sweet, they're bringing in another character for the rest of the season." He's such a good actor I didn't think they would want to kill him off right away. But that's exactly what they did. I watched Talking Dead and Glen Mazzara said that was precisely the reason they brought him in because nobody would've expected him to be killed off so quickly. It was a great scene.

It is this line of thinking I really do not understand. We have Gamel who has 107 games played (102 last season) at 1B in the Minors. Green has all of 21 games in the minors at 1B, A-Ram has never played there and Hart, who has already been a little whiny about playing 1B already, played 2 games at 1B in 2006 and 16 games there in the Minors since 2002. So we are replacing a 1B with some experience with one of the aforementioned guys who have extremely limited experience there? I am by no means advocating for signing Lee as I also believe that Roenicke would make him the starter if Gamel struggled the first week of the season. However, I think that to move any of the other 3 guys on our roster to 1B with such limited experience of playing the position would make any upgrade in O neglible given how poorly they would likely play 1B to begin with. If Gamel were to struggle I would almost rather see Travis Ishikawa be the 1B as he supposedly is a defensive wizard. Well I honestly think if a guy is a good fielder, he should be able to play 1st. Gamel and ARam's defensive problems stem from throwing so I think they would make good 1Bs. Gamel played there all this past year so I think he will be fine. ARam has almost 15 years in the majors and I think he could adjust to 1B with some time in spring training. I've been thinking about all of these scenarios since they signed ARam so I would've had them working in the offseason and I would give them time in spring training. Anyway, my point was I would rather take my chances with Gamel/Hart/Green/ARam at 1B where we would probably upgrade offensively than have to pay to bring in Derek Lee with the big chance he turns into the starter. Like I've said, if I was guaranteed that Lee wouldn't become the full-time starter unless Gamel truly sucked, then I'd be all over it. Unfortunately, I don't think Gamel has a big leash.

If Gamel fails, they could always move ARam to 1st and have Green play 3rd. Or have Green play 1st. Or have Green play 3rd against righties/ARam against lefties and Aram 1st against righties/Hart against lefties. Or etc. I think with Gamel, Hart, ARam, and Green, there are more options at 1st than most people realize. Whether or not ARam/Hart would want to play 1st full-time is another story (as is what to do against lefties since Green, Schafer, Gindl, Aoki, Morgan are all left-handed as well). I just don't think signing someone like Lee would be a good idea at this point, considering how much Roenicke used Kotsay last year (and how long he stuck with McGehee).

Has this really turned into a debate of when the 25 days are up? It really doesn't even matter since the 25 days was just a guideline. If the arbitrators need more time, MLB will usually allow it.

I could also say that people who think losing Braun for 50 games will ruin the entire season don't understand WAR and it just frustrates the heck out of me too. Obviously the game isn't played in a vacuum but at worst, losing Braun should cost something like 4 games. That's assuming Braun is a 12 WAR player (he's not) and the player replacing him is a replacement player (most likely Aoki, who should provide some value). I just think people are overreacting when it comes to losing Prince and possibly Braun for 50 games. Prince hurts but we're also upgrading at SS (at least on defense) and 3B and Gamel should provide some value as well. Braun is only one player and I still think we have a top 5 pitching staff (bullpen and rotation) in the NL. Defense should be upgraded with Gamel, Gonzalez, the combo of Aoki and Morgan/Gomez in LF & CF. I think we'll have enough offense with Weeks, ARam, and Hart in the middle of the order with Morgan/Aoki at the top (at least against RH) to get through 50 games.

Not saying I want to sign him long-term but I put more stock in his great April to mid-September (and overall career really) than his few postseason starts.

Maybe clancy, like probably the substantial majority of people who have thought about Taylor Green, isn't as persuaded as you seem to be that Green "is a platoon player at best." Do you actually have a big pile of support for that very bold judgment -- which you appear to suggest is obviously true -- or are you just shooting down somebody else's opinion because yours is different? I'm not saying Green isn't a platoon player; but we're talking about a guy who won the system player of the year award, then hurt his wrist and struggled for quite a while, then came back and tore up AAA. I'm saying I don't know. How anybody could confidently predict what a player with that record would be able to do in MLB eludes me.When I look at Taylor Green, I see a left-handed hitter much like Jeff Cirillo. I see a long-term solution for third base who could provide a .290 average, 40 doubles, and 15 homers on a regular basis. I like his walk rate, I like the plate discipline, I think he could be the #2 hitter the Brewers are looking for. Exactly how I feel. He won't be the typical 25-30 HR "power 3B" but he has solid gap power and he should get on base.

I would definitely look into LaPorta. But I would hang up the phone if they asked for Green. Ideally, I'd give them another one of our 1B/OF types at a lower level.

I'd trade for LaPorta as the RH compliment to Mat Gamel and/or to be a potential replacement for Braun if he is suspended. Anybody we have that Cleveland would want? Taylor Green for Matt LaPorta? Green immediately starts at 3B replacing Hannahan. Conrad becomes our backup at 2B and 3B. Might be worth investigating as A-Ram is probably entrenched for the next 3 seasons at 3B, Weeks is signed for another 4 and Gamel is going to be given the shot at 1B. I guess it would come to who you prefer to be the 1B if Gamel fails, LaPorta or Green. I posted in this Rumors thread about this too. Why would you trade Green for LaPorta? Green is 2 years younger and has more service time remaining. He also plays more valuable positions in 3B/2B while LaPorta is bad defensive 1B/LF and we already have plenty of those in the organization. LaPorta's best year was his first and he has a .700 career OPS in 1000 PAs. I don't care about former top prospect status at this point. If that was the case, we should've picked up Brandon Wood last year. edit: As for Green being "blocked," I think ARam and Weeks are bound to miss some time and he should be the first guy to step in. I've also said in the past that I believe Green should give ARam one day off a week and get another start at 3B every week with ARam at 1B. But I doubt the Brewers would think along those lines.

No way would I trade Green for LaPorta. Green is two years younger than LaPorta and has more service time remaining. Plus he plays 3B and 2B and LaPorta is basically a bad defensive 1B/LF type, which we have plenty of. Not to mention he has a career .700 OPS in about 1000 PAs. That move would make zero sense to me.

Why did NBC cancel Southland? So they could show more Nightrider reruns? Jay Leno at 9 pm.

I don't buy this. As soon as a decision is made, we should hear something. I would assume both sides would have to be notified of the final decision. Even if Braun is suspended, I would think that he would want to explain his side of the story to the public ASAP.

I can't stand CBS either. The only shows I watch on there are HIMYM, Big Bang Theory, and Amazing Race. Everything else is laugh-track crap or procedurals. I honestly think the only reason CBS gets so high of ratings is because of old people and the "casual, mindless" viewer. Old people love their crime shows and having their plots wrapped up in an hour. They probably also don't use DVR so they don't have to worry if they miss a show here and there because none of them really tie together. I love serialized shows and I just don't really see the appeal watching the same crappy procedurals over and over (3 CSIs, 2 NCISs, all the other dumb stuff). The only procedurals I watch are L&O:SVU and House and that's only because I've been watching them for so long. I tried to watch Alcatraz but when I realized it was basically a "prisoner of the week" show, I gave up. As for Idol, I've been watching since season 4. I wouldn't care if it was cancelled but as long as it's on, I feel like I'd be missing out if I didn't watch it. That's pretty cool you know that dude, I was huge fan of the Family Matters theme song.

In a "normal" situation, I'd take Lee ONLY as the power threat off the bench and occasional 1B starter against tough lefties. I'd give him a one-year deal for about $2-3 million. I still think Gamel should get 130-140 starts, barring injury/complete awfulness. However, considering Roenicke's love of veterans and general disdain for anyone not "proven," I have a feeling that Lee would become the full-time starter by the end of May, if not earlier. So I would rather just run with what we have now.

I'd say Southland and not just because I recommended it. The first season is only 7 eps and the second 6 eps. Because of NBC's stupidity in deciding to cancel it, production was stopped after 6 eps of the second season and luckily TNT scooped it up. The only problem you might have is actually finding a way to watch it. Season 1 is the only one on Netflix as of now. I believe Season 2 is only available through Amazon and WB's on demand service in which they create the dvd for you after you order it. No word yet on Season 3. It sucks that the show can't even get a big enough fan base where they have available DVDs and they have to make them as you order.

Southland. That is all.

Finally saw Midnight in Paris last night. I was a big fan. Definitely something original and I thought it was a lot of fun. I also saw Warrior a month ago and forgot to write how much I loved it. Definitely thought that should have been nominated for Best Picture but at least Nolte got some love.