Kaukauna

Saw no-hitters in back-to-back years, an unnerving double-dose that involved the local franchise but did not include a Brewers pitcher. Was in Detroit with my Tigers-loving in-laws for Verlander and at Miller Park for Zambrano in Hurricanegate. Nothing beats Braun/Sabathia in the 2008 finale, though.

Exactly. Doug Melvin seldom lies (not saying it isn't possible), but he flat out volunteered that Hardy had not been placed on waivers on the radio Tuesday a.m. That seems like a strange bit of evidence.

I love reading your posts, OldSchool -- extremely well-written and thoughtful and clearly someone who knows the journalism life. I will echo essentially everything he said. There are a lot of misconceptions about the field, but then again, there are misconceptions about a lot of fields. People assume resident doctors are rolling in cash immediately, for example, and that teachers never have to work in the summer. People think the natural atonement for these "realities" (long hours for both professions, for example) is justified. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't -- certainly every job has those drawbacks. In what I've observed of Witrado (both reading his stuff and meeting him), there has definitely been an attitude that I can't stand. He has been aloof to readers and those he meets in person. I do not perceive that he understands how much improvement he needs in writing, but that could be a product of JS leadership as well as his own personal outlook. What frustrates me about him professionally is that he's a young kid not far removed from college -- shouldn't he be the template for a modern journalist ... accessible, unique, funny, etc.? His coverage is so mundane (I compare it to a first-year journalism student) and his chats reveal an air of cockiness and superiority. It surprises me that Tom Haudricourt is the one with the tweets and the more in-depth blog posts and the daily radio chats on ESPN radio (I realize Witrado is on the air a couple times a week on 1250). Witrado simply looks like the rookie AAAA backup right now, and this isn't the venue for learning a craft. Nobody handles online chats worse than Tom, but I will always maintain that he works as hard as anyone covering the Brewers. He asks the tough questions, he pursues leads, he intimately knows the club's history. Could he open his eyes more to the benefits of blogs and take a more delicate tone with those he perceives as dumb fans? Of course. Do I excuse him a little for being jaded as the primary beat guy for many years of a bad baseball team? Sure. He goes too far sometimes (Badger Blogger), but it never fails to amaze me how vilified he has become in circles such as these. His stories give readers everything they need -- news, quality writing, an occasional negative tone (shared by the readers), qualified perspective and depth. Yes, it's a sweet gig in many ways. I think even Tom and Anthony would tell you that if you really had a conversation with them. Maybe I'm wrong -- but of course, we all talk about how much we dislike our jobs or some aspect of it, even if we have it pretty good. They love being at the park and with the team. In the few games I've had the privilege to cover, I love every second of it. It can be stressful, it can be long hours, and if I did it every day like they did, there would certainly be some bad days thrown in. There might be things I do differently, but at least with TH, I still feel he is the best and most qualified person to cover the Milwaukee Brewers.

I agree, TH should feel skeptical. It's clear he goes overboard from time to time in dismissing internet-based rumors, partially in reaction to his one very notable misstep in giving the blogosphere credence. The one time he tried jumping into the pool, he nearly drowned, and now he's afraid of the pool and telling anyone who'll listen how awful the pool can be (and that people pee in there, gross). That said, one should remember: if inside sources have been corresponding with people here (or other web sites), there are probably some inside sources chatting it up with Haudricourt, too. I don't remember the order of events last year, but I do know TH was very in tune with the details of the CC Sabathia trade. I detest that he went out of his way to trumpet his success, but I had to hand it to him -- he had the information before most everyone else. Despite his over-the-top defensiveness and general scoffing at alternative resources, he's still probably the first guy to know when something is truly about to happen. Adam McCalvy gives the template for how you can be that person, respect other outlets, be cautious of message-board fodder and follow through without judging the messenger. But I still respect what Haudricourt does.

I think it's time to face the very real possibility that nothing is going to happen, at least not for a while. I don't mean to question the sources, and I'm sure those posting the information would not do so unless they truly believed something was afoot in the immediate future. But I don't think it's newsy to know that Melvin and the braintrust have been discussing pitchers with other clubs -- Bedard, Lee, Peavy, etc. Of course they're keeping options open and exploring. But that doesn't mean a deal is imminent. The inside sources are probably very strong, but remember -- this is also the web site that once told us the club had signed Jemile Weeks in 2005. I consider this to be the foremost resource on Milwaukee Brewers draft coverage, and if the site takes a misstep in that area, I remain open to the possibility that this site would not have the best intel on more-guarded information, such as a pending big-time acquisition. Yes, I realize that nobody here promised, with 100 percent certainty (I believe it was 50/50 on Twitter) that something would go down. As Melvin has said before, some deals are done mere hours after the conversation begins. That's not the case with all trades, of course, and maybe I'm just pouting because it sounded so promising, only to have no news 24 hours later. But unless a major hurdle remained from a deal like this, then the lack of official news is telling, at least to me. Naturally, I hope I'm wrong, and I hope we can celebrate the scoop that was presented here before the end of the weekend. I suppose it's just natural for skepticism to grow as the situation lingers without resolution.

I think Doug Melvin would also be happy with Cruz's contributions to Texas -- after all, he has previously said good trades are meant to work out for both sides, even if we feel differently. I realize none of these players compare exactly to Cruz, who was much more highly-regarded than many of Milwaukee's traded prospects through the years, but Melvin has a list of traded prospects who never panned out, too. The jury remains out on Will Inman and Steve Garrison in the Linebrink deal, but from 2003-07, there were a lot of guys Melvin moved who never even approached "ones that got away" status (and yes, I realize some of these were not even prospects at all after a year or two in the big leagues, but they all had upside). Among them: Brian Mallette, Matt Yeatman, Jason Belcher, Ty Taubenheim, Wes Obermueller, Justin Barnes, Brian Wolfe, Enrique Cruz, Wilfredo Laureano, Dana Eveland, Dave Krynzel, Ben Hendrickson, Jorge de la Rosa and Jose Capellan. Eveland had some flashes, Taubenheim started a few games for Toronto and JDLR occasionally shows that he can pitch in the big leagues. But it's not like Melvin has a history of dumping prospects who ultimately help somebody else. Then again, I guess he doesn't have much of a history dealing AWAY prospects with Milwaukee until recently.

I can't shake thinking that Kevin Towers was so transparent through the whole Cubs proceedings, constantly talking about the potential deal for Peavy. So why would he got quiet all of a sudden before announcing a big deal with the Brewers? I would suspect he would say "another team is showing interest," unless he's changed his strategy. We haven't heard anything even hinting at this all day, which really makes me question the possibility.

ESPN just tossed in an extra layer of officialness, saying an announcement is expected later today.

Two things ... don't read too much into the MLB.com pitching probables. Those are usually just a guide and get submitted five days in advance. Obviously, they can be tweaked as needed, but just because a pitcher is listed there tomorrow or the next day does not mean that the probables are inside Ned Yost's mind. Also, has there EVER been a situation when a trade is "teased" by a roster move a day or two in advance? It seems like everytime something weird like this happens, people think a trade is in the immediate works. Wouldn't the braintrust follow their own advice (i.e. not activating a starter until absolutely necessary) and consummate the trade before adjusting their roster to accomodate?

Yo!, says Witrado.

There has never in the world been a more appropriate "Burger Run."

Perhaps most importantly, the intentional walk to Corey Hart ensures that Craig Counsell will get a ninth-inning at-bat.

Dana DeMuth's strikezone is already irritating. The Brewers will need to exercise extreme patience if everything is going to be a ball. Also, Brian Barton's resemblance to Snoop Dogg is remarkable.

Valpocrewsader, I'm not entirely sure anyone outside the VU radio community has any idea who Little T and One Track Mike are. Every time I try to quote their illustrious contribution to radio, I get stonewalled with blank, unknowing stares. Heartbreaking. I wonder who Shaniqua is, what she does and where she lives.

8/26: Brewers blow 3-run lead. 8/19: Brewers blow 5-0 lead. 8/12: Brewers blow 2-0 lead. 8/6: Brewers blow 5-run lead (in ninth inning) 7/31: Brewers blow 5-0 lead All losses. Every Sunday is a new opportunity to see your Milwaukee Brewers: Finding Exciting Alternatives to Winning. Just another .500 baseball team. Fire Ned Yost. And all the pitchers.