JJHardy7

Just took it, but the wording surrounding the Car questions might have skewed it a bit... but you're probably fully aware of that. Yea I know...that's what I was worried about. I've had friends and family take it and that's the thing they always point out, but since we had to get it approved by our professor we can't change anything. Thanks for the feedback!

Yes, but how many games is it going to cost us having Vargas start in April and May instead of Villy? Let's say it's May and let's say based on the Brewers schedule some how CV would've gotten 5 starts (highly unlikely). I don't think Vargas is 5 games out of 5 games better than CV. I think he might be worth a game or two at the most, but how many games does a healthy, consistent CV win in August and September? I'll take the quality August and September starts over a handful of games in April and this hasn't even taken into account the weather elements. The Brewers will most likely have a game or two cancelled in April because of weather which will also take CV off of consistent starts. That is not likely to happen in the PCL. Having CV in Nashville in April isn't a crazy idea. It makes sense to a certain degree.

I just want to say that if this is not allowed in the Off Topic that is completely fine and feel free to delete or lock this thread. I'm currently enrolled in a MBA program and one of my classes this semester is a business research class. For our research project we are to conduct a survey for our research study. This study won't be involved in anything except the class and the only things that will make the report are the results in total. We're not tracking IP addresses, names, etc. It's strictly a blank percent of the people surveyed think this. The topic is purchasing products from countries outside of the United States and if a consumers take this into account when purchasing products. Again, no information will be published so feel free to take the survey -- it would be greatly appreciated! Also, we have a student who is taking this class with English as his/her second language (I can't imagine how tough that would be!) and there are some spelling/grammar mistakes in the survey and I apologize for those (he/she didn't get my e-mail with revisions prior to posting it). http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB227JXE7RH9D Thanks in advance for your help and please don't feel like you have to take this!

I have no clue, but that is what the Brewers are doing. Otherwise Villaneuva would be the #4 or #5 from the get go. Vargas would get the long relief slot. It is not a McClung thing. The Brewers believe that CV is his best when he can pitch on a regular basis. He'd be on a more regular basis in April if he's in Nashville. That's really the most important thing and Kremblas has been stressed this by the Brewers front guys and he stresses this with his staff with CV when he was in Nashville. The Brewers have concerns about shifting CV around since they have abused him out of the pen and they don't want to set up anything that can lead to an ineffective CV. I'm referring to the fact that when Yo comes back Parra would then head to Nashville. Vargas is set at #5 for the season. Yes they have 7 pitchers, but Parra has strict innings limits and that means you need someone else for injury protection. And this in a way plays into the Nashville point. CV will get regular work in Nashville and not get overused in terms of innings so he'll be fresh and when it's the right time Parra comes to Nashville and pitches his pitch count limit or 5 innings every time out. This is the Brewers plan and it has next to nothing to do with McClung. I don't get how some thing they are so enamored with him they would risk missing the playoffs by not using a roster spot appropriate. That doesn't make any sense at all. It's not the end of the world or the season that CV may not be in Milwaukee in April. The Brewers are high on McClung since they noticed some mechanics flaws in his time in Tampa Bay, but by no means would they "risk" the season by putting CV in Nashville. He might miss 2 - 4 starts in Milwaukee and that's not really a big deal at all. The more important thing is that the Brewers establish a rotation/bullpen that is clicking in August and September -- and that's exactly what putting CV in Nashville is trying to accomplish.

The Brewers can't showcase Vargas because they have no depth any longer to trade. And showcasing is much less important than winning. And the point is this not 2-4 games. Its the entire season. How do they not have depth when Yo comes back? Parra, CV, Yo, Suppan, Sheets, Bush, and Vargas. Do you really expect all seven be on the Brewers the entire 2008 year? I don't. I'm confused by your remark that its the entire season. Are you referring to CV being in Nashville the entire season? That's not going to happen. Last year when CV got sent down the Brewers already had a date to call him back up and I'm willing to be it will be a similar situation if he's sent down again.

Why not put him in the rotation in Milwaukee which would give him regular work? It's very likely he will be better than Vargas as a starter and it's very likely Vargas will be a better long reliever than McClung. Nashville has two fewer off days in April and they can skip others spots in the rotation and not mess with the starters (i.e. minor leagues vs. major leagues). I'm not trying to say I believe this is 100% the right decision, but I do think there is some logic to it and it's not the Brewers not being able to win or don't understand contending like some have posted on this site. CV was very good after going down to Nashville and getting the regular work I'm talking about. Based on how the Brewers plan on using their rotation and off days this might keep CV on a more regular pace. The Brewers perhaps want to showcase Vargas and it's easier to do that when he is starting. If CV goes to Nashville in April and Vargas starts, this will allow CV to get regular pitching in and can cap his innings if needed (i.e. not worry about taking him out after 5 innings). On the negative side it may cost the Brewers about 1 run per start that Vargas makes over CV (comparing their career ERAs) -- over the course of what could be 2 - 4 games in Milwaukee I'm not going to get too excited about that.

Tell me how a win in April is any different than one in August or September. They all count as one win and when you're putting a worse starting pitcher and reliever out there that ends up hurting the team. Yeah it may only be for one month but I'll take Villanueva over Vargas in the starting rotation and I'll take Vargas over McClung in the bullpen. The point is that putting CV in Nashville with regular work may actually help out CV and the Brewers over the course of the season. I understand that a win in April is a win in August, but in August and September pitchers have pitched a heck of a lot more and are more likely to wear down. If putting CV in Nashville helps that not happen to him I'm all for it. This is the entire reason or logic behind my point. Yo, CV, and/or Parra aren't going to help the Brewers down the stretch if they're not pitching. Villanueva ERA projections range from 3.84 to 4.62 Vargas ERA projections range from 4.71 to 5.10 I'm not saying that CV is better than Vargas. Those projections are good and all, but they're useless if CV wears down. It's just an attempt to keep him getting regular work and I'm pretty sure if/when he gets optioned the Brewers will tell him then when exactly he'll be called up. I'm saying that the sky isn't falling. I think it's way too early to get worked up about things like this. Does anyone really think that Vargas is going to start every 5th game all season (barring injury)? I mean come on. It all depends on how the Brewers rotate their pitchers. CV may only miss a few starts in April and I just can't get worked up about CV missing 3 or 4 starts in April -- what if the Brewers win 2 or 3 of those -- is the sky still falling? I'm also not banking on McClung "figuring it out". If he doesn't pan out, the Brewers can make a move then.

Yes he does. If CV is with the big club he's going to be starting which means you put Vargas in the long relief role. Since McClung is the long reliever that takes a roster spot away from CV. I don't think he does. I don't recall the Brewers mentioning using Vargas in a relief role. Maybe McClung is indirectly related to CV, but I honestly don't think the Brewers are looking at it as McClung vs. CV. Could it possibly be that they want him to get the ball every 5 days? I still think this is the main point that some are missing. When CV got the ball on a somewhat regular basis during the stretch last year he was a very, very good starting pitcher. The point is that CV isn't going to stay in Nashville all year. If a world series can be won in April, than the Brewers would have won one last year. The Brewers have four off days in April and the Sounds only have 2. They'll get CV regular work in April and will be able to move around other starters in the minors to keep CV on a regular schedule. At the end of April, the Brewers will call up CV and the world will be back in order.

They are connected because there are only two pitchers who can really be sent down, Parra and Villanueva. I still don't think McClung has any direct connection to CV. If CV is going to be on the Brewers, he's going to be a starter. The real connection is between Vargas, Bush, etc. and CV. McClung's situation has nothing to do with CV in my eyes. If you want to get upset at the Brewers for possibly sending CV down, I don't think McClung is the player that is causing this.

I agree that I don't understand why you keep McClung at the expense of Villanueva. Again, why are these two connected? If you want another relief pitcher in Milwaukee instead of McClung than you have that option, but the Brewers are going to keep Villanueva as a starter. It is not at the expense of Villanueva unless McClung is one of the starting five pitchers the beginning of the year -- and that is not going to happen. Again, Villanueva is getting the shaft by the administration's love of Claudio Vargas. The reason the bullpen blew up in the second half last year was because the starters couldn't go deep into games. Vargas' 5 IP and 100 pitches every outing was a big reason why. Is he getting the shaft if he gets called up in April? Villanueva is most likely going to Nashville to pitch every 5th day. That doesn't happen in April in the bigs and as last year shows when CV went down to Nashville and pitched every 5th game and came back he pitched quite well. If world series are won in April, than the Brewers won one last year.

I guess I don't see the harm in potentially having McClung on the opening day roster. It's only March/April. If the Brewers see something in him and he struggles in April, they can risk sending him down and losing him...and it will still only be April/May. I think if McClung is on the roster in July/August with a bunch of innings and an ERA over 6 that's a different matter. McClung has pitched well in his time in Nashville and Milwaukee. He pitched very well in Nashville actually. I don't think he's played all that awful in his time with the Brewers and maybe a change of scenery was the answer. The bottom line is I'm not going to get too worked up on where McClung is at in April. There's plenty of baseball to be played.

If his salary is $3.8M then we could offer him just over $3M by cutting his salary by 20%. That isn't to unreasonable for a reliever. The problem with this is that this is assuming Capuano will be ready to pitch in the bigs in 2009. If he is having TJS, he won't be ready for 2009 and if he's signed by anyone it will be a very small amount since there are zero guarantees he'll make it to the bigs at any time in 2009.

1. Mota is the closer by the end of the season 2. Weeks gets hurt/doesn't put together a complete season once again leaving fans to wonder if he's a bust 3. 3TO plays a big role in the Brewers season 4. Hardy doesn't play all year (I don't know if this is a bold prediction, but I'm worried about the tests he's having done now -- I wish him the best) 5. Jason Kendall signing is seen as one of the best off-season moves in baseball 6. Hall's defense at 3B is only slightly better than '07 Braun 7. Brewers win world series despite it all -- Braun, Fielder, and (gulp) Sheets carry team to victory

This stinks. I feel bad for Cappy. I really could care less about the "great debate" over who should be in the rotation. It's a long season and it would've all figured itself out. For those that are so upset about CV being in AAA relax. It's a long, long season and it really doesn't matter what the rotation is in April -- this injury proves that. I wish Cappy the best and I also feel like we've seen the last of him with the Brewers. This is bad news. I'm wondering if it's somewhat possible to figure out when this injury happened?

Is it still looking like 3TO will start 2008 in Nashville?

I still think Crabbe is going to have a nice career in the bigs. He won't be an all-star, but I do believe he'll end up being a starter in the bigs at some point. If Counsell can last this long in the bigs, Crabbe will be able to do the same and be able to hit the ball better than Counsell.

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Wow! You're a very generous person Pedro. Put me down for a drawing for the 2005 Ben Sheets white bobble. My little cousin broke the one I got from this game -- it's just not the same with Sheets head and arm broken off!

If Gagne struggles (I really hope he doesn't), who is the closer? Could it be Pena?

I did not fil out any schedule, because the options payout was on my W2 as well. That part is a mixup. I may owe a smaller amount because Sharebuilder did not get me my forms until after I had filed...since I figured it was close to a wash, I did not bother. Yea this is probably the mixup. Depending on how the payout is you may have complete a schedule D to get basis in the payoff which should lower the taxable income. If you included it in the W2 on your return, you're going to owe less than whatever the IRS is stating. The IRS figured all of it using a zero cost basis, so if I sold $600 of CAT, it says I made $600, which is absurd. It also is counting my option money twice, as far as I can tell. Again, I'm wondering if a tax person will even think of dealing with this right now, as they have a month to do 2 months work. Most firms should be able to fit you in. This is when they make money and people work 55 - 65 hours. Some firms plan on getting most returns either completed by the end of March or on extension by then so they should be able to fit you in. You can PM me also if you want some more specific help.

What type of schedule did you fill out for the options? A schedule D? I would probably do some looking into the 2006 return yourself first and see if it lays out right (or contact an accountant). I think identifying where the error (on your part or the IRS') would be the first step.

10-15% of the the NFL were members of NCAA championship teams. This would assume that there are 170 - 254 players in the NFL with NCAA championships (53 man roster x 32 x 10% or 15%). I don't know if that's really the case. The vast majority of NCAA championship players never play a down in the NFL.

Ryan Braun!!!! No, just kidding. I'm thinking it's easier to find a corner guy than a ss, so Rottino or Dillon could play 3rd. This is where I think the Brewers would have the hesitation releasing Counsell. I saw Rottino and Dillon quite a bit in Nashville and they're not awful defenders, but I think over time the defense wouldn't be all that great at 3B. I think either of those two would be fine filling in for a guy here and there, but if a big injury would happen and assuming that the Brewers don't want to call up Escobar for an extended time this year we'd struggle on defense at 3b and that would hurt what the Brewers did this off-season in terms of improving the defense.

I think if Hardy goes down with an extended injury that have to move Hall to ss. I know we are supposed to be sensitive to Hall's feelings, but anyone else at ss would seriously damage the team. Then who would we put at 3b?

Even if Counsell is a tremendous defensive ss, which I doubt at this stage of his career, it's doubtful his defense expertise would make a bit of difference, given the inevitable small sample size. I think the problem is if Hardy goes down with an injury that puts the Brewers in a bind unless they're ready to call up Escobar sometime in 2008. I don't think Rottino's versatility will help him out to much in the bigs because Counsell is there. I'd go with Munson. I don't think Rivera did anything in Nashville to impress the Brewers and I was kind of disappointed in his overall performance in AAA last year.