MessiahRp

I think though we're forgetting that Berkman and likely Chipper play for teams that are not going to be in this race. There's a possibility that the Cards could fall off as well and they'll be out of it. Usually writers don't vote a guy league MVP if their teams didn't make the playoffs (or were out of contention in September even). That would leave far less candidates for Braun to have to beat out. Chase Utley would likely be one although who knows if Pat Burrell will warrant enough consideration to take some of those votes away. Rp

I actually think *the* moment of the season for me was CC's first start. Sure it was the least sharpest start he's had since he's been here but the gravity of the moment, knowing we're 100% all in and that we acquired the ace that could help bring us to the promised land is pretty special. Hawing is that Berry Blue Kool-Aid or The Great Bluedini? Man old Kool Aid rocks. If they brought those back (or Purplesaurus Rex or Sharkleberry Fin) I would be buying and drinking Kool-Aid like I did as a kid all over again. Okay sorry about that last hijack. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif Rp

If he were really, really ready to go I would rather see him as a Playoff Starter than Suppan or even Bush/McClung. Imagining a CC/Sheets/Yo 1-2-3 playoff rotation makes me think World Series. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif Rp

If the Twins don't want Liriano, I would love if we could acquire him. It might offset the potential holes our rotation could have when CC and Sheets are lured away in FA. Liriano and Gallardo would be a potent 1-2 punch. Not to mention having him in our rotation now would be better than some of our backend guys. Rp

I'm surprised that guy is still playing actually. I guess a power bat is not unlike a power arm whereas all other deficiencies are overlooked for a guy to get a ton of chances in hopes that power potential eventually works out... even after the guy's prime is over if he still has power he'll often still get a look. Rp

I agree. I got tickets from Pedro in the first Mota Relief Fund and couldn't have been more appreciative of his generosity. It takes a really low person to do that especially when you consider someone else that was vying for those tickets possibly lost out so this person could scam a profit. Rp

I am willing to give the Teddy Higuera contract a pass. The guy was clearly our ace and a pretty darn good pitcher. I can't fault the club for trying to retain their ace. Rp

LOL. Harden. Apply directly to the Disabled List. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif Rp

Agree 100%. The potential upside has been so great that you have to give him the chance. But he's actually regressed this year, it seems like. It's possible to blossom after 1,400 big-league AB's and basically four years in the bigs, especially given the injury problems he's had. But at least point I think the Brewers would be lucky to have him get to average. I think the Brewers are giving Weeks so many chances because of how Brandon Phillips ended up working out: Year Ag Tm Lg G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG *OPS+ TB SH SF IBB HBP GDP +--------------+---+----+----+----+---+--+---+----+---+--+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+----+---+---+---+---+---+ 2002 21 CLE AL 11 31 5 8 3 1 0 4 0 0 3 6 .258 .343 .419 105 13 1 0 0 1 0 2003 22 CLE AL 112 370 36 77 18 1 6 33 4 5 14 77 .208 .242 .311 48 115 5 1 0 3 12 2004 23 CLE AL 6 22 1 4 2 0 0 1 0 2 2 5 .182 .250 .273 40 6 0 0 0 0 1 2005 24 CLE AL 6 9 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 .000 .000 .000 -100 0 0 0 0 0 0 2006 25 CIN NL 149 536 65 148 28 1 17 75 25 2 35 88 .276 .324 .427 88 229 4 6 3 6 19 2007 26 CIN NL 158 650 107 187 26 6 30 94 32 8 33 109 .288 .331 .485 105 315 2 5 4 12 26 MVP-22 2008 27 CIN NL 87 346 51 101 18 5 14 56 18 4 24 58 .292 .337 .494 113 171 0 5 2 2 11

Sent you a PM... Thanks again! Rp

See I would be interested in going but I'm more of a picture guy than an Autograph guy and most of the photo ops run $100 or more... Thats incredibly insane and would add up very, very quickly. http://www.tristarproductions.com/National/tickets.html Rp

I'd like to toss my name in the ring for the tickets, if possible. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif Thanks! Rp

I guess I am curious if the increased attendance, and by increased I mean by a ton, over the past couple of years has and should keep us in the small market mentality. If we're making a decent enough profit we should be able to afford a couple of big contracts. Now I would prefer if we could win on the cheap but Aces don't grow on trees (nor do 50 HR hitting, MVP caliber superstar first basemen for that matter) and I don't see a better option than Sheets out there. When he's healthy Sheets is a top 5 or top 10 pitcher in the Bigs. Nobody on the market will even approach that. Do I want to give Sheets $100 million? Not particularly. But we should be able to bite the bullet on a few big contracts at this point and be economically capable of competing. Especially if we were to move Bill Hall, Gagne and a few other contract albatrosses off the roster after this season. I would think we could afford a $90 million payroll now because if we're winning people are buying and coming to games at a rate that should make a bump in payroll feasible. People will anticipate keeping major players as trying to win. Now I don't think this should extend beyond Sheets and maybe Prince personally. They seem to be special cases. It shouldn't be as costly to keep Hart or JJ Hardy/Rickie Weeks (if we want to retain them) and Gallardo would be the only real payroll hurdle to worry about. With Gallardo you still have some Arby years left and the guys only pitched half a season so far so you have some wiggle room there. I think if we were willing to offer $42 million for Coco who is nowhere near as valuable as Sheets, I think we could pony up even more to keep Bennie a Brewer. That's just my two cents. Rp

Well it looks like the Brewers went on that tear in a hurry like I suggested and Sheets almost has to be considered a front runner for that CY award. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

I also think the Brewers would have to get better in a hurry because I don't think they're as likely to give a CY to a player on a team with a losing record that's fighting to stay out of the cellar. Rp

Metal bats should be banned at all levels IMO. As for the whole Maple Bats thing, guys are trying to get lighter and lighter to increase swing speeds. The lighter the bat the easier they break. I guess we'll never go back to the days where Ruth used a 42 oz. bat. It would be interesting to see though. http://members.tripod.com/bb_catchers/catchers/equip5.htm

To me the other benefit is just plain hustle and mobility. If Kendall can even run to first every time with an attempt to get there he will break up more double plays. It killed me last year when Estrada would walk or slow-jog to first on a double play ball and give the other team the DP. Rp

I was at the game last night... Gagne might have gotten the save but he was nowhere near sharp enough to think he has magically turned it around and that there was some incredible adjustment that was made. He was not lights out and certainly with a runner on there were some scary moments when he was giving us full counts. Look I want Gagne to turn it around and be the closer as bad as anyone but let's not exaggerate last night. IMHO Yost should be fired for last night. This guy publicly states he shouldn't be closing and has blown 5 saves and just 2 days afterwards Yost throws him right back into the fire with the game on the line. I would have had him pitch some 6th and 7th inning mop up duty for a few games just to get his head on straight. This was a perfect example of how Yost refuses to put guys in a situation where they can have success. Now Gagne struggled but lucked out and got the save so great we win the game... but if he had blown the save and the game, where would his confidence be and how would the team feel about that? Especially when the media would be certain to explode over a move like that. We lucked out that the situation ended up a win but you can only play russian roulette so many times before you get the chamber with the bullet. Rp

Do you have first hand knowledge of his goodness? All I have ever seen is that the guy is arrogant and comes off as a surly jerk to people. Frankly I hope this ends the ridiculous Bonds is Blackballed talk by some and by the MLBPA. There's no way anybody wants to take a chance on an oft-injured, hobbled, can't play the field, 40 year old who thinks he is worth $15 million or more as it is. But with 14 indictments hanging over his head no team is going to pay a guy that much guaranteed money with the possibility of him being jailed being a very real one. It's not collusion it's having some realism about the circumstances. Rp

Just because there are more competitive teams doesn't really mean the division is the strongest. In fact you can make the case for the NL Central being relatively weak because of the poor pitching division wide.

Although ideally if the #1 guy always got on base, would you not prefer the #2 guy trying to drive him in when given the opportunity rather than just getting on base and hoping your #3-5 drives them in? Rp

I didn't realize Gagne was hurt and I didn't think you could send a guy to the DL for "Broken Confidence".

See: Josh Beckett

I like Davey Johnson a lot. Not sure if he would be interested. I may be wrong but I thought the reason that he was always let go in spite of his success was that he chafed front office management in the places he managed too often. Rp

I don't think his 3B defense is that horrific. Remember the alternative... Braun aka worst defensive 3B ever. Rp