twobrewers

I agree with Homer. Aoki might very well be insurance in case Morgan resorts to his past antics. The Brewers lost Hawkins, Counsell, Kotsay, McGehee and Fielder this off season - that is a lot of veteran leadership that helped keep Morgan in line. Morgan was 100% worth the risk last year. He also wore out his welcome in Pittsburg and Washington before that. I repeat, Washington didn't want him anymore! (That same team that put up with Lasting Milledge and Elijah Dukes)

I was actually thinking about Bill Hall. The only question is if he can still play SS. I believe I heard he was slimming down to be a little more nimble than he has been in past years. He really struggled last year - but he did put up a .772 OPS with Boston in 2010. He would also be a good club house guy. If we have a defensive first SS - I don't see any reason the back-up also needs to be a defensive specialist.

Who ever had Gamel as a top 30 prospect in all of baseball? I'm not sure he ever cracked the top 100 on any major lists.

I'm still trading for Jason Bartlett and letting Alex Gonzalez be my back-up SS. Against RHP Morgan Bartlett Braun Hart Weeks Gamel Lucroy Green Against LHP Bartlett Gomez Braun Hart Weeks FA First Baseman McGehee Lucroy Corey Hart should not lead-off. For a team that will be in need of run producers with Prince Fielder leaving - I don't want to waste a .500 Slugging in the lead-off spot.

With Christmas coming up quickly, I'm curious how many members of Brewerfan.net are involved in charitable works. Currently, my wife and I play cards at as assisted living home and visit the residents with our little dog. I used to coach a youth basketball team, but with a daughter due in January I wasn't able to commit that time this year. I'm looking for some good charitable work to fill that void. Anyone have any ideas?

I think people will be shocked by the contract Barmes is going to receive. I expect he will get at least a two year contract - likely approaching 5M a year.

Baseball Reference...

I'm a week behind, but I loved Ron's Halloween costume. "You can as a pirate last year!" Ron (confused) "Yeah, this is my Halloween costume"

In 2010... Yuniesky Betancourt = 1.3 WAR Clint Barmes = 1.3 WAR Jason Bartlett = 1.7 WAR Jack Wilson = 1.3 WAR I'm not willing to pay Clint Barmes for the career season he had in 2011. If we are going off potential - Bartlett posted a 4.7 WAR in 2009. I'll gladly stand by my "pretty equal" comment.

If the Brewers are going to pay a crappy shortstop (Barmes, Bartlett, Wilson, etc) - I'd prefer they pay the one that costs the least in salary and potential trade costs. I'd rather sign Yuni for another year at $1M than pay Barmes $7M over the next two years. If the Brewers can't sign Reyes or Rollins, they should focus on the best value of the remaining options. There is no reason to overpay when the other options are pretty equal.

Did anyone else catch Furcal during Prince's at bat in the 9th inning? He appeared to line up at SS, and then right before the pitch, he would sprint towards second base. It looked like a pick-off play at second base. This didn't happen once either. On every pitch, you could see Furcal flash on the bottom of the television screen as he sprinted towards second base. On the D-List today, Haudricourt suspected it might have been LaRussa messing with Prince during his at bat by having a player running into his line of site behind the pitcher. Anyone have any other explanation?

I blame Brad Nelson, Erick Almonte and Mat Gamel. The Brewers have had very little success calling up AAA players to the MLB bench. After failing over the last few years, they seem completely unwilling to take that risk again - preferring the known qualities of Counsell, Hairston and Lopez. That said, McGehee, Lopez, Hairston and Counsell have all been below replacement level this year. McGehee has a recent history of success. Hairston is versitile and provides depth at CF. Counsell still plays quality defense. They can at least be argued. I have no idea why Lopez is a Milwaukee Brewer. Eric Farris would at least bring better defense and a good pinch running option.

I'm glad to see Bradley let go and replaced with Klinsmann. My biggest argument with Bradley is that he never really set an 11 player team. I started following the US team before the 1994 World Cup. I bet I can still name 8 or 9 of the regular starters from that World Cup. They had a pool of around 15 players who saw regular playing time from the 1994 World Cup till the 1998 World Cup. They were certainly not a great team - but they played so often together that they played above their skill level. Bradley always seemed to have a pool of around 30 players to choose from. He rotated players on and off the squad without ever making a real committment. He always seemed from the "Ed Wade" school of management - just do enough not to get fired. In the past 20 years every one assumed the US would develop better talent - instead they have just developed more average players. I don't blame Bradley for the US not having a Messi-type talent. I blame him for not picking a team and developing them. He seemed to be luke-warm on almost every player - including Donovan. The best thing Bradley did for US soccer was having a son. I just want 15 players I cheer for again.

Seconded. Moving Braun to 1B might help keep him on the field. In addition, we could greatly improve our defense by moving him to 1B and signing a corner OF like Fukudome in the offseason.

If you want to go with the SS and 3B combo platter, I think Jamey Carroll and Casey Blake would be a much more likely combination.