jhpc12

I have followed Joey Blanton since he was 14 years old. He and Corey Hart played against each other and on the same summer teams for several years. When Joey went to the University of Kentucky he was a starter you could send out every 4 or 5 days. The only problem was you never knew which Joey would show up. One day he would give up 3 hits, strike out 10, give 5 + runs and win. The next time out he would give 10+ hits, strike out 2, and when in 3-2 game. Now don't get me wrong he was a total work horse for UK. Nothing changed when he went to Oakland. He pitches great gives up 1 or 2 runs and gets a no decession. Next time out he gives up 5 + runs, doesn't make it out of the 6th inning and gets a win. My point is that if you are looking for a work horse and don't mind rolling the dice, then Joey Blanton is your guy.

I'm like everyone else on the board. I believe it is down to two men. I don't think it has ever been more than these two. But I believe if the job is not offered to Frank he walks. He has proved everything he can in the minors, just like a player. It is time for him to get the chance. Chemistry is a word that is thrown around all the time. Frank has helped develope these young kids first hand. They trust in him. I personally think he is a great third base coach having watched him mature from Hunstville to Nashville. He almost walked when they didn't offer him the job in Indianapolis, but according to the Brewer web site they implied that if he did what he was suppose to do at the minor league level his future was with the big club. Well the future is now. I think they will give Frank the chance. If not don't be supprised if he walks. And I believe there will be plenty of takers.

I don't remember the year, but Minnesota did this very same thing several years ago. They decided to go young and brought up all of their prospects at one time. I remember last year feeling that this was the Brewers plan. In 2006 we got to see Corey, JJ, Prince, Rickey, Billy on a regular bases. Played so-so ball, but got everyone some experience. In 2007 a few more new faces Braun, Para, & Yo. Actually in a pennant race on Sept. 28th. If we win great, if not it has been a great ride. Their kids, I think sometimes they were over whelmed with the excitement and pressure that goes with a pennant race. Now back to the Twins. Pretty much the same pattern. First year so-so. Next year ran away in the first half of the season only to fall out of it in September. But by the third year they one their division and have been pretty competitive year in and year out. So yes this year as made alot of us older faster, but just think of what these young studs can accomplish in 2008 with another year of experience under their belts. I'm definitely proud and excited to be a Brewers fan.

I would go with Hart. He has shown more patience at the plate. Prince would be walked. Braun gets to anxious at the plate sometimes and swings at any and everything. My second choice would be Dillon he always seems to work the at bat in his favor.

Corey was a shortstop on his team att 6'6" and unbelievable range. He hit 48 homeruns in his high school career in three years. But he was a stand out on the basketball court too. He could bring it up the court on any point gaurd or number two gaurd, and he could litterly jump out of the gym. You could see it in his eyes if he got out on a fast break thinking what kind of dunk am I gonig to try now. And believe me most were unbelievable. He was being recruited by several progams in the south, but Coach Couch told them they were all wasting their time because he played basketball only as a hobby.

Do we spend now on Starting pitching. Extend or resign Sheets, Suppan & Bush are tied up, do we trade Capuano. All of these questions have to be answered or at least asked. What about position players. When do we stop getting them at league min. When do JJ, Rickey, Corey, and Prince get to arbutrate. This year, next year or when, Do we try to get some or all under some type of contract before then? Will they even sign or do they hold out through arbutration and look for a 4-6 year deal in the 30 to 40 million dollar range. Everyone knows that this is something the Brewers in the past have not been able to do, but of course we have not had this many players coming of age at the sametime before. And with all that said I can't see Prince being a Brewer much longer. He is going to demand Soriano type money 12-15 million a year at least. Don't get me wrong I hope we keep them all, but 2 or 3 years down the line your looking at adding roughly 40 to 45 million to your yearly payroll (I included Braun). That is going to probably give us a payroll in the neighborhood of around 85 to 90 million. And I can't see that happening So what do we do?

We need to win to night, a lose by the Cubs, and hope for a split 2-2 in the Cub series. Then if we take 2 of 3 from the Reds we would be 3 games up on the Cubs and 5 games up on the Cards. This all seems possible to me and would be a great lift for us heading out west.

Boy this is a fickle bunch! Yesterday when Corey's name was omited from the line up there was an uprising, bench Hall leave Corey alone. I think Corey has played 20 straight games and maybe he does need a day off, but platooning him and letting him get 3 to 4 games a week is ridiculous and if anybody things this then they have a screw loose too. Today it's time to sit Corey and take away his at bats. I am an avid Brewer fan and have been for years. I really like the make up of this kid. He has been moved all over the field, asked to bat in every postion except ninth in the order at some point and time, and never complains. I watch every game, every night and apprently we are not watching the same game. Agreed I would like to see more walks from Corey, but guys he's 6'6" tall, it's pretty hard to work the count when you have such a large strike zone. Over the last 12 games he has hit the ball as well as anybody on the team, except for maybe Jenkins. Go into your archives and look at Corey's outs. He has probably 10-15 line drive outs, a foot either way and you all would be praising him. Only half would have had to fall and he is a .290 hitter. If you look at everybodies average in August they are all sub par, with they exception of Prince, Braun, and Jenkins. But even at that when Corey has had an opprtunity to drive in a run for the most part he has. He has driven in 9 in the first half of the month and in the second half if he has the same opportunities I believe he will match or exceed that number. Final note look at the stats of the starters with exception of Prince everybody is averaging about 2 walks per 50 plate appearances in the month of August. So tell me who is out producing him. And finally I believe you can give up alittle for the defense he has been playing. I haven't seen many balls that he can get to that he doesn't catch and check web gems he seems to be a regular on there lately.

Can't Corey, J.J., Prince and Weeks arbitrate before the 2009 season.

Prince will be asking for Carlos Lee money. He is going to require 10 million + over a 6 to 8 year period. The Brewers will never pay that based on the recent signings.

I agree I think you have to keep the young Core the team has put together. That core does not include Prince, however I wish it did. Everyone knows as soon as he can he will bolt to a big market club (Yankees, Red Sox, Mets,etc.) We will just not be able to afford him. So lets try keep the real core that we can like Braun, Hart, Gallardo, Hardy, and Weeks. Sign these to long term deals as soon as we can. Along with Billy and the right free agents and up and comers through the farm system I believe we can be a team that can contend for several years.

Taking it one step further. Since the all-star break. Fielder (.363 with 4K), Braun (.250 with 7K), Hart (.208 with 7K), Jenkins (.150 with 5K), Hardy (.143 with 4K) and Estrada (.125 with 3K). Not very good 1-through 6 except for Prince. It looks to me as they are all feeling a little pressure with the Cubby's breathing down their back. However, the only one I am really concerned about is Braun. He hits in the prefect spot in the line up. He basically only sees fast ball because of Prince and all the others are seeing every pitch in the pitchers arsenal. The rest of the line up will work through their slumps, but with Braun it might be a little tougher. I think he could use a few days off in the next couple of weeks to refresh himself for the stretch run of August and Sept.

If this were to happen then I have to believe that it will really hurt the National League as a whole. Cuban has unlimited funds and could turn the Cubs into the next Yankee's. To me, this is very scary. How do you compete with a man that that can virtually out bid you on every player that you and he are both interested in. He has already let it be known that if he is successful in the purchase of the Cubs the first player he wants is A-rod. What next Santana and so on.

I watched every game on the current road trip. My grip is how anyone could be negative at Corey at this time. He can't work the count because he is seeing strikes early in the count. Outside of his six strike outs and six hits (which by the way 3 doubles, 1 triple, and 1 homerun) of the other 22 official at bats, he probably made 6 weak outs. Everything else was hit on the nose, just right at someone. As far as steals he's had little opportunity. I do think he started wearing down the last part of the streak, but Yost was not going to sit him down with it continuing. No coach would have. He probably needs the four day break as much if not more than anyone on the team.

This year has an erie reminder of 2001. The Twins decided to go with the youth movement and practically brought up their entire AA squad. I don't remember their record at the all-star break, but I believe they had a 8 to 10 game lead. The year before they received about as much press as we have for the last 20 years or so. They were always an after thought on any sport center like we have been. Then came 2001 and the press and all of baseball started to notice. A youth movement from within their own farm system and it was working. People started talking about play offs and what they would have to do hold on to the lead they had secured at the all-star break. Well after the all-star break they played like their ages and became very mediocre and eventually lost the division to Cleveland. Sounds familiar doesn't it. My question is what do ya'll think we have to do to keep the momentum. After the all-star break do we try and trade for a position player with playoff experience , do we pick up help in the pen, do we add a starter, or do we go with what we have and play it out.

With the All-star break just around the corner and 16 games to go til then, I was looking at what the division would have to do to over take the Brewers at seasons end. If we finish out 9 and 7 going in at the break, that puts us at 50-38. that leaves 74 games to the end of the season. If we play only .500 ball from that point on (37-37) we would end the seson at (87-75), then from today's date the Cubs would have to finish up( 56-35), the Cardinals would have to finishup (56-37), and Houston or Pittsburg would have to finish (57-33). These records would give somebody a one game lead (88-74) at seasons end. I expect atleast one more tough streak for the Brewers. I don't know how the rest feel but, I really like the way this has started to shake out.

I try to follow all the past and present minor leaguer's that have come through the Brewer ranks. Traded or still in our system. I was checking today and came across where the Diamondbacks (Tucson) had activated David from the T I list. First time I have ever seen this, what is the T I list.

You know I would hate to be in Corey's postion. I can accept the platoon thing, however, platooning only gets Corey in about 2 games for every 8 to 10 we play. Early in the season when he was getting playing time, he appeared to be getting his timing down. Then the wrist injury. Now in limited playing time he can't afford an 0'fer game even if he hits it hard. That can only add extra pressure. So now he sits for the San Diego series and maybe one start against the Braves. Another seven games and one start. Which again means added pressure to produce. I know these guys are making good money and should be able to deal with this pressure, but 3 starts in a 18 game stretch is still pretty tough. You can't get timing or rythem off BP, you need live pitching to get in that groove that he is known for.

Ruz, that's my point extactly. Don't bench HAll because of his last 13 at bats. It's ashamed however that it does not apply to everyone on the team. For instance, Corey. Back on a road trip at Chi and Houston Corey was 3 for 12, but hit 4 balls straight into the wind to the ivey. No wind possible 4 homeruns. In Houston hits one on the mound in center field, Lineshot to short and a one hop seed to the short stop. He could have easily been 8 for 12 or even 9 for 12 on that road trip alone. Then TGJ never gets of the bench. I know I'm Corey fan, but he was one of the one's I watched progress in the minors. And you have to remember, constant postion changes, he never complained, he just tried to do his job to the best of his ability. And through it all it never affected his hitting. Five team MVP's and one league MVP. I realize that he was an 11th round pick and all the other home grown talent are 1st through 4th round picks, but corey was one that just happen to slip through the cracks on Draft day. I believe that out of the 2000 draft he might be the only one left. He has had to work harder for everything he has accomplished than the rest have had to, but as you stated (you hope 13 AB's doesn't get him benched). Corey doesn't have that luxury one bad game and he is back on the bench.

Quick question. Where do you guys get the starting line ups so early?

Just curious has anyone heard if Corey is hurt. He was taken out earlier than usual yesterday and isn't starting lineup today.

I check the minor league forum pretty much everyday and dawned on me that I can't remember a time when Nashville wasn't in first place. Is this true or when did they actually take over first place?

I check the minor league forum pretty much everyday and dawned on me that I can't remember a time when Nashville wasn't in first place. Is this true or when did they actually take over first place?

It's nice to see Corey graduate from the Power 50 after is long run. Am I right in thinking that he is the only player that has been on the top 50 every week since the beginning. If so that is a complement to his dedication and desire to get better and your recognition of that. Here's hoping that he has a long, rewarding, and gets as much respect over the up coming years with Brewers as he has received on the Power 50.

I'll bet Corey has not been ask to bunt more than twice since sometime in little league. He did look out of place trying to square and bunt, but if anyone besides Mike was on second (except maybe Miller or Mench) then the pitcher looks at third and makes the throw to first for the sure out. Then they would have walked Graf and Prince has more options to gives us the same results. I know that Corey is not your proto type lead off hitter, but watching on MLB, I think he is starting to find his stroke. I checked back in his stat history and if you take out his first 25-30 consistent AB's at the beginning of each season he is probably a .325 hitter from there on. I like the fact that he is starting to hit to all fields, even if he is making outs it means he is seeing the ball pretty well. If he is making alot of outs to third base, like early in this new line up, then he is definitely in a funk. With increase playing time and more AB's I believe we will see the true Corey. The one that everyone was posting for him to be in the starting line up.