Round ‘em Up: Tuesday

After falling to a little bit of a hangover last night, the Brewers will trot out CC Sabathia to the mound to a sold-out crowd.  Yes, yes…I will be there.  Perhaps I can get a picture of the big guy.  Probably not though, as I will not be close at all to the action.  Who cares?!  The atmosphere is going to be electric.

• CC Sabathia is very excited to be in Milwaukee.  He is a little worried about his batting average going down – yes, the man has a sense of humor.  The big lefty is saying all the right things on his first day in Milwaukee.  He’s always been a fantastic clubhouse guy who is extremely charismatic.  Can’t complain about that.
• Here is some audio from the CC press conference.
• The agent of Michael Brantley and Taylor Green has a blog.  The latest news is that both Brantley and Green are on the table for Cleveland’s PTBNL.  Why would you get rid of Brantley?  He had all the makings to be Milwaukee’s lead-off hitter and center fielder in just a couple years.  I can only hope the fact that he does not fit into Cleveland’s plans (because of Grady Sizemore) steers them towards Green.  Taylor Green is a great player, but he is not as polished as Brantley.
• Yahoo! Sports has a nice little article about how excited Milwaukee is to have CC Sabathia on the team.  The management is extremely excited.  Giddy, in fact.  I never realized that David Riske and CC were such good friends.  They have been texting and calling each other for over two weeks about the impending trade.  CC may like his time in Milwaukee a whole lot.
• Jim Powell says Doug Melvin cements his status as one of the game’s best GMs through this trade.  The news about Michael Brantley changed this for me.  If Brantley is the PTBNL, only a playoff berth will ease the pain.  If it is Green, I will be upset…but not heartbroken.  I just do not understand how Doug could even consider giving up two of the “Huntsville 5″ to get a 3 month rental.  If CC signs an extension after the year, the deal becomes a steal, even if Brantley is included.
• Dixieflatline from Brew Crew Ball analyzes how much CC will affect the win-loss record in Milwaukee.  After a some calculations, it comes out to about 10%.  I’ll take that.
• The Hardball Times has a great breakdown of the trade.  It assumes that Taylor Green will be the PTBNL.  I agree that Cleveland most likely wouldn’t have been able to draft someone of Matt LaPorta’s value next season.  He’s a very advanced bat for his age.  The one issue I have is that the article says CC will provide some wins because it will push Seth McClung to the bullpen and send Randy Choate to the minors.  There is a problem with that logic.  Choate isn’t on the big league squad…
• In-Between Hops says Brewers fans can thank Mark Attanasio for the Sabathia move.  I couldn’t agree more.  The article mentions something about the Brewers finishing in the red this season, but there is no way that will happen.  Did you see the ticket sales in the first two days after the trade?  Enough said.
• Right Field Bleachers has their week InReview segment.  I do enjoy the part about Corey Hart.
• The Brew Town Beat is hoping Yovani Gallardo will be back in September.  I did see the article from Baseball Prospectus that says Yo is already throwing from 45-feet and has a chance to be back in Sept.  Just do not rush him back from his injury.  He is a huge part of the team’s future.  Gallardo will almost certainly come in from the ‘pen if he returns.  There is simply not enough time to stretch his arm out and get him into the starting rotation.
• Brew Crew Pub has a recap of last night’s game.  The Brewers played flat baseball.  There was no emotion.
• Brewers Fanatics has a Prospect Watch on OF Cutter Dykstra.  There isn’t much for a scouting report in there, but he is certainly someone to watch down in Helena.  He is showing solid plate discipline already, which is exceptional for a high school prospect.
• Philly.com says the Phillies could not compete in the Sabathia sweepstakes because they did not have high-caliber position prospects that Cleveland demanded.  They will most likely shift their attention to Erik Bedard.
• The Pittsburgh Pirates expect SS Jack Wilson to stay exactly where he is.  Reports said the Los Angeles Dodgers backed out of the Sabathia race to focus on Wilson, but it seems that is no longer the case.  If LA wants Alcides Escobar and Zach Braddock, I wouldn’t mind taking Clayton Kershaw off their hands…
• ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark thinks the Brewers just upgraded their team in a big way, but he still likes the Chicago Cubs in the division.  Oh really?  ESPN went with a big-market team?  Excuse me if I don’t gasp in amazement.
• A few Brewers fans had been clamoring for a trade for RHP Justin Duchscherer from Oakland during the off-season.  That is unlikely, as Justin wants to sign an extension to stay with the As.  He’s been absolutely phenomenal this season.

On a side note, the big news I promised for the site should happen around the end of the week.  Stay tuned.  I am quite excited.

Round ‘em Up: Sunday

UPDATE 07-06-08 6:05pm – Tom Haudricourt says the deal is done. The Milwaukee Brewers and Cleveland Indians have agreed on a deal to send C.C. Sabathia to the Brewers. The word is the package is Matt LaPorta and two-lower level prospects. It does not include Lorenzo Cain, as he has been sent to class-AA to fill the void left by LaPorta.

Welcome to Milwaukee, Mr. Sabathia.

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UPDATE 07-06-08 3:38 pm – The first reports of the deal being finalized.

Castrovance is a beat reporter for the Indians for MLB.com. It may have some good credibility.

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Prince Fielder and the Milwaukee Brewers no doubt partied a little bit last night, celebrating their walk-off victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Let’s hope the team doesn’t come out and lay an egg against Zach Duke today. Am I the only one that feels like we’ve faced the exact same pitcher three days in a row now?

• Over at Brew Crew Ball, roguejim posts an article that says Milwaukee is interested in doing a Greg Maddux for Tony Gwynn Jr. swap. His numbers are average and would probably inflate away from the pitcher-friendly park down in San Diego. This says nothing about his full no-trade clause, however. Even if the teams agree, Maddux can veto the trade. With his brother in Milwaukee, he probably would not knock it down though.
• The Brew Town Beat addresses this Maddux deal and hopes Doug Melvin gets it done, as well as the C.C. Sabathia deal. I really don’t think Maddux is an upgrade over any of our pitchers though. At least, not a big enough difference to warrant giving away TGJ for a rental. Is Maddux really that much better than Dave Bush? My gut reaction is to say yes, just because Bush is painful to watch sometimes, but Bush has the potential to do what he did last night quite often. Seth McClung has been very solid in the back-end of the rotation. Do we really need Maddux and Sabathia? My guess is that Melvin is kicking the tires in case the Sabathia deal falls through.
• Jim Powell talks about the Sabathia trade rumors. He says that Taylor Green is better than most people are giving him credit for. Powell also makes a good argument that Yovani Gallardo’s injury probably cost us Matt LaPorta and Green if this deal gets done. If Yo hadn’t gotten injured, Milwaukee most likely would not be searching for a high-priced starter right now. Ah, what if’s.
• Over at Let’s Go Tribe, many fans are hoping Cleveland GM Mark Shapiro can get both Matt LaPorta and Alcides Escobar in the deal. I think if they add Rafael Perez to the deal, they might have a shot at the two blue-chip prospects. It’s always interesting to see what other teams feel their players are worth. Naturally, some think C.C. Sabathia should garner the team some obnoxious bounty, but that is unlikely to happen.
• Some have speculated that Tampa Bay is a major player in the Sabathia sweepstakes. That now seems unlikely, as they are preparing to put forth a competitive offer for Brian Fuentes from Colorado. It will take one solid piece for them to get the Colorado closer, and everyone knows Tampa’s farm system is stacked. The Rays won’t have much competition if they truly want Fuentes.
• THonline.com has an article on Nic Ungs from the Huntsville Stars. He lost his mother to cancer recently, which has given him extra motivation when on the mound. The right-hander has pitched brilliantly in Huntsville the last couple weeks after struggling with Nashville to start the season.
• Bill Chuck from Baseball Digest Daily gives out his mid-season awards. Nobody from the Crew makes the list, but Ben Sheets gets an honorable mention for the NL Cy Young. It will be interesting to see if Edinson Volquez can keep up his unbelievable season. That Volquez/Hamilton deal this off-season has worked pretty well for both teams, no?
• Again away from Milwaukee, the Seattle Mariners are trying to prove that a managerial change mid-season does not spell disaster for the team. They have gone 10-5 since the switch, and their once-inept offense is now producing. Don’t look for that to last, however.
• Chipper Jones has been struggling at the plate as of late. As you can see by the probability chart, his odds of hitting .400 for the season is the lowest it has been for a couple weeks. Perhaps he should just get his average over the .400 mark then get injured and shelved on the DL for the season. That would cement it.

Round ‘em Up: Saturday

It’s a beautiful day, and the Brewers won last night.  Therefore, I’m in a fantastic mood this morning.  Let’s take a look at what the blogosphere has to say today:

• Backtracking a bit, Jim Powell has some reflections about the Brewers-Braves series.  He especially liked the sequence when Brian McCann got a strike called on him while he was out of the box arguing with the home plate umpire.  I loved that.  McCann had no reason to complain about that pitch, as the home plate ump gave him four chances to step in the batter’s box to hit.  He refused, so he lost his chance to swing.
• In-Between Hops is still ranting about Prince Fielder and his lack of home runs in 2008.  At least he is no longer blaming it on the lack of meat.  Prince is not hitting home runs at the same rate this season because he is pulling off the ball a lot more.  Pitchers are busting him inside, and he’s not been able to extend his arms.  Hopefully, he’ll be able to adjust.
• Ned Yost is holding true to his new rule for relievers – no more than three days in a row.  Since Eric Gagne and David Riske got injured presumably from pitching too often, Ned is trying to protect his bullpen.  Really Ned?  It took you three years to figure out that probably wasn’t a good idea?  And people say you should be fired…
• Milwaukee’s young stud, Yovani Gallardo, is cautious about trying to pitch again in 2008.  As he should be.  Don’t try to rush yourself back, Yo.  Get yourself reading for 2009.  Brewers fans will patiently wait.
• The Brewers strike out a lot.  That’s not surprising.  You know what else isn’t surprising?  Ned Yost isn’t concerned about it.  Of course he’s not.  Just like it’s still early.
• A sports economist says that Mark Attanasio and the new Milwaukee Brewers are building their franchise in the correct way economically.  Bud Selig and his regime did not build it.  Well, Mark Attanasio cares more than Bud Selig did about the Brewers.  That usually makes a big difference in the outcome.
• Al’s Ramblings notes that the Milwaukee Brewers have the 5th best bullpen ERA if you discount Derrick Turnbow’s numbers.  The starting rotation is actually 5th in innings pitched too, despite the short outings compiled by Manny Parra, Carlos Villanueva, and Seth McClung.  Ben Sheets is probably a big part of that.
• The Brew Town Beat writes a nice piece on Carlos Villanueva.  In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past week or so, Carlos has been flat-out nasty in the ‘pen.  He has yet to give up a run, and he’s striking out far more than he did in the starting rotation.  Perhaps there is something to this Carlos as closer talk.  Not that Salomon Torres should be replaced anytime soon.  He’s been great.
• Minor League Ball has a 2008 mock draft going on right now.  In the first round, the Brewers selected RHP Shooter Hunt from Tulane.  He’s a very raw prospect, especially for a collegiate pitcher, and he’s an injury concern right now.  I wouldn’t choose him with the #16 pick, but that’s just me.
• The St. Louis Cardinals have sent OF Chris Duncan to Triple-A to get his swing figured out.  With his power, I thought the Cardinals would give him a little more time to sort things out before dumping him to the minors.  The team called up OF Joe Mather, who has been tearing up Triple-A.
• RHP Franklyn German refused an outright assignment to the minors after being DFA’d by the Texas Rangers.  With a 2.08 ERA, the Brewers might be wise to give him a look.  He would be a huge risk for Milwaukee, however.  His ERA is stellar, but his WHIP is 1.431.  The right-hander walks far too many batters, but he is definitely worth a look at only 28-years old.  With that said, I don’t think the Brewers do anything with Franklyn.  The bullpen has been solid lately.

Ten Optimistic Things To Think About

It’s been a couple rough weeks for Brewers Nation (not this site, the fans) with the double sweep in Houston and Florida, the surprising losses at home against the Dodgers, and another sweep in Boston. Trolling through the comments section on sites around the web, one would think that its time to start propping ourselves on the ledge of the US Bank Building in Milwaukee and strongly consider jumping.

As Jim wrote, it’s no fun heading into Pittsburgh looking up at the Pirates in the standings. Being what it is us Brewers’ fans need some lifting up, and I thought I’d put together a post to life the spirits of the Brewers faithful. No calling for Yost’s head or Week’s bat here. The following is ten reasons to still be optimistic about your 2008 Milwaukee Brewers.

* This is not the 2004 Brewers

Granted the Brewers are sitting in last place for the first time since 2004, but this team is certainly not those Brewers. In 2004, the only reliable pitcher on the staff was Ben Sheets and of course he got injured again. Lyle Overbay starred for the offense. These 2008 Brewers are more experienced and talented that the former squad that had a decent season through the All-Star break and then suffered a terrible collapse to finish 67-94.

Of course I could make the comparison that this Brewers squad is not one of many other terrible Brewers teams, but that’s not the point. The point is that rather than looking at the 2004 season as the beginning of something positive we should be looking at the 2008 season as a continuation of the franchise’s growth. Many expected 2008 to be the breakout season for the Brew Crew, but that may or may not be the case.

Either way, compared to four years ago, this year’s team in infinitely more talented. They will not rely on single players to carry the team. People like Jeff Suppan in the rotation and other young (and improving pitchers) will back up Sheets and while Overbay is gone, there are no solo stars on this year’s team. A Prince Fielder is not alone or a Ryan Braun is not alone or a Corey Hart is not alone. The fact that I listed three players (any could more) shows that this offense is not alone in talent like teams of old.

* Its only ¼ way through the season

I’m a teacher so there are not many students that I give up on after just one quarter of the school year. One of the best things that the Brewers have going for them that, at this point, the season is still young. After about 40 games in we are certainly not the perfect position, but certainly not in the worst position either.

Anyone that was also a fan last year knows that strong or weak starts to the season have little bearing on the end result of a season. The Cubs played absolutely wonderful post All-Star break and the Colorado Rockies played out of their minds to close the 2007 season. With almost 120 games to play and any number of combinations of risings and fallings of the various NL Central teams, this Brewers team is by no means finished. The squad has all of the tools to be competitive. The only thing needed is consistency.

* Corey Hart

Speaking of consistency I hear that Milwaukee right fielder Corey Hart is legally changing his name to Corey Consistency. Mr. Consistency has been that and more for the Brewers. If 2008 was supposed to by Rickie Weeks’ breakout season, Hart may have stolen his thunder. Currently batting nearly .300 and getting extra-base hits like they’re going out of style, Corey has been the rock in the Brew Crew’s line up of struggling hitters.

* Braun is on a tear (no sophomore slump)

If you asked me earlier in the season if I was worried that Braun was being crushed under the weight of expectations for his second Major League Season you may have gotten a “yes” out of me, but after a slow start the $45 million dollar man has shown that he will probably avoid the dreaded sophomore slump. His batting average is soaring in the three-hole of the lineup and he is making big time pitchers look like chumps. At this pace he could add a MVP trophy next to the Rookie of the Year one.

* Melvin is on the case

Which is why it’s so important that Doug Melvin nailed Braun down to that eight-year, $45 million contract. Some Brewers fans are concerned that his off-season bullpen moves are not ironing out, but no one can doubt that this GM is trying to establish long-term success while balancing short-term expectations. The Mike Cameron move showed that right now we want success, but Melvin is clearly trying to establish success alongside development with Braun the future of left and possible Hart, Gwynn (although unlikely) and LaPorta being groomed for the outfield.

Melvin is working on signing such players as JJ Hardy, Prince Fielder, and Hart to long-term deals and getting vocal people like Braun to sign first and encourage others to follow suit is the right steps to take.

* Attanasio has got the big bucks and a small ego

All of which wouldn’t be possible except for the support and checkbook of Daddy Warbucks, Mark Attanasio. Time and time again Mr. Attanasio has not only spoken of building a long-term contender, but he has put his money where his mouth is. He has even made comments that said, if need be, he would shell out some money to strengthen the rotation this year.

Attanasio bought the Milwaukee Brewers not just so he could have a play-thing, but because he saw potential in the massive amount of talent the Brewers have and its incredible fanbase. This is not a Steinbrenner owner with fingerprints all over the management decisions. Attanasio is active without being overbearing.

* The young arms will improve

Pitchers like Carlos Villanueva and Manny Parra take a lot of flack because they don’t hold up quite so well the third time through the order, but often times that blurs the fact that these pitchers (along with the injured Gallardo) have great stuff. Part of being a young pitcher is that there is a massive learning curve and just like Fielder has to adjust to not being pitched inside as much these young pitchers are talented and smart enough to recognize that they must (and will) improve to become more dominant as the season goes on.

It’s easier for offenses to focus their lenses on these pitchers because they are studying one player, but our guys have to study countless batters for each game and re-work their pitch selection and delivery to go deeper into games. They will.

* Kendall is not Estrada

So it’s important that a man like Jason Kendall is behind the plate instead of Johnny Estrada. Kendall brings much more talent offensively and defensively than the embattled 2007 catcher Estrada. A hot beginning of 2008 and some great clutch hitting thus far has made Kendall’s 9-hole batting an essential part of many Brewers offensive outbursts. Offensively, Kendall is sniffing around .300 as a career hitter, walks a lot, and strikes out few and far in between. A far cry from the painful hitting of Estrada (who I swear to God only got hits with 2 out and no one on). After playing runner-up to Estrada as the worst defensive catcher in baseball last year, the 12-year veteran has pushed his caught stealing percentage is above 30 percent.

Even more important than the offense/defense numbers is that an experienced catcher that molds well with his pitching staff. This is why I worry less about our young pitchers, because Kendall knows how to call a

game and given his work ethic he will only work harder to improve these kids.

* The defense is stronger

Of course I started writing this part before the six errors in Boston, but I’ve made the point in a previous column that the defense is far and away better than it was last season. Numbers show that they are near the bottom in errors and tops in fielding percentage. Moving Braun away from the hot corner and signing Mike Cameron have been well-documented. Are they perfect? Hell no. But improvement is always a step in the right direction. The point above about Kendall is just one more area of less concern with the 2008 Brewers.

* There’s always next year

This one isn’t so much about the 2008 season (obviously, because I’m saying next year…), but Brewers’ fans need to keep everything in perspective. Expectations were and continue to be massively high for this season. Those expectations may cost someone who shall remain nameless his job and maybe even result in a few Brewers finding new homes, but most sane people realize that harnessing young talent is an on-going process. Melvin and the ownership are working on securing these young lads for the long-term, but not everything works out as quickly as the fan base expects.

Whether or not this season is a wash doesn’t mean all is lost. These are not the Florida Marlins which, in the past, have assembled one year teams and then dissembled them. Teams like the Brewers are being built for the long-term. It has been 26 years since the Brewers have sniffed the post-season so as much as it pains me each year to say it… there’s always next year if this one doesn’t work out.

By: Dan Wiersema

Round ‘em Up: Wednesday

Three wins in a row!  It’s funny how momentum can change for a team once they return home.  Carlos Villanueva upped the quality start streak to four games.  Manny Parra looks to continue that tonight.  That would mean, of course, that Ned has to let him pitch through the sixth inning.  Heaven forbid…

I hope you all like Dan Wiersema’s recap of yesterday’s game against the Dodgers.  Dan is now an official contributor to BrewersNation.  I had some reservations about opening my site to another blogger, but the time commitment proved too much for me.  Dan is a great writer, and I’m excited to have him working on BrewersNation with me.  His addition will help keep a constant flow of information and posts heading your way.  No more dead-time when I cannot make it to the computer for a couple days.  Anyway, let’s take a look at the news for today.

Post of the Day

SI.com follows the young Milwaukee Brewers on their recent road trip.  It captures many behind-the-scenes moments that fans normally are unaware of.  I did not realize that J.J. Hardy is such a good ping-pong player.  I also do not understand why the first picture I see when reading the article has Bob Uecker standing in the background with very short shorts.  Questionable choice in photography right there.

• In a surprise move by Ned Yost, Eric Gagne returned to the closer’s role last night.  It certainly wasn’t pretty, but he got Juan Pierre to pop out to short to end the game.  Jim Powell has an interview with Gagne after the game.  The relief and happiness in Eric’s voice is evident.
• In that same vein, David Pinto from Baseball Musings believes that Eric Gagne must have been tipping his pitches.  Nobody has offered any concrete evidence for this, but Yost’s comments do seem to imply that Gagne was doing just that.
• Michael Hunt from the Milwaukee JS says that hitting is contagious.  I was not aware.  I wonder if winning is too…  Perhaps not hitting worth a darn is contagious?
• Chris Capuano is going to have his second Tommy John surgery.  Unfortunately, I do not see Cappy being able to come off of this surgery and be anything other than a situational lefty.  His velocity will most likely decrease, and it was not overpowering to begin with.  Then again, it would be impressive if Cappy can bounce back at all.  Tommy John is not a pleasant surgery.  Good luck, Chris!
• Speaking of surgery, Yovani Gallardo had a very successful operation Tuesday morning.  Here’s to hoping that Milwaukee does not rush Yo back to the mound.  He needs to be 100% next season after Ben Sheets has most likely moved on to another team.
• The Milwaukee Brewers’ farm system and Brevard County will be getting a very welcome addition tomorrow night.  Jeremy Jeffress has served his 50-game suspension for marijuana use and is scheduled to pitch Thursday night for Brevard County.  I suspect that Jeremy will be out on that mound with something to prove to everyone.  He will have a fantastic season, as he will try to silent all of his critics and doubters.  Unfortunately, all that adrenaline will be difficult to harness tomorrow night.  He may struggle with his command tomorrow, but Jeremy will have a great season.
• The Baseball Analysts examine NL players that are trying to avoid the sophomore jinx.  Ryan Braun is the first on the list.  He’s been heating up lately at the plate, to the tune of six extra-base hits in the past three games.  His walk rate has dropped to 4.9%, which is so bad it’s almost stupid.  Plate discipline is something Ryan needs to work on very hard.
• In one of the most interesting posts of the day, The Brew Town Beat suggests that the Brewers should offer Tony Gwynn Jr. to San Diego for Greg Maddux.  It is a very intriguing idea, as Greg would presumably waive his no-trade clause for Milwaukee to work with his brother, Mike Maddux.  With that said, the Brewers pitching staff may be coming around at the right time.  Doug Melvin is not one to fix something that isn’t broken.  That, and the Brewers would need to ask for more than Maddux for Tony Gwynn Jr.  The young center fielder has more value than Maddux because of his upside.  As of right now, I would say no to the trade.  If Greg is struggling in the best pitcher’s park in the majors, how will he do at Miller Park?
• Gabe Gross scored another game winning run last night for the Tampa Bay Rays.  Dan pointed out to me that it is very uncommon for a player to get mobbed heroically by two separate teams in a single season.  I do not know how often that has happened in the past 10 years or so, but my guess is not many.
• Eric Farris, the number one rated second baseman in the minors for Milwaukee, made his debut for West Virginia on Tuesday.  He spent time in extended Spring Training rehabbing a tweaked left hamstring.  I am extremely interested as to how Eric will perform this season in West Virginia.  The Brewers do not have many intriguing internal options at second base.  I would not be surprised to see Jack Z draft a second baseman in the first few rounds.
• Speaking of the draft, John Sickels touches on some of the best high school hitters that will be available in this years draft.
• This is not Brewers related, but The Hardball Times examines what makes a curveball effective.  The graphs really help elucidate why a good curveball is almost impossible to hit.
• Jim Edmonds is almost certainly going to sign with the Chicago Cubs in the coming days.  Cubs fans really, really do not like this move.  I cannot understand why.  His sub-.200 batting average helps the Milwaukee Brewers a lot.  I like this move for the Brewers Cubs.

Round ‘em Up: Monday

The Milwaukee Brewers won one for the mothers in the stands yesterday.  Ryan Braun looked to have enjoyed using those pink bats.  Let’s hope they can pull out a series win today against the Cardinals!

• For more on yesterday’s win, here’s the Milwaukee JS article.
• Yovani Gallardo will have surgery tomorrow morning.  The team sought second and third opinions on the injury.  Apparently, the team wanted Yo to avoid having the surgery if possible.  That would have been foolish on the team’s part, in my opinion.  You do not take chances with your young ace.
• Between the Green Pillars discusses the “dreaded Closer By Committee” now happening in Milwaukee.  Ryan seems to believe that the Brewers do not have someone that can consistently be the closer, as he wishes the team would acquire one elsewhere.  Give Guillermo Mota and David Riske a shot before we go giving players away for a closer.  Plus, there is not a quality closer available right now.  Huston Street is struggling, and the only other worthwhile closer would be George Sherrill in Baltimore.  Not impressed?  Me neither.
• Al’s Ramblings notes that a starter has not been announced for Thursday’s game.  Perhaps this signifies that Seth McClung will get an opportunity to get a spot start for the Crew.  That would be interesting, even though it would not be my first choice.  It may be a long shot, but Thursday would also be near-regular rest for Mark DiFelice.  He’s put up a 3.91 ERA in Nashville thus far.
• The Brew Town Beat has some suggestions for the Brewers offense.  They like my idea of a Bill Hall/Russell Branyan platoon.  They also suggest that Tony Gwynn Jr. should get more at bats in lieu of Mike Cameron.  Sure, Cameron has not lit the world on fire with his start for Milwaukee, but no one expected him to hit .300.  Mike is someone that can give you 20/20 stats, but will only hit about .240 with lots of strikeouts.  Those who thought Milwaukee was getting something else is either naive, or didn’t know much about Cameron as a player.
• Also from The Brew Town Beat…they are wondering if Eric Gagne is tipping his pitches.  After Ned Yost’s cryptic comments the other day, I began to think the same thing.  Brew Town makes a very convincing argument.  If that is the case, Eric should be able to get back on track fairly easily.
• In-Between Hops says that Prince Fielder is not performing as well because of his vegetarian diet.  Either that or he is trying to hit every pitch 500 feet.  I’m tired of the vegetarian talk.
• Tom Haudricourt has a preview of the 2008 First Year Player Draft.  Actually, he does not really preview anyone the Crew might draft.  The article simply dwells on the fact that Milwaukee has many more picks early in the draft than usual.  That has been well-chronicled here.  I’d like to see some analysis of actual potential-draftees.
• The Huntsville Times has an article on Matt LaPorta.  This just in: Matt LaPorta can hit very well.
• MLB Trade Rumors notes that the Chicago Cubs are considering signing veteran centerfielder, Jim Edmonds.  He would replace Felix Pie in the lineup.  Personally, I hope they sign Edmonds.  He has hit .178/.265/.233 in 103 plate appearances.  That would be an improvement for them…

Round ‘em Up: Saturday

Finally!!!  Rickie Weeks comes through last night with a huge hit in the bottom of the ninth.  Unfortunately, I was unable to catch the game last night.  I missed a dandy.  It feels wonderful to get off the losing streak.

• Derrick Turnbow has accepted his move to Triple-A Nashville.  I figured that Derrick would not be able to forfeit his $3.2M contract just to keep his pride.  Four teams were apparently interested in Turnbow, but a deal could not be worked out.  The teams wanted Doug Melvin to pay for most of Turnbow’s contract and were only offering a middling prospect in return.  That is certainly not worth losing an arm like Derrick’s.  I hope he can figure something out in Nashville.
• Tom Haudricourt is reporting that Yovani Gallardo should be having surgery next week.  Yo says that he hopes that he can get back before the season is done.  I appreciate the enthusiasm, but the Brewers need him for the next few years.  Yo cannot jeopardize his future with Milwaukee trying to rush back.
• (Hat tip to Right Field Bleachers) I has been reported, albeit from an unreliable source, that Ryan Braun has signed a long-term contract with Milwaukee.  It appears to be worth between $8-9M per year and will buy out one of his free agency years.  That price tag seems a little steep to me, especially for a player with only one year of experience.  We shall see.
• The Junkball Blues has my favorite post for today that analyzes the struggles the offense has dealt with.  It outlines the attributes that are taken into consideration for what a good approach at the plate truly means.  Let me give you a little hint, Ryan Braun does not take many pitches and does not walk often.  Shocked?  Check out the rest of the post.
• Al’s Ramblings believes that Seth McClung should get a shot at the starting rotation.  Really?  I think he’d have to come in during more important situations and prove himself before I give him the ball every fifth day.
• RHP Amaury Rivas from the West Virginia Power is getting some praise.  This article delves a little into Amaury’s arsenal.  He has a 95mph fastball that overpowers young hitters, and a slider that is big league ready…according to his manager.  It sounds like he still has some control issues, but his stuff is electric.  The 22-year old Dominican will be one to watch out for this season.

  The article also notes that LHP Mike Ramlow will be on his way to Brevard County sometime soon.  The big lefty has shown dominant stuff in West Virginia thus far in 2008.

• Florida Today writes an article on Brevard County’s CF Darren Ford.  In case you did not know, he’s fast.  He had five stolen bases in a game last week.  He has 21 stolen bases already.  That is seven more than his closest competitor in the entire league.  The article does note that his swing needs some work.  The offense as a whole is not where it needs to be, but Darren does possess some special gifts that will separate him from everyone else in the system.  Don’t blink, you just might miss Darren as he flies up the prospect list.

Don’t forget to comment on Dan’s article from yesterday.  I would really like to know if Dan’s work is something you all would like to see on BrewersNation regularly, and I’m sure Dan would love to get some feedback.  So please, comment on the article below!!!

Looking towards the future

After the Houston series, I began to think about how the Brewers will look a few seasons down the road.  How many years do we have before our core hits free agency?  Interestingly enough, a post on Brew Crew Ball offered a look at this same topic.  I’ll add a couple different things though.  I wrote this article a little off the cuff, so I may have forgotten a couple of prospects or different scenarios.  It will, however, be a good little summary of what the Brewers have in the foreseeable future.

• J.J. Hardy – arbitration eligible 2008-2010, FA in 2011
  

• Prince Fielder – arbitration eligible 2009-2011, FA in 2012

• Corey Hart – arbitration eligible 2009-2011, FA in 2012
  

• Rickie Weeks – arbitration eligible 2009-2011, FA in 2012

• Bill Hall – signed through 2010 w/ club option for 2011, FA in 2012

• Ryan Braun - arbitration eligible 2011-2014, FA in 2015
  

• Yovani Gallardo – arbitration eligible 2011-2014 (I believe), FA in 2015

• Carlos Villanueva – arbitration eligible 2010-2013, FA in 2014

As roguejim points out on BCB, it appears that 2012 will be the season where the core of the 2008 Brewers will walk.  What will the Brewers do?  What should they do?

First of all, if the Brewers want to have any hope of building a perennial winner, the organization cannot hand out big contracts that will handcuff the team for years to come.  Jeff Suppan got one of those deals.  It is not team friendly.  The Brewers cannot make a habit of signing players to long-term deals.

This is why I am wary of giving players like Ben Sheets and Prince Fielder long-term contracts.  People are being incredibly short-sighted with Sheets.  I understand he is a bona fide ace when in the rotation, but that is never a certainty.  Someone like Soup is making $10M per year.  You can only imagine what Sheeter would cost the Brewers.  They cannot set aside that type of money to an unknown entity.  Yovani Gallardo will be around to take up the ace position in the rotation, so Brewers fans should not fret too much.  Jeremy Jeffress is an intriguing arm in the farm system that could make a large impact in the rotation in just a couple of years.  Zach Braddock is more of a long-term project, but his arm is one to watch.  He’s a lefty that could step into the rotation in three or four years.  The Brewers also have a boatload of picks in the first three rounds of this seasons draft.  Jack Z will most likely draft a couple of college arms that can rise quickly through the system.  Ben Sheets will certainly be missed, but the Brewers cannot afford that price tag.

How about Prince Fielder?  Surely there is no one in the farm system that can replace that beast.  I will grant that point.  Prince is a special player, and a leader in the clubhouse.  If anyone would be worth a long-term deal, it would be Prince.  That is, if we were someone like the Chicago Cubs or the Atlanta Braves, he would be worth that type of contract.  The Brewers are a team that needs to build its core from within, and players like Prince Fielder allow Doug Melvin and Jack Z to develop a deep farm system.  When 2011 comes around, Prince can bring in four or five elite prospects and major league ready players.  Look at what Seattle gave up for Erik Bedard.  Do you really think the price of an elite player will dwindle by 2011?  The price may actually get steeper.  Prince will demand somewhere around $15-17M per year, and the Brewers can definitely not afford that contract.  The Brewers must get prospects for Prince.  They must replenish the system when they have the chance, especially when you have a player like Mat Gamel or Matt LaPorta that can step in to fill the void.  I’m sorry Brewers fans, but Prince will have to go.

J.J. Hardy and Bill Hall will be the first players that will give Milwaukee a difficult and delicate situation do deal with.  Hall looks to have found a home at third base, but his average leaves a lot to be desired.  Is he worth that $9.5M in 2011?  Is he worth the money when players like Mat Gamel and Taylor Green will be waiting in the wings by 2011?  If Bill can raise his average, the answer is a resounding yes.  That is a big if, however.  The Brewers organization may even look to trade Hall if Gamel can improve his defense at the hot corner.

J.J. Hardy, on the other hand, presents a much more difficult decision.  He is an absolute fan favorite, especially amongst the crowd that has two X-chromosomes.  Hardy is a fantastic defensive player, even if his range is a little limited.  His throws are right on the money consistently.  Fans never have to hold their collective breath when he fires the ball to first.  Besides his offensive explosion last year, however, Hardy has not proven that he can cut it offensively at short.  He is a dead pull-hitter, and prolonged slumps are not foreign to J.J.  Alcides Escobar will also make this decision more difficult.  His defense is better than J.J.’s, but he has much less power.  Melvin and the Brewers organization love Escobar at short, so his big league career is all but a foregone conclusion.  If I had to make a decision, I would trade J.J. when he is in the midst of a hot streak at the plate.  It would not be a popular move, but teams would give up a lot to get a young shortstop like Hardy.  Alcides is perhaps a year away from the big leagues, and Abraham Nunez or Craig Counsell could provide a stop-gap until then.  Hardy is the most expendable amongst all these players, and Melvin would be wise to make a move with Hardy before his stock goes too far down because of his lack of offense.

Rickie Weeks will ride out his time in Milwaukee.  I have no idea how his tenure will end, as he has the talent to be an All-Star second baseman.  He has not been able to turn that talent into consistent success at the big league level, however.  The Brewers have no one on the horizon that can play second base exceptionally well.  Callix Crabbe appeared to be promising, but the Brewers lost him to San Diego in the Rule 5 draft this season.  The farm system does have Michael Bell, who is a power-hitting second baseman that reminds me of Dan Uggla.  He strikes out too much and needs to improve his defense, but he can hit the long ball.  Eric Farris will be interesting this year though in his first season of professional baseball.  He could be someone to watch as a potential successor to Weeks at second.  Until then, the Brewers will deal with the ups-and-downs associated with Rickie Weeks until he becomes a free agent in 2012.

The outfield appears to be a strength for the upcoming years for the Milwaukee Brewers.  Corey Hart and Ryan Braun are not going anywhere anytime soon, and they are both excellent candidates for a long-term contract that would buy out their arbitration years.  I would not advise locking these players up to a long-term contract, but it could work out in the team’s favor with Ryan if they can get him locked up in the upcoming months.  At that point, Ryan would be more apt to take a pay-cut down the road in favor of getting paid more in the coming years.  The team could then buy out one of his free agency years.  Corey Hart could also be a candidate for this type of deal, but he is a little too close to his arbitration years to work out in the team’s favor.  Plus, the Brewers farm system is chock full of solid outfield prospects.  Matt LaPorta is the obvious candidate for an outfield gig, but so is Tony Gwynn Jr. Further down in the system, Hernan Iribarren made an impressive debut for the Crew last month.  He is a scrappy hitter that could make a run at a big league job next season.  Caleb Gindl and Lorenzo Cain are also intriguing prospects that could be elite players in a couple years.  In short, there are plenty of options for the Brewers in the outfield.

Now on to the pitching.  Yovani Gallardo, Carlos Villanueva, and Manny Parra will be with the team for the foreseeable future, but only Yo has proven to be a solid major league pitcher.  Parra and Villanueva certainly have the stuff and the make-up of a good major leaguer, but they have not proven it yet.  The farm system is a little concerning when it comes to pitching though.  Jeremy Jeffress and Zach Braddock are good arms in the farm system, as I said earlier, but they are a couple years away.  Zach Jackson has proven to be a bust thus far.  I do not see him in a big league uniform in Milwaukee, unfortunately for him.  He is a lefty, so Milwaukee will give him a chance though.  A pitcher to watch is Steve Hammond in Double-A Huntsville.  His strikeout rate has skyrocketed this season, and success has followed closely.  He has a developed arm, as he is 25, so the Brewers could push him up the ladder in the next year or so.

There are a couple of relievers in the farm system that could make some noise in Milwaukee in the coming years.  Both Omar Aguilar and Luis Pena are flame-throwing pitchers that are rising up the system.  Pena may get called up this season, and Aguilar could see Double-A in the coming months if his success continues.  A prospect who is more of a sleeper is Tim Dillard.  He has recently moved to the bullpen, and he has found success in Nashville.  He is a durable reliever that has good stuff.  Tim could become a reliever in the mold of Salomon Torres, someone who is durable and effective.

Besides those prospects, there is not too much on the horizon for Milwaukee concerning pitching.  That is one reason why trading J.J. Hardy could be such a beneficial option.  It could bring back a proven starter, while still securing a couple top prospects.  Milwaukee’s organization and Brewers fans cannot be shortsighted and try to win now and mortgage the future.  If they play their cards right, they have a chance to be a small-market team, yet compete for years to come.  They may just need to follow the mold of Oakland’s Billy Beane and make a couple of unpopular moves to secure success in the future.  The Brewers have the personnel to make such a franchise, they just need to put the plan into motion.

Mini-Round ‘em Up: Sunday

The Milwaukee Brewers lost to the Houston Astros again last night.  What is it with Carlos Villanueva and Manny Parra when it comes to the fifth inning?  It is getting a little ridiculous…

• Jim Powell sums up what Brewers fans around the world thought and probably said when they heard about the Yovani Gallardo injury.
• MLB Trade Rumors indicates that there are four unnamed teams that are interested in Derrick Turnbow.  A trade seems unlikely, unless the Brewers are willing to eat some of the contract or take a comparable contract back in return (like the Guillermo Mota acquisition).  I suspect that Doug will try to get a deal done in the next few days.  If I had to guess which teams were interested, I would say the Tigers, Braves, White Sox, and Mariners.  Just guesses though.

  The post also notes that the Brewers passed on Gerald Laird.  I guess I did not realize that we were in the market for a player we do not need.

• Sticking with MLB Trade Rumors, the site says that the Texas Rangers are not interested in Derrick Turnbow.  I suspect that Doug attempted to get Laird for Turnbow, but the Rangers probably laughed at that deal.  The Rangers most likely then countered with an obnoxious deal, so the talk died quickly.
• The Junkball Blues makes the case for a four-man rotation for the majority of the next 71 games (the amount of games until the All-Star Break).  The kicker is that it makes the case for Jeff Weaver to replace Manny Parra in the rotation for the most part.  You want to know what is scary?  I could easily be brought around to that argument.  Manny’s lack of command and lack of going deep into games has been annoying thus far in 2008.  The starting rotation has problems, ladies and gentlemen…in case you have not noticed.

Brewers will scour trade market for pitching

I will be unable to get to a computer the entire day today, so I will not be able to write a Round ‘em Up this morning.  I apologize.  Instead, I thought I would start a thread that would discuss our sudden need in the starting rotation.

Tom Haudricourt says that the Crew will keep an eye out for starting pitching on the trade market.  It makes no sense to make the move right now, as teams would make Milwaukee overpay significantly for a starter (remember the Scott Linebrink deal?).  That does not mean that Doug Melvin will not scour the trade market.

Do you think we even need to trade for a starting pitcher?  Will Dave Bush and Jeff Weaver be able to make up for the loss of Yovani Gallardo?  What if Ben Sheets gets injured?

I have a couple thoughts.  I do not want to trade for a starting pitcher if we do not have to.  The Brewers cannot overpay at the trade deadline for a rental player, like they did last season.  They have Jeff Weaver and Chris Narveson in the minors, and I believe they can do well enough to warrant not trading for someone.

If they do trade for someone, however, I would trade Mat Gamel or a prospect like that for a starting pitcher.  Mat is mashing in Double-A, but his defense is so bad that he may not fit anywhere but on an AL team.  He would most likely not be enough by himself, but the Crew cannot mortgage the future like they did last season.  We’ll see what they will do, but I hope they do not make a trade.  I suspect they will because Doug Melvin seems to be in an extreme win-now mode, but he will wait for the deal he wants.

What would you like to see happen?

Pitching staff loses Gallardo, Turnbow

I’m gone all morning, I get home, and I miss some major news this morning.  I have some awful news, and some good or bad news…depending on your point of view.

Yesterday, Yovani Gallardo looked to have injured his knee severely.  He and Ned Yost insisted he was fine, and he even went back out the next inning to pitch.  Disaster seemed to have been averted, and BrewersNation breathed a huge sigh of relief.

Hold your breath again, Brewers fans.  Yovani had a test on his knee today, and it did not bring good news.  He has torn his ACL, and he will be out the rest of the season.  The team is saying that he may be able to come back late in 2008.  There’s no way that can happen, however.

Yo had been pitching very well so far in 2008.  He was 0-0 with a 1.80 ERA, and he looked to have found his comfort zone in the rotation.  This injury is terrible news for the Milwaukee Brewers.  Dave Bush has been called up to fill Yovani’s spot in the rotation, but the talent disparity between the two pitchers is huge.  The pitching staff just got worse today.

In addition to losing Yovani Gallardo, the Milwaukee Brewers designated Derrick Turnbow for assignment and call up Joe Dillon to the big league roster.

Derrick has an electric arm, but he cannot find the strike zone lately to save his life.  At least, to save his big league job.  He looked to have found something last week when he recorded a save in the place of Eric Gagne.  Since then, however, he has looked lost on the mound in his last two outings, and Doug Melvin was almost forced to make this move.

The Brewers have 10 days to trade him, release him, or send him to the minors.  Derrick has the right to reject the move to Triple-A Nashville, but he would have to forfeit his $3.2M salary.  There is probably no way any team would trade for Turnbow at this point because of his huge salary, and he will most likely not accept the move to Nashville.  Therefore, Derrick Turnbow may be a free agent in 10 days.  Joe Dillon will be in uniform tonight in Houston.

That’s a lot of news to digest in about a five minute timespan.  Goodness gracious…

Braun lifts Crew over Cubs

The Brewers have been criticized for choking after the halfway point of the season.  People like Dayn Perry think that the Brewers will crumble again during the mid-season.

They just may do that this season again, but my money is that they will not.  Why?  This year’s Milwaukee Brewers were able to pick themselves up off the floor after yesterday’s shellacking and get the win in the top of the ninth inning off Kerry Wood.  The 2008 Milwaukee Brewers look to be much more resilient than the teams from years past.

In the top of the ninth, Wood plunked Craig Counsell.  Gabe Kapler doubled to left, and it appeared that Alfonso Soriano could have gotten the ball if he would have kept running.  Instead, he stopped short of the warning track.  Jason Kendall then hit a well-placed grounder for an infield single to score Counsell.  Rickie Weeks walked, and Mike Cameron struck out.  Ryan Braun then whiffed badly at a slider that was nowhere near the strike zone.  He easily could have taken the next pitch to get his bearings.  Ryan Braun doesn’t do that.  Ryan took a 96 mph fastball and smacked it over Kosuke Fukudome‘s head to score Kapler and Kendall.

Eric Gagne came in and recorded his ninth save of the season.  Quite the win for your Milwaukee Brewers.  Let’s hope that the Crew can keep this momentum going for the rest of the road trip.

The Brewers did skirt disaster earlier in the game, however.  When trying to cover first base, Yovani Gallardo crumpled to the ground after his knee gave out on him.  He looked to have injured the same knee he had surgery on.  Yo went back out the next inning though.  Yost said that the fall scared Yo more than anything.  After the game, Yovani said that everything is fine.  Thank goodness.

Records: Brewers (16-12); Cubs (17-11)

Hero of the Game: Ryan Braun

Ryan went 3-5 in the game with a solo home run in the sixth inning off Carlos Zambrano.  The big blow came in the top of the ninth, however, when he lifted the game winning RBI double over Kosuke Fukudome.  Ryan is still a little over-aggressive at the plate, but he is beginning to find his stroke at the plate.  His average is now .287 and on the rise.  He is making defensive strides in left field as well.  The Brewers may be getting their NL Rookie of the Year back to form.  The offense could certainly use him.

Goat of the Game: Kerry Wood

I cannot help but give it to Kerry.  A tip of the hat to you, my friend.  Thanks for the victory.

On Tap

The Milwaukee Brewers will give the ball to Carlos Villanueva to battle Roy Oswalt tomorrow night at 7:05pm CT.  The Crew will continue their road trip with a three game series in Houston.  The bats in Houston are beginning to heat up.  Carlos looks to quiet them down tomorrow night.

Round ‘em Up: Saturday

Good morning all.  The Brewers lost a tough one last night.  Yovani Gallardo pitched an absolute gem last night, but the offense was absent.  The Brewers had their lead-off hitter on base eight out of ten innings, yet they were unable to score a run the entire game.  It is hard to get upset with Guillermo Mota too much.  Sure, he essentially walked the game away, but the offense should have scored before that.  Plus, if the infield would have been playing at double play depth, J.J. Hardy would have been able to turn a pretty easy 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.  Instead, he makes an off-balance and difficult throw home that ended up being late and cost the Crew the game.

The Brewers play again tonight, as Carlos Villanueva will battle Mark Hendrickson.  Someone needs to do something to get this offense going…

• Some of the sabermetrics people are saying that having Jason Kendall bat ninth is paying dividends for the team offensively.  Kendall is playing like a rejuvenated player, but I would like to see the rest of the offense pick it up a bit before I call it a “success.”  It may be working for Kendall personally, but baseball is a team sport.  It shouldn’t affect anyone else, but something is causing this team to slump at the plate.
• Dugout Central has a recapping of the game last night.  I think the ball and glove logos should be lost.  I haven’t done statistical analysis on it, but I’m pretty sure we lose almost every time we wear them.  Surely Prince Fielder is superstitious enough to note that.
• The Junkball Blues have stats for the bullpen after the Cardinals and Phillies series.  They are getting WAY overworked.  Something needs to happen so they can get some rest.  Maybe we need 15 pitchers on the roster?!
• Eli from MLB Rumors is reporting that sources close to Nez Balelo, Ryan Braun‘s agent, are reporting that a long-term deal is close to being completed.  This is very good news for the Brewers and their organization.  I’m not surprised that this will be completed.  Eli does say that he thinks this signing will help in negotiations with Prince Fielder.  My response is…don’t hold your breath.
• Do you want to vote for who the Brewers should take with the 16th pick in this year’s first-year player draft?  Minor League Ball is conducting a fan draft, and it is the Brewers turn.  It is obvious from the results so far that fans believe that the Crew should take a college-proven pitcher.  I completely agree with that sentiment.
• Baseball Digest Daily believes that the Brewers should trade for C.C. Sabathia at the trade deadline.  Ummm…do they forget that the Brewers are a small market team?  They cannot afford to mortgage the future for the present.  If that happened, I’m pretty sure I would fall out of my seat out of disgust.  C.C. is a great pitcher, but the Brewers cannot get rid of three or four prospects for him.  And no, we could not sign him to a contract extension.

Round ‘em Up: Thursday

Derrick Turnbow came into the game last night and silenced everyone that called for his being traded yesterday.  I felt like he walked into my living room and told me to shut up as I cheered for him in the top of the ninth.  He was impressive last night.  That does not change the fact that I believe that he should stay in more of a mop-up role, but he proved he still has closer-stuff.

• Yesterday, I posted an article that said Milwaukee Brewers fans are the unluckiest fans in baseball.  Interesting.  Today, however, ESPN reports that Milwaukee Brewers fans are the fourth most satisfied with their team in the MLB.  Fans have Doug Melvin and Jack Z to thank for that.
• The Baseball Savant makes a revolutionary and eye-opening comment.  The Milwaukee Brewers need Ben Sheets to be healthy.  Oh, I wasn’t aware of that.  Thanks.
• Speaking of Derrick Turnbow, Tom Haudricourt has a nice post about last night’s game.  You know Derrick has been struggling when he’s getting this emotional about a save.  Interestingly enough, it had been one year to the day since his last save.  It came against the Chicago Cubs in 12 innings.  Prince Fielder also hit two home runs in that game.  I have April 23, 2009 marked down as a save for Derrick Turnbow.  He may not be on the team at the time, but it has to happen.
• Jim Powell sums up yesterday’s happenings.  No one should be worried about Prince Fielder’s diet anymore.  Everyone watching the game should have been happy for Derrick Turnbow last night.  Geoff Jenkins deserved the standing ovations he received last night.  No one was a better person and ambassador for the game in Milwaukee.  He played hard every night and gave much back to the community.  I was glad to see the fans remember that and not boo him.
• The Hardball Times has a great analysis of Yovani Gallardo.  The side-by-side videos of his fastball and curveball are extremely interesting.  The Brewers organization have a stud on their hands…in case you didn’t already know.
• After last night’s awful strike zone called by Rick Reed (if you didn’t see it, it was absolutely atrocious), it seems fitting that Beyond the Boxscore does a study on the consistency of a strike zone.
• Do you remember Dana Eveland?  He is now on the Oakland Athletics, and he is throwing the ball very well.  Everyone who remembers Dana knows that he has the stuff to be successful at the big league level.  He did have problems with the mental side of the game, but he looks to have figured that stuff out.  Minor League Ball does a nice analysis of Dana right here.

Round ‘em Up: Friday

Here’s a short smattering of links while I gear up for Friday’s NL Central Review:

• Prince Fielder is on pace to hit as many home runs as he did last season.  Through 15 games in ’07, he had only one HR.  We’ve brought up this point before though.
• Prince Fielder may have not been getting too many hits early in the season, but 7 of his 13 hits came with runners in scoring position.  That’s being productive.
• Bugs and Cranks outlines the situation at the end of the rotation.  Yovani Gallardo will be coming back.  Who will get knocked out?
• Even Ken Rosenthal is obsessed with Gabe Kapler.  Then again, aren’t we all?
• John Sickels from Minor League Ball takes a very in depth look at Carlos Villanueva.  John’s stuff is always good.
• The Brewers call up Mitch Stetter!!!  Hernan Iribarren gets sent back down to Triple-A.  He did well while he was here though.  We’ll see him again.
• Derrick Turnbow is not happy with his role in the bullpen.  Well, throw more strikes and get more people out, and that will probably change.

Big decisions loom large

Yovani Gallardo and Mike Cameron are about to come back to the team, and there seems to be little room for them in the lineups. This is a good problem to have, but it’s becoming a problem where the Brewers may lose a player and get nothing in return.

Let’s look at the “Yovani Dilemma” first. Here are some options.

1. Manny Parra or Carlos Villanueva is sent to Triple-A Nashville to make room for Yovani. Both are promising young pitchers, but both have options left. Perhaps they need more time in the minors to get more seasoning.
2. Dave Bush is knocked out of the rotation by Yovani, and he is sent to the minors. Because he has three years of service in the big leagues, however, he would have to clear waivers. It seems highly unlikely that Dave would make it through waivers and on to Nashville. It may be a risk Doug Melvin and Co. will have to take.
3. Seth McClung is optioned to Triple-A to make room for Bush, Parra, or Villanueva to move to the bullpen. McClung is out of options, so he would have to clear waivers as well. He has a very live arm, and teams (Detroit, Atlanta, and Florida) are thirsting for relievers and/or starters right now. It also seems unlikely that Seth would clear waivers.

Now let’s see what the “Cameron Dilemma” holds for us:

1. Gabe Gross is optioned to Triple-A, but has to clear waivers. He’s been absolutely awful at the plate thus far, but he has shown that he can get it done in the past. Gabe certainly would not clear waivers either.
2. Tony Gwynn Jr. gets sent to Triple-A. This may happen, but I do not want it to happen. He’s been fantastic at the plate and in the field thus far. His hamstring is obviously a concern, but he has shown this year that he belongs in the big leagues. Give him a chance to produce off the bench.
3. Gabe Kapler is optioned to the minors. Does anyone think this is going to happen? Me neither.

None of these options sound very appealing, do they? I look for Doug Melvin and the Brewers to begin shopping Dave Bush and Gabe Gross around the league. If there are not any takers, I would expect to see Tony Gwynn Jr. and Manny Parra sent to the minors to preserve the team’s future. I would much rather see a trade, however.

Let me play GM for a moment. This would be a trade that I would propose:

• Detroit would receive: RHP Dave Bush, OF Gabe Gross, and 3B Mat Gamel

• Milwaukee would receive: C James Skelton, LHP Casey Crosby, and a low-level pitching prospect

Admittedly, it would be difficult to get rid of Gamel’s bat, but Milwaukee’s system is stacked at the third base position. I would like to see the Brewers get a bona fide catching prospect (nothing against Vinny Rottino) and a high-ceiling left-handed starting pitcher. This would help replenish the minor league system a bit and allow the Crew to get something for Bush and Gross. The Detroit Tigers are scrambling for offense and for help in the bullpen. Plus, Gary Sheffield and Magglio Ordonez are not getting any younger. Mat Gamel could fit in nicely at the DH position.

With that said, this will not happen. It would be nice to see the Brewers think a little outside of the box though.  What would you all like to see happen?

Reds pound Brewers to end winning streak

The Brewers may have taken the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, but they certainly wasted little time in giving it back to the Cincinnati Reds.

Starter Dave Bush gave up five runs, only four of them earned, but he gave up three key runs in the top of the sixth.  Bush did not have very good stuff today, in my opinion.  He needs to keep his walk rate down, as he walked three more batters today.  His fastball got up in the zone.  I thought his curveball was fine, but why would any of the Cincinnati Reds swing at a curveball when they know they can get a belt-high fastball later in the count?

The bullpen did not help, either.  David Riske came in and had zero control of his fastball.  It was very straight and over the plate.  I was confused as to why he did not want to throw his splitter very much, but he must have not had a very good feel for it today.  He escaped the inning without giving up an earned run, but it does not mean he pitched well.

Derrick Turnbow displayed his characteristically wild command.  He walked Ken Griffey Jr. to start the inning, and Adam Dunn parked a home run just over the outstretched arm of Gabe Gross.  Actually, Gross should have had that ball, but that is a different story.  Seth McClung came in to mop up the game for the Crew in the eighth and ninth innings.  Instead of keeping the score manageable, Seth gave up five earned runs and walked three batters in two innings.  I understand momentum can be a big thing in baseball, but it was amazing how poorly everyone threw the ball once Bush started to struggle.

At the plate, all was fairly quiet.  Ryan Braun and Bill Hall both hit solo shots to continue their hitting ways.  Jason Kendall and Corey Hart had two hits a piece, but no one else got a hit in the game.  Dave Bush did in the fifth inning, but no other Brewer position player tallied a hit in the game.  With that said, the game was not out of reach until the bullpen blew up.

Poor games like this will inevitably happen.  The Crew started the season in great shape, and fans are kidding themselves if they think that a blowout was not going to happen this month.  The important thing is that the Brewers rally around Carlos Villanueva tomorrow and score a third-straight series win.

Records: Brewers (6-2); Reds (5-4)

Hero of the Game: Bill Hall

Billy hit another home run in the bottom of the ninth to put his season total up to four.  He is seeing the ball pretty well, and he has his power stroke back.  That is not the main reason for naming him the hero of the game.  I’ve been incredibly impressed with his defense this season.  Brian Anderson mentioned that Billy is making one highlight-caliber play per game at the hot corner.  I agree.  He has made the Brewers defense immensely better.  He made a very nice play on Ryan Freel, I believe it was.  He ranged to his right, picked the ball cleanly with his glove, spun, and fired a perfect ball to Prince Fielder over at first.  That play is not easy.  It certainly looked like it was though.

Goat of the Game: David Bush

David.  You simply cannot, I repeat cannot, come into the game in the top of the sixth and give away the lead your team just stole in the bottom of the fifth.  The momentum had begun to swing towards Milwaukee, and the bats looked like they were about ready to break out in a big way.  Instead of building on that momentum, Bush imploded and lost all momentum for the Brewers.  All Brewers fans know that David is susceptible to the big inning, but it always comes at the wrong time (if there ever is a good time).  I am sick of seeing the Brewers offense get the lead and then watch Dave Bush come in and give it right back.  I admit that David Riske did not help a bit after getting the call to pitch, but Bush started the carnage.  I can only hope that when Yovani Gallardo comes back from the DL, Bush is the pitcher to go.  I don’t know what to do with him at this point.  I will address this when I am in a better state of mind, but he needs to go.

On Tap

Carlos Villanueva will toe the rubber tomorrow in the series finale against the Cincinnati Reds.  He will go up against Cincy’s ace, Aaron Harang.  The rubber match will start at 12:05pm CT.  This will be a tough match-up for the Crew, but they need this win badly.  Milwaukee does not want to head out to Shea Stadium on a sour note.

Round ‘em Up: Thursday

Good morning everyone.  Another day, another day at the top of the NL Central.  Can’t complain about that, huh?!  Well, there’s not too much going on today, but I’ll give you a few reads to keep you busy.

•  I don’t know how I missed this yesterday after linking to Dayn Perry’s article, but Ken Rosenthal from FOX Sports also has some major concerns about Eric Gagne being Milwaukee’s closer.  I think the best thing that could happen for Gagne right now is for the Brewers to have a 4-3 lead against the Cubs today and to have him enter the game in the bottom of the ninth and shut the door.  That would stop much of the talking.
• Speaking of Eric Gagne, he refuses to make excuses for his bad showing on Monday.  Yet…the conditions were bad, and the mound was too slippery for him.  No excuses, eh Eric?
• So yesterday’s hero, Jason Kendall, is making Ned Yost look like a genius for putting him in the nine hole.  Kendall looks to be the ultimate gamer, and I must admit that he impressed me very much yesterday.  I had my reservations about Kendall like everyone else.  His a hard-nosed player.  If he plays with that intensity all season, he’ll be fun to watch.
• There are more articles that are predicting awards…

  Baseball Digest Daily thinks that Prince Fielder is going to win the NL MVP award.  They also believe that the Crew is going to win the NL Central and make it to the NLCS before losing to the Atlanta Braves.  I’ll take that.

  Dugout Central has their NL predictions for MVP.  Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder both get one vote.

• The Baseball Savant has his nine biggest stories in the NL for the 2008 season.  The Milwaukee Brewers make the list with their starting rotation.  He believes that the Crew could blow the NL Central wide open if Ben Sheets and Yovani Gallardo can stay healthy for the entire season.  I’m more focused on getting Yovani back on the big league mound before I worry about him staying healthy.  One step at a time folks…
• (Hat tip to KL Snow for this find)  It seems that Phillies fans are already worried about Geoff Jenkins and the fact that he cannot hit lefties to save his life.  Have any Phillies fan call any Brewers fan.  Brewers fans could have told them that.  I don’t know what they were expecting to get.  There is a reason why Milwaukee did not pick up Geoff’s option.  I respect and like Jenkins a lot, but his time was over in Milwaukee.
• Corey Koskie is still battling post-concussion syndrome.  He wants to make it back to the big leagues still, but I think he needs to get the rest of his life back first.  Post-concussion syndrome is one of the worst problems people can have because it seems like there is nothing wrong with you.  He cannot play with his kids for an extended period of time.  He cannot even concentrate too hard for an extended period of time.  I think I speak for everyone reading this when I say Good Luck, Corey.

Round ‘em Up: Tuesday

The Boston Red Sox were able to fend off the Oakland A’s this morning in Japan to open up the regular season.  The Brewers haven’t started yet, but I still have a Round ‘em Up for you this morning:

• Tom Haudricourt wrote a blog post wondering the exact same thing as I posted last night.  Is Manny Parra ruining his chance at the starting rotation after his last two outings?   The question seems to be a little more difficult and complex than it first appears to be.  I still think Ned wants a lefty in his rotation, so I think Manny has a spot to start the year.  That may disappear when Yovani Gallardo comes back from the DL, however.
• Jerry Crasnick from ESPN.com gave a nickname to every major league team.  The Brewers nickname is “Dislocation Station.”  It may just be me, but that does not seem to be a positive thing.
• Baseball Digest Daily has an NL Central Preview.  They get it right this time though.  Milwaukee gets the nod as the first place team.  That always makes me happy to read.
• The SportsBubbler takes a look at the NL Central starting rotations.  Its a very interesting article, and it has the top of the Brewers rotation being Yovani Gallardo and Carlos Villanueva.  Color me skeptical, but I do not see Carlos leading the team in innings pitched if he starts the year in Triple-A Nashville.  The author is right though, Dave Bush does have another chance to make a big impression on Ned Yost and Doug Melvin to make a solid contribution to the middle of the rotation.

  It also has an interesting prediction that the most productive top of the rotation will be that of the Pittsburgh Pirates.  I completely agree that Ian Snell may be a stud this season, but Tom Gorzelanny has not proven anything to me yet.  He had a great season last year, but his peripheral stats are a little dangerous.  He may be like Zach Duke from last year and struggle after a successful breakout season.

Monday’s Round ‘em Up

I have today’s Round ‘em Up for you.  The final one before the regular season starts tomorrow in Japan.  Lets see what we have:

• Tom Haudricourt breaks down some of the roster decisions that Milwaukee will have to make.  Most of them I completely agree with, but I do wish that Carlos Villanueva could make the starting rotation.  I don’t know who he would replace though.  Claudio Vargas needs to be in the rotation because he has no options left.  I would say that he should be the long man in the pen, but Seth McClung seems to have that spot wrapped up.

  It will be interesting to see who gets bumped out when Yovani Gallardo gets back into the rotation.  I feel like Manny Parra may be the victim, as Ned Yost seems reluctant to send Dave Bush anywhere.  Ned does want a lefty in the rotation though, so I’m not completely sure what will happen.  If Manny pitches well for the first couple starts, he’ll be in the rotation when Yo comes back.

• Beyond the Boxscore thinks that Derrick Turnbow is one of the most unlucky pitchers in the bigs.  The stats say that his WHIP goes way up after runners get on base, and apparently that makes Derrick unlucky.  To me, that simply means that Derrick gets ungodly worse when a runner gets on first.  He’ll obviously have to work on that.
• Seamheads.com has an NL Central preview.  The problem?  They forgot to pick a winner.
• If you are interested, RealGM Baseball previews the Chicago Cubs.  Apparently, Kosuke Fukudome and Jon Lieber are going to make a very big difference.  In fact, they think that Fukudome should bat third.  I know the Cubs will be good, but it’s obvious that a Cubs fan wrote this.
• Are you confused about Chris Capuano‘s injury?  Baseball Digest Daily breaks down the injury and explains what Chris will need to do to rehab his elbow.  It does not sound fun.

Categorizing Pitchers

The Baseball Analysts have a great article up today that classifies pitchers according to their strikeout and ground ball tendencies.  Naturally, it says that pitchers who have above-average strikeout rates and ground ball rates are going to be the elite pitchers of the game.  The Brewers, unfortunately, have nobody that makes that category.  Ben Sheets seems like he should make that list because he is an elite pitcher, but he is more of a fly-ball pitcher.  The biggest surprise from that category?  Tampa’s Edwin Jackson.

Milwaukee did have pitchers in the next best category, however.  Ones that have an above-average strikeout rate and a below-average ground ball rate.  Ben Sheets, Yovani Gallardo, Chris Capuano, and Dave Bush make the list here.  Bush’s strikeout rate is why the Brewers have stuck with him for so long.  He has the potential to be a solid starter.  He can simply not get away from the big inning.

Jeff Suppan makes the list as a pitcher who has above-average ground ball rates, but a below-average strikeout rate.  The Brewers defense really hurt Soup last season.  He hasn’t gotten much better this spring, either.

Thankfully, the Brewers did not have anyone in the awful quadrant, below-average ground ball rate and strikeout rate.  These are the pitchers that cannot make people miss, yet they always give up fly balls.  They are very home run-prone.  Surprisingly, Curt Schilling falls into this category.

It’s a very, very interesting article.  You should give it a look!  Who knows…maybe you’ll get some ideas for a good pitcher for your fantasy league this season.  On that note, it looks like there is not enough interest in a BrewersNation Fantasy Baseball League.  Sorry to all those that committed to playing.  We’ll try again next season.

Round ‘em Up: The Sunday Edition

You thought I forgot about you all this morning, didn’t you?  Of course not.  Here are some links for you to get your Brewers fix:

• Adam McCalvy was quite the busy man last night.  He has several tidbits of news concerning the Brewers.  First, the Brewers added three names to the list of first cuts.  Catcher Andy Bouchie, LF Matt LaPorta, and RHP Tim Dillard have been sent to the minor league camp to get more regular work in.  The Brewers optioned Dillard to Triple-A Nashville, while LaPorta and Bouchie made their way to the general minor league camp.

  Yovani Gallardo threw against live batters again yesterday.  He said that everything is good and healthy, and he is slated to pitching in a minor league game in about a week or so.  There is relatively zero chance that Yovani will be ready for Opening Day, but he should be back in action in the middle of April.  Mike Maddux said that he’s going to have the same Spring Training program as everyone else.  He just will start a little later than everyone else.

  Adam talks about Rickie Weeks‘ and Corey Hart‘s struggles.  Ned Yost thinks that they’ll be fine come March 31.  What else is he going to say?  Of course he thinks they will be fine.  Jim Skaalen takes a little different angle.  He says that he’s not concerned right now, but if they are still struggling in a week, he’ll start to get worried.  Corey and Rickie will start getting to the park earlier and take extra practice.  It’s good to know someone is at least a little worried.  Tom Haudricourt and Anthony Witrado add Prince Fielder to that list of players struggling.

  Ned Yost is getting really worked up about the looming pitching situation.  He repeatedly says that he does not want to send anyone down to Triple-A because he believes they are all big league pitchers.  Nothing really new in this article, as Ned says experience will matter…but it’s not the only thing that matters.  Nothing like being vague, right?  Well, a pitcher will be traded before too long, I think.  That will help ease Ned’s mind.

• Mike Bauman from MLB.com writes an article about the Brewers and their porous defense.  Everyone in the Brewers organization is utterly convinced that the defense will be better this season.  Not may be better, but will be better.

  I do agree that the Brewers defense will improve this season, but yesterday’s game against the Royals did not ease my mind too much.  Rickie Weeks committed his fourth error of the spring.  J.J. Hardy committed an error.  Big ole Prince Fielder did too.  That’s not what I would call solid fielding.  The amazing thing is that Manny Parra was still able to only give up one run in those five innings.  In one inning, he actually had to get five outs because of errors by the defense.

• John Lackey on the Los Angeles Angels will be sidelined for a month because of a strained right triceps muscle.  The Angels’ rotation is losing a pitcher by the day, it seems.  The Brewers do not want to trade a pitcher inside the division, so perhaps the Angels could be a good fit for Claudio Vargas or Chris Capuano.  As Opening Day gets closer, more and more teams are experiencing starting pitching troubles.  The Texas Rangers could be a potential trading partner as well, especially with their wealth of young catching prospects.
• Since Rocco Baldelli has been unable to get over his chronic fatigue, the Rays are on the lookout for a starting outfielder.  Ken Rosenthal speculated a couple days earlier that Gabe Gross could be on the list of potential replacements.  One thing is clear though, the Rays do not want to look to the free agent market to find their man.  Expect Doug Melvin’s phone to at least get a jingle or two from the Rays.
• Eric Gagne, Derrick Turnbow, and Salomon Torres threw in a Triple-A game yesterday because the fight for the starting rotation is taking pitching opportunities from the relievers.  Gagne gave up a home run, but that was the extent of the damage in his outing.  Turnbow pitched very well again yesterday, retiring the side on 11 pitches.  Torres struck out the first two batters he faced, but was later pulled when he reached his 20-pitch limit.  Yost and Maddux are still bringing Salomon along slowly, and he should pitch in a game sometime this week.

Player Profile: Yovani Gallardo

Yovani Gallardo broke onto the season last year in Milwaukee.  He quickly showed that he belonged in the upper-tier of the starting rotation, and he will only be 22 this year.  He should start the year on the DL because of his knee surgery, but it is quite clear that the Brewers have quite the gem on their hands.  How about a closer look?

’07 Stat Line

9-5 W-L, 3.67 ERA, 110.3 IP, 37 BB, 101 K

Strengths

Yovani has a very live arm and a fastball that moves quite a bit.  Hitters have a very difficult time driving the ball against him, and his fastball has enough velocity and movement to keep batters off-balance.  Back this up with his killer 12-6 curve, and you can very quickly see why he put up a 3.67 ERA for the Brewers in just a half-season of work.  Take out the horrendous outing against the Colorado Rockies, and his ERA gets a whole lot better.

Although extremely young, Yovani shows a moxie and sense of poise that is beyond his years.  He very rarely gets emotional on the mound, which allows him to bounce back after giving up a couple hits or a run.  Mental toughness is not something one sees in such a young pitcher.  He showed throughout the season that he can bear down and gut out a tough inning when the team needs him to, and he can get the tough strike out when needed as well.  Yovani has the stuff and the savvy to strike any batter out at any time.  In a full, healthy season, Yovani will threaten the 200 K mark.  Especially as he gets a couple years of experience under his belt.

Yovani is certainly not a slouch at the plate.  He is able to help out his own cause very well.  He even knocked two balls out of the park last season.  Hitting .250 and two home runs for a pitcher makes him extremely useful in the National League. Perhaps a strong bat like Yovani’s is a reason that Jason Kendall is now batting in the 9th spot.  Is Kendall so bad that Yovani can hit the ball better?  Doubtful, but an argument people (i.e. Jon Heyman) have used.

Weaknesses

Gallardo has shown a tendency to walk batters at certain times.  It is unclear as to whether it is a control issue, or rather he starts to nibble at the corners too much when he’s down in the count.  Either way, Yovani walked 37 batters in only 100 innings.  With such a high strike out rate, this becomes less of an issue, but it would be very nice to see those walk rates decrease.  With 200 innings at this present rate, he would be pushing 70 BB.  That’s too high and needs to be addressed.

His injured knee.  A knee problem for a pitcher is not as scary as an elbow or a shoulder problem, but it certainly could turn into something that is a nagging injury.  Let us hope that the Brewers will take his rehab slowly and understand that Yovani is Milwaukee’s future ace.  They need to take care of him and keep him around for a while.  It’s quite the argument to be concerned about a knee injury, but young studs like Yovani do not come around often.

Projections

ZiPS – 14-10 W-L, 3.66 ERA, 192 IP, 63 BB, 169 K
The Hardball Times – 10-8 W-L, 3.88 ERA, 165 IP, 70 BB, 159 K

These projections are quite different.  I like a little mixing and matching of these lines.  I think that the innings pitched and strike out rate for The Hardball Times projections are spot on, but I expect his ERA and walk rates to be lowered.  Yovani has been working almost solely on his command this off-season, according to reports, and his hard work should be rewarded with results.  Yovani and Ben Sheets at the top of the rotation for Milwaukee will be very scary for opposing teams.  Expect Yovani to dazzle Brewers fans with more of his electric stuff in ’08.  I am very excited to see him pitch again in the middle of April.

Projected Stat Line: 13-9 W-L, 3.69 ERA, 170 IP, 61 BB, 162 K
Projected Season Rating (out of 10): 8.5

JS Updates: 3/12

Tom Haudricourt checks in with some of the happenings earlier today.

• Ryan Braun got scratched from today’s lineup with a sore Achilles’ tendon.  Ned Yost says it’s not a big deal, and he could have played if it were the regular season.  It’s best not to create a reoccurring problem in the spring.
• It was a big day for Yovani Gallardo.  He successfully pitched a batting practice session today against minor league hitters.  Tom says that Yo will “almost certainly” start the year on the DL.  This is great news for Yovani.  He’ll pitch a couple more BP sessions before unleashing it in a game this spring.  The middle of April looks like a distinct possibility.
• Eric Gagne also pitched against live hitters today.  He faced five batters and recorded four outs and walked the last batter on a high fastball.  So far this spring, Eric had mostly been working on his fastball and commanding his fastball, but he unleashed his curveball today.  Excuse me…he unleashed his “funky” today, as Ned Yost put it.  I cringed when I read that quotation…

Round ‘em Up: Capuano, Yost, Sheet, Parra

Here’s a little linkage for you today:

• Tom Haudricourt shoots down the internet rumor that the Red Sox were interested in Chris Capuano. What would the Brewers be getting back? The report said Coco Crisp. That would be one of the stupidest deals Melvin could make. Tom did mention that he is now actively shopping his surplus of pitching. Probably not a coincidence that this report comes out after Yovani Gallardo showed great improvement after throwing off a mound for the first time since his surgery.
• A little something for all you Ned Yost haters out there. Bobby Cox recently reacted to Yost’s idea to batting Jason Kendall in the ninth slot. What was the quotation?“[Bleeping] Ned, he got into the stats – look out,” said Cox, who loves Yost, but isn’t quite on the same page as the younger manager when it comes to innovative use of stats.

  All Brewers fans know that Yost gets too tangled up in stats sometimes, as we all tend to do. Obviously, Bobby Cox is not a big fan of Ned’s new managerial style. Remember that Yost worked with Cox in Atlanta, so Ned’s not getting high praise from his mentor.

  Credit goes to KL Snow at Brew Crew Ball for the find on this link.  If you don’t include him in your daily reads, you’re missing out!  Check his work out!!!

• The Sports Bubbler has an article from the fan’s perspective in Maryvale. It loosely follows one person’s experience visiting Spring Training.
• Ben Sheets is still working on that elusive change up. The Brewers organization says that he’s working on it every single year, but he never throws it in game time situations. Ned Yost says to look for that to change this year, as Ben’s change up looks the best it ever has.
• Manny Parra gets some more love from the sports world. Today, Dugout Central goes over the best prospects in Spring Training, and Manny gets the nod for the Brewers. The “Manny Movement” is growing by the day.

Today’s Links: 3/11

Well, I’ve just finished rounding up some links for you all this morning.  There are a good amount today, but I’m going to cram them all into one post.  Enjoy!

•  Corey Hart is getting some love today in the blogging world.  John Sickels from Minor League Ball does a great write-up on Corey, tracking his career through the minor leagues and projecting where he’s going to go afterwards.  John does mention that Corey has been compared to many Hall of Famers.  Not a projection, he says…just something to think about.

  Baseball Digest Daily also did a little profile piece on Corey.  They say that most Brewers fans forgot about him during the year and focused on Braun and Fielder.  This may be true in some sense, but the true Brewers fan understands how vital Corey is to the Brewers’ success.  Give it a look.

• People around baseball are starting to notice Manny Parra.  We Brewers fans have been singing his praises since last year.
• Tom Haudricourt talks about how Jason Kendall has gotten much better at throwing runners out at second base.  Yost’s mechanical change must have helped Jason a lot, as he was downright awful last season with the A’s and Cubs.  I’d also like to point out that he’s handled the bat pretty well this spring too.

  Tom’s article also notes that Alcides Escobar has been incredibly impressive defensively at shortstop this spring.  Sveum says that he’s never seen a shortstop with as strong of an arm.  Does that assessment include Rafeal Furcal?  Alcides is proving that he’s big league ready in the defensive department.  He simply needs to work on his plate discipline and hit the weight room a bit more.

  Jon Heyman of SI.com also gets the nod for the obligatory “Jason Kendall sucks” link of the day.  I won’t even go into saying why I think Heyman’s wrong, but you can give it a read anyway.

• Adam McCalvy checks in with some news for us.  Lou Palmisano will undergo surgery on his knee to repair some torn cartilage.  I think everyone knew that was coming after his knee hadn’t been getting better.  The real interesting part of the article is that Ned Yost mentions that Lou is on track to be a big league player in a short time.  That kind of outright praise from Ned is not all that common.  Hopefully Lou gets better and back on the field in a few months.

  Adam also notes that Ryan Braun will be batting behind Prince Fielder this season.  Yost wants to make sure that pitchers do not pitch around Prince.  I like this idea.  It also let’s Ryan use his speed to his advantage when getting on the basepaths.  Last year, teams would just walk Prince if Ryan stole second.  They will not be able to do that this year.  Braun’s plate discipline and walk rate will have to increase this season to make this move work, however.  Yost said that he’ll pull the plug on the idea if Braun cannot draw more walks.

• The last couple reads are NL Central Previews.  Guess who is predicted to win them both?  Yep, the Chicago Cubs.  Way to think out of the box.

  Dugout Central and No Bias Baseball both have nice short previews of everyone on the Central.  The general consensus is that Milwaukee’s starting rotation will hold them back from improving on last year’s performance.  Really, though?  You really think that Chris Capuano and Jeff Suppan can pitch that much worse than they did last year?  Capuano may physically not be able to pitch any worse, actually.  Add a full season of Yovani Gallardo, a healthy (at least to start the year) Ben Sheets, and perhaps Carlos Villanueva or Manny Parra, and I cannot see how the rotation can do much worse than last year.  Milwaukee’s rotation has a much, much higher upside than that of the Chicago Cubs, but most prognosticators don’t care too much about that.

  Oh, and Dugout Central picks Ryan Braun to be Milwaukee’s breakout player of the year.  NL Rookie of the Year and 30+ home runs without playing the first month isn’t good enough for you?

I’ve been getting more interest in the BrewersNation Fantasy Baseball League, but I need to know for sure if you are interested.  Email me at jimmyb1799@aol.com if you are interested, and I can give you the information you need.  There ARE still spots open, so you should email me to play!!!

More News: 3/10

I promised you all earlier that I would have some more news for you.  Here’s what I’ve got:

• Baseball Musings does an analysis of the Brewers starting pitching staff.  It uses the Marcel Projection System, which is very simplistic and just uses averages to predict what is going to happen.  I wouldn’t put too much faith in what these projections have to say, but it is still very interesting.

  There are a couple interesting things about this evaluation though.  First, it has Manny Parra in the starting rotation, along with Dave Bush.  This leaves Carlos Villanueva out to dry, presumably in the bullpen.  Secondly, the article notes that the success for the Brewers starters is going to depend on the amount of innings the youngsters get.  The author seems to think that Yovani Gallardo and Parra are going to be instrumental to the success of the rotation this year.  I would agree with that, as Parra will give Milwaukee the best chance to win this season, but I would put Villanueva in the rotation before Bush.  It may just be favoring young upside over proven big league experience, but Bush and Chris Capuano have shown that they cannot get away from the big inning.  I still maintain that Claudio Vargas will be traded before Opening Day.

• Adam McCalvy checks in with a mailbag and an article about the progress Eric Gagne has made this spring.

  In the mailbag, McCalvy says that the Brewers will have more speed in their lineup than they’ve had in the past few years.  It should help the defense immensely in the outfield, and you can expect the Brewers to run a lot more this season.  Oh, and we get the standard Jason Kendall cannot function in the big leagues comment from a fan.

  Eric Gagne is working at his own pase, just working on his fastball and getting his pitching motion in a repeatable rhythm.  He says that as long as he doesn’t get hurt, it will be a successful spring.  He knows that his stuff will be there come April.  Also of importance, Eric says that knowing his role on the Brewers helps more that people know.  He does not have to switch focus or try to prepare for everything.  I think he’s referring to his stint in Boston, when he had to switch out of his comfortable role as a closer.  It may just be talk, but I would imagine that having a set job would be very comforting to a pitcher.

• It’s not Brewers news, but this article is very interesting.  Apparently, baseball has another “no-name” pitch.  We already have the Gyroball, but this new pitch does not have a name yet.

  Baltimore’s Rule 5 draft pick, Randor Bierd, is throwing something that neither his coaches nor his catchers can understand.  It is a mix between a change up, but somehow has the characteristics of a forkball.  Someone else said that it is a mix between a splitter and a change up.  One of his catchers said that it is “Johan Santana” type of change up.  I want to see this thing.  A splitter, forkball, and a change up in one?  Impressive.

• I know I’ve asked this before, but do we have any more takers for a BrewersNation Fantasy Baseball League?  We need more people to make this a possibility, so let me know!!!!

Turnbow tweaks mechanics

Derrick Turnbow has looked fantastic in his past two outings this spring.  He hasn’t given up a run.  His fastball has had amazing life on it, and batters are just beating it into the ground.  The only hiccup came during a game against the Oakland A’s.  The ball felt like it was slipping out of his hand.

Mike Maddux, Bill Castro, and Derrick decided it was time to fix his grip on his fastball.  He now holds his four-seamer with his thumb on the seam, which has stopped the slipping feeling he had problems with.  Players in the field for Milwaukee keep saying that the ball looks like it’s cutting and diving in every direction.  It’s doing something different on every pitch.

This sounds like fantastic news for Derrick Turnbow.  Perhaps this grip problem had been a major cause of his wildness in the past few years.  If the ball has been slipping out of his hand, it would solve a lot of mysteries to Derrick’s inconsistency.  It will be interesting to see him pitch in the upcoming couple outings to see if the success continues.

Yovani Gallardo also pitched off a mound in a bullpen session today for the first time since having his knee scoped.  Yo says that everything feels fine, and today was a big step for him in his recovery.  The youthful exuberance and desire to come back from this injury has been refreshing, and Yo looks to be back on schedule.

Ben Sheets in contract year

I know I put up a similar post a couple days ago, but Nat from MLB Trade Rumors talks about what’s going to happen with Ben Sheets after this year.  He outlines Mike Hunt’s point from a couple days ago.

If he gets hurt and struggles this season, the Brewers cannot afford the risk involved in resigning him.  If he pitches very well and is a stud like Milwaukee needs him to be, the Brewers will not be able to afford his price tag.  All signs point to the Ben Sheets era in Milwaukee to end after this season.

Nat then talks about how the Brewers will be able to weather the storm because Yovani Gallardo will be waiting in the wings.  He also mentions that the free agent pool for starting pitching will be extremely deep next year, so the Brewers should have no problem finding someone to step in for a year or two if they need it.  With Manny Parra probably starting the year in Triple-A and serving as insurance, he will be the likely person to fill the final spot in the rotation in ’09.   If Ben pitches very well this season, he could be a Type-A free agent as well, meaning the Brewers will get a couple draft picks in compensation for their loss.

I have an interesting thought that hasn’t really been mentioned this off-season.  If Ben Sheets struggles in the first half of the season, he could be traded if Doug Melvin sees the right deal for the ace.  Even if the Brewers are doing well, he could be traded if he is not helping the team.  That is incredibly far-fetched, but I could see it happening.  If Melvin does not feel confident that Sheets will garner the team a couple draft picks, he could be shipped at the trade deadline.  It would not be a popular move, but fans need to look at the larger picture in that context.  It could be the best move for Milwaukee in that scenario.

With that said, I do not think that Ben will struggle this year.  I said a couple weeks ago that I have a sneaking feeling that Ben is going to put up Cy Young caliber numbers this year.  People will say I’m crazy because of his injury-prone history, but Ben sounds extra motivated this season.  Whenever I hear or read an interview with Ben, he sounds like he wants, or needs, to prove every critic wrong this season.  Whether it’s because he’s in his contract year or not, I have no idea.  I just know that he sounds like a man on a mission this off-season.  I expect BIG numbers from Ben.

Gallardo to miss 4 weeks with knee injury

It is official. Yovani Gallardo has torn cartilage in his left knee and will need to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery.

Gallardo is expected to miss four weeks while rehabbing his knee. This all but guarantees that he will start the season for the Milwaukee Brewers on the disabled list. It will be tough to deal with the loss of the 22-year old, but at least it is only a cartilage tear, and not a ligament. Losing Yo for the entire year would be very difficult to overcome.

This means that the candidates for the starting rotation have already dwindled to seven, rather than eight. Doug Melvin looks incredibly intelligent at this point, as he refused to shop his excess pitchers until after Spring Training. He always said that a surplus of pitching is not a problem. It is a blessing that allows a team to rebound from a potentially serious injury. Melvin looks like a genius now.

Gallardo, 22, was 9-5 with a 3.57 ERA in 20 games, 17 of which were starts for Milwaukee last season. Milwaukee had him slotted as the #2 starting pitcher in their rotation to start the season.

The Brewers have already been bitten hard by the injury bug, as catching-prospect Lou Palmisano will undergo an MRI on Monday. It is expected to confirm a lateral meniscus tear in his left knee. He will miss a significant amount of time as well.

Knock on wood, but let us hope that this is all the injuries Milwaukee will have to deal with this whole Spring Training. It has been a tough way to start what was supposed to be an exciting weekend.