Tweedle Dumber Pipes Up

by battlekow on Feb 23, 2007 8:29 AM CST in Milwaukee Brewers News

As if this wasn't enough, there's now more:

Geoff Jenkins is not the only Brewers outfielder who wants out if the team is planning a platoon.

Kevin Mench, who struggled mightily after a midseason trade from Texas to Milwaukee, said Thursday he will "pitch a fit" if manager Ned Yost institutes a left-right, Jenkins-Mench platoon in left field. Yost has not made public his plans, but has pointed to Jenkins' struggles last season against left-handers and Mench's career success against them as reasons a timesharing agreement could make sense.

Good. Screw you guys. A Jenkins/Mench platoon would probably be damn productive, but it's apparently a practical impossibility. I actually like the way Ned Yost is handling this:

And as he insisted after learning of Jenkins' comments earlier in the week, Yost predicted that his outfield logjam would not be a problem. But, he added, "I'll handle it. If you want to be a part of this thing, fine. If not, fine by me too. We're here to win ballgames. To be really honest with you, there's more than one person who can throw a fit."

Ned's cleaning up the streets, boys, and there's nowhere scum like you can hide! Or something like that.

Seriously though, what is the solution if Jenkins and Mench continue to "pitch fits"? The "fine by me" part implies that they'll be disposed of, but Ned may just be talking tough. It'll be interesting to see who blinks first here.

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Would the dynamic duo

... purposely sabotage playing well if they're platooned? I don't think so. In fact, their averages will be much better than sticking one of them out there every day.

They're being paid, both are in the final year of their contracts, suck it up. Chemistry or clubhouse happiness doesn't equal wins.

Idiots, both of them.

by nmc on Feb 23, 2007 8:46 AM CST reply actions

If you're going to clean the streets

you at least ought to use a professional.

The best part is that either Jinxie or the Giant Head could have claimed the position with even a mediocre showing last season. Buuuuuut...

Part of Yost's thinking is that Jenkins batted .133 against lefties last season

and

After coming from Texas on July 28 in the Carlos Lee trade, Mench was installed as the everyday leftfielder by Yost. But Mench slumped badly at the plate (.230, one homer, 18 RBI in 40 games)

If there weren't such glaring offensive deficiencies in each one's game, this would be a non-issue.

If only they both weren't so great.

"C'mon, boys, let's get 'em some RUNS!" --- Daron Sutton, pretty much every game of the 2005 season.

by roguejim on Feb 23, 2007 8:49 AM CST reply actions

if only...

If only they didn't both know they were so great. Kind of like Podzilla: "Podsednik's return to 2005 excellence begins in his mind."

by battlekow on Feb 23, 2007 9:21 AM CST up reply actions

Pitch a fit?

Mench definitely comes off as a goofball in that article, kind of endearing.

First he's going to pitch a fit if he doesn't play, then he compliments Jenkins, the guy he'll share time with, for being such a good player, and does even better by throwing out the doctor's office metaphor. That's awesome. Somehow I think the leap from starter to off the bench is shorter than from journalist to doctor.

by jax and rajah on Feb 23, 2007 9:20 AM CST reply actions

Well then

You're just all sunshine and puppy dogs lately.

by battlekow on Feb 23, 2007 9:21 AM CST up reply actions

"pitching a fit"

i'm glad to see kevin mench finally adhere a commonalaity with his head and throw a big tantrum. seriously? are these guys two years old?
Unless this is some pre-planned april fool's joke, well april 2nd cause that's opening day, but what the heck?
frankly now i see them both getting dealt.

by Michael M on Feb 23, 2007 9:44 AM CST reply actions

That's the thing, though

If only one of them goes, we may be stuck with a sucky left-fielder.

In terms of actual talent, our best option right now is the Jinxie/Head platoon. Even though they think they're great, the fact is, for us to have a good left-fielder, we need both of them in a platoon. We don't have anyone else who can do the job full-time, not well, at any rate. (Well, other than Billy Hall.)

If we trade one of them, then we likely end up with an under-performing leftfielder. And it's unlikely we'll be able to trade both of them.

If we do trade one, it makes the most sense to trade Jinxie: he has the bigger salary, and Gross should be an adequate replacement for him (in that he can't hit lefties either). It doesn't really help the Giant Head much, though, in that Gross would then get the majority of PT.

As we learned last year, though, Neddy Ballgame got pretty pissed at Jinxie when he complained about being benched last season, and it doesn't seem like he's keen on the outburts by Jinxie and Menchie either.

I wonder --- if we can dump Jinxie and the Head, maybe we move Billy to left and have Brady/TG Jr. manning centerfield.

"C'mon, boys, let's get 'em some RUNS!" --- Daron Sutton, pretty much every game of the 2005 season.

by roguejim on Feb 23, 2007 10:15 AM CST up reply actions

as of this moment

this just plain isn't good for the brewers. it's funny when you think about it. jenkins was pissed last year for being benched because they were sooooo close to winning...well i suppose if you put them or jenkins specifically for that matter in that position he's not happy---blahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!

by Michael M on Feb 23, 2007 10:24 AM CST up reply actions

Trade Value...

I would like to keep both of the cry babies to platoon... but if these guys are so pissed about this idea, they should keep it behind closed doors; so they don't screw the Brewers, who would be trying to get all they can.

By the way, I don't even know what they would be trading for; I really only want a better outfielder. I'm not thinking anyone would trade a bad outfielder for a good one.

I just seriously can't believe these guys.

by engbjm06 on Feb 23, 2007 11:30 AM CST reply actions

Alternatives

I agree that having them shut up and create a productive platoon is best case, but if they continue to throw fits, what is the Brewer's best option in left not involving either of them?

My vote is to see a miraculous comback of Koskie or see Braun step in at third and put Grafasell in left! Okay, maybe not, but I suppose Gross would be the way to go.

by McMolten on Feb 23, 2007 11:37 AM CST reply actions

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