He seemed to always give us some slight problems, and I always wanted a sinkerballer type in the rotation. If we can get him cheap, it’d be a nice add to the team I’d think. Just hope it wouldn’t mean having to Suppans ;)

I also worry about the fact that dave duncan wouldn’t be our pitching coach

I haven’t seen anything else to back this up. Like any signing, it would depend on the price and length.

4.81 tERA last year in 200 innings gave him a production of about +20 runs above replacement last year, and that seems like a pretty solid estimate for this year. If he can keep that exact production, he’s worth around $8-10 million per year, but I doubt he can keep it up because he doesn’t strike anybody out.

Something like 2 and $13-15 would be a decent deal, I guess, though he wouldn’t be my first choice. I want no part of anything bigger or longer.

I recently participated in a blog roundtable that should be posted around Tuesday, and knowing nothing, I suggested Braden Looper as an option for the end of the rotation.

I’d be sad if they sign him. How would the rotation set up? Would you put three soft tossing righties one after another? Imagine going against teams with potent left handed hitting like the Reds and Phillies.

Ten million would be insane when Ben Sheets can probably be had for around 15.

Our defense would need to be real strong or wouldn’t matter how he pitched. No way JJ gets traded if this signing does happen.

Anybody else see Jamie on TV today?

is all over it. Well, they’re bringing it up, anyway. (Personally, I think Tom H. is frustrated after all the hours he put in regarding the Mikey/Melky non-trade, and now isn’t much interested in trade talk until after the trades go down.)

Assuming that it doesn’t restrict us from adding one more arm. I would like to hope we are in on Penny or another high upside/risky proposition.

Here’s his response:

Jordan, found out late Friday that the Brewers were one of the teams
involved. He seems to have the best oppty there considering the losses of
CC and Sheets.

So yeah, nothing is imminent but it certainly seems like we’re involved here, now that Melvin is confirming interest. $7 mil a year wouldn’t be so bad if he’s a 2-win pitcher as a starter. The problem is the length, he might decline by the time he’s in the final year. Remember, he’s a year older than Suppan.

He does have the benefit of a name that sounds like “Boo”, like Suppan. I remember when he was in NY, if he was pitching well they’d say “LOOOOP”, and if he wasn’t, they’d boo him.

He is a Class B free agent but the Cardinals did not offer him salary arbitration, perhaps fearing he’d accept and get a bigger increase in his $5.5 million salary than they wanted to pay.

It sounds as if the Cards didn’t want him for one year at around 6 to 7 million.

Why isn’t Melvin going after less-than-CC but more-than-Looper type SPs? Are the pickin’s really that slim?

What about Peavy (even if he doesn’t have Milwaukee on his approved list)?

I wonder if Rafael Roque is still available.