Wednesday's Frosty Mug
by Kyle Lobner on Dec 16, 2009 9:16 AM CST
in News
88 comments
Some things to read while choosing carefully.
Well, this was bound to happen eventually: There's virtually no Brewer news today. Today's top story is the $100,000 minor league deal given to Mark DiFelice, who will spend the 2010 season rehabbing with Brewer trainers in the hope of returning to the mound with the Crew in 2011 (FanShot).
Elsewhere, Marc Hulet of FanGraphs has a look at the last few Brewer drafts, from a somewhat pessimistic point of view. The Brewer organization is down a bit and there's certainly not a lot of depth to speak of, but I think they deserve a little more credit than that.
I recently contributed to a discussion on the NL Central's moves at the Winter Meetings over at The Nats Blog, along with seven other NL Central sites.
We're continuing to plug away at the BCB All Decade Team. You have until 4 pm today to vote for our final starting outfielder, and 4 pm tomorrow to vote for our first bench infield spot. Geoff Jenkins has a pretty commanding lead in the former, but Craig Counsell's lead is much smaller in the latter. A new vote will open at 4 today.
Around baseball:
Royals: Are expected to sign former Twins pitcher Phil Humber to a minor league deal.
White Sox: Acquired Juan Pierre and cash from the Dodgers for two PTBNL.
Meanwhile, side deals are being struck to go along with the not-yet-official Mariners-Phillies-Blue Jays deal involving Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay: When/if the deal becomes official, the Blue Jays will send outfielder Michael Taylor to the A's for third baseman Brett Wallace, recently acquired in the Matt Holliday deal.
In a financially larger transaction, the Rangers are one large step closer to having a new owner, as Tom Hicks has selected a group of investors including current team president Nolan Ryan to begin negotiations.
Not much else going on, so I guess we can talk about a couple of former Brewers: The B-Ref blog has a look at some of the unique facets of Mike Cameron's career. He's in elite company on some relatively significant all-time lists. The Transaction Oracle projects him to hit .252/.349/.442 in 2010.
Meanwhile, I know I said I'd try to go the rest of the week without mentioning Jason Kendall, but this Transaction Oracle quote is a little too good to pass up:
Seriously, if the Royals gave me $1 million to me to kick Moore in the crotch, they'd be better off from both a financial and a baseball standpoint.
How about a note about a former Brewer catcher that was actually pretty good? Cardboard Gods has a post where at least a couple of paragraphs are about Darrell Porter.
Here's a study I'd like to see someone duplicate for the Brewers: DRaysBay has a look at variations in the 2009 Rays' attendance based on starting pitcher. There's a lot of factors to consider (opponent, day of the week, position in the standings), but I wouldn't be surprised to discover the Brewers lost a fair chunk of attendance on days when Jeff Suppan or Braden Looper pitched down the stretch last season.
Speaking of things someone could duplicate for the Brewers, FishStripes has a Marlins add-on for Firefox. I'm not sure what exactly that entails, but if someone made a Brewer one and it didn't get in the way while I'm trying to work, I'd use it.
It's possible it's just something to do for the sake of pretending to do something, but Bud Selig has formed a committee to consider and address on-field improvements for the game, and one writer (Phil Rogers of the Chicago Tribune) thinks it might be the first step towards a legitimate challenge of the DH rule. (h/t BBTF) Craig Calcaterra, however, threw some cold water on the theory.
On this day in 1999, the Brewers signed Jose Hernandez to a three year, $10 million deal. Hernandez had one very good season as a Brewer and made the All Star team in 2002, but also struck out 498 times in three seasons, leading the NL in two of his three years.
On this day in 2002, the Brewers traded Ray King to the Braves for Wes Helms and John Foster. Helms spent three years as a Brewer, hitting .268/.335/.425. Somehow, I remember him being much worse than that.
Happy birthday today to:
- Alcides Escobar, who turns 23.
- 2003-2004 Brewer Matt Kinney, who turns 33.
- Former Brewer first round pick and 1975 Brewer Tommy Bianco, who turns 57.
Drink up.
0 recs |
88 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
Wes Helms
He wasn’t particularly good when he played for us, but for some reason he always does well against us… particularly in clutch hitting situations.
His biggest hoke run as a Brewer...
came as a Marlin
by thefreewheelin76 on Dec 16, 2009 7:49 PM CST up reply actions
Chicks dig the hoke run
"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."
~Doug Melvin
by Charlie Marlow on Dec 16, 2009 9:12 PM CST up reply actions
Does the Pierre deal set the bar on the Cubs move of Bradley?
I would assume it sets the ceiling, as the Dodgers needed to move him for financial reasons but could have used him as a 4th OF. Bradley is dead to the Cubs and has to be moved.
I wouldn’t mind seeing the Brewers get into the trade talks for Bradley, give up a Brent Brewer-type player and take on $9-11mil in salary. They upgrade over Hart for pretty much the same money and I have no qualms about giving the Cubs cash, as they are most likely to waste it on an aging player who will disappoint.
When there is a scuffle in Ireland, there’s no need to specifically mention in the news story that alcohol was involved
If the Brewers really have money left to spend, and it looks like they don't...
I think they’d spend it on pitching, not by bailing out the Cubs.
That's all I've got for you today, unless you're interested in some Chris Capuano/Tom Haudricourt Fan Fiction.
by Kyle Lobner on Dec 16, 2009 10:21 AM CST up reply actions
Bradley frees up Hart for the Maine trade
I am thinking that Hart will get around $9 mil over the next two seasons in arb so the additional salary would be whatever Maine is due over the next two years, which judging by the $2.6 he made in the first year of arb shouldn’t bankrupt the team. You’re looking at increasing payroll by $7-8 million over two years to potentially upgrade the pitching staff and RF.
If a trade for cheapish pitching can’t be built around Hart, then it makes no sense to add Bradley so you have the opportunity at an $9mil/year platoon in RF.
When there is a scuffle in Ireland, there’s no need to specifically mention in the news story that alcohol was involved
by Getting Yosted on Dec 16, 2009 10:37 AM CST up reply actions
Just really, really, really unlikely
"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."
~Doug Melvin
by Charlie Marlow on Dec 16, 2009 11:22 AM CST up reply actions
Take on his salary?
$9 – $11. That seems insane to me. We not only are out our limit in payroll (From all indication), the Cubs have zero leverage to demand anything like that. The only way it could possibly work for both clubs would be to swap bad contracts. Suppan for Bradley (Course do we really want to take him on?).
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tt7HjIernphaSrv4wMWdUYg&output=html
Look at the mess, the Cubs are going to have to eat money on either a bad contract swap or, like we did with Hall, just face the fact that we made a bad contract and part ways.
Yeah, I'm not a fan
First of all, the Brewers aren’t so starved for offense that putting up with his baggage sounds appealing. Second of all, we don’t have a DH slot where we can stash him. Third of all, even if his production were worth dealing with his off-the-field issues (and I do think for some teams it is), Melvin would never do it; he has a pretty clear track record of not taking on guys who cause clubhouse problems (though I suppose Johnny Estrada is the exception to that).
Brewers Baseball and other assorted nonsense (mostly the assorted nonsense) at my blog, What's a Tararrel?
Of course
we could send Soup the other way and give them even more issues. I like the deviousness of this deal better.
"That's not a weird stat. Rickie is a run-scorer," Yost said. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter," Yost told reporters. "See, you guys have no concept. He's a run-scorer. So there's nothing weird about it. That's what he does."
It looks like the consensus is that this is a bad idea,
but I like someone asking the question. Count me on in the ranks of being against him in the lineup even if we could get rid of Suppan’s contract in exchange.
Kind of...
I think the two “major” things were Gammons leaving ESPN and Bloomberg developing player evaluation software for MLB teams.
Get a ife broseph
The gammons thing really hurts
but this allows Law, Neyer, Olney and Stark to get more exposure. I’m just glad that Phillips is gone so I never have to hear his non-sensical ramblings from the guy who signed Mo Vaughn to that awesome deal. I felt the same way about the guy that pulled the trigger on the AJ Feeley trade in Miami. Why that guy got on Espin is beyond me.
"That's not a weird stat. Rickie is a run-scorer," Yost said. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter," Yost told reporters. "See, you guys have no concept. He's a run-scorer. So there's nothing weird about it. That's what he does."
As someone who doesn't get MLB Network
I was bummed. That said, a 24-hour baseball network and Peter Gammons is like peanut butter and jelly.
and bananas
Taking shallowness to new depths -- FtJ's blog
by Fatter than Joey on Dec 16, 2009 12:10 PM CST up reply actions
too sticky and hard to manage
Taking shallowness to new depths -- FtJ's blog
by Fatter than Joey on Dec 16, 2009 12:59 PM CST up reply actions
TWSS
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, "That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
Bananas + Marshmellow fluff --> TWSS
Every time
Taking shallowness to new depths -- FtJ's blog
by Fatter than Joey on Dec 16, 2009 1:04 PM CST up reply actions
That's what Ike Turner said?
Taking shallowness to new depths -- FtJ's blog
by Fatter than Joey on Dec 16, 2009 1:05 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Don't be silly
TheJay knows everything
"A D+ Grade? That must have been a Wittardo grade"- @73_MC
by BrewHaHeather on Dec 16, 2009 10:50 AM CST up reply actions
In response to all three
Actually, the only thing I know about Orestes Destrade is he played for the Marlins and how to spell his name.
And even more honest
Really? Orestes Destrade?
That's all I've got for you today, unless you're interested in some Chris Capuano/Tom Haudricourt Fan Fiction.
by Kyle Lobner on Dec 16, 2009 10:50 AM CST up reply actions
I think Destrade was one of the first pick in the expansion draft
thats what I remember
Taking shallowness to new depths -- FtJ's blog
by Fatter than Joey on Dec 16, 2009 12:13 PM CST up reply actions
As someone who does get MLB Network it made all the sense
Sorry Rubie.
But MLB Network is so much better than ESPN and Gammon’s lives and breathes baseball. Plus, now he also gets to work for his favorite team at NESN.
battlekow: Bill is having an oppo-gasm
I love Peter Gammons
when I want to know something about the Red Sox.
"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."
~Doug Melvin
by Charlie Marlow on Dec 16, 2009 11:24 AM CST up reply actions
He predicted Rickie Weeks would have a solid year last year.
He was kind of right.
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, "That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
Only if you consider the 37 games he played in as indicative of how he’d play through the other 125 games.
that's why i said kind of
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, "That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
I think though Weeks looked improved
Taking shallowness to new depths -- FtJ's blog
by Fatter than Joey on Dec 16, 2009 1:00 PM CST up reply actions
I agree
"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."
~Doug Melvin
by Charlie Marlow on Dec 16, 2009 1:02 PM CST up reply actions
I agree with you
although I felt that his fielding had improved to start the season.
"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."
~Doug Melvin
by Charlie Marlow on Dec 16, 2009 9:13 PM CST up reply actions
I think though Weeks looked improved
Taking shallowness to new depths -- FtJ's blog
by Fatter than Joey on Dec 16, 2009 1:01 PM CST up reply actions
I disagree
"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."
~Doug Melvin
by Charlie Marlow on Dec 16, 2009 1:02 PM CST up reply actions
Well that's rude
Taking shallowness to new depths -- FtJ's blog
by Fatter than Joey on Dec 16, 2009 1:03 PM CST up reply actions
It’s ok if you disagree with me. I can’t force you to be right.
by Saberilliterate on Dec 16, 2009 1:24 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Didn't everyone predict Weeks to have a solid year
each of the last 3 years?
"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."
~Doug Melvin
by Charlie Marlow on Dec 16, 2009 1:00 PM CST up reply actions
Well, Gammons was saying it based on what he saw at Brewers Training Camp.
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, "That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
I was pretty much just banking on "Weeks can't get any worse"
Taking shallowness to new depths -- FtJ's blog
by Fatter than Joey on Dec 16, 2009 1:06 PM CST up reply actions
He looked much improved in spring training, and was working really hard
with Randolph. To a point where progress was being made. The point is, it was good, insightful reporting on the part of Gammons.
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, "That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
Erm
I think Gammons’ scouting days are over. I’m sure someone else gave him the scouting report.
"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."
~Doug Melvin
by Charlie Marlow on Dec 16, 2009 1:56 PM CST up reply actions
Again
didn’t everyone say that each of the last three years?
"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."
~Doug Melvin
by Charlie Marlow on Dec 16, 2009 1:55 PM CST up reply actions
Anyone know if Gammons made any predictions about Weeks before that one?
Otherwise, like you said… if you keep saying it every year, eventually it might actually happen.
not sure about Gammons...
but Melvin and co. have been saying it year after year!!! Nice kid, but that doesn’t mean you have to give him the starting 2nd job on a playoff (hopefully) caliber team!
i get the mlb network
but i don’t understand the panel shows. basically, they’re doing their best to just “rip off” baseball tonight instead of figuring out a way to differentiate itself.
they could make the network appeal to different fan groups by having segments or complete shows devoted to different approaches. you could have the current show with guys like larkin, etc… but how about more of a stat/ analysis show featuring guys from BP or fangraphs or beyond the boxscore? it might even be fun to set up debates between the two. while harold reynolds calls someone like looper a “guy who knows how to win”, you could get more of a “fact-based” analysis saying that knowing how to win does not typically involve giving up lots of runs and he was just lucky on the wins.
basically the move just reinforced the disappointing nature of the network.
by Capt Science on Dec 16, 2009 11:31 AM CST up reply actions
I love the mlb network
They’ve got the mini field for instructionals. They do the in game look-ins.. Vasgersion, Trenni, non-east-coast-bias….
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, "That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
Also love the MLB Network
I also am a big BP.com/Fangraphs/etc fan but don’t think I’d be interested in watching a show in which they debated.
The 6pm-12 shows with live look-ins during the season were really great last year.
Get a ife broseph
I love MLB Network
But I would love it more if they played something besides All-time Games all day, every day
"A D+ Grade? That must have been a Wittardo grade"- @73_MC
by BrewHaHeather on Dec 16, 2009 12:18 PM CST up reply actions
yeah, those are kind of lame.
They could use some better offseason/midday programming. I think they should do some sort of roundtable focusing on one team, or one division. Maybe have a national guy, a local guy, and a host. Maybe do some interviews with coaches/players/gms…
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, "That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
They’ve been showing some classic WS footage from the 50s and 60s which I thought was pretty sweet. The “seasons” series and the series on the Phillies bullpen were also very good.
I realize they are just filling time, but the full games are a bit much. I have a hard time believing that even the biggest baseball fan would sit through a full 3+ hour game from 10-20 years ago or like you mentioned, 3+ hours of an ASG.. Maybe showing more games that are condensed versions would be more beneficial.
Get a ife broseph
i haven't watched
but it would be more interesting if they either (a) condensed them a bit, as you suggest, or (b) put a audio track over the game. let me illustrate this with a brewers example: maybe you replay game 7 of the ‘82 world series, with yount, molitor, herzog, sutter, etc… in a room and they comment on what they were thinking during the game/ at bats, etc… essentially, it’s the director commentary on a dvd. i think they did something similar on recent world series dvds.
by Capt Science on Dec 16, 2009 1:58 PM CST up reply actions
You mean like the NFL network does with Super Bowls?
When there is a scuffle in Ireland, there’s no need to specifically mention in the news story that alcohol was involved
by Getting Yosted on Dec 16, 2009 2:07 PM CST up reply actions
ehn
time warner charges extra for MLB Network, so i pay for that. but i also get the extra innings package, so the look ins are just redundant. i suppose if i lived in the local market and didn’t have to pay extra for MLBN, then it would be more attractive. as is, “ehn”.
by Capt Science on Dec 16, 2009 1:55 PM CST up reply actions
TWC
I get mlb network with my digital package.
Unfortunately, I’m about to switch to AT&T and they don’t carry it.
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, "That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
When I moved to Appleton and got TWC in June
At first I got MLB Network immediately as part of my digital package. A few weeks later, it went away on one of two TVs. I called and was told I had to pay for a sports package to get it. So I asked the natural question: “Why does it work on the other TV, then?” They didn’t know, but insisted I had to pay for it.
The world would be a better place without Time Warner Cable.
That's all I've got for you today, unless you're interested in some Chris Capuano/Tom Haudricourt Fan Fiction.
by Kyle Lobner on Dec 16, 2009 2:13 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Ehhh
That’s pretty disappointing big news in comparison with speculations about changes in season length, playoff series, Selig, etc. etc. etc.
Steve
http://nohuddleoffense.blogspot.com
GROUNDBREAKING!!!!
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, "That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
If anyone cares
Mike Cameron being introduced as a Red Sock on MLBNetwork right now
I’m gonna miss him… :(
"A D+ Grade? That must have been a Wittardo grade"- @73_MC
I checked out the press conference
I will miss him too. The Red Sox are my AL team, so I think I’ll be picking up a Cameron shirsey. Dude deserves the props.
Brewers Baseball and other assorted nonsense (mostly the assorted nonsense) at my blog, What's a Tararrel?
The Sox are my AL team too
I’ll probably get a Cam Red Sox shirsey
"A D+ Grade? That must have been a Wittardo grade"- @73_MC
by BrewHaHeather on Dec 16, 2009 11:52 AM CST up reply actions
I would be surprised
There’s a lot of factors to consider (opponent, day of the week, position in the standings), but I wouldn’t be surprised to discover the Brewers lost a fair chunk of attendance on days when Jeff Suppan or Braden Looper pitched down the stretch last season.
I would actually view it in terms of whether the attendance went up when Gallardo pitched. I don’t know if people ever actively avoid watching bad pitchers so much as coming out to see good pitchers. This applies doubly so for the Brewers last year when the other 4 starters at any given time were pretty pitiful.
Actually
For a team like the Brewers, ticket sales probably held pretty static for much of the year, because if you went to a game in April-May, odds are you bought tickets in February-March, so you didn’t know who would pitch.
With that said, ticket holder no-shows might have shot through the roof on Suppan days.
That's all I've got for you today, unless you're interested in some Chris Capuano/Tom Haudricourt Fan Fiction.
Suppan pitching
Means I’m a little slower to leave my tailgate than I would if anyone else is pitching.
Get a ife broseph
Of the 15 games I went to last year
I think Suppan pitched 3 of them. I’m fairly certain we got to our seats mid-first, and everytime the Brewers were already in the hole.
"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."
~Doug Melvin
by Charlie Marlow on Dec 16, 2009 1:58 PM CST up reply actions
Don't forget
bobblehead games. At least 6 games a year, no one cares who’s pitching.
"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."
~Doug Melvin
by Charlie Marlow on Dec 16, 2009 1:57 PM CST up reply actions
or you can only go on certain days
which is how I ended up seeing Braden Looper start THREE TIMES this year.
Of course, one of them was in Detroit and the other in Minneapolis…but still
Looks like a Win-Win for the White Sox
Just a heads up KL regarding a typo in the White Sox update.
BCB, the preferred above replacement level sarcasm supplier.
Sure enough.
I’m a crappy self-proofreader. Thanks for the correction.
That's all I've got for you today, unless you're interested in some Chris Capuano/Tom Haudricourt Fan Fiction.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
NL Central Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | STRK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cincinnati
|
57 | 46 | .553 | 0 | Won 2 |
|
St. Louis
|
56 | 46 | .549 | 0.5 | Lost 1 |
|
Milwaukee
|
48 | 55 | .466 | 9 | Lost 2 |
|
Chicago
|
46 | 56 | .450 | 10.5 | Lost 2 |
|
Houston
|
42 | 59 | .415 | 14 | Won 2 |
|
Pittsburgh
|
36 | 65 | .356 | 20 | Lost 1 |
(updated 7.30.2010 at 4:51 AM CDT)
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
