Monday's Frosty Mug
by Kyle Lobner on May 4, 2009 8:03 AM CDT
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PrintSome things to read while getting an early start.
The Brewers overcame what Tom H. called a loud belch in church yesterday to salvage a split of a four game series with the Diamondbacks. As if a belch in church wasn't bad enough, Trevor Hoffman followed it up by messing with the D-Backs' heads in the ninth. It was game one of a rare four-opponent week: The Brewers open a two game series with the Pirates today, then another with the Reds on Wednesday, and will see the Cubs this weekend.
Carlos Zambrano will likely miss his scheduled start this weekend against the Brewers after leaving yesterday's game with a hamstring strain. Randy Wells is expected to be called up from AAA Iowa to make the start in his place. Wells pitched in four games for the Blue Jays and Cubs last season but has never made a major league start.
Hopefully Mike Cameron will still be this hot at that point. Cameron led all NL hitters in Value Runs in April. Tom Zeimer of the Wisconsin State Journal has a profile of Cameron, discussing his hot start.
Mike Rivera should be back before too long. He's expected to be activated on May 14, just in time to catch Dave Bush's start on that day.
Manny Parra still hasn't won this season, although he did get a no-decision over the weekend after losses in his first four starts. While many people are blaming Parra's lack of control and/or mental toughness for his struggles, In-Between Hops also notes that Ken Macha seems to be playing the bench players much more frequently on Parra's day.
A couple of minor notes:
- The Huntsville Stars, never really a big attendance draw in the first place, are now dealing with a new problem: swine flu. The new hysteria has them struggling to draw 1000 fans to games.
- Mark Rogers started Saturday for Brevard County but threw just one inning. The team is taking it slow with his rehab, and expects him to throw two innings next time.
Around the league:
Astros: Signed Brendan Donnelly to a minor league deal.
A's: Placed Eric Chavez on the DL with elbow discomfort.
D-Backs: Tom Gordon had to be carried off the field after suffering a hamstring strain, and will be placed on the DL.
Dodgers: Hong-Chih Kuo has been placed on the DL with elbow trouble.
Indians: Designated Tony Graffanino for assignment.
Mariners: Placed Brandon Morrow on the DL with biceps tendinitis. They also designated catcher Jamie Burke for assignment and signed reliever Steven Shell and outfielder Jerry Owens to minor league deals.
Mets: Oliver Perez has been moved to the bullpen, with the official explanation being a knee issue.
Nationals: Signed reliever Mike MacDougal to a minor league deal.
Orioles: Placed Dennis Sarfate on the DL with a circulatory condition causing numbness in his right middle finger.
Yankees: Signed Casey Fossum to a minor league deal.
In case you had forgotten, it's still not a very good time to be a newspaper writer. With more layoffs over the weekend, there are now just two full time beat reporters covering the Dodgers.
At this pace, baseball players could become Japan's biggest export: the Biz of Baseball takes a look at what the Seibu Lions did with the $51+ million they received from the Red Sox for the right to negotiate with Daisuke Matsuzaka. Those may be the nicest ballpark toilets on Earth.
Oh, and after a slow start, the Mets would like permission to fire Willie Randolph again.
Drink up.
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So far I'm doing pretty well with my prediction
I had the phillies winning 2/3, and I had us going 2-1 against the pirates, despite being a 2 game series….
Does anyone think that Cam will have a big year
Because he is playing for a contract?
I don’t care i would love to see him have a monster year and then let the Yankees over pay him.
Let me spell it for you Cub fans O N E H U N D R E D A N D O N E Y E A R S
and increase his value as a type A possibly
He would have to keep his pace up to acheive that, AND have the Brewers offer him arbritration, which would not be cheap, and he might take it at his age too.
The designated hitter rule is like letting someone else take Wilt Chamberlain's free throws.
offer him arbritration to receive any picks I meant
The designated hitter rule is like letting someone else take Wilt Chamberlain's free throws.
I had debated this in the past
But I think I’ve come to a conclusion.
If Cam plays well enough to warrant Type A or B status, we may as well offer him arbitration. At that point, he would be worth $8MM.
IF he keeps up this pace and finishes the season with line of .321/.408/.655 with an OPS of 1.063 and OPS+ of 172 how does he not win an MVP? Hell yes, you offer him arbitration.
by Saberilliterate on May 4, 2009 10:44 AM CDT up reply actions
I'm pretty sure he would be looking for at least a 2 year deal
Arb is only going to guarantee him 1 more year. If he puts up those numbers I feel confident there would be someone out there who would at least offer him a 2 year deal, thus making the arb. offer irrelevant in terms of having to pay him another year.
BCB, the preferred above replacement level sarcasm supplier.
by MadJimiBrewha on May 4, 2009 12:22 PM CDT up reply actions
Do you not think that
the Brewers would try to re-sign him? Unless Cain proves to be ready to play in the majors by the end of the season there is nobody else currantly on the roster that you would want to play CF on a full-time basis. I am not sure that any of players who can play CF on this list of free agents for next year would be better than Cameron.
Thats a good point
Throwing out the factor of affordability in relation to our entire roster for now just for agruements sake, offering him arbitration might be a no-brainer. My train of thought here is that like you said, given Cains injury, he might not be ready for the majors in the spring of 2010. If that’s the case I would assume they would want Cameron back seeing as there really isn’t a better replacement short of moving Hart. However, without anything catastrophic happening to Cain, I can’t see them wanting to sign Cameron for more than 1 year. So by offering him arb. they either get him for 1 more year or you should get draft picks ( I say should because if we learned anything this past offseason it’s that those picks are anything but guaranteed). At Cam’s age, however, he has to know he is getting to the point were declines are inevitable, so I would assume he would try to find the longest deal possible, something I don’t feel the Brewers can or will do. So ultimately, unless Cam is willing to go year-to-year at this point in his career (which I have to believe he wouldn’t want to do), I don’t see him resigning with the Brewers.
The problem with all of this of course is that there are just so many variables that come into play between now and then (i.e. Cameron’s performance, Cain’s injury status and performance, the economy, the market for CFers, etc.) and all this will probably be moot by the time this issue actually arises.
BCB, the preferred above replacement level sarcasm supplier.
by MadJimiBrewha on May 4, 2009 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions
Just thought of a random point
But if Cameron does indeed continue to put up MVP caliber #‘s the best possible scenario for the team in terms of most positive return would be for them to be out of contention so that he can be flipped for several high-level prospects that could help the team in 2011-2015. Now, I’m not saying I want the team to be out of contention, god knows that’s the last thing I want, but hypothetically to get the most value out of Cameron I would have to believe flipping him at the deadline would net us the most value as opposed to resigning him or losing him after offering arb.
Actually, I think this is what is going to make this season so interesting. Either the Crew is going to be in contention which is always great, or we will be out of it and we could have the opportunity to flip several players for some high quality young talent.
BCB, the preferred above replacement level sarcasm supplier.
by MadJimiBrewha on May 4, 2009 2:20 PM CDT up reply actions
Somebody I think mentioned this on several occasions this winter/spring
When the topic of Cameron’s season and potential trades came up. Given the kind of year he’s having, if he continues to put up these numbers he’ll be a huge potential trading chip come the deadline. Rather than playing out the season with him and getting draft picks, we’d be better off flipping him for some “proven” prospects at the AA-level or higher.
This, of course, is predicated on the Brewers looking like they’re out of it in the hunt for a playoff spot.
If Cameron continues to play well
The weak market means the Brewers should try harder to keep him, but it also makes it more likely that he’ll get a huge payday if he leaves. Even though he turns 37 in January, as the best FA CF on the market Cameron might be able to get 3 years/$45-50 million out of someone, and he’d be an idiot not to take it.
"The reports are that he is getting better. The definition of better is nebulous."
Cameron is the MVP so far
But we all know he won’t keep up this pace, but what if he performs above his historical numbers
Perhaps a .270/ .370 obp with 31 HRs… instead of his career averages of a .251/.341 and 23 hrs
Do we offer him arbritration then? I think yes, but with Suppan’s salary and arbitration raises due to more young players – might be difficult to take that risk again for an aging player
The designated hitter rule is like letting someone else take Wilt Chamberlain's free throws.
You have to offer the arbitration. Even if we don’t have the money. If he takes the arbitration and we don’t have the money, he is trade bait. If he doesn’t take the arbitration, we get the picks.
by Saberilliterate on May 4, 2009 11:15 AM CDT up reply actions
Definitely team MVP
top 10 in the league maybe so far.
If Lorenzo Cain had not been injured I would say let him go and get the draft pick. Even with no one to replace him internally, I say you offer arby and hope he leaves just for the picks. He will be too expensive.
By the time June/July rolls around the trade with the Yankees could present itself and Cabrera would be a great replacement for him. That trade would look very good right now if it had been pulled off in ST. And if the Yankees still arent interested, you shop him around and get a guy who can play CF for the future.
Increasing Contracts
Some of the young players like Bush, Weeks, Hart, and Hardy will have higher contracts next year, but probably only by $1-2 MM. Bill Hall will be making $1.6 MM more next year, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them offer a long term deal to Gallardo.
However, Fielder and Suppan’s salaries will not change next year. We’ll have $5MM from Kendall’s expiring contract, possibly $5MM from Looper’s deal, and $6MM from Hoffman. And, as Saberilliterate said, even if you dont’ have the money to keep him around next year, he’s still trade bait.
Doesn't Fielder go from 6.5M to 10.5M next year?
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Juuuust a bit outside!!
http://www.rightfieldbleachers.com
I thought 7 to 11
Wasnt it for 18 million? Or is there a signing bonus that was awarded?
The designated hitter rule is like letting someone else take Wilt Chamberlain's free throws.
One position player doesn't really make that much of a difference, does he?
In-Between Hops also notes that Ken Macha seems to be playing the bench players much more frequently on Parra’s day.
It seems to me that even if Macha replaced a starter with someone 80 BA points lower, that’s only 0.4 additional hits per 5 AB. Of course, if they’re replaced by Nelson that’s 250 BA points which could certainly make a difference. ;-)
We know he’ll settle down and pick it up sooner rather than later, right?
Is there any concensus about Braun's health right now?
Is he expected to play today or this one of those situations where nobody knows?
I miss Chad God
Will Carroll on Braun
Braun has been dealing with an intracostal/oblique strain since spring training, but it now appears to be migrating a little. The injury itself isn’t moving, but it’s an easy cascade for it to go from the side to the back. His 9.1 VORP is still top ten at his position, and he’s been productive, but the rib injury has been lingering, and over his past two months (September ‘08 and April ’09) he’s hardly been the power threat that NL pitchers hate to face. It’s hard to break this type of cycle without missing extended time, but Braun and the Brewers’ medical staff will continue to try to find ways to do it.
"I didn't realize his velocity was that high," said Macha, noting that radar readings aren't flashed during exhibition games.
I'm guessing
if he does play, that they’ll have to pull him at some point through the game. I don’t think he sounds well enough to hit.
"If lovin’ Braun is wrong, I want to be a repeat offender!"
RIP Nick Adenhart: Stop Drunk Driving
If it's getting better,
I think we’ll see him in a pinch hitting role before he’s back as a starter.
I dont know if it is
If it is chronic, this could be the worst news possible for the Brewers as the link below points out. Spinal injury would be very bad
http://danandsteve.com/2009/05/04/this-is-not-good/
The designated hitter rule is like letting someone else take Wilt Chamberlain's free throws.
That's what I'm worried about
Braun has this stubbornness about him and doesn’t like to show weakness, which for him means being hurt. I know that I hurt my back when I was eight or nine and I still have problems with it. Then again, I have arthritis and Braun doesn’t, but still. Rest and conditioning are the only things that are going to help him get better.
"If lovin’ Braun is wrong, I want to be a repeat offender!"
RIP Nick Adenhart: Stop Drunk Driving
Didn’t see that one coming.
BCB, the preferred above replacement level sarcasm supplier.
by MadJimiBrewha on May 4, 2009 3:52 PM CDT up reply actions
I couldn't help myself
Hall said he was just told 10 minutes ago by Macha that he’d be playing third base.
So the same place as every night then?
How far will this one fly?
Mike, you're on the bench tonight.
Oh, you’re injured? When did that happen?
How far will this one fly?
Just for the sake of getting another righty in the lineup?
I’m not too sure about this move, Mr. Macha..
I think it is good
to get McGehee in there, though. He needs the ABs and is a better option than Nelson and Duffy against Maholm. Hall should fare just fine in the easiest OF position for a game. Hopefully I won’t eat those words.
I think he will be fine out there
I think it is a good move, better than Nelson out there
The designated hitter rule is like letting someone else take Wilt Chamberlain's free throws.
does McGehee not play OF?
oh, well…I guess if Braun goes on the DL, they’re just testing out to see if Hall can cover LF so they can bring Gamel up for 3B. Not that I’m advocating that particular defensive lineup.
That's probably exactly what's going on.
Though his defense is still rather shoddy, I’d still prefer Gamel’s bat over TGJ’s apparent lack of one.
How far will this one fly?
i feel sorry for bill hall
didn’t he complain last year and the year before that all the defensive shifting wasn’t letting him work on his batting game?
And now that he’s been doing halfway decent stabilized back at third in terms of offense and doing excellent defense, he’s getting forced aside for a new guy. When Braun comes back, I’d actually be shocked if they send Gamel back down (unless he averages 2 errors per game). I think they’ll send down/DFA one of the other reserves and have Hall either platoon somewhere or just be 4th outfielder/5th infielder (displacing Counsell?)
This is all assuming 1) Braun to DL and 2) Gamel callup. But I think once Gamel sees defensive time, he’ll be here to stay.
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NL Central Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | STRK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chicago
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Cincinnati
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Houston
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Milwaukee
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Pittsburgh
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
St. Louis
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
(updated 2.4.2012 at 3:41 PM CST)
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