Thursday's Frosty Mug
by Kyle Lobner on Jan 12, 2012 10:27 AM CST
in Milwaukee Brewers News
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PrintSome things to read while promoting tongue safety.
We're 37 days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training, and yesterday we found out another new Brewer will be joining the team in Maryvale: The team claimed shortstop Jeff Bianchi off waivers from the Cubs, who claimed him from the Royals about a month ago (FanShot). Bianchi is 25 and posted a .259/.320/.333 line in AA last season after missing the entire 2010 campaign following Tommy John surgery. Before that, however, he was a pretty interesting prospect. John Sickels rated him as a C+ prospect in last year's Baseball Prospect Book, and here's an excerpt from his scouting report:
When healthy, Bianchi is a line drive hitter with gap power, speed, adequate on-base skills, solid defense up the middle and a "baseball rat" personality. Grading him is tough: He has the profile to be a strong utility player at least, and if he maxes his talent out, he could be a pretty solid regular, too.
@Mass_Haas says Bianchi has one option remaining but may qualify for another because he missed the entire 2010 season, and has a link to a Baseball Prospectus interview from 2009.
Meanwhile, time is running out for the Brewers to reach a deal with Norichika Aoki. The two sides have until Monday to come to an agreement, and Doug Melvin told Tom Haudricourt he has no update on the situation.
It's an unusually large day for Prince Fielder notes:
- Bill Ladson of MLB.com is reporting the Nationals are unlikely to sign Fielder, but The Nats Blog has an opposing view.
- Joe Frisaro of MLB.com noted some rumors tying Prince to the Marlins, but says they're "not strongly interested."
- MLB Trade Rumors broke news that shouldn't really be news by saying Fielder plans to sign before spring training.
We've been counting down to this for a while now so it's hardly a surprise, but MLB officially announced yesterday that the Brewers will hold their first workout of the spring on February 20, and their first full-squad practice on the 25th. Plan your lives accordingly.
Elsewhere in upcoming excitement, the Brewers released the list of players expected to attend January 29's "Brewers On Deck" event yesterday. There are 28 current Brewers, ten prospects, six alumni and the full MLB coaching staff on the list. The most notable name expected to attend is probably Ryan Braun, who will be making his first major public appearance since news broke regarding his possible suspension.
In the minors:
- The Brewers have signed catcher Paul Phillips to a minor league deal. He'll turn 35 in April and has played in 91 major league games over six seasons as a member of three teams. Phillips hit .237/.281/.305 in 78 games for AAA Columbus in 2011, and is probably behind at least four other catchers on the Brewer depth chart at this point.
- Martin Maldonado went 2-for-2 with a double and a walk but it wasn't enough as Mayaguez lost 9-6 to Ponce in the Puerto Rican playoffs yesterday. You can read about that and more in today's Winter League Notes.
- We're seeing our first significant snowfall of the winter in Appleton today, and the @TimberRattlers twitter feed will be posting pictures all day.
If you'd like more from me this morning but you're sick of reading, check out my appearance from last night on the D+ Sports Advantage podcast with my friends J.D. Fox and Travis Monroe. We mostly talked Hall of Fame, but discussed a handful of former Brewers.
Around baseball:
Angels: Avoided arbitration with first baseman Kendrys Morales (one year, $2.975 million).
Astros: Claimed outfielder Fernando Martinez off waivers from the Mets, designated pitcher Henry Villar for assignment and hired former Cardinals coach Joe Pettini as their new bench coach.
Giants: Avoided arbitration by signing pitcher Ryan Vogelsong to a two year, $8 million contract with a club option for 2014.
Pirates: Signed pitcher Doug Slaten to a minor league deal.
Rays: Signed 1B/OF Luke Scott to a one year contract with a club option for 2013.
Red Sox: Acquired infielder Brad Emaus from the Rockies for a PTBNL or cash.
@Mass_Haas says the Brewers also made an offer to Slaten.
In former Brewers:
- Danny Ray Herrera, recently placed on outright waivers by the Mets, has accepted an outright assignment to the minors and will be invited to major league camp.
- High Heat Stats named Danny Darwin the fourth most under-appreciated player of the 80's.
The 2012 season is the final year on the Brewers' lease with their spring training facility in Maryvale. They'll likely explore their options, but one of their best bets is off the table: The A's have reached a verbal agreement to move their spring training site to the former Cubs facility in Mesa.
Today in baseball economics:
- I had previously mentioned that the Padres' ownership change was expected to be announced today. Bob Nightengale of USA Today is reporting that the sale has hit a snag and the vote will no longer happen.
- MLB's asinine blackout rules may have reached a new low, as Mariners games will be blacked out in Alaska this season.
Here's an interesting statistical analysis note, if you're so inclined: Eno Sarris of FanGraphs has data and a chart showing that pitchers' strikeout rates are (on average) never higher than the number posted in their first major league season.
If you've been reading our Twitter feed this morning you probably know that I'm into game shows. As such, I'm curious about MLB Network's new Baseball IQ show, a tournament-style trivia contest featuring representatives from each MLB team.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I know who stole my tie.
Drink up.
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how seriously do people take that @BrewerNation account?
I am too drunk to taste this chicken.
by ThroughBeingCool on Jan 12, 2012 10:38 AM CST reply actions
Seeing that Cordero still isn't signed makes me angry
because (even though I still think offering K-Rod arb was the right decision) we could have had him for 1/3rd the cost of K-Rod on a one year deal, if the Madson deal is any indicator for what the market is like.
Hindsight is 20/20 I suppose. Thats why I’m not a GM.
I think that Cordero is looking for more than $4million a year
But I know what you mean. The thing is that it was not as if when Melvin offered K-Rod abritration that everybody thought it was a bad idea.
I thought it was a great idea when Melvin offered arb
I don’t think anyone saw the closer market being this poor, except maybe k-rod. And I will be shocked if Cordero gets much more than 4 mil and a 1 year deal, seeing as Madson (who was great last year) got 8 over 1 year.
I’m just saying that we maybe even could have had both Cordero and K-rod as free agents at K-rod’s arb price. Maybe I’m severely underestimating what I think they would have/will get as FA, it wouldn’t be the first time.
You roll the dice on getting those draft picks and you’ll lose every so often though. I still think offering arb was the right decision for this situation given what we knew at the time.
So what you're saying is that the Brewers should sign Cordero to be the 7th inning guy?
by ecocd on Jan 12, 2012 3:19 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I think he's saying
that if the Brewers declined K-Rod’s option, they could probably have signed both K-Rod and Cordero for whatever they’ll end up paying K-Rod through arbitration.
I don’t agree with that, but I think that’s what he’s saying.
BTW, I wouldn’t mind signing Cordero as another option in the bullpen… I just don’t think the Brewers can afford him.
I understood that
No sarcasm tags in subject lines. I’ll have to remember that for next time.
I don’t want Cordero. He snubbed Milwaukee and I’m not interested in having him back at just about any press.
I like Braun being visable right now
I thought I read he was going to receive his MVP award in person at the BBWAA dinner (can’t find link now), and he is attending the Brewers on Deck.
I don’t want to read into it too much, but it makes me little more confident he will win his appeal. Just a little bit.
"...just throw that pill over the plate and I'll make it happen." - Tony Plush
by thefreewheelin76 on Jan 12, 2012 10:46 AM CST reply actions
Pull back a little on that.
ryan braun still planing to attend ny bbwaa dinner to pick up mvp award. we are told he wont do media interviews however
Link
My guess is it will be very similar at Brewers On Deck. I wouldn’t be surprised if he cancels closer to the date.
I’m trying to figure out if I’m disappointed that I won’t be going to it again. There’s some good things to look at there, but unless you’re going for an autograph, it’s not the greatest place to be.
Contributor on Brew Crew Ball, Commissioner of Prognostikeggers, Owner of a broken sarcasm detector
Is there a misplaced modifier in this sentence?
Elsewhere in upcoming excitement, the Brewers released the list of players expected to attend January 29’s “Brewers On Deck” event yesterday.
I cannot determine with any certainty whether or not “yesterday” is misplaced, but I must say that when I read this, I thought that I must have been in a coma for 18 days.
You gotta eat lightning and crap thunder, Plush!
by brewersfanatic on Jan 12, 2012 11:42 AM CST reply actions
"the Brewers yesterday released" or "yesterday, the Brewers released"
Is probably the best way to put it… but I understood the above just fine.
A samurai sword collection. If you can do it. I don’t know if you’re allowed.
by TwoShoesMcGooze on Jan 12, 2012 11:48 AM CST up reply actions
Depends on what the "upcoming excitement" is.
If the upcoming excitement is the “Brewers On Deck event”, then the sentence makes sense.
If the upcoming excitement is the “list of players expected to attend January 29’s ‘Brewers On Deck’ event”, then it doesn’t.
Contributor on Brew Crew Ball, Commissioner of Prognostikeggers, Owner of a broken sarcasm detector
My inner Grammar Nazi wants to correct this...
…but my inner “don’t be a dick” knows the conclusion is accurate.
I finally get to meet Jose Veras!!!
Nyjer Morgan is the real highlight though.
If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!
Those greedy Alaskans
They’re stealing all of that money from the Mariners by watching the games instead of flying down to attend a game. That must be costing the Mariners up to $500 per year. This was clearly a good move by Major League Baseball. Who knows if those $500 make the difference in winning a World Series or missing the postseason?
Isn't it because the Mariners are on TV up there?
I always assumed that’s why, for example, the Twins would be blacked in the Dakotas. They don’t expect them to drive 8 hours to watch a game in person, they just don’t want to take away from the TV viewers.
"Our attitude is we look at ourselves and we grade ourselves. And even if we don’t like what’s happening on the other side, we don’t make a — it’s not our business" - Tony Larussa
They were on TV up there.
In the article, the issue is that the network that carries the Mariners’ games (Root Sports, the designated RSN) is being dropped by the major cable provider (for MLB Network, ironically), and since Alaska already is a blackout zone for Seattle, those people can’t just get an extensive package like MLB Extra Innings or purchase MLB.TV for the season.
Contributor on Brew Crew Ball, Commissioner of Prognostikeggers, Owner of a broken sarcasm detector
Oh
Well in that case, yeah, it’s even dumber than their usual blackout policy. They’re basically eliminating Alaska as a market for their services.
"Our attitude is we look at ourselves and we grade ourselves. And even if we don’t like what’s happening on the other side, we don’t make a — it’s not our business" - Tony Larussa
There's now a more extensive rant on this posted by Baseball Nation
You can find that rant here.
Here’s a potential easy solution to all of this. Offer a special package for MLB.TV subscribers, where they can pay an extra amount and can designate ONE team to remove all blackout restrictions from. Once the team is selected, it’s locked in for the season. If they watch any games by that team in the blackout zone on MLB.TV, they have to watch that team’s feed.
Contributor on Brew Crew Ball, Commissioner of Prognostikeggers, Owner of a broken sarcasm detector
Forgot to add one thing to that.
That extra revenue made by that purchase goes to the RSN for the selected team.
Contributor on Brew Crew Ball, Commissioner of Prognostikeggers, Owner of a broken sarcasm detector
An even better idea...
No blackouts at all if you get an MLB.TV subscription. The subscribers are already paying money to MLB, so why not give them the ability to watch their own team regardless where they are located?
I subscribe to cable, which means I’m paying to watch the Brewers on FSN even though I live in the Milwaukee area. How is subscribing to MLB.TV any different?
by sjlee on Jan 12, 2012 3:18 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I think FSN is the one with the problem with it (and the cable providers)
If you can buy MLBtv you have less incentive to buy the cable package. It would lower the value of the TV rights.
E: George 4 (5, throw, throw, throw, throw).
Possibly
It would really only affect households who just get cable to watch the Brewers… not sure how many that adds up to. Plus, not all games are carried by FSN, which means that even if you are a subscriber, you won’t be able to watch games that are only locally broadcast.
Next step will be to go after those damn Mongolians!!!
That dog just won't hunt.
by Bush League All Star on Jan 12, 2012 11:55 PM CST up reply actions
I'm not surprised by this.
I’m told #Brewers invited Fielder to return for 1 year so as to get mega-deal from new #Dodgers owner next winter. Boras showed no interest.
Link
Contributor on Brew Crew Ball, Commissioner of Prognostikeggers, Owner of a broken sarcasm detector
Neither am I
Either part – the Brewers’ offer and Boras’ response.
Anyone else starting to wonder if Boras and Fielder have been backed into a corner?
by Cheeseandcorn on Jan 12, 2012 2:09 PM CST up reply actions
I think they'd negotiate an opt-out clause if they were really interested in that.
by tcyoung on Jan 12, 2012 2:13 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I'm not talking specifically about the one-year offer
I mean generally – their potential suitors seem to be disappearing. Somebody will pay Prince, but I’m starting to wonder if it will end up close to what the Brewers initially offered (and Boras immediately rejected).
by Cheeseandcorn on Jan 12, 2012 2:34 PM CST up reply actions
I totally agree with you
I would be surprised if Prince gets a deal for more than 5 years now.
There seems only to be a couple of decent fits for him and it might end up being a shorter deal for a higher average amount of say $25 million a year rather than an 8 year $175million sort of deal that they were originally looking for.
If it is a shorter deal that he signs, then I think that the Blue Jays are a likely landing spot for Fielder.
For a shorter duration
I’d think more than just the Blue Jays would be interested. I read that Boras met with the Nats and Marlins recently, plus the Rangers could still be interested… particularly if the Darvish deal falls through.
The reason I mentioned the Blue Jays is
they had rule themselves out of the running since they have said that they would not go beyond a 5 year deal for anybody. Since they missed out Darvish themselves I think they have the funds to make a very good offer.
Nope
The market for Fielder is determined by his asking price and not every team’s interest level. If Fielder dropped Boras today and then announced publicly that he would sign a 1-year deal for any team for $15 million, there would be 10 teams asking him to come play for them. Teams want Fielder. Teams don’t want Fielder for 10 years.
I doubt Boras is really losing much by waiting, because there wasn’t a 1B market to speak of this year. He might have lost the Cubs (if they were ever really a bidder) by having them use up the rest of the payroll on a different position. Overall, though, the teams that need a 1B, still don’t have a 1B. I don’t think Boras taking any money off the table by keeping Fielder out of a jersey for now, but it looks like he can’t get the bidding war he wants, either.
I'm surprised and skeptical that the Brewers made that offer
Unless it was absurdly low. I don’t think Melvin has ever expected or really planned on bringing Fielder back.
If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!
Never hurts to ask
I agree, though, that it doesn’t seem likely. On a 1-year deal he could probably get more than Milwaukee would offer, anyway.
apparently the BrewerNation guy is saying that it was Boras who approached the Brewers about a possible 1 year deal.
I am too drunk to taste this chicken.
by ThroughBeingCool on Jan 12, 2012 3:37 PM CST up reply actions
My guess is that if it is true
that Boras is asking $25M on a 1 yr deal.
That’s not going to happen.
Why not?
If Doug feels like that this could be the last year of having Greinke about and Mark A. decided that $25million would be worth a really good chance of another playoff run then why not?
I admit that it is very unlikely for many different reasons not least the idea that Boras offered Fielder back to the Brewers on a 1 year deal.
by Saltire on Jan 12, 2012 4:04 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
If they're already uncomfortable with the payroll where it currently is
I don’t think they’re going to another $25M on top of it. That would put their payroll around $125M this season.
Granted, if they’re able to free up some payroll by trading guys away, then I could see it being more of a possibility.
Hah. Really?
A samurai sword collection. If you can do it. I don’t know if you’re allowed.
by TwoShoesMcGooze on Jan 12, 2012 5:06 PM CST up reply actions
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NL Central Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | STRK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cincinnati
|
26 | 20 | .565 | 0 | Won 1 |
|
St. Louis
|
25 | 22 | .531 | 1.5 | Lost 3 |
|
Houston
|
22 | 24 | .478 | 4 | Lost 1 |
|
Pittsburgh
|
22 | 24 | .478 | 4 | Won 2 |
|
Milwaukee
|
19 | 27 | .413 | 7 | Lost 1 |
|
Chicago
|
15 | 31 | .326 | 11 | Lost 11 |
(updated 5.27.2012 at 12:11 PM CDT)
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