Some things to read while waiting for it to grow back.
We are four days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Maryvale, and the Brewers marked the occasion yesterday by unveiling the cover of the 2013 Media Guide. It looks great, but Adam McCalvy says Carlos Gomez won't be happy about being excluded.
That media guide will have to be updated to reflect a 15th Brewer headed to the World Baseball Classic: 2012 Brevard County Manatees pitcher Nick Bucci is joining the Canadian team after a knee injury forced Blue Jays reliever Scott Richmond off the roster. Bucci is still only 22, but 2013 will be his sixth professional season and he's already pitched for Canada in two Baseball World Cups and the Pan American Games.
We're about two short weeks away from the start of spring training games, and yesterday the team announced good news for fans planning to follow the team from afar: FS Wisconsin, the Brewers Radio Network and Brewers.com will combine to broadcast 34 Cactus League games this spring, starting with the opener on February 23.
Having Ryan Braun and company away from the team for a while during spring training will just help us all appreciate Aramis Ramirez a little more, I guess. MLB Network will unveil their top ten third basemen in all of baseball at 8 pm tonight, and I've been told Ramirez will be on the list. Benjamin Orr of Reviewing the Brew wonders if he can repeat his 2012 performance.
While Aramis Ramirez looks to repeat his 2012 efforts, Jean Segura will be looking to build on his. New BCB contributor Eric Nehm took a look at Segura's rookie season yesterday in an effort to confirm what we know about him going forward.
Elsewhere in question marks facing the 2013 team, we have 2012 breakout star Norichika Aoki. Lou Olsen of Reviewing the Brew has a look at how Aoki's similarities to Ichiro may imply he can keep up his production levels from a year ago.
Big seasons from Ramirez, Segura and Aoki would help make up for the fact that the Brewers' didn't make much of a splash in the free agent market this winter. Dave Cameron of FanGraphs has a look at the winter's top ten transactions, and Milwaukee is nowhere to be found.
Nonetheless, the Brewers are building up hype for the 2013 roster. Adam McCalvy has the latest spring training preview.
It's a big spring for Brandon Kintzler, one of several pitchers likely to compete for one of the final spots in the Brewer bullpen. The Brewer Nation profiled Kintzler yesterday as part of their "Brewers By the (Jersey) Numbers" series.
In the minors:
- As expected, Eric Arnett underwent knee surgery yesterday to repair a torn ACL and will likely be out for the 2013 season. Arnett looked better in a relief role for Brevard County in 2012, but will have to try to bounce back again in 2014.
- Jeff Hem of the Nashville Sounds has a list of 2012 Sounds that will be playing somewhere else this spring.
- Chris Mehring of Rattler Radio has an update on the renovation project at Time Warner Cable Field.
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Keith Law of ESPN ranked the Brewers' top ten prospects, but the story is insider-only.
Everyone loves a webcomic, right? If so, then you'll love the debut of Cubie Rue.
Finally, take a moment this morning to vote (or vote again) for friend of the site Kevin Kimmes for the MLB Fan Cave. Kevin stopped by yesterday to make his case.
Around baseball:
Indians: Avoided arbitration with infielder Mike Aviles (two years, $6 million with a club option for 2015) and signed pitcher Rich Hill to a minor league deal.
Mariners: Signed pitcher Felix Hernandez to a seven-year, $175 million contract extension, signed pitcher Joe Saunders to a one-year deal and designated pitcher Shawn Kelley for assignment.
Mets: Signed reliever Brandon Lyon to a one-year deal.
Meanwhile, Chris Carpenter's expected absence in 2013 and potential retirement continues to change the NL Central race. Dave Radcliffe of Yahoo has a look at how it impacts the Brewers.
Today in former Brewers:
- High Heat Stats has a great, in-depth look at the All-Time Brewers Team.
- Jerry Crasnick of ESPN remembers when Corey Patterson was on the cover of Baseball America's 2001 prospect handbook, and has an excerpt from his scouting report.
- Bless You Boys has a reminder of Prince Fielder's unconventional sliding style.
If you were on Twitter last night you might have seen me having some fun with the trending topic #astrosmovies. I think I had some other pretty good ones, but this was easily the most popular:
Honey, I Shrunk The Payroll #astrosmovies
— Brew Crew Ball (@BrewCrewBall) February 8, 2013
While we were making jokes about the Astros, in Mexico they played a lot of baseball. The Caribbean Series was decided last night when Mexico beat the Dominican Republic 4-3 in 18 innings, setting a series record by playing for nearly seven and a half hours.
This morning's edition of Today In Brewer History looks back to one year ago, when a notable baseball writer labeled the Aramis Ramirez signing as one of the worst moves of the winter. Chris Jaffe of The Hardball Times notes that it's also Burke Badenhop's 30th birthday, and it's been exactly 5000 days since the Brewers drafted Ben Sheets.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to find my rake.
Drink up.