Jim Rooney has been promoted from roving pitching coordinator to roving crosschecker. Jeremy Booth has been hired as area supervisor in Southeast Texas and Louisiana. Tim Collinsworth has been hired as area supervisor in Western Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Northern Texas. Booth worked for the Twins and Collinsworth worked for the Red Sox in 2008.

I think I've linked this before, but now that Junior is a free agent, I think it's finally time to tap into the turn-of-the-century wisdom of the sage D. Orlando Ledbetter.

Thorman was given a chance to become the Braves' starting first baseman in 2007 and flopped, hitting .216/.258/.394 in 307 plate appearances. He didn't do much better in AAA this past season. Thorman is the sixth non-roster player to be invited to spring training with the Crew.

Reportedly he has signed with the Hanshin Tigers. The GM of the Tigers said, "I really see Mench as the centerpiece of this deal."

This is from early October, and its mostly about the election, but--I don't think you should be questioning my wisdom on an important issue such as this one--ALL BREWERS FANS MUST WATCH THIS.

Perhaps several dozen times.

Anyone else think the Stache should take a long look at this guy in the Rule V draft? Seems like a classic Stache bullpen guy, a cheap, power arm. Above link sends you to his minor league stats. He was regarded as a guy who was far more than a throw-in in the Young-Garza trade, and after a full year at AA, he seems like he could handle the bigs enough for us to keep him on the ML roster all year. I'd say at the least, pick him in the Rule V, bring him to ST, and if he doesn't stick, we're out 50K or whatever it is. I also wouldn't mind seeing the brewers picking Donnie Veal, but after picking up swindle, I don't think he would fit in the pen for the whole season.

I thought this was a nice shot and someone might want to grab it.. It's fairly large which is good, but I didn't want to post it.

Second part of last weeks post, this looks at the Brewers pitchers as things stand now. Needless to say, we could really use CC back. Using Marcel's IP projections, the Brewers look like a -6.5 WAA pitching staff, but if we scale Gallardo, Capuano, and McClung's numbers up to a full season, it's closer to -3 WAA. That number, combined with the 6 WAA from the offense, puts the current Brewers at 84-78. Not great, but a couple free agent signings puts us right back in contention.

Via Rotoworld, the Brewers are one of four teams rumored to be interested in 39-year-old Japanese lefty Ken Takahashi. Takahashi is 66-87 with a 4.23 ERA in 14 seasons (career numbers through 2007 here) and went 8-5 with a 3.50 ERA last season. His manager in Japan doesn't sound optimistic about Takahashi's chances:

"'I really respect him,' Brown said of the pitcher who went 8-5 for a sub-.500 team with little offense that plays in a bandbox. 'He's done everything I've asked him to do.

'He thinks his changeup is as good as [Hideki] Okajima's. But he doesn't get lefties out, and he can't start every fifth day.'"

Trying to keep teams away from his pitcher or telling it like it is? I guess we'll see. In the meantime, for fun, this guy was the last Japanese lefty signed by the Brewers.

Sounds like he loves to run and even had his team steal home. Also likes RockBand.

Here is a google translation:

"I just my instincts"
Published by root 20 November, 2008
In one month at the head of Lions, Kremblas has proven to be unconventional
A non Gregorio Petit took him too long to see that Frank Kremblas, the new manager of the Lions of Caracas, was able to do anything to score a run. With two outs and the bases full during the second inning of the second game of the season, before Caribbeans in Puerto La Cruz, the campocorto was standing on the threshold while rookie Adolfo Gonzalez walked toward home plate to go to bat.
It was at that moment when the coach of the third, Matt Quatraro, came to make a suggestion. "I said, 'is pending, because if the pitcher is put in front of you the chance to steal home," recalled the Petit haul the next day, still stunned by the move.
"In the first pitcheo I had the chance to go, but I will not lie, I was scared," admitted the torpedo. "But then I said I would. 'I'm going,' I thought, 'if you are sending me I can not say no'. I booted up and thank God things went well. "
The first theft of home for a player of Caracas since 1993 is the most eccentric of the hands that have ordered the manager of the Lions pointers in the first month of this season, but not the only one.
During that time the receiver Carlos Maldonado, one of the slowest runners in the league, has stolen two pads, including third baseman in the last duel to the Magallanes Navigators. Matt Laporta, who confuse anyone with a gazelle, has also come to swindle. And until it has been seen at the Lions playing the ball with two runners on base despite losing by three.
"Instinct, nothing more," responds Kremblas, 42, when he was asked where he learned to manage well. "I try to stay with the first, I thought that comes to mind in a certain moment, because it probably is the most appropriate for that situation. Sometimes it does not work for me, although in most cases, if your instincts listeners, you're going to be the right thing. "
Certainly, no one can question the methods of a manager whose team won 18 of their first 25 games and is slipped at the top of the table of positions.
And while Caracas has the best offensive and best pitcheo championships Kremblas has shown wisdom to move their launchers and keep all their players involved. However, that does not remove the "method" Kremblas has left more than an open-mouthed. Even their own players.
"I was surprised when I saw the sign," explained Maldonado, who weighs 110 kilos, on the theft of the third before Magellan. "In my life had run as much as this year. But I like that style. I believe that Flores was also surprised. "
The draft of Jesus Flores, the catcher of the ship and regularly Washington Nationals, went over the head of the anteroom and allowed Maldonado to score the second race comfortably Lions in a game that would eventually winning 8-2.
"I sent the theft thinking they were going to throw a curve. Les Walrond (left-handed pitcher from Magallanes) was launched and there were two strikes. So we thought we were going to throw a ball against the floor, "explained Kremblas. "But they threw it straight. My instincts told me that was a curve, so I decided to send him to see what was happening. "
Sort these moves requires a fundamental condition. "You can not be afraid to fail," he says sitting on a couch in the basement of the University, where he sat down to talk for almost half an hour Friday afternoon. "One tries to surprise them and I believe that Mr. Flores was surprised because they did a good shot."
Kremblas has emphasized since the first day of the season on the importance of being aggressive on the bases. "The only message," he says of his philosophy, "is that if we are not going to pay attention to the bases, we will leave to theft. "
And so it has always been the U.S. skinhead. Brendan Katina, the player of the Aguilas del Zulia that amount and 10 home runs, played for Kremblas in Nashville, the AAA club of the Milwaukee Brewers now that the pilot guided the Lions between 2005 and 2008.
"He loves to be aggressive," said Katina. "Shortly after working with him, nothing surprises you. Not your typical conventional manager. "
Do they need another test? His favorite pastime is playing RockBand, the famous interactive video game in which each player becomes a singer, guitarist and drummer of a band. "I am a big fan of the game," said Kremblas not immutable. There is no doubt: it is not a pilot either.