There's a handful of interesting things this morning:
- First, here's my Hardball Times piece on the best NL benches. Guess who's number one!
If possible, the team is deeper still in the outfield. That could change with a spring trade, but as it stands now, there aren't enough roster spots for qualified players. With Bill Hall slotted in center field, Brady Clark becomes the backup centerfielder. Geoff Jenkins and Kevin Mench are tentatively pencilled into a left field platoon. That leaves Gabe Gross--a lefty who hit RHPs to the tune of .294/.400/.508 last year--without a spot on the bench.
I'm not sure if the Brewers depth could compete with that of the Angels, or even the White Sox or Royals, who together made up my top three AL benches. But it's pretty darn good.
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The Brewers news-worthiness of this is a real stretch:
SI.com reported Thursday that Holmes, who played for the Brewers from 1991-'92, received somatropin, a form of HGH, and testosterone from Palm Beach Rejuvenation in October 2003. That Florida firm has been implicated in a steroids investigation run by Albany County (N.Y.) District Attorney P. David Soares.
Emphasis is mine. I apologize if you want more steroids coverage on this site, and hereby promise that you will never, ever get it. I simply don't care, and short of finding out that...well, no, there's nothing that would make me care. Brewers from 15 years ago are pretty far down the list.
- While we're on the topic, I'll stay there for the only time this month:
Steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs were the subject of a team meeting Thursday morning.
Players viewed a DVD production from Major League Baseball on the subject. Last week, the team's medical staff put on a similar presentation.
"We are required to provide education to the players on that subject," said assistant general manager Gord Ash. "The more information they have, the more likely it is that players will make better decisions. It's all part of our plan to be proactive on this matter. Once a guy tests positive, it's no good going through the issues with him then."
I don't know why I find this so funny. Maybe it's imagining 50 or 60 Brewers sitting around the clubhouse watching an educational video like it's 8th grade sex ed. I hope that Gord Ash doesn't remind anyone of their 8th grade sex ed teacher.
- Finally, on a non-sex ed or -steroid related note: Ned Yost thinks Bill Hall could be NL MVP. I don't disagree, and I'm very happy to see all the ways in which Billy is finally getting the attention he deserves. Since we've got him under contract for the next five years, there's no reason anymore to hope he stays under the radar; may he win five consecutive MVP awards.
Update [2007-3-9 12:40:1 by battlekow]: One more thing: If you've got a BP subscription, let Will Carroll tell you how the Brewers can win the World Series: