Reader Poll Results

"Best starting pitching staff in the NL Central?"

Brewers: 93%

Cardinals: 6%

Reds: 0%

Cubs: 0%

Holy Greinke!

Wow, just wow. Thank you Doug Melvin. Greinke, Gallardo, Marcum, Wolf, 5th starter. That is a playoff bound rotation ladies and gentlemen. Oh yeah, to go along with a lineup featuring Braun, Fielder, Weeks, Hart and McGehee. On behalf of Brewers fans everywhere I would just like to say, suck it Cardinals and Cubs!

If I Had A 2011 BBWAA Hall Of Fame Ballot

Roberto Alomar

Jeff Bagwell

Bert Blyleven

Barry Larkin

Mark McGwire

Tim Raines

Ted Simmons Could/Should Be In HOF In 2011

In 2011 the Baseball Hall of Fame Veterans Committee can finally right the wrong of the BBWAA. They could elect former Cardinals/Brewers/Braves catcher Ted Simmons into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Other than maybe Tim Raines, Tommy John and Bert Blyleven no player has been wrongly held out of the Hall of Fame more than Ted Simmons. It seems pretty simple to me, Ted Simmons has more RBI's than Johnny Bench, scored more runs than Gary Carter and has more hits than Yogi Berra and Carlton Fisk. Yet, he is not in the HOF and all of the players previously mentioned are. In 21 seasons in the big leagues Ted has a slash line of .285/.348/.437 with 248 HR's. He made the All-Star team eight times and has a career WAR of 50.4.

It seems to me that the proof is in the pudding. Ted Simmons straight up has the stats as a catcher similar to all other HOF catchers, so why is he not in the HOF? That is a great question that I do not have the answer to. According to Baseball Reference 5 of the 10 batters most similar in their careers to Simmons are already in Cooperstown. But now that "Simba" has been added to the Veterans Committee ballot for the 2011 class he could finally get his just due. Like the BWAA ballot, Simmons must get 75% of the vote from the Veterans Committee to get elected into Cooperstown. I understand that Simmons, if elected will go in wearing a Cardinals cap on his plaque, but the fact is he spent 5 very good years in Milwaukee which includes 81' and 82', perhaps the best two seasons in Brewers history. To me Simmons is still the best catcher that ever donned a Brewers uniform. He was my starting catcher on my All-Time Brewers roster I put together a few months back.

We'll find out on December 6th if the Veterans Committee is smart enough to elect a man to the HOF that should have been elected by the BWAA back sometime in the 90's. Simmons was first on the ballot back in 1994 and only get 3.7% of the vote, so he dropped off the ballot after only one year of being eligible. Such a crime.

UPDATE: Here is something I didn't think of yesterday when I wrote this post. The Brewers currently have four numbers retired (besides Jackie Robinson's #42). All four players (Yount, Molitor, Aaron and Fingers) are in the HOF. This makes me think that if Simmons gets in, the Brewers will retire his #23 at Miller Park. That is if they continue to stand by their way of thinking that your number gets retired if you are a HOFer. Simmons actually played more seasons in Milwaukee than Aaron and Fingers. I have always felt that Simmons and Cecil Cooper were the other two players who SHOULD have their numbers retired.

Reader Poll Results

"First Impressions of Ron Roenicke?"

I like him: 92%

I don't like him: 0%

Ask me in July: 7%

Peter Gammons, Shut Up! Braun Isn't Going Anywhere

By now you probably heard the ridiculous rumor that Peter Gammons tossed around casually on a Boston TV station that the Brewers are talking about trading Ryan Braun and that Boston is a possible fit. I love Peter Gammons, read and listened to him for years, one of my all-time favorite baseball media members, but dude, shut up! I thought about writing a long post about this but it does not deserve my time. Ryan Braun is the Brewers and he and his very team friendly contact are not going anywhere. Thank you.

YouTube Classic: All 27 Outs Of Jake Odorizzi/Adrian Rosario Combined No-Hitter

This is pretty awesome, video of all 27 outs in the Jake Odorizzi/Adrian Rosario combined no-hitter for the Timber Rattlers back in August. This video just gets me more pumped to see Odorizzi in the Brewers rotation sometime in 2012.

Keith Law Chat ESPN.com 11/4/10

It's been quite awhile since I recapped any Brewers related questions/answers from a Keith Law chat on ESPN.com but today there were some pretty good ones so I figured I should. I always look forward to lunch break at work on Thursdays to read through Law's chats.

Ray (Home of the World Series Champs)

Is there anyway the Brewers would accept a deal of Jonathan Sanchez, Pablo Sandoval, Brandon Belt and Ryan Verdugo for Prince Fielder?

Klaw

(1:06 PM)

I wanted to say no when I first saw this, just because it smells like a quantity-for-quality deal, but Belt is a legitimate prospect, an above-average 1b who could start by midyear if not sooner, and Sanchez is what the Brewers have been totally inept at developing for the last ten years. It's not really that crazy when you think about it.

Ryan (Milwaukee)

Lots of talk about Jeremey Jeffress this AFL season. Bottom line, should the Brewers try him in the rotation next year and where does his future probably lie?

Klaw

(1:17 PM)

Reliever, for a variety of reasons. But a chance to be elite.

I have to say, if the Giants offered Doug Melvin those four players for Prince Fielder I would hope he would do it in a heart beat. I would almost do that trade for Sanchez and Belt straight up, but you throw in Sandoval and another prospect and I don't know how the Brewers could turn that deal down. I know Sanchez can be a bit wild, but he has great stuff and if he can improve his walk rate he could be very good.

I like many fans would love to see Jeremy Jeffress get a chance to start because of how badly the Brewers need good, young, hard throwing starting pitching. But I can see Law's point that with Jeffress' stuff and the fact that he has had more success when pitching out of the pen that he could be an elite closer. But I would still like to see the Brewers try him as a starter first.

Reader Poll Results

"Would you give up 3 or 4 prospects for 2 years of Zack Greinke?"

Yes: 33%

No: 66%

Ron Roenicke Tabbed As 18th Manager In Brewers History

I have to admit, before today I did not know a whole hell of a lot about Ron Roenicke. And honestly, I probably still don't know that much about him. Hell, I didn't even have him tabbed in my final four post a few weeks back. Until I actually see the way Ron manages a ball game and hear him speak I can't make a judgement one way or another. But I can say the things I have learned about Ron during the past four hours or so lead me to believe he has potential to be a very good big league manager.

He has a long history in the game. He played in the big leagues eight seasons as an OF for six different teams. He managed for six seasons in the minor leagues and since 2000 he has been a part of Mike Scioscia's coaching staff for the Angels, first as a 3B coach and then bench coach. I am encouraged a great deal by the fact that Roenicke is a disciple of Mike Scioscia. The last two coaches who left Scioscia's stable to become managers have had great success, Joe Maddon with the Rays and Bud Black with the Padres. If Roenicke is able to have close to the success those two have had I would be ecstatic.

I look forward to Roenicke bringing the aggressive style of baseball played in Anaheim to Milwaukee. It's not small ball with sac bunting like some believe, but being aggressive on the base paths by stealing more bases and taking the extra base. Put pressure on the other teams defense at all times. According to many of the reports I have read, Roenicke possesses perhaps the number one skill Ken Macha did not. The ability to communicate with players. It has been well documented how Macha never connected or related well to his players during his two seasons in Milwaukee and by the time he tried to in 2010 he had lost the clubhouse. It does not sound like that will be an issue with Roenicke. Look no further then this quote from Angels OF Torii Hunter:

“I’m disappointed he’s leaving,” Hunter said. “He’s a very intelligent man. He’s the guy I go to when I’m struggling.

“I’m upset, but it’s a great opportunity for him. He’s always wanted to be a manger. Those guys are going to like him.”

In my opinion there are a lot of qualities to like and get excited about in Ron Roenicke. But like I said, I need to see the results on the field and hear the man speak before I make a true judgement. But as of today knowing what I know now about him, I think he has the makings of a really good big league manager. While Bobby Valentine had the big name, Bob Melvin had experience and Joey Cora was impressive in the interview process, Roenicke won out over them all and I think that says a lot about Roenicke's credentials. I just hope Doug Melvin can give him a good pitching staff to work with....Go Brewers!

Reader Poll Results

"Who was the Brewers MVP in 2010?"

Casey McGehee: 18%

Ryan Braun: 9%

Rickie Weeks: 63%

Corey Hart 9%

Prince Fielder: 0%

2010 Milwaukee Brewers Team Awards

After the Milwaukee chapter of the BWAA totally whiffed on the team awards, Miller Park Drunk wrote a post ripping them (mostly the Journal Sentinel staff) to no end for picking Casey McGehee as the Team MVP, as well they deserved to be ripped for that crap. No doubt McGehee had a great season, but to pick him as MVP over say Rickie Weeks, who won our Team MVP award is downright ridiculous and the stats prove it. So this got Jaymes over at The Brewers Bar thinking that members of the Brewers Blogosphere should also vote on the team awards and that McGehee would not get a single first place vote. Here are the results of that vote. Just want to thank Jaymes again for letting me cast my ballot. Here is said ballot:

Team MVP:

1. Rickie Weeks
2. Ryan Braun
3. Prince Fielder

Most Valuable Pitcher:

1. Yovani Gallardo
2. John Axford
3. Randy Wolf

Top Newcomer:

1. John Axford
2. Lorenzo Cain
3. Jonathan Lucroy

Unsung Hero:

1. Kameron Loe
2. Zach Braddock
3. Jonathan Lucroy

Good Guy Award:

1. Trevor Hoffman
2. Rickie Weeks
3. Casey McGehee

And Then There Were Four

Today news broke that after interviewing nearly a dozen candidates, the Brewers have narrowed down their search to four men to become the eighteenth manager in club history. They plan on having second interviews for those four guys that owner Mark Attanasio will be involved in. If I had to guess at who the "Final 4" are I would say they include Bob Melvin (who most pin as the favorite), Pat Listach, Joey Cora and Tim Wallach. With what I know about these four (which is not a ton, but enough) I can honestly say I would be fine with any of the four. Part of me likes the youth and unknown (since none have managed in the big leagues) of Listach, Cora and Wallach. While the other part likes the fact that Bob Melvin has experience, seems pretty well regarded and has won before. I just trust and hope in both Doug and Mark to pick the guy who they feel can best get this current group of guys to play at a high level and get the most out of them. That is something I am not sure that Ken Macha was able to do in his two seasons in Milwaukee.

Now perhaps the best news was this little blurb from Tom Haudricourt in his JSonline Brewers Blog comments sections:

"I just was told by a very good source that neither Bob Brenly nor Bobby Valentine are in the mix for the Brewers' managerial job. "

Let me just say, THANK GOD. Especially on Brenly. I could live with Bobby Valentine managing the Brewers, but no way in hell could I stand Bob Brenly. I would rather have Macha or Yost back before that happens. Hopefully sometime next week we find out who's hands the Brewers brass gives the keys to drive the 2011 Brewers back to the postseason.

Trading For Zack Greinke Is Like Eating That Second Donut

It looks really good, but you know you shouldn't go for it. Now don't get me wrong, I think Zack Greinke is a fantastic, All-Star caliber, #1 starting pitching. And pairing him with Gallardo atop the Brewers rotation would be amazing. And as soon as I read Buster Olney's column Saturday morning where he broke the news that the Royals would shop Zack this offseason I immediately wondered if the Brewers had a chance, but then I thought about it. And like that second donut you think about eating, it seems like a great idea, but you know it isn't.

First there is the group of players you would have to give up for Greinke. It would probably take a package of three or four prospects that are big league ready now or very close to it. Think along the lines of having to part ways with some of the following; Brett Lawrie, Mat Gamel, Lorenzo Cain, Scooter Gennett, Zach Braddock, Mark Rogers, Jeremy Jeffress, Jake Odorizzi and Wily Peralta. These are all players who could be big parts of the next 6-8 years for the Brewers. Is it worth giving up a combination of three or four of these guys and somewhat giving up on the chance to be competitive for the next 6-8 years with cheap, young players?

If you make a deal for Zack, you also only have him signed for the next two seasons ($13.5 mill each year, not real expensive, but not cheap either). After that runs out, if he gives you the type of production you want and expect from him you have to believe he will test the Free Agent waters for one of those big contracts that so many ace type starting pitchers are getting lately. Now if Greinke is willing to talk possible extension before the deal is made and you can come to some sort of agreement, then that is a different story, but the odds of that are very slim.

I do see the point of view from some Brewers fans of going for it by trading for Greinke and keeping Prince for the 2011 season and just taking draft picks when he walks after the season. But going that route really doesn't guarantee you a World Series or even a playoff birth. If it did, sure go ahead make the Greinke deal and hold onto Prince. But of course there is no way of guaranteeing that. So keep all your good young prospects, trade Prince in the offseason for some pitching that can help now and go to war in 2011 with what is already a pretty good team. And know that you still might be able to compete in 2011 and will have plenty of help on the way with all the players I listed off above over the next couple of years to be in contention and get back to the postseason.

Lorenzo Cain Could Be Carl Crawford

Yeah, I said it. And I believe it, but I'm not saying it will happen for sure. But Lorenzo Cain could be a Carl Crawford type talent. This first hit me the other night watching Crawford play in the Rays vs Rangers ALDS game. I am actually surprised I did not make the connection earlier, like during the regular season watching Cain play. There are just so many similarities between Cain and Crawford that it is hard to deny. Okay, here me out.

Both Cain and Crawford started playing baseball at a late age. Most guys that end up playing in the major league's started off playing baseball at age 5 or 6 in tee ball. But Lorenzo and Carl first picked up a bat and glove in their high school years. They both have pure, raw athleticism. This is what allowed two guys who didn't play baseball before high school to pick the game up so quickly and make it to the show. Maybe the current skills that most draws in comparison between the two is speed and defense. Both have tremendous speed that help them cover a lot of ground in the OF. Cain in CF, Crawford in LF although I am sure Crawford could more than handle himself in CF. Their speed also allows them to steal a lot of bases. Crawford is always amongst the lead leaders in steals, Cain stole 124 bases over parts of 6 seasons in the minor leagues and 7 in 43 games for the Brewers in 10'. I would expect in a full big league season for Cain to steal 40+ bases, hopefully the next Manager of the Brewers will be someone who will run a bit more than Ken Macha did.

Finally, both players hit for average and get on base at a good clip to bat in that #2 or #3 spot in the order. And with the speed they have that is what they need to do. Crawford has developed power over time, hitting a career high 19 HR in 2010. Many scouts and teammates of Cain's think he to will develop power and be a guy who can hit 15-20 HR a season. Might take a few years but he should get to that mark like Crawford did. So as you can see, if you compare the skill sets of Lorenzo Cain and Carl Crawford through the eye test as well as look at their minor league stats, they are similar players. Crawford however has proved it at the big league level is a perennial All-Star and is about to cash in big time this offseason as the best position player on the market. Cain got his first taste of big league action and should play his first full season in 2011, for him it could be and hopefully will be the start of a Carl Crawford like career. Stay tuned.

(Very, Very) Early 2011 25 Man Roster Prediction

Because the offseason is long and I am bored. Here is my 25 man roster prediction. My gut says they keep Gamel at 3B and move McGehee to 1B, but that could flip-flop. We'll see. My #2 starter is unamed because I feel it will be a player they get back in a Prince Fielder trade. Mark Rogers is too good to not be in the rotation, they can skip some starts to limit his innings. Todd Coffey is non-tendered, comes down to him or Villanueva, they go with Villa. Carlos Gomez starts the season in AAA. They go with young players on the bench, no Counsell.

Starting Lineup:

1. Rickie Weeks - 2B
2. Lorenzo Cain - CF
3. Ryan Braun - LF
4. Corey Hart - RF
5. Mat Gamel - 3B
6. Casey McGehee - 1B
7. Alcides Escobar - SS
8. Jonathan Lucroy - C

Bench:

Chris Dickerson - OF
Brendan Katin - OF
George Kottaras - C
Joe Inglett - IF
Luis Cruz - IF

Starting Rotation:

Yovani Gallardo
(Pitcher Acquired In Prince Fielder Trade)
Randy Wolf
Chris Narveson
Mark Rogers

Bullpen:

John Axford
Zach Braddock
Kameron Loe
Manny Parra
LaTroy Hawkins
Carlos Villanueva
Mike McClendon

I'm Starting The Dave Martinez For Brewers Manager Bandwagon

Okay, I know I wrote yesterday that I did not have a front runner or opinion on who the Brewers should hire as their 18th Manager in franchise history. After having a day to think about it, I have changed my mind. I am all in on current Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Dave Martinez. I like Dave for a few different reasons. He has been the Rays bench coach for four seasons now under Joe Maddon. To me Maddon is one of the very best Manager's in baseball. He makes good in-game decisions, is great with his players and dealing with the clubhouse. I would think and hope some of that has worn off on Dave. Martinez is also young, he is only 46 and he played the game as recently as 2001. I think a young manager is exactly what this current Brewers team needs. He also seems to get quite a bit of praise from people around the game, at least that is the impression I get when I have watched Rays games on TV. So when I got to thinking about my selection of backing Dave Martinez I went to the source on all things Tampa Bay Rays. Jonah Keri, here is an email exchange I had with Jonah earlier today.

Me:

Jonah, with Macha now officially gone as Brewers manager myself and many other Brewers fans have been speculating who they might hire or at least interview for the job. Someone I have not seen anyone bring up (besides myself of course) is Rays bench coach Dave Martinez. Since you are my #1 source on all things Rays, what do you think/know about Dave?

I know he has been bench coach for 4 seasons under Joe Maddon. That alone has me very interested in Dave because Maddon is one of the best managers in the game and seems to get the most out of his players and does a good job of keeping things good in the clubhouse. I would think some of this has rubbed off on Dave.

Jonah:

Martinez comes with a fine reputation. Players' manager, smart guy - not sure if he'd be as receptive to analytical input as Maddon, but I imagine some of it must rub off.

Macha Fired....Err, His Option For 2011 Not Picked Up

It wasn't all his fault, he did the best he could with the crappy pitching staffs he was dealt for two straight seasons. But in the end, it came down to his Win/Loss record and the fact that he could not seem to relate to many of the players and get the most out of them. Fair or not, that seemed to be the case. I was always pretty neutral on Macha. Didn't hate him but was not a huge fan. I actually overall agreed with most of his in-game managerial decisions. However, I was not a fan of many of his lineups and stubbornness when it came to playing many of the young players, specifically Mat Gamel, who might be the happiest person after hearing today's news. Four things I will remember most from the Ken Macha era you ask? Poppycock, Zim-Zam, @notkenmacha and his Grandfatherly pre and post game pressers.

Now Doug Melvin will have to hire his third manager during his tenure as Brewers GM. A lot of names floating around, the top two seem to be Bob Melvin and Pat Listach. I don't have a front runner or really an opinion on who they should hire. But those seem to be the two names mentioned most around the message boards and blogs. I just want someone from outside the organization and someone that can come in here and win. But the biggest factor if the new Manager wins or loses might be what Doug Melvin does to shore up the starting pitching and who he gets back in the almost sure Prince Fielder trade. If Doug fails at those two things, so will the next Manager.

Tonight Miller Park Is Mr. Rogers Neighborhood

Tonight, 2004 1st round pick Mark Rogers will finally make his first major league start. Because of two shoulder surgeries it is probably at least 1 or maybe even 2 years later than most would have thought. But, he worked hard made it all the way back and has had his second consecutive healthy season. He still throws in the mid to upper 90's. To me this is a very big deal, Rogers making this start tonight at Miller Park. When a team is starved for young starting pitching that can throw hard like the Brewers are, seeing a guy they drafted and developed finally get there after some adversities, it is pretty cool. Rogers will also make a start vs the Mets in New York next week. It sure would give the Brewers and fan base some hope for the pitching going into 2011 if Rogers can have two good outings to end a down 2010 season. Congrats Mark, go get em now!

Reader Poll Results

"Who you got?"

Brat: 10%

Polish Sausage: 20%

Italian Sausage: 10%

Hot Dog: 30%

Chorizo: 30%

Gamel Raking In AAA, Should Start 11' In Milwaukee

I know some Brewers fans out there are down on Mat Gamel. They think, because he did not come up last season and hit right away ala Braun or Fielder that he is not very good. Well, I never got that feeling. I still think Gamel will hit and hit quite well at the big league level. I still somewhat attribute his slow start for the Brewers in 2009 to Ken Macha not playing him often enough (we all know the "zim-zam" situation), he never got a chance to adjust to big league pitching with regular playing time. He got off to a slow start this year after missing the beginning of the season with an injury. He had a stint at A+ Brevard County and then AA Huntsville. Now with 65 games at AAA Nashville his numbers are starting to look more "Gamelesque". .312/.385/.494 with 9 HR and 51 RBI.

Of course it would be nice to see Mat hit a few more HR's and I think he can be a 20 to 25 guy in the bigs. But as long as he can hit around .300, carry a high OBP and mash doubles I would be very happy. Basically what I am saying is I am more than comfortable with Gamel being in the Brewers Opening Day roster in 2011, I don't care if it's at 1B or RF (with Hart moving to 1B). We all know Prince should be and needs to be moved for pitching, Gamel is the man to fill that spot as the left handed power bat in the Brewers lineup.

The Brewers Finally Make A Trade!

Not a blockbuster by any stretch of the imagination but the Crew sent "Grandpa" Jim Edmonds to the Reds for 28 year old OF Chris Dickerson. Not a real big deal get you excited type of trade, but a good trade non the less. Edmonds was not going to be back next year as he will most likely retire or would not have been resigned. So the Brewers flipped him for a left handed hitter in Dickerson who can play all three OF positions well and the corners above average, also under team control for the next 4 seasons. That was the key part of the deal. With Braun, Cain and Hart more than likely entrenched as the OF, Dickerson will not be a starter but should be a very solid and cheap 4th OF for the next few years. In parts of 3 seasons with the Reds, Dickerson has a line of .274/.367/.421. Not to shabby and I like him more than Jody Gerut.

Now let's hope that Doug Melvin can also flip Counsell or even Hoffman for players that could help in the future for the Brewers.

Brewers All-Time 25 Man Roster

I was bored the other day and decided that since it is the Brewers 40th anniversary, it would be cool to construct my all-time Brewers team. Any player that played in a Brewers uniform from 1970 to 2010 was eligible. I didn't just pick the 25 best players, I picked a 25 man roster as if I had to manage and play games with these guys. So I have a starting lineup, bench, starting rotation and bullpen. It was very hard to narrow this down to 25 guys, but I picked what I thought was the best team. With that said, there were some players left off who certainly deserved a lot of consideration and could have made the team.

Let me know what you think of my team and what yours would look like. Just write something in the comments or email me. So without further ado, here is my All-Time Milwaukee Brewers team.

Starting Lineup

1. Paul Molitor - 3B

2. Robin Yount - SS

3: Cecil Cooper - 1B

4. Gorman Thomas - CF

5. Prince Fielder - DH

6. Ryan Braun - LF

7. Jeromy Burnitz - RF

8. Ted Simmons - C

9. Jim Gantner - 2B

Starting Rotation

Pete Vuckovich

Teddy Higuera

Ben Sheets

Mike Caldwell

CC Sabathia

Bench

3B: Jeff Cirillo

IF: Don Money

OF: Geoff Jenkins

OF: Ben Oglivie

C: BJ Surhoff

Bullpen

Rollie Fingers

Dan Plesac

Mike Fetters

Doug Henry

Francisco Cordero

Ken Sanders

Just Missed The Cut

Greg Vaughn

Sixto Lezcano

George Scott

Tommy Harper

Richie Sexson

Chris Bosio

Jim Slaton

YouTube Classic: Let This Remind You How Good Braun Is

Brewers return to action tonight at Miller Park to start a series against the Astros. We all know Ryan Braun has struggled this season (for him), but he had a really good series against the Cubs. If that was not enough to remind you how good he is, I found this cool piece ESPN did on him during last season. Enjoy!

Manny Being Manny, Again

I'm getting quite tired of "Manny being Manny". Parra of course, not Ramirez. Today Parra was typical Parra. He was fantastic for 5 innings and ended the game with 8 K's. Pounding the zone throwing strikes and looking like the pitcher we all know he could be. But then as per usual, the 6th inning rolls around and Parra loses it. And as usual, he was THIS close. Had a couple of hitters down 0-2 and was unable to put them away, and since he seems to do this on a very regular basis it still has me wondering if he knows what he is doing on that mound at all times. I truly believe he mentally falls apart when the going gets tough. When it was all said and done Parra did not make it out of the 6th and was tagged for 6 earned runs. With today's loss he is now 3-9 on the year with a 5.67 ERA and a 1.67 WHIP.

I'm really not sure how much more Parra I can take. At some point when does "potential" become "failure" when a player never reaches that "potential"? How much longer can the Brewers give Parra a legit chance to be part of this teams present and future? I don't know the answers but I hope we find them soon. It's only this frustrating because we can all see how good Manny could be. But will he ever let himself be that good? That is the question. During the post game show today Jerry Augustine said something that made sense to me. There really is nothing more Peterson or Macha can say to Manny, he has to do it himself reach down and just get it done. Augie is right.

Reader Poll Results

"Should the Brewers extend Rickie Weeks?"

Yes: 93% (15 Votes)

No: 6% (1 Vote)

I Did Not See That Coming

I was pretty shocked when sitting at work today in my cubicle I got an email from Brewers.com that simply read:

"Corey Hart and Brewers agree to contract extension"

Really? Corey Hart? The guy myself and many other Brewers fans speculated for a few months now would be traded this season because his value was high and the Brewers had no shot to extend him before he hit free agency? Yes, that Corey Hart. I was fine and on board with trading Hart if the Brewers could bring back a good, young, big league ready pitcher for their rotation. But that never happened, and I am glad Doug Melvin did not settle for anything. Hart wanted to stay here and he got his wish and was rewarded for a stellar 2010 so far (.288/.346/.565 23 HR 72 RBI) and a 2nd All-Star appearance with a 3 year $26.5 mill deal.

I like the deal. It's only 3 years and it's not to high of a price for a productive corner OF. With Fielder all but gone after this season, it would have been tough to replace both he and Hart's offensive output. Now they will only have to replace Fielder. And they are already getting prepared for that by giving Mat Gamel some starts at 1B down in AAA. Good move for Hart and a good move for the Brewers.

My Brewers 2011 Starting Lineup

If I ran the show, this would be my 2011 Opening Day starting lineup for the Brewers.

1. Lorenzo Cain - CF
2. Corey Hart - RF
3. Rickie Weeks - 2B
4. Ryan Braun - LF
5. Casey McGehee - 1B
6. Mat Gamel - 3B
7. Jonathan Lucroy - C
8. Alcides Escobar - SS
9. Yovani Gallardo - P

My thought is Lorenzo Cain wins the CF job with how he has played at AA/AAA this season and how he will play in September. Corey Hart goes through arbitration gets a nice raise and if the Brewers are out of it trade him at the deadline. Fielder is traded in the offseason for pitching. The Brewers decide that Gamel has better range and arm so he sticks at 3B despite the errors and they move McGehee to 1B. Weeks signs an extension and slides down to the 3 hole, also with the extension for Weeks, Brett Lawrie is moved to RF at AAA. If Hart is traded Lawrie will be up to play RF in Milwaukee. Of course the Brewers will miss Fielder's production, but I think they still have enough offense. And depending on what they do for other trades/free agents they should have better pitching including what they get for Fielder.

Not saying this will happen, probably won't. Just my crazy brainstorm for what I think should happen.

Welcome Back To The Show Chris Capuano

What an amazing story, after having a second Tommy John surgery and not pitching in a MLB game since 2007, Chris Capuano is back. After last nights Brewers win (probably the best of the season thanks to Gallardo/Hart) the Brewers purchased Chris's contract from AAA Nashville. Cappy actually pitched last night for the Sounds, pitching 4 scoreless innings before being pulled to catch a plane. Chris is not on the 40 man roster so the Brewers will have to make two moves, one to clear a 40 man spot and another to clear a 25 man spot. Estrada, Axford and Braddock all have options, but they have pitched very well. Suppan and Vargas could be DFA options. It will be interesting to see what they do. The other question is does Capunao start or come out of the pen? Perhaps he takes Parra's spot in the rotation after Manny starts tonight. We'll see.

Today May 29th, Capuano had an out clause in his contract that he could become a free agent if not called up to the big leagues. And with how well Chris pitched at A+ Brevard County and AAA Nashville (3-1, 1.77 ERA, 33 K's, 4 BB's in 6 starts) it was obvious that the Brewers would promote him. It's a tremendous story of courage, guts and never giving up for Chris Capuano to make it all the way back. A lot of guys have come back from one Tommy John surgery, not many at all make it back from a second. The last time Chris pitched in a Brewers uniform? September 28th, 2007 vs the San Diego Padres. 2007 was a tough year for Chris, but he was very good in 2005 and 2006. Even making the NL All-Star team in 06'. Cappy has always been a fan favorite in Milwaukee because of his performance, intensity and tremendous work ethic. And to make it back he had to use all of those attributes. Welcome back Chris, we missed you. When he makes his first appearance at Miller Park I expect a long standing ovation.

Reader Poll Results

"Who do you think should be the Brewers closer?"

Trevor Hoffman: 0% (0 Votes)

Carlos Villanueva: 0% (0 Votes)

Todd Coffey: 20% (1 Vote)

Zach Braddock: 80% (4 Votes)

Wow, Really? Why Sports Talk Radio Sometimes Sucks.

I'm an avid listener of sports talk radio. It is what I usually listen to in my car. I don't listen to FM radio much anymore, save for Kramp & Adler in the morning on FM 102.1. If I want to listen to music in the car I listen to my iPod. I prefer ESPN 540 in Milwaukee over WSSP 1250. But today while driving to get something to eat on my lunch break, I was reminded why I hate sports talk radio as much as I enjoy it. I was listening to the D-List on 540, they were taking calls and emails on the Brewers. A particular email just drove me nuts and it made me ask myself why I was even listening. The emailer suggested the Brewers trade Prince Fielder and another player to the Astros for Roy Oswalt, Lance Berkman and a minor leaguer.

Are you kidding me? Who in their right mind would think it is a good idea to trade Prince for high priced veterans? Yeah, no one should. When the Brewers do decide to trade Fielder, it has to be for 2 or 3 good young pitchers who the Brewers would control for 4 or 5 years at a cheap price. The reason the Brewers have to trade Prince is because he will be expensive and they need pitching. Trading him for one aging pitcher and an aging 1B that will be almost as expensive as Fielder would be is the worst idea ever. And what surprised me was Drew Olson and Dan Needles did not even bring up these points and that the trade would be a disaster.

Now, I hear ridiculous calls and emails all the time on sports talk radio shows, but this one really hit a nerve. I really wanted to call in and rip it. But I didn't have the time to sit on hold and wait to get on the air. Okay my vent/rant is over. I feel better.

Reader Poll Results

"Which pitching prospect has the highest ceiling?"

Eric Arnett: 6% (1 Vote)

Jake Odorizzi: 43% (7 Votes)

Kyle Heckathorn: 6% (1 Vote)

Wily Peralta: 18% (3 Votes)

Mark Rogers: 25% (4 Votes)

No More Trevor Time

On May 18th, 2010, Trevor Hoffman's career officially died. Sorry Trevor, you are a Hall of Famer a great guy and were fantastic for the Brewers in 2009. But here in 2010, it is over. And it ended in the blink of an eye.

Single
HR
Double
Walk
Single

Good Night.

Trevor now has an ERA of 13.15 with a WHIP of 2.15. Not to mention a BA against of .356. 5 blown saves, 1-3 record, 8 K's and 7 BB's. You hate to give up on a guy with his credentials, but you can't continue to put him out there with the game on the line when he has been this bad. The Brewers had lost 7 straight (now 8 straight), had a very well pitched game from Manny Parra/Marco Estrada and it was all ruined within a matter of minutes. I believe the time is NOW for Zach Braddock. Braddock figures to be the closer next season anyway, and the Brewers are 9 games under .500, so what could it hurt giving Braddock the ball now?

John Axford Up, Adam Stern Down

I can only hope this is the first of a few of the bullpen arms from Nashville getting a chance with the big club this season. Axford has been very solid at AAA this season (3-2, 2.02 ERA, 2 Saves, 13.1 IP, 19 K, 5 BB, 1.43 WHIP) after a brief cup of coffee with the Brewers at the end of the 2009 season. Adam Stern was called up when Carlos Gomez went on the DL, he got 1 AB (pinch hit last night) and did not play in the field. With the way the Brewers bullpen has been running through pitchers this was a must.

I'm sure before the season is over we will also see Chris Smith, Tim Dillard and our future closer Zach Braddock called up from Nashville. I think it will be very interesting to see what move is made next week when Gomez comes off the DL. Will Axford be sent back down that soon? Will they cut ties with someone like Suppan or Parra? Should be a tough decision for Doug Melvin and the Brewers brass.

Everyone Gets A Second Chance

Today, that was once again proved correct. Ned Yost was named Manager of the Kansas City Royals. While I often didn't agree with Yost's managerial moves, I always appreciated his fire. Royals fans should expect plenty of scenes like the one above. And judging by how bad their team is, Yost will get run from plenty of games.

Keith Law Chat ESPN.com 5/13/10

Our favorite ESPN.com writer Keith Law had another one of his entertaining and informative baseball chats today. Here were the Brewers related questions/answers. Including one from yours truly!

Jason (Germantown, WI)

Klaw, which pitcher in the Brewers system has the highest ceiling? Eric Arnett, Jake Odorizzi or Wily Peralta?

Klaw

(1:42 PM)

Peralta.

Andrew (Milwaukee)

Zach Braddock of the AAA Brewers taking over the setup-role for the Brewers? Thoughts? This guy is the Daniel Bard (2K/inn) of the NL.

Klaw

(1:53 PM)

Yes. He might be their long-term closer answer. By the way, any time you can pay a closer $8 million to post a 12 ERA, you have to do it, right?

It does not surprise me that Law picked Peralta over Arnett and Odorizzi. He has been pretty high on Peralta for some time now. I know he has mentioned him in previous chats and also in this blog. Says Peralta is developing a really good change to go with his fastball and slider. Wily is off to another good start this season at A+ Brevard County. I would not be surprised if he was in Huntsville before seasons end.

Like Law said, Braddock certainly seems to be the Brewers future closer. And of course you gotta love the snark Law delivers with the rip on the Brewers paying Hoffman $8 mill this season with very poor results thus far.

Embarrassing

That is the only way to describe today's game between our beloved Brewers and the Braves. Actually the entire series was an embarrassment, but today was the worst of the three games. That is of course because I was 1 of 30,000+ that was at Miller Park for today's matinee, series finale. It was my first game of the season, I was pumped. A couple of friends and I bought the tickets before the season started. It's always nice to take a vacation day from work in the middle of the week and go see a game. It's one of my favorite things to do. It's just a shame there was not a whole hell of a lot to cheer about on this day.

The Brewers played pretty much exactly as they did the previous three games of the series. They were in the game till the 6th or 7th inning, the offense was pretty much non existent save for Casey McGehee who continues to impress after his strong 2009. Casey was 2-4 with a double and an RBI. The bullpen crapped the bed and the game got out of hand. Yovani Gallardo was on the hill, it is always a treat to see him pitch in person. He once again had a high pitch count that chased him to soon. He still managed to pitch 6 inning with 6 K's and only giving up 2 earned runs. In the bottom of the 6th the Brewers offense did manage 2 runs to tie the game. But it could have been more, Jody Gerut got caught stealing 3B and Prince Fielder narrowly missed a HR on a ball that went JUST foul.

Then the 7th inning came. Manny Parra comes in, boom! 2 runs given up. 4-2 Braves. Then Carlos Villanueva comes in to pitch the 8th, boom! 2 more runs given up. 6-2 Braves. Hoffman comes out in a non-save situtation to get some work, he gives up 3 runs all earned. 9-2 Braves and that was all she wrote. Ryan Braun did sit out his 2nd straight game after getting hit on the elbow by Tommy Hanson on Monday, that surely did not help the offense. But in any case the Brewers are now 4-11 at home this season. That is very embarrassing, this team used to dominate at home, had one of the best home records in all of baseball. This season they have gotten taken to the wood shed at home and it is so frustrating.

I think today was the first time this season I felt "demoralized". It's not that early anymore in the season and this team is all or nothing. Teams like that don't contend and certainly don't make the playoffs. We still have a couple of months to go before the All-Star break, but if this team is under .500 and more then 5 games out of 1st or the Wild Card I hope they blow up the team and bring up some of the prospects. Trade all the veterans who have no future with the team; Hoffman, Davis, Hawkins, Edmonds, Zaun, Gerut and maybe even Counsell. Get whoever you can for those guys. And then the big one, trade Prince. It now seems very unlikely that he will settle for any kind of "home town" discount, thus we can't afford him. Move him so the team you trade him to gets a year and a half of his services, giving us a good haul back to re-tool and get ready for 2011 and 2012.

With some of the good young prospects (Gamel, Lucroy, Lawrie, Cain, Braddock, Axford,Arnett, Peralta, Rogers, etc), our core guys (Braun, McGehee, Escobar, Weeks and Gomez) and who ever we get back for Prince we should be in good position to contend for real in 2011 or 2012 at the latest.

VFBC Podcast: Brewers Ink Gallardo To 5 Year Extension

The Protectors Of The Game Of Baseball Coming To Town

With Mike Cameron gone the Brewers no longer "untuckem" after victories. But with the hated St. Louis Cardinals coming to Miller Park this weekend, maybe they should make an exception. Boy would that piss of "Poo Holes" and his deputies in the baseball police. Good opening series win for the Brewers, 2 out of 3 from a very good Rockies team feels good. I should have a podcast up tomorrow with my thoughts on the series and a preview of the Cardinals series. No Parks And Recreation or The Office tomorrow for the second week in a row. Damn.

My Predictions For The 2010 MLB Season

Here is the way I see the 2010 season going down. Last years predictions did not go so well. Hopefully I don't have to say that next year when I predict the 2011 season.

American League

AL East Champs: New York Yankees

AL Central Champs: Chicago White Sox

AL West Champs: Seattle Mariners

AL Wild Card Champs: Tampa Bay Rays

AL Champs: New York Yankees

AL MVP: Evan Longoria

AL Cy Young: Felix Hernandez

AL ROY: Austin Jackson

National League

NL East Champs: Philadelphia Phillies

NL Central Champs: St. Louis Cardinals

NL West Champs: Colorado Rockies

NL Wild Card Champs: Atlanta Braves

NL Champs: Philadelphia Phillies

NL MVP: Hanley Ramirez

NL Cy Young: Roy Halladay

NL ROY: Jason Heyward

World Series Champs: New York Yankees

I did not pick the Brewers this season to win the Central or the Wild Card. I feel I jinxed them last season when I predicted they would win the Wild Card. I think they will contend all season for the division and/or the Wild Card and may very well win one of those, but I think they will fall just short and finish second in the Central. But that is why they play the games. It's gonna be a fun and exciting season. I can't wait.

Braun In A Nike Commercial For Dick's Sports

This has been out for a little while now, but if you have not seen it, it's new to you! It's for the Nike Swingman baseball gear. Also appearing Ken Griffey, Jr., Torii Hunter, Carl Crawford and Orlando Hudson.

25 Man Roster If Camp Broke Today

If the Brewers broke camp today, this would be my 25 man roster that would be at Miller Park on April 5th when the Brewers take on the Colorado Rockies. Of course, no Jeff Suppan. But I am not Doug Melvin or Ken Macha.

Starting Rotation (5)

Yovani Gallardo
Randy Wolf
Doug Davis
Dave Bush
Manny Parra

Bullpen (7)

Trevor Hoffman
LaTroy Hawkins
Todd Coffey
Claudio Vargas
Carlos Villanueva
Mitch Stetter
Chris Narveson

Catchers (2)

Gregg Zaun
George Kottaras

Infielders (6)

Prince Fielder
Rickie Weeks
Casey McGehee
Alcides Escobar
Craig Counsell
Joe Inglett

Outfielders (5)

Ryan Braun
Carlos Gomez
Corey Hart
Jody Gerut
Jim Edmonds

VFBC Podcast: Starting Rotation Battle

VFBC Podcast: Rickie Weeks A Key To 2010 Success

VFBC Podcast: Prince Fielder Contract Extension Real Possible

VFBC Podcast: Mark Rogers Finally Pitches As A Brewer

Chances Of Sheets Returning To Milwaukee Now 0%, Signs With A's

Well, one of my hopes and dreams over the past year was finally shot down on Tuesday. Ben Sheets one of my all-time favorite Brewers and a stud ace (when healthy) signed a 1 year $10 mill deal with the Oakland Athletics. Now, I knew there was very little chance that the Brewers would resign Sheets after he declined salary arbitration after the 2008 season, but I always had that hope that Doug Melvin would sign him to a low risk/high reward incentive laden deal. Now the hope is gone and I realized it after I saw Sheets wearing that A's jersey and cap at his press conference. Part of me thinks that some kind of bridge was burned between Sheets and the Brewers brass when they didn't offer him an extension before the 2008 season.

If you are out at your favorite local pub in Wisconsin talking sports with your buddies and Sheets name comes up, expect two main responses. 1) “Screw Sheets, he sucks. He was always hurt and he's a big wussy who couldn't ever pitch through injuries.” 2) “Yeah, Sheets has had his issues with injuries, but when he is healthy he is as good as any pitcher in baseball. And because of that I would love for him to come back to Milwaukee. Do you not remember how good he was/is?” You can put me in the camp of response #2. Through all of Ben's injuries, I always stuck up for him. The stats and performances don't lie. He is one of the best, if not the best pitcher in Brewers history.

In his eight seasons in Milwaukee Ben complied a 86-83 record, 3.72 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 1206 K's (Club Record) and 313 BB. During that span he also made the All-Star team four times and in the 2004 season he had an 18 strikeout game against the Atlanta Braves. In that 2004 season, had he had more wins he probably would have won the NL Cy Young. He was so incredibly dominate that season. 12-14 record (which cost him the Cy Young, the team was not very good), 2.70 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 264 K's to only 32 BB's, 237 innings and 5 complete games. Probably the best single season for a Brewers pitcher in history.

Of course, everyone knows about Ben's injury plagued 2005, 2006 and 2007 seasons (weird injuries like an inner ear infection, blisters and groin) that hurt himself and the Brewers. Especially that 2007 Brewers team that almost won the NL Central. Had Sheets been healthy, who knows. Then we have the 2008 season, Ben's last as a Brewer. He pitched 198 innings, which was his most since his magical 2004 season. But he missed most of September during the stretch run with an elbow injury and was not able to pitch in the playoffs, which caused the Brewers to throw Jeff Suppan in the pivotal game 4.

Following the 2008 season Ben became a free agent. The Brewers offered him a $12 mill 1 year deal in arbitration. Ben declined, which ended up being great for the Brewers since Sheets did not throw a single pitch in the 08'. He had surgery on the elbow and spent all year rehabilitating. He worked out for scouts last week in Louisiana, looked real good, signed with Oakland Tuesday and that is all she wrote. I wish Ben the best in Oakland, hope he has an awesome year and earns a multi year deal next season. Thanks for the memories Ben. Some day you will be on the Brewers Walk of Fame outside Miller Park. I have no doubt.

Davis Returns To Milwauke, Rotation Instantly Stronger

Get ready for the return of the 4 hour game this summer at Miller Park. That's right, Doug Davis is back in a Brewers uniform. To say that Davis works “slow” is an understatement. But I could care less how “slow” he works, he is a good pitcher. Davis returns on a 1 year $4.25 mill contract with a $6.5 mill option for 2011. He played for the Crew from 2003-2006 before being traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Johnny Estrada (UGGHHH), GM Doug Melvin still admits to this being the worst trade he has ever made. Adding Davis to a rotation that already added Randy Wolf this offseason makes this rotation better then what the Brewers had last season. Don't get me wrong, I don't think Davis is a great pitcher, but he is a real good one. It's like the Brewers are replacing Looper and Suppan with Wolf and Davis. That is an upgrade, no doubt about it.

Davis is durable, he has made 30+ starts in 5 of the last 6 seasons and is always a lock for 200 innings. He is good for 11-13 wins and has had an ERA above 4.32 only once in the last 7 years. And in 2 of those season his ERA was under 4. He is a fly ball pitcher who can strike batters out when he needs to, the one knock on Davis besides his slow working, he is prone to walk batters. His WHIP is consistently in the 1.4 and 1.5 range. So you know he works a lot with runners on, but he is good at working out of jams and stranding runners on base.

With the addition of Doug I would predict the Brewers rotation to be Gallardo, Wolf, Davis, Bush and Parra. We all know how good Gallardo is and he should improve. Wolf and Davis are what they are and that is good. If Bush is healthy he should be fine, the big question is will Manny Parra finally step up and live up to the high expectations Brewers brass and fans have had for him. Hopefully this is the season that Parra meshes his physical ability with the mental part of the game. So that leaves the final year and bloated contract of Jeff Suppan on the outside looking in. Unless Suppan has some great spring or Parra/Bush flame out badly I think Suppan will and should start the season as the long man out of the bullpen. That would make Suppan, Chris Narveson, Chris Capuano. Josh Butler and Mike Jones as the next guys as depth in case of an injury. And I would say that group of names is better depth then say Mike Burns, Seth McClung and Carlos Villanueva. So this Davis signing also improves the overall depth of the starting pitching. Which was awful last season. Let's put it this way, the Brewers were able to win 80 games in 2009 with the worst starting rotation in baseball, with the addition of Wolf and now Davis if they can make this rotation even average, they should contend for a playoff spot.

Davis has to be the “feel good” signing of the offseason. He was a fan favorite here the first time around (gotta love the “sharpie” style facial hair), married a Wisconsin gal from the Stevens Point area and really enjoyed playing in Milwaukee.

Reader Poll Results

"Andre Dawson: Hall of Famer?"

Yes: 0%

No: 100% (4 Votes)

Keith Law Chat ESPN.com 1/7/10

I'm not here to talk about the past, but I have to. (Catch the McGwire reference there, that is all you will read me write about that subject.) I failed to post a recap of the Brewers related questions/answers from the Keith Law chat at ESPN.com last Thursday the 7th. Luckily, Kyle from BCB let me know he had done one, thanks Kyle. Only one Brewers question in the chat, so I posted some of the good HOF vote related questions. Enjoy!

James (Kenosha,Wi)

In your Matt Holliday signing article you wrote that the Reds are the biggest challenger to the Cardinals. Is that because you don't see the Brewers getting fair value for Prince or your not impressed with their farm system?

Klaw

(1:15 PM)

Getting fair value for him would mean a rebuild, so it would take them out of contention for a few years. Their system is not strong, especially not in pitching, which is what the big club needs right now. I don't see how they're going to contend with a superior St. Louis club over the next two years without a miracle or two on the pitching staff (like, say, Manny Parra turning into a #2 starter).

Justin (Cheshre, CT)

When are you eligible to vote for the HOF?

Klaw

(1:10 PM)

Three years short of forever.

Justin (Normal, IL)

What is worse, the "Dawson played on two bad knees so he should be in the HOF" or the "OBP was not widely known in his era" excuse?

Klaw

(1:12 PM)

The latter one. You think Dawson/his contemporaries didn't realize that OUTS were bad?

Phil S. (NJ)

What do you think of the baseball writer tactic of noting a lack of awards that *they voted on* to invalidate a player's Hall candidacy?

Klaw

(1:13 PM)

Agreed - rather circular, isn't it? And do you believe the idiots they let vote on those seasonal awards? One guy put Javy Vazquez SECOND on his NL Cy Young ballot!

Gus (New City, NY)

Hello Keith, I could live with Raines and Alomar not getting in to the HOF this year. But can you explain to me how any of the following players even got a vote? Ellis Burks,Eric Karros,Kevin Appier, Pat Hentgen and David Segui. Besides maybe Burks' rookie year, have the words HOF'er ever been used to describe any of these guys ability to play on the MLB level? To me it's more of a joke than a guy like Rice making the Hall. What do you think? Thanks

Klaw

(1:22 PM)

It's one of several questions raised by the results. What possible argument is there for a vote for Eric Karros? A friend of the writer? A former source? Because he's a good announcer? There are only bad reasons, and some are, to me, ethical violations. You can't make up rules and you can't use the process to fulfill personal obligations.

Jeff (Ann Arbor)

Do you think Andre Dawson and (especially) Jim Rice would have been elected if there wasn't this ideologic war between old school BBWAA voters and the stat-heads?

Klaw

(1:25 PM)

I believe that Rice was elected as part of a backlash. Some old-school voters didn't like to hear that the way they thought about players their whole lives was wrong. Some clearly don't like - or won't accept - that their monopoly on the transfer of information to readers is over. And some are just clinging madly to RBIs like they're life rafts in an ocean.

.

Mike S (CT)

Keith, anytime you have a chance to elect the tenth-best player on a HOF ballot, you have to do it, right?

Klaw

(1:26 PM)

Absolutely, Bill!

Eric (Brooklyn)

It seems to some writers, it's not enough to be great, but you have to be "famous for being great" as well. How else to explain the difference between Alomar and Larkin's results? Larkin was every bit as good and played a tougher position, but he was underrated at the time, so he continues to be.

Klaw

(1:41 PM)

And he played in a smaller market. I think that counts far more in HoF voting than it does in seasonal awards. Tim Raines spends the 80s as a Met and he's in the Hall by now.

Mike (SF)

You and many others keep advocating Tim Raines as better then Tony Gwynn. This seems an insult to Tony Gwynn. Do you think you could reference other players occasionally instead?

Klaw

(1:54 PM)

This has to be a joke, right?

That Was A Joke, Right? No It's Just Another Day For The BBWAA!

Andre Dawson makes the Hall of Fame, Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar do not. Come on BBWAA, you guys are making a complete joke of this voting. Dawson was the only player on the ballot to get at least 75% of the vote that is needed for induction. Blyleven who has had a battle cry from many baseball writers (mostly the SABR and stat guys) and fans was just 5 votes shy of induction, a lot of the idiot voters think he didn't have enough 20 win seasons or 300 wins and that is why he is not worthy. Interestingly enough, five of the douche bags of the BBWAA handed in blank ballots (one of those five was the biggest douche of all: Jay Mariotti). Give me a break. Alomar was close getting 73.7% of the vote which was the highest ever for a player on his first ballot for not getting in. Why do I get a feeling some of the idiots didn't vote for him because of the "spitting incident"?

While I would not vote for Dawson and don't consider him a HOFer, him getting in is not as big of a travesty as Blyleven once again getting denied and Alomar, one of the greatest 2B of all time not getting in. But a few voters did manage to vote for the likes of Ellis Burks, Eric Karros, Kevin Appier, Pat Hentgen and David Segui. Yes you read that correct, David Segui received one vote. Doesn't that alone taint this voting process and a group of the people who cast the votes? How does one vote for any of those players or hand in a blank ballot? I don't think I could ever understand. It will be fun though to read stuff from Keith Law, Rob Neyer, Joe Posnaski and Craig Calcaterra about this mockery/sham (shamockery!).

Reader Poll Results

"Best comedy on TV right now?"

The Office: 31% (6 Votes)

Parks and Recreation: 5% (1 Vote)

Curb Your Enthusiasm: 10% (2 Votes)

Modern Family: 21% (4 Votes)

30 Rock: 0%

How I Met Your Mother: 10% (2 Votes)

Scrubs: 0%

Big Bang Theory: 21% (4 Votes)

Two and a Half Men: 0%