VFBC Podcast Episode 13

Breakdown of The Show:

Shaun Marcum's Great Start 00-11:13
Break
Interview with Kyle Lobner from Brew Crew Ball 12:09-26:26
Break
Emergence of Jonathan Lucroy At The Plate 27:52-37:34
Break
Preview Week Ahead/Around then NL Central/Brewer of The Week 38:42-46:44

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.

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.

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.

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!).

Keith Law Chat ESPN.com 12/17/09

The winner of our reader poll for "favorite national sports writer" and favorite of VFBC was back on Thursday for another chat. Here were the Brewers related questions/answers from Keith. Topics include top of the Brewers order, Mark Mulder and the signings of Randy Wolf and LaTroy Hawkins.

Shawn (Madison)

Between Escobar, Weeks, or Gomez (yeah right) do the Brewers have anybody that can get on base enough to hit at the top of their lineup ahead of Prince and Braun?

Klaw

(1:10 PM)

Weeks has always worked the count well when healthy. Escobar is impatient and Gomez would swing at strike zero.

Kruse (Iraq)

Do you see the Brewers making anymore additions to starting pitching before the start of the season? Wolf was a nice start. I have heard Mulder rumors? Would that push Suppan out of the starting rotation? Please say yes because I cannot take another year of seeing his stuff, even as an end of the rotation guy.

Klaw

(1:26 PM)

I have no problem with them taking a flyer on Mulder, but I'd have no expectations of him, either. Guy hasn't been healthy and effective in a long time. They do still need one more starter if they want to compete in that division, though. I like Parra's arm but banking on him to become a #3 would be foolish.

Ryan (Madison)

Hey Klaw. I just wanted your thoughts on the Brewers signing of Wolf and Hawkins. Three years too long for Wolf? Can Hawkins help solidify the bullpen? Something obviously had to be done to improve their pitching and I'm just wondering if you believe they are at least on the right track. Thanks

Klaw

(2:19 PM)

A year too long on each guy, but if they've decided to try to contend in 2010, they had little choice but to over commit on arms. It wouldn't be my strategy for the team.

Reader Poll Results

"Who is your favorite national baseball writer?"

Ken Rosenthal: 20% (2 Votes)

Peter Gammons: 30% (3 Votes)

Jon Heyman: 0% (No Votes)

Buster Olney: 10% (1 Vote)

Tom Verducci: 0% (No Votes)

Keith Law: 40% (4 Votes)

Jayson Stark: 0% (No Votes)

Wolf Meets The Milwaukee Media

Today the Brewers officially announced the signing of Randy Wolf as he met the Milwaukee media for the first time. While he did admit some disappointment that his hometown Dodgers did not do more to keep him, he is very excited about being a Brewer. And the two big reasons other then the fact the Brewers offered the best contract was a trip Doug Melvin took to LA to sit down and meet with Wolf along with owner Mark Attanasio. The other reason, which didn't surprise me when I heard it was Wolf had a 45 minute conversation with Trevor Hoffman on what it is like playing in Milwaukee. The Brewers strongly desired Wolf and he appreciated that.

Shortly after Wolf's presser he did an interview via phone with ESPN 540's Steve "The Homer" True. You can listen to the interview here. Good listen, Wolf is a big movie buff and a bit of a Star Wars nerd. Once again, I'm very glad to have him here, really like him and Gallardo at the top of the rotation for the next few years.

Peter Gammons Leaving ESPN After 20 Years

Today is a sad day, Peter Gammons one of the absolute best baseball writers and TV personalities for ESPN and ESPN.com will be leaving ESPN after the Winter Meetings end this week. Gammons is 64 years old and had been with ESPN since 1989, before that Gammons wrote for the Boston Globe and Sports Illustrated. In my opinion Gammons is the smartest and most insightful member of the baseball media. As long as I can remember having cable and ESPN he has been the guy giving me all my baseball insider news year after year. And with a lot of the shit personalities on Baseball Tonight and various other ESPN baseball coverage Gammons will be sorely missed. Along with Keith Law, Gammons was the reason I finally caved in and got a subscription to ESPN The Magazine just to get the ESPN.com Insider access. Now it looks like Keith Law is the only guy I will be reading. Sure they have Buster Olney, Jayson Stark, Jerry Crasnick and Tim Kurkjian. But none of those guys can even hold Gammons jock. Oh, and besides being one of the best baseball writers ever, Peter is a big fan of indie rock, blues rock, plays guitar and one of his favorite bands is Pearl Jam. What is not to love about this guy?

No word has been made yet if Peter is just leaving ESPN or if he is actually retiring. I'm really hoping that he joins MLB Network and writes columns on MLB.com. Peter, please do all of us baseball fans who need your knowledge and join MLB Network. Baseball just won't be the same without your expertise.

Keith Law Chat ESPN.com 12/3/09

After the Thanksgiving break Keith Law was back with another chat on ESPN.com today. Here are the Brewers related questions/answers. Only two today, Manny Parra possible out of the bullpen? And Keith is not sure if McGehee or Gamel are the answer at 3B in Milwaukee. Ouch.

Dan (Milwaukee)

Do you think Manny Parra would benefit from starting the season in the minors or do you think he will finally put it all together out of Spring Training?

Klaw

(1:03 PM)

I think it's time to think about putting him in the pen.

Dan (Milwaukee)

What do you think of Casey Mcghee? Do you really think he is the Brewers future at third? Is it wise for the Brewers to shop Gamel? What kind of return could he get?

Klaw

(1:09 PM)

I don't think either guy is the future at 3rd. McGehee isn't going to hit enough, and Gamel can't play it.

I could see Parra being a good lefty out of the bullpen, but with his stuff I wouldn't give up on him as a starter and if I did I would trade him before I stuck him in the pen. As for the question on McGehee and Gamel, I like them both. I like Gamel more long term because of his potential with the bat but he has to improve his defense which he has shown signs of, but the jury is still out. It would be interesting to see what McGehee could do starting a full season with a healthy knee, see if 2009 was a fluke or if he is for real. His minor league numbers say it was a fluke. That doesn't mean it was. The Brewers have an interesting situation with those two players.

I Finally Broke Down

After saying I would never do it, even though I felt it might be worth the price to read the likes of Law, Gammons and Olney. I have paid for the ESPN.com Insider. But not without a sweet deal, right now till Sunday you can go to Amazon.com and order a year of ESPN The Magazine which comes with a year of ESPN Insider for only $5. Yes, only $5. Even I , who said he would never pay to read articles on the Internet couldn't resist that. Now I can finally read all those Keith Law, Peter Gammons and Buster Olney articles I have wanted to read for the past few years. And the magazine will make for great bathroom reading for the next year.

Keith Law Chat ESPN.com 11/12/09

After a one week layoff, Keith Law was back today for another chat on ESPN.com. Here were the Brewers related questions/answers.

Brewers Fan (Milwaukee)

When a GM says that he won't listen to trade offers about a certain player, how true is that in most cases? Like if another GM calls him up and says "Fielder", does Melvin just hang up immediately? Call me crazy, but it seems like a GM is an idiot if he won't at least listen to an offer for anybody on his team or in his system.

Klaw (1:36 PM)

You're not crazy. You always listen. A GM who doesn't isn't doing his job.

Adam (Milwaukee)

KLaw...Completely random trade thought:Prince Fielder, Manny Parra, and either Salome or Lucroy to the Braves for Hanson

Klaw (1:47 PM)

Random = wrong adjective.

Stephen (Knauff)

Reading your analysis of the Hardy/Gomez trade, I got the vibe you feel that neither team got the better of trade, would you say this is accurate?

Klaw (1:48 PM)

I can't excited over either guy. I've never loved Hardy's swing or approach, but Gomez may never see a .330 OBP. I do think Gomez has a chance to be an average regular because of his glove and some small power potential, but ... I'm not saying I don't want him on my team, but I wouldn't go out of my way to get him.

Adam (Milwaukee)

Sorry about the poor English. Could I get your general thoughts on the following trade: Fielder, Parra, and Lucroy for Hanson

Klaw (2:00 PM)
I wasn't correcting your grammar. I was telling you the trade is absurd.

I'm sure Melvin would listen to any offer for Fielder, but to actually pull the trigger he would have to be blown away for a trade. Probably something like Linceum or Cain plus Sandoval for Fielder. Like Keith said, if a GM would not at least listen to an offer on a player he is not doing his job very well. I'm not exactly sure which part of the trade proposal by Adam that Keith thinks is absurd? For me the Brewers giving up Fielder, Parra and Lucroy for Hanson alone would be absurd. Maybe Keith is on the other side, not really sure from what he wrote. I like what Keith said about Gomez and as I wrote is pretty much how I feel, he can at least be average because of his glove/speed and the potential power he could have. If Gomez did have a .330 OBP or higher in 2010 I think I would be delighted.

Keith Law Chat ESPN.com 10/29/09

It's time for another Keith Law chat transcript featuring Brewers related questions/answers. And in this chat, Keith even used a question from yours truly! I'm going to start making this a regular feature on the blog recapping any Brewers stuff from Keith's chats.

Jon (Dallas)

Would Conger, Bourjos, Reckling be enough for MIL to trade Braun to LAA? Angels would then have 4 above average starting pitchers, full infield if you count Wood, and full outfield under contract/control for three more years. Pretty decent window of opportunity isn't it?

Klaw

(1:35 PM)

That isn't even close. Look at the rest of your question - you're talking about how good it is for the Angels, with no thought as to whether it's anything other than insane for Milwaukee.

JD (Germantown, WI)

(Me)

First off, are you ever going to write a book? Second, Rickie Weeks got off to a great start in 2009 before injuring his wrist and going on the DL. If healthy all of 2010, how good do you think Weeks will be? Where would he rank among NL 2B?

Klaw

(2:13 PM)

I did write one manuscript, showed it to a few people in and out of the industry, but decided it was better to start from scratch than rewrite. I'm a bad rewriter regardless of the subject. I've been a Weeks believer beyond any rational point for years, so why stop now? He'll be a borderline All-Star offensively. He was actually going to have a huge second half this year if he'd been healthy. You can't prove otherwise!

An absolutely laughable question from Jon in Dallas. Braun for Conger, Bourjos and Reckling? Keith pretty much summed it up best calling it "insane". Of course, Tony Witrado might think it was plausible and a good idea. Maybe Tony was posing as Jon. The fact of the matter is Ryan Braun is not going anywhere. He is the franchise and anyone even mentioning trade rumors and questions about Braun being traded just isn't thinking very logically. At least, in my opinion.

As for my question about Weeks, Keith has always been a fan of Rickie's. And I agree with his answer, Weeks if healthy should border on the line of being an All-Star 2B in the NL. But he has to play a full season. Something he really hasn't done. I'm just hoping that it happens in 2010 for Rickie and for the Brewers. We need him.

Way To Be Accurate Anthony

This is the first time I have ever touched on this but have noticed it before on my own and through other Brewers blogs. Anthony Witrado from the JS makes a lot of mistakes. I can't believe how inaccurate many of his postings are at the JSonline Brewers blog and how his bosses at the JS put up with it to be honest. Here is the latest blunder:

"Dave Bush had a nice start against the Rangers tonight, going 6.2 innings and allowed four runs, two earned, on nine hits. He struck out six and walked three."

He was right, Dave did have a very nice start but actually struck out four and walked zero. Good job Tony, way to properly inform your readership. Now I actually like Haudricourt which I know many don't, but I'm not a fan of Witrado's at all.

Braun Going "Late Night"

Ryan will be on "Late Show with David Letterman" on Thursday night. He along with a group of players from Team USA will take part in his famous "Top Ten" list. Of course the topic: "Top ten reasons to watch the World Baseball Classic."

Others appearing with Braun will be Derek Jeter, David Wright, Chipper Jones, Jimmy Rollins, Dusitn Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Curtis Granderson, Roy Oswalt and Adam Dunn.

I'm not a regular Letterman viewer, I do watch once in awhile if I'm up yet during the week and I think about it. But since Ryan will be on the show you can bet I will stay up to see this episode. It's cool to see Braun get more and more national attention. Been a long, long time since we could say that about any Brewers players. Just another reason Braun is "The Franchise".

Team USA takes on Canada in their first WBC game on Saturday Noon CST on ESPN.

Pleasantly Surpirsed

That is how I feel about new Brewers radio announcer Cory Provus. Listening to the first two Brewers spring games on the radio the past two days at work I was really paying attention to get a feel for Provus. I have to say I really like him. He has a smooth voice that actually at times had me almost thinking it was Jim Powell. He painted a good picture of the action on the field, sounded very intelligent on the club already like he has done it for years and he actually says the score (sorry, I love Ueck but dude needs to give the score more). I have to say I was skeptical at first for the Brewers to hire a such a young guy and one who worked for the Cubs mind you. But Cory in only two games has already exceeded my expectations. I also liked the excitement in his voice for HR's and other big plays in the games. I have to say I could get used to hearing Provus for years to come on Brewers radio.

Costas Added To MLB Network Lineup

Well it was rumored for quite sometime and today it became reality. Bob Costas has officially signed on with the MLB Network. I have really enjoyed the MLB Network since it debut on January 1st and now adding Costas to an already great group of on-air talent only makes the network that much better. However, this also put an end to the great "Costas Now" show on HBO since Costas had to leave that network to join MLB Network. Costas will stay on doing his normal duties for NBC though.

The main thing Costas will be doing at MLB Network is hosting his own hour long show "MLB Network Studio 42 with Bob Costas". The first episode will air this Thursday and his first guest will be Dodgers Manager Joe Torre. Bob will also be hosting some of the original programming and will do play-by-play for "select" regular season games on MLB Network. Hells yes! Costas is easily one of my all-time favorite baseball play-by-play guys. I can still remember the good old days when NBC had the World Series and Costas, Uecker and Morgan used to man the booth. So much better then the crap that is Fox's team of Joe Buck and Tim McCarver.

Powell Going Home Back To The ATL

One half of the Brewers radio announce team for the past 13 years is heading back home. Jim Powell who has teamed with Bob Uecker calling Brewers games for the past 13 years has accepted a job with him home town Atlanta Braves.

This was rumored a few months back but was made official today by an Atlanta newspaper. I wish Jimmy all the best, sucks to see him go. I have enjoyed many Brewers games hearing him and Uecker not only call the action but be very entertaining on-air talking about old stories and even non-baseball stuff. One of the things that I always really enjoyed about Powell was his frequent talk about minor league players and what was going on "down on the farm", it was nice to be educated about or system and future Brewers.

I can't blame Powell for leaving, if I was an announcer for any MLB team other then the Brewers and then the Brewers had an opening and wanted me you can bet I would be out the door as well. Seeing Jim goes makes it even a little sweeter that the Brewers made the playoffs in his last year in the WTMJ 620/Brewers Radio Network booth.

No word on a replacement yet. And I don't even have a clue of any candidates. I will say if they wanted to go the route of having a play-by-play guy and analyst at the same time how about Uecker and Jeff Cirillo?

Finally! My MLB Network Works!

Since my move at the end of December and now being a Time Warner Cable customer and not a Charter Cable customer I have not had the pleasure of viewing the new MLB Network. I was so excited to do so since back in October when I heard about the launch of the channel. For some reason the channel was not coming through our digital cable box at the house, I finally called and they decided they had to send a technician out. Well not only did they send one, it was a TWO technician job. Basically it was a "signal" problem the nice gentlemen from Time Warner told me. The splitters that were in the house (this is my future mother in-laws house, my fiancee and I are staying with her temporarily until our wedding in May and we get our own house) were bad and they simplified things threw in a new splitter, a few cables and then everything worked!

My impressions of the network thus far are positive. I have enjoyed the classic games that I have seen and really like the Prime 9 series show. I saw Prime 9 on centerfielders and all-time HR's. They had a little to much Red Sox stuff on this weekend. A lot of various shows that focused on Red Sox history and such, but it's better then a bunch of Cubs or Yankees shows I guess.

I'm really looking forward tomorrow to seeing my first episode of "Hot Stove" their live show that airs each weeknight from 6 to 7. Hopefully they will have some Brewers news to report. Also tomorrow they are going to have some Hall of Fame induction selection show on in the afternoon that I believe will re-run at night.

So all in all, I love it like I thought I would. And I also look forward to seeing much more of Hazel Mae, who gives me a weird feeling. Like when I used to climb the rope in gym class.