Well, the Brewers just wrapped up their most successful season in 26 years. It was a fun, but trying ride. Plenty of highs and lows. All in all, it was worth it. Being at the game on Saturday was awesome. Even if Matt spilled a full cheese cup on me.
Over the next few months, there will be plenty of time to look back on the season that was and look forward to the season ahead. At this point, what do you see as the Brewers biggest need to fill this off season?
I think they need to find a living, breathing soul who can hold down the every day job at 3B. Hank Blalock has been mentioned.He is not the player he was before his run of injuries, but he is better than what the Brewers currently have.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
14 comments:
3B and 2B
I'd absolutely love to see them go out and get Orlando Hudson and get rid of Weeks. He'll cost $8-10 million per year, but you can use Cameron's money for that, as there is no way they should pick up his option next year.
Hardy to third, Escobar at short.
I think the biggest problem is getting some guys with plate discipline. When your team is built top to Kendall with the longball in mind you're much more susceptible to cold streaks. I don't think they can have Cam and Corey Hart in the same outfield, and you can't have Bill Hall on the team any more, period.
No one has mentioned starting pitching. We need a #2 or #3 starter, 3B, and a 2B. Keep Cameron. There is no one in the farm system who is major league ready. Hardy to third, Escobar to SS. We have over $20 million coming off the books. Go sign some players!
I think there is no way they should not pick up Cameron's option.
I know Escobar and Gamel are going to be popular choices to fill spots on the hypothetical '09 team for a lot of fans. I respect that opinion, and I am not saying that is wrong.
The problem with that is Gamel barely played at the AAA level (21 AB's I think) and Escobar didn't even get that much, or any time at all at AAA. Gallardo & Braun were both good enough to make the team their first year out of training camp, and the team still decided to have those guys get a few months each at AAA before joining the MLB team. I'd be pretty amazed if that was any different this time around, and I think that any realistic or hypothetical rosters for 2009 will not include those two guys.
Also, please get rid of Bill Hall.
I echo AP...both those guys (especially Gamel) need time in Triple A.
I can MAYBE see Escobar, but Gamel hit the wall in the 2nd half of Double A this year (and got hurt). He's not ready.
Of course, if he starts out in Triple A for 6 weeks just flat out RAKING like Braun did...then we'd have to call him up.
2009 FA
Torres (3.75 option)*
Mota
Gagne (only for 4-5 mil.)
Shouse *
Sheets
Sabathia
Cameron
Counsell *
Kapler *
Durham
* indicates staying
I am assuming that Sabathia has a TWO page ad in the JS by Nov. 12th Thanking the city of Milwaukee.
We need to fill the C.C. sized hole that is about to open up in the starting rotation.
What I want to see happen:
1st - Fielder
SS - Escobar
2nd - NOT WEEKS - Insert random player better than .230
3rd - Hardy
LF - Braun
CF - Joe Dillon (Just kidding)
Real CF - Kapler
RF - Gwynn (send Hart to a city where he will see what the meaning of BOO really is)
Kendall behind the plate is a done deal.
What will realistically happen:
1st - Fielder
2nd - Weeks ( I say the retarded love affair continues)
3rd - Lamb and Hall (No one wants this turd. He will start at 3rd and be DFA by July)
SS - Hardy
LF - Braun
CF - Cameroon (He hit home runs this year and that's all Melvin seems to care about)
RF - Hart
Catching - Kendall (161 games)
Counsell is gone. I'm sure he's retiring
Mota is gone
Sheets is gone
Sabathia is gone
Durham is gone
Gagne signs (for cheap)
Shouse signs
Torres signs
Lamb Signs
What about Coffey? The guy threw well in limited time. Is he worth keeping around to strengthen the pen, or is already gone?
Whether we sign a top line starting pitcher will determine whether we will rebuild for a year or try to contend. And by rebuild I do not mean we will be bad, but mean that we will give weeks, hall, hart more chances as opposed to signing veteran solid ballplayers. If we sign a top line pitcher then we need experienced high on base percentage players to replace two of our four strike out low batting average players(weeks, hall, cameron, hart). I really don't hate any of these guy individually, but you can't have all four in one line up. Weeks or hall as a seven hitter is not terrible, but as a one or two hitter surrounded by similar players is bad. Gamel and Escobar need to go to AAA if we rebuild no need to push them ahead of schedule; if we get the starting pitcher we need experience for the playoff run, not the raw talent.
Weeks and Hall need not be wearing M's on their hats next year, and let Hart come back for peanuts and try to earn a bigger contract elsewhere.
Time to fill the holes in the infield. Hardy to 3rd, Escobar SS,
Durham was a nice addition at 2nd if it's possible to keep him.
Weeks should not be an option for next year & that goes for Hall as well. It's nice that CC will consider staying in Milwaukee, but ultimately he will be totally unaffordable. I'm guessing Hart will remain in RF despite his sack of shit performance in the 2nd half of the season & in postseason. It'd be nice to see Kapler out there more & I'm guessing Cameron will be back. Hopefully the Brewers management takes some things away from this year. Constantly stranding runners isn't going to win games, and neither is relying on one or two guys to hit homeruns & make up for shitty players like Hall, Weeks, or Corey Hart that has no discipline at the plate.
I don't know what's out there but I do like the idea of Orlando Hudson at second and leading off. They could possibly trade Prince for a starting pitcher. Like everyone, Hardy to 3b and escobar at SS. I'm ok with keeping hart for now. What the hell would the crew do if they dropped hart and cameron? Lorenzo Cain will be up here roaming center in 2010. If they don't feel like moving JJ, but still would like someone that gets injured all the time... why not Crede? I hate his back but love his bat.
We're screwed with Suppan
Post a Comment