All right, it's been many months since I've taken abuse from the faithful here, but here it goes:

Get J.J. back for Gamel, Gomez and Betancourt.  We'd give them a few $$$ in the deal as well, but think of it for the future.  Gamel is really (really, really, etc.) unproven, and maybe Weeks could move to 1st (or Hart).  Weeks at 1st, Mcghee to 2nd (has to be better at D there), Hardy at SS, an old vet at 3rd waiting for Green.  Or leave Weeks and Mcghee where they are and get an old vet at 1st waiting on ???.  It just doesn't seem like a bad idea to give J.J. another shot and the O's need help at 1st and OF and they get one of the best SS with Betancourt :)

How about Fielder traded to BOS for Ellsbury and a player that the Royals really want from BOS's farm system.  Then trade Gamel (they need help at 3B and 1B), Gomez (they need help at CF) and the Royals' BOS pick for Greinke.  If we sign Weeks and move Hart to 1B, when are we going to need Gamel?  Plus if KC picks a huge stud from BOS that gets them 25 wins a year; well, we really just let it up to them, so be it.  Essentially we are getting Ellsbury and Greinke for Fielder (who doesn't want to sign with us at this point), Gamel (who we don't need) and Gomez (who we don't need).  We keep Lawrie (who we should need) and the young arms that we want to see develop.  Please take in consideration that I fell short of finishing law school by three years and my salary arbitration skills are a bit rusty!  But things might look like this:

No Player Pos Bat Thw Ht Wt Age Exp Birthplace 2010 Salary

SR: 

49 Gallardo, Yovani   SP R R 6-2 222 24 3 Michoacan, Mexico $4,500,000

43 Wolf, Randy         SP L L 6-0 198 34 11 Canoga Park, California $8,800,276

23 Greinke, Zack      SP R R 6-2 192 27 8 Orlando, Florida $13,500,000

39 Capuano, Chris    SP L L 6-2 224 32 7 Springfield, Massachusetts $450,000

38 Narveson, Chris   SP L L 6-3 205 28 4 Englewood, Colorado $450,000

'Pen:

26 Parra, Manny  SP/RP L L 6-3 216 27 3 Sacramento, California $540,000

12 Villanueva, Carlos  RP R R 6-2 228 26 4 Santiago, Dominican Republic $1,250,000

58 McClendon, Mike  RP R R 6-5 215 25 R Arlington, Texas $406,500

32 Hawkins, LaTroy  RP R R 6-5 195 38 Gary, IN $4,250,000

57 Mitch Stetter  RP L L 6-4 212 30 Huntingburg, IN $406,500

7-8-9:

50 Loe, Kameron  RP/SP R R 6-7 240 29 6 Simi Valley, California $406,500

13 Braddock, Zach  RP L L 6-2 233 23 R Mount Holly, New Jersey $406,500

59 Axford, John  RP/CL R R 6-5 195 27 1 Simcoe, Ontario $406,500

Catchers:

20 Lucroy, Jonathan  C R R 6-0 185 24 R Eustis, Florida $406,500 

16 Kottaras, George  C/1B/RF L R 6-0 185 27 2 Scarborough, Ontario $408,500

Infielders:

1 Hart, Corey            1B R R 6-6 229 28 6 Bowling Green, Kentucky $4,800,000

23 Weeks, Rickie      2B R R 5-10 213 28 7 Daytona Beach, Florida $2,750,000

21 Escobar, Alcides   SS R R 6-1 182 23 2 La Sabana, Venezuela $406,500

14 McGehee, Casey  3B R R 6-1 195 27 2 Santa Cruz, California $427,500

2 Inglett, Joe  RF/2B/SS L R 5-9 177 32 4 Sacramento, California $416,000

10 Cruz, Luis        SS R R 6-1 200 26 2 Navojoa, Sonora  $406,500

Outfielders

8 Braun, Ryan     LF/3B R R 6-1 200 26 3 Mission Hills, California $1,287,500

2 Ellsbury, Jacoby CF L L 6-1 185 27 3 Madras, OR N/A

36 Cain, Lorenzo   RF R R 6-2 192 24 R Valdosta, Georgia N/A

00 Katin, Brendan OF R R 6-1 235 Fort Myers, Florida]

Minor League call ups:

37 Rogers, Mark      SP R R 6-2 224 24 R Brunswick, Maine N/A

41 Jeffress, Jeremy  RP R R 6-0 190 23 R South Boston, Virginia N/A

61 Kintzler, Brandon RP R R 6-1 180 26 R Las Vegas, Nevada N/A

If we get a coach that plays some small ball that would be nice too.  Combo of power and speed!  Plus, it looks like we would have some $$$ to do a player grab at the deadline if needed.  Thoughts?  No need to be nice this year, I’m wearing armor!

There's been some talk in Red Sox nation (in reaction to rumors) about Fielder heading there in the off-season.  A few names being tossed around as possible trades back to the Brewers are:

Daisuke Matsuzaka (with the Sox eating some salary)
Jacoby Ellsbury (still pretty cheap I believe)
Anthony Rizzo (minor league AA 1st baseman)

Anyone like this possibility?  Or, would it be better just to keep Fielder for the year and get draft picks?  If Matsuzaka and/or Ellsbury get back to business next year that would be great.  Dice could be a nice 3rd starter and Ellsbury a legit leadoff threat (bat Weeks 2nd). Then sign a free agent like Troy Glaus (could help Gamel transition to 1st and can play some 3rd...if Gamel will play 1st) or Lyle Overbay.  We would likely have to give one of our CF prospects / starters in the deal.  Or maybe Gamel?  I'd really like to see Prince bring in more than this, but that might be tough.  In any event, just reporting on a few Sox fans' blogs.

Keep in mind that the salaries are expectations and not exact numbers. However, even if I am way off, we would still have some $$$ to play with. I like the R/L/R/L/R rotation, the 'pen, the catchers, the infield, the outfield and possibility to spend some more $$$ if needed. Let me know what you think. A vet 1B with gold glove defense would be nice :)

Starting Rotation:

49 Gallardo, Yovani      SP R R 6-2 222 24 3 Michoacan, Mexico        $7,500,000
43 Wolf, Randy              SP L L 6-0 198 34 11 Canoga Park, California $8,800,276
00 Guy, New                  SP R R 6-3 252 28 6                          $9,000,000 + from Fielder
39 Capuano, Chris      RP/SP L L 6-2 224 32 7 Springfield, Mass        $1,500,000 * or Narveson
31 Bush, Dave              SP R R 6-2 204 30 6 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania $4,215,000

Spot Starting/long relief:

38 Narveson,Chris     SP/RP L L 6-3 205 28 4 Englewood, Colorado      $406,500   * or Capuano

Middle relief/long relief:

26 Parra, Manny        SP/RP L L 6-3 216 27 3 Sacramento, California   $440,000
58 McClendon, Mike       RP R R 6-5 215 25 R Arlington, Texas         $400,000
32 Hawkins, LaTroy       RP R R 6-5 195 37 15 Gary, IN                $4,000,000

7th, 8th and closer:

13 Braddock, Zach        RP L L 6-2 233 23 R Mount Holly, New Jersey  $400,000
50 Loe, Kameron          RP R R 6-7 240 28 6 Simi Valley, California  $400,000
59 Axford, John              CL R R 6-5 195 27 1 Simcoe, Ontario N/A      $600,000
 
Trade bait:

60 Coffey, Todd              RP R R 6-4 241 29 5 Forest City, NC          $2,025,002
12 Villanueva, Carlos    RP R R 6-2 228 26 4 Santiago, Dominican      $950,000
78 Kintzler, Brandon      RP R R 6-1 180 26 R Las Vegas, Nevada
A couple of minor leaguers that could be brought up instead (Mark Rogers,Jeremy Jeffress,etc.)

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Catchers:

20 Lucroy, Jonathan       C R R 6-0 185 24 R Eustis, Florida          $400,000
16 Kottaras, George 1B/C L R 6-0 185 27 2 Scarborough, Ont      $408,500

Trade bait:

A couple of minor leaguers

--------------------------------------------------------------

Infielders:
 
24 Gamel, Mat         3b/1B L R 6-0 200 25 2 Jacksonville, Fl        $406,500
23 Weeks, Rickie          2B R R 5-10 213 27 7 Daytona Beach, Fl      $4,500,000
21 Escobar, Alcide       SS R R 6-1 182 23 2 La Sabana, Venezuel     $405,500
14 McGehee, Casey     3B R R 6-1 195 27 2 Santa Cruz, Cal         $427,500
 
2 Inglett, Joe       RF/LF/2B L R 5-9 177 32 4 Sacramento, Cal         $600,000
75 Cruz, Luis            2b/SS R R 6-1 200 26 2 Navojoa, Sonora         $400,000

Trade bait:

28 Fielder, Prince           1B L R 5-11 268 26 5 Ontario, Cal           $11,000,000
A couple of minor leaguers that could be brought up instead (at 2B for sure)

--------------------------------------------------------------

Outfielders:

8 Braun, Ryan                      LF R R 6-1 200 26 3 Mission Hills, Cal     $9,000,000
36 Cain, Lorenzo    RF/LF/CF R R 6-2 192 24 R Valdosta, Georgia      $400,000
7 Dickerson, Chris LF/RF/CF L L 6-3 228 28 2 Hollywood, Cal         $415,000
1 Hart, Corey                       RF R R 6-6 229 28 6 Bowling Green, Kent    $8,000,000

Trade bait:

27 Gómez, Carlos     RF/LF/CF R R 6-4 215 24 3 Santiago, Dominican    $1,100,000

Maybe a cheap contract with Dave Riske could arise.  Or maybe half our pitching staff will be gone.  I like getting Bradley Emaus & Sean Henn & Scott Downs for Weeks.  I really haven't found a good trade for Fielder, but would love to hear some!

Continue reading this post »

The Brewers obviously have a few young studs looking for infield play and a lack of starting pitching.  What if we can deal Weeks (I know I try this a lot) for a 4/5 starter (we need another starter) and a top 50 pick to get this year cooking.  It would be nice if the 4/5 starter had two years left on his contract.  Rotation looks like this:

Gallardo (R)

Wolf (L)

Bush (R)

Narveson (L)

New Guy (R)

Then we just start Inglett at 2nd (maybe get him to sign another year...really how much fall out is there between Weeks and Inglett) and bring up a young gun to get some big league time.  Second scenario (only if we think we are done or can't sign him):  Fielder for a 2/3 starter, a decent journeyman infielder, a good prospect and a top 15 pick.  I still hope he remains a Brewer, but $20 million/yr is a bit much!  All right since my suspension I am now willing to take abuse from the hard-core posters!  I do have a few other ideas, so throw anything out there.

From the article:

"On another note, I've been impressed with Joe Inglett from the start.  He plays a good second base but can fit-in elsewhere.  Looking up his numbers the other day I was surprised to see just how versatile he's been.  Outfield, shortstop, third, etc...  Inglett will be a nice piece off the bench.  If he makes the team, which I believe he will, Inglett provides another left-handed bat joining the likes of Counsell, Gerut, & Edmonds."

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Say those are the four backups (Inglett, Counsell, Gerut, & Edmonds), and they are all lefties, who is our righty PH?  I'm guessing the b/u catcher?  That's not Kottaras.  Thoughts?

Mykenk was predicting $6 million a year:

Yeah, let's pay a bench player 6+ million in case someone gets hurt.

That’s stupid.

by Mykenk on Jan 13, 2010 6:48 AM PST up reply actions   0 recs

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um.  what?
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And since I have to make this longer I'll add something from wikipedia about Weeks:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickie_Weeks:

In early 2009, sabermetrician Bill James wrote in John Dewan’s “The Fielding Bible Volume II,” that Weeks should be moved to a position other than second base. James said Weeks led the majors at his position in a category he calls defensive misplays (which does not include errors), with 44. An average second baseman has 28 defensive misplays a season. Dewan ranked Weeks the worst starting second baseman in the majors.4

I know this is still in rumor stage, but I would like to point out the following (which I have been saying for months and a few obsessive posters have been slapping me around):

"At some point, Sheets was supposedly asking for a two-year deal for more than $10 million a season. What is more likely to happen is for the Cubs to offer Sheets an incentive-laden contract."

Also:

Cardinals Eyeing Felipe Lopez

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/12/mark-derosa-is-off-the-board-and-the-cardinals-continue-to-await-an-answer-from-matt-holliday-derrick-goold-of-the-st-loui.html

"Lopez had a fine 2009 (.310/.383/.427), but he's received little interest so far this winter."

Why aren't these two in the 'Crew?!

I would love to see the 'crew sign Wolf! I think they could trade Hart and Suppan and eat some of their salary for a decent utility OF or IF (or get Counsell back) or 5th starter and use a bit of the savings to sign Vargas. They will be able to contend if they have Coffey (7th), Vargas (8th), Hoffman (9th), the rest of a decent BP from last year and a reasonable starting rotation (Gallardo, Wolf, Parra (you have to give him a chance), Bush, Narveson/Capuano (or low budget FA). Start Gamel in RF and Casey McGehee at 3rd.