SB Nation User Blog: NoahJ

The Weekend Linkfest!

NoahJ — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:46:01 -0000

Some things to read while being a real man or while putting up your holiday decorations.

I would like to preface this by kind of letting everyone know what is going on. As KL posted friday, Morineko, FtJ and I will be your new weekend editors. What that means is we will be hanging around and posting a weekend news post to keep things alive on the weekends. KL asked us to "make it our own" and do what we'd like with the post. I, personally, will probably be following the same basic format as the Frosty Mugs, though I can't speak on whether the other two will be doing anything radically different. Hopefully we can get it so it is nearly as active on Saturday and Sunday as it is Monday-Friday. If there is anything you would like somewhat different, at least from me, feel free to voice whatever is on your mind.

And if you are arriving late today, be sure to check out Jordan's and Jeff's excellent-as-always posts below this one. Both posts relate to the JJ Hardy/Carlos Gomez trade, about which I have an abundance of articles, so let's get right into the bulletpoints for that:

The Bucky Channel likes the trade. However, they also think Gomez should lead off, which is probably a bad idea.
Wisconsin's Sports Tap also is a fan of the trade, and gives a pretty good look at what this means for the Brewers.
Carlos Gomez says that he'll hit in Milwaukee with a full time job
The Official Site has an article about Alcides Escobar, along with Hardy's thoughts on the player Escobar is and will be.
Casa De Machado says their good-bye to JJ and also thinks that Corey Hart will be traded with Jody Gerut taking over in right field.
Milwaukee's Own Brew Crew Fans likes the trade and likens Carlos Gomez to another player with what seems to be a similar skillset, Michael Bourn
Miller Park Drunk has a big roundup of what various places are saying about the trade.

Tom H also sees the Bourn comparison. I have also seen/heard comparisons to Jose Reyes in various places as well.

There are other links, but there is nothing really to differ them from the rest. Most people either like the trade or are at least OK with it. I only saw a couple places where the author hated the trade.

In other news, it sounds like Mark Mulder will probably be a Brewer sooner than later. We;ve been hearing that for a while, but I haven't heard of any displeasure about the Brewers taking that risk. As long as there is no big guaranteed contract, I don't really know how you could be upset with that.

Baseball Daily Digest has a very good article up about new Brewers pitching coach Rick Peterson, his time in Oakland, and his work with their "big three". It's definitely worth a read.

The Arizona Fall League's Rising Stars game was yesterday, and the only Brewer, Mark Rogers, didn't get a chance to pitch in the game. Here is the gameday with the boxscore.

Roguejim has a fanpost about pertinent off season dates. Circling the Bases has an even more complete list full of offseason dates.

Circling the Bases also says that the Phillies will be in the market for a third basemen to replace Pedro Feliz. Would they have any pitching the Brewers could get for McGehee or Gamel?

Several different sites have been ranking the New York Yankees World Series winners. I will link to the Hardball Times version because they have links to several others if you are interested.

Other than all that, I just have a few quick, interesting links:

If you don't like ESPN, Brewed Sports gives you another reason to dislike the World Leader.

BizofBaseball makes the case against implementing a salary cap in baseball.

In Cuba, there was a case where the Umpires using instant replay might still have led to the wrong decision.

And I don't know what the holiday was, but the city of New York had some sort of parade. Something to do with the Yankees I think? I don't know, Jay-Z was there, so I am guessing it must have been important.

That's about it. Unless of course you want to sign Seth McClung up for some anger management classes.

Post on Minor League Ball asking for top 5 Brewers prospects

NoahJ — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:22:30 -0000

Post on Minor League Ball asking for top 5 Brewers prospects

There is a fanpost up on Minor League Ball looking for members to contribute their thoughts as to who the top 5 current Brewers prospects are. The poster has been doing this for every team, taking each commenters top five and compiling them into a community top 5. Represent the Brewers fan base and post your own list!

Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003

NoahJ — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 16:09:50 -0000

Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003

Four sources independently told SI, apparently. He won his first MVP in 2003.

This definitely sucks for baseball if, as it looks like, it is true.

Greinke signs extension

NoahJ — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 03:55:41 -0000

Greinke signs extension

Meaning that the very little chance the Brewers ever had of trading for (or even talking about) him has shrunk even more.

Now which pitcher will be the apple of our eye?

Brewers and Fielder Working Toward Two Year Deal

NoahJ — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 03:18:09 -0000

Brewers and Fielder Working Toward Two Year Deal

Tommy H says it would most likely be around 18-20 million if it happens.

Update (10:10, by jihad): Melvin Confirms

Randall Simon to Try Out for Brewers?

NoahJ — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:20:23 -0000

Randall Simon to Try Out for Brewers?

Nothing earth-shattering as he would probably be minor-league filler for the most part. Still, it is the same Randall Simon that slayed the sausage a few years ago.

(h/t right field bleachers)

Sheets, Shouse, Sabathia All Decline Arbitration

NoahJ — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 05:26:59 -0000

Sheets, Shouse, Sabathia All Decline Arbitration

Oh well.

The trade, if accepted, would send two Stars interns, one intern to be named later and a game used...

NoahJ — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:32:39 -0000

The trade, if accepted, would send two Stars interns, one intern to be named later and a game used Matt LaPorta jersey to the Packers in exchange for Favre. LaPorta was a Stars outfielder until being traded by Milwaukee to Cleveland for CC Sabathia, upgrading the Brewers roster.

Braun has Competition

NoahJ — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:57:04 -0000

We here at Brew Crew Ball have all realized FSN reporter Trenni Kusnierek seeming enjoying being "around the team". Specifically warming up with Ryan Braun and his "big bat".

Well, the Journal Sentinal is finally catching on to her habits as well, even pointing out that Ned Yost himself is getting in on the action. (You'll have to scroll down on the article a bit.

Yost ... played around with FSN reporter Trenni Kusnierek's ... features.

After he was finished with the initial lesson, he even came back to play with it some more.

"You can do anything with this thing," he hollered.

It seems that well we at BCB do not enjoy getting yosted, Trenni is enjoying her yostings very much.

Branyan vs. Hall - Lineup Analysis

NoahJ — Tue, 27 May 2008 00:36:40 -0000

I was thinking today: As much as I like the move of Promoting Russell Branyan to the Major Leagues, how big of an improvement is he over Hall? To help figure that out, I used this line-up analysis tool to identify the run differential the two players had between them when plugged into the lineup. For Branyans numbers, I did not use his current major league statistics, due to the obviously small sample size, nor did I use his Minor League statistics which are, obviously, different than ML statistics would be. I also did not want to use previous ML numbers. Instead, I took his minor league stats and put them into a minor league equivalancy calculator to project his Nashville numbers into the Major Leagues.

Doing this, I found that Branyans Major League numbers would have projected to be:

AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	BA	OBP	SLG	SB
156	18	49	12	0	9	29	18	52	.312	.385	.571	3

In contrast to Halls numbers, which are currently:

AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	BA	OBP	SLG	SB
177	19	39	8	0	9	22	16	49	.220	.292	.418	2

So looking at just these numbers, Branyan isn't really an upgrade in runs, doubles, HR, BB, K, or SB. He provides a few more RBI. But the key differences between the two are a .092 higher BA, a .093 higher OBP and a monstrous .153 higher SLG for Russell the Muscle. Also, I think I should point out that with Branyans projected numbers, it would give him a higher OBP and SLG than any starter on the team.

But how do these relate into run differential? Well, with Ned's new line-up in the last couple games, we are projected to score 4.213 runs per game with Bill Hall in the line-up. The best line-up with Hall playing, according to the lineup analysis, would net the Brewers 4.608 runs per game.

With Branyan in the line-up, with his ML projected numbers, using the same batting order, the brewers projected runs per game jumps to 4.533 with the projected best line-up giving us 4.96 runs per game.

Again, this isn't assuming a platoon with Lefty/Righty splits or really any other factor than numbers that projection tools gave me, so I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions toward whether Branyan will be as much of an upgrade as this seems to tell us. Once more: According to projections, Branyan would have a higher OPS than any starter on our team.

PS - For numbers on line-up analysis, I used every players current MLB statistics (other than Branyan) and averaged out all the pitchers numbers for the pitchers spot in the order.

One other thing that flashed into my mind the other day:
Is Rickie Weeks becoming a 3TO player? He has 7 HR, 38 BB (with HBP), and 41 K. With 194 AB, he has a 3TO outcome 44.33% of the time. With his minor league numbers, Russell Branyan hit a 3TO outcome 56% of the time. Thats just something to consider. Though I wonder what it would be if you make a new 3TO consisting of Walks, Strike-Outs, and Pop-ups.