Doug Melvin, in his quest to be linked to every bad player available, is reported as being interested in Pedro Feliz, Shawn Green, and Brad Wilkerson (in addition to Mike Cameron/Kenny Lofton as previously reported). Link Here

All three of those names make me cringe a little bit, although signing Green could indicate a strategy of collecting every Jewish player in the major leagues, meaning someone decent like Kevin Youkilis could be down the road.

I don't understand why trading some of our excess pitchers isnt the first strategy.  None of these free agents seem much better (although significantly more expensive) than just using the platoon left-fielders we already have.

What do you guys think of these new names?

This is what happens when it's late at night and someone is looking for any excuse to delay doing work.  I present the tale of next year's season, in Seussian verse:

[UPDATE: This is Uncle Roguejim reminding all the kids out there to just say no to drugs. Illegal narcotics should be left in the hands of the professionals, like Jeremy Jeffress and Stevie Ray Braun. --- roguejim]

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MLB Trade Rumors (via Buster Olney) is reporting that the Brewers are one of multiple teams interested in Troy Percival.

Interesting gamble, Percival retired after injury problems in 2005, but came back this year and pitched phenomenally (1.80 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 3.6 K/BB).  Assuming we don't resign Cordero, which is a looming probability, finding a bargain in the available closers is our only option.  Percival probably won't be cheap, but because of the risk involved it could either be a relative steal or a major bust.  What do you guys think?

Counsell: War's over, man. Yost dropped the big one.
Prince: Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!
Braun: Germans?
Hardy: Forget it, he's rolling.
Prince: And it ain't over now. 'Cause when the goin' gets tough...
[thinks hard]
Prince: the tough get goin'! Who's with me? Let's go!
[runs out of clubhouse, alone; then returns]
Prince: What the f*** happened to the Brewers I used to know? Where's the spirit? Where's the guts, huh? "Ooh, we're afraid to go with you Prince, we might get in trouble." Well just kiss my ass from now on! Not me! I'm not gonna take this. Piniella, he's a dead man! Soriano, dead! Zambrano...
Braun: Dead! Prince's right. Psychotic, but absolutely right. We gotta take these bastards. Now we could do it with conventional weapons that could take years and cost millions of lives. No, I think we have to go all out. I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody's part.
Prince: We're just the guys to do it.
Counsell: Let's do it.
Prince: LET'S DO IT!

-Adapted from Animal House (1978)

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Article here on mlb.com.

"Ned is going to get my vote for manager of the year," said Cox. "What he's done over there is unbelievable. He's got one of the best pitchers in baseball [Sheets] and he hasn't pitched all year hardly. Then you have Capuano -- it's up to [18 appearances] now that he hasn't won.

"To me, it looks like he's done the impossible to be where he is. When you win, everybody expects more and more. You've got to reflect back and see what you started with."