No choice now... (Sheets extension)

[Invader3K]

I think a lot of people on this board need to take a step back and relax. Reactionary signings almost always backfire in sports.

[LUKE232323]

I do agree with the notion that this year was by far our best chance to make the postseason of the years in the near future. Gallardo with a year of experience, Sheets in a contract year so likely pitching a good amount of innings. Next year, we have Gallardo coming off injury, and no legit #2 pitcher whatsoever, with no pitching prospects ready to come up to join the rotation (unless I'm forgetting someone here).

 

I don't think that necessarily means we have to sign Sheets to an extension, but there is zero chance our starting rotation next year is better than our rotation this year (had Gallardo not been injured). That, to me is why the Gallardo injury stings as bad as it does.

[JohnBriggs12]

I think the assumption that Gallardo will be back as good as ever next season is dreaming. ACL surgery takes 10 months on average to recover fully. What kind of throwing program can he be on while he's rehabbing his knee? Once he gets on a mound will he have the confidence to drive off that knee? How long will it take for him to get his arm strength back to what it was after so many months of down time?

 

All these questions won't be answered for another year. We also won't have the body of evidence to prove that Gallardo is indeed the next ace.

 

I think it does make bringing Sheets back more likely. If not Sheets certainly they would have to go after a trade or another FA like Lowe.

[wallus]

I think with the emergence of some very good minor league hitters that signing Sheets is more important than ever. I would rather give Sheets the money and let a hitter or two go than try to acquire FA pitchers or trade for them. We see how depleted our depth is now without Gallardo, it won't get much better if Sheets leaves next year.

[Roscoe Chill]

Well if (when) another injury scare happens in the next couple months, this topic should be put to bed.

[Bernie Crewer]

As disppointed as we all are with the last 24 hours...you stay the course. I loved Melvin's comments about people trying to take advantage of the situation, and that's not likely to happen. I would love Big Ben to be in Milwaukee past this year, but what happened yesterday has very little to do with it.

 

Villy pitched lights out for 4 innings, and then got stung by some good big league hitters when his stuff deserted him. If this game were easy it would not be fun to follow. I for one am excited about the Crew regardless. The offense is showing signs of life, namely Braun, Cameron, Hall, and Hart. JJ has stunk at the plate for a month, but he'll get it going. We still have one more ace than the division leading Cards, and just as many as the Cub's. How would you like to watch Kerry Wood in the 9th inning all summer http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif Gagne is not a ton better, but I think the Wood experiment may end sooner than later.

 

Anyhow, we've played a tough schedule...tougher than the teams in front of us. Have not hit that well, and yet we're over .500 on the road, our ace is 4-0 and pitching Sunday, and the better part of the schedule remains. It sucks losing Yo for sure, but this team is not a one trick pony, and I look forward to others stepping up. Once this offense gets going, it's going to be fun to watch!

 

Bernie

 

PS - keep an eye on that Weaver kid in AAA...it'd be nice to see him rediscover his sinker.

[Roscoe Chill]

I think the Wood experiment may end sooner than later.

 

You may be right, but be careful what you wish for...Marmol is good.

[brewjihad]

so you want to give $66 million to one who sits out 70% of the season on the IRL?

Ben's in the Indy Racing League now?

I don't think that necessarily means we have to sign Sheets to an extension, but there is zero chance our starting rotation next year is better than our rotation this year (had Gallardo not been injured). That, to me is why the Gallardo injury stings as bad as it does.

 

Gallardo's injury obviously sucks. However, I disagree that there is 0 chance the rotation is better. By the end of the year, LaPorta, Gamel, and Escobar will likely be ready to play in the majors, and considering there will probably only be one position available, I think a trade of at least one of the three or one of our regulars is likely. Say a trade like that brought back a #2 starter... and then there is the possibility of re-signing Sheets. So I don't think it's guaranteed next year's rotation will be worse.

 

 

 

[TooLiveBrew]

Sheets seems healthy this year, so far.

 

I don't agree with this at all. Perhaps I need my 'sky is falling' cap, too, but I'm extremely concerned that Ben is right on the verge of some serious shoulder trouble. I can't emphasize enough how wrong I hope I am.

[pebadger]

Who, other than Prince or Braun, brings a #2 starting pitcher in a trade?

 

I'd rather just trade a guy like Hart for highest-level prospects you can find. If Braun or Prince isn't in the long term financial plan, then you make the best possible deal you can for one of those guys to bring in the best pitching (ML plus prospects) that you can muster.

 

I'd really like to keep Sheets around. I think he's a good fit for the team and the town, but I have to be realistic in terms of money plus injury liability. I agree that Sheets DL history has been pretty fluky, but at some point the bare facts overwhelm wondering about things like " bad luck".

[Roscoe Chill]

Yes TLB, I find it hard to believe after missing a start and then coming back and walking 7 batters in his first outing, regardless of the weather, is grounds for 'all is well.'

[JohnBriggs12]

"Who, other than Prince or Braun brings a #2 starting pitcher in a trade?"

 

Hart, Hall, Weeks, and Hardy all have significant trade value and replacements working through the system. Whether they could bring an established #2 is problematic, but all could bring a pretty good arm from the right team.

[NastyTwig]

I can really see Mark A. making a big splash and getting a Sheets deal done. Regardless of Yo going down or not, the point is that we're not going to have a quality rotation for a long time if Sheets walks (especially if we don't trade him). Hell, I'd rather let Prince go than Ben.

[fallingleaves]

The Brewers can defiantly resign Sheets, though I hope they could work something out before this season's end.

[Invader3K]

Coudn't Mark A just as easily make a big splash by signing a free agent pitcher this off-season who is not Sheets? Not trying to be argumentative, just saying.

[jeffy]

I think the Wood experiment may end sooner than later.

 

You may be right, but be careful what you wish for...Marmol is good.

 

If they give him the closer job, he pitches the 9th only with a lead. Instead the other day he shut down the Brewers for 2 innings. Who gets those 2 innings if Marmol is relegated to closing?

[logan82]

jeffyscott wrote:

If they give him the closer job, he pitches the 9th only with a lead. Instead the other day he shut down the Brewers for 2 innings. Who gets those 2 innings if Marmol is relegated to closing?

I know this is off topic, but I have to agree. I would love to see Marmol closing. It would cut way down on his innings.

[MessiahRp]

I suppose next year is mostly a question mark of whether we're pumping all of our cash into the lineup or if we will ever pay for a big arm.

 

I was thinking that if Cleveland is tanking by the trading deadline they might be willing to move Sabathia for some prospects. If we're still in it and can still use an ace, maybe we could deal for him, make Sabathia the long term resign and basically make Sheets the rental for the rest of the year if you get my logic.

 

I like Gallardo a lot and have high hopes for Villy but at some point we're going to have to pay for a top level rotation guy and not just re-up position players while hoping for pitching prospects to pan out during their arby years through our system.

 

Rp

[TooLiveBrew]

The Brewers can't afford the risk of sinking the money/years into Sheets, and they certainly can't do the same (but to greater degree$) with Sabathia. He's going to easily get a Johan Santana deal imo.

 

That's why, even though it was a knee-jerk reaction, Lincecum makes more sense as a trade target (imo).

[yfinn6]

I suppose next year is mostly a question mark of whether we're pumping all of our cash into the lineup or if we will ever pay for a big arm.

 

I was thinking that if Cleveland is tanking by the trading deadline they might be willing to move Sabathia for some prospects. If we're still in it and can still use an ace, maybe we could deal for him, make Sabathia the long term resign and basically make Sheets the rental for the rest of the year if you get my logic.

 

I like Gallardo a lot and have high hopes for Villy but at some point we're going to have to pay for a top level rotation guy and not just re-up position players while hoping for pitching prospects to pan out during their arby years through our system.

 

Rp

The problem with Sabathia is that he's a FA at the end of the year if I am remembering correctly. I'd hate to give up some of the young talent for a rental. Now if we traded for him, and then signed him to a deal I would go with it. However, I doubt that the Brewers would be willing to pony up the cash to sign him.

 

[Roscoe Chill]

I like Gallardo a lot and have high hopes for Villy but at some point we're going to have to pay for a top level rotation guy and not just re-up position players while hoping for pitching prospects to pan out during their arby years through our system.

 

Totally agree with you. Just one problem...they already did that with Jeff Suppan. Not the top level rotation guy you're talking about? Well, then we're talking A LOT of dough, and that doesn't even work out a lot of times, see Zito, Schmidt. Unless I've missed his last one or two starts, Sabathia sure isn't doing anything to make a Milwaukee or similar market team to peg as the savior of the franchise. In a perfect world, Sheets already accepted a generous and fair extension, but he just can't stay on the field.

 

The positive to the situation is Gallardo was on the road to stardom, right from the get go, and was taking another step already this year to elite status. Now, that's all gone.

 

If there is someone that is worth it out there, I'm all for the Brewers going after a pitcher...I just don't see anyone outside Oakland really out there to my liking. And their early season success probably nixes anything with them at this point.

 

The whole situation sucks.

[danzig6767]

It would be nice if Hardy had a really good year because he'd then become a quite attractive trading piece, package with another player or good prospect.

[splitterpfj]

I don't see how Gallardo's situation has any bearing on Sheets' situation. The Brewers already knew they'd have to replace Ben next year, which will still be the case.

 

If they panic and overpay Ben, it'll hurt this franchise a lot more than if they let him walk, and deal for a replacement next winter, which I believe was the plan in the first place.

[JohnA17]

Who knows how damaging this injury could be to Yo? It is not his arm but it goes without saying that any major leaguer needs healthy knees to play and these injuries can take as much as 2 years to work themselves out. I was worried about losing Ben before but now that we don't have the second ace I agree with the orginal poster that Sheets now seems very key to our future. Every quality rotation needs a power ace and without Sheets we better cross our fingers that Parra pans out big time or we will have a mediocre rotaion backing up all these hitting studs.

But the reality is Sheets is a goner, there is just no way we can compete with the big boys who won't bat an eye on a 5+ year risk with Sheets.

[TauPentaRei]

Melvin & Co.'s decision to backload Suppan's contract was brilliant foresight