So... it's mid June. Buyers?

[kiwi brewer]

If so, who? For the last month my instincts have told me we will be buyers and go after Young or Maddux in SD. Is that still possible? Are we, in fact, buyers? I think we are. And I actually believe in Mark A. making a statement in the next month, especially considering the Cards injuries as of late. I hope he hopes we still have a shot at the WC.

 

I mentioned two pitchers we could buy. Has that changed in the last few weeks to looking at a 2B or SS? Who is out there at those positions who could possibly help us at this point?

 

 

 

(please move or eliminate thread if it's already out there... didn't think it was yet.)

[DWadeMU3]

I'd go after a C.C. Sabathia-type front line starter and try to lock up Sheets before the season ends. That way, at the end of the season (regardless of what happens), we can try to re-sign the Sabathia-type player and have Sheets coming back next year.

 

Imagine: Sheeter, Sabathia, Gallardo, Suppan, Parra. Wow.

 

I'd also like to see the Crew make a run at a middle reliever (as I think ours are going to run out of gas again this year) and a middle infielder if Weeks and/or Hardy don't improve.

 

If they make a move, I want it to be something that they can carry into next year. The Linebrink "rent-a-player" move last year didn't really sit well with me.

One other thing - we are LOADED in the minors and just overstocked the kitchen with the latest draft. If I'm Melvin, I'm not afraid to give up something to get something (LaPorta, Gamel, etc) - as long as we get someone with years left on their contract that can help us beyond 2008.

[kmcasper23]

Definitely Buyers! We won't catch the Chubs, but even with the Cards out ahead I have to think that the WC will become the Brewers to lose. The Cards have last place talent even with Pujols so now without him and the injuries piling up eventually this will catch up with them. Who else stands in the Brewers way really?

 

Having said that I move Hall, Bush, and Gwynn for a quality SP.

[BadgerFan]

kmcasper23 wrote:

Having said that I move Hall, Bush, and Gwynn for a quality SP.

I'm sure Melvin's phone will be ringing off the hook with GM's lining up to trade quality starters for those three.

 

Remember, we couldn't trade Claudio Vargas (i.e. Dave Bush #2) for a "never-make-it" minor leaguer.

 

[GAME05]

kmcasper23 wrote:

Having said that I move Hall, Bush, and Gwynn for a quality SP.

I'm sure Melvin's phone will be ringing off the hook with GM's lining up to trade quality starters for those three.

 

Remember, we couldn't trade Claudio Vargas (i.e. Dave Bush #2) for a "never-make-it" minor leaguer.

 

completely agree with your first point--quantity does not equal quality. although even if you'd put Vargas and Bush on equal ground talent-wise (i wouldn't), Vargas wouldn't fetch anything because of what he was owed, and Bush has some years left for essentially nothing.

i lean more to trading FOR prospects. For a WC run, are we really going to lean completely on Sheets staying healthy all year, which is what we'd be doing. Plus there are still a lot of teams that could catch up to us in the WC run, so it's not just a couple teams that we'd be gunning for.

even though we have a lot of AA talent, i still don't think we suddenly have a lot of guys to trade away. LaPorta and Gamel both have spots they could fill on this team, plus Gamel gives us the flexibility to trade Fielder if that's the way Melvin decides to go. and yeah, trading our stars creates a lot of holes in the lineup, but i'm for picking up talent on the level that could step in and start right away in 09.

 

how are we suddenly stacked from the draft? we got one hitter and the rest pitchers. plus that's sure a lot to ask Lawrie to suddenly take up the elite prospect status of Gamel.

[LouisEly]

TGJ to SD to rent Maddux for the rest of the season. Throw in Bush if need be. Maddux would really solidify the back end of the rotation. Although it could tax the bullpen as you'd have three starters (Maddux, McClung, Parra) who rarely go more than six innings. (But then again, they almost always go at least six and rarely get knocked out in the 3rd/4th.)

 

Young is still on the DL after getting domed by the comebacker. He may pull a Bryce Florie and never be the same so I would want to see him pitch again before trading for him.

 

SD is a very good trading partner though, as they are in desperate need of OFs. Jody Gerut? Pat McAnulty? Scott Hairston? A 37-year-old Brian Giles? I think you'd be surprised how much they'd listen if we offered Hall, TGJ, and Bush. Put Bush in a bigger park that's harder to hit HRs in and his WHIP could serve him well. Add in a Gillespie or a Katin and you might get something good in return.

[joepepsi]

Fielder, Hall, and PTBNL for Ichiro and Bedard.

[lukevan]

The PTBNL would have to be a LaPorta or Gamel for Seattle to be interested.

 

I do see the Brewers making a move for a SP before the deadline. Someone like Wolf or Maddux would probably be the highest quality we'd be able to find without selling the farm too much. I'm not sure Gwynn would be enough to interest SD for Maddux though he'd fit well in that park defensively for them. I wouldn't mind making a run at Paul Byrd either so that we can have the most super-postseason-ey starting rotation possible with he and Suppan.

[joepepsi]

Are the Padres really going to cut and run? They've been playing better of late, are only one game out of 2nd in the division. Chris Young can come back anytime, though I don't know his status. Though they have a losing record they are closer to first place than the Brewers.

 

Seattle will never trade Ichiro of course, but they do seem the most likely team to hold a fire sale. Although Maddux would be a positve addition to the club, I'm not that interested trading quality prospects for another "innings eater". I realize it's the in thing to hate Dave Bush, but he's lower his ERA .83 runs in his last 4 starts, 3 of which fit the Quality Start standard. 6ip per game, 4.17 ERA last four games.....

[JohnBriggs12]

Washburn has registered back to back quality starts and 3 of his last 4. I think he'd be an upgrade over Bush, and I think Seattle would let him go for very little in return.

[Oldcity]

Fielder, Hall, and PTBNL for Ichiro and Bedard.

If they trade Fielder, it should be for a pitcher who the Brewers will control for at least three years. Also, I'd never expect them to trade Prince in-season.

 

[joepepsi]

Washburn has registered back to back quality starts and 3 of his last 4.

Bush has registered quality starts in 3 of his last 4 also.

[monty57]

Vargas wouldn't fetch anything because of what he was owed, and Bush has some years left for essentially nothing.

 

iirc, Vargas was around $3MM, while Bush is signed for $2.55MM in his first arby year, which of course is liekly to go up in his 2nd & 3rd arby years. In other words, you'd control Bush longer, but he's owed essentially the same as Vargas was owed.

 

Melvin was trying to unload any of Capuano, Vargas or Bush during the offseason. He couldn't get any takers, so he dumped Vargas. I doubt this season's numbers will make Bush any more marketable.

 

By the way, how would that Capuano and Hall for Rolen trade look now?

[RobertR]

Are the Padres really going to cut and run? They've been playing better of late, are only one game out of 2nd in the division. Chris Young can come back anytime, though I don't know his status. Though they have a losing record they are closer to first place than the Brewers.

The Brewers are 5 games out of the wild card with only two teams to jump. The Padres are 11 games back with 10 teams to jump. Sure, if Arizona collapses the Padres have a chance, but the odds are against them. Baseball Prospectus' playoff odds report gives San Diego a 4.8% chance of making the playoffs, almost all of that residing on them winning the division.

 

Someone like Bush may be of interest to the Padres since his biggest problem appears to be his HR rate. Definitely won't do it by himself though. Probably going to cost the Brewers someone like Salome or Gillespie in addition.

 

Robert

 

 

[brewmann04]

I hope Doug holds onto our top Prospects this season. I am not sold that the brewers will make the playoffs even as the wild card. I would not mind trading hall and Bush even though it only be for a rental type of player at most.

[nate82]

Wolf would be a better pick up than Maddux or you could possibly get both in a trade.

 

What about this for Maddux and Wolf.

 

Brewers send: Gwynn, Bush, Gillespie, and Crabbe

Padres send: Maddux, Wolf, and a player to be named later

 

I'm not sure I would send Gillespie over to the Padres but if we could get both Maddux and Wolf it would be a nice rotation of Sheets, Suppan, Maddux, Wolf, Parra/McClung/Villanueva. It wouldn't be the best rotation in baseball but it would be better than what we have right now though. Plus we really wouldn't be losing much in terms of prospects. The Padres would like to have Gwynn and get Crabbe back. Gillespie doesn't look like a CF to me and we already have a lot of corner OF that would be blocking him.

[dadofandrew]

There's only about 5 teams out of playoff contention right now, they'll be 12-15 by the end of July. That's why so few deals get done until then.

[GAME05]

TGJ to SD to rent Maddux for the rest of the season.

i think that's an excellent idea, and SD would do that in a heartbeat. and with Maddux probably retiring, they wouldn't be looking at losing a pick if he were to be a Type B FA.

 

[dadofandrew]

I don't think you lose a pick unless they are Type A's.

[LouisEly]

Brewers send: Gwynn, Bush, Gillespie, and Crabbe

Padres send: Maddux, Wolf, and a player to be named later

 

Brewers only need one starter, not two. Sheets, Suppan, Maddux, McClung, Parra... the way Suppan, McClung, and Parra have been pitching the last month that rotation would be awesome. And if they balanced it right - Sheet's power followed by Suppan's finesse and movement followed by McClung's power followed by Maddux's location and movement... teams would be so off-balance from one night to the next.

[Postseason2006]

Crabbe was just sent back to the Brewers and being picked in the Rule 5 draft, no? Why would they want him?

 

It's going to take a lot more to give up than junk. It took 3 players to get an average Leinbrink last year.

[PeaveyFury]

I don't think you lose a pick unless they are Type A's.

 

I think he meant that they wouldn't be losing the potential comp pick if they just hung on to Maddux since he's likely retiring at the end of the year.

[PeaveyFury]

Crabbe was just sent back to the Brewers and being picked in the Rule 5 draft, no? Why would they want him?

 

They obviously liked him enough to take him, but like most predicted, he just wasn't ready. If he was traded, they could develop him however fast they'd like at whatever level.

[Weirdos19]

I really don't see San Diego giving up when Arizona is emploding and the Dodgers offense is terrible.

 

Teams I would consider out of it right now: Seattle, Kansas City, Washington, Atlanta (injuries), Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Colorado, and San Fran.

 

Pitchers from these teams that would fit the Brewers: Bedard, Batista, Washburn, Meche, Odalis Perez, Snell, Francis, and Cain.

 

Outside of Batista and Washburn, I would consider any of these pitchers. A guy like Odalis Perez could come very cheap. Guys like Bedard and Cain would take quite a bit.

 

* Bedard to Milwaukee for Bush, LaPorta, and Brad Nelson ( I don't want Bedard's attitude here)

* Odalis Perez for Iribarren or Gwynn

* Snell for Hall (ss for them) and Dillard

* Meche for Bush and Brad Nelson

* Francis for Gwynn, Bush, and Dillard

* Cain for LaPorta, Dillard, and Hall

 

Teams like Toronto, Baltimore, Cleveland, Minnesota, Detroit, and Houston could be on their way to dealing pitching. That's another post.

[yoshii8]

I think you might be undervaluing what it would take to get Francis, Snell and on a lesser scale Meche. I think it would take at least a top 5 prospect and a player for either one.