Buster Olney's Team to watch for the 2nd half: Your Milwaukee Brewers

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

Buster Olney from ESPN named the Milwaukee Brewers as his team to watch by citing their 17-7 stretch and the team in the best position to get C.C. Sabathia because they have a team "loaded with AA Prospects" to get the deal done.

 

It's nice to hear ESPN come to the dark side.

[MickeyDavis]

I like Sabathia but trading for him means having to resign him and it means Sheets is gone. It also means either LaPorta or Gamel are gone too. In that case I would rather just resign Sheets.

 

Sheets + LaPorta (or Gamel) > Sabathia.

 

Now if we could trade for Sabathia, resign him AND keep Sheets..... Sheets, Sabathia, Gallardo, Suppan, Parra, McClung. That's a hell of a lot of starting pitching.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

I didn't think ESPN even knew where Milwaukee was.

[MickeyDavis]

They stumble across us every once in awhile.

[RockCoCougars]

I don't have a bit of interest in Sabathia. Whoever gives him a long term contract will carry an albatross around their necks for a LONG time. His size will likely cause a ton of injury problems down the road.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

Well there has to be at least some interest because replacing Dave Bush with a proven above average pitcher is a definite upgrade and would increase our playoff odds by a ton.

[kiwi brewer]

but he can hit!

 

his bomb tonight was pretty entertaining...

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

It sounds like the Cubs are really working the phones right now trying to get some more starting pitching. Too bad their front office is garbage and they have barely any decent prospects in their organization so their trading chips are limited. Has their been a worse drafting team in this decade than the Chicago Cubs?

[JJHardy7]

Why is this a big deal? I thought the majority here said that ESPN was biased and only liked the Yankees and Red Sox and was a horrible network and source of information.

 

I'm still a firm believer that ESPN covers teams that win games....and the Brewers are doing that now so it's not shocking they're being covered nationally a bit. As far as CC, I'd pass if it means giving up LaPorta and Gamel right now. Let's give it a month and see where we're at in the standings.

[jazzytrav]

Now if we could trade for Sabathia, resign him AND keep Sheets..... Sheets, Sabathia, Gallardo, Suppan, Parra, McClung. That's a hell of a lot of starting pitching.

This sounds so familiar http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

I like Sabathia but trading for him means having to resign him and it means Sheets is gone.

Honest question: is there really any reason that we would have to re-sign him? I just didn't know if he has some kind of trade clause where he could turn down a trade if the team can't give him a new contract. Otherwise he would be a rental and two draft picks. Anyway, I still wouldn't do it.

 

I guess that's easy to say when McClung is *gulp* dominating and the rest of the staff is pitching well. But then again, if the staff wasn't doing that, we wouldn't be in any kind of position to be talking about Sabathia.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I like Sabathia but trading for him means having to resign him and it means Sheets is gone. It also means either LaPorta or Gamel are gone too. In that case I would rather just resign Sheets.

 

Sheets + LaPorta (or Gamel) > Sabathia.

 

Now if we could trade for Sabathia, resign him AND keep Sheets..... Sheets, Sabathia, Gallardo, Suppan, Parra, McClung. That's a hell of a lot of starting pitching.

I don't disagree, but the way the story in the JS is written, it sounds like Melvin is willing to rent an elite player if it comes to that; trading a prospect to get Sabathia for half the year. He talks about doing it last year for Linebrink. Granted you'd have to give away more to get Sabathia. I hate to lose to any of those AA guys, but I am hungry for a playoff run.

 

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

Olney elaborated on this on BBTN about 5 minutes ago and he said the Brewers have 2 things that other teams don't have both of to get the Sabathia deal done: Motivation and Prospects. He said the Cubs don't have the prospects and the Dodgers don't have the motivation to get the deal done. It was interesting to see the Yankees off the list of possible teams for Sabathia according to Olney because they are so stubborn about giving up their overrated prospects.

[DonMoney4Mgr]

I still think an option should be to trade soup now while he has some value. It doesn't matter what we get in return. By doing so, we can free up 10-12 M to sign Sheets/Sabathia.

2009 rotation; Sheets, Sabathia, Gallardo, Parra, McClung/Jeffries.

[nate82]

Has their been a worse drafting team in this decade than the Chicago Cubs?

The Milwaukee Bucks?

Seriously though I really can't think of another team that has drafted as poorly as the Cubs have. Even the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, and Angels have drafted better than the Cubs. Notice most of those teams are in a large market area. I would have to say that the Cubs are the worst big market team drafting wise.

[DHonks]

t doesn't matter what we get in return. By doing so, we can free up 10-12 M to sign Sheets/Sabathia.

 

Perhaps, but letting Gagne go frees $10 million. In fact, here's some of the guys that may or may not be back:

 

Gagne $10 million

Hall $6.8 million (in '09)

Mota $3.2

Torres $3.2

Cameron $6.2

Capuano $3.75

 

That's over $30 million right there. That means there's room to bump Sheets by 7 million up to $18 million AND sign Sabathia for $18 million, and pay the replacements for the aforementioned players while STILL cutting costs, which would be used to off-set other pay raises for players.

[danzig6767]

I doubt we'd be able to resign Sabbathia

 

If not, i'm not up for trading say Laporta or Gamel and another good prospect just to get 10-12 starts from CC.

[TuesdaysWithRillo]

I doubt we'd be able to resign Sabbathia

Yeah since the rumor is that C.C. Turned down a 100 million dollar offer from the Indians, I doubt we'd even bother in the offseason, but if he's the World Series MVP, it's all worth it.

[BrewCrewForever]

best position to get C.C. Sabathia because they have a team "loaded with AA Prospects" to get the deal done.

 

No thanks. I would really be upset and hate it if Doug would trade LaPorta or Gamel just to get 10-12 starts from CC Sabathia. Trading a player or players who could be cornerstones of this franchise for a rental player is not something I want to see done. The starting pitching has been pretty good, lets take our chances with what we have.

[GB12]

Seriously though I really can't think of another team that has drafted as poorly as the Cubs have.

 

And yet if you ask a Cubs fan they'd say they have a top notch farm system.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Isn't Craig Counsell gone after this year? Isn't he making near $3 million?

[edod]

t doesn't matter what we get in return. By doing so, we can free up 10-12 M to sign Sheets/Sabathia.

 

Perhaps, but letting Gagne go frees $10 million. In fact, here's some of the guys that may or may not be back:

 

Gagne $10 million

Hall $6.8 million (in '09)

Mota $3.2

Torres $3.2

Cameron $6.2

Capuano $3.75

 

That's over $30 million right there. That means there's room to bump Sheets by 7 million up to $18 million AND sign Sabathia for $18 million, and pay the replacements for the aforementioned players while STILL cutting costs, which would be used to off-set other pay raises for players.

Yeah, but I think the team has to make a serious effort to retain Torres. Just look what happened this year when you let a closer get away.

You can also throw me into the group that thinks Sheets + AA prospects >>> Sabathia. If they can rent him without losing Gamel or LaPorta and maybe even Salome, I'd say go for it.

 

[Crewin06]

we are not going to re-sign Sabathia.

 

But give me Sabathia for 10-12 starts plus the playoffs and 2 draft picks for Dr. Z to work with inside the top 50 and we'll discuss Gamel, IMO.

 

Maybe I am wrong but with Taylor Green hitting at a better clip than both Gamel and Braun at A+ and a left handed bat I think it is definitely an option.

 

Personally I think it is insane for the Indians to bypass Gamel. Especially in the A.L. . and I definitely think it is insane for the Brewers to bypass the rotation of Sheets, Sabathia, Suppan, and Parra for this post season.

 

The Trade makes so much sense on so many levels that it will never go down. But it is something great to think about.

[BrewCrewForever]

If Sabathia meant a guaranteed playoff birth then I would consider dealing Gamel and LaPorta for him. But its not a sure thing, that is why I take my chances with our current staff and keep both of our stud prospects.

[ArrogantNemesis]

Has their been a worse drafting team in this decade than the Chicago Cubs?

This is a misconception BIG TIME. The Cubs have drafted very well this decade. Guys like Willis, Nolasco, Prior, Sisco, Theriot, Brendan Harris, Luke Hagerty, Justin Jones, Bobby Brownlie, Luis Montanez, Ryan Harvey, etc, etc, have at one point been highly thought off, by not only the Cubs, but other teams. The problems lies within the development department. Whether is has been failure by injuries (Brownlie, Hagerty, etc), attitude problems (Sisco), the Cubs system takes a hit by circumstance. It doesn't help, that the Cubs draft strategy involves trying to turn athletes in baseball players, and TOO RAW players. Just bad luck as to why some of the kids don't pan out. Which is why the Cubs have had better luck through trades and Latin America signings.

 

But to say the Cubs are worst team at drafting this decade is wrong. I believe that honor goes to either the New York Yankees, or the St. Louis Cards. The Cubs draft the talent, they can't developed the talent.

[ArrogantNemesis]

Olney elaborated on this on BBTN about 5 minutes ago and he said the Brewers have 2 things that other teams don't have both of to get the Sabathia deal done: Motivation and Prospects. He said the Cubs don't have the prospects and the Dodgers don't have the motivation to get the deal done. It was interesting to see the Yankees off the list of possible teams for Sabathia according to Olney because they are so stubborn about giving up their overrated prospects.

I wouldn't trust what BBTN and/or what Olney says. Look at what the Mets gave up for Santana. Do you think another team is going to give up more then what the Mets gave up for Santana? Mets gave up Carlos Gomez, Deolis Guerra, Kevin Mulvey and Phillip Humber to get Santana, in other words they gave up a RAW OFer (Gomez), a future potential #2 (Guerra), and two future back end starters (Mulvey and Humber), not a sure fire, can't miss prospect in the best. Some good prospects, but not one, you know for sure will be a future star. So don't count out the Cubs, just because the BBTN crew believes the "Cubs don't have the prospects", and don't just simple assume CC is heading straight to Milwaukee either. The Cubs GM can work out some complicated trades (ie the Nomar trade).

With that said, the Cubs are said to be focusing on other high caliber arm that is said to be available, and not CC. I fully believe the Cubs will land Rich Harden from the Oakland.