Should we be DOING something by now?

[Invader3K]

Well, something has to happen with the starting rotation especially. I just cannot fathom how much weight would be put on the shoulders of a 22 year old pitcher who has never pitched a full season in the majors right now, and just coming off major rehab. I think Yovani is going to be an outstanding MLB pitcher, but you can't expect him to carry the load, even if he and Parra go out and both have good seasons. Bush and Suppan will both probably be solid if unspectacular (well, I hope Suppan especially can just be average again), but that five spot is a huge question mark right now. If you put either Villy or Big Red there, you are just weakening the bullpen all the more.

 

I've said it before, but it is dangerous to put too much stock into young players, no matter how high their potential supposedly is. We saw what happened in '06 when such high expectations were put on a very young offense (yes, there were key injuries and the Lee trade that year that were a huge factor, too).

 

Really, if Melvin would just sign someone like Hoffman to be the closer, and get the Looper deal done, I would be feeling much more at ease going into next season. I wouldn't put our playoff chances very high, but at least I'd feel somewhat confident that we could at least contend. Right now I don't feel that way at all. My wife and I personally took the huge step of buying a 9 pack of tickets by ourselves this year (split it with someone last year), and I just hope the Brewers don't make me regret that decision. I realize that is a selfish way to look at things, but I'm sure a lot of other fans are in the same boat right now.

[MNBrew]

This has been a maddeningly quiet off season for the Brewers so far.

For the number of decent players available in FA and others who could possibly be available in trade, it's really been a maddeningly quiet offseason for many, many teams so far, not just the Brewers. Even several traditionally big spenders have been fairly quiet.

 

The Dodgers have only re-signed their own FAs plus Mark Loretta. The Angels have lost two stud FAs and only signed Fuentes to fill one of those two holes. The Red Sox have only traded Coco Crisp for a middle reliever from KC.

 

I'm frustrated, too. But the whole market's moving slowly and this stuff just takes time. I'd much prefer Melvin not make a move at all than make a stupid move.

[JohnBriggs12]

"it's still been quite clear that the Brewers front office has been extremely busy"

 

How can you tell? If they have been, they are sure quiet about it.

 

"The Red Sox have only traded Coco Crisp"

 

They agreed to terms with Brad Penny pending a physical too and were in the Texiera sweepstakes right down to the end and offered 2 players to the Marlins for H. Ramirez.

[Invader3K]

Well, the thing that frustrates me quite a bit, related to all this, is that we aren't even hearing the Brewers really mentioned in connection with any FAs or possible deals. Aside from Braden Looper, who we haven't even heard anything about for almost two weeks now. I'm sure when he ends up signing somewhere else, we'll hear how Melvin couldn't get his agent to return his calls or something, though.

[And That]

We've also signed a starting pitcher coming off an injury (Capuano), added no-name arms to the bullpen (Morlan, Swindle, Julio), been rebuffed by our top free agent target (Sabathia) and failed to make at least one trade (Cameron to the Yankees).

 

I'd say we're having about as good an offseason as Boston to this point.

[Oldcity]

Yes you can't credit the Red Sox for being one of many teams after Mark Teixeira and for offering a trade to the Marlins while failing to mention the fact that the Brewers were the only other team with an offer to Sabathia and they were close to making a trade with the Yankees. It's no different.

[endaround]

I understand this to a point. Meaning the Brewers need a starting pitcher, 4 starting pitchers who would have helped the Brewers are signed leaving fewer available. That said its just 4 pitchers, and only really Johnson would the Brewers have had a realistic shot at.

[BrewCrewForever]

At least Boston signed Brad Penny to a low risk high reward deal. We have not even done that.

[Ennder]

We need a SP, we could use a RP, it would be nice to sign a 3B. The SP is really the only deal that worries me a lot if it doesn't happen because we just don't have the depth right now that we need.

[Never Outhustled]

I'd say we're having about as good an offseason as Boston to this point.

We lost Sebathia, Torres, and Branyan, who did Boston lose?

[RockCoCougars]

This team has done absolutely nothing to improve. The top two starters will be gone, if they maintain their quizzical apathy towards Sheets. The bullpen has been absolutely decimated. They have done nothing to improve their offense. I'm not sure what's going on here.... the old "We will have Yo healthy for a whole year" refrain does not constitute a productive off season. Besides the fact that there is no closer, and Jeff Suppan and McClung constitue 2/5 of the rotation at this point, which is scary enough, this team has absolutely no depth. This team is one injury from having a guy like Everitt Stull, Brad Woodall or Joe Winkelsas starting games.....I'm really starting to fear that the ownership group is having cash flow problems. Last year wasn't exactly a banner year for investment banking firms.... Think about it, two years ago, this team was throwing huge money at garbage like Suppan and Dave Roberts, last year they throw $10 million at Eric Gagne.....and this year they won't even make an offer to their ace pitcher- in a down market for free agents....off a playoff appearance none the less? Something doesn't compute here....

[And That]

We lost Sebathia, Torres, and Branyan, who did Boston lose?

We had no chance to sign Sabathia and Torres retired - both of those things were totally out of the Brewers' control. If you want to demerit their offseason success a few nothces because the Yankees threw Monopoly money at CC and Saloman wanted to spend more time with his kids, you are certainly more than welcome to, but I don't because it wasn't plausible to retain either.

 

The Brewers could have thrown a few million bucks at Branyan, but he understandably wanted a much better shot to play every day, and Jack Z. gave that shot to him.

 

I believe the crux of the argument in this thread is that the Brewers haven't gone out and gotten anyone to really bolster the team. My point was, the same thing is going on in Boston and most places around the league.

[brewtank34]

This offseason has grown tiresome! I must dance!

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3273/2764844447_5ca893942b.jpg?v=0

[Invader3K]

I don't know why people are throwing out comparisons between Boston and Milwaukee. Seems like two very different situations to me. The Red Sox made the ALCS, and haven't really lost anyone major since last season (unless I'm totally blanking). They've signed Smoltz and Baldelli to very favorable low risk contracts. You could argue they have some weak spots at catcher and possibly DH, but overall they look to be a very solid team as usual. Also, they still have a very solid outfielder in Jason Bay from their mid-season trade of Manny Ramirez, where we lost the guy we acquired (Sabathia, obviously), though that was through no fault of Melvin and company.

[TooLiveBrew]

The bullpen has been absolutely decimated.

 

Nope. The bullpen is actually better off than it was last season at this point, and has a very realistic chance to be quite a bit better in 2009 than it was in 2008.

[brewmann04]

we won't know how good the bullpen will actually be until they play live baseball

[silversurferr]

Bullpen is better. And deeper.

[Invader3K]

I think the positive of the bullpen going into this year is there are less "question mark" types. Last year we had Gagne, Turnbow, Mota, and even Torres as fairly big "Are they going to be decent or horrible?" type guys. This year I think we can be a little more certain that most of the bullpen will be at least decent.

[Yeti73]

I think we're going to make a few good moves toward the end of the off-season. I think we're waiting out the market and may bring in a couple guys to add depth to SP. I expect we bring in two of the following, one being a minor league deal: Bryd, Garland, Garcia, Looper, Odalis, Livan, Fogg, Kip Wells or Mulder. The first four and maybe Odalis could fit into our starting rotation, although Garcia has a bit to prove. Surely one of the others will have a good 2009 season. The question is which.

 

I hope we don't sniff around Bartolo or Sidney. There may be some leftovers at the team buffet now that CC is gone, but I'd hate to see either of those two being a call up of ours.

[endaround]

Colon has already signed with the Sox.

[brewmann04]

There been a lot of talk about Mulder being a Dark horse Signing and could suprise.

 

I would sign both him and Cordero.