Sell, sell, sell?

[Invader3K]

Got a tweet from Gord Ash: "Meetings and discussions continue with nothing imminent."

 

Not exactly very telling, but it's clear they are having some serious discussions about where this season is headed, I assume.

[SeriesFinale]

I haven't heard the Brewers connected to anything, buy or sell, since Sunday evening. At this stage I'd be surprised if they were involved in any deal whatsoever although I still wouldn't mind seeing them make a deal (maybe even a huge deal) that helps reinforce pitching--starting or relief--in '10. What that deal would be I have no idea.

[Invader3K]

I agree...I think any move made at this point has to have the goal of improving the '10 team in mind. Any improvement of the current team should be a very secondary priority.

[Invader3K]

Oh boy, this just in:

 

"Melvin Still a Buyer"

 

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/51931102.html

 

"With the Brewers foundering in recent weeks, some folks have begun to wonder if general manager Doug Melvin might slip from a buying mode to a sellling mode.

 

I just spoke with Melvin on the telephone -- he's been tough to get in touch with because he and his staff have been exploring trades non-stop -- and he assured me is is still in a buying mode.

 

"We're still looking to see if we can find pitching that makes us better," said Melvin. "There's still a lot of baseball left, if we can get guys back on track. It's not like we're 6, 7, 8 games back."

 

The Brewers, losers of 15 of 22 games this month, are four behind first-place Chicago entering play tonight. Melvin's thinking is that one pitcher might help bolster a staff in which too many short-inning starts have bled into the bullpen and caused problems there.

 

"(One pitcher) could help," said Melvin. "When Dave Bush got hurt, it made a difference. We were much better when Dave Bush was in the rotation. So, one or two guys can make a difference. It has a domino effect on the bullpen."

[SeriesFinale]

Well, I don't have a huge problem with them being buyers provided the pitcher will be here in '10 (maybe not altogether likely) and doesn't cost the Brewers a whole lot either financially or in terms of players (also not altogether likely, but that's relative).

[Hate those Rodents]

If he can get JZ to do the Hardy for Washburn/Morrow, fine. Otherwise, please don't be dumb Doug.

[paulmolitor4]

The Brewers have been playing miserably lately, but I'm not sure why people continue to discuss selling. READ IT AGAIN: The Brewers will not be selling. Stop wasting your time. Attanasio and Melvin are not giving up on the season. They want to show Milwaukee they are going to do everything they can to field a winner EVERY season. I'm not saying they are wrong or right, but you can forget about them selling.

[The Ignitor]

If he can get JZ to do the Hardy for Washburn/Morrow, fine. Otherwise, please don't be dumb Doug.

I could not disagree more with this trade. This is the exact trade not to do. Morrow might be something, but Washburn is a goner in 2-months. Though Hardy has struggled this year, he's got to be worth more than that, and if not, I say you keep him through next year.

[Hate those Rodents]

A) We can probably resign Washburn if we get him now. I'd say our odds double on being able to do so if we trade for him now and he pitches well for us (provided we offer him a "fair" contract).

 

B) Morrow is young, throws hard, is under our control for a few years, and has top 2-3 of the rotation potential.

 

c) You will not find a better deal than that, if you can even get this deal. I highly doubt we can get Seattle to do this without prospects going their way, but if we can, it's a no-brainer (especially for DM and MA who want to prove to the casual fan that we aren't giving up, we are getting the pitching we need, and we still have a good shot at the playoffs).

[SeriesFinale]

The Brewers have been playing miserably lately, but I'm not sure why people continue to discuss selling. READ IT AGAIN: The Brewers will not be selling. Stop wasting your time. Attanasio and Melvin are not giving up on the season. They want to show Milwaukee they are going to do everything they can to field a winner EVERY season. I'm not saying they are wrong or right, but you can forget about them selling.

Yeah. Add in that what we could get with our "trade bait" most likely wouldn't be worth dealing for when we're (guessing) three games back by the deadline and I especially don't see it happening this year. Beyond the fans, I wonder what message selling in this situation sends to our younger players here, both as an organization and that organization's belief in their abilities.

[TheCrew07]

Why would we want to pay for mediocrity with Washburn? I agree he helps for this season, but for the future it would be all about Morrow. Personally speaking I'm looking to get away from Relievers and Players of averagish talent being the highest paid players on the team.

[wibadgers23]

Well I'm all for still buying if it doesn't involve trading Escobar or Gamel for anybody not named Hallady or Cliff Lee.

[RU Rah Rah]

I guess I am resisting the notion that it's a binary "buy" or "sell" proposition. Any transaction would involve both.

 

Also, I'm not entirely convinced that dealing one player actually amounts to "giving up" on a season. Teams lose individual players all the time without seeing their collective seasons completely fall apart. (A thorough fire sale is another matter entirely.)

 

I understand that there is a PR dimension to this, but I don't think that fear of possible short-term backlash should deter the team from making smart, opportunistic moves that will help the team over the long haul.

[fleehaw]

While Buchholz doesn't seem feasible for a Hardy deal with the Sox, they have a good deal else that should interest the Brewers. What about Daniel Bard (Brewer closer of the future)? Add in a good to very good prospect with him and that's a good haul for Hardy.

 

The trickle down effect this season would be Counsell at SS, Gamel/McGehee at 3B, and Lopez at 2B. You could argue that the offense would be better the rest of this year too.

[bklynbrewcrew]

I blame Mark A for the mess we are in. He is so desperate to be relevant that he is forcing Melvin to do something. This team is just not good enough and trading Weeks or Escobar for Washburn wont change that. Melvin cant serious believe that this team is a serious contender and thats why the owner must be pushing the buttons.

[lcbj68c]

Do you have evidence of that. I don't care either way, but some evidence would be compelling.

[Hate those Rodents]

I think we all have a gut feeling that Mark A is this way. Not sure what kind of a quote we can get out of him to indicate it for sure, but I know most of us have this belief of Mark A. Time will tell within the week I guess....

[lcbj68c]

I think Mark A. tells DM what to do with his money...it's his money afterall. I think he says, "spend my money" "save my money" But I don't think he says, "get xyz", "sell xyz"

[Hate those Rodents]

I agree LCB. However, I think he might say "Get at least a #3 starter, we need one". Doug then says, "the market is horrible, we're going to have to give up our second best prospect to do that".

 

I am worried about how MA responds to this...

[chinabob99]

Suppan has a "left oblique strain" per Witrado. Just about time to stick a fork in this season.

[lcbj68c]

I don't know, me thinks DM might think a #3 starter for the second best prospect is a good trade. That scares me.

[craigharmann]

Everyone but Braun, Prince and Yo on are the table. Make offers. If you look that pitiful against the Nats, it's bad.

[tigerbrew]

Have to agree, time to sell and retool for next year. Guys like Hoffman, Cameron, Counsell and Lopez could be attractive to contenders. Hardy and Looper could be attractive trading chips too.

[brewmann04]

hopefully melvin will be in Full Blown sellers mode

[clancyphile]

Everyone but Braun, Prince and Yo on are the table. Make offers. If you look that pitiful against the Nats, it's bad.

Mine's a little smaller: Cameron, Counsell, Looper, Hoffman, Gamel, and Salome from the 40-man are all available.

 

Price: Young pitching. The rotation depth is not there.