If we're still out of it in July...

[sheethead]

The most important move I want to see is Ken Macha far, far, far away from Milwaukee! Anything above that is gravy to me.

I agree with this. If they could only do one thing, I would pick firing Ken Macha. He offers nothing to this team. The team is usually just sitting back and waiting for something to happen. Ken Macha. If players don't take matters into their own hands (Gomez on Thursday), there is little or no innovation to this team's makeup. Ken Macha. I grow increasingly bored of this team with each passing day, to the point of realizing there are countless other things to do with my time than to watch an apathetic baseball team sleepwalk through another game. The tone at the top may be the serious issue here. I can't help but think about recent interviews with Melvin, and how they nearly put me to sleep every time. If the team is going to suck, get some personalities in here to at least make it interesting. I am just not that interested at this point, which is sad because its not even July.

[Invader3K]

I think the big problem with Macha is he is still trying to do all he can to "win now", when it's becoming rapidly obvious this team is not in any sort of contention. Hard to blame him, as he's probably trying to keep his job, but the directive should be coming from upper management soon.

 

I, like sheethead, also find myself becoming apathetic. Hard to get that excited bout any team 11 games under .500, though. Hopefully some trades will happen sooner than later and we'll actually have some more substantive things to talk about.

[sheethead]

Ron Washington, in taking out his closer when it was clear he was going to blow the game, is trying to win now. I don't think Macha knows how to try to win now or develop players. So that may be why I don't see how he has any value to this team.

[Invader3K]

My guess is that the Brewers are trying to ride out this month, hoping for a miracle turnaround. When that most likely doesn't happen and it gets to be around the All-Star break, I think we could see Macha get dismissed.

 

I hope Sveum gets a chance again instead of Randolph, though. I just think this team needs a more energetic manager, and I don't see that in Willie at all.

[brewmann04]

Willie is not the answer please no way his Mets team quite on him back when he was here in NY.

[sheethead]

Please, PLEASE, try to make more sense!

[Beast Light]

A legitimate first base prospect would be needed too. I dont consider Gamel a first base prospect.

I'm not disagreeing with you here but this is just a thought that has come to my mind.

 

Should teams ever invest significantly in a 1B prospect? It seems to me that every team has guys that can hit, but struggle to field their positions. McGehee, Braun, Gamel, Hart, etc are a few that come to mind for the Brewers. Now obviously you have to have 1st baseman waiting in the minors but I almost wonder if teams should avoid drafting players that they already know are limited to the position. Now there are going to be exceptions such as Prince Fielder where the talent is simply too good to pass up but for the most part, maybe it should be reserved for a hitter that just can't cut it at their position.

 

Its seems to me that most teams have these types of players. If it turns out that they can't find anyone to play the position, that is where you could look into moving an aging major leaguer to the spot or signing a Dye, Guerrero type player to man the position for a year.

 

[Invader3K]

The team also just drafted a first baseman (Hunter Morris in the fourth round) who sounds to be pretty promising. Granted he is probably at least a couple years off from cracking the majors, and needs to be signed yet, but it isn't like they don't have options down the line. They could even sign a guy like Lyle Overbay as a cheap one year stopgap or something. My point is that it isn't that hard to find a decent first baseman, as long as we accept the next guy inevitably isn't going to match Prince's offensive numbers.

[joepepsi]

My point is that it isn't that hard to find a decent first baseman, as long as we accept the next guy inevitably isn't going to match Prince's offensive numbers.

Adam Dunn would. If we can't keep Prince, and it doesn't seem to make much sense to even try anymore, then I'd like to see him traded for pitching, then have the team push hard to sign Dunn. With Dunn you could get 2-3 years of similar production to Prince for less $$.

[RobDeer 45]

I like us trying to trade Prince and Hart and any aging vets we can get rid of.

 

I'd like us to try to sing weeks if we can get a good deal.

 

I'd like to see Gamel at 1st and also would be interested seeing him in RF but he's got to get healthy. I'd be ok with Mcgehee at 1b but I just think he's got a better glove and more accurate arm.

 

Question here, could we bring Cain up and try Gomez in RF? He's got a cannon arm and that would give us a ton of range between those two.

[Boisebrewer]

What about moving Hart to 1b? Didn't he play some there in the minors?

He did, but I doubt that he is around after this year so I think it would make more sense to put McGehee at 1st and Gamel and 3rd.

 

 

[brewmann04]

what was meant is that Willie STINKS AS A MANGER PERIOD.

[JohnBriggs12]

I think the big problem with Macha is he is still trying to do all he can to "win now", when it's becoming rapidly obvious this team is not in any sort of contention. Hard to blame him, as he's probably trying to keep his job, but the directive should be coming from upper management soon.

 

I, like sheethead, also find myself becoming apathetic. Hard to get that excited bout any team 11 games under .500, though. Hopefully some trades will happen sooner than later and we'll actually have some more substantive things to talk about.

Macha's job is to "win now". You stop trying to "win now" in mid June and you end up losing 100+ games. The problem is the guys Melvin gave him to "win now". They either are all hurt (Hawkins, Davis, Zaun, Coffey, Gerut), released due to ineffectiveness (Suppan, Vargas), aging (Edmonds, Hoffman, Counsell, Riske) or not living up to expectations (take your pick).

 

It was a very poorly constructed roster especially considering the alternatives that were out there this past winter and the money spent. It's been made worse by simultaneous falloffs by veteran players, injuries, and unexpected poor performances by key guys, and the slow response to replace the worst offenders.

 

Melvin deserves to take the fall.

[rcon14]

1B to pursue if we trade Prince (FA after 2010 seasons):

Russell Branyan
Jorge Cantu
Aubrey Huff
Fernando Tatis
Xavier Nady
Jim Thome
Jason Kubel (has option with MIN)

I don't neccesarily think we would bring in Thome, or would have the oppurtunity to bring in Kubel or Cantu, but Branyan seems like a logical stopgap solution for a year, maybe two. And he's no slouch (.260, 30 HR)

[TheCrew]

Minn will pick up Kubel's option but Adam Dunn, Paul Konerko and Derrek Lee are also free agents after this season - plenty of options out there.

[rcon14]

Just a thought...

 

If Kenny Williams actually fires Ozzie Guillen, would you be interested in bringing in Ozzie "$#%*" Guillen?

 

I would.

[sheethead]

I love Ozzie. Like I said, if you are going to suck as a team, might as well be entertaining. Ozzie has won a WS, so I guess that automatically makes him a better manager than Kenneth Macha.

[rcon14]

I love Ozzie. Like I said, if you are going to suck as a team, might as well be entertaining. Ozzie has won a WS, so I guess that automatically makes him a better manager than Kenneth Macha.

 

That's what I was thinking. Ozzie is a much more entertaining, and more "crack-down" manager than Macha. This team has a lot of young talent and Ozzie likes to enjoy the game so he'll let them be kids, but when the situation calls for it he'll be the kinda guy that will draw the line. Macha is a real drag as a manager. He had a veteran team in OAK and that's about all he can coach.

 

If we hire Ozzie I'm going to assume that Rick Peterson gets fired, so who'd be our next option as pitching coach?

[sheethead]

He had a veteran team in OAK and that's about all he can coach.

 

Exactly, a team he can put on cruise control and not have to actually do any decision making.

[ELCABALLO45]

Ozzie has had Mark Kotsay, hes THAT Mark Kotsay bat 5th all year. He also has been leading off Juan Pierre most of the year and Andruw Jones lead off last night. Please no Ozzie.

[logan82]

Ozzie has had Mark Kotsay, hes THAT Mark Kotsay bat 5th all year. He also has been leading off Juan Pierre most of the year and Andruw Jones lead off last night. Please no Ozzie.

Ugh, so the possibility would be Escobar and Gomez #1 and 2.

 

I think the thread title should be "When", not "If."

[sheethead]

Ozzie has had Mark Kotsay, hes THAT Mark Kotsay bat 5th all year. He also has been leading off Juan Pierre most of the year and Andruw Jones lead off last night. Please no Ozzie.

Batting order is rather meaningless.

[brewmann04]

maybe make a call to Bristol and see if a certain someone is intrested.

[craigharmann]

maybe make a call to Bristol and see if a certain someone is intrested.

Chris Berman would make all the girls wearing leather pants pretty scared in Milwaukee, so I'm gonna say no.

[Invader3K]

Ozzie Guillen as Brewers manager would be epic. I would love to see it happen.