Confidence in Melvin

[owbc]

I still have confidence in Melvin.

 

However, it seems like the Brewers are in "win now" mode and are setting themselves up for some bad teams in 2011-2015 if we continue trading for major leaguers and getting rid of our prospects.

 

I'm not sure if "win now" mode is caused by Melvin, or if he is under pressure from ownership to not trade for prospects. Sure, we probably could have gotten a decent AA or triple-A player for Estrada, but that helps us in a few years, not in 2008.

[SoCal Brew Crew Fan]

At this point, I'd rather see the Brewers use the extra cash to extend out the contracts of guys like Fielder. The market is tight and full of second tier guys that are overpriced. Use some of that dough to lock up the studs and save the leftover dough for when the market is more in your favor. It's disappointing we're going to lose CoCo...tough to see the team better next year without him unless the starters really step up.

 

I wouldn't call any of the recent moves (Estrada, Suppan or Linebrink) disasters by any means, but they weren't great progress either. I'm not sure what they are gaining with Kendall either, he seems to be an Estrada by another name.

[PeaveyFury]

The Davis trade has ended up badly, but at least made sense at the time. Other than that, Melvin hasn't done anything to shake confidence yet.

[Ennder]

The Davis trade has ended up badly, but at least made sense at the time. Other than that, Melvin hasn't done anything to shake confidence yet.

I dunno, Vargas wasn't much worse than Davis last year, the difference in xFIP is all of .20 and that is with Vargas being injured some. I guess I'm just not blinded by Davis' ERA from last year, that was arizona's defense and bullpen, not good pitching.

 

Sure maybe we could have gotten more but to be honest you never know what you are getting. Vargas showed some improvements in the 2nd half of 2006 and those didnt' really carry over to 2007. Estrada seemed to show that his 2005 was a fluke in 2006 and then he had a bad 2007. I still think the trade made sense, it just didn't work out.

[TooLiveBrew]

I'd be interested to hear other poster's idea's of where DM's "lucidity line" with regard to Kendall's contract is.

 

At this point (re. free agency), as much as it pains me to admit, any AAV less than $8 mil. will do it for me. Any contract longer than two years (hopefully it'd be one year w/ a club option for 2009) will make my brain hurt.

[hauser42]

I have not lost one bit of cinfidence in Melvin. He is once again showing his patience and looking for the right moves to improve this team.

 

Ari trade last year was a no brainer in my book. Davis was referting back to his average to below average self. Eveland was a young pitcher just several the team had. We got a starting C for a season and a SP that replaces Davis for a couple of years.

 

Kendall signing doesnt thrill me but team needs a catcher. He fits the bill as a solid game caller and a bit of a bat. His arm is getting worse so we could see a lot of teams runnning next year.

[bklynbrewcrew]

If melvin signs a scrub like Iguchi to move Braun to LF then I have lost all confidence in him. Its one thing to get an established player like Rolen for a Braun position switch but Iguchi? Seriously let Braun have one more crack at third base if the best you can do to replace him is iguchi. Enough with the scrap heap losers. I think Melvin has done a very poor job since last offseason and it looks like that is continuing this offseason.

[Brian the Automator]

If melvin signs a scrub like Iguchi to move Braun to LF then I have lost all confidence in him. Its one thing to get an established player like Rolen for a Braun position switch but Iguchi? Seriously let Braun have one more crack at third base if the best you can do to replace him is iguchi. Enough with the scrap heap losers. I think Melvin has done a very poor job since last offseason and it looks like that is continuing this offseason.

Would you have given up what StL wanted (Hall and Capuano) to get Rolen, plus assuming his entire salary?

 

[brewmann04]

I respect melvin for not making a move just to make one .He ssems to be following a plan so lets see what Happens.

I agree totally with Brain on his above post.

 

Remember just because the mettings are cooming to a close we still have plenty of time to make a deal.

[Brewtacular]

I respect melvin for not making a move just to make one .He ssems to be following a plan so lets see what Happens.

I agree totally with Brain on his above post.

 

Remember just because the mettings are cooming to a close we still have plenty of time to make a deal.

NO! We will judge Melvin now. Afterall paper tigers always win the WS. Congratulaions Detriot on your championship!

 

[bklynbrewcrew]

As of now we have lost Cordero and Linebrink and replaced them with Riske. Riske is fine to replace Linebrink but Turnbow may very well be our closer and that is unacceptable. Throw in the Kendall acquisition (awful player, as bad as Estrada) and the possibility of signing Iguchi as a starting third basemen and the doubts about Melvin are growing stronger by the day. Yes we still have time to improve the club but as of now we are a worse team than we werw when the season ended. I almost forgot to add in the fact that Melvin has given away more games by keeping Yost for 2008 and it all adds up to Melvin having done a lousy job so far.

[TooLiveBrew]

the doubts about Melvin are growing stronger by the day.

Good thing there aren't zero more days to improve the team, though. Over 12 weeks to go, and you're hitting the panic button?

[Brian the Automator]

As of now we have lost Cordero and Linebrink and replaced them with Riske. Riske is fine to replace Linebrink but Turnbow may very well be our closer and that is unacceptable. Throw in the Kendall acquisition (awful player, as bad as Estrada) and the possibility of signing Iguchi as a starting third basemen and the doubts about Melvin are growing stronger by the day. Yes we still have time to improve the club but as of now we are a worse team than we werw when the season ended. I almost forgot to add in the fact that Melvin has given away more games by keeping Yost for 2008 and it all adds up to Melvin having done a lousy job so far.

What would you have done, with the resources available? (other than fire Yost, which you've probably posted literally 50 times on the site).

 

[pogokat]

it's december 5th...

 

...just sayin'

[Roscoe Chill]

I'm sorry, but I think the idea of moving Braun to LF to make room for a 2B to play 3B isn't the best move either. For someone like Scott Rolen, yes, move Braun. But for Iguchi? I don't see the point. And no, I would not have given up both Hall and Capuano for Rolen and assume his entire salary. But sometimes, then you have to switch gears and maybe scrap plans if the right guy isn't attainable. It's gone from 'they'll move Braun to LF if a better 3B than LF can be acquired' to 'they're moving Braun to LF at all costs.'

 

Is Iguchi at 3B, a new position, coupled with Braun in a new position going to improve the defense? I can't agree.

[rluzinski]

Just because Braun played at 3B last year doesn't mean he is one. As far as I'm concerned, Melvin would be making a mistake in allowing a corner outfielder to play another year at 3B. I have no doubt that Braun's defense will hurt the team less in LF than it will at 3B.

 

Does that mean I'm excited about the prospect of Iguchi starting at 3B? No. Something needs to be done, though. Braun just isn't a third basemen.

[Roscoe Chill]

I don't disagree about moving Braun to LF Russ. But signing a 2B to take over at 3B is silly. Bill Hall? If you're not going to trade Bill Hall, and Braun isn't a 3B, and Matt LaPorta is on the fast track, and then there's Corey Hart...it seems to me that Iguchi isn't needed...the 3B is already on your team. I think they're being stubborn with their decision to move Hall to CF last year, like they can't undo it or something.

[Never Outhustled]

I'd be perfectly fine with Jack Z getting the promotion tomorrow.

[Boy Jeenius]

Yeah, he's a great candidate. What where there 5, 6 GM openings this year and he never got even a courtesy phone call, much less an interview. MLB people generally have an idea what they are doing. He's a great scout - leave it at that.

[rluzinski]

I think they're being stubborn with their decision to move Hall to CF last year, like they can't undo it or something.

 

Hard to disagree. Hall hasn't forgotten how to play 3B and Hart roved last year that he can play CF competently. If they have to fill a corner outfield spot, that's a much smaller problem, IMO. If LaPorta is a the real deal, it's also something you can put a band aid on for 2008. 3B has a potential to be a problem for quite some time.

[danzig6767]

I think they're being stubborn with their decision to move Hall to CF last year, like they can't undo it or something.

 

Hard to disagree. Hall hasn't forgotten how to play 3B and Hart roved last year that he can play CF competently. If they have to fill a corner outfield spot, that's a much smaller problem, IMO. If LaPorta is a the real deal, it's also something you can put a band aid on for 2008. 3B has a potential to be a problem for quite some time.

To this day i still don't understand moving Hall to the OF, but never seeing first if Weeks could adapt well to CF before moving Hall. Billy was a solid fielding secondbaseman when he played there, Weeks was a butcher. So the team decides to move the better infielder to the outfield and leave the poor infielder where he is. On top of that, Weeks is a faster guy and if his instincts adjusted to tracking fly balls, he potentially could have become a very good CF.

[JohnBriggs12]

I'm at a loss trying to figure out Melvin. Weeks was just as bad an infielder in his early days as Braun was last year, but they stubbornly have left him at 2B when they had Bill Hall then also. Now they can't seem to get Braun off of third fast enough despite Yost telling Braun to take 1,000 groundballs a day in the offseason.

 

Melvin talked of getting a "professional hitter" to play LF, but to our knowledge has made no effort to get any of the half dozen or so guys that fit that description that could be had in the right deal. In fact, he's turned his nose up on the entire FA outfield class that includes stopgap type professional hitters Cliff Floyd and Shawn Green.

 

They draft LaPorta high up, a rare move for a college senior, ostensibly to rush him through as a LF then they contemplate moving Braun there, who they control for 5-6 more years which is longer than any core player.

 

Now he's negotiating with a second baseman to play third.

 

As for the bullpen, they've penciled in as closer a guy who finished two years in a row so poorly that slow to act Ned Yost had to relegate him to mopup duty.

 

Methinks Melvin is in a bit over his head when it comes to getting a team from the .500 level to the ultimate prize.

[TooLiveBrew]

Methinks Melvin is in a bit over his head when it comes to getting a team from the .500 level to the ultimate prize.

 

Yea, he never got Texas into the postseason. Wait... what? Three times? Oh. Nevermind.

 

Now they can't seem to get Braun off of third fast enough despite Yost telling Braun to take 1,000 groundballs a day in the offseason.

 

The issue with moving Braun has been about availability of other players, though. This was suggested by Melvin after he found that getting the lineup completed via LF was harder than initially expected, not after he reviewed Braun's D. Perhaps a little bit of both is at play, though.

[Brian the Automator]

Update on the Iguchi front (see the Iguchi thread). Sounds like he's plan Z.

[brewmann04]

i am glad stay away from Iguchi also,