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November 2008 - Posts
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It is Black Friday. There are deals galore for those brave enough to battle crazy housewives. I could use a new chair. How about a Brewers recliner? 
- As of late, the biggest news on the CC Sabathia front has been that the Los Angeles Angels will be entering the sweepstakes with a deal that will rival that of the Yankees. The New York Yankees, however, believe that the Angels are merely posturing in an attempt to drive up the Yankees' price. The Angels could also be attempting to scare Mark Teixeira into signing soon. The common line of thought is that the Angels can only afford one of Sabathia and Teixeira. If the Halos get serious about Sabathia, that could mean Big Tex will be moving on to greener grasses.
- Even though there have been numerous reports lately saying the Yankees are unwilling to increase their offer to CC Sabathia, River Ave Blues says the Pinstripes will not hesitate to pony up more cash to make CC a Yankee. This likely signifies the big lefty will not be signing with anyone for a while. At least that will provide bloggers plenty to write about, even if it will get nauseating.
- FanGraphs awards CC Sabathia the best pitching performance of the season against Minnesota on June 10th. Yes, this was before he joined the Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee's Ben Sheets came in second with his gem against the lowly San Diego Padres in September. The Crew is going to miss Big Ben much more than people believe. He may be frustrating, but Sheets carried the team early in the year. (h/t Brew Crew Ball)
- The Brew Town Beat has their Thursday Ten, which touches on the Top 10 people/events/things in Wisconsin Sports. I would have thought the 2008 Brewers and their return to postseason baseball would have made the list, but they were once again overshadowed by the 1982 Brewers. I am borderline sick of hearing about Harvey's Wallbangers. Nothing like being stuck in the past. CC Sabathia came in at number two, behind Brett Favre. Agreed.
- Brew Crew Ball discusses Thanksgiving and how the Brewers players have given back to the community. While Eric Gagne may have been a human home run machine, the right-hander certainly has a big heart when it comes to charity. Jeff Suppan also is known for his charitable endeavors. There must be something about getting overpaid to be average that spurs giving back to the community. In all seriousness though, Brewers fans should be proud of the way their Brewers act in the community. They give back and provide youngsters with great role models to look up to. Keep it up.
- Team Wisconsin reacts to the news that the Milwaukee Brewers were named the #1 Retailer of the Year by recapping what he bought over the year. That is $434 dollars well spent right there.
- Mel Stocker signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners. I wonder how many Brewers minor league free agents will find themselves in Seattle in 2009. Jack Z obviously has quite a bit of pull out west.
- Brew Crew Ball has a Winter League update for the past week or so. Jason Bourgeois is hitting at a pretty good rate, but they have all been of the single-base variety. He must slug more if he desires to make the Brewers lineup next April. The young man will receive many chances during Spring Training to make the squad as a utility infielder.
- SI's Jon Heyman reports the market for Adam Dunn has been relatively bleak. The slugging left fielder may sign a relatively cheap contract this winter, unless things pick up dramatically in the next month. Milwaukee could come calling in December if the price is right. It would cause a defensive shuffle in the outfield, but Dunn would provide a massive left-handed bat that would protect Prince Fielder in the fifth spot. Would that be a scary middle of the lineup? Opposing pitchers would be a little unhappy, to say the least.
- Baseball Musings reports that Major League Baseball will reveal the number of players who tested positive for amphetamines. David Pinto believes the number will be quite low. I tend to agree with this sentiment, as Bud Selig would not be quick to release the numbers if it were now relatively low.
- The Los Angeles Dodgers have come calling for Jack Wilson from Pittsburgh once again. They are currently balking at the price, however, as Neal Huntington is demanding young shortstop Chin-Lung Hu, outfield prospect Delwyn Young, and another player. Bucs Dugout is not excited about any of these players the Dodgers would presumably send to Pittsburgh. It would ultimately depend on the third player involved in the deal. There is no way Matt Kemp would be the third player either, unless the Dodgers were desperate and wanted to overpay.
- Gaslamp Ball links to a report that say Padres' GM Kevin Towers has reportedly found a third team that will match up with the Chicago Cubs to work out a deal for Jake Peavy. The Cubs would certainly have to part with Josh Vitters and Sean Marshall in the deal, but they do not have enough to make the deal on their own. How sick would Chicago's rotation be with Zambrano, Peavy, Harden, Dempster, and Lilly? Is that really even fair? I mean, their farm system would rival that of the Astros in crappiness, but their 2009 team would be amazing.
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It is Thanksgiving. Brewers have suffered through many, many difficult years, but the 2008 Milwaukee Brewers ended the organization's postseason drought. Brewers fans across the nation shed tears and came together under one team's banner. Thousands are undoubtedly thankful for a successful 2008 season. What should we all be thankful for? Ryan Braun -- Think about it, Brewers fans. Ryan Joseph Braun and his All-Star ways will be roaming the outfield in a Brewers uniform until at least 2015. What is not to be thankful for when discussing Ryan Braun? His 34+ home runs in each of the last two seasons? His .285/.335/.553 offensive line in 2008? How about Braun's 1.000 fielding percentage during his first season patrolling left field? Ryan Braun and his cocky attitude have taken Milwaukee by storm. Opposing pitchers would love to pitch around the Brewers slugger, but big Prince Fielder ensures he will see pitches to hit. Braun's plate discipline surely needs a bit of work, but he redeems himself time and time again. Even with a strained muscle in his ribs, he is able to hit a game-winning grand slam against the Pittsburgh Pirates and a go-ahead bomb against the Chicago Cubs that propelled the Crew into the playoffs for the first time in 26 years. He is a showstopper. Brewers fans across the nation stop what they are doing when Braun steps up to the plate. He provides the Brewers lineup with a home run threat every time he takes a swing. It is undeniable that Ryan has his flaws, but he is Milwaukee's superstar. Doug Melvin can build the team around the left fielder for the next six seasons. That is certainly something to be thankful for this holiday season. What else should we be thankful for?
Yovani Gallardo -- The young stud gives the Brewers a chance to replace at least a part of the Ben Sheets/CC Sabathia departures. His curveball is absolutely nasty when working. An absolute joy to watch.
The End of the Ned Yost Era -- This is for all the Ned Yost haters out there. The Ken Macha era is starting in Milwaukee. Does this mean fans will not blame losses on the new manager? Doubtful. Still, Macha brings playoff experience and a certain moxie to the young Brewers. I am excited to see how he handles the squad in 2009.
Doug Melvin -- In Doug Melvin we trust. That has been the mantra Brewers fans have lived by in the past few years. He has obviously been incredibly instrumental in bringing playoff baseball back to Milwaukee, and I do not believe anyone can ever thank Melvin enough for that. DM has his work cut out for him this winter. It should be a defining moment in Melvin's career. What will he do this winter? Whatever happens, I am comfortable with DM at the helm.
Carlos Villanueva -- CV may seem a little off on this list, but his transition to the bullpen solidified the pitching staff to a certain extent last season. Where would the Crew have been without Carlos and Salomon Torres? CV will need to step up even more in 2009, as he will inherit a much larger role in the bullpen.
Mark Attanasio -- He was just as instrumental as Doug Melvin in bringing the Brewers to the playoffs. Those deep(er) pockets and obsession with winning baseball brought CC Sabathia to Milwaukee. Brewers fans should thank Mark A every game he sits in the stands. He has given Milwaukee legitimacy in baseball. Free agents want to come to the Brew City. ESPN now pays attention to Milwaukee almost every day. Thank Mark Attanasio for that.
Jeremy Jeffress, Angel Salome, Mat Gamel, and Alcides Escobar -- This crop of prospects should help the Crew stay competitive in the coming years. Every one of these players has All-Star caliber ability. Will they all reach it? Highly, highly doubtful. Still, Milwaukee's farm system as a whole gives Brewers fans a reason to still be excited about the future. That is always something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving season. What else are people thankful for today?
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Things are a bit slow this morning, as most people are gearing up for Thanksgiving tomorrow. There will be a lot of traveling today and tomorrow, and I will be heading home in just a few hours. I wish everyone reading today a very Happy Thanksgiving and safe travels! - As you all are probably now aware, the Milwaukee Brewers signed left-handed reliever R.J. Swindle to a major league contract to serve as Mitch Stetter's partner in crime out of the bullpen. This move has the potential to be an unsung move by Doug Melvin. I profiled what Swindle will bring to the table this morning. While you are at it, why not take a look at Aaron's season review of Rickie Weeks.
- R.J. Anderson of Beyond the Box Score also profile's R.J. Swindle and provides some pitch f/x graphs on the movement of his pitches. It seems that against the Mets that game, his curveball averaged a little faster than the reported 51-55 MPH, while he was bringing in the fastball with some pretty good zip (for him). Beyond the Box Score loves this move for the Brewers as well. If nothing else, Swindle should be a nice LOOGY against teams like the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates.
- Tom Haudricourt is reporting that Doug Melvin made contact with CC Sabathia's agents, but nothing really came from the talk. It seems to me that Sabathia is waiting to see if any of the California teams jump into the mix.
The same article also notes that DM talked to Gabe Kapler's agents. He did not offer Kapler a contract, but he still wanted to make contact to open discussions in the future. The Brewers will likely have a difficult time keeping Kapler in Milwaukee. It is likely that he will field many offers, many coming from teams who can offer much more playing time than can the Crew. - Speaking of CC Sabathia, it seems the Los Angeles Angels are intently talking with CC's agents. They are reportedly preparing an offer that will challenge (but likely not exceed) the Yankees' offer. The thought process behind this deal is that CC would take a paycut to go to a west coast team, especially since the same post says the Yankees are unlikely to increase their offer too much. That is the first time I have heard anything about the Yankees not being willing to increase their offer substantially. I will keep you all posted on that front.
- Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com (via MLB Trade Rumors) discusses some of the potential free agent bargains this winter. A couple names jump out at me. If the Brewers are unable to magically sign CC Sabathia, Doug Melvin should seriously take a run at Randy Johnson. Crasnick is saying Johnson only seeks a one-year deal, and the Crew has money to play with this winter. Would Randy come to Milwaukee for a one-year $12MM deal? The other free agent that snared my interest is Juan Rivera. He would provide the Crew with a nice insurance policy in case Corey Hart is unable to regain his All-Star form. Crasnick also says that Rivera could be had for two-years $6-8MM. Rivera has had injury problems in the past couple seasons, but he is a serious candidate for comeback player of the year if he can even come close to his .310 AVG season with 23 home runs.
- Beyond the Box Score warns any GM who is possibly thinking about signing Jon Garland this offseason. Statistics suggest he is nothing better than a five-run pitcher, yet he is poised to earn probably $7-8MM per year. Thank goodness someone else realizes how not good Jon Garland is. Doug Melvin better not touch him with a 30-foot pole, unless he is only looking for $2-3MM per year. Like that is going to happen.
- Seamheads shows a monument in Watertown, WI erected to commemorate Fred Merkle, who played in the Deadball Era. There are monuments popping up all across the nation to honor these "forgotten" players. Looking at the list, there are plenty in Wisconsin. I will certainly check these out if I am ever in Watertown.
- The Hardball Times ask if Ted Simmons belongs in the Hall of Fame. Be sure to read the rest of the article, but here is the conclusion:
"Based on the above, I'm not sure that Simmons belongs in the Hall of
Fame. I'm not sure that he doesn't either. My instinct tells me that if
Carter belongs, then so probably does Simmons. It's not a strong
instinct, though, and I'd be receptive to hearing further arguments
from either side. What I am certain about, however, is that Simmons is
an eminently worthy candidate who deserved far more serious
consideration than he ever received." - To all those that say there is nothing exciting about the Rule 5 Draft coming up next month, The Baseball Analysts has a nice list of who has come out of the draft in the last couple years. Johan Santana, Dan Uggla, Shane Victorino, and Josh Hamilton are not too bad in the last couple years. The article then discusses some of the pitchers who could come off the board in December. Will anyone take Kei Igawa?
- Baseball Musings says that the Boston Red Sox seem to have signed Junichi Tazawa. I have heard conflicting scouting reports about this pitcher. He seems to not have the velocity previously reported. It will be interesting to see how he fares this season in the minors. If he lights it up in 2009, teams will likely be much more likely to woo Japanese amateur free agents.
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Now that the Milwaukee Brewers have signed left-handed reliever, R.J. Swindle, to a major league contract, let's analyze what he brings to Milwaukee's bullpen. If you are one to judge potential solely on stats, Swindle will certainly satisfy with his production in the minor leagues. Last season alone, the southpaw posted a 1.53 ERA in 53 innings between both Class-AA and Class-AAA for the Philadelphia Phillies organization. He also racked up 67 strikeouts, while only allowing 8 walks all season. That is a very Mark DiFelice-esque 67/8 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The stats get even better when realizing he only gave up a single home run all year. Everything sounds great. The guy has stellar numbers, yet Milwaukee was able to sign this guy to a league minimum contract with relatively no competition. What's up with this? Teams like the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees, and the Philadelphia Phillies have either released R.J. or simply chose not to resign him. Why? The answer is that teams tend not to believe in or have desire in pitchers who do not throw their four-seam fastball faster than 84 MPH on a very, very good day. R.J. also has a curveball that ranges between 51-55 MPH. Understand now? R.J. Swindle throws five different pitches -- a fastball, cutter, slider, curveball, and changeup. As stated above, his fastball ranges from about 81-84 MPH, his slider about 64-68 MPH, and his curveball about 51-55 MPH. Swindle is obviously known for his incredibly slow curveball. I am excited to see that pitch when he throws it during Spring Training. The trajectory must be amazing. With his stuff, Swindle needs to live on the black. He must keep all his pitches down in the zone to be effective at all. Fortunately, it seems he is quite adept at that aspect of his game, as he very rarely walks anyone. The vast difference in speed is also enough to keep batters off-balance, which is why his strikeout rate is higher than expected for a finesse pitcher. One aspect of the southpaw's game that is concerning is that he is a fly-ball pitcher. It is mainly attributed to the fact that he is a slider-curveball pitcher, rather than a fastball/sinker pitcher. Throughout all last season, his GO/AO in 2008 was 0.76. Normally this, coupled with his low velocity, signifies that a pitcher allows many home runs, yet Swindle only gave up one long ball all 2008. How can this be explained? The drastic change in velocity must cause many opposing hitters to get out ahead of the pitches and weakly pop them up.
Doug Melvin almost certainly signed Swindle to come in and compete for a LOOGY role in the bullpen. One can only assume this signfies Brian Shouse will not be back in Milwaukee next season. Via Beyond the Box Score, Swindle had a 15.53 K/9 and a 1.41 BB/9 after facing 183 left-handed batters. Even more impressively, he has not given up a single home run against a lefty. It seems he should fit in quite nicely as a left-handed specialist coming out of the bullpen, especially at the league mininum. He and Mitch Stetter should make a formidible pair of cheap left-handers coming out of the bullpen.
While this acquisition may not register as "the best" of the entire
offseason, R.J. Swindle could be one of the unsung pick-ups of the
winter for the Milwaukee Brewers.
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Doug Melvin is at it again. I mentioned this morning that DM has been scouting the minor league free agents for players who could serve as role players on next season's team if everything works out well. They are low-risk, cheap options that will make for a very versatile roster. This afternoon, DM signed left-handed reliever, R.J. Swindle. The 25-year old lefty is a more extreme version of Jamie Moyer, and yes R.J. is making his way to Milwaukee from the Philadelphia Phillies' farm system. Swindle is a finesse pitcher who relies completely on control and painting the corners. His curveball, according to Tom Haudricourt, is clocked at about 55 miles per hour. It seems that R.J. simply tosses the ball in the air and lets gravity do the rest. In all seriousness, though, R.J. does have the potential to do some good things for the Brewers next season if Brian Shouse is not back in a Brewers uniform. Swindle may not overpower anyone with his velocity, but he still has averaged over a strikeout per inning in the minor leagues. In 17.0 innings of winter ball this month, the southpaw has collected 17 strikeouts with a 3.18 ERA. R.J. is another example of Doug Melvin going out and picking up a minor league free agent who could potentially help the big league team next season. They all may be fringe prospects, but every one of DM's recent signings have been lights out in Fall/Winter ball. Could one of these players catch lightning in a bottle this season and make an impact with the 2009 Brewers? I certainly hope so.
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