Hey all. A million short stories for you.
So word is it's looking like Takashi Saito will resign a one year deal with the Brewers.
After word that there was no interest in bringing back reliever Latroy Hawkins, word is now that the Brewers do have interest.
Rumor has it that SS Rafael Furcal is not being targeted by the Brewers.
A hundred speculations regarding SS Jimmy Rollins. Rollins is reportedly seeking a 5 year deal, with his Phillies only offering 3. The Brewers were then considered to be favorites, but rumors now shift towards him resigning with the Phillies.
The number one rumor out there now is getting former Cum 3b Aramis Ramirez. He is reportedly seeking a deal in the neighborhood of 3 years $10-$15mm per. He would like to stay near his Chicago home and has expressed interest in coming to Milwaukee. If the Brewers do sign Ramirez, it would probably mean the return of Betancourt at SS, and Casey McGehee would probably platoon with Mat Gamel over at 1b, as well as supply some utility type help.
Also, there has been some speculation as to whether or not Francisco Rodriguez may accept the Brewer's offer of arbitration. The market for closers has been weird and lots of guys seem to be available. It'd be nice to have that 8th inning help, but the price would be pretty steep (around $13mm).
In other news the Marlins may start to target Fielder after the end of the crazy bidding war over Pujols if the Cardinals indeed come out on top. I would much rather have Prince in Florida than Chicago...
That's it for now. Hopefully we'll get some signing info soon. It's been a fun couple days.
Showing posts with label furcal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label furcal. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Sveum to Manage Cubs, Gamel Waits for 1st Chance
Longtime Brewer's coach, perhaps most well known for his managing the team during the 2008 playoffs following the dismissal of Ned Yest, current hitting coach Dale Sveum has been tapped to be the new manager for the Chicago Cubs.
I was somewhat dissapointed when Sveum was passed over for the managers spot in 2009, a post which later went to Ken Macha. Luckily he stayed on to be the hitting coach and just seemed like a great guy to have around the team. He interviewed for both Chicago and Boston this off season, and had ties to both organizations. Sveum both played and coached for Boston, and new Cubs President Theo Epstein was the GM in Boston during Sveum's coaching tenure there. I thought I'd see him go to Boston personally, and am a little sad I'm going to have to see a guy that I like wearing Cubbie pinstripes.
But congrats to Dale Sveum and his first big league managing gig. He deserves it.
So what has essentially come out of all the talks surrounding Prince Fielder this off season is that Mat Gamel will be the Brewers first bagger in 2012. Gamel is out of options and continues to crush the ball in the Minors. Some issues have been raised regarding his attitude, first during the 2011 spring training where he showed up late several times, and after this most recent season, where AAA Nashville manager Don Money made some pretty harsh comments regarding Gamel. I'm not making excuses for Mat or anything here, but some of this could be a guy who is killing it in the minors and mad he's never been given a shot. He's been shuffled around the diamond, starting at 3rd, getting time in the outfield, and now moved over to first. He commented shortly after the move that he was not pleased by it, but reports have come in that he's really put effort into it and should shape up to be at least a passable first baseman (not that Milwaukee is used to have a brick wall at first anyway).
Also, just want to throw out there that Tom Hardricourt over at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal seems to be leaning more and more towards feeling that Doug Melvin will resign Betancourt for 2012. This would be a disaster in my opinion. I'm not sure why we would want a shortstop on only a one year deal. There are no minor league SS in our system... I would think a two year deal for someone would allow something to develop more. Word on the street is that Furcal is looking for two years and an option, sounds alright to me.
I was somewhat dissapointed when Sveum was passed over for the managers spot in 2009, a post which later went to Ken Macha. Luckily he stayed on to be the hitting coach and just seemed like a great guy to have around the team. He interviewed for both Chicago and Boston this off season, and had ties to both organizations. Sveum both played and coached for Boston, and new Cubs President Theo Epstein was the GM in Boston during Sveum's coaching tenure there. I thought I'd see him go to Boston personally, and am a little sad I'm going to have to see a guy that I like wearing Cubbie pinstripes.
But congrats to Dale Sveum and his first big league managing gig. He deserves it.
So what has essentially come out of all the talks surrounding Prince Fielder this off season is that Mat Gamel will be the Brewers first bagger in 2012. Gamel is out of options and continues to crush the ball in the Minors. Some issues have been raised regarding his attitude, first during the 2011 spring training where he showed up late several times, and after this most recent season, where AAA Nashville manager Don Money made some pretty harsh comments regarding Gamel. I'm not making excuses for Mat or anything here, but some of this could be a guy who is killing it in the minors and mad he's never been given a shot. He's been shuffled around the diamond, starting at 3rd, getting time in the outfield, and now moved over to first. He commented shortly after the move that he was not pleased by it, but reports have come in that he's really put effort into it and should shape up to be at least a passable first baseman (not that Milwaukee is used to have a brick wall at first anyway).
Also, just want to throw out there that Tom Hardricourt over at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal seems to be leaning more and more towards feeling that Doug Melvin will resign Betancourt for 2012. This would be a disaster in my opinion. I'm not sure why we would want a shortstop on only a one year deal. There are no minor league SS in our system... I would think a two year deal for someone would allow something to develop more. Word on the street is that Furcal is looking for two years and an option, sounds alright to me.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Milwaukee Welcomes Baseball's GMs
Today is the official start of the GM meetings, happening this year in Milwaukee Wisconsin. I think the baseball Gods are smiling upon us because this is a beautiful day for the middle of November.
So the GM meetings are really just a precursor to the single most exciting event of the off-season, which is of course the winter meetings. However, there still should be some good things happening. Word on the street is there are lots of agents in town this year.
In Brewers news Reyes is still, naturally, a hot topic for conversation in the rumor mill. Tom Hardricourt stands by his view that the Brewers don't have the payroll to sign him. Another new word in though from Jon Heyman, saying that he hears the the Brewers' number one target is Reyes. Sounds like the Marlins have set the bidding now with a 6 year $90 million deal ($15m/year). I'm a little surprise by this. I didn't think right out of the gate we would get a 6 year offer... however I did think we would see something north of 15 million annually. Some skeptics out there say that the slew of offers being thrown out of Miami (to Pujols, Madsen, Buerle, and Reyes) are largly for show, good offers in and of themselves, but not really enough to sign anyone. We'll see...
In more realistic news Doug Melvin continues to show interest in Yuniesky Betancourt, saying that he talked to his agent. I get the feeling Melvin would like a one year deal, which Yu-Bet could probably be had on (considering a lot of people don't think he should even be a starting player...). There has also been a "tire kicking" on Rafael Furcal, the former Cardinal who hit six home runs last year, five of which were against the Brewers... So back to Reyes, Melvin did admit to speaking with the speedy switch-hitter's agent on the phone, once, and with "no numbers".
So hopefully some interesting developments will happen over the next few days here in Milwaukee. Also, congrats to Justin Verlander on his unanimous choice for AL Cy Young award winner. Great year.
Later.
So the GM meetings are really just a precursor to the single most exciting event of the off-season, which is of course the winter meetings. However, there still should be some good things happening. Word on the street is there are lots of agents in town this year.
In Brewers news Reyes is still, naturally, a hot topic for conversation in the rumor mill. Tom Hardricourt stands by his view that the Brewers don't have the payroll to sign him. Another new word in though from Jon Heyman, saying that he hears the the Brewers' number one target is Reyes. Sounds like the Marlins have set the bidding now with a 6 year $90 million deal ($15m/year). I'm a little surprise by this. I didn't think right out of the gate we would get a 6 year offer... however I did think we would see something north of 15 million annually. Some skeptics out there say that the slew of offers being thrown out of Miami (to Pujols, Madsen, Buerle, and Reyes) are largly for show, good offers in and of themselves, but not really enough to sign anyone. We'll see...
In more realistic news Doug Melvin continues to show interest in Yuniesky Betancourt, saying that he talked to his agent. I get the feeling Melvin would like a one year deal, which Yu-Bet could probably be had on (considering a lot of people don't think he should even be a starting player...). There has also been a "tire kicking" on Rafael Furcal, the former Cardinal who hit six home runs last year, five of which were against the Brewers... So back to Reyes, Melvin did admit to speaking with the speedy switch-hitter's agent on the phone, once, and with "no numbers".
So hopefully some interesting developments will happen over the next few days here in Milwaukee. Also, congrats to Justin Verlander on his unanimous choice for AL Cy Young award winner. Great year.
Later.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Top Free Agents
Hey everyone.
Recently the awesome blog MLBTradeRumors.com did an article outlining their Top 50 free agents of the 2012 off season and offered their opinion on where these players will land.
The Brewers were involved in a total of two. The first obviously being Fielder (ranked 2nd), who is predicted to head over to Seattle. The next being Jose Reyes (ranked 3rd overall), who is predicted to sign with Milwaukee.
^^Link to the Full Article^^
As much as I would love for Milwaukee to sign a player like Reyes (and by like him, I mean an awesome player), I just don't think it's going to happen. Work that Melvin has interest in bring back the perpetual disapointment Betancourt has really made me feel like that will happen, probably for something like 1 year, $2-$3 million.
However I do think we will make a signing (or two or three even) someway farther down the list.
If a shortstop other than Betancourt is to be signed I think it is much more likely it is much more likely to be somebody like Jamey Carroll, or perhaps Rafael Furcal. Personally, I'm most intrigued by Carroll, a guy with a career OBP of over .345.
Beyond that, do to the mass exodus of almost everyone from our bullpen, I see a signing there happening. K-Rod, Hawkins, and Saito are all free agents, and all three played a fairly central role to the team, especially down the stretch. Now, with what is likely to be a decrease in offensive production (though I do think it will be less than some people fear) I really feel like GM Doug Melvin will sign some depth.
I predict a resigning of either Hawkins or Saito, almost for sure. There is some possibility of bringing back both, but I'm not sure you want to risk of two old men anchoring your late innings group. There could be somebody like Frank Francisco, who's put a decent string of years together, most recently with the Blue Jays. Also, Melvin has shown before that he's willing to take a chance on a reliever, and Jonathan Broxton could be that man here. I really doubt somebody offers him a closers roll after two poor, and one injury riddled seasons. However a nice incentive laden deal could probably get him. If Broxton returns to even close to his 2009 form he would be a bargain.
So, my free agent predictions for the Brewers will be Jamey Carroll, Latroy Hawkins, and Jonathan Broxton.
Recently the awesome blog MLBTradeRumors.com did an article outlining their Top 50 free agents of the 2012 off season and offered their opinion on where these players will land.
The Brewers were involved in a total of two. The first obviously being Fielder (ranked 2nd), who is predicted to head over to Seattle. The next being Jose Reyes (ranked 3rd overall), who is predicted to sign with Milwaukee.
^^Link to the Full Article^^
As much as I would love for Milwaukee to sign a player like Reyes (and by like him, I mean an awesome player), I just don't think it's going to happen. Work that Melvin has interest in bring back the perpetual disapointment Betancourt has really made me feel like that will happen, probably for something like 1 year, $2-$3 million.
However I do think we will make a signing (or two or three even) someway farther down the list.
If a shortstop other than Betancourt is to be signed I think it is much more likely it is much more likely to be somebody like Jamey Carroll, or perhaps Rafael Furcal. Personally, I'm most intrigued by Carroll, a guy with a career OBP of over .345.
Beyond that, do to the mass exodus of almost everyone from our bullpen, I see a signing there happening. K-Rod, Hawkins, and Saito are all free agents, and all three played a fairly central role to the team, especially down the stretch. Now, with what is likely to be a decrease in offensive production (though I do think it will be less than some people fear) I really feel like GM Doug Melvin will sign some depth.
I predict a resigning of either Hawkins or Saito, almost for sure. There is some possibility of bringing back both, but I'm not sure you want to risk of two old men anchoring your late innings group. There could be somebody like Frank Francisco, who's put a decent string of years together, most recently with the Blue Jays. Also, Melvin has shown before that he's willing to take a chance on a reliever, and Jonathan Broxton could be that man here. I really doubt somebody offers him a closers roll after two poor, and one injury riddled seasons. However a nice incentive laden deal could probably get him. If Broxton returns to even close to his 2009 form he would be a bargain.
So, my free agent predictions for the Brewers will be Jamey Carroll, Latroy Hawkins, and Jonathan Broxton.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)