By: Big Rygg

Here we go with the backstops. I wasn't sure whether or not to just rank starters or to rank both catchers for a roster by taking the top two from the depth charts out on ESPN. I decided to go with starters alone, but if people think we should rank on both, just say so and I'll edit the post.

• Jason Kendall / Milwaukee Brewers
• Geovanny Soto / Chicago Cubs
• David Ross / Cincinnati Reds
• Brad Ausmus / Houston Astros
• Ronny Paulino / Pittsburgh Pirates
• Yadier Molina / St. Louis Cardinals

by South Side Rob

There has been some excellent audio (and video) on mlb.com all over the major leagues from Spring Training but I must give cudos to WSSP for their fine work down in Arizona at the Brewers spring training camp.

They try their very best to get all their interviews up on their site but I thought I would post them here for everyone to listen to. I'm not sure how long the radio station will keep them up on their site so you may want to listen to them before they get too old and are removed off the radio's web server.

• Monday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with Ryan Braun
• Monday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with Mike Cameron
• Monday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with Tony Gwynn
• Monday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with Doug Melvin
• Monday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with Ned Yost
• Monday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with Bill Castro
• Monday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with Matt LaPorta
• Monday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with Ted Simmons
• Monday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with Jim Skaalen
• Monday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with Peter Gammons
• Tuesday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with Guillermo Mota
• Wednesday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with Mike Maddux
• Wednesday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with David Riske
• Wednesday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with Gord Ash
• Thursday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with Prince Fielder
• Thursday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with Corey Hart
• Thursday: Sparky and Tim Allen talk with Derrick Turnbow

Enjoy them...

By: Big Rygg

Having almost completed our journey throughout the starting defensive positions, we turn our attention to right field.

• Corey Hart / Milwaukee Brewers
• Kosuke Fukudome / Chicago Cubs
• Ken Griffey Jr / Cincinnati Reds
• Hunter Pence / Houston Astros
• Xavier Nady / Pittsburgh Pirates
• Ryan Ludwick / St. Louis Cardinals

Is it a bad sign that I had to look up Ryan Ludwick to even have a guess as to who would be playing RF for the Cardinals?

Anyway, as usual please rank these gentlemen in order of whom you'd most like to have on your team in 2008.

By: Big Rygg

I just read an article over at the Brewers' Spring Training section and was taken aback a bit by what I saw regarding a possible lineup consideration by our own tinkering skipper, Ned Yost.

He said that something that's being kicked around is to bat Jason Kendall 9th, after the pitcher's spot. Then, correspondingly, he would bat Ryan Braun 2nd and Prince Fielder 3rd.

First, let me say that it's nice Yost seems to finally be listening to the masses and will keep Fielder after Braun in the lineup.

Second, let me say that while at first that lineup seems crazy, it's very intriguing as well.

The article mentions that the research that was done indicates that the two-hole gets about 40 extra plate appearances a year than the cleanup spot. With that disparity, it makes sense for the Brewers to want Braun and Fielder to hit earlier thereby getting as many plate appearances as possible.

That being said, you also want as many people on base for Braun and Fielder as possible. That's why, other than the first inning, this lineup would be constructed to still provide two batters before Braun comes up to the plate. If that is something that Yost goes with, here is how I see the lineup after Mike Cameron comes back.

1. Rickie Weeks
2. Ryan Braun
3. Prince Fielder
4. Corey Hart
5. Mike Cameron
6. Billy Hall
7. J.J. Hardy
8. PITCHER
9. Jason Kendall

Prior to Cameron's availability, I could see Hall and Hardy moving up a slot each with Tony Gwynn at 7, or just Gabe Gross at 5, depending on who gets the majority of ABs while Cameron is out.

Bottom line, though, is how everyone feels about the Tony LaRussa-esque move of batter the pitcher 8th, and moving Braun to 2 and Fielder to 3.

Sound off, Brewer Nation!

By: Big Rygg

Here we go again, this time with the center fielders.

• Mike Cameron / Milwaukee Brewers
• Felix Pie / Chicago Cubs
• Ryan Freel / Cincinnati Reds
• Michael Bourn / Houston Astros
• Nate McLouth / Pittsburgh Pirates
• Rick Ankiel / St. Louis Cardinals

Feel free to interpret Cameron's situation any way you want. Personally, I'm going to rank the players based on ability, talent, etc, not whether they can play on Opening Day 2008 or not.

by South Side Rob

Let the debate begin. The candidates:

• Ryan Braun / Milwaukee Brewers
• Alfonso Soriano / Chicago Cubs
• Adam Dunn / Cincinnati Reds
• Carlos Lee / Houston Astros
• Jason Bay / Pittsburgh Pirates
• Chris Duncan / St. Louis Cardinals

As hard as picking who's the best, I think this debate will last a few days. One of these will be ranked 4th or 5th but not if you were a fan of that team. Again, I will post my rankings in the comments...

by South Side Rob

Ok. Now we have the shortstop position. Again, I will comment like every one else on my rankings.

• J.J. Hardy - Milwaukee Brewers
• Ryan Theriot - Chicago Cubs
• Alex Gonzalez - Cincinnati Reds
• Miguel Tejada - Houston Astros
• Jack Wilson - Pittsburgh Pirates
• Cesar Izturis - St. Louis Cardinals

by Brewer Nation Member: Steve

Bummer news about Gallardo. Yeah, it's only a knee problem and reported to a month at the most on the shelf, but still not a great way to kick off 2008.

Been a lot of discussion about the significance of a batting order and how it alters an accurate read on a player's run producing potential.

The Brewers are considering batting Braun fifth or maybe it has already been decided on. The reasoning is that it will give Braun a better chance to steal some bases and I assume not disrupt Fielder's chance to drive in runs.

I don't understand this. First of all, how would Braun being on base disrupt Fielder? I would think Braun's threat to run would cause more of a disruption and increase the likelihood that a pitcher will focus on the runner rather than Prince and make a bad pitch.

Also. is stealing bases really that important to the Brewers? This is a home runs and doubles team. Moving Braun behind Fielder will limit Braun's chances to drive in runs. Batting behind Fielder is like being a team's second lead off hitter. It seems to make more sense to have Cory Hart in the 5 spot.

By: Big Rygg

Okay, I don't want to scare you any more than the subject may have. Yovani Gallardo, thought by many to be a virtual lock to make the starting rotation for the Milwaukee Brewers this year, "tweaked" his knee during a mound session. The result? Arthroscopic knee surgery. It sounds worse than it is.

The reality of the situation is that, barring complications, Yovani Gallardo will be out of action for 4 weeks. Yes, he'll miss a good chunk of Spring Training, but he should also be ready to go in time to secure his spot in the rotation and break camp ready to pitch in Chicago.

This does pose a potentially interesting question, though. Who would take the place of Gallardo in the Brewers' rotation should there be complications or should something flare up during the season?

This is why, after all, why Doug Melvin hasn't rushed to pull the trigger on just any deal for one (or more) of the other starting pitchers on this roster.

So, Brewer Nation...assuming that Sheets and Suppan are definitely in the rotation (however, that's assuming health), who should be on ready-five?

By: Big Rygg

In keeping with our running theme, the following is a list of projected starting 3rd basemen in the NL Central.

Please tell us how you would rank them, best to worst, and feel free to leave reasons as to why you ranked them in the order that you did.

• Bill Hall / Milwaukee Brewers
• Aramis Ramirez / Chicago Cubs
• Edwin Encarnacion / Cincinnati Reds
• Ty Wigginton / Houston Astros
• Jose Bautista / Pittsburgh Pirates
• Troy Glaus / St. Louis Cardinals

South Side Rob and I will also put our thoughts down in the comments section as well. The above list is simply Brewers on top, but then the other teams in the NL Central listed alphabetically by city.

By: Big Rygg

At a point that was getting quite late in the game, J.J. Hardy and the Milwaukee Brewers finally agreed to a one-year contract late Friday evening, avoiding a potentially counter-productive arbitration hearing.

The salary arbitration hearing, which had been scheduled for this coming Monday in St. Petersburg, Flordia, would have seen a three-person panel decide how much money Hardy was going to make for the 2008 season. Had the issue gone to the hearing, Hardy would've made either the club's offer of $2.4MM or his own suggestion of $3.05MM. Instead, the two sides agreed on a $2.65MM contract, which is below the midpoint of the two dollar amount submissions. A lot of differences settle at the midpoint (for the Brewers at least since Doug Melvin has been in charge), so it's interesting to see this one not do that.

As I had mentioned over on a different blog, I think all sides involved figured J.J. Hardy was worth more than $2.4MM/year. That being said, he is not yet worth $3+MM/year either. I believe that Hardy's agent thought he wouldn't get the $3.05MM in a hearing, so they wanted to settle.

The good part for the Brewers was that they were actually dealing from as powerful a position as you can have in situations like this. The Brewers still own Hardy's rights for now. Of course you want/need, as a club, to be systematically friendly to your players' pocketbooks. Hardy was eligible for arbitration for the first time, and therefore (as the laws of the land dictate) he gets a hefty raise. The Brewers just thought a $2MM raise was enough. And if he complained about things, he can probably be traded fairly easily and we've got a highly rated prospect in the system plus we've got a capable Major League experience backup as a full time starter. Abraham Nuñez.

I think, bottom line, that Hardy's camp felt that after only one solid, "breakoutish" year of three, that they were going to lose the arbitration hearing. Besides, we all know why arbitration hearings are a bad thing. Hardy and Hardy's agent know that too.

SO, Brewer Nation, what are your thoughts on the dollar figure? Would you like to see Doug Melvin lock up any youngsters (particularly Hardy) to longer-term deal?

by South Side Rob

Just like we did with 1st base, the following is the list of projected starters at 2nd base for teams in the NL Central. Please tell us how you would rank them best to worst. The order in which they appear on this list is not the ranking opinion of myself, it just happens to be the order in which I am retrieving them. I need to make that understood as some people (Cub Fans) who read the 1st base ranking column were easily confused. Also, this ranking is based on the answer to "who would you want to play the position on your team first, then second, the third, etc..." so all things are considered offense, defense, speed, range, eye, hands, etc...

• Rickie Weeks / Milwaukee Brewers
• Mark DeRosa / Chicago Cubs
• Brandon Phillips / Cincinnati Reds
• Kazuo Matsui / Houston Astros
• Freddy Sanchez / Pittsburgh Pirates
• Adam Kennedy / St. Louis Cardinals

Like the 1st base ranking article, I will post my ranking in the comments and also, you will notice that I'm pulling players in order from the depth charts that are listed here. Trust me, there is no way I would rank DeRosa in front of Brandon Phillips !!!

by South Side Rob

Just like we did with the top coaches in the state of Wisconsin, the following is the list of projected starters at 1st base for teams in the NL Central. Please tell us how you would rank them best to worst.

• Prince Fielder / Milwaukee Brewers
• Derrek Lee / Chicago Cubs
• Joey Votto / Cincinnati Reds
• Lance Berkman / Houston Astros
• Adam LaRoche / Pittsburgh Pirates
• Albert Pujols / St. Louis Cardinals

Like the coaches, I will post my rankings in the comments with the rest of you...

by South Side Rob

Do you "buy" into the following thoughts or, do you "sell" this as being false in your opinion. I understand that this may be a common segment on the TV show "Around the Horn". This is not an attempt at plagiarism, I just don't know of another way to explain what I am trying to compile from the Brewer Nation.

1. Do you feel the Brewers will be improved over the 2007 team, buy or sell and why.
2. The Cubs feel that signing Japanese player Kosuke Fukudome will produce more offense than Jacque Jones was able to produce in 2007, buy or sell and why.
3. The Cubs have announced that Ryan Dempster will be part of the starting rotation this season instead of being the closer. Does this make the Cubs' rotation better, buy or sell and why.
4. With Dempster's move to the rotation, it appears the closers job will go to Carlos Marmol. Will he be better at closing than Ryan Dempster was, buy or sell and why.
5. Cincinnati will be better in 2008 simply because they now have an established closer in Francisco Cordero, buy or sell and why.
6. The NL Central will be a 2-team race, Chicago and Milwaukee, buy or sell and why.
7. The St. Louis Cardinals should be favorites for finishing in last place in this year's NL Central, buy or sell and why.
8. With Erik Bedard traded to the Mariners, the Orioles will now trade 2nd basemen Brian Roberts to the Cubs, buy or sell and why.
9. Ned Yost will stay with a consistent lineup for most of the first month of the season regardless of the results, buy or sell and why.
10. If a friend of yours gives you a topic of discussion, even if its far-fetched, it should be okay to be posted on this blog and we should not have to reveal our sources, buy or sell and why.

I will post my answers in the comment section like everyone else. Thank you for your participation. In closing, never be afraid to email me South Side Rob if you have an idea for a column in the Nation. Guest articles are always welcome. This is a Brewer community. Sometimes, Rygg and myself are fresh out of new ideas to discuss and could always use the help of others. Thanks once again for making this blog one of the most active blogs in cyberspace...

by South Side Rob

To anybody who still reads my stuff, I thank you. For all of you who may be upset with my last post, I do apologize. I did not mean to suggest that players such as Don Mattingly took a little help. I'm just sick of all the steroid discussions while the 2008 season is just days away from pitchers and catchers reporting.

Anyway, the Big Rygg, Dave, and myself were together for a bit on Friday finalizing the 2008 version of our Home Run Derby contest, when I told them about my next article which was sparked when news broke that the Brewers have picked up the 2009 option on manager Ned Yost. I also listened to an interview between mlb.com's Adam McCalvy and Seth Everett. Seth got tough with Adam on questions about the 2007 season which he felt the Brewers were clearly the best team in the division. They started to talk about Yost and while McCalvy tried very hard to protect Ned, it was clear the Seth was placing a good portion of the blame in the manager's direction.

On those thoughts and watching the Badger basketball team improve to 19-3, I thought to myself, "If Bo Ryan knows baseball, the Brewers should consider him for the next managerial opening". Ok, that is a bit far-fetched but speaking of head coaches/managers that work in Wisconsin, I thought it would be fun to have everyone rank the following coaches/managers from best to worst.

Here are the candidates:

• Mike McCarthy / head coach, Green Bay Packers 13-3 lost in NFC Championship Game
• Ned Yost / manager, Milwaukee Brewers, 2nd place NL Central 2 games back
• Larry Krystkowiak / head coach, Milwaukee Bucks, last place Central Division
• Bret Bielema / head coach, Wisconsin Badger Football, Lost in Outback Bowl
• Bo Ryan / head coach, Wisconsin Badger Basketball, 19-3 8th ranked in the country
• Tom Crean / head coach, Marquette Golden Eagle Basketball, 16-5, ranked 16th in the country

I know there are other coaches but these are the 6 that are in charge of the biggest programs. Rank them from best to worst. Mine is easy.

1. Bo Ryan
2. Bret Bielema
3. Mike McCarthy
4. Tom Crean
5. Ned Yost
6. Larry Krystkowiak.

I thought Larry Krystkowiak would be a better coach but having Larry Harris as a GM probably hurts him. Could you imagine how less I would think of Yost if Doug Melvin was not the Brewers GM? Best to worst Brewer Nation, please post your rankings...

by South Side Rob

Can people stop following Roger Clemens please? Stop putting a microphone in front of him. Stop allowing his attorneys to speak. Allow him to retire and then just go away. I'm sure he's kissed enough of the media who own a vote on the hall so he gets in which, most baseball people now understand that the Hall is a joke. I'm sick of reading about it. I don't care about what everybody used, tried, or denied using. I'd like to just forget about it. I think we all witnessed enough in the steroid era which, we never really know when it started (early 80's perhaps), we know now that it's over.

Looking back, how many oddball seasons can you remember about a player where his stats were way out of line like Brady Anderson hitting 50 home runs in 1996 when, the most he had hit prior to that was 21 and the most he hit after was 24. Does that sound like a season on the juice?

How about Don Mattingly? He goes from 23 to 35 home runs from 1984 to 1985. Then, Mattingly hits 31 in 1986 and 30 in 1987. Without losing significant plate appearances, Mattingly's next four years drop to 18, 23, 5, and 9. I guess this is possible without some kind of help but how does Mattingly hit 30 bombs when he's 26 years old and then, at 27, starts his decline? Isn't 27 the age where most major league players begin to peak in their careers? I picked on Mattingly on purpose mainly because I have friends who feel he was so great. I saw him as incredibly average. Was Mattingly using something? Who knows. I would think probably.

In 1999 at age 24, St. Louis 3rd baseman Fernando Tatis has a career year going deep 34 times with 107 RBI's, a .298 average and an on-base of .404. He never hits more than 18 bombs ever again. He never hits better than .255 and his major league career is over before he turns 32 years old. User? Again, who knows but his numbers sure make him a suspicious candidate like Mattingly and Anderson above.

Does anybody else remember a player that had one really big year like Bill Schroeder in 1987? Makes you think why now more than ever...

By: Big Rygg

RHP Dave Bush, acquired before the 2006 season in the Lyle Overbay trade with the Toronto Blue Jays (in case you forgot), agreed to a one-year contract worth a reported $2.55MM. This signing avoids yet another arbitration case for Doug Melvin's regime, which (as is pointed out every year) has never had to go to a hearing with a player in Milwaukee.

Being that this is Bush's first year of arbitration, he was expected to receive a nice raise for his services. He made $400,000 last year and when he and the club swapped salary figures, there was a difference of $750,000. Bush asked for $3MM even and the Brewers offered $2.25.

The settlement comes in at below the midpoint of the offers, the midpoint being where most settlements tend to resolve at.

Bush has led the team in wins over the last two seasons with 12 in each. He is very consistent, has mechanics that lend themselves well to durability, and the bottom line is that he takes the ball. He's been known to struggle at times, but he's human. It's not like anyone expects Dave Bush to be Roger Clemens. Without a doubt, that would require some performance enhancers.

All joking aside, Dave Bush is a solid member of the rotation. Especially if he (as I have predicted he will on this blog and other places in print) wins one of the two open spots in the rotation, he'll no doubt have double digit wins again. To lead the team in strikeouts again will take some doing (not really on his part, but Sheets will have to get hurt again and Yovani Gallardo will have to struggle mightily in his first full year), but his own personal totals shouldn't fluctuate too much. He has a consistent delivery which very repeatable. When he is repeating it, he tends to get plenty of hitters out.

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So, Brewer Nation, I know there are people out there that were angry at how much money Chris Capuano and Claudio Vargas got this year to avoid arbitration ($3.25MM and $3.6MM) even though they were both in their second arbitration year...but what do you think of the deal Dave Bush agreed to?

Fair? Unfair? For him? The Brewers?

If you can't infer my thoughts from my post, then you didn't really read it, but I think that the Brewers got a bit of a deal since they came in under the midpoint, but I still think that it was a good deal because while Bush deserved more than $2.25MM, I don't think he deserved (or would have been awarded) $3MM.

Sound off, Brewer Nation. What do you think??

By: Big Rygg

In a recurring theme of posts, I will be offering my suggestions/predictions under different categories. I ask you to not only tear mine apart, but also post your own. Reasons are appreciated as they can lead to better discussion.

Without further ado...

25-Man Roster Projection

The 40-Man roster is easily accessable on Brewers.com. What I'm asking (and offering) is who I think will make the 25-man Opening Day roster for the Milwaukee Brewers from the current 40-man. Don't predict trades, just go from the roster as currently constituted.

Keep in mind that while it's probable that the Crew will break camp with 12 pitchers and 13 position players, there is no guarantee of that at all, let alone how those splits will break down further.

If you think they'll keep four catchers, say so. I'll tell you why you're very wrong, but the point is that if you can justify it, I'll listen.

So...

Pitching Staff (4 starters, 8 relievers)
I personally think that we'll utilize four starters at first because of all the scheduled off days in April. In fact, the Brewers won't need a 5th starter until April 19th. I think that Ned will want to take advantage of the extra bullpen arm since he loves to try to push buttons, necessarily or not.

SP - Ben Sheets
SP - Jeff Suppan
SP - Yovani Gallardo
SP - Carlos Villanueva
CL - Eric Gagne
SU - David Riske
SU - Derrick Turnbow
RP - Brian Shouse
RP - Salomon Torres
RP - Guillermo Mota
RP - Chris Capuano
RP - Dave Bush (I believe that once we need a 5th starter, that it will be Bush that transitions to that role)

Position Players (13 total - 2 Catchers, 6 Infielders, 5 Outfielders)
Obviously, this will change no later than 25 games into the season when newly acquired free agent Mike Cameron comes off of his suspension to begin roaming centerfield for the Brewers.

C - Jason Kendall
C - Eric Munson
1B - Prince Fielder
2B - Rickie Weeks
SS - J.J. Hardy
3B - Bill Hall
INF - Joe Dillon
INF - Craig Counsell
LF - Ryan Braun
CF - Tony Gwynn Jr./Gabe Gross (I'm not really predicting starters at this point)
RF - Corey Hart
OF - Gross/Gwynn
OF - Gabe Kapler

The only wrinkles I can see in regards to the position players is possibly trying Mike Rivera out (even though I believe Munson's left-handed swing and solid defensive capabilities will win him the job), and possibly if the Crew decides that Craig Counsell is expendable by finally giving a Major League roster spot to Vinny Rottino. Again, though, I don't see that happening which is why Counsell is my choice above.

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Alright, Brewer Nation. Let's hear your thoughts!

by South Side Rob

Sometimes, ESPN comes up with a good baseball story. No surprise that it comes from Jayson Stark, who I feel, is easily the best baseball writer that ESPN has. Anyway, here is the link to a recent story that talks about over 100 baseball players who still are not signed by any one team.

Some of these players were being talked about as possible Brewers for 2008 like Kenny Lofton or Corey Patterson. Both players are still without a 2008 team. I can see Lofton being unemployed simply because of age alone (40+ years old). Corey Patterson not having a job yet is quite a shock. You would think if Johnny Estrada can be traded for, then non-tendered, and then still find a one year deal from a 3rd team, you would think Patterson would have signed with someone by now.

Could this be the year that the major leagues decides to go young instead of wasting money on previous owned players? I think so. Last year's rookie crop was plentiful and very talented. I see what's out there and I can't blame teams.

Why are all these major leaguers without jobs? Your thoughts on this would be appreciated...