Is C.C. Sabathia the Interior Crocodile Alligator who drives a chevy movie theater that the Brewers need?

First off, mad propers to Buster Olney, because he clearly thinks highly of this blog.

Who else said the Brewers could trade for Sabathia even in a joking fashion? Not Brewerfan.net, not Conservative Blogger Al Bethke, not even the Wisconsin Sports Bar.

It was me. It was me all along.

But now for the Mainstream Media? There is something that needs to be vetted here for your Milwaukee Brewers. Three reasons why? Three reasons why not? Sure.

REASONS WHY

1. The Brewers will make the playoffs. Even if Sheets misses an extended amount of time. C.C. Sabathia would be an arm that would get the Brewers into the Wild Card. Why? C.C. Sabathia is awesome from August onward. And with only two teams to vault in the Wild Card? They play onward into October.

2. The National League has not seen C.C. Sabathia. An experienced arm with good stats for the stretch run? It’s a good thing. An experienced arm that the league hasn’t seen much of? He could be Sutcliffe in 1984. I mean, for those of you who don’t know? The Cubs got a 16-1 with a 2.69 ERA and a Cy Young Award in the process of trading for Joe Carter.

3. The Brewers might not have to mortgage the Farm system to get him. Sure, Prince Fielder isn’t a likely cost for the Cleveland Indians, but even so? The Brewers aren’t going to have to fire out a Gamel, Jeffress, and Salome package to get him. You could bring Matt LaPorta to Cleveland and still likely be okay.

But there are some issues. They’re real, and they may paralyze the Brewers from making the move.

1. They could sign him, but will they? With Gagne, Sheets, and probably Cameron coming off the books? The Brewers could decide to give Sabathia a major contract offer. But would it be excatly like or close to the Johan? No. And for a small market team, would you rather have six years of top hitting prospect or two months of great pitching?

2. Damn Yankees. Hank Steinbrenner is a desperate man. He saw his youth energy that he held on so desperately turn to Joba Chamberlain and shit this season. And if the Yankees take the position that he will only be a rental for two months? Would a package of Jesus Montero, Melky Cabrera, and Ian Kennedy be worth more than one Matt LaPorta? Sadly, yes.

And as a further note, a team like the Dodgers is currently chock full of prospect, and an Andy LaRoche and Andre Ethier could also be very interesting.

3. Can he handle Bratwurst for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner? Cleveland is not a major metropolitan market. But Milwaukee? It can be a depressing place to live. I love it, but I have to admit it. It is no Cleveburg. He may be in for a culutre shock?

Should Dougie Baseball Do It? Sure. I do think it would be like Don Sutton in 1982 and the Crew would get to the playoffs on his left arm. But don’t take MY word for it.

Gabe Gross is above replacement level versus right-handed hitters.

But the Brewers traded him to make room for Tony Gwynn Jr. In this respect, it’s not the most savvy move. (And with Frank Thomas available? You could say the same think for the Rays. See, they dealt for Gabe.) And before I call this move a mini-disaster, we need to discuss the return.

That’s Josh Butler. He’s a righty. He’s got a nice repitoire of pitches. A 92-95 MPH fastball with movement. A hard, sinking slider, a curveball with tight spin, and an improving change-up. He has a good intelligence at the plate (so long as he doesn’t abandon his change-up.) He also has good command.

Sure, he has a 6.35 ERA in Vero Beach, but at this point? That can change rapidly, after all, in three or four starts, a mans BABIP can be astronomical.

It’s upside. Pure and simple.

Who’s got two thumbs and just blew another save?!?

This Guy!

In other news, Cueto started the reactor.

Hey Brewers Fan?

Do you have faith in Zach Jackson? Do you have hope for him?

Because while I may have said that Seth McClung has an excellent chance of closing games for the Brewers, I will guarantee that Zach will have a great chance of taking the mound for a game that matters. And judging by an MLE 5.69 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, and almost four walks per 9 innings? This shall not bode well.

But how did we get to the point where we have to put our faith in a “monster?”

Starting Pitching Depth is a misnomer.

At the end of last season, the Milwaukee Brewers were in great shape in the rotation. They had 7 starters whom have delivered in some way shape or form last season, and Manny Parra is a lefthanded starter with elite potentials. Sure, it would have been cool if they could have flipped a starter for a decent prospect. But, 8 starters man, it’s a good thing.

Sure, Ben Sheets could very well be nothing more than a mere Mark Prior wannabe in terms of his Dugout portrayal, and Parra is not in love with throwing over 100 innings, but that still leaves 6 valid starters, right?

Nope.

Chris Capuano tore yet another elbow ligament. He needs Tommy John surgery. Yovani Gallardo has a knee injury, that is something that can affect a pitcher’s style very easily.

And now the Brewers up and released Claudio Vargas. Yeah, he is pretty much made of meh. However? Meh as a pitcher is a skill in and of itself. And where does that leave the Brewers rotation?

1. Sheets (Talented when healthy, but he won’t last the season)
2. Gallardo (Pitcher with a bad knee. He will be a wee bit of a question mark.)
3. Parra (If you want him to stay healthy? He can’t pitch more than 130 IP.)
4. Bush (The man is skilled, but he’s wildly inconsistent. I still think he’d be a lot more awesome in the bullpen.)
5. Suppan (The Platinum version of Claudio Vargas.)
6. Villanueva (Pretty good. You need a good set-up man, long man or end of the rotation guy? New House is your man.)

But if you expect Sheets and Parra to miss some time? Who is the man you’ll expect to fill the slot?

CHRIS NARVESON! YEAH!

Or how about we put it this way. Chris Narveson is a man who was once very much like Manny Parra in that he was able to bring it with power. Sadly, he has also brought it like Parra in that he was unable to stay healthy. But unlike Parra, he was unable to come out the other side near to the level where he once was. (If you search out his minor league career? You’ll see that he’s added about two walks per nine innings.)

Also? He’s still injury prone like Ben Sheets.

And you know what that means? We are back to do. 

Or Zach Jackson. This is going to hurt the Brewers in the end. 

(Though, I expect the Brewers to sign a Durbin.)  

Occasionally…

I have made mention of favors that I have asked from people I do not know. Now some have panned out (see the JD Ryznar interview), and others have not. Now one of the things I had asked for was to write the Brewers preview for Deadspin. And remarkably enough? Will didn’t laugh me out of Blogfrica.

On Fri, Dec 28, 2007 at 8:14 AM, Will Leitch <will@deadspin.com> wrote:

All right … usually I have Dan Kois from NY mag do them … but I’ll see where he stands this year … we’ll figure it out. And happy holidays!

Best,
Will

 

But as a cursory perusal of Deadspin showed today, Dan Kois still loves the Brewers enough to write about them on site. C’est la vie, I guess. I was asking for a longshot, and it did not come in.

But that does not mean I should not put up something that I believe is quality workmanship. So, for your edificatory pleasure, I proudly present…

Your Milwaukee Brewers, a Deadspin Cake Rocks The Grand National Championships Season Preview.

In Doug We Trust.

It’s what the Brewers internet literati (interati) say every time the Brewers make a move that hits with the consensus. He made some known savvy moves, as well as some stealth savvy moves. He has built a baseball team of pretty solid calibre.

And Mike Cameron only helps matters. I know. I called him a user, a loser, and an abuser. It’s still going to be on Page 1 when I post this. But the total risk for Mike Cameron is likely going to be about 6.3 million dollars. (He’s at about 4.22 in base, 1.25 in a signing bonus, and a 750k buyout in ’09 which will likely be taken.)

Mike Cameron is a great defender. He’s a career .251 hitter, with good isolated numbers in both OBP and SLG. And he’s been playing in pitchers parks. Considering the going market on good defenders with solid power and mediocre at best OBP is 8 figures and multiple years?

Despite all the flaws, and despite the month in flux, this actually looks like it will be a good move.  

Thoughts from a Foggy Night

Maybe I have too many one sentence thoughts. Maybe I need to work them out. So? Here we go.

1. I have learned that the SEC is filled with legitimate football badasses. I would even be amenable to the split national title with Georgia. But the fact of the matter? If I was ever in a room with a Hardocre SEC football fan, I would be an angry man. A very angry man.
2. The auteur theory will die a very angry death on January 25th. The shitty writers of Eric Movie and Date Movie also direct! Francois Truffaut can suck it!
3. No Massacusetts candidate for President has ever lost the New Hampshire primary. They even wrote in Henry Cabot Lodge in 1964. This bodes a lot more ill for Mitt Romney than he will let on.
   *And it also means that the next major political posts will likely come on the heels of SUPER TUESDAY!
4. I know how to make Who’s Now? watchable. It can wait.
5. Where’s the love for Vanderbilt hoops? They’re unbeaten. They have an RPI of 6. And they’re ranked 13th and 12th. Ah well. UMass is a special little snowflake. The blood will tell for Vandy.
6. Also. I have a premise. With Mark Wohlers, Chuck Knoblauch, and Mackey Sasser– You know what? I’m saving this one too.
7. If I was thinking outside the box with a name that I would love to play third base if Dougie Baseball moves Ryan Braun. Mark Reynolds. But that’s just me, and he’s probably bad at defense too.

Anyway. I rambled. I go.

I remember when Scream 2 came out.

My friend Adam and I went to see the movie. We were high school movie reviewers.

*Pausing for the nerdy air five…good*

Anyhow. The big news rumor from those heady days at the end of 1997 was that the Brewers, with Bud Selig, in the midst of choking his dear love into submission, had themselves going after a superstar. 1998 Kenny Lofton was considering being a Milwaukee Brewer. Seriously. I’m not lying.

Put it this way, the mere fact the Brewers were on a stars list gave us legitimacy. (Yeah, I’m the same guy who said all the joy that your Milwaukee Brewers fans had for Curt Schilling was wasted. But come on, Schilling is an innings-eater at present. Lofton was a superstar, man.)

Of course, 20 mil under the major offer and trip to George Webb was all that came out of it.

Now? Lofton is a free agent again. The Crew is interested. Sure, now he’s more of a high-end platoon player. He would not effect the defense positively. He can’t hit lefties. But the fact remains, add Lofton and you gain a playoff berth. 

Weeks becomes the star he was born to be.
Sheets lasts the season without injury.
Ned Yost does not overmanage the team.

And we will lose in the NLCS. But I may take it.

Maybe.

Rumors in Brief: Hank Blalock.

Again, if this was 2003, I would be thrilled. Hank Blalock of 2007 has three big flaws.

• He is coming off of a severe shoulder injury. That ususally has aftereffects.
• He is remarkably skittish on the road. Even with The Ballpark at Arlington becoming more of a power neutral ballyard, he plays as if it was Coors.
• He is like a kitten versus southpaws.

In his defense?

• He did have a .900 OPS last season, such as it was.
• He’s still baseball cheap for two more seasons.
• He’s remarkably good in the second slot.

Again. He’s coming off two bad years and an injury shortened one.

But maybe he’s low cost, yeah? I’d be kind of excited if he comes.

Kind of.

Are you asking for a cheap and easy closer pun?

I have one. Brewers to smoke some Gagne.

It’s not official. But it’s looking as if that it is a one year deal. Five mil-Six mil tops. It’s not the Gagne of the Dodgers, but the fact of the matter is, I like this move. There are so many logical explanations as to why the Canadian struggled toward the end of the year. Fatigue. OMG PLAYOFF PRESSURES. Variance.

Yeah, I will admit that he could have been hurt. He could still get hurt again. But in this crazy mixed-up topsy turvy world on wheels? Gagne at let’s say 5.5 million is a bargain.

Put it this way. If you had your choice of Gagne, Riske, and Torres* at 12 million or Coco Cordero for 11? The wise move is to take the quantity.

*Of course, Salomon Torres is threatening retirement. He’s always been a little bit of a flake. It could mean Turnbow gets some high leverage innings. That is equal to DO NOT WANT.

**1 year, 10 mil, as mentioned by a commenter. One word. BOOOOOOOO!!!