Thought this may be a good time to start a fresh thread (Elk, close gow if you disagree). First here is a list of players who may be non-tendered (note thread is old and some guys are off the list):

http://brewersfandemonium.yuku...-of-non-tenders.html

I also saw this and wonder if the Crew could swing a deal with Florida. Problem being that I'm not sure if the Crew has the prospects the Marlins would obviously be seeking:

Ricky Nolasco, Josh Johnson, and Cody Ross are all arby eligible, and all cut fit into MIL's plans (Ross is unlikely with Gomez in the picture, but Hart could be moved, in theory). Both Nolasco and Johnson seem unlikely, but FLA will not be able to afford them all.

Offseason is here and it couldn't come at a better time with the play of our favorite NFL team!

Off that non-tender list, I like Maine (a Peterson guy) and Shoppach. Maine could be a reclamation project and Shoppach could replace Kendall.

Again, these names are just speculation.

Johnson is a pipe dream, we don't have the ammo. Nolasco would be cheaper, but still probably out of reach. Probably have to start with Lawrie for both these guys.

I think Gamel ends up in Flordia. They have pitching that they can move and payroll which they are looking to shed. Nolasco for Gamel makes a lot of sense for both teams. Nolasco is going to start making some money. Gamel could play first or third for the Marlins and the defense probably would not scare them as much as other teams. Other pitchers that I could see the Marlins moving are VandenHurk or Miller.

If Gamel gets Nolasco, I can live with that

Heether added to the 40-man:

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/69574287.html

Not sure if this means anything but it could mean Casey or Gamel could be on the move and Heether could play the backup to either at 3B. Very versatile as well and could also be a replacement for Counsell.

I really am hoping we sign Prince now.

Greg Zaun's option not picked up. Another alternative over Kendall:

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/...could-come-soon.html

If Gamel netted Nolasco, that would be pretty exciting.

Doesn't walk many, has unhittable stuff at times, but is young and makes mistakes. If the Marlins are ready to give up on him, go get him. He and Gallardo are about ready to break out, and if they break out together, they could be devastating.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/s...-MLB%27s-GM-meetings

Brewers not considering Lackey.

More speculation linking the Brewers to Doug Davis and Jarrod Washburn.

If the rotation next year is Gallardo/Suppan/Bush/Parra/Davis OR Washburn, how realistic are the Brewers chances of going to the playoffs next year?

I still think they should call Boston and see if they could pry Buchholz/Bard/Bowden/Tazawa for Fielder. To bad they already traded Hardy, as he would have presented a real nice "throw in" for the Red Sox.

Im ok with it, I think that investing 12-15M in a pitcher is hard to do. He has to be very special to get that kind of money.

I'd like to see them go after some of the high risk/high reward guys. Sheets/Harden/Bedard come to mind.

If they don't think Lackey wants to go to a small market then I agree with Diggr. I would rather gamble on the health of two of those three than run Davis or Washburn out there for the next three years. High risk/high reward/low length of contract.

Haudricourt has a blog post up that sounds like the Brewers will pair Lucroy (or maybe Salome) with Rivera next year.

The rest of the rumor sites target Doug Davis and Jarrod Washburn for the Brewers. If both of those pitchers are signed, I don't know if they have the funds to offer arbitration to Dave Bush.

If Lucroy is getting a starting job, the Brewers go into next season with Escobar, Gomez and Lucroy in the lineup. I would think the run production would slip if those three are everyday players. And yes, I realize that two of the players they would be replacing, Kendall and Hardy, did very little offensively in 2009.

And I guess I'm not too excited about a rotation of Gallardo/Davis/Washburn/Suppan/Parra.

I still think they would be best off building for 2011 and beyond, and if you can get a reasonable return on Fielder then they should trade him.

Looks like this is a "likely scenario" roster:

Lineup:
1. 2B-Weeks
2. SS-Escobar
3. LF-Braun
4. 1B-Fielder
5. 3B-McGehee
6. RF-Hart
7. C-Lucroy/Rivera
8. CF-Gomez

Bench:
C-Lucroy/Rivera
IF- ?, ? (Heether and someone who is a reliable shortstop)
OF- Gerut, ?

Rotation:
Gallardo, Davis, Washburn, Suppan, Parra

Bullpen:
Hoffman, Coffey, Stetter, Villanueva, DiFelice, ?, Riske (injured)

That rotation is not good enough ... if thats how they are going to spend money, it would be a mistake.

Brosto1's scenario in the other thread is the aggressiveness Crew fans are looking for ...
Hart needs a new change of scenery.

Lackey most likely too much. Melvin spoke with Randy Wolf's agent.

http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/69769177.html

I'd be happier with Wolf and Davis than Washburn and Davis.

Brewers GM: We're not listening to Fielder offers — 2:15 p.m.
Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said he's made clear to other GMs that he's not listening to offers for first baseman Prince Fielder this offseason.

Fielder is due to become a free agent after the 2011 season. Melvin said he'd like to pursue a long-term extension with Fielder before Opening Day.

Fielder, though, is represented by agent Scott Boras. A hometown discount appears highly unlikely.


Off MSN's live wire.

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb

isn't that GM'speak for "You are simply not offering enough"?

yes it is.

If Melvin is really "not listening to offers" for Fielder then he is being foolish.

In defense of Melvin, if I were in his chair I probably wouldn't trade Fielder either but not because I would be totally unwilling, but because I still think it's unlikely that they would get a good enough offer.

But I think he should be willing to listen.

For instance:

-If Boston called and Melvin threw out the names Buchholz, Bard and maybe another two prospects (say Bowden and Tazawa) and Boston was still interested, then he should be willing to consider the idea of trading Fielder.

-If the Giants called and offered Matt Cain plus another good prospect, then Melvin should be willing to consider the idea of trading Fielder.

-If Atlanta called and offered Jair Jurrjens, Jordan Schaffer and another top prospect not named Heyward because they ain't trading him), Melvin should be listening to that one.

-If the Yankees sign John Lackey and suddenly get all excited because they think Fielder is going to Boston, maybe they'd decide that with Lackey they can part with both Chamberlain and Hughes and a couple more prospects. If so, Melvin should listen to what they have to say.

I don't think you trade Fielder. He's an everyday player who can win every game for you. A pitcher can win a game for you every five days. I know this team needs pitching, but I just don't think you get better trading away your best players. I think Braun and Prince are untouchables.

Joba makes Manny look smart

There is a contingent of posters in here dying to start a tradeprincefielder.com website. The guy is helping put Milwaukee back on the baseball map. Thank goodness Melvin is at saying there is a chance Prince may stay a Brewer.

quote:

Originally posted by El-Ka-Bong:
Joba makes Manny look smart

http://www.baseball-reference....rs/c/chambjo03.shtml

http://www.baseball-reference....rs/p/parrama01.shtml

you must be speaking of things other than pitching. Not much need for intellect and personality when pounding the zone.

I think there are many reasons why the Brewers should consider trading Fielder.

-He is not signing a long-term deal with the Brewers and chances are 90+% that he will be wearing a different uniform in 2012. The only people who believe that he is going to sign a bargain deal with the Brewers or that the Brewers are going to pay him 25 million dollars per season are the same people who think the Brewers had a good chance of signing C.C. Sabathia to a long-term contract. It isn't going to happen.

-He has reached peak value. If the Brewers are forced to trade him next off-season they will only probably only get about 50% back of what they could get for him if they traded him right now. If they wait and he has a down year or gets hurt the Brewers have really cost themselves in terms of what they could have gotten. Situations like this are ones that small market teams like the Brewers just cannot afford to totally ignore. J.J. Hardy reached peak value last off-season, and not trading him turned out to be a major mistake for the Brewers. They kept him to finish 80-82, and when they traded him they probably only got about 30% of what they could have got had they traded him a year earlier.

-If the Brewers cannot significantly upgrade their pitching staff...and I feel that applies to the bullpen as well as the starting rotation, I don't think they have a very good chance of being a playoff team. So why keep what figures to be a short-term, 2 year piece like Fielder when you could very easy pick up 20+ years of service time from young minor leaguers and advanced legitimate prospects? You are very likely not in the playoffs in 2010, and how can you keep Fielder going into 2011 if you haven't signed him to a long-term deal? A team like the Brewers cannot afford to pass up some type of combination of 4 young major leaguers/advanced prospects for 2 draft picks. So if you don't trade Fielder now you likely have to do so next off-season. If the team doesn't look like a playoff team this year, there really isn't a whole lot of sense to keep him if you can get a Rangers/Braves Teixeria type return on him.

If I thought the Brewers should just dump Fielder I would say as much. But I haven't said that. But looking at the situation, especially taking what happened with Hardy into consideration, I think the Brewers would just be stupid to totally dismiss the idea of trading Fielder for the reasons I gave above.

quote:

Originally posted by El-Ka-Bong:
Joba makes Manny look smart

You might be giving him too much credit in terms of his intelligence. But he also has posted an MLB ERA of 3.61 and a K/9 rate of 9.11 while pitching in the AL East and he's still only 24 years old.

I have to admit that if was Melvin and dealing with the Yankees after they ###### the Brewers around in the Cameron/Cabera dealings, I'd really try to stick it to them in any Fielder negotiations. I'd probably start by asking for Chamberlain, Hughes, Alfredo Aceves, Austin Jackson and Jesus Montero. When they refused to trade Jackson I'd probably sub in Zach McAllister and Manny Banuelos which would result in a Fielder for Chamberlain/Hughes/Aceves/Montero/McAllister/Banuelos package. That is probably as low as I would in terms of dealing with the Yankees. And there is no way I would think the Yankees would do that...but if they thought Fielder could end up in Boston there is a chance they would do just about any stupid thing to prevent that. And if the Brewers could get this type of package for Fielder, then they would be nuts to pass it up. Chamberlain/Hughes/Aceves could all step in the rotation immediately and each of them would be better than the Brewers #2 starter was last year. Montero is one of the best catching prospects in the minors. And the other two pitchers both had solid years in the minors, each of them posting a WHIP under 1.10.