2015 MLB Season Thread

[Vander Blue Man Group]

The Cubs still look good.

- Lake with a solid first game up.

- Bryant is getting on base and hitting extremely well - lots of walks - without even a home run yet.

- Still a little surprised they decided to bring Russell up so early.

- Will Castro be able to continue his hot start?

I don't think Castro will continue to hit .340 but if he stays healthy I don't see any reason why he doesn't hit .280-300 with 15-20 HRs.  That's incredibly valuable for a shortstop and thus far his defense looks improved as well.  At this point I think 2013 was the outlier. 

I also think all the additional talent has taken the spotlight off of him and he can just relax and play.  The 6th spot in the order is perfect for him and it seems like he's developed a nice relationship with Maddon.  It's very easy to forget that he is still only 25 years old.   

I was also surprised they brought Russell up this early and while he has struggled a bit thus far he is already starting to look better.  I think he'll be just fine.  His promotion tells me that they're serious about winning this year and that a playoff spot is within reach. 

[chapman]

Roenicke is out.  Waiting until tomorrow to name the "replacement", which suggests not an interim manager?  If only Melvin was next.

[GGGG]

Rumored to be Craig Counsell. I wish they would dump Melvin but keep Roenicke. Handed a load of crap this year.

[jsglow]

Counsell to be announced at 10:30.

Roenicke should have been gone at the end of last year.  He lets the players run the asylum.  His tolerance for fundamental mistakes is inexcusable.

Not sure what I'd do about Doug.  I'm not sold on him as a judge of young talent.  The front office was much better before Jack Zduriencik left for Seattle. 

[chapman]

Roenicke has a point that they should have done it a week ago when his fate was sealed, before sending him on the road trip.  If it was an external hire it makes sense not to bother to get an interim in place for a week, but it's not like it should have taken another week to put Counsell in place.  Either way, Melvin needs to go too.  Can hope he's just hanging it up at the end of the year.  Thing that haunted Roenicke most was the month to six week stretch every year where we were the worst team in baseball and doomed the season- May '13, Aug-Sept '14, April '15.  That's typically thought of as being caused by more of a personnel problem than the manager.

[jsglow]

Roenicke has a point that they should have done it a week ago when his fate was sealed, before sending him on the road trip.  If it was an external hire it makes sense not to bother to get an interim in place for a week, but it's not like it should have taken another week to put Counsell in place.  Either way, Melvin needs to go too.  Can hope he's just hanging it up at the end of the year.  Thing that haunted Roenicke most was the month to six week stretch every year where we were the worst team in baseball and doomed the season- May '13, Aug-Sept '14, April '15.  That's typically thought of as being caused by more of a personnel problem than the manager.

I don't think Ron has anything to complain about and should frankly shut his mouth.  He's getting paid.

[GGGG]

Counsell to be announced at 10:30.

Roenicke should have been gone at the end of last year.  He lets the players run the asylum.  His tolerance for fundamental mistakes is inexcusable.

I don't think he has a tolerance for fundamental mistakes.  I think the organization doesn't do a good job from the minors on up on drilling those mistakes out of players.  I view this as an organizational failure versus a managerial failure.  (Contrast with Yost, who was undoubtedly failing when they let him go.) Counsell will fair no better.

[mu-rara]

Counsell to be announced at 10:30.

Roenicke should have been gone at the end of last year.  He lets the players run the asylum.  His tolerance for fundamental mistakes is inexcusable.

Not sure what I'd do about Doug.  I'm not sold on him as a judge of young talent.  The front office was much better before Jack Zduriencik left for Seattle. 

Amen brother.  Guessing there is a correlation between his leaving for Seattle and Brewer farm system decline.

[jsglow]

I don't think he has a tolerance for fundamental mistakes.  I think the organization doesn't do a good job from the minors on up on drilling those mistakes out of players.  I view this as an organizational failure versus a managerial failure.  (Contrast with Yost, who was undoubtedly failing when they let him go.) Counsell will fair no better.

That may be true that organizational development is mostly to blame but I don't think it can be argued that Ron failed to get the most out of players over the last 100 games.

[buckchuckler]

Does this firing officially start Ventura watch?

[ChuckyChip]

  The front office was much better before Jack Zduriencik left for Seattle. 

True, although they did give up Lawrie, Cain, Escobar, Odorizzi, and Jeffress to make their playoff run in 2011.  Well worth the price, but it did strip the farm system of five top prospects.  But yes, several years of bad drafts have also set them back (Eric Arnett anyone?).

[GB Warrior]

The fundamental problem with the construction of this team is with the concept that we're just aiming to make the playoffs and will see what happens then (to be fair, most Brewers fans are content to just make the playoffs and see what happens). But in doing so, we sell the farm as soon as we get close. Do that 3-4 times for the likes of Sabbathia, Marcum and Greinke, and you'll leave the cupboard bare. Higher profile signings like Lohse and Garza have just masked the fact that Melvin is an atrocious talent evaluator at baseball's lowest levels. Firing Roenicke now before the team improves back to the mean as a .450 ball club is genius because Melvin and Counsell - regardless of his merits as a manager- will benefit in the court of public opinion and the media. I'd say that Melvin has pulled the wool over Mark A's eyes, but I think Mark is fully complicit in this and is fully content with mediocrity.

To be completely honest, the Cubs have been a significantly better version of a small market team over the past several years than have the Brewers (are the Cubs done paying Soriano yet?).

[mu-rara]

But in doing so, we sell the farm as soon as we get close. Do that 3-4 times for the likes of Sabbathia, Marcum and Greinke, and you'll leave the cupboard bare. Higher profile signings like Lohse and Garza have just masked the fact that Melvin is an atrocious talent evaluator at baseball's lowest levels.

To be completely honest, the Cubs have been a significantly better version of a small market team over the past several years than have the Brewers (are the Cubs done paying Soriano yet?).

GM does not need to possess this skill himself as long as he has a top notch guy running the farm system.  Zdurienczek is a great example.  They probably shoulda made him GM when Dean Tylor was fired.

[GB Warrior]

GM does not need to possess this skill himself as long as he has a top notch guy running the farm system.  Zdurienczek is a great example.  They probably shoulda made him GM when Dean Tylor was fired.

Fundamentally, the GM must possess this knowledge since he's the one signing off on it. Enough bad moves by your subordinates, and it points to more systematic problems. There are situations where the GM will defer to detailed expertise for someone closer to the field, but he  should assume all opinions made by his subordinates as his own.

This is not how it works with the Brewers, but this is how it works in a well run organization. If the people you hire are repeatedly failures, you are probably a failure.

[🏀]

To be completely honest, the Cubs have been a significantly better version of a small market team over the past several years than have the Brewers (are the Cubs done paying Soriano yet?).

I know that Soriano is a funny joke and all. Also, Hendry outbid himself for him, but Soriano statistically outplayed the contract he was given. There's better ways to make fun of the Cubs than Soriano. See Jackson, Edwin.

[🏀]

While I still want to throw a fastball into CC's ribs everytime I see a picture of him, I think he could be a solid manager.

However, they just made an organizationally entrenched guy the manager. If he's at least mediocre, he instantly has the fan support. How does Mark A. fire Melvin if he wants to after this season? CC won't be going anywhere and a new GM will have to deal with him as manager. Doesn't sound like a solid situation for a club that should be gutted.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Roenicke is out.  Waiting until tomorrow to name the "replacement", which suggests not an interim manager?  If only Melvin was next.

Feel bad for him.  Worked with Ron when he was on Mike Scioscia's staff along witih Joe Maddon and Bud Black.  An incredible staff.  Ron's a good man, but might be more suited as an assistant coach role than the head guy. 

[NavinRJohnson]

While I still want to throw a fastball into CC's ribs everytime I see a picture of him, I think he could be a solid manager.

However, they just made an organizationally entrenched guy the manager. If he's at least mediocre, he instantly has the fan support. How does Mark A. fire Melvin if he wants to after this season? CC won't be going anywhere and a new GM will have to deal with him as manager. Doesn't sound like a solid situation for a club that should be gutted.

I had that same thought, but this actually signals to me that the rebuild process is officially underway. Melvin is sticking around as GM, and will be extended soon, and they feel Counsell is the guy to be involved and lead it from the dugout. I'm not sure about keeping Doug around, but this hire tells me it's happening.

[wadesworld]

God I love Braun.  Gets hot, everything feels great, the procedure worked, he's healed and good to go...cools down, all of a sudden the procedure has a "shelf life," the thumb is a problem again, time for another procedure.  This is awesome.  Going to be fun seeing him out of the lineup a week at a time every month (aka, every time he gets cold).

[NavinRJohnson]

God I love Braun.  Gets hot, everything feels great, the procedure worked, he's healed and good to go...cools down, all of a sudden the procedure has a "shelf life," the thumb is a problem again, time for another procedure.  This is awesome.  Going to be fun seeing him out of the lineup a week at a time every month (aka, every time he gets cold).

What? How exactly did he "get hot," osmosis? Did you miss the first month of the season when he most definitely was not hot? Whatever you are saying above makes absolutely no sense. Your contention is what, that he's faking? That a chronic injury cannot flare up?

[wadesworld]

What? How exactly did he "get hot," osmosis? Did you miss the first month of the season when he most definitely was not hot? Whatever you are saying above makes absolutely no sense. Your contention is what, that he's faking? That a chronic injury cannot flare up?

Sorry, but he's the one who said he was all good and the thumb is all better.  He left no mention of needing a repeat of the procedure every month.  Has the guy played through a slump once since he was caught juicing?  I can't remember it.  I've never seen a star player be so predictably out of the lineup as Ryan Braun since he juiced.  0-5 night?  You bet that thumb is hurting like heck!  Playing 9 games straight doesn't seem to be a problem when he has 6 dongs though!

Then again, he also stood up in front of the world and blamed someone else for his failed piss sample.  So, yes, I'm saying he's "faking" it.  I'm sure he has some soreness.  But I bet you Jean Segura does too.  And Carlos Gomez.  Aramis probably has some too.  Lucroy I bet does.  It's a 162 game season.  You're playing dang near every single night for 5 straight months.  Guess what, you're going to be sore sometimes.  But we don't see those guys out every time they go 0-5.

I was told this procedure worked its miracle.  I was told the thumb was healed and Braun would be back to the baseball player we as Brewers fans knew and loved.  I was told the lack of PEDs had nothing to do with his poor performance the past 2 seasons and that it was all this thumb injury.  And, again, that it was healed so we're all good.  The guy's hitting dang near .250.  He is a product of PEDs and he can no longer risk taking them.  He is a very average RF getting paid $20 million/year on a small market team.

The guy's a POS.  Just like the other (former) #8 Milwaukee athlete.  The state should just ban that number from its athletics teams.

[GGGG]

From an article last November.

http://www.foxsports.com/wisconsin/story/braun-offseason-thumb-surgery-made-a-huge-difference-112614

"There's not a plan in place for Braun to undergo another cryotherapy procedure, but he did say it is an option down the road if necessary. Because the surgery has rarely been done on athletes, there's not much history to fall back on."

[wadesworld]

From an article last November.

http://www.foxsports.com/wisconsin/story/braun-offseason-thumb-surgery-made-a-huge-difference-112614

"There's not a plan in place for Braun to undergo another cryotherapy procedure, but he did say it is an option down the road if necessary. Because the surgery has rarely been done on athletes, there's not much history to fall back on."

Fair enough.  Didn't see that.  I guess my point is if this surgery was such a "huge difference" (it says it right in the title of the article) shouldn't Brauny be back to the .310 career hitter he was and not be needing to take 4 days off monhtly or bi-monthly?  He's at .258(?) right now and heading downward.  Every time he starts to struggle are we going to see another surgical procedure to cure the thumb where he has to sit out a week?

Thank god we chose to give him 1/5 of the organization's payroll.

[NavinRJohnson]

Sorry, but he's the one who said he was all good and the thumb is all better.  He left no mention of needing a repeat of the procedure every month.  Has the guy played through a slump once since he was caught juicing?  I can't remember it.  I've never seen a star player be so predictably out of the lineup as Ryan Braun since he juiced.  0-5 night?  You bet that thumb is hurting like heck!  Playing 9 games straight doesn't seem to be a problem when he has 6 dongs though!

Then again, he also stood up in front of the world and blamed someone else for his failed piss sample.  So, yes, I'm saying he's "faking" it.  I'm sure he has some soreness.  But I bet you Jean Segura does too.  And Carlos Gomez.  Aramis probably has some too.  Lucroy I bet does.  It's a 162 game season.  You're playing dang near every single night for 5 straight months.  Guess what, you're going to be sore sometimes.  But we don't see those guys out every time they go 0-5.

I was told this procedure worked its miracle.  I was told the thumb was healed and Braun would be back to the baseball player we as Brewers fans knew and loved.  I was told the lack of PEDs had nothing to do with his poor performance the past 2 seasons and that it was all this thumb injury.  And, again, that it was healed so we're all good.  The guy's hitting dang near .250.  He is a product of PEDs and he can no longer risk taking them.  He is a very average RF getting paid $20 million/year on a small market team.

The guy's a POS.  Just like the other (former) #8 Milwaukee athlete.  The state should just ban that number from its athletics teams.

Wow, you are completely off the rails on this thing. You're arguments and conclusions  make  absolutely no sense and completely contradict themselves, so I think I'll just leave you to them. You don't like the guy. That's fine, but this whole thing is just weird.

[wadesworld]

Wow, you are completely off the rails on this thing. You're arguments and conclusions  make  absolutely no sense and completely contradict themselves, so I think I'll just leave you to them. You don't like the guy. That's fine, but this whole thing is just weird.

Not sure what contradicts itself, but okay.