Cards/Holliday Gaining Momentum

Huh... This has shades of Texas & A-Rod. Aside from the 8yr/130mil the O's reportedly offered, it almost feels like the Cards are bidding against themselves for Holliday's services.

Keeping Holliday/Pujols together would be very powerful, just as the Braun/Fielder combo drives the Crew's offense.

DeRosa To The Giants

Looks like 2yr/12mil for DeRosa. Seems a little pricey for a 35-year-old utlility man whose only come into consciousness in the last few years.

I agree with Al on this though: Pushing Sandoval across the diamond essentially lowers Pablo's value as a 1st baseman. I wouldn't mind DeRosa on the Crew, either. But only as a super-utility guy, not a starter. 35-year-olds rarely continue past offensive production, especially when that offensive production didn't show up until after age 30.

Metropolitans Sign Bay

Jason Bay and the Mets agreed to a 3yr/66mil deal, with a 5th year vesting option that probably puts it in the $80mil range.

We'll see how the dimensions of Citi Field affect his power numbers, as it appears it did to David Wright this past season. I'll qualify that statement by saying I haven't delved into any numbers to back that up, though.

Bay is a solid player, but I get the feeling he is valued higher simply because he went to Boston instead of wading around in the general obscurity of Pittsburgh. A good coup for NYM considering I'd seen many comments this offseason about how the Mets weren't doing anything to improve.

Badgers Win!

Congrats on a 10-win season, culminating in beating the U in the Champ Sports Bowl 20-14!
The defense was outstanding tonight, especially the front 4. John Clay took the MVP with 121 yds & 2 touches. I would've given it to Kendricks, as every catch seemed to be in a huge situation. Nevertheless, a great season from a team that was picked to do nothing this year.

Health Care Questions

I have been told that my company's insurance plan is absolutely outstanding. They do a bang-up job of trying to keep premium costs down for the employees.

Articles like this make me worry.

The Land of Opportunity is fast becoming the Land of Where The Hell Is My Handout.

I've said it before & I'll say it again: The problem is not the coverage, it's the industry costs. For instance, it shouldn't cost $125 just to walk in, then get sent somewhere else in the building for a test (another office visit charge), then back where you came from for... wait for it... wait for it... another $125 office visit charge.

I'm fast becoming sick & tired of paying for other people's lives, then wondering how I'll pay for my own.

Nanny State, be thy name.

MLB/Umpires Reach Deal

The real question is will this do anything to upgrade the pathetic state of umpiring.

It's not too much to ask that a strike is called a strike, calls are not made simply because the ball beat the runner, and umpires be the mediators they are supposed to be instead of the attention-seeking buffoons they've become.

I wonder if Phil Cuzzi can get some Optometry coverage on the insurance plan?

And can someone please tell Tim McClelland to make the call before I age another year. I heard a rumor that he finally finished his last strike call of the 2009 season yesterday.

LeRoy Butler

One of the things I look forward to most after a Packer game is the 5 Questions segment with Butler in the Jounal Sentinel.

I especially enjoy when he gives those little insights that only a former player can disclose. I'm surprised he hasn't been approached for an analyst or TV job (or maybe he has and doesn't have an interest).

I mean, honestly, if Key and Irvin can get hired, there's gotta be a place open for an articulate defensive player.

Braves Looking For A Bat

Rumor is the Braves are looking for a bat now that the Vasquez trade with the Yanks is done. The link mentions Marlon Byrd, DeRosa, Nady.

There have been countless ponderings of a Corey Hart-centered trade for awhile now.
You can rest assured that Doug would ask for pitching back, which the Braves always have (as they acquired two young ones in this deal). The problem is I think Corey's stock has fallen quite a bit over the last year. Although many GM's would recognize his speed and power as two attractive attributes.

Yanks Trade For Vasquez

And the rich keep getting richer...

Yikes, that's a formidable rotation. Now if they could only land some hitting...

Brewers Sign Catcher

The Crew signed Matt Treanor today.

It would certainly make looking for the Wive's Section worthwhile.

Love That State Gov't

I guess I shouldn't worry about WI problems too much. Especially when they're dealing with such tough issues like The Official State Motorcycle.

Thank goodness we don't have a waste of time and resources like other states.

I won't even go into the debacle that is state-funded childcare. Take a look at some of the older stories.

And there are people that think government should run health care?! Ahh, Nanny State be thy name.

Bucks/Lakers

Pretty amusing exchange.

I know, I know, stop Kobe and you win... make free throws at the end and you win. It shouldn't have come down to that. Not only did Kobe travel 1st, then charge Bogut, he was awarded a basket. Even if Donaghy's story is 25% true, it's like the Sith: There cannot be one without another. How are we not supposed to think the rules are applied wherever an official sees fit.

The Bucks played valiantly and have nothing to show for it. I will tell you one thing... the Bucks play with alot more urgency and presence under Skiles than the previous three regimes.

Snow-Covered Stop Lights

No one involved in the initial decision thought of this possibility?

These are the elected leaders responsible for our well-being? My goodness. I suppose, Garbage In, Garbage Out.

Cards/Holliday

Huh. Should be a good starting point for Pujols and the next richest contract in baseball history.

It begs the question can the Cards afford both of them and still field a team?

Anything to further your agenda, buddy.

The cycles of the Earth have been going on for millions of years, and will go on long after we're part of the dirt it regurgitates. We are an arrogant species if we think that we do any real damage to this whizzing, spinning orb.

Which also begs the question... How did everyone get to the conference? Ah, yes, planes, trains, and automobiles. The irony is writ large.

Tiger Thoughts

Ok, so I've been non-existent on this since the beginning, so here goes. He's a golfer. He didn't free the slaves, he didn't cure cancer, he didn't discover how to split the atom... he's a golfer. Holding him to a higher standard is ludicrous.

On the other hand, he was unfaithful to his wife and children. But he doesn't owe anyone an explanation, other than his family. The ridiculous notion that he needs to come out and show remorse or tell his story is simply for the benefit of our country's insatiable appetite for gossip.

Are his actions deplorable? Absolutely. Were they selfish? Adultery always is. But thinking we deserve some act of contrition or explanation is wrong. He can answer to his God and his wife (and not necessarily in that order).

I watch golf to see Tiger win. Nothing more, nothing less. I certainly don't look to him for guidance or spiritual leadership. Charles Barkley was vilified for saying "I'm not a role model"... well, he's not. Your parents are, your teachers are, you are.

Patterning your life after someone who can make an inch and a half white ball curve around a tree from 250 yards is a slippery slope. You can be inspired by them and their feats, but that's all.

I'm sad that someone I admired for his ability, dedication, and drive could fall victim to such a cliched episode. I hope the Woods' family can come out the other side of this stronger, and that Tiger comes out of it a better man.

Signings

Deals finalized with Wolf and Counsell today.

The 2010 team just got better.

With the Wolf, Hawkins, Counsell, & arby cases, it looks like the bulk of the spending is finished. With Correia back in SD, Doug is probably turning his attention to Mulder.

Cam-Boogie to BoSox

2-year deal for Cameron in Beantown.

I'm surprised they went with a two. The post claims rumblings of Ellsbury to move to LF to make room for Cam.

Good for him and the Sox. Nothing but a classy man. I wonder if he gets them to Untuck 'Em, if the entire baseball fraternity will chastise the Red Sox?

Non-Tendered

Goodbye and good luck, Son of Clung.

Counsell Rumbling

If true, the Canadian Connection has virtually accomplished everything they set out to do this offseason. A little tweaking around the edges and we can start counting down the days before Arizona.

Correia Rumor

I guarantee Doug is on the phone trying to work a deal with the Friars.

Hey, Chicken Little...

Mr. Hunt with his "sky is falling" pronouncement for the day. I get his point on the years of the deal and the years on Wolf, but to compare this contract to Soup's is a little off-kilter.

Every deal is frought with risk. It just so happens that pitching is the great unknown.

Measure Of A Man

I challenge anyone to find a player Doug signs where character doesn't play into it.

Welcome to Wisconsin, Mr. Wolf. We're glad to have you.

Wolf Signs, Pending Physical (Updated)

Deal looks to be done with Randy Wolf. A little higher than the projections, apparently, but, health-willing, a solid signing. I still think a look at Doug Davis is coming later this offseason.

Al thinks Doug will shift his attention to Hawkins or Correia. Either would be a nice bullpen complement to Coffey and Claudio.

UPDATE: Hawkins on the way. Is Correia far off? Doug's been looking at him for some time.

The makeover continues...

The tattoo says it all... Another reason I'm glad the bar scene has passed me by.

Deepest sympathies to the Luick & Peters families.

Pitching Help On The Way?

Haudricourt blogs that a deal for Wolf may well be being finalized. I would guess somewhere in the neighborhood of 8-9 per, as Tom is saying it's for three years.

Of course it's not C.C., but Wolf is pretty solid. As always, free agent pitching is always overpriced, but this seems a little more thought out than the Suppan debacle.

Let's be honest, when you're trotting out Mike Burns and the like, it's easy to see why the Crew is attempting to pay for pitchers like Wolf.

UPDATE: Joel Sherman reporting via MLB Trade Rumors

Thank You

I would be remiss if I didn't show gratitude to the men and women of Pearl Harbor. Your sacrifice made it possible for me to write trivial thoughts and live a free life.

With the passage of time, let me say may we never forget.

Packers vs. Ravens

I don't know how much credence this holds. I mean, it's not exactly Bora Bora in Baltimore, either.

As nearly every NFL game is, this one will come down to the trenches: Can Rogers stay upright? Can Ray Ray be neutralized? Will the Pack get a pass rush? Does Woodson continue his Superman impersonation?

Prediction: Packers 27 Ravens 20

AP, You Killed My Fantasy Team!

I know Favre has had an outstanding year, but yesterday's game was a prime example of how you can't ride a 40-year-old arm. AP got 13 rushes & 19 total touches. 13 rushes!?
Arizona can score quickly, so it stands to reason that you'd want to keep the ball out of Warner's hands. So what does Minnesota do? Let Favre heave the ball countless times when the game was still close.
Line problems aside, Peterson can break a run at any time, from anywhere. Feed him the rock like he's a breast-feeding baby for once this year. 25-30 rushes in a road game that was close for the first 30 minutes would seem to be the way to go.

WI Headed To Orlando

Champ Sports Bowl vs. Miami on Dec. 29... presumably because Northwestern travels well & gets huge ratings.

Winter Meetings

The 2nd best thing in December (next to Xmas, of course): Baseball's winter meetings start tomorrow. Tip o' the brim to Brew Crew Ball for the reminder.

Get your rest, baseball lovers, the activity can be tiring!

Moustache, our trust is in you.

BCS Bowl Matchups

Exactly what I didn't want to happen, two BCS-Busters taking on each other. I'd rather see what each could do against the "traditional" powers. Almost feels like the committee was relieved they could put them together.

Really? A Rodent?

I don't care what Michael Jackson named his rat, this is animal activists run amok.

Ground Domination

Looks like an Outback Bowl on the horizon. I was worried about the air attack of Hawaii... maybe I didn't give John Clay & the boys their due. Thoroughly punished the 8-9 man fronts of the Warriors tonight.

Tolzien was solid, as usual. It's an odd feeling having a quarterback as impressive as the RB's at UW. For those who don't remember Al Toon's play, watch his son, Nick. If he adds some size, he should follow in the footsteps of other successful Badger receivers like Chambers & Evans.

Kudos to Schofield, JJ, & the "D" also. They looked quick & active tonight, as well.

Cameron Rumors

I saw this snippet "The Cubs like Mike Cameron a lot and are planning on meeting with him in Indy to talk about a 1 year deal to be the Cubs CF in 2010.". It goes on to say if Cam asks for too much, the baby bears should turn their attention to Ankiel as "they are both good at defense but not really good at hitting."
It pains me how underappreciated Mike Cameron is and how overrated batting average continues to be. Then again, as a Brewer fan I would much rather face Ankiel 17 times than Cam-Boogie.

Badger football via Don Ho country

Bucky-ball tomorrow night... late and live from the center of the hula universe. I'll admit I don't know much about the Warrior pigskin team, but if they spread the field like Northwestern, O'Brien and the boys may be in trouble.

We don't need no stinking bowl game!

Just another reason the Notre Dame football program strikes me as self-important whiners, regardless of how warm and fuzzy Mr. Ruettiger made us all feel.

Offer to Counsell

According to the official site, Doug made an initial offer to the other CC today. From the reports of interest in Craig this offseason, a deal in the $2 mil range wouldn't be surprising.

Craig has said in the past that if he gets 200 at-bats, something went bad somewhere else. To the contrary, Counsell is the definition of "veteran presence" that most teams say they look for. As with most bench players, Counsell's real value lay in his patient plate approach and his solid defense at three positions.

Offensively, I recall many times last year I watched Craig at the dish and wondered why no one had told him to lower his hands before Dale did.

Triple-G Signs with Brew Crew

Triple-G signs with the Crew (tip o' the brim to Al). The re-creation of the middle of the diamond continues, and has gotten considerably less expensive, with upside. On a side note, excluding Zaun & Prince (who does run well for a big dude), the 2010 Crew should sport considerably better all-around speed.

Brand new blog... 1st post

I would first like to thank the likes of BrewCrewBall, Al's Ramblings, Bernie's Crew, the clan at Brewerfan.net, and the many other Milwaukee Brewers blogs for changing the way I watch baseball. I stumbled onto these and many others a few years ago and became a converted Sabermetric disciple. If you stumble onto this one, and you love the Brew Crew, check them out. Thank you all!