What do we need to put us over the top?

[Nowak008]

We definitely need a leadoff hitter. Rickie isn't a leadoff and he's showing it.

Lead-off Hitters/Possible Lead-Off Hitters to trade for
Carl Crawford
Rocco Baldelli
Ichiro
Eric Byrnes
Ryan Freel
David DeJesus

Just a couple ideas...

I wonder if Ichiro could be had. Seattle might be scared that they might lose him, and it seems like they are in a rebuilding process. Problem is we might only be renting him for a season.

[WEFFPIM]

Doubt Braun would go but Gallardo would certainly be on his way out.

Exactly. The DRays want pitching, preferably younger pitching. I was looking for a Gallardo, Doug Davis trade in the offseason to Tampa, but nothing came.

[Ayt]

Crawford could be had for alot less than is expected. The D-Rays have proven thus far this year that they need pitching 10X more than they need offense. We could probably get our hands on Crawford by packaging Capellan and Jackson with one or two more players. Then again, the D-Rays did drive an extremely high price for Baez a few years back...

David DeJesus would be ideal. And as for the question about where you play him. You move him to Left/Right Field. Either or.

Not a chance you could get Crawford for that little. He's damn young and not even that expensive. The D-Rays would want some real prospects for him; Cappy and Jackson ain't that.

[Ayt]

Plus, I don't know why we need a leadoff hitter. Weeks has great speed and a solid OBP given his batting average. He also already has 5 SB with no CS. He's on pace for 40 SB and in his career he's had an 85% success rate.

Once his BA gets back up where it should be -- around .280 or so -- his OBP will be excellent and he'll also bring some pop. Rickie and JJ have been killing it at the top of the order. Once Braun is brought up I don't know what the batting order will look like since we'll have so many solid hitters.

[JoeJohnson2two]

Not a chance you could get Crawford for that little. He's damn young and not even that expensive. The D-Rays would want some real prospects for him; Cappy and Jackson ain't that.

That is why I want Doug Melvin to pursue David DeJesus instead. He could be had for a lot less than Carl Crawford. I think we could get DeJesus for a package involving Capellan and Jackson along with maybe one or two other players/prospects.

Plus, I don't know why we need a leadoff hitter. Weeks has great speed and a solid OBP given his batting average. He also already has 5 SB with no CS. He's on pace for 40 SB and in his career he's had an 85% success rate.

Once his BA gets back up where it should be -- around .280 or so -- his OBP will be excellent and he'll also bring some pop. Rickie and JJ have been killing it at the top of the order. Once Braun is brought up I don't know what the batting order will look like since we'll have so many solid hitters.

As to why I

[Ayt]

What makes you think DeJesus is available? The Royals aren't just going to give away a guy who has been that productive. Plus, they just signed him last March to a 5 year deal (club option for 6th year) for only 13.8 million over the 5 years.

Capellan has very little trade value since teams know he might not be in the future plans of the Brewers. Zach Jackson gets a lot of hype, but I doubt he's considered more than a #3 pitcher at best.

Its nice to look around the league and think "wow, that guy would look great in a Brewer uniform" but the reality is a lot of the guys aren't even available, and if they are, the proposed trades wouldn't get them.

Those lefties could definitely be available later in the year though, and I doubt those teams would want Mench. Some middling prospect would do.

[JoeJohnson2two]

What makes you think DeJesus is available? The Royals aren't just going to give away a guy who has been that productive. Plus, they just signed him last March to a 5 year deal (club option for 6th year) for only 13.8 million over the 5 years.

Capellan has very little trade value since teams know he might not be in the future plans of the Brewers. Zach Jackson gets a lot of hype, but I doubt he's considered more than a #3 pitcher at best.

Its nice to look around the league and think "wow, that guy would look great in a Brewer uniform" but the reality is a lot of the guys aren't even available, and if they are, the proposed trades wouldn't get them.

Those lefties could definitely be available later in the year though, and I doubt those teams would want Mench. Some middling prospect would do.

Oh trust me I know. I'm not expecting to get DeJesus. Just saying he would be ideal. But we def need a leadoff hitter. Not too many are available in a position we could fill.

[Nowak008]

Plus, I don't know why we need a leadoff hitter. Weeks has great speed and a solid OBP given his batting average. He also already has 5 SB with no CS. He's on pace for 40 SB and in his career he's had an 85% success rate.

I agree that I am fine with Rickey where he is. Its just if we could get ichiro, we would be stacked.

[El Duderino]

We definitely need a leadoff hitter. Rickie isn't a leadoff and he's showing it.

A leadoff hitters No.1 job is to get on base,Weeks gets on base.After that it's nice if a leadoff hitter has speed,Weeks has speed,where is the problem?Plus,batting first in the order means Rickie will get extra at bats,i have no problem with Weeks leading off.

Baldelli to me would make a lot of sense. Yes, he's been injured a lot but so has JJ Hardy and he's worked out well for us this season *knocks on wood*

Where would he play since he's a centerfielder?On a side note,i hope you wouldn't want him as a leadoff hitter,the guy doesn't walk and only has a career .329 OBP.

Gwynn also doesn't have the experience Crawford has. Once he sees NL pitcher's moves consistently he can steal as good as anybody

If Gwynn got caught stealing 30% of the time against minor league catchers,what makes you think he'd suddenly get way better stealing vs major league catchers?Crawford is simply alot faster than Gwynn,watch Tony run once,he faster than average,not a speedster.

Crawford could be had for alot less than is expected. The D-Rays have proven thus far this year that they need pitching 10X more than they need offense. We could probably get our hands on Crawford by packaging Capellan and Jackson with one or two more players. Then again, the D-Rays did drive an extremely high price for Baez a few years back...

Are you crazy?Crawford would cost us Braun or Gallardo and other prospects.The guy is still only 25,keeps getting better,has many tools,and is signed long term to a bargain rate contract.They might would say no to Braun/Cappellan/Jackson or Gallardo/Cappellan/Jackson,if you offered Cappellan/Jackson and a fringe prospect,they would laugh and hang up.I heard in the offseason they wanted 2 elite prospects and a proven relief arm tht's young before they would even start listening.I doubt Crawford ever gets traded,he's young,a stud,and signed long term to a team friendly deal.


As for biggest needs,a good a reliable bullpem arm first.A true cleanup hitter is the biggest in the lineup,but we can score well enough without one.

[JoeJohnson2two]

Are you crazy?Crawford would cost us Braun or Gallardo and other prospects.The guy is still only 25,keeps getting better,has many tools,and is signed long term to a bargain rate contract.They might would say no to Braun/Cappellan/Jackson or Gallardo/Cappellan/Jackson,if you offered Cappellan/Jackson and a fringe prospect,they would laugh and hang up.I heard in the offseason they wanted 2 elite prospects and a proven relief arm tht's young before they would even start listening.I doubt Crawford ever gets traded,he's young,a stud,and signed long term to a team friendly deal.

No. Last I looked I was sane. If you read my other posts (I

[Buck You]

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I agree that I am fine with Rickey where he is. Its just if we could get ichiro, we would be stacked.

Most teams would be stacked with Ichiro.

[Ayt]

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No. Last I looked I was sane. If you read my other posts (I

[JoeJohnson2two]

Rickie is just simply NOT a natural leadoff hitter. That's all I'm saying. We are wasting his power by leaving him at the top. Simple as that.

Oh and to say that Corey Hart would have no shot at stealing 39 bases is ridiculous. In less action than Rickie he's got one less stolen base.

[trwi7]

Rickie is just simply NOT a natural leadoff hitter. That's all I'm saying. We are wasting his power by leaving him at the top. Simple as that.

Oh and to say that Corey Hart would have no shot at stealing 39 bases is ridiculous. In less action than Rickie he's got one less stolen base.

Nobody is disagreeing with that. It's just that right now he's our best option to leadoff. Ideally you'd love Rickie to be further down in the order but until we trade for a leadoff hitter or until Gwynn can consistently get on base Rickie won't be moved.

[El Duderino]

Another thing to remember is the leadoff hitter doesn't get to bat first every inning.After the first inning,in many games the leadoff hitter won't bat first in an inning again.So why do folks get so worried about this stuff?

I look around baseball and so many teams foolishly bat some "traditional leadoff hitter type" even if the guy doesn't get on base that great and is a slap hitter.They end up giving an overall poor hitter the most amount of at bats on there team simply because the guy runs fast and doesn't strike out alot.

Take Juan Pierre,a poster boy for the traditional leadoff hitter.Unless he's having a year where his on base is high vs the crappy .330 numbers the last two years,Pierre should be hitting 8th instead of first.When he doesn't get on base,Pierre is a bad hitter and giving him more at bats than anyone on the team just so he can hit first in the opening inning is bizzare to me.

The Red Sox have used lead footed Kevin Youkilis as their leadoff hitter and they score tons of runs.They know getting on base is vastly more important than being able to run fast.

[WEFFPIM]

Who cares is Weeks is not a "natural" leadoff hitter? So he doesn't get those slap singles. Who cares? Would you rather have a leadoff single or a leadoff home run?

[JoeJohnson2two]

Who cares is Weeks is not a "natural" leadoff hitter? So he doesn't get those slap singles. Who cares? Would you rather have a leadoff single or a leadoff home run?

How about a leadoff single and then a 2 run shot

I really don't care what Yost does about the leadoff spot as long as we keep producing runs and winning. If our offense goes stagnant at some point then we have to look for a new sparkplug. But again, I'm all for whatever as long as we win.