2014 Discussion Thread

[Captain Erv]

In the other thread I have:

Segura
Lucroy
Braun
Ramirez
Gomez
Davis
Hart
Weeks/Gennett

[MickeyDavis]

TH:

Lake Buena Vista, Fla. – I just spoke with Corey Hart’s agent, Jeff Berry, who told me that the Brewers have made Hart “a priority” in terms of trying to re-sign the slugging first baseman. At the same time, Berry made it clear there is interest from many teams.

“There’s a tremendous relationship between Corey and the Milwaukee Brewers,” said Berry, who is attending baseball’s winter meetings. “He was their longest-tenured player. It’s a tremendous organization with tremendous people that Corey and his family have grown up with.

“That said, there has to be a fit for both sides. We’re certainly open to doing that. The Brewers, as always have been very communicative. They have made Corey a priority. We’ll see how it all plays out. We will meet with all the (interested) teams. There’s interest in Corey from many teams.”

Though Hart missed the entire 2013 season after undergoing surgeries on both knees, Berry said he is healthy now and ready to play. How much concern there is from the Brewers or other teams about his knees going forward will determine what kinds of deals are offered.

“Corey is a great player, a great person,” said Berry. “It’s obvious what he brings to the table. He feels great; he looks healthy. He looks fabulous. He has all the clearance. Teams have to make their own judgments on medicals and everything else.

“Of course, there would be a lot of interest in Corey. Teams will have to make their own evaluations and decisions. I think Corey is one of the best bats in the game. Ultimately, teams will decide the market for him. He missed a year.”

Berry smiled when I asked him if, as an agent, he wished Hart wouldn’t have told reporters in Milwaukee at the end of the season that he would come back at a discounted rate. He had a $10 million salary in 2013.

“Corey says what he feels,” said Berry. “You know Corey. He’s one of the sweetest guys you’d ever meet. It has to work for all sides.”

[Captain Erv]

Sounds like we'll have a first baseman one way or another by the end of the Winter Meetings.

[NeedsMoreCheese]

Honestly I'd be kind of surprised if it isn't Corey at this point.

[trwi7]

^Would be in the know; is Corey Hart.

[NeedsMoreCheese]

^Would be in the know; is Corey Hart.

lol, if only you were Doug Melvin i could make millions. I don't look like Corey Hart.

[ReasonablySober]

If they go with Logan Morrison I'm going to be pissed.

[trwi7]

Uh, fangraphs now has spray charts and I just sprayed all over the place.

[Kerb Hohl]

Angels with a reasonable haul for Trumbo with Skaggs and Santiago...neither a perfect prospect, but would rather have them than a guy with a .305 OBP. White Sox get Eaton in the deal.

Also, Brett Anderson for Drew Pomeranz and another pitcher.

[ReasonablySober]

Angels with a reasonable haul for Trumbo with Skaggs and Santiago...neither a perfect prospect, but would rather have them than a guy with a .305 OBP. White Sox get Eaton in the deal.

Also, Brett Anderson for Drew Pomeranz and another pitcher.

I don't know what Arizona is doing here, but good for the Angels.

[ReasonablySober]

It's sounding like we'll know tonight whether Hart or Ike Davis is the Brewers 1B next season.

[Captain Erv]

John Hammond would have been all over this.

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Jim_Duquette/status/410615024877850625[/tweet]

[OnWISports]

I agree that this is a strange trade for the Dbacks. One year removed from trading Justin Upton, they are now over paying for a power bat that doesn't get on base. Add to that the fact that they also traded an On Base machine and quality defensive CF in Eaton. It just reeks of desperation and the realization that the Upton trade was a huge mistake.

[NeedsMoreCheese]

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10116 ... turn-mound

May not be anything but here are the parts of the article that may or may not concern the brewers

But things changed in October when Mulder watched Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Paco Rodriguez on TV and found something in Rodriguez's delivery that he could emulate. Mulder spent the month of November working himself into shape at a Phoenix-area facility run by former big-league catcher Chad Moeller, and recently threw off the mound for three unspecified teams near his home in Scottsdale.


He said scouts clocked his fastball at 89-90 mph. Now he's hoping to audition for more clubs and land an invitation to a spring training camp.

"I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am," Mulder said by phone Tuesday. "To be honest with you, I never anticipated this five or six weeks ago. It was just a flat-out fluke that came from me trying to imitate Paco Rodriguez in my living room."

Mulder, a former Michigan State star, began his professional career with Oakland in 1998 as the No. 2 overall choice in the draft -- one pick after the Philadelphia Phillies selected outfielder Pat Burrell with the top choice. Mulder was 23 years old in 2001 when he went 21-8 with a 3.45 ERA to finish second to Roger Clemens in the American League Cy Young Award balloting.

Mulder, Tim Hudson and Barry Zito -- Oakland's "Big Three'' -- helped lead the Athletics to four straight playoff appearances from 2000 through 2003.

The Athletics sent Mulder to St. Louis in December 2004 in a four-player trade that brought Dan Haren to Oakland, and Mulder went 16-8 with a 3.64 ERA in 2005. But Mulder said his delivery and arm "never worked right'' after he underwent shoulder surgeries in 2006 and 2007.

A fluke viewing of Rodriguez on TV apparently changed that. Mulder had always separated his hands at his delivery at his midsection, but tried raising them near his head similar to the way Rodriguez does. He became convinced he was onto something after playing catch with former Cardinals teammate Kyle Lohse on Oct. 27, when they were hanging out at a birthday party for their daughters. The two pitchers threw from a distance of 150-200 feet, and Mulder was encouraged when Lohse told him he looked like his former self.

Are the Brewers one of those three teams? Or one of the others hes hoping to audition for?

[ReasonablySober]

I agree that this is a strange trade for the Dbacks. One year removed from trading Justin Upton, they are now over paying for a power bat that doesn't get on base. Add to that the fact that they also traded an On Base machine and quality defensive CF in Eaton. It just reeks of desperation and the realization that the Upton trade was a huge mistake.

Interesting first post. Welcome.

[OnWISports]

Are the Brewers one of those three teams? Or one of the others hes hoping to audition for?

It wouldn't come as much of a surprise. The Brewers were linked to him prior to his retirement and DM loves reclamation projects.

[NeedsMoreCheese]

Are the Brewers one of those three teams? Or one of the others hes hoping to audition for?

It wouldn't come as much of a surprise. The Brewers were linked to him prior to his retirement and DM loves reclamation projects.

Ah, wasn't even aware of that. Well then i'd definitely expect them to at least look at him. Can't be any worse of an option than what we were throwing out there at the end of the rotation last season.

[Turk Nowitzki]

There's no harm in looking I guess but I don't really see the point of Mark Mulder on this team.

[PANDEMONEUM]

would like a FA SP, about Lohse quality
otherwise, i feel like its another Wasted season
our current SPs, wont get us over 81 wins

i really like our hitting
a little confused as to who we want on the bench
also not sure about moving Aoki, or how good W.Smith will turn out

segura
gomez
braun
ramirez
lucroy
davis
hart
gennett

maldonado C/1B, weeks 2B, francisco 3B/1B,
OF ? Schafer ?
SS ? Bianchi ?

[MickeyDavis]

Wednesday should be the day that the Brewers hear back from free-agent first baseman Corey Hart as to whether he'll accept their offer and return to Milwaukee.

The Brewers made what they considered their best offer to Hart's agent, Jeff Berry, on Tuesday afternoon and hoped to hear back later that night. Melvin finally received a late text from Berry saying they would get back to him on Wednesday morning.

It sounds like there might have been a little back and forth, and possibly a tweak or two, but Melvin said he basically has made the best offer he feels is suitable for a player he really wants back but also is coming off surgeries on both knees, forcing him to miss the entire 2013 season.

With no answer coming back by late Tuesday night, the Brewers took that to mean that Berry and Hart were considering other offers. It's my feeling the Brewers did not go beyond one year guaranteed and likely for a lot less guaranteed money than the $10 million Hart received in 2013.

The Brewers still have high hopes that Hart will return, and it appears he remains their best solution to solve their void at first base. I heard they were no longer talking to the Marlins about Logan Morrison and there were reports late Tuesday night that discussions with the Mets about Ike Davis stopped when New York insisted on a young, controllable pitcher such as Tyler Thornburg in return.

The Brewers aren't about to give up a promising young pitcher such as Thornburg for Davis. Before they'd do that, they'd go with Juan Francisco and if he didn't pan out, give prospects such as Hunter Morris and Sean Halton a chance.

So, stay tuned. There's a chance this will be resolved before noon. Unless another team got crazy -- and remember, it only takes one -- I still think Hart will be back in Milwaukee in 2014.