Doug misses Jack Z.
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Mariner fans may like to see him back in Brew Town.
Saw some of that. Would take him back with open arms. Jack's ability to identify young talent is a perfect match to Doug's acumen when it comes to trading with other teams.
To state the obvious, they need to supplement the ability that Melvin has to identify hitting talent with someone who can evaluate pitching (and this goes back well before Melvin). In the last twenty years how many pitchers that they've drafted have panned out to be at least above average major league guys? Cal Eldred, Ben Sheets, and Gallardo. It's a pretty short list.
The Brewers have been in existence for 44 seasons. In that time, they've had two pitchers win over 100 games for the club. To get into their top ten all-time, you only had to win 64 games.
1. Slaton 117 wins
2. Caldwell 102 wins
3. Higuera 94 wins
4. Haas 91 wins
5. Sheets 86 wins
6. Wegman 81
7. Gallardo 72
8. Bosio 67
9. Travers 65
10. Eldred 64
The Brewers have been in existence for 44 seasons. In that time, they've had two pitchers win over 100 games for the club. To get into their top ten all-time, you only had to win 64 games.
1. Slaton 117 wins
2. Caldwell 102 wins
3. Higuera 94 wins
4. Haas 91 wins
5. Sheets 86 wins
6. Wegman 81
7. Gallardo 72
8. Bosio 67
9. Travers 65
10. Eldred 64
quote:Doug misses Jack Z.
Yeah, the position player talent hasn't been off the charts good since he left. Doug has done a good job, for the most part, in parlaying what Jack Z gave him into more talent. We still have to see what happens with Hart.
Fielder gone - 27th pick (Clint Coulter)
Braun - Locked up
Hardy - Nets Gomez, Deal looking great.
Hart - Wait and see for trade deadline this year
Escobar / Cain / Jeffress - Turned into Jean Segura and 1.5 years of Grienke
Laporta / Brantly - Sabathia and 1rst playoff appearance
Sabathia - Kentrail Davis
Lawrie - Traded for Marcum
To sum it up, He turned into two playoff appearances by trading for Grienke and CC. He turned Zach into Segura... The only real mistake here might be Marcum, but who knows if we win the division and get to the NLCS without him.
Article below is almost four years old. Not good that as you read Ash's comments on prospects, only Lucroy has made an impact for the Brewers. Needs to change.
http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.c...ey=news_mil&c_id=mil
http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.c...ey=news_mil&c_id=mil
Melvin is in charge of the big club, I don't think he really even has that much involvement in drafting. He is in charge of the guy doing the drafting and evaluating, so there is a connection. He is also a big part of the organizational philosophy (more in a second).
Melvin has done a good job with some of the trades, probably more good than bad. Not sure I need to go over that. I do think every year is the same, fill in gaps with crappy vets we pay to much for. This seems to be the first year he has gotten the bullpen right, but I will never forgive him for the 10 million dollar Gagne experiment. Locking up Braun was great, looks like Gomez might be as well. Weeks is bombing. I thought Aram was a bad move, but I have to admit I like watching him play. I thought Loshe was a bad move, only because I didn't think this team was one pitcher away from being a contender.
As for drafting, to many bad choices with arms. I know arms are terrible to predict and most teams struggle to hit on a high percentage, but our system has been really poor at bringing upside guys in. Jungman, Arnett (good lord), even Jeffress and Rogers have not been the best choices in talent evaluation for where they pick. Milwaukee seldom goes over slot, and that might be where the team needs to invest instead of Eric Gagne. Jack Z. could pick bats, but even some of them have flamed out, though Lawrie might still rebound. Drafting feeds the small market team, the organization needs to adjust the philosophy around those picks. Exactly why in 2013, you don't sign Loshe (not that he has been bad) and lose a pick.
Lastly, until this year, this team just seems unwilling to use kids on the big club. Of course, with the young pitching this year it is backfiring like mad, but there have been times kids could have come up and cut thier teeth where Melvin just won't allow it. I see other clubs bring starting pitcher up in bullpen roles the first year, or guys who may not play every day get some burn, and that builds depth from within. There have been exceptions, Casey McGeehee for example. He wasn't drafted by the Crew, but he was minor league depth that came in and was productive with the big club.
Overall, it doesn't seem like there has been a long term plan since the first wave came up (Weeks, Braun, Fielder). It seemed when Melvin first started that this was part of a big plan to get a window with the most talent possible. I just don't think there was a follow up plan when the window started to close. It seems very patchwork from that point forward, and that is starting to show now.
I also recognize that the best baseball in the recent memory in Milwaukee was orchestrated by Melvin, and he has been a big part in making Milwaukee marketable and profitable for Mark A. Which is exactly why he is still here.
I also think things are not as bad as they look right now. That is a poor way of saying it... I think this team is more talented than what the standings reflect. That is partially ****ty luck, partially all the other things I cited above.
And they simply strike out to much.
Melvin has done a good job with some of the trades, probably more good than bad. Not sure I need to go over that. I do think every year is the same, fill in gaps with crappy vets we pay to much for. This seems to be the first year he has gotten the bullpen right, but I will never forgive him for the 10 million dollar Gagne experiment. Locking up Braun was great, looks like Gomez might be as well. Weeks is bombing. I thought Aram was a bad move, but I have to admit I like watching him play. I thought Loshe was a bad move, only because I didn't think this team was one pitcher away from being a contender.
As for drafting, to many bad choices with arms. I know arms are terrible to predict and most teams struggle to hit on a high percentage, but our system has been really poor at bringing upside guys in. Jungman, Arnett (good lord), even Jeffress and Rogers have not been the best choices in talent evaluation for where they pick. Milwaukee seldom goes over slot, and that might be where the team needs to invest instead of Eric Gagne. Jack Z. could pick bats, but even some of them have flamed out, though Lawrie might still rebound. Drafting feeds the small market team, the organization needs to adjust the philosophy around those picks. Exactly why in 2013, you don't sign Loshe (not that he has been bad) and lose a pick.
Lastly, until this year, this team just seems unwilling to use kids on the big club. Of course, with the young pitching this year it is backfiring like mad, but there have been times kids could have come up and cut thier teeth where Melvin just won't allow it. I see other clubs bring starting pitcher up in bullpen roles the first year, or guys who may not play every day get some burn, and that builds depth from within. There have been exceptions, Casey McGeehee for example. He wasn't drafted by the Crew, but he was minor league depth that came in and was productive with the big club.
Overall, it doesn't seem like there has been a long term plan since the first wave came up (Weeks, Braun, Fielder). It seemed when Melvin first started that this was part of a big plan to get a window with the most talent possible. I just don't think there was a follow up plan when the window started to close. It seems very patchwork from that point forward, and that is starting to show now.
I also recognize that the best baseball in the recent memory in Milwaukee was orchestrated by Melvin, and he has been a big part in making Milwaukee marketable and profitable for Mark A. Which is exactly why he is still here.
I also think things are not as bad as they look right now. That is a poor way of saying it... I think this team is more talented than what the standings reflect. That is partially ****ty luck, partially all the other things I cited above.
And they simply strike out to much.
Bottom line for me is Melvin needs a better scouting system in place ASAP for him to continue. Maybe he is better suited for a larger market where he can sign bigger fish and trade more often. Milwaukee is a market where you need to keep the minors churning like a fine tuned machine. Been said multiple times but if Doug goes, raid the cards.
How much longer do you think Doug is in the game?
He was born in '52, which makes him about 90 in Canadian years.
He was born in '52, which makes him about 90 in Canadian years.
Nicely stated, EKB! But how much of that was just your gut feeling from watching them play? 
I'm curious, do you have a blog or website I can follow?
This is one of the worst, if not the worst, month in Brewers history.
How does RR still have a job?
How does RR still have a job?
FIRE Doug Melvin...he will never be able to get the Brewers consistently back into the playoff picture. Makes more mediocre deals than great deals. Other teams keep finding good pitchers and players, but not the Brewers.
Ron needs to go with him. Maybe he can manage well, but hasnt proved it in Milwaukee.
Weeks needs to be traded. Time has run out for him, but he keeps cashing big checks from the Crew.
Hart too can find a new home. Let some other team deal with his injuries.
Ron needs to go with him. Maybe he can manage well, but hasnt proved it in Milwaukee.
Weeks needs to be traded. Time has run out for him, but he keeps cashing big checks from the Crew.
Hart too can find a new home. Let some other team deal with his injuries.
The only really bad deal that Melvin has made was the Linebrink deal. Even that hasnt ended up terrible. Thatcher, Inman, and... I forget.
Other than that - Brought in Sabathia, Grienke, Marcum, Segura, Signed Ramirez (these are just the notable deals... there are a lot more.) Had to lose Fielder a franchise cornerstone via free agency. 2 Playoff appearances, none since 1982. 1 NLCS. Basically we were a Marcum hip injury causing him to **** the bed in the playoffs from potentially winning the WS.
overpaid on some FA SPs, so do 90% of the league GMs.
This season is a product of "going for it" over the past several seasons.
Other than that - Brought in Sabathia, Grienke, Marcum, Segura, Signed Ramirez (these are just the notable deals... there are a lot more.) Had to lose Fielder a franchise cornerstone via free agency. 2 Playoff appearances, none since 1982. 1 NLCS. Basically we were a Marcum hip injury causing him to **** the bed in the playoffs from potentially winning the WS.
overpaid on some FA SPs, so do 90% of the league GMs.
This season is a product of "going for it" over the past several seasons.
Right now, looking at a core of Gomez/Segura/Braun im pretty convinced that if they move some of these vets like Ramirez, Hart, Aoki, Lohse, possibly even Gallardo it could really rejuvinate the team and put us back into relative contention again in 2-3 years.
It's getting to a point where something needs to be done. They are well on their way to losing 100+ games.
The pitching simply has not been there for most of the season and it was Melvin that was banking on guys like Peralta and Rogers and Fiers and Axford to pitch well and the reality is they have not. Lohse started off well, but he's been awful the last few outings and Gallardo just does not have it at all.
Do I think that the coaching and development is lacking? Absolutely. But Melvin is responsible for assembling the talent on this team and more often than not he's failed at putting a good staff together. He's made some good trades (CC and Greinke and Marcum) but other than Gallardo they have been woeful at drafting and developing pitching.
Get rid of Gord Ash too. I have absolutely no idea what the heck he does other than run spin to the media on just about everything.
Time to blow things up - and the only guys on the roster that are safe IMO are Braun, Segura, and Gomez. As far as I'm concerned just about anyone else can be dealt starting with guys like Lohse and Ramirez and Weeks and even Hart. Get rid of some of the big money guys and hope you can reload next year or get some young prospects.
The pitching simply has not been there for most of the season and it was Melvin that was banking on guys like Peralta and Rogers and Fiers and Axford to pitch well and the reality is they have not. Lohse started off well, but he's been awful the last few outings and Gallardo just does not have it at all.
Do I think that the coaching and development is lacking? Absolutely. But Melvin is responsible for assembling the talent on this team and more often than not he's failed at putting a good staff together. He's made some good trades (CC and Greinke and Marcum) but other than Gallardo they have been woeful at drafting and developing pitching.
Get rid of Gord Ash too. I have absolutely no idea what the heck he does other than run spin to the media on just about everything.
Time to blow things up - and the only guys on the roster that are safe IMO are Braun, Segura, and Gomez. As far as I'm concerned just about anyone else can be dealt starting with guys like Lohse and Ramirez and Weeks and even Hart. Get rid of some of the big money guys and hope you can reload next year or get some young prospects.
I would consider moving Gomez too.. His stock will never be higher.
This season is better than the Packers winning the Super Bowl.
quote:Originally posted by Tschmack:
The pitching simply has not been there for most of the season and it was Melvin that was banking on guys like Peralta and Rogers and Fiers and Axford to pitch well and the reality is they have not. Lohse started off well, but he's been awful the last few outings and Gallardo just does not have it at all.
In Melvin's defense...his hands were sort of tied on pitching this off-season by the desire to not have a $100M payroll. He had three pitchers not come back and one coming off injury. He was pretty much forced to go with the young guys who did pitch well down the stretch last season and put the Crew in contention.
1250 had a really good interview with Doug Melvin yesterday.
When asked if thought about the brewers being buyers or sellers and if he has thought about it yet im paraphrasing but he responded that Heck yeah I have thought about it. Going into the spring every year I ask the guys to put us in a position so that I can go out and make a move to make us better during the summer. Im frustrated with this season and its important that we dont get caught in the middle. We need to make a decision and whether we decide to go into a transitioning mode for a year or year and a half that is something we will decide soon.
He mentioned this nugget too: Last year at the deadline when we made the greinke deal we approached one team about a prospect, but they refused to include him in the deal because he was a top 15 prospect (most likely Mike Olt- Texas Rangers) or something like that. Right now that guy is hitting a buck fifty in triple A. Segura was the 70th ranked prospect or something like that in those baseball prospect rags and his post AA stats are all better than the #1 guy Jurickson Profar. We have another guy in Wily Peralta who throws 95-96 and has all the physical skills but sometimes it takes these guys a few years to have it click, look at Carlos Gomez, 2 years ago on your show most of the callers would have run him out of town. Look at how he is viewed today. He's 27 and 4th in total bases in the NL while Segura is 3rd. That is what is really frustrating we have 2 guys that we didnt quite expect to do these things really getting after it... but we are still playing the way we are. Individual success doesnt always translate into wins.
When asked if thought about the brewers being buyers or sellers and if he has thought about it yet im paraphrasing but he responded that Heck yeah I have thought about it. Going into the spring every year I ask the guys to put us in a position so that I can go out and make a move to make us better during the summer. Im frustrated with this season and its important that we dont get caught in the middle. We need to make a decision and whether we decide to go into a transitioning mode for a year or year and a half that is something we will decide soon.
He mentioned this nugget too: Last year at the deadline when we made the greinke deal we approached one team about a prospect, but they refused to include him in the deal because he was a top 15 prospect (most likely Mike Olt- Texas Rangers) or something like that. Right now that guy is hitting a buck fifty in triple A. Segura was the 70th ranked prospect or something like that in those baseball prospect rags and his post AA stats are all better than the #1 guy Jurickson Profar. We have another guy in Wily Peralta who throws 95-96 and has all the physical skills but sometimes it takes these guys a few years to have it click, look at Carlos Gomez, 2 years ago on your show most of the callers would have run him out of town. Look at how he is viewed today. He's 27 and 4th in total bases in the NL while Segura is 3rd. That is what is really frustrating we have 2 guys that we didnt quite expect to do these things really getting after it... but we are still playing the way we are. Individual success doesnt always translate into wins.