Would You?

Since I am unoriginal, I am stealing another topic from local sports talk radio. I felt it was interesting. Would you mortgage the future and trade Gamel, Escobar and Parra or some combination of one or two of them, to get Roy Halladay or Cliff Lee for basically a half year or year and a half?

In order for this to make any sense, you have to assume that the player in question would waive a no-trade clause (not sure if Lee has one), and would stay through the end of the contract. Halladay has a year left (although there is some sort of CBA mumbo jumbo that may let him out) and there is a club option on Lee for next year. So let's just assume you get a year and a half from both.

Right now the Crew is in 4th in the Central, but is only 2 games out. And 7th in the Wild Card, 4 games out. So they are still in the thick of things. This is an extremely complex question to answer, and I'm going to do a shitty job of giving my opinion.

If you could guarantee me a playoff birth, I think they should do it, as long as Parra isn't involved.

The team has been to the playoffs once in 26 years. Other than Braun and Yo. I don't think anyone is guaranteed to be around much longer than next year. As weird as it sounds, the window is quickly closing, at least while it can be done relatively cheaply.

I certainly don't think it is a guarantee that Prince will be gone, but at the same time, you have to wonder how much the Crew would be willing to spend on a good to great hitter, and how much time they would give him. If Escobar goes, I wouldn't be opposed to signing J.J. long term, even though he has his limitations, I don't think he would be that expensive. Gamel might be hard to replace. Hart is the only other young guy, and he can fucking go.

We have no decent young pitching besides Yo and potentially Parra. If we let Parra go, I think it is a deal breaker. He has all the talent in the world, he is young, and he is under our control for four more years. Maybe he never puts it together, but he has shown flashes that would lead me to believe he could be great.

So the bottom line is that I think this year and next are our best chances to get to the playoffs, and while we may not be fucked afterwards, inevitably there will be some type of transition due to money constraints that face the Crew. Small market teams only get a few years to put it together before they have to rebuild from within. Some teams can put it all together (see Florida), while some get close (see Oakland and Minnesota). If Escobar and Gamel were that good, and so indispensable, they would be starting right now. And we have to hang onto any young pitching we have. I would rather have Halladay than Lee.

Feel free to tell me what a moron I am.

Getting a Running Start....

I am finally recovered enough from my weekend that I can at least form coherent thoughts. I would be thrilled to recap the weekend for you, however a) I don't remember much, b) I have been asked by certain other parties not to reveal certain weekend themes and c) Some of the shit that was discussed was inappropriate enough that I am uncomfortable putting it down on "paper".

For instance, I think it is safe to say that the theme/quote of the weekend was "Getting a Running Start". However, I am not in a position to explain where that came from because it could cause some embarrassment.

Overall, we had a great time, got SUPER fucked up, ate a whole bunch of shit that is bad for us, and the weekend was pretty much one great big gay joke.

BREW CREW HANGOVER

Holy shit, the Brewers might never lose again. And Rickie Weeks got severely injured a year too late.

If I was the Brewers, here is what I would do: This injury gives them a golden opportunity/excuse to call up Escobar and to give him a look at either short or 2B to see if he really is too good to not use. The same is true with Gamel, who is already up, and whose haircut hit a homer last night. It is a golden opportunity, because there is some excess playing time available, and it can be done with very little hurt feelings. Gamel can get into a platoonish thing with Hall/Counsell/Hardy? at 3B, Escobar with Hardy/Counsell/Hall at SS and Hardy/Counsell/Hall at 2B. You could also think about spot starting Gamel at 1B or outfield if his bat is that good. Right now, you have the opportunity to play both Gamel and Escobar a few times a week under those scenarios, and get them some experience. Then, if they are too good to sit, you can try to trade Hall (fucking impossible), Hardy (unlikely) or Fielder (even more unlikely) for some pitching down the stretch. Or, if they are too young or to bad, you can trade one of the prospects, or send them down for more seasoning. I have a hard time believing weeks was going to hit 50 HRs and hit .275, so I don't feel like we've lost that much in the long run.

HE WHO SHALL NOT BE NAMED

Are we fucking serious right now? Really? Here is the timeline yesterday:

8 a.m.: He is definitely not coming back and this is all total bullshit (via Bus Cook, through Hattiesberg newspaper)

12 p.m.: He is having surgery Tuesday with Dr. James Andrews and is definitely playing this year for the Vikings barring some unforeseen complication. (via St. Paul newspaper)

5 p.m.: He is not having any kind of surgery ever, he is going to try to rehab, and if all works out he is definitely playing for the Vikings this year, and he has never heard of Dr. James Andrews. (via Eddie Werder).

8 p.m.: He eats a small child.

In 12 hours, that is THREE COMPLETELY OPPOSITE STORIES!!!!! How are people not getting fired over this???? We can't believe ANYTHING, ANY news organization says EVER. This is unfuckingbelievable.

-I'm probably going to fake live blog a Brewer/Twin game either Friday or Saturday because I'm fucking bored and lonely.

PS. The Twins suck my nutsack.

I guess there is one decent guy on earth named Bush

Bush (W, 5-8) 8.0 IP, 3H, 1R, 0ER, 0BB, 13K

Are you fucking kidding me? When did Dave Bush kill Nolan Ryan and take his soul? I really don't have a whole lot more to say, but holy shit.

Corey Hart is going to the all-star game. Good. He deserves it more than that asshole Soriano.

I heard a funny rumor today: J.J. Hardy for A.J. Burnett. You can never have enough pitching. The Brewers have a SS in AA that might be able to play right now in Alcides Escobar. A.J. Brunett really isn't that great. He strikes out alot of guys, but his ERA is around 5, and I believe he has a history of injuries. He would be at best our #3 guy, and is making 13 mil this year. J.J. is a great fielder, probably just average at the plate (although he is very streaky, and can go on a ridiculous streak like he is on right now). But the Crew owns him for quite a while yet, and although he will get paid in arbitration, I dunno how much he will actually get. Tough decision I guess, even though it might not be true. This is at least the second Hardy rumor I've heard in a month, so I would bet there is at least a chance they are shopping him while he is hot.

Matt Jones is on coke? You don't fucking say? Tall white guys with long hair NEVER end up in their cars cutting cocaine with a credit card.

Richie Sexson got cut. He used to be really good for the Brewers. (Roids?) Bear will be lobbying for him to replace Prince.

Finally I heard this on the radio today. It will never get old. "Andrew Bo-GOT" and "Wayne Summers"

Did you hear about that asshole 'Husker fan that put out the fake story about the Oklahoma QB's selling coke, and a bunch of Texas news people ran with it? Fucking stupid Husker fan. I had to put up with your shit for 3 fucking glorious years. You and your missing teeth are the only thing I don't miss about living in Omaha. That and not getting to watch every Brewer game and having to sit in a bar to watch every Packer/Badger game. But mostly, Husker Nation and Big 12 country was about the most annoying shit ever. So delusional, such a sense of entitlement, since Dr. Tom Osborn was pulling murderers and rapists off the street to "give them an education", and winning a shitload of national titles, you HAVEN'T BEEN ANY FUCKING GOOD SO SHUT THE FUCK UP.

Seriously, this is what I dealt with on a daily basis.