MLB FanHouse

So Who's the NL Central Favorite Now?

Pat Lackey — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Cubs, Brewers, Cardinals, NL Central, St. Louis, Milwaukee

It's hard to imagine a better way to kick off the mad dash to baseball's trade deadline than with the Brewers and Cubs pulling trades for big-name pitchers within two days of each other. Of course, those moves raise a pretty big question: who's the favorite to win the division now? Let's break it down.

Definitely not favorites: Pirates, Astros, and Reds. The Reds are young and exciting but at least a year away, the Pirates seem to be meandering down the right road but they're still way down the path in the wrong direction, and the Astros are a disaster area.

The Cardinals: This team perplexes me. By all accounts they shouldn't be very good, and yet they've still got the second best record in the NL and are ahead of the Brewers in the Wild Card standings. They probably won't join in the arms race with the Cubs and Brewers, but they get Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter back from the DL in pretty short fashion. Still, they're short on offense besides Albert Pujols and Ryan Ludwick, it's hard to know what to expect out of Carpenter after missing most of a season and a half, and Kyle Lohse is a prime candidate to turn into a pumpkin.
The Brewers: What makes them so interesting is how well they were playing before the Sabathia trade. Nine of Prince Fielder's 17 homers have come since June 1st. Manny Parra is 7-0 with a 2.65 ERA since May 20th. It's July and Ben Sheets' elbow and shoulder are still attached to his body. Really, they've got a lot of things rolling in their direction now that they've got CC Sabathia, who's on a roll of his own and may well dominate the National League.

The Cubs: If Jim Edmonds continues hitting like he has been of late, that means that every Cubs regular has an OPS+ of 98 or higher. There's not really a weak spot in the lineup. Their rotation has Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster (who's arguably been better than the Big Z this year), and now Rich Harden, who's a huge asset if he can stay healthy. And their bullpen has been lights out with Kerry Wood, Carlos Marmol, and company (Bob Howry excluded). They've tailed off a bit in the last month, but they're really freaking stacked.

The breakdown: I'd watch for the Cardinals to slowly fade out of the picture over the next month. They won't fall apart, but one day you'll check the standings and they'll be five back, then seven, then ten. They're just not equipped to keep up with the Cubs and Brewers. As for who the Cubs and Brewers, I think most people would be willing to bet at this point that they're both going to the playoffs and I agree with that. The Cubs look better on paper at the moment, but the Brewers have been the better team for the past month. The Brewers also got more in Sabathia than the Cubs did in Harden, because it's crazy to think Harden is going to make every start from here on out. I think this race goes down to the wire, but the Cubs pull it out in the end because they're a deeper team and they're starting with a four-game lead. The Brewers will have to settle for the Wild Card, but the playoffs are the playoffs, right?

So Who's the NL Central Favorite Now? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 15:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chat Live About MLB at 1PM ET

Mullet — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:55:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Cubs, Brewers, MLB Gossip, MLB Live Blogging, Milwaukee, Chat

It's been a wild week in the world of baseball, as Milwaukee has fired the first warning shot by trading their top prospect and others for CC Sabathia. The Cubs swiftly responded by prying away Rich Harden from the Oakland Athletics.

Some of you may be confused, some of you may be hurt, but for most of you, your heads are spinning. That's okay. Because the MLB 'Haus is here to help make sense of it all. AOL Baseball Editor Andrew Johnson and I are here to chat about not only Sabathia and Harden, but anything you want about the world of baseball ... whether it be the Mets putting up a touchdown on Tim Lincecum, the Braves signing Julian Tavarez, Barry Bonds ... anything you want. Won't you join us at 1PM ET?

Chat Live About MLB at 1PM ET originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 09 Jul 2008 12:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CC Sabathia Hates Proper Punctuation

Matt Watson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 04:00:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, Milwaukee, The Word

The Indians traded CC Sabathia to the Brewers in part because they're convinced that he's determined to add an extra ~~comma~~ digit to his contract this winter (he turned down a $72 million extension in January in hopes of finding something in excess of $100 million). Before being officially introduced to Milwaukee's media on Monday, though, there was a different bit of punctuation on Sabathia's mind:

From here on out, Carsten Charles Sabathia is just "CC" Sabathia - not "C.C."

After holding a news conference Monday to announce they'd made a trade to acquire the reigning AL Cy Young award winner from Cleveland, a member of the Brewers public relations staff advised media members that Sabathia prefers to have his initials written without periods.

And you thought the perks of being a big leaguer stopped at fancy cars and groupies. No sir, once you make it to The Show, the rules of grammar literally no longer apply. I suppose this explains why so many athletes like to speak in the third person ...

Just in case you're curious (and if you're still reading, I'm sure it was in the back of your mind), the team did make sure to clarify that J.J. Hardy would be holding onto his periods for the time being. It's nice to know you can rely on something in these crazy times.

CC Sabathia Hates Proper Punctuation originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 04:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It's Official: C.C. Sabathia Will Be a Brewer

Pat Lackey — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:35:00 EST

Filed under: Cleveland, Indians, Brewers, AL Central, NL Central, Milwaukee, MLB Transactions

As anyone that closely followed the Erik Bedard saga last winter knows, it can be a long way from "We've agreed on a deal in principle" to players actually switching teams. Things aren't going to take that long with this Brewers/Indians trade, though, because the Brewers have announced a press conference for noon (11 AM Central) and if they don't announce a C.C. Sabathia trade, then .... actually, don't worry about it. They're announcing the trade.

The other key today is that the trade has expanded from "Matt LaPorta and someone" to "Matt LaPorta, Zach Jackson, Rob Bryson, and someone that may or may not be Taylor Green." Jackson's not much, but Bryson's an extremely young reliever with some good numbers in the low minors and Green's a good-hitting, young third base prospect.

If Green is the fourth piece of the puzzle for the Indians, they managed to pull about as good of a haul from the Brewers system that they could ask for without getting Alcides Escobar or Mat Gamel. The Brewers, meanwhile, managed to pick up the best available starting pitcher by only giving up one blue chip prospect. It's pretty rare that a trade like this ends up as a win for both teams, but at least it's got a chance to shake out well for both the Brewers and Indians.

It's Official: C.C. Sabathia Will Be a Brewer originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brewers To Everyone: Out of the Way, This Is Our Year

Pat Lackey — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:23:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, Milwaukee

What happens when you take a team that's 20-11 since June 1st, currently sitting with the second best winning percentage in the National League, and add one Carsten Charles Sabathia to the mix? Ladies and gentleman, we've got a new favorite for the National League pennant. Maybe that's hideously reactionary, since we're talking about a team that's still 3.5 games behind the Cubs and tied with the Cardinals for the NL Wild Card at the moment, but I don't think so.

OK, time for a breather. It's only July 6th. It's too soon to be talking about favorites. What's clear, though, is that the Brewers think that they can make a run at more than just a playoff spot this year. With Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder starting to come around at the plate and Manny Parra finally finding his footing in the rotation, they were going to be real contenders without Sabathia. Now they've added the reigning AL Cy Young winner to their mix without taking anything away from their Major League club. They've got to be liking their chances at Miller Park right now.

The question now? What does the rest of the National League do? The Cubs, lest we forget, are already a really good baseball team, with six regulars posting above average OPSs this year, four starting pitchers with above average ERAs, and a good bullpen, so maybe calling the Brewers the favorites is a wee bit premature. The Phillies are quite good, but their rotation is painfully thin. The entire National League West should probably start with a prayer. Remember all those NL Central jokes everyone made last year? Put 'em on the shelves, because right now it looks like it's going to take an upset for someone from another division to get to the World Series.

Brewers To Everyone: Out of the Way, This Is Our Year originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Brewers Really Want C.C. Sabathia

Pat Lackey — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Indians, Brewers, AL Central, NL Central, MLB Rumors, Milwaukee

The trade deadline is always a dangerous time for a team like the Brewers. When a player like C.C. Sabathia is on the move, there are a million different things that can happen. And still, the Brewers seem so close to landing C.C. right now that they're almost counting on him coming to Milwaukee sooner rather than later. You can hear it in Doug Melvin's quote in today's Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel:

"Mark said he'd be in touch with me," Melvin said, referring to Cleveland general manager Mark Shapiro. "I'm sure they've got to think through everything."

The sticking point right now appears to be who gets included in the trade after Matt LaPorta. The Indians want another top prospect, but the Brewers think that's too much to trade for a guy that's not a slam dunk to be in a Brewers uniform in 2009.

How much is too much for the Brewers to give up for Sabathia? There's no doubting that they miss Yovani Gallardo and a second ace makes them a force in the National League, but they're currently just a game out of a playoff spot and playing very well with the team configured as is. LaPorta is a guy without a position that they can probably afford to give up, but giving up another top prospect seems like it's just too much for a rental player.

The Brewers Really Want C.C. Sabathia originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 13:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Joe Borowski is the First Casualty of Tribe Purge ... Is C.C. Sabathia Next?

Mullet — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:35:00 EST

Filed under: Cleveland, Indians, Brewers, AL Central, NL Central, MLB Rumors, Milwaukee

Consider Joe Borowski, he of the higher ERA than save total for the season (7.56 to six), the first shoe. Borowski has been designated for assignment by the highly disappointing Cleveland Indians, who have gone from A.L. Central Champions to the team most likely to dump their ace.

Borowski always had a high ERA ... it was over five last season. But when you add in 45 saves for a winning team, a high ERA from your closer is a little easier to take. But on this Cleveland team, there's almost no reason to have a guy like Borowski, especially if they want to look at younger guys (like Jensen Lewis and Brian Slocum, who were called up from Buffalo). Now the question is this: Is C.C. Sabathia the other shoe? And if so, where is he going?

Milwaukee seems to be a good bet.

Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Brewers are offering top prospect Matt LaPorta and shortstop Alcides Escobar for C.C. Sabathia.

Rosenthal has a lot of sources and quotes some of them anonymously as saying that LaPorta, a first-round draft pick last year now playing the outfield at Huntsville, and teammate Escobar are being offered for the big left-hander.

Considering how the Brewers blew a 5-0 lead against the Diamondbacks yesterday, the Brewers may want to look at Borowski too.

Joe Borowski is the First Casualty of Tribe Purge ... Is C.C. Sabathia Next? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Doug Melvin Is Listening

Pat Lackey — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:38:00 EST

Filed under: Indians, Brewers, AL Central, NL Central, MLB Rumors, Milwaukee

You know what today is, right? July 1st. That can only mean one thing ... the summer rumor season is about to begin. The biggest name on the market is probably going to be C.C. Sabathia, given the Indians current home in the basement of the AL Central. The leaders in the C.C. Derby? Buster Olney says it's the Brewers. Still, Doug Melvin isn't exactly ready to get Sabathia a locker at Miller Park. From the Journal Sentinel's Brewers Blog:

"Just the same old rumors," said Melvin.

[...]

"I'm motivated to listen and do our due diligence," said Melvin. "Now that July is rolling around, we've got to be on top of things.

"At the same time, we're not going to do anything stupid. I don't think any one guy can make a difference. The team still has to play well. But the addition of one player can make a team better.

I love general manager doublespeak. One guy can't make a difference, but he can make a team better. The Brewers missed the playoffs by two games last year in a season where Ben Sheets missed nine or ten starts. They're likely going to be linked in another tough playoff battle this year with the Cardinals for the Wild Card or the Cubs and Cards for the NL Central. It's a good thing that Melvin's "motivated to listen."

Doug Melvin Is Listening originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Deck: Subway Santana

Mullet — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, New York, Oakland, Yankees, Twins, Athletics, Mets, Brewers, Giants, San Francisco, Milwaukee

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

New York Yankees (43-37) at New York Mets (39-40) - 3:55 PM ET

Now that the dual stadium doubleheader is done, the Yankees and Mets can go back to the normal over-hype that the Subway Series entails, and not have to worry about the added pressure of police escorts between stadiums and such. But here's some worry: Johan Santana, who matches up with Andy Pettitte today, is 7-6 with a batting average against of .249, and a WHIP of 1.22. Not bad. But consider that Santana has never had a half a season, whether it be before the all-star break or after it, where his BAA and WHIP have been nearly that high. So even by Santana's first half standards, it's been an off half-year for Johan. Stuck near .500 after 79 games, the Mets could use the second half Santana to make an appearance at Shea today.

Milwaukee Brewers (43-36) at Minnesota Twins (44-36) - 7:10 PM ET

Santana's old team, the Twinkies, are on one of their famous rolls where nobody really knows how they're doing it, but they're doing it. Minny's tenth straight victory last night against Milwaukee put the White Sox squarely in the cross hairs, as the Twins are now only a half game behind Chicago for the division lead. The first nine wins of the streak came against two last place teams (Washington and San Diego) and a slumping first place team (the .500 Diamondbacks), but hey, ten in a row is ten in a row.

San Francisco Giants (34-46) at Oakland Athletics (44-35) - 9:05 PM ET

The Athletics have been dominant in this geographical interleague rivalry. Last night was the seventh straight win for Oakland in this matchup. They've also won ten of the last 11, and 15 of 19. If the Giants are going to break the hex, tonight's the night with Tim Lincecum (8-1, 2.54) on the mound. But going against Justin Duchscherer (8-4, 1.99) isn't going to be a picnic for the Giants either. Duchscherer not only has given up only five runs in his last 29 and 1/3 innings, he's also been getting a ton of run support in those four starts. A mere bushel full of runs is usually enough for any pitcher.

Everyone else:

Braves at Blue Jays 1:07 ET
Cubs at White Sox 3:55 ET
Reds at Indians 7:05 ET
Rays at Pirates 7:05 ET
Red Sox at Astros 7:05 ET
Rockies at Tigers 7:05 ET
Diamondbacks at Marlins 7:10 ET
Cardinals at Royals 7:10 ET
Orioles at Nationals 7:10 ET
Phillies at Rangers 8:05 ET
Mariners at Padres 10:05 ET
Angels at Dodgers 10:10 ET

On Deck: Subway Santana originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 28 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Deck: The End of Interleague Is Nigh

Josh Alper — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Chicago, Cleveland, Minnesota, White Sox, Indians, Twins, Cubs, Reds, Brewers, Cincinnati, Milwaukee

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing matchups

Chicago Cubs (49-30) vs. Chicago White Sox (43-35) - 4:05 PM ET

The final weekend of interleague play for the season kicks off in the Bronx at 2 but the most meaningful game is in Chicago. The two Chicago clubs are in first, just as they were last week, but the White Sox can't afford another sweep at the hands of their crosstown rivals. The Twins are hard on their tail, a half-game back as play begins today, and there's that whole bragging rights thing to worry about too.

They'll need to do a better job against Ryan Dempster (9-2, 2.63) this time around. He held the Sox to one run in eight innings to win Sunday's finale at Wrigley Field. Dempster's won his last four decisions in what's turned out to be a very successful conversion from bullpen to rotation. They'll also need a better outing from their own starter. Jose Contreras (6-6, 3.96) got thrashed for 10 hits and nine runs in three and a third innings.

He'd do well to avoid Aramis Ramirez at all costs. Ramirez hit a three-run homer last Saturday and is 7-for-14 with four homers and 10 RBI in his career against the White Sox starter. That's good news for the short-handed Cubs who have more of a cushion than the White Sox but a similarly smoking second-place team behind them in Milwaukee.

Milwaukee Brewers (43-35) vs. Minnesota Twins (43-36) - 8:10 PM ET

Speaking of those second place teams, they'll be doing battle this weekend in the underrated battle for bragging rights across the upper Midwest. It helps that they are the two hottest teams in baseball. The Twins have reeled off nine straight wins, gaining six games in the standings, while the Brewers have taken eight of their last 10 to continue their surprising climb back into the NL Central race.

The Twins have been more than good of late, they've been dominant. Their starters are 8-0 with a 2.17 ERA and their offense has outscored the opposition 56-17 in the past nine. Nick Blackburn (6-4, 3.68) will try to keep things rolling on the mound and try to push the Twins closer to their franchise record of 11 straight wins. He'll be facing Seth McClung (5-3, 3.79) who, on June 15th, was the last pitcher to beat the Twins. He allowed four hits and two runs over six innings in that contest.

Cincinnati Reds (36-44) vs. Cleveland Indians (36-43) - 7:05 PM ET

This series may be the point of no return for the Tribe. Whatever slim hopes they have of getting back into the race could be extinguished with a poor performance in the Battle for Ohio. It's fitting, then, that C.C. Sabathia (5-8, 4.06) gets the ball in the opener. Word is that they are making one last try to sign the pending free agent but if that doesn't work, there could be another move in store.

If the Indians do decide to throw in the towel, the bidding for Sabathia will be fast, furious and, potentially, quite fruitful to Cleveland's future. Sabathia's struck out 10 in each of his last two starts and is showing no signs of his April struggles. Daryl Thompson will be starting for the Reds. He made his big league debut with five shutout innings after getting lost on his way to Yankee Stadium so he shouldn't be fazed by big bad C.C.

Everybody Else
Mets vs. Yankees - 2:05 PM ET
Yankees vs. Mets - Second Game
Rockies vs. Tigers - 7:05 PM ET
Rays vs. Pirates - 7:05 PM ET
Braves vs. Blue Jays - 7:07 PM ET
Diamondbacks vs. Marlins - 7:10 PM ET
Orioles vs. Nationals - 7:35 PM ET
Red Sox vs. Astros - 8:05 PM ET
Phillies vs. Rangers - 8:05 PM ET
Cardinals vs. Royals - 8:10 PM ET
Mariners vs. Padres - 10:05 PM ET
Giants vs. A's - 10:05 PM ET
Angels vs. Dodgers - 10:40 PM ET

On Deck: The End of Interleague Is Nigh originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ben Sheets Plans on Testing the Market

Tom Fornelli — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:37:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, MLB Gossip, MLB Rumors, Milwaukee

The Milwaukee Brewers signed their ace Ben Sheets to a four-year $38.5 million deal before the 2005 season started, and in the years since Sheets has spent a lot of his time earning that money on the disabled list. Last season, after spending the majority of the year in first place, Milwaukee's slide down the Central coincided with a Sheets injury.

Ben's injury history is probably the main reason that the Brewers didn't want to discuss a contract extension with Sheets this spring before the season started, and because of making that decision, Sheets has every intention to test the waters when he becomes a free agent at year's end.

"That's the direction I'm headed right now," Sheets said. "You can't invite yourself back.

"In all honesty, that would be pretty tough (not to test the market). We're getting pretty deep (into the season). It would be hard not to (test the market), especially when you start putting together a (big) year."

So the Brewers didn't want to talk extension, and Sheets plans on testing the market. Doing the words and intentions math, those two things together equal Ben Sheets in another uniform next season. Which begs the question: are the Brewers better off trading Sheets before the deadline or holding on to him and letting him go for nothing?

A month ago this would have been an easy call. Trade him. The Brewers were in fifth place in the NL Central, under .500, and didn't look like much of a threat. Since May 25th, though, the Brewers have gone 20-7 to climb back up to third even if they only gained a single game on the Cubs (from six games back to five).

So to trade Sheets now would be counterproductive to the Brewers chances of winning the division and getting to the playoffs this October. At the same time, if the Brewers can win 20 of 27 games and only manage to gain a single game in the standings during that span, why should we believe that they'll ever be able to surpass the Cubs?

Even with Sheets, I'm not sure the Brewers are strong enough to do it.

So Doug Melvin has a pretty tough call, but when you consider that the Brewers already have a very strong farm system and that they do still have a chance to win the division, I think by the time it's said and done Sheets will still be a Brewer come July 1st.
I'm just not sure Brewers fans would appreciate another Carlos Lee type move, not to mention Ned Yost is probably 100% against it seeing as how he may be fired should the Brewers miss the playoffs.

Ben Sheets Plans on Testing the Market originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Deck: Welcome Home, Jerry Manuel

Josh Alper — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Boston, Atlanta, New York, Phoenix, Seattle, Red Sox, Mariners, Braves, Mets, Brewers, Diamondbacks, Milwaukee

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

Seattle Mariners (26-49) at New York Mets (37-37) - 7:10 PM ET

It's a great pitching matchup - Felix Hernandez vs. Johan Santana - but that's not why this game leads off our list of Monday baseball. No, it's because Jerry Manuel will be managing his first home game at Shea Stadium since taking over for Willie Randolph. The nature of that dismissal has been debated to death in New York since then but it will still be interesting to see how the hometown faithful react in their first look at the team since Black early Tuesday morning. Manuel's fertilizer comments, which seem like little more than a tabloid trying to make a stink where none exists, could also play a role in how he's greeted. If Santana pitches well, and no reason he shouldn't against the Mariners, it should all end up as a lovefest by the end of the night.

Arizona Diamondbacks (39-37) at Boston Red Sox (47-31) - 7:05 PM ET

Just what the slumping Diamondbacks don't need to snap their bats to life, a trip to Fenway and Josh Beckett staring them in the face. They've scored more than three runs just once in their last nine games and scored but six runs while getting swept by the Twins over the weekend. Luckily have Dan Haren throwing for them tonight. The Diamondbacks have won his last four starts but it's easy to see that streak coming to an end if their hitters don't start pulling their weight.

Milwaukee Brewers (41-34) at Atlanta Braves (38-39) - 7:10 PM ET

The latest round in the battle for the eternal soul of Milwaukee baseball sees the two combatants heading in very different directions. The Braves have lost 10 of their last 16 while the Brewers have saved their season with a 21-10 since the middle of May. Ben Sheets has been a big part of the recent good play. He's 4-0 with a 2.11 ERA in his last six starts. His chances of extending that run get a boost with word that Chipper Jones will miss a third straight start thanks to injured quadriceps.

Everyone else:

Angels at Nationals - 7:10 PM ET
Rockies at Royals - 8:10 PM ET

On Deck: Welcome Home, Jerry Manuel originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Scott Boras Would Prefer It if You Didn't Look Into Prince Fielder's Taxes

Josh Alper — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL East, Milwaukee, MLB Biz

Like him or not, you can't say that Scott Boras is anything but a total advocate for his clients. When Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel called the agent to follow up on yesterday's report of a tax lien against Prince Fielder, he got an earful from the agent.

Boras let it be known in no uncertain terms that he thought I had no business poking into the situation. He said he didn't comment on the personal finances of his clients, which I understood. But he also made inferences during our conversation that made it seem as if the matter was being addressed. Still, he made it clear it could compromise my working relationship with Fielder if I pursued the matter -- a proposition I didn't take lightly.

I don't think Haudricourt is in the wrong. Not paying taxes is a legal issue, just as DUI and sexual assaults are and no one bats an eye when stories about those things are reported in the newspaper. The story was broken and Haudricourt was doing his job as a reporter. Fielder and Boras don't have to like it but they should respect it.

It's hard to imagine Boras would let his client get into hot water with the IRS and this case is likely well on its way to resolution. That makes it hard to understand why Boras wouldn't just say it's being resolved and we have no further comment. Threatening a reporter's access makes it seem like there's more to the story.

Scott Boras Would Prefer It if You Didn't Look Into Prince Fielder's Taxes originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Prince Fielder Forgot to Pay His Taxes

Josh Alper — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, Milwaukee

It looks like girth and a propensity for hitting home runs aren't the only thing Prince Fielder inherited from his father. Poor financial sense may also be a genetic trait in the Fielder clan. Cecil Fielder blew his career earnings on gambling tables and sour investments, a lesson that may have gone unlearned by his son while their relationship unraveled.

Prince Fielder owes the IRS $409,149 according to a lien uncovered by the Detroit News. The money was earned as part of his $2.4 million signing bonus as the seventh overall pick of the 2002 draft and the lien was filed in September 2005. Neither Prince nor his agent, Scott Boras, answered requests for comment about the monies.

Even with his disputes about his contract, you'd think Prince would have enough scratch to take care of this debt. He certainly will after this season when he hits arbitration and gets his first multi-million salary. The only thing that could possibly stand in his way is his vegetarianism. Those heirloom tomatoes and sustainably grown zucchinis can run a pretty high price point and it takes a lot to keep Prince's belly full.

Prince Fielder Forgot to Pay His Taxes originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forget the Ghostbusters, Call Livan Hernandez

Matt Watson — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:15:00 EST

Filed under: Minnesota, Twins, AL Central, MLB Gossip, Milwaukee

The Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee has long been rumored to be haunted. Adrian Beltre has talked about his alleged brushes with the supernatural while staying there, and several members of the Minnesota Twins are just as spooked. From Phil Miller of the Pioneer Press:

Livan Hernandez swears this actually happened. He was sitting in bed, watching TV, when the remote control suddenly hung in midair next to him, and turned off the set. "What you have to do," he explained matter-of-factly, "is get (the remote) back and put it back in the same place and turn on the TV. Then it will go away."

[...] "If you wake up in the middle of the night, sometimes you can feel something in bed with you," Hernandez said. "You can touch it. But if you open your eyes, there's nothing there."

It's not clear whether Hernandez is telling the truth or simply doing his best to scare coach Jerry White, who was so spooked he couldn't fall asleep all night, or the impressionable rookie Carlos Gomez, who claims to have experienced some of Pfister's spookiness first-hand on Friday. Gomez said his iPod repeatedly turned itself on and started vibrating on a table in his room, which scared him so much that he bolted from his room and arrived at Miller Park hours earlier than he needed to simply to avoid being alone. (Yeah, I know, it sounds like someone was simply calling his iPhone, but I'm guessing he ruled that out.)

Forget the Ghostbusters, Call Livan Hernandez originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Could Prince Fielder Be Traded?

Tom Fornelli — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:46:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, MLB Rumors, Milwaukee

So far this season there have been quite a few big name players whose names have been bandied about in trade rumors. There are the Ken Griffey Jr. rumors, the C.C. Sabathia rumors, and hell, A.J. Burnett is basically trying to start his own "Burnett to Chicago" rumors.

One surprising name that was brought up today in the New York Post (and if it's in the Post, it has to be true) for the first time is that of Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder.

Want a surprise name that could come in the market, maybe before July 31, but almost definitely in the offseason when the Mets and Yanks could be hunting first basemen: Milwaukee's Prince Fielder. Milwaukee is blessed with a lot of offensive-centric players who could switch to first (Ryan Braun in the majors, Matt LaPorta or Mat Gamel nearly ready at Double-A). Mainly, Fielder is a Scott Boras client who almost certainly will not sign a long-term contract and the Brewers could decide his greatest value is in dealing him sooner than later while his value is highest and cost to them lowest. The Dodgers, Twins and Royals also could have interest.

Now when first reading this, and considering the source, it's pretty easy to dismiss this as just the daydreams of a columnist. Then you read the quote from Brewers general manager Doug Melvin, and you start to wonder.

"It's not something I am exploring," Brewers GM Doug Melvin said. "But I never rule out anything. The day I traded Carlos Lee, I went to work with no plans whatsoever to do it, and by midnight he was a Texas Ranger."

Which is basically Doug Melvin's way of looking at every other GM in baseball and saying "call me!" while doing that annoying hand/phone gesture. I don't think that the Brewers would be willing to move Prince at the deadline, since they have been playing a lot better lately, and are back above .500 and 8.5 games behind the Cubs. In other words, they're still alive and moving Fielder during the middle of the season would probably put an end to it.

That said, a trade in the offseason doesn't sound that crazy. As Joel Sherman said in the column, the Brewers do have plenty of options to take over at first base, and it's highly unlikely Prince is going to sign a long-term deal in Milwaukee when the time comes. Of course, whether it makes sense or not, the wheels have now been put in motion.

Could Prince Fielder Be Traded? originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeff Weaver Needs a Job

Pat Lackey — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:22:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, Milwaukee, MLB Transactions

In a move that should surprise absolutely no one, the Milwaukee Brewers released Jeff Weaver today in accordance with the minor league contract he signed before the season started which said he had to be either called up or released by June 15th. With June 15th right around the corner and Weaver sporting a 6.22 ERA with AAA Nashville, it's time for the elder Weaver to hit the job market. From the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Brewers' Blog:

Speaking about Weaver on Wednesday before the decision was made, general manager Doug Melvin said, "He hasn't really performed as well as we hoped, and he hoped. We don't really have a spot for him on our staff at the present time."

Uhh, how did Melvin expect the guy that got shelled while pitching mostly in Safeco Field last year to fare this year? Weaver's now a free agent, but he's going to have a really hard time finding work. The Brewers could certainly use a fifth starter at the moment, but they clearly want nothing to do with Weaver. If Weaver's lucky, he'll get another minor league deal somewhere. If he's not lucky? Well, I guess Jered probably has a couch he can sleep on.

Jeff Weaver Needs a Job originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:22:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rickie Weeks Goes on the DL

Pat Lackey — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:57:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, MLB Injuries, Milwaukee

The Brewers have their share of problems. They've lost Yovani Gallardo for the year to a knee injury and the rest of Ben Sheets' supporting crew hasn't been very good, Eric Gagne's been bad, Bill Hall's been worse, Prince Fielder's power has dried up, Ned Yost is managing, and Rickie Weeks can't find his way to first base with a flashlight. The last one is no longer a problem, but only because the Brewers are putting Weeks on the disabled list with a sprained knee.

Injuries never really come at good times, but this is an especially poorly timed one for the Brewers because they've been playing a little better lately and because the Cubs are absolutely dominating the National League Central right now. It's still early, but the Brewers probably need to regroup and think abou the Wild Card unless something rather dramatic happens in the next couple weeks.

Maybe the spark will come in the form of Weeks' injury. As I mentioned, he's been terrible this year. Then again, Craig Counsell (his likely replacement in the starting lineup) has actually been worse. The guy they're calling up, Hernan Iribarren, actually has about the same line as Weeks this year, only in AAA. Maybe the Brewers should be looking elsewhere for their spark.

Rickie Weeks Goes on the DL originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bill Hall Won't Be Traded Anytime Soon

Pat Lackey — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:33:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, Milwaukee

When the Brewers started platooning Bill Hall this week, his agent was understandably upset and said he thought the best move for his client would be one that leads out of town. The problem is that Brewers' GM Doug Melvin doesn't really agree with that and he's indicated that he has no intention of trading Hall in the near future. From the Brewers Blog:

"I'm not really motivated to do that," Melvin said. "I'm motivated to make this club the best club I can; to make the postseason, and right now he's a part of that."
[...]
The Brewers called up Russell Branyan, a left-handed hitter, from Class AAA Nashville on May 24 because Hall's numbers against right-handers (.162 average and 42 strikeouts) were so bad. It wasn't that Hall was singled out by being put into a platoon situation as much as it was Branyan was the best and only option.

Melvin's got the right idea here, I think. Because Hall can play so many positions and can thump left-handed pitching, he's a really valuable utility/platoon/bench guy to have on the team. The Brewers problem is that because of his big season in 2006, they've been using him as an everyday player and Hall's really gone out of his way to prove that he's not that at all. Still, Melvin's phrasing makes it sound like he's going to try and trade Hall, so I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens.

Bill Hall Won't Be Traded Anytime Soon originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bill Hall Would Like to Be Traded

Pat Lackey — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:07:00 EST

Filed under: Brewers, NL Central, Milwaukee

Can you imagine a more humiliating existence than to be benched in favor of Russell Branyan? I mean, as existences go, "Backup Major League Baseball player," is a pretty fricking sweet one, but getting benched for a career utility guy has to really sting. It certainly does for Bill Hall, who's agent is letting people know that if that's how the Brewers are going to treat his client, he'd much rather Hall be traded.

"If Billy's not going to be an everyday player, it's probably best for him and the team to be traded," Bross said. "They could get a pitcher for him that would really help the team. I'm sure there are some teams out there that could use a third baseman or shortstop."

Bross indicated he had not formerly requested a trade from Brewers general manager Doug Melvin. Hall said he preferred to be moved to another club but left it to Bross to do the talking on that subject.

"(Bross) knows how I feel," Hall said.

"They could get a pitcher for him that would really help the team." Ooooo! Burn! Seriously, though, Hall's been awful both this year and last year and it's hard to believe any team would trade a useful player for a guy that would amount to a useful swiss-army knife that can fill in gaps in both the infield and outfield, but probably isn't good enough to start anywhere.

Bill Hall Would Like to Be Traded originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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