OK WTF... Brewers trade Lee

by **TiNM@N** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 1:36 pm

So im sure there are a few Baseball fans out there. Im not a fan of the WHOLE league but i follow my home team, Milwaukee Brewers. Well for the first time in a decade they had... (be a slim chance) a possibility for a wildcard.

Anyways the Brewers sent their #1 (HR) & (RBI) producer, Carlos Lee to the Texas Rangers. He is a free agent at the end of the season. So they dont think they can pay the man his asking price of 75 million for 5 years. There was talk about keeping him and giving the fans the oppertunity to cheer on a team for a long awaited post season apperance. There was also talk of trading him and getting something in return. Well thats the way they went....

My question IS.... Why would you trade one of the most sought after players (along with Soriano, Abreau...) for a defunked closer

[In his last appearance for Texas, the right-hander allowed four runs in the eighth inning against the New York Yankees on Wednesday night.]

(we already have a bullpen of lack luster relief pitchers/closers) and 2 outfielders that few have heard of...... along with the all-star we sent them we also sent one of our top prospects (Nelson Cruz) for the future .... WHat am i NOT seeing

by **King** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 2:26 pm

probably something behind the scenes like: Lee told the Brewers front office that he wasn't going to resign or his asking price was too high. Cordero is a decent closer if he gets a regular opportunity to close.

Texas is all offensive power, which is good because they have the league's lauching pad. Texas gave up some regular players which is better than them giving up some triple-A guys. At least they the Brewers know what they are getting.

Who knows, there is a posibility that Lee wont even resign. he's going to command a lot of money and Texas' owner, Tom Hicks is a guy who started preaching "develop from within" after they traded A-Rod.

by **King** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 2:31 pm

Sorry for the double post but check this out...

"The Brewers are receiving outfielders Kevin Mench and Laynce Nix and reliever Francisco Cordero for Lee and two prospects in a deal that was first reported by ESPN.com and confirmed by SI.com.

This is a wise move by the Brewers in light of the fact that their chances to reach the playoffs and sign Lee long-term were one and the same: zero. Melvin first offered Lee $40 million for four years, then stretched his small-market dollars to $48 million, and when Lee said no and the Brewers dropped two straight to Pittsburgh at home, Melvin went to the phones.

Melvin was familiar with the three players he got from his days as Texas GM, so that may have made a difference. It certainly helps the Rangers immediately. But as a free agent, Lee will seek $75 million over five years, a hefty price and 50 percent more than the Brewers were hoping to pay."

This was quoted from an articale on SI.com's baseball page.

Full link is here

by **Stl Lunatic** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:02 pm

On ESPN they said that what the likely situation for Carlos Lee was that the Brewers had to make a decision of whether they were a contender or had a chance at a post season birth...If they felt they were not going to make the playoffs they were likely to trade him away...otherwise they were going to keep him for the postseason run...

I'm a Cardinal fan and the cardinals have been looking for a good outfielder and second baseman...I think it would be a great addition if the cards could get Soriano or Abrau...But from what I'v heard from Al Hrabowsky of FSN he thinks the cards arent going to make any deals till after the trade deadline....Since they have gotten a pretty good young player named Chris Duncan who has come up with some really clutch hits for the cardinals lately....Like his homerun he hit off of Brad Penny the starting pitch in the all star game...Cards got a shot at a championship this year...

by **King** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:14 pm

Originally posted by Stl Lunatic
Cards got a shot at a championship this year...

I'm a cards fan and even I dont think they have a chance this year.

by **Stl Lunatic** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 5:40 pm

Its hard to say they don't have a chance...

Everyone has a chance...

Plus the cards have one of the best records in baseball...and the best Home field record in the national leage...31-19

Detroit 68-33
Boston 61-39
New York Mets 60-41
Chicago WS 59-41
New York Y. 59-40
St. Louis 58-44

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/standings/index.jsp

Cards have the pitching potential...We just need some guyes to get out of their little divits or slumps...

Heck we got Pujols, so anything can happen when that guyes in the lineup...

by **Sabres** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 6:00 pm

Originally posted by King
I'm a cards fan and even I dont think they have a chance this year.

You took the words out of my mouth...

by **TiNM@N** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 6:07 pm

ok ok enough of you guys talking about your teams this is about the absent minded Brewers... Now why would they trade an "B", "B+" hitter for a flunky RP (corenado)? I mean lately he's been giving out more balls than Lance Bass.

**EDIT** ok i guess the guy isn't THAT bad but still.

by **King** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 6:15 pm

thats because, you have to get what you can get when a player will not be coming back. Unless the owners wanted to buck up and extend the player paryroll, which they wont.

He's going to command 75 million over 5 years.

Why dont you ask the Oakland A's about what they received for Mark McGwire when they traded them to the cards. Why dont you ask the Phillies about what they got when they traded Jim Thome to the White Sox.

Its not that hard of a concept to grasp.

Option A:

Trade player who wont return next year. Get some players who may be able to help out the team next season.

Option B:

Keep player. Play sub-500 ball the rest of season. Get dick for player because he's gone when seasons over because owner or management will not ok a payroll budget increase.

They chose option A. Analyists are reading this as positive as possible because although this is very hard to lose such an impact player, they are making the best of the situation.

by **Sabres** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 6:53 pm

Thank you for explaining that King, now I don't have to.

by **FlatLiner** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 7:23 pm

What it simply came down to for the Brewers is they had to determine if they had a legitimate shot at a playoff birth this year. While it was feasible, it was not that likely, given the number of teams in the Wild Card hunt (9 within 10 games at my last check, could be wrong though) the Brewers felt that they did not stand a realistic chance at reaching the playoffs, and thus chose the route that allowed them to get something for Carlos Lee rather than watching him walk at the end of the year.

The only real topic of debate here is whether or not the Brewers were out of the Wild Card race. No offense, but as a Brewers fan, you inherently overestimate their chances, its that way with any fan. Realistically, though, they were not going to reach the playoffs and made a smart move acquiring two promising outfielders and a decent reliever, who could be used as trade bait in the future, for a guy who they would have lost at the end of the season anyways.

Also, a side not as a Cards fan myself, I think they have the same shot as anyone else of winning it all, as Arizona, Boston, and Florida have proven in the past, the best team doesn't always win it all, its just the team who gets hot at the right time.

by Conscious* » Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:04 pm

No offense but the Brewers aren't making the playoffs this season and they have no shot at the World Series, and Carlos Lee wawsn't going to stay in Milwaukee, so from my perspective it was a good trade for the Brewers. Whoever Texas gets never seems to help because they don't understand that pitching wins championships, but 5 players for Lee was a good deal in my opinion.

by **Stl Lunatic** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 8:44 pm

Previosely Posted by Flatliner

Also, a side not as a Cards fan myself, I think they have the same shot as anyone else of winning it all, as Arizona, Boston, and Florida have proven in the past, the best team doesn't always win it all, its just the team who gets hot at the right time.

I apsolutely agree with you! Last year when the astros beat the cards to get to the world series they caught fire...towards the end of the season they were unbeatable...they werent even soposed to make the playoffs and at the last second made a come back to win the wild card...any team can loose on any given day, so its anyones game...

Like the Chicago cubs beat the cards again today...This season they have beat the cards I think 5 times and the cards have yet to win a game at wrigley field....But then the cubs have the worst record at home of any major leage ball club...

:cool:

by **Sabres** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 1:09 am

Originally posted by Stl Lunatic
Like the Chicago cubs beat the cards again today...This season they have beat the cards I think 5 times and the cards have yet to win a game at wrigley field

The Cards play the Cubs 18 times this season. They have lost 8 to Chicago already. Including today and tomorrow, they have 8 more games against the Cubs, 6 of them being at Wrigley Field.

by **JimmyTango** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 10:02 am

Brewers had to trade him, simple as that.

I am suprised in what they got back. I would have gone for a prospect package, but they went for 3 vets.

OK WTF... Brewers trade Lee

OK WTF... Brewers trade Lee

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