Milwaukee Brewers

Dear Doug,

This will be fairly quick.

One of the more bitter days this Milwaukee ball club has seen in a while just struck it's inevitable peak.  

Brewers closer Trevor Hoffman has declined Milwaukee's arbitration offer, which now positions the Crew to get a compensatory pick in next year's MLB draft.

Hoffman earned more than $7 million during a disappointing 2010 season that saw the Brewers identify a number of younger, cheaper bullpen options that could indeed progress into future stars.

With Trevor Hoffman ticketed out of Milwaukee via free agency, it would appear that John Axford is primed to assume the full-time closing duties. 

Obviously, if that is the case, he is going to be viable in all fantasy formats.  The question, however, is if he is a closer we should target on draft day.

When Hoffman struggled, Axford stepped in and did a solid job as the closer, posting the following line: 8 W, 24 SV, 58.0 IP, 2.48 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 76 K (11.8 K/9), 27 BB (4.2 BB/9), .319 BABIP.

While the 2010 MLB offseason has been quiet thus far, rumors have been surfacing on various players going to various teams. The free agents get most of these rumors, as they can sign with any team. However, other players under contract have been getting looks, and a trade involving that star can send shockwaves throughout baseball.

In his first full MLB season, Casey McGehee exceeded all expectations.  Considering his minor league track record, it didn’t necessarily take much.  Hitting primarily in the fifth spot in the lineup, he posted the following line:

The rumors seem to be piling up on a day-to-day basis nowadays.

Yes, the Brewers are currently looking for a new manager, and Bobby Valentine seems to be the sure-fire candidate to succeed Ken Macha.

Doug Melvin has reportedly denied the reports, writes MLB.com correspondent Adam McClavy.

Asked by the newspaper whether he had been at least offered the job, Valentine said, "We have met but there is nothing ongoing and no follow-up meeting is scheduled."

The time is right; the demand is optimum.

With the apparent need for pitching in the Brew City already amassing to an extraordinary level this offseason, GM Doug Melvin needs to pull the trigger on a premier pitcher worthy of complementing an already explosive offense.

It has been a while since I last penned an article here on the great B/R, so I felt like I owed it to the readers here to break away from the old and bring in the new.

That included a completely new persona, which was to be named Tecumseh's Alcove (I am a history major after all), but it is a lot harder to create a profile here nowadays, so what was the point when I have old reliable sitting around?

It will be a great homecoming for Pat Listach on Tuesday.

The former Brewer and Astro was informed late last week that Doug Melvin asked the Washington Nationals for an interview for the managerial position, according to MLB.com and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Listach was currently beginning a managerial assignment for a Puerto Rican winter ball league, but had to change plans quickly to head back to Wisconsin. He will be meeting with Doug Melvin on Tuesday for an interview.

The history and awe that is the Milwaukee Brewers franchise is surrounded and enriched in talent and winning. 

From Robin Yount and Harvey's Wallbangers way back in '82, to the drafting successes that have enabled us to witness current superstars Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, we are all truly grateful for what this franchise has done for the city of Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin.