Kuzul

I am expecting a lot of opposition to this article, but it needs to be said: The Milwaukee Brewers need a new closer.

Trevor Hoffman, 42, has been the Brewers’ closer since last year, and it’s looking like this could and should be his final stop.

The all-time saves leader has 596 saves in his 18-year career, but is struggling to lock down just four more for a career total of 600.

Last season, Hoffman was solid, sporting a 3-2 record with an ERA of 1.83 and 37 saves while only blowing four all season. As a Brewer fan, I was expecting the same from one of the best closers of all time.

So far my wish has been denied.

In 14 appearances this season, Hoffman sports a 1-3 record with an ugly ERA of 13.15 and five of 10 saves converted. That ERA is unacceptable at any level, let alone for a professional closer.

With five blown saves, he has blown more saves in 14 appearances than he did all last season. That’s five extra wins the Brewers could have. Instead of being a 15-24 team, they’d be a 20-19 team, and only three games back in the division. 

Hoffman’s low fastball velocity is even lower, and his change-up is hanging in the zone way too much. I’ll give him the fact that two of his game-losing/tying home runs have been golfed out of the park, but when you’re the all-time saves leader and your team can’t count on you to save a win, it’s time to hang it up.

I hate to be the one that talks bad of Trevor Hoffman, but I can’t stand watching him pitch because it’s easy to see he doesn’t have it anymore. I am all in favor of him getting his 600th save in a Brewers uniform, but what about after that?

If it were up to me, I would trot him out there every now and then to try to get 600, and if he can’t, let him go. We have a closer-in-the-making in Triple-A named Zach Braddock, unlike Hoffman, he can really bring the heat. Braddock is 0-0 with a 4.80 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 15 innings pitched. His ERA inflated after one bad outing.His fastball is clocked at mid to upper 90’s.

Regardless of the way Trevor finishes, I think he will retire after this year, and we will hand the ball over to the closer of the future.

It pains me to see my beloved Brewers get a lead and Hoffman come in and blow the whole thing. It’s time to look towards the future.

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Both Prince Fielder and the Seattle Mariners are off to very slow starts in 2010.

While slow starts have become the norm for Fielder, the Mariners were picked by many to win the AL West, but they are already 11 games behind first-place Texas. Only the Orioles are off to a worst start in the American League.

After so many signings and trades in the offseason, expectations were sky-high for a team that surprisingly won 85 games in 2009. General Manager Jack Zduriencik made the moves he thought would ensure a division title. 

Even with all the moves that were made, critics still said Zduriencik and the Mariners lacked the big bat in the middle of the lineup needed to power the offense. He could solve all his problems by acquiring Fielder, the player he drafted with the Brewers in the first round of the 2002 draft.

On the surface, the Brewers and Mariners seem to be perfect trading partners. The Brewers need pitching, the Mariners need hitting, and Zduriencik knows the Brewers’ roster and farm system as well as anyone in the game. 

The two teams were almost trade partners last season as the Brewers tried to acquire Jarrod Washburn at the trade deadline. However, Zduriencik’s asking price of either Alcides Escobar or Mat Gamel was simply too much for Brewers GM Doug Melvin to part with for a three-month rental.

The Mariners currently have several pitching options that could be sent to Milwaukee for Fielder, despite the fact that they traded away their top pitching prospect, Phillippe Aumont, to the Phillies in the Cliff Lee trade this past winter.

Ryan Rowland-Smith and Jason Vargas are each under team control until after the 2013 season. Rowland-Smith has struggled this season with a record of 0-4 with a 7.62 ERA after putting together two solid seasons in Seattle in 2008 and 2009. Vargas is 3-2 with a 2.93 ERA in seven starts this year.

Both pitchers are lefties, but even though the Brewers have a number of lefty options, either would be better than what the team currently has been sending to the mound.

Doug Fister is a 6’8″ righty that has been dominant so far in 2010. Fister is 3-1 with a 1.72 ERA in seven starts. He has gone at least seven innings in five of his seven starts this season. This is Fister’s first full season in the majors, and he’s only given up nine earned runs in 47 innings pitched.

The Mariners could give the Brewers a built-in replacement for Fielder by sending Casey Kotchman to Milwaukee. Kotchman is off to a horrible start in 2010 but is a far superior defensive player to Fielder. He’s making just over $3.5 million this year, and he is under team control until after next season.

Although the Mariners don’t have a top-ranked farm system, they do have several players that could be sent to Milwaukee in exchange for Fielder.

The team’s top prospect is Dustin Ackley. Ackley was the second overall pick in last year’s draft. He is struggling this season at Double-A West Tennessee. In 34 games this year, he’s hitting only .198 with one home run and 10 RBI. He has been converted to a full-time first baseman, and that fact could be very appealing to Melvin.

Michael Saunders was recently called up by the Mariners. The 23-year-old outfielder is hitting .235 in 54 career big league games. He is considered by many scouts to be a five-tool player, and he could possibly make the switch to first base in the future, although he is a solid defender in the outfield. 

The teams seem to be quite logical trade partners. A trade proposal such as Fielder and Gamel for Kotchman, Saunders, and Fister could help both teams salvage this year as well as build for the future, even if Fielder departs via free agency after the 2011 season.

With the continued struggles of both teams, something needs to be done soon before the season is lost for both teams. Each is still very much alive for its division, and if the deal is right, a trade could help both clubs head back towards the top of their respective divisions.

It wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility that Fielder could sign long-term with the Mariners. After 2011, the only long-term deals the team has belong to Felix Hernandez, Franklin Gutierrez, and Ichiro. Ichiro is able to become a free agent after the 2012 season, so other than Hernandez, the Mariners will need someone to step in as the face of the franchise.

Could Prince Fielder be the perfect fit?

To read more by Jesse Motiff, click here.

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Well, not really.

Not only are the Brewers sitting just two games ahead of the lowly Houston Astros, but Zaun is also only hitting .260 with two home runs. So, what has he done to garner such attention?

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The Brewers’ struggles continued as the Phillies came into Miller Park and wreaked havoc.

The Braves had just swept the Brewers the previous three games, and the Phillies did exactly the same thing.

Things can’t be any worse right now for the Brewers. Players are getting injured, pitchers are struggling, and hitters are failing to get the big hit with runners on.

Take Satruday for example, the Brewers had the bases loaded, and Rickie Weeks and Craig Counsell both struck out.

The bullpen continues to struggle, and the rotation is now battered even more with Doug Davis going to the DL for a heart problem.

Is there any hope right now for this struggling squad?

There is no hope unless the pitching staff can turn things around and hitters can start getting hits with men on base.

General Manager Doug Melvin has to do something, whether it’s firing Ken Macha or Rick Peterson, making a trade or signing.

Wouldn’t Jarrod Washburn be a fine addition to a struggling pitching staff?

Wouldn’t Jermaine Dye’s bat look good in the lineup with Carlos Gomez on the DL and Jim Edmonds possibly joining him?

Things have to start turning around soon, or the Brewers may end up being the cellar dweller.

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When Milwaukee Brewers principal owner Mark Attanasio lent his ear to general manager Doug Melvin on the need for more pitching help, he listened.

So Attanasio, who guards his pocketbook with his life, reluctantly spent—I’d say overspent—too much money on pitching in the offseason.

He forked out $67.35 million on left-handed starter Randy Wolf ($29.75 million) and reliever LaTroy Hawkins ($7.5 million).  That also includes the $30.1 million extension the Brewers gave ace Yovani Gallardo over five years.

And don’t even talk about Jeff Suppan. 

The Brewers overpaid him when he came to us, based on his postseason performance with the St. Louis Cardinals.  Now he’s an overpaid reliever, having lost his starting spot as the fifth starter.

This is a problem for new pitching coach Rick Peterson. 

I believe he’s trying to see what’s in the heads of his pitchers.  He should try to find out why they’re slacking off at the job before he finds himself out of a job.

Ask previous pitching coach Billy Castro what happened to him last year.  When the pitching staff gave up all those runs, he was fired.

Since manager Ken Macha, who’s in the last year of his two-year contract—it’s unlikely that he’ll get an extension—is the overseer of the players and coaching staff, the axe will fall on him, maybe before the All-Star break.

A pitching staff that’s 23rd in the majors with a 4.76 ERA and giving up 39 home runs should ask themselves if they spent the bosses’ money very wisely. 

It’s too early to tell right now. 

Wait until July to ask that question.

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Coming into Saturday night’s contest between Milwaukee and Arizona, outfielder Jody Gerut had only four hits on the year.

Gerut matched his season with four hits in the Brewers’ 17-3 rout of Arizona.

And they weren’t just any four hits.

With a single, double, triple, and home run, Gerut became just the sixth player in Brewers history to hit for the cycle.

The outfielder, who had made only four starts all season, definitely earned himself a spot in Sunday’s game.

“It’s going to be tough not to put him in the lineup,” said Brewers manager, Ken Macha.

Gerut is possibly the most unlikely Milwaukee candidate to hit for the cycle.

Macha wasn’t even sure who to start coming into Saturday afternoon, saying he “flipped a coin” to determine whether to pencil in Gerut or Corey Hart. This was a rare joke from the skipper, who studies match-ups as much as any other manager. But the 32-year-old Gerut’s start in right field was still surprising.

Gerut drove in four runs. Ryan Braun, who hit a 467-foot tape measure home run, also had 4 RBIs. McGehee had three hits and two RBI. Starter Randy Wolf (3-2) overcame a shaky first frame to get the win in a six inning performance.

It was the third time Milwaukee had scored 11 or more runs in the last five games. It was the sixth time they’ve reached double digit runs this season.

The St. Louis Rams have begun to envy the Brewers’ offense of late.

Gerut homered in the second inning, then singled to load the bases in the third. His fifth inning, RBI triple ignited a six-run outburst that put the game on ice. With the rally, the Brewers led 12-2. After two hitless at bats, Gerut thought he wouldn’t get another chance at history. But after Milwaukee exploded for four more runs in the ninth, he laced a double off Arizona’s center field wall.

“It’s unbelievable. It was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced in a game,” Gerut told reporters.

Coming into the game, Gerut was a paltry 1 for 21 against right-handed pitchers.

Arizona’s Mark Reynolds hit a solo home run off of Wolf in the sixth. It was Reynolds’ 99th career blast.

After finishing the series with Arizona on Mother’s Day, the Brewers head back to Miller Park to face the Atlanta Braves in a three-game series.

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The San Francisco Giants are off to a great start in 2010. They have the best record in the National League, and are led by perhaps the best starting rotation in all of baseball.

While the team has a stranglehold on great pitching, their offense is below the league average in most categories. They have grounded into more double plays than any NL team, and have the fewest number of walks of any team in the league other than the Houston Astros.

With the exception of Pablo Sandoval, no hitter on the team strikes fear into opposing pitchers. While their great pitching will keep them competitive all season, if the hitting doesn’t come around, the Giants will have a hard time making the playoffs.

San Francisco has long been mentioned as a possible destination for Brewers’ first baseman Prince Fielder. Fielder was born in California and many have speculated that he could end up playing for a team on the West Coast once he becomes a free agent after the 2011 season.

With the Brewers off to a slow start, trade winds are swirling about the Brewers unloading Fielder before he can exit via free agency, and leave Milwaukee left with nothing in compensation. 

The Giants have the great farm system needed to pry Fielder out of Milwaukee, but would trading for the slugger make them the favorite to represent the NL in the World Series?

Fielder would give the Giants that big bat in the lineup that they are desperately lacking, and they would easily be able to compete against the Cardinals and Phillies for the NL crown. However, how much of their farm system would they have to give up, and would it be worth it to take action this season or would they be better off waiting until after the 2011 season and just sign Fielder as a free agent?

Brewer fans should immediately give up any thoughts of getting Sandoval, Tim Lincecum, or top prospects Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner from the Giants. Those players are simply untouchable, and they won’t be traded for anyone.

In addition to a great farm system, there are several players on the Giants that could be involved in the trade either on their own or as part of a package.

Travis Ishikawa, Eugenio Velez, and Emmanuel Burriss are all players that are under team control through the 2014 season and could be included with prospects to head to Milwaukee.

Matt Cain and Jonathan Sanchez have each been mentioned in the past as possible trade candidates for the Brewers in exchange for Fielder.

Cain is off to a great start this season. He’s 2-1 with a 2.79 ERA in six starts. He’s struck out 30 and walked only 10 in 38 2/3 innings in 2010. Opposing teams are only hitting .209 against the 25-year-old righty. The Brewers may actually have to include more talent than just Fielder in order to bring him to Milwaukee.

Sanchez has gone from a fringe starter to one of the best left-handed starters in less than a year. Since his no-hitter last year, his confidence has grown immensely, and he’s given the Giants a fourth very good starter. However, with lefty prospect Bumgarner expected to make his debut soon, he may still be expendable for the Giants. 

In 2010, Sanchez is 2-2 with a 2.48 ERA in five starts. He’s struck out 37 batters in only 29 innings. Opponents are hitting a mere .170 this year against the 27-year-old Puerto Rico native. 

Many of the Giants best prospects are at the lower levels of minor league baseball, but their talent may very well be worth waiting for the Brewers.

Zach Wheeler was the top pick for the Giants in last year’s draft. Wheeler was drafted out of high school, and most scouts feel he was more advanced coming out of high school than Bumgarner was.

Dan Runzler is a lefty reliever that made the Giants team out of Spring Training this year. Some feel he could be the eventual successor to Brian Wilson as the team’s closer, or he could be used to help land Fielder. In 12 appearances this year, he’s 1-0 with a 2.19 ERA and has struck out 12 in 12 1/3 innings. 

Thomas Neal is a power-hitting prospect that was taken by the Giants in the 36th round of the 2005 draft. He projects as a middle-of-the-order bat eventually, but he’s still at least a year or two away from making is debut in the majors. 

Other prospects that could be sent to Milwaukee include: outfielder Roger Kieschnick, second baseman Nick Noonan, and outfielders Francisco Peguero and Rafael Rodriguez.

Trading Prince Fielder to the Giants may be the best option for the Brewers’ front office; they have the best combination of major league talent and prospects to help Milwaukee both now and in the future.

Giant fans may not like the thought of giving up a player like Matt Cain or Jonathan Sanchez, but putting Fielder in the middle of the lineup would more than make up for losing either one.

Add to that the realization of being on the same level or better than the Cardinals or Phillies, and the Brewers and Giants would both be wise to become trading partners sooner rather than later. 

To read more by Jesse Motiff, click here . 

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It’s not often we talk about college baseball here at The Ghost of Moonlight Graham , but I thought we would today. Yesterday, the NCAA announced its College World Series legends team.

The 25 players and three coaches were selected from a list of 95 nominees picked by the NCAA, the Omaha World-Herald and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Members of the team who can attend will be honored at the CWS this year, in the final season of Rosenblatt Stadium.

Here is the list of the players that were selected.

• Dustin Ackley, North Carolina, 1b, 2007-09
• Will Clark, Mississippi State, 1b, 1985
• Bob Horner, Arizona State, 2b, 1976-78
• Todd Walker, Louisiana State, 2b, 1993-94
• Darwin Barney, Oregon State, ss, 2005-07
• Nomar Garciaparra, Georgia Tech, ss, 1994
• Spike Owen, Texas, ss, 1981-82
• Sal Bando, Arizona State, 3b, 1964-65
• Pat Burrell, Miami (Fla.), 3b, 1996-98
• Robin Ventura, Oklahoma State, 3b, 1986-87
• Barry Bonds, Arizona State, of, 1983-84
• J.D. Drew, Florida State, of, 1995
• Terry Francona, Arizona, of, 1979-80
• Mark Kotsay, Cal State Fullerton, of, 1994-95
• Fred Lynn, Southern California, of, 1971-73
• Dave Winfield, Minnesota, of, 1973
• Steve Arlin, Ohio State, rhp, 1965-66
• Eddie Bane, Arizona State, lhp, 1972-73
• Burt Hooton, Texas, rhp, 1969-70
• Huston Street, Texas, rhp, 2002-04
• Jason Windsor, Cal State Fullerton, rhp, 2004
• Ryan Garko, Stanford, c, 2001-03
• Landon Powell, South Carolina, c, 2002-04
• Pete Incaviglia, Oklahoma State, dh, 1983-85
• Brooks Kieschnick, Texas, dh-rhp, 1992-93

For me, the best college baseball player I saw play (1990 – current) was Todd Walker. When Walker was at LSU he was a hitting machine. I really thought he was going to be the next great hitting second baseman.

Walker went on to have a solid major league career, but never came close to the hitter I thought he would be. I thought he would be Chase Utley good.

The other player that stands out to me on this list is Brooks Kieschnick. Kieschnick was another player that was a man amongst boys in college, but never enjoyed any success at the major league level.

Kieschnick was kind of a “tweener.” He was a really good hitter and a really good pitcher, but never did anything great that would translate to the Major League game.

Kieschnick ended up playing parts of six seasons with the Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, and Milwaukee Brewers. After trying his hand as a hitter early on in his career, Kieschnick converted to a full-time pitcher and enjoyed his most success with the Brewers in 2004 when he posted a 3.77 ERA in 43 innings.

Congratulations to all these players and their accomplishments at the college level. The 2010 College World Series starts June 19th.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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Anyone who is a fan of the 1994 Kevin Smith film Clerks has probably seen – in any number of its dozens of video releases – the film’s original ending.

Cut before the film was released theatrically, but included on subsequent Laserdisc, DVD and Blu-ray releases, the original ending features the shocking twist of store clerk Dante being shot and killed.

It’s a terribly abrupt and disturbing ending, in large part because of the unexpected high degree of fun that had come before.

Sunday’s Eastern Conference quarterfinal game seven beat down of the Milwaukee Bucks at the hands of the Atlanta Hawks was like that – an ugly, shocking, disturbing, completely unsettling end to what had until then largely been a joyous 2009-2010 season.

Yes, it is easy for those who either don’t believe in or don’t care about the Bucks to quickly dismiss a team that did not make it out of the opening round of the NBA playoffs. (After all, doesn’t every NBA team make the postseason?)

But remember that the Bucks were a team most picked to be among the dregs of the NBA this season. Yet look at what they accomplished:

Finishing the season 10 games over .500.

Making the playoffs for the first time in four years. (No, not every NBA team makes the postseason.)

Pushing a heavily favored Atlanta team to a seven game series in the postseason, even though most thought the series would be finished in five.

They were able to accomplish so much after another mid-season injury (January 10) to guard Michael Redd, and a late-season injury to center Andrew Bogut (April 4), who had been having a breakout year.

Much of the credit for the Bucks successes this season has to go to GM John Hammond, who deservedly won the NBA Executive of the Year award last month, as well as coach Scott Skiles. Hammond’s decision to draft Brandon Jennings in last year’s draft and his move to acquire guard/forward John Salmons from the Bulls in February paid huge dividends this season, and Skiles has been unanimously praised for developing a wonderful chemistry with his team, despite making undesirable lineup changes due to injuries.

If Milwaukee can re-sign Salmons (who averaged nearly 20 points a game for the Bucks), if the Bucks can remain relatively injury-free next season and if Brandon Jennings can improve on his impressive rookie season, the Bucks might have the biggest upside of any team in the NBA, pending what happens in what could be a blockbuster off-season in free agency.

Yes, those are big “ifs,” but should situations fall the right way for the Bucks, their window for success could be opening wide.

On the contrary, the window for the Milwaukee Brewers seems to be slamming shut faster than the chances for a Furry Vengeance sequel. (Further proof that you can write anything on Wikipedia: note the mention of Brooke Shields as Furry Vengeance‘s “hot wife.”)

After Sunday’s humiliating 8-0 loss at San Diego that wrapped up a series in which the big bats of Milwaukee scored a grand total of two runs (and this was a four-game series), it’s almost hard to believe the Brewers are only five games under .500.

If the Brewers hadn’t had the luxury of playing Pittsburgh six times already, who they’ve outscored 61-17 despite only going 4-2 in those games, things might be even worse.

Despite a slow start for Prince Fielder – who has only seven more hits than Gregg Zaun, and the Brewers catcher started 0-for-21 – and despite the awfully offensive offensive display in San Diego, the Brewers’ bats aren’t where most are putting the blame. Casey McGehee, Rickie Weeks and especially Ryan Braun are performing up to expectations (and, in McGehee’s case, beyond, although he has cooled off a bit).

No, despite off-season efforts to overhaul what was the worst pitching staff in the majors in 2009, the Brewers still find themselves unable to get outs.

While newly rich Yovani Gallardo has rebounded from an awful start, and newly acquired Randy Wolf has been okay, the rest of the lineup has ranged from disappointing to disastrous. Dave Bush has been erratic and Doug Davis has been awful. And the only reason Chris Narveson is in the rotation is because his chief competition was Jeff Suppan, whose demotion to the bullpen was the easiest decision Ken Macha had to make since coming to Milwaukee.

Worse still has been that bullpen. And not just because Suppan now resides there. Trevor Hoffman, who was so steady last season, has already blown four saves this season and has held teams scoreless in only six of his first nine outings. New set-up man LaTroy Hawkins has done nothing but remind people why no team who signs him ends up wanting him around very long (the Brewers are his seventh team since joining the Cubs in 2004). And Claudio Vargas’s comeback to Milwaukee has been about as successful as Vanilla Ice’s latest comeback.

While Milwaukee still resides in the upper half of clubs in terms of offensive production, outhitting teams such as the Yankees, Phillies and Rays, it’s clear that their 20 and 17-run games against Pittsburgh have exaggerated those numbers.

It’s also becoming clear that they are not going to be able to regularly score as many runs as their pitchers allow.

Sound familiar?

The Brewers recent struggles (losing eight of ten as of this writing) haven’t gone unnoticed by the number crunchers at AccuScore. In the week from April 26 to May 3, they’ve dropped the Brewers’ chances of making the postseason in 2010 from 20.4 percent to just 6.5 percent, the biggest drop of any National League team.

And now we don’t even have Bob Uecker to listen to.

Yes, we have not even hit Big Brother‘s summer season yet and the Brewers have loads of time to turn things around. I know.

But given what we’re seeing now, if I had to guess which team — the Bucks or the Brewers — would next make a serious post-season run, my money would be squarely on the Bucks.

Get well, Bob.

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After looking at the merits of the Boston Red Sox trading for Milwaukee Brewers first baseman, Prince Fielder, there could be another team with colored socks in the mix for Fielder’s services, the Chicago White Sox.

GM Kenny Williams isn’t afraid to bring in a big-name player to his organization, as evident by his acquisitions of Jake Peavy and Alex Rios last season.

Fielder would just serve as the latest player to come to Chicago thanks to one of the most aggressive general managers in baseball.

Much like the Red Sox, the White Sox currently have an established first baseman already on their roster. Paul Konerko has been entrenched as the team’s first baseman since joining the club prior to the 1999 season.

Konerko, who turned 34 in March, is in the final year of his five-year, $60 million contract. Most feel he won’t return to Chicago after the season. Fielder would be able to take over for Konerko at first for the foreseeable future for the White Sox.

To his credit, Konerko is off to a torrid start.

He leads baseball in home runs (12), slugging (.790), and OPS (1.206). Unfortunately, he’s one of the few players on the team doing anything at the plate for the struggling White Sox.

If Williams would trade for Fielder this season, it’s likely he would take over at first base, moving Konerko to DH. Konerko would be allowed to leave in the offseason, and extension talks could take place for Fielder.

That would be the best-case scenario for Williams and his team, but the better move would be to wait until after the season to pull off such a deal.

However, if the White Sox are in contention, he may feel the need to make a big splash at the trade deadline, and acquiring the 25-year-old Fielder would be a huge splash on multiple levels.

Much like a potential trade with the Red Sox, any deal with the White Sox would have to involve pitching. When talking about potential pitching trading chips, one must look no further than John Danks and Gavin Floyd.

Danks is off to a great start in his fourth season with the White Sox. The 25-year-old lefty is 3-0 with a 1.85 ERA in five starts to start the season. He has struck out 27 and walked only nine in 34 innings.

This was the first year Danks was arbitration eligible. He’s under team control until after the 2012 season.

He would be a great addition to the rotation for the Brewers. Although the Brewers have lefties Randy Wolf, Doug Davis, Chris Narveson, and Manny Parra already, Danks would slot right behind Yovani Gallardo at the top of the team’s rotation.

Gavin Floyd has seen mixed success since joining the White Sox from the Phillies in the 2006 Freddy Garcia trade. After two strong seasons in 2008 and 2009, he is off to a rocky start in 2010.

The 27-year-old Floyd is 1-2 with a 6.49 ERA in five starts this year. He has struck out 23 and walked 12 in 26 1/3 innings. This is a far cry from the 28 wins he posted over the last two years, and almost two runs more than his 4.75 career ERA.

Floyd is in the second year of the four-year, $15.5 million deal he signed prior to the 2009 season. In addition to the deal he signed, there is also a club option for the 2013 season, which would be very appealing to the Brewers.

Chicago would not part with Gordon Beckham, so any thought that Brewer fans have acquiring the young second baseman should be pushed out of their heads immediately.

The White Sox don’t have as deep of a farm system as the Red Sox, which could complicate a possible deal.

The Brewers won’t want to take on an excessive amount of salary, and they would prefer to acquire young talent that will be controllable for several seasons.

Most of the young talent in the White Sox farm system are position players. There are very few young pitchers high enough in their system to make a splash in the majors in the next couple seasons.

Dan Hudson is the team’s highest ranked pitching prospect.

Hudson is a 23-year-old starter that saw time in the bullpen for the White Sox last season. He started this year at Triple-A Charlotte and has a 6.56 ERA in five starts this season. He has struck out 28 hitters, but his opponents are currently hitting .305 against him.

Jared Mitchell, Brent Morel, and Jordan Danks are all young position players that are projected to one day play in the majors.

However, none have made it to Chicago at this point and only Danks has played above Double-A.

Mitchell is an outfielder that could eventually replace Corey Hart in right field. He was the top pick for the White Sox last season, and he played quite well for the Class A affiliate Kannapolis Intimidators.

Morel is the current third baseman at Double-A Birmingham. He’s hitting .280 with eight extra base hits in 20 games in 2010. He was selected by the White Sox in the third round of the 2008 draft.

Jordan Danks, the younger brother of John, is currently at Triple-A Charlotte for the White Sox. He was the seventh round pick of the club in the 2008 draft.

Danks is currently hitting .276 with 12 extra base hits and six steals in 22 games. Although he is a center fielder, he could easily transition to a corner outfield spot, and be a center-of-the-order hitter for the Brewers for several years.

The Brewers and White Sox have been trading partners before, and each came out as a winner.

The Brewers acquired Carlos Lee from the White Sox prior to the 2005 season. Lee was an All-Star both seasons with the Brewers, while the White Sox were led to the World Series by Scott Podesdnik at the top of their lineup.

Although the White Sox can’t offer a package for Fielder with an immediate impact like the Red Sox could, they could send Milwaukee several players that could have a longer-lasting impact with the Brewers.

Kenny Williams shouldn’t be underestimated in his ability to acquire a big-name player to improve his ball club.

In regards to Prince Fielder, he may be better off just sitting back and waiting until after the 2011 season and sign the slugger as a free agent and keep all the young talent in the organization.

To read more by Jesse Motiff, click here .

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