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The sun is a little warmer in Iola...and Greg can cut loose...



Tom is pretty excited too...



If the Cain thing goes through (or even if not) that is a pretty studly line-up happening. Add a big arm...Chicago who?

When the Brewers hired a 31-year-old GM to replace a veteran like Doug Melvin you had to wonder if they knew what they were doing. I mean, the kid was barely of drinking age in this state.

But what a job he has done. He replenished the farm system very quickly with trades of Carlos Gomez and Jonathan Lucroy and now he's used that stock to bring in Christian Yelich at a team-friendly 5-year deal. Adding Lorenzo Cain makes this a solid defensive outfield and he still has extra outfielders to trade for pitching. There's a buzz around here that he's eyeing two other solid starting pitchers, so let's see what happens.

These whiz kid GMs aren't afraid to look at analytics and make deals. It's refreshing for all of us to see. If we were in the same spot we'd love to build our teams around what the Houston Astros did, what the Chicago Cubs did, what the Atlanta Braves are doing and what the Milwaukee Brewers are doing. It's fun and it's great for the fan base.

Brewer fans are hungry for a winner. Milwaukee hasn't seen a baseball title since 1957 with the Braves. They have a very loyal fan base -- not like the Packers, but it's statewide -- and they will support these moves. Can't wait to watch this team this year.

Now let's trade Braun and really kick this rebuild in the ass!! Sorry Tom, but it's time for a new face to the franchise.

Move Braun to 1B, trade Santana for Archer, sign Arrieta.

BOOM.

It's really gonna be a lot of fun as a Cubs fan living in Wisconsin to battle back all Summer with my friends who root for the Brewers! Gotta hand it to Milwaukee, they are striking fast and really taking advantage of the Window they have here. GO CUBS, but its really great for the State of Wisconsin when one of our teams does good!

I have heard several sites mention Braun at first. He does appear to be the odd man out at his age (34) and his contract (at least $57M over the next three years) especially compared to Thames (31 and due $12M over the next three years). Thames of course screams platoon but Braun is too good and too rich to only have the weak side of the situation. So who gets traded? Braun? Thames? Santana? Broxton? Will be interesting to see which teams (besides Tampa) are willing to give up the kind of pitcher(s) Milwaukee needs as they move to "win now" which they certainly are.

I think the Cardinals have, like the Brewers, a lot of question marks in the rotation, but in a different way as they will not be trading for big arm I do not think because they will see if Mikolas/Weaver/Flaherty/Reyes can fill in the rotation behind Martinez and Wacha-Wacha (assuming Wainwright does not return to form). Their bullpen is a big question mark (Gregerson/Lyons/Cecil). With the acquisition of Ozuna they are certainly win now too and can never be discounted, but I think the Cardinals are not as automatic a contender as they used to be. With the Pirates deflating and the Reds flat-lining, it will be kind of interesting to see which of the other three can stay healthy enough. Let me put it to you this way...I wish the NL East had this level of competition.

I was also looking at the Brewers batting order. Who do you hit first? Villar and his pathetic OBP? Take the training wheels off Arcia? Cain? You can pretty much mix and max two through six once you figure that out (and who stays among Braun/Santana/Broxton/Thames). Gonna be interesting.

I think it will be Cain/Yelich 1-2. With the team as is right now, probably Braun 3, Shaw 4, Santana 5 - that right/lefty split managers like to use

With his success last year, I just do not see Thames as a bench bat and him not hitting in the meat of the order against RHers, and there is no room for Cain, Santana, Braun and Broxton in the OF.

But I would not want to pitch against those five in that or any order. That is a sweet look. Certainly more to come.