southbeach3

This offseason has been one of change for the Pack. A few new pieces, but most of all, a new QB. A lot of national shows are predicting the Pack will have an off year with this adjustment, here are the reasons why I think they are going to be just fine.

When MM took over in the '06, the Packers had a rebuilding o-line. Youth at both guards and at center. Now, they are coming into their own. The receivers, besides Driver, were not very good. Since then they have added Jennings, Jones, and Nelson through the draft, TE Lee as a free agent, and Ruvell Martin has come into his own. At running back, they were old and injury prone. Ahman Green was on his last legs, and they didn't really have anyone else. Since then a trade has added Ryan Grant and the draft has added Jackson and Wynn. All of these are major upgrades over the players they had before, and will make it much easier for Rodgers(or Brohm if he gets hurt) to step in and succeed.

As far as Rodgers, he has sat for three years. I can't imagine Favre teaching him, but he has had the chance to learn from a guy who knows how to coach up QB's. When MM was in New Orleans, Aaron Brooks was actually a decent QB. Once MM left, so did Aaron Rodgers game. The year before MM got to Green Bay, Favre threw 29 ints and had a passer rating of 70.9, his worst year in the NFL. MM reigned him in. Last year, Favre threw only 15 ints and had a QB rating of 95.7.

The bottom line with Rodgers? He has sat and learned from on of the best offensive coaches in the league. He has all the tools. The team has assembled every single piece on offense that a QB would need to succeed. Rodgers will be good. He probably will not put up the numbers that Favre put up last year, but he doesn't need to. Manage the game. Don't try to make throws that you cannot make. Take what the defense gives you. ARod understands this. I will be amazed if Rodgers does not have a good year and the Packers don't win at least 11 games.

This is absurd. Last year, when the Brewers were going great and hitting everything in sight, the lineup was totally different. Hart has the highest OBP on the team, is the fastest Brewer, and a great bunter. Sounds like the perfect leadoff hitter. Nope. 5th. Hardy is the best fastball hitter on the team. He made the All-Star team last year based on his first half.....when he was hitting in the 2 hole. Nope. 7th, in front of the pitcher where he sees no fastballs. Braun and Fielder are where they belong. Weeks has nothing going for him right now. He should be the hitting 8th or 9th. Kendall is a great OBP guy, has a ton of experience leading off, and makes more contact than anyone on the team. Sounds like a 1 or 2 hole hitter. Nope. 9th. Cameron strikes out a ton, not a great contact hitter, never bunts. Sounds like the polar opposite of a 2 hole hitter. Nope. Thats where he is. Hall just stinks, send him on his merry way.

Basically, Ned is doing the polar opposite of what every hitter on this team is good at. Can he be that stupid? The lineup should be:

Hart
Hardy
Braun
Fielder
Cameron
Hall
Weeks
Kendall
Pitcher

It is obvious that what they are doing is not working. Either change the lineup or change managers.

 This has to be the most aggravating Brewer team that I have ever seen. It is not enough anymore to say that Ned Yost has to be fired. I think Melvin should go along with him. Just take an honest look at their team, and you will understand what I am talking about.

Catcher-Kendall has been one of the few moves over the last two years that has seemed to have panned out. Rivera is just a backup, but Kendall, and the way he handles the pitching staff has been a revelation.

First Base-Prince. Great player. Should never have had his contract renewed. Melvin cost the Crew any chance of keeping him long term by insulting him like that.

Second Base-Weeks is an absolute bust. For a long time, all he could do is hit, but not field. Now, he is just the opposite. The man is junk. Everytime he is up, look for the slider outside in the dirt. WHIFF!!!! What the hell happened to him? Anytime they want to send him down and call up Iribarren would be fine with me.

Shortstop-I love Hardy. He is a great fielder and an absolute gamer. But why hit him seventh.....in front of the pitcher. He made the all-star team as a two hole hitter. Why mess with him Yost?

Third Base-Hall is a good fielder, with great power, and no clue at the plate. He might actually aggravate me more than Weeks.

Right Field-Hart is a beast....he should be hitting lead off.

Center Field-Cameron is solid.

Left Field-They better not mess with Braun. One of the best young players in the game.

Starting Pitching-When Sheets is healthy, he is a monster. Same goes for Gallardo. Suppan is an overpayed journeyman, V and Parra are five inning bullpen killers. Bush just plain sucks.

Relief Pitching-Turnbow, finally gone. Gagne, stinks. Mota, average. Riske, average. Shouse, great situational along with Stetter. The bullpen has been a huge disappointment. 10 million for Gagne might be the worst signing in Melvins history, next to the money Suppan and Gagne got.

Manager-Ned should have lost his job after they folded last year. For some reason, at least every game the guy makes a questionable decision. I have no problem with gambling on the basepaths, but Ned kills his pen every year, and this year shuffled around a line up that was one of the top offenses in the NL last year. Why? Because he wants to look like a genius. Does anyone think that it is odd that the Crew gets killed by the Cards every year. I don't. Ned gets outmanaged by LaRussa every single game.

GM-Melvin has assembled great talent through the draft, but almost all of his free agents have flopped. For the money the Crew spent on Turnbow, Suppan, and Gag Me, they could have payed for Johan Santana.

The bottom line, if this team keeps underachieving, both Yost and Melvin need to go. They have both stood by Weeks, Gagne, Turnbow, and Suppan, and those guys are where most of the teams salary is tied up. It is time for the Crew to either win, or get rid of the management. I for one, a fan since 1980, have been to at least 100 games through the years. Have bought jerseys, hats, and other memorabilia. Payed for the MLB package so I could watch them in Washington. It is time to win now!! No more waiting!! GET IT DONE!!

After watching the Brewer/Cub game today, I have come to the conclusion that most diehard Cub fans are drunken idiots. I hate to lump all fans of a specific team into the same column, but after watching them shower Ryan Braun with debris and boo Gallardo getting hurt, that is exactly what I am doing. What a completely classless showing from the Cub fans today. Maybe the reason the haven't won a title in 100 years is because of all the bad karma their fan base generates?