If the Brewers lose both CC & Sheets, don't they get 4 draft picks back for their loss. Considering Milwaukee signed their top 25 picks from last years draft, having those extra picks in the first two rounds are more of an advantage for the Brewers. The PBC will have three picks in the first two rounds.
I really don't see how the Pirates benefit from CC heading to NY.
Huh? (If) the brewers loose CC (and did) each and every time we face them over the coarse of the season we won't have to face him. Maybe one pass we don't catch him but more likely we see him every time through. CC is a guy that comes in and gives a team that chance to win a game. All the players know it, on both sides. Sheets didn't ever scare me but we saw him enough and Sheets would be a better pitcher matching up against other clubs second and third guys. I'm sorry but I see this as very good for the Pirates. Very very good.
The Brewers are not going to make an offer to Ben Sheets, so we will be seeing a whole different angle when we visit Milwaukee or they come into PNC.
How is it that we don't benefit? Are we suddenly going to play the Yankees at the clip of a Division Oponent? Draft Picks? We aren't going to see ANY of them for YEARS! This season, we're better not having to face CC every time through the Brewers rotation.
The PBC plays Milwaukee 14 times in 2009, five series altogether. If CC were pitching for the Brewers, the most times we could see him in a season barring playoffs (hah!) would be five games. If the MLB season was similar to the NFL, I would be really concerned but 5 games out of 162 isn't that many games. Now, if it was Ryan Braun or Prince Fielder that had left Milwaukee, I would be pretty stoked. Not having to face them at least 14 times a year would be a true victory for our pitching staff and a bigger benefit to the PBC than the chance of facing CC possibly 5 times.
The way that CC was used last season, running very high pitch counts practically every game and pitching on short rest further increased his odds of getting injured. Having CC on the DL would put Milwaukee at a greater disadvantage, giving the PBC the benefit of facing the Brewers sixth or seventh starter instead of the big man himself. This would have increased the odds of a Pirates win. I would not be surprised to see CC on the DL in NY this season if not next.
As far as the draft picks are concerned, this is how I see it. Not every 1st round pick makes it to the big leagues, let alone becomes a star. The odds are against it. But look at the success rate of the Brewers drafts compared to the Pirates. Having six picks in the first two rounds compared to three picks in the first two rounds gives a club better odds at picking up top flight talent, as well as taking top flight talent away from the other teams in those rounds. Having a division rival with an incredibly deep farm system picking twice as much talent as the PBC does not benefit the Pirates in any way shape or form. I would rather have the PBC face CC (possibly) five times a year than let them load up on young talent any day.
As far as turn around time goes for young talent, Ryan Braun is a good example of a player that didn't need too much time in the minors. Braun was drafted in 2005 and made his MLB debut in late May of 2007. It took him two years to reach the majors. He also happened to win the NL Rookie of the Year award in his first MLB season.
I can see how you feel the PBC benefited from CC going to the Yankees. Knowing that Milwaukee can really stock up the depth of their farm system while NH picks over other teams cast offs isn't much of a benefit that I can see.
