Brews’ News from the past few days…

…has been rather slim, but here is an overview:
— Curt Schilling told everyone that he’d consider joining the Brewers…along with 11 other teams. Basically, his list was comprised of teams that he felt could make the playoffs and were stupid enough to pay him more than $10 million. In the end, he re-signed with the Red Sox. Whew–dodged that bullet.
— Greg Maddux, the brother of Brewers’ pitching coach Mike Maddux, also re-signed with the Padres during the 10-day window that clubs get to re-sign their own players. Honestly, Maddux–Greg–wouldn’t have been better than a #4 starter for the Crew, and would have displaced another starter.
— Francisco Cordero is still unsigned, and waiting for the 10-day window to end, and the bidding to begin. The open season on talent starts on November 13.
— Matt Wise is a goner, according to…himself…according to Adam McCalvy’s latest. Wise is eligible for arbitration, and he, apparently, thinks Melvin & Co. will deal him versus signing him. Honestly, a relief pitcher that only pitches every other day, as skipper Ned Yost seems to think, is not worth the roster spot, unless he dominates in each of those outings…and Wise hasn’t.
— Miguel Cabrera in on the block, and “Miggy’s” .401 OBP fits Melvin’s desire for a hitter with a high on-base percentage, but would either mean he or Ryan Braun would have to learn how to play left-field…as McCalvy reported that Doug Melvin has no desire to move Bill Hall again, even from CF to LF. What would it take for the Crew to add Miggy? At least Manny Parra and Tony Gwynn, Jr. would be my guess.
— Tony Gwynn, Jr. has got to be on the block, as Melvin needs to upgrade LF and a SP slot and replace Kevin Mench and Claudio Vargas. I’m guessing that Mench’s market value is low, especially since any team that acquires him would want to offer him arbitration and a $3 million plus salary. Same holds true for Vargas (and his likely $3 million plus contract). Melvin is going to wait to see how free agency and Rule 5 pan out before making a deal.
So Brewers’ nation is in a holding pattern to see if the Brewers’ offer to Cordero is better than his other suitors. Eric Gagne and possibly Mariano Rivera may draw more interest, and teams may wait to see where Gagne and Rivera wind up before negotiating with Cordero and his agent. We’ll know more next Tuesday.