Addressing the Lackey Rumors

Why is it that when a big name pitcher either becomes a free agent or gets put on the trade market, Brewers fans automatically think that he's going to be headed to Milwaukee? Did the Sabathia trade really spoil us that much? Since then, we've been planning to welcome guys like Jake Peavy and Roy Halladay, only to come up disappointed. Well, it seems as if we never learn, because now John Lackey has become the object of our off-season affection.

It's not as though Doug Melvin isn't adding fuel to the fire, though. Melvin did actually sit down with Lackey's agent this work to gauge interest about the Angels pitcher. Lackey's a stud, and would look great in a Brewers uniform of course, but he's not going to come cheap. The Brewers are doing a little bit of house cleaning though clearing up some contracts (Weathers, and likely Cameron and Kendall), but I'm still not sure they're going to have enough room to fit Lackey into the payroll. That'd be great though, obviously.

If Melvin doesn't succeed in pulling off Lackey, there are some other, lesser, options. Melvin also talked with representatives for both Randy Wolf and Doug Davis, and then there's the assumption that we're going to get Jarrod Washburn just because he's from Wisconsin. I'd expect one of those four guys to be in a Brewers uniform next season, unfortunately I just don't think it's going to be Lackey.