Brewers Sign Spivey and Cirillo
This story broke on Friday, but for a variety of reasons I didn't present it until today (article here).

The team took a dive after Junior Spivey Jr. was injured last year. That dive was more attributed to the pitching coming back to Earth and the hitting diving down to hell, but still Spivey has a lot of talent and could be an important part of the Brewers in 2005. He can make up to the $2.6 Mil he requested in arbitration through incentives. His base salary for 2005 will be $2.125 million.

Jeff Cirillo pretty much begged for an opportunity, and I'm glad the Brewers were willing to take a flyer on him. I don't think anybody thinks he has a remote chance of returning to the .300 hitter he was a few years ago, but he could be a valuable asset off the bench, since he is able to play all of the infield adequately with the exception of shortstop. Back in the mid-to-late 90's many people referred to Jeff Cirillo as the "toughest out in the American League". Maybe MLB's initiative to speed up games has gotten in Cirillo's dome. He was notorious for taking his practice swings about thirty feet from home plate. Perhaps that's why he had a huge dive in production...

I like the idea of picking up old Brewers off the scrap heap. I think this is a trend that should be continued in the future. I for one, am all for bringing back Greg Vaughn, Pat Listach, Chuckie Carr, and any other former Brewers at bargain basement prices. Do you think Tom Treblehorn would want to return as co-manager with Ned Yost?