Opening Day at Miller Park has to be one of my favorite days of the year. With Ryan Braun making his return to the Brewers and Major League Baseball Monday afternoon, I expected a loud ovation for the 2011 National League MVP and got just that from the sixth largest crowd in Miller Park history. What followed, however, was the media crying foul on us fans for giving the man that will likely crush every Brewers team record once is all said and done a welcome back cheer.
The two-minute standing ovation Braun received at January's Brewers On Deck day gave every indication what was in store on Monday. I give every fan the opportunity to do what they want when they are at a game. You paid for that seat, why not?
Here's what went down:
Once that went down, every pundit chimed on on what was wrong about that scene. Deadspin has the best collection of them, here. I can't speak for everyone else, but here's why I stood up and made noise for Braun.
First and foremost, he's our guy. I said it on the Wilber's Way Twitter that night. I don't like to think we're stuck with him because the other 29 teams would probably move mountains if he was dangled as trade bait. The Brewers have locked him up until 2020 (with an option for 2021), so he will remain a Milwaukee Brewer for a very long time if the the team allows it. So long as he's not on one of those other teams, fans of those teams will continue to boo him or whatever every chance they get. They would have regardless, being the Brewers' best player. The way he produces when healthy, there's no reason to see that changing anytime soon.
Second, because he's not going anywhere, the Brewers need him to thrive in the place he plays 81 games. Why not make Miller Park his sanctuary where he knows the fans have his back? If nothing but negativity swirled around him, that would bring him and the team down and the Brewers would be forced to find somewhere that would take him. When he succeeded at a place he was wanted, the Brewers would have to look back and wonder what happened. With the fans behind him, he will want to be here, too. Being the smallest media market in the MLB can't hurt that part of it either.
Third, he's admitted his wrong. It was the worst kind of wrong an athlete can commit, but he has admitted it and that's more than most of the other guys that were involved with BioGenesis.
Sure, Braun is not on the level he once was because of the whole situation, but when he laces 'em up and takes the field in Milwaukee, fans here will continue to cheer him. I'm not going to argue morals. Braun seems to get it and wants to let his play speak for him (a 1 for 12 start isn't doing so good on that front right now) and it will the more time goes by.
Every team in Major League Baseball has hope this time of year as Spring Training breaks and Opening Day is just around the corner. For Milwaukee's Brewers those hopes are tied to three main things. Those three things are simple. Firsts, it's the performance of Ryan Braun. Second, the overall health of the team, and finally the depth of their starting rotation. If things come out right in all three of those areas, the Brewers could be in the hunt for one of the two National League Wild Card spots and finish the season with 85 wins.
Let's first look at Ryan Braun. Back in January, I wrote that the Brewers needed Braun to be what the back of his baseball card says he is. Looking at the team that has come north from Maryvale Baseball Park, this couldn't be more true. If you read some of the projections in the fantasy baseball circles many are calling for Braun to be a shell of the player he was before last season when he missed 101 games between injury and suspension. I can't see that happening and his spring numbers show that. He hit a home run off the second pitch he saw this spring. he is motivated and primed to carry the team again.
The key to him being able to do that is the second part of what will make the team successful: health. Last year from Braun, to Aramis Ramirez, Corey Hart, Rickie Weeks and Carlos Gomez the Brewers had key parts missing lots of time and it showed with what the team did on the field. This season, Hart is gone and Weeks is in a platoon, so they are not as big of a part of this team. The others, however, are back in town and need to have solid years if the Brewers want to be impact players in the National League Central. Ramirez has looked like his old self in spring and has gotten over his knee injury from a year ago. Just like last year, though, it could come out of nowhere. For Gomez, he plays with such wreckless abandon, an injury is not out of the question every time he make a catch at the wall or a diving play in center field.
Onto the starting pitching, where on paper, it would appear the Brewers have assembled one of their best staffs in recent memory outside of the 2011 team that won the NL Central. Yovani Gallardo will start Opening Day with Kyle Lohse and Matt Garza to follow, then Wily Peralta and Marco Estrada will round out the starting five. Lohse and Garza have shown flashes that they could be aces over the course of the last season while the youngsters in Peralta and Estrada will need to find consistency this season to cement their spots on the Brewers rotation.
Some publications have had the Brewers finishing fourth in the division again and I could see that if things hold pat from last season when the the Cardinals, Reds and Pirates all made the postseason. Milwaukee does have the potential to push through and mix things up a bit. The first six weeks of the season could be telling with a hearty helping of intra-division games on the slate that could set things up for who will be in it in June and July. Last season, the Brewers stumbled in May going 6-22. To end the season eight games under .500, the team cannot afford to have that big of a set back if playoffs are going to be a possibility.
PREDICTION
With the pieces the Brewers have this season and the chip on Braun's shoulder, this team can compete for a Wild Card spot and be 85-77 this season. Braun will have 35 homers and be in the MVP discussion.
As the calendar turns to February today, it's serious time to start thinking about Spring Training. The Brewers don't report until February 15, but things are already building as to five key storylines to follow when the Brew Crew gets into Marvale Baseball Park outside Phoenix.
Topping the list of what to watch for is Ryan Braun. Simply, how will he respond to his lowest year as a pro and probably person? On top of the suspension that forced him to miss the final 65 games of the 2013 season, Braun battled injuries and missed almost 40 more games. As I wrote last month, it will be interesting to see how Braun responds to being back this season. Any offense the team missed last season can be addressed with a healthy Braun in the middle of the lineup. Things are going to get dicey on the road this season when opposing fans let Braun hear it.
Are the Brewers asking Braun to deliver MVP caliber numbers? Simply, no. They are just looking for production in line with the back of his baseball card. That would be in the area of about a .312 batting average with 36 home runs and 112 RBI.
Braun won't need to do too much if the first base position, No. 2 on my list of Brewers storylines to watch, delivers more than it did in 2013. First, the Mark Reynolds signing, then the return of Lyle Overbay, have shown that the organization realizes it's a need, but doesn't mean it will be a shining star this season.
The team was banking on Corey Hart sticking around, and his absence will create a mix and match solution for the short term
The third story to watch is the Rickie Weeks riddle. What will the Brewers do with him in spring training. These things have a way of working themselves out, but the Brewers have basically hinted they plan to trade Weeks and start with the season with Scooter Gennett at second base. An $11 million guy in a platoon seems a bit much for the Brewers to handle and they would probably like to pawn off some of that salary, but would need to open up the spot fo Gennett, if he delivers in Spring Training, too.
Pitching seems to always be a need no matter the team and the signing of Matt Garza makes it less of one for the Brewers. The bullpen, however, does have plenty of unanswered questions. Most of those revolve around roles for those who will spend their time in front of Friday's Front Row Sports Grill at Miller Park. Jim Henderson is slated to start the season as closer, but the signing of Garza has bumped Tyler Thornburg to the bullpen as a possible set up man, along with the newly acquired Will Smith from the Royals in the Nori Aoki trade. Brandon Kintzler's name has been mentioned as a setup man, as he came through in that role at the end of last season. Rob Wooten saw time and shined last year, as well, so he should be back. Beyond those names, things are open for discussion. Do the Brewers take a look at Francisco Rodriguez once again (He is available)? Does a non-roster invitee like Zach Duke make the team?
How that plays out will likely decide the No. 5 storyline of the spring. What does the future hold for manager Ron Roenicke in Milwaukee? As I wrote this week, whispers are circling that if things don't end well this season for the Crew, Running Ron, the Brewers could part ways with him. Now I don't see that happening, barring a complete collapse, but that won't stop people from talking. Roenicke has shown at times he thinks way outside the box with his stealing of bases and bunt calls from guys who should not give up an at-bat, but those are marginal things. As a whole, he has not lost the clubhouse at all in his time here. The last two seasons, the team could have cashed out on the season and they came back to finish strong. That's a sign of something that should mean he sticks around for at least another year.
A couple others worth mentioning that just missed the list...
How do Jean Segura and Carlos Gomez follow up their breakout 2013 seasons?
Can Aramis Ramirez avoid a major injury this season and be a factor at the plate?
Will Jim Henderson, who had not closed Major League games before, be able to back up his 2013?
Can Kris Davis make it as an every day left fielder?
Amidst all of the questions surrounding the Milwaukee Brewers entering the 2014 season, the biggest one has to be whether Ryan Braun will return to the Braun of old this season and be the player he was before all of the PED talk started circling around him.
He played just 61 games last season, after missing 46 games with a nagging injury and final 65 with the PED suspension and was on pace to have one of his worst seasons before the suspension, regardless. Hitting the restart button was good for him in that aspect.
This season, however, is going to be a different animal for him. If he thought he had it rough as the Brewers' best player on the road, he will hear it every time he jogs to right field and when he comes to bat.
Truth be told, the PEDs were to help come back from an injury and with his prolonged time off (missing 101 games last season), he should be back and healthy and if he can maintain his health, he will be a valuable part of the team.
The one thing the Brewers will need of him is mental toughness. It's something he's had from the start of his career. He has been one of the best players in the league since he came up from Nashville, winning a Rookie of the Year and MVP in his first five seasons. He'll need to answer the same questions from media over and over and get a few slights from players on other teams, at least for the near future.
As for the team around him, the Brewers are moving him to right field because of what they saw from Chris Davis who replaced him in the lineup during the suspension and other players on the team came into their own in the final two months of last season.
Carlos Gomez had his best season as a pro last year and won the first Brewers Gold Glove since the 80s and Jean Segura showed he is one of the top short stops in the National League with his showing. Get Aramas Ramirez healthy and add the upstart Scooter Gennett to backstop Jonathan Lucroy and things are solid for the Brewers lineup. That will take some of the pressure off Braun to produce in the Brewers lineup.
He will get some protection being in Milwaukee, a small media market, and from manager Ron Roenicke who seems pretty close to Braun.
That said, I can see Braun having an all-star year (not starting because of fan vote) and returning to form. Winning back the masses in Milwaukee and beyon will take time. If he goes out and produces, people will forgive and forget and he will rise again as the face of the Brewers franchise. Doug Melvin, Mark Attanasio and the Brewers are banking on it.
Ryan Braun showed passion, sincerity and a touch of emotion we aren't used to seeing from the Brewers left fielder Friday afternoon at Maryvale Baseball Park. All the more reason for not only Brewers fans, but baseball fans across the country.
I'm not going to go over the entire statement, but there were parts where the words and body language Braun displayed made him very believable with what he was saying. This was the NL MVP out of the element by which I know him by and he did himself so well on the mic. If you were one of the haters he mentioned during the statement, you had to take notice and eat some crow (that Aaron Rodgers talked about Thursday night on Twitter).
The line that stands out the most to me came quickly as Braun got to the point. (Transcript)
"If I had done this intentionally or unintentionally, I’d be the first
one to step up and say, ‘I did it.’ By no means am I perfect, but if
I’ve ever made any mistakes in my life I’ve taken responsibility for my
actions. I truly believe in my heart, and I would bet my life, that this
substance never entered my body at any point."
The emotion in the man's voice when he said those words gripped me. Watching this unfold, beyond me being a huge Brewers fan, I could not help but believe the words he was saying.
Just moments later, he took aim at some of the haters and rumors...
"Despite the fact there have been many inaccurate, erroneous and
completely fabricated stories regarding this issue, I’ve maintained the
integrity of the confidentiality of the process. There’s never been a
personal medical issue, I’ve never had an STD. Many of the stories that
were erroneously reported by the initial network continue to live on,
and it’s sad and disappointing that this has become a PR battle and that
people continue to leak information that’s inaccurate."
Have to love him putting the four-letter network on notice and dispute the STD rumor that circulated all over Twitter and Facebook in the last three months. With all the details Braun gave out on the entire process, I'd say he did quite well for himself in trying to get back his good name today.
There were times I looked to notes to guide him through what he wanted to say, but there were others where he ditched the sheet and spoke from the heart. That's very endearing to a public that will break down his every move throughout the season. Like he said, there will always be doubters.
The last line he delivered may have set the tone for the next step in the process for Braun.
I’ll try to answer all of your questions, but please respect the fact
that I can’t get into many details of the process because it’s supposed
to be confidential, and because of potential ongoing litigations and the
fact that I am considering all my legal options. There may be some
questions I can’t answer."
So we got a lot of details, but still don't know what was in the test. Either way, the Brewers have their MVP ready for the season. As great as I thought he was before, after today and the way he handled this turmoil, he has even more respect from me. It's something one can take into their own lives. That is what we take from our sports heroes isn't it?
With the sendoff of the semi full of equipment from Miller Park Thursday, the countdown to Spring Training is officially on. Yes, pitchers and catchers report to Maryvale Baseball Park outside Phoenix in nine days! That has me already crafting up the five biggest storylines to follow throughout camp. Let's jump right into it.
5. Injuries. The overwhelming story after the first few days of Spring Training last year was Zack Greinke's basketball injury. The team cannot afford a distraction or an injury like that in this camp with the Ryan Braun situation already looming large on what will happen. Rickie Weeks is coming back from an injury at the end of last season. I know he came back to play in the playoffs, but really wasn't the same player he was before the injury. If something were to happen to Greinke or any of the five returning starting pitchers, things could go a little sideways in Maryvale and beyond. I know every teams needs to avoid the injury bug, but I would have to say the margin for error for this team is quite slim already before injuries.
4. The starting rotation and the back end of the bullpen are established even before the guys even start heading towards the dessert, but the middle of the bullpen is still up in the air. As I wrote a couple weeks back, that's where there would be openings to guys to make the roster. Manny Parra is back from injury. Zach Braddock hopes to have figured things out with his sleep disorder. Beyond those two, it's anyone's guess who will emerge and close out the sixth and seventh spots in the bullpen. As a fan, this is one of those things that will only be read about in the box scores because if you watch or pay attention to every inning of every single one of these games, you probably will lose your mind in boredom.
3. Whether or not the Brewers fess up that signing Nori Aoki was an insurance policy for a possible Ryan Braun suspension is one thing, having Aoki shine during the spring will give hope that the team won't fall on its face if the MVP is suspended for the first 50 games. Aoki has been a batting champ in Japan, so he can hit. But can he hit MLB pitching? Can he make it in left field? Those are the questions surrounding him and should be something that has to be watched through the spring as a whole not just a handful of games.
2. Mat Gamel has to show the coaching staff and all of us in Brewer Nation he is ready to take the next step and be the everyday first baseman for this team. It should be noted he is out of Minor League options, so he will have to make the big league roster or it's up in the air where he'll end up this season. Judging by what he did not at first base in the field and more significantly at the plate, Gamel has come into his own. If he gets cconsistent at-bats this spring he should set himself up to get those at-bats during the season, too, which will only better his chances to avoid being platooned with Corey Hart at first.
1. The Ryan Braun Situation might be the biggest story in all of baseball that will develop between now and the nine days leading into Spring Training. News broke today the arbitrator does not have to deliver the verdict on Braun's appeal by Monday. If it doesn't come down by then, it should still be out by next Saturday before the Brewers officially open camp. Regardless of the outcome, Braun will be at camp and ready to follow up his MVP season.
There they are. Of course, seeing how Alex Gonzalez and Aramis Ramirez take to the Brewers and the surroundings here will be something to watch, but it's one of those things that will get worked out as the spring unfolds.
When Brewers owner Mark Attanasio announced Wednesday National League MVP Ryan Braun would not be at this weekend's Brewers On Deck event, many fans were upset. I can see a little disappointed, but upset? Come on folks. It only makes sense.
All is not lost in the event, which I have attended for the last three years, because the fun is still coming to the Midwest Airlines Center and his name is Nyjer Morgan. Yes, T. Plush will be the shining star of the day and was the guy I had circled even with Ryan Braun on the lineup almost because of the excitement that would surround the MVP. That would leave Nyj open to getting some love from the 223. Plus, I have to go meet another one of my Twitter followers (Yessir!).
Do I really need to make a case? I mean, there will be only one guy in the house that has a postseason series winning hit on his resume. Not even Robin Yount has that on his docket. And you know he will be the most fun. Yes, I am planning a photo throwing up the "T" with Nyjer that will be one of my favorite pics for ages.
Beyond checking in with one of my Twitter followers, I have a full gameplan of guys I want to check in with on the day. Doors open at 10 and the first autograph stage I am going to look for is the new guy in town, Aramis Ramirez on Stage 3. If that doesn't work out the new first baseman, Mat Gamel is on at 11 on Stage 4 for just $10 and I hear he shaved his head. Might be worth a look!
My man T Plush is on Stage 6 at noon. How does that work, you ask? I'll have to run to one and get my ticket in line, then run to the other, then run back say hi to Maty and run off for a Plushdamentals lesson. It can happen.
The big autograph of the day could be Robin Yount on Stage 1. He'll be the one guy I enter the lottery for. I didn't like how the process worked last year, but maybe the tweaked it this year and it will be more friendly.
Finally at 3:45 Taylor Green is on a free stage. Yes, free. The perfect price to see the minor league player of the year from last season. Interesting to see if he makes the team this year or if they'll have him play everyday in Nashville.
There are other things I'm looking forward to on the day. The main stage usually has some great things to check out throughout the day. One of the biggest things is Joe Block. He'll be hosting a couple events on the stage and will be the No. 2 guy next to Uecker in the radio booth this year. I listen to more games on radio than I see, so I'll have to put up with him a lot this season. I have heard nothing but good things, but have still yet to hear the guy's voice at length. I'll hear him for 162 days over a 180 day span this summer, so let's hope the first impression is a good one. I'm sure he'll do fine.
Second, the Meet the New Brewers segment on the main stage should be fun with Aramis Ramirez and Alex Gonzalez joining Craig Counsel and the Brewers front office on stage. I have to come around to A-Ram this season. This is the first time I'll see him in person wearing Brewers colors, so after this I should come around.
The final event on the main stage is the media roundtable. It's basically the talking heads that cover the team getting their time in the sun. They usually do a pretty good job and Mr. Sports writer of the Year Tom Haudricourt is one of my faves. Can't go wrong.
So yes, without Ryan Braun the star power will be a bit short, but the day should still be great. Can't wait to have a great day with RJ and April amongst our favorite boys of summer!
The day started off great for Brewers fans today when the team hoisted and bolted into place its 2011 NL Central Division pennant (or banner if you want to call it that. Then the media world gave us a gift I would have to say gave everyone in Brewer Nation hope.
That hope came from the Dan Patrick Show on DirecTV and Fox Sports Radio. It's known Ryan Braun had his hearing last week in his appeal for his positive drug test and DP had a chat with someone "close to the situation"
As Tom Haudricourt says on his blog on JS Online, Patrick says "Ryan Braun may be exonerated here. he may be found innocent. And judging from all the information I was told, there's a good chance that he should be."
Now this isn't set in stone, but the minute any one of us as Brewers fans gets any idea or hope he is going to beat this thing after believing what Braun has said about the test as "BS" someone comes along and says no one has every beaten a positive test with an appeal. Well, I cannot remember a time when a player's positive test was leaked before the appeal was heard. So, my answer to that is how do we know? Truth is, we don't.
I'm going to go along with what Dan Patrick said and use him for a minute as a spring board to show some validity in what he said. A guy of his profile taking what he has heard and was told in a discussion has to show that the chances of Braun beating this rap are greater than we could have thought. It would be unprecedented.
I have not written on the matter in this space before, but I've gone back and forth on the idea that Braun could win a libel suit with ESPN. I have not wavered on the idea that this should not have leaked. Especially if he beats it. Had it not been leaked, we would have never found out about it in the first place and wouldn't think anything of him being in New York other than to accept the MVP award.
A simple Google search shows a lot has been written about this today and rightfully so. Patrick saying this and making his case on why he believes it to be true is a large step in what was believed to be an open-and-shut case that would have seen Braun out for the first 50 games. I was coming to grips with that idea and ready to see the team struggle offensively without him in the lineup. But this could give us all hope.
Isn't that all we wanted anyway? Isn't that what we were looking for? It's like Steve Urkel when Laura Winslow told him his chances were 1 in a million his response, "So you're saying there's a chance?!" Well, consider me Urkel and consider this my chance.
With Ryan Braun finally getting his day to appeal his positive test for a banned substance, the National League MVP and the Brewers can finally start to put the final pieces together for the 2012 season. Will the Brewers have their superstar left fielder or not though the first two months of the season? We will find out shortly.
Maybe it's the optimist in me and believer that this season will be just as special as the last, but part of me thinks the Brewers can hold the fort down while Braun is away and keep the National League Central crown within reach if he is out for the worst-case scenario of 50 games. Don't get me wrong, Brauns .332 batting average, 33 home runs, 111 RBIs and 33 stolen bases will be hard to replace in the top third of the lineup on top of the loss of Prince Fielder, but for 50 games and 57 days, the Brewers can weather the storm. Here's how.
When Rickie Weeks went out in August last year, fans, myself included, feared things could go south, but the pitching emerged to carry the team to the NL Central title. That will have to happen at the start of this season. All five starters return and all have something to prove.
Yovani Gallardo is ready to prove he is a true ace, even if he's not the pitcher on the staff with a Cy Young Trophy in his trophy case. As good as he was in the playoffs last year, is the level I expect to see Gallardo all season. He was inconsistent at times last year letting his pitch count get the best of him and force him out of games early. I'd expect to see that as a point of emphasis from the start of Spring Training.
Zack Greinke, you know the guy who does have a Cy Young, wants to put the rough spring from last year behind him and I expect him to come out of the gates strong. While Gallardo was shining in the postseason last year, Shaun Marcum was busy flipping his glove in disgust as he lost all three starts in awful fashion. (Can't forget the glove flip in Phoenix!). The kicker on top of it all for Greinke and Marcum is both are free agents after the season and are auditioning for big money elsewhere.
Randy Wolf is in a similar boat in the final year of his three-year deal. Last year he was the guy that was the most consistent pitcher during the season, but got little to no run support in some of his best outings. Finally Chris Narveson is back in the five-hole at the back of the rotation and has to prove himself to a point to maybe earn a chance top step up on the rotation with possibly two or three of the other guys leaving the rotation after the season.
As for the offense, the thought with filling the shoes of Prince was not to drop it all on one guy, but to spread the load throughout the lineup. That has to be the mindset of Corey Hart, Weeks (who should move up to the No. 3 spot in front of Aramis Ramirez) and everyone including the new guy Nori Aoki.
Only time will tell how things unfold, but the pieces are in place for the Brewers to be at least within shouting distance of the top of the division if Braun is out for 50 games at worst or (what I'm hoping for) a 25-game ban. The pitching is the key to the team, especially the starters out of the gate.
It's only mid-January, but with the Nori Aoki (that's what we're going to call him this season) signing, things are starting to come together with the 25-man roster for the Brewers.
We are 31 days until pitchers and catchers report to Maryvale Baseball Park, so it's expected things would start clearing up by now, but it's just crazy to think about baseball with temperatures falling at or below zero this week. That said, I'd say about 20 of the 25 roster spots can be set in stone, leaving five open for discussion.
I'll start with the position players because of the two spots that could be open there, I'd say they are about locked up. Of course the starting eight (around the horn) should go Ryan Braun, Nyjer Morgan, Corey Hart, Aramis Ramirez, Alex Gonzalez, Rickie Weeks, Mat Gamel and Jonathan Lucroy. The bench should be Carlos Gomez and George Kotaras as the returners with Aoki as another outfielder and Brooks Conrad and Cesar Izturis as the nonroster invitees who have the inside track on making the team. Bopth Conrad and Izturis are switch-hitting infielders, that should help give the team some solid bats (and gloves) off the bench.
The pitching staff is a bit more wide open in the middle. Of course, all five starters return with Yovani Gallardo, Zack Greinke, Shaun Marcum, Randy Wolf and Chris Narveson back in the fold. In the bullpen John Axford anchors the back end and the surprise return of Francisco Rodriguez solidifies the eighth inning quite well. Also back is Marco Estrada and Kameron Loe who were both valuable in the sixth and seventh inning (and beyond) last season.
That leaves three roster spots if the team is going to go with 12 pitchers. That's where spring training will decide how things fall. Manny Parra, coming off a year where he spent more time on the operating table than the baseball diamond, can show if he's healthy and be a solid lefty in the bullpen. Also, Zach Braddock could show whether or not he will be Major League worthy this season. Wily Peralta is also an option to make the move from Nashville to Milwaukee. An outside shot to make the club on Opening Day is Jed Bradley and Taylor Jungman, last year's first-round picks.
Spring Training will give Ron Roenicke time to straighten things out, but there shouldn't be many surprises unless the team makes a couple moves. Those moves would be likely financially based to get the team closer to $90 million from the $100 million the payroll is at right now.
**On a programming note, I know haven't been blogging lately, but I am planning on amping things up a lot more as we had into On Deck on the 29th and down to Phoenix for Spring Training next month. It should be a fun and interesting spring with plenty of storylines that have to sort themselves out**
The
sun did come up today, but that didn't mean I liked what I saw or how
I, one of the most die-hard Milwaukee Brewers fans I know, felt about
the team's season ending in Game 6 of the National League Championship
Series. It wasn't so much that my team lost, but how they lost the final
two games that left me in my seat watching the Cardinals celebrate
their World Series berth 10 minutes with tears in my eyes reflection on
how close the team I love was to reaching the pinnacle of success.
Yes
the final two games of the season, which saw the Brewers commit seven
errors and that's what makes this sting that much more. This was not the
Brewers team I loved for 162 games during the season and attended 29
games in section 223. This was the Brewers putting their worst foot
forward with the pressure on the line. That's what the tears and the
emotions were filled with, sitting next to April and R.J. after the game Sunday night.
I
know as a fan you can sometimes get a little caught up in things and
not see the negative in the team heading in. My experience writing
sports, I feel, gives me a unique perspective, even for my favorite
teams. That was the case with the Brewers and that was the case Sunday
night. Yes, I knew the numbers and stats on Shaun Marcum, but with no
one saying he was injured and was "right" I had some optimism. It wasn't
much, but it was enough, as a fan to think there was a chance to get
the series to a Game 7.
The Brewers I loved were the
same ones you loved, especially after the All-Star Break when they were
one of the hottest teams in baseball and ran away with the National
League Central Division title with their pitching and the bats of MVP
candidates Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. That's the Brewers I was
expecting would have a flash on one night to capture that magic.
It
was the same magic that made celebrating in the 223 with my summer
family after Game 5 of the NLDS so much fun (even though I had a massive
headache from yelling so much). After that we started to believe this
might be the year. We all wanted to believe didn't we?
This
was the same team that went 27-5 during one stretch of the season and
had a Cy Young winner in Zack Greinke and an ace in Yovanni Gallardo
that mesmerized us with the pitching this team desperately needed the
last two seasons (Sorry Braden Looper!). So yes, down 3-2, I definitely
still believed.
Down 4-0 and Corey Hart homers to
leadoff the bottom of the first, it's only one, OK. But down 5-1 and
Jonathan Lucroy hits a two-run bomb with a run already in to make it
5-4, yeah, I'm believing. After that, I'm not sure I had more than a
glimmer of hope left in the team, down 9-4. The hill proved too tall to
climb.
We were left with giving Prince a standing
ovation when he took the field and Albert Pujols calling time to have
him extend his moment with the fans. Yes, I got a little choked up
there. It's something I'll talk in more length about later, but it was a
similar moment to the one I had last year in what I thought was his
last home at-bat. It will be tough to see him go, for sure, but I will
love remembering every moment I witnessed of him coming into his own.
When
Mark Kotsay struck out for the final out and the Cardinals rushed the
field, my stomach sank. I just wanted the ride to keep going. The ride
with Prince, Braun, T. Plush, and Sully (who threw out the first pitch
Sunday night). With Galer
in town for the week, I was really looking forward to going to Game 1
of the World Series and remembering it for the rest of my life,
regardless of the outcome. I guess it just wasn't meant to be.
As downtrodden as I
am right now, in two weeks I'll be exctited when Braun wins the MVP and
I'll get jacked for spring training and Opening Day. It's just going to
take a little while to get over how the season ended. Don't worry, my
love for the Brewers will return next season in hopes of doing it all
over again.
For the Brewers to be successful in the postseason, everyone knew MVP candidates Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder would have to be successful at the plate. Through two games, both have not disappointed with Bruan hitting .750 (6 for 8 with two doubles, a home run, three RBIs and four runs scored) and Fielder .375 (3 of 8 with a double, a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored). NLDS Stats
What wasn't expected was the contributions of some of the "other guys" in their lineup, namely Jerry Hairston, Jr. and Jonathan Lucroy. Hairston may have been the speculated starter entering the postseason, but when manager Ron Roenicke made the call for the veteran to get the nod over the struggling Casey McGehee, most would say they didn't expect what he's done through two games, hitting .500 with three hits, including a double, plus an RBI and a walk. Hitting in the sixth spot behind what looks to be a nearly healthy Rickie Weeks, Hairston has filled what had been a black hole for most of the season with McGehee struggling.
Many would have thought Roenicke would have tapped Minor League Player of the Year Taylor Green for the spot, but to put a rookie in that spot in the postseason would have been a huge gamble. Roenicke gave Hairston the nod and he's played well since the final weekend of the regular season. For a guy that was brought in to fill the gap while Weeks was out with injury, this has the potential to be one of the best acquisitions this team has made.
This move adds itself to the laundry list of calls made by Roenicke that have all seemed to pan out throughout the season. He's pushed all the right buttons this year and Hairston has stepped in nicely when the stage is as big as it's been all season. It's a credit to both Roenicke and Hairston to be in this spot to help this Brewers lineup. Following the cluster of Braun, Fielder and Weeks Hairston will no doubt see runners on base throughout the series and beyond and if he can continue to deliver, this lineup is that much more dangerous.
Lucroy has come up big, as well, going 3 for 8 (.375) with two RBIs and a run scored. The biggest play he's made doesn't show up in those numbers as the sacrifice squeeze Sunday night that brought Hairston in from third and earned him the nickname "Mr. Bunt." It was the play that broke open the inning that led to five Brewers runs and led to the big 9-4 victory. But, as Diamondbacks Ian Kennedy said, he's not a good hitter. Whatever. Keep thinking that buddy. You also thought you could pitch to Fielder in Game 1. How'd that work out for you?
He's also had a good showing behind the plate for the team, calling the shots for Yovani Gallardo in Game 1 and Zack Greinke in Game 2. Nothing speaks better about a catcher than a pitcher's confidence in him to block a breaking ball in the dirt with runners on base. There were many of those Sunday and all were stopped by "Luc."
The averages aren't there for Corey Hart and Nyjer Morgan to this point in the series, but both had big hits in the sixth inning. Hart's coming after the Diamondbacks intentionally walked pinch-hitter Mark Kotsay and Morgan's two-run single officially busted the game wide open. The Brewers will need both to step up, but both delivered a timely hit, which makes up for things, somewhat. We can live with that.
Going forward, yes Braun and Fielder need to continue to deliver the big hits for this team, but the role players need to continue to put them in a position where they have to get pitched to. It's as much on the big boppers as the rest of the roster. Through two games they've delivered, only time will tell if they can keep it up.
That was the perch for this writer for both Game 1 and 2 of the NLDS at Miller Park with only the best fans the Cathedral has seen. I can say this crowd seemed even livelier than 2008 for Game 3 of the NLDS against the Phillies.
Beyond our 223, I couldn't have been happier with the life of the crowd throughout the game. It got a little tense for an inning and a half Sunday, but the fans didn't cash out and when the team needed some life in the bottom of the sixth, us towel-waving "idiots" were there to get loud and make it tough on the Diamondbacks.
I can only hope to be back for at least one game of the NLCS and see it get even wilder as we try to have a hand in pushing this team even farther. Keep it up Milwaukee!
It's finally here! What us as Brewers fans figured would be on the horizon at the start of September is now upon us with the National League Divisional Series opening Saturday at Miller Park against the Arizona Diamondbacks. It's a series, to be honest that is not an easy one for the Brewers, but definitely not one that are an underdog in, either.
As the Brewers learned in 2008, having an offense may be important, but winning a playoff series comes down to pitching. Both teams have named their Game 1 starters with Yovani Gallardo (17-10, 3.52 ERA), the man who started Opening Day, going for the Brewers and Ian Kennedy, who won 21 games (with a 2.88 ERA) during the season for the Diamondbacks. That's basically both aces going for Brewers manager Ron Roenicke and D-Backs skipper Kirk Gibson.
Winning Game 1 is crucial for both teams as the winner of that game gets a great advantage in this best-of-five series. You'd have to expect both guys to go deep into the game and keep that one close with things coming down to defense and clutch hitting. That's what scares me about the Brewers. There have been times this season where they just shut down with runners in scoring position and times when their defense has been shotty, at best. But they are at home and they did win 57 games there during the regular season which makes me believe they will be ready to click on all cylinders to start the series off.
If both pitchers are on their game it may take just a couple mistakes to turn the game. That's why I think the Brewers might have the edge with their offense because they can do so much with those mistakes, blasting them over the fence at Miller Park. That isn't just going on potential. In recent weeks, especially over the last week which saw them go 5-1 to close the season at Miller Park, the Brewers have been bashing home runs.
With both teams having solid bullpens with closers on both sides having over 45 saves apiece, that's what it could come down to.
Looking beyond to Game 2, the Brewers have a decision to make with Zack Greinke, but I'd lean toward him starting in Game 3 with either Shaun Marcum or Randy Wolf getting the nod in Game 2. Arizona has named starters for Games 2 and 3 with Tim Hudson (16-12, 3.49 ERA) going in Game 2 and Joe Saunders (12-12, 3.69 ERA) getting the nod in Game 4.
As a Brewers fan, part of me thinks this series will probably go four games with the Diamondbacks taking Game 2 and the Brewers pulling it together to shut down the Diamondbacks and win their first playoff series since the 1982 American League Championship Series. If it does go to a Game 5, the Brewers would most certainly tab Gallardo to get the start at home in front of what should be a rocking Miller Park. Having home field is so important to this team, rolling him out there with the home field would be what puts the Brew Crew over the top.
In case you were wondering, yes I will be in attendance for both games from the perch in section 223, row 6. A big shout out to those who I'll be spending my weekend with including @RJO25, @jessgaler and @aehlen. For the latter two, that is their first Wilber's Way shout out. Hope to see you at the tailgate to prepare for this great weekend of games! Giddy up!
Usually I'd do my Bears and NFL weekend preview in this part, but I haven't had a Brewers post in a bit and couldn't not do one heading into the weekend. That said, I still have my NFL picks and an abbreviated Bears preview.
Cam Newton, Greg Olsen, Ron "Chico" Rivera and the Panthers come to Soldier Field this weekend in a game that, honestly has me a bit worried. The Bears have to be favorites in this one, but Newton has been a highlight film through the first three weeks of the season and could post a threat against a weak Bears secondary. I still like the Bears' front four and their ability to get after Cam in the pocket and make Newton pass the ball downfield and field them, but from what we've seen from him, he can chuck it around the field.
That turns the attention back to the Bears defense. Fortunately for Mike Martz, the Panthers defense is nowhere close to the Packers defense and should make him look a little better this week. The key is simple, PUT THE BALL IN MATT FORTE'S HANDS! Score prediction: Bears 24, Panthers 20.
Here's the rest of the picks. Last week I had another 10-6 week to push my record for the season to 33-15. Winners, as always, are in bold. Bills at Bengals
Panthers at Bears
Titans at Browns
Lions at Cowboys Vikings at Chiefs Redskins at Rams Saints at Jaguars
49ers at Eagles
Steelers at Texans Falcons at Seahawks Giants at Cardinals
Broncos at Packers Patriots at Raiders
Dolphins at Chargers
Jets at Ravens
Colts at Buccaneers
Call me the eternal optimist or a fan that thinks the last week of the Brewers season was what I called it a couple weeks back, a market correction. That's why I'm not worried about this team going forward to not only clinch the National League Central title and beyond into the NL Divisional Series.
And before you jump on me for blindly thinking like this, I'll tell you why. Of course there's Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, a healthy Rickie Weeks getting healthy and back in his groove, but most importantly a steady pitching staff that has been the backbone of this team all year.
Yes there have been (and almost always are) ups and downs over the course of a baseball season. That has certainly been the case for the Brewers, but over the last week to 10 days, it has been a bit of feast or famine for this Brewers team as it works itself out of the funk it was in against the Cardinals and Phillies at the start of the month.
The biggest key I can take out of the funk and even the great weekend showing in Cincinnati was that while Braun and Fielder have played well, most would agree they are not on the tears we saw them on at times during the season. These things go in cycles and you'd have to think things are coming back toward at upswing at the right time. Last Tuesday night's game against the Rockies showed what both mean to this team, combining to homer for both of the team's runs that led to the dramatic walk-off victory (Did you see us in the 223?). The two of them getting hot at the right time, in the playoffs no less would make this team almost unstoppable. While that may be a bit of me wishing, I wouldn't put it out of the realm of possibility as niether have shown signs of cracking under the pressure of clinching a division title in this race.
There are no trades that could help a team looking into the playoffs into September, but that's what the return of Rickie Weeks from the disabled list feels like for this Brewers team. Sure this team went on it's great 27-5 run while he was on the DL, but the offense was not what it was with him in it as the pitching carried this team. Manager Ron Roenicke will tell you this team needs Weeks if it wants to make noise in the playoffs.
Weeks finally played his first full game since coming off the DL Monday night and said he felt pretty good about things. It's been a slow process, but you can see he's starting to get his bearings back at the plate and will serve as great protection to Braun and Fielder hitting out of the No. 5 spot in the lineup with his power and speed that could set the table for the bottom half of the order to do some damage.
Of course a team is only as good as it's starting pitcher and this season has shown what that looks like in Milwaukee for the first time in a long time. Yovani Gallardo, Zack Greinke, Shaun Marcum, Randy Wolf and even Chris Narveson were the big part of the late July-August push that put this team where it is now. While they've had a couple hiccups in recent weeks, I'd give them a couple passes as you'd expect this offense to back them with a couple runs each night, so it's not all their fault for a couple of the losses, you just want them to stay consistent and for much of the last week, the top four especially have been spot on. There really isn't much question as to whether they can keep it up because they have for the entire second half of the season.
This team has all the tools it needs to be successful this postseason. The next week will be a bit of preparation for that as I'd expect Roenicke to tweak the pitching rotation to line things up for the NLDS, but playing meaningful games up until the final day of the season will pay dividends. Should be fun to watch unfold.
All of the talk this week surrounding YOUR Milwaukee Brewers is about whether or not they will fall victim to the Sports Illustrated cover jinx. Players have been asked (to which my fellow Twitter follower Nyjer Morgan "pleads the fifth.)
Ryan Braun spoke with Tom Haudricourt for a brief in the Journal-Sentinel and said, "I think it's great," said Braun. "It's great for the Milwaukee Brewers organization, it's great for the city of Milwaukee. For all three of us, we're proud to have the opportunity to represent this organization, the city of Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin."
That's both sides from the players, who will never say the curse exists. The "Taking the Fifth" is about the closest you'll get to it. My take on it is, there might not be a jinx, but after the run they made, there is bound to be some market correction in the next couple of weeks that could make the gap between them and the Cardinals closer.
The start of that correction is already underway with the split in Pittsburgh in the four-games three days at PNC.
The next 16 games have some tests in them with the likes of the Cardinals in three-game sets both at Miller Park and Busch Stadium, plus the Phillies for four and the Rockies for two (all six of which at home). The fact that 12 of the 18 games will be at Miller Park, the other three of which include the Cubs this weekend, should help the Brewers keep from letting things get out of control, but I am thinking it might not be as successful of a run as they've had at home to this point. Although, every time I seem to think that, they seem to run off 8-1 homestands.
The other thing going in their favor is the move by Ron Roenicke (who is making a strong case for Manager of the Year, which I will make in a future post), choosing to skip Chris Narveson the next time through the pitching rotation with two off days (today and Monday) and go with just the Big Four in what has to be a move to push forward with the Magic Number at 22 entering Thursday night with hope of catching the Phillies for the best record in the National League.
So where will this market correction come in? Those nine games against the Cards in St. Loius and the Phillies and Rockies at Miller Park will test this team. You'd have to hope the offense can pull out of this current slumber, Tuesday's 11-run outburst not included. That could be the telling week in whether this team can catch Philadelphia for the top-spot in the NL.
That Phillies series will be the biggest regular season series this team will have played and all eyes will be on Miller Park. We'll have to see how the team handles those four games and the top-tier pitching they will see in the playoffs.
One would think Roenicke and pitching coach Rick Kranitz have already worked a couple weeks ahead to plan out the pitching staff for the Phillies series and skipping Narveson and utilizing him out of the pen helps maximize victories. With it a ways out, we'll have to wait and see.
Of course, the biggest question mark in this whole thing is the return of Rickie Weeks. One would expect him to return at or shortly after Sept. 1 from his sprained ankle. If he's able to come back in the No. 5 spot in the order and produce like he was prior to getting injured, what I just said will be nonsense. If he slumps, things might get a little tough heading into the final two weeks of the regular season.
No matter how it turns out, the last time they were on the cover, April 27, 1987 "Team Streak" fell flat and missed the playoffs. Well, this team WILL NOT be missing the playoffs, but I wouldn't be surprised with a little market correction bringing this team back to earth a little bit.
As you may have noticed there's no Nussie Hunter in today's section. I'm toying with the idea of doing away with the feature and focusing on just sports. What do you think?
What many fans are taking away from Milwaukee Brewers Spring Training in Maryvale Baseball Park can be summed up in one word. Injuries.
Time will tell if they will foil the 2011 regular season, but it will certainly leave a cloud over the beginning of the season and it will be up to the players still healthy to keep it from derailing the entire season.
The NL Central crown the Brewers were expected to compete for at the start of spring cannot be won in April, but it sure could be lost if injuries put the team in a hole like the nine-game losing streak did early last season. It was a skid that could not be overcome the rest of the campaign.
After seeing Manager Ron Roenicke's comments in today's Journal-Sentinel Brewers Blog, it appears Shaun Marcum should be OK and will make his start on March 26, lining him up to be the No. 2 starter and pitch April 1 in Cinncy. As for Zack Greinke, he is still slated to miss at least two starts. The race to fill his spot is still up in the air, but it's looking like the team will be without him for the first three weeks or so.
Before Spring Training, it was believed the Brewers had one of the top pitching staffs in the NL. While you don't need perfection in spring Chris Narveson and Randy Wolf have given few signs of encouragement in their appearances. And with Greinke and Marcum battling injuires, that leaves just Yovani Gallardo as the lone starter who does not have questions circling him. He has been impressive and shown what has been expected of him to this point. The question isn't if the other four will turn it around and bring it together during the season, but how long it will take to come together and pitch well. And do all of that at the same time to piece win streaks together. It could take through April before all five get their bearings and the hope is they don't dig the team a hole they can't get out of.
On the offensive side, things seem to be coming together with the position players that have been injured. Jonathan Lucroy had the pin taken out of his right pinky today. I don't feel as worried about him behind the plate, but rather in the batter's box with that right hand. The more at-bats he can get and get that pinky around a bat, the better he will be. That same philosophy goes for Corey Hart, who is still not playing in games after his side injury. In the same Brewers Blog post mentioned above, Roenicke said he is just being cautious in the spring. He's doing the same with Ryan Braun and I'm OK with that. I'm not as worried about hitters as I am about pitchers who need the time to stretch out their arm so they can go deep into games. Things sound more positive on their return and early-season contribution than the pitchers, which is good to hear.
As for the bullpen, Manny Parra is battling injuries of his own. As is LaTroy Hawkins, who has been less than stellar thus far in spring. John Axford is down to his final four songs in his entrance song poll, but hasn't performed that well, either. it is almost to the point where the bullpen is the biggest concern with the team, even with the injuries to the starting rotation. All the way down the list, Zack Braddock, Kameron Loe and Takashi Saito have all had their moments this spring, but have been few and far between. It's hard to get too up or down in spring, but you'd like to see something to get excited about.
All of that sounds rather negative, but it shouldn't be anything that buries the team too severely. I actually see them hanging around .500 through April. The schedule is brutal to start the year and without their two biggest offseason acquisitions, it could be tough sledding to start the season. With injuries at the start of the season, the margin for error the rest of the season is likely slim if they want to be in contention in the NL Central.
I saw this on TV the other day and hadn't heard much on it. Ryan Braun is in the new Muscle Milk commercial. It's kind of funny. But worth a look since he's the only Brewers player out in ads at this point.
It's time to get into the Nussie Hunter portion of the broadcast. The Hometown Hotties contest is in full swing over on Maxim.com and there is one lone semifinalist from the fine state of Wisconsin. Meet Christina from Green Bay. You need to go vote for her, here. And check her out below.
The Brewers losing streak reached nine games tonight as the bullpen gave up three runs in the final three innings and let the Pirates beat them for the third straight time.
It's a wonder how things can change from the last time the team was in Pittsburgh, which was after that 20-0 win.
Well, that seems forever ago as this team can't really seem to find a way to close out games. The last two days have seen late leads only to have the washed away by an imploding Trevor Hoffman and tonight Todd Coffey couldn't get Randy Wolf out of a jam.
Hoffman has been put on the shelf while he works on his mechanics, which is fine, I guess, but doesn't really solve a lot of problems because there is so much more.
The title of the blog is The Good. The Bad. The Ugly. and I'm going to start with the Ugly.
There is so much wrong with this team one can only point the finger in one direction, the manager.
Whatever buttons Ken Macha is pushing haven't been the right ones. What he's working with the pitchers on with Rick Peterson isn't working either. That's been the biggest problem. Ups and downs are expected, but consistently repeating the mistakes points the finger only at the manager.
Will the pitchers magically turn it around if a move is made, probably not, but whatever personality is with the team needs to be changed. Whether they stay in house with Willie Randolph or Dale Svuem is up in the air. I'd go with Randolph because I think he could really work well with the guys in that clubhouse. But that's just me.
If the ugly is Ken Macha and what he's doing (or not doing) with the pitching staff, namely the starters, then the Bad has to be the trickle down effect that has had on everything else.
Tonight Ryan Braun made one of the dumbest decision I have ever seen him or anyone make on the field. I know third base wasn't covered, but really? La Roche was right behind you. Stay at second and let Prince try to get something going.
The guys are pressing and when you press in the game of baseball, you don't perform. It's weird that way, but that's how it is. Ryan hasn't been awful at the plate, but tonight showed he's trying to make thing happen. Prince has just 18 RBIs right now and can't seem to get going.
Prince had a line after Friday night's loss where he said all the offense can do is hope to outscore the other team. That's basically what it's come to. With that kind of pressure the guys are almost guaranteed to not come through with enough runs to hold up and get wins on a consistent basis.
The uncharacteristic Braun baserunning blunder is just the latest in the guys trying to do too much and falling short. You're saying "It's part of losing." OK, sure. But I'm saying, this team is better than this and shouldn't be losing like this. Yes, good teams have had bad years before, but I'm not sold that the season is already done for my Milwaukee Brewers just yet. I'm hoping before everyone starts seriously clamoring to trade Prince, other moves are made before they send up the white flag of surrender.
There has been one player that has been the good in this sea of awful and his name is Casey McGehee. He had another home run tonight and two more RBIs. His numbers are off the charts this year as he's settling into the No. 5 spot in the lineup behind Prince. Which, before I get into my main point, is pressure in itself. Had he not been producing, Prince's lack of production would be on Casey for not giving the proper "protection" to the slugger.
But Casey has been producing and has he ever. Take a look at how his numbers rank among NL third baseman. He is No. 1 with 37 RBIs, tops in average (.324), second in hits (48, which is one off the lead), second in slugging percentage (.574), second in home runs (9, again, just one off the lead) and second in on-base percentage at .393 which is just one measily point behind Chipper Jones' .394.
That's off-the charts right there folks. And those 37 RBIs has him ranked second in the entire National League to only Adam Ethier's 38 and he's on the DL. So expect Casey to take the lead sooner rather than later.
Now, if you know me, you know where Casey ranks on my personal list of fave players. But, did I see this coming? No. To be honest, I don't even bet Casey himself saw this type of production coming. He is the only guy on the team hitting the ball all over the yard. With the average up to .324, he and Braun are the two best hitters on the team. Now if only Prince can get it going. Maybe the three of them can carry the team to a few wins and maybe start saving the season.
Finally, be sure to get the vote out so Casey is on that NL All-Star team.
Now to some stuff that hopefully lifts yours (and my) spirits. Did you see this video of some guys that went to the New York Public Library and recreated the scene from Ghostbusters? They were on point with this. Take a look. Damn funny and creative.
Not sure how many follow the NBA playoffs intently, but we are in the conference finals and there was a pretty odd occurance that went down at the Celtics/Magic game the other night. Here's a ref throwing a ball at a fan, then the fan throws it back. The ref then has him removed from the game. Makes absolutely no sense. Take a look for yourself.
It was a sad day for the Nussie Hunter today. Word is out that Megan Fox, one of our faves here at The Way, will not be in Transformers 3. Here's the story, where she says the decision was hers. A bit of a sad turn of events. I know Shia is one of my mancrushes, but they had better find a love interest worthy for the new movie. You hear me Michael Bay?!
In the meantime, this looks like an opportunity to mourn while looking at Megan and her hotness.
Who is that player above? For those of you that don't know that is Jordan Crawford and he is involved in one of the biggest sports scandals in recent memory (Brett Favre please stay away). He is the basketball player that dunked on LeBron James back at his basketball camp a couple weeks back and all the tapes of the incident had since been confiscated by Nike and LeBron. Well TMZ.com bought the tape and debuted it today. It's kind of grainy and reminds me of the Zapruder tape shot on the grassy knoll that fateful day in Dallas the day President Kennedy was killed. Either way, it is good to finally see some tape. Here it is for you to judge for yourself. I want to hear what you guys think. Be sure to leave a comment or E-mail me.
OK, now that we've moved on from that incident, it's time to move on with something more in-season like baseball. Conducting my daily reading today and SI.com unveiled it's list of 100 best players in MLB today. One look at it and two Brewers are in the top 13 as both Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun check in at No. 11 and No. 13.
Also worth a mention for the Brewers is Yovanni Gallardo who makes the list at No. 97. Good recognition for the Crew as they press to make the playoffs for the second straight season. On the list as a whole, I'd say it is pretty right on. I'd like to say I know everything about every baseball player, but I have my own sports coverage to study and aside from my guys in fantasy baseball, I can't study everyone. So, if you take a peak at the list, let me know who you think should make it. I don't really have a problem with no additional Brewers on the list. I'd imagine Trevor Hoffman is somewhere in the next 20 or 25 players. The No. 1 player on the list is Albert Pujols and I don't think many would have a problem with him hold that spot. Heck, he's been the driving force to my fantasy team this year that is is first place.
Now these last two items aren't sports, they are something I'm high on which is the "Pussification of America." It was discussed on the Covino and Rich Show yesterday (During Pussification Tuesday) that Miley Cyrus is being sued in a class action lawsuit by some Asian woman for (get ready) $4 Billion. Whoa! Here's the picture. Not how almost everyone in the pic is squinting their eyes. This is the lamest thing I've ever heard in my life. Does anyone get a damn joke anymore? Damn people! Here's a link to U.S. News and World Report that basically laughs at this lady.
OK boys, it's Nussie Hunter time. Today is a Hometown Hotties edition. I got the new Maxim yesterday and this month they have all 100 of the semifinalists in the competition. Two of the 100 are from Wisconsin and I say we get behind them. There were 14 that made the competion on some level, but these two made it through to the final 100. First up is Tanya from Sussex. And Megan from Verona. Be sure to check out both pages and watch their videos. Both seem like great girls. Not going to say which one I like more to poison the sample here, but take a look for yourself with a double dose today. And don't forget to vote both of them into the finals on Maxim.com.
It's time for the second half of the Major League season is upon us and it gets started tonight when the Brewers take on the Reds to start a four-game series. Things didn't got well for the Brewers to end the first half of the season and there needs to be some things that go in the Crew's favor if the second half is to result in another playoff berth. News didn't start well when Dave Bush did not give a solid outing in his second Minor League start in Huntsville. He was scheduled to come back and start Monday's game in Pittsburgh for the Brewers, but we'll have to wait for word now. New word from Ken Macha is that "Mean" Mike Burns will make that start. It is becoming more and more clear that Doug Melvin needs to make some sort of move to settle that starting rotatation. The talk that Doug Davis is going to come back to Milwaukee and help bring this team together, is crazy. I don't see that move helping this team at all. I'd like to see something along the lines of a middle of the road guy to settle the rotation and maybe I'm crazy in thinking Boston would want too much for lefty Clay Bucholtz. Aside from moves, it is clear starting pitching needs to come around for this team to have a shot at the Cardinals and the top of the NL Central. Manny Parra showed what he was capable of in his first start back from the minors last week. I was very impressed with that and think we need something along those lines from here on out. In other spots, guys like J.J. Hardy and Corey Hart need to come up and live up to their billing of career stats. In listening to what Mach and Melvin have said recently, I'd say that's what they are waiting for. They do that and be consistent the rest of the way and avoid the slumber Hart, especially, hit the last two Septembers. The final thing that needs to come around is bench play. In the National League the bench is rather important for pinch hitters and guys like Jody Gerut and Bill Hall have not carried their end of the bargain to say the least. Both need to go away and if Bush is able to come back and contribute, I don't see a move for a bat on the bench to be a bad idea. Tom Haudricourt is the authority on the matter. Be sure to take a look at his story in today's JS.
In other Brewers notes, I was reading one of the blogs I found on Twitter, Miller Park Drunk. Don't let the name fool you, it is pretty funny. Today's blog, was a rather good one and and made a note of an interview Ryan Braun did with a new social networking site, Likeme.Net.
Not sure why I care where Ryan thinks is cool, but hey. Some places get off on that.
Was listening to the Scott Ferrall show in Howard 101 last night and they were talking about the T.O. Show that is coming up on VH1. That is the picture below. That's the nice one of the bunch. The one Scotty and the gang had a problem with was this one. Umm, you decide for yourself.
OK, time to shove off for the Brewers game tonight. An early start, means more pressure on me. Before I leave, I didn't forget about today's Nussie Hunter. This one is for you Chris. It's Chanel from Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory. Rob was pushing her Facebook page today on his FB. Be sure to take a look.
OK, that's all out of me today. If you have any pics, stories or vids you think are funny or are good sports talk, be sure to E-mail me at wilbersway@gmail.com.
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