Busch League Banter

2010-08-24T17:10:00.000-05:00

With vuvuzela’s blaring.

2010-06-12T18:31:00.003-05:00

It’s intensity in ten cities. It’s live in Budokan. It’s the Three Lions vs. the Beauty Pageant Sashes. Who’s pumped?

Pre-game thoughts - British coaches cross their legs like women...probably because of the soccer before sex rule. Bob Bradley just looks pissed, maybe he also adheres to the footy before fornication decree.

3’ - Steven Gerrard (pronounced J-Rard) puts the Red Coats on top. No good. How can they celebratory-slide so far on their knees? Lions 1, Sashes nil.

6’ - The first failed attempt by a Brit to take out a Yank’s crown jewels. More attempts to come I’m sure.

11’ - Some obese gentleman sitting next to me at the bar orders the beef nachos and asks for the bartender to hold the lettuce, onions and jalepenos followed by a request extra sour cream. You have to admire a man who owns his weight and gets rid of the only quasi-healthy ingredients in nachos. He’s also drinking a Newcastle...trader.

12’ - Three corners in a row, with the third being a definite missed opportunity. The announcer told him to “pick it out and stick it in the danger area.” That phrase can be applied to so many things in life.

17’ - Altidore almost kicks England’s Terry in the bean. Is there a high kicking penalty in soccer?

18’ - Another missed opportunity by the Sashes when Altidore misplays a header in the box. Seems to be a recurring theme.

19’ - England almost scores, but the action from the replay is better when the dudes across the bar erupt in anger because they thought the replay was live...twice! I’m guessing they were here a few beers before me.

20-21’ - The eight foot gigantore of a barkeep blocks my view of the screen...

26’ - Another near miss on the penalty following a card. More importantly, Obesity gets his nachos. Over/under on saturated fat is set at 29 grams (I will take the over). He also just ordered a Guinness (Euro beer numero dos). The vat of sour cream is the size of a tub one would find at the grocery. Large.

28’ - We lose our goalie, almost. Some dudes just sat down next to me who seemingly know nothing about soccer (not that I do, but…). One just said, “What are there a bunch of bees buzzin’ er sumpin’?” It’s getting good.

37’ - I played these guys all wrong...only one doesn’t know what he is talking about. The one in the know dropped Confederation Cup stats, Opening ceremony performers and the group points system. I’m impressed.

38’ - First ‘Bend it like Beckham’ reference shouted from somewhere in the bar on the corner.

39’ - Goooooooal! Credit to Clint Dempsey for making an attempt on goal, but more credit to the keeper for not being good. Also, credit to Dempsey for allowing his wife to pose “painted” in the SI Swimsuit Edition! Lions 1, Sashes 1.

42’ - #42 for England looks to be dead. He is not moving, people are praying and...oh, wait, he’s up. Soccer.

42’ - Director: “Shit. Another player is milking an injury. Hey, camera guy, you on him?” Camera Guy: “Yeah boss, I have him in the crosshairs, fohawk and all.” Director: “Lovely, go to him controller guy.” (Beckham sighting #1)

44’ - Obesity accelerated, nachos obliterated. For those scoring at home, that is about a 9 by 13 inch (23 by 33 cm for you soccer enthusiasts) plate of nachos with extra sour cream ingested in 18 minutes. Utensils used: Only fingers. Napkin swipes: Zero. Breaths taken: 1.7. Jokes about fat people: Priceless.

Stoppage Time - Director: “Hey camera guy, we have about…” Camera Guy: “I’m on it chief.” (Beckham sighting #2)

Half-time - A wedding party walks in. The bride and groom take the 3 Wise Men separately! The wedding party exits. They were here for maybe 2 minutes. I NEED to be at this reception.

Just showed a commercial of Jimmy Kimmel wearing a Club Tril shirt…”Hey man, big fan.”

The dudes next to me were just talking about Obama, the conversation ended with “...what a stupid fuck.” Unfortunately, I missed the first part because I was watching AFV on the screen next to the game. People getting hit in the nuts...funny for life.

50’ - HUGE save by a Sash defensive player (no idea who since they did not show a replay and I have yet to memorize the Sash roster). Rooney seems to be heating up. Does Rooney listen to Rooney to get psyched for games? Probably.

51’ - HUGE save by Howard.

61’ - Another missed opportunity on a Donovan penalty off of Gerrard (again, pronounced J-Rard) trying to take out Dempsey’s knee. Leave Dempsey alone. You are lucky he even performs for you bastards! Leave Dempsey alone.

64’ - Altidore just misses off the post. Great save by the Brit keeper, he almost made up for giving a goal to the US. Altidore is a beast.

65’ - When did all these black guys enter the game for England? Let’s count how many black English guys I know. 1. The guy from The Wire and The Office. 2. Hmmm...

69’ - Debating whether or not I can leave my computer and go to the bathroom or make it 21 more minutes plus stoppage.

70’ - Rooney misses a header and almost slides into the post. I was hoping he’d hit the post like Adam Banks in Mighty Ducks. I don’t like Wayne. Partly because the name Wayne should always be followed by Campbell and also because he looks like he needs a good punch in the face. He is good though. Tosser.

75’ - Also good, Tim Howard. Another HUGE save.

75’ - Guy next to me who doesn’t know soccer: “Man, how do they catch ‘dem balls with those gloves? Dey look so thick, ya know?” Guy next to me who might know soccer: “They are probably to protect their fingers more than anything.” YUP!

77’ - New guy who joined the guys who may or may not know anything about soccer: “Hey, get that thing out of our end, would ya?” Me: “That’s what she said.”

81’ - The soccer brain trust next to me: “Those bees are back again. Or mosquitos. Or kazoos. Somethin’.” I love Minnesota!

85’ - Altidore takes his sweet time to get off the field. Atta boy. Milk it.

88’ - They spent 20 seconds on a dude in the crowd who had a funny hat on. 20 seconds!

89’ - I really have to pee.

89’ - Director: “Beckham!” (Beckham sighting #3)

90’ - They just flashed the four additional minutes message. I WILL pee my pants.

94’ - I see Herculez!

Final - Lions 1, Sashes 1. I’ll take a tie...and a pee.

TIM HOWARD. He’s the deal breaker ladies and gentlemen. My pick for Man of the Match for real. In other news, England’s keeper will definitely be interviewing bodyguards upon his return to the Kingdom.

All time record against England is 2-7-1. Record when the stakes are high is 1-0-0. How does 1783 taste?

Soccer.

Republic of South Africa 1, Mexico 1

2010-06-11T15:02:00.012-05:00

History

During the game the announcers mentioned that the two teams have faced off three times prior, all on U.S. soil, with Mexico holding a 2-1 advantage all-time. The only other item linking these two countries is that both offer great tourist attractions (resorts, beaches, weather, etc.) Unfortunately, one did not stage a rebellious war against the other in order to gain independence. That story line will have to wait until tomorrow.

Game Summary

I watched the game at an English style pub and restaurant in St. Francis, but I briefly entertained thoughts of venturing down to National Avenue to watch the game at one of the fine Mexican restaurants where the environment for this game was I'm sure very festive.

I can attest to the rowdiness that I presume ensued down National Avenue in MKE today from 9-11am, as my office is approximately 100 feet (that's almost 30.5 meters for you soccer fans) away from a collection of contracted employees who just might have had a stake in this match. Around the 38' mark the disassembling area erupted with Latino glee, but it soon turned to pura frustración due the offsides call. Nevertheless, our jubilant neighbors to the south were once again celebrating at 79' with what I took to be the Mexican national anthem (or the new T-Bell theme once Chuck leaves). I'll just say not a lot of product hit the market during that stretch. Soccer. ~ NL

Mexico began the game playing more aggressive and better overall than the host South Africans and had a number of quality shots at goal. South Africa was able to weather the early storm and was even helped by the officials when a Mexico goal was overturned by a bogus off-sides call. The goaltenders on both sides were stringent as the South African keeper made a number of quality saves and the Mexican goalie also played well while looking like he could double as a James Bond villain with his fu manchu and shaved head. Overall, the first half was all Mexico but ended 0-0, a huge victory for the hosts. South Africa most certainly was inspired by the home crowd as well as their assistant coach who was sporting a well-groomed Euro-mullet.

The second half provided more action in terms of scoring. South Africa struck first with a Siphewe Tshabalala goal in the 55th minute and continued to apply pressure following the goal, even squandering a couple of additional scoring opportunities that would have put the game in serious doubt for Mexico to come back. In the 78th minute, Mexico finally capitalized on a scoring opportunity when Rafael Marquez scored to tie the match at 1-1. After a final offensive surge from South Africa was thwarted by Mexico, the game ended in a 1-1 tie, a victory of sorts for the host country and a disappointing debut for the Mexican squad.

One last observation from the opening game of the tournament - Joe Biden was in attendance. Following his appearance at Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals in Philadelphia last week, the guy is certainly parlaying his VP gig into some "top-plus" sporting event appearances. (The "top-plus" use is a nod to the announcer that used it multiple times during the telecast, much to my delight. I anticipate learning more English soccer terms as the tournament goes on.)

Uniforms

I liked Mexico's black unis with green and red trim. I thought they looked strikingly sharp yet intimidating like the Raiders of the glory years. South Africa donned Brazil-like unis with gold jerseys and green trim along with green shorts and gold trim - always a good look in the eyes of a Packers fan.

Dive Count: 4

Surprisingly few flops and acting jobs in this one. Sort of disappointing from a cynical point of view. Also disappointing if you're a San Antonio Spurs fan.

Comparison to my soccer career

As you'll soon find out through these game recaps, I was a terrible youth soccer player. This was crushing to my confidence as a young athlete but I'm sure delightful to my football-loving/soccer-hating father. Soccer is the sport in the U.S. that most young kids begin playing before most other sports, so to my dad my participation was merely an introduction to organized sports that would hopefully be phased out as I became old enough to play football instead. This process would only be accelerated if I turned out to be a horrific soccer player, which I ended up being. Nevertheless, I played for a few years and plan to share some of my best/worst moments.

This game was a good summary of a typical U-10 game for me - a moral victory for the underdog (i.e. me and South Africa) in that the we did not make complete asses of ourselves by making stupid mistakes that could eventually cost us the game. On the other hand, we were not able to make plays when they counted and had to settle for a tie game (in South Africa's case) or another game where I managed to do nothing, either terrible or good. In conclusion, South Africa, like myself after many of my own soccer games, can leave the pitch feeling good about their effort and the overall outcome, but have to wonder what could have been if a couple of opportunities turned out differently.

Stay tuned for U.S. - England on Saturday afternoon.

World Cup Coverage From a Non-Expert

2010-06-11T14:55:00.002-05:00

The World Cup has begun and what better way to spend my free time as an unemployed recent graduate than to watch some soccer and give my uninformed thoughts. Game posts will include historical connections between the two countries, a game summary, thoughts on the uniforms, a "dive count" tracking the number of flops per game, and an overall game comparison to my days playing youth soccer.

Enjoy!

It is time...

2009-07-31T02:24:00.001-05:00

I’m not going to reference anything/spit out any facts, what this entry will be is a straight up thought from me about Baseball’s Steroid Era.

I’m over it. I’m sick of it. Just let it be over. I do not care who else is on the list of “105” or how many ever it may contain. It was a list that should have never been made public. It should have stayed within the MLB and the MLBPA, but it did not. I do not even want to see who the other 99+ players are who are on the list. At this point, it is simply annoying. Major League Baseball NOW has testing in place, so why dwell on the past? There is nothing that can be done now! It is simply a matter of people stirring the fire when it is already too hot. IT IS TIME TO MOVE ONE. TESTING IS NOW IN PLACE. I am sick of all the investigative reporting because essentially over 50% of the players were taking the drugs. The story is old. Please stop. It is time to move on!

Further mention of this is a disgrace to the game and the GM’s/coaches/players who participated in the “era.” Regardless of whether or not you took the drugs, you will always be remembered as have played in the steroid era, so please let it go. Please do not make any outrageous statements regarding you lack of steroid use because, as history has shown, it will come back to you. Let it go.

As far as the Hall of Fame goes, let them in. They ALL played in an “Era of the Steroid.” They all knew what was happening regardless if they took them or not. Make a notation on some plagues in the Hall that say they used PED’s to improve their game, but do not leave them out simply because they were using a new way to improve their game.

Let me ask you this, if one of your co-workers asked you to take a special vitamin that would allow you to type twice as fast and/or produce twice the sales volume as you had in years past, would you take it? Of course you would. People call these guys cheats and junkies, but if put in the same position, many of us would do the exact same thing. Don’t deny it. Let it go.

It is now time to move on, yet still remember the past. We were ALL sucked back into the game when Sosa and McGwire were chasing Maris, so why do we hate them so much now? We need to look to the future and realize the greatness that we witnessed, regardless of whether or not it was induced by PED’s, because it engaged us ALL. We love the game and love the guys who play it. It is time to let it go.

A Letter to Ol' St. Doug

2009-07-29T02:35:00.003-05:00

Mr. Melvin,

It IS time for a change.

Our beloved Brewers are heading in the wrong direction. Please do not make any moves that might jeopardize the future. Please do not trade any of our prospects. I realize we are only 4.5 games back, but you must realize we are 9-16 in the month of July and I personally do not see this getting any better. In July, our pitching staff has combined for a 5.44 ERA (2nd highest in NL), 123 runs (3rd highest in NL) and 40 home runs (HIGHEST in NL). Even if you would make a play for ONE pitcher, it would not change the entire rotation. We CANNOT afford to blow up our future for one more shot at possibly making the Playoffs. We all beg you to please, BLOW UP THE TEAM NOW…FOR THE FUTURE!

The time has come. The team has approached 3 million ticket sales for the second straight year, congratulations! Now make the pitch that you are dedicated to the future and are simply not concentrating on the year, and financial success, that was…but was not. The fans will be back if the team, and you Mr. Melvin, show this town you are here to win.

The assessment.

The UNTOUCHABLES…Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder and Yovani Gallardo. Done.

Everybody else is fair game. Make a deal for any prospect/established player that will help us in the future…not just ANY move, but please make the correct move. Please do not deal for any drug-toting players who have showed promise in the past, but have fallen off while playing for Bernie. Please do not trade any players who show promise, but do not fit the “mold” of being a power hitter. PLEASE just make this team BETTER and MORE RELIABLE!

My approach to our immediate problems…

Move Hardy for something…preferably young pitching. He has not hit since last Post Season. His upside is that he is (was) an All Star shortstop, is a fantastic defender, and delivers in the Playoffs, but we have another (far superior) 6-hole waiting in the Sounds. Let the previously mentioned heir to the shortstop throne, Alcides Escobar, take his place in the infield for the next six years.

Trade Hart (for a case of balls…OR) for pitching…again. WE NEED HELP. The only way for our beloved Brewers to improve is to bolster the pitching staff. I think with a little time (Spring Training), Mat Gamel can learn to play a good right field. He WILL hit better than he did in his very limited (playing) previous experience. He is a legit left-handed power...something the Crew really needs.

Infect Kendall’s computer with child porn…he already looks like a pedophile, now let’s prove it. Thanks Mr. Felon, it has been a not so great two seasons; enjoy your time in prison. We also have somebody in AAA who can hit higher than .239 and cuts the groundouts to third down by about 97%. The man I am talking about is Angel Salome, who is hitting .278, throwing runners out and is NOT creeping our young pitchers out!

Goodbye Mike Cameron. Thanks for the lack of memories and stats. We (Melvin) chose you over our centerfielder to be (see TG Jr. with his .288 AVG and .356 OBP). Here is a situation where we do not even have to trade someone, we can simply let him go and thank him for his (lack of) services. How about a guy like Shane Victorino (FA after this season), he is hitting .319 with a .386 OBP. I might not be a GM, but if we can get somebody on base before Braun and Fielder come to the plate, we might be able to manufacture some runs. That’s just me though. Oh, by the way, he (Victorino) also plays extraordinary defense.

I would make a play to sign Casey McGehee. He has delivered at both second and third bases…and at the plate. He has also provided protection for Fielder when others have not. He will come CHEAP(ish), so sign him. Bill Hall will (unfortunately) be with us for another year, but he certainly is NOT the answer. We need a utility player, like we thought we had in Hall, to play a possible everyday third base and occasional second base. Who knows how long Craig Counsel has? McGehee provides protection and reliable defense…more than can be said for a corner infielder in the past 10 years.

We NEED to get younger and more reliable. I realize we are one of the younger teams in baseball already, but I emphasize this on our signings. We have had limited success in the last few years signing veterans who have performed (ish) in the past. The reality is, they do not perform when they become Brewers…at least not to where we (Melvin) thought they would.

Now that the Phillies have traded for Cliff Lee to solidify their starting rotation and with all the moves the Cardinals made to help out Pujols offensively (not to mention the already steady Dodgers), it does not seem logical to make any move at the deadline that might jeopardize our future simply to be a one and done Playoff team again. I have been sick of watching this team self-destruct since mid June, so I have resulted to reviewing post game box scores and half-heartedly listening online…I do not think I am alone! Here is a way to resolve it, let go of the past and bring on the future! Bring up the prospects. Let the veterans (sans Braun, Fielder and Gallardo) know they will have to go ALL OUT to recapture their starting positions. PLEASE LET US ALL SEE WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS, IF ANYTHING.

In other news, it is football season…Favre has retired, for now.

GO PACK GO!

More to come...

Milwaukee Bucks Draft Preview - 2009

2009-06-24T09:04:00.003-05:00

With the NBA draft coming up tomorrow and the Milwaukee Bucks already making moves this offseason, it seemed appropriate to switch gears and put together a quick preview of the Bucks' options heading into tomorrow's draft. First I'd like to quickly mention the trade announced yesterday that sent Richard Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs in return for Kurt Thomas, Bruce Bowen, and Fabricio Oberto, who was then traded to Detroit for Amir Johnson. To me this was a necessary evil the present Bucks management had to do (and should have done before the trading deadline last year) in order to rid themselves, somewhat, of the poo-poo platter left by the Harris regime. A friend of mine said it best yesterday when he said in an email, "A cost cutting move that also helps us retain young talent is A O.K. with me." I couldn't agree more. However, I do think that there is more to this story now that could significantly impact some draft decisions, but more on that later.

From looking at all of the mock drafts that are out now, listening to the "experts" discuss this draft class, and reading the reports from many of the draft workouts the Bucks have conducted, I've made a list of 5 prospects the Bucks most likely will target and the probability of them actually drafting that player (5 being least likely, 1 being most likely). As a side note, I am making these predictions with the understanding that neither Ramon Sessions nor Charlie Villanueva have been resigned.

5. DaJuan Blair - PF, Pittsburgh

Blair is probably one of the most intriguing guys to me in this draft: had a successful career in arguably the toughest conference in the country, had some tournament success, and was able to put his team on his shoulders and carry them when needed. But he is of that scary Tractor Traylor mold, a bit undersized for a guy who makes his living under the basket. Is there a chance he can buck the trend, a la Glen Davis? Possibly, but Davis was put in an ideal situation to learn under one of the greatest bigs in NBA history in Kevin Garnett. The team as a whole was and still is pretty good which can't hurt. I think the biggest factor in Blair is his history of knee problems (pre-college) and what the NBA schedule will do to them. I also think he is a bit of a stretch for the #10 pick. The fact that he is certainly a "power" forward does meet a major need for the Bucks if/when Charlie V. signs elsewhere.

4. Ty Lawson - PG, North Carolina

Lawson is a guy who is really confusing this late in the game. Most mock drafts I've seen have him going in the late teens or early 20s. I just can't forget what he did in the NCAA Tournament this year. Does UNC win the National Championship if he is unable to play at all? I doubt it. In addition, the fact that his shooting percentage increased so much this past year tells me that he is willing to not only identify weaknesses in his game but also improve those weak areas. I have always held the belief that there is something valuable in successful players from successful college programs. Similar to what the Bulls did a few years back in drafting players like Ben Gordon and Kirk Heinrich from UConn and KU respectively. Both either played in a National Championship game or won the whole tournament. Lawson fits that mold and addresses a very possible need at point guard if Sessions is not resigned.

3. Jonny Flynn - PG, Syracuse

The knock on Flynn is that he is undersized, but at just under 6 ft. (legitimately as that was his measured height at the pre-draft camp) and with a muscular frame, I see him as an very athletic match-up problem offensively at the point. Just recall what he did down the stretch last year. Everyone remembers the 6-OT game in the Big East tournament when he willed his team through each OT as many of his teammates fouled out. He had to hit some big shots and free throws down the stretch on a national stage and I think that is important to keep in mind. I saw him in the final game of the regular season at Marquette and, in another game that went into OT, down the stretch Marquette had no answer for him. Now it should be noted that Dominic James was hurt and that would've been a great matchup. But Flynn stood out as the best player on the court by far, and again led his team to a big win in a big setting.

2. Jordan Hill - PF, Arizona

Hill is a guy who I have come around on since the end of the college season. He's one of those guys that is physically gifted but didn't start playing basketball until later in his high school career. Because of that I saw him as a "potential guy" who maybe relied too much on physical gifts and not enough on actual basketball skill while in college. But the more I read about him and the workouts he's been having, the more I like him. At 6'10" he certainly fits the NBA power forward criteria and seems to be a high energy, hard working player that the Bucks would love to have. Imagine him alongside his former Pac-10 rival Luc Mbah a Moute defensively. That's defensive versatility at its finest. The problem is I don't think he'll be around by the 10th pick. However, if he is I don't see the Bucks passing him up unless...

1. Jrue Holiday - G, UCLA

...this guy is available. From the start, I got the feeling the Bucks had their eyes on this guy and liked what he brought to the table. UCLA seems to have become a program that is ahead of other college programs in producing solid, NBA ready players who play the right way and can instantly make a team better (i.e. Mbah a Moute, Russel Westbrook, Kevin Love). Holiday has good size and would be the perfect "glue" guy, a younger, more talented Charlie Bell if you will. The fact that he may not have been a true point guard in college does not concern me as he is still young and can be eased into the position. His real value will come offensively in creating shots for himself and his teammates, and defensively being able to defend both points and 2s. Something Sessions has yet to show an aptitude for and Bell may be getting too old to do on a consistent basis.

I do see Hill and Holiday as interchangeable and it will be interesting to see what John Hammond does if the dilemma would arise. One last option I think the Bucks have is to trade down for extra first round picks, possibly to Minnesota who is sitting on 4 first rounders including picks 18 and 28. DISCLAIMER: This move should only be done if a deal with Sessions is in the works and close to being finalized or has already been finalized. The fact is if Sessions is signed, the need for a point guard is somewhat diminished while the need for a power forward is still large. This draft is top heavy with point guards but lacking in top 10 quality power forwards, so trading down does not diminish the chances of landing a solid forward the likes of Blair, Taj Gibson, or James Johnson is still very likely.

The Ages They Are a Changing...at Miller Park

2009-06-12T14:53:00.008-05:00

If you've been to Miller Park for a game in the past year and a half, you may have noticed something about the crowd in the stadium and in the parking lot. Instead of looking like your father's Memorial Day barbecue with his buddies, it looks more like an outdoor house party on Oakland Ave. And that is exactly what the Brewers need for long-term longevity and success.

I've read articles and books in the past covering the rise of "Red Sox Nation" in Boston in the 60's and 70's. Obviously it helps to have a history that includes Ted Williams and Fenway Park, but there was one aspect of the growth of the Sox fan base that stuck with me. The fact that there are numerous colleges and universities in the Boston area and the Red Sox had good teams, the area's youth became a big part of the scene at Fenway and in the city. These college kids that followed the Red Sox while in school then graduated and continued to follow the team not only in New England but around the country. The similarity I see in Milwaukee these days is due to the large number of college and high school aged kids that have seemed to flock to games at Miller Park these past two season. With the presence of Marquette and UWM in close proximity to the stadium, many kids from around the state that may not get to many, if not any, games are now able to follow the Brewers and see them in person while in school. And with the recent success of the team, the following has only grown and will hopefully be carried with them after they graduate.

Now this by no means guarantees similar success to that of the recent Red Sox teams, but if find it interesting that the Brewers are again in the top 10 in attendance again this year among the large market teams (Yankees, Sox, Mets, Cubs, etc.). It's important to note that these large crowds we've been seeing at Miller Park again this year are quite young as a whole. I'm 26 and I'm not lying when I say I've felt old while tailgating before games and sitting in my seats over the past couple of years. As bothersome as that can be to some, we have to realize that it is crucial to the continued success of the team. It is great to finally follow a legitimate contender that is followed nationally to a point. The key to continued success is an ever growing fan base, and with the surrounding assets in the community combined with the fact that young kids can actually get behind this team, the signs are there that this is in fact a great baseball town and the sky is the limit.

We're back, BABY!

2009-06-07T19:28:00.003-05:00

Recent inquiries from loyal readers combined with some new found extra free time gave us the motivation to return to the electronic typewriters and talk all things Wisconsin sports. Look for new posts as well as some minor changes to the site coming real soon!

You Screwed Me Again Pennypacker!

2008-12-05T17:58:00.001-06:00

So we stated the year 1-3, but just remember boys and girls it is a marathon, not a sprint. It is nice to know that the more things change, the more things stay the same. Every year I hear what a great coach Jerry Slocum is, but every year YSU is terrible. Granted this team will find a way to beat Loyola but this team is looking like a "four conference wins team." As for the game that set basketball back 50 years, Butler beat CSU 50 – 48 on a buzzer beater 3-ball by Zach Hahn. CSU’s besttwo players went a combined 4 of 25 from the floor and they still had a two point lead with five ticks left on the clock. Detroit, despite having a huge height advantage, could not figure out the multiple zones UWM threw at them, also going 0-11 from downtown does not help the cause either. Well, onto Saturday’s games...

Saturday games:
WSU @ UWM
Butler @ YSU
Loyola @ UIC
Detroit @ UWGB

Sorry HL fans, but I don’t have time to go into breakdowns so give me:
UWM -7
Butler -9
Detroit +11
UIC -10.5

Season record: 1-3

Mid Major Moneymakers

2008-12-03T22:07:00.003-06:00

Ladies and gentleman, the Horizon League guru has found a home thanks to the generosity of Busch League Banter. Being a fan of a “mid-major” has its highs and lows but the major perk of following teams that most of America could care less are the financial gains one can make by crushing the experts in Vegas. This season I am going to pick the entire slate of Horizon League games against the spread to see if I can break Vegas. Onto the picks:

12/4/08
Game 1: Valparaiso (-3) @ Youngstown State
I’m not going to lie, picking early Horizon League games is like speed dating – the small non-conference sample size is too little to get any good reads on the teams. That being said, I don’t think Valpo is as good as advertised and YSU as bad as advertised. YSU head coach Jerry Sloan looks like he has spilled more drinks in his life then I have consumed. Valpo actually opened the Horizon league game slate by getting plastered by Cleveland State by 24 on Tuesday. Homer Drew will have his hands full this year. Give me YSU and the points.

Game 2: Wright State @ UW-Green Bay (-4)
Wright State was picked to be a top 3 team in the HL and come in with a 0-4 record. Duggins and Brown were suppose to lead this team but with Brown mired in a horrible shooting slump things are not looking good for WSU and Co. UWGB is notorious for laying eggs after big wins and UWGB just beat UMASS, will the trend continue? I think it takes WSU a little longer to right the ship. Give me UWGB minus the 4

Game 3: Detroit @ UWM (-5)
Detroit has lost the previous 2 years on buzzer beaters when playing in Milwaukee. Detroit is in a transition year but the one positive is that Detroit has out rebounded every opponent it has faced this year. UWM’s leader Ricky Franklin was caught riding dirty and will most likely be out for this game. If UWM can get hot from the outside, UWM could roll but the D has been very suspect in the last few games. Losing Franklin is huge and although I think UWM will find a way to win, I will take Detroit plus the points.

Game 4: Butler @ Cleveland State (-1)
The 2 heavyweights of the conference square off in an early season match. Butler is undefeated but this will be the first major test for the young Bulldogs. Cleveland State returns 2 first team HL selections in Bullock and Jackson. Look for the Bulldogs backcourt to be under pressure all night long. Give me CSU -1 at home.

Recap:
YSU+3
UWGB-4
Detroit+5
CSU-1

So it begins!!

No Doubt.

2008-10-01T13:46:00.002-05:00

In a week filled with Wisconsin sporting ups and downs, it certainly ended on a high…a 26 year high. As you all now know, the Milwaukee Brewers baseball club will play their first meaningful game today in October since 1982. For many, like your beloved Banter editors, this is a first taste of live October baseball. Others, circa Gen-X’ers and older, have been so lucky to experience the brisk feel of Playoff baseball.

Let us know what is going through as the first game of the NLDS approaches, your thoughts during the game and observations or opinions after the game.

Interesting tidbit…the first two games of the NLDS will mark the first time the Philadelphia Phillies will face both Yovani Gallardo and CC Sabathia.

GO CREW!

In Loving Memory - Milwaukee Brewers' 2008 Season

2008-09-20T19:15:00.002-05:00

The Milwaukee Brewers’ 2008 season passed on into an eternal existence Saturday, September 20, 2008. It died on a grass field in Cincinnati surrounded by a gathering of friends and strangers. Its health had been deteriorating for some time, most likely caused by a choking incident it suffered initially in Milwaukee two weeks ago, and again in Chicago this past Thursday. The official cause of death has been ruled as natural causes.

The season was born in Chicago on Monday, March 31 and provided its loved ones with many memories, both pleasant and forgettable. Family members recalled the time they visited New York in July as part of a farewell to Yankee Stadium, among many memorable trips across the country. The trip over the Labor Day weekend in Pittsburgh was equally enjoyable, in spite of an unfortunate run-in with a surly scorekeeper. The season most notably enjoyed spending time at its home, although trips taken during its middle years were also enjoyable. The season will be fondly remembered for its dynamic personality and its never quit attitude. Unfortunately, some of its transgressions later in life will be remembered with greater remorse. One forgettable trip that comes to mind was the Philadelphia trip when the season wandered off and was missing for over a day. Finally found, stumbling and disheveled and unable to remember its own name, the season was overly apologetic as it felt absolutely mortified. Many friends recall other minor warning signs to the season’s demise, including its reliance on long balls and a certain starting pitcher. Its relief workers were eventually unable to heal the season after those early health scares, leading the family to realize that certain death was only a matter of time.

The family requests that no cards or flowers be sent. A visitation has been scheduled for Monday, September 22 at the season’s former home, with a funeral planned for Sunday, September 28 where in the season will be laid to final rest. In the spirit of the Irish wake, friends are invited to join the family any time during the next week (or however long it takes) at Leff’s Lucky Town and Kelly’s Bleachers to share memories and drink sorrows away.

This is Wisconsin, right?

2008-09-18T18:10:00.002-05:00

If you didn’t know better you’d have thought Wisconsin was located somewhere between New York and Massachusetts these past few months. The way the national media outlets have kept a close eye on the goings on in the Dairy State, some might have wondered what sort of bizarro sports world they were living in, what with the seemingly never ending coverage of the various professional sports teams here.

Wisconsinites aren’t used to turning the TV and having our state in the national spotlight besides the occasional sitcom that’s fictionally based in the state. That seemed to change this past July as the Brewers got the party started with the trade of the baseball season. Other coverage was for less than desirable reasons. Let’s take a look at how things shaped up from CC on:

July 5 - The Brewers acquire CC Sabathia igniting the national talking heads causing mass coverage of the team, also giving the Crew instant national credibility as a National League contender.

1 – 2 weeks later – Brett Favre decides to start openly hinting that he might have an itch that only coming out of retirement would scratch. This began possibly my most excruciating time as Packer fan. Every show on ESPN, FSN, and local radio and television was unlistenable and unwatchable. I believe Rachel Nichols will be paying state income tax this year for the amount of time she spent in Green Bay. You know things are out of control when Sports Center leads off with their reporter in Green Bay for a week straight.

Late July, early August – Favre is traded to the Jets setting off mass hysteria in Wisconsin, New York, and every Reebok apparel factory in the world.

September 8 – As the Brewers were starting their craptastic slide towards possibly the worst choke job in Wisconsin sports history, all eyes were fixed on Monday Night Football and Aaron Rodgers’ debut as the Packers’ starting quarterback.

September 15 – Following a 3-11 record in September that resulted in a loss of their lead for the NL Wild Card, the Brewers fire Ned Yost in a move that has never been seen in this capacity before. National pundits again went crazy and openly debated the move and its possible ramifications.

As the Brewers continue to take the plunge towards eternal obscurity, we find ourselves, as citizens and fans of the professional teams in this state, front and center – in the lime light. And I’m not sure I like.

Boo-hoo Birds

2008-08-28T21:06:00.000-05:00

It seems that the St. Louis Cardinals and their fans have decided that their fecal matter does not in fact smell, and anything done on the baseball diamond that they feel inappropriate should be classified as arrogant and unsportsmanlike. Example 1 to this point: Albert Pujols’ profanity laced tirade at Carlos Villaneuva during last night’s game. Example 2: fans, columnists, and bloggers alike criticizing the Brewers un-tucking their jerseys after wins. That second one really gets me. They really take exception to the jersey un-tucking!!?? Really? Not once this year did I think to myself, “That jersey un-tucking really is kind of a slap in the face to the other team. I wish they wouldn’t do that.” And I’m one to have a low tolerance for anything that could be seen as showing the other team up. It’s very ironic that the Cardinals players and fans suddenly have such a strong opinion towards the Brewers, after the Crew swept the four game series in St. Louis in July, and split with the Cards in this last two game series giving the Brewers a 10-5 season series record. A case of sore loseritis seems to be spreading in the Gateway City.

Come on guys, seriously! I guess the Tony LaRussa brainwashing is complete. You now believe that everything your team does is correct and just. “It’s part of the game,” can be your response to every instance of hitting batters because it had to be done.

This should make for an interesting race for the Wild Card, which appears will emerge from the NL Central. Too bad we don’t get to see the Jackass and his redbirds in Milwaukee again this season. We could bitch and moan about every thing they do that we don’t agree with. Wait….what’s that? Oh yeah, our team isn’t the one who’s gotten their asses handed to them, home and away, this year so we really have no complaints.

Hope for us all.

2008-08-16T18:10:00.006-05:00

Just in case you go to bed before 1 a.m. CST, I will fill you in on a little secret about the 29th Olympiad…RaceWALKING is an Olympic sport. Yes, walking, the movement all humans under 750 lbs (that is 340 kg for our international readers) do on a daily basis, sometimes even multiple times a day. So let me breakdown what NBC brought into probably about 37 households around the world last night.

It starts out with 20+ walkers (Do I call them walkers? Or Olympians? Or humans?) out of the gates in a similar fashion to one normal, no competitive walker, getting up from a long sit and quasi limping/hobbling because you realize your foot has fallen asleep. You all know the feeling, you're sitting and enjoying a quality television program, which probably takes about the same amount of skill and this “sport”, and you get up and realize "Oh shit, my foot is asleep from all of this hard work I have been doing." and go into the one foot on solid ground, one foot on pins and needles style wobble. But instead of your foot snapping back from its dormant state, it stays that way for some 20 or 50 KILOMETERS! Along the way there are judges monitoring form, which is whether or not people are "lifting" their feet in an illegal way. Form, as defined by racewalking.com, is “a progression of steps so taken that the walker makes contact with the ground so that no visible (to the human eye) loss of contact occurs.” Three form infractions results in elimination. And obviously and elimination must make you the laughing stock of the entire Racewalking fraternity.

This might be bad to say, but I honestly had to do a double-take just to determine that the Special Olympics hadn't already started and I was watching the 1500 M run with challenged participants. Nope, just your standard Racewalking meet. Is it a meet or a match? Or an everyday means of getting from A to B?

OK, so now that we know what the International Olympic Committee sees fit to include in the Games, what sports are not considered worthy of Olympic glory?

Golf, a game that involves individuals hitting a little white ball into a hole, called a cup, which is sometimes place in excess of 600+ yards away. As if that was not hard enough, the bastard who invented the game decided to throw in hazards in the forms of water, sand and/or trees just to mess with you. A flag is placed in the cup giving the player a small bit of hope before they reach the green (area around the hole) and realize the hardest part is yet to come…getting the ball into the hole. And here’s the kicker, golf takes all of what was just described to you and combines it with…WALKING.

Rugby, a game similar to American football, but lacks one minor detail…PADS! It is a team sport played with 13 people at a time. There are three ways of scoring: the try (placing the ball in the designated “in-goal” area for four points), the conversion or penalty goal (basically just a place kick from the ground worth two points) and field goal (a drop kick through the uprights worth one point). Then there is the scrum, which was once used to determine possession, but now is intended to give advantage to a team for an easier attack. It also looks like a great way to lose brain cells very quickly and to rip open your scrotum (scroll down to the second to last paragraph of that post). Yet in this sport, the players do not walk, they RUN!

Baseball. America’s past-time. Béisbol. Yakyū. Any way you say it, this is the last year of Olympic competition for this great sport. This game is played by hitting a ball with a bat (not the guano producing, blood sucking flying creature of the night, but rather a wood or aluminum stick) that is hurled toward the hitter at speeds of over 100 MPH. The object is to get on base and score RUNS. A player can also be WALKED, which happens when the pitcher is unable to throw a ball in the hitter’s strike zone. And now for the kicker, the end-all to end all, a player can get WALKED, RUN all the way around the bases and score a RUN all within a matter of seconds!

So let’s review…Racewalking = Using the balls of your feet for moderately fast movement = Olympic sport. Golf = Hitting a ball into a hole a great distance away = Non-Olympic sport. Rugby = Protecting one’s balls without pads = Non-Olympic sport. Baseball = Hitting balls moving at incredible speeds = Last year as Olympic sport. Able-bodied humans under 750 lbs = Everyday mobility = Olympic athletes.

Plan 7-M

2008-08-05T17:46:00.004-05:00

Former Green Bay Packers starting quarterback Don Majkowski has entered into a bitter dispute with his former organization, admitting he is “guilty of retiring too early” 12 years ago, while demanding he be reinstated as the team’s starter or given the opportunity to play elsewhere.

“I was mentally drained after the 1996 season,” says Majkowski. “I couldn’t commit myself fully at that time to coming back, so I stepped away. That’s the kind of guy I am. I have to be able to promise that I’m going to give my all.”

But before long, Majkowski started to have second thoughts.

“I guess it was nine or 10 years later, I called up Packers GM Ted Thompson and told him I was thinking of coming back. That would have been 2005 or 2006, I guess,” said Majkowski. “But he just sighed and said it was too late. That the team had moved on to Brett Favre and had even drafted this Aaron Rodgers kid to follow in place of Favre. I couldn’t believe he wasn’t even open to considering my return after all I’ve done for the franchise..”

Majkowski played six seasons in Green Bay from 1987 to 1992, earning the beloved nickname “Majik Man,” and leading the league in yards, completions and attempts in 1989, which earned him a Pro Bowl nod at age 25. He also was inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame.

But despite all of that, not even two full decades after Majkowski left the team the Packers says they are committed to Rodgers. So the Majik Man felt he had to go public, share his side of the story and make his case to his dedicated fans in Green Bay.

“Nothing against Aaron, I feel a little bit sorry for the position I have put him in,” says Majkowski, “I do. But I threw for 4,318 yards in 1989. That was only 19 years ago. Aaron has never accomplished anything like that at this level. This team can be something special and we need the veteran presence I can provide.”

While the Packers insist they have no interest in bringing Majkowski back, he says he may just show up at training camp later this month to call their “bluff.”

“It’s going to be a circus there already as it is,” he said. “And if I show, do you really think they won’t hand the team back over to me? I am Don freaking Majkowski. There wasn’t a girl in all of Northern Wisconsin who wouldn’t remove her tight-rolled jeans for me back in the late ‘80s. I don’t think they can afford the negative fan reaction that would come from dumping me,” he added, pointing to fan protest outside Lambeau Field on Sunday that boasted numbers in the single digits, including his immediate family.

And if showing up at Packers camp doesn’t work, Majkowski says he will show up at the camps of the other 31 NFL teams to call their “bluffs,” too.

“None of them say they want me back either,” he said. “Well, I am very persistent. I will cause a circus at camp after camp until someone gives me a shot.”

Good to Have You Braunie!

2008-07-28T13:57:00.001-05:00

I had the pleasure of spending this past weekend in the fabulous Northwoods of our great state, which meant two things: we had to catch the Brewer games on Friday and Saturday in the bar down the road from our place (due to a lack of FSN in house) and we had to watch said games in the presence of Cubs fans (due to an abundance of FIBS who also enjoy spending time in our Northwoods).

While Friday’s game provided little to get excited about and allowed us more time to admire the shotgun, fishing rod and reel, and other various raffle prizes that were hanging from the ceiling of our chosen tavern, Saturday was a different story. As various groups of people started to file into the bar, including the DJ who would later entertain us with tunes and his stage lights that rivaled any mediocre middle school dance, we watched as Ryan Braun changed a game that looked like it was headed toward the same outcome that we saw on Friday night with one swing of the bat. He had hit his 27th home run of the year, a two run blast in the 7th inning that tied the game at 4 and put the Brewers in a position to eventually take the lead in the 8th inning. We cheered, exchanged some high fives, swigged our beer with more pride and swagger than we had 5 minutes earlier, and laughed at a Cubs fan who responded to the game and our celebration with a drunken, “CUBS WIN, Cubs Win, cubs win…” (trailing off into silence). I refrained from breaking the bad news to our friend that his Cubbies had in fact NOT won that day and the Brewers were in position to be tied for first place in the Central Division by nights end. I really didn’t feel like getting into it with anyone during the game and we never heard from him again the rest of the game.

After we settled down a bit and the game continued, one of the guys I was with mentioned how he thought the contract extension the Brewers signed Braun to earlier this year will look like a steal when it is nearing completion, and I couldn’t have agreed with him more. Who knows what the future holds for both the team and Braun, but having him for the next 7 years is a very good thing for Brewers fans and is evidenced by how he played in the St. Louis series and this past weekend. Hopefully he carries his play into tonight and the rest of the series with the Cubs this week, starting what could be a career of torturing an already tortured franchise for years to come. The Banter will be present tonight through Wednesday, so look for thoughts and observations from the scene this week. GO CREW!

CCorrespondence from a Road SWEEP

2008-07-24T22:15:00.004-05:00

So we received this email from our boy CC yesterday asking us to post it on our little blogosphere…enjoy!

Friends and fans alike,

My family and I would like to thank you for the great welcome we received upon our arrival to your, and now our, beloved Milwaukee. Let me first thank the Banter for their warm welcome to the Brew City. I would also like to thank the 40,000+ that packed a muggy Miller Park on that magical Tuesday night in early July to watch me break in my Number 52 for the Crew.

Before I start babbling, let me clear up some misconceptions about me. First and foremost, I am not a pitcher. I am a dealer. I deal the nastiest stuff the National League has seen since Gibson. I make hitters wish they had sat out the day I pitch. Second, I am not fat. I am steroid free. Some may use HGH and amphetamines to dominate the game. I use USDA prime beef and collard greens. And finally, I recently stated that I did not care whether or not you spell my name CC or C.C., well I take that back. I am changing my name to CG Sabathia. Complete Game Sabathia. I deal for nine and strike out 10 every time I take the mound.

In all honesty, the transition from Cleveland to Milwaukee has been quite easy. You see, the two cities are very much alike. Both have a Native history; one currently plays home to the Indians (you can take their CC, but not their land) while the other was home to the Braves (forced onto a reservation now called Atlanta) and Warriors (ruthlessly savaged by the MU bureaucrats). Both cities have two E’s in their name. Both are responsible for millions of Americans falling in love with the likes of Jake Taylor, Willie “Mays” Hayes, and who could forget Rick “Wild Thing” Vaughn. Both rest on the shore of Great, yet unswimable Lakes. And finally, both have baseball managers whose last name is similar to a serious problem in your trousers, Cleveland’s Eric Wedge-y and Milwaukee’s Ned Yost-infection.

In closing, since you all greeted my family and me with such warmth and love, there would be nothing I would love more than to warm you all up by dealing heat well into October.

Yours through October,

Carsten "Complete Game" Charles

A few things…

Why pull Weeks from the starting lineup when he is finally hot? We do not make a habit of ripping Yost much on the Banter, but this move I do not agree with. We have been waiting for this all season long and when it happened, we do not even use it to our advantage! Granted, he wanted to get Durham in there to see what he can do, but seriously. In Durham’s first at bat as a starter in a Brewers uniform he popped up to short so we do know he will fit in nicely! Things did not get any better with his next four at bats, which ended the same as the first, him walking back to the dugout.

Not much to complain about with the way the Brewers have been playing (pitching), but they have left 17 runners in scoring position in St. Louis. This will obviously not cut it when the Northsiders come to town next week. I do not know how many of these ninth inning comebacks we can muster up!

As I sit here sharing a few thoughts with you, I can hear the Germanfest fireworks boom out over the lake. I must say, these are the loudest of any festivals display of air art. Are they still trying to push back the advancing Allied forces?

And finally, the story of the week you all have been waiting for…please check out this video before you keep reading. Please stick around for Pam Ward's expert insight after the video (I sure know I missed her since football season!). And if you think the story ends there, wrong! 10 WNBA-llers were suspended plus a coach and the best part of it all...drumroll...since Detroit obviously needs more players due to half of the "Shock" riding the pines for a few, they bring in a 50 year old to hobble up and down the floor. And this loyal listeners is why the WNBA should not exist.

Oh, and one more reason to HATE Wes Helms…he struck out with the bases chucked in the ninth tonight against the Cubs to lose it. Go eat pudding Helms!

Have a nice weekend.

WelCCome to Milwaukee!

2008-07-08T14:50:00.003-05:00

Carsten Charles looks GREAT in Crew blue!

As you all already know, the Milwaukee Brewers solidified their “Going for it now” approach yesterday by trading for the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, CC Sabathia, from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Matt LaPorta, Zack Jackson, Rob Bryson and a player to be named later (expected to be Taylor Green).

What we are getting…
We are getting an absolute beast of a southpaw who stands at 6’7” and weighs a feathery 290 lbs. As previously mentioned on the Banter, CC started off a bit rough this year - he credited it to a slow start and not being able to hit the corners of the strike zone yesterday in his press conference - but has since turned his season around with a 2.22 ERA and 77 strikeouts in his last 10 games. He has also averaged over 7.2 innings per outing in that span which is one of the keys to this trade due to the subpar performance of our bullpen lately. He pounds the strike zone with a low-mid 90’s fastball and strikes hitters out with a sweeping low-mid 80’s slider. He is also never afraid to change speeds on a hitter no matter the count.

After listening to his press conference and watching him interact with his new teammates last night, it is not hard to tell how well he will fit in with this team. He carries the same fun loving, yet hard working and determined attitude that every player in that dugout possesses. Seeing Sabathia sit next to Sheets might mirror images of some camera shots of a dugout during an All-Star game, but to teams around the National League this will be what they are looking at on their “lucky” days. The days in which they do not have to face these two studs who are capable of dominating hitters any time they take the mound. We can do something we haven’t done in quite some time Brewers fans - and no, I am not talking about the Playoffs - we can go lefty (Sabathia), righty (Sheets), lefty (Parra) with the confidence that our top three can shut down any opposing offense.

What we gave up…
The key piece of the trade, Matt LaPorta, was rated by multiple experts as the top prospect in the Brewers Organization. So essentially, we lost a stud. He was hitting .288 with 20 homeruns and 66 RBI. He was the prize of our organization, there is no denying that. However, he was being out hit and out slugged by Mat Gamel (AA Huntsville) this season and three other of our AA prospects (Angel Salome (C), Alcides Escobar (SS) and Michael Brantley (CF)) were out hitting him and had similar, if not better, on base percentages. Whether or not they decide to move Gamel to take over LaPorta’s vacated right field spot (which I think they should), this trade clears up the log jam at AA of players waiting for their chance in the Bigs.

The two pitchers involved were Zack Jackson (AAA Nashville) and Rob Bryson (A West Virginia). To many Brewers fans Jackson was all but written off as a prospect. He showed flashes of greatness in a few spot starts in 2006, but has since underperformed at all levels (1-5, 7.85 ERA at AAA Nashville). Bryson was a bit more of a star on the rise (3-2, 4.25 ERA at A West Virginia), but again needed a lot more polishing before making the jump to Advanced A ball, let alone the Majors.

The inclusion of the “player to be named later” was what many think sealed the deal in the Sabathia sweepstakes. Taylor Green, the player Cleveland has been scouting for a few weeks and is largely believed to be the last piece of the trade, is currently hitting .291 with 10 homeruns and 55 RBI Advanced A Brevard County. He was named the Brewers Organizational Player of the Year last season and was quickly promoted to Advanced A ball. But again, like Bryson, he has a long way to go until he sees extended time in the Big Leagues.

The rationale…
At a glance, it looks like we gave up four prospects for one Big Leaguer. And that is exactly it, except that one Big Leaguer is the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner and all but one of those four prospects is ready for Major League action. And that one prospect is Jackson, not LaPorta. Remember, Jackson is the one who already has Major League experience, although it is limited. LaPorta has never seen any action higher than AA ball (the Indians have also indicated he would start at their AA affiliate in Akron), so there is no telling what, if anything, he could do against the more dominant MLB pitching at this point in his young career. So when it comes down to it, we got a proven ace in CC Sabathia who will be a major help in our attempt to reach the post-season for the first time in 26 years for a spot starter, at best, in Zack Jackson, a great prospect who might see limited time, at best, in the Bigs at the end of the season and two prospects who will not even be able to fit in a Major League uniform for another 2-3 years.

And remember, if the Brewers are not able to sign either Sheets or Sabathia (signing one of them would obviously be ideal, but they have both indicated their eagerness to test free agency) we still receive two compensatory picks per player. This will hypothetically give us five of the top forty-five picks once again (see 2008 Draft) in the 2009 First Year Player Draft. And magically, our farm system is once again overflowing with talent.

CC will take the mound tonight for the first time in a Brewers uniform. Tonight will be the 90th game for the Brewers, meaning CC will start at least 14 games (including tonight) as a Brewer. This blockbuster may be a rental, but this deal puts us in the best position for a run to our first post-season in 26 years!

Here We Go Again

2008-07-02T21:04:00.003-05:00

"Here we go again."

That was the subject of an email I got at work this afternoon regarding the news that Brett Favre has an "itch" to play this year. I think that sentiment is being felt by a lot of Packers fans tonight. Should we be surprised? No. Did anyone actually think that Favre would just ease into retired life, never to be heard from again? I don't think so. Then what was your first thought when you heard the news today? I could sum up mine in one word, indifference.

I'm really struggling to get wrapped up in this story because I almost expected it, to an extent, as training camp approached. Of course he has an itch to play, I would think most retired players get an itch at some point as their first training camp after retiring approaches. But with Favre it's like the national media can't wait for something like this to pop up so they can cause a frenzy, send reporters to Mississippi and Green Bay, and wait until Favre himself actually makes a comment, usually through his agent. For me, it's getting really sickening. I can't imagine what fans of other NFL teams think.

The thing is, as a Packer fan, what would you rather have happen if he is serious? I still think he gives the Packers the best chance to win, but I also think Aaron Rodgers is ready to start for this team. The bottom line is I won't start to care or believe about any of this until I hear something definitive from Favre, or see him strolling around the Hutson Center, ready to take part in training camp. One thing is for sure, this all is up to one guy, so make it easy on us Brett and make up your damn mind once and for all.

To C.C.? Or not to C.C.?

2008-07-02T12:53:00.003-05:00

The hot topic floating around the internet rumor mills and office water coolers alike is the speculation of Carsten Charles (C.C.) Sabathia of the Cleveland Indians to the Milwaukee Brewers sometime before the trade deadline. The Brewers are considered among the frontrunners because they have been looking to add another proven arm to their starting rotation ever since Yovani Gallardo went down for the season and their farm system is so deep in young talent that they are potentially the only team to have the necessary bargaining power. While Doug Melvin has refused to fuel the fire, it never hurts to speculate about what could happen.

I will just start out by stating the obvious; it is never a bad idea to add last year’s AL Cy Young Award winner to a team for a run at it’s first division title in 26 years, even if he is only for “rent”. But, who says we can’t throw a lot of money at C.C. and try keep him? Some Brewers fans have advocated resigning Ben Sheets and others have said they want to see him gone due to his nagging injuries. We have taken the stance that they essentially have to resign Sheets or throw money at a proven ace to compliment Gallardo and Parra in seasons to come. Here are a few reasons on why C.C. might be the key to unlocking the door to October that has been shut since ‘82…if we could acquire and resign him of course.

Unlike our current ace, C.C. rarely goes on the DL, and if he does it is not for a majority of the season. He has managed at least 30 starts in all but one of his seven year MLB career.
We desperately need another lefty in the starting rotation!
Sabathia is younger than Big Ben by two years and three days, yet has the same amount of MLB experience.
He currently leads the League in strikeouts and with the Brewers defensive woes, it is always nice to have a guy on the mound who can consistently strike out seven a game.
He can go the distance on any given start - 3 CG with 2 SHO in ’08 already.
He started off a bit rough this year, but has performed exceptionally well in his last 10 starts with a 1.89 ERA, 81 K’s and a 5.78 K:BB ratio over 76 innings pitched.
On the offensive side, he is hitting .300 for his career with two homeruns, so he can at least put the ball in play.

To sum it up, he is a younger, healthier, nastier Benjamin Sheets who can swing a bat.

For those who are opposed to this trade because it will supposedly “destroy our farm system”, have you considered this? Where are both Matt LaPorta and Mat Gamel supposed to play? Gamel is on pace for a 40+ error season in AA ball at third base, but is just crushing the baseball (.384 AVG, 15 HR, 73 RBI). Are we going to convert another defensively deprived infielder to an outfielder? LaPorta, who has already changed positions to the outfield, has fielded his position quite well and is hitting the same (.286 AVG, 19 HR, 63 RBI). It would have been nice to see one of them brought up for the at AL interleague series to see what they can do against MLB pitching, but that of course did not happen. Nevertheless, both of these players will be MLB ready (offensively that is) by either the end of the season or by the start of next year, but unfortunately we only have one outfield position to fill come 2009 (predicting Braun in left and Hart to move to center leaving the right field spot open for the taking). Unfortunately in professional baseball the left-center and right-center positions do not come into play, so it does not make sense to keep both Gamel and LaPorta because there is simply no where to put both of them.

So I guess the real question is who do they trade? As of right now I would have to say Gamel has the higher market value due to his insanely high batting average combined with his power numbers. And LaPorta is the obvious fit right now for the Brewers because he is already playing in the outfield. But would they be willing to part with such a pure hitter in Gamel for a rental player? I think so. Mr. Attanasio has said over and over again that he wants to bring a championship to Milwaukee now and was willing to foot the bill to do so. So why not trade a prospect that essentially does not have a spot waiting for him at the big league level for an ace? If Attanasio is serious about contending for years to come, he will have to open his check book and try sign Sabathia, or another proven veteran, in the off season.

Now the question is why would Cleveland do it? A lot of things have to fall into place for the Indians to even think about trading their reigning Cy Young Award winner. They currently are sitting in last place in the AL Central, but they are just as capable as any team, when healthy, of making a magical run at a division crown (see the 2007 Colorado Rockies). So they would have to be hypothetically eliminated from playoff contention for them to start considering offers from Sabathia suitors. It is not exactly a secret that Travis “Pronk” Hafner (currently on the DL) has been on a steady decline ever since his break through season in 2006 so they would definitely be looking for somebody to step into the DH spot and hit for average and power. Most teams who deal their ace will be looking for pitching, but in Cleveland’s case, they already have one waiting to take over the number one spot in the rotation named Fausto Carmona (currently on the DL).

So now that Cleveland has the motivation, the new question is who else would we have to ship there to land the 6’7”, 290 lb. lefty? In a perfect world, we could trade the two straight up, but it’s not a perfect world. In a more perfect world, we could add a clause in the trade that states the trade would only happen if Sabathia signed an extension with the Brewers (similar to the Santana deal to the Mets), but it’s not a perfect world. In reality the Brewers will have to add a few players to sweeten the deal a little bit, but not any with the current potential of Gamel or LaPorta. Tony Gwynn Jr. has been the topic of trade rumors it seems ever since he put on a Brewers uniform. However, the Tribe currently have one of the best young centerfielders in the game in Grady Sizemore so they might not want another outfielder. So do we package a player currently in the Majors such as a Hardy or a Hall? Unfortunately, the Indians have a solid young shortstop named Jhonny “I-spell-my-name-backwards” Peralta through the 2011 season. And Cleveland’s roster spot for the player who can only hit opposite handed pitching and cannot play the field (except for this last night, WOW!) is taken by Pronk.

Essentially, the Tribe are young, just like the Brewers, so they might even accept players with potential currently in A ball or lower to be packaged with a future star like Gamel or LaPorta. It is just fun to speculate and that, to me, is what baseball is all about.

Have a great 4th! Happy Birthday America!

Bucks Draft Day Recap

2008-06-29T21:02:00.003-05:00

Most Bucks fans are probably thinking that the new regime is taking our state’s motto of “Forward” a little too literally. In a matter of 8 hours Thursday, the Bucks were able to bolster their stock of players at the forward position, much to a mixture of reactions.

I understand where the concern comes from as most fans are not happy with the starting guard combo that the Bucks have at this point in Michael Redd and Mo Williams. However, after hearing an interview with Dave Babcock, Bucks Director of Player Personnel, on Thursday night on 540 ESPN radio, I came away very confident that the new management has only begun what should be an eventful and exciting summer. They, along with the fan base, recognize the need for a serviceable backup big, as well as a “true” point guard (whatever that actually means) to go along with last year’s late season surprise, Ramon Sessions. So to those that are already getting on the new GM as if it was just revealed he is actually related to Ned Yost, I’d say be patient, as the summer trading season has just begun.

Let’s take a look at the draft picks and the trade that took place Thursday and what they possibly reveal as far as the direction this team is heading:

Joe Alexander – 8th pick overall, West Virginia: The pick everyone expected going into the day, before we knew that Richard Jefferson would be a Buck hours later. The only other direction I could’ve seen them going was Jarryd Bayless, aka Mo Williams 2.0, or Brooke Lopez, aka Poor Man’s Andrew Bogut. Obviously I agree with the pick and I think it begins to show the direction the team would like to go and the types of players they are going to pursue in trades or free agency, tough, versatile, athletic players that they see fitting in well and buying into the style of play (a problem both the Bucks have had in the past, as well as coach Scott Skiles). I see him primarily as a 3 but physically able to play the 4 at times. On a side note, was it just me or was Joe a little too serious in his interview with the loveable Stephen A. Smith? I mean he was intimidating me sitting in my living room. I have to say I love it and hope it carries over onto the court. In all I liked the pick and, to channel my inner draft expert, I am intrigued with his seemingly high upside.

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute – 37th overall pick, UCLA: This was the one thing about Thursday I would’ve liked to have seen the Bucks do differently. With Chris Douglas-Roberts available at the time, I was hoping the Bucks would take advantage and choose him, a steal in my opinion at 37. I see CDR as becoming an outstanding offensive player in the league, an intangible guy that finds a way to score and make things happen for his team. However, the Bucks went with Mbah a Moute, a prince in his hometown in Cameroon. I wonder how our other Prince is going to feel about that. This again show to me that the Bucks are valuing athletic guys who they think are going to be outstanding defenders and possible defensive mismatches for other teams. I also think there is something to be said about drafting players from successful college programs that have won a lot of games and have played in big games. Skiles had success with those types of players in Chicago, and I see the trend here as well.

The Trade: WOW! I actually said that out loud at my desk when I saw the rumor on SI.com Thursday afternoon, much to the confusion of my co-workers. The trade was a good one to me for four reasons:

1.) They were able to rid themselves of the mistake that was the Bobby Simmons experiment. One of Larry Harris’ biggest free agent contracts handed out during his tenure proved to be a failure of sorts, riddled with injuries and disappointing play. I would say Simmons’ contract, along with Danny G’s turd of contract, was one of a few bad deals the Bucks are feverishly trying to get rid of this summer.

2.) They were able to get the highest value possible for Yi. I don’t see his trade value getting much better than it is now, as I don’t see him being a dominant player in this league. I think the Bucks chose the best possible team to make a deal with, as New Jersey is obviously trying to free up cap space. The Nets get a young player with marketing capabilities few other young players have, and the Yi team gets what they always wanted – a large market that can make Yi a worldwide name.

3.) Richard Jefferson fits the mold I described earlier in that he is an athletic swingman who is going to play hard and provide a veteran mentality to a team that had little of it last year. Jefferson is still in his prime and is coming off of arguably his best statistical year last year. Health has been an issue for him in the past, but I don’t see that being a big factor. I see him as being a great example for Joe Alexander to learn the NBA game and how to use his athleticism to his benefit.

4.) I heard Steve Haywood of 540 ESPN radio mention this last point and I thought it was interesting. The trading of Yi shows that Sen. Kohl has given most, if not all, of the basketball decision making to this new management team. Yi was a very prideful pick for Herb and I don’t see him allowing this trade to happen if Larry Harris was still in control. Now the question is, if true, will this arrangement last?

As I said earlier, I strongly believe that this Bucks team is not close to looking like what it will look when training camp begins. As exciting as this offseason has been and will be, I see, unlike recent years, the actual season being much more exciting. I just really hope I’m right.

Movin' On Up

2008-06-20T15:51:00.000-05:00

I see this weekend as a great opportunity for the Brewers to continue to gain ground on the division leading Cubs and wild card leading Cardinals. Both teams have been bitten by the injury bug lately; the Cubs have lost Soriano for 6 weeks and Zambrano for an undisclosed period of time, while the Cardinals have been playing the entire first half of the year with a patch-work starting rotation and now have seen Pujols and Molina get banged up (not the Boston version of “banged up”) in the past week. I really wonder if this Zambrano thing is just precautionary or if it’s a serious problem that could cause him to miss an extended period of time. If it is an extended DL stint, what will that do to the psyche of the most emotionally volatile pitcher in the NL? Whatever the case, I’m sure he’ll use his time off wisely – maybe instant messaging and texting his brother for 16 straight hours to get his mind right?

Take a look at the Central Division standings today and a couple of things should jump out at you. First, both the Cards and Cubs are riding 3 game losing streaks while the Crew has rattled off four straight wins. The other thing is that the division contenders (Brewers, Cards and Cubs) have created some serious separation from the rest of the division with Houston now having lost 8 games in a row. It’s shaping up to be a three horse race for the division, with the division runner-up most likely being in the Wild Card race as well. The schedule is also in Milwaukee’s favor this weekend as the Cards travel to Boston and the Cubs have their cross-town rivals and AL Central Division leading White Sox at Wrigley for three, while the Brewers have Baltimore at home (who isn’t playing that bad by the way).

I’d love nothing more than to keep the pressure on, no matter what the other two teams do, and win this weekend series before heading out on a TOUGH 10 game road trip next week.

Let’s take a look at the weekend pitching matchups and throw out some predictions:

Friday: Suppan (MIL) v. Liz (BALT) – Sutton v. Palmer this is not, but still a formidable matchup. Liz was called up from AAA Norfolk (beautiful minor league stadium by the way) in early June and has made 3 respectable starts – 1 win and 2 no-decisions. Suppan continues to plod along, making his starts and eating up innings, for the most part. The thing that has bothered me the most about Soup this year is his walk numbers. At this rate, he’ll finish the year with a career high 90 walks. Prediction: The Brewers’ bats will stay hot and the bullpen will bounce back from yesterday’s “uh-oh” performance.

Saturday: McClung (MIL) v. Cabrera (BALT) – Seth McClung has been a pleasant surprise since being called on as a starter. Daniel Cabrera has decent numbers but has struggled recently giving up an average of over 5 runs a game in his last three starts. One thing’s for sure, no other starting pitcher combo in the league on Saturday night will measure up to these two: McClung goes a respectable 6’6” while Cabrera (the Man Beast) could definitely post him up being 6’9”. Prediction: McClung gets touched up a bit and the offense comes up a little short in a shoot out.

Sunday: Parra (MIL) v. Olson (BALT) – Garrett Olson makes his debut at Miller Park sporting a respectable 5-2 record and a so-so 4.80 ERA. His other problem is the man who is toeing the rubber opposite him is the most exciting young Brewers pitcher this year, Manny Parra. Say what you want about him but I am driving his bandwagon hard, and don’t be afraid to hop on when it rolls through your town. At home the man has been lights out, allowing just two runs in his past three home outings. Like the rest of the team, his road starts are a little shakier, but the last time I checked this game was still scheduled to be played in Brewtown. Prediction: Crew rolls, wins the series 2-1.

WHAT?

2008-06-18T16:14:00.000-05:00

And the “WHAT?” comment for the NBA season that was goes to…

At one point in the third quarter of last night’s beat down of a final, Mark Jackson commented on how owners and GM’s around the league should feel inspired by the Celtics performance and that if they find a group of guys who are committed to getting it done, it’s that easy. Now I am not going to say I am a basketball expert, but I believe it also helps that you are handed an 8-time All-Star who can shoot the lights out AND an 11-time All-Star who can single handedly shut down an offense and requires a constant double team to go WITH a 6-time All-Star who can score at will and has the ability to shut anybody down on any given night. How is that supposed to inspire any other team? They will ALL be together again next year!

Oh yeah. and basketball fans, no need to fret, the WNBA season is just heating up!

Comment on a comment...

2008-06-17T16:28:00.002-05:00

Somebody commented on Hunter Pence’s girlfriend the other day after I called him homely. So I googled ‘hunter pence’s girlfriend’ – at work mind you so if you think about doing it, do it at home where you do not have an IT person capable of tracking what you were looking at – and indeed she is a bit of alright. She seems like a wholesome girl who is simply in love with the guy because he treats her well. Or not! In one picture she is rockin’ a Borat-esque full-bodied banana hammock, sans the banana of course, that I am sure makes her father proud. You think she was wearing that the first time she met Ma and Pa Pence?

A few notes before the Jays series…

I just glanced at the lineup for the Crew tonight and still no JJ Hardy. They have been pretty tight-lipped on his injury since day one and he has not seen any playing since June 11 in Houston, so I am not sure what is going on. If he has to spend some time on the DL I cannot foresee the Brewers bringing up Alcides Escobar from AA Huntsville because a member of the organization recently had mentioned that they would like to keep their young crop of position players together in AA for a while to keep building their chemistry. Could we see Billy Hall at his third position in two weeks?

Also, David Riske is reportedly scheduled to take part in a rehab assignment tonight and on Thursday in Nashville. In my opinion, he cannot make it back to the bullpen soon enough. I have seen enough of Julian Tavarez’s messed up face, lack of command, and his most aggravating feature…his ability to blow a late inning lead. Leaving what happened on Saturday out of it, he has only managed to get through his inning without a hit or walk once in his six previous appearances with the Brewers. That is not a good quality to have if your a hot dog or beer vendor, let alone a late inning reliever. It appears the Red Sox were on to something when they parted ways with the crater-faced reliever. I thoroughly believe the Tavarez experiment has run it’s course.

Back In the Saddle Again

2008-06-11T22:46:00.003-05:00

First and foremost, it was GREAT to see the Brewers’ bats bounce back after getting Oswalted last night.

Some player notes…

Corey Hart continues to prove that he is a HIGH priority for the Brewers to hammer out an extension this coming off season. He went deep twice tonight along with a double in the 6^th. He is hitting .333 in the last 10 games to go along with three home runs and nine RBI’s. It does not seem to matter if he is playing at home or on the road, the bottom line is you will always get consistent production out of Hart.

On the other hand, Prince Fielder seems to have left his offensive production back in Milwaukee. He has only four hits (only one for extra bases) in 20 plate appearances on this road trip. Granted he did drive in a run tonight in the 8^th inning, but immediately got thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Regardless, this lack of production comes after a home stand when everybody thought that he found his power swing again. This once again feels like the reoccurring theme of the year in that you think the team or a player is finally coming around, but then they take two steps in the wrong direction and are trying to find themselves again. I guess Friday, the beginning of a 10 day home stand, cannot come fast enough for The Prince, and the Crew for that matter.

Mike Cameron also had a hell of a game with a home run and two walks, but more importantly the major role he played in causing two Astros to get ejected! And if that was not enough, he did run half way to first on what he thought was a walk, but had to jog back in shame when he figured out it was only ball three.

Speaking of ejections, I would like to know what the so-called “magic” words are that automatically get a player tossed from the game. I assume one of them starts with F and ends with uck, but what are the others? Calling one’s mother, wife or daughter a C-major? Indicating that one’s grandmother contributed to the greatest thirty seconds of a young ballplayer’s life? Or simply expressing your feelings on how one plays ball like a girl.

Also, I did have an interesting observation on an Astro tonight…Hunter Pence is one homely MoFo!

I will refrain from commenting on the temporary tweak in the lineup because we have only seen it for two games and cannot really draw any conclusions due to the gem Oswalt pitched last night. It worked well tonight, but I will say that I would like to see Hart go back to hitting behind Fielder once Rick Weeks returns. One thing is for sure that all of the Yost-bashers/Weeks-haters/JSOnline bloggers will continue to bitch if Hart does indeed go back to fifth. But in my opinion, it is good for Prince which in return is good for the Brewers! OK, so I guess I did comment on it.

And here is one more thing for Cubs fans to piss and moan about, but hopefully their loss will be our gain.

Hopefully the bats will stay hot for tomorrow's game for Big Ben so the Crew can leave the land of Enron with a series victory and some momentum heading back to Milwaukee.

And in keeping with a Busch League tradition, somebody please get Humberto Quintero a frozen bag of peas.

Thoughts from today's game...in real time

2008-06-08T20:03:00.002-05:00

I decided to write down random thoughts that I had during the Brewers game today. Some may be random while others had to do with what was happening during the game. Just a side note on what has happened so far this weekend: going into this weekend series, I was concerned that it was looking like a prime "trap series;" playing possibly the worst team in the NL, on the road, coming off a great home stand presented a prime opportunity for this Brewers team to crash back to earth, HARD. And they ended up doing just that on Friday night, then losing Saturday, leading us to today's game to hopefully stop the bleeding before leaving Colorado. Anyway, here's what transpired in the mind of this Brewers fan:

- Holy shit it has rained a lot the last two days. I can't believe there is no standing water in my first floor apartment.

- It's good to have today's game broadcast in HD, the regular broadcast just doesn't do Mike Maddux's mustache justice.

- Yost going with the overwhelming righty lineup today for Rockies lefty Jeff Francis. Unlike some, I like Joe Dillon leading off. He's been good at finding ways to get on base all year.

- Great start offensively, but Gabe Kaplar gets thrown out at third after a Ryan Braun single. Is it just me, or do there seem to be more headscratcher type base running mistakes being made around third base this year, and is that on the players or Dale Sveum or both? That's also unlike Kaplar, he's thought of as one of the more baseball smart players. Hope it doesn't come back to bite them later.

- Prince is up for the first time today, and my roommate is already talking about his bat choice for this at bat. Remember last year when Prince started using Joe Dillon's bats to break out of a slump he was in? Well, my roommate got caught up in that little episode and now actually pays attention during every Prince at bat as to what type of bat he uses,and gets fire up about it at times. Is this common among Brewer nation? I feel like I need to know.

- 1st inning over and Soup has a couple of runs to work with, let's see what he does with the small cushion.

- FSN just showed a shot of Sheets in the bullpen, and it caused a flashback of Friday nights tragic ending for me. Sheets has been absolutely incredible so far this year and his win total should be at least 8 or 9 in my eyes. No pitcher has been affected more by games being blown by the bullpen. Anyway, Sheets is definitely an All Star this year, with Braun also being deserving.

- This weekend's Brewer assassin, Brad Hawpe, now up to bat and FSN runs the following stat: Hawpe is batting .105 (2 for 19) in his career against Suppan. That looks like a stat we'd see for a Brewer hitter, it seems like any time FSN runs those in game stats, it shows the opposing pitcher dominating one or more Brewer hitters in their careers.

- Kaplar and Dillon, the new 1-2 punch in Milwaukee? Speaking of the two spot, I saw on JS Online that Ned is considering moving Cameron out of the 2 spot. I think that is a necessary change.

- Braun strikes out to end the 2nd inning. I'm convinced that everyone either has a friend or knows someone who has a friend they think looks like Ryan Braun. When he got called up last year, the group of friends I go to games with all know a guy who we agreed resembles Braun. As the season went on, I heard plenty of other people having the same, "Don't you think (insert name) kind of looks like Ryan Braun?" Maybe I'm off on this but I think it may be a growing phenomenon. And if so, it needs a name.

- I love the Klement's Racing Sausages commercial and the accompanying song. If my roommate isn't driving himself crazy on why Prince Fielder doesn't just buy the same bats as Joe Dillon and get it over with already, his is cussing the marketing people at Klement's for the nicknames they have given two some of the Racing Sausages. Mainly "Cinco", the chorizo, and "Bratwurst", the bratwurst. Now I agree that trying to pass the nickname "Bratwurst" off to the brat is lazy and uncreative, he refuses to accept this travesty of nicknaming and probably increases his blood pressure ten points every time the commercial is on. Good times!

- Game is 3-1 in the 4th and it has the same feel as Friday's game. I'm actually waiting for something bad to happen at this point.

- Tight strike zone, which makes it even more surprising how little scoring there has been.

- Suppan has settled down nicely after loading the bases and giving up a run in the 2nd. For a guy who is supposed to be a ground ball pitcher who doesn't walk a lot of guys, it sure seems like he has walked more than his fair share of batters so far this year. Something to keep an eye on.

- Surprised that Bill Hall is batting against a right handed pitcher in the 7th. And of course it doesn't work out for him.

- Ouch, a painful error by Joe Dillon on a ground ball that could have led to an inning ending double play. That one may hurt.

- Villanueva not only stays in to face lefty Todd Helton, but gets out of the inning leaving the bases loaded, despite the Dillon error. Impressive. A highlight had to be Villanueva sternly talking to himself/pumping himself up after his clutch pitching. I think he may have scared everyone else because I didn't see anyone giving him love as the players headed into the dugout. I thoroughly enjoyed that exchange with, um, himself.

- Top of the 8th ends with a Kaplar foul pop out. I swear that the Brewers have to lead the league in these types of outs. It's got to be around a 4 infield/foul pop fly outs per game.

- Kaplar boots a grounder in center to allow Brad Hawpe to take 2nd to lead off the bottom of the 8th inning. There have been a couple of odd defensive plays including Dillons poor throw to 2nd earlier and Jason Kendall allowing a passed ball. Maybe the boys had a few too many Rocky Mountain refreshments last night.

-Solomon Torres to come in to try and get out of this 8th inning. I like the move with the day off tomorrow and Torres being the most reliable reliever as of late. Very un-Ned like though.

- Torres closes the game and a good win for the Crew as a sweep before heading to Houston could have been tough to bounce back from. A great cap to the weekend. Stay dry!

Sweeping Revenge

2008-06-02T20:09:00.002-05:00

Two weeks ago, Brewers fans, including this one, looked at this home stand optimistically hoping the team could turn things around. Being swept in Boston and finding their team in 5th place in the Central Division had Brew Crew nation irritated and calling for changes. Oh what some home cooking can do for the team, and the fans.

This past week we saw the Brewers win two series, winning 2 of 3 against Atlanta and completing the sweep against Houston. The Houston series was a great series sweep, a little revenge for what happened in Houston in the beginning of May. I was able to go to Friday's game and I think that was the most complete win I've seen in person all year. We were able to see a couple of home runs early from Mike Cameron and Ryan Braun, along with some additional scoring including a long ball from the recently homer-less Prince Fielder.

However, the most pleasant surprise of the past week was the pitching performances from the starters. Besides the ugly game Thursday in which we saw Seth McClung get touched up a bit, Brewers starters got 4 of the 6 wins including gems from Jeff Suppan, Dave Bush and Manny Parra, who seems to keep improving and could become a key starter as we head into Summer. Getting 6 strong innings from Parra on Friday was huge and I left the game very impressed with Parra. I truly believe he has shown the stuff to be considered a solid number 3 starter, and the fact that there is a lefty with great stuff in the rotation will prove important as this season continues.

Weekend Thoughts

2008-05-27T19:55:00.008-05:00

After a whirlwind weekend of waiting out rain delays and drinking with the locals in Boston, my wallet and liver were looking forward to a break that this holiday weekend presented. The long weekend also gave me a chance to think about what some of my favorite sports teams are up to and where they are headed as we approach summer.

First, the Milwaukee Bucks, or the red-headed step child of Wisconsin's professional sports teams. As much as the city has soured on the Bucks in recent years, I can't remember an off-season that has had me as excited as this year has. Each Pistons game I watch during the playoffs has me hoping that John Hammond can bring some of the intelligence and hard work that has made the Pistons a force in the Eastern Conference this entire decade. What is he going to do with the current roster of players? What will he do with the 8th pick in this years draft? How will he sucker another team into taking Dan Gadzuric and his craptastic contract with Isaiah Thomas no longer making personnel decisions in New York City? I really can't wait to see what the plan of attack is for this team, not only in the short term but for the long haul as well. June 26th cannot come soon enough. Best of all, the return of Joe Wolf - the pride of Kohler, WI.

To the north of us in Green Bay, the Packers completed OTAs this past weekend, and nothing really of note came out of the training activities. I did enjoy the fact that Aaron Rodgers having guys over to his house to hang out made news on the local talk radio circuit. Having gone to school in the greater Green Bay area, I always wondered how jipped Packer players felt having to live in such a secluded place like Green Bay that offers little to do for fun compared to other NFL cities like Miami, New York, Buffalo.....I mean San Diego. I also wonder how a get together like Rodgers had actually comes about on a professional football team. Does he send out invitations? Emails? Text messages? Are only certain guys invited - receivers, backs and linemen? Are there feelings hurt if some aren't invited? I guess in my mind this process is strangely similar to that of a high school girl's sweet 16 party.

Speaking of Rodgers, the other topic I heard discussed most this past weekend was the look he has been sporting that seems like an homage to The Dude. Who was discussing this, you may be asking yourself...my mother and grandmother. Ah the Packers, where topics are plentiful for all demographics.

The team that I spent the most time thinking about this past weekend is our Milwaukee Brewers, the darlings of the brew-town sports scene right now. I really don't understand why there is so much panicking right now among Brewers fans. I realize that there will always be Yost haters who will crawl out of their rats' nests when the team loses a couple of games, but I don't understand this constant crying for a dramatic switch of the lineup. Mainly the argument that Corey Hart should bat lead off instead of Rickie Weeks. Why would you take your most productive hitter in the lineup (Hart) and put him at the top of the order where he's not going to get nearly as many chances to bat with runners on base. Besides, Weeks' OBP is still .335 which is impressive for a guy only batting .205. I'll take his hitting troubles at this point, but it is crucial to keep Hart in the 5 hole and keep the middle of the order productive now that Braun is raking and Prince seems to be hitting a stride.

I didn't get to see the games Saturday or Sunday due to being in the Northwoods and not having access to a FSN feed. I was pleasantly surprised when checking the scores Saturday night to see what Seth McClung did in his first major league start in a year and a half. I was talking to a guy I work with last Friday and we were giving our stat lines from McClung that we would be happy with. We came to the agreement that anything over 5 innings of work and anything under 4 earned runs would be acceptable to us and would give the Brewers a decent chance to win the game. What a surprise in the performance McClung turned in, with the best stat being he did not walk a single batter.

I truthfully can say the my level of worry with this team is minimal at this point in the season. One thing that makes their record more acceptable at this point is that their schedule has been tough to say the least to start the year. But with 18 out of the next 24 games at home, now is the time for this team to play catch up in the Central Division race. With some of the minor changes like bringing up Russell Branyan, moving Carlos Villanueva to the pen, and signing Julian Tavares, I hope this team can catch a spark and put a little pressure on the Cubbies by the end of June.

Enjoy the rest of the game tonight, and somebody get Brian McCann a frozen bag of peas!!

The Badgers, Busch Awards and Boston Baked Busch Leaguers

2008-05-22T11:14:00.004-05:00

The problem facing literally every Wisconsin team has been questions at quarterback. Even when we have had solid starters – Bollinger, Sorgi and Stocco – they haven’t had the ability to take over a game when needed. You could make the argument for Bollinger that he had to ability to lead with his legs, but he never had the arm. But brighter days are on the horizon, we might have finally landed a four-year starting quarterback with the verbal commitment from Jon Budmayr.

Now I know as much about high school prospects as your little sister, but from what I have read this guy seems to a bit of alright. The Chicago Sun-Times recently ran an article, here, on how much of a game changer Budmayr really is. The article also mentions how much of a statement this verbal commitment is for Wisconsin football in terms of recruiting. He was offered a scholarship from the University of Football (Notre Dame) and had many other top programs interested, but chose Madison instead.

Let me just preface what I am about to say with this, I am not trying to exalt Budmayr to be the savior of Wisconsin football; I am simply using him as a symbol of where the program could be headed. Every Badgers fan constantly complains, and I admit I am one of them, about our beloved Bucky never getting any love from the national media or in the polls. But the reason is simple, we cannot land top recruits and we are never seriously considered as a preseason candidate for a BCS Bowl. But with one comes the other. If we can consistently compete in recruiting with the top programs around the nation, Bucky will get the love we are all looking for.

On to the awards…

The Busch League Award for the month goes to…drum role…it’s a two-way tie! The first, to the D-Bag in my building who just last night decided to take it upon him/herself to remove my drying clothes from a dryer and set them on top of said dryer, a dryer that I paid a solid $1.25 to dry my clothes, and proceeded to dry his/her own clothes with my money. Now I am not certain that the culprit used my money, but why else would anyone place another person’s soaking wet laundry on top of a dryer. But that loyal readers, is only the beginning…I of course did not have any other quarters to pay for another load, so I walk down the block to CVS, but apparently it is a CVS sin to exchange $1.25 worth of 14 dimes and one nickel for $1.25 worth of quarters because the feeble lad, and that description is an overstatement, making bank by working at CVS at 11pm did not want to get written up for helping someone out. I am not trying to get a guy fired, or written up, but there was not a “midnight manager” in sight, so why not help a struggler out? What does getting written up even mean? Even if he gets written up, what is the worst that could happen? He stocks tampons? Or wingless pads? Or STD ointments? I am sure Walgreens is always hiring! Anyway, I am thankful for the steady bar scene Milwaukee has on Wednesday nights because a group of passing bar patrons were more than willing to help me out.

A couple Busch League editors in Beantown waiting/drinking out a rain delay…

On another note, when I was flying home from the Cradle of Liberty last weekend, I read an interesting article in ESPN Magazine on toughness in sports, which convinces me that rugby is the most badass sport on Earth. “1986: In a loss to France, New Zealand rugger Wayne Shelford loses three teeth and after the game discovers that his scrotum is torn and that one testicle is hanging out.” WOW!

As for me, I am off to the greatest Memorial Day weekend party in the world, otherwise known as the Indy 500! You will not be receiving any reporting from the Speedway simply because I will not be able to see a keyboard clearly after 11am.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend.

Our Weeks Is Better Than Your Weeks

2008-05-22T10:32:00.000-05:00

The Brewers took their first series in Pittsburgh last night since 2006. Could this be a turnaround for our Brewers? I am not ready to get excited yet because this is only the Pirates and the last few times the Brewers have played well after a prolonged losing streak it did not last very long. This year, it just seems so hard tell whether or not this team will go on a hot streak. When things start to get going, we lose a key piece of the winning formula, see Gallardo. So the answer is…who knows?

However, there is one difference with the way they are winning now. Rick Weeks is hitting! Over the past 7 games, he is hitting .318 with a .464 OBP. This is obviously what we need from our leadoff hitter. With him on, even if Cameron strikes out, he can steal a base and let Braun and Fielder drive him home. It seems so simple, yet it has not been happening too often this season. I would like to see a stat of the percentage of Rick Weeks scoring when he gets on base. I predict it is above 67%, so just think what could happen if he continues to hit the way he has in the past seven games!

We also saw last night why we like Mike Cameron in center. If that same deep fly was hit last year, there is no way Billy Hall would have come away with it. It is definitely reassuring to the fans and pitchers, evidenced by Sheets’ fist pump immediately after the catch, to know that we have a Gold Glover in center. There were two other fine defensive plays made by the Crew last night that stood out in my mind. The hot shot up the middle off the bat of Nady in the bottom of the 6th that Rick Weeks stabbed, spun around and started the 4-6-3 double play. That in my mind was a better play than the Cameron catch in center field. Regardless of what he is doing with his bat, he has flashed a lot of leather this season. The other fine catch came from Braun in the bottom of the 8th in foul territory. I have ripped Braun – not in words, just to friends – all year for being too timid in the field to dive at balls he could have caught. But last night he dove, granted it was in foul territory and there was nothing to lose, and he came away with an amazing catch. Hopefully this will give him a little confidence when a ball is in play to take a stab at diving for the catch.

With all of the good that has happened in this series, here is the rain on your wedding day, to quote Alanis. Sheets gave up 11 hits to one of the worst hitting teams in the league and at least three were deep enough to go out in better weather or from a better team. This is Big Ben’s second consecutive start where he was hit hard deep in a game. With the current lack of depth in pitching, it is vital that Sheets is effective deep into games. He got away with one last night, but just look what a good hitting team, LA Dodgers, did to him last Thursday.

Who's gonna win it? The Bucks, the Bucks.

2008-05-20T15:16:00.002-05:00

The NBA Draft Lottery is upon us once again our beloved Bucks will have a chance at the number one overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. Currently, Milwaukee occupies the 7th pick, but has a 4.3% chance of winning the 1st overall pick. Keep in mind they were positioned only one spot better in 2005 when they won the lottery and drafted Andrew Bogut. Furthermore, the Bucks chances of grabbing the 2nd pick are 4.9% and 5.8% for the 3rd pick.

From here on, the draft is based solely off of record and due to this, Milwaukee has no chance at picks 4-6. If you did not already know, the Draft Lottery is only a lottery for picks 1-3 of the NBA Draft. The only possible way for the Bucks to have a worse draft position than 7th is if any of the teams currently occupying the 8th-14th draft spots win the lottery.

I personally do not like watching anything more than the 4th quarter of an NBA basketball game, but if the Bucks do get lucky tonight and are able to move up to the top two picks I might watch the final minutes of the 3rd. Derrick Rose of Memphis and Michael Beas(t)ley of of Kansas State will bring excitement to any NBA arena, especially one in desperate need in downtown Milwaukee.

I was just able to land the 1st overall pick using ESPN's Lottery Mock Draft Generator. They gave me Derrick Rose and I said goodbye Mo! So if that is any indication of how we will do tonight, then all is well. However, I must add that it was my 13th time or so regenerating the results. In the twelve attempts leading up to the glorious lottery winner I never fell farther than 8th and received DJ Augustin of Texas every time, an outcome that I would personally be satisfied with.

But let's not kid ourselves, the best possible outcome for the 2008 NBA Draft would have to be drafting Butch and Stiemsma so we can watch them continue to exude style and grace for at least five more years!

The Young and the Restless...2008?

2008-05-19T20:05:00.003-05:00

The Banter is back in Milwaukee today after spending the weekend watching the Brewers do their best impression of a little league team playing a H.S. varsity squad. A good time was had and there will be more stories and pictures to come from our trip to Beantown. Apologies for no live blogging, as a rain out really put a wrench in our plans and caused us to drink too much Friday night and spend all of Saturday at Fenway. To me, one of the most enjoyable memories from the weekend was the large number of Brewers fans that made their way to Boston. More than once I heard a Sox fan comment to another about the large number of Milwaukee fans that made the trip. We were also told by a number of Bostonians that they couldn't remember the last time that a visiting team traveled as well. Now only if we would've seen a win!

Now onto the ever evolving drama of the Brewers. The big news going into the Boston series was the signing of Ryan Braun to a 7 year contract extension worth $45 million. My first thought as the news dropped was, "Prince has to be pissed." Fair or not, that was the first thought that entered my mind when I heard the news, and I doubt I was alone in my thought process. Let's recall that Prince was openly upset about the contract he was offered at the beginning of the year. Whether his reaction was warranted or not, the fact is that I became worried about the affect this was going to have on the chemistry in the locker room, and that was before Braun made his comments Sunday. Last year we heard how Prince was the leader of the team, and how his success was shared with everyone and seemed to feed the camaraderie of the team. Braun is the player now putting up the big numbers and his new contract shows that the Brewers see him as a cornerstone of the future. How does Prince really feel about this? I obviously don't know, but I hope it's not a locker room dividing situation. I hope, instead, that it shows the dedication Braun has to the Brewers and will encourage some of the other important pieces, including Fielder, to follow suit and make a commitment to the team that drafted them.

Braun's comments made after Sunday's loss to the Red Sox, their fifth loss in a row, caused even more worry for me. Reading the comments made me think again about what the other guys in the locker room thought. I've never been in a major league locker room, but I have to guess that some guys don't love it when a very young teammate calls out the team, not to mention when it comes 3 days after said player signs the largest contract in team history. Maybe I'm assuming too much and Braun has more of a leadership role than what I would guess, but to me it's a bad sign regardless when a player makes the observations that Braun did. Combine that with the now false reports that Ned Yost was to be fired today and the Brewers seem to be caught in an entire episode of the Young and the Restless.

In Braun's defense, he was the only Brewer that seemed to belong on the same field as the Red Sox this entire weekend. And after I thought more about the comments he made, I realized that if anyone was to make those comments it should have been him. It is reassuring that someone is willing to have a voice when things aren't going well, as long as that person is carrying his weight as Braun is.

One voice that Brewers fans have no interest in hearing at this point is that of our fearless leader Ned Yost. Thanks to the Badger Blogger, as mentioned above, many Brewers fans woke this morning to false hope that Nedly was done and Simba was in. As the day wore on, we all realized that it was more of a false report than the breaking news of the day. Now it is just another battle in the war that has raged between the print and blog medias. Badger Blogger, meet the wrath of Buzz Bissinger. High comedy mixed with worriesome drama.

Braun Inked Through 2015

2008-05-15T10:13:00.002-05:00

Ryan Braun signed a 7 year (the Brewers are calling it an 8 year deal, but that includes this year) for $45 million. By signing him, the Brewers buy out 2 years of Braun's free agency.

In my opinion, this is an absolute steal! This frees up money to go sign Prince, Yovani and Hart.

Great day to be a Brewers fan!

Braun to sign 7 year deal...

2008-05-15T08:51:00.003-05:00

JSOnline is reporting that Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun has signed a 7 year deal with the club. The deal is reported to be a record in both length and money for the club and the industry.

By agreeing to this contract, the Brewers will buy out one year of free agency from Braun.

The Brewers have scheduled a press conference for 10am today. More details to the follow the press conference.

Like waaatah!

2008-05-14T11:27:00.005-05:00

The $10 million man closed out another game last night, but not without a little excitement. After allowing a lead off hit, he induced what should have been a double play ball, but Rick Weeks botched the throw and JJ could not turn it. The next batter popped out to right which should have ended the game had the double play been turned. After a long battle, Gagne walked Andruw Jones, but got the next hitter to fly out to JJ to end the game.

He seems to be relying on the hitters to swing at bad pitches or an ump to give him a pitch on the corner to get outs instead of just going after the hitter. He was throwing his fastball for 93-94 mph last night and if he pairs that with his change-up he should have no problem shutting games down. I did notice that Gagne was hitting his spots last night however. If Kendall wanted it low and away, that is where he delivered it. So hopefully his closer mentality is back, but I will not be convinced until I see a 1-2-3 inning with two K’s and a pop out on a consistent basis.

I credit his triumphant return to the fact that he pitched with so much energy last night he had to have Kendall carry him off of the field, seen above.

Tom Haudricourt noted that last night’s performance marked the 12th straight inning which Gagne could not retire the side in order.

Also, in the post game conference, Yost would not tell reporters the change that Gagne made to regain his confidence and ask to be the closer two days after he initially said he could not do it. His reasoning was that if he told the media, other teams would know his weakness and exploit it. And on another note, I would much rather see the post game interviews and news conferences than Davey Nelson, Bill Schroeder and an unknown grounds crew member demonstrate how to properly execute a rundown. They say it is to instruct little leaguers the correct form, but how many kids do you know that are begging to learn how to carry out the pickle at 10:30 pm?

Ryan Braun tells Anthony Witrado his recent success is tied to patience at the plate, more here.

And the Chris Capuano soap opera continues with yesterday’s announcement that he will likely undergo Tommy John surgery to repair his pitching elbow…again. To his credit, when he is on, he is one of the best we have and hopefully he will be back to form in the future.

A few odds and ends…

Gabe Gross singled in the winning run in the 11th inning last night to move the Tampa Bay Rays into first place of the AL East. Yes, the same Rays that were once the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are now ahead of the Sox and the Yanks, life is grand. After the game, Gross could not be reached for comment because he had just been traded to the Chunichi Dragons of the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan.

If NBA players actually playing all four quarters was not reason enough to watch the Playoffs, here is another. I have actually watched entire games as well as the pre and post game coverage just on the off chance I could here Sir Charles say “...my footsies.” one more time.

The Packers fell a few spots in ESPN’s preseason power rankings. They say it is because of the obvious questions at QB, I say it is because we released our best drinker.

And yet another reason to hate Burlington’s own and the state of Wisconsin’s favorite sell out, Anthony Romo.

Another one of the Badger state’s finest, Latrell Spreewell, had his house foreclosed on Monday. I bet he is wishing he took the extension in Minnesota rather that saying he had a family to feed.

We will be shipping the Banter off to Boston this weekend, so look for some Busch League updates on our escapades with the Kennedy’s, Irish beer, broad A accents and maybe even a little baseball all directly from the Cradle of Liberty.

Go Crew!

Hebrew Hammering

2008-05-12T21:21:00.004-05:00

Braun's swing is back!

You can just sense those words, or something similar, have been thought or said by many Brewers fans who have watched this Cardinals series. He had been close to breaking out into his Rookie of the Year form from last year, being the only player besides Corey Hart anywhere close to batting .300. This past weekend series against the Cardinals has been an awakening for Braun as he batted .563 with 4 homers, including back to back 2 HR games. Watching the game yesterday with relatives during Mother's Day, the obvious "they should keep the pink bats for the rest of the year" jokes were made with a small bit of seriousness behind them. Now it looks like Braun has continued the hot hitting that the pink bats may or may not have ignited.

Whatever the cause of the offensive resurgence may be, how great is it to see Braun and the rest of the offense coming around as they close out a winning series against the Cards and have series against the Dodgers and Red Sox coming up this week? The way the Brewers were playing a week ago, I was expecting an absolute blood bath in Boston this weekend. Now, they may have a fighting chance, especially if Braun and the boys can send a few over the Green Monster. Seeing him field balls of that same wall will be another story and could be interesting for a guy who's still getting used to playing left field in general. In honor of Braun's huge series this past weekend, we'd like to include a video of Braun's appearance last year on Jim Rome is Burning. I love the awkwardness of the interview as guest host Adam Corrolla stammers through some actual baseball questions I'm sure someone else forced him to ask, along with some So Cal related questions that Braun answers with straight-laced, cliche backed answers.

He couldn't have said it better himself...

2008-05-10T20:14:00.002-05:00

A day after the Brewers came back to win it, Gagne lost it...and this time he admitted it...

"I don't deserve that ninth inning right now. It's very simple," said Gagne.

Nuff said, more here.

Enough Already

2008-05-10T19:42:00.002-05:00

Ned Yost haters unite!

Although I've considered myself quite patient with our fearless leader, today was a tough one to swallow. For me it wasn't so much the two runs given up in the 9th as much as it was the debacle of an attempted squeeze play with the bases loaded and 1 out. The runs given up by Gagne are something that aside from not calling on him to pitch the 9th, Yost has little to no control over. However, the poor base running that we've seen early this season falls squarely on the coaching staff.

Last night, with runners at the corners and no outs, Braun gets thrown out at home after a grounder was hit to the short stop. The Brewers ended up not getting a run that inning in a game they were trailing at the time. Today we saw Bill Hall get caught in a rundown between third and home after Jason Kendall missed the squeeze sign and let Billy hanging out to dry. These mistakes are inexcusable for any professional baseball team, but especially for a team struggling to score runs as much as the Brewers are this season.

I don't buy some of the arguments that are made against Yost, but to me these mistakes on such a fundamental part of the game as base running leave the coaching staff, the manager primarily, responsible and accountable. There is a difference between aggressive base running and stupid base running, and unfortunately we are seeing the latter this year.

As far as Gagne is concerned, my question is when will team say "enough is enough?" As long as he is the closer, he should be expected to come in for situations like today and not give up a run. So I have no problem with Gagne being used in the 9th today. With Riske and Torres both pitching last night, Gagne should have been used because he is still the Brewers closer. But I've had enough and I'm wondering when the organization will feel the same. The gamble that Melvin made in signing Gagne is obviously not working. This team is facing enough adversity trying to score runs and stay in games, which makes what Gagne did today even more bothersome. After Prince hits the tying home run, the team had to be feeling great, especially coming off a grinding come-from-behind win last night. Gagne again let them down and took any chance of a great win down with him. I don't care how damaging it would be to him to give the closer role to someone else. The Cardinals seem to be willing to do it with Isringhausen's latest struggles, why can't the Brewers? I just don't see this team being able to withstand his late game melt-downs all year and still be successful. In my mind, I've seen enough.

The Battle of Helm's Deep

2008-05-09T08:51:00.004-05:00

Are we in line to set a MLB record for infield pop outs for an entire season by the All Star break? Or better yet, how many times can we end a scoring threat by flying out in foul territory? We have now gotten to the point when former Brewers team laughing stock, Wes Helms, can beat up on us on a regular basis. He did it in Philly and is currently doing it in South Florida. The only thing I remember from Wes Helms, other than his lack of talent anywhere on the diamond, is when I attended the annual MPD vs. MFD game at Miller Park one Saturday afternoon in early spring. Let me take you on a little journey to Helm's Deep.

It was a balmy 40 degree morning and the tenants of 1725 Murray were stumbling out of bed toward the living room to reminisce of the night that was. After we were all done weaving webs of drunken stupidity and empty pockets, we thought it would be an excellent idea to start drinking, or supporting the economy as we justified it to ourselves. While sitting on your porch sucking down some of Milwaukee's finest byproduct more commonly known as Pabst Blue Ribbon - they simply do not give that Blue Ribbon out to any old beer by the way! - may be a great way to spend an afternoon in Wisconsin, it simply was not enough for us chaps on this fine day. So one of my boys said, "Bro, one of my buddies is playing in the police vs. fire department game at Miler Park...let's go drink and cheer him on." This was obviously the greatest idea we have heard since somebody suggested drinking at about 10:30am, so we went.

When we arrived at Miller Park, the roof was closed, the grass was quasi green and the aroma of beer and brats filled the air...anything and everything you would expect from an early spring baseball game at the house that beer built. Our guy was playing left for the MFD, so we proceeded to sit as far out on the third base side as the 93 year old ushers would allow. We offered our support with constant heckling and by drilling home the fact that we were drinking and he was running around in tight pants with cops. It was between innings that I noticed the video crew was testing the scoreboard to sort out any early season bugs. They were not using the names of the players on the field mind you, they were practicing with what was to be a exceptional 2004 Brewers squad. So you all know the drill, they display the name and then a recent stat or fact directly below. Well on this day, there obviously was not a whole lot to report - first due to it being early spring and second due to the fact that the team was horrible, but still lovable - so the video crew was messing around with people. For instance, "Scott Podsednik" followed by "Enjoys hunting" or "Geoff Jenkins" followed by "Looks like Brett Favre." Yet when Mr. Helms came to bat, it read, "Wes Helms" followed by "Likes pudding." Now if you didn't already want to punch this guy in the face for A. sucking at every facet of the game other than the occasional pinch hit, and B. being named Wes Helms...this gave you one more, if not the best, reason to reach back and let him have it. Even former Brewers punching bags like Brady Clark or Mike Adams got cool facts written about them, but not or beloved Wesley. On that fateful spring day, he simply liked pudding.

But instead of every Brewers fan getting the opportunity to get him, we are the ones getting punched in the face by this pudding loving, useless waste of $3 million. If the Philly's were not paying for most of his contract, he would be making more than 10% of the Marlins payroll. It is never a good sign when Helms has more RBI's in a series than Prince Fielder! Where has the hitting gone?

If things were not bad as it is, here is a recent column on ESPN.com about the Brewers and what goes wrong with them every year. What will it be this year? Gagne? Weeks? Yost? No offense? Injuries? So far, it has been a combination of it all.

Beer Can Caskets and Bad Calls

2008-05-05T20:50:00.007-05:00

Please meet the newest friend of Busch League Banter, Bill Bramanti, a man whose love for Pabst Blue Ribbon has led him to style his permanent resting container in the image of a PBR can. Mr. Bramanti is a resident of a Chicago suburb and even though chances are he is a Cubs fan, we are willing to look past that and express our admiration to his loyalty to a great beer. A beer who's roots run deep here in Milwaukee. Hats off to you Mr. Bramanti, we commend you (and you should stop by one of our many bars that have random PBR specials every week).

Now we'd like to introduce the leading candidate for the first annual Busch Leaguer of the Year award, Phil Cuzzi. Unlike our new friend Bill Bramanti above, Cuzzi must not only hate beer but anything associated with the delicious beverage. This would explain why he hates the Milwaukee Brewers. He not only decided to squeeze his strike zone in the bottom of the 9th yesterday, but he has a history with Ned and the Crew. He found himself in the middle of last year's debacle of a series in Atlanta that basically eliminated the Crew from playoff contention. A series that was riddled with ever-changing, questionable strike zones and ejections. The next time you see Cuzzi behind the plate for a Brewer game, get ready for a roller coaster ride of fluctuating strike zones and Ned Yost-tossings. Well, on second thought the latter may not be the worst thing at this point.

A couple of other thoughts from the weekend that I'm calling "the punch in the crotch weekend":

- Has there ever been as drastic a change in the collective psyche of a fan base as there was last Friday after the news of Gallardo's injury dropped? We were flying high coming off a big series win in Chicago and thinking that Gallardo's knee was fine. By Sunday we were watching Eric Gagne blow his fifth save which eventually led to the Brewers getting swept by Houston. Not good times!

- Speaking of Gagne, I chose the unfortunate position of defending Gagne at the beginning of the year when talking Brewers at work. I give up, I really can't defend the guy anymore. True he hasn't had some things go his way, weak fielding, bad calls, etc. The bottom line is he is putting way too many guys on base and usually by way of the walk. So now what? Closer by committee, Mota, Riske, Stetter? Gagne will get another chance, but when is enough enough? That's the $10 million question now.

Yo Go Gone

2008-05-02T18:48:00.002-05:00

I remember as a kid the anticipation of Christmas and the one present I could not wait to get my hands on - the Nintendo Entertainment System. Each year as December 25th approached, I'd size up every wrapped box under the tree for the one that appeared to be about the correct dimensions for a Nintendo box. There were a few years that ended up being slightly disappointing as the Nintendo was not there after all the presents had been unwrapped.

Today felt like one of those Christmas mornings for me as a Brewer fan. A season that started with so much anticipation and excitement has been limited now to cautious hope with one headline, "Gallardo has torn ACL." I try to be an optimist as much as possible and find the silver lining in situations that seem bad, but this felt like a punch to the gut. The starting rotation is now as thin as it ever has been and that's with a healthy Ben Sheets. I'm struggling to find the silver lining in this one.

What do they do now? It's already been announced that Dave Bush is being recalled, but what should/will be done beyond that? This is not the time for a knee-jerk reaction trade. I do, however, see the need for some starting pitching help as the trade deadline approaches - if they can hold on for that long. Jeff Weaver is now working in AAA Nashville but that is long from being a viable option at this point.

The optimist side of me does say that sometimes these types of adversity can be the fire that ignites a team and creates a rally cry for the season. Now whether the Brewers can even survive and stay in the divisional race until the All-Star break is in the air at this point, but the offensive potential will always be this team's biggest strength and they need that now more than ever. One thing is for certain, if Ben Sheets was going to pick a season to stay somewhat healthy, this is it because if Ben goes down for any length of time this season's going to get real rough, real fast.

Melvin made the move...

2008-05-02T09:32:00.002-05:00

We have been talking about it for the last week or so and it has finally happened, Doug Melvin designated troubled reliever Derrick Turnbow for assignment. It is unclear whether or not he will be able to clear waivers, but I cannot foresee anybody picking up his contract and the baggage thats comes with it, i.e. his lack of control, his head problems, his huge nose, etc.

To balance the roster, the team will bring another bat to the lineup in Joe Dillon, who will join them in Houston for the start of the three game series against the Astros.

More can be found here.

Hopefully Turnbow will be able to find his form in Nashville, but if he cannot, thanks for the memories Derrick. He gave us a lot of saves, a lot of heartbreak, a lot of excitement and of course...a lot of fuel, a lot of fire and a lot of that which 'we' desired. Good luck and thanks!

T-Bow and Today's Game

2008-05-01T20:48:00.003-05:00

First and foremost.....what a win today!! Winning games like that against any team is great, but against the Cubs, oh how sweet it is. This is just another example of the maturity this team has that last year's team didn't. To be 16-12 through May 1 is absolutely amazing after going through a brutal April where they faced teams like the Mets (in NY), Phillies, Cubs in Chicago...twice, and the NL East leading Florida Marlins while also battling through team wide struggles at the plate and in the bullpen. To me, the way to look at the beginning of this season is that they are going through early season struggles and grinding out wins instead of like last year when they experienced late season struggles and lost games and a 7 game lead in the division.

Now onto Mr. Turnbow. As painful as last night's game was to watch, probably the most troubling part of the game was watching the out of control train, aka Derrick Turnbow, finally fall off the track and crash. Anticipating fans have been flooding blogs and chats today, actually since about the first week of the season, calling for Turnbow's immediate release. It looks like that is the only viable option at this point after hearing what Ned Yost and Doug Melvin have had to say about him these past two days.

It's amazing to think that this is what his career with the Brewers has turned into. He went from being described by teammates and fans as a "rockstar" at the beginning of last season to giving up 6 runs in a game that found the Brewers already down 8 in the 8th. At this point he probably couldn't stroll through the Mitchell Domes without someone booing him. His tremendous physical gifts have seemingly been trumped by an inability to handle the mental aspects of the game.

How could a player go from being an All-Star and a fan favorite to a scape goat and a boo-bird darling in the span of two years? It's just another example of how mental is that much greater than physical. Maybe this is a case where a change in scenery can benefit the player and remove a bad situation from a team - see also Lidge, Brad & Cordero, Fransisco. Now I don't see Turnbow turning his career around like Cordero did after arriving in Milwaukee, but it may help him to go to a new team, whether it be another big league club or the Nashville Sound.

It seems that a large portion of the Brewers fan base feels guilty for calling for the head of a player they loved and cheered ferociously for just two years ago. Now, the lovable guy with the flat brimmed hat, long hair, and baggy uniform is booed with every pitch that misses the strike zone or finds it's way out of the infield for a base hit. It's too bad, whatever ends up happening to him.

Interesting...

2008-05-01T12:57:00.003-05:00

Interesting comments from Doug Melvin regarding the Turnbow situation. He definitely seems to be thinking of moving the troubled reliever.

Also, if you notice at the end of the Melvin interview the starting lineups for both teams and to Brian Anderson's surprise, Alfonso Soriano IS in the lineup this afternoon for the Cubs.

Let's steal two at Wrigley!

Ouch!

2008-05-01T09:33:00.003-05:00

Last night's game was one that everybody, every Brewers fan that is, would just as soon forget. After the final pitch was thrown, the Cubs delivered a 19 run torching of the Brewers pitching staff. 17 of those runs came from two Brewer's hurlers - Suppan gave up 11 earned over three and a two thirds innings and Turnbow was lit up for six while managing to get only two outs.

This is a perfect example of why we at BLB did not agree with sending Dave Bush to AAA Nashville instead of trying to let Turnbow clear waivers and going back down to work on his game, more importantly his head. Had we had a long reliever/spot starter in the bullpen, i.e. Bush, this game might have played out differently. At the least, we would not have gotten torched by two touchdowns.

Tom Haudricourt of JSOnline makes his case to part ways with Turnbow here, just as we did a while back here.

I blame the local ESPN blackout...

2008-04-30T19:45:00.004-05:00

For the second night in a row, Brian Anderson has commented on the return of Alfonso Soriano to the Chicago lineup tomorrow and has immediately followed it up by saying the Brewers are lucky that they will not have to face him. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the Brewers have a game tomorrow afternoon...in Chicago...against the Cubs...the same Cubs that will be getting Soriano back tomorrow.

Who misses Darren Sutton? Or for that matter, Matt Vasgersian? I know I sure do.

And return they did...

2008-04-30T00:07:00.004-05:00

This just in…Busch League Banter has purchased the Wrigley Field naming rights and the old stadium held together with ivy will now be known as TheWeatherInChicagoIsHorribleSoAllGamesShouldBePlayedatMillerPark Field - it's a working title open for suggestions. But in the meantime, the Brewers have been playing like Wrigley is their home this year. On a night when the Crew welcomed back their ace and introduced their new centerfielder, the bats woke up with an alarming 17 hits and 10 runs with every starting positional player contributing to the hit column.

Mike Cameron’s first at bat set the tone for the rest of the Brewers all night long by belting a sharp double on a 1-1 pitch off the dead ivy in left field. He later advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly from Fielder. He proceeded to score another run on yet another Fielder sacrifice fly in the third. After grounding out to end the inning in the fourth and earning a base on balls in the fifth, Cameron struck again with a two out, two RBI single to right field. By the end of the night, he ended up 3-5 with both a pair of runs and RBI’s.

The conditions were not perfect for Ben Sheets to make his anticipated return, but he still managed to pitch well enough for the win. His command was not nearly where he wanted it to be tonight and as a result he set a personal single game high in walks with seven. However, the good sign was that he had a lot of movement on his breaking ball, which was the pitch that shortened his outing in Cincinnati on April 18^th and kept him from the starting rotation ever since. His velocity was mediocre with his fastball being clocked in the low 90’s in his five innings of work.

As stated earlier, the rest of the Crew’s bats fed off the return of the two All-Stars with every starting positional player getting a hit. Since their dismal hitting performance at Miller Park over the weekend, all of the negative talk has been focused on the lack of hitting and when, if ever, it would come around. Well it seems they might have all found their swing, at least for the night with great hitting with runners in scoring position, many happening with two outs.

Two at bats stood out to me to prove that the hitters are starting to get locked in…

1. In the third, Hall battled through a nine pitch AB that he capped off with a single scoring Hart from third.

2. In the fifth, Hart fought off seven pitches before lining one into shallow right field and beat out a good Fukudome throw to earn a double. (Hall would later drive hime in with a single)

It may be a turning point in the season, it may not, but it definitely was a quality win from the first inning to the last.

What I foresee happening in the remaining Brewers/Cubs series…

A delay sometime in the beginning of the first game of each series resulting in a 13 mile long line for the lone men’s bathroom/trough at Wrigley and an early game opportunity for amateur baseball fans at Miller Park to start the wave.
Terrible weather with high winds and near freezing temperatures in Chicago and presumably a leaky roof and sideways rain (see 2/25 game against FL) in Milwaukee.
Me not being able to use my tickets in the last series of the season, a series in which the NL Central could be decided, due to the fact that two of my genius friends deciding to have back to back weddings on a Friday and Saturday. To their credit, they did not know the other had selected their date, but do they not look at a Brewers schedule before making these decisions? Seriously?!

Anticipated Returns

2008-04-29T16:24:00.004-05:00

ESPN.com recently ran an article, here, about the Milwaukee's new center fielder, Mike Cameron, who is set to return tonight against the Cubs after serving a 25 game suspension for testing positive twice for a banned stimulant.

Ben Sheets will also be returning tonight to from an arm injury that caused him to miss his last start. The Brewers are looking for him to pitch as dominantly as he did on Opening Day at Wrigley - the weather conditions are similar that's for sure.

JSOnline ran an article on both of their returns here.

Here is what is brewing tonight against RHP Jason Marquis (1-0, 3.47 ERA):

2B Rickie Weeks
CF Mike Cameron
LF Ryan Braun
1B Prince Fielder
RF Corey Hart
3B Bill Hall
SS J.J. Hardy
RHP Ben Sheets
C Jason Kendall

More tomorrow after we see what takes place at Wrigley tonight...

Batting the Pitcher 8th

2008-04-28T21:18:00.003-05:00

There was an interesting article in USA Today a couple of weeks ago that compared the advantages and disadvantages statistically in batting the pitcher 8th in the lineup. If you've watched the Brewers at all this season, you've seen them employ this strategy whenever Jason Kendall is playing.

2008 Draft Recap

2008-04-27T20:44:00.007-05:00

Each year, when spring sounds are in the air and the month of April is winding down, football fans across the country get a little NFL tease with the annual draft. If you are like myself and many other football fans I know, you used these glorious two days as a reason to sit inside, glued to your TV with the adult beverage of your choice and a group of friends who may or may not put together mock drafts and make friendly wagers that theirs will be more accurate than the original draft guru Mel Kiper's.

Each draft seems to create it's own identity for fans of the draft as a whole, and this year was no different with the plethora of first round trades and a couple of reaches. The biggest reach to me in the first round was the Jacksonville Jaguars trading up to grab Derrick Harvey (DE Florida) with the number 8 pick, when it is very possible he would have been available at least ten picks later, and thus could have allowed the Jags to possibly avoid trading as many picks as they did.

The draft also provided Packers fans with a glimpse of how the team plans to build in this new AF era (After Favre). To the surprise of probably very few fans, Ted Thompson traded their first round pick, #30 overall, for the #36 pick and an extra fourth rounder. It looked like they were still going to get the guy that a lot of people were saying they liked in Brandon Flowers from Virginia Tech at #36, until he was drafted by Kansas City with the 35th pick. Who knows if they would've even drafted Flowers, as Thompson's draft day moves are about as predictable as Courtney Love at a celebrity roast. Green Bay's choice at #36, Jordy Nelson - WR Kansas State, left Packer nation scratching their collective head. Not because he's a bad player (his size, stats, and scouting reports were very impressive actually) but more because of the use of the pick to address an area that is quite stable at this point. He does, however, have kick and punt returning experience which may provide Green Bay with another option in those areas next season.

Green Bay was also successful in addressing other areas of the team that are thin or will become thin in the near future. The pick of Brian Brohm (QB Louisville) may have been the biggest surprise as a lot of observers had him going early in the 2nd round. This pick provides the Packers with another legitimate QB that could be called upon if needed. However, the need for a veteran free agent that is proven in the league is a must as the thought of Brian Brohm being the only viable back up option is quite unsettling.

A few other thoughts:

- It' so disappointing that the last few years the Jets have made logical draft picks that their fan base agrees with. I'd love to see another 1st round pick spent on a full back and see how the largest group of grown men willing to paint their faces would react.

- Jack Ikegwuonu being drafted in the 4th round by the Philadelphia Eagles has to be a shocker for most Badgers fans following the draft. Everything being said about him coming into this draft suggested that the chance of him even being picked at all was small, after he suffered a serious knee injury while training for the combine.

- I loved how in between first round picks, music was played at Radio City Music Hall that coincided somehow with the team's city that was on the clock. When Chicago was picking, "Sweet Home Chicago" blared in the background, while Grateful Dead's "Tennessee" played while the Titans were on the clock. My only complaint was that the Packers made the deal to trade their first round pick so quick that I wasn't able to hear what song(s) were played.

Big Changes in Cream City

2008-04-22T21:33:00.007-05:00

While the Ned Yost haters are uniting 20 games into the baseball season, a new man has joined the professional coaching fraternity here in Milwaukee. We welcome Scott Skiles to town as optimism can be seen and heard from the 25 Bucks fans still in this town on radio shows and blogs. We on this blog approve of the hire, regardless of the uncanny resemblance to former Wisconsin resident Red Forman. We can't lie, Rick Carlilse would have been our first choice, but with the way we see the Bucks moving in the near future Coach Skiles may be the best fit.

Let's face it, Milwaukee has never been a hot bed for NBA free agents which results in the Bucks usually over paying a player that would not sign with the Bucks except when they outmatch every other teams' offer (see exhibits Simmons, Bobby; Williams, Mo). With that in mind, if the Bucks do decide to break up the band and dump as many of the paralyzing contracts they are committed to, they'll have to try to build some sort of core through draft picks and anything else they can get out of trades. With that assumption, they will most likely be a very young team next year, which the type of team Skiles seems to have the most success with. In Chicago, his teams were young and full of proven college players that bought into his system. Things started to go south after the arrival of Ben Wallace, a supposed proven veteran who signed a lucrative free agent deal with the Bulls.

How does this affect the Bucks in the short run? Quite well we believe; however, we question if and when the team will turn on Skiles and his style, as some of his other teams have. But for now, his attitude and philosophy are exactly what a soft and inefficient organization like the Bucks need.

Brewers deal Gross...

2008-04-22T18:10:00.007-05:00

Hours after scoring the game winning run, the Brewers clear up some room in their outfield by trading Gabe Gross to the Tampa Bay Rays for pitching prospect Josh Butler.

Gross, who had been reaping the benefits of an injured Gabe Kapler, has not performed well enough at the plate and in center to battle for playing time when Tony Gwynn Jr. returns on Wednesday. He is hitting a mere .209, which is actually up from dipping below the Mendoza line early in the last road trip, but his OBP is .343 which is higher than that of Weeks, Hardy and Hall due to his ability to work the count.

The Brewers received Josh Butler, a right-handed pitching prospect who was drafted in the second round of the 2006 MLB First Year Player Draft out of the University of San Diego. In his first two seasons with Tampa Bays Class A affiliates, he has managed a 9-4 record with a 4.44 ERA and 1.38 WHIP - those stats are over 28 games (24 started) in all three classes of A ball for the Rays. In his three starts this year, he is 0-2 with a 6.35 ERA and 1.35 WHIP. Butler has been assigned to Class A Brevard County.

As mentioned earlier, Gwynn Jr. will rejoin the team on Wednesday (4/22), but likely will not get the start due to the pitching match up. Gwynn has been injured since the first series of the season against the Cubs, but in his time in a Brewers uniform he hit .571 with an .500 OBP. In his rehab starts at AAA Nashville he did not slow down, hitting .538 with an .600 OBP.

More information can be found here and here.

One stache, two stache...

2008-04-21T21:57:00.004-05:00

Tough loss tonight and I will touch on that in a bit, but more importantly, how about those mustaches? We haven’t seen that kind of facial magnificence on our beloved Brewers since the glory year. Let’s revisit a time when having a nose neighbor was not only to keep your upper lip warm, but also to strike the fear of Chuck Norris into any opposing team.

Rolland "Rollie" Fingers has (still is rocking it!) one of the greatest sports mustaches of any athlete. He probably did not even have to throw a pitch when he went out to shut games down because hitters knew simply by looking at his handlebar that they had no chance. Some say that if Fingers was healthy, the Brewers could have turned the glory year into a championship season.

Robin Yount was arguably the best Brewer to ever put on a jersey. Similar to his ability to play multiple positions on the field, he is able to rock multiple variations of the stache like the typical "under the nose, above the lip" seen above to the horseshoe seen here and here.

Stormin' Gorman Thomas was known for hitting home runs, striking out and sporting multiple combinations of the fuzz on the face. Although he may be most remembered for his fine eatery, Gorman's Grill, at County Stadium.

Many other members of the '82 Crew rocked facial hair, seen here, but the mustache has found its way back to the future with the key addition to certain Brewers. Who was your favorite tonight? Prince doing his best B.A. Baracus with the stache and finely shaped chops? Villanueva flirting dangerously close to a pornstache? Or Hardy, also flirting with a pornstache with the key addition of the soul patch?

On another note, when did Turnbow regain the trust of Yost enough to put him in when the game was still on the line? He has pitched 4.2 inning and has given up 5 runs in that time on 7 hits. He has let the leadoff batter in his inning get a hit four out of five times - the only time he did not was in Chicago when the game was already out of hand. His strikeout to walk ratio is 2 to 6 and his WHIP is 2.79. You can say what you want about last year with his hold percentage, but this is a different year and a different Turnbow. It was a successful experiment for a few years, but I think the time has come to part ways.

No Sweep For Us

2008-04-17T20:37:00.008-05:00

Today proved that this Brewer team is vastly different in it's resiliency than last year's squad. I still remember sitting at Miller Park on a sunny Sunday afternoon last year when the Crew, mainly behind the talents of Matt Wise, managed to blow a 5 run 9th inning lead to the Phillies and ended up losing in extra innings. Now that is an extreme case of one team blowing a lead and not being able to find a way to win, but this year's team showed a toughness not seen last year in it's first game of the year after winning game 1 of the Cubs series in Wrigley, one inning after brand new closer Eric Gagne blew a three run cushion.

One of the traits of last year's team that drove me crazy was their inability to persevere through adversity, as was seen last year in some late season losses that ended up costing them the division. The excruciating late inning losses last year usually came as a result of the nightmarish bullpen and the manager's inability to use it. If a lead was given up, it seemed to kill the attitude of the offense and any chance of a comeback was lost. This year, although early, the Brewers have already won games when trailing 3-0 , on the road, in the 8th inning (today) and after giving up a 3 run homer that tied the game, on the road again. The fact that they are finding ways to not only not give up (as seen Thursday night scoring 2 runs late to at least make it close) but to turn around after a lead was lost and rally the next inning to take the lead back and win the game is impressive and shows a maturity level not present last year.

A couple of other quick thoughts about the start of the year and mainly this past week:

- You have to be pleased with the defense, for the most part, early on this season. The Brewers have committed 7 errors so far, good for 7th lowest in the majors and have a fielding percentage of .987, also 7th best in the majors. This is a good start for a team who came into the year with defensive improvement as one of their main goals.

- Mismanagement of the bullpen, as Yost haters like to point out as one of the manager's biggest flaws, has not been the team's biggest problem this young season. The anemic batting of the entire team, minus Corey Hart, has killed the Crew. Amazingly, however, the Brewers were still leading the NL in average with runners in scoring position.

- Has there been a more lame and overused joke this year than the "Somebody get Prince a cheeseburger in the dugout" round of comments on blogs and talk shows? It's great that he hit his first for the go ahead runs today, but I'm almost as glad he did in hopes that the vegan jokes will be laid to rest. Sadly, I have a feeling that if he doesn't match, or come close to matching last years numbers, that will be one reason given for the slide in numbers.

- Most importantly, when the Brewers get you down early on this season just think....at least you're not a Tigers fan.

4/17 Lineup

2008-04-17T11:18:00.003-05:00

Unbelievable…

2B Rickie Weeks
SS J.J. Hardy
LF Ryan Braun
1B Prince Fielder
RF Corey Hart
CF Gabe Gross
C Mike Rivera
3B Craig Counsell
LHP Manny Parra

Currently with the Brewers…

Hernan Iribarren OBP .407, SLG .391, AVG .348, OPS .799 (AAA numbers. He is 1 for 4 in the Majors, still better than Gross at .120)

In addition, Iribarren hits left!

Here is what we currently have in OF at Nashville, all hitting at least .140 better than Gross.

Brendan Katin OBP .324, SLG .406, AVG .281, OPS .730
Laynce Nix OBP .321, SLG .404, AVG .269, OPS .725 (I do not think he has any options left however)
Mel Stocker OBP .440, SLG .478, AVG .391, OPS .918

Nix and Stocker are both left handed hitters, allowing Ned to keep on keeping on with his current righties vs. lefties matchup and vise versa.

Mind you, Nashville is a 4 hour drive and probably an hour plane ride to St. Louis…

The shake up is necessary though, something had to happen. As a fellow BLB contributor pointed out, it’s just too bad it had to come when the Crew is trying to avoid the sweep.

Record so far…3-6 vs. righties and 5-0 vs. lefties, although it is early, it might be time to try something new. (Like not letting your hottest hitter run into a wall during BP.)

On a side note, WAR former Brewers’ great Chad Moeller filling in for Jorge in the Bronx!

Welcome

2008-04-15T20:28:00.003-05:00

Welcome to Busch League Banter - a blog dedicated to bringing you a humorous, yet insightful view into the world of Wisconsin sports. Feel free to comment on anything you read here that you love, hate or just find entertaining. We hope all of our posts can spark some sort of reaction and create an atmosphere where people feel free to participate in some busch league banter.