Who do we blame for our offensive struggles?

The obvious answer is Jim Skaalen. The Brewers are the least patient team in the Big Leagues. While being non patient, they are swinging at everything they see. Pitches in the dirt pitches obove them.

The thing that bothers me is that they are swinging at the crap pitches during the first two pitches they see. Cant Skaalen just say for the first strike or two dont swing unless its a fast ball right down your wheel house or an obvious hanging breaking ball?

Yes a lot of us is hating on Ned Yost but Jim Skaalen is costing us more games than Yost.

Doug Melvin revealed that they have picked up the option for Ned Yost for 2009. They actually did this after the season but did not release it until today.

Melvin did say that you can be fired even if you're in  a contract so this doesn't really mean much! Here is the link: http://blogs.jsonline.com/brewers/archive/2008/02/08/brewers-pick-up-yost-s-2009-option.aspx

[editor's note, by Jeff] I thought this was worthy of a bump. At least in newsworthiness, if not in the quality of the news itself.

Brian Shouse avoids arbitration by signing a one-year deal today.
I assume that he will be getting a little pay raise based on his performance last season. We still have a number of players eligible for arbitration.

Heres the the link... http://blogs.jsonline.com/brewers/archive/2008/01/09/shouse-signs-one-year-deal.aspx

The brewers and free agent Eric Gagne completed there 1 yr. 10 million dollar deal today after he passes his physical at Miller Park today. His press conference is scheduled for 6:30.

The brewers did not announce what player will be moved from the 40-man roster.

http://blogs.jsonline.com/brewers/archive/2007/12/10/gagne-passes-physical-deal-is-official.aspx

Its gonna be Shane Youman vs. Dave Bush. 6:05 start time. Lets chatter up!!!
Today we made our september call-ups.
Recalled utility man Vinny Rottino and RHP Carlos Villanueva from Triple-A Nashville, and purchased the contracts of RHP Chris Spurling and LHP Mitch Stetter from Nashville; purchased the contract of OF Mel Stocker from Double-A Huntsville; transferred 3B Corey Koskie to the 60-day disabled list; added Charlie Green to the coaching staff.

Here is the lineup
Weeks
Hardy
Braun
Fielder
Hart
Mench
Estrada
Hall
Bush
I wonder when Hall starts seeing the ball where hes gonna bat. It probably will change EVERYDAY. Does anyone know where Jeff is?

Tony Graffanino is done for the year. He torn his ACL in yesterday game. Graffanino will undergo surgery as soon as his swelling subsides, according to a team spokesman. The Brewers have re-called Rickie Weeks from triple-A Nashville. He was batting 10-22.
"He's obviously a big part of this team," said fellow veteran utility man Craig Counsell.

Update [2007-8-9 20:4:8 by battlekow]: link

A report today has LHP Manny Parra coming to the big club. RHP Chris Spuling had to leave due to family reasons. Parra pitched a perfect game in his second triple A game. Parra will most likely be in the pen. Maybe if Cappy still continues to struggle, Parra maybe the guy to fill his spot. All of these young pitchers that are up with the brewers can really help the depth when it comes to october and there arms will probably not fatigue. This has not been confirmed. Doug Melvin said that Chris Spurling might be able to pitch tonight. This can not be confirmed until around 12 noon. Para traveled to Milwaukee on Sunday night. But the team was still in a holding pattern on Monday morning, general manager Doug Melvin said. Right-handed reliever Chris Spurling left the team Sunday to tend to a family emergency and could return for the start of Monday's game. Parra went 7-3 with a 2.63 ERA in 13 starts with Double-A Huntsville before a promotion to Nashville. He went 3-1 with a 1.74 ERA in four starts with the Sounds, including an 11-strikeout perfect game at Round Rock on June 25. He has not pitched since July 6.

We all know we had a tough weekend with the Cubs. We all know we should have won the series, but no body can be perfect when it comes to saves. On the bright side we are still 6 and half games in front of the stinking Cubs.
Today we face the pirates. We have had bad luck in the past at PNC park. To break that bad luck we look towards Suppan. Maybe he can have a great start and we put up 10 runs on that bad pitching they have.
For the pirates, they send out right handing pitcher John Van Benschoten . He is 0-2 with a 4.30 ERA.
Go Brewers!

We finally got rid of jose capellan. He was traded to the tigers for a minor league pitcher. The Brewers received 23-year-old left-hander Chris Cody, who was selected by Detroit in the eighth round of the 2006 Draft and has spent most of 2007 with Class A West Michigan but recently was promoted to advanced Class A Lakeland. He was 5-6 with a 1.89 ERA in 15 starts and had 95 strikeouts and 16 walks and was a Midwest League All-Star.

The brewers former first base coach Dave Nelson will now be an analyst for FSN this upcomming season.
He will be on the pre game and post game shows.

"I am ecstatic about coming back to the Brewers," Nelson said in a statement released by the team on Tuesday. "When the opportunity first presented itself, I thought it was an outstanding position, because I have a special affinity for the Brewers organization and the city of Milwaukee. This role will be both challenging and exciting, and I am looking forward to beginning this new experience."

This should be interesting!!!!

It is time for the brewers to catch the cardnials. With Pujols out the Cardnials lost half of their home runs, half of their runs, and half of their RBIs. Without Pujols its time for the brewers to take a step and catch up to them and make them earn their way to the playoffs this year. The brewers need to play some good ball in order to catch up but if fielder and Lee start hitting and hitting often i think we could contend in this years playoffs and beat the Cardnials for the central divison title that the brewers hasnt gotten for over a decade. Its time to prove all the sports writters wrong and show them how good of a team Milwaukee has. I kno the brewers just broke a 8 game loosing streak but how they broke it was how they played before the loosing streak and i think with that win they can bounce back and get over 500 and cath the Cardnials. The Cardnials lost today in the 9th with a 3-run homer from ken griffy jr. The reds won of the score of 8-7.

brewers need to trade some prospects for some relievers to help them get back into the division race. It is a good time to get back in it while Albert Pujols is gone. The brewers have one of the highest team ERA in the big leagues. If they expect to be a playoff team they better pick it up. Maybe they should trade a propect for pitching, i dont know but if they do trade they shouldnt trade Carlos Lee because if they him probably no one would go to the game becasue people come to see him play. But they could trade jenkins or get him out of the 3 spot. Jenkins is really struggling this year against left-handed pitching and hes not hitting for average.