The season is halfway gone and most of us who frequent this establishment probably have some bridled enthusiasm about the Brewers' chances of getting a playoff berth in 2010.

Looking back at the erratic play from the defense, offense (eight shutouts), and pitching (twelve blown saves) thus far, it's amazing we can still see a good result possible.

I believe the rest of the season promises a lot to be excited about. What will the pitching corps look like in September? Who will be new to the lineup then? Where will Fielder and Hart be? How will we feel about management when the season is in the books?

I can't wait to take it all in!

OK, now we're getting a better feel about Jim Edmonds' decision to return to the ball, bat, glove and "cleats" action ahead this year, thanks to

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/D12-Nationals-phenom-Strasburg-demoted-to-minor?urn=mlb,229382

Being someone who has followed baseball since the days of Borchert Field, I must admit I like to see "old farts" get another chance. The interview (available in the link above) sends a message that Edmonds wants to be on the field more than two days a week. Well, I certainly hope so. Edmonds seems to be capable of filling the Gabe Kapler role of a couple of years ago. (Most here probably think Kapler was under-utilized during his stint in Milwaukee.)

If Braun, Gomez, and Hart are the regulars and Edmonds can play any outfield position, then both Hart (who is still figuring out if he can see) and Gomez (who is still figuring out how his talents fit the game) should have plenty of opportunities to watch the game while Edmonds shows them both how it's done. And Braun? Sit him in interleague games requiring a DH and put Edmonds in left.

Bottom line? Keep Edmonds and keep him busy. And on his off days? Let him instruct the other three on how to play outfield. Money well spent!

Of course, he was!  But, also of course, Suppan wasn't!

And then we can't forget about Giant hitters were helped as well?  But the Crew can't see worth crap at Miller Park day games.

Unless the Brewer hitters would like to chip into a fund to improve the background for them - to boost their all-important STATS?  Get the owners to chip in, as well.  The pitchers?  Except for Suppan, they probably like the background as is.  But please, let's not ask the taxpayers to chip into the fund....  They've more than done THEIR part.

Finally, did anyone ask Sadowski whether the glare had anything to do with his getting nailed in the leg by a Ryan Braun screamer yesterday?

Crashing into an outfield wall, getting an ankle torn up on a slide into second, outfielders colliding, falling into a dugout, getting beaned all can and will happen.  Add Miller Park glare to the baseball players' list of "safety" problems.

Ryan may, and probably does, have a point about glare.  He's made it.  Management heard him, lord knows.  Let's move on.... 

(There's no crying in baseball.)

I attended the Brewers game in Tucson Monday, more than I can say for the team, each member either opting for golf or a hot tub in Maricopa County or punching their time cards in Tucson.

Just thought I'd sign on to mention that there was a 25-30 mph wind heading out to left field, which accounted for all but one of Gallardo's go-fer balls.  Now, the Brewers had the same wind to aid their offensive effort, but not only came up short, they nicely kept the ball in the infield.  Props to the Rocks pitching corps?

Lastly, it was nice to see former Phillies catcher Sal Fasano in uniform.  He finally has recovered from that huge hit he took from JJ Hardy a few years back - you know, the one that crushed Hardy's ankle, wasn't it?  I can still feel the impact (shudder).....

8-]

I don't know about you but I think, before it's too late, we need to address the matter of the new manager's name. We got blind-sided with Brett Favre (it's fav-RAY, damn it!) and Dale Swaim er, Sveum seems to be yet another moniker off the phonetic charts.  I say it's time to take a stand for fandom and at the same time strike a blow for slick marketing. 

I conjure the name....THE SWAMI...for Dale Sw.. whatever.

Very rhyme-able.  Nice referencial possibilities, and I can see the visuals already.

Can't you hear Chris Berman intoning, "The Swami's men played small ball today to hand the Red Sox another loss in this best of seven...."?

Can we agree that Sveum won't cut it, as a name, and we here at BCB should launch an alternative asap.  Consider it a public service.....

It will take seven wins in the next twelve to get to the ninety win threshold, something that seemed almost guaranteed on August 1st.  Assuming that to be a laudable goal for a season that is unraveling a little later than usual, what kind of pitching rotation would be the best option?

Can we get more out of CC and Sheets rather than using them with four days rest, as was Yost's routine ?  Starting CC and Sheets in games 1 and 2 is already going to happen, but they should be starting games 5 and 6, as well as 9 and 10 and CC for the final regular season game.   That's seven games with the best chance to get to 90 wins.  Whadya think?

 

About a week ago, I posted some basic stats reflecting Fielder's inability to hit for average or power over the previous ten games.  Today's update indicates the situation has actually gotten worse.  Fielder is hitting .135 with a total of one extra base knock (a double) during the last ten games. He hit .228 for August and is at .115 for September.  

Fielder's lack of production affects how opposing pitches handle Braun's plate appearances no doubt. A quick peek at Braun's numbers over the same ten days is also disturbing.  While his BA of .297 continues apace with his output for the season, he has had no HRs, just two doubles, and a ridiculously-paltry one RBI over those ten games.

Yost's mantra of patience (which he used so frequently last year from July-Sept) is troublesome. Our two primary run producers are experiencing a significant power outage during the very time they must produce. Is patience the only option for the Brewers' on-field brain trust?

Are there no options other than to "stay the course?" Is it possible that both of these guys in their early twenties who play everyday are just a wee bit gassed?

Yost will look like a hero if/when Fielder "busts out."  Until then we wait.

 

While the Crew is 7-3 over the last ten games, Prince Fielder has not participated in the good times, as might be expected.  Yes, walks and occasionally advancing a runner have been part of the picture for Prince these days, but he has not had an extra base knock and is batting .150 in this ten game stretch.  Yesterday, he was Number 1 on the Fantasy league NOT hot list. 

Given his very slow start in April, what are we to expect?  He plays every day and is the keystone in the batting order. The situation needs monitoring....

We know Ralph Nader as a political figure.  But, in this interview read how professional sports has influenced his political thought and his personality.  You'll never guess what person's picture adorns his office wall - the only picture on the wall. 
I share Nader's love of professional sports and his outrage that the fan and taxpayer get treated the way they do.  Pro sports - one more reason to make every effort to disconnect money from power.  My guess is that Nader follows the game "from a distance" preferring not to directly support the ownership of any team. --HBB

Talkin’ Sports with Ralph Nader: link

[editor's note: please do not post the full text of articles.  post links, optionally with short (one paragraph, max) quotations.  more may be in violation of copyright law.]

Some professional ball players seem indestructible.  Brett Favre comes to mind of course. 

But others seem always on the verge of getting dinged up or suffering a season-ending trauma.  Here, Ben Sheets is always on the top of Brewers' fans list in this regard.

But I'm beginning to wonder if Rickey Weeks and JJ Hardy have the curse of living under the injury cloud.  It seems that this circumstance is not a matter of pure chance, being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Rather, I tend to believe that, while both have tremendous skill and native ability, they lack the physical makeup demanded by the game.  The stress of MLB level play has certainly taken its toll on players, and their teams take a big risk at making huge commitments to them.

In short, can Weeks and Hardy be relied on, from year to year, to perform at a high level of play?  Ultimately, will their roles be one of utility players, with more resilient players taking their places?

Ever since I can remember, projecting a player's stats after a third or half the season was part of the fun of baseball.  About this time each year I would multiply by three each stat to project how my favorite players will perform for the year.  Of course, this kind of projection is of little use other than it being fun to do. 

Last night was the 54th game: one-third of 2008 is history.  How are my guys (or yours) doing?

I invite you to look at the players numbers today, multiply by three each of the cumulative stats such as ABs, hits, SBs, etc  and then compare them with their career numbers and maybe your own expectations for them this year.  Are they on the right track?  What do they need to do to improve?  Or, better yet, why are they performing beyond expectations?  Lastly, what is the trend over their career?

Corey Hart?

Jason Kendall?

Bill Hall?

Jeff Suppan?

Mike Cameron?

Salomon Torres?

Rickey Weeks?

_____________ ?

Remember, it's just fun.

 

Piggly Wiggly Scouting Report Indicates J.J. Hardy Enjoys Rib-Eye Steaks

MILWAUKEE—A Piggly Wiggly-sponsored scouting report shown during an at-bat by Brewers shortstop J.J. Hardy Sunday indicated that his major weakness is a hankering for Piggly Wiggly-brand certified angus beef boneless rib-eye steaks, now just $4.99 a pound. "J.J. is very strong when it comes to purchasing three Ole El Paso Mexican Dinner Kits for $5, but he's struggled lately with Golden Flake-brand potato chips, as he hasn't bought a single bag since last August," said FSN North play-by-play announcer Brian Anderson, reading from the onscreen scouting report. "Perhaps [opposing Cardinals pitcher] Braden Looper can take advantage of the fact that J.J. does not like Tyson breaded chicken fingers." After Hardy grounded out to third base, Anderson called it a textbook case of Ronco vermicelli being on sale for 69 cents.

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/

piggly_wiggly_scouting?utm_source=onion_rss_daily

I'm offering this diary not because I love the Brewers or baseball in general (I love both, actually) but because I believe every fan of professional sports needs a gut check every now and then about "the state of pro sports."

Here's a link to today's DemocracyNow interview with Dave Zirin about his new book, "Welcome to the Terrordome." The business of sports - unmasked.  Give a listen. Be prepared to have some assumptions challenged.

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=07/06/12/1415238

Here's an intro to Dave Zirin:

"(Dave Zirin) has been called the best young sportswriter in the United States and is the country's foremost critic on sports" intersection with politics. He writes the weekly column "Edge of Sports" at edgeofsports.com and is a regular contributor to The Nation and Slam magazine."

Yesterday, Ned Yost declared JJ Hardy can get "20-25" home runs a year. Now, I don't know about you, but I want my guy in the two-hole to be totally focused on hitting gappers, in addition to hitting behind runners and working the count, not hitting home runs.  

Is every guy on this team supposed to be concentrating on maximizing his home run potential?   If so, look for lots of runners stranded and huge K numbers from this team. Boring!

Note of hope: Uecker reports that the Crew has had 41 doubles in 17 games.  400 doubles in a year?  Now THAT would be exciting baseball!

Mind you, all I know is what I read in the newspapers, BUT now that it seems certain that the White Sox will leave Tucson for the newly-built stadium in west suburban Phoenix (Glendale), just maybe the Brewers will take the vacant spot at Tucson Electric Park.

MLB has promised Tucson a replacement for the the Chisox.

The Brewers are lost among all the other teams in Phoenix. Tucson only has three teams, the Sox being the third.

JJ Hardy's hometown is Tucson!

Tucson is a lot like Milwaukee, a working class community.  Spring training began here sixty years ago with the Cleveland Indians at Hi-Corbett field (where the coaching staff sits outside the dugout within earshot).

It's cheaper to visit Tucson during the spring. Milwaukeeans appreciate that.

Anyway, as a Wisconsin snowbird in Tucson, I've got my fingers crossed that the gods will work on this scheme. I'm sure you'd see me at every home game!