| Al's Ramblings | |||
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Thursday, July 31, 2008 (7/31/2008 10:10:00 PM) - Al Just when you think it's either Pawlenty or Romney, Sarah Palin's name returns, and while she does not fit many of my views, her pro-gun, rather by-the-book conservative positions...not to mention her youth and dare I say, attractiveness (at least compared to Mitt:), make her an exciting pick. 7/31/2008 10:10:00 PM (7/31/2008 09:13:00 PM) - Al So, I need some time to tell the tale of my lawn mower. Last Sunday, I was out mowing the back yard for the first time in 3-4 weeks (bless hot, dry weather!). Suddenly, I noticed the push bar thing had a lot of "play" in it...it wiggled a lot. After studying it a couple times, I noticed that a nut had disappeared, leaving only the bolt. After another pass, the bolt had fallen out as well. I did some of the taller grass and called it good. Today, I had some time, as I was waiting to pick up my dog at the groomer, as his hair had started to fall out in clumps worthy of fast food burger size. I stopped by a giant home building warehouse store, which happens to be based out of Eau Claire, to pick up a little bag of bolts. First of all, allow me to say that those stores at insanely huge. Gigantic. Being a normal fella, I rarely ask for help, and there was no rush anyway. I wandered down one walkway and saw a sign that said "nuts and bolts"...I noticed it was aisle, or counter 113. Shaking my head at that number, I stepped into the largest assortment of mostly silver colored bolts I'd ever seen. Of course, I had lost the one that fell out, so all I had was a rough guesstimate of the size. Thankfully, I figured that if I bought a size too small, it would still be a temporary fix, so I told myself to think little. I settled on a bag, 5 for 82 cents. {Back when I was a boy, one could buy a few nuts and bolts for no more than 59 cents. I blame the speculators and n&b companies myself, because I lack even the most remote knowledge of economics, but hence, I digress.} On my way out, I also bought a gallon of windshield wash that promised to remove bugs nicely, as my wife's Vue is a bug magnet, despite the plastic shield which promises to deflect the 6 legged creatures high into the air (which is never bug covered, I might add). So, after the game today, I went out and filled up both vehicles with bug gunk remover (or, quite likely, water and alcohol with green color added), and then pulled out a bolt...imagine my shock when it fit the hole perfectly! With some idea of what it feels like to be a man, I tightened it and the other side with the screwdriver, and decided to start the mower and test it by finishing the back lawn. The bolt worked fine, though it was a bit hot and humid for such outdoor activity, regardless of the length. After about 20-25 minutes or so, I walked in the house with my T-shirt as wet as if I had jumped in the pool. It occurred to me that some people choose to do stuff outdoors in this heat. On the news tonight, the weather guy said it has not hit 90 yet, though it may this weekend. If only I lived in Anchorage. 7/31/2008 09:13:00 PM (7/31/2008 07:35:00 PM) - Al Time to talk folks in off the ledge. After a down homestand, the Crew is no longer right up at the top of the NL and the NL Central. However, they still had a decent July (16-11) and heck, even a decent last 2 weeks, post all-star break (8-6). Of course, you can choose to ignore that and just look at the smallest sample possible, which is your right, but not a very intelligent move. It makes you look as dumb as Tom H, who has pretty much thrown most every player on the Crew under the bus at some point this season...apparently not able to comprehend that players have ups and downs during a 162 game campaign. As for the series versus the Cubs, you can pretty much write off much of it to superb pitching by the Cubs. The other two keys were the Cubs' ability to take a walk and work the count...both these things will be overlooked by most, because it's not sexy, but offensively, it is what allowed the Cubs to score. After three straight CG's, Sabathia couldn't even get through 7. Sheets and Parra also had their pitch counts get high quickly. Offhand, the only 3 Brewers that see a good amount of pitches per PA are much maligned; Weeks, Hall, and Kendall. Prince may be working his number up as well, as he is taking more walks. It's tough to be down on Braun about anything, as he is simply an extremely gifted young hitter, but he swings at everything. Hart has not been smacking the ball per usual, but he'll be fine. Cameron is not going to change at this point, and Hardy, while very solid since June, also did not get on much. Add that up, most of it was simply facing very good pitching. That also happened early in the year, it seemed like they were facing the opponent's top three every series. That'll balance out, as it did when some overreacted early. Simply put, the offense is what it is. I'd love to see a little more OBP, but they are first in SLG for a reason...they hit doubles and homers. Rather than being emotional about it, sometimes it is good to take a step back and see where they are at and where they "should be". After all, while still plenty of season remains, even more has been played. One look at the "expected records" tell you just what I have said many times...this team is very fortunate to be where they are. They are still the "luckiest" team in the NL, having won 5 more games than their runs scored and runs allowed suggest. Much of that can be directly traced to a 22-10 mark in one-run games. The best thing about this, however, is that it often does not balance out...there's only one-third of the season left, so hopefully those numbers do not "even" out in such a short stretch. And of course, the Crew is better now that they have Sabathia than they were much of the year. I just pointed out the other day that the Crew was tied for the best record despite being 7th and 5th in offense and pitching...this team has overachieved most of the season. That said, when you're above average in both scoring and preventing runs, you're likely to be in the thick of the playoff race, and that's exactly where they are. Hopefully, that's where they will remain. SL is losing tonight, so as of this second, the Crew is tied for the wildcard lead. For all the negative thoughts and such, this past week just balanced out the previous one. It's all about the next 2 months, and while some discuss momentum, that and 50 cents will buy you a paper...as momentum means nothing when compared to the starting pitchers. Finally, it is strange to say, but much like the New York Giants run of success on the road, I have to feel this is a good time for the Crew to take a road trip. They'll be alone with their thoughts and task at hand, rather than the circus atmosphere that press that feels 4 out of 162 games are magically "more important" creates. We'll see what happens, and time will tell how many wins the team emerges with. I do feel that the offense will rebound when they face "mediocre" arms again. Ironically, more of those bloops and grounders will find holes then as well...I can't say I get it either, but they will. Luckily, there's a little more room on the bandwagon for the rest of us. Sadly, we're left to hope it fills up yet again. 7/31/2008 07:35:00 PM (7/31/2008 05:03:00 PM) - Al Manny to LA, Bay to Boston. LA wins that easily for '08, but the Red Sox should be fine as well. 7/31/2008 05:03:00 PM (7/31/2008 02:22:00 PM) - Al Manny's deal may be off, but PIT still deals Jason Bay, to TB for 2 major league ready kids. UPDATE: Hold on, the Manny deal may be back on and take this one off the board. 7/31/2008 02:22:00 PM (7/31/2008 01:03:00 PM) - Al I will be writing a state of the team post tonight, after the current series is over. In the meantime, keep checking MLBTR until the deadline. Art Rhodes went to the Marlins, so it was rumored Eddie Guardado was of interest to the Crew. 7/31/2008 01:03:00 PM Wednesday, July 30, 2008 (7/30/2008 10:54:00 PM) - Al If this huge trade goes down, it's the blockbuster of the year. EDIT: I really like what the new GM in PIT has done. He inherited a team with no present and no future, and he's added several solid youngsters...and he is not afraid to go from a 70 win team to 65 wins, because he's getting younger and cheaper. UPDATE: Supposedly done. 7/30/2008 10:54:00 PM (7/30/2008 10:22:00 PM) - Al At the very least, Rhodes is the closest to a sure-thing trade you're ever going to get on a team as bad as the Mariners. They have to deal him. You have a shot at getting a young possibility back and that's better than clinging to an old one that isn't going to help this team when it matters. I'd say it's down to the Marlins and Brewers, both of which are also scouting Eddie Guardado. One will wind up with Florida, the other with Milwaukee.--Seattle Times I admit, I do not know what would happen if the Crew did add a reliever...Mota has pitched well of late, and no one appears injured. Heck, if he's DFA'd, Mota, who is throwing 95-96 consistently, would garner as much interest as Rhodes and Guardado, I would think. 7/30/2008 10:22:00 PM (7/30/2008 09:31:00 PM) - Al I doubt if this is the case, but I'll throw it out there, as the angst of the average Brewers' fan is probably approaching levels not seen since Cory was chasing Topanga... {somewhere, there's someone that will be very impressed I worked in a Boy Meets World reference, but anyone that knows me realizes I only do so to link to this image of Danielle Fishel} ...but word is COL is still discussing Brain Fuentes with teams, looking for a young SP. Meanwhile, Carlos V pitched for the second night in a row, which I do not recall him doing all year. Fuentes is without a doubt the top lefty reliever on the market, and probably the best reliever. However, CV is cheap and effective...and will be around a long time, unless the Crew decides otherwise. 7/30/2008 09:31:00 PM (7/30/2008 09:13:00 PM) - Al Oof. If only the government can save us. 7/30/2008 09:13:00 PM (7/30/2008 09:04:00 PM) - Al Michelle Wie needs to do whatever she wants to do. Who cares what a bunch of old fogies think? 7/30/2008 09:04:00 PM (7/30/2008 07:48:00 PM) - Al Not sure what Bill meant that no runs should have scored for the Cubs in the first...the run scored on a wild pitch, which was a pitch in the dirt. What's amazing is that the batter also swung at it, despite it being several feet away from the strike zone. Also, saying Ryan Braun doesn't swing at pitches that far out of the zone? Ryan swings at that all the time...that's why many of us wonder how good he may be as he matures and adds plate discipline to his skills. He's one of the best hitters in the game, and he seems to have little knowledge of the strike zone. 7/30/2008 07:48:00 PM (7/30/2008 07:44:00 PM) - Al Hollywood against Obama? That's gotta be a short list. Just driving in Jon Voight's car... 7/30/2008 07:44:00 PM (7/30/2008 03:43:00 PM) - Al Pudge to the Yankees for Kyle Farnsworth. How the mighty have fallen. Hard to believe IRod is now worth a volatile, yet talented reliever who'll throw 25 innings the rest of the year. 7/30/2008 03:43:00 PM (7/30/2008 08:50:00 AM) - Al I see Evan Bayh has made the "short list", but seems to be well behind others. I can't believe anyone else is being considered. He seems to "fit" very well, and is a respected Dem. Of course, he also supported Clinton. 7/30/2008 08:50:00 AM (7/30/2008 08:49:00 AM) - Al Glenn with some interesting stuff, on "big worry items" that are a waste of time, as well as how "green" seems to be very uncool all of a sudden. 7/30/2008 08:49:00 AM (7/30/2008 08:15:00 AM) - Al CC takes out an ad in the CLE paper thanking the fans there. 7/30/2008 08:15:00 AM (7/30/2008 08:08:00 AM) - Al Brewers scout Chris Bourjos followed the Giants from San Francisco to Los Angeles this week, prompting some to wonder whether Milwaukee still had interest in left-hander and Wisconsin native Jack Taschner. Don't make too much of Bourjos' presence, said Brewers pro scouting director Dick Groch, who said it was just part of the team's "regular coverage"--MLB.com They just keep popping up in rumors about Taschner and Arthur Rhodes of SEA. That's probably not a coincidence. That said, with Mota pitching better of late, I'm not sure they'd have a spot. They might just be looking in case of injury. 7/30/2008 08:08:00 AM Tuesday, July 29, 2008 (7/29/2008 09:41:00 PM) - Al This is quite an unimpressive haul for a top 1B...I would just as soon have the two draft picks. EDIT/BUMP: I did not word that very well. Kotchman and the hard throwing relief guy are probably much better than the average 2 high draft picks. However, I'd much rather have the upgrade at 1B for 2 months and the 2 picks than those players. Just underwhelming. 7/29/2008 09:41:00 PM (7/29/2008 08:08:00 PM) - Al I had a busy day at work today, and did not get home until about dinner time, so I'm not much in a blogging mood this evening. We'll see if that continues, or if I make some posts for later. 7/29/2008 08:08:00 PM (7/29/2008 07:04:00 PM) - Al Jake Tapper researches what Obama said about the surge early on and what he claims he said. That's some good research by, gasp, ABC. I do specifically recall Harry Reid calling it a failure and someone mentioning the next day that, in reality, it had not began yet. 7/29/2008 07:04:00 PM Monday, July 28, 2008 (7/28/2008 10:34:00 PM) - Al Just didn't quite get enough from the guys tonight. CC couldn't get through 7 before throwing 120 pitches, Rickie rushed his throw to 1B, Sal threw 40 pitches in a single frame while walking a pair...both scored by the way. Marmol is one of those guys you pretty much just have to guess and hope. Hall chasing ball four really hurt...you only get so many chances against a guy like that who has his good stuff. 7/28/2008 10:34:00 PM (7/28/2008 10:12:00 PM) - Al Those walks will kill you. Giving the opponent free baserunners never shuts 'em down. Never. I think Sal got caught up in trying to pitch to their weaknesses, rather than his strengths. Sometimes, you just have to go with your best pitch and tip your cap if they hit it. 7/28/2008 10:12:00 PM (7/28/2008 08:04:00 PM) - Al My wife and I wish to attend the 8/20 matinee, but are having trouble getting tickets. Anything in the lower 3 decks at face or below would be dandy. Send me an e-mail if you know of any. 7/28/2008 08:04:00 PM (7/28/2008 07:48:00 PM) - Al Adam tells us the Crew will break their attendance record this week and that 3M is within reach. Tickets continue to sell briskly and the people are now moving into September to buy. 7/28/2008 07:48:00 PM (7/28/2008 07:40:00 PM) - Al Scott Eyre is finally available, but I don't see the Cubs talking to the Crew about him. The Brewers had interest in Eyre as a FA before '06, and would still like him, I would assume. 7/28/2008 07:40:00 PM (7/28/2008 07:20:00 PM) - Al Turnbow has a slight tear of his rotator cuff. You gotta wonder if that has affected his control, but you wonder how it did not cause him a lot of pain. 7/28/2008 07:20:00 PM (7/28/2008 03:49:00 PM) - Al Al, Your experience at a Cubs/Brewers game is completely different than most people that I know who have gone to these games. I purposely avoid them now. So do my parents. Clearly there is bad behavior on both sides of it, but when the Cubs come to MP, their fans tend to act more poorly than any other group of fans I have ever witnessed, and it leads to equally bad behavior from Brewer fans too, unfortunately. Minnesota and St. Louis fans show up at MP in great numbers, yet I have never seen the kind of behavior that I have from Cubs fans. Cheering for your team and against the other is obviously just fine, but to verbally abuse women in front of their children and other such behavior is way over the top. Chris I cannot speak for others, but I had no issues at all at the game I attended. One elderly couple told me they much preferred Miller Park because of the roof and how "small" Wrigley was. That was my only interaction with any of their fans, as I arrived late, right after they opened the disabled sections to the public, so I sat in a handicapable section on a nice comfy chair all by myself. 7/28/2008 03:49:00 PM (7/28/2008 02:28:00 PM) - Al Al, Not sure how many responses you're getting to your post about the Cubs series just being another round of games, but as much as I tried to resist, I feel compelled to write. I don't expect to change your mind or anything, but ... well, I just couldn't resist. I've learned a better, more rational way of following the Brewers throughout the ups and downs of a season from reading your blog, but I can't let my head take over my heart when it comes to the Cubs. Of course, there's nothing wrong from the Brewers' perspective with getting in as the wild card. And, yes, there's not much point in getting into a frothing, crazed anger if they drop 3 of 4 this week or somehow fail to conquer the big boys from Chicago. But at a certain point, rational detachment about the situation removes all the fun out of it. These are the Cubs, dang-it! Shouting and yelling and cheering against them at every turn is part of what has made these past two seasons so thrilling. Maybe I'm just too close to everything down here. After all, I live 10 minutes from Miller Park, could drive to Wrigley Field much quicker than I could get to wherever you are (just guessing on location from previous blog posts), and I have friends in Chicago and Milwaukee I see and talk with regularly who are Cubs fans. That by no means makes me more a fan than you or anyone else, but it just all becomes part of the daily experience. As a fan who invests probably more time in the Brewers than is entirely healthy, I want to see them beat the tar out of the Cubs. Also, a Brewers/Cubs game at Miller Park in 2003 turned into the single most-unenjoyable experience I've ever had in my life when I left the house for the purposes of seeking entertainment – and it was on a free ticket, no less. The place was overrun by Cubs fans, an early inning Richie Sexson walk on a close call on 3-2 produced the loudest boos I've ever heard in the stadium, and late in the game, Troy O'Leary hit a 3-run HR to put the Cubs up something like 10-2. He got a standing ovation and damn near a curtain call. To top it off, there was a group of middle-aged women sitting behind us who were clearly having an innocent, fun girls' night out, and a few drunken Cubs fans in their early 20s spent most of the night heckling these poor women. Mocking them and jeering them for being Brewers fans. It sealed the deal for me forever. Hate the Cubs, hate their fans and want to see them lose at every turn. I know they're going to come up here in force and cheer loudly for their team, but I want to see them lose. And I want the Brewers to be the team that takes them out. It's what makes it so much more fun to get foolisly wrapped up in all this. But, since I'm a little smarter these days, I'll concede your point that no matter how Milwaukee ends up in the post-season, as long as they somehow get there, I'll be happy. Jim I attended one Cubs/Brewers game, and witnessed no poor behavior at all, and the crowd was split about evenly. I'll have to see what I wrote about it. There's nothing wrong with having a special rivalry, but let's keep it fun. That said, I have to believe Cubs' fans don't see it as much of a rivalry, or at least well behind the Cardinals and White Sox. That alone makes me feel it is a bit of a one-sided thing, which is just sad. 7/28/2008 02:28:00 PM (7/28/2008 12:59:00 PM) - Al ...I also thought of how much I enjoy your blog – even when you don’t have much to say, new morsels show up constantly, and I love that.... An exchange from a frequent e-mailer, and despite it being complimentary, I don't think I'll ever use the signature... Ramblings, posts even when there's nothing to say ...anytime soon.:) 7/28/2008 12:59:00 PM (7/28/2008 11:33:00 AM) - Al On Saturday, though, McCain released a new television advertisement in which the announcer says that on his trip, Obama "made time to go to the gym, but canceled a visit with wounded troops. Seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras." "John McCain is always there for our troops," adds the announcer, before concluding with the campaign’s new slogan: "McCain, country first." I think the gloves are off. McCain has "held back" and tried to be the guy above the fray, until now. I'm not sure why Obama did not visit troops, but I am very much in doubt that cameras played a role. I think we'll even see stuff mentioning McCain's age, or "length of his experience" as they might put it. Don't think anyone is going to be Mr. Nice Guy now. 7/28/2008 11:33:00 AM (7/28/2008 10:21:00 AM) - Al Again, I fail to see the fascination with this upcoming Cubs series. If the wildcard did not exist, then I'd "get it". However, there is one, and I am aware that 90 wins will get you right in the wildcard race. Hence, my big thing is to build a team capable of 90 victories, not worrying about which games you win and the like. Obviously, I need to think more with my heart and less with my head. 7/28/2008 10:21:00 AM Sunday, July 27, 2008 (7/27/2008 10:17:00 PM) - Al In a bit of unusual scheduling, the Cubs are making their first visit of the season to Milwaukee. The Brewers played two series in Chicago in April - why play under the comfort of a roof that time of year - and took two of three both times.--Tom H, JS I'm sure the Brewers would have just been giddy to play even more home games in April and lose dates in July...talk about no comprehension of baseball or business. The guy is a "casual" journalist, to be kind. 7/27/2008 10:17:00 PM (7/27/2008 06:59:00 PM) - Al No doubt about it. It's good to see someone else notices how bad the scoring is. It's really sickening listening to all of the local media kiss the scorer's butt--he's a high school baseball coach in the area, and has been so for many many years. The local 24 hr sports station WSSP morning show was talking about him the other day. So we continue to hear about what an excellent job this coach does, etc. Not even close, it's brutal! Love the blog! Always my first read of the day after I get home from work! Thanks. Gregg I'm not sure anyone who watches a handful of games can think he's anything but a fool. His constant changing of calls is priceless, in a "how can anyone be so dumb" kind of way. 7/27/2008 06:59:00 PM (7/27/2008 06:52:00 PM) - Al Al, You frequently use a saying about never being as good as when things are going good, and never being as bad as when things are going bad. Did you get that from somewhere or is that a Al original? If so, whats the exact wording you use for that? I'm on a constant quest to educate my fellow fans who some come for the bucket of casual fans, others from the slightly enlightened and still others who THINK they are educated fans, but are just loving our current success. They seem to jump ship at the first possible chance, and vice versa when we start winning. I actually had a discussion with one of these said fans today about the educated fans lack of "rage" when a "bad" decision is made in a baseball game. Football fans are quick to react at a poor play call or poor pass attempt because there are so few decisions over a year when compared to baseball. The fact is that Ned leaving Soup in today was just that, 1 decision of over 1 bajillion that Ned might have been wrong on, however, if we were to break down ever decision Ned made this year, and then looked at the outcome, I'm assuming he's doing a.o.k. considering our record. Keep fighting the good fight, and I'll keep reading religiously. I think another emailer said it today, but isn't this great? Sell outs during the week, airtime on ESPN, people talking about the Brewers as CONTENDERS?!!?! I've always been sad that I wasn't alive, or even thought of during the '82 series, however, I'm extremely happy I'm witnessing this stretch of 3 or 4 years we've had here in Milwaukee. Truly amazing to watch these youngsters come along (youngsters? they are all the same age as me!) remember when JJ hardy was a .200 hitter and seemed to be nothing more than serviceable?? Keep it up Al, and please get back to me about that quote. Thanks. Scott I'm all but positive it's not mine, but I have used it enough to earn some sort of ownership. I think even Bill S has used it on TV, or a reasonable facsimile. The version I use is exactly that, "you're not as good as you think you are when you're going good, and you're not as bad as you think you are when you're going bad". The funny thing about that is it shows just how uneducated many fans are, as well as a guy like Tom H, who just automatically assumes any other pitcher would have got out of the inning better and easier (despite, as it turns out, plenty of evidence to the contrary, as McClung struggled as well). As I said then, when you give up a bunt single, a bloop hit, ground balls through the hole, you're bound to give up a lot of runs. Sometimes, it's just not your day. 7/27/2008 06:52:00 PM (7/27/2008 04:31:00 PM) - Al Profile of Mike Coolbaugh's family a year after his death. Irony galore, his brother coaches 1B in the minors now. 7/27/2008 04:31:00 PM (7/27/2008 04:10:00 PM) - Al I sure wish the Crew a guy "struggling" like Manny Ramirez...who is not only having a great season, but is in the midst of his best month. I don't know all the back story, but I can't say I care to either...I'm sure the vast majority of it is overblown hooey. 7/27/2008 04:10:00 PM (7/27/2008 03:16:00 PM) - Al I believe the official scorer at Miller Park just set a new low for himself, calling that shot that bounced a foot in front of Rickie an error. The scoring at MP is, without a doubt, the worst I've ever seen. UPDATE: As always, it is changed later, yet still an embarrassment a human being with unlimited replays and time can so consistently make the incorrect call. It's almost like the real scorer leaves his drunken dad-in-law in the booth, and is only awakened from his nap to fix the obvious mistakes. 7/27/2008 03:16:00 PM (7/27/2008 02:52:00 PM) - Al Most of Suppan's troubles in the 5th can be traced to bad luck. A blooper by Ausmus falls in, the bunt single by Wolf being a pair of examples. Needless to say, there were a couple balls hit hard, but when a team gets 5-6 outs, most are going to score quite a few runs. Some folks choose to think a pitching change needs to be made when grounders sneak through the infield. I really can't say I do either. That said, that HR by Blum was a huge hit. 7/27/2008 02:52:00 PM (7/27/2008 02:30:00 PM) - Al Friend of Ramblings JR with a nice piece on Braun's defense as well as his bat. 7/27/2008 02:30:00 PM (7/27/2008 12:28:00 PM) - Al Personally, I think Anchorage is having near perfect weather this Summer. Heck, I keep the house at 70, so I'm not sure why they are depressed about it. 7/27/2008 12:28:00 PM (7/27/2008 12:04:00 PM) - Al Al, My wife and I took our son to his first game last night. First of all, while we were grilling with my in-laws before the game, who came by on a golf cart but the Miller High Life guy. People were chasing it around, women were pulling up their tops, I did not realize he was so popular. The park was as loud as I can imagine it when Braun hit his HR, and after Hart scored in the 8th, the place was just brimming with confidence, almost a "can't lose" feeling. The main reason I'm writing though is to wonder why there are so many empty seats? Some don't get there until the 4th, and some leave as early as the 6th or 7th, but even in the middle there were rows with 3 people in them. Keep up the good work. Kyle Windall, the delivery man, was on the TV broadcast last night, and also was in the crowd shot after the Braun HR, sweat stained shirt and all. I admit, I love his "For $13, I be a macadamia nut" line. Ticket brokers do sell about 1K tickets a game at the resale area, and many go unsold, especially when the game is listed as a sellout, as few people without tickets show up to games with no seats available. Some people never leave the parking lots, because they are the essence of casual fans, and many have "issues". Often, when people cannot make it, they do not bother giving away the extra seats. There's always people at the concession stand and other areas. Add all that up, 10% of the seats are probably always empty. 7/27/2008 12:04:00 PM (7/27/2008 11:44:00 AM) - Al John-Paul Flintoff writes...that compound interest should be banned in the interests of both global economic development and the global environment. His word, not mine; he is unequivocal about it. His argument proceeds elliptically; he points out that third world debt, unpaid, has multiplied at compound interest to absurd levels. He cites as authority a scholar on Islamic finance, for the view that the glories of Muslim Spain and the regions thereabout flourished without the payment of interest You can read the whole thing here. What's difficult to believe is that some scholar can think a simple change like this could "change the world" in any way. Bono has argued such debts just be waived entirely, showing why he's a pop singer and not running a business. Sam Kinison used to argue, rather effectively, that the "drought" that led to African famine was directly related to the fact that the area was a desert. It was said for comic effect, of course, but it makes as much sense as any of the idealistic ideas thrown forth by fellas that mean well, but have no clue whatsoever. What always boggles my mind is the idea that introducing business and dare I say, capitalism to these nations mostly run by corrupt governments, is never even discussed. The fact that in my lifetime, little to no progress has been made with more of the same, "let's build a perfect world with no poverty" ideas, it might be time to push out the old and in with the "radical" 7/27/2008 11:44:00 AM (7/27/2008 08:03:00 AM) - Al Al, Granted, it's just a Sun-Times reporter feeding material to an audience predisposed to want to hear these sorts of things, but I'm amused by stuff like this: "Meanwhile, Milwaukee is good but still doesn't have a closer or a manager." Of course, because taking a guy who never really closed before and turning him into a player who has become fairly devastating in that role is solely the province of the Chicago Cubs. Then, there's this on the Cubs faltering of late, struggling and not being as lights out as they were in April and May: "This is real, but not lasting. Reality can make for a better fairy tale, anyway." Yep, just a slight slump, Chicago. Pay no attention to how you couldn't maintain that 120-42 pace. Nothing to see here. Anyway, yeah ... loads and loads of fun right now. Jim The irony here is, I don't care at all about the Cubs. I said back in April that the odds of the final four game series meaning anything was tiny, and I still feel that way...although hopefully, it will push the Crew over 3M fans. SL and the other 2nd place clubs are my worries...although in reality, the Brewers can only control their own W's. Right now, and to be continued, I'm rooting equally against every NL team that's over .500. 7/27/2008 08:03:00 AM (7/27/2008 07:56:00 AM) - Al A pro-speculation viewpoint. On page 2, there's probably a story about a cat chasing a dog. 7/27/2008 07:56:00 AM (7/27/2008 07:47:00 AM) - Al Al, Coming home after just a fun summer night in Milwaukee where I walked into a place showing the game right before Braun hit the tying home run, I checked Ramblings to see your assessment of bringing guys like Ryan into the system. If MLB could roll back the last few months and open up all rosters, is there anyone besides Braun that would be in higher demand? It's just funny to me, still, how at the end of May I was fending off friends who demanded Yost be fired. They didn't want any part of my defenses that I tried to make for him, but here we are, about to enter the most-anticipated four-game series I can remember, and just about the last thing I could imagine any sane, rational person would say right now is, "Fire Yost." Anyway, I've been guilty of that in the past – to an extent – but I learned how to let go of my "casual" tendencies and take the long view. What can you do beyond soaking it in with once-in-a-generation talents like Braun? OK, nothing really to add beyond that. How great is this, though? There's a connection to be made – by someone more clever than me – with how the Brewers' hot streak is a great reason to dismiss all this Brett Favre drama that is needlessly occupying so much time. Enjoy the stuff we've been waiting for as fans for so long. We might not see anything like it again any time soon. Jim Drama? The only drama I see is the fact we have the media reporting on this in the same way they do a punch drunk boxer who isn't intelligent enough to know when to hang up their gloves. The season is still weeks away, and the "preseason" affairs they will try and pass off as games is the WWE without chairs being broken over heads. 'Tis a casual fan's delight.:) 7/27/2008 07:47:00 AM (7/27/2008 07:42:00 AM) - Al Al What are the odds that one of the McBush platoon could be part of a trade for a reliever? I'm fine with the platoon, but there are many doubters. Thoughts? Dan I don't see it. As of today, next year's rotation is what you see now, minus Sabathia and Sheets, plus Yo. Bush and McClung also could easily be very effective as a reliever as well...and at some point, when one steps up in the rotation, hopefully one will be this season. 7/27/2008 07:42:00 AM (7/27/2008 12:39:00 AM) - Al In closing, how happy are we that Jack Z is in charge of the draft, taking that Braun kid that can't play 3B and, wait for it... has a hitch in his swing.:) When Ryan is going good, he's probably as good as any player in the game. Some folks try to dream up ways of convincing a free agent to sign in MIL, but realistically, the only way to bring those guys into your system is through the draft. 7/27/2008 12:39:00 AM (7/27/2008 12:32:00 AM) - Al The Brewers now are 7th in runs scored and 5th in ERA in the NL...and are tied for the most wins. I'm no genius, and I'm the first to say they have been quite fortunate in the one-run games, but it must be tough for people to look at that combination of numbers and not give Ned a lot of credit. With little circuses currently going on in NY, PHIL, and BOS with star players either causing trouble or the media stirring the pot, or both, it's really something that MIL has not had anything like that in Ned's entire reign. 7/27/2008 12:32:00 AM (7/27/2008 12:20:00 AM) - Al I'm sure Kendall is throwing better as well, but how much do you want to bet the Brewers' staff is holding runners on much better than last year? 7/27/2008 12:20:00 AM Saturday, July 26, 2008 (7/26/2008 11:54:00 PM) - Al I remember reading often last Fall that the way you could tell Iraq was going well is that it was never in the news anymore. Almost on cue to prove they are out of touch they are, Glenn tells us even the AP has declared victory. What's strange is that it has already been declared "lost" many times by people with a 11% popularity rating. Hmmm. 7/26/2008 11:54:00 PM (7/26/2008 10:13:00 PM) - Al The Rambling wife left myself and the Rambling son to our own devices over the weekend, as she went to spend her time at my family's, seeing various stages of demo and building at their neighbor's Extreme Home Makeover. This morning, I took the 6 year-old to downtown Wausau, where we took a walk around the American Veterans Traveling Tribute, which is mostly a replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall, with some other features. I have never sat down and explained war to the little fella, but he seems to grasp that it means "fighting" and such, though I don't think he gets the whole death aspect. We spent much of our time looking at the smaller tribute to the current battle in Iraq, which has a dog tag from each soldier and Marine killed in action in large shadowboxes. Being rather lucky, I guess, I did not lose anyone close to me in either war, but when I saw the Iraq deaths were arranged in chronological order, I remembered Bobby Warns, whose moving tribute is always a click away on the sidebar, and which never fails to generate many e-mails every time I mention it. I could not recall if he was KIA in '03 or '04, but I thought it was either November or December, and quickly came upon his dog tag. [I took pictures of it, and hope to get one of them posted when my computer literate wife returns.] It's kind of funny, I never spent one second with Warns, nor have I discussed his life with anyone since he died. I have talked to many folks who say how much they enjoy the tribute, and how well it is done, and that's about it. Still, when I came across his dog tag, it seemed like I had found an old friend's. There were many folks who were leaving flowers on the ground, a few flags, and strangely, a few pictures were left behind as well...they looked new, so I assumed they were current family pics and grandkids, and such. On the news tonight, it was mentioned how quiet it was, and I told the little fella a couple times to quit reading names he recognized, as it may offend someone. I would heartily anyone in the area stop by tomorrow, as they start taking it down Monday morning. It was right next to the downtown farmer's market, so we toured and purchased some new potatoes and a small pork roast, which I intended to turn into chops, but when I opened it up when I got home, I saw I had purchased a near perfect specimen, which could only be truly enjoyed by putting it in the slow cooker for 10 hours, low and slow. I took it out to "rest" at 10, and have twice peeled a small piece off, and it is indeed utopian. I will soon be enjoying my late dinner with biscuits and gravy...any wonder why I am seriously considering another eating "plan" soon? 7/26/2008 10:13:00 PM (7/26/2008 10:00:00 PM) - Al The JS comes to the conclusion that the Crew is a better team when they hit a HR. That is some deep journalism, my friends. 7/26/2008 10:00:00 PM (7/26/2008 06:44:00 PM) - Al The Brewers still have scouts out and about...one was watching Arthur Rhodes last night. Many folks seem to be confusing "not willing to trade a premium prospect" for not willing to trade. 7/26/2008 06:44:00 PM (7/26/2008 01:14:00 PM) - Al Glenn links this, and I admit, I'd never heard of it either...though I have seen many pics of his other daughter, Meghan. 7/26/2008 01:14:00 PM (7/26/2008 12:34:00 PM) - Al Let me tell you, it's a bustling trade market when Casey Blake is a desired corner OF. I like Blake as a 3B, and he is having a nice season, but he sure is a step down from a big bat. 7/26/2008 12:34:00 PM (7/26/2008 12:28:00 PM) - Al One scout (said) as many as 10 teams, mainly those with relievers available, are scouting Huntsville’s current series at Carolina. Doug also says he has no interest in Jarrod Washburn of SEA, though he talked to them before CC was acquired. He has no interest in dealing anymore top prospects for relievers, pointing out Carlos V never even got in a game in SL. I had an e-mailer ask if I thought the Crew might go down to 11 pitchers, and if man #12 had options, it would be possible. However, McClung can't go down to get work, and Mota has no options either. They are stuck with 12, even though they have not needed a dozen arms since the day Sabathia put on a uniform. 7/26/2008 12:28:00 PM Friday, July 25, 2008 (7/25/2008 11:29:00 PM) - Al Found this while looking for something else...Kevin Smith verbally destroys a guy at a Q&A session. FYI, contains adult language. 7/25/2008 11:29:00 PM (7/25/2008 08:53:00 PM) - Al It will be interesting to hear Obama's response to this, as I'd say this is McCain's best chance of making headway...repeating this same piece at every stop, every single day. To be honest, Obama does not a lot of history to judge him by...McCain should take this one item and keep pounding with it. 7/25/2008 08:53:00 PM (7/25/2008 07:51:00 PM) - Al I had actually forgotten about this, what with the winning streak and college-aged women chanting my name on the front lawn. Or one of those. 7/25/2008 07:51:00 PM (7/25/2008 07:25:00 PM) - Al Yankees pick up Nady and Marte from the Pirates. Now that's a big trade. 7/25/2008 07:25:00 PM (7/25/2008 07:17:00 PM) - Al Doug, as he's said before, says he likes his bullpen and is not going to trade a premium prospect for a reliever. 7/25/2008 07:17:00 PM (7/25/2008 07:05:00 PM) - Al Al, You were on top of this 3 million attendance mark before anyone else. I give you a lot of credit for that. On Tuesday at 1:45pm I was headed home from a meeting in Milwaukee and stopped at MP to exchange some of my 9-pack seats for a late-September game. They had 6 ticket windows open and staffed, and there were 10 other people spread across those 6 lines. This was 1:45pm on a Tuesday with the Brewers in the middle of a road trip. Five or ten years ago, I bet you had to ring a bell to get someone to sell you tickets in person on a weekday like that. One other thing...looking ahead to the Cubs series, have you looked at Fukudome's home/road splits? I had no idea how much his production drops off away from Wrigley: OBP SLG OPS Home .450 .522 .972 Away .323 .303 .625 He also has a .566 OPS for the month of July. I'm guessing that means we're going to pitch to him. Thanks as always for the great Brewers coverage. -Adam Thanks for the kind words, Adam. Fukudome is likely wearing down, he is not used to playing every day, 100 games in 112 days, getting done with a game at 10PM, flying from 12-4AM, getting to your hotel at 6AM, and then being at the ballpark at 4PM, ready to face Brandon Webb. I seem to recall Ichiro's numbers dropping in late season as well. EDIT: Yep. 7/25/2008 07:05:00 PM (7/25/2008 06:41:00 PM) - Al An e-mail today brings a couple great links, including this one about a woman who has a bijillion dollars of credit card debt...money quote: GE Money Bank levied 27 percent on the $1,500 or so that Ms. McLeod owed on an account she had with a local jewelry store Luckily, she has shiny pieces of somewhat rare metal to wear as she fields many phone calls from her creditors...oof. Also, yet another article that feels free markets are a positive and not to blame for oil prices. Who knows, maybe they'll discover that markets did not suddenly stop working after 225 years of smooth sailing. 7/25/2008 06:41:00 PM (7/25/2008 11:15:00 AM) - Al NPR with a heart tugging piece on how one family can no longer afford meat in this economy. Not a single person at NPR felt that maybe, just maybe, they should run this piece sans photo, huh? 7/25/2008 11:15:00 AM (7/25/2008 10:35:00 AM) - Al Most page views in a month ever, and soon to be the most visits...and what, it's the 25th? Double jeepers. Thanks for visiting, and a special thanks to Jason and Robert...and you know what? I think we'll celebrate with sellout 5 in a row...on the way to 14. Go Brewers. 7/25/2008 10:35:00 AM (7/25/2008 07:33:00 AM) - Al What a horrible sub-headline. Anyway, the team says they will break their record for all-time attendance next week, so that means they need to sell 130K the rest of the way. Sadly, the demand is easily there, but it will have to be done with the tickets remaining. 7/25/2008 07:33:00 AM Thursday, July 24, 2008 (7/24/2008 11:59:00 PM) - Al When Obama said he was a "citizen of Earth", I could only think of the Next Generation term, "Federation of Planets". He seems more popular overseas than he does here. On ABC News tonight, they openly wondered if being popular in Europe would hurt him in the US, where Europe is far from a role model. Even USAT is critical, with an editorial about what, 6-9 months late? EDIT: Despite evening newscasts that preach doom and gloom, Obama's lead keeps shrinking. Many seem to think he peaked far too early. 7/24/2008 11:59:00 PM (7/24/2008 11:07:00 PM) - Al Baseball Tonight says it is the first undefeated road trip 7 games or longer since 1999. Jeepers. 7/24/2008 11:07:00 PM (7/24/2008 10:44:00 PM) - Al I forgot to mention that while some pick on Ned for being pretty much emotionless, watching LaRussa lose his cool (yeah, who'd ever guess Ryan Braun would hit a HR?) pretty much informs your team that your manager isn't able to stay cool, it's tough to expect the team to. 7/24/2008 10:44:00 PM (7/24/2008 10:18:00 PM) - Al I won't say I predicted the win, but I admit, when I heard it was the top of the order up, I thought to myself, "If one guy gets on, they'll have to face both Ryan and Prince". Far from a guaranteed win, but when you have HR power, a bloop and a single bad pitch is all it takes. 7-0 road trips just don't happen very often. Enjoy it while it lasts. 7/24/2008 10:18:00 PM (7/24/2008 08:06:00 PM) - Al This continues the pattern of being very hard on reserves, and looking the other way with starters, from way back in the Alvarez days. 7/24/2008 08:06:00 PM (7/24/2008 03:10:00 PM) - Al Wow, the secret of the Brewers and Appleton eventually pairing has now hit the mainstream media...if that doesn't mean it's old news, I don't know what does. Risking a tampering violation, I'd say there is an "unofficial, official" agreement already in place. It will be great for many of us to be able to drive 90 minutes and see some future Brewers on the field in the Fox Valley. 7/24/2008 03:10:00 PM (7/24/2008 02:50:00 PM) - Al Doug says he is not pursuing Sherill or anyone else. If he is not willing to give up a top level prospect, the odds of him landing anyone is slim. As I predicted a while back, if he does add someone, it will be a veteran, unsexy guy like Chad Bradford. 7/24/2008 02:50:00 PM (7/24/2008 02:42:00 PM) - Al The Onion has a story today about CC and Prince, which as you might imagine, is heavily weighted (no pun intended) toward their build and size. I am not going to link to it because frankly, it's only funny if you are 8 or under. The truth is, CC and Prince, while certainly "big guys", are not in that bad of shape...actually, given both are top MLB players, it seems silly having to defend this fact. Some guys are naturally thin, some are fat, some are tall, some short. The Onion, whose writers I doubt can catch or throw a ball, should try and be funny rather than pick on people. 7/24/2008 02:42:00 PM (7/24/2008 02:30:00 PM) - Al This is making the site because not only is this woman a neighbor of my brother's family (heck, he's watching their dog), but the house being demolished used to be my grandpa's home, and it's where my dad was born. I've known she was in the running for months now, but was afraid to say anything. My brother reports everyone in the area is quite delighted for the family, though the intense security is difficult to get used to. I guess ID's are being checked at an entry point a mile or two away. Oh, I forgot to mention the irony that they were hoping the Klang family would win (the story at WSJ says they were not a finalist), not having any idea that their neighbor was also being considered and now, of course, their neighbor was chosen. 7/24/2008 02:30:00 PM (7/24/2008 02:07:00 PM) - Al I have no idea if Derrick's arm is 100% or not...but I can't believe they did not check before. 7/24/2008 02:07:00 PM (7/24/2008 12:05:00 PM) - Al Slate wonders about John Edwards, a story the media sees fit to ignore. Much like Michael Jackson paying off parents to drop a lawsuit, Edwards' behavior makes him appear guilty, even though he may have just have been visiting a female pal. In today's world, a DNA test is quick and easy to prove innocence, which is what I'd do if wrongly accused (in my case, I'm sure the woman would be the one up in arms at the accusation). 7/24/2008 12:05:00 PM (7/24/2008 12:03:00 PM) - Al Glenn with the line of the year..."but don't question their patriotism". 7/24/2008 12:03:00 PM (7/24/2008 12:26:00 AM) - Al All right, the bed is a callin'. A couple scheduled posts during the day tomorrow, enjoy your Thursday. 7/24/2008 12:26:00 AM Wednesday, July 23, 2008 (7/23/2008 11:37:00 PM) - Al MLBTR reports the Crew has been scouting George Sherill of the O's of late. 7/23/2008 11:37:00 PM (7/23/2008 11:31:00 PM) - Al Don Walker reports there are about 6K tickets left...for the upcoming 7 game homestand. I'm going to say this somewhat in jest, but Mark A needs to sit down with the folks who figured out how to add those prime seats in Fenway...if they could finagle an extra 1K seats, that's an extra 100K a season. 7/23/2008 11:31:00 PM (7/23/2008 11:11:00 PM) - Al According to BCB, Dale Sveum has had very few baserunners thrown out at home this year, among the fewest in MLB. What's funny about this is I read the other day how many runners Dale has had out at home...yet, no examples were given. Ah, the simple pleasures of being a casual fan. 7/23/2008 11:11:00 PM (7/23/2008 10:33:00 PM) - Al Yep, did some research. April 10-14,1987 was the last time the Crew started off 5-0 on a trip. Good times right now. Josh Make it 6 in a row. Of course, on a message board somewhere, there's some guy saying tomorrow is a "must win" or else risk a letdown before coming home. 7/23/2008 10:33:00 PM (7/23/2008 10:24:00 PM) - Al Al, You've covered it numerous times, but this was a new one for horrible work from an umpire. Not only does the guy botch the swinging strike call as poorly as I've seen recently, but he appeared to welcome the shouting match with Yost – even going so far as to start walking toward Ned as soon as he left the dugout. That ump was relishing the argument. How often do you see another ump walk over to break up the bickering and then he has to pull the arguing ump away from the manager first?! If I didn't know any better, I'd think the umpire was waiting to make a bad call so he could get into a fight. At least Simmons is a smart guy who can handle whatever happens in the rest of this game. Jim I heard this on the drive home. Simply yet another example of the pathetic job seemingly every crew does...no accountability at all. They do what they want with no fear of reprisal...walking toward a manager or extending an argument should be immediate dismissal...there's no place for that in the game. Not a soul cares about who the ump is, and to be honest, I can't imagine AA or AAA umps being any worse than the clods we see every day...I saw the last 3 innings, and the strike zone might as well have been a mud covered pig...tough to grasp. 7/23/2008 10:24:00 PM (7/23/2008 10:18:00 PM) - Al I've always had Tim Pawlenty in the top 3 for VP, but I have to wonder about a guy who barely won reelection in MN, which is granted, a liberal and downright strange state to read (they elected Ventura governor when I was there, and the Dem got 29% of the vote, finishing a distant 3rd to Jesse and Norm Coleman. I admit, I would have loved to have seen Condi Rice, but realize going after the A/A vote is a cause as lost as me at the salad bar. 7/23/2008 10:18:00 PM (7/23/2008 10:11:00 PM) - Al If someone built a pitching machine, odds are it would not be as effective as Sabathia has been. As Brian reported that Doug Melvin said, "He makes us a lot smarter". What's really astounding is how low he has kept his pitch count, complete games in the 100-110 pitch range are spectacularly well done. 7/23/2008 10:11:00 PM (7/23/2008 02:55:00 PM) - Al Heya Al, Everyone knows how bad the Houston organization is except Houston. I do wonder how that happens. :) I remember when Garner was canned in late August. Jayson Stark commented on Mike & Mike in the Morning that it was "par for the course by a lost organization". Mike The whole Biggio embarrassment really made it obvious...Craig still played most every game at home, and on the road, they tried to win...so he did not play. What? 7/23/2008 02:55:00 PM (7/23/2008 01:58:00 PM) - Al The O’s have some relievers (Jamie Walker, Chad Bradford) that will clear waivers and be available, but the team is not interested in dealing George Sherrill unless they’re given a crazy offer.--Wil Carroll, BP I can see the Crew going after one of these guys, as neither will have an exceptionally high cost. 7/23/2008 01:58:00 PM (7/23/2008 01:03:00 PM) - Al My goodness, it's a cold day when the media rips on the media. 7/23/2008 01:03:00 PM (7/23/2008 11:58:00 AM) - Al Not finding a lot of positives about the young INF the Nats picked up for Jon Rauch...Rotoworld said he was unlikely to be more than a reserve, for example. Of course, as a contrarian, I don't mind that a bit. I took a look at his page, and this kid can flat out play...all-star at every single level, futures game this year, wow. I was concerned about the fact he's producing at Tucson, a notorious hitter's paradise, but he's hitting much better away from home. He's no Alcides Escobar, but few are. I like him, and suspect he'll be a nice 2B for years to come, maybe soon. I think many forget how young he is for his level. 7/23/2008 11:58:00 AM (7/23/2008 11:52:00 AM) - Al There's a theory out there that Sal's 5 years out of baseball really helped his arm just through rest. It sounds casual fan-ish but there might be some merit in it. Michael I believe it completely. It makes sense, as many people say every arm has a certain number of pitches in it. Much like Jim Morris, who threw 95-97 consistently after years of rest with his surgically repaired left arm, letting your body heal is a fine thing to do. 7/23/2008 11:52:00 AM (7/23/2008 10:57:00 AM) - Al Just goes to show you how awful the Cardinals bullpen currently is which is why Lohse stayed in. The patchwork starting rotation has held up but it has killed the bullpen. I laugh when people think the Brewers have a poor bullpen, the Cardinals bullpen is just atrocious. And of course they did promptly give up another Hall homer to put us up. Mike Granted, he gave up the HR, but McClellan came in with a sub 3 ERA...and 49 games/54 innings pitched. They are far from a top group, but I'd a lot rather go with a fresh mediocre reliever than a tired starter. 7/23/2008 10:57:00 AM Tuesday, July 22, 2008 (7/22/2008 11:51:00 PM) - Al Just a quick note to thank you for continuing to click...we're well on our way to a record for hits and page views. Casual fans are welcome here...they count too.:) 7/22/2008 11:51:00 PM (7/22/2008 11:49:00 PM) - Al I am on the road tomorrow, but I do have a few posts "saved" to come out as the day progresses. We'll see you in the evening. 7/22/2008 11:49:00 PM (7/22/2008 09:38:00 PM) - Al Tell ya what, the bandwagon's gonna start growing exponentially with wins like tonight...I chalked this one up in the loss column about the 5th inning. I was shocked to see Torres in the 9th, but his pitch count has been extraordinarily low. Wonderful time for a 1-2-3 inning with Ludwick and Pujols due up next. I've always said I would try to avoid back-to-back days with my bullpen, but I would make exceptions with my closer (as long as he is used for 3 outs) and my loogy. Heck, Sal has gone a week without a single save opportunity, and he may well again. Torres is seemingly a special case, as he was abused for years with the Pirates and his output was not affected. Yost is starting to look like a genius with his Hall insertion. I would expect to see Durham start one of these two games in SL, and possibly Counsell in for Hardy in one as well. You could make arguments that Braun and Cameron could use a day off as well, especially in the heat of SL, and if Kapler would have gone 3-4 tonight, an even better one. I have not got the chance to discuss many 5-0 starts to road trips, so I'll just shut up and let you enjoy it. 7/22/2008 09:38:00 PM (7/22/2008 09:06:00 PM) - Al I think LaRussa may be thinking it's 1965...why do you carry 8 relievers and then not use any of them? Tell you what, for a guy who many feel is so good, he sure doesn't seem to have much of a contingency plan. EDIT: Not being the second guessing type, I should explain that I was shocked to see the struggling, fatigued Lohse remain in after allowing back-to-back run scoring hits to Weeks and Hardy...with Braun due up. One night, he runs out of position players in the 10th, the next night, despite having 8 guys in the bullpen, he leaves his SP in well past his peak...that just doesn't seem like maximizing your 25 man roster. 7/22/2008 09:06:00 PM (7/22/2008 08:16:00 PM) - Al Ryan Braun's brother signed as an undrafted FA...Ryan sums it well...he just can't hit. 7/22/2008 08:16:00 PM (7/22/2008 07:03:00 PM) - Al The Brewers, after trading six prospects of varying qualities for lefty CC Sabathia and second baseman Ray Durham, are unlikely to give up the players necessary to acquire Orioles closer George Sherrill or any other prominent reliever, sources say. The Orioles want closer value for Sherrill, who is not a free agent until after the 2011 season. The Brewers bolstered their offense with Durham in part because the prices for relievers were so high. They could use Sherrill to close, but Salomon Torres has been mostly reliable since replacing Eric Gagne in that role.--Ken Rosenthal I agree, but still feel they will add someone, like Dave Weathers, as I've said before. The relief pitcher market is always a bit overblown, as the position itself is a small sample, where one bad game can ruin your numbers. Another issue is simple, take a look at Mota...June 1st, he would have been an outstanding pickup, now, an imperfect one. The Crew does have depth...Dillard, DiFelice, and Stetter have all pitched in the bigs and had some inconsistent moments, but overall been fine. Luis Pena throws hard, but has not done the job in AAA. Still, very few teams go 4 deep in their bullpen at AAA and not embarrass themselves. 7/22/2008 07:03:00 PM (7/22/2008 05:00:00 PM) - Al Ironic that in the midst of an up and down campaign, Mota's still been extremely effective versus RH, while getting hit hard against LH. He's well suited to be a ROOGY...but as we all know, it's tough to distribute the workload amongst just the other guys while babying one. Much like DiFelice, he has value, but he can hardly be trusted to face even a single lefty with any pop in his bat. Again, it astounds me how little research is provided by the JS...instead, you have guys that can't catch a cold ripping on Weeks for not making a do or die, would have been a great play...and then not finishing their own game blog. 7/22/2008 05:00:00 PM (7/22/2008 04:54:00 PM) - Al Stetter does go down to make room for Suppan, so look for Shouse to be used more for a batter or two at a time. See you in about a month (if not sooner), Mitch. 7/22/2008 04:54:00 PM (7/22/2008 04:41:00 PM) - Al Jon Rauch goes from the Nationals to the Diamondbacks. He was probably the best relief guy on the market. He goes for a very good prospect, a 23 year-old 2B in AAA...that means the Crew would have had to deal one of their remaining top 4-5 players, mostly the Huntsville clan. 7/22/2008 04:41:00 PM (7/22/2008 03:54:00 PM) - Al Andy LaRoche would be a nice fit at the hot corner for the Brewers if LA waits until the offseason to move him...especially if Mat Gamel is moved elsewhere do to his defensive trouble there. If the Dodgers continue to look for a SS, I would say Hardy and Hall may both be available for the right price after the final game of the current campaign. 7/22/2008 03:54:00 PM (7/22/2008 03:44:00 PM) - Al I feel so sorry for Cecil Cooper, as he's caught in the middle of an organization who simply has no clue at all. Not only should they be selling, Wolf's numbers away from SD are hellishly bad. Good luck in that launching pad, sir. 7/22/2008 03:44:00 PM (7/22/2008 03:16:00 PM) - Al A Hardball Times piece about the best of the Huntsville Stars...nothing but good things to say about Escobar, Salome, and Gamel, and he also liked Gillespie a lot. Must not have seen Brantley play. 7/22/2008 03:16:00 PM (7/22/2008 02:48:00 PM) - Al I've had a couple e-mails from folks asking why I think Hall played 3B last night versus a RHP. I told them I suspected it was because Branyan has not been doing as well of late, and probably because Hall "matched up" well. Didn't take long to find out. For whatever reason, Piniero has reverse platoon splits over his career, and Ned took advantage of it. What's ironic there is that Ned tends to stay a step ahead, while second guessers have no clue until after the fact. UPDATE: If you look at Lohse's splits, LH bats do better, as per normal. However, it is not a wide split, so I would say Yost has ammo to defend his decision regardless of which way he goes. UPDATE 2: All are small samples, of course, but Gameday shows both Counsell and Durham have hit Lohse well in their careers. What's funny is, you can almost convince yourself to play anyone and then not to play them, if you look at enough stats.:) 7/22/2008 02:48:00 PM (7/22/2008 02:34:00 PM) - Al Orel H feels the Brewers have a chance to catch the Cubs. 7/22/2008 02:34:00 PM (7/22/2008 02:27:00 PM) - Al Looks like the Crew is nearing a minor league contract with Jay Gibbons, whose numbers were decent vs. RHP.. One of the things that stuck with me when I read Moneyball is that the A's went after OBP, which was undervalued at the time. Since then, they have went after defense, since they felt that was undervalued, and so on. It seems Doug feels that because of the stigma some teams have with players who may or may not have used HGH and the like, those players are the "new Moneyball" types. Gibbons is likely being signed as AAA fodder and maybe as LH OF depth. As I say every chance I can, I'll sign any experienced major leaguer to a minor league, "make good" deal. 7/22/2008 02:27:00 PM (7/22/2008 02:17:00 PM) - Al Weeks is having his best month of the year, even before last night. No one seems to be mentioning that at all. 7/22/2008 02:17:00 PM (7/22/2008 02:00:00 PM) - Al I have not seen any official word yet about whose place Suppan is taking. An e-mailer tells me that Tony W of the JS never completed his game blog last night...he just ended it in after 9, tied at 3. I know he has deadlines to meet, but he's not exactly a "high standards" type of guy, is he? 7/22/2008 02:00:00 PM Monday, July 21, 2008 (7/21/2008 10:30:00 PM) - Al The Crew wins another coin flip...from what happened tonight, it would seem Mota will be on the 25 man tomorrow, with Stetter going down, barring someone going on the DL, of course. It will be a short bullpen tomorrow night, although Bush will be available, I suppose. Torres will be given the night off, and we'll see about Carlos V...although he did not pitch tonight, he threw in the bullpen, and only pitched to one batter Sunday. I thought the way LaRussa handled his short bench was strange...I've never been a fan of a PR when you have only a couple guys left, as the odds of that half-second being meaningful is so slim. And how bad of a hitter is Cezar Izturis if Jason LaRue is a better option? 7/21/2008 10:30:00 PM (7/21/2008 07:52:00 PM) - Al Strange to see that the 2 guys up in the bullpen thus far has been Mota and Stetter...one of them is certain to be gone after Suppan is activated, unless an injury comes into play. 7/21/2008 07:52:00 PM (7/21/2008 06:13:00 PM) - Al Allow me to throw a word of advice out there for anyone planning on going to any upcoming Brewers' games in 2008... buy Tickets are going and going fast, even to Tuesday and Wednesday games, that you could normally expect to be able to walk up to the ballpark 10 minutes before the game and get any pair of seats you wanted. Don Walker with a note on this as well. Buy. 3 million, you are in sight. 7/21/2008 06:13:00 PM (7/21/2008 11:01:00 AM) - Al Aaron Gleeman looks at the fantasy ramifications of the Durham trade. 7/21/2008 11:01:00 AM Sunday, July 20, 2008 (7/20/2008 07:35:00 PM) - Al There seems to be little doubt Doug will continue to shop for a reliever, though the market looks unimpressive and is supposedly very costly. I do not see them going after a glitz and glamour guy, however, a veteran workhorse like Dave Weathers or Chad Bradford makes a lot of sense to me. Of course, should a team or two fall out of the race, who knows who may become available...or who knows who the braintrust may see as "affordable" if the 'pen should have a couple bad games between now and the 31st. 7/20/2008 07:35:00 PM (7/20/2008 07:11:00 PM) - Al Durham happily waives his 10 and 5 rights, and the Giants are paying about half of his salary the rest of the year. As expected, Dillon goes down to AAA to make room for him. Tough break for Joe, but he'll get plenty of AB's and be ready to go in September, or earlier if an injury occurs. 7/20/2008 07:11:00 PM (7/20/2008 05:07:00 PM) - Al Movies with anti-American sentiment seem to bomb at the box office...gee, who woulda thunk it? 7/20/2008 05:07:00 PM (7/20/2008 04:59:00 PM) - Al Is Dusty Baker back in SF? 121 pitches for the kid who weighs about as much as the lint you take out of the dryer after taking out a wool blanket? Oof. 7/20/2008 04:59:00 PM (7/20/2008 04:51:00 PM) - Al Mark A's Malibu oceanfront mansion is for sale, as is the vacant lot he owns next door, which he put a basketball court on. Or, you might want to buy a small nation. 7/20/2008 04:51:00 PM (7/20/2008 04:06:00 PM) - Al A more in-depth look at the soon to be announced acquisition of Ray Durham (other than how much he'll play, which I'll discuss later) is what the 2B/SS picture will look like next year and beyond. Reading between the lines, this seems to be an indication that the team is indeed "going for it", and much like last year, are not going to let Weeks' less than desired production stand in their way. Last season, they sent him to AAA, expecting him to stay shortly, but ended up being brought back even quicker, as Tony G went down. This year, it seems he and Durham will share time at 2B in some fashion, whether it be a platoon, an adjusted platoon, Durham playing once in a while, or simply Ned going with who is hitting the ball better. Meanwhile, JJ Hardy is having a nice season, both offensively and defensively. His only apparent weakness is a lack of range, and perhaps a bit of fragile-ness. Then, there's Alcides Escobar, the SS phenom at AA who is supposedly simply a can't miss prospect...all ready for prime time with the glove, and making steady progress with the bat as well. How good is he you ask? The Crew had no problem including certain big leaguer Matt Laporta in the Sabathia deal, but laughed off the Tribe's suggestion they include Escobar. At the very latest, he'll be the SS by mid-2009, one would think. Where does that leave Hardy and Weeks? It doesn't take a genius to figure out that one of them will be at 2B, and the other probably with another team. This would seem to be even more obvious because it was mentioned that both JJ's and Rickie's name had come up in scenarios this past month. It is apparent to many that any move that involved Hardy moving to 2B would have to come with his permission, as well as a long-term contract, as 2B simply do not have the financial pull that shortstops do. 2B would seemingly be a perfect fit for JJ, but many resist, as it is not nearly as star filled a spot. In the end, JJ may simply be asked if the switch is ok with him or not. His answer could determine if he or Weeks is with the Brewers long-term. 7/20/2008 04:06:00 PM (7/20/2008 04:02:00 PM) - Al Looks like the player to be named later is a list of four, with only two known. As I have said before, I would hate to lose Mike Brantley, who is very young and already a "professional hitter" that Doug is perennially looking for. I have him penciled in as the leadoff hitter as early as '10. 7/20/2008 04:02:00 PM (7/20/2008 03:56:00 PM) - Al That Lincecum is a fine young pitcher, but his height and stress on his body sure make me wonder how long he'll stay healthy. 7/20/2008 03:56:00 PM (7/20/2008 03:48:00 PM) - Al Randy Winn not impressing anyone this series with his "casual" play. Aaron Rowand played Branyan's double like he was surprised he tried to go to 2B...which is exactly the opposite of how most players play a ball in the gap. What's ironic here is that it is very rare you ever see a single play like that from the Brewers. Yost's teams always seem to play hard, which rarely gets mentioned by his detractors, who really do not seem to bring forth anything except some random second guesses. 7/20/2008 03:48:00 PM (7/20/2008 03:03:00 PM) - Al The 2 guys headed to SF: Darren Ford--Said to be one of the fastest players, if not the fastest, in the sport, he's not figured out how to steal 1B as of yet. It's tough not to see him as a Joey Gathright type, and needless to say, is likely to be a 4th/5th OF if he does make the majors. Steve Hammond--Decent minor league numbers, but has always been old for his level. That type of southpaw often tops out at AA or AAA, and predictably, he struggled when finally promoted to Nashville...but has only had a few outings there. If he is to be a major league pitcher someday, a switch to the bullpen seems inevitable. So, while there is always a chance that a team will catch "lightning in a bottle" with a young player who just puts it all together, this pair looks to be low ceiling guys, who hope to be complimentary players someday. 7/20/2008 03:03:00 PM (7/20/2008 02:39:00 PM) - Al Tom H says the Crew is just getting Ray Durham, not Taschner as well. The deal is complete, but may not be announced until after the game. Sounds like a pair of fringe prospects. TH also assumes Dillon will go to AAA for 40 days, until 9/1. UPDATE: This is done, but not going to be announced until after the game is complete. So if you are an anal retentive type, Ray is still on the Giants' 25 man roster today, but I'm sure he will not play. 7/20/2008 02:39:00 PM (7/20/2008 02:38:00 AM) - Al A deal that would send Taschner (2-1, 3.03) and veteran second baseman Ray Durham from San Francisco to Milwaukee is "in the wind," according to a National League executive. That possibility was first mentioned by FOXSports.com It was reported in the Journal Sentinel that a Brewers' minor leaguer, Class-A Brevard outfielder Darren Ford, was removed from a game Saturday, and that paper speculated he could be dealt soon, perhaps to San Francisco. Triple-A first baseman Brad Nelson, who has 12 homers and is batting .301, could be another player who'd interest the Giants. With young Brewers second baseman Rickie Weeks playing better lately, it is believed Durham would serve as a utilityman in Milwaukee and possible second-base insurance in case Weeks went back into a hitting funk. The Brewers are being patient with Weeks since he was a No. 2 pick overall. Durham wouldn't be much of an upgrade over Weeks defensively. But as one NL scout said, "He gives you a good at-bat." Taschner, a native of Racine, Wis. likely would be thrilled to go to his home state team. The lefthanded Taschner is known to be a huge Packers fan and even bigger Brett Favre fan. The Giants would also like to find new homes for vets Randy Winn, Dave Roberts and Rich Aurilia ... if anyone will take them.--Jon Heyman, SI You'd think Roberts would fit right in, but even if Durham is picked up, that likely means Dillon will go to AAA...this is just a mighty deep team right now. The names mentioned so far, Ford and Nelson, both fringe prospects whose ceilings may well be as reserves. make the Giants look as if they are ready to give away some highly paid vets and go with cheap kids. 7/20/2008 02:38:00 AM Saturday, July 19, 2008 (7/19/2008 09:16:00 PM) - Al Tom H says it sounds like it's Durham, or maybe Ray and Taschner. Durham would probably be used, at first, as an alternative to Weeks versus a tough RHP, maybe once a series. However, it could easily turn into some sort of a "who's hot" combo platter. The irony is that Weeks may be used as a defensive replacement for Durham, whose range is said to be minimal at this stage of his career. 7/19/2008 09:16:00 PM (7/19/2008 08:09:00 PM) - Al I woke up from my nap at about 4:30 today, with my wife wondering if I was manning the grill or not. I turned on the game and with the Crew down 4-1, figured the odds of a comeback were minimal, so I grilled our poultry and checked the score every 10 minutes or so, finally putting the game on MLB Gameday on my laptop, which is much improved since I last used it. It's almost like a bonus win. Sounds like Durham and/or Taschner is headed toward the Crew...I like both players, even if it means others I like (Stetter & Dillon) may end up in AAA for a little over a month because of it. If a pitcher is acquired it may well be the end of the line for Mota, who could even be included in the deal, especially if Durham and his high salary is coming over. Mota hit 95 in his last outing, and it is quite feasible could have a good month and be flipped again before 8/31, as his troubles are probably mental or minor (could he be tipping pitches?). 7/19/2008 08:09:00 PM (7/19/2008 08:06:00 PM) - Al Golf really needs to figure out a way to fix this...it happens several times a year, write down the wrong score, leave a hole empty, etc. Of course, if they'd get off their high horse and maybe move into the early 1970's with it's outdated rules, the issue is moot. 7/19/2008 08:06:00 PM (7/19/2008 07:41:00 PM) - Al Darren Ford was pulled from his minor league game tonight...Tom H has a source saying it is because he was involved in a trade for A's closer Houston Street. That would be huge news if true, as it will take a Laporta like haul for the A's to deal Street, who is not a FA until after 2010. I was under the weather for much of the day, but I'll be checking this out. UPDATE: Not Houston Street, but a deal with the A's is about to go down...maybe it is Alan Embree, as I guessed last night. UPDATE/BUMP: Tom H's dartboard has now hit on the Giants, which may well mean the Crew will add Jack Taschner or Ray Durham after the game tomorrow. 7/19/2008 07:41:00 PM (7/19/2008 07:10:00 PM) - Al It's probably nothing, but some Brewers players were chatting the other day and they seemed convinced that owner Mark Attanasio is interested in buying the Bucks, or at least a stake in the team.--Drew Olson Not often you'll see me printing something from Olson, but it's just unique enough to mention. Mark A sees value in things that are undervalued, so this might be a positive for many reasons. 7/19/2008 07:10:00 PM (7/19/2008 12:09:00 AM) - Al Take a look at how good Cameron has been, with the exception of May, as he was still "getting back in the groove", so to speak. UPDATE: An e-mailer points out Cameron's overall numbers are better than Corey Hart's: Hart-------.326/.503, 829 OPS Cameron----.329/.502, 831 OPS If there is a more meaningless number than BA in all of sports, please let me know, as I cannot imagine one. Not only does it just add statistical noise to the study, it also misleads. 7/19/2008 12:09:00 AM Friday, July 18, 2008 (7/18/2008 11:37:00 PM) - Al I have never seen RH hitters look so bad versus a LHP's curveball. Astounding. 7/18/2008 11:37:00 PM (7/18/2008 11:30:00 PM) - Al There are rumors floating around that the Brewers and Giants have a deal made involving Jack Taschner, which would be completed after the weekend series. Jack is a Racine native, and has been a serviceable reliever for a while. Time will tell if this is anything to it. 7/18/2008 11:30:00 PM (7/18/2008 10:48:00 PM) - Al The JS thinks the Crew is looking at Huston Street...I doubt it. He's under team control for ages, he may cost as much as Sabathia. I'd say it is more likely the Brewers are looking at other A's arms...I might think Alan Embree for one. 7/18/2008 10:48:00 PM (7/18/2008 08:54:00 PM) - Al This is a funny T-shirt. So is this, though it may offend those with learning disabilities. 7/18/2008 08:54:00 PM (7/18/2008 08:50:00 PM) - Al Francisco Cordero blew his fifth save after allowing four runs and six hits in one-third of an inning against the Mets on Thursday. The Reds are paying $46 million for a guy who is currently converting 79 percent of his save opportunities. Cordero's overall numbers are pretty good, but he has one job and he's simply not doing it very well. The Reds surely could have picked a better way to spend all of that money.--Rotoworld I did not expect to be reading this until at least next August. I think we all knew it was too much and for too long, but to see Frankie struggling in month 4 after signing on for 42 months is a surprise. 7/18/2008 08:50:00 PM (7/18/2008 08:40:00 PM) - Al The bright side of this is that it almost gives you an extra pitcher in the bullpen a day or two each week. To be honest though, I s'pose it makes as much sense as anything else, and it gives Ned a chance to see both, and probably go with the "hot" pitcher as soon as one steps forward. 7/18/2008 08:40:00 PM (7/18/2008 07:33:00 PM) - Al Though Class AAA Nashville closer Luis Pena has been on a roll of late, the Brewers apparently are concerned about his inconsistency in throwing strikes. Pena is 1-4 with a 4.38 ERA and 14 saves, with 37 hits allowed and 27 walks in 37 innings (34 Ks). His 1.73 WHIP (walks and hits per inning) is high for a late-inning pitcher.--JS I know he throws hard, but his numbers are awful. I'd say he's below DiFelice and Dillard at least. 7/18/2008 07:33:00 PM (7/18/2008 03:01:00 PM) - Al Ramblings is happy to have another guest post, thanks to Josh for sending it in. Enjoy... Upon the recent acquisition of 2007 AL Cy Young Award winner C.C. Sabathia, I thought it appropriate to take a look back at the best Brewer team that I followed (I was only 4 for the ’82 team). The 1992 squad finished 92-70, and took the Blue Jays down to the final weekend. They would’ve been the Wild Card team that year, but the extra playoff team wasn’t introduced for two more years. For the purposes of the debate, OPS+ , which measures the production of a hitter against that season’s league averages, will be the main statistic used for the offensive side, while ERA+ will do it for the pitchers. 1992 Brewers vs. 2008 Brewers C:Jason Kendall (.258, .339, .333, 79 OPS +) v. BJ Surhoff (.252, .314, .321, 80 OPS+) Kendall came to the ’08 squad as a free agent signee over the winter. Coming off the worst season of his 13-year career, Kendall has proven to a be terrific defensively, throwing out 41% of would-be base stealers, while maintaining a solid average, walking above that 1BB/10 PA mark that baseball people look for, and calling a great game. The last one is indeed tough to quantify, but there can be no question that these pitchers simply love throwing to him. I’ve never seen so many comments regarding the way he calls a game, and keeps the pitchers mentally sharp. He’s also the best catcher that I’ve seen on a daily basis at popping out from behind the plates and fielding bunts, nubbers, etc. He has been a terrific signing. Kendall’s backup is Mike Rivera, is rarely used, but is effective when deployed, posting a 112 OPS+. Surhoff, meanwhile, was in the 6th year of his long career, and like Kendall, didn’t have a lot of pop (4 HR’s), rarely struck out (just 41 times all season, versus 46 walks), and was decent behind the plate, throwing out 35% of runners. In what was a hallmark of his career, B.J. got off to a slow start at the plate (just .136 in April), but turned it on the rest of the way, including hitting .274 in the 2nd half. One major difference between the two was that Surhoff started just 105 games behind the dish, while Kendall is on pace to start nearly 150 times for the ’08 team. Surhoff’s backups were Tim McIntosh (28 OPS+!) and rookie Dave Nilsson, who posted a respectable 85. 1B: Prince Fielder (.270, .357, .488, 121 OPS+) v. John Jaha (.226, .291, 308, 70 OPS+)/Franklin Stubbs (.229, .297, .368, 87 OPS+) Fielder, coming off a record 50-home run season in 2007, has not approached those kinds of numbers in 2008. He is currently on pace to hit over 30 home runs, and walks at a good rate, and his numbers overall are still very good. 1st base was a real trouble spot for the Brewers in ’92. Franklin Stubbs manned the bag for 43 of the first 58 games, and was benched based on his .203 average with just six home runs. The bag was manned by normal DH Paul Molitor and the brutal McIntosh in Stubbs’ stead, until after the All-Star break, when prized prospect John Jaha was recalled from AAA and handed the keys to 1st base. Unfortunately, Jaha proved to be even worse than Stubbs, hitting for no power at all. He started 14 of the first 18 games after the break, and posted a line of .222/.250/.296, which landed him back on the bench. Molitor, Stubbs, Jaha, and even Surhoff rotated the final games, and the position posted a .752 OPS for the season, brutal even for 1992. 2B: Rickie Weeks (.217, .320, .367, 81 OPS+) v. Scott Fletcher (.275, .335, .360, 96 OPS+) Weeks, expected by many observers to have a breakout season following a torrid final two months of 2007, has largely struggled again in his 4th season in the bigs. In fact, by OPS measures, he’s having the worst season of his career, as his slugging percentage is down, along with his BA and OBP. His defense has improved, but is still no better than average. Fletcher, meanwhile, was a revelation for the ’92 team. He was coming off an awful season for the White Sox, which saw him post an ungodly .528 OPS, and was signed by the Brewers just before camp started in ’92. Interestingly, he started the first six games of the year at shortstop, but Pat Listach stepped in after that, and for a while, Fletcher wasn’t getting much time, as Jim Gantner was holding down the fort at 2nd. However, he stepped in on June 14, and started 85 of the final 103 games, and put up largely unspectacular numbers (.268, .328, .340). However, I have always remembered Fletcher coming up with huge hits in that season, and indeed that does seem to be the case. To wit: he hit .336 with runners in scoring position, and .344 with two outs and RISP. In “high leverage” situations, he hit .329. He also provided solid defense, committing 4 errors at 2nd. SS: JJ Hardy (.283, .352, .476, 116 OPS+) v. Pat Listach (.290, .352, .349, 99 OPS+) After putting up a solid season in 2007, Hardy used a red-hot 3-week stretch prior to the break to post numbers of .283, .352, .476, and a healthy OPS+ number of 116. His defense is always steady, and though his range is limited, he has committed just six errors in the half. Listach literally came out of nowhere to post a very solid season, then reverted back to form and had five consecutive awful years before he was out of baseball. He started the season as a utility guy, but hit .500 in his first four starts, and never relinquished his job on the way to winning Rookie of the Year over Kenny Lofton. He had a very consistent season, as his average never dipped below .274. He was a real threat on the bases, swiping 54 bags while being caught 18 times, an even 75%. His defense was very average, if that, as he committed 24 errors without displaying great range. 3B: Bill Hall (.234, .294, .431, 88 OPS+)/Russell Branyan (.245, .331, .604, 140 OPS+) v. Kevin Seitzer (.270, .337, .367, 99 OPS+) Bill Hall struggled for much of the first half, putting up decent home run troubles, but not much else. Branyan came along and set the world on fire for about a month before going cold as the break neared. He hit 11 home runs in his first 74 at bats, and since then has gone homerless in 47 AB’s, while posting a .159 batting average. Defensively, they are pretty average, with Branyan more steady, and Hall able to make the spectacular play on a regular basis, but struggling with the routine chances at times. Seitzer came to the Crew even later than Fletcher did, signing on April 5 after the Royals released him at the end of spring. He stepped right in and started 146 games at 3rd, and performed very well. He was a consistent performer throughout the year, walked more than he struck out, and committed just 12 errors at the hot corner. His final line of .270, .337, .367 included numbers of .313 with RISP and two outs, and .349 in “late and close” situations. LF: Ryan Braun (.286, .324, .549, 125 OPS+) v. Greg Vaughn (.228, .313, .409, 103 OPS+) Braun, in his first full major league season, was an All-Star starter, and despite not having great plate discipline, is a hitting savant, and has been about as good as can be expected out in left. Vaughn had terrific seasons in both ’91 and ’93 (57 homers combined in those two years), but struggled in ’92. He got off to an especially terrible start that season, and he found himself hitting just .183 with 10 home runs on July 1. He did improve in the 2nd half of the season, batting .261 with 13 home runs and a .787 OPS the duration of the season. It’s worth noting that he was pretty awful on the basepaths that season, going 15-30 in stolen base attempts. CF: Mike Cameron (.231, .320, .481, 108 OPS+) v. Robin Yount (.264, .325, .390, 101 OPS+) Cameron has been pretty much as advertised for the Brewers. Although his batting average is a bit lower than his career, he’s slugging just fine, and has provided solid defense. Yount was in the penultimate season of his Hall of Fame career. He started 139 games in center, and 11 more as a DH. His defense was average, as he committed just two errors, but had limited range. Yount had only 8 homers on the season, but did mash 40 doubles and hit .287 with RISP. RF: Corey Hart (.289, .327, .504, 116 OPS+) v. Darryl Hamilton (.298, .356, 400, 113 OPS+)/Dante Bichette (.287, .318, .406, 103 OPS+) Hart was elected to his first All-Star team in the Final Vote by fans, and earned it with his solid first half. Hamilton, despite baring a striking resemblance to Milwaukee bleacher legend Freeway, had a terrific season, splitting time with Dante Bichette as the 4th outfielder. He logged 28 starts in left, 30 in center, and 71 more in right, showing his versatility, and was a threat on the basepaths, going 41-55 (74%) in steal attempts. He was a model of consistency the whole season, batting .305 in the first half, and .291 in the second half. Traded after the season for Kevin Reimer, Bichette was in the his 2nd and final year in Milwaukee. He started 94 games in RF for the Crew, and showed little of the trademark power that would mark his time in Colorado. He hit just 5 home runs in 387 AB’s, though he did hit 27 doubles and steal 17 bags. DH: Gabe Kapler (.315, .352, .517, 126 OPS+) v. Paul Molitor (.320, .389, .461, 139 OPS+) I used Kapler in this spot because he was the player off the bench with the most AB’s. What a year it’s been for Kapler, whose comeback after a year out of baseball has been well documented. Molitor had just a stunning season, and his huge numbers in ’92 paved the way to him signing a big money deal with the Blue Jays after 15 years with Milwaukee. Molitor finished among the league leaders in many categories, including OPS (10th), Batting average (4th), singles, doubles, and triples. The guy was a hitting machine, and there was not a situation that he encountered, beyond when there was just a man on 3rd base, that he hit less than .300. IF: Craig Counsell (.248, .348, .338, 83 OPS+) v. Jim Gantner (.246, .278, .313, 66 OPS+) Counsell has improved his performance over that of last year, which saw him go .220, .323, .309. His solid work defensively has allowed him to start at 3 positions on the infield. He may see a bit more action in the 2nd half if Weeks continues to struggle. Gantner was in the final season of his 17 year career. He started 29 of the first 37 games of the season, and struggled, hitting just .228, .287, .575. Scott Fletcher took over, and for the rest of the season, Gantner would get just 40 more starts, getting playing time at both 2B and 3B. His defense remained solid, as he committed just three errors all season. #1 P: Ben Sheets (10-3, 2.85 ERA, 151 ERA+) v. Bill Wegman (13-14, 3.20 ERA, 121 ERA+) Sheets has been able to avoid the nagging/fluke injury bug that allowed him to around 400 innings over his previous three seasons. Not surprisingly, Sheets has excelled, earning a starting bid in the All-Star game, and pitching an NL-high 3 complete games, and another in which he was removed after 8.2 frames. Wegman was the ultimate victim of lack of run support, as he sported a sub-.500 record on a 92-win team, with an ERA of 3.20. That’s very difficult to do, but the Brewers offense scored just 4.23 runs. However, that is an imperfect number, to say the least. The team scored 16 runs in one game, and 15 in another. Take out those two games, and the number goes down to 3.51. In 15 of his 35 starts, the team scored two runs or less, including just one run nine times. Channel your inward Edward Rooney. Nine Times. Wegman came out on fire, pitching at least into the 8th inning in his first 11 starts. He ended up pitching 261.2 innings, good for 2nd in the league, and had a WHIP of 1.17, good for 7th. He would have to be near the top of the discussion for not using wins to evaluate a pitchers performance. Perhaps due to the workload, Wegman’ career was shot after that, as he never pitched more than 120 innings, and retired at age 32. #2 P: CC Sabathia (2-0, 2.40 ERA, 179 ERA+) v. Cal Eldred (11-2, 1.79 ERA, 216 ERA+) Sabathia came to the Brewers in a pre-break trade with the Cleveland Indians, and made an immediate impact, winning his first two starts, which included a fantastic 2nd start which saw him go the distance and hit a home run in the process. He will be counted on to provide a huge push as the Brewers head for their first playoff berth in 26 years. Eldred was a sensation in 1992, and was the main difference in their amazing 2nd half run. Called up to replace an ineffective Ron Robinson, Eldred made his first start on July 19, four games after the All-Star Break. He was simply fantastic the entire 2nd half, never working less that 5.1 innings, and only twice allowing more than 3 runs in his 14 starts. His strikeout numbers certainly weren’t overwhelming (62 in 100 innings), but he only walked 23, and his WHIP was under 1. He finished 4th in the Rookie of the Year voting, despite making only 14 appearances all season. #3 P: Manny Parra (8-2, 3.78 ERA, 114 ERA+) v. Chris Bosio (16-6, 3.62 ERA, 107 ERA+) Parra, long regarded as the top pitching prospect in the organization, has shaken off minor league injury problems and posted a really solid first half. He was on the verge of being sent down to the minors in late April when things turned around for him. He retired the last 9 hitters he faced against the Cardinals on May 9, and since then has gone 7-0 with a 2.83 ERA. It will be interesting to see if the Brewers try to limit his innings in the 2nd half, as they probably don’t want the 25-year old to throw much more than 175 or so before the playoffs. Bosio was coming off an outstanding season in 1991, and parlayed his terrific ’92 campaign into a free agent deal with the Mariners, where he made big money, 83 starts, and little acclaim besides a no-hitter in 4 seasons. In ’92, however, Bos was an innings-eating machine that was very solid. He pitched 231 innings, and his 1.15 ERA was good for 6th in the league. He was amazing down the stretch, going 10-1 with a 2.99 ERA in the 2nd half. #4 P: Dave Bush (5-8, 4.39 ERA, 98 ERA+) v. Jamie Navarro (17-11, 3.33 ERA. 116 ERA +) Dave Bush had such a brutal start to the 2008 campaign that the Brewers sent him down to the minor leagues after his start on April 23, where he was 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in four starts. After Yovani Gallardo’s knee injury sidelined him indefinitely, Bush was called back up, and wasn’t much better in his next four starts, going 1-2 with a 6.65 ERA. Since then, however, he has gone 4-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 9 starts. His home/road splits are so dramatic (2.49 ERA at home, 6.95 ERA on the road) that the Brewers are considering platooning him with Seth McClung based on the location of the game. Because of his later struggles in his Milwaukee career, it’s easy to forget just how good Navarro was when he was right. Just a terrific season from Jamie, as his 234 innings included 5 complete games, and 3 shutouts. He was 8-5 with a sparkling 2.64 ERA after the break, and was a huge reason for Milwaukee’s success in ’92. Sadly, his performance dropped off the table in Milwaukee the next two seasons. He would go on to have two very good seasons for the Cubs, before finishing his career with four terrible seasons, including five starts for the Brewers in his final season of 2000, which saw him compile a 12.54 ERA. #5 P: Jeff Suppan (5-6, 4.71 ERA, 91 ERA+) v. Ricky Bones (9-10, 4.57 ERA, 85 ERA+) Suppan started out the year strong with a 1-0, 3.48 start over his first five starts, but since then is 4-6 with a 5.25 ERA. His peripherals are even worse, as opponents are hitting .313 off of him in that stretch, and a 1.75 WHIP. It will be interesting to see how long the Brewers stick with him in the rotation in the 2nd half should he continue to struggle. Bones was acquired in late March in the Gary Sheffield deal, and was plugged right into the rotation, Bones had a Dave Bush-esque home/road split, having a 3.25 ERA at home, and a horrendous 6.64 mark away from County Stadium. Like the rest of the staff, he got better in the 2nd half, going only 4-5 but posting a 4.08 ERA. CL: Salomon Torres (4-2, 2.74 ERA, 15/17 SV, 157 ERA+) v. Doug Henry (1-4, 4.02 ERA, 29 saves, 96 ERA+) Torres started out the season as a set-up guy, but moved into the closers role after Eric Gagne. Since assuming the role, he is 14/15 in save opps, and has literally saved the Brewers season from unraveling. He has already thrown 49 innings, and as durable as he is, the workload is a bit of a concern. Henry took over as the closer in the 2nd half of 1991, and reeled off 15/16 saves, while posting an improbable 1.00 ERA. It was a bit of a roller coaster in ’92 for Henry, who converted 29/33 saves, and took the loss in two other games. Like Bones, he had an extreme home-road split (2.72 ERA v. 5.65 ERA), and blew all four of his saves on the road. Henry was later acquired for 2nd baseman Fernando Vina from the Mets, and went on a to a long career out of the pen. SET: David Riske (101, 4.66 ERA, 92 ERA+) v. Mike Fetters (5-1, 1.87 ERA, 207 ERA+) Riske was signed over the winter after posting a 2.45 ERA for the Royals last season. He’s been just average for the Crew this season, and had a month-long stint on the DL as well. The Brewers really need Riske to develop into a dependable set-up man for Torres if the bullpen is going to stabilize. Fetters, acquired over the winter for Brewers mainstay Chuck Crim, was outstanding in his first season as a Brewer. He posted a sparkling ERA, and maintained a WHIP of .99. His numbers are actually more impressive than they seem, as he carried a 1.19 ERA into his final game of the season, but he allowed five runs over two innings to inflate the number. In fact, his ERA was under 1 all season until August 23. SET: Brian Shouse (3-1, 1.91 ERA, 225 ERA+) v. Jesse Orosco (3-1, 3.23 ERA 120 ERA+) Shouse has been solid again this season, as the 39-year old LOOGY has already appeared in 44 games. He has allowed 16 of 42 inherited runners to score, which is not as good as previous seasons, but overall has been very solid, allowing lefties to hit just .169. He has allowed four home runs this year, after allowing none in 2007. Orosco was acquired over the previous winter, and did well in his first of three seasons in Milwaukee. His splits certainly were not what you’d expect, as righties hit just .207 against him, while lefties managed a .273 mark. SET: Guillermo Mota (2-5, 5.77 ERA, 75 ERA+) v. Darren Holmes (4-4, 6 saves, 2.55 ERA, 152 ERA +) Mota was outstanding to start the season, posting a 2.20 ERA over his first 15 appearances. Since then, however, he’s blown two saves, lost two other games, and posted a 9.00 ERA in 19 games. He certainly can’t be trusted in a close game, and it will be interesting to see how long they stick with him. Holmes was in the 3rd year of what would become a lengthy 13-year career, and had a solid campaign. Hitters managed just a .224 mark against him, and he was equally tough on righties and lefties. He also notched six saves in eight opps, and was nails in the 2nd half, notching a 1.96 ERA. Holmes would be picked in the expansion draft by the Colorado Rockies, and pitch five seasons for the Rockies before moving on. SET: Eric Gagne (2-2, 7.33 ERA, 10/15 SV, 59 ERA+) v. James Austin (5-2, 1.85 ERA, 209 ERA+) Gagne was signed for a 1-year, $10 million deal before the season, and he pitched in some bad luck early, but then began getting rocked, and went on the DL with a 6.98 ERA. While he posted 3 scoreless outings to give some optimism, his last outing before the break was a disaster, as he was touched for four runs, including two home runs, against the Reds. Austin was unexpectedly rock solid in the pen for the ’92 squad. He had flamed out in a call-up in ’91 (8.2 IP, 11 BB, 8.31 ERA), and was out of baseball after a mediocre season in 1993. However, despite having a 30/32 K/BB ratio, Austin was terrific for the Brewers. He allowed just 38 hits in 58 innings, and had just two outings all season where he allowed more than one run in a game. Batters hit just .191 against him, with righties in particular struggling, with a .171 mark. He allowed just two home runs in 58 innings of work. Long: Seth McClung (5-5, 4.16 ERA, 103 ERA+) v. Dan Plesac (5-4, 2.96 ERA, 79 IP, 131 ERA+) McClung has really been terrific for the Brewers. Acquired in 2007 for another hard-throwing but erratic RHP, Grant Balfour, McClung started out the season in the bullpen, and posted a 3.54 ERA with decent peripherals in 11 games. The Brewers then moved him to the starting rotation, and since then 4-3 with a 4.41 ERA in 9 games as a starter. In his 7th and final year as a Brewer, Plesac had an interesting role on the ’92 team. He started four games, finished 13 games, and had 15 outings out of the pen that lasted at least two innings. He posted a 1.55 ERA in the 2nd half, and was very valuable in his versatility. Following the season, he played 11 more years in the bigs, and finished with 1054 appearances, which is 6th all-time in baseball history. Long: Carlos Villanueva (3-5, 4.97 ERA, 76 IP, 86 ERA+) v. Bruce Ruffin (1-6, 6.67 ERA, 58 ERA+) Villanueva started the season in the rotation, and was 2-5 with a 6.43 ERA in the rotation. Since being moved to the bullpen on June 19, he was 1-0 with a 2.60 ERA, though he has given up exactly one run in his last 6 appearances. Acquired over the winter for current Brewers coach Dale Sveum, Ruffin was the weak spot on the ’92 staff. He was in the bullpen most of the year as the long man, where he struggled, and made six starts, where he didn’t fare much better. Surprisingly, despite the success of the pitchers around him, this was Ruffin’s worst year of his 12 in the bigs, and he went on to play for the Rockies for five years to close out his career. 7/18/2008 03:01:00 PM (7/18/2008 09:07:00 AM) - Al The new Batman movie might break the all-time record, making $155M+ this weekend...astounding, considering I have no interest seeing it on DVD. With MLB attendance about to set a new record and movies going nuts, it's tough to argue disposable income is nonexistent. 7/18/2008 09:07:00 AM Thursday, July 17, 2008 (7/17/2008 11:02:00 PM) - Al Do the Brewers struggle against bad pitchers? Not surprisingly, no. I would have done this type of research, but I knew the answer (well, for the most part) and had no desire to take the time to prove what seemed rather obvious. Seriously, would you rather face Brandon Webb or Jorge de la Rosa? Sure, DLR might shut you down, but I'll take my chances. 7/17/2008 11:02:00 PM (7/17/2008 07:32:00 PM) - Al The FDA cleared people to eat tomatoes again. The government still doesn't know just what caused the salmonella outbreak, and Thursday's move doesn't mean tomatoes are cleared. But it's ok to eat them? And if you don't know what caused the outbreak, why did you tell people not to eat tomatoes? You know, this agency is so competent, maybe we should have them run the US healthcare system! Oof. 7/17/2008 07:32:00 PM (7/17/2008 06:52:00 PM) - Al Robert sums up the obvious needs well...I will go so far as to say I would be shocked if a reliever of some merit is not added before 7/31...probably a veteran LH, so Stetter goes down until 9/1 and the bullpen adds experience and a "proven" southpaw. I don't see Weeks or the 3B platoon going anywhere...though Hall might pick up some more starts if Branyan keeps up with his not walking ways of late. 7/17/2008 06:52:00 PM (7/17/2008 06:48:00 PM) - Al The Phillies acquire Joe Blanton for 2 good prospects and a good arm. He is under Philly control under 2010, but seems to be regressing. 7/17/2008 06:48:00 PM (7/17/2008 09:16:00 AM) - Robert R. Looking ahead to the second half, we're all optimistic about the team barring injuries. There's really only 2 or 3 areas where I can see the team contemplating a move, which I'll discuss. 1. The Bullpen And, really, I just mean Gagne and Mota as the rest of the bullpen has ranged from mediocre, Riske, to good, Stetter, Shouse, Villanueva, and Torres. The "8th inning guy" has been the main sticking point lately. And that's been due more to taking Mota's start to this year into consideration than his history. And Gagne's struggles. To an extent, I think that the Brewers can deal with this through a recasting of roles. There's no reason Villanueva can't hold down the 8th inning with Riske and Shouse working the 7th. Gagne is not going anywhere given his contract and upside, but the Brewers don't have to live with Mota's struggles. (And, frankly, I thought it was a mistake not to just non-tender Estrada rather than acquire Mota.) When Suppan comes back, Mota's the obvious choice to outright to AAA ala Turnbow. Heck, you could replace him now with DiFelice without complaint. Outside the organization, I don't think it would be that difficult to find an upgrade on Mota if you're just looking for some solid depth/someone to pitch in the 6th and 7th without blowing up. Gwynn Jr. should be more than enough to acquire someone like that. Heck, the Padres do have bullpen depth. 2. What to do with Rickie Weeks? Weeks is running a VORP of 1.6. Fortunately, his defense seems to have improved, but overall that's enormously disappointing considering his upside. That said, we've seen Weeks get hot in a hurry before and the Brewers don't have to do anything. Certainly, you're not going to replace him with Craig Counsell or Joe Dillon. I think the likeliest option is just stick with him and wait for him to breakout. That said, there is an option out there that may be available, Brian Roberts. The Orioles are in rebuilding mode and Weeks as a centerpiece to deal for Roberts has almost zero downside for a team in contention. My understanding is that Roberts is signed through 2009 and it would be fairly simple to plug Alcides Escobar into the 2010 middle infield with Hardy and collect two draft picks as compensation. Perhaps with Brantley sliding into centerfield to be the new leadoff batter. Other than a blockbuster deal like that, I say just stick with Weeks. There's more upside there than just about anyone else you could acquire. 3. Third Base? The platoon seems to be working, although I think we all agree that Branyan was playing way over his head. My guess is that the Brewers simply stick with it as to get a significant upgrade for the position Hall has to start hitting. And why would you trade Billy Hall if he's hitting? I suppose the Brewers may talk with Toronto in regards to Rolen, but that seems like a longshot to me. 7/17/2008 09:16:00 AM Wednesday, July 16, 2008 (7/16/2008 10:40:00 PM) - Al Tom H profiles Mark A. 7/16/2008 10:40:00 PM (7/16/2008 08:38:00 PM) - Al The Energy Information Administration reported that U.S. crude oil supplies rose by 3 million barrels, or 1 percent, last week. That is the opposite of the 3 million barrel draw analysts surveyed by energy research firm Platts expected. Gasoline supplies also leapt unexpectedly. The two-day slide of $10.58 a barrel marks a dramatic turnaround in crude prices. What's this direct correlation between supply and demand that seems to have come out of nowhere? 7/16/2008 08:38:00 PM (7/16/2008 08:20:00 PM) - Al Not allowed to make fun of the president...talk about a complete reversal. As I have said before, I am awaiting the mass disappointment of folks that don't really understand how government works on a cold day in January...that the streets still will not be paved with gold even after W is out of office. 7/16/2008 08:20:00 PM Tuesday, July 15, 2008 (7/15/2008 08:08:00 PM) - Al I will let Glenn discuss the "recession" that just continues to...not exist. On that note, hoping that Ben does not get injured (or Corey or Ryan), I'm out until tomorrow. On a sidenote, I know MLB likes its history, but I bet they lost 90% of their young viewers during that pregame of infinite length. 7/15/2008 08:08:00 PM Monday, July 14, 2008 (7/14/2008 10:10:00 PM) - Al CNNSI profiles Mark A. 7/14/2008 10:10:00 PM (7/14/2008 09:21:00 PM) - Al $12 loge OF tickets, thanks Ryan. I wonder if I'll be able to get through tomorrow online? 7/14/2008 09:21:00 PM (7/14/2008 09:15:00 PM) - Al Here's what I said when TEX acquired Josh Hamilton...I thought they had stolen him, but it turns out Cincy knew they were getting talent as well. 7/14/2008 09:15:00 PM (7/14/2008 07:57:00 PM) - Al Do you suppose it's possible for them to drag out the HR derby any more then they do? 3 Doors Down concert, Sportscenter breaks. We're 45 minutes in, and less then 1/2 way through the first round. Good grief. Dan As long as they're giving camera time to Erin Andrews, I give them an A+. 7/14/2008 07:57:00 PM (7/14/2008 07:13:00 PM) - Al Our favorite law prof discusses Obama's lack of wit...by the way, note than Ann's picture on the sidebar keeps making her look younger and younger. Soon, they'll be a pic of her in a swimsuit during her high school years...not that there's anything wrong with that. 7/14/2008 07:13:00 PM (7/14/2008 05:50:00 PM) - Al Apparently, there is an "anti-shorts on men" movement, even from men themselves. I'm about as unfashionable as a guy can be, and the only thing that concerns me is comfort. I don't know if I look good in shorts or not, but I do know: 1. I probably do not. 2. I don't look good in anything. And, I don't care. I'm into my "stay at home" outfit within minutes of getting home in the late afternoon, which always consists of a pair of athletic shorts and a T/polo shirt. If I go out, I change into a pair of plain fabric shorts. If some stuck-up preppy gal from Manhattan does not approve, well, that's a shame. 7/14/2008 05:50:00 PM (7/14/2008 05:23:00 PM) - Al Almost beyond belief, the Rambling son and I were already planning on attending this game, so hopefully, Braun will smack quite a few HR's to save us some cash (although, he'll have to hit a lot to save us more than the kids' discount, and who we kidding, with my gray hair, I'd probably pass on a senior as well). 7/14/2008 05:23:00 PM (7/14/2008 05:14:00 PM) - Al I actually saw this exchange last night as I was flipping channels, and Tom Brokaw appeared quite flustered she would not answer the question, and yes, it did seem painfully long and she was all but begging to get back to the economy. Of course, as pointed out, if Obama would have said "my goal is to have troops out in 16 months, but I'm not promising anything, after all, I'll have to ask the commanders on the ground", he would not have had much appeal to the primary voters. It's part of his shift towards the middle...which does not seem to be going as smoothly as he would like. 7/14/2008 05:14:00 PM (7/14/2008 10:22:00 AM) - Al Speaking of pitchers, Marmol sure was an odd decision to replace Wood...as the votes they used were likely weeks old...it'd be like Mota being voted in. With so many pitchers unavailable, it seems likely Marmol will be used as well. 7/14/2008 10:22:00 AM (7/14/2008 10:18:00 AM) - Al Looks like Sheets will be starting tomorrow night...I had figured it would be EV, but apparently, Baker called and asked that he not...insert your own punchline here about Dusty wanting to abuse his own arms. 7/14/2008 10:18:00 AM (7/14/2008 10:12:00 AM) - Al I just got home from a cleaning at the dental office...and no cavities were found. I must say, it was the most painful cleaning I've ever experienced...some type of pointy thing on a machine that just keeps hitting your gum over and over until the hygienist declares it time to move on. They told me it would be best to return every 4 months...of course, it's been 18 months since last I went, so I compromised and just went with 6. 7/14/2008 10:12:00 AM Sunday, July 13, 2008 (7/13/2008 11:27:00 PM) - Al I made fun of it, but I am glad Gretchen Wilson won the Take Me Out To The Ballgame contest...she was by far the most attractive. 7/13/2008 11:27:00 PM (7/13/2008 11:13:00 PM) - Al ABC had a guy on that said that yes, the constant negative talk about the economy does make it worse. 7/13/2008 11:13:00 PM (7/13/2008 10:26:00 PM) - Al Al, I agree with you that Dusty Baker's 9th-inning approach was mostly correct in theory, though he did seem to ignore fatigue entirely in thinking Weathers could go two innings on his third straight day. The real head-scratcher, in my eyes, was when he brought in Bray specifically to face Fielder and didn't take him out after walking Prince. That situation plays itself out every day in the major leagues – bring in the lefty to face a lefty in a tight spot, and then get him out of there. When Bray walked Fielder, I actually started to get up to use the bathroom because I was sure there'd be a pitching change commercial break. I couldn't believe he left him in to face the righty Kapler. Then, Gabe gets a hit, ties the game and Dusty goes to the bullpen one batter too late. Who knows what happens if they can hold the lead? Dusty should have tried harder, but I'll take it as a Brewers fan. James I don't think Dusty had much faith in Lincoln, to be honest. He wanted Bray to be the guy, and after it was tied, he took him out. Plus, one relief guy down, he may not have had the arms to use the one batter, one pitcher philosophy. 7/13/2008 10:26:00 PM (7/13/2008 07:52:00 PM) - Al Heya... My dad and I went to the game today. I know that neither of us a big fan of sending a pitcher out there was 111 pitches, but that 9th inning was electric at the park. Anyway. How does Dusty Baker have a job? :) I'm not big into second guessing but he makes the dumber moves you will see. We saw 3 that made me go "huh?" today. Main one was the 9th. Why not bring Cordero in to start the 9th? He wasn't even throwing when the 9th started. So they leave Weathers out there against a guy tearing up left handed pitching. Then Cameron reaches. And THEN Cordero gets loose. It showed an amazing lack of planning. They ended up bringing in a rightie to face a leftie...a leftie who is one of the best "fundamentals" hitters in the NL. All he had to do was get his bat on a fastball and lift it to right and that's what he did. The guy next to us was obviously someone who goes to every game...very knowledgeable sort from what he was saying. And he was like "I think that's one of the dumber things I've seen". Mike I understand his idea in theory, he was going to save Cordero for the save. Then, with the runners on, he brought Frankie in to try and get a strikeout or a pop-up. That said, I would say the big goof was somehow thinking Weathers, at his age, can pitch 3 days in a row and then go 2 innings in his 3rd day. I guess they do have another set-up guy, Burton, that was hurt and unable to go, so maybe his hands were tied. 7/13/2008 07:52:00 PM (7/13/2008 07:01:00 PM) - Al Dare I say it, I think today's game may well end up as a Brewers' classic over the offseason. 7/13/2008 07:01:00 PM (7/13/2008 01:20:00 PM) - Al I find that almost every team is playing big shifts against the Brewers, especially Braun and Fielder, though often times the shifts themselves are not consistent from team to team. However, the days of teams just playing everyone straightaway, seem to be gone forever. Just a few years ago, many casuals wondered why the Brewers were the only team doing stuff like that, and it seems obvious...it was cheap and easy. Much like Beane chasing OBP, which has changed the game completely, so much Beane himself has had to find alternatives, little changes keep coming in MLB. You can't get caught up in the past, as progress never stops. 7/13/2008 01:20:00 PM (7/13/2008 01:13:00 PM) - Al An article I'd never seen before from Reason about how McCain's war record may work against him. Brilliant. Warning, as most pieces will that are about POW's and war, bad language and graphic descriptions of violence in the link. Obama is still selling the recession message, which is a rerun from last summer, if memory serves. With retail numbers up so much in May and June, I don't see it. 7/13/2008 01:13:00 PM (7/13/2008 12:56:00 PM) - Al Doug Melvin was just on the Futures Game broadcast, talking about with Braun, Hart, and Fielder at the corner OF spots and 1B made Laporta expendable. Very kind words about Mat Gamel as well, says his errors are a result of footwork and throws. Doug, honest to a fault, says they expect Gamel to hit enough to make up for a few errors. Wil Inman, one of the pitchers the Crew sent to SD for Linebrink last year, was pitching as well. Wil looked rather plain, very short for a RH, odd motion, almost a sidearmer, and his only effective pitch seemed to be a curveball that, while a strike, seemed to hang in the hitting zone. Most feel he is destined to be a reliever, and I would agree fully. He's barely averaging 5 innings per, so his stamina may already be limiting him. 7/13/2008 12:56:00 PM (7/13/2008 09:54:00 AM) - Al While the headline is about McCain pulling closer, the thing I noticed is that Obama is polling much more as a moderate than he did just a month ago. It's ironic how myself and others tease them for their "position shifts" to move to the center...but in reality, not only do they do it, it works. EDIT/BUMP: Glenn sums up the "primary to general" switch nicely, with good links as well. It seems more focus will be on Afghanistan in the coming months as well, and I can't say I've heard either candidate talk about their plans there. 7/13/2008 09:54:00 AM Saturday, July 12, 2008 (7/12/2008 11:11:00 PM) - Al TURNING POINT The Brewers bullpen collapsed in the eighth and ninth innings, allowing five runs to put the game out of reach. Eric Gagné allowed four of those runs and David Riske was charged with the other.--Tony W, JS How out of touch can you be? Obviously, the turning point was the Adam Dunn HR in the 1st, which was enough to win the game right there. Worrying about inconsequential runs in the 8th and 9th? Now that the horse is gone Tony, make sure you buy a new lock for that barn door. Talk about calling it in. 7/12/2008 11:11:00 PM (7/12/2008 11:05:00 PM) - Al This is a tough place here, too. Anytime anything is questionable here in this park, it's always an error. So, naturally, our defensive numbers are always going to be lower because of (that). It's not like that in most ballparks.--Ned Yost About time someone mentions that, as I doubt many casuals even realize it. Once again, the brainiac at MP changed a hit to an error, or in this case, vice versa, 24 hours after the ball was hit, tonight, changing Cameron's ball in the lights to a hit, which it would have been called without hesitation in the 29 other parks. Someone explain that to me...other than sheer incompetence. See the play, make the proper call, and quit making a spectacle of yourself. 7/12/2008 11:05:00 PM (7/12/2008 10:06:00 PM) - Al An e-mailer tells Glenn why the papers feel they are struggling. Reading between the lines a bit, it seems to me the dinosaur of an industry knows what the problem is, but is very slow to focus more on things that will sell. We never buy a paper except on Sunday, and often the sports section covers things that have little interest to anyone who is not related to the participants...American Legion baseball, a summer AAU basketball tournament, and so on. Not only don't I care, I did not even know it was going on. 7/12/2008 10:06:00 PM (7/12/2008 09:41:00 PM) - Al Looks like EV solidified his starting spot, which is fine by me. I wish Sheets could somehow be held out completely, but will settle for a nondescript 8 pitch inning. Gagne missed his target twice by about a foot..that seems strange. Even so, he looks like a different pitcher than he did before his DL stay. Mota looked better, but still "off". As solid as he was in the first two months, it's tough for a team right in the hunt to not just go with the top guys, and there's little doubt Stetter is better right now. Still with good velocity though, he might be a simple adjustment away from being fine again. Guys that throw 95 tend to get another chance. I wonder why Brian keeps pointing out how many games behind the Cubs the Brewers are...if they get close to the Cubs, they will be well ahead in the wildcard race. I am far more concerned with the best 2nd place team than I am the Cubs...heck, I'm far, far more concerned about the Crew continuing to play on a 88-90 win pace than any other team. 7/12/2008 09:41:00 PM (7/12/2008 06:31:00 PM) - Al Braun strikes out on a pitch that looked well outside, and maybe low, and apparently, ties no longer go to the runner, or so says Corey Hart. Again, if it's a close call on the bases, you can almost count on it being wrong. This has all the makings of a long, long game. 7/12/2008 06:31:00 PM (7/12/2008 01:00:00 PM) - Al Unfortunately, most Democrats still insist on trying to repeal half the law of supply and demand. Instead of Economics 101, we might call this new theory Obamanomics.--Lamar Alexander What's this supply and demand, ECON 101 he speaks of? You mean prices of stuff are not set by "the man". Read the whole thing here. Alexander wrongfully uses party lines, as many folks are against ways of increasing supply. That said, the goofiest thing I've seen is the ads that say that the long-term plans won't extract a drop of oil for 5 years...um, no it won't, that's why it's part of the plan, not the whole plan. The alternative would seem to be not to have a plan at all...unless raising the beejebers on corporate taxes is somehow an energy plan. 7/12/2008 01:00:00 PM (7/12/2008 10:51:00 AM) - Al The saddest part of Tony Snow's death at age 53 is he wasted 1.5 years of his life with the vultures of the White House press corps. 7/12/2008 10:51:00 AM (7/12/2008 09:49:00 AM) - Al My son and I are off to the local state park, enjoy your Saturday. 7/12/2008 09:49:00 AM Friday, July 11, 2008 (7/11/2008 11:33:00 PM) - Al Glenn is right, the other poll was just wacky, but I have heard many people say the same thing...with the economy at its weakest point since W took office, and the war still going (albeit many would argue successfully), you would think Obama would have a comfy lead at this point...but he really does not. I'm not going to make another post, so I'll just mention it here...with McCain and Obama ads running nonstop here in a swing county (and I assume all over WI), I just noticed tonight that the minute long one mentions McCain was held as a POW in the late 60's, during the time frame often remembered for irresponsible behavior. There really is no reason this matters, of course, except to compare his service to the era many people...including almost anyone over the age of 60, feels was a horrible time for the country. It might be as good at making McCain seem "above" that as any ad imaginable. That said, McCain was set to get a huge majority of that age group anyway, so the effect is minimal. 7/11/2008 11:33:00 PM (7/11/2008 10:21:00 PM) - Al Another coin flip loss, Cincy with some good fortune, and as often happens in a one run game, mistakes hurt. Of course, nothing you can do about losing a ball in the lights, which was the key play of the entire game. While the Crew got a bit lucky as well, with Hart's blooper and an error on the 3B, Braun's double just missed being a HR, as did Hardy's foul ball. Prince hit a ball as hard as you can with Braun as 2B, but not only was it right at Phillips, it bounced neatly for him, as did Hall's grounder to SS in the 9th...after it bounced up perfectly, they still just got him by a quarter step. Even the final pitch of the game looked both low and outside...you don't get that call very often. Ned felt this was a game he wanted badly, probably because the pitching matchup tomorrow night. Torres was asked to get 5 outs, though I'm sure Yost's plan was to ask him to get 4, but Hall's throw in the dirt prevented that. 7/11/2008 10:21:00 PM (7/11/2008 07:03:00 PM) - Al My wife had chicken marinating in the fridge for me to grill tonight, so I stopped in at the grocery to get some steak to go with it. I like expensive cuts as well, but prefer the cheaper ones, as i find they have more flavor; round, sirloin, English cut, etc. Last night, my wife checked and could not find anything under $3.79 a pound, so I told her to never mind, and I'd pick some up. Now granted, we "could" easily afford the $3.79 steak, but when it's on sale for $1.79, we stock up and freeze it, so I admit, paying $3.79/lb. seems outlandish. I could not locate the magical location of inexpensive steaks either, but did find some nice roasts on sale, so I picked up a couple of those. When I got home, I used a knife and a butterfly cut to make my own steak, which I had tonight with the chicken. I'm not sure if it was the cut itself or my technique, but it was perhaps the juiciest, tastiest steak I can recall having. I may never buy pre-packaged steak again. 7/11/2008 07:03:00 PM (7/11/2008 03:01:00 PM) - Al As many of you are packing up for the weekend, I was hoping you could shoot me the name of your favorite Brewers' blog...or if you wish to play along, your 2nd favorite. I need to update my links and was wondering what others check out daily. Thanks in advance. And while you are at it, I think we'll have a midseason roundtable, so if you have any questions you'd like to see asked, let me know. 7/11/2008 03:01:00 PM (7/11/2008 01:01:00 PM) - Al More than 1,000 people now have become ill from salmonella initially linked to raw tomatoes in 41 states. Joe Joe labeled his e-mail, "don't let those pesky facts get in the way", which I have said on many occasions, so bonus points on Joe's use of the language. I guess it is safe to say Joe sees this as more of an issue than myself, to say the least. It comes out to about 11 people a day, and let's face it, no one washes tomatoes or boils them for 2 minutes to kill germs, and they aren't going to start now. As I said before, 11 people a day out of 300M are ill...seriously, that almost seems like just another day in paradise. I mean, way over a dozen people get plugged up because they eat too much cheese (um, I've heard) on a given day, and no one wants to regulate the aging of that to aid digestion. I'm sure more than 11 people get sick from lactose intolerance each day too...should we ban all dairy? I'm not saying to ignore this minor tomato problem, but let's lose the drama...you may want to limit your tomato intake if you have an issue with your immune system, or if you are very young or elderly. Otherwise, hey, live on the edge, drive 57 and then dip your chips in some, gasp, salsa. And if you go to a farmer's market tomorrow, it probably is not necessary to wear a hazmat suit just because you walked by a bushel basket of red, vine ripened fruit. 7/11/2008 01:01:00 PM (7/11/2008 11:59:00 AM) - Al I just came across this link and had a stark realization...why do they keep these crews together all the time? Much of the terrible PR and stupidity as far as going after players and managers (you know, thinking a single fan came to watch them umpire) is caused by just a couple bad crews...maybe splitting them up is a fine idea. I don't know what the problem would be...I can't think of any. It would help find the weak links...of which there are many. I can't help but think it may be easier to find the ones doing a good job, as this year, I have not seen many instances of that. Seriously, double digit HR calls missed, and it's not the all-star break yet. Oi vey. 7/11/2008 11:59:00 AM (7/11/2008 11:02:00 AM) - Al Chicago followed the Brewers’ acquisition of Sabathia by trading for Oakland ace Dan Haren--Tom H, JS So painful. UPDATE: A reader just informed me they e-mailed Tom about the error...he got a form letter back...and the mistake is still online. Oh, the high standards of the JS. On a related note, I just don't understand why these newspapers are struggling so. 7/11/2008 11:02:00 AM (7/11/2008 11:01:00 AM) - Al I just saw on a message board that if the Crew sells out all 3 games this weekend, they then have a weekend series with HOU...could easily be all sellouts. Then 4 versus the Cubs...then another weekend series. Add all those to yesterday, carry the one, take off a sock, ta da, the little ol' Milwaukee Brewers could sell out 14 games in a row. Who woulda thunk it? 7/11/2008 11:01:00 AM (7/11/2008 10:01:00 AM) - Al Al, I've asked numerous times, but Tom and Anthony doen't like my questions. So I will offer them to you. Why do the Brewers only have 39 players on there 40 man roster? Why aren't Choate, Capuano and Yovani placed on the 60 day DL? Are they just waiting for September to make these changes? Dan Heh. First of all, Tony W is far too busy ripping his readers to bother responding to questions like this...heck, I would not bet cash that he can count to 40. I am not a professional journalist, but here are my best guesses. Most teams prefer not to have 40 men on the roster so they can scoop someone up quickly if they become available, and/or have to add someone due to a need on the 25 man roster. For example, if Counsell got hurt tomorrow, one name they would consider is Chris Woodward, a utility guy currently at AAA Nashville. If they decided they needed him pronto, they would rather have an open spot than have to remove someone. Another simple way of looking at it is simple...guys on the 40 get paid more than guys not on the 40, as they sign major league contracts. Also, if you have no options, you have to clear waivers to be taken off the 40, so they don't add anyone unless they have to. Choate is now playing at AAA, so that's why he's not on the 60 day DL, in fact, he was just outrighted, I think. The others will be placed on the 60 day DL if a 40 man roster spot is needed (you get 40 plus the guys on the 60 day DL...or you can say the guys on the 60 day DL do not count). I would guess that on September 1st, for example, Mel Stocker might be added to be a PR and defensive replacement, and that's when Capuano will be put on the 60 day DL, unless his spot is needed earlier. Heck, Yo might be able to go in September, at least we can hope. Basically, there's no reason to make these changes until they need a spot...there is no limit on the 15 day DL (I don't think). By the way, Zach Jackson is no longer on the 40 either, so I bet they are down to 37 or so, without him and Choate. 7/11/2008 10:01:00 AM (7/11/2008 09:09:00 AM) - Al This is a horrible chart to try and read, but am I reading it correctly that the Brewers have the 4th highest local ratings? UPDATE: I am all but positive that does not mean the Crew is 4th in total viewers, as I assume a 4 rating in the NYC metro does not equal a 4 rating in Milwaukee. TV execs, help me out here. UPDATE 2: Friend of Ramblings Mike tells us that the total households is on the right, so you'll note the Brewers 60K number is very low compared to others. 7/11/2008 09:09:00 AM (7/11/2008 09:01:00 AM) - Al I've just discovered, or rather, I guess you could say, figured out how to do something here. If I change the time on the post options, it will not "publish" until that time...so I can be constantly updating my blog even though I am hard at work (or napping in my car, drooling on my shirt). For instance, I am going to change the time on this to just after 9AM, so folks will have fresh content, however weak, as they check in at their desk Friday morning and spend time online until their first break. {Admit it, you know who you are.} 7/11/2008 09:01:00 AM Thursday, July 10, 2008 (7/10/2008 09:45:00 PM) - Al I have a couple things to say about this MLB.com piece on Hart being voted in: 1. It's good to see the Brewers still allow beer in the clubhouse...while I'm anti-drinking and driving, it is refreshing to see the team allows men to be men and have a beer after the game if they wish. 2. I did not vote once, and have little doubt his victory was the result of a handful of fans voting oodles...though seeing he got 8M votes, it must be about 200-500 people, not the dozen I thought. 3. I'm glad for Corey, and hope he signs long-term before the beginning of next season. Realistically, I have a hard time believing the kid from Kentucky, an 11th round pick who had to prove himself at every level, often for more than one year, is still going year-to-year. Meanwhile, the 5th overall pick, a California boy by way of South Florida, signed long-term with the smallest market in MLB. The truth is always stranger than fiction. By the way, Corey married the daughter of the folks who let him stay at their house during the season in High Desert, as is often the case in the low minors and even more so in college summer leagues. Needless to say, if I was the parent of a teenage girl, I wouldn't live in the same city as a minor league baseball team, never mind host one in my house. 7/10/2008 09:45:00 PM (7/10/2008 09:33:00 PM) - Al The JS reports how well the Brewers are doing in all phases of the business. Obviously, not a Tom H article, as the prince of darkness is busy coming up with story ideas for his all-star break piece, "Why I'm Disappointed". One of my proudest moments in this little blog's history is saying over a year ago I thought they'd draw 3M fans in 2008...all the while message board folks said it was "a mathematical improbability" and "they can't average 37K a game". Of course, these are the same folks who had Dave Krynzel rated ahead of Ryan Braun because "he's proven himself at a higher level". Simply put, many people do not have an inkling of how little they know. At least I realize the sum of my knowledge fits on the head of a pin, while the world is as vast as a 4 year-old's imagination. 7/10/2008 09:33:00 PM (7/10/2008 09:13:00 PM) - Al I worked in retail for 15 years, and I always looked in awe at Wal Mart, as they commonly do 25 "turns" a year on their inventory (the companies I worked for did 3-4 and thought they were advanced to the nth power). Despite people blasting them for, you know, paying market value for their labor (I do not know of a single company that pays more than market), all they do is continue to hone their craft, work with suppliers to be more efficient, and overall, are just a money making machine. 7/10/2008 09:13:00 PM (7/10/2008 09:02:00 PM) - Al I'm a huge Phil Gramm fan, as he's probably forgot more about economics than most will ever know, and I agree completely that we're a bunch of whiners, whether he meant that or not. The amount of folks singing the blues despite living in the lap of luxury...not to mention causing all their own problems and then expecting to be bailed out by big government...is at an all-time high. Trust me, back when people sailed on smelly, rodent infested boats for months to reach the greatest nation in the history of the world, I doubt if there was any more complaining than there is now...because we have so much free time on our hands, and as I have pointed out many a time, our "poor" have cable TV and air conditioning (my goodness, many have two cars!). You gotta admit, back when most coal miners worked 14 hours a day, 6 days a week, they didn't have time to be so depressed. 7/10/2008 09:02:00 PM (7/10/2008 08:55:00 PM) - Al I can't get too excited about a group of teens building a wiffle ball field on a vacant lot, but I don't have to listen to them at all hours either. Too bad the city does not offer up a piece of land that has been abandoned with little value. Hat tip to Dave Pinto. Glenn thinks the complainers are nuts. 7/10/2008 08:55:00 PM (7/10/2008 08:49:00 PM) - Al THT goes over the Sabathia and Harden trades...most like both deals. 7/10/2008 08:49:00 PM (7/10/2008 08:41:00 PM) - Al I just thought I'd throw out the tidbit that several rumors have been found that show the Crew has asked about Damaso Marte, a LH reliever that the Pirates may well be shopping. I know I've mentioned Marte and Sal Torres as possible targets more than any other player in Ramblings' history, and how funny would it be if MIL ended up with both of them? 7/10/2008 08:41:00 PM (7/10/2008 08:34:00 PM) - Al Mota may have a bit of a short leash, but he has some leash. Looks like he'll be used as only a mop-up man for a while. It's really something, how good he was until the end of May, and how bad he's been since. As we've seen from Turnbow, who was last seen walking a couple guys per inning in Tennessee, it is astounding how a mechanical flaw, so minor we can't see it, makes a guy go from horrible to good and vice versa. It does appear that he is not hurt, as he's had every chance to admit it while watching hours of video, per Adam's story. You do have to wonder if he has a "dead arm" and that may have led to these slight adjustments, but honestly, it's neither here nor there...if he's unable to correct it, he won't be around, as the cost of a replacement is only $175K-2M for the rest of the way...and Gord/Doug are already on the record they are looking. Little doubt if a relief guy fell into their laps tonight that Mota would be the 12th man and be the odd man out. 7/10/2008 08:34:00 PM (7/10/2008 08:07:00 PM) - Al Just got home and done with my homework for the day. I did listen to the last couple innings and saw Squeeze Play, however, so I do not feel too out of it. Back in a bit, with e-mail if nothing else. 7/10/2008 08:07:00 PM Wednesday, July 09, 2008 (7/09/2008 10:57:00 PM) - Al Al, What I have trouble with is that the Food & Drug Administration told everyone which varieties of tomatoes were too dangerous to eat or sell. Now they tell us that there is a good chance that it wasn't the tomatoes after all. "Even so, those tomatoes that got thrown out, because we thought they were bad, you better not eat them now, because they're kinda rotten. Oh, and you tomato farmers that didn't get any money for your crop this year, sorry 'bout that guys. OUR BAD ! We been so busy round here, don't know if we ever catsup." Kinda reminds me of meteorologists. Sometimes they get it right, but no one keeps score. Somehow, they keep their job. Carl What's truly amazing is every Saturday, thousands of people go to the farmer's markets all over the nation, and despite this unregulated bastion of capitalism and law free sale of a variety of perishables, the survival rate is 100%, as far as I can tell at least. As the late George Carlin was fond of saying, "Eating isn't fun anymore, everybody cooks the sh*t out of everything". Whenever I grill, I always ensure the chicken gets up to 160...yet, I've found several cookbooks and recipes that say poultry should be 180, and even 190. It's all just overkill, no pun intended. Heck, the famous turkey in Xmas Vacation only got up to 175...:) 7/09/2008 10:57:00 PM (7/09/2008 10:38:00 PM) - Al He tries really hard. The Rambling son's "sports for life" teacher at the summer school open house. I believe that was a nice way of telling us his athletic ability is exactly what you'd expect being the offspring of myself and Mrs. Ramblings. 7/09/2008 10:38:00 PM (7/09/2008 10:06:00 PM) - Al One has to wonder if Mota is at full strength, as his effectiveness has gone straight downhill since April, as his numbers show that. He still seems to have decent velocity, but much like Suppan, he can't seem to get his breaking ball where he wants it...it's either in the dirt, or right down the middle. I took a look at his game log, and I wonder if something went wrong in late May, when he went back-to-back two inning outings in DC. Since then, you'll see he got several days off, and has struggled since. Of course, a bad outing or two is enough to skew your numbers greatly as a reliever, your entire stat line is a small sample. 7/09/2008 10:06:00 PM (7/09/2008 09:50:00 PM) - Al Glad to see New Orleans' police department is focusing on what's important. As I have pointed out many times, Toys R Us went into the crapper at precisely the same time they started mandating everyone wear the same color shirt every shift. it's like when you're 15 year-old tells you she's pregnant, and you inform her her room is messy...simply put, you can only concentrate on so many things. 7/09/2008 09:50:00 PM (7/09/2008 08:32:00 PM) - Al As for serrano peppers, that was included in the warning because they're difficult for consumers to tell apart. There's nothing wrong with them, but we're still telling people they are harmful. Oof. I honestly think we'd be better off if we just eliminated the CDC tomorrow. They have embarrassed themselves at every opportunity, and have only succeeded in having tons of edible food thrown away that may or may not have been bad. What a worthless agency. When people disparage the nanny state, they are looking directly at these clowns. This is a country of 300M people...25 folks having flu-like symptoms is not a problem, it's a guarantee. Shut up. 7/09/2008 08:32:00 PM (7/09/2008 08:18:00 PM) - Al I just wanted to point out that Ben Sheets has thrown 115 or more pitches as many times in his last seven starts as Sabathia had before tonight (four times by both). I just thought it was an interesting coincidence - I guess we'll see how long he lets Sheets go tonight. Hopefully the Brewers get out to a big lead and make it a non-issue. Theron His pitch count is going to be high without a doubt this evening. 7/09/2008 08:18:00 PM (7/09/2008 07:29:00 PM) - Al Sheets is proving the old Beane saying about K's being "a pound of flesh"...his pitch count is very high after 6 strikeouts through 2 frames. He's on a 5-6 inning pace no matter how good he is. It's officially at 40, even higher than I thought. 7/09/2008 07:29:00 PM (7/09/2008 07:22:00 PM) - Al I have to agree with Glenn, and also wonder how Jackson is relevant, as usually ethnic slurs are enough to make one's opinions meaningless. 7/09/2008 07:22:00 PM (7/09/2008 06:41:00 PM) - Al FYI, maybe the Brewers had some group tickets returned for tomorrow, as they do have some non SRO tickets available for tomorrow all of a sudden. Head over to the team site right away if you feel like some matinee baseball. 7/09/2008 06:41:00 PM (7/09/2008 04:04:00 PM) - Al I predicted this just the other day...the Brewers have no problem taking in more cash if you're late to the party. 7/09/2008 04:04:00 PM (7/09/2008 12:22:00 AM) - Al I just realized that the ad I've been seeing is not a pretend ad for something else or a satire...there is a condition called "monkey butt". 7/09/2008 12:22:00 AM Tuesday, July 08, 2008 (7/08/2008 11:10:00 PM) - Al Getting U.S. combat troops out of Iraq is a key Obama goal, and one where he said he is misunderstood. His campaign materials say Obama would begin withdrawing combat troops from Iraq, one or two brigades a month, as soon as he takes office. But he added in the interview that the start of the withdrawal also depends on the security conditions on the ground. Can you believe that? Going by his statements on the record instead of his...flavor of the month after flip-flopping several times...still months from the election? The media is so unfair. 7/08/2008 11:10:00 PM (7/08/2008 10:24:00 PM) - Al Al, It's a great time to be a Brewer fan. While I'm a huge supporter of the CC trade, it's interesting to see how many people are "we gave up too much." It seems though that all the older people are for it (26 years since the postseason) and the younger generation seems to dislike it. Could this be because they are spoiled with Braun. Every top prospect CAN'T be Braun and won't have the same effect on a team. Just an observation. Warning - I have to much time on my hands for my mind to wonder. Looking at the second half schedule, I assume the rotation will be: Sabathia Sheets - plenty of rest after the All-Star game Parra Bush Suppan Assuming McClung goes to the bullpen and Stetter gets sent down. Suppan becomes the 5th starter because that will be his first day back from the DL. If Yost contines to use a strict 5 man roation, Sabathia and Sheets will face the Cubs every time we see them (3 starts a pice) with the last two games of the year (vs.the Cubs) Sabathia - Sheets. WOW, I'm really pumped up for the Brewers and this city is a Buzz with Brewer Fever. Dan We'll have to see if the Brewers skip the #5 starter late in the season, which would probably give the top 4 an extra start or two. Note that Ned pulled CC after 96 pitches tonight, after his pitch count was 115-122 or thereabouts in his last half-dozen starts. CLE was acting as if they had a rented mule to abuse, while Yost, as he has done for his entire tenure, erred on the side of caution. Not sure if it is noticed by many, but I'm certain it is by his rotation. 7/08/2008 10:24:00 PM (7/08/2008 09:52:00 PM) - Al Onions cannot be traded on the futures markets...and the prices still fluctuate wildly because of... ...wait for it... ...supply and demand. Who would have guessed that? 7/08/2008 09:52:00 PM (7/08/2008 09:43:00 PM) - Al This umpiring crew must see a lot of 10-7 games. I just don't know why any arbiter would choose to create an atmosphere in which you have to work 25% longer. 7/08/2008 09:43:00 PM (7/08/2008 08:33:00 PM) - Al Isn't W's approval rating 30%? If it is, that's 3x higher than Congress! 7/08/2008 08:33:00 PM (7/08/2008 08:30:00 PM) - Al Melvin, his son, Cory, and pro scouting coordinator Zack Minasian tried to guess who Chicago would have sent to Oakland and got three of the names right: right-hander Sean Gallagher, outfielder Matt Murton and catching prospect Josh Donaldson.--MLB.com Doug needs a nap. Too many names fluttering around in that noggin. 7/08/2008 08:30:00 PM (7/08/2008 08:04:00 PM) - Al Singles and standing room only for Thursday's game...that's a weekday afternoon sellout, by the way. Jeepers. 7/08/2008 08:04:00 PM (7/08/2008 07:01:00 PM) - Al Rosenthal has heard the Crew is looking at Ray Durham and Jack Taschner of SF...a reliever and a switch-hitter off the bench. Whether it is true or not, who knows, but it does make sense. 7/08/2008 07:01:00 PM (7/08/2008 06:51:00 PM) - Al Cubs pick up Rich Harden and a reliever for 4 players, including 2 of my favorites, Matt Murton and Eric Patterson, two guys the Cubs do not seem to think much of, but just seem to have good OBP's at every level. If Harden stays healthy, the Cubs probably come out of this well...of course, Sabathia could throw one pitch and get hurt too, but all you can do is go by their history, and Harden's is spotty, to say the least. As Dave Pinto says in the link, it always seems like Beane gets more than you think at first glance. I would hesitate to deal with the A's, because they rarely lose a trade. 7/08/2008 06:51:00 PM (7/08/2008 06:48:00 PM) - Al Mark A said today that Doug is still looking, probably for a bullpen arm and a LH bat off the bench. Somehow, I think he would know.:) 7/08/2008 06:48:00 PM (7/08/2008 04:43:00 PM) - Al In Hart's "final vote" story, he says he finished 5th in fan balloting, and Cameron 6th...my goodness. I had no idea the fans had stuffed the box that much, between the stadium votes and mostly online. Sadly, if they would have started pushing the online vote a week earlier, we might be looking at an all-Brewers OF, and that would not be good for anyone. 7/08/2008 04:43:00 PM (7/08/2008 04:35:00 PM) - Al The irony to Jason's post below is not that kids should feel bad not making the all-star game, but that it may prevent some of the really talented ones from going to camps and such. I know I was never an all-star at any level I played at, even in my prime. Not all of us have that in us, even when I was good, I was barely above average. 7/08/2008 04:35:00 PM (7/08/2008 02:03:00 PM) - Jason Christopherson I heard about this on the Jim Rome show today, as they are canceling the all-star game of a little league. It's funny, too--despite the Mayor's assertion that he's heard no complaints, the unscientific (and undoubtedly a bit biased thanks to the plug on national radio a few minutes ago) poll in this article current has it about 85% against the decision. Didn't make the All-Star team this year, son? If it means enough to you, try harder next year. Make it a goal. I see nothing wrong with that at all. Instead, these folks decided to remove the goal since everyone can't reach it. Even though I don't have the express written consent to use it, I find no other words better than Al's "OOF"! 7/08/2008 02:03:00 PM (7/08/2008 08:45:00 AM) - Al Looks like 40K+ for CC's first start. One note, Doug said they are still looking to build depth, and were trying to figure out where they did not have a replacement, either in the bigs or the minors, in case someone got hurt and had to miss weeks of time. A cursory glance at the roster says other than Ben (and now CC), a reserve 1B/LF/RF, LH being preferred, is by far what they could use. 7/08/2008 08:45:00 AM (7/08/2008 12:04:00 AM) - Al Roger Goodell and Drew Brees will headline a USO tour by the NFL. Brett Favre is far too selfish to go on such an expedition, so he decided to embarrass himself instead...at least this time, he did it without a stay at a rehab clinic. This is why the editors of Ramblings do not allow me to comment on the NFL often. It's barely a notch above the WWE. 7/08/2008 12:04:00 AM Monday, July 07, 2008 (7/07/2008 11:49:00 PM) - Al A letter to quiet the disgruntled casuals. Sadly, it'll work, at least kind of. Many fans have no comprehension of how to build a team, or how free agency even works. I just wish CC would not have jinxed the Brewers tonight...sigh.:) 7/07/2008 11:49:00 PM (7/07/2008 08:42:00 PM) - Al As I often say, thank goodness for casual fans, because they buy a huge majority of the tickets. This was an easy thing to predict, but it is good to see. 7/07/2008 08:42:00 PM (7/07/2008 08:39:00 PM) - Al Because of CC's acquisition and the all-star break, Suppan will miss a single start on his trip to the DL. I cannot tell you how fortunate we are to have the braintrust we have...always a step ahead. 7/07/2008 08:39:00 PM (7/07/2008 08:30:00 PM) - Al Thank goodness we have these guys are saving the world for us. 7/07/2008 08:30:00 PM (7/07/2008 08:09:00 PM) - Al Jon Mayo discusses the three prospects that the Crew gave up for CC, so far. The consensus on the PTBNL seems to be it is a 2 player list, Taylor Green (2B/3B) and Mike Brantley (OF). Both are nice cogs who could well be starters in the bigs someday, but I sure hope the Tribe takes Green. I have Brantley penciled in as the leadoff hitter for several years in the next decade.:) 7/07/2008 08:09:00 PM (7/07/2008 06:53:00 PM) - Al Jim Molony and Mike Bauman both feel the CC addition will help greatly. 7/07/2008 06:53:00 PM (7/07/2008 05:51:00 PM) - Al I watched a fascinating show on History the other night that went over whiskey, and they seemed like all the companies profiled were just booming...I guess they are, for the most part. The thing you have to remember is while it takes forever to age, the process of making it is cheap. After you pay for the space and equipment, it's just marketing and not far from your own ATM. 7/07/2008 05:51:00 PM (7/07/2008 05:34:00 PM) - Al I am in Albuquerque for a bowling tournament, and apparently the Brewers sweep and trade for Sabathia didn't actually happen. I watched SportsCenter for about a full hour, and say a combined 30 seconds today. I did see the Chicago Rush / Grand Rapids Rampage highlights over and over and over. Thanks for your blog. It is helping to fill the void. Michael I did see it mentioned, and I believe the ESPN rerun of Sportscenter that ended at 8:30 this morning was a 90 minute version, so that may have been part of the reason. However, Jason and Michael's point is taken...if the Yankees, Mets, or Red Sox would have acquired CC, I shudder to think of the vast coverage. ESPN used to be really, really good, and now, to quote the greatest sitcom in TV history, just when you think it's reached rock bottom, it manages to dig a little more dirt out of the hole. They do one thing, and they do it very badly. However, much like the days of the Soviet Union having record harvests that rotted in the fields and warehouses due to poor infrastructure and no planning, most of ESPN's demise can be traced directly to a total lack of competition...there's no other show on TV like Baseball Tonight, and FSN's Final Score, which crams all sports into a 22 minute package that is quality, but could be so much better if it were stretched out. It's awful, but it is the only choice. Much like Fox News has changed cable news forever, so would another all sports network. I'm waiting, and it can't come too soon. 7/07/2008 05:34:00 PM (7/07/2008 05:18:00 PM) - Al On my way to work this morning, the two guys were gamely discussing the trade, as one sounded rather knowledgeable, and the other fella proudly mentioned Packers' training camp starts 7/28. He mentioned Suppan had not been pitching well, and I thought to myself, I wonder if Jeff is nursing a minor injury, or just a "tired arm"? I did not foresee a trip to the DL, but wondered if they might skip his next scheduled start, which would be Friday, and in effect, give him 2 weeks off. Well, they did DL him with what sounds like a minor elbow injury, almost more of an irritation that an injury. Hopefully, that will fix what ails him, as he's just been unable to locate his breaking stuff at all the past few weeks. 7/07/2008 05:18:00 PM (7/07/2008 05:11:00 PM) - Al Doug did not say anything very exciting during the press conference I just listened to, but allow me to sum up his main point... We figure we're in it, and we're going to go for it. Sounds like Taylor Green will be PTBNL, or it could end up being Mike Brantley, I think they said there are only a pair of names on the list. Sounds like CLE is far from sold on Green as a 2B and want to study him some more before making the final decision. I did enjoy a couple things, Doug saying he and Gord were on the phone so much yesterday, they did not see the game...thought they heard we won. Also, as he has said before, he said he had too much respect for CC and the Indians to lowball them, he went in with a solid offer, and ended up "adjusting" it a little because they never know what other teams are offering. 7/07/2008 05:11:00 PM (7/07/2008 10:13:00 AM) - Jason Christopherson I jump on the exercise bike and page through my TV viewing options early this morning, eventually cringing at the fact that ESPN's Mike and Mike is probably my best bet. They're bringing in Buster Olney, so at least we'll get some baseball talk and an interview with one of the guys that has been all over the C.C. to the Brewers story for a few weeks. The opening question to Olney? Nope, not about C.C. (I figure they would have had a Sportscenter three-hour special had the current AL Cy Young winner went to the Yanks or BoSox). Nope, not even about the All-Star teams or the snubs. No, the first question was about A-Rod and his pending divorce. Dear CNNSI: We're sorry for not watching you enough. Please come back. Sincerely, Sports Fans. On the trade itself: I think I said last year that I was uncomfortable being a fan of a "buyer" team, having conditioned myself to appreciate building from within and maintaining young and cheap talent. This time around I'm not nearly as nervous about it. Laporta will be a fine major league player, but I'm not convinced he's irreplacable and there was always the question of where he would play. Losing a lefty bat like Green (if he is the PTBNL) could end up hurting a bit. But how much fun was it a month ago to have all those picks near the top of the draft? Potentially having two years in a row of that kind of shopping spree tends to fill the cupboards pretty quickly. Sabathia is flat out dominant AND eats innings (insert your own punchline here). The Brewers' starting pitching now matches up favorably with practically any team this side of the DH. The deal is expensive, but being a serious contender is worth it. It truly is an exciting time to be a fan. 7/07/2008 10:13:00 AM (7/07/2008 08:05:00 AM) - Al Heh. 7/07/2008 08:05:00 AM Sunday, July 06, 2008 (7/06/2008 10:41:00 PM) - Al Now that almost all the parts are known, it's tough not to like the final trade. CC Sabathia is one of the best SP's in the game, never mind the best SP on the market. I hate giving up Laporta, but there is some doubt where he'd play. The excitement level just went up. The talent just went up. I promise you, there will be many calls to the ticket office asking how to guarantee playoff tickets...I assume you need to buy a 20 game package. Heck, they might bring out a "2nd half season ticket" to promote as well. This is the way contenders act in July. They go out, add pieces, and hope for good health and solid contributions. I doubt if the Brewers are done, but obviously, this is the biggest move they'll make...probably anyone will make. Thanks for making Ramblings a part of your Sunday. We'll be back tomorrow, but probably not until evening. 7/06/2008 10:41:00 PM (7/06/2008 10:32:00 PM) - Al Bert sends me this quote from a Tribe message board: I wish we could've got Corey Hart thrown in there. Heh. I'm sure they do. 7/06/2008 10:32:00 PM (7/06/2008 10:29:00 PM) - Al Rosenthal lauds the Brewers' long-term plans. Law talks up Sabathia. 7/06/2008 10:29:00 PM (7/06/2008 09:05:00 PM) - Al State Journal is reporting it is Zach Jackson and Rob Bryson in addition to Laporta, and "a player to be determined", which is probably either dependent on performance or a 2007 draftee who has not been signed for a year yet. This seems like much less than was rumored. Add in the two comp picks, I feel very good about this deal. EDIT: A source close to the trade informs Ramblings this is not the entire trade. More to come as I find it out. UPDATE: Tom H finally agrees, and adds the 4th player may still be Taylor Green, who the Tribe wants to look at as a 2B before making up their mind. Still less than last night, as Jackson and Bryson are not better than Cain. Zach's ceiling seems to have fallen to a lefty reliever, not a difference maker. Again, a lot to give up, but when you add in those two comp picks...I do not feel the Brewers gave too much at all. CC is excellent, of course, it's not like they're giving up Laporta for Randy Wolf. 7/06/2008 09:05:00 PM (7/06/2008 07:53:00 PM) - Al Cain is not part of the trade, he has been promoted to AA Huntsville. I hope Brantley is not included, but feel I'm probably going to be disappointed. UPDATE: Ramblings has it on good authority that Brantley is not included in this trade. I feel better.:) 7/06/2008 07:53:00 PM (7/06/2008 06:02:00 PM) - Al Will Stetter go down? Bush? McClung to the bullpen and then another move? Hmmm. 7/06/2008 06:02:00 PM (7/06/2008 05:51:00 PM) - Al Done deal, Laporta is all that is known. 7/06/2008 05:51:00 PM (7/06/2008 05:00:00 PM) - Al Laporta not in the lineup at AA tonight. Brantley is out with a sprained ankle, so his absence in the lineup means nothing. 7/06/2008 05:00:00 PM (7/06/2008 04:12:00 PM) - Al Jon Heyman says the Tribe has been trying to get Alcides Escobar into the trade, but have not been successful. My feeling is that the Brewers may have gave in and added Brantley to get the trade done. I feel Escobar is a can't miss, but Brantley is close to that as well, though he plays a less vital defensive spot. If that is indeed what has happened...CLE got the 1st and 4th best prospects the Crew has, and probably someone else. 7/06/2008 04:12:00 PM (7/06/2008 04:06:00 PM) - Al Tom H fashionably late to the party. I'd say it is all but done, they might be drawing it up to send to MLB and letting the players involved know. 7/06/2008 04:06:00 PM (7/06/2008 03:21:00 PM) - Al First link that a deal is done, courtesy of a blog. Laporta and 2 other prospects is all they know. UPDATE: The gent that wrote this is the MLB.com beat writer for the Indians...I'd say it's very likely complete. 7/06/2008 03:21:00 PM (7/06/2008 03:14:00 PM) - Al Al, Not sure how page hits and views and all that stuff works, but I'm certain I've set a personal record today as I've clicked my Ramblings bookmark in the toolbar repeatedly since late this morning. Between the fireworks-show game this afternoon, the amazing Federer/Nadal match that is as good as I've ever seen tennis and this Sabathia stuff, it's a fun Sunday afternoon. Anyway, just wanted to send a note that I'm really enjoying the updates and posts. Keep up the good work. Jim I just realized they started back up in England, in time to see Nadal win. I think as of now with CC, it's the Brewers and Indians finalizing things up, to quote Howie Mandel, deal or no deal. 7/06/2008 03:14:00 PM (7/06/2008 03:07:00 PM) - Al CBS updates, saying that the Crew has offered 2 out of their top 5...as long as they aren't a particular 2. 7/06/2008 03:07:00 PM (7/06/2008 02:49:00 PM) - Al CBS chimes in, saying they are still in talks. 7/06/2008 02:49:00 PM (7/06/2008 02:43:00 PM) - Al This CLE paper says the Tribe is looking for solid players, and other reports indicate the Tribe wants Mike Brantley, an OBP machine, along with Laporta and Green. I am a huge Brantley fan, and almost feel Laporta and Brantley would be too much, never mind Green, who projects a bit lower, but is not far from matching Mat Gamel's numbers in high A at the same age. 7/06/2008 02:43:00 PM (7/06/2008 01:59:00 PM) - Al I read about this a couple weeks ago. The obvious irony here is if one of these occurred now, the media would misreport it as terrorism, and Al Gore would declare it to be a result of global warming, just before hopping on a private jet and speaking for a bijillion dollars. Nature is a powerful force, far stronger than wee little man. 7/06/2008 01:59:00 PM (7/06/2008 01:53:00 PM) - Al The decline of old media is much discussed, but to be blunt, the reason for the trouble is a complete lack of standards throughout the entire industry. Tom H reporting Yost was going to be fired, the NY Post reporting all-star starters with no clue as to what was going on, Dan Rather reporting false documents as the truth...I think right now, I'd rather be associated with a tabloid than these examples of off-the-charts irresponsibility. What's funny is, while many reporters bad mouth weblogs, the only difference is, bloggers rarely hide their biased reporting. 7/06/2008 01:53:00 PM (7/06/2008 01:43:00 PM) - Al Brian and Bill seem to stepping on eggshells when Sabathia's name comes up. I think it is safe to say they know more than they are letting on, but that be good or bad. 7/06/2008 01:43:00 PM (7/06/2008 01:09:00 PM) - Al Ken Rosenthal hears the Brewers may be close...rumors are all over the place today...done, not done; refused, close to deal. 7/06/2008 01:09:00 PM (7/06/2008 01:05:00 PM) - Al Remember how earlier this year, there was much talk about the Brewers' tough schedule. They were first in SOS for most of April and May. Now take a gander. Exactly a breakeven schedule thus far. You'd almost think this has something to do with the winning stretch, wouldn't you? 7/06/2008 01:05:00 PM (7/06/2008 11:45:00 AM) - Al I can't comment on (Sabathia) specifically other than to say that starting pitching is at a premium, and we don't have any depth there. We would also like to add another arm to our bullpen and another left-handed bat to our lineup.--Gord Ash I've mentioned a LH OF who can play all 3 positions a couple times, and as everyone knows, you can never have too much pitching. 7/06/2008 11:45:00 AM (7/06/2008 10:43:00 AM) - Al ESPN radio is reporting that the Indians have turned down the Brewers' offer, but is not saying if talks are continuing. UPDATE: Steve Phillips said the hang up is whether or not Laporta will be included. It is easy to think he has lost it, as that has never been an issue thus far. 7/06/2008 10:43:00 AM (7/06/2008 01:26:00 AM) - Al A Seattle writer blames everyone for losing the Sonics. It's 2008, my friend. You don't play in the big leagues with a minor league arena. Sure, it isn't that old...so what, it's a relic, outdated. A lamp may be considered antique, and some arrogant cardigan wearer might buy it. An arena just gets old. 7/06/2008 01:26:00 AM (7/06/2008 12:42:00 AM) - Al Note to readers, this started as a short story, but continued into a longer one. I did this myself one semester back in the old days, I went Tuesday and Thursday from 9:30-10:45 and 11-12:15, and then from 4-6:30 and 7-9:30 Tuesday. Basically, it was my way of minimizing the pain of school, as I found it dull, self-important, and most of all, dull. Plus, it allowed me 6 nights and 5 days wide open for working the 2 jobs I had at the time. It was also easier to find parking on Tuesday evenings, another plus. The really nice thing about those long classes is they had a break halfway through, which was a perfect chance to go home. I think I only stayed for the second half of the late class once the entire semester, as it was some History class I could have passed (and easily did) by never going. I would usually go get something to eat and then show up at 6:57 or so. Because I showed up so late, I ended up getting stuck with a seat near the front of the huge lecture hall. Early on, I had learned the names of two freshmen who were friends (I was 24 or so), one of which was gorgeous and not very bright, and the other who was "just ok", perky and friendly and smart (of course, as I have thought several times since, the "just ok" 18/19 year-old was stunning, but your views are warped being around so many lovely young women). For the final class, I took my final of the 4PM class and then went to the 7PM class about 5:30 to, sigh, sit and study my notes from the 40% of the classes I had went to, as I had turned in my textbooks already, because I only had a single final left, and there was no way I was standing in line twice, or later in the week, when the line would have been much longer (this is a fine example of my priorities, I see now). The 150 seat hall was empty except for the intelligent of the two young ladies I knew, who, because it was mid-May, was dressed in common summer attire, which while I do not recall specifics, was quite revealing and made me wonder why I had never noticed this all semester. I will refer to her as Lisa, though I honestly don't know if she was Lisa, or if the cheerleader type was. She was confident, saying how she had been studying for two days and felt pretty comfortable. I sat down with my supper, and I noticed a sheet of paper between us that she kept glancing at that I did not recognize. Between bites I said, "What's that?", and she said, "It's the cheat sheet for the test". Apparently, the professor had given out a list of about 50-60 "key points" to study the week before, but had done so at the end of the 2nd half of class, when attendance was maybe at the 60-70% threshold. Of course, this would have upset me if I was an A student, but for me, one who would much rather get a B without studying than an A by working hard for it, I picked up the single spaced sheet and read down the list, feeling comfortable with all but a few phrases. I then asked if the test was essay or multiple choice, and with an incredulous look, she informed me it was multiple choice, just like the mid-term was. I had no memory of the mid-term, except for the fact I had got done with it at about 7:30 and had not dreamed of sticking around for the class that would begin at 8:15 or so. So, since she was prepared and I was unprepared but knowledgeable about the subject matter, we chatted for the next hour plus. She was simply a very nice young lady, talking about stuff like church camp and being a nanny over the summer, in some small town I had heard of, but had no idea where it was, or have any memory of now. As time passed, the room slowly filled, and just before 7, Lisa's friend wandered in, looking like she just woke up, in some unflattering outfit that was truly disappointing. We all talked, the dumb one was sure she had flunked her English final, and every other word out of her mouth rhymed with "shucks". She said she had barely opened her book, as she had been finishing up a paper and studying English. Lisa proudly told her I had turned in my book already, in sort of a "can you believe that" yet strangely jealous kind of way. Her friend shot me a "how can you do that?" look, and I shrugged and grabbed my pencil, ready for the computerized answer sheet. I know I got through the test very quickly, skipping a couple because I had no idea, but finished in about 30 minutes, and then guessed on the ones I skipped. I was among the first 5 or so done, and figuring I had little to gain reviewing my answers, I double checked to ensure I had not left any blank, packed my stuff into my backpack, and took off. I dropped the answer sheet and test into the stacks on the desk, gave a nod to the instructor, silently thanking him for not bothering to include any type of attendance requirement, and started walking out. As I walked out, I glanced at Lisa, and she smiled and mouthed "bye" to me. I again nodded, which sadly, made me feel as if this had been a very good semester long relationship, when in reality, I'm sure I was the old guy who sat next to her. I could not help but notice her friend, who was sitting there less than a third of the way done, head on her hand, looking at the questions as if they were written in code. I silently wished her luck, and left for home. The irony here is, I shared this story with my roommate when I got home, as we watched Baseball Tonight or Sportscenter. He listened thoughtfully, and toward the end wondered aloud if I had any intention of keeping in touch with this girl. Honestly, this seemed like something, you know, a man would do, certainly not some simple guy like me. I admitted, I not only did not know her number, I did not know her last name. Unless I was on a sitcom or in a romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan, I had no way of getting in touch with her even if I did have the guts to do so...which I did not. Looking back, it is simply beyond belief I eventually "married up" the way I did. 7/06/2008 12:42:00 AM Saturday, July 05, 2008 (7/05/2008 11:56:00 PM) - Al A bidding war for Leno? ECON 101 in Vegas. Allow me to say how nice it is the UK's newspapers actually have good coverage of US happenings. 7/05/2008 11:56:00 PM (7/05/2008 10:21:00 PM) - Al Tom H reports in the comments of his blog that the Indians have asked the Crew if they wish to add a player or up their offer...apparently, the Phillies are offering several very good prospects from the lower levels of the minors, and possibly, the Tribe is tempted to take quantity over quality. CLE is looking to maximize their return, which is what they should be doing. Time will tell how they come out of this whenever a trade is agreed upon. UPDATE: Buster Olney says the Brewers are "putting together a B list" in case they do not get Sabathia...my goodness, I can make a B list in 10 minutes, I think it's a safe bet the Crew has a board with this info already on it. 7/05/2008 10:21:00 PM (7/05/2008 08:57:00 PM) - Al Buster Olney sounds about 24-48 hours behind here, wondering if the Crew will not give up another top prospect for Sabathia. EDIT/BUMP: It was pointed out to me by an e-mailer that Olney pretty much says the Crew has the only offer on the table...LA does not give specific players and the Phillies are "lingering". It would seem CLE may well be deciding to take MIL's offer or wait and hope a better one comes along later. 7/05/2008 08:57:00 PM (7/05/2008 08:41:00 PM) - Al I'm tired of looking, so I'll just ask...why was the Pittsburgh entry in the Negro Leagues called the Crawfords? The answer is underwhelming, but here. Thanks Dan. 7/05/2008 08:41:00 PM (7/05/2008 08:29:00 PM) - Al I wonder if Rickie thought there was 2 outs, as he took off as soon as Prince hit that ball in the 9th. Maybe he thought it would drop, maybe he read it perfectly off the bat, but it sure looked strange. 7/05/2008 08:29:00 PM (7/05/2008 08:04:00 PM) - Al I barely saw Gagne back when he was possibly the best ever for a couple years, but I wonder if he did the "stall" back then, as now, he often just holds it for several seconds, as many pitchers do with men on base, and just as you think the batter will step out, Eric delivers. At worst, it might make the batter a bit stiff or uncomfortable, and is just unusual enough to have the hitter wondering what the heck is going on. Back in my softball days, I recall a pitcher "quick pitching" me, pitching as soon as he caught the ball, and it made me step out between every pitch the rest of my career, always afraid someone else would try that. A hitter a bit on edge simply is not as good as your average hitter, and Gagne seems to know that. 7/05/2008 08:04:00 PM (7/05/2008 07:37:00 PM) - Al Seems apparent Sabathia will be somewhere else by Tuesday night, Doug says he's waiting to hear where. 7/05/2008 07:37:00 PM (7/05/2008 07:33:00 PM) - Al I do not know Dennis Nosco, but I will say he is an ignorant putz. Take a gander at option 3 at the bottom of the link if you doubt me. The rest of the post is pretty much drivel, but #3 is like me predicting Ralph Nader wins in November. 7/05/2008 07:33:00 PM (7/05/2008 05:07:00 PM) - Al We had a "family day" today, so we just got back from Appleton's Chuck E Cheese, where my son and I played carnival games for trinkets while the Rambling wife shopped for scrapbooking supplies. This was our second stop at CEC, we stopped at the Madison one on our way home from Milwaukee last year. I've been very impressed each time, both were clean, without a single "out of order" sign on a game, and the food and deals involving tokens were very fairly priced. We got 100 tokens, a large pizza, and soft drinks for $30, with a coupon that comes in the Sunday paper many weeks. While the pizza would not win an award anywhere, it was plenty good enough to compare to Pizza Hut, so if we went there ands just got the pizza and pop, it'd be about $20-25 just for the food. No movement on the Sabathia front, as CLE tries to scope out a better offer. Some of the message boards prove that the Tribe has their share of casual fans as well, as one person demanded Laporta, Gamel, and Parra for 3 months of CC. Reminds me of the people that said the Brewers would get 1500 fans combined for the 3 games of the CLE/LAA series...and they should just switch dates with the Angels...you know, leaving the 120K presold ticket holders in California out of luck. The irony there is, the smallest crowd for that series was larger than the next home game in CLE...might want to look into a retractable roof, friends...but hence, I digress. I still cannot believe the Tribe will get a better deal than Laporta, a power bat all but ready to step in, and 2 solid 2nd tier prospects, but what's that old saying...you have to compete with the offer of the stupidest team? Maybe the Dodgers or someone else will step up...Andy LaRoche and Jon Broxton are rumored, and if they add one more, that could do it, especially if CLE overvalues a "closer". 7/05/2008 05:07:00 PM (7/05/2008 09:26:00 AM) - Al Tough reading the message boards this AM...you gotta go through a lot of ignorance just checking to make sure no one has "a scoop". Many folks seem confused, as folks are saying, "Get it done, Doug"...while the ball is in CLE's court. That seems strange. Some people feel that the Crew will extend CC if they get him...well, while it is technically possible, the odds of it happening are tiny. Sabathia will go through free agency because he can, and he'll kick the tires of the teams that can afford him. Finally, you read things like Mark A wants to increase attendance...well, I'm sure he does, but he has given Doug control of all moves. 7/05/2008 09:26:00 AM (7/05/2008 12:45:00 AM) - Al This is exactly what I think every time I see a story about a UFO...what a waste of time. 7/05/2008 12:45:00 AM (7/05/2008 12:29:00 AM) - Al Don Money gushes over Brantley, Gamel, and Escobar; while saying nice things about Laporta and Salome as well. When Jim Powell says Gamel has been compared to Wade Boggs, Money jumps in quickly and says, "He's got more power than Boggs". Listen to it all here. 7/05/2008 12:29:00 AM (7/05/2008 12:12:00 AM) - Al If you needed yet another reason why spring training means nothing, take a gander at Chris Narveson's numbers at AAA this year. Don't forget, even some of the braintrust fought to not just have him on the roster...but in the rotation to start the year. Let's be glad Doug doesn't let tiny samples affect his vision. 7/05/2008 12:12:00 AM Friday, July 04, 2008 (7/04/2008 11:30:00 PM) - Al The 3rd prospect has now been upgraded to Lorenzo Cain, a solid second tier prospect, currently at high A Brevard County, much better than Axford. CLE is trying to see if they can do better, I would figure. No one seems to think the Tribe will do better than Laporta. EDIT: Doug supposedly said he does not expect any decision to be made soon. I would think his deadline is the end of the weekend, as he wants two starts from Sabathia before the break. The Indians will use this time to see if the Dodgers or anyone else steps forward. That's a solid offer, one very good prospect, ready as early as '09, and 2 guys in the next tier that might be everyday players someday, and both good athletes. 7/04/2008 11:30:00 PM (7/04/2008 08:35:00 PM) - Al We.re heading out for fireworks soon, so I will check on stuff when I return. 7/04/2008 08:35:00 PM (7/04/2008 07:06:00 PM) - Al The Dodgers are going after Sabathia as well, but it is complicated by their desire to get Jack Wilson. Heh. I can't imagine Jack Wilson being anything but a hindrance in countless ways. 7/04/2008 07:06:00 PM (7/04/2008 06:31:00 PM) - Al Buster Olney said Hardy may be added to the CC deal, but Tom H says that is not true. While it makes sense in theory, it is not the way Doug operates. The two teams are said to be deep in discussion at this hour. 7/04/2008 06:31:00 PM (7/04/2008 03:30:00 PM) - Al No way North America can compete with Omsk girls. 7/04/2008 03:30:00 PM (7/04/2008 03:23:00 PM) - Al I've said it many times before, but once again, I wish the Brewers would play God Bless America every 7th inning stretch and replace the awful (and terribly outdated and arguable inappropriate) Roll Out The Barrel. 7/04/2008 03:23:00 PM (7/04/2008 03:17:00 PM) - Al Our lawn, which was dark green just Monday after I mowed, now has several brown patches, though it's green by the Rambling son's slip'n'slide. I think they said on the weather segment the other day our area has not got much rain in the last 2-3 weeks. That and the warmer weather this week was just enough to push it over the edge. Sadly, our lawn outperforms others during drought conditions...weeds grow regardless.:) 7/04/2008 03:17:00 PM (7/04/2008 03:00:00 PM) - Al Without exception, everyone thinks Gwynn to SD for Maddux simply makes too much sense. I would have to agree. TGJ is blocked in MIL and Petco needs a solid defensive CF for its spacious OF. My goodness, if Laporta is blocked, Gwynn is really blocked. UPDATE: I'll just mention that Tony Jr. is "blocked" by Hernan Iribarren, who has been called up rather than him twice, and also by Mike Brantley, who is at AA, but has vastly outperformed Gwynn at every level, despite being young for said levels. 7/04/2008 03:00:00 PM (7/04/2008 02:25:00 PM) - Al Brian Runge is living up to his rep as a very inconsistent umpire today. He's all over the place. 7/04/2008 02:25:00 PM (7/04/2008 02:09:00 PM) - Al Buster Olney is reporting the current deal on the table is Laporta, Green, and P John Axford for Sabathia, while CLE is asking for Hardy or Escobar to be substituted for Green. Olney says this is very unlikely. He also reports a Greg Maddux to the Brewers deal is being discussed and almost certain to be done before the all-star break...regardless of whether or not CC is acquired or not. FYI, Axford is not considered more than a hard thrower at this point. 7/04/2008 02:09:00 PM (7/04/2008 01:07:00 PM) - Al I remember when the Crew signed Cameron, I read some folks say that other teams would be skipping LHP's in the rotation. This weekend, the Pirates are throwing 3 lefties versus the Brewers. It's almost like folks don't know what they're talking about, isn't it? 7/04/2008 01:07:00 PM (7/04/2008 12:48:00 PM) - Al I've heard this for a while, but it is now in print, and almost certainly "proves" it is quite possible. Appleton has AAA type facilities and may be the best organization in all of A ball. I recall Mark A saying years ago he wanted the Brewers to be the best of everything...developing players, stadium experience, and so on. There are a plethora of reasons this might happen, and all except the early season weather are good. 7/04/2008 12:48:00 PM (7/04/2008 11:25:00 AM) - Al Word on the street is Doug has offered Laporta, Taylor Green, and a lesser prospect, but has told the Tribe it has a deadline, probably to limit CLE how much they can use this as a bargaining chip with other clubs...he often does this with free agents as well. If a trade goes down, it seems it will be within a day or two. It would also mean MIL would get his next start, which may be part of Doug's concern. In response to an e-mail, Laporta signed late last June...he could not have been dealt until about a week ago. 7/04/2008 11:25:00 AM (7/04/2008 11:06:00 AM) - Al Heroes, one and all. Hat tip to Glenn. 7/04/2008 11:06:00 AM (7/04/2008 10:56:00 AM) - Al Tom H gives the 3 reasons why Brewers might go after Sabathia, and then to fill out his post, adds 7 more to make it a round number. 7/04/2008 10:56:00 AM (7/04/2008 01:25:00 AM) - Al Ryan Braun is out of the Brewers lineup for a second consecutive day on Thursday. Braun, who is in his worst slump of the season, is also dealing with a sprained right hand. He says he hasn't been taking batting practice in an effort to heal the injury. I have to wonder if a cortisone shot was also given, as that often requires about 48 hours to work its magic. As quiet as the Crew is about such things, we are unlikely to ever know. 7/04/2008 01:25:00 AM (7/04/2008 12:16:00 AM) - Al According to Ken Rosenthal, the Brewers have offered Matt Laporta to CLE and possibly may include Alcides Escobar as well...though maybe they are trying to convince the Tribe to take Taylor Green (that may be me reading between the lines of the reports they are scouting Brevard County). Other scouts act like that's an outstanding offer, and no one can top that. I've had Laporta penciled into the '09 lineup since late last season, so he'd be a lot to give up...that said, they would get a pair of draft picks when CC left, so giving up a pair of top prospects, while solid, could be replaced in number at least. 7/04/2008 12:16:00 AM Thursday, July 03, 2008 (7/03/2008 10:51:00 PM) - Al AJ Burnett and Dave Eckstein for JJ Hardy? I doubt it, but it's worth discussing, especially considering a few of you have to work the 4th. The funny thing about Eckstein is while many comment on his "scrappy grit", he has a very good OBP, and a good glove...and sadly, about the same range and arm as myself. UPDATE: An e-mailer asks if Hall could be substituted for JJ. I would say yes, but TOR would not be offering Burnett for Bill. 7/03/2008 10:51:00 PM (7/03/2008 10:39:00 PM) - Al I know one thing: When we were in Atlanta, we always had the mentality that you can never have enough pitching. If anybody comes in here to help us the next couple of weeks, we’ll welcome him with open arms. Doug gets together with everybody and talks. Whatever happens is going to happen.--Ned Yost Ned does not exactly hide the fact the Crew appears to be in the hunt for a SP, does he? No poker face for Mr. Yost.:) 7/03/2008 10:39:00 PM (7/03/2008 10:28:00 PM) - Al Clubs that have checked in with the Brewers say they're being so aggressive in their hunt for a big-time starting pitcher, they might even be willing to include J.J. Hardy or Rickie Weeks "in the right deal." The Brewers have onrushing 21-year-old shortstop Alcides Escobar tearing it up in Double-A. So their middle infield would be covered long-term, and some combination of Craig Counsell, Bill Hall (if he's not dealt) and Joe Dillon potentially could handle it short-term. Let's say this again: The Brewers are a team you should not take your eyes off in the pre-deadline hysteria. "They'd listen on just about anybody for the right pitcher," said an official of one club that spoke with them. "And they're still very deep in their system. We've got nine prospects on our list from their Double-A club alone."--Jayson Stark What's kind of funny there is, they had 10 all-stars...meaning one guy is considered roster filler despite this. I still have a hard time seeing Weeks or Hardy dealt, as Doug has preached over and over about not opening a hole to fill another. That said, I agree, a Counsell/Dillon platoon can easily handle 2B for 75 games, and a "stopgap" veteran, like Ray Durham, is very likely available for a song. If Escobar is too be brought up, or if that's even being considered, why isn't he in AAA, where at least he'd see some breaking balls thrown for strikes, unheard of at AA (at least enough of them where you have to swing)? 7/03/2008 10:28:00 PM (7/03/2008 10:18:00 PM) - Al Doug does not say "no comment" or "I have no interest in Sabathia", which in Doug speak, means he is thinking about him. 7/03/2008 10:18:00 PM (7/03/2008 10:14:00 PM) - Al Gleeman points out that CLE is doing their best to make Sabathia damaged goods before they pick up a boatload of kids for him. 7/03/2008 10:14:00 PM (7/03/2008 09:57:00 PM) - Al Adam, whose work is stellar even if not for the fellas he gets compared to...discusses that the braintrust met for a long time before the game and that a deal, or at least trying to make a deal, appears imminent. Sabathia is far and above the best name out there, but Greg Maddux is said to be available. Other than that, guys that may be available are not upgrades, even over Dave Bush, in my opinion. That could change as time progresses, but as of now, at best, they are moves that would add depth, but not improve the staff's top 5. 7/03/2008 09:57:00 PM (7/03/2008 09:51:00 PM) - Al What is astounding about this game story by Tom H is how he seems to have totally missed the point...Mota pitched nicely, but got terribly unlucky. Shouse and Torres both allowed much harder hit drives. Granted, both Brian and Sal have been very good, but I'm sorry, that may be the worst reporting of any, ahem, professional writer I have ever seen. Tom, of course, is known as the prince of darkness for a reason...he is a simply amazingly bad writer, who washed out of a major paper in a matter of days and came back to Milwaukee where, as Tony Witrado proves, will hire anyone, regardless of intelligence and ability. Too bad the 9th inning happened, of course, but you won't catch me whining about a 5-5 road trip. It's not a sprint, but rather a marathon. That's just another game along the way. I just wish the JS would report on the game rather than making up works of fiction. 7/03/2008 09:51:00 PM (7/03/2008 08:22:00 PM) - Al State Transportation Secretary Frank Busalacchi said the total price tag has not been determined but estimated it would be up to $10 million below the $810 million figure that has been cited during the four-year construction. The savings will be allocated to other transportation projects. "The needs in the state of Wisconsin are huge," Busalacchi said. "We'll find some place to spend it." Note the mere thought, or consideration mind you, of setting this money aside, perhaps for a rainy day or an unforeseen need, is considered so ridiculous, the bureaucrat feels obliged to tell everyone he will be dispersing that cash before his grubby hands even touch a single dollar of it. Our government is a 7 year-old whose greatest fear is his parents will make him put a fraction of his birthday money in, gasp, his savings account. 7/03/2008 08:22:00 PM (7/03/2008 08:07:00 PM) - Al What's funny is, Glenn has been predicting this for months. Obama went with a position which would appeal toward primary voters, and now is moving quickly toward the center with "well, let's not be hasty" caution only a politician can muster with a straight face. Seriously, can you imagine me saying: November, 2007: I do not like raspberry pie. In fact, I will not be partaking in raspberry pie when I am elected President. March 2008: I have said often I will not be eating raspberry pie like the current administration, in fact, I would like the raspberries to enjoy more time with their families! July 2008: It would be imprudent of me to not consider all pie choices when I become President. Things may change, and I will have to consider all my pie and crisp alternatives. My opponent may try to attack me for my cautious approach, but I would rather err with caution than make a bad call. And allow me to say, as I have said several times, I love raspberry pie. This is also why John McCain was anti-ethanol and got 5% of Iowa in 2000, and pro-ethanol and almost tripled that in 2008...John McCain is not unintelligent either. 7/03/2008 08:07:00 PM (7/03/2008 07:07:00 PM) - Al I just got back from the Cornell/Jim Falls area today, and my wife informed me she forgot to provide the game for me, so I will be watching on TV...though it will take me close to 3 hours rather than 1:15. I'll be back later. Enjoy your long weekend most of you. 7/03/2008 07:07:00 PM (7/03/2008 12:27:00 AM) - Al I had forgot the Brewers clinched a .500 road trip, a bit of an accomplishment considering this was a ATL/MIN/ARI venture. 7/03/2008 12:27:00 AM (7/03/2008 12:10:00 AM) - Al Another "coin flip" game that the Brewers come out on top of. I chuckled mightily when they showed the ARI coaches working with the players on baserunning, and then on bunting...the things that kept the D'Backs from winning the game. Often times, it is better just to sit back and wait for the 3 run homer. 7/03/2008 12:10:00 AM Wednesday, July 02, 2008 (7/02/2008 09:26:00 PM) - Al I just gained a pound looking at the picture. 7/02/2008 09:26:00 PM (7/02/2008 08:09:00 PM) - Al The Australian hometown of the late actor Heath Ledger named a theater in his honor Tuesday for his commitment to acting. The $87 million, 575-seat Heath Ledger Theater in Perth is a fitting tribute because Ledger was always supportive of other young actors. Allow me to ponder how you can build a place that holds fewer than 600 people and have it cost $87M...wow. 7/02/2008 08:09:00 PM (7/02/2008 07:42:00 PM) - Al Note to Milwaukee...this is what happens when you do not build new facilities. 7/02/2008 07:42:00 PM (7/02/2008 07:06:00 PM) - Al I think Braun is being given the day off more to let his hand heal. He has not looked himself for a week. He may not play in the all-star game even if he does make the team. 7/02/2008 07:06:00 PM (7/02/2008 12:14:00 AM) - Al Painfully ignorant. It's a picture of a puppy. Sigh. 7/02/2008 12:14:00 AM (7/02/2008 12:07:00 AM) - Al Al, If forced to decide, would you rather keep Laporta or Gamel? Trent Oof. Because he's younger, has the potential to play 3B, has been compared to Wade Boggs, and bats LH, I would have to choose Gamel. 7/02/2008 12:07:00 AM Tuesday, July 01, 2008 (7/01/2008 11:40:00 PM) - Al Two of the best evaluators I know say Milwaukee’s (Class AA) Huntsville club is the best prospect team in the minors. Another says Huntsville has five legitimate starting major-leaguers, and another club rates Huntsville "the best prospect team our scout’s ever seen".--Peter Gammons This has been alluded to, but this is the exact quote. We're not just talking about Tony Gwynn Jr. level prospects here, my friends (and no offense to Tony, who will spend several years in the majors). 7/01/2008 11:40:00 PM (7/01/2008 11:31:00 PM) - Al Bill Hall may have made the nicest defensive play since 2006, when Jenkins threw out Ramirez on an attempt for a triple, and Weeks gunned down a runner at 3B on a relay throw as well. That's as good as it gets. Little doubt Branyan has been steady, but there's no way he catches that ball. 7/01/2008 11:31:00 PM (7/01/2008 11:25:00 PM) - Al Not a single mention on TV of Weeks' stomach virus...reported hours ago in the JS. The Brewers were very lucky that line drive caught Mike Rivera.:) 7/01/2008 11:25:00 PM (7/01/2008 11:13:00 PM) - Al What are we to do, Al? The national media just won't let it die that the Brewers are the leading candidate to get CC Sabathia. Fox Sports has mentioned it several times, Buster Olney wrote an article they were the most likely, SI said something similar, and Peter Gammons I've heard mention it several times. This is purely speculation and mainly by opposing GM's. The Brewers make sense because they have a big need for CC and are the one team that probably has the prospects to get it done. This is a fairly interesting scenario. CC isn't going to re-sign with Cleveland and with all their injuries it appears they have zero shot in last place 10.5 games out. This isn't the old days though where you just get what you can and trade the guy. CC is a Class A free agent so if Cleveland holds on to him and he signs elsewhere they get 2 "sandwich" picks after the 1st round of next year's draft. So 2 picks in the top 40 of the draft obviously has some value. So right off the bat you have to beat that or why would they bother. My initial reaction is the Brewers can't consider this. We obviously wouldn't re-sign him and being a small market team we can't trade away our big prospects because we need to keep drafting well and re-loading with cheap, young talent every few years. Unlike a big market team that can get away with giving up some big prospects and they just go sign guys in free agency when that position becomes in need we can't afford to do that. Gammons just said all scouts agree the Brewers AA Huntsville club is the best prospect team in baseball and one scout said it was "the best prospect team he had EVER seen". I just looked up there numbers so far in the Southern League which is not considered a hitters league. Keep in mind most of these guys are probably playing a league above most guys their age. Angel Samone- .905 OPS That's at catcher! That's outstanding. Even if he's average defensively it's such a huge asset to have a catcher that can hit. Alcides Escobar- .793 OPS but more more importantly he's finally started to learn how to hit. He's batting .325 with 7 HR's. He had never hit for average or any power before this year. Defensively he's already considered near gold glove range at SS a premium defensive position. He's ready enough that if we had a long term injury he would be the Brewers everyday SS. Mat Gamel- 1.084 OPS. Raking at a sick rate. Even better than Braun did. He's already ready with the bat. Can't field at all yet. At 3B now but they've tried him in other spots. Clearly going to be able to hit. Matt LaPorta- .987 OPS. Again probably already ready to hit and hit well at the big league level. Just blocked because can only play LF or 1B. Michael Brantley- .817 OPS but more of a professional hitter type we could use. OBP over .400 and good base runner and defender in the OF. All of these guys grade out as starters and LaPorta and Gamel as stars. Clearly we are loaded and these guys are close to ready. Some of them are blocked by other current Brewers that will be around awhile. I can see trading maybe one of them to get CC along with some other lower level prospects or maybe a MLB player. Gammons mentioned that he thinks Hardy could be available and possibly even Weeks. I would hate to give any of these guys up but seeing as we can't fit everyone on the team it may be the right move to use some of them as bargaining chips. You obviously have to give up something good to get something good. If they have some ridiculous asking price like Gamel and Samone and a MLB player forget it. The only reason I see this as being plausible is because if we let Sheets and CC go after the year that would be 4 sandwich picks. So much like this year we'd essentially have 5 1st round draft picks and can start to reload the farm system. However your starting further back because your drafting kids that are going to be further away and in some cases several years away more than the current group we got at AA. But you have to consider in that getting CC your also getting those 2 sandwich picks as part of the deal so that does make it a little more doable. In terms of a player it would obviously be a huge benefit for the Brewers. After a horrible start he has now gone the last 2.5 months with an ERA UNDER 2. That's in the AL! Seeing as most NL hitters have hardly seen him he'd probably step in as the best starter in the NL. That said were only going to have him for what 12 starts? Lot to give up for 12 starts. BUT if you can ride him to the playoffs we not only end the 25+ year drought we have CC and Sheets in a short series where they can start the majority of games. That makes us a legit threat to win the whole thing. A trade won't be made for at least a few weeks and probably right before the deadline. So a lot may depend at where we are in the standings. if were right there it will be terribly tempting to do something to get him. In terms of just 2008 it could be HUGE but I'd hate to risk our entire future on taking our one shot at the playoffs. If not CC, I think we will almost for sure trade for a starter of some sort and possibly a reliever. Trading Hardy might make some sense as you wouldn't have a huge drop off with Escobar and he's getting near arbitration anyway. Troy Another fine recap by Troy, who I should add to the payroll. The only minor disagreement I would have is Escobar would be a huge negative offensively for the rest of 2008...a 793 OPS with few BB's translates to about a .315/.335 line, and though he'd add range, he would also add errors. Oh, and Laporta has been playing RF in Huntsville, and Hart is capable of playing CF and Braun of playing RF as well, albeit at a level lower than their current spots. 7/01/2008 11:13:00 PM (7/01/2008 10:16:00 PM) - Al An e-mailer informs me Peter Gammons said tonight that of the "Huntsville 5", they will not trade more than one...however, several teams have said they may include Weeks or Hardy in the right trade...Alcides Escobar would likely be brought up to play 2B or SS. He also mentioned the Crew might trade for two SP's. Interesting. UPDATE: If one is dealt, I hope it is Salome. He has a high ceiling, but he is just 5-7, no one knows if he'll be able to catch in the big leagues, and he has a high flame out potential. Also, they have another high draft pick about the same age (LuCroy) who is said to be much more polished behind the plate. Seriously, I don't think I'd even discuss any of the other four, but of course, it ain't called Doug's Ramblings... UPDATE 2: I imagine Hall could be looked at as a short-term replacement as well...or, especially if he got hot, he could be worked into a deal, as his offense as a SS, even this year, is far from below par. I just don't see a lot of teams able to pass off a .211 hitter as being a key acquisition for a solid SP to their casual fan base...while that should not matter, it might...moreso if the GM of that team is on shaky ground. 7/01/2008 10:16:00 PM (7/01/2008 10:07:00 PM) - Al I'm told that three scouts were here last night specifically to look at David Weathers. I still think Weathers and Jeremy Affeldt will attrach as much trade talk as anyone on the Reds. Clubs are always looking to upgrade their bullpens. Both Weathers and Affeldt are free agents after the season, making them easy to trade.--Cincinnati.com I'm not sure where he would fit in, but I love Stormy Weathers. He's old and soon to be gone, so a Tim Dillard type, low ceiling, but capable, might be enough to get something done. 7/01/2008 10:07:00 PM (7/01/2008 09:42:00 PM) - Jason Christopherson I wasn't going to post about Chris Snyder's injury because I pity the man very much right now, but Al brought it up so it's fair game. Gives a whole new meaning to the term "breaking ball", doesn't it? Al mentioned the cup. I've used both the traditional one as well as the newer ones that basically are compression shorts with a sewn in pocket for the cup (though never at the same time). I don't know what Chris uses obviously, but I've personally never felt as safe with the newer ones even though they tend to be more comfortable (yeah, ask Snyder how comfy cozy he is right now). Anyone who has taken a shot there knows that the cup isn't a perfect solution, but it sure beats the alternative. However, if that cup had slipped ever so slightly... I agree--I've never heard of a fracture of that particular body part before. And I never want to hear of it again. 7/01/2008 09:42:00 PM (7/01/2008 09:19:00 PM) - Al Found while looking for something else...right now, the Brewers are 11th in attendance per game...wouldn't it be something if they would finish in the top ten? Houston looks to be the only chance to drop, but who would have ever figured that? 7/01/2008 09:19:00 PM (7/01/2008 09:05:00 PM) - Al One name we have not heard much thus far is Odalis Perez, who has a sub 4 ERA for DC thus far, and who is only making 850K...meaning the Nats will get a lot for him, as money is no issue. That said, he's barely averaging 5 frames a start, and his past two years were, to be kind, not real good. 7/01/2008 09:05:00 PM (7/01/2008 08:48:00 PM) - Al Chris Snyder was diagnosed with a left testicular fracture after he was hit by a foul ball off the bat of Milwaukee outfielder Corey Hart in the fourth inning. 1. Ouch. 2. Think how itchy that cast is going to be. Seriously, isn't that what the protective cup is for? I can't say I've ever heard of that injury, though I'm surprised every 8 year-old boy that rides a bike hasn't suffered from it. 7/01/2008 08:48:00 PM (7/01/2008 08:44:00 PM) - Al I watch a lot of games on TV. There's not a lot else you can do, it's so hot here.--Chris Capuano, talking about rehab and Arizona Honestly, I'm shocked anyone chooses to live there. 7/01/2008 08:44:00 PM (7/01/2008 08:30:00 PM) - Al Jeff Cirillo doesn't think Sabathia will end up in Milwaukee, and I don't either. Aarong Harang and Jarrod Washburn look like more likely targets, for a variety of reasons. Heck, in 2 weeks, the serious teams will start bidding and the pretenders will start listening...right now, there's only 4-5 teams "out of it". 7/01/2008 08:30:00 PM (7/01/2008 08:10:00 PM) - Al Ann wonders where all the kids are on hot summer days...even my 6 year-old, who never admitted to being tired until recently, has often said this year that "it's too hot", even though we have barely hit 80 here. Much like declining network ratings, I think it's all about choice...my son can go to the pool, the YMCA, play Wii, go online, and so on. I read a book last time I was at my sister's house that was about the youth of a man who grew up in the 60's...he spoke of leaving the house at 9AM and not getting home until 10-11PM...obviously, a time well in the past. 7/01/2008 08:10:00 PM (7/01/2008 07:54:00 PM) - Al Being one that always tries to find the up companies, I'm not one to seek out poor performers, but it did not take much to see Starbucks is a company based on a product that was terribly overpriced. While I am usually not one to not want to own huge margin businesses, $2 is plenty for any type of coffee, and they charge twice that, or more. I always chuckle when I think how many folks gladly fork over $4.50 for 40 cents worth of beans, while they hate paying $4 for a gallon of gas that has been refined, trucked, and extracted from deep within the earth's core. 7/01/2008 07:54:00 PM (7/01/2008 04:56:00 PM) - Al Right-hander Vicente Padilla, the subject of inquiries from the Mets, Yankees and Brewers, among other clubs, is perhaps their most intriguing commodity. The Rangers, however, only would move Padilla if they received quality young pitching in return. Padilla, who turns 31 on Sept. 27, is on pace to produce 14-plus wins and 200-plus innings for the fourth time. His contract — $11 million this season and $12 million next season with a $12 million option for 2010 — isn't terribly excessive for that type of performance.--Ken Rosenthal Padilla had a rough 2007, but is a fair bottom of the rotation starter. It seems to me I was a big fan of Padilla back before he "broke out" and got the big money. I don't think he'd be a huge upgrade over Bush and McClung, and if he'd fall back to last year's level, he'd be depth only. He'd be a guy you could probably project as a 4.50-4.75 ERA guy if you brought him on. While "not excessive", his contract is far from a bargain. I don't see Doug having much interest unless TEX kicks in a lot of cash, and/or an SP goes down. 7/01/2008 04:56:00 PM (7/01/2008 09:51:00 AM) - Jason Christopherson I usually approach buying autographs with a skeptical eye. I guess not everyone shares that level of caution. Check out this eBay auction for a Ty Cobb signed envelope. Is the word "gullible" in the dictionary? Chances are I would have balked at the idea of buying a signed envelope bearing a stamp that wasn't released for a couple of decades after he died. What would clinch the deal for me, though, is that his date of death is actually part of the artwork/printing of the envelope. 7/01/2008 09:51:00 AM |
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