Well, my hard drive crashed last night while trying to write this. Thankfully blogger.com saves drafts as you go. Recaps may be difficult to prepare without my laptop, but I will do my best to stay on. On to the Preview.
The Series:
Milwaukee Brewers (16-15) at Florida Marlins (17-14)
Who's on Tap?:
May 5th: Jeff Suppan (1-1, 5.19 ERA) vs. Scott Olsen (3-1, 2.70 ERA)
May 6th: Dave Bush (0-3, 6.46 ERA) vs. Burke Badenhop (0-2, 7.20 ERA)
May 7th: Carlos Villanueva (1-3, 5.56 ERA) vs. Mark Hendrickson (5-1, 3.71 ERA)
Who Should You Watch?:
Beware of young Hanley Ramierez. He seems to have a knack for hitting pitchers who throw offspeed stuff. Translation: he's a master at keeping his hands back. Both Suppan and Villanueva rely on their changeups and curveballs. Ramierez was really the only person who hit the ball against Villanueva last time and never got the chance to see Suppan in the last series. As for pitching, keep your on eye on the biggest surprise for the Marlins, Mark Hendrickson. Hendrickson had a 5+ ERA to start the year, but has succeeded in his return trip to the Florida area. Interestingly he had a 3.81 ERA in 13 games when he went to Tampa Bay during the 2006 seaosn. Every other year he was above 4.60. He too isn't going to blow you away, but off speed guys seem to be the Brewers' worst enemy. ::Insert Nelson Figueroa::
As for the Brewers, keep your eye on Carlos Villanueva and Dave Bush. Villanueva has a tendency to bounce back extremely well after poor outings. Yost probably could have saved him a bit from a debacle, but this guy is cold blooded. Nothing seems to phase him. Dave Bush has a lot to prove to Brewers fans. Nobody, besides former Brewer Paul Wagner and Nedy Yost, can say they really have enjoyed Bush's outings so far this year. Bush has had some success and some failure in Florida in his career. Last year he went six and only gave up one run, but he was roughed up for six in five in in 2006. Nevertheless, he needs to pitch well to get me off his back. On the offensive side of things, watch out for Corey Hart again. He seems to be the most consistent of the Brewers lately. Also, stay aware of JJ Hardy who is nursing a left shoulder injury. He may not be able to get around on a fastball like you would hope.
Keys to Victory:
In the last series, the Brewers struggled mightily at the plate, amassing only 18 hits in 20 innings of baseball. And to their chagrin, they get to see two of the same three starters they saw in Milwaukee. Olson blanked them through 7.1 and Hendrickson gave up two earned going into the 7th. So what do they have to do? I said it last night on WSSP, plate discipline. They don't necessarily need to take walks, but they need to not try and pull balls on the outside of the plate, fight off pitches that are 'pitcher's pitches' and take advantage of mistakes. Olson has some good stuff, but Hendrickson is still nothing to call home about, regardless of his numbers, so they should be able to put something together.
The Marlins need to take advantage of a team that's down and a team that gives up when it finds itself in a hole. If they manage to jump on the Brewers early and stay aggressive at the plate, they'll find themselves taking the upper hand in good portion of the series.
Predictions:
After the Houston series, I can't help but think this is a slide that's going to continue until the Brewers get home and find some support of their fans. As a result, I expect Suppan and Bush to get handled pretty well, Soup more than Bush and the offense to still blunder. Villanueva will likely be serviceable and will match Bush, but the offense will be there for Bush and get him the first victory of the year. So loss on Tuesday, win on Wednesday, and tough loss on Thursday.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Brewers Astros Series Analysis
Today marks my 100th post. I'm surprised I've hit the century mark so fast. Nevertheless it makes sense. My apologies for the lack of game recaps this weekend. I was out of town and didn't have time to write anything up. I did get to watch two of the three games though.
Score Recap:
May 2nd: Milwaukee Brewers 4 Houston Astros 7
May 3rd: Milwaukee Brewers 2 Houston Astros 6
May 4th: Milwaukee Brewers 6 Houston Astros 8
MVPs of the Series:
Mike Cameron: 4/13, 3 HRs, 2 BBs, 4 Rs, 5 RBIs
Lance Berkman: 7/13, 2 HRs, 2 2Bs, BB, 4 Rs, 6 RBIs
Honorary Mentions: Corey Hart and Hunter Pence
Lance Berkman absolutely destroyed the Brewers, and came up big in every important situation. Unfortunately, this is where the Crew struggled the most. Whether it be grounding into double plays or making mental mistakes on the base paths, they just couldn't over the hump and got swept as a result. Cameron did his best to boost the Brewers, hitting two solo bombs and a 3-run bomb in the series, but the youngsters couldn't follow suit. Hopefully this kind of leadership will pay off in the end because the Gallardo loss really puts the team in a bad position.
What was the Difference?
The long ball. On Friday night the Brewers were up 4-0 going into the 5th, when Pence hit his first bomb of the night and then back to back to back homeruns in the 6th off of Villanueva gave the Astros a 6-4 lead, which they wouldn't relinquish. The would tack on another homer in the 8th scoring, all seven of their runs by the long ball. But the barrage of power never stopped. The Astros hit nine homeruns in the three game series, including a walkoff by Hunter Pence in the bottom of the 12th in yesterday's collapse.
The bullpen. The Brewers finally did me a favor and walked 18 times this series, but failed to take advantage on Friday and Saturday by getting only seven and five hits, respectively. All in all it was just a bad series for the Crew who got swept by a mediocre team with the worst bullpen in the league. The Astros bullpen held the Brewers to just one run in 12 innings in the series. That's just pitiful, considering they only struck out 24 times in the series. That means these guys were putting the ball in play, but if you watched the game you found yourselves screaming at every single guy who wants to pull an outside pitch over the short porch. Pulled outside pitch = strikeout, ground out or pop out and they did it over and over again.
And nobody tell me it was coaching. Yes, Yost doesn't know how to handle his pitchers and he should have never let Villanueva get roughed up that bad considering where his pitches were in the zone during the fifth, but mental errors, combined with a bunch of infield singles and some bad umping on both sides destroyed all of this team's confidence. Gagne had a save taken away from him when Berkman looked at strike three that was called a ball and a blown call at first on a play by Weeks. Jerry Layne and Hunter Wendelstedt's crews are going to get a serious look at around the end of the season. There are far too many blown calls from these groups. And in the end, they let an ACL injury to someone who is not around any more get to them, and they played bad. The Astros simply took advantage of it.
Causes for Concern:
The Astros really can't complain much. If they continue do well and are somehow above .500 in a month or so, they need to seriously consider taking a risk and bringing up a young pitching prospect to replace Chris Sampson. That guy is awful. He has little movement on his pitches and can only locate one of his two decent pitches. As a result he's susceptible to the longball and a considerable amount of walks. Additionally, the Astros need t keep worrying about their relief corps. They succeeded this weekend, but walked a considerable amount of batters (7 in 12 innings), and will get burned in their hitters ballpark.
For the Brewers, it's pretty much everything. This was a huge collapse for a team that needed a boost before heading to Florida. Instead they get swept and blow a big lead in the final game. This team has an extremely fragile character, regardless of what we continue to hear over and over again. They press every at bat, give up more times than they push when they get behind, and don't keep the pressure on when they get leads. We saw all of these things the first week of baseball, but have been broke since then. The bullpen looks like it's doing his job, regardless of what people see about Gagne. Yes, he has four blown saves this year, but he actually got the job done in two of them, regardless of what the numbers say. Also, everybody has failed to notice Kendall's recent slump at the plate. He's dropped 50 points in the last two weeks and went 2/12 in this series and 3/11 in the last.
Causes for Excitement:
The Astros have to love having Berkman return to his 2006 form. His at bats were fun to watch even though they didn't go in the Brewers favor. Last year he looked a bit uncomfortable at the plate, but this year is a whole different story. I've rarely seen a guy look so relaxed at the plate, but I guess if you have Carlos Lee and Miguel Tejada surrounding you in the lineup, they're really not intent upon pitching around you. Additionally, Hunter Pence must be exciting the Astros yet again. While he only went 3/14 in the series, all three hits were homeruns, and big ones at that, which pushed his slugging percentage up 69 points in just three games. If he gets on a role and the bullpen is reasonable, the Astros may surprise a few people and give teams in the Central some problems.
There's not much to be excited about for the Brewers. This series couldn't have gone any worse for them, but there's always a good thing to look at every series. Corey Hart is going on a tear yet again. Hart has gotten on base for 13 straight games now and has the best numbers on the team as far as average and on base goes: .310/.372. The only frustrating thing is that he hasn't taken advantage of his speed on the paths like we expect him to. Also, Brewers' fans need to be excited about Weeks' defense. I know he's struggled every now and then this year, but this kid easily has the best range at 2B than any one in the league. Yesterday's blown call in the whole between 2B and 1B was unbelievable and really should have saved the game. I know he's still under the Mendoza line, but if you give him the time, he will show you the reward, so stop with the trade talk. If you get rid of him, you're stuck with Abraham Nunez and Craig Counsell at second the rest of the year. Or if you really think you can afford to do it, you can put Hernan Iribarren out there every day. I can't lie, I like that kid and wouldn't mind seeing him get a shot, but I don't want to see it at the expense of Weeks.
Score Recap:
May 2nd: Milwaukee Brewers 4 Houston Astros 7
May 3rd: Milwaukee Brewers 2 Houston Astros 6
May 4th: Milwaukee Brewers 6 Houston Astros 8
MVPs of the Series:
Mike Cameron: 4/13, 3 HRs, 2 BBs, 4 Rs, 5 RBIs
Lance Berkman: 7/13, 2 HRs, 2 2Bs, BB, 4 Rs, 6 RBIs
Honorary Mentions: Corey Hart and Hunter Pence
Lance Berkman absolutely destroyed the Brewers, and came up big in every important situation. Unfortunately, this is where the Crew struggled the most. Whether it be grounding into double plays or making mental mistakes on the base paths, they just couldn't over the hump and got swept as a result. Cameron did his best to boost the Brewers, hitting two solo bombs and a 3-run bomb in the series, but the youngsters couldn't follow suit. Hopefully this kind of leadership will pay off in the end because the Gallardo loss really puts the team in a bad position.
What was the Difference?
The long ball. On Friday night the Brewers were up 4-0 going into the 5th, when Pence hit his first bomb of the night and then back to back to back homeruns in the 6th off of Villanueva gave the Astros a 6-4 lead, which they wouldn't relinquish. The would tack on another homer in the 8th scoring, all seven of their runs by the long ball. But the barrage of power never stopped. The Astros hit nine homeruns in the three game series, including a walkoff by Hunter Pence in the bottom of the 12th in yesterday's collapse.
The bullpen. The Brewers finally did me a favor and walked 18 times this series, but failed to take advantage on Friday and Saturday by getting only seven and five hits, respectively. All in all it was just a bad series for the Crew who got swept by a mediocre team with the worst bullpen in the league. The Astros bullpen held the Brewers to just one run in 12 innings in the series. That's just pitiful, considering they only struck out 24 times in the series. That means these guys were putting the ball in play, but if you watched the game you found yourselves screaming at every single guy who wants to pull an outside pitch over the short porch. Pulled outside pitch = strikeout, ground out or pop out and they did it over and over again.
And nobody tell me it was coaching. Yes, Yost doesn't know how to handle his pitchers and he should have never let Villanueva get roughed up that bad considering where his pitches were in the zone during the fifth, but mental errors, combined with a bunch of infield singles and some bad umping on both sides destroyed all of this team's confidence. Gagne had a save taken away from him when Berkman looked at strike three that was called a ball and a blown call at first on a play by Weeks. Jerry Layne and Hunter Wendelstedt's crews are going to get a serious look at around the end of the season. There are far too many blown calls from these groups. And in the end, they let an ACL injury to someone who is not around any more get to them, and they played bad. The Astros simply took advantage of it.
Causes for Concern:
The Astros really can't complain much. If they continue do well and are somehow above .500 in a month or so, they need to seriously consider taking a risk and bringing up a young pitching prospect to replace Chris Sampson. That guy is awful. He has little movement on his pitches and can only locate one of his two decent pitches. As a result he's susceptible to the longball and a considerable amount of walks. Additionally, the Astros need t keep worrying about their relief corps. They succeeded this weekend, but walked a considerable amount of batters (7 in 12 innings), and will get burned in their hitters ballpark.
For the Brewers, it's pretty much everything. This was a huge collapse for a team that needed a boost before heading to Florida. Instead they get swept and blow a big lead in the final game. This team has an extremely fragile character, regardless of what we continue to hear over and over again. They press every at bat, give up more times than they push when they get behind, and don't keep the pressure on when they get leads. We saw all of these things the first week of baseball, but have been broke since then. The bullpen looks like it's doing his job, regardless of what people see about Gagne. Yes, he has four blown saves this year, but he actually got the job done in two of them, regardless of what the numbers say. Also, everybody has failed to notice Kendall's recent slump at the plate. He's dropped 50 points in the last two weeks and went 2/12 in this series and 3/11 in the last.
Causes for Excitement:
The Astros have to love having Berkman return to his 2006 form. His at bats were fun to watch even though they didn't go in the Brewers favor. Last year he looked a bit uncomfortable at the plate, but this year is a whole different story. I've rarely seen a guy look so relaxed at the plate, but I guess if you have Carlos Lee and Miguel Tejada surrounding you in the lineup, they're really not intent upon pitching around you. Additionally, Hunter Pence must be exciting the Astros yet again. While he only went 3/14 in the series, all three hits were homeruns, and big ones at that, which pushed his slugging percentage up 69 points in just three games. If he gets on a role and the bullpen is reasonable, the Astros may surprise a few people and give teams in the Central some problems.
There's not much to be excited about for the Brewers. This series couldn't have gone any worse for them, but there's always a good thing to look at every series. Corey Hart is going on a tear yet again. Hart has gotten on base for 13 straight games now and has the best numbers on the team as far as average and on base goes: .310/.372. The only frustrating thing is that he hasn't taken advantage of his speed on the paths like we expect him to. Also, Brewers' fans need to be excited about Weeks' defense. I know he's struggled every now and then this year, but this kid easily has the best range at 2B than any one in the league. Yesterday's blown call in the whole between 2B and 1B was unbelievable and really should have saved the game. I know he's still under the Mendoza line, but if you give him the time, he will show you the reward, so stop with the trade talk. If you get rid of him, you're stuck with Abraham Nunez and Craig Counsell at second the rest of the year. Or if you really think you can afford to do it, you can put Hernan Iribarren out there every day. I can't lie, I like that kid and wouldn't mind seeing him get a shot, but I don't want to see it at the expense of Weeks.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Why Sheets Gets Hurt So Often
http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/all-about-ben-sheets/
Side Note: Gallardo tore his ACL and is out for the season.
Side Note: Gallardo tore his ACL and is out for the season.
Brewers Astros Series Preview
The Series:
Milwaukee Brewers (16-12) at Houston Astros (13-16)
Who's on Tap?:
May 2nd: Carlos Villanueva (1-2, 4.66 ERA) vs Roy Oswalt (2-3, 5.75 ERA)
May 3rd: Manny Parra (1-1, 4.94 ERA) vs Brandon Backe (1-3, 4.65 ERA)
May 4th: Ben Sheets (4-0, 1.64 ERA) vs Chris Sampson (1-3, 7.15 ERA)
Who Should You Watch?:
If you didn't know already, Joe Dillon is to return to the Brewers tonight, meaning a roster move is imminent. The likely sacrifice, the waiving of Derrick Turnbow, and his likely acceptance of a AAA assignment so he's guaranteed his money. So with Dave Bush gone and the Brewers finally down to 12 pitchers on their staff, quality outings will be a must from young pitchers Carlos Villanueva and Manny Parra, especially after Wednesday's bullpen taxing night. Besides that, keep your eye on Corey Hart and Dave Bush. Hart is 4/9 against Oswalt and 3/6 on Backe. Braun is only 2/5 combined against both pitchers, he tends to be quite streaky. A good series against Braun may have helped him find something in his swing. My best guess is he's not thinking any more, but that's pure speculation.
For the Astros, you have to watch Lance Berkman and Miguel Tejada. These two guys are the only regulars on the Astros who have OBPs higher than .340, and besides Towles who has a .338, they are the only two above .320. That's pretty atrocious. Nevertheless, with Pence and Lee surrounding them they get good pitches to hit. Berkman has had a bit of a resurgence this year since last year's early struggles. While his numbers were still impressive in 2007, his average had dropped a bit. That appears to be over now as he's right near his career numbers, batting .297/.387/.561 in 2008. Despite lying about his age, as many Domnican players probably do, Miguel Tejada is turning out to be one of the better pick ups in the off season, batting .345/.380/.566, while striking out only 13 times in 113 PAs. But you can't expect him to hit .345 all season, so those numbers may shrink a bit as the year goes.
Keys to Victory:
For the Brewers it's going to be starting pitching. The Astros are 26th in the league in batting average and 29th in OBP. This means they don't even average a baserunner and inning. As a result, Brewers pitchers need to stay aggressive, while avoiding the likes of Tejada, Berkman and Lee. With a day off on Monday, they can afford to have a little bit of a bump, but the bullpen needs a break, and the young guys plus the ace have a chance to save them a bit if they keep their pitch counts down.
The Astros need to work on that OBP, especially since Parra and Villanueva have struggle immensely with their command this year. Villa has walked 11 in 29, while Parra has walked 13 in 23.2. While your team may be struggling with their bats, the very short porch in left pays dividends for a team when they get runners on. If they hit homeruns, they can't be solo shots, meaning they have to do their damage in chunks.
Predictions:
The matchups really suggest the Brewers should sweep this series, but that's not as easy as it sometimes looks. The Brewers tend to handle Roy Oswalt quite well, winning all three games they played against him. While it's not easy to take four in a row from an impressive pitcher like Oswalt, Villanueva continues his improvement on the mound, but gives up four or five runs in seven innings. Brewers take game one via the bats. For some reason I think Parra and the Brewers in general will struggle on Saturday, giving Backe the win and Parra his second loss of the year. As for game three, I hate assuming Sheets will win every game, but with a really bad pitcher on the mound in Chris Sampson, I wouldn't be surprised if a blow out was on the horizon after a tough game on Saturday.
Milwaukee Brewers (16-12) at Houston Astros (13-16)
Who's on Tap?:
May 2nd: Carlos Villanueva (1-2, 4.66 ERA) vs Roy Oswalt (2-3, 5.75 ERA)
May 3rd: Manny Parra (1-1, 4.94 ERA) vs Brandon Backe (1-3, 4.65 ERA)
May 4th: Ben Sheets (4-0, 1.64 ERA) vs Chris Sampson (1-3, 7.15 ERA)
Who Should You Watch?:
If you didn't know already, Joe Dillon is to return to the Brewers tonight, meaning a roster move is imminent. The likely sacrifice, the waiving of Derrick Turnbow, and his likely acceptance of a AAA assignment so he's guaranteed his money. So with Dave Bush gone and the Brewers finally down to 12 pitchers on their staff, quality outings will be a must from young pitchers Carlos Villanueva and Manny Parra, especially after Wednesday's bullpen taxing night. Besides that, keep your eye on Corey Hart and Dave Bush. Hart is 4/9 against Oswalt and 3/6 on Backe. Braun is only 2/5 combined against both pitchers, he tends to be quite streaky. A good series against Braun may have helped him find something in his swing. My best guess is he's not thinking any more, but that's pure speculation.
For the Astros, you have to watch Lance Berkman and Miguel Tejada. These two guys are the only regulars on the Astros who have OBPs higher than .340, and besides Towles who has a .338, they are the only two above .320. That's pretty atrocious. Nevertheless, with Pence and Lee surrounding them they get good pitches to hit. Berkman has had a bit of a resurgence this year since last year's early struggles. While his numbers were still impressive in 2007, his average had dropped a bit. That appears to be over now as he's right near his career numbers, batting .297/.387/.561 in 2008. Despite lying about his age, as many Domnican players probably do, Miguel Tejada is turning out to be one of the better pick ups in the off season, batting .345/.380/.566, while striking out only 13 times in 113 PAs. But you can't expect him to hit .345 all season, so those numbers may shrink a bit as the year goes.
Keys to Victory:
For the Brewers it's going to be starting pitching. The Astros are 26th in the league in batting average and 29th in OBP. This means they don't even average a baserunner and inning. As a result, Brewers pitchers need to stay aggressive, while avoiding the likes of Tejada, Berkman and Lee. With a day off on Monday, they can afford to have a little bit of a bump, but the bullpen needs a break, and the young guys plus the ace have a chance to save them a bit if they keep their pitch counts down.
The Astros need to work on that OBP, especially since Parra and Villanueva have struggle immensely with their command this year. Villa has walked 11 in 29, while Parra has walked 13 in 23.2. While your team may be struggling with their bats, the very short porch in left pays dividends for a team when they get runners on. If they hit homeruns, they can't be solo shots, meaning they have to do their damage in chunks.
Predictions:
The matchups really suggest the Brewers should sweep this series, but that's not as easy as it sometimes looks. The Brewers tend to handle Roy Oswalt quite well, winning all three games they played against him. While it's not easy to take four in a row from an impressive pitcher like Oswalt, Villanueva continues his improvement on the mound, but gives up four or five runs in seven innings. Brewers take game one via the bats. For some reason I think Parra and the Brewers in general will struggle on Saturday, giving Backe the win and Parra his second loss of the year. As for game three, I hate assuming Sheets will win every game, but with a really bad pitcher on the mound in Chris Sampson, I wouldn't be surprised if a blow out was on the horizon after a tough game on Saturday.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Brewers Cubs Game 3 Recap
The Score:
Milwaukee Brewers 4 Chicago Cubs 3
Players of the Game:
Ryan Braun: 3/5; HR, 3 RBIs GW 2B in 9th
Carlos Zambrano: 6.1 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1/2 HR
Honorary Mention:
Yovani Gallardo: His numbers aren't great, but if you have time check out what he did in the 4th inning on a bunt attempt by Reed Johnson. Looked like he tore every muscle on the sides of his knees. Instead he stays down for 10 minutes and pitches two more innings, despite me yelling at Yost to not ruin his career. It was a gutsy performance that probably earn him a couple of fans.
Game Recap:
It's about time these two teams battled it out tooth and nail. I just wish they would have done it when they were on ESPN yesterday evening. People may have paid attention. Carlos Zambrano and Yovani Gallardo lived up to their names as ace and potential ace. Gallardo went through five giving up only one on Zambrano's opposite field homerun, before giving up two in the 6th on a couple of odd infield singles.
Zambrano was ridiculous again, but once again the umps called a very odd game on both sides. Head umpire Brian O'Nora's strike zone was enormous, and Carlos took advantage of it, forcing Brewers hitters into counts they weren't particularly fond of. Zambrano's only blemish was Ryan Braun's homerun. He ultimately left with runners on the corners with one out for Carlos Marmol. Question. Why isn't this kid the Cubs closer? Good God, he's got some nasty stuff. Marmol ends up walking Kendall to load the bases, and then proceeds to strike out Rickie Weeks with a slider in the dirt and Mike Cameron with a rocket right down the middle. Marmol would strike out two more in the 8th, only being blemished by Corey Hart's bunt single.
But it happened again. The Brewers have had a knack this season for stealing games, especially one run games. It felt like a bit of a repeat of opening day when Wood gave up three in the 9th to break a 0-0 tie, only to be followed by the Brewers closer giving up three right after. This time around Wood did the damage himself. On the first pitch of the inning, Wood drilled Craig Counsell with a 90 MPH fastball. Gabe Kapler got down quick but took advantage of a slider up and let the wind take it over Soriano's head to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with no one out. An infield single up the middle by Kendall scored Counsell and a walk by Weeks loaded the bases. After a Mike Cameron strikeout (Get used to those Brewers fans. He will hit triple digits even if he missed 25 games), Ryan Braun smoked a 96 MPH mistake fastball over the head of Fukudome who was playing in to try and prevent the single. The double scored two and gave the Brewers the lead 4-3.
The difference between this game and Opening Day, however, was Eric Gagne's performance. Yes he walked Ronny Cedeno to start the inning, but he came back strong, striking out Soto on a marginal pitch that got called all day and induced a double play from Felix Pie to get his 9th save this year.
(Note: O'Nora blew a huge call at home plate when Braun threw out Fukudome. Fukudome was well under the tag, but the ball beat him to the plate by three steps, and that's how umps are most of the time.)
Game Changing Play:
Ryan Braun's 2-run double.
Predictions Bad:
And thank God they were. I actually started writing this thing before the game was done, praising my intelligence, but found myself bounding about my house when Wood loaded the bases with no one out. The Brewers end up stealing this one to win the series. Mike Cameron was a one night affair. He ends up going 0 for 8 with four Ks after destroying the ball on Tuesday. Weeks left much to be desired yet again, going 1 for 4 with a walk and some bad baserunning. Derek Lee was handled pretty easily this game, but was all over the place the last two games, so I'm probably 50-50 on series predictions all together
What's on Tap?:
The Brewers hopped a plane right after their celebration and are headed to Houston where Carlos Villanueva will take on Roy Oswalt. I doubt Villa backs down, but he better beware the powerful bats the Astros bring. Series Preview on the way.
Milwaukee Brewers 4 Chicago Cubs 3
Players of the Game:
Ryan Braun: 3/5; HR, 3 RBIs GW 2B in 9th
Carlos Zambrano: 6.1 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1/2 HR
Honorary Mention:
Yovani Gallardo: His numbers aren't great, but if you have time check out what he did in the 4th inning on a bunt attempt by Reed Johnson. Looked like he tore every muscle on the sides of his knees. Instead he stays down for 10 minutes and pitches two more innings, despite me yelling at Yost to not ruin his career. It was a gutsy performance that probably earn him a couple of fans.
Game Recap:
It's about time these two teams battled it out tooth and nail. I just wish they would have done it when they were on ESPN yesterday evening. People may have paid attention. Carlos Zambrano and Yovani Gallardo lived up to their names as ace and potential ace. Gallardo went through five giving up only one on Zambrano's opposite field homerun, before giving up two in the 6th on a couple of odd infield singles.
Zambrano was ridiculous again, but once again the umps called a very odd game on both sides. Head umpire Brian O'Nora's strike zone was enormous, and Carlos took advantage of it, forcing Brewers hitters into counts they weren't particularly fond of. Zambrano's only blemish was Ryan Braun's homerun. He ultimately left with runners on the corners with one out for Carlos Marmol. Question. Why isn't this kid the Cubs closer? Good God, he's got some nasty stuff. Marmol ends up walking Kendall to load the bases, and then proceeds to strike out Rickie Weeks with a slider in the dirt and Mike Cameron with a rocket right down the middle. Marmol would strike out two more in the 8th, only being blemished by Corey Hart's bunt single.
But it happened again. The Brewers have had a knack this season for stealing games, especially one run games. It felt like a bit of a repeat of opening day when Wood gave up three in the 9th to break a 0-0 tie, only to be followed by the Brewers closer giving up three right after. This time around Wood did the damage himself. On the first pitch of the inning, Wood drilled Craig Counsell with a 90 MPH fastball. Gabe Kapler got down quick but took advantage of a slider up and let the wind take it over Soriano's head to put runners on 2nd and 3rd with no one out. An infield single up the middle by Kendall scored Counsell and a walk by Weeks loaded the bases. After a Mike Cameron strikeout (Get used to those Brewers fans. He will hit triple digits even if he missed 25 games), Ryan Braun smoked a 96 MPH mistake fastball over the head of Fukudome who was playing in to try and prevent the single. The double scored two and gave the Brewers the lead 4-3.
The difference between this game and Opening Day, however, was Eric Gagne's performance. Yes he walked Ronny Cedeno to start the inning, but he came back strong, striking out Soto on a marginal pitch that got called all day and induced a double play from Felix Pie to get his 9th save this year.
(Note: O'Nora blew a huge call at home plate when Braun threw out Fukudome. Fukudome was well under the tag, but the ball beat him to the plate by three steps, and that's how umps are most of the time.)
Game Changing Play:
Ryan Braun's 2-run double.
Predictions Bad:
And thank God they were. I actually started writing this thing before the game was done, praising my intelligence, but found myself bounding about my house when Wood loaded the bases with no one out. The Brewers end up stealing this one to win the series. Mike Cameron was a one night affair. He ends up going 0 for 8 with four Ks after destroying the ball on Tuesday. Weeks left much to be desired yet again, going 1 for 4 with a walk and some bad baserunning. Derek Lee was handled pretty easily this game, but was all over the place the last two games, so I'm probably 50-50 on series predictions all together
What's on Tap?:
The Brewers hopped a plane right after their celebration and are headed to Houston where Carlos Villanueva will take on Roy Oswalt. I doubt Villa backs down, but he better beware the powerful bats the Astros bring. Series Preview on the way.
The Brewers should trade Ryan Braun
That's right, I said it! The Brewers should trade Ryan Braun... but not this year or next. In two years, the Brewers should trade Ryan Braun.
Disclaimer: I want to make something perfectly clear. I like Braun. With the exception of spiking the crap out of Ryan Theriot on Tuesday, he's be exceptional as a Brewer, but I've done some serious thinking and find some validity in it.
Unless the Brewers get some kind of ridiculous discount to keep Ryan Braun here for his first six years of eligibility, arbitration is going to be far too kind to the converted outfielder. In a little less than one year of service Braun is hitting .314/.356/.595, amassing 37 HRs, 134 RBIs and 19 SBs. How can you give that up? Braun's move to the outfield has created a log jam in the outfield as far as prospects go. Matt LaPorta and Cole Gillespie are currently playing in AA-Huntsville and are absolutely ripping the cover off the ball.
Matt LaPorta was drafted in the 1st round of last year's First Year Player Draft and has been impressing scouts all over the place. He began his first full professional season this year in Huntsville and is batting an impressive .300/.400/.644 with 7 dingers and 27 RBIs. He's shown power to all fields and has great discipline around the strike zone. One thing holds him back however. LaPorta is a former catcher who was converted to a first baseman in college and has now been moved to left field because Prince is poised to be the icon of the Brewers for years to come. As a result of this move, LaPorta has only played 46 games in the outfield, 25 in left and 21 in right. This lack of experience keeps LaPorta out of the majors so he can work on his reads and routes, making his 1.000 fielding percentage a bit deceiving.
Cole Gillespie is a three-star prospect who was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2006 First Year Player Draft from Oregon State. In almost two full seasons of professional ball, Cole is hitting .287/.400/.466 with 24 HRs, 111 RBIs and 35 RBIs. According to Baseball Prospectus he has the best approach in the system, with a knack for the strikezone and the ability to poke balls into all gaps. Gillespie's downfall is his arm and speed, which no doubt dooms him to that left field spot. Essentially he becomes the best bench player imaginable, or perhaps a guy you're willing to put on the field every day just to get on base and score run. Nevertheless, he too is about a year or two out.
So in two years the Brewers are looking at Ryan Braun, Corey Hart, Tony Gwynn Jr, Matt LaPorta and Cole Gillespie poised and ready to play. In reality only Hart and Gwynn can play center, leaving the three corner positions to Gillespie, Braun and LaPorta. But there's a glitch. As far as prospects go, OF is really the only position the Brewers have proven depth. JJ Hardy will be due his money in his last year of arbitration. Prince Fielder will have his big deal. Rickie will be traded or get his low but deserved salary and the Brewers may even think about locking up Gallardo for a couple of years. This leaves the 3B, C and pitching at a bit of a disadvantage, likely only having Gallardo, Villanueva and Parra as the main stays.
For some, it's a no brainer. Trade Tony Gwynn and a couple of others and pick up some prospects. But I'm thinking long term. With the huge blockbuster trade this year of Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, what could the Brewers possibly get in return for Ryan Braun and a couple of prospects? For those who don't know, in return for Cabrera and Willis, the Marlins received Burke Badenhop, Eulogio De La Cruz, Dallas Trahern, Andrew Miller, Mike Rabelo, and Cameron Maybin. That's four pitchers, a catcher and an OF prospect. These guys may not be getting the job done right now, but the idea is getting more bang for your buck. If the Brewers had some intestinal fortitude that could trade Braun's potentially bloated salary for a couple of top 3B or SP prospects.
And in the end, all you really lose is power. You'll sure up your depth on all fronts, save some cash to keep guys like Prince or Yovani and essentially keep this 'run' of a small market team going for more than just 3 or 4 years. The other option is packaging up Corey Hart in a deal, which is not a bad idea either. But if the Brewers plan on sticking around for more than a couple of years they need to not be afraid to ship out some of their quality young guys when they're due their money. If you sell them while they're still sort of cheap, the return becomes longevity in your success.
Ultimately, I believe Braun should be the casualty. He has the lowest isopatience of any outfielder and will ultimately yield the biggest return as far as saving cash and the quality of prospects. In my opinion it's a big win for this team. Braun isn't the guy putting seats in the stands, Prince Fielder is, and while some people may think the Brewers are bailing, they'll soon realize they're poised to continue their run of success.
The question is: Will they do it? Would you do it?
I would.
Disclaimer: I want to make something perfectly clear. I like Braun. With the exception of spiking the crap out of Ryan Theriot on Tuesday, he's be exceptional as a Brewer, but I've done some serious thinking and find some validity in it.
Unless the Brewers get some kind of ridiculous discount to keep Ryan Braun here for his first six years of eligibility, arbitration is going to be far too kind to the converted outfielder. In a little less than one year of service Braun is hitting .314/.356/.595, amassing 37 HRs, 134 RBIs and 19 SBs. How can you give that up? Braun's move to the outfield has created a log jam in the outfield as far as prospects go. Matt LaPorta and Cole Gillespie are currently playing in AA-Huntsville and are absolutely ripping the cover off the ball.
Matt LaPorta was drafted in the 1st round of last year's First Year Player Draft and has been impressing scouts all over the place. He began his first full professional season this year in Huntsville and is batting an impressive .300/.400/.644 with 7 dingers and 27 RBIs. He's shown power to all fields and has great discipline around the strike zone. One thing holds him back however. LaPorta is a former catcher who was converted to a first baseman in college and has now been moved to left field because Prince is poised to be the icon of the Brewers for years to come. As a result of this move, LaPorta has only played 46 games in the outfield, 25 in left and 21 in right. This lack of experience keeps LaPorta out of the majors so he can work on his reads and routes, making his 1.000 fielding percentage a bit deceiving.
Cole Gillespie is a three-star prospect who was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2006 First Year Player Draft from Oregon State. In almost two full seasons of professional ball, Cole is hitting .287/.400/.466 with 24 HRs, 111 RBIs and 35 RBIs. According to Baseball Prospectus he has the best approach in the system, with a knack for the strikezone and the ability to poke balls into all gaps. Gillespie's downfall is his arm and speed, which no doubt dooms him to that left field spot. Essentially he becomes the best bench player imaginable, or perhaps a guy you're willing to put on the field every day just to get on base and score run. Nevertheless, he too is about a year or two out.
So in two years the Brewers are looking at Ryan Braun, Corey Hart, Tony Gwynn Jr, Matt LaPorta and Cole Gillespie poised and ready to play. In reality only Hart and Gwynn can play center, leaving the three corner positions to Gillespie, Braun and LaPorta. But there's a glitch. As far as prospects go, OF is really the only position the Brewers have proven depth. JJ Hardy will be due his money in his last year of arbitration. Prince Fielder will have his big deal. Rickie will be traded or get his low but deserved salary and the Brewers may even think about locking up Gallardo for a couple of years. This leaves the 3B, C and pitching at a bit of a disadvantage, likely only having Gallardo, Villanueva and Parra as the main stays.
For some, it's a no brainer. Trade Tony Gwynn and a couple of others and pick up some prospects. But I'm thinking long term. With the huge blockbuster trade this year of Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, what could the Brewers possibly get in return for Ryan Braun and a couple of prospects? For those who don't know, in return for Cabrera and Willis, the Marlins received Burke Badenhop, Eulogio De La Cruz, Dallas Trahern, Andrew Miller, Mike Rabelo, and Cameron Maybin. That's four pitchers, a catcher and an OF prospect. These guys may not be getting the job done right now, but the idea is getting more bang for your buck. If the Brewers had some intestinal fortitude that could trade Braun's potentially bloated salary for a couple of top 3B or SP prospects.
And in the end, all you really lose is power. You'll sure up your depth on all fronts, save some cash to keep guys like Prince or Yovani and essentially keep this 'run' of a small market team going for more than just 3 or 4 years. The other option is packaging up Corey Hart in a deal, which is not a bad idea either. But if the Brewers plan on sticking around for more than a couple of years they need to not be afraid to ship out some of their quality young guys when they're due their money. If you sell them while they're still sort of cheap, the return becomes longevity in your success.
Ultimately, I believe Braun should be the casualty. He has the lowest isopatience of any outfielder and will ultimately yield the biggest return as far as saving cash and the quality of prospects. In my opinion it's a big win for this team. Braun isn't the guy putting seats in the stands, Prince Fielder is, and while some people may think the Brewers are bailing, they'll soon realize they're poised to continue their run of success.
The question is: Will they do it? Would you do it?
I would.
Brewers Cubs Game 2 Recap
It's hard to be a fan of a team and have to recap a debauchery, but I will do my best. It will be brief though. I'll be watching this afternoon's game and writing an article about why the Brewers should trade Ryan Braun. I thought that might grab your attention.
The Score:
Milwaukee Brewers 5 Chicago Cubs 19
Players of the Game:
Rickie Weeks: 2/4; 2B, BB, 3 R
Geovany Soto: 2/4; 2 HRs, 6 RBIs
Game Recap:
If you're throwing BP fastballs, they're going to hit them as such. That was the theme of the Brewers/Cubs game last night, as the Cubs jumped on top of Jeff Suppan and stomped him into the ground. The guys from the North Side plated six runs in the first ring, topped off by the first of Geovany Soto's two 3-run homers. But it's not like the Cubs had to try to hard. For those not in the know, Jeff Suppan throws a whopping 88 MPH fastball, relying mostly on location and his breaking pitches. Well, Soup's breaking pitches didn't move and his fast ball didn't hit the corners, but instead of walking guys, he just through waste high pitches right down the center of the plate. This allowed Cubs hitters to play tee ball, and left Suppan with 3.2 IP outing that yielded 11 runs, eight earned.
But it's not like things got better. Seth McClung pitched pretty well despite some really hard balls, giving up only one run in three innings of work, walking four and striking out 5. But then it was Derrick Turnbow time. I don't really want to talk about him because the fact of the matter is, this outing may have officially ended his career, which is sad. You don't hear about too many all star closers getting run out of the league in just three years. The line: 0.2 IP, 6 ER, 4 BB, 1 K. At least Stetter kept his 0.00 ERA in tact.
As for the Brewers offense, it was there. It wasn't great, but there was promise shown in taking five walks in the first 6 innings. Five runs usually wins a game, but not this one. Rickie had a good night, getting on three times, and jumping over the Mendoza line with two hits. Braun was also hot going 2 for 3 in the first 6 innings of baseball. But there wasn't a hit to be found in line up beyond Prince Fielder, making it impossible to put the game in reach.
Blow-outs happen. They're not always fun to watch though. The first inning was fine, even though my team got blown up, but nine walks for the Cubs and 14 collectively between the two teams leads to a long drawn out debauchery, similar to Tuesday nights ugly affair. That's baseball though. You have to make it through all of them, even if you have a Cubs fan in your ear screaming after every pitch, considering the day before all he did was whine.
Game Changing Play:
Soto's second 3-run shot off of Brian Shouse, which was a horrible call by Ned Yost by the way, capped off a five run 4th inning and sealed the game as out of reach.
Predictions Sad But Good:
I hate being right when it goes against my favorite team, but it comes with the territory. Suppan was throwing the proverbial 'cock-shot' fastball that I could probably hit out of the park. Instead Derek Lee, Geovany Soto and well, the entire Cubs squad sans Felix Pie hit damn near every ball to the wall. I thought for sure Yost was going to pull McClung the third time through the line up, but nope. Let the guy kill his confidence. Rickie Weeks showed up, making my earlier prediction at least half right. In the end, I'm two for two on these games.
What's on Tap?:
In a good ole fashioned rubber match, we may actually get to see some good baseball in this series as Yovani Gallardo takes on Carlos Zambrano, the future ace against the established one. As always, if Z is on, trouble is brewing, especially since Yost is probably playing his B-squad today starring Craid Counsell and Tony Gwynn Jr. Gwynn isn't really a B guy, but he's a bench player and that starts with a B. Stay tuned for the Braun article. It's going to be a blast to write.
The Score:
Milwaukee Brewers 5 Chicago Cubs 19
Players of the Game:
Rickie Weeks: 2/4; 2B, BB, 3 R
Geovany Soto: 2/4; 2 HRs, 6 RBIs
Game Recap:
If you're throwing BP fastballs, they're going to hit them as such. That was the theme of the Brewers/Cubs game last night, as the Cubs jumped on top of Jeff Suppan and stomped him into the ground. The guys from the North Side plated six runs in the first ring, topped off by the first of Geovany Soto's two 3-run homers. But it's not like the Cubs had to try to hard. For those not in the know, Jeff Suppan throws a whopping 88 MPH fastball, relying mostly on location and his breaking pitches. Well, Soup's breaking pitches didn't move and his fast ball didn't hit the corners, but instead of walking guys, he just through waste high pitches right down the center of the plate. This allowed Cubs hitters to play tee ball, and left Suppan with 3.2 IP outing that yielded 11 runs, eight earned.
But it's not like things got better. Seth McClung pitched pretty well despite some really hard balls, giving up only one run in three innings of work, walking four and striking out 5. But then it was Derrick Turnbow time. I don't really want to talk about him because the fact of the matter is, this outing may have officially ended his career, which is sad. You don't hear about too many all star closers getting run out of the league in just three years. The line: 0.2 IP, 6 ER, 4 BB, 1 K. At least Stetter kept his 0.00 ERA in tact.
As for the Brewers offense, it was there. It wasn't great, but there was promise shown in taking five walks in the first 6 innings. Five runs usually wins a game, but not this one. Rickie had a good night, getting on three times, and jumping over the Mendoza line with two hits. Braun was also hot going 2 for 3 in the first 6 innings of baseball. But there wasn't a hit to be found in line up beyond Prince Fielder, making it impossible to put the game in reach.
Blow-outs happen. They're not always fun to watch though. The first inning was fine, even though my team got blown up, but nine walks for the Cubs and 14 collectively between the two teams leads to a long drawn out debauchery, similar to Tuesday nights ugly affair. That's baseball though. You have to make it through all of them, even if you have a Cubs fan in your ear screaming after every pitch, considering the day before all he did was whine.
Game Changing Play:
Soto's second 3-run shot off of Brian Shouse, which was a horrible call by Ned Yost by the way, capped off a five run 4th inning and sealed the game as out of reach.
Predictions Sad But Good:
I hate being right when it goes against my favorite team, but it comes with the territory. Suppan was throwing the proverbial 'cock-shot' fastball that I could probably hit out of the park. Instead Derek Lee, Geovany Soto and well, the entire Cubs squad sans Felix Pie hit damn near every ball to the wall. I thought for sure Yost was going to pull McClung the third time through the line up, but nope. Let the guy kill his confidence. Rickie Weeks showed up, making my earlier prediction at least half right. In the end, I'm two for two on these games.
What's on Tap?:
In a good ole fashioned rubber match, we may actually get to see some good baseball in this series as Yovani Gallardo takes on Carlos Zambrano, the future ace against the established one. As always, if Z is on, trouble is brewing, especially since Yost is probably playing his B-squad today starring Craid Counsell and Tony Gwynn Jr. Gwynn isn't really a B guy, but he's a bench player and that starts with a B. Stay tuned for the Braun article. It's going to be a blast to write.
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