The Score:
Brewers 8 Reds 1
MVPs of the Game:
Dave Bush: 7 IP, 3 H, ER, 2 BB, 7 K (W)
Edwin Encarnacion: 1/4; RBI, quality defense
Game Recap:
One game after 'the fight', the Brewers bounced back and took advantage of the plentiful mistakes of rookie Edinson Volquez. The Brewers tagged Volquez with five runs in five innings of work, while striking out only two. A low K rate usually means trouble for a power pitcher like Volquez. But don't be fooled, Dave Bush bounced back a bit from his rough return after the ASB to toss a solid game, riding the wave of offense to his sixth victory of the year.
The Brewers looked flat during the first two batters of the game. Durham popped out on the first pitch and JJ Hardy flailed his way into a groundout to third. But the big producers of the team showed up in a big way. Ryan Braun doubled to the gap and Prince Fielder was unintentionally, intentionally walked to bring up the struggling Corey Hart. Hart jumped from that slump with a 2-RBI triple, starting the Brewers in the right direction.
Dave Bush did his best to make things interesting though, at least in the first inning. Jeff Keppinger led off the game with a solid single up the middle and was followed by Joey Votto, who walked on five pitches, none of which even challenged the young man. Bush settled in though, getting Jay Bruce to pop out and Brandon Phillips to ground into a fielder's choice that should have been a double play that JJ slightly bobbled. After hitting Adam Dunn with a pitch to load the bases, Edwin Encarnacion smoked a ball down the line, that I thought was going to score three runs for sure. But Craig Counsell some how ranged over and stopped the ball on the foul line about eight feet beyond third base. Counsell's throw was off target, and the run scored, but he saved at least one run, maybe two in the process as Corey Patterson flew out to end the big time threat.
Both pitchers found the groove after that, each plowing through the second and third innings unscathed. Bush was placing his pitches well and Volquez was taking advantage of an inconsistent strike zone, forcing the Brewers to swing at borderline pitches. But in the fourth inning, Volquez stopped hitting the corners and started making mistakes. He left a changeup over the plate on an 0-2 pitch to Corey, which he smoked into center for a double. After advancing to third on a ground out by Cousnell, Mike Cameron pushed Hart across with a single to left. After stealing second, Cameron would get pushed across on Jason Kendall's hardest and furthest hit of the season. No, it didn't make it over the fence, but it did hit it and Brewers took a 4-1 lead.
The Brewers would manufacture another run in the fifth as JJ Hardy and Ryan Braun led off the inning with singles. Hardy would advance to third on a fly ball to left center and would score on a sac fly by Corey Hart. It's amazing what situational hitting and not strikeouts do can do for a team. This fifth and final run, sent Volquez packing when the inning was finished after tossing 96 pitches in just five innings of work.
Dave Bush, on the other hand, was efficient, which was a change of pace after his last outing. Bush avoided the long ball in this one and only walked two batters, and was really only challenged in his first and final innings. Bush looked poised to give up the big inning in both instances, but was saved by defense in the first and a ground rule double combined with solid pitching the seventh.
Prince Fielder put the exclamation point on the game with a two run blast in the top half of that inning after getting a little chin music the two pitches before. Who was the first man to congratulate him in the dug out? None other than Manny Parra. To be honest, Manny looked like he was just doing it for the sake of the team. No smile, no excitement, just a little fiver. Prince gave him that five and gave him a little tap on the cheek, as the Brewers patted themselves on the back after splitting the first two games of the series.
Game Changing Play:
The Craig Counsell stop really stands out in my mind, but momentum really didn't shift then, it simply stalled it for both teams. As a result, I'm going to go with Mike Cameron's RBI single, stolen base and Kendall's double as a sequence that really changed the complexion of the game. These guys have floundered immensely considering their 'veteran' status. Veteran's are expected to produce and these guys just haven't, but tonight their contributions, specifically in the fourth inning, pushed the confidence meter back to the green.
Note:
- It's interesting to note that Ray Durham was pretty rough at the plate tonight. He popped out twice, once on the first pitch and once after only three pitches. He then singled on a quality AB in the third and flew out in the seventh on a ball right down the middle after only four pitches. Yet, the media and those over at the JS blog, think Rickie is awful for having these nights. The guy made it past the four pitch mark once and was rewarded for it. Otherwise he never hit the ball hard. But he gets some slack because he's not Rickie Weeks. Frustrating. And I'm done beating a dead horse, at least for tonight.
Who's on Tap?:
The Brewers and Reds square off in a morning rubber match tomorrow, pitting Mr. August Jeff Suppan against former top prospect Homer Bailey. It should be interesting considering Suppan's struggles with the Reds and their long balls and Homer Bailey's inconsistent approach on the mound. Thankfully the Brewers have seen him once before this season, so they shouldn't be completely embarrassed at the plate.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Thank You
I received a couple of e-mails today from people who read the blog, and don't really comment. A lot of the time I feel like my work goes unnoticed, which it probably does, but when I do get feedback and any kind of response, it really motivates me to work harder on my writing and research skills.
Over the course of the season, I've gained a bigger audience, mostly because of the links Jim Breen sends my way over at Bernie's Crew. And I just want to say thank you to all of the readers out there who enjoy reading my stuff and take time out to listen to me babble on. In the words of the most overpaid AAA-Nashville ball player and his salad tong DLing buddy, 'Preesh!'.
Over the course of the season, I've gained a bigger audience, mostly because of the links Jim Breen sends my way over at Bernie's Crew. And I just want to say thank you to all of the readers out there who enjoy reading my stuff and take time out to listen to me babble on. In the words of the most overpaid AAA-Nashville ball player and his salad tong DLing buddy, 'Preesh!'.
8/5 Brewers Reds Game One Recap
So perhaps my new schedule offers me a new breath of fresh air as far as recaps, analysis and previews go. My new workout schedule allows me to ride an exercise bike, read and type simultaneously. Before I know it, I'm going to turn into that super exercise freak. Anyways, let us recap Monday evening's game because things went awry.
The Score:
Brewers 3 Reds 6
MVPs of the Game:
Ryan Braun: 2/4; HR, 2B, 2 Rs, RBI, BB
Jay Bruce: 1/2; HR, 2 Rs, 2 RBIs, BB
Game Recap:
It all started out as a pitcher's duel, but things changed swiftly and turned into a blow out that may spell the end of a Brewers season or spark the beginning of a new one. Both Bronson Arroyo and Manny Parra pitched gems until the fifth inning. However, Arroyo was able to pitch out of one and hit his way out of the other. In the end, a bout ensued in the Brewers dugout, pitting the Brewers first baseman against it's starting pitcher. You can only imagine what 100lbs can do to a lanky pitcher.
Arroyo and Parra put on a show, Arroyo looking like the 'ace' of old and Parra taking advantage of a free swinging lineup. Things looked favorable for the Crew, as they always seemed to be threatening, but they couldn't offer up productive outs when they mattered. And then the fifth inning came and the pressure left Manny bound and broken. The first thing to go was the command. After striking out Adam Dunn, Parra gave up a single to AAA-fresh Jolbert Cabrera and walked Jay Bruce on four straight pitches that weren't even close to the zone. Five pitches later, he repeated the business to David Ross, who is batting .228 this season. After getting down in the count to the pitcher, Manny battled back before pushing a 2-2 fastball right down the middle, which Arroyo promptly sent to the left field corner, scoring two runs. After getting Keppinger to ground out, Joey Votto tossed in a 2-out 2-RBI single to make the game 4-0.
The Brewers responded in the top of the 6th with two walks and an RBI single from Corey Hart, but a two run bomb by rookie Jay Bruce in the bottom half extended the lead to five. Then things got messy. Parra and Fielder were walking side by side in the dugout when Fielder absolutely lost it and shoved Parra into the bench. He then continued the onslaught by taking both of his hands and shoving Parra's head back into the wall yet again. What was said, and how it came about is still pretty much unknown.
Reports say the fight ensued as a result of Manny wanting to go to the clubhouse to watch the rest of the game and Prince taking offense. But I have a feeling more was brought about. The poor defense and meager offense has to have had an effect on the Brewers staff. There's no doubt, Manny and Ben's records should be considerably better considering what they've done. But the defense and lack of offense have really made them look average if not, in Manny's case, a little below average. Manny's point at the field clearly indicates that more was implied.
But that didn't stop the game from continuing as the Brewers pushed two more runs across in hope of yet another come back victory. But with two on and one out in the ninth, JJ Hardy and Ryan Braun displayed the Brewers biggest weakness yet again... the inability to recognize a pitch. Hardy was called out on strikes and Braun flailed at four pitches, fouling off two potential balls in the process before finishing the game with an emphatic swinging strike three at the ankles.
Game Changing Play:
After Parra walked back to back batters and started Bronson Arroyo out with a 2-0 count, he battled back to 2-2. But instead of throwing his out pitch, he tossed a straight fastball instead of the splitter, which the PITCHER, Bronson Arroyo smoked down the left field line to score two. Parra managed to get the next batter to ground out, but the confidence was shot from the pitcher's double and Parra tossed up another meatball turning a 0-0 game into a 0-4 game and a meltdown of the Crew.
What's on Tap?:
The Brewers move on, despite a legitimate fight in the dug out, and take on Edinson Volquez, who has shown that he is more than capable to destroy the Brewers "powerful" offense, which basically means, no bombs = no runs. Dave Bush takes on the young righty and has about two weeks to show he deserves the job. Otherwise, he'll lose his job to Seth McClung and Yost will ruin both of their routines for a fourth time this year.
Look for the Brewers to come out angry and focused or a complete mess tomorrow. There won't be an in between. Fights like the Parra Fielder debauchery don't happen often, and happen even fewer times in Milwaukee. The Brewers don't win enough games for the players to care on most occasions. But things have obviously changed since 2002. Spark plug or kiss of death? These players offer the answer.
The Score:
Brewers 3 Reds 6
MVPs of the Game:
Ryan Braun: 2/4; HR, 2B, 2 Rs, RBI, BB
Jay Bruce: 1/2; HR, 2 Rs, 2 RBIs, BB
Game Recap:
It all started out as a pitcher's duel, but things changed swiftly and turned into a blow out that may spell the end of a Brewers season or spark the beginning of a new one. Both Bronson Arroyo and Manny Parra pitched gems until the fifth inning. However, Arroyo was able to pitch out of one and hit his way out of the other. In the end, a bout ensued in the Brewers dugout, pitting the Brewers first baseman against it's starting pitcher. You can only imagine what 100lbs can do to a lanky pitcher.
Arroyo and Parra put on a show, Arroyo looking like the 'ace' of old and Parra taking advantage of a free swinging lineup. Things looked favorable for the Crew, as they always seemed to be threatening, but they couldn't offer up productive outs when they mattered. And then the fifth inning came and the pressure left Manny bound and broken. The first thing to go was the command. After striking out Adam Dunn, Parra gave up a single to AAA-fresh Jolbert Cabrera and walked Jay Bruce on four straight pitches that weren't even close to the zone. Five pitches later, he repeated the business to David Ross, who is batting .228 this season. After getting down in the count to the pitcher, Manny battled back before pushing a 2-2 fastball right down the middle, which Arroyo promptly sent to the left field corner, scoring two runs. After getting Keppinger to ground out, Joey Votto tossed in a 2-out 2-RBI single to make the game 4-0.
The Brewers responded in the top of the 6th with two walks and an RBI single from Corey Hart, but a two run bomb by rookie Jay Bruce in the bottom half extended the lead to five. Then things got messy. Parra and Fielder were walking side by side in the dugout when Fielder absolutely lost it and shoved Parra into the bench. He then continued the onslaught by taking both of his hands and shoving Parra's head back into the wall yet again. What was said, and how it came about is still pretty much unknown.
Reports say the fight ensued as a result of Manny wanting to go to the clubhouse to watch the rest of the game and Prince taking offense. But I have a feeling more was brought about. The poor defense and meager offense has to have had an effect on the Brewers staff. There's no doubt, Manny and Ben's records should be considerably better considering what they've done. But the defense and lack of offense have really made them look average if not, in Manny's case, a little below average. Manny's point at the field clearly indicates that more was implied.
But that didn't stop the game from continuing as the Brewers pushed two more runs across in hope of yet another come back victory. But with two on and one out in the ninth, JJ Hardy and Ryan Braun displayed the Brewers biggest weakness yet again... the inability to recognize a pitch. Hardy was called out on strikes and Braun flailed at four pitches, fouling off two potential balls in the process before finishing the game with an emphatic swinging strike three at the ankles.
Game Changing Play:
After Parra walked back to back batters and started Bronson Arroyo out with a 2-0 count, he battled back to 2-2. But instead of throwing his out pitch, he tossed a straight fastball instead of the splitter, which the PITCHER, Bronson Arroyo smoked down the left field line to score two. Parra managed to get the next batter to ground out, but the confidence was shot from the pitcher's double and Parra tossed up another meatball turning a 0-0 game into a 0-4 game and a meltdown of the Crew.
What's on Tap?:
The Brewers move on, despite a legitimate fight in the dug out, and take on Edinson Volquez, who has shown that he is more than capable to destroy the Brewers "powerful" offense, which basically means, no bombs = no runs. Dave Bush takes on the young righty and has about two weeks to show he deserves the job. Otherwise, he'll lose his job to Seth McClung and Yost will ruin both of their routines for a fourth time this year.
Look for the Brewers to come out angry and focused or a complete mess tomorrow. There won't be an in between. Fights like the Parra Fielder debauchery don't happen often, and happen even fewer times in Milwaukee. The Brewers don't win enough games for the players to care on most occasions. But things have obviously changed since 2002. Spark plug or kiss of death? These players offer the answer.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Brewers Reds Series Preview
The Series:
Milwaukee Brewers (62-50) @ Cincinnati Reds (51-61)
Who's on Tap?:
August 4th: Manny Parra (9-4, 3.93 ERA) vs. Bronson Arroyo (9-8, 5.74 ERA)
August 5th: Dave Bush (5-9, 4.69 ERA) vs. Edinson Volquez (13-4, 2.71 ERA)
August 6th: Jeff Suppan (6-7, 4.75 ERA) vs. Homer Bailey (0-5, 7.55 ERA)
Who Should You Watch?:
The Brewers come off a relatively successful series against the Braves and head to Great American Ballpark, where they are 2-1 this season. They make their last trip there in September. One Brewer that will enjoy his time there is Prince Fielder. At GAB, Prince is hitting a stellar .329/.398/.570. Considering his current hot streak, Prince should enjoy his time in the spacious gaps. JJ Hardy has also had some success again the Reds with 10 HRs in 34 starts. Unfortunately for the Brewers, Corey Hart and Ryan Braun have struggled mightily against Reds hurlers, so these Prince and JJ may have to really overachieve to get some runs. On the mound, keep your on Dave Bush, who has been back to his old tricks since the break, that is walking batters and giving up bombs. Bush is making his first 'non-platoon' start after giving up 10 earnies in his last 12.1 innings.
In the home dugout, the Reds roll out a Griffeyless lineup, which may actually be better for them in the long run, though they have to send out Corey Patterson more often than usual. On the plus side of things, Jerry Hairston Jr. is back off the DL and can spare Reds' fans of Dusty Baker's favorite player. As far as people you should keep an eye on, the obvious one is Adam Dunn, who has been a Brewer killer since he entered the league. Dunn is a .276/.425/.583 hitter when he gets in the box against Milwaukee and absolutely destroys Jeff Suppan (.500/.657/.875). On the mound, the Brewers dodge Aaron Harang again, since he's still on the DL, but are forced to take on the only player who is challenging Geovany Soto for ROY, Edinson Volquez. In his only start against Milwaukee, Volquez went seven strong, giving up only one earned run while striking out ten. That will probably play out in a similar fashion on Tuesday.
Keys to Victory:
The Brewers should have little trouble taking two games from the Reds with Arroyo and Bailey on the mound, but they can't just expect the wins to come. They'll have to do exactly what they did on Friday to Chuck James. In just 2.2 innings of work, James gave up four walks. That's usually not the Brewers game, I know, but Reds pitchers walk A LOT of batters. Arroyo's propensity to give up the long ball is his problem, but Volquez has walked 62 batters in 133 innings and Bailey 14 in 31 IP. The Brewers failed to do this in the last series, losing two of three at Miller Park. They did walk three times each game, but it was always secluded to one specific player. Come on guys, learn something from that Cubs series.
The Reds, need to rare back and hit the ball out of the park. Other than Manny Parra, the Brewers pitching staff gives up the long ball all too often. The biggest culprit is Dave Bush, who has given up 20 long shots in his 119 innings of work. Patience will help in this endeavor, but the Reds have big time power and will have to use it to their advantage when given the opportunity. Short porches in left and right won't hurt that one bit (325 ft in right and 328 in left).
Predictions and Notes:
- It's hard to imagine the Brewers losing on Monday or Wednesday considering the success the Brewers have had against Arroyo and the flat out disappointment of Homer Bailey. Tuesday will be a tough one though. Volquez has only had two rough starts all season (after looking at his numbers, I'm not sure if his ROY eligible), and I don't expect the third to show up in this series, though a full season of pitching may be finally getting to him. I think the Brewers' offense shows up big time tomorrow, despite Arroyo's recent success. Tuesday will be that game where every one on the offensive end struggles and every one on their team catches the breaks. Bush will probably pitch pretty reasonable, but he'll get the Ben Sheets treatment. And Wednesday is that good ole toss up game. I can't imagine Homer Bailey succeeding yet again against the Brewers, so I'll say a 6-4 win on the shoulders of a couple of homeruns.
- Look for Adam Dunn to not play against Parra as Baker has been going out of his way to pull him against lefties. Though that may change as they try to move him in a waiver trade. Dunn is soaking up some serious cash for a team that's in last place in the Central.
- Another guy to look out for this week is Joey Votto. Votto has finally gotten the playing time he's deserved and has often gone overlooked with guys like Dunn, Phillips and Jay Bruce on the team. Votto has stuck around the .275ish mark all season and is a picture of consistency, though his power is down somewhat.
- With all of the up roar about Rickie Weeks in the last two weeks, mostly because of Tom Haudricourt and the riotous uninformed fans, who don't know about Rickie's recent success, it should be noted he will get two starts this week with Arroyo and Home Bailey. If this doesn't happen, there's going to be some chemistry problems brewing the club house. Rickie is Prince's right hand man and if Rickie has problems, they really could be cancerous.
Milwaukee Brewers (62-50) @ Cincinnati Reds (51-61)
Who's on Tap?:
August 4th: Manny Parra (9-4, 3.93 ERA) vs. Bronson Arroyo (9-8, 5.74 ERA)
August 5th: Dave Bush (5-9, 4.69 ERA) vs. Edinson Volquez (13-4, 2.71 ERA)
August 6th: Jeff Suppan (6-7, 4.75 ERA) vs. Homer Bailey (0-5, 7.55 ERA)
Who Should You Watch?:
The Brewers come off a relatively successful series against the Braves and head to Great American Ballpark, where they are 2-1 this season. They make their last trip there in September. One Brewer that will enjoy his time there is Prince Fielder. At GAB, Prince is hitting a stellar .329/.398/.570. Considering his current hot streak, Prince should enjoy his time in the spacious gaps. JJ Hardy has also had some success again the Reds with 10 HRs in 34 starts. Unfortunately for the Brewers, Corey Hart and Ryan Braun have struggled mightily against Reds hurlers, so these Prince and JJ may have to really overachieve to get some runs. On the mound, keep your on Dave Bush, who has been back to his old tricks since the break, that is walking batters and giving up bombs. Bush is making his first 'non-platoon' start after giving up 10 earnies in his last 12.1 innings.
In the home dugout, the Reds roll out a Griffeyless lineup, which may actually be better for them in the long run, though they have to send out Corey Patterson more often than usual. On the plus side of things, Jerry Hairston Jr. is back off the DL and can spare Reds' fans of Dusty Baker's favorite player. As far as people you should keep an eye on, the obvious one is Adam Dunn, who has been a Brewer killer since he entered the league. Dunn is a .276/.425/.583 hitter when he gets in the box against Milwaukee and absolutely destroys Jeff Suppan (.500/.657/.875). On the mound, the Brewers dodge Aaron Harang again, since he's still on the DL, but are forced to take on the only player who is challenging Geovany Soto for ROY, Edinson Volquez. In his only start against Milwaukee, Volquez went seven strong, giving up only one earned run while striking out ten. That will probably play out in a similar fashion on Tuesday.
Keys to Victory:
The Brewers should have little trouble taking two games from the Reds with Arroyo and Bailey on the mound, but they can't just expect the wins to come. They'll have to do exactly what they did on Friday to Chuck James. In just 2.2 innings of work, James gave up four walks. That's usually not the Brewers game, I know, but Reds pitchers walk A LOT of batters. Arroyo's propensity to give up the long ball is his problem, but Volquez has walked 62 batters in 133 innings and Bailey 14 in 31 IP. The Brewers failed to do this in the last series, losing two of three at Miller Park. They did walk three times each game, but it was always secluded to one specific player. Come on guys, learn something from that Cubs series.
The Reds, need to rare back and hit the ball out of the park. Other than Manny Parra, the Brewers pitching staff gives up the long ball all too often. The biggest culprit is Dave Bush, who has given up 20 long shots in his 119 innings of work. Patience will help in this endeavor, but the Reds have big time power and will have to use it to their advantage when given the opportunity. Short porches in left and right won't hurt that one bit (325 ft in right and 328 in left).
Predictions and Notes:
- It's hard to imagine the Brewers losing on Monday or Wednesday considering the success the Brewers have had against Arroyo and the flat out disappointment of Homer Bailey. Tuesday will be a tough one though. Volquez has only had two rough starts all season (after looking at his numbers, I'm not sure if his ROY eligible), and I don't expect the third to show up in this series, though a full season of pitching may be finally getting to him. I think the Brewers' offense shows up big time tomorrow, despite Arroyo's recent success. Tuesday will be that game where every one on the offensive end struggles and every one on their team catches the breaks. Bush will probably pitch pretty reasonable, but he'll get the Ben Sheets treatment. And Wednesday is that good ole toss up game. I can't imagine Homer Bailey succeeding yet again against the Brewers, so I'll say a 6-4 win on the shoulders of a couple of homeruns.
- Look for Adam Dunn to not play against Parra as Baker has been going out of his way to pull him against lefties. Though that may change as they try to move him in a waiver trade. Dunn is soaking up some serious cash for a team that's in last place in the Central.
- Another guy to look out for this week is Joey Votto. Votto has finally gotten the playing time he's deserved and has often gone overlooked with guys like Dunn, Phillips and Jay Bruce on the team. Votto has stuck around the .275ish mark all season and is a picture of consistency, though his power is down somewhat.
- With all of the up roar about Rickie Weeks in the last two weeks, mostly because of Tom Haudricourt and the riotous uninformed fans, who don't know about Rickie's recent success, it should be noted he will get two starts this week with Arroyo and Home Bailey. If this doesn't happen, there's going to be some chemistry problems brewing the club house. Rickie is Prince's right hand man and if Rickie has problems, they really could be cancerous.
Brewers Braves Series Recap
The Scores:
Milwaukee Brewers 9 Atlanta Braves 0
Milwaukee Brewers 4 Atlanta Braves 2
Milwaukee Brewers 0 Atlanta Braves 5
MVPs of the Series:
Prince Fielder: 4/12; 3 HRs, 4 RBIs, 3 Rs
Jorge Campillo: 7 IP, 6 H, 6 K (W)
Prince Fielder has found his power stroke once again, and it comes in looking like that easy swing that I'm so used to checking out. It's really fun to watch Prince swing out of his shoes because of the power her conjure up with that big frame of his. But the fact of the matter is that those swings don't often make contact. This weekend's three homeruns were things of beauty. Simple, balanced and compact swings that sent the ball far far away. If Prince can stick to this type of swing, he may in fact get to that 40 HR plateau that I predicted this offseason.
Nobody was really impressive this weekend as far as the offense goes, so I'm going to go to the man who single handedly put the Brewers biggest weakness on display and gave the Braves their only victory in the series. The media has completely disregarded Campillo this season because of his soft 6-4 record, but let's be honest here. A 2.58 ERA in 108 IP is not something to be scoffed at. He's only started 15 games this year, which doesn't help his record any, and hasn't received nearly the amount of support most solid pitchers get. Nevertheless, his stuff is deceiving as hell and his propensity to throw strikes has gotten him the benefit of the doubt on a lot of pitches.
What was the Difference?:
The offense, more specifically the long ball. The Braves launched a total of zero homeruns this weekend, while the Brewers threw up four long balls, resulting in six runs, which was enough to win both Friday and Saturday. The lack of a long ball on Sunday and a game where manufacturing runs was a necessity, the Braves destroyed the Brewers. Go figure.
Causes for Concern:
It's hard to really be concerned about the Braves right now. They've given up on the season and for very good reason. Chipper Jones, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Tim Hudson are all on the DL. Toss in the trade of Mark Texeira before the deadline and the injury of Brian McCann, and the Braves have nothing to offer on the mound or at the plate. That's a concern in itself, but the real concern lies in the bullpen. The Braves are going to have a hard time next season unless they find a way to solidify that relief corps. The only reasonable guys in there are Will Ohman and Mike Gonzalez. But Ohman is out next season, leaving guys like Buddy Carlyle and Jeff Bennett to pick up the slack. Gag.
Sometimes it's just ridiculous to listen to Ned Yost from day to day. I'm not going to go after Yost here, maybe another post, but Yost basically states bluntly what's wrong with his team and then defends them. This weekend during the game on Fox, Yost promptly defended his team as a homerun team and says that, 'You can't teach power,'. And he's right, you can't. But does any one remember the Cubs series when he stated that this team just wasn't able to manufacture runs? Yost, WE KNOW! We've been saying it all season. No walks and zero situational hitting makes the Brewers a very inconsistent squad. When a guy like Campillo, who gives up very few dingers, toes the rubber, you have to make an adjustment. Either move up on the plate or sit dead on a changeup or curveball. The Brewers had plenty of opportunities to the narrow the margin on Sunday, but struck out every time a runner was on third base.
Causes for Excitement:
Obviously Jorge Campillo has to make the Braves happy campers, but I'm going to say the biggest surprise of the year for me is Gregor Blanco. In his first full season and only appearance in the big leagues this year, Blanco is hitting a solid .266/.370/.328. Obviously the slugging leaves a lot to be desired, but Blanco is clearly the lead off hitter of this team for a few years. He offers a ton of intangibles and will slowly improve on his base stealing abilities. Other than that, the Braves are in rough shape with all of their stars on the DL.
There was something very promising about Suppan's start on Friday. Twelve ground ball outs, and seven shutout innings makes you wonder if second half Soup is on yet again. I didn't get to watch a lot of the game, and I know the Braves' offense is running half empty, but the bite to Jeff's pitches was back and his command was pretty solid, with the exception of the fourth inning. Other than that, Prince Fielder is offering up another show. We knew that at some point he was start going on a tear. Fans couldn't wait though and have been going for his throat all season. I know I've said trade him in the off season, but not because of his play. More because he's a big contract next season and a liability at first base. But Prince has been solid all season and leads the team, as he has all season, in OBP and may single handedly will this team to a few more victories like he did on Saturday.
Milwaukee Brewers 9 Atlanta Braves 0
Milwaukee Brewers 4 Atlanta Braves 2
Milwaukee Brewers 0 Atlanta Braves 5
MVPs of the Series:
Prince Fielder: 4/12; 3 HRs, 4 RBIs, 3 Rs
Jorge Campillo: 7 IP, 6 H, 6 K (W)
Prince Fielder has found his power stroke once again, and it comes in looking like that easy swing that I'm so used to checking out. It's really fun to watch Prince swing out of his shoes because of the power her conjure up with that big frame of his. But the fact of the matter is that those swings don't often make contact. This weekend's three homeruns were things of beauty. Simple, balanced and compact swings that sent the ball far far away. If Prince can stick to this type of swing, he may in fact get to that 40 HR plateau that I predicted this offseason.
Nobody was really impressive this weekend as far as the offense goes, so I'm going to go to the man who single handedly put the Brewers biggest weakness on display and gave the Braves their only victory in the series. The media has completely disregarded Campillo this season because of his soft 6-4 record, but let's be honest here. A 2.58 ERA in 108 IP is not something to be scoffed at. He's only started 15 games this year, which doesn't help his record any, and hasn't received nearly the amount of support most solid pitchers get. Nevertheless, his stuff is deceiving as hell and his propensity to throw strikes has gotten him the benefit of the doubt on a lot of pitches.
What was the Difference?:
The offense, more specifically the long ball. The Braves launched a total of zero homeruns this weekend, while the Brewers threw up four long balls, resulting in six runs, which was enough to win both Friday and Saturday. The lack of a long ball on Sunday and a game where manufacturing runs was a necessity, the Braves destroyed the Brewers. Go figure.
Causes for Concern:
It's hard to really be concerned about the Braves right now. They've given up on the season and for very good reason. Chipper Jones, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Tim Hudson are all on the DL. Toss in the trade of Mark Texeira before the deadline and the injury of Brian McCann, and the Braves have nothing to offer on the mound or at the plate. That's a concern in itself, but the real concern lies in the bullpen. The Braves are going to have a hard time next season unless they find a way to solidify that relief corps. The only reasonable guys in there are Will Ohman and Mike Gonzalez. But Ohman is out next season, leaving guys like Buddy Carlyle and Jeff Bennett to pick up the slack. Gag.
Sometimes it's just ridiculous to listen to Ned Yost from day to day. I'm not going to go after Yost here, maybe another post, but Yost basically states bluntly what's wrong with his team and then defends them. This weekend during the game on Fox, Yost promptly defended his team as a homerun team and says that, 'You can't teach power,'. And he's right, you can't. But does any one remember the Cubs series when he stated that this team just wasn't able to manufacture runs? Yost, WE KNOW! We've been saying it all season. No walks and zero situational hitting makes the Brewers a very inconsistent squad. When a guy like Campillo, who gives up very few dingers, toes the rubber, you have to make an adjustment. Either move up on the plate or sit dead on a changeup or curveball. The Brewers had plenty of opportunities to the narrow the margin on Sunday, but struck out every time a runner was on third base.
Causes for Excitement:
Obviously Jorge Campillo has to make the Braves happy campers, but I'm going to say the biggest surprise of the year for me is Gregor Blanco. In his first full season and only appearance in the big leagues this year, Blanco is hitting a solid .266/.370/.328. Obviously the slugging leaves a lot to be desired, but Blanco is clearly the lead off hitter of this team for a few years. He offers a ton of intangibles and will slowly improve on his base stealing abilities. Other than that, the Braves are in rough shape with all of their stars on the DL.
There was something very promising about Suppan's start on Friday. Twelve ground ball outs, and seven shutout innings makes you wonder if second half Soup is on yet again. I didn't get to watch a lot of the game, and I know the Braves' offense is running half empty, but the bite to Jeff's pitches was back and his command was pretty solid, with the exception of the fourth inning. Other than that, Prince Fielder is offering up another show. We knew that at some point he was start going on a tear. Fans couldn't wait though and have been going for his throat all season. I know I've said trade him in the off season, but not because of his play. More because he's a big contract next season and a liability at first base. But Prince has been solid all season and leads the team, as he has all season, in OBP and may single handedly will this team to a few more victories like he did on Saturday.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Tom Haudricourt Takes Personal Vendettas Too Far
In the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel today you will see a 'MLB Beat' article which basically goes after the heads of second baseman Rickie Weeks and center fielder Mike Cameron, saying that their bats have been awful and they don't deserve their job. Tom Haurdricourt has been after these two guys for about two weeks now and is trying to force the hand of Ned Yost to basically get rid of both of them and let the subs come in and do some damage.
But that's bull shit. Why now Tom? Rickie has been struggling all season, but has been a constant OBP guy as far as this team is concerned. Let's look at the regulars on this team and see where Rickie matches up as far as OBP goes...
Prince Fielder .374
JJ Hardy .344
Ryan Braun .338
Rickie Weeks .332
Jason Kendall .330
Corey Hart .319
Mike Cameron .316
3B Platoon .305
And he goes after Rickie?! What the hell is wrong with this guy. First off all, Braun's OBP is pretty much all average. Kendall is actually slugging lower than his OBP and Corey Hart has Braun syndrome this year with an IsoP of a disgusting 39. But that's not what Tom sees. He sees Rickie make two bad plays on defense and nit picks on every single little blunder. He then thinks that he has enough pull to talk to Yost on behalf of the fans as if the fans deserve the change despite it not being warranted.
Don't get me wrong here though, I'm not a total idiot. Ray Durham's .378 OBP makes me a very happy man, and I think he should get some playing time down the road, but ONLY against tough righties. Durham does not bring speed to the base paths any more, and since this team is purely a homerun team, he's unlikely to advance to scoring position when reaching on a single or walk. This is a real problem because of the team's .254 average and .324 OBP. Rickie, on the other hand, often gives us the best opportunity to score runs as his 68 runs on 136 appearances on the base paths indicates. If you're wondering about Ray Durham this year he's at in 47 in 122 appearances. Mind you he was on the Giants for most of that time. Rickie's 16 SBs and heads up running often moves him into positions Durham is no longer capable of doing (I saw him tag from first a couple times this year. How about turning singles into doubles against the Astros?)
You play Durham against tough righties who rely on the soft stuff and that's it. So that basically gives Durham 2-3 games a week and Rickie 3-4, which I'm okay with. But don't go after a 26 year old kid, who, in terms of this team, isn't under achieving as much as people think.
My problem with Tom is that when he writes articles, he never offers up any argument to the other side. For instance, Yost called Rickie a 'late bloomer' this week referring to Rickie's second half tear. Tom simply shrugs it off and doesn't even offer up the numbers. Well here's Rickie's second half stats from last season...
58 G .251/.422/.481 with 11 HR, 17 RBI, 16 SB, 0 CS and 48 R
Guess what guys, There's 51 games left. In Rickie's last seven complete games he is hitting:
.333/.406/.556 with 3 RBI, 4 R, 1 SB and 1 CS
Why would Tom ever write that in his column? It's one thing to go after a guy, it's another when you fail to offer up all the facts. Tom tells the public in print only what he thinks and not what's actually going on. Please refer to the Angel Salome suspension in which Tom printed he took steroids, when in fact it was ADD medication that had a banned stimulant in it. Tom never retracted the article or the statement.
I should be back this week if you were all looking for me. I needed a break after going to four games in that horrendous homestand. I believe more in silence than going after the throat of a team that really didn't play a single game of solid baseball for my 100 bucks worth of ticket sales.
But that's bull shit. Why now Tom? Rickie has been struggling all season, but has been a constant OBP guy as far as this team is concerned. Let's look at the regulars on this team and see where Rickie matches up as far as OBP goes...
Prince Fielder .374
JJ Hardy .344
Ryan Braun .338
Rickie Weeks .332
Jason Kendall .330
Corey Hart .319
Mike Cameron .316
3B Platoon .305
And he goes after Rickie?! What the hell is wrong with this guy. First off all, Braun's OBP is pretty much all average. Kendall is actually slugging lower than his OBP and Corey Hart has Braun syndrome this year with an IsoP of a disgusting 39. But that's not what Tom sees. He sees Rickie make two bad plays on defense and nit picks on every single little blunder. He then thinks that he has enough pull to talk to Yost on behalf of the fans as if the fans deserve the change despite it not being warranted.
Don't get me wrong here though, I'm not a total idiot. Ray Durham's .378 OBP makes me a very happy man, and I think he should get some playing time down the road, but ONLY against tough righties. Durham does not bring speed to the base paths any more, and since this team is purely a homerun team, he's unlikely to advance to scoring position when reaching on a single or walk. This is a real problem because of the team's .254 average and .324 OBP. Rickie, on the other hand, often gives us the best opportunity to score runs as his 68 runs on 136 appearances on the base paths indicates. If you're wondering about Ray Durham this year he's at in 47 in 122 appearances. Mind you he was on the Giants for most of that time. Rickie's 16 SBs and heads up running often moves him into positions Durham is no longer capable of doing (I saw him tag from first a couple times this year. How about turning singles into doubles against the Astros?)
You play Durham against tough righties who rely on the soft stuff and that's it. So that basically gives Durham 2-3 games a week and Rickie 3-4, which I'm okay with. But don't go after a 26 year old kid, who, in terms of this team, isn't under achieving as much as people think.
My problem with Tom is that when he writes articles, he never offers up any argument to the other side. For instance, Yost called Rickie a 'late bloomer' this week referring to Rickie's second half tear. Tom simply shrugs it off and doesn't even offer up the numbers. Well here's Rickie's second half stats from last season...
58 G .251/.422/.481 with 11 HR, 17 RBI, 16 SB, 0 CS and 48 R
Guess what guys, There's 51 games left. In Rickie's last seven complete games he is hitting:
.333/.406/.556 with 3 RBI, 4 R, 1 SB and 1 CS
Why would Tom ever write that in his column? It's one thing to go after a guy, it's another when you fail to offer up all the facts. Tom tells the public in print only what he thinks and not what's actually going on. Please refer to the Angel Salome suspension in which Tom printed he took steroids, when in fact it was ADD medication that had a banned stimulant in it. Tom never retracted the article or the statement.
I should be back this week if you were all looking for me. I needed a break after going to four games in that horrendous homestand. I believe more in silence than going after the throat of a team that really didn't play a single game of solid baseball for my 100 bucks worth of ticket sales.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Brewers Astros Series Preview
The Series:
Houston Astros (46-55) @ Milwaukee Brewers (59-43)
Who's on Tap?:
July 25th: Wandy Rodriguez (5-3, 3.31 ERA) vs. Manny Parra (9-2, 3.68 ERA)
July 26th: Brandon Backe (6-10, 4.79 ERA) vs. Dave Bush (5-8, 4.39 ERA)
July 27th: Randy Wolf (6-10, 4.74 ERA) vs. Jeff Suppan (5-6, 4.65 ERA)
Who Should You Watch?:
The Astros come in last place in the NL Central and a game and half back behind Pittsburgh on top of that, which makes you wonder why they even considered trading for Randy Wolf. Nevertheless, the Astros aren't a team that can simply be over-looked, considering they are 4-5 against Milwaukee this season, including a series sweep in May. Those three victories had a lot to do with one of the best hitters in the NL this year, Lance Berkman. Lance is hitting .400/.447/.829 against the Crew this season with three homeruns and 12 RBIs in just nine games. Thankfully the Brewers aren't throwing out Ben Sheets this weekend, who Lance just destroys, but Bush, Parra and Soup are going to have to contain the big fella to continue their streak. On the mound you should keep your eye on Wandy Rodriguez. Wandy has had a very interesting career where he shows flashes of brilliance and then just turns falls apart. That is to be expected from an inexperienced pitcher. But he has yet to fall apart this year, mostly because he has limited his walks, and is coming off a solid start against the Cubs going 6.2 and only giving up one run.
The Brewers are undoubtedly the hottest team in baseball right now, riding an undefeated road trip and the hot bats of Ryan Braun and JJ Hardy. And while you should watch those guys too, play close attention the wiry fellow, Corey Hart. Corey is a career .342/.395/.664 hitter against the Astros in 165 PAs, which is a pretty reasonable sample size. He's 6/15 against Brandon Backe with three doubles and a homerun and 8/17 against Wandy. Corey had a rough rough series against the Cardinals, but he should hop back on the wagon after some home cooking gets in his stomach. On the mound, keep your eyes on Dave Bush and the bullpen. No one is quite sure how Ned Yost is going to run the platoon situation as Seth McClung turns in his long reliever for the next three days or so. As for the bullpen, it's fresh and ready to go as Carlos Villanueva, Dave Riske and Brian Shouse are all fresher than ever. Villa has only tossed 12 pitches since the ASB, and is due for a couple of innings with the back end of the rotation taking its turn. Shouse has only seen an inning and two thirds of work since the ASB and will need some work to get sharp again, though seven of his eight pitches were strikes on Tuesday was enough to get through three Cardinal batters.
Keys to Victory:
If you've looked at the box scores for the Astros lately, you'll notice that they have absolutely no problems scoring runs in bunches. But sometimes they just can't put it together all at once. And recently they're pitching hasn't been anything to call home about either, as they've lost a number games 8-7 or 7-6. After some thought, it's going to come down to patience. It's hard to believe that when you have a guy with a .437 OBP like Lance Berkman, it doesn't somewhat rub off on the rest of the team. Houston's team OBP is .321, which is absolutely atrocious especially considering they're only slugging .404 in the right handed hitter friendly Minute Maid Park. Patience should garner them some extra base runners with Soup and Parra on the mound. That should get them to the bullpen sooner rather than later and give them the best chance to take this series.
The Astros don't strike out a lot, and are second to last in SOs in the NL, just one above the St. Louis Cardinals. This means the Brewers defense has to show up. No more indecision. If you're going to go for the ball, go for it damnit. If there is any series where the Brewers difficulties in the infield could haunt them, it's this one. Their confidence is so high right now, they may overlook the little things that got them to this point. The biggest culprits are Rickie, Prince and the pitcher. Yes Hall has struggled too, but the right side of the infield is covered in the soot of mental errors. Provided these guys play well and we get the usual play from the outfield, the Brewers should be just fine.
Predictions and Notes:
- It's never easy to say the Brewers will sweep because baseball is such a funny game, but it's hard to argue against Manny Parra tonight with the Astros rolling out a lefty. The Brewers are 22-9 against lefties this year, while the Astros are 14-15. Brandon Backe is just downright awful, even if the Brewers are trying out the platoon experiment this week. And then Suppan rolls out at Miller Park looking just as good as he did early in the season. If the Brewers do lose a game, though, it will be Sunday, as the Brewers have had a hard time with Wolf and the Astros have had significant success against Suppan.
- If you haven't noticed yet, the arrival of Rickie Weeks and Bill Hall has put the Brewers well over the top in the last week. Weeks is batting .348/.467/.609 since the break with five walks, eight RBIs and only three Ks. Hall is batting a measly .190/.292/.476 in his five game, has two huge homeruns and has walked three times. Not bad for two guys who were getting hunted by Brewers fans all over the internet. I'm proud to say that I've always stuck behind Weeks and his talents. He's a top notch second baseman if he puts his talents to use, and is a big reason for this run by the Crew. Hall, on the other hand, isn't out of my doghouse just yet. The strike out rate is still way up and the defense is a still a worry, but he's showing flashes of the guy we'll need down the stretch if Yost opts out of the third base platoon for the rest of the season.
Houston Astros (46-55) @ Milwaukee Brewers (59-43)
Who's on Tap?:
July 25th: Wandy Rodriguez (5-3, 3.31 ERA) vs. Manny Parra (9-2, 3.68 ERA)
July 26th: Brandon Backe (6-10, 4.79 ERA) vs. Dave Bush (5-8, 4.39 ERA)
July 27th: Randy Wolf (6-10, 4.74 ERA) vs. Jeff Suppan (5-6, 4.65 ERA)
Who Should You Watch?:
The Astros come in last place in the NL Central and a game and half back behind Pittsburgh on top of that, which makes you wonder why they even considered trading for Randy Wolf. Nevertheless, the Astros aren't a team that can simply be over-looked, considering they are 4-5 against Milwaukee this season, including a series sweep in May. Those three victories had a lot to do with one of the best hitters in the NL this year, Lance Berkman. Lance is hitting .400/.447/.829 against the Crew this season with three homeruns and 12 RBIs in just nine games. Thankfully the Brewers aren't throwing out Ben Sheets this weekend, who Lance just destroys, but Bush, Parra and Soup are going to have to contain the big fella to continue their streak. On the mound you should keep your eye on Wandy Rodriguez. Wandy has had a very interesting career where he shows flashes of brilliance and then just turns falls apart. That is to be expected from an inexperienced pitcher. But he has yet to fall apart this year, mostly because he has limited his walks, and is coming off a solid start against the Cubs going 6.2 and only giving up one run.
The Brewers are undoubtedly the hottest team in baseball right now, riding an undefeated road trip and the hot bats of Ryan Braun and JJ Hardy. And while you should watch those guys too, play close attention the wiry fellow, Corey Hart. Corey is a career .342/.395/.664 hitter against the Astros in 165 PAs, which is a pretty reasonable sample size. He's 6/15 against Brandon Backe with three doubles and a homerun and 8/17 against Wandy. Corey had a rough rough series against the Cardinals, but he should hop back on the wagon after some home cooking gets in his stomach. On the mound, keep your eyes on Dave Bush and the bullpen. No one is quite sure how Ned Yost is going to run the platoon situation as Seth McClung turns in his long reliever for the next three days or so. As for the bullpen, it's fresh and ready to go as Carlos Villanueva, Dave Riske and Brian Shouse are all fresher than ever. Villa has only tossed 12 pitches since the ASB, and is due for a couple of innings with the back end of the rotation taking its turn. Shouse has only seen an inning and two thirds of work since the ASB and will need some work to get sharp again, though seven of his eight pitches were strikes on Tuesday was enough to get through three Cardinal batters.
Keys to Victory:
If you've looked at the box scores for the Astros lately, you'll notice that they have absolutely no problems scoring runs in bunches. But sometimes they just can't put it together all at once. And recently they're pitching hasn't been anything to call home about either, as they've lost a number games 8-7 or 7-6. After some thought, it's going to come down to patience. It's hard to believe that when you have a guy with a .437 OBP like Lance Berkman, it doesn't somewhat rub off on the rest of the team. Houston's team OBP is .321, which is absolutely atrocious especially considering they're only slugging .404 in the right handed hitter friendly Minute Maid Park. Patience should garner them some extra base runners with Soup and Parra on the mound. That should get them to the bullpen sooner rather than later and give them the best chance to take this series.
The Astros don't strike out a lot, and are second to last in SOs in the NL, just one above the St. Louis Cardinals. This means the Brewers defense has to show up. No more indecision. If you're going to go for the ball, go for it damnit. If there is any series where the Brewers difficulties in the infield could haunt them, it's this one. Their confidence is so high right now, they may overlook the little things that got them to this point. The biggest culprits are Rickie, Prince and the pitcher. Yes Hall has struggled too, but the right side of the infield is covered in the soot of mental errors. Provided these guys play well and we get the usual play from the outfield, the Brewers should be just fine.
Predictions and Notes:
- It's never easy to say the Brewers will sweep because baseball is such a funny game, but it's hard to argue against Manny Parra tonight with the Astros rolling out a lefty. The Brewers are 22-9 against lefties this year, while the Astros are 14-15. Brandon Backe is just downright awful, even if the Brewers are trying out the platoon experiment this week. And then Suppan rolls out at Miller Park looking just as good as he did early in the season. If the Brewers do lose a game, though, it will be Sunday, as the Brewers have had a hard time with Wolf and the Astros have had significant success against Suppan.
- If you haven't noticed yet, the arrival of Rickie Weeks and Bill Hall has put the Brewers well over the top in the last week. Weeks is batting .348/.467/.609 since the break with five walks, eight RBIs and only three Ks. Hall is batting a measly .190/.292/.476 in his five game, has two huge homeruns and has walked three times. Not bad for two guys who were getting hunted by Brewers fans all over the internet. I'm proud to say that I've always stuck behind Weeks and his talents. He's a top notch second baseman if he puts his talents to use, and is a big reason for this run by the Crew. Hall, on the other hand, isn't out of my doghouse just yet. The strike out rate is still way up and the defense is a still a worry, but he's showing flashes of the guy we'll need down the stretch if Yost opts out of the third base platoon for the rest of the season.
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