Brewers place Suppan on DL

The Brewers solved the problem of their crowded starting rotation with the addition of CC Sabathia.

After hyper-extending his elbow a few starts ago, Jeff Suppan has been placed on the DL.  He tried to pitch through the pain until it went away.  That never is a good idea for a pitcher.

As Tom Haudricourt says, at least we know why Soup has been so bad his past few starts.  In his last four outings, the veteran right-hander has a 10.34 ERA.  That’s just plain awful.

I find it a bit suspicious that the Crew made this move after trading for Sabathia, but I could just be reading too much into the situation.  Instead of demoting a veteran, $40M pitcher, the team simply put him on the DL with an injury nobody knew about.  Does that remind anyone else of the supposed injury Jason Isringhausen had with the Cardinals?

I’m not saying the Brewers made up this injury, but it certainly came at a convenient time.  Get better, Jeff.  The Crew needs you healthy and effective down the stretch.  It’s one thing to be tough and pitch through pain, but it’s another thing entirely to be sacrificing your team’s record because of it.  Take a couple weeks, get better, and come back throwing strikes.  BrewersNation wishes you a speedy recovery, Mr. Soup.  We will see you on the mound in a couple weeks if all goes according to plan.

In the meantime, Dave Bush and Seth McClung have been guaranteed jobs in the starting rotation until Soup recovers from his injury.  That solved the pitching problem very quickly.

Sweep overshadowed by trade winds

UPDATE 07-06-08 9:37pm – Tom Haudricourt has more information as to who is included in the deal.  Apparently, the deal included four prospects.

Matt LaPorta is still the centerpiece of the deal.  That is a big blow, but the minor league system is stacked full of guys that can hit but don’t have a position.  LaPorta is replaceable.

LHP Zach Jackson will be on his way to Cleveland.  My reaction?  You can have him Cleveland.  Perhaps a change of scenery is all he needs.  Jackson has been terrible since coming to Milwaukee in the Lyle Overbay trade.

RHP Rob Bryson is also included in the deal.  Rob is a bright young prospect who has struggled a bit this season with a 3-2 record and a 4.25 ERA in 22 outings.  Baseball America thinks that Bryson has the stuff to be a closer in a few years, but that is still years away.  This loss doesn’t hurt the system too much, especially with the tons of pitchers drafted this season.

The deal still includes a “player to be named later.”  Most believe this is still Taylor Green.  Haudricourt believes the Indians want to move him to second base and need more time to scout him.  If they deem Green unfit for second base, there will be another player involved in the deal.

Don’t worry, Brewers fans.  Doug Melvin didn’t give up too much to get last year’s AL Cy Young winner.  Mat Gamel, Alcides Escobar, Angel Salome, Michael Brantley, Brad Nelson, Zach Braddock, Chris Errecart, and Jeremy Jeffress are all safe.  It feels good to say that.

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It was not the prettiest win of the season, but the Milwaukee Brewers swept the Pirates this afternoon with offensive fireworks.

Too bad the win got lost in the news that Doug Melvin and the Brewers just agreed in principle to a deal with the Cleveland Indians that will send C.C. Sabathia to Milwaukee for Matt LaPorta and two lower level prospects.

In case you forgot what happened, let me refresh your memory.

After his 16-game hit streak ended last night on a sacrifice bunt, J.J. Hardy started a new streak in a big way this afternoon. In the bottom of the first, the Brewers shortstop snuck one just inside the right field foul poll to start off the scoring. Rickie Weeks started the game off with a walk, so Milwaukee got out to a 2-0 lead quickly.

The lead grew 4-0 after the first once Ryan Braun hit a solo shot, and Bill Hall continued his fine hitting against southpaws with an RBI single that plated Corey Hart.

All looked good for the Crew. That changed in the top of the second when Jeff Suppan gave all four of the runs right back. Soup did not look sharp tonight. The umpire was squeezing him a bit at the bottom of the zone, but that is no excuse for giving up six runs in three innings of work. When your offense spots you four runs in the first inning, you have to maintain that lead and momentum. It appeared to be a long day in the making after the third inning ended.

The bullpen has been taking a lot of heat lately, but the collective group banded together and shut the door on the Pirates for the rest of the game. Ned Yost pulled Soup after three innings and handed the ball to Mitch Stetter, who pitched two scoreless innings and got the win. The ‘pen came through in a big way today, picking up the team after Soup struggled to keep the Pirates off the scoreboard.

Guillermo Mota even looked pretty good. He mixed up his pitches well. The pitch count was quite high for only an inning on the mound, but a scoreless inning should do wonders to help his confidence.

In other news, Ryan Braun is going to be a starter for the NL in the All-Star Game. Congrats, Ryan. You certainly deserve it. You all can also vote for Corey Hart to get the last spot on the squad. Vote, vote, vote!!!

Finally, on to C.C. Sabathia, the newest member of the Milwaukee Brewers. Man, it feels good to say that.

After thinking it over and reading online threads and whatnot, I could not be more excited about this trade for the Brewers. How often can a team get a bona fide Cy Young-caliber pitcher at the trade deadline and not sacrifice anyone completely integral to the team’s future?

Yes, I understand Matt LaPorta is a rare player, but he is blocked in Milwaukee’s system right now. Not to mention, a prospect is a prospect is a prospect. The young man has not proven a thing yet against major league pitching. He may very well be a star in the big leagues, but there are no guarantees. Best take a proven player when given the chance. That is what C.C. brings to the club. He is a proven winner.

It is unclear who the last two prospects are, but one can assume Taylor Green is one of them. The other may be someone like a John Axford or Alexandre Periard. Either way, I firmly believe Doug Melvin gave away more last season to get Scott Linebrink than he is giving away in the C.C. deal, and Milwaukee is receiving much more in return. The 1-2 punch of Ben Sheets and Sabathia is only rivaled by Dan Haren-Brandon Webb in Arizona. That is a legitimate playoff top of the rotation right there.

Finally, it is almost a foregone conclusion that Milwaukee will not be able to resign Sheets or Sabathia after the season. That could secure 5 draft picks through the first supplemental round. That is a draft where the team can restock the minor leagues. Even if Milwaukee doesn’t make the playoffs this season-which would classify the trade as a failure in my eyes-the team still will benefit from the gluttony of draft picks in the 2009 draft.

If nothing else, this trade has thrust Milwaukee into the national spotlight. It will generate massive revenue at the ticket office. I, for one, have already bought my tickets for Tuesday night’s game against the Colorado Rockies. I did not want to miss Sabathia’s debut as a Brewer. There will be more ticket sales, which will result in more money for the team. More money for the team means more money to spend on free agents or on our own players. If the team makes the playoffs, it will only augment the revenue gain.

The deal is looking better and better for the Brewers, and I am seeing the excitement everywhere I look from Brewers fans. Nice job getting the deal done, Doug Melvin. I, of course, will keep you all up-to-date on who Milwaukee is sending to Cleveland when the information becomes available.

In case you hadn’t noticed, the Brewers are tied with the Cardinals for the Wild Card lead. Big day for the Crew all around.

Records: Brewers (49-39); Pirates (40-47)

Hero of the Game: J.J. Hardy

For now, I will assume J.J. is the hero until proven otherwise. There is no human being on earth that is hotter than J.J. right now. Maybe I should get plunked in the helmet like he did in Arizona. It seems to have helped him…

Goat of the Game: Jeff Suppan

You simply cannot, cannot give back runs after your team spots you four runs in the first inning. A veteran pitcher should know that he had the opportunity to take all the wind out of Pittsburgh’s sails right there, but nope. He wanted to leave after three innings instead. If he didn’t have a big contract in his pocket, Soup may be heading to the ‘pen now that Sabathia is on the team.

On Tap

RHP Seth McClung will take on LHP Ubaldo Jimenez at 7:05pm CT at Miller Park tomorrow. The Crew will look to stretch the winning streak to four games, and Seth will try to prove he belongs in the starting rotation. It could be a mini-audition for the big man now that Sabathia is in the rotation.

Crew holds off D’Back rally

It’s not often that a Brewers fan says this, but Ned Yost played his cards right today.

Milwaukee’s starting lineup did not include the likes of Prince Fielder, Rickie Weeks, or Mike Cameron.  Prince certainly needed a day off after his struggles this road trip.  Their replacements, however.  Did more than hold their own against Randy Johnson and the Diamondbacks.

Joe Dillon swung a good bat tonight, hitting a two-run bomb off Johnson in the second inning.  The veteran utility man hit the ball hard in every at-bat, but only had one hit to show for it.  It’s okay though, Joe.  We all know how well you handled the stick tonight.

In for Prince at first base, the seldom-used Mike Rivera played his heart out tonight.  The opposite-field, two-out double to score Corey Hart was definitely a highlight of the game.  That ball was at his eyes and off the outside part of the plate.  There is no good reason he should have gotten any wood on that ball.  No matter.  Mike Rivera continues to produce at the plate without many opportunities to get in a groove.

To round out the subs for the day, Gabe Kapler roamed center Monday night.  Gabe didn’t do anything overly impressive tonight, going 1-4.  He continues to play defense though, which makes him invaluable coming of the bench.  Let’s not forget he’s hitting over .300.  Not bad for someone who was managing a minor league team last season.

Speaking of days off, one player that sorely needs a day off is Ryan Braun.  The announcers keep saying he has an injured muscle in his right thumb, but he’s in the lineup day in and day out.  If he’s truly hurt, give him a day off.  Even if he’s not hurt, the young man looks awful at the plate.  Ryan is getting over-aggressive again, trying to pull everything.  We all know he doesn’t want to take a walk, either.  Take a day off tomorrow, Ryan.  Come back Thursday afternoon and start tearing the cover off the ball again.

There is one more player that seems completely lost at the plate.  Want to take a guess?  Bill Hall.  Bill Schroeder hit the nail right on the head (if you will excuse the cliche).  The Brewers third baseman is swinging at balls off the plate, and taking strikes.  He is so frustrated at the plate that I could hear him yelling obscenities after fouling a ball off at the plate this evening.  That’s never a good sign.  I’m almost inclined to say Billy could use a little time in Triple-A to get his feet back under him.  Too bad that’s not an option at this point.

As far as pitching goes, Jeff Suppan was very unimpressive against the D’Backs.  The veteran right-hander could not find the plate to save his life in the fourth and fifth innings, and when he did, it split the heart of the plate.  Soup does not have the stuff to consistently fall behind hitters and get away with it.  His performance was utterly underwhelming, as have most of his starts lately.  Milwaukee needs Jeff to pick it up and be the leader he came here to be.  It’s easier said than done, but now is the time.

I want to follow up on something I mentioned a couple games ago.  David Riske again pitched an entire inning without straying from his fastball.  It ranged from 88-90 mph according to MLB Gameday.  He pitched extremely effectively with it tonight, but I am a little concerned about Mr. Riske.  He’s not throwing his best pitch.  Milwaukee signed him over the off-season because he has two outstanding split-finger fastballs.  One acts much like a change-up and dips into the high-70s, but the other is a true split.  It comes in to hitters in the mid-80s and falls off the table when it reaches home plate.  Those two pitches are non-existent right now.  I truly hope his elbow is okay.

I realize I’m going a little more in-depth about individual players this evening, but I have a couple things to note about Guillermo Mota.  As the play-by-play announcers said tonight, Mota is catching far too much of the plate with his fastball.  That is obvious.  All four balls were smoked by the D’Backs tonight, and the Crew could have been in big trouble had Mike Rivera not made a fantastic diving play at first to double off Chris Young.  The control problem is obvious.

Another thing I noticed about Guillermo is the complete absence of his change-up.  The big guy threw exclusively fastball-slider the entire inning, until getting Miguel Montero on a change to end the inning.  The change-up is arguably Mota’s best pitch.  It complements his 95-96 mph fastball very well, and it dives away from lefties when it reaches the plate.  He has not been throwing the change with any regularity, and the result has been more hard hit balls and more runs scored.  If Guillermo uses that change-up more often, it won’t matter if his 96 mph fastball is right down the middle.  Hitters will be off-balance and unable to catch up.  Sometimes it can be that simple.  Put the third finger around the ball, choke the ball back in your grip, and let it fly, Guillermo.  It would benefit you and the Brewers greatly.

I also must admit that Salomon Torres pitched very well to get the save tonight.  He had not pitched in a week, but he mowed down Arizona hitters after hitting Augie Ojeda to start the inning.  A tip of the hat to you, Senor Torres.  You have been a hero for the Crew the entire year.

Records: Brewers (45-38 ); Diamondbacks (42-42)

Hero of the Game: J.J. Hardy and Mike Rivera

I’m not one to give out multiple Heroes of the Game, but tonight is an exception.  J.J. Hardy looks like a completely different hitter at the plate over the past couple weeks.  He has been more patient and is driving the ball all over the field.  The hitting streak is now at 13 games after he hit two home runs this evening.  Perhaps he’s going to get on a two month streak like he did to start last season.  That would be dangerous for opposing teams.

Mike Rivera has quickly become one of my favorites on the team.  He plays maybe once a week.  He never complains about a lack of playing time, yet produces more than some of the regulars – I’m talking about you, Bill Hall.  That ridiculous two-out double that was at his eyes and off the outside part of the plate not withstanding, the back-up catcher flashed some fancy glovework at first base.  He made a couple nice flips to the pitcher, fielded the bunt rather nicely, and made an absolutely sick diving stab that turned into an unassisted double play.  That may have saved the game for Milwaukee.  I cannot say enough about Mike Rivera tonight.  Well done, sir.

Goat of the Game: Ryan Braun

Ryan and Prince Fielder have both fallen into a funk at the same time.  Braun, however, is still in the lineup while Prince gets the day off.  All signs point to Braun’s injury being worse than the team is saying.  Give him a day off to clear his head and heal his thumb.  Seeing such a talented player struggle at the plate as much as he has the past week or so is difficult to watch.  He’s in an 0-18 streak now.  A day off is sorely needed.

On Tap

Seth McClung will look to bounce back after a rough outing last week against Micah Owings and the D’Backs in Game 3 of the series.  The game starts at 8:40pm CT at Chase Field.  The Crew needs a win tomorrow night, as Brandon Webb is slated to pitch the finale.  Enough said.

Sup, Offense Off in Finale Loss

Following his disastrous 1 2/3 inning performance in his last outing, Brewers pitcher Jeff Suppan was hoping for a solid outing in his side’s finale against the Atlanta Braves. Suppan was actually very good through four innings allowing only two runs, but ran into trouble in the fifth, giving up two more. All in all it was the bats that failed to back up Sup in his pitching this afternoon, putting up two runs in the third. Final score: Braves 4, Brewers 2.

Suppan had never won at Atlanta and this afternoon would not be his day either. Braves starter Jorge Campillo was a Brewers killer on both sides of the game. Through seven innings he allowed only four hits and two runs alongside six strikeouts. With the bat Campillo stroked two hits and came around to score both times.

In the end, the Crew walked away from Turner Field with two of three and a solid start to their road trip. Rickie Weeks was solid again (I didn’t give him props for his 3-for-4 night earlier) going 2-for-4 in the leadoff spot. Watch out NL if Weeks continues this tear.

The bats have been a little off in Atlanta, but super pitching from Dave Bush and Ben Sheets kept the Braves at bay. Suppan was decent (not a “quality start,” but decent), but the bats couldn’t support the guy.

Records: Brewers (43-35); Braves (38-41)

Hero of the Game: Rickie Weeks

About the only guy who came to play. Since Sheet’s effort overshadowed Weeks’ 3-4 outing before I’ve got to give him credit today. When he came back off the DL I thought maybe Yost wouldn’t put him back up top (who else would go up.. I don’t know) and see if he could earn the spot back, but he has hit exactly how a leadoff guy should. Runner-up credit goes to Mike Rivera who grabbed another spot start and made it look like Jason Kendall was still behind the plate and at bat (and that’s a good thing).

Goat of the Game: Prince Fielder

After roasting the Orioles at home, Fielder was down right bad in the “ATL.” No hits, no walks, a few defensive blunders, and 2 Ks for the fat man. Here’s to hoping he puts another fly ball of the speakers in the Metrodome.

On Tap:

Travel day tomorrow, but the I-94 series continues in Minneapolis on Friday. Scott McNasty (5-3, 3.79 ERA) hits the hill against Nick Blackburn (6-4, 3.68 ERA). The Twinkies lead the season series 2-1.

By: Dan Wiersema

Lack of defense and control dooms Brewers

This morning I was feeling rather calm concerning the Brewers.  After tonight’s game, however, I have been reminded about what this team lacks.

You simply cannot win games with stupid mental errors.  Ryan Braun needs to learn to hit the cut-off man.  I understand he’s trying to preserve the lead, but the margin for error is so small.  You have to play the percentages at that point.  He did show off his arm on that play, however.  Corey Hart has got to stay in front of the ball in the outfield.  The cardinal rule in the outfield is to keep the ball in front of you at all costs.  He cost the Brewers a run in the ninth inning.  Bill Hall needs to get out in the field further when Mike Cameron is up against the wall.  He cost the Brewers another run.  A lack of concentration on the defensive side of the ball cost the Brewers tonight.

What to do about it?  Bill Hall cannot play second base.  Three errors in two games at the position is not going to cut it.  With that said, Joe Dillon looked solid at second today.  I can forgive Ryan Braun for making an aggressive play.  He’s inexperienced in the field, and he let his emotions get the better of him.  The coaches will sit him down and explain the situation.  He will make the right choice the next time.  Corey Hart, on the other hand, has no excuse.  Overrunning the ball and then trying to lazily reach down to pick up the ball is inexcusable.

Jeff Suppan threw the ball quite well today.  His solid outing was overshadowed by the length of the game and the dramatics near the end, but seven innings of two-run ball is impressive.  Soup has been a rock in the rotation this season.  He’s truly earning his money thus far in 2008.

The relievers, however, struggled mightily.  Carlos Villanueva did not have his usual control on the mound, leaving the ball up in the strike zone for the Twins to slap all over the field.  He just hasn’t had his “A” stuff in his last couple outings.  Fans shouldn’t be worried, however.  The young right-hander has been the model of consistency in the bullpen the last couple seasons.  He will bounce back.

Julian Tavarez, on the other hand, hasn’t shown any consistency since being signed.  The movement on his pitches is phenomenal, but the control has been notably absent.  In his 1.1 innings of work, he gave up four hits and three walks.  The veteran worked from behind the whole night.  He’s not cutting it on the mound.  If he wants to get the ball in important situations, throwing strikes is key.

Amidst all the frustration that ended the night, fans at the ballpark tonight were treated to a dandy.  In the ninth inning, the Brewers trailed by one with two outs.  Russell Branyan gets the call to pinch hit.  He has one job at the plate: Tie the game.  On a fastball middle-in from Twins closer Joe Nathan, Russell absolutely clobbered a solo home run to tie the game at four a piece.  All looked right for the Crew going into extra innings.

Things even looked better when Prince Fielder connected on a high fastball in the bottom of the 11th.  The towering shot appeared to clear the wall just over the fingertips of Carlos Gomez, but the umps ruled it a triple.  Boos rained in from around Miller Park, and Ned Yost came out on the field to argue the call.  After seeing the replay, however, it was clear the ball bounced off the inside corner of the wall and back into the field of play.  The umpires made the right call.  A game of inches indeed.

Yost went back into the dugout and play resumed, but Milwaukee was unable to plate Prince home from third.  Mike Cameron swung at a ball way off the plate and hit a dribbler to the pitcher’s mound.  The momentum shifted to the Minnesota Twins, and they never looked back.  A rough, rough game for the Crew tonight.  They should have won the game multiple times.

Records: Brewers (35-33); Twins (34-35)

Hero of the Game: Russell Branyan

Russell had the touch for late-inning heroics today.  After sitting on the bench the entire game, the Brewers’ skipper called on him with two-outs in the bottom of the ninth against Joe Nathan.  Russell didn’t get cheated in his at-bat.  He absolutely killed a Nathan fastball into right-center field.  How clutch can you be?

This will be immensely unpopular, I’m sure, but Russell needs more playing time.  He has been better than advertised defensively at third base, and he’s seeing the ball incredibly well.  I understand he has not hit lefties well this year in the big leagues, but he had pretty good success in the minors.  You can say it was the minors all you want, but everyone said that before he got called up too.  Look how that turned out.  Give the guy a chance.  Bill Hall has sure proven he doesn’t deserve regular playing time.

Goat of the Game: Corey Hart

Yes, Julian Tavarez pitched horrendously.  This “award” has to go to Corey this evening though.  Besides the costly error in the ninth inning that made everyone’s collective heart sink in their stomachs, the Brewers lead-off hitter went 0-6 with two strikeouts.  Corey has been one of the most consistent players this season, so I will cut him some slack.  The young right-fielder should take this loss personally, however.  That error in right was pathetic and just a lack of concentration.

On Tap

Brewers right-hander Seth McClung will battle fellow right-hander Scott Baker tomorrow at Miller Park.  The Crew will hope not to get swept by the Minnesota Twins.  The contest will begin at 1:05pm CT.

Round ‘em Up: Monday

UPDATE 06-09-08 3:35pm - Rickie Weeks finished his examination on his knee in Milwaukee.  The doctored diagnosed the Brewers second baseman with a “sprained left knee.”  He is listed as day-to-day.

After the past couple years when Rickie has been injured, however, I highly doubt he will be back within the week.  I hope I am wrong.  Weeks doesn’t have a track record of bouncing back quickly from injuries.

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UPDATE 06-09-08 1:55pm – It seems the Brewers are not interested in Brian Roberts after all.

Tom Haudricourt spoke with Doug Melvin this afternoon, and Melvin refuted Ken Rosenthal’s claim. The Brewers did have scouts at the Baltimore games, but no specialist scout had been assigned to Roberts. The scouts attended the games as a part of standard protocol. There is apparently nothing special about the scouts being at the game.

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The Milwaukee Brewers have an off-day today, but are traveling to Houston to take on the Astros tomorrow. Monday’s Round ‘em Up is always much more fun, as all the bloggers are out in full force after the weekend. It still means that the weekends are slow.

• Second baseman Rickie Weeks is on his way to Milwaukee to get his injured knee examined by the team doctors. He had his knee buckled by a hard slide while he was trying to turn two over the weekend. Hopefully this is not as bad as it sounds…because it could turn into a Yovani Gallardo type of situation.
• Mike Cameron has been seeing the bench a little more lately. He’s been struggling mightily at the plate, and Gabe Kapler has been the model of production in the early months. I suspect Cameron will be back in the lineup tomorrow, but Tom Haudricourt says he will probably not be in the two-hole. You know the saying, “How many licks does it take to get to the inside of a tootsie pop?” This situation is more like, “How much has to go wrong before Ned Yost admits he’s wrong?” Perhaps nobody will know…
• Chuckie Hacks says that Salomon Torres and Carlos Villanueva should be the 7th through 9th inning tandem from here on out. I’m sorry, but I thought we discussed this whole “set formula” thing. Not a fan.
• Jeff Suppan is finally pitching like he’s worth the money the Brewers signed him for last off-season. It is nice to see Soup grinding out some tough starts and just plain producing for the Crew.
• Here’s another diary entry from Matt LaPorta, courtesy of Baseball Digest Daily.
• The Jay from Brew Crew Ball has a nice graphic up about the Brewers bullpen. They are not overused, but they do throw a lot of pitches. I do appreciate the category that has Milwaukee without Turnbow as its own team. How true that is.
• This is something I have not heard until today. Ken Rosenthal from FOX Sports is reporting that the Milwaukee Brewers are interested in Baltimore second-baseman Brian Roberts. The Crew has had scouts at the past couple Orioles games. Rosenthal suggests that a Rickie Weeks-Brian Roberts trade would be unfair for Milwaukee. If Weeks’ knee gets better in the coming week or so and the Brewers could pull off this trade without giving up anything but Rickie Weeks, you pull the trigger. No questions asked.
• Jim Powell writes about the Brewers and their lack of momentum on the road. Their road woes sicken me.
• Speaking of Jim Powell, he has an interview with Brewers first-round pick, Brett Lawrie. Here’s the audio stream.
• In-Between Hops suggests that Carlos Villanueva is the closer for the future for the Milwaukee Brewers. I agree that he’s been spectacular out of the bullpen this season, but Carlos will have to prove his worth over a full season before I would hand over the 9th inning duties to him for good.
• As BrewersNation reader Aaron pointed out, the Brewers could take a look at RHP Sidney Ponson. His ERA seems to be misleading, as batters are getting good wood on the ball consistently. I don’t think Milwaukee is a team that goes the “troubled player” route.
• SS Matt Cline was demoted to West Virginia this week. He has responded, however, giving the slumping Power a nice little jolt.

Brewers squeak past Rockies to avoid sweep

The Milwaukee Brewers never make it look easy on the road, do they?

The pitching staff wiggled off hooks left and right, but managed to pull out a 3-2 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field.  Jeff Suppan struggled mightily with his command early in the contest, but he settled down a bit in the third through fifth innings.  The veteran was not sharp.  He did keep the Brewers in the game today, and that’s all you can ask for from the pitching staff.

In the sixth inning, Ned Yost called on Carlos Villanueva to get the final two outs after Soup scuffled to start the frame.  The former starter did it on one pitch, getting Ian Stewart to ground into a double play.

The Brewers got in trouble again in the seventh inning.  Joe Dillon, who had a great day at the plate, bobbled the ball and committed a costly error on a relatively easy double play ball.  The inning should have been over right there.  Carlos gutted out the rest of the inning without giving up a run.  He struck out Todd Helton on a questionable called third strike and got Garrett Atkins to ground out to short.  After Friday’s game, I think Ned Yost rethought about taking out Villanueva in a pinch.  Yost stuck with the young right-hander, and Carlos showed Brewers fans why he’s so valuable in the ‘pen.

The day didn’t get any easier in the eight, however.  Left-handed specialist Brian Shouse gave up a base hit to Brad Hawpe, who got to second on a careless error by Gabe Kapler.  Ned Yost then called on Salomon Torres to get the final 5 outs of the game.  The veteran closer happily obliged, and the Crew avoided the sweep.

Joe Dillon got the start for the injured Rickie Weeks today.  He responded well, getting on base four times – three walks and a hustle double.  Bill Hall still looks lost against right-handed pitching, and Prince Fielder swung out of his shoes all day.  The offense had very little plate discipline after the first couple innings, and their offense struggled because of it.

The Crew had 13 runners left on base today.  That cannot happen on the road.  The only reason the Brewers won today’s game is because the Rockies were worse with runners in scoring position.  Colorado left 20 runners on base.  It was an ugly game all around.

After losing Friday and Saturday to the Rockies, the series unbeaten streak ends at five.  It should still be going after Friday night’s game, but you can argue that Milwaukee should not have won tonight  The Brewers will take what they can get and travel to Houston to take on the Astros on Tuesday.

Records: Brewers (33-30); Rockies (24-39)

Hero of the Game: Carlos Villanueva

The young-right hander was thrown into the fire in the sixth inning, but he responded by getting two outs with one pitch.  Things looked good in the seventh until Joe Dillon botched the easy double-play ball with one out.  The inning should have been over right there.  Carlos beared down and got the Brewers out of the inning without surrendering a run.  If Salomon Torres was not pitching so well in the closer’s role, I think I would begin to support the idea of giving Carlos a shot.  Villanueva is a very, very valuable part of the bullpen.  Ned Yost should think about keeping the young man there all season.

Goat of the Game: Bill Hall

I know Bill got the job done in the field and got a base hit in the first inning to score a run, but he was a big reason the Brewers couldn’t tack on any runs in the late innings.  He continues to take defensive swings against right-handed pitching, and I’m beginning to think that Russell Branyan should have pinch hit for Billy in the seventh inning.  Bill left four runners on base in the last three innings.  Others did too, but Bill looked terrible doing it.

On Tap

The Brewers have a day off tomorrow.  They will travel to Houston to take on the Astros.  Right-hander Seth McClung will face the Astros’ ace, RHP Roy Oswalt.  The Brewers will attempt to not get swept in Houston for the second time this season.

Fielder to the Rescue

Prince Fielder has chosen the right time to get hot for the Brewers and its paying off in a big way. The slugger has finally found his stroke as a monster solo home run in the eighth inning was the difference last night against the Arizona Diamondbacks and former Brewer Doug Davis. The Crew opened the series against the D-Backs with a error-filled 4-3 victory.

Jeff Suppan looked very sharp from the get-go registering two strikeouts in the first inning en route to six overall. I like aggressive baserunning, but Rickie Weeks’ over-aggressive attempt for three bases in the bottom half of the first was damn foolish. It cost the Brewers the early lead.

After surrendering one in the top of the second, the Brew Crew evened the score with a Bill Hall sac fly. Fielder was surprising quick in this inning taking a single and making it to third for Hall on a wild pitch and a stolen base (!).

The Diamondbacks were held to only one run in the third on some smart defense by Fielder and Jason Kendall cutting down a runner at home to end the inning. Kendall was awesome again throwing out runners as he tagged his 10th in the last 15 attempts in the fourth. Chris Snyder went yard on Suppan in the seventh and the game looked worrisome for the Brewers.

The bottom of the seventh held a few surprises for Milwaukee after two errors lead to two runs. Davis looked to be in control, but his defense (after giving up a hustle infield single to Hall and a walk to JJ Hardy) was the team’s undoing. Reliever Chad Qualls blew the throw on a routine Kendall sac bunt to load the bases and then Diamondbacks’ third baseman Reynolds buried a throw home on a Gabe Kapler grounder, scoring two runs. Very unusual for a team that has only had 35 errors on the season. Qualls escaped the inning without further damage striking out Weeks and inducing a double play from Ryan Braun.

Prince Fielder stole the game for good from Arizona when he led off the eight with a monster home run. It was his ninth of the season and another shot off a left hander (Slatan).

Salomon Torres registered his sixth save of the season, but the Brewers defense made him work for it. Two errors (one by Hall to marr an outstanding defensive night and one by Kendall) almost handed the D-backs a shot at the victory. Torres, ever the competitor, got a shallow pop out and a called third strike to end Arizona’s comeback hopes.

Records: Brewers (30-28); Diamondbacks (32-26)

Hero of the Game: Prince Fielder

Three-for-four… game winning home run… a friggin’ stolen base!! Need I say more? Sure… he’s hot now and that’s super-dangerous. Watch out world.

Goat(s) of the Game: Infield Throwing Arms

Every coach that these error-causers had last night must have nearly died watching the infield of Arizona and Milwaukee fumble around trying to make outs. Two errors creates two runs and blows the win for an otherwise decent looking Doug Davis. Kendall and Hall almost cost us the win and Torres the save.

On Tap: Randy Johnson v. Seth McClung. Hopefully, our new starter finds his stuff against the old ace. First pitch 7:05 CT.

By: Dan Wiersema

Pitchers’ Duel Goes Brewers Way

If you were to tell me that we were in for a pitchers’ duel last night, frankly, I would have been very surprised.  It’s not that I don’t think that Brewers pitcher Jeff Suppan can’t throw a good game, but Jo-Jo Reyes?  The Braves lefty walked into Miller Park with a 5.84 ERA after having just been shelled by Arizona last week.  Well, color me surprised as the Suppan and Reyes faced off over eight (almost) scoreless innings.  I’m pleased to write that the Brewers came out on top, 1-0.

I’ve said it before, but the Brewers plate discipline has made many pedestrian pitchers look like staff aces and last night was shaping up to be a dozy for the Crew.  Reyes handcuffed the Milwaukee bats, striking out eight and allowing only three hits over seven innings.

Suppan was equally masterful.  He gave up only four hits and while his walk count was higher than usually (five) he countered that with a season-high in strikeouts (seven).  Suppan was supported by some awesome defensive plays that help strand eight Braves batters on base.

Reyes was marching right along until the bottom of the eighth when he issued his third walk of the evening to JJ Hardy.  Braves manager Bobby Cox brought in Blaine Boyer and Jason Kendall bunted Hardy to second.  Things were looking a bit perilous when pitch hitter Joe Dillon struck out to leave next batter Rickie Weeks with two outs.

Weeks had other ideas as he laced a perfect shot that hugged the third base foul line to bring Hardy home with a RBI triple.

Weeks’ contribution was good enough as Salomon Torres came into to record a 1-2-3 ninth to earn his fourth save of the season.

Records: Brewers (26-27); Braves (28-25)

Hero of the Game: Jeff Suppan

I said it already, but Soup’s night was a masterstroke.  Finally, we’re getting some mileage out of our starting pitchers.  After struggling to make six innings for a lot of our guys, seeing Suppan and Sheets pull extended duties and get quality outings from McClung and Bush has to leave Brew Crew fans with some optimism and the bullpen a big sigh of relief.

Getting back to Suppan, I usually expect that he’ll give up a few hits and tally a few runs being the ground ball pitcher he is.  Suppan’s style requires a tight defense behind him and after Hall’s error in the second I thought this might be another night where the bats would have to be the major contributor.  The defense tightened up (in fact on the next play it was superb D by Kendall, Hall, and Weeks to turn a cross diamond double play) and was above average all night (finishing in style with Hardy’s layout snag to end the game).

Suppan, obviously, had no runs with seven strikeouts… a total that is very un-Suppan-like.  I felt like I was watching something special last night and I was willing to bet that Ned Yost would have walked him out for the ninth if his spot in the line up didn’t come in the crucial eighth.

Runner-Up Hero: Rickie Weeks. Knocks in the only run of the night… need I say more?  Sure? How about 2-4 (making up 2/3rds of the Brewers hits) and some solid DP turning on the defensive side.  That’s the Pretty Rickie we like to see.

Goat(s) of the Game: Mark Texiteira and Ryan McCann

I know Jim usually has to pick a Brewer for this part, but I didn’t want to do the whole wrap without commenting on a bit of drama that helped Suppan get out of the eighth innings thanks to a few PO’ed Braves.  Texiteira got all huffy about a called third strike (there were a TON of them last night… Reyes has six Ks on called third strikes) and spent a few moments belly aching about the call.  The real drama came when the next batter McCann had the same issues with home plate umpire Mark Wenger.  After a first called strike McCann refused to get back in the box and according to new rules set down at the owner’s meetings umps can charge a strike to stalling batters or have the pitcher throw even thought the batter isn’t in the box.

I’ve never seen a more uncomfortable pitch thrown in my life then the second called strike that Suppan threw with McCann half in the batter’s box.  Suppan subsequently struck out McCann who had more words for Wegner and Cox came out to argue his batter’s case.  No one was tossed, but a bit of stubbornness on the part of the Braves batters cost them some ABs when chances were few and far in-between in this game.

On Tap:

The Braves march out Jorge Campillo (1-0, 0.86 ERA) against Seth McClung (2-1, 3.55 ERA) this afternoon to try and steal one game of the series from the Brewers.  It will be the battle of the stretched out relievers as Campillo makes his third start of the season and McClung his second.  The game gets started at 12:05pm and is ON FSN (schedule change).  Good thing, too. I’m recovering from knee surgery and this is just what I need to get through a boring day on the couch.

By: Dan Wiersema

Suppan gets tough loss

Jeff Suppan got a tally in the loss column for today’s game against the Washington Nationals, but he certainly didn’t deserve it.

The veteran was cruising along, getting the lead-off man to ground out in the sixth. Soup then walked Felipe Lopez, which is always a no-no. He looked to recover nicely, however, inducing an easy grounder from Christian Guzman to JJ Hardy. Hardy was right by the bag. He simply had to step on the bag and fire the ball to first to end the inning.

Instead, Hardy rushed himself, bobbled the ball, and got no one. Things then unraveled for the Brewers. Four runs scored in the inning, and the Brewers were unable to sustain any type of rally for the remainder of the game. Prince Fielder and Craig Counsell got on in the ninth with nobody out, but both failed to score as the rest of the offense floundered behind them.

After getting called up earlier in the day, Tim Dillard made his major league debut for the Milwaukee Brewers. He faired much better than did Zach Jackson and Mark DiFelice in the previous days, as he allowed no runs and struck out a batter.

The offense has been getting better. The starting pitching has improved lately (minus Dave Bush yesterday). Yet the Brewers are still struggling to win games. I just don’t understand. The Crew can still come back to win the series, which they should, but I have a feeling they will not make it look easy.

Records: Brewers (22-26); Nationals (21-28 )

Hero of the Game: Jeff Suppan

I know he gave up two walks and a couple doubles in the sixth inning, but he did not deserve the fate he was handed. He pitched effectively and efficiently through the fifth inning, and he even provided the team with its only RBI of the game. I would have given this award to someone on the offense, but no one earned it. Hence…I’ll go with the offensive hero that just happened to be on the mound in the same game.

Goat of the Game: JJ Hardy

JJ Hardy…supposedly the best infielder on the team…somehow cannot get a routine ground ball into his glove well enough to step on second base in the sixth inning. He may not be hitting as well as Brewers fans would like, but we have always been able to rely on his defense. Not the case tonight. Brutal.

On Tap

RHP Seth McClung will try to solidify the back-end of the Brewers rotation tomorrow against LHP John Lannan and the Nationals. The game will start at 6:10pm CT.

Bush Gets Bashed, Pirates Avoid Sweep

Having secured the first road-series win against the Pirates since 2006 the brooms were out, but another rough outing by Dave Bush left the home team Bucs off the hook.  The embattled starter, switching spots with Jeff Suppan in the rotation, gave up six runs between the fourth and fifth innings to blow open a close game.  Final score: Pirates 8, Brewers 4.

Stranding runners was a huge problem for the Crew last night again as they left 14 runners on base.  Cory Hart had a solo shot in the fourth inning to give the Brewers a 1-0, but the lead was short lived as a flawless Bush imploded.

Pirates pitcher Tom Gorzelanny had a high pitch count early in the game, but the Brewers continued to get him out of jams as they couldn’t capitalize.

Bush had back-to-back massive collapses in the fourth and fifth innings, surrendering a two-run shot to Jason Bay and five total hits for four runs.  The fifth was just as bad at the hot-hitting Nate McLouth got his third hit of the evening (4-for-4 for the night), a throwing error by Prince Fielder, and a Xavier Nady solo homer scored runs for the Bucs.

The Brewers comeback came short as Gabe Kapler scored Bill Hall on a RBI pinch-hit single in the sixth and Joe Dillon also scored JJ Hardy on a pitch-hit RBI single in the seventh. Rickie Weeks hit another homer to save face for the Brewers in the eight.  More stranded runners in both theses innings were bad news for the Brew Crew.

The game was pushed out of reach by a seventh in two run tally by the Pirates against Brewer’s reliever Zach Johnson whose bad seventh was softened by a 1-2-3 eighth.

Records: Brewers (22-25), Pirates (22-25)

Hero of the Game: Dave Bush, Innings 1 through 3

Bush was lights out for the first three innings giving up only one hit and retiring eight straight after giving up that hit.  The defense backed him up solidly, too.  Bush sprayed a variety of ground outs and flyouts to his teammates providing effective cover for a struggling offense in the final game of the series. Like a abused wife in a Lifetime Channel movie I was thinking this time would be different, but…

Goat of the Game:  Dave Bush, Innings 4 and 5

He just never fails to disappoint.  Just when all was well in the world, Bush drops a bomb on us.  These two innings were a disaster.  Whatever Bush has early in games he certainly throws it all away later in games.  The pitches that were outs innings 1 through 3 were dropping for hits all over the field.  I can’t say right now, but Villanueva versus Bush is like choosing between the lesser of two evils because Bush has now given up 10 homers compared to V-Dub’s 12.

On Tap:  Jeff Suppan (2-3) opens the series against the Washington National’s Odalis Perez (1-4) in DC.  The Brewers hope to win the road series against the struggling Nats in order to save face on this troublesome road trip and start next week’s home stand on the right foot (ha! stand! foot! hilarious!).  First pitch: 6:05pm.

By: Dan Wiersema

Ten Optimistic Things To Think About

It’s been a couple rough weeks for Brewers Nation (not this site, the fans) with the double sweep in Houston and Florida, the surprising losses at home against the Dodgers, and another sweep in Boston. Trolling through the comments section on sites around the web, one would think that its time to start propping ourselves on the ledge of the US Bank Building in Milwaukee and strongly consider jumping.

As Jim wrote, it’s no fun heading into Pittsburgh looking up at the Pirates in the standings. Being what it is us Brewers’ fans need some lifting up, and I thought I’d put together a post to life the spirits of the Brewers faithful. No calling for Yost’s head or Week’s bat here. The following is ten reasons to still be optimistic about your 2008 Milwaukee Brewers.

* This is not the 2004 Brewers

Granted the Brewers are sitting in last place for the first time since 2004, but this team is certainly not those Brewers. In 2004, the only reliable pitcher on the staff was Ben Sheets and of course he got injured again. Lyle Overbay starred for the offense. These 2008 Brewers are more experienced and talented that the former squad that had a decent season through the All-Star break and then suffered a terrible collapse to finish 67-94.

Of course I could make the comparison that this Brewers squad is not one of many other terrible Brewers teams, but that’s not the point. The point is that rather than looking at the 2004 season as the beginning of something positive we should be looking at the 2008 season as a continuation of the franchise’s growth. Many expected 2008 to be the breakout season for the Brew Crew, but that may or may not be the case.

Either way, compared to four years ago, this year’s team in infinitely more talented. They will not rely on single players to carry the team. People like Jeff Suppan in the rotation and other young (and improving pitchers) will back up Sheets and while Overbay is gone, there are no solo stars on this year’s team. A Prince Fielder is not alone or a Ryan Braun is not alone or a Corey Hart is not alone. The fact that I listed three players (any could more) shows that this offense is not alone in talent like teams of old.

* Its only ¼ way through the season

I’m a teacher so there are not many students that I give up on after just one quarter of the school year. One of the best things that the Brewers have going for them that, at this point, the season is still young. After about 40 games in we are certainly not the perfect position, but certainly not in the worst position either.

Anyone that was also a fan last year knows that strong or weak starts to the season have little bearing on the end result of a season. The Cubs played absolutely wonderful post All-Star break and the Colorado Rockies played out of their minds to close the 2007 season. With almost 120 games to play and any number of combinations of risings and fallings of the various NL Central teams, this Brewers team is by no means finished. The squad has all of the tools to be competitive. The only thing needed is consistency.

* Corey Hart

Speaking of consistency I hear that Milwaukee right fielder Corey Hart is legally changing his name to Corey Consistency. Mr. Consistency has been that and more for the Brewers. If 2008 was supposed to by Rickie Weeks’ breakout season, Hart may have stolen his thunder. Currently batting nearly .300 and getting extra-base hits like they’re going out of style, Corey has been the rock in the Brew Crew’s line up of struggling hitters.

* Braun is on a tear (no sophomore slump)

If you asked me earlier in the season if I was worried that Braun was being crushed under the weight of expectations for his second Major League Season you may have gotten a “yes” out of me, but after a slow start the $45 million dollar man has shown that he will probably avoid the dreaded sophomore slump. His batting average is soaring in the three-hole of the lineup and he is making big time pitchers look like chumps. At this pace he could add a MVP trophy next to the Rookie of the Year one.

* Melvin is on the case

Which is why it’s so important that Doug Melvin nailed Braun down to that eight-year, $45 million contract. Some Brewers fans are concerned that his off-season bullpen moves are not ironing out, but no one can doubt that this GM is trying to establish long-term success while balancing short-term expectations. The Mike Cameron move showed that right now we want success, but Melvin is clearly trying to establish success alongside development with Braun the future of left and possible Hart, Gwynn (although unlikely) and LaPorta being groomed for the outfield.

Melvin is working on signing such players as JJ Hardy, Prince Fielder, and Hart to long-term deals and getting vocal people like Braun to sign first and encourage others to follow suit is the right steps to take.

* Attanasio has got the big bucks and a small ego

All of which wouldn’t be possible except for the support and checkbook of Daddy Warbucks, Mark Attanasio. Time and time again Mr. Attanasio has not only spoken of building a long-term contender, but he has put his money where his mouth is. He has even made comments that said, if need be, he would shell out some money to strengthen the rotation this year.

Attanasio bought the Milwaukee Brewers not just so he could have a play-thing, but because he saw potential in the massive amount of talent the Brewers have and its incredible fanbase. This is not a Steinbrenner owner with fingerprints all over the management decisions. Attanasio is active without being overbearing.

* The young arms will improve

Pitchers like Carlos Villanueva and Manny Parra take a lot of flack because they don’t hold up quite so well the third time through the order, but often times that blurs the fact that these pitchers (along with the injured Gallardo) have great stuff. Part of being a young pitcher is that there is a massive learning curve and just like Fielder has to adjust to not being pitched inside as much these young pitchers are talented and smart enough to recognize that they must (and will) improve to become more dominant as the season goes on.

It’s easier for offenses to focus their lenses on these pitchers because they are studying one player, but our guys have to study countless batters for each game and re-work their pitch selection and delivery to go deeper into games. They will.

* Kendall is not Estrada

So it’s important that a man like Jason Kendall is behind the plate instead of Johnny Estrada. Kendall brings much more talent offensively and defensively than the embattled 2007 catcher Estrada. A hot beginning of 2008 and some great clutch hitting thus far has made Kendall’s 9-hole batting an essential part of many Brewers offensive outbursts. Offensively, Kendall is sniffing around .300 as a career hitter, walks a lot, and strikes out few and far in between. A far cry from the painful hitting of Estrada (who I swear to God only got hits with 2 out and no one on). After playing runner-up to Estrada as the worst defensive catcher in baseball last year, the 12-year veteran has pushed his caught stealing percentage is above 30 percent.

Even more important than the offense/defense numbers is that an experienced catcher that molds well with his pitching staff. This is why I worry less about our young pitchers, because Kendall knows how to call a

game and given his work ethic he will only work harder to improve these kids.

* The defense is stronger

Of course I started writing this part before the six errors in Boston, but I’ve made the point in a previous column that the defense is far and away better than it was last season. Numbers show that they are near the bottom in errors and tops in fielding percentage. Moving Braun away from the hot corner and signing Mike Cameron have been well-documented. Are they perfect? Hell no. But improvement is always a step in the right direction. The point above about Kendall is just one more area of less concern with the 2008 Brewers.

* There’s always next year

This one isn’t so much about the 2008 season (obviously, because I’m saying next year…), but Brewers’ fans need to keep everything in perspective. Expectations were and continue to be massively high for this season. Those expectations may cost someone who shall remain nameless his job and maybe even result in a few Brewers finding new homes, but most sane people realize that harnessing young talent is an on-going process. Melvin and the ownership are working on securing these young lads for the long-term, but not everything works out as quickly as the fan base expects.

Whether or not this season is a wash doesn’t mean all is lost. These are not the Florida Marlins which, in the past, have assembled one year teams and then dissembled them. Teams like the Brewers are being built for the long-term. It has been 26 years since the Brewers have sniffed the post-season so as much as it pains me each year to say it… there’s always next year if this one doesn’t work out.

By: Dan Wiersema

Braun mashes on mother’s day

Ryan Braun sent his mother a very happy Mother’s Day gift today.  He hit two solo shots off of Braden Looper and led the Brewers to a much-needed victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.  One was a towering shot to left, and one was a bomb to center.

It takes a special hitter to hit the ball with power to all fielder.  When Prince Fielder is right, he can do that.  So can Corey Hart.  Ryan may not be seeing many pitches per at bat or walking very much, but he is one of the only hitters that has been consistently producing for the Crew of late.

Jeff Suppan gave Milwaukee a strong start on the mound today.  It is Milwaukee’s second quality start in as many days, and the bullpen surely needs the rest.  Soup did not have his best stuff today, as he walked five Cardinals, but he was good enough to go seven innings and only allow one run.  This is exactly what Doug Melvin signed Soup for last off-season.  Well done, Jeff.

The closer by committee idea got off to a shaky start today for the Crew.  Salomon Torres came in to finish the game, but after allowing a lead-off double to Troy Glaus and another baserunner, Brian Shouse came in to close it out.  He allowed another man on base, but he got out of the inning without further damage.  Shouse gets the save, and the Brewers get the win.  Great day all around.

J.J. Hardy may have gone under the radar today, but I came away very impressed.  He used right field very well today at the plate, knocking a double and a single to the opposite field.  The Brewers need J.J. to heat up in front of the pitcher.  After a 3-4 day with an RBI, perhaps he is beginning to heat up.  That would do wonders for the Brewers offense.

Records: Brewers (18-19); Cardinals (23-16)

Hero of the Game: Ryan Braun

Ryan continues to be one of the most consistent producers on Milwaukee’s team.  He has raised his average to .281 and has now socked seven home runs.  His defense remains passable in left, and the offensive firepower he can bring to the lineup more than makes up for those shortcomings.  I love the way Ryan is using center field and playing gap to gap at the plate.  He appears to be heating up at the plate.  Then again, I have been saying that for the past week.  Let’s hope that I am correct this time.

Goat of the Game: Salomon Torres

This is tough giving the Goat to Salomon, but today was not an impressive campaign to be the team’s closer.  He looked very much like Eric Gagne on the mound, making things much more difficult than they need to be.  Closers must avoid the lead-off hit and cannot afford to walk batters.  Salomon did both today.  Fortunately, this has not been a trend for the workhorse-righty, so I will not dwell much on this fact.

On Tap

Dave Bush will again attempt to win his first game of the year, as he takes on Adam Wainwright and the Cardinals in the series finale tomorrow night.  The game will be at Miller Park and will start at 7:05pm CT.  Go Crew!

Olsen keeps Brewers bats quiet

Scott Olsen silenced the Milwaukee Brewers tonight.  He was one strike shy of completing his first complete game shutout in over two seasons.  (Read: The Brewers offense stunk again.)

Watching the game, I did not believe that he threw the ball all that well today.  His fastball missed up in the zone, but the Brewers cut right through it.  His change-up was good though.  The big lefty will throw it on any count, and Milwaukee looked lost all night.

Jeff Suppan pitched okay, at best.  Trying to throw a lot of off-speed pitches to try to get the free-swinging Marlins to chase, his pitch count got high early in the game.  After five innings of work, Soup left the game with 108 pitches.  He only gave up three runs in those five innings, but the bullpen could have used another day off.  Instead, four relievers came in to finish off the game.

The good news is that the relievers threw the ball well.  David Riske and Mitch Stetter struck out two batters in an inning of work a piece.  It was particularly nice to see Riske bounce back after several tough outings in the past couple of weeks.  Remember that he struggled last season as well, when he posted a sub-3.00 ERA for the season.

I don’t know what to say about the Brewers offense anymore.  They looked utterly lost today at the plate.  The team as a whole is pressing far too hard right now, and bad pitches are being swung at with regularity.  Rickie Weeks is trying to be a power threat at the top of the line-up, and the team simply needs him to get on base.  Ryan Braun swings at every pitch two feet near the strike zone.  The only player that looked good at the plate tonight was Jason Kendall.  No, he did not get a hit, but Kendall did walk twice, equaling the amount of hits all day by the Crew.  These offensive struggles are beginning to appear to be more than a slump.  There is something severely wrong here.  What?  I do not know…

Records: Brewers (16-16); Marlins (18-14)

Hero of the Game: Jason Kendall

I am giving Kendall this award because he got on base more than any other Brewer today.  His two walks equaled the amount of hits total by the Crew in the entire game.  It is not a good thing that Jason is the hero of this evening’s game.  I just wanted to be clear on that point.

Goat of the Game: The entire offensive unit.

Someone needs to figure out what is going on here.  Someone needs to do it now.  I am tired of hearing that it is a slump and the team will break out of it soon.  I tried that optimism…and what did I get?  I got two measly hits for an entire game.  I am utterly befuddled right now.

On Tap

Dave Bush will enter the rotation again tomorrow night for Game 2 against the Florida Marlins.  He looks to jumpstart the Brewers and get them back to their winning ways against RHP Burke Badenhop.  The game will start at 6:10pm CT.

Brewers sloppy in loss to Phillies

The Milwaukee Brewers should not have lost this game.  There is absolutely no excuse.  Jeff Suppan pitched seven innings of one-run ball…an absolute gem of a game.

With a right-handed power-laden lineup against a soft-throwing left-hander, this game was made for the Brewers.  The offense, however, could not handle Jamie Moyer.  Rickie Weeks and Bill Hall both got picked-off, which naturally kills any momentum the team had gathered to that point.  Corey Hart tried to stretch a no-out double into a triple, and got gunned down easily.  That cost the Brewers a run.  The Brewers had the bases loaded in the seventh.  No runs scored.  Tony Gwynn Jr. and Rickie Weeks both struck out looking against Tom Gordon.

To top the game off, David Riske lost the game for the Crew in the top of the eighth inning.  He got the first two batters of the inning to strike out, and all things looked up for the Brewers.  Riske then walked Greg Dobbs, however, and gave up two 0-2 hits that cost the Brewers two runs in the inning.  I repeat, two 0-2 hits.  I understand it can happen once, but not twice.  Riske was understandably upset after the game.  He should be.

All in all, the Milwaukee Brewers should forget this game ever happened.  The Philadelphia Phillies practically handed the game to the Brewers, but the team gave it right back to them.  It’s about three and a half hours since the game ended, and I’m still seething mad.

Oh well, we play tomorrow again, right?  At least the Chicago Cubs lost…

Extra innings, extra special

Well Brewer fans, the series against the Cincinnati Reds started much like the series did against the Chicago Cubs. Eric Gagne faltered and blew a save, but the Crew scrapped out a win in extra racks.

Eric Gagne looked strong to start the inning. He was mixing in his off-speed pitches, and he located his fastball well. Corey Patterson, the center fielder for the Reds, parked a 2-2 pitch just over the right field wall to tie the game. Brewers fans stood throughout the park in shock after Patterson tied the game, but Gagne worked out of the inning to preserve the tie.

The top of the 10th inning turned out to be very uneventful, as Salomon Torres worked around a walk to Adam Dunn to finish the scoreless frame. Torres threw the ball very well today. It is invaluable to have good, durable arms stashed away in the pen like the Brewers have.

J.J. Hardy then started out the bottom of the 10th with a single. Joe Dillon bunted him over with a perfect sacrifice on the first pitch from David Weathers. Jason Kendall followed up with a broken bat single for his third hit of the game. The flare was a little too weak to score J.J. from second, however. Next to the plate was Rickie Weeks. Last season, there is no doubt in my mind that Rickie would have struck out. Tonight, however, Rickie was able to shoot a ball into the outfield for the walk-off single.

Before the game, I was incredibly excited to see the youngster, Johnny Cueto, pitch tonight. He did not disappoint. He has a mid-90s fastball and an absolutely electric slider. Cueto struck out eight Brewers in 6.1 innings. This was one of those days when the hype surrounding this kid lived up to reality. I would like to point out that before the season even started, I picked Johnny to be the breakout player of this Reds squad.

Jeff Suppan was not to be outdone, however. He was not flashy in any way, but he frustrated the Cincinnati hitters and consistently got outs. Pitching through seven strong innings, Soup gave up six hits and only allowed one earned run. I did not expect Jeff to start the season this well. I highly doubt anyone did. Brewers fans everywhere are getting a glimpse of what Doug Melvin thought he was getting when signing Soup to the $40M deal last winter. Jeff looked very solid today.

Records: Brewers (6-1); Reds (4-4)

Hero of the Game: J.J. Hardy

It was almost like J.J. must have read what I wrote after the last game. After struggling offensively over the first six games of the season, J.J. broke out in a big way today. He ended the game going 3-4 with two runs scored, including the game-winner. If it works out that every “Goat of the Game” turns out to score the winning run of the following game, I will take it.

Goat of the Game: Eric Gagne

I did not want to give this “award” to Eric. I thought that he threw the ball very well. He made one bad pitch. Unfortunately, Corey Patterson connected on that pitch to tie the game. People are going to criticize Gagne for blowing two saves in the first two weeks of the regular season, but this instance was much different.

On Opening Day, Gagne did not have his control or a very good fastball. He did not use his off-speed pitches effectively at all. Tonight, he had a good curveball and a good change-up. Granted, the blown save is tempered because the Brewers were able to pull out the win, but I would have no problem if Eric threw the ball like this every time out (except that 2-2 pitch, of course). I’m not going to give Gagne too much longer of a leash before I start calling for his head, but let’s still give him a chance. He did not throw the ball poorly today. Let Eric ride a little bit. After all, Francisco Cordero blew nine saves over the course of his year-and-a-half tenure with the crew.

On Tap

Dave Bush will look to keep the Brewers rolling along with their winning ways tomorrow in Game 2 against the Cincinnati Reds. Cincy will trot Josh Fogg out to the rubber tomorrow. The game will start at 7:05pm CT.

Short Round ‘em Up: Tuesday

I apologize for this being so short, but I just did not have the time to scour the web today.  Here are a couple things I have though…

• The Sports Bubbler continues their look at the Brewers offense.  Today, the two bloggers examine both Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun.
• Today’s game against the Cincinnati Reds should be a lot of fun.  Jeff Suppan will take on the Reds’ new superstar, Johnny Cueto.  Cueto is a young fireballer that pitched brilliantly last week.  David Pinto agrees that this is one of the games of the day.  He expects a big game from Cueto, since the Crew strikes out a little more than seven times a game.  Not a good sign…
• In-Between Hops analyzes Prince Fielder and the fact that he has not hit a home run this season.  Does it have something to do with the fact that he is now a vegetarian?  No, obviously not.  This article does a great job of explaining the situation.
• The Sports Bubbler also has a list of prospects that need to learn to take a walk once in a while.  Alcides Escobar and Angel Salome are certainly in that category.  Give it a look.

Sorry again for the brevity, but I have to run.  Have fun watching the game tonight!  Don’t miss it!!!

Soup solid in win over Cubs

After Opening Day, I mentioned that anything at or better than six innings pitched and three runs allowed for Jeff Suppan would be a successful outing.  Count Wednesday’s start against the Chicago Cubs as a success then.  It was a typical Soup outing.  Jeff was not flashy, but he did keep the ball down and make the Chicago hitters battle.

Soup’s finishing line was 6.1 innings pitched, while allowing two runs and two walks.  Those two runs came on solo shots by Derrick Lee and rookie Geovany Soto.  Other that those long balls, Jeff nibbled at the strike zone and kept the ball down.  Few Cub hitters squared up a ball.

When they did, the improved Brewers defense picked up the slack.  Bill Hall made a couple slick plays at the hot corner, and even Gabe Kapler got into the act with a twisting catch in center field.  Even Ryan Braun made a couple nice plays in left field.  They did not look spectacular.  In fact, they looked very routine.  That is exactly my point.  There were a couple balls that were very difficult to judge because they were hit down on the trademark.  Ryan did not struggle with those tricky balls, even though the wind pushed the ball around all day.  The best compliment Ryan can get is that people did not notice him in left field.  The transition looks to be going very well.

After Suppan, Salomon Torres heightened Brewers fans’ blood pressures a little in the seventh.  He allowed a couple runners to get on base, but got Alfonso Soriano to strike out to end the inning.  Torres seems to be a level-headed guy on the mound, but even he jumped up and gave a huge fist pump.  The commentators were right when they said that Torres’ performance was “save-worthy.”  Saves do not always happen in the ninth inning.  Torres saved the game in the seventh by stopping any momentum the Cubs gained to that point.

Enough about the pitching.  The bats also came out to play today.  Rickie Weeks started the game with a bang, blasting the opening pitch from Ted Lilly out of the ballpark.  That home run gave the Brewers the lead, and they never relinquished it.  Ryan Braun continued his fine start to the season, going 3-5 with a double, two singles, an RBI, and a run scored.  Not a bad day.

Corey Hart was impressive on the basepaths.  After drawing a walk off of Cubs reliever Kevin Hart, Corey stole second and third off the young pitcher.  Corey also had a double that scored Bill Hall earlier in the game.  Stop the presses!  Who said that Jason Kendall couldn’t play from the nine hole?  Jason went 3-4 with a walk.  He broke the game open in the ninth inning with a two-run double that just about left Wrigley.  I suppose that was for all the Cubs fans that criticized his uselessness at the plate.  He also beat out and infield single.  Johnny Estrada wouldn’t have made it halfway down the first baseline by the time Jason made it to first.

All in all, it was a great win for the Milwaukee Brewers.  They begin the season 2-0 for the fifth year in a row, and they begin the season with the ever-elusive road series win.  Obviously, this is also very important because of the fact that it was against the Chicago Cubs.  The unfortunate thing is that the Cubs will certainly rebound to have a fine season.  They are a very good team.

Records: Brewers (2-0); Cubs (0-2)

Hero of the Game:  Jason Kendall

Jeff Suppan and Salomon Torres got considerable consideration for this award, but Jason Kendall won out because of his gritty play.  His throw to get Aramis Ramirez stealing at second after Suppan struck out Kosuke Fukudome was perhaps the biggest play of the game.  Who says Kendall cannot throw?  It looks like the mechanical adjustment Jason worked on over the off-season is working well.  He’s getting his momentum going forward much quicker, and his throws are much crisper.

I also gave Jason the award because of his work at the plate.  In the eighth inning, Jason beat out an infield single.  In the ninth, he broke open the game with the two-run double mentioned earlier.  That double crushed any momentum the Cubs could have been holding on to.  After that double, there was no way the Cubs were going to come back in the ninth inning like they did the day before.  It may have looked like icing on the cake, but it made the ninth inning a lot easier for every Brewers fan watching the game at Wrigley or at home.

Goat of the Game:  Geovany Soto

I tried to find someone from the Milwaukee Brewers to give this award to, but nobody came to mind.  Bill Hall and Corey Hart struck out in the seventh inning with the bases loaded.  That could have easily come back to haunt the Brewers, but it didn’t.  Salomon Torres could have given up a couple runs in the seventh inning, but he didn’t.  Everyone on the Brewers contributed today.  It was a fine team effort today.  I will not make a habit of giving this award to someone from the opposing team.  I just could not bring myself to bring any Brewers player down today.

Geovany Soto, however, may have given the game to the Brewers in the sixth inning.  He made a terrible throw to the second baseman after double clutching.  The ball sailed into the outfield and allowed Corey to score on the play.  He nearly let a couple of easy fastballs get by him, which would have certainly given up a couple more runs.  I did not think he called a good game for Ted Lilly at all, but that may not have been his fault.  He did hit the solo home run in the seventh inning, but that did not make up for the stupid, inexperienced play in the seventh.

On Tap

Dave Bush and the Milwaukee Brewers will attempt to complete the season sweep of the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.  The Crew will have to face veteran pitcher Ryan Dempster to get that done.  The game will start at 1:20pm CT.  It would be a huge start of the season for the Brewers if they can pull out a sweep against the Cubs.

Round ‘em Up: Wednesday

Sorry to have a late start on the Round ‘em Up this morning, but here’s what I have for you.

• Obviously, the release of Claudio Vargas is the big news of the day.

  Tom Haudricourt talks about how the move was surprising, even to Carlos Villanueva.  This move shows the team’s commitment to youth and talent.  The “win-now” mode has realized that talent will win out over experience.  I didn’t realize that Chris Narveson made such a push for a starting job.  It now looks like he and Zach Jackson will be the first two pitchers that will be called up in the event of an injury.  After Yovani Gallardo gets back on track, however, that list will change.  I’m still shocked the Brewers couldn’t get anything for Vargas.  Not even a Single-A player?

  The Yost Infection gives a little insight on the Vargas release.  It’s very funny.  The Yost Infection is always good for a good read and a good laugh.

• Tom Verducci from SI.com has an NL Central preview.  Not only does he have Chicago winning the division.  He says that they will win the division by more games than any other division winner.  Nothing like a slap in the face.  Tom, like everyone else, thinks that the Crew does not have the pitching to win the division.  My guess is that he counted Chris Capuano and Claudio Vargas into those pitching stats.  Oh, and he probably has Derrick Turnbow blowing 20 games, instead of dominating 85% of the time.  Standard SI bias, from what I’ve read this off-season.
• There has been much talk about J.J. Hardy and his bacterial infection.  J.J. has been cleared to play Opening Day.  Ned Yost thinks that he should be ready for March 31, but he’s still fairly weak after losing 10 pounds due to the illness.  All in all, J.J. will be fine, and we’ve gotten to see Alcides Escobar more this spring.  I personally enjoyed watching Alcides play more.  He’s a genius with the glove.
• The Baseball Analysts believe in Rickie Weeks and have picked the Brewers to win over 85 games this season.  Seems like a good choice to me.
• Dugout Central has 17 Bold Projections for the ‘08 season.  Shockingly, the first prediction is that Ben Sheets will be hurt, and Jeff Suppan is not a good pitcher.  Seems like someone doesn’t like the Brewers too much.
• The Sports Bubbler has a preview of the NL Central bullpens.  It’s nothing that new or shocking, but it does say that Chicago and Milwaukee have the best and deepest bullpens in the Central.  There are not many bold predictions though.
• I understand that Doug Melvin does not like trading within the division, but it is very difficult to think that the St. Louis Cardinals couldn’t have had any interest in Claudio Vargas.  After all, they did put six pitchers on the DL to start the season.  That’s a rough way to start the season.  Perhaps they couldn’t match up on a trade because the Cardinal’s farm system is depleted.

Brewers nip D’Backs

Rickie Weeks had quite the return to a Brewers uniform today.  After struggling for most of the spring, Rickie went 2-4 with a three-run bomb that put the Crew ahead in the bottom of the seventh.  Milwaukee held on for the rest of the game to beat the Diamondbacks, 5-4.

It looks like Rickie’s game in the minors yesterday helped him get his timing back.  Sometimes all you need is a little work against minor league pitchers to get your groove back.  That helped him last season after all.  Perhaps Rickie can get on a hot streak before the season starts.  See how a couple nice days in a row can change pessimism to optimism?  Maybe everyone overreacts after all.  Or not…

Jeff Suppan did not pitch fantastically today, but it was definitely much better than he had been throwing the ball.  He gave up three runs, only two earned, in five innings of work.  He only walked one person and struck out five.

Jeff can credit one of his runs to Craig Counsell.  Craig, who is normally a fine defender, put up three errors today.  The defense hurt Soup last season, perhaps more than other Brewers pitchers.  He looks to pitch to contact and let the defense work.  Unfortunately, the defense did not work too well last season.

Angels rout Brewers

Jeff Suppan struggled again today, giving up six runs on six hits and three walks.  He has not been commanding the ball well, and he’s not getting batters to hit the ball on the ground.  He claims he was trying to work on his cut fastball today.  He says it’s just Spring Training, and he’s not worried about it.

Eric Gagne and Derrick Turnbow also put some crooked numbers on the board.  Eric gave up two runs on three hits, and Derrick gave up three runs on two hits and walk.  Gagne said that he’s not worried about the outcomes either.  He’s still working on getting himself physically ready.

They had better start worrying about it.  Even if Suppan and Gagne were trying to work on something, they obviously were not doing it very well.  Yost said with the off day coming up tomorrow, it is time for the pitchers to get in game shape.  After the off day, everyone should be in regular season mode.  The games will start to matter more to Ned.  It’s about time he’s said something like that.  Soup had best be sharp the next time he pitches, or Brewers fans will start to get a little antsier than they are right now.

Categorizing Pitchers

The Baseball Analysts have a great article up today that classifies pitchers according to their strikeout and ground ball tendencies.  Naturally, it says that pitchers who have above-average strikeout rates and ground ball rates are going to be the elite pitchers of the game.  The Brewers, unfortunately, have nobody that makes that category.  Ben Sheets seems like he should make that list because he is an elite pitcher, but he is more of a fly-ball pitcher.  The biggest surprise from that category?  Tampa’s Edwin Jackson.

Milwaukee did have pitchers in the next best category, however.  Ones that have an above-average strikeout rate and a below-average ground ball rate.  Ben Sheets, Yovani Gallardo, Chris Capuano, and Dave Bush make the list here.  Bush’s strikeout rate is why the Brewers have stuck with him for so long.  He has the potential to be a solid starter.  He can simply not get away from the big inning.

Jeff Suppan makes the list as a pitcher who has above-average ground ball rates, but a below-average strikeout rate.  The Brewers defense really hurt Soup last season.  He hasn’t gotten much better this spring, either.

Thankfully, the Brewers did not have anyone in the awful quadrant, below-average ground ball rate and strikeout rate.  These are the pitchers that cannot make people miss, yet they always give up fly balls.  They are very home run-prone.  Surprisingly, Curt Schilling falls into this category.

It’s a very, very interesting article.  You should give it a look!  Who knows…maybe you’ll get some ideas for a good pitcher for your fantasy league this season.  On that note, it looks like there is not enough interest in a BrewersNation Fantasy Baseball League.  Sorry to all those that committed to playing.  We’ll try again next season.

Round ‘em Up: Braun, Previews, Prospects

I apologize for taking a couple days off on the Player Profile series, but I’m working on a full-out bullpen preview. That should be up in a couple days. In the meantime, here are some links to keep you busy while you’re at work:

• Ryan Braun still has the tight Achilles tendon, and he will be sitting out for a couple more days. This may just be me overreacting, but I’m beginning to get nervous about this situation. Tom Haudricourt says that the consensus seems to be that Braun got this tight Achilles because he wore a new pair of shoes. Let’s hope that Ryan is back and ready for action sometime soon. If he needs a week off, give it to him.
• Need another dose of those ever-popular NL Central previews? I have you covered. ESPN.com has their preview. The news is simply the same…the Brewers do not have enough pitching, but the Cubs have enough. Apparently, 8 major league caliber starters does not qualify as “enough” depth. Oh, and Ben Sheets needs to stay healthy. I forgot he was important. Thanks for reminding me.RealGM Baseball has the Brewers taking 3rd place in the Central, finishing behind the Cubs and the Reds. This preview does not even have Milwaukee posting a winning record this year. I don’t have too much to say about that other than…really?
• Baseball Digest Daily has their Top 100 prospects. Three Brewers make the list. Matt LaPorta checks in at number 44, Manny Parra is the 75th best prospect, and Jeremy Jeffress makes the list at number 77. Manny is quite low on this list, in my opinion. Jeffress may be struggling with a marijuana addiction, but he still has the physical tools to be a fantastic pitcher. LaPorta continues to receive high praise after only playing a limited amount of time in professional baseball. Hopefully the new draft class later this spring will infuse Milwaukee’s system with more high-ceiling prospects.Please look at the video for Clayton Kershaw in the #7 slot. That curveball is just nasty!!!!
• Anthony Witrado writes a complete fluff piece on Jeff Suppan. Give it a look if you want to read about how Soup keeps his life centered.
• Doug Melvin and Ned Yost will have some very difficult decisions ahead of them concerning the pitching situation. Claudio Vargas and Seth McClung are both out of minor league options. This would mean that another team could pick them up if the Brewers try to send them down to Triple-A. Yost mentions that he might fight for a 13-man pitching staff if he does not want to lose one of his veterans. Of course, this could all be solved if Melvin moves one or two pitchers before Opening Day. It feels like something is going to happen in a week or so, but I have no confirmed source to tell me that. I’m starting to think that Vargas may be the one to go.
• Aaron Shinsano from MLB Trade Rumors mentions that the Los Angeles Angels could come calling the Milwaukee Brewers for starting pitching help. If you do not remember, I mentioned that exact situation in yesterday’s Round ‘em Up after I saw that John Lackey got injured. It seems likely that the Angels will stay in-house to find their answer, but Doug Melvin’s phone could ring a couple times.
• (Hat Tip to KL Snow for the find on this one) It looks like Kerry Wood will be the Cubs’ closer in 2008. I understand they like his veteran leadership and experience, but Carlos Marmol is flat nasty. Nobody could hit him in ‘07. Perhaps Kerry Wood has impressed ol’ Lou this spring. Either way, Howry-Marmol-Wood will be very difficult at the end of games. Wood does have the injury-prone bug to get over still, however.

Does Spring Training Matter?

This is a question that we are faced with every year: Does a player’s performance in Spring Training predict anything about the regular season?  Common sense says no.  It is too short of a time frame, and players are simply trying to get prepared for the season and just working the kinks out.

That can’t be all there is though.  There has to be something to Spring Training.  Manny Parra’s lights out pitching, along with Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart’s respective struggles have to mean something.  Dave Pinto for the Sporting News takes a statistical look at it, while Seamheads.com takes a more logical angle at the question.

Dave Pinto’s analysis shows that there is a positive correlation.  It is very small, only at .177, but it is positive.  Let me repeat that.  There is a positive correlation that says Spring Training results predict success during the regular season.

Players can write-off bad performances as just practice, or perhaps the pitchers really are “trying to work on their fastball.”  Experts say there is no reason to worry about Jeff Suppan‘ struggles because it’s just Spring Training.  I’m sorry.  I am just not buying it.  Having success in Spring Training means that you’re doing something right.  Struggling in Spring Training means that you must be doing something wrong.  Suppan must not be throwing his fastball very well then, is he?

There IS a cause for concern with Rickie, Corey, and Jeff.  There IS a reason to get excited about the fine play by Manny Parra, Luis Pena, and Alcides Escobar.  I understand that it is a long season and things will change throughout.  That is fine.  The fact still remains that if Suppan and Weeks are playing like they currently are in a couple weeks, Brewers fans will be out for their head.  The “Spring Training doesn’t matter” myth needs to be broken.  It may not be an absolute predictor, but it does indicate that certain players are doing things well and some are just flat-out struggling.  If Corey Hart goes 0-4 with three strikeouts tonight, and Ned Yost tries to say, “It’s just Spring Training.”  I will scream.  If Corey is striking out three times against a pitcher that is “just working on his fastball,” there is something severely wrong.

On the bright side, if the Brewers finish Spring Training over .500, there is a good statistical chance that they will finish the regular season over .500.  It’s not absolute by any means, but it sure tells us that Spring Training is anything but unimportant.

Brewers rally to oust D-backs

The Brewers had to come from behind to beat the Diamondbacks, but they proved that they were more than up to the challenge.  Milwaukee scored 5 runs in the 8th inning to win the game, 8-6.

Records: Brewers (10-6); Diamondbacks (6-10-1)

Batting

Ricky Weeks and Corey Hart continued to struggle today.  Together, they put together a stellar 0-10 effort with 5 strike outs.  I figured that some of the regulars would not see the ball early in the season, but this is becoming borderline ridiculous.  Say it’s Spring Training all you want, they are not where they need to be.  Both players will have to step up and in a hurry.

On the other side of the coin, Alcides Escobar kept up his hot hitting.  He went 3-5 with an RBI and a run scored.  He’s now hitting .375 this spring, so the Brewers organization has to love what they’re seeing from the “defensive whiz” at short.  Joe Dillon also had a fine outing, going 1-1 with a two-run homer in the 8th inning to lead the rally.  Vinny Rottino continued his effort to take the backup catching role for the Brewers.  After going 2-4 with a walk and two runs scored, he is making a very strong case to make the big league squad.

Pitching

Jeff Suppan struggled mightily on the mound today.  Pitching 3 innings and giving up 7 hits, 3 walks, and 6 earned runs would not be considered a strong outing by any stretch of the imagination.  Ned Yost said that he though Jeff threw the ball well today, but I just don’t believe it.  Soup admitted that he did not have the command he needed today.  Big shocker right there.  He needs to step it up too.  The Brewers may not have signed him expecting to get an ace, but they’re paying to get more than this.  Jeff also took a line drive off his shoulder and had to leave the game in the 4th inning.  It’s considered a minor injury, and he’ll be ready to go in 5 days.

Non-roster invitee, Chris Narveson, continued to impress today.  He pitched three innings of shutout ball, giving up one hit and striking out two.  He’s going to be one to watch in Triple-A this season.  Brian Shouse and Luis Pena also pitched one inning a piece, neither pitching giving up a run.  I’m beginning to wonder if Luis actually has a chance to make the big league bullpen this season.  He’s been lights out this spring.

On Tap

Claudio Vargas is slated to take the mound for the Crew tomorrow against the San Diego Padres.  The Brewers will travel to Peoria, AZ to play the game.  It is scheduled to start at 9:05pm CT.  Quite the late one for us here in the midwest.

Today’s Links: 3/11

Well, I’ve just finished rounding up some links for you all this morning.  There are a good amount today, but I’m going to cram them all into one post.  Enjoy!

•  Corey Hart is getting some love today in the blogging world.  John Sickels from Minor League Ball does a great write-up on Corey, tracking his career through the minor leagues and projecting where he’s going to go afterwards.  John does mention that Corey has been compared to many Hall of Famers.  Not a projection, he says…just something to think about.

  Baseball Digest Daily also did a little profile piece on Corey.  They say that most Brewers fans forgot about him during the year and focused on Braun and Fielder.  This may be true in some sense, but the true Brewers fan understands how vital Corey is to the Brewers’ success.  Give it a look.

• People around baseball are starting to notice Manny Parra.  We Brewers fans have been singing his praises since last year.
• Tom Haudricourt talks about how Jason Kendall has gotten much better at throwing runners out at second base.  Yost’s mechanical change must have helped Jason a lot, as he was downright awful last season with the A’s and Cubs.  I’d also like to point out that he’s handled the bat pretty well this spring too.

  Tom’s article also notes that Alcides Escobar has been incredibly impressive defensively at shortstop this spring.  Sveum says that he’s never seen a shortstop with as strong of an arm.  Does that assessment include Rafeal Furcal?  Alcides is proving that he’s big league ready in the defensive department.  He simply needs to work on his plate discipline and hit the weight room a bit more.

  Jon Heyman of SI.com also gets the nod for the obligatory “Jason Kendall sucks” link of the day.  I won’t even go into saying why I think Heyman’s wrong, but you can give it a read anyway.

• Adam McCalvy checks in with some news for us.  Lou Palmisano will undergo surgery on his knee to repair some torn cartilage.  I think everyone knew that was coming after his knee hadn’t been getting better.  The real interesting part of the article is that Ned Yost mentions that Lou is on track to be a big league player in a short time.  That kind of outright praise from Ned is not all that common.  Hopefully Lou gets better and back on the field in a few months.

  Adam also notes that Ryan Braun will be batting behind Prince Fielder this season.  Yost wants to make sure that pitchers do not pitch around Prince.  I like this idea.  It also let’s Ryan use his speed to his advantage when getting on the basepaths.  Last year, teams would just walk Prince if Ryan stole second.  They will not be able to do that this year.  Braun’s plate discipline and walk rate will have to increase this season to make this move work, however.  Yost said that he’ll pull the plug on the idea if Braun cannot draw more walks.

• The last couple reads are NL Central Previews.  Guess who is predicted to win them both?  Yep, the Chicago Cubs.  Way to think out of the box.

  Dugout Central and No Bias Baseball both have nice short previews of everyone on the Central.  The general consensus is that Milwaukee’s starting rotation will hold them back from improving on last year’s performance.  Really, though?  You really think that Chris Capuano and Jeff Suppan can pitch that much worse than they did last year?  Capuano may physically not be able to pitch any worse, actually.  Add a full season of Yovani Gallardo, a healthy (at least to start the year) Ben Sheets, and perhaps Carlos Villanueva or Manny Parra, and I cannot see how the rotation can do much worse than last year.  Milwaukee’s rotation has a much, much higher upside than that of the Chicago Cubs, but most prognosticators don’t care too much about that.

  Oh, and Dugout Central picks Ryan Braun to be Milwaukee’s breakout player of the year.  NL Rookie of the Year and 30+ home runs without playing the first month isn’t good enough for you?

I’ve been getting more interest in the BrewersNation Fantasy Baseball League, but I need to know for sure if you are interested.  Email me at jimmyb1799@aol.com if you are interested, and I can give you the information you need.  There ARE still spots open, so you should email me to play!!!

Player Profile: Jeff Suppan

Jeff Suppan came into Milwaukee with big expectations after signing a franchise-record contract an off-season ago. He will enter this season with more scrutiny, as Brewers fans want to see the team’s money well spent. The Brewers front office never expected Cy Young numbers from Suppan though, so it is difficult to expect that to change for this season. With that said, let’s take a closer look at Soup.

‘07 Stat Line

12-12 W-L, 4.62 ERA, 206.7 IP, 68 BB, 114 K

Strengths

Jeff is a very solid, middle of the rotation starting pitcher in the major leagues. He is a workhorse that will eat a lot of innings for the Crew. Melvin signed Soup because they knew that they would get over 200 innings and a veteran leader in the clubhouse. While, he is sometimes unimpressive on the mound, he still gets through innings and saves the bullpen when they’ve been overworked. I distinctly remember a game against the Minnesota Twins last year, in which Soup got shelled early in the game, but Yost kept trotting him out to the mound because the bullpen needed a rest. That’s what Suppan brings to Milwaukee. It may not be pretty all the time, but he can save the bullpen and will post 200+ innings in a season.

Besides the intangibles Suppan can bring the Crew because of his experience in the post-season, Jeff also has a very heavy fastball/sinker that induces a lot of ground balls. This is normally a very good situation for a team, but Milwaukee’s defense was so bad last year, that these ground balls put a lot of pressure on the infield. Soup mixes his speeds with his fastball and mixes in his above-average curveball very well, and he is able to keep hitters off-balance most of the time. He also throws a lot of junk in the low-80s along with those other two pitches. He is a savvy, veteran pitcher who knows how to play to a batter’s weaknesses and not just trying to overpower him.

Weaknesses

Jeff obviously does not have the ideal velocity for a starting pitcher, so he needs to rely on his defense and inducing ground balls. Last season, his fly ball rate was the highest it has been since 2002 with the Kansas City Royals. In Miller Park, this can get very dangerous, as the balls can fly out of the park with relative ease when the panels are open in the summer. He was not able to get his sinker down in the strike zone as often as he would’ve liked, so he started to rely more on his fastball at the end of the season. After making this switch, he was able to record 6 quality starts in the final 8 games he started. The Brewers hope to see that trend continue this season.

The other main issue with Jeff Suppan is his tendency to start nibbling at the strike zone after getting down in the count. He would much rather walk a batter than give up a home run, but this puts a lot of strain on the defense. His 68 walks need to be reduced a bit next season if he is going to be successful. If he can get his inducement of ground balls working again, these walks may not be too bad. He did seem to walk a lot of batters last year though, and that needs to be remedied.

Finally, Jeff is not a strike out pitcher. This is normally not too large of an issue, but with a below-average defense, there can be situations where a strike out is necessary. Jeff cannot always produce in that situation, as he’s not always able to get to his curveball. Hitters usually sit on his sinkers or fastballs, so if Soup could mix in his curveball a little more than just an out-pitch, it could be beneficial. The fact remains that Jeff will not strike too many batters out, so he needs a reliable defense to get outs behind him. Unfortunately, the Brewers do not provide him with that.

Arsenal

Suppan throws a high-80s to low-90s fastball, mixed with a mid-to-high 80s sinker to get ahead in the count. His out-pitch is a curveball that can be anywhere from 68-73 mph. He also changes his speeds on his pitches to throw a bunch of off-speed junk that can be anywhere from 79-84 mph range. It may not be pretty all the time, but Suppan pitches to contact and to induce ground balls.

Projections

ZiPS – 10-12 W-L, 4.76 ERA, 187 IP, 66 BB, 111 K
The Hardball Times – 10-11 W-L, 4.68 ERA, 187 IP, 68 BB, 103 K

These projections see Suppan’s ERA rising from last year’s total, and I disagree.  Milwaukee’s porous defense attributed to much of Suppan’s struggles throughout the season, and with the acquisition of Mike Cameron and the position changes of both Bill Hall and Ryan Braun, the defense should improve this season.  Defensive improvement should equal a lower ERA for Suppan.  At the same time, his increased fly ball rate and the high walk rate is something to be worried about.  He still should regress towards his career averages for the season.  These projections see Soup getting away from them.  Expect Jeff Suppan to improve this season, but not to improve too much to get excited about.  He still is not worth the $35M that he’ll be paid in the next few seasons.

Projected Stat Line: 11-11 W-L, 4.60 ERA, 198 IP, 67 BB, 113 K
Projected Season Rating (out of 10): 7.0

Cameron sparks Brewers win

Batting

Mike Cameron hit his second home run for the Brewers this spring.  His homer came in the bottom of the first and sparked the rest of the scoring for the Crew.  Mike also walked later in the game, which is exactly what Yost wants to see from him.

Joe Dillon smacked a two-run bomb off Royals pitcher Chin-hui Tsao in the 8th inning.  He also added an RBI-single later in the game to finish 2-4 and a three-RBI night.  Not too bad at all.  Ryan Braun extended his hitting streak to five games.  Alcides Escobar, Melvin’s prized prospect, had a nice day, going 1-2 with two-RBI double in the 8th.  He’s only hitting .167 this spring, but perhaps this will help him turn it around.  Corey Hart finally broke out of his little slump today.  He only went 1-2, but it’s a start.  He needed to get out of his little funk.

Pitching

Jeff Suppan had a shaky day at the office today.  He gave up three hits in the first inning, but managed to only surrender one run.  He finished the day with 5 hits and 2 runs against him, along with 2 walks and a strike out.  Not exactly what Brewers fans want to see out of their $40M man.

The bullpen, however, pitched brilliantly.  They went six innings and did not give up a run.  David Riske pitched well today, giving up one hit and striking out one batter in an inning of work.  Randy Choate and Guillermo Mota continued their fine pitching today, as they both pitched a scoreless inning.  Both are yet to surrender a run this spring.  Choate could be challenging for a spot in the bullpen if he keeps this up.  Steve Bray and Jason Shiell also worked scoreless innings today.

Records: Brewers (6-4); Royals (5-5)

On Tap

Claudio Vargas will take the mound for Milwaukee tomorrow.  The Brewers get a rematch with the Seattle Mariners tomorrow.  The M’s will trot out Miguel Batista out to start.  Here’s hoping that the Brewers manage more than two hits this time.  The game will start at 3:05pm CT.  Remember to set your clocks ahead an hour tonight!

Padres pound minor league pitchers, beat Brewers 12-4

Today’s game is one of those that looks a lot worse than it actually was. The game was going along smoothly through six innings, with the score being 2-1 in favor of the Padres. Then some pitchers from the Brewers’ minor league camp came in the game to eat some innings for Ned Yost. I guess it’s fair to say that it didn’t go too smoothly. As a group, Erasmo Ramirez, Robert Hinton, Steve Hammond and Josh Wahpepah gave up 7 hits, 9 walks, and 10 runs over three innings. Yost said that they were all overthrowing the ball, but it still must have been painful to watch.

Batting

Brewers regulars were pretty quiet at the plate tonight. The only projected starter that had an RBI was J.J. Hardy with an opposite-field RBI single to score Rickie Weeks. Jason Kendall and Prince Fielder were the only other starters who got hits, and they were only singles. Brad Nelson did hit a three-run shot in the 8th inning, though. That was the only spark of life in the Brewers bats today.

Matt LaPorta finished 1-1 from the plate today. He had a pinch hit single in the 4th inning, and he is now batting .571 in Spring Training so far. I think this is going to prompt a new daily feature in the game recaps called…LaPorta Watch.

LaPorta Watch = 1-1, a pinch hit single in the 4th inning.

Pitching

Jeff Suppan pitched two innings today and gave up two innings.  Suppan did not throw too much other than fastballs today, but he still gave up three hits and hit a batter today.  As suspected, he did not sound too concerned about the start.  Typical Spring Training stuff from a veteran pitcher.

Derrick Turnbow, on the other hand, was absolutely lights out today.  He pitched a 1-2-3 inning with all three outs coming via the ground out.  Yost said that Turnbow could not have pitched any better than he did today, which is a great sign heading into the regular season.

Besides D-Bow and Soup, the only other potential big league pitcher that threw today was Mitch Stetter.  A Brewers fan at the last game Stetter pitched at pointed out that Stetter looked a lot better than his line showed.  Stetter didn’t have to worry about an unseemly stat line today.  He made quick work of the Padres, allowing a hit, striking out one batter, and giving up no runs.  Solid work.

Records:  Milwaukee (2-3); San Diego (2-2)

On Tap

The Milwaukee Brewers take on the division rival Chicago Cubs.  Claudio Vargas will take the mound against Chicago’s Ryan Dempster.  The game will start at 2:05pm central time.

Projections: Brewers pitching

With all the starting jobs for the position players being finalized, the main concern for the Milwaukee Brewers is the starting pitching rotation. Who’s going to start? Who’s going to get traded? Will Parra get sent to the minors? Will Ben Sheets play for most of the year?

We’ve been hearing the questions for a couple months now, and I think it’s time that we look at some projections for Brewers pitching. Using Marcel’s system for 2008, here are the projected statistics for each of the candidates for a starting job:

Ben Sheets – 10-7 W-L, 3.93 ERA, 141 IP, 119 K
Yovani Gallardo - 8-5 W-L, 3.76 ERA, 110 IP, 96 K
Jeff Suppan - 11-9 W-L, 4.62 ERA, 206 IP, 107 K
Carlos Villanueva – 6-4 W-L, 3.97 ERA, 93 IP, 76 K
Chris Capuano - 8-10 W-L, 4.53 ERA, 155 IP, 126 K
Carlos Vargas - 10-8 W-L, 4.95 ERA, 154 IP, 106 K
Dave Bush – 10-10 W-L, 4.55 ERA, 172 IP, 126 K
Manny Parra - 2-2 W-L, 4.11 ERA, 46 IP, 37 K

I know these are very crude projections. They are mostly averages that take into account the league average and age, yet it gives us a nice starting point to make comparisons.

It’s time for BrewersNation to make their cases for who should be in the starting rotation. You all have been quiet for a few days now, and its time to start the banter. What do you think?

Here’s what I have — Sheets, Gallardo, Suppan, Villanueva, and Bush.

Here’s why — Sheets, Gallardo, and Suppan are all locks. Villanueva has garnered high praise from Yost and Melvin, and he seems to have his foot in the door. It seemed like the Brewers were more comfortable with Villy in the starting rotation at the end of the year. Melvin has said that Carlos pitched very well at the beginning of the season in the bullpen and that the Crew may need his presence there again this year. I don’t think that’s going to happen, however.

Finally, the last spot is a tough choice. I would really like to see Parra in the final spot. It would first give us a lefty at the end of the rotation, so we are not so right-handed in our starting 5. But more importantly, I believe that Parra is the best pitcher out of the remaining candidates. With that said, however, Parra will probably be sent to Nashville to keep his arm out of trouble. He’s been very injury prone, and the Brewers want to be careful with Manny while they can afford to do so.

Being reinforced by Melvin’s words the other day, Bush is a strong candidate for the fifth spot. He has the most potential out of any other pitcher left, besides Parra. He does have the tendency to pitch brilliantly for 5 innings and blow up in the sixth, I admit it, but Bush has a fastball with a lot of movement and a nice curve when he can get to it. I would consider Capuano, but I believe he’ll be traded before the season starts. I didn’t even consider Vargas for the last spot, if you were wondering.

Now it’s your turn. What do you think BrewersNation?