Round ‘em Up: Saturday

Thank goodness the Crew came back with a nice win yesterday.  Milwaukee could not afford a hangover after the horrendous collapse on Thursday.  Dave Bush looks to build a little winning streak tonight against Paul Maholm and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

• Tom Haudricourt says that the Brewers are still actively pursuing C.C. Sabathia.  The latest rumor is that Doug Melvin is offering Matt LaPorta/Taylor Green/Lorenzo Cain as a package to try to get last year’s AL Cy Young award winner to Milwaukee by Tuesday.  This is quite a bit to be giving up for a 2 or 3 month rental, but it could very well push the Brewers over the top.
• The Brew Town Beat fully expects Sabathia to be in Milwaukee by Tuesday.  I’m not totally sure that will happen, but Doug Melvin could perhaps get it done if he so chooses.  Brew Town also says that Melvin should also trade for Brian Fuentes.  I do agree that the bullpen needs another quality arm, but it needs to be one that can be controlled past the 2008 season.  That is not Fuentes.  Besides, Fuentes has not been pitching well at all the past couple weeks.  I’ve read that scouts have not seen an “out pitch” from Fuentes lately.  None of his pitches are moving much.  That is not who I want to trade a valuable prospect for this season.
• Between the Green Pillars says that Ned Yost managed scared yesterday afternoon.  Because he used Carlos Villanueva for 3.1 innings, which makes him unavailable for the next three or four days.  The article argues that Yost should have used a different pitcher in the eighth and ninth, but he was too scared to do so because of Thursday’s collapse.  I do agree with his point that Milwaukee is now without a long man in the ‘pen because of yesterday.  You want to know what is interesting?  If C.C. Sabathia makes it into Milwaukee’s rotation, either Dave Bush or Seth McClung becomes the long man.  That would work out pretty nicely.
• The Baseball Analysts continued their All-Star team from Triple-A.  Brad Nelson makes it in the outfield for the Brewers.  Nelson could be a nice addition to the team in September.
• The Yost Infection asks Milwaukee’s play-by-play announcers to please stop celebrating J.J. Hardy’s defense.  It is not more than average because of his terrible zone rating.  I personally think the zone rating stuff is a little overrated.  J.J. is a rock at shortstop.  He doesn’t make plays?  In the last road trip, he flipped a ball with his glove to Rickie to start a double play, he made a diving stop in the hole, and his throws are always perfect.  Doesn’t make plays, huh?
• Florida Today has an article about how difficult it is to hit home runs down in Brevard County because of this winds.  That is why you have to take the low power numbers from the likes of Lorenzo Cain and Taylor Green with a grain of salt.
• The Charleston Daily Mail says that Milwaukee Brewers most likely will not renew their contract with the West Virginia Power next season.  Rumor has it that the Crew wants to sign the local Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in Appleton, WI to their Class-A affiliate.  I would absolutely love that, as I currently live in Appleton.  I would be a regular at the games, if that would happen.
• Huntsville infielder Michael Garciaparra does not regret his move to play professional baseball over taking his scholarship to Tennessee.

Power Propells Players

A few days ago a commentator on this blog wrote that he was concerned about right fielder Corey Hart’s lack of power so far this season.  Hopefully all of those concerns have been eliminated because it was the power bat of Hart that lead the Crew to a 10-6 win over the Houston Astros.

For as punchless as Milwaukee was last night, the opposite was true for the Crew against a far less capable Brandon Backe.  He tried to locate the same inside pitches that Roy Oswalt was throwing (with great success) the night before, but he was off all night.  The result was hit after hit for the Crew (12 in all) that found the 3rd base line or the stands.  The Brewers ended a five game losing streak at Houston’s “Juice Box.”

Hart, of course, wasn’t the only hero for the Brew Crew. His 3-for-5 night, with two home runs, a double, and four RBIs makes him our “hero,” but more on that later.  Manager Ned Yost’s line up moves, looking pretty poor in the opening game of the Houston series, played out with much more success.  JJ Hardy got on in the first inning with a double only to be replaced immediately by Ryan Braun with his RBI double.  It would set the tone for the evening.

Pitcher Manny Parra was looking strong through four innings before getting roughed up in the fifth, but his teammates bates were available to bail him out. After three consecutive wins and going deeper into the games, this start was a bit disappointing for Parra.  The bullpen was rested, though, and Carlos Villanueva and Mota (rebounding strongly from a rough Rockies game) proved to be solid. Mike Cameron, Russell Branyan, and Jason Kendall all provided timely home runs to create some breathing room for the Crew.

The trouble spot of the evening happened in the bottom of the fifth when shortstop Hardy appeared to re-injure his surgically repaired left shoulder and was replaced in the line up by Bill Hall.  Craig Counsell (the starter at second in Yost’s “soft platoon”) took over at SS and Hall fit in at second.

Despite this dark spot, Yost’s line up-shake up, in the absence of Rickie Weeks, proved to be very effective last night.  Hart was electric in the lead off spot and Branyan was equally up to the task of protecting Prince Fielder, although he hardly needed any protection after another tough evening.

Records:Brewers (34-31); Astros (33-33)

Hero of the Game: Corey Hart

In a night full of solid hitting, Hart was the brightest star.  The Brewers’ most consistent hitter was again amazing.  Despite his lack of power hitting, he has been just mashing the ball.  I was never concerned about the few homers as long as he kept on making solid and consistent contact with the ball.  Now the home run ball caught up with his base hit ball.  His only blemish was the missed diving catch late in the game. 

Goat of the Game: Prince Fielder

Fielder had an “oh-fer” game on Tuesday night and a 1-for-5 night yesterday.  As on Prince was just a week or so ago, he has slipped.  Prince has looked very comfortable at home, but shaky on the road and one might be able to connect the Brewers subsequent road woes to those struggles.  For the Crew to compete consistently on the road, Fielder has to be available too.  His defense has been pretty solid this year and his play last night as the cut off man cut another runner down on the bases (last night’s victim… Carlos Lee, whose out and prevented RBI was the difference for a while in a tight game).

On Tap: The Brewers will try and secure road series win with their ace on the mound.  Ben Sheets(6-1, 2.62 ERA) works against Brian Moelher (3-2, 3.76 ERA) in a matinee game with first pitch at 1:05 CT.

By: Dan Wiersema

Round ‘em Up: Saturday

UPDATE 06-07-08 – The Brewers have their first official signing of the 2008 First Year Player Draft.  Their 7th round pick, RHP Trey Watten, has decided to turn pro this season.

The big right-hander had impressive numbers at Abiliene Christian University, posting a 2.56 ERA in a 10-win season.  Many apparently thought Trey had first-round talent, but he fell to the Brewers in the second round.

Hopefully this trend can become the norm.  The Crew needs some depth in the minor leagues in the pitching department.

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The weekends have proven to be quite scarce on the Brewers news lately. There are the standard articles written by the Milwaukee JS and Brewers.com, but that’s been about it. Mid-season fatigue setting in for the bloggers already?

• Ned Yost defends his pitching move in last night’s game. My girlfriend and I caught the end of last night’s game, and she asked me, “Why are they taking out a pitcher who pitched so well last inning?” Ummmm…I still don’t have a satisfactory answer for that. Ned says that it was a save opportunity, but it would strike me that you would leave a hot pitcher in the game if you wanted to preserve a close lead. What do I know though, right?
• FireNedYost feels Yosted after last night’s game.
• Do you remember the report that said the Los Angeles Dodgers were close to acquiring a veteran infielder? It came out simultaneously with the news that Bill Hall wanted a trade. Some speculated as to whether or not Bill was going to be moved to LA. That’s not the case. The Dodgers acquired Angel Berroa. Angel makes Billy look like an All-Star at the plate.
• The Brewers have shown some real confidence in right-hander Tim Dillard. He looks forward to protecting close leads against the Colorado Rockies again this weekend.
• Here are the college splits from all the Brewers draft picks from the past couple days. The high school players obviously do not have any stats on them, but it is interesting to look at. You have to take the numbers with a grain of salt, however. Make sure to look at who they play for and what division it is in before making a bold conclusion.
• A Giants fan posted a note on Brew Crew Ball and wondered if Jonathan Sanchez and Bengie Molina would be enough to get Bill Hall and Matt LaPorta to San Francisco. No. The Brewers do not need or want Bengie Molina. Jonathan Sanchez has a great arm, but he walks far too many people and cannot pitch deep into games. Thanks, but no thanks.
• Baseball Digest Daily wants to know what the big deal with left-handed pitching is in the draft. Why do so many lefties go so early? My guess is because quality pitching from the left side is difficult to find. Teams take a hand full of lefties hoping to hit on one. Or you could be like the Brewers this year and take 3,274,231 pitchers in the draft. I didn’t count how many pitchers they actually took, I must admit. That is a rough estimate.

Parra Perfect, Bats Bash in Sweep

I’m working really hard on my alliteration so look out for more tongue-twisting headlines on the site. Moving on… the Brewers pulled out the brooms for the second consecutive home series and swept away the NL West leading Arizona Diamondback, 10-1. Manny Parra went seven innings (his longest outing of the season thus far) and the offense banged out 14 hits to cap what has been an amazing homestand for the Mil-town side.

Gabe Kapler started the game in centerfield and I can say that this was both a surprising move, yet totally appropriate. Mike Cameron, while solid defensively, has been a disaster at the plate. I saw the numbers before the game and he strikes out on average every 2.95 ABs (swear to God that it seems higher than that lately though). Manager Ned Yost, ever the loyal dog, usually sticks with his strugglers because he’s “not concerned with that,” but instead through us a welcome curve ball (which Cameron would have missed.. ha!) and put the ridiculously hot Kapler in the starting line-up.

Kapler started the scoring for the Brew Crew with a RBI double in the first and Parra would give up his only run in the third, but the scoring binge was reserved for the third and fourth innings when the Brewers smashed out nine hits and nine runs.

Corey Hart produced an in-the-park home run to score three (en route to a four RBI night)and Kapler was 4-for-5 (hit total tying a career high) on the evening. Parra was sharp as ever striking out eight, tying his career high. Oh, and Russell Branyan hit another homer run… big surprise there

Records: Brewers (32-28), Diamondbacks (32-28 )

Hero of the Game: Jim Skaalen

Let me paste the box score first, then I’ll comment.

Milwaukee	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Weeks, 2B	5	1	1	0	0	2	2	.209
Kapler, CF	5	2	4	1	0	0	0	.330
Braun, LF	4	2	2	2	1	0	2	.299
Fielder, 1B	3	2	1	1	1	2	2	.280
Hall, 3B	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.228
Hart, C, RF	4	1	2	4	0	0	2	.290
Branyan, 3B-1B	4	1	2	1	0	1	0	.321
Kendall, C	3	0	0	1	0	0	0	.244
Counsell, SS	4	0	1	0	0	2	2	.236
Parra, P	3	1	1	0	0	1	1	.208
a-Dillon, PH	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.286
Tavarez, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Villanueva, P	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.143
Totals	36	10	14	10	2	8	11

If I were Skaalen I’d been pretty darn pleased with this. Every regular Brewer, with the exception of Jason Kendall dropped a hit on Arizona… even Parra got a double! This Brewers team has found something special recently, picking up 12 of their last 16 games winning five series and sweeping two since the disastrous Boston roadie.

Despite being near the top of the NL in strikeouts, looking like chumps at times to Randy Johnson last night, and registering 8 Ks this afternoon, the Brewers are benefiting from some awesome offensive production. Players like Hart and Ryan Braun have been on target for sometime, but Prince Fielder and JJ Hardy are now coming online. Add to the fact that guy like Kapler can pretty much produce automatically as a pinch hitter, sub fielder, or as a starting has to put a smile (or whatever he does) on Skaalen’s face.

Goat of the Game: Jason Kendall

Sorry, dude. You got the collar, you get the goat. Shhh…. I don’t want to hear anything about you getting that nice RBI sac fly to score Princey. Shhh… I don’t want to hear anything about your 42% caught-stealing percent. Shhh… no excuses that Cameron wasn’t in the line-up to strike out a lot and take the goat. It’s all yours tonight. Just don’t let it happen again.

On Tap: The Brewers hit ye ol’ dusty trail to Colorado where Ben Sheets (6-1, 2.71 ERA) will face off against the Rockies’ Ublado Jimenez (1-6. 5.37 ERA). Game time: 8.05 CT.

By: Dan Wiersema

Round ‘em Up: Saturday

It’s a beautiful day, and the Brewers won last night.  Therefore, I’m in a fantastic mood this morning.  Let’s take a look at what the blogosphere has to say today:

• Backtracking a bit, Jim Powell has some reflections about the Brewers-Braves series.  He especially liked the sequence when Brian McCann got a strike called on him while he was out of the box arguing with the home plate umpire.  I loved that.  McCann had no reason to complain about that pitch, as the home plate ump gave him four chances to step in the batter’s box to hit.  He refused, so he lost his chance to swing.
• In-Between Hops is still ranting about Prince Fielder and his lack of home runs in 2008.  At least he is no longer blaming it on the lack of meat.  Prince is not hitting home runs at the same rate this season because he is pulling off the ball a lot more.  Pitchers are busting him inside, and he’s not been able to extend his arms.  Hopefully, he’ll be able to adjust.
• Ned Yost is holding true to his new rule for relievers – no more than three days in a row.  Since Eric Gagne and David Riske got injured presumably from pitching too often, Ned is trying to protect his bullpen.  Really Ned?  It took you three years to figure out that probably wasn’t a good idea?  And people say you should be fired…
• Milwaukee’s young stud, Yovani Gallardo, is cautious about trying to pitch again in 2008.  As he should be.  Don’t try to rush yourself back, Yo.  Get yourself reading for 2009.  Brewers fans will patiently wait.
• The Brewers strike out a lot.  That’s not surprising.  You know what else isn’t surprising?  Ned Yost isn’t concerned about it.  Of course he’s not.  Just like it’s still early.
• A sports economist says that Mark Attanasio and the new Milwaukee Brewers are building their franchise in the correct way economically.  Bud Selig and his regime did not build it.  Well, Mark Attanasio cares more than Bud Selig did about the Brewers.  That usually makes a big difference in the outcome.
• Al’s Ramblings notes that the Milwaukee Brewers have the 5th best bullpen ERA if you discount Derrick Turnbow’s numbers.  The starting rotation is actually 5th in innings pitched too, despite the short outings compiled by Manny Parra, Carlos Villanueva, and Seth McClung.  Ben Sheets is probably a big part of that.
• The Brew Town Beat writes a nice piece on Carlos Villanueva.  In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past week or so, Carlos has been flat-out nasty in the ‘pen.  He has yet to give up a run, and he’s striking out far more than he did in the starting rotation.  Perhaps there is something to this Carlos as closer talk.  Not that Salomon Torres should be replaced anytime soon.  He’s been great.
• Minor League Ball has a 2008 mock draft going on right now.  In the first round, the Brewers selected RHP Shooter Hunt from Tulane.  He’s a very raw prospect, especially for a collegiate pitcher, and he’s an injury concern right now.  I wouldn’t choose him with the #16 pick, but that’s just me.
• The St. Louis Cardinals have sent OF Chris Duncan to Triple-A to get his swing figured out.  With his power, I thought the Cardinals would give him a little more time to sort things out before dumping him to the minors.  The team called up OF Joe Mather, who has been tearing up Triple-A.
• RHP Franklyn German refused an outright assignment to the minors after being DFA’d by the Texas Rangers.  With a 2.08 ERA, the Brewers might be wise to give him a look.  He would be a huge risk for Milwaukee, however.  His ERA is stellar, but his WHIP is 1.431.  The right-hander walks far too many batters, but he is definitely worth a look at only 28-years old.  With that said, I don’t think the Brewers do anything with Franklyn.  The bullpen has been solid lately.

Round ‘em Up: Monday

Wow.  Apparently, everyone has taken off from blogging on this beautiful Memorial Day.  Not me.  I will be off after posting this for you this morning, but I cannot leave everyone hanging this morning.  Plus, there is actually some news to report.

• The Milwaukee Brewers are about to sign RHP Julian Tavarez to work out of the bullpen.  The injuries to David Riske and Eric Gagne have proven too much for the pen to handle.  I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Tavarez has had time as a starter.  With Jeff Weaver most likely departing for another team in a couple weeks, Melvin needed a replacement.  Tavarez is just that.  He’s not impressive, but he can be solid.  Perhaps a change of venue will do him some good.
• Tom Haudricourt is reporting that former first-round pick RHP Mark Rogers is progressing extremely slowly down in extended Spring Training.  They are hoping something turns around in the coming weeks, otherwise another trip to the doctor will be in order.  I feel bad for the young man.  He simply cannot get healthy enough to prove anything to anyone.
• Jim Powell has a new post, and he says that Doug Melvin, Gord Ash, and Mark Attanasio will be at today’s game.  It could be that it’s the holiday weekend, so they all have time off.  Or…it could be that Ned Yost could be on his way out if the Brewers struggle again.

That’s literally all I have for you today.  It was boring scouring the internet.  Enjoy your Memorial Day.  I know I will!

Round ‘em Up: Wednesday

Brewers fans went to bed happy last night after beating the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-2.  We will have to see if they can make it two in a row tonight.  Ben Sheets is on the mound, so I think the Crew has a good shot.  Benny might feel like he has a little something to prove after last week’s debacle in the seventh against the Dodgers.

BrewersNation reader BJ noted an article on the possibility of Randy Wolf being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers.  I originally was going to include the article in the Round ‘em Up, but after BJ’s question…I thought I would give it its own post.  I’ll write on that later tonight.

• So…Ned Yost is not happy about the false report of his being fired yesterday.  I mean really displeased.  The Brewers manager let a bunch of four-letter words fly as he went through a tirade on the blog posting.  I think he has a right to be upset about the way the post was handled…especially by Tom Haudricourt and the Milwaukee JS.  For more on that…go here.

  While Ned got rightfully upset about the situation on Monday, his comments simply left me a little empty and quite upset.  Why have Brewers fans never seen Yost get this riled up before?  Why does he play this stoic, confident manager that is certain everything will turn out alright if he has this mean-streak in him?  Why not try to spur on his players by getting upset and admitting that maybe…just maybe…it isn’t early and things aren’t “okay”?  The stoic facade that Yost has been putting up the past couple months has obviously not been working, and yesterday’s comments gave Brewers fans a glimpse of what could be.

  After getting upset about the blog reports, Ned reverted back to his old self.  He’s not worried about the comments made by Ryan Braun because all teams lose confidence when they are losing.  Great, Ned…just act like everything is fine and nothing is wrong.  Perhaps Brewers fans would feel better if you treated your job and the team’s success with the same passion.  You may feel as passionately inwardly, but it certainly does not show in the media and in the dugout.

• The other big development yesterday was Seth McClung transitioning to the starting rotation, while Carlos Villanueva will search for more consistency and success in the bullpen.  In last night’s telecast, Brain Anderson raved about McClung’s mechanical adjustment and the development of his change-up.  It’s nice to hear those things, but I will have to see it before I believe it.
• Remember when Salomon Torres thought about retiring because of his dysfunctional relationship with the Pittsburgh organization.  He tries not to talk about it to the media, but his disrespect for the management is clearly still there.
• The Milwaukee Brewers struggle at PNC Park.  It is not a secret.  No Brewers fan has been able to understand how the team can have a losing record against the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC, but it has been the overwhelming trend.  Jim Powell takes a look at the struggles.  Yesterday’s win is not a signifier that the curse is gone, but it is a start.
• The Brew Town Beat reacts to Eric Gagne’s struggles yesterday before being removed because of shoulder “stiffness.”  They believe that most or all of his success can be attributed to steriods of HGH.  I enjoy much of the writing that happens over at that site, but I believe that is a cop-out answer and a gross oversimplification.  HGH may have helped Gagne get a few miles per hour on his fastball.  I will grant them that.  HGH does not, however, improve your mentality on the mound.  It does not improve your release point and improve your control.  Sure, you can argue that HGH improves your stuff, so you trust it more.  That’s a valid point.  I would just hesitate to believe that Gagne got his reputation as “Game Over” because he had a few more mphs on his fastball.  His change-up was also better, and he had a better curveball when he was with Los Angeles.  HGH doesn’t help that.
• Beyond the Boxscore analyzes the strength of schedule for the NL Central.  The Brewers have had by far the most difficult schedule in the Central to this point.  Through the rest of the season, the Crew will have about 50% of their games against opponents with a sub-.500 record.  The moral of the post: Do not count out the Brewers yet.
• SportsBubbler names SS Alcides Escobar the Prospect of the Week.  Alcides has improved his plate discipline and power numbers in the past couple weeks, which greatly augments his status as an elite prospect.  The other name to look at is RHP Luis Pena.  Could he be a Brewer in the near future?
• LHP Sam Narron recently got called up to Triple-A Nashville, and he has continued rolling through hitters.  Sam went six innings, only giving up two earned runs.  His manager said that Sam didn’t have his best stuff, which is extremely encouraging for the young man.  The southpaw has increased his strikeout total a bit, but his value lies in his ability to induce the groundball.  Keep an eye on Sam.
• Here’s a nice article on RHP Patrick Ryan.  He’s quietly been having a productive season as a reliever in Double-A Huntsville.  The right-hander is being overshadowed by Omar Aguilar, but a call to Triple-A is not out of the question later in the season.

Round ‘em Up: Tuesday

The Milwaukee Brewers are in Pittsburgh for the next three days and will try to take the series from the Pirates. You know the season isn’t going as planned when your team is looking up at the Pirates in the standings. It’s time to turn the ship around boys. Let’s take the series from Pittsburgh (where we’ve notoriously had problems playing) and get back on track.

• Starting out the day…we have “The Firing That Wasn’t.” Yesterday, we had the whole Badger Blogger incident. What is surprising is that Tom Haudricourt is taking most of the blame for reporting on the subject. It probably did not help his cause that he bashed blogs in his post… Here’s a nice wrap-up of the story from Brew Crew Ball.The Yost Infection has a nice addendum to the story as well.
• Tom Haudricourt wrote a piece today on JJ Hardy and his struggles at the plate. I know everyone questions themselves when in a slump, but JJ has a history of not having confidence in himself. After last season, he admitted to not believing in himself after slumping in the second half. Does this look much different? No. JJ needs to step it up mentally. The Brewers need his bat in the lineup.
• The SportsBubbler has one of the best posts today. I have noticed this trend, but I have not taken the time to write about it. I’m glad someone finally has. . . The Milwaukee Brewers pitchers have very large problems finishing innings. I don’t know if it is a lack of killer instinct or what, but Brewers pitchers have had problems all season with two outs. It drives Brewers fans crazy. Give the article a look.
• In-Between Hops has a nice little anecdote about the Brewers struggles on the road. I’m not sure how much truth there is in the story (and I think we’ve all learned to not trust “personal sources” like Badger Blogger), but Ned Yost is an awful manager if these stories are true.
• View from Bernie’s Chalet has a shake-up for the batting order. It’s a fine idea, but I would put some tweaks in it. I would still have Rickie Weeks lead off. His OBP is still high (higher than Ryan Braun’s in fact), and he scores runs. I would bat Jason Kendall second. I know everyone is concerned about his double-play tendencies, but his OBP is high enough to dismiss that. That would shove JJ Hardy and Mike Cameron down in the order.Also, I do not understand why everyone is upset about Mike Cameron. Did you think we were getting a .300 hitter who was never going to strike out? Obviously not. He averages about 20 home runs and a .240 average per year. He looks to be on that pace now. He’s just in a lull.
• How about a preview of the Brewers-Pirates series? Okay. There you are.
• The Brewers got released Abraham Nunez once receiving Callix Crabbe back from the San Diego Padres. It’s not much of a loss. Nunez was awful in Nashville anyway. Not “impressive…very, very, very impressive” like Ned Yost said during Spring Training. Abraham signed with the New York Mets yesterday.
• Brew Crew Ball has post that attempts to look at who the Milwaukee Brewers will draft in the first round of the First Year Player Draft in a couple weeks. Most of the mock drafts the post looks at do not even include the Brewers in their projections, but it is a nice attempt to shed some light on the situation. I look forward to the draft in June, and I’ll cover it more extensively in the coming weeks.

Be sure to check back later in the day, as contributing author Dan Wiersema should have an in-depth article posted sometime today.  I haven’t had a chance to read it yet, so I’ll also be interested in what he has cooked up this week.

Round ‘em Up: Monday

UPDATE 05-19-08 4:45pm – Tom Haudricourt just talked to Doug Melvin.  Doug has absolutely no problem with what Ryan Braun said yesterday following the 11-7 loss to Boston.  In fact, he went so far as to say that he saw the same thing in the dugout.  The team has lost its swagger, he said.

Melvin and owner Mark Attanasio both said that Ned Yost’s job is safe for right now.  They saw him over the weekend cheering his guys on.  Apparently, this makes Ned safe…the fact that he was a cheerleader.  Those cheers weren’t doing too well though.  Especially when the GM and the owner say that the players were returning to the dugout with their heads down, even though Ned was being a “cheerleader.”  I do not know about other Brewers fans, but I would much rather have a manager that can inspire his team than have one that tries but fails.  That could just be me.

But I doubt it.

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The Brewers had a weekend they would love to forget after getting swept by the Boston Red Sox. Unfortunately, forgetting this series will not be easy to do. Playing against the reigning World Champions is a measuring stick for a ballclub, and Milwaukee proved they are not an elite team right now. Hell, they proved they are a downright awful team right now. The sole possession of last place in the NL Central is evidence for that.

• After being swept by the Red Sox, Ryan Braun addressed the media. He says that the team did not expect to win any of the games this weekend, and the attitude needs to change immediately. After signing a long-term contract, it seems Ryan is ready to assume the leadership role in the clubhouse. If this lack of confidence is the case, the team is going to struggle for more than just this road trip.Between the Green Pillars does not like how Ryan went about calling out his teammates. It needed to be done, that is for certain, but it did not need to be done publicly. Braun should have addressed his teammates in the clubhouse, Ryan Topp believes. I disagree. Do you think addressing the team in the clubhouse would have had the same effect? Perhaps he did it before yesterday’s game, and it didn’t help the outcome? I would not jump to conclusions here. Ned Yost never came out to defend his players after the comments Ryan made. The guys need to man-up and play ball like they are capable of…otherwise there may some Brewers switching teams mid-season.
• I do not want to post this, but an obscure blog (Badger Blogger) is reporting that Ned Yost will be relieved of his duties as manager today. I’m reluctant to post this, as the author is most likely just looking for hits on his/her site. The story most likely has no credibility. Still, I’ll give credit where credit is due if this turns out to be correct.Tom Haudricourt replies that a team source says Ned will not be relieved of his duties today. There is a problem, however. Both reports claim an unidentified “team source” relayed this news. Tom H is presumably much more credible than Badger Blogger, but who knows? Badger Blogger rarely writes on sports-related topics, so perhaps it does have an inside scoop. Seems like a lot of wishful thinking on both parts.
• In-Between Hops notes that teams generally have a positive emotional response for a new skipper, even if it is for a short amount of time. Perhaps the team should make a change to light a fire under the young Brewers players. This season is in serious danger right now. Something needs to be done.
• Bucs Dugout wants to know why the Brewers are not hitting. I want to know that too. Maybe one of the Pirates fans can figure it out. I surely cannot…
• Al’s Ramblings has a lot of stats on the Milwaukee Brewers after the first quarter of the season. Be sure to check this out. It has tons of good stats. Here’s a short synopsis: the offense is terrible, the starters have not been as bad as I previously thought, and the bullpen is struggling more than I thought. In short, there are problems in Brew-Town.
• The Huntsville Times has a nice article on LHP Steve Hammond. Steve has quickly become a favorite of mine down in Double-A, and the article chronicles his ups and downs from last season. It’s good to hear that a guy has learned something valuable after dropping into a slump. The young man has a special arm, and I expect to see him in Nashville soon. If he keeps up his stellar pitching, that is.

Minor League Transactions

LHP Sam Narron has been called-up from Double-A Huntsville to Triple-A Nashville, and former first-round pick RHP Mike Jones has been transferred from Class-A Brevard County to Double-AA Huntsville. Congrats to both!

Changes needed in Milwaukee

I am not one for knee-jerk reactions. Everyone says that when they are about to call for a change in the ranks on the team, but you have to realize that I have defended everyone on the Brewers for the past month plus. Today’s loss finally broke me, however. Things need to change. Let me outline them for you:

• Eric Gagne needs to be replaced. He has proven that he does not have what it takes to be the closer for the Milwaukee Brewers. This afternoon, Gagne showed me that he cannot pitch in important situations with effectiveness.

  It all comes down to the first pitch for Eric. If he throws a strike to the batter, he will get them out more often than not. It’s that simple. If the first pitch is a strike, the opposing hitter has an average of .161 with 11 strikeouts. Gagne has not walked a batter this season after getting ahead 0-1 in the count.

  How about if the pitch is a ball? The opponent’s batting average jumps to .417. Gagne has walked 10 batters after falling behind 1-0 in the count. He has struck out 6 batters as well, but the sharp contrast between the levels of success is astounding. One would think Eric could adjust fairly easily, even after throwing one ball, but apparently not. His command has been spotty all season. It is time for Eric to find his groove elsewhere in the bullpen. There are pitchers who can get the job done.

  Who do I mean? Try Guillermo Mota. The Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets essentially swapped contracts in the off-season when the Johnny Estrada trade was made. Mota faced a lot of opposition before he even threw a pitch in a Brewers uniform.

  A simple change in his mechanics appears to have changed his success. He now stands much taller on the mound to get a much more downward plane to the plate.It has done wonders for Guillermo. He has a 2.40 ERA with 18 strikeouts. The 10 walks leave much to be desired, but the damage has not been too severe. Mota has not given up run in the past six innings he has pitched, and opposing hitters have managed to hit a measly .241 against him for the year. Even more impressively, Guillermo has yet to give up a run on the road. He has pitched 8 scoreless innings away from Miller Park.

  It is clearly time to move Eric from the closer’s role. Guillermo Mota has proven that he deserves a shot. I am not claiming that he will get 25 saves this season, but I believe he has a better chance to succeed in the role.

• After being shuffled around from position-to-position in the past few years, Bill Hall has found a home defensively at third base. The switch has been amazingly smooth for the former infielder, and he has shown a penchant for making the spectacular play. I have been pleasantly surprised with the switch for Billy.

  Offensively, however, Bill has had his ups and downs. His power stroke, which was notably absent last season, has returned. Through May 10, he already has 7 home runs and 19 RBI. Some have attributed this success to his contact lenses. Some have wondered whether or not Billy has more energy to hit since he’s not running all over the place in center. Whatever the reason, Bill has become a power threat for the Brewers once again.

  The problem is that his average is pitiful. After struggling again today, Bill is now hitting .206 on the 2008 season, with an astounding 37 strikeouts. That is a lot of strike outs. Left-handed pitchers have not been the issue. Billy is mashing lefties, to the tune of a .333 batting average.

  Righties are a different story. The power-hitting third baseman has only managed to hit .163 against right-handers. He has struck out 30 times against righties, while only whiffing 7 times against southpaws. Bill Hall has also shown Brewers fans that he is not productive against right-handed pitching. It may not be a popular move, but a platoon could be extremely beneficial for the Brewers offense.

  Enter Russell Branyan. Russell is mashing pitchers in Triple-A Nashville. He has matched Hall’s 7 home runs thus far and has plated 23 runners. The power is clearly there. The important thing is that Russell would need to be able to hit righties to make the platoon beneficial.

  Trust me, Russell Branyan has noooo problems hitting right-handed pitching. In the 2008 season, the veteran has hit .405/.479/.750 against righties, and all seven home runs have come against them. These numbers have come after 84 at-bats, so the sample size is large enough to prove convincing. I am sure that Branyan is not as good defensively as is Billy, but those gaudy numbers outweigh the defensive difficulties (which are not all that great). The offense needs a boost right now, and it is foolish to not reward Russell for mashing in the minors. That is what Doug Melvin brought him in for, after all. A Hall/Branyan platoon could be a huge spark for a struggling offense.

• As much as I do not want to endorse a managerial change mid-season, The Ned Yost Experiment has run its course. Ned no longer has the excuse that he is still learning on the job. Brewers teams under his tutelage have notoriously collapsed, or at lease swooned, after the All-Star break. That would spell disaster for this Brewers team after its slow start.

  Ned has traditionally handled the bullpen very poorly as well. I am not naive enough to blame Eric Gagne’s struggles on the skipper, but it is something to be concerned about. He has also managed the pitch counts of starting pitchers poorly, which has been well-chronicled during the off-season. I do not feel the 2008 Brewers can afford to wait until July or August to realize that Ned is doing the same thing again. I would give Ned another week or so to turn things around. If he cannot, a change may be in order. Perhaps Ted Simmons can light a fire under this team. Someone has to do it.

These changes could help the Brewers get back to their winning ways, and it could help them immediately. None of these would create a championship-caliber team instantly. I admit that. The starting rotation still has issues. Manny Parra and Carlos Villanueva need to step up. Jeff Suppan must be the innings-eater that the Brewers are paying him to be. Hopefully Dave Bush will be able to find his command consistently. Brewers starters need to fix their problems in the fifth inning!

All in all, Gagne must go, Russell Branyan should get a call-up to platoon with Bill Hall, and Ned Yost should have a very short leash. The 2008 Milwaukee Brewers have serious issues that need to be addressed. The “It’s still early” excuse is no longer relevant. Doug Melvin needs to make some moves to help the team succeed. That is what he is paid for, after all.

Visiting Writer: This Week’s Ramblings

Once again, Daniel is gracious enough to write another article for BrewersNation.  Please give him your responses to his article by commenting at the bottom.  If all goes well, I would like to introduce Dan as a regular contributor to BrewersNation.  Comment away!

The Journal-Sentinel’s Michael Hunt and I must be separated at birth or something.  As I was putting together my column this week what pops up on the pages of Friday’s JS, but an article on impatience with Brewers manager Ned Yost.  Since the twin disasters of the Houston and Florida road series sweeps I’ve been slowly forming the exact same thoughts as Mr. Hunt, and by virtue of his interview, Ryan Braun.

 

For the better part of this season I’ve been reading Yost’s comments in the newspaper, over and over again, that his young guns’ bats are about to heat up.  “Its only a matter of time until they break out,” he has said on numerous occasions.  The post-game Q & A sessions between Ned and the media are predictable.

 

Question: Are you concerned about the lack of offense.

Yost:  No, not at all.  Every team goes through these ups and downs.  Its just a matter of time.

 

The Brewers announcers are starting to sound desperate on TV.  “I’d hate to be the team that is on the receiving end of the Brewers’ bats when they break out of this slump,” the Rock has said at least once every game this season.  There’s a bit of hope in his voice each time he says that; hoping that it will be the last time he has to, but there he is again the next game…. hoping.

 

Of all the things to be worried about: Eric Gange’s blown saves, low-inning starting pitching, the exhausted bullpen, and the anemic offense; I’ll take the last one.  In these last two road series, the starting pitching has assembled several qualities starts (Sheets, Suppan have produced a few solid 6 innings, 3 runs or less performances) despite terrible outings by , the bullpen has several consistent pitchers (Stetter, Shouse, Mota, Torres, even McClung of late) despite near manic levels of usage, and Gagne’s more rested and certainly not in use. 

 

But those damn bats!  No regular Brewer is hitting over .300 (Hart comes close at .295) and power numbers from last season’s power plants Braun, Hardy, and Fielder are disappointing.  Certainly last season’s home run total was for (pun intended) “out of the park” and the Crew relied too heavily on the long ball, but with just over 20% of the Brewers runs coming off of home runs this year (the majority of those from surprising HR hitters: Weeks, Kapler, Cameron, and Hall), I’m sure any fans would ask for a few more.  Our sluggers are not slugging (speaking of SLG %): Braun sits at .443, Hall .425, and Fielder at .410.  The team, as a whole, is hitting only .239 good for 27th place in all of Major League Baseball.

 

Even when the Brewers pound out hits they are often lonley on the base paths.  Thursday night, against the Marlins, your Milwaukee Brewers managed to slap out nine hits.  On a normal night that would be a cause to celebrate given the two-hit shutout the night before and the struggles in the last two Houston games, but those nine hits only translated to a measly two runs.  In contrast, the Marlins had 11 hits and brought seven around to score.

 

Runners in scoring position are not scoring.  The Brewers have had enough trouble of late getting men on base let alone getting them home.  Earlier in the season the bats still weren’t producing, but the offense was getting runners home when the chances came.  Now nothing is working on the base paths.  I heard the number last week that the Brewers were hitting .224 with RISP.  Since the decent start to the season (which I’ll cut off at the first Florida series) the RISP average has been bad.  Thursday at Florida was about as typical as it has gotten for the Brewers as they left six runners in scoring position. 

 

All of this information is a no brainer.  The larger point is that something is missing or gone wrong for the Brewers Baseball Club.  I’ve been playing particularly close attention to the dugout shots during the TV broadcasts and it doesn’t look like anyone is excited.  Even Weeks’ two run bomb from Wednesday or Cameron’s blast in Houston was met with indifference from their teammates.  Obviously the losing has taken a toll, but the excitement of close game combat (combined with victories) has worn off and the Brewers look worn out in this early season.

 

In Hunt’s article he quoted Braun’s frustrations about the hitting.  He said, “You can only say that for so long.”  He was responding to the typical reporter’s questioning of the lack of bats.  Yost asks for more time while Braun demands that the Brewers “start swinging the bats like were capable of.”

 

I’m usually the last person to call for a manager’s head.  While many have want Yost toast since last year’s meltdown, I gave him the benefit of the doubt (as I believe most of the Milwaukee print and TV media has too) that a series of unfortunate events have put him in a bind.  Injuries, other hot teams, etc have all scuttled Brewers momentum, but I think Yost is getting to the bottom of the barrel when it comes to chances.

 

At some point one has to ask why a manager can’t get a clearly talented team to hit the ball.  Blame missing staff aces, blame a tired bullpen, blame Gange, but if Jeff Suppan can go out, pitch a solid game and the Brewers lose 3-0 who do you blame.  Three runs is not insurmountable.  In fact, its down right sad how many times that a pitcher has to march out to that mound and just try to keep the game close only for no one to back him up.  No wonder after countless games of pitching four or five decent innings our pitching has blown up.  They see on the other side of the ball that the offense is putting up goose eggs.

 

Yost clearly is not getting the most out of his players.  The old stand-by for Brewers fans is 1982 when the talented Brewers were floundering and an inspirational Harvey Kuenn brought the Crew back from the brink and to an AL crown.  Whether or not a turn-around can happen is one thing, but that dugout looks sorry and something has to change.

 

The Brewers are a capable side and while our starting pitching is troubling, the bullpen is tired, and Gange is erratic a few less zeroes and a few more runs on the scoreboard would relieve a lot of pressure on all three.  Just think of the perfect scenario: Parra pitches and gives up two or threeruns in five innings, the bullpen adds one or two, but if the team bats the way they should their offense could easily put enough up to be competitive.  Final score Brewers 8, whoever 4.  No starting pitching needed tonight, bullpen survives, and Gange doesn’t need to pitch.  Is this an every night situation? Of course not.  But certainly games become more comfortable and competitive when two teams are playing instead of one.

 

By: Daniel Wiersema

 

Round ‘em Up: Friday

Today is the home opener at Miller Park.  Carlos Villanueva will be trotting out to the rubber in a little over an hour, and I’m psyched for the game today.  Good thing it is the home opener.  This will be the only time I will be excited to see the San Francisco Giants play.  I sure hope we beat them today.  They are not very good…to say the least.

• I understand that sometimes journalists have to write articles that they would rather not write.  But still, the Milwaukee JS has a dandy of an article today.  Apparently, if more people want to go to games and there are only a limited number of seats in the stadium, some people that want to go will not be able to go!  I may need a graph or some type of visual representation of this to fully understand.  And, if I already hadn’t been blown away enough already, more people want to go see a winning team!  Now you’re just grasping for straws…
• Jim Powell from the Sports Bubbler talks about the Brewers starting off the season in the right way, with a road series win against the rival Cubs.  That is still nice to hear a day later.
• Brew Crew Ball has a plethora of good stuff on the site today.  Jeff Sackmann traded questions with a Giants’ blogger.  It is some pretty interesting stuff.  It makes me feel bad for the Giants.  Well, sort of.
• For all of you that hate Ned Yost…this is not the article for you.  After three games into the regular season, Yost looks pretty intelligent so far.  At least, that is what Sackmann writes.  Here is why he thinks that Yost has done a very nice job to start the season.  I do like the end of the post that says that he reserves the right to get seething mad at Ned tomorrow if he does something stupid today.
• I was the first person that questioned why the Brewers could not find a trading partner for Claudio Vargas.  I figured it would be better to get something rather than nothing for the starter.  It looks like Doug Melvin told the truth when he said that they could not find a trading partner.  Vargas is still without a job.  There are teams that have interest in him, particularly the New York Mets, but all the teams want him to start in Triple-A.  I’d want him to start in Triple-A too.
• Bobby Cox, manager of the Atlanta Braves, tried a very interesting move.  His right-handed reliever, Resop, pitched against a batter, then moved to right field while a lefty, Ring, came in to pitch against a left-handed batter.  After the lefty struck out, Resop came back to the mound to pitch to the next batter.

  While this is a dangerous situation because you have a pitcher playing the outfield for an at-bat, it makes for a very interesting situation.  You can save your bullpen and sacrifice a little defense for one play.  I had never thought of that strategy before.  Let your pitchers take a little outfield practice once in a while, and it could become feasible.

• A hawk that lives in Fenway Park attacked a little girl yesterday.  It dove at her scalp and drew blood with its talons.  Scary stuff for that 13-year old.  This is a funny article though.  Why?  Not because I find it funny that a girl got attacked by a hawk.  It is funny that her name is Alexa Rodriguez.  Yes, almost the exact same as Yankees star, Alex Rodriguez.  If that is not weird enough for you, she is 13-years old, and A-Rod wears the number 13.  That hawk must simply hate everything to do with the Yankees!!!

Round ‘em Up: Thursday

Ben Sheets had quite the tough outing yesterday.  He gave up four home runs and nine runs in five innings of work.  I would normally be very concerned about an awful outing like this to end the spring.  Sheets, however, has a nice trend of performing well in season openers.  Remember what happened last season?  He struggled against the San Francisco Giants to end the spring, but put together a beautiful complete game against the Dodgers on Opening Day.  All Brewers fans hope that Sheets can replicate that performance against the Cubs to start the season in ‘08.

What else do I have for you?  Let’s take a look:

•  Yahoo! Sports makes plenty of predictions for this season.  Ryan Braun is a dark horse to win the NL home run race.  Manny Parra is a dark horse to win the NL Rookie of the Year (which will most likely not happen because he is a pitcher).  Ned Yost will be the first manager fired in the ‘08 season.  Prince Fielder and Corey Hart will apparently do nothing worthwhile this season.  Really?
• The Sports Bubbler continues their NL Central preview series today, focusing on the offenses.  No rankings in this one, unfortunately.  No matter…all the offenses in the Central (minus the Cardinals and the Pirates) are very potent and can put up buckets of runs.  The Crew should lead the NL Central in that category again this season.
• Baseball Digest Daily posted an article covering The Best NL Prospects You Don’t Know.  Matt LaPorta is mentioned in the outfield category.  People will know him before long.
• John Sickels asks who the NL Rookie of the Year will be.  My personal guess is J.R. Towles, the catcher from the Houston Astros.  That is only because Manny Parra is a pitcher, and pitchers do not have the easiest road to being the Rookie of the Year.  If Manny can improve in his next outing, he could have a nice springboard into the season.  Watch for Manny this season, but keep an eye on Towles if you are looking for a sleeper in your fantasy leagues.  Just saying…
• This is not about the Brewers, but Nick Markakis from the Baltimore Orioles is gaining a lot of my respect.  The manager got upset that Nick was taking grounders at shortstop.  Manager Dave Trembley does not want his star player getting a bad hop in the face I suppose.  At the same time, you have to respect a guy that is doing anything he can to help his team.  His offense is above-average for a corner outfielder, but it would be all-star caliber from the shortstop position.  The guy wants to do anything he can to improve himself and improve his team.  At least one player is not giving up on Baltimore this season.

Round ‘em Up: Capuano, Yost, Sheet, Parra

Here’s a little linkage for you today:

• Tom Haudricourt shoots down the internet rumor that the Red Sox were interested in Chris Capuano. What would the Brewers be getting back? The report said Coco Crisp. That would be one of the stupidest deals Melvin could make. Tom did mention that he is now actively shopping his surplus of pitching. Probably not a coincidence that this report comes out after Yovani Gallardo showed great improvement after throwing off a mound for the first time since his surgery.
• A little something for all you Ned Yost haters out there. Bobby Cox recently reacted to Yost’s idea to batting Jason Kendall in the ninth slot. What was the quotation?“[Bleeping] Ned, he got into the stats – look out,” said Cox, who loves Yost, but isn’t quite on the same page as the younger manager when it comes to innovative use of stats.

  All Brewers fans know that Yost gets too tangled up in stats sometimes, as we all tend to do. Obviously, Bobby Cox is not a big fan of Ned’s new managerial style. Remember that Yost worked with Cox in Atlanta, so Ned’s not getting high praise from his mentor.

  Credit goes to KL Snow at Brew Crew Ball for the find on this link.  If you don’t include him in your daily reads, you’re missing out!  Check his work out!!!

• The Sports Bubbler has an article from the fan’s perspective in Maryvale. It loosely follows one person’s experience visiting Spring Training.
• Ben Sheets is still working on that elusive change up. The Brewers organization says that he’s working on it every single year, but he never throws it in game time situations. Ned Yost says to look for that to change this year, as Ben’s change up looks the best it ever has.
• Manny Parra gets some more love from the sports world. Today, Dugout Central goes over the best prospects in Spring Training, and Manny gets the nod for the Brewers. The “Manny Movement” is growing by the day.

Wednesday Round-up: Fielder, Yost, and the Cubs

Sorry again about the late start today.  I’ve been absolutely swamped with work the past few days and have not had a chance to get to the computer until now.  I’m going to take a break from the 25-man roster projections, but it will resume tomorrow with the starting rotation.  Here’s what I have for you today though:

• ESPN’s Gene Wojciechowski writes about Prince Fielder and how he is upset with his contract.  Sound like old news?  Well…Gene takes it a step further and says that Prince is always looking for an enemy, someone to be angry at.  It helps motivate him to put up big numbers.  It doesn’t matter to me how he does it.  I just love watching him launch a ball into the right field bleachers.
• Ned Yost said that he’s not concerned with the Chicago Cubs.  His focus is completely on how he can make the Milwaukee Brewers a better team.  I don’t understand why this is a shock to people.  What else is he going to say?  I’m so worried about the Cubs that I’m forgetting to manage my own team?  Obviously not.
• MiLB.com gives its minor league evaluation of Milwaukee’s farm system.  Nothing too new here.

  Anyone else hope that Jack Z is able to slip through the cracks again next off-season and is able to stay our scouting director?  I suppose that is a selfish thing to say as a Brewers fan, but he’s been a major reason why Brewers fans have a reason to be excited about this upcoming season.  I want Jack around as long as possible.

Kapler, Jackson, and Yost

Looking for your Brewers fix for today? Good thing I have some articles for you:

• Peter Gammons takes a look at Gabe Kapler and his insatiable desire to play baseball. Just to let you know, this is an ESPN insider only article. Sorry.
• Adam McCalvy does a mini-minor league report for us. He talks about Zach Jackson’s mechanical changes and how he’s developed more of a complete arsenal of pitches now that he’s had time in the minor leagues. Zach will most likely never be a dominant pitcher, but he will be an innings-eater. After all, Zach did have 28 starts and the second-highest innings total in the Pacific Coast League.There are a couple other little tidbits about Luis Pena, who Ned Yost apparently loves, and Matt LaPorta. Bobby Cox had never heard of LaPorta before the Arizona Fall League, but he continues to be impressed with the level of talent that Milwaukee is bringing in through its farm system.
• I am a little reluctant to comment on this video, as Buster Olney surprised me with his…less than insightful comments. He names the Milwaukee Brewers and the New York Yankees as surprise teams this season. I thought maybe he misunderstood the question because neither of those teams making the post-season would surprise anyone around the league. I guess I can understand how Milwaukee may be a surprise team if you did not watch or pay attention to baseball at all last season, but to call the Yankees a surprise team with A-Rod, Mariano River, Ching-Ming Wang, and Joba Chamberlain is just crazy. Do I need to mention Robinson Cano and Jorge Posada as well? I think you get my point.
• The Sports Bubbler agan continues with its bullpen preview. Today they argue that Yost’s decision making will be better this season. I’ll leave that to you all to decide how you feel about that.

I think that’s enough to keep you all busy for a while. I’ll be posting later when the Brewers start play against Oakland at 2pm.

MLB.com interview with Ned Yost

Adam McCalvy from MLB.com did an interview with Ned Yost today.  Ned outlines some of the changed that Milwaukee will make this year and discusses the importance of playing fine defense.

I think this is a pretty good interview done by Ned.  I personally like how blunt and honest he is with his opinions, like when he said:

MLB.com: You have made it very clear that you don’t like the idea that the team has a “win now” outlook.

Yost: Because that’s stupid. Everyone wants to win now.

Odds and Ends: Thursday

You’d like some Brewers news to read this morning? Alright…here’s what I have for you:

• Steve Myers at Dugout Central gives his Spring Training Preview of the Milwaukee Brewers. I think his analysis is a little idealistic and simplistic at times, but it is definitely work at look. Overall, it’s a very positive outlook at the Crew and hopefully reflects reality come April.
• Do you remember Jon Heyman’s GM Rankings? Yeah, most people did not agree with them, to say the least. Dayne Perry published his own Top 10 today, and Doug Melvin comes in at #8. I think that seems about right.
• It did not take long for writers for the Chicago Cubs to get all upset about Ned Yost’s response that Jason Kendall’s pitchers did not give him a chance very often to throw runners out. Not to sounds biased, but this is typical Cubs journalism to me. Very selective. Why do I say so?One, Ned Yost could have been talking about the pitchers on the Oakland Athletics. After all, didn’t Kendall play for Oakland longer than he did for Chicago last season? Nothing like jumping to conclusions. Secondly, if Cubs’ journalists would have kept reading the article on Jason Kendall, they would have seen that Ned Yost also noticed a problem in Kendall’s mechanics. He was laying back too far on his throws and not giving himself the momentum needed to make a good, strong throw. But Cubs fans are right. Yost is blaming it ALL on Chicago pitchers. Good grief…

Yost sticks up for his players

I had been looking forward to Tom Haudricourt’s Sunday article for a few days. Ever since he promised to shed some light on the Pujols-Fielder plunking situation from last year, I’ve patiently waited until today to read it. Most of the story is on Ned Yost’s growth as a manager during the off-season, but let me outline the Brewers-Cardinals game that is of interest.

St. Louis pitcher Brad Thompson throws a fastball up and in at Prince Fielder’s head during the series finale. It was so well aimed at Prince’s head, in fact, that Prince had to lift his shoulder to protect his head and deflect the ball. Prince had belted his 49th and 50th home runs the inning before, so it became obvious to him that the Cardinals threw at his head on purpose.

Ray King, who used to pitch for the Cardinals, knew the sign for throwing at a batter. King went back into the clubhouse and saw the replay. He saw Kelly Stinnett call for the fastball at Prince’s head. King relayed this message to manager Ned Yost, and when Prince did not tell his manager not to retaliate, Ned knew he needed to stick up for his player.

The following inning, Yost calls in Seth McClung from the bullpen with one mission, to throw at Albert Pujols in retaliation. McClung and Yost were predictably thrown out of the game, but Yost said that he would not have changed his decision. He would do anything for his players to let them know that he was in their corner.

Derrick Turnbow then came into the game trying to keep the deficit at 3-2, and his control had abandoned him once again. The Cardinals ended up cruising to a 7-3 victory, and Milwaukee was effectively eliminated from the playoff race.

This story is fascinating to me. Tony LaRussa, who originally called for Brad Thompson to throw at Prince’s head for no other reason than he had dominated them thus far, got in no trouble whatsoever, yet Yost got ejected and ridiculed for sticking up for his players.

People have accused LaRussa for baiting Yost into that situation. But why would he do that? The Cardinals had nothing to gain by winning that game. They had already been eliminated from the Wild Card race. Whatever the case may be, it is clear that St. Louis intentionally threw at Prince Fielder and could have caused a career threatening injury had his reflexes not been so great. I don’t expect this story to go away. It will be interesting to see what happens when Milwaukee plays St. Louis next. Expect an angry Prince Fielder to show up. That should be scary enough to any Cardinals fan.

Melvin’s Expectations

Tom Haudricourt checks in today with a couple news tidbits:

• Melvin’s expectations for the ‘08 Milwaukee Brewers are simple: Win the division and go to the post-season.
• The starting rotation will most likely not be decided until the end of Spring Training, according to Melvin. He stressed the fact that injuries are a part of baseball. I understand that to mean that he does not want to trade away a pitcher, then suffer an injury and not have anyone to replace that pitcher.This worry seems a little odd, as even if the Brewers traded one pitcher, there would still be two starters waiting in the wings to pick up the slack. Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors listed Chris Capuano as one of the 10 Most Likely Trade Candidates. I tend to fully agree with that sentiment, as Melvin will be able to get more for Cappy than for Vargas. Bush could be an interesting trading chip, but I don’t see Milwaukee parting with the young right-hander.
• Haudricourt also provides a preview of his interview with Ned Yost that will be published Sunday in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.It promises to be very interesting. The interview will cover the manager’s actions in the final week of the season last year. Yost was ejected three times in the last eight games, and it will specifically focus on the Cardinal game where he was thrown out after Milwaukee threw at Albert Pujols. If you can recall, this incident occurred after St. Louis threw at Prince Fielder earlier in the game. Haudricourt even promises previously unheard information about the Pujols-Fielder incident that will be published on Sunday. I look forward to that read.

Yost secure through 2009

Doug Melvin announced today that Milwaukee has picked up Yost’s 2009 option. Apparently, the team picked up the option last year, but it had not been widely announced.

Don’t expect Yost to be on a short leash either. Melvin pointed out that the Brewers started 24-10 last year and did not make the playoffs. Thus, if the Brewers start slow this year, the team has experience that proves it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.

It seems that the announcement today is simply to illustrate a sense of confidence in Yost coming into the season. All signs point to Yost riding out the whole of 2008. I apologize for being the bearer of bad news to all you that dislike Ned. In my eyes, there would be no advantage to be canning Yost before the season starts or even during the season. He is growing as a manager, like Melvin has said countless times, and if Yost proves that he still cannot get it done after this year, management can address the situation after the season. As for right now, let’s stick with Yost.