Tag Archives: brewers

Sports, Uncategorized

Still Three to Go

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I have three more Brewers games to attend this season: Wednesday with Michelle, and then Friday and Sunday w/ Schrubbe.

I have to admit it’s going to be tough to get up and stay excited for this last week of the season.  If the Mets are able to beat the Cubs a couple times this week, the Brewers playoff-missing fate could be sealed before the weekend.  It’s been just an amazing turn of events.  Now I know how the Mets must feel about LAST season…

Meanwhile, I am REEEEEEEEALLY looking forward to vacation in October.  In a very serious way.  I’m toasted, man.

"Roll Your Own", General, Sports, Uncategorized

Enjoy While They Last

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It’s a hell of a Saturday out there.  Not a very good time to be blogging; better to be out taking advantage of one of those last nice weekends before the weather takes a turn toward autumn.  Just a couple quick comments then:

  • The Brewers have taken a turn toward winter, about 8 weeks early.  As amazed as I would have been if you’d said to me on August 31, “the Brewers will not make the playoffs,” I will now be SHOCKED if they manage to get in somehow.  The Phillies and Mets are neck-and-neck in the NL East, and really, what we need to do is overcome both.  It would a feat as spectacular as the September collapse to turn it around now.  But I will be there until the bitter end…
  • Michelle and I are leaving shortly to head out to my cousin Aaron’s housewarming party in Cross Plains.  I think it’s pretty remarkable that Aaron set himself a good goal of staying with his folks and saving up for a house, and it took some time, but he did it.  I envy that sort of discipline.  We’re looking forward to the party, too…
  • Kyle and I are going to try our hands at podcasting in the near future.  We’re going to have our first go of it very soon, and we’ll see if anything interesting comes of it.  Stay tuned for details and/or to download.

Have a great Saturday!

Sports, Uncategorized

A List of Former Brewers Players That Could End Up As Brewers Managers (Cont'd.)

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  • Robin Yount.  Widely regarded as the Greatest Brewer Ever, he was the bench coach in 2006, then abruptly resigned.  Now that he’s serving in the same capacity under Dale Sveum, hiring him would be complex.  If he wanted the job, he could write his own ticket.  The fans could take a LOT of losing seasons before they would turn on The Kid.
  • Jim Gantner.  Has managed the Wisconsin Woodchucks of the Northwoods League for two seasons.  I think he’ll fit right in with our team concept…
  • Paul Molitor.  Widely regarded as the Second Greatest Brewer Ever, and the only one of that classic 80s Brewers infield to win a World Series (the year after he was run out of town, with the then-hated Toronto Blue Jays, in 1993).  Has served as an occasional spring training assistant/volunteer with Minnesota and Milwaukee.  Either would jump at the chance to have him back as a coach.
  • Cecil Cooper.  Former Brewers bench coach (2002) and current manager of the Houston Astros.  I didn’t say he was a candidate TODAY, but why not?  A former Brewer, and now experienced with the big job.
  • Gorman Thomas.  Oh, sure he could.  He’s around the ballpark all the time, anyway.
  • Pat Listach.  Current manager for the AAA Iowa Cubs, starting to be talked about as an eventual big league skipper.
  • Felipe Alou.  Played for the Brewers in 1974, and carries a .503 winning percentage as a manager, spanning 2054 games.  He’s still alive, right?
  • Bill Castro.  Current Brewers bullpen coach, he’s the only guy that’s survived the last 3 4 managerial regimes.
  • Jeff Cirillo.  Led some very mediocre Brewers teams in batting a couple times, technically a “free agent” right now, but also a Brewers television personality in 2008.  I’m not saying “next year,” but maybe someday…
  • Don Money.  Former all-star third basemen for the Crew manages the double-A affiliate in Huntsville.
  • Ed Romero.  Current 3rd base coach for the Houston Astros.
  • Terry Francona.  Current manager of the Boston Red Sox played in 90 games for the Brewers in forgettable 1989.
  • Dan Plesac.  Brewers all-star closer in 1987, 88, and 89 is a TV personality for the Chicago Cubs.
  • Willie Randolph.  Former Mets manager and Yankees bench coach played 2nd base with the Brewers in 1991.

Did I forget anybody?

General, Uncategorized

Extraordinary Desperation

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So, Ned Yost is out, and for the time being, Dale Sveum is the Brewers manager.  If you ask me, that sort of move stinks like Jim Lefebvre.  As I said to Lorch via text, it is the last act of an understandably desperate owner who realizes this is probably the best shot he’ll ever have at winning big, and he’ll do anything to get there.  I would not be surprised to see Jobu in the home locker room at Miller Park on the next homestand, complete with the sacrifice of a live chicken, if necessary.  This is THE shot, and if they can’t do it, a bunch of things (not just the manager) will change.

And I didn’t even come in here right now to comment on the team in general– I’ve just enjoyed the season so much, and it’s looked so promising most of the way.  It has felt so good, and been so much fun.  But when your team regularly falters under the late-season pressure, despite being the SAME 25 GUYS that went 20-7 a month earlier, you start to feel like kind of a fool for it, y’know?  You get comments or observations from outsiders that are wondering why you bother– what do you waste 7 or 8 months of every year on this team for when they just perpetually let you down?  I just really enjoy the game, and a season that stretches from the naturally optimistic spring through the most beautiful and relaxing 3 or 4 months of the year.  I just wish the TEAM would make it easier to justify.

Regardless, I am still holding out hope that things can work out– they haven’t been eliminated yet, and Ryan Braun said it best when he commented that it can’t possibly get any worse.  Try not to let me down this year, Brewers.  I have been there all season long– last night was the first time I turned off the game because it go so ugly.  I have screamed too loud and clapped too hard and high-fived too often to go home and hope for beter luck next time.  I really, really, really want you to pull it out.  Try to give us something to get hopeful about…

Sports, Uncategorized

Numbers Game Redux

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The hundred-game mark is in the rearview mirror and the Crew is riding into town on an 8-game tear tonight.  Seemed as good a point as any to look back on my numerical assessment that came after the Boston Massacre, and see how the team is doing.  In case you feel like looking back, I am referring to this post from May 20.  On that day, here are some of the things I said:

You figure 90 victories will still win the division.

Well, things have changed.  I no longer expect 90 to be enough to win the NL Central.  The Cubs are not *as* hot as the Brewers right now, but they’re still in first place, and they weathered a tough stretch without Alfonso Soriano.  Will 90 be enough to get into the post-season?  Still likely.  The biggest shift since the early part of the season has been the Senior Circuit’s balance of power being located squarely in the middle: the top 3 teams in the NL are the Cubs, Brewers, and Cardinals.  Meanwhile, there’s a dogfight (albeit a few games behind) in the East, and a depressing state of affairs in the West.  There are still 60 games to go, but it looks like 2 teams from our division are going to be playing in October.

With their 118 remaining games, the Brewers would have to go 70-48 [to reach 90 wins].

That would be a .593 winning percentage.  Since that May 20 post, the Brewers are winning at a .672 clip (39-19), and, as noted in the Journal this morning, they’ve actually gotten themselves on pace for 94 victories.  I predict there is going to be another lull before the end of the year (probably in August, when 17 of 27 games are on the road), but if they can stabilize, at least split those road games, and come into September around 12-15 games over .500, they’ll be looking good.

What if they split the rest of the road games (which is what you kind of need to do, at a minimum, to be a winning ballclub)?

A 7-0 trip will make anybody’s road record start to shine.  And hey– a win is a win, not matter if you had to come from behind 3 out of 4 times in St. Louis.  Since May 20, the Brewers are 19-11 away from home, and they’ve pulled their road record up to 28-26 overall.  Quite impressive.

It’s shaping up to be a helluva season.  The city is nuts with Brewer fever, and since picking up CC the first week of July, they’ve sold out virtually every game at home.  The writing’s on the wall; it’s post-season or bust, and I think this team’s got tools to make it.

Sports, Uncategorized

(Probably) The Last Word You'll Read About Brett On This Blog

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I can’t take the credit for digging up the column from coldhardfootballfacts.com (that goes to the folks over at the Journal-Sentinel) but it is a helluva read for anyone in Wisconsin (or South Dakota) that might still be emotionally torn about the Favre situation.

They lay it all out in, well… cold, hard, fashion.  It seems to be an aptly named site.  16 years of Brett-filled glory, 1 Super Bowl title, and 2 total appearances in the big game.  They also bring up seasons like 1999, 2005, and 2006.  That hurts.

Anyway, I am far too immersed in the ongoing baseball season to even have football on my radar.  Good luck with the quarterback shat, Green Bay.  Catch you after the bye week.

General, Uncategorized

I Hart New York

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Hey– been busy at work since getting back from my break, so that’s why there’s been a lack of news.  Photos to come in the next couple days from various events since the end of June…

In the meantime, get out there and VOTE YOUR ASS OFF FOR COREY HART until 4 PM CDT (remember the balloting is unlimited).  Let’s show up those chumps from NYC, who have David Wright in a dogfight with our rightfielder…

Back to work then, carry on.

General, Uncategorized

Creepy Holiday

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I mean the 4th is creepy in terms of its creep-up-on-you-ness, not in a bum-on-the-bus-staring-at-you-licking-his-lips sort of way.

Mid-point of the summer season, and where has the first half already gone?  Seems like just over a month ago it was Memorial Day, and… er– wait, ummm– well, the rest of the summer is gonna cruise by, and I’ve got most weekends booked up already, so… maybe it just seems like it’s flying as usual.  I think the scheduling has a lot to do with that.  Once you have plans for every weekend in a summer, even though the time hasn’t passed, it feels like it has.  I should take some more vacation this summer.  Don’t know when I would, though.

Here’s a big switch from last year– I moved, and effectively got “settled in” all in a matter of a few days.  I could totally entertain at my new apartment already, and I haven’t even lived there for a week.  Pretty sweet.  I have another piece of furniture to add, which I believe Michelle is going to be gracious enough to provide.  This last piece will keep the booze out of plain sight, which is a plus when you’re trying to not look like a drunk.  I think I’ll take some photos and put ’em up here.  I said that about Justin Roth, too, I know, but I mean it on both fronts…

Oh, and speaking of mid-points, and thinking of it because the Brewers are on right now: I mentioned in a post back on May 20 when the team was 20-24 and in last place that they needed to get hot in a big hurry and start winning at an alarming rate in order to stay in contention and live up to expectations.  Since that time, they’re 26-14, which I believe is still the best in the NL over that particular period.  They’ve picked up just 3 games on the Cubs over this stretch, but more important than that is that the top teams in the NL Central have distanced themselves somewhat from the rest of the pack in the league.

I feel confident that if we can’t catch Chicago, we could still get into the playoffs as the Wild Card.  On 5/20, I was thinking that 90 wins would meet expectations.  Earlier this week, after exactly 81 games (half the season), they were 44-37; on pace for 88.  They still need to continue streaking throughout the second half, but I feel a lot better about the team now than I did six weeks ago.

Tonight, I’ll be at Michelle’s apartment to view the “4th” of July fireworks at the lakefront.  Tomorrow, we’re going up to Waupaca to meet Michelle’s cousins for the weekend.  Enjoy your 4th!

General, Uncategorized

Please Excuse the Brevity of This Post

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Things at this new apartment are coming together just swimmingly.  Jen helped me out with the kitchen and hauling some stuff down to storage yesterday, and Grandma was here today to help with some other stuff (she got the paint off the front of all the bookshelves with steel wool).  Grandma also took one for the team when the coffee table got tipped over and tagged her in the melon.  I gave her some ice in a washcloth to keep the swelling down, and that seems to have worked OK.

By the end of my “vacation,” which comes to a close tomorrow, I think I’ll have all of the furniture arranged, and some spots plotted out for things on the walls, anyway.  I’m definitely more excited to live here than I was in the last place.  So that’s something.  Also– even though I only moved across town, it feels like I’m in a totally difference place.  Can’t really account for that, but it is what it is.

I’m going to turn on the pre-game for the Brewers now and try to finish up in the living room.  More on this and other goings on later…