I don't really have a problem with Yost's lineup anymore; it seems as though he is keeping it consistent following interleague play on the road. He shook the lineup up because of the DH spot, which resulted in 9 positions players batting and at times featured Damian Miller and Johnny Estrada playing at the same time, and also had Counsell and Graffanino playing at the same time while Fielder DH'd. That will always cause a little hiccup in the lineup, so now that we are done with playing at AL ballparks, expect to see a stable lineup for the time being. Since the no hitter on Tuesday June 12, the Brewers have averaged 12.6 hits per game, which shows that the offense is coming around. The lineup is now settled, which gives me nothing to bitch about...for now. Until Yost tinkers again, I'm going to settle on doing a series wrap up following the final game. I'll write more if I feel like it, but stay tuned to see what I'm saying now.
-pookon-
www.pookon.com
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Monday, June 18, 2007
busy last few days
I was in Minneapolis over the weekend to see the Brewers play the Twins, so I'm a bit behind on my lineups. i'll finish the last few when i get home from work tonight. Today's game (Monday) sees the debut of highly touted prospect yovanni gallardo, so we'll see how that pans out. all that and more when i recap the game when i get home from work. until then - go brewers!
pookon
www.pookon.com
pookon
www.pookon.com
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Tinkering with Yost! - 6/15/07 - Lineup + Results
Number of different lineups since 6/12/07 - 4
Friday's lineup was identical to Thursday's with two minor adjustments, for no apparent reason, Graffanino and Counsell flip flopped the 8 and 9 spots, and Jenkins and Estrada flipped the 6 and 7 spots. That doesn't make any difference either way,as they are still hitting back to back. I'm impressed that Yost used a similar lineup 2 days in a row, and seeing as how the Brewer scored 6 runs on 13 hits, it's easy tosee why he kept things the same. Since I've really got nothing to gripe about, I'll talk about why this lineup was the best possible one to put out against the twins and recap Friday night's game.
Hart, RF .297
I did not realize that Hart was batting almost .300. That's simply amazing. He's been playing stellar defesnse and has really settled into that leadoff role. Rickie Weeks should be back on Monday, so it will be interesting to see what happens inthe top spot. Hart went 1-5 with a run scored and an RBI in the game, and also stole a base. He's now batting .294.
Hardy, SS .282
Hardy had a quiet day at the plate when everyone else really turned it up, but still went 1-5 with a run scored. His average now stands at .281.
Braun, 3B .314
Braun went 2-5 with a double and 2 runs scored, but he also did commit an error, his 5 of the year. I was up in the cheap seats, and his error was questionable from up there. The ball takes a wicked hop on the carpet-like turf. Look at Weeks in 05-06 compared to 07, and you'll see a vast drop in errors, so I think Braun just needs time tolearn how to play better. I'm not worried. His offesnse certainly makes up for it, he is now batting .320.
Fielder, DH .289
Fielder was DHing again, and he responded by going 2-4 with a walk, 3 runs scored, 2RBIs and a HR, which was his major league leading 24th of the year. Prince Fielder continues to show dominance over all pitchers, and is having an mvp-callibur year. Prince is a beast, and he continues to feast upon pitchers with a .292 batting average.
Hall, CF .262
Bill Hall is starting light it up again and he getting right back to where he left off last year. He went 1-4 with 2 RBIs and a walk. He still has been playing stellar defense in CF, and has raised his batting average up to .262.
Estrada, C .285
Remember a few days ago when Estrada's batting average dropped into the .260's? That's a thing of the past. Estrada has been hitting up a storm, going 3-4 with 2 runs scored and 1 RBI on Friday. He also threw a runner out trying to steal 2nd. Yes, Estrada actually threw someone out. Simply amazing. He is now batting .294, which is what we have been used to.
Jenkins, LF .272
Jenkins is getting hot again. He went 3-5 with 1 run scored and 4 RBIs, including his 12th HR of the year,which was a grand slam. He's now batting .282, up 11 points from yesterday.
Graffanino, 2B .238
Tomy went 1-4 with a run scored and will play at 1st base until Monday. He'snow batting .238, which is ok but he still can do better.
Counsell, 2B .237
Counsell went 1-4 with an RBI, and played a nice defensive 2nd base. He's still batting .237, and as long as he plays fantastic defense, he'll still be in the lineup.
The Brewers ended up with 11 runs off of 15 hits in a rout of the Twins on Friday night, and I was in Minneapolis to see it in person. There were a ton of Brewers fans there, and I was ready to dub the Metrodome Miller Park North-West. We'll see how Saturday's lineup comes together, but I am willing to bet it will be almost exactly like this one, seeing as how this lineup has pounded out a lot of hits and runs over the last 2 days. But with Yost,anything and everything is possible, so time will tell on that one. Catch you later aligator.
-pookon-
http://www.pookon.com/
Friday's lineup was identical to Thursday's with two minor adjustments, for no apparent reason, Graffanino and Counsell flip flopped the 8 and 9 spots, and Jenkins and Estrada flipped the 6 and 7 spots. That doesn't make any difference either way,as they are still hitting back to back. I'm impressed that Yost used a similar lineup 2 days in a row, and seeing as how the Brewer scored 6 runs on 13 hits, it's easy tosee why he kept things the same. Since I've really got nothing to gripe about, I'll talk about why this lineup was the best possible one to put out against the twins and recap Friday night's game.
Hart, RF .297
I did not realize that Hart was batting almost .300. That's simply amazing. He's been playing stellar defesnse and has really settled into that leadoff role. Rickie Weeks should be back on Monday, so it will be interesting to see what happens inthe top spot. Hart went 1-5 with a run scored and an RBI in the game, and also stole a base. He's now batting .294.
Hardy, SS .282
Hardy had a quiet day at the plate when everyone else really turned it up, but still went 1-5 with a run scored. His average now stands at .281.
Braun, 3B .314
Braun went 2-5 with a double and 2 runs scored, but he also did commit an error, his 5 of the year. I was up in the cheap seats, and his error was questionable from up there. The ball takes a wicked hop on the carpet-like turf. Look at Weeks in 05-06 compared to 07, and you'll see a vast drop in errors, so I think Braun just needs time tolearn how to play better. I'm not worried. His offesnse certainly makes up for it, he is now batting .320.
Fielder, DH .289
Fielder was DHing again, and he responded by going 2-4 with a walk, 3 runs scored, 2RBIs and a HR, which was his major league leading 24th of the year. Prince Fielder continues to show dominance over all pitchers, and is having an mvp-callibur year. Prince is a beast, and he continues to feast upon pitchers with a .292 batting average.
Hall, CF .262
Bill Hall is starting light it up again and he getting right back to where he left off last year. He went 1-4 with 2 RBIs and a walk. He still has been playing stellar defense in CF, and has raised his batting average up to .262.
Estrada, C .285
Remember a few days ago when Estrada's batting average dropped into the .260's? That's a thing of the past. Estrada has been hitting up a storm, going 3-4 with 2 runs scored and 1 RBI on Friday. He also threw a runner out trying to steal 2nd. Yes, Estrada actually threw someone out. Simply amazing. He is now batting .294, which is what we have been used to.
Jenkins, LF .272
Jenkins is getting hot again. He went 3-5 with 1 run scored and 4 RBIs, including his 12th HR of the year,which was a grand slam. He's now batting .282, up 11 points from yesterday.
Graffanino, 2B .238
Tomy went 1-4 with a run scored and will play at 1st base until Monday. He'snow batting .238, which is ok but he still can do better.
Counsell, 2B .237
Counsell went 1-4 with an RBI, and played a nice defensive 2nd base. He's still batting .237, and as long as he plays fantastic defense, he'll still be in the lineup.
The Brewers ended up with 11 runs off of 15 hits in a rout of the Twins on Friday night, and I was in Minneapolis to see it in person. There were a ton of Brewers fans there, and I was ready to dub the Metrodome Miller Park North-West. We'll see how Saturday's lineup comes together, but I am willing to bet it will be almost exactly like this one, seeing as how this lineup has pounded out a lot of hits and runs over the last 2 days. But with Yost,anything and everything is possible, so time will tell on that one. Catch you later aligator.
-pookon-
http://www.pookon.com/
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Tinkering with Yost! - 6/14/07 - Lineup + Results
Number of different lineups since 6/12/07 - 3
After the win last night, the Brewers are sending their ace Ben Sheets on the mound against right hander Chad Durbin. The lineup today is very similar to yesterdays, with a few exceptions.
Hart, RF .294
Hart is still the best leadoff hitter until Weeks comes back, but many people probably expected Gwynn to be leading off today and playing right field, seeing as how they are going against a right handed hitter. I praise Yost for finally sticking with the hot hand and not playing into the matchups. Hart has prover offensively and defensively that he should be playing everyday, no matter who the opposing pitcher is. Gwynn will just have to wait until it is his time to be an everyday player.
Hardy, SS .282
No changes here, Hardyis batting where he belongs.
Braun, 3B .303
Braun struggled at the plate, going 0-3 with a walk last night, but he still is batting above .300, although in less games than the regular players.
Fielder, DH .295
Fielder is the only player on the team (with the exception of Braun) who has the plate discipline and skill to be the DH. As long as there is a decent replacement at 1B, I love having Fielder be the DH. It's kinda like having a half day off and you still have his bat in the lineup.
Hall, CF .263
This is where Hall belongs. He did bat 6th last night, and went 3-3 with a walk and 2 RBI's and 3 runs scored, account for all of the scoring offense. He raised his batting average over 10 points, and looks to be getting his offensive productivity going again. Although Gywnn is a more prototypical center fielder, Hall has been above average and has more potential to hit home runs and get RBIs, something they need more than Gywnn who has a high on base percentage.
Jenkins, LF .266
Jenkins has struggled lately, but his power numbers (11 HRs, 30RBIs) are right where you want them at this time in the season. He has been perfect in left field, and has yet to commit an error. Those stats should validate his spot in the 6 hole and his playing everyday.
Estrada, C .277
Most people are used to the Estrada that we saw at the beginning of the season - the one who easily bats over .300. people forget that he is .280 career hitter, which is better than any catcher we've had in the last few years (Chad Moeller anyone?) so johnny is once again hitting in a good spot - 7th.
Counsell, 2B .244
Counsell is good batting 8th because his on base percentage is .358, which is pretty darn good. His job is to get on base and get the pitcher's spot out of the way in a NL game, but since we are in an Al park, the pitcher doesn't hit. Hopefully Craig and Tony will continue to swing a hot bat and get on base so that the top of the order can bat them in.
Graffaninio, 1B .230
I like Tony playing 1B as long as Prince is still in the lineup (and he is, as the DH) but I never like it when Counsell and Graffanino bat back to back. Graffinino is certainly capable of batting higher than .230, but until he does you need to keep him down here.
I really don't have too much to complain about today. The top 5 in the lineup should always be set in stone (Weeks, Hardy, Braun, Fielder, Hall) but the injury to Weeks forces Hart to bat 1st instead of his normal spot 6-7. They should get a lot of offense out of this lineup, and Sheets and the bullpen should hold the Tigers under 4 runs. I guess we'll see how this game pans out.
pookon
www.pookon.com
After the win last night, the Brewers are sending their ace Ben Sheets on the mound against right hander Chad Durbin. The lineup today is very similar to yesterdays, with a few exceptions.
Hart, RF .294
Hart is still the best leadoff hitter until Weeks comes back, but many people probably expected Gwynn to be leading off today and playing right field, seeing as how they are going against a right handed hitter. I praise Yost for finally sticking with the hot hand and not playing into the matchups. Hart has prover offensively and defensively that he should be playing everyday, no matter who the opposing pitcher is. Gwynn will just have to wait until it is his time to be an everyday player.
Hardy, SS .282
No changes here, Hardyis batting where he belongs.
Braun, 3B .303
Braun struggled at the plate, going 0-3 with a walk last night, but he still is batting above .300, although in less games than the regular players.
Fielder, DH .295
Fielder is the only player on the team (with the exception of Braun) who has the plate discipline and skill to be the DH. As long as there is a decent replacement at 1B, I love having Fielder be the DH. It's kinda like having a half day off and you still have his bat in the lineup.
Hall, CF .263
This is where Hall belongs. He did bat 6th last night, and went 3-3 with a walk and 2 RBI's and 3 runs scored, account for all of the scoring offense. He raised his batting average over 10 points, and looks to be getting his offensive productivity going again. Although Gywnn is a more prototypical center fielder, Hall has been above average and has more potential to hit home runs and get RBIs, something they need more than Gywnn who has a high on base percentage.
Jenkins, LF .266
Jenkins has struggled lately, but his power numbers (11 HRs, 30RBIs) are right where you want them at this time in the season. He has been perfect in left field, and has yet to commit an error. Those stats should validate his spot in the 6 hole and his playing everyday.
Estrada, C .277
Most people are used to the Estrada that we saw at the beginning of the season - the one who easily bats over .300. people forget that he is .280 career hitter, which is better than any catcher we've had in the last few years (Chad Moeller anyone?) so johnny is once again hitting in a good spot - 7th.
Counsell, 2B .244
Counsell is good batting 8th because his on base percentage is .358, which is pretty darn good. His job is to get on base and get the pitcher's spot out of the way in a NL game, but since we are in an Al park, the pitcher doesn't hit. Hopefully Craig and Tony will continue to swing a hot bat and get on base so that the top of the order can bat them in.
Graffaninio, 1B .230
I like Tony playing 1B as long as Prince is still in the lineup (and he is, as the DH) but I never like it when Counsell and Graffanino bat back to back. Graffinino is certainly capable of batting higher than .230, but until he does you need to keep him down here.
I really don't have too much to complain about today. The top 5 in the lineup should always be set in stone (Weeks, Hardy, Braun, Fielder, Hall) but the injury to Weeks forces Hart to bat 1st instead of his normal spot 6-7. They should get a lot of offense out of this lineup, and Sheets and the bullpen should hold the Tigers under 4 runs. I guess we'll see how this game pans out.
pookon
www.pookon.com
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Tinkering with Yost! - 6/13/07 - Lineup + Results
Number of different lineups since 6/12/07 - 2
Tonight's lineup is a lot like the one that I predicted, with a couple of exceptions.
Hart, RF .288
Until Rickie Weeks gets back from injury, and as long as they are playing against a left handed pitcher, Corey should be in the leadoff spot. He's not your typical leadoff player, but he has been getting on base and stealing bases, something that you want your leadoff hitter to do.
Hardy, SS .278
Perfect placement of a player with Hardy's caliber. He hopefully will put the ball into play with Hart on base. Hopefully he will get some RBI's to add to his already impressive total.
Braun, 3B .317
It's good to see Braun back into the lineup after an off day on Tuesday. You can question his defense all you want, but he has been above average so far this year. There's no doubt after the no hitter on Tuesday that we need his bat in the lineup.
Fielder, 1B .295
Everyone is waiting for Fielder to go yard so that they can make comparisons to his Dad Cecil (who played for Detroit) and reminisce about Prince's days as a young boy hitting baseballs into the stands of old Tiger Stadium. Prince is a beast, and I guarantee that he will hit one in this series.
Mench, LF .282
I predicted that Mench would play against a left handed pitcher, but I didn't expect him to bat 5th. It makes a little bit of sense, but I would still like someone who works the count and takes pitches to be hitting 5th versus Mench who swings away at the first pitch.
Hall, CF .252
The 6 spot is ideal for Bill Hall, who like JJ is struggling but still needs to play every day on account of their fantastic defense. Bill Hall has been a wonderful surprise in center field, we're just hoping that his bat gets going before this season is in the tank.
Estrada, DH .273
This one was a complete surprise to me, but now that I think about it, it makes a little more sense. He's one of your better hitters, although his is capable of having a higher batting average. While he is still struggling, it's nice to see him hitting 7th instead of 5th.
Miller, C .226
I really didn't expect Miller to be getting the start today, seeing as Estrada is a switch hitter and there is a day game tomorrow. I want Jenkins to play every day, because he is a far better defender than Kevin Mench, but since Miller is starting, that gives you little options for a DH, which is why I think Estrada is in there instead of Jenkins or Mench.
Graffanino, 2B .230
Until Weeks comes back off the DL, someone has to play 2nd base, and it might as well be Tony. Counsell is a natural shortstop, while Tony has been a 2nd baseman for most of his career. I'd rather have him there, plus it gets his right handed bat in the lineup. Graffanino should never hit higher than 7th, so I like him batting 9th tonight.
We'll see how this all pans out during the course of the game, but I'll be back later to post my observations and results of tonight's lineup.
Hart 2-4, double and a walk
Hardy 2-4
Braun 0-3, walk
Fielder 1-3, R, walk
Mench 0-4
Hall 3-3, 2R, 2RBI, walk
Estrada, 2-4
Miller 0-4, RBI
Graffinino 1-4
Brewers took some walks and put up 11 hits, but stranded a lot of men on base throughout the game. they kept the strikeouts down (3) but failed to come through with clutch hits with runners in scoring position. They scored 2 of the 3 runs via the homerun, which has been a problem of late, and they also only scored 3 runs in the ball game. Luckily, the pitching staff held the Tigers to 2 runs, but that wwill not always be the case. A big shoutout goes to Carlos Villanueva, who came in last minute for Capuano, and Carlos pitched well for 5 innings, giving up only 1 run. This offense did just enough to win the game, but they need to score more runs if they plan on beating good teams like Detroit. They got lucky this time.
-pookon-
www.pookon.com
Tonight's lineup is a lot like the one that I predicted, with a couple of exceptions.
Hart, RF .288
Until Rickie Weeks gets back from injury, and as long as they are playing against a left handed pitcher, Corey should be in the leadoff spot. He's not your typical leadoff player, but he has been getting on base and stealing bases, something that you want your leadoff hitter to do.
Hardy, SS .278
Perfect placement of a player with Hardy's caliber. He hopefully will put the ball into play with Hart on base. Hopefully he will get some RBI's to add to his already impressive total.
Braun, 3B .317
It's good to see Braun back into the lineup after an off day on Tuesday. You can question his defense all you want, but he has been above average so far this year. There's no doubt after the no hitter on Tuesday that we need his bat in the lineup.
Fielder, 1B .295
Everyone is waiting for Fielder to go yard so that they can make comparisons to his Dad Cecil (who played for Detroit) and reminisce about Prince's days as a young boy hitting baseballs into the stands of old Tiger Stadium. Prince is a beast, and I guarantee that he will hit one in this series.
Mench, LF .282
I predicted that Mench would play against a left handed pitcher, but I didn't expect him to bat 5th. It makes a little bit of sense, but I would still like someone who works the count and takes pitches to be hitting 5th versus Mench who swings away at the first pitch.
Hall, CF .252
The 6 spot is ideal for Bill Hall, who like JJ is struggling but still needs to play every day on account of their fantastic defense. Bill Hall has been a wonderful surprise in center field, we're just hoping that his bat gets going before this season is in the tank.
Estrada, DH .273
This one was a complete surprise to me, but now that I think about it, it makes a little more sense. He's one of your better hitters, although his is capable of having a higher batting average. While he is still struggling, it's nice to see him hitting 7th instead of 5th.
Miller, C .226
I really didn't expect Miller to be getting the start today, seeing as Estrada is a switch hitter and there is a day game tomorrow. I want Jenkins to play every day, because he is a far better defender than Kevin Mench, but since Miller is starting, that gives you little options for a DH, which is why I think Estrada is in there instead of Jenkins or Mench.
Graffanino, 2B .230
Until Weeks comes back off the DL, someone has to play 2nd base, and it might as well be Tony. Counsell is a natural shortstop, while Tony has been a 2nd baseman for most of his career. I'd rather have him there, plus it gets his right handed bat in the lineup. Graffanino should never hit higher than 7th, so I like him batting 9th tonight.
We'll see how this all pans out during the course of the game, but I'll be back later to post my observations and results of tonight's lineup.
Hart 2-4, double and a walk
Hardy 2-4
Braun 0-3, walk
Fielder 1-3, R, walk
Mench 0-4
Hall 3-3, 2R, 2RBI, walk
Estrada, 2-4
Miller 0-4, RBI
Graffinino 1-4
Brewers took some walks and put up 11 hits, but stranded a lot of men on base throughout the game. they kept the strikeouts down (3) but failed to come through with clutch hits with runners in scoring position. They scored 2 of the 3 runs via the homerun, which has been a problem of late, and they also only scored 3 runs in the ball game. Luckily, the pitching staff held the Tigers to 2 runs, but that wwill not always be the case. A big shoutout goes to Carlos Villanueva, who came in last minute for Capuano, and Carlos pitched well for 5 innings, giving up only 1 run. This offense did just enough to win the game, but they need to score more runs if they plan on beating good teams like Detroit. They got lucky this time.
-pookon-
www.pookon.com
Tinkering with Yost! - 6/12/07 - Lineup + Results
Number of different lineups since 6/12/07 - 1
I've become increasingly more upset with Ned Yost's lineups for the Milwaukee Brewers as the season goes on. For a team that is struggling offensively, he finds it necessary to keep switching his players every day and not offering any continuity for his players. I believe in spontaneity and randomness, but we all need stability in our livers or else we'd all go crazy. I think the same goes for ballplayers, who are famous for their routines and superstitions. You would think that stability in the lineup would be something that they would be totally supportive of. Maybe they are, but Yost does it anyway. But maybe they like Yost tinkering with the lineup. Since I don't know, I'm going to present the lineup everyday, offer my thoughts, and state the results of that lineup. Without further ado, here is the lineup for The Tuesday June 13 game against the Detroit Tigers in Detroit.
(Note - they are playing in an AL Ballpark and they will be using a DH instead of allowing the pitcher to hit, which will significantly alter the lineup.)
Counsell, 3B .244
With Rickie Weeks on the DL, Counsell and Gwynn are the most probable leadoff hitters. They've been using Hart there lately, but you can't play Gwynn, Jenkins, Hall, and Hart on the same day, so I feel like if Gywnn is in the lineup, Hart can't be, so I agree with this choice for this game only. Braun should be playing 3B every day, but everyone needs a day off here and there.
Graffanino, 2B .230
Graffanino should never be batting in front of or behind Counsell. They're both hitting under .250 and have a combined total of 22 RBI's. That ghastly. One of them has to play 2nd while Weeks is out, but I don't like Tony batting 2nd.
Hardy, SS .278
Hardy has been struggling lately, but he still has to play every day. He is ideal for the 2nd or 3rd spot in the lineup, so I agree with this.
Fielder, 1B .295
Prince should always bat 4th. Enough said.
Hart, RF .288
Hart makes a good 5 hitter because he has power and speed. I like this.
Jenkins, LF .271
Geoff should be hitting 7th or 8th, which is why I am fine with his placement here.
Estrada, C .277
Yost used to bat Estrada 5th, which worked out fine when he was swinging a hot bat. Lately, he has been a rally killer because he swings at the first pitch and hits into double plays. If he isn't going to patient at the plate, he deserves to hit 7th or 8th.
Hall, CF .252
Hall isn't playing as well as he can, but that hasn't been a problem. For the time being (until he heats up) he should be batting 7th or 8th. Ideally, he is better suited 5th or 6th.
Gross, DH .200
Gabe should not be on this team PERIOD. We already have too many left handed bats on the team and an excess of outfielders. Batting .200 does not help the team at all. His spot would be better filled with another arm in the bullpen or even a comfy armchair in the dugout.
The results of this lineup?
Suppan pitched a decent game, but you all know by now that the Brewers got no-hit by Justin Verlander. Bill Hall managed to draw 3 walks, but nothing else was accomplished by this lineup. I'll give credit where credit is due and say that Verlander threw one hell of a game, but he was getting some bogus strike calls in the 8th and 9th innings.
The Brewers are going against Left-hander Mike Maroth, which means that Yost will stacking his lineups with righties, so his lineup will include Graffino and Mench.
Expect this lineup to be radically different (knowing Yost) for Wednesday's game, but if I had to choose it, this is how it would be:
Hart, RF
Hardy, SS
Braun, 3B
Fielder, 1B
Hall, CF
Jenkins, LF
Estrada, C
Graffino, 2B
Mench, DH
There's no way that It's going to be like that, but I can only hope. I'll be back later tonight to give the lineup for the Wednesday June 13 game and provide the results from that lineup.
Go Brewers!
- pookon -
http://www.pookon.com/
I've become increasingly more upset with Ned Yost's lineups for the Milwaukee Brewers as the season goes on. For a team that is struggling offensively, he finds it necessary to keep switching his players every day and not offering any continuity for his players. I believe in spontaneity and randomness, but we all need stability in our livers or else we'd all go crazy. I think the same goes for ballplayers, who are famous for their routines and superstitions. You would think that stability in the lineup would be something that they would be totally supportive of. Maybe they are, but Yost does it anyway. But maybe they like Yost tinkering with the lineup. Since I don't know, I'm going to present the lineup everyday, offer my thoughts, and state the results of that lineup. Without further ado, here is the lineup for The Tuesday June 13 game against the Detroit Tigers in Detroit.
(Note - they are playing in an AL Ballpark and they will be using a DH instead of allowing the pitcher to hit, which will significantly alter the lineup.)
Counsell, 3B .244
With Rickie Weeks on the DL, Counsell and Gwynn are the most probable leadoff hitters. They've been using Hart there lately, but you can't play Gwynn, Jenkins, Hall, and Hart on the same day, so I feel like if Gywnn is in the lineup, Hart can't be, so I agree with this choice for this game only. Braun should be playing 3B every day, but everyone needs a day off here and there.
Graffanino, 2B .230
Graffanino should never be batting in front of or behind Counsell. They're both hitting under .250 and have a combined total of 22 RBI's. That ghastly. One of them has to play 2nd while Weeks is out, but I don't like Tony batting 2nd.
Hardy, SS .278
Hardy has been struggling lately, but he still has to play every day. He is ideal for the 2nd or 3rd spot in the lineup, so I agree with this.
Fielder, 1B .295
Prince should always bat 4th. Enough said.
Hart, RF .288
Hart makes a good 5 hitter because he has power and speed. I like this.
Jenkins, LF .271
Geoff should be hitting 7th or 8th, which is why I am fine with his placement here.
Estrada, C .277
Yost used to bat Estrada 5th, which worked out fine when he was swinging a hot bat. Lately, he has been a rally killer because he swings at the first pitch and hits into double plays. If he isn't going to patient at the plate, he deserves to hit 7th or 8th.
Hall, CF .252
Hall isn't playing as well as he can, but that hasn't been a problem. For the time being (until he heats up) he should be batting 7th or 8th. Ideally, he is better suited 5th or 6th.
Gross, DH .200
Gabe should not be on this team PERIOD. We already have too many left handed bats on the team and an excess of outfielders. Batting .200 does not help the team at all. His spot would be better filled with another arm in the bullpen or even a comfy armchair in the dugout.
The results of this lineup?
Suppan pitched a decent game, but you all know by now that the Brewers got no-hit by Justin Verlander. Bill Hall managed to draw 3 walks, but nothing else was accomplished by this lineup. I'll give credit where credit is due and say that Verlander threw one hell of a game, but he was getting some bogus strike calls in the 8th and 9th innings.
The Brewers are going against Left-hander Mike Maroth, which means that Yost will stacking his lineups with righties, so his lineup will include Graffino and Mench.
Expect this lineup to be radically different (knowing Yost) for Wednesday's game, but if I had to choose it, this is how it would be:
Hart, RF
Hardy, SS
Braun, 3B
Fielder, 1B
Hall, CF
Jenkins, LF
Estrada, C
Graffino, 2B
Mench, DH
There's no way that It's going to be like that, but I can only hope. I'll be back later tonight to give the lineup for the Wednesday June 13 game and provide the results from that lineup.
Go Brewers!
- pookon -
http://www.pookon.com/
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Beer Pong On the Rocks - A Veteran's Insight - by Iceman (Week 6)
Beer Pong on the Rocks
By: Iceman
Week 6 – “A beer pong player looks at 25."
By: Iceman
Week 6 – “A beer pong player looks at 25."
I’m going to start out by explaining my articles this season. I had two purposes in wanting to write a column for this league. 1 - I felt like I had some good knowledge to pass on to other players, and 2 – I wanted to chronicle this season for myself so that I would remember it at a later date. I’ve been really straightforward with #1 (as seen with my lesson of the week in the past 5 articles) at times, but I’ve also been a little subtle with some of the other things I have learned about beer pong. #2 is something that I have done with my website for the past 5 years, and it is also something that I need to explain to the people who have questioned the content of my beer pong articles this season.
I have a really poor memory coupled with the fact that I have a short attention span. Because of this, I take tons of pictures and keep journals (in paper form and online) so that I can remember things that happen in my life. The content on my website, blog and this season’s Beer Pong on the Rocks articles are written for me to look back upon at a later date. I try to include relevant information for family, friends and also the stranger who stumbled upon it, but it is mostly for me. Let’s be honest here, most of you probably haven’t even visited my website, know nothing of my blog, nor have you taken the time to read my articles because they are all about Iceman and they are far too long. I know this people. One thing that I have always been is a pessimistic realist. Which is why I write for myself and not the general public. Years from now you will have forgotten that I wrote an article during season 7, but that’s exactly when I will revisit it and relive the memories. I’d apologize for my actions, but I don’t feel the need to.
And now I have some information for the beer pong players out there. I want to take a minute to talk about the dangers of beer pong. Dangers you say? It’s just a game, and a silly game at that. This is just another instance where Iceman pretends that beer pong is a serious sport and not just a goof around game amongst friends. But ladies and gentlemen, beer pong is a dangerous game. I’ll provide a short list of examples as to why I feel this is the case, but I’m sure that there are many many more. I’ve been sugar coating this game for 5 weeks now, and now it is time to look at the dark side of beer pong. I sense that you fear the dark side. Do not fear, for fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. I sense much fear in you. You fear the danger in beer pong because:
1. beer pong ruins lives
2. beer pong ruins friendships and relationships
3. beer pong ruins clothing
4. beer pong causes temporary and long term injuries
5. beer pong turns men into monsters
6. beer pong leads to poor decisions
1 – beer pong has made me the man I am today. Take a good look at me and you’ll certainly agree; I’d probably be better off without the heavy drinking. A couple drinks here and there aren’t so bad, but playing 30 games in one night and then spending the next day hung over and throwing up probably isn’t very good for your body. In the 4 years that I’ve been playing this game, I can’t count how many times I’ve been hung over and had to cancel plans, call in sick to work, or disappoint my friends and family because I forgot to show up somewhere important.
2 – beer pong has allowed me to make a lot of friends, but it has also cost me a lot of friends. I used to hang out with a different crowd until beer pong. I had a lot of friends, and then drinking and shooting ping-pong balls at beer cups became more important than anything else. Before long, my entire life was beer pong and my friends had moved on. I am grateful for the people I have met in league, but I also miss the people who I left behind when this game took over. I also find it hard to cheer for/against some people because they are my friends. It then becomes a question of who would I rather see win. Obviously, both teams cannot win; there are no ties in beer pong. If two of my friends square off, for me it’s a lose/lose situation when it comes to cheering. I should just keep my mouth shut. But we all know that it doesn’t happen that way.
3 – This one is humorous take on danger, but is something that should still be noted. Often when you step away from the table, you will look down and notice that you have contracted a wicked case of BPL, which stands for Beer Pong Leg. Spilled beer can sometimes accumulate on the table, and if not squeegeed properly, it can damage your clothing and leave a stain. Join the fight against BPL and remember to squeegee the table as often as necessary.
4 – Just like any other sport, injuries often come into play. Short-term injuries, like Brodey pulling a hamstring, sometimes sideline a person for a few shots or the remainder of the game. Long term injuries, like the over consumption of alcohol coupled with driving could lead to unwanted injuries. Hopefully everyone is smart and lucky enough to avoid long term, life-threatening injuries.
5 – Beer pong can turn men into monsters. Unfortunately, alcohol has the ability to bring out the worst in us. I wish that I could take back some of the things I’ve said or done under the influence, but those things are irreversible. If you’re not careful, you can lose everything with one simple word or action.
6 – quick drinking can lead to poor decisions, like not knowing when to quit while you’re ahead. It doesn’t seem like you’re drinking a lot because you’re only taking sips of beer at a time, but the rate that you are doing them is catastrophic. And then bam! You just got hit by a runaway locomotive.
You might not fall prey to the 6 dangers of beer pong that I have mentioned, but I mention them because at age 25, all of these dangers have the ability to terminate my game. Another reason why I wrote this article is because before this season, I had decided that this was going to be my last season of beer pong. I figured that I would introduce Joey Kanz to this league, graduate college, go for one last hurrah at the World Series of Beer Pong 2, then grow up and become an adult. I had seemingly lost my love for the game, and no longer cared about beer pong. Around week 4, I started to realize all of the things that I loved about it, and I am now playing the best I ever have in my career.
This season, I have overcome the biggest hurdle in my beer pong career – I have curbed the mental instability that used to be my downfall. I did it first by using the Baggar Vance method, and then seconded it by finally beating Brodey in beer pong. I consider Brodey to be the Godfather, my mentor, and by finally beating him in an important game, I feel like I am no longer the student; I am a colleague. This is a very important step for me, and I am now 100% confident in my beer pong ability.
As for Baggar Vance, I often settle down before my shot and remember that inside each and every one of us is one true authentic shot. It’s something' we were born with, something that's ours and ours alone. It’s something that can't be taught or learned, it’s something that has to be remembered. If you ever forget that shot, you just have to settle down and feel that focus. You have a lot of shots to choose from, but there's only ONE shot that's in perfect harmony with the table. One shot that's yours, your authentic shot, and that shot is gonna choose you. There's a perfect shot out there tryin' to find each and every one of us, all we have to do is get ourselves out of its way and let it choose us. You can't see those cups as some dragon you got to slay; you got to look with soft eyes. See the place where everything comes together, where everything that is, becomes one. You have got to seek that place with your soul, seek it with your hands and don't think about it; feel it. Your hands are wiser than your head is ever gonna be. That’s when I find my one true authentic shot.
Once I do this, the room becomes quiet and I no longer see the people on the other side of the table, all that I see is the beer inside of the cup. From there it just becomes a battle of me vs. the game. I’m the only one who can control whether I win or lose, and I feel like I am in complete control of the game at all times. The point of this all is that I feel the best that I ever have in beer pong, and I hope that one day you can all feel like I do.
Once again I’m a little behind on this article, so I can’t wish you all good luck in the playoffs because all but 8 teams have been eliminated. To those 8 teams – good luck and Godspeed. May you play well unless you happen to be playing my team…
Iceman’s lesson of the week - beer pong is a dangerous game. You might have been lucky enough to avoid danger thus far, but trust me; it’s out there waiting for you. Someday in the near future you will cross paths with danger. I can only hope that you are able to recognize it and handle it properly.
You know what really grinds my gears? – the short beer pong season. I understand that it can only be 6 weeks long in order for the season to wrap up before Thanksgiving, but I feel like it went by too quick. Now that some teams are eliminated from the playoffs, there’s a strong chance that some of those people won’t be there on league night. I know that there are some people who played in the league this year who I have yet to meet, and I apologize for not taking the time to stop and chat. I guess I’m too old and set in my ways to make the attempt to meet new people. I thank you for understanding. Friday night is just too short for me to play pong, get drunk, catch up with old friends and make some new ones. I’ll make an extra effort to get to know you if you come back next season.
Skemp – for your awesome Halloween costume. For those of you who missed it, Skemp went as Mr. Rogers. His wardrobe was spot on, plus he had gray hair and a nametag that said Hello Neighbor. I’ve never been a huge fan of Halloween, but if more people took the effort to come up with a creative costume, I might be able to warm up to this holiday.
I have a really poor memory coupled with the fact that I have a short attention span. Because of this, I take tons of pictures and keep journals (in paper form and online) so that I can remember things that happen in my life. The content on my website, blog and this season’s Beer Pong on the Rocks articles are written for me to look back upon at a later date. I try to include relevant information for family, friends and also the stranger who stumbled upon it, but it is mostly for me. Let’s be honest here, most of you probably haven’t even visited my website, know nothing of my blog, nor have you taken the time to read my articles because they are all about Iceman and they are far too long. I know this people. One thing that I have always been is a pessimistic realist. Which is why I write for myself and not the general public. Years from now you will have forgotten that I wrote an article during season 7, but that’s exactly when I will revisit it and relive the memories. I’d apologize for my actions, but I don’t feel the need to.
And now I have some information for the beer pong players out there. I want to take a minute to talk about the dangers of beer pong. Dangers you say? It’s just a game, and a silly game at that. This is just another instance where Iceman pretends that beer pong is a serious sport and not just a goof around game amongst friends. But ladies and gentlemen, beer pong is a dangerous game. I’ll provide a short list of examples as to why I feel this is the case, but I’m sure that there are many many more. I’ve been sugar coating this game for 5 weeks now, and now it is time to look at the dark side of beer pong. I sense that you fear the dark side. Do not fear, for fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. I sense much fear in you. You fear the danger in beer pong because:
1. beer pong ruins lives
2. beer pong ruins friendships and relationships
3. beer pong ruins clothing
4. beer pong causes temporary and long term injuries
5. beer pong turns men into monsters
6. beer pong leads to poor decisions
1 – beer pong has made me the man I am today. Take a good look at me and you’ll certainly agree; I’d probably be better off without the heavy drinking. A couple drinks here and there aren’t so bad, but playing 30 games in one night and then spending the next day hung over and throwing up probably isn’t very good for your body. In the 4 years that I’ve been playing this game, I can’t count how many times I’ve been hung over and had to cancel plans, call in sick to work, or disappoint my friends and family because I forgot to show up somewhere important.
2 – beer pong has allowed me to make a lot of friends, but it has also cost me a lot of friends. I used to hang out with a different crowd until beer pong. I had a lot of friends, and then drinking and shooting ping-pong balls at beer cups became more important than anything else. Before long, my entire life was beer pong and my friends had moved on. I am grateful for the people I have met in league, but I also miss the people who I left behind when this game took over. I also find it hard to cheer for/against some people because they are my friends. It then becomes a question of who would I rather see win. Obviously, both teams cannot win; there are no ties in beer pong. If two of my friends square off, for me it’s a lose/lose situation when it comes to cheering. I should just keep my mouth shut. But we all know that it doesn’t happen that way.
3 – This one is humorous take on danger, but is something that should still be noted. Often when you step away from the table, you will look down and notice that you have contracted a wicked case of BPL, which stands for Beer Pong Leg. Spilled beer can sometimes accumulate on the table, and if not squeegeed properly, it can damage your clothing and leave a stain. Join the fight against BPL and remember to squeegee the table as often as necessary.
4 – Just like any other sport, injuries often come into play. Short-term injuries, like Brodey pulling a hamstring, sometimes sideline a person for a few shots or the remainder of the game. Long term injuries, like the over consumption of alcohol coupled with driving could lead to unwanted injuries. Hopefully everyone is smart and lucky enough to avoid long term, life-threatening injuries.
5 – Beer pong can turn men into monsters. Unfortunately, alcohol has the ability to bring out the worst in us. I wish that I could take back some of the things I’ve said or done under the influence, but those things are irreversible. If you’re not careful, you can lose everything with one simple word or action.
6 – quick drinking can lead to poor decisions, like not knowing when to quit while you’re ahead. It doesn’t seem like you’re drinking a lot because you’re only taking sips of beer at a time, but the rate that you are doing them is catastrophic. And then bam! You just got hit by a runaway locomotive.
You might not fall prey to the 6 dangers of beer pong that I have mentioned, but I mention them because at age 25, all of these dangers have the ability to terminate my game. Another reason why I wrote this article is because before this season, I had decided that this was going to be my last season of beer pong. I figured that I would introduce Joey Kanz to this league, graduate college, go for one last hurrah at the World Series of Beer Pong 2, then grow up and become an adult. I had seemingly lost my love for the game, and no longer cared about beer pong. Around week 4, I started to realize all of the things that I loved about it, and I am now playing the best I ever have in my career.
This season, I have overcome the biggest hurdle in my beer pong career – I have curbed the mental instability that used to be my downfall. I did it first by using the Baggar Vance method, and then seconded it by finally beating Brodey in beer pong. I consider Brodey to be the Godfather, my mentor, and by finally beating him in an important game, I feel like I am no longer the student; I am a colleague. This is a very important step for me, and I am now 100% confident in my beer pong ability.
As for Baggar Vance, I often settle down before my shot and remember that inside each and every one of us is one true authentic shot. It’s something' we were born with, something that's ours and ours alone. It’s something that can't be taught or learned, it’s something that has to be remembered. If you ever forget that shot, you just have to settle down and feel that focus. You have a lot of shots to choose from, but there's only ONE shot that's in perfect harmony with the table. One shot that's yours, your authentic shot, and that shot is gonna choose you. There's a perfect shot out there tryin' to find each and every one of us, all we have to do is get ourselves out of its way and let it choose us. You can't see those cups as some dragon you got to slay; you got to look with soft eyes. See the place where everything comes together, where everything that is, becomes one. You have got to seek that place with your soul, seek it with your hands and don't think about it; feel it. Your hands are wiser than your head is ever gonna be. That’s when I find my one true authentic shot.
Once I do this, the room becomes quiet and I no longer see the people on the other side of the table, all that I see is the beer inside of the cup. From there it just becomes a battle of me vs. the game. I’m the only one who can control whether I win or lose, and I feel like I am in complete control of the game at all times. The point of this all is that I feel the best that I ever have in beer pong, and I hope that one day you can all feel like I do.
Once again I’m a little behind on this article, so I can’t wish you all good luck in the playoffs because all but 8 teams have been eliminated. To those 8 teams – good luck and Godspeed. May you play well unless you happen to be playing my team…
Iceman’s lesson of the week - beer pong is a dangerous game. You might have been lucky enough to avoid danger thus far, but trust me; it’s out there waiting for you. Someday in the near future you will cross paths with danger. I can only hope that you are able to recognize it and handle it properly.
You know what really grinds my gears? – the short beer pong season. I understand that it can only be 6 weeks long in order for the season to wrap up before Thanksgiving, but I feel like it went by too quick. Now that some teams are eliminated from the playoffs, there’s a strong chance that some of those people won’t be there on league night. I know that there are some people who played in the league this year who I have yet to meet, and I apologize for not taking the time to stop and chat. I guess I’m too old and set in my ways to make the attempt to meet new people. I thank you for understanding. Friday night is just too short for me to play pong, get drunk, catch up with old friends and make some new ones. I’ll make an extra effort to get to know you if you come back next season.
Skemp – for your awesome Halloween costume. For those of you who missed it, Skemp went as Mr. Rogers. His wardrobe was spot on, plus he had gray hair and a nametag that said Hello Neighbor. I’ve never been a huge fan of Halloween, but if more people took the effort to come up with a creative costume, I might be able to warm up to this holiday.
Well, it’s time for me to rock and ride my friends, so I guess I’ll see you next time.
Until then –
I have been drunk now for over two weeks,
I passed out and I rallied and I sprung a few leaks,
But I've got to stop wishin', Got to go fishin',
I'm down to rock bottom again.
Just a few friends, just a few friends.
I have been drunk now for over two weeks,
I passed out and I rallied and I sprung a few leaks,
But I've got to stop wishin', Got to go fishin',
I'm down to rock bottom again.
Just a few friends, just a few friends.
– Iceman –
www.pookon.com
www.pookon.com
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