Brewers @ Cardinals 8/26 - 8/27 : Series Wrap-Up

Series 43 - Milwaukee Brewers @ St. Louis Cardinals August 26 - August 27 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO

At this time in the year, every series is huge because we need to keep on winning to keep pace with the Cubs and stave off the vermin nipping at our heels (like the Cardinals and Phillies). This series was especially huge because it is the last time that we play St. Louis during the 2008 season, so it is the last chance that we have to put some distance between us and them for the NL Wild Card. If we win both, we gain 2 games on them. If they win both, they gain two on us. And if we split the 2 game series, we're no worse off then when we got to town. So this series boils down to the very basic gamble - win, lose, or break even. Of course we want to win, but I'll settle with a split. Just as long as we don't get swept and St. Louis gets right back in it and think that they still have a chance at making the playoffs this year. There's a lot of animosity between these two clubs, and I don't think Tony LaRussa likes it very much that Milwaukee is now a better team than St. Louis. I don't think that they are ready for the changing of the guards within the division. Hey Tony - deal with it. And stop being an asshole and asking your pitchers to throw at Ryan Braun. That's bush league. If you were a man I would punch you right in the mouth. But you're not a man, you're a little whiny boy, so I'll just shake the shit outta you. It's only wrong to shake babies, because they're not old enough to handle it. You can surely shake children, but you can't slap or hit them because it's abuse. Or at least that's the way that I know it to be. And I wonder why I keep getting turned down and rejected every time that I attempt to adopt a child so that Gordon has a playmate while I'm away at work. I filled out this questionnaire, and I guess I kept on selecting the wrong answers. Maybe I'm just not mature enough to be responsible for another human life. Maybe when I grow up they'll be a little more lenient down at the adoption agency. Maybe next year when I'm 28 they will finally let me get a kid so that Maximillion Iceman Reck can live a storybook life and train from day 1 to be the World's Greatest Beer Pong player. The spelling error of the first name is intentional so that he can chose to go by Million (instead of the common short name of Max) or by his middle name (Iceman). But such things are more of a dream than a reality, and I keep on getting rejected. Tough luck man. Wait...what was I talking about again? I sort of went off on this wicked made up tangent, and came back and realized that I'm supposed to be writing about the Brewers vs Cardinals series. Man, I totally forgot. And the craziest part about it is that I am 100 % completely sober! I haven't had a drink in like 2 days. That's like a world record for me. And now I just realized how utterly sad and pathetic that was. Maybe my Mom is right and that I really am an alcoholic. Damn it! I hate that my Mom is always right. I'd prove her wrong, but I need a few drinks to work up the courage to confront her about, which totally defeats the point. Damn it. Oh well, on with the sober wrap-up.

Game 1 (Tuesday) - Ben Sheets (12-7, 3.05 ERA) vs Todd Wellemeyer (11-5, 3.85 ERA)

Today Ben Sheets notched a number that he is all too familiar with in his career - 12 wins. It's hard to believe that a staff ace like him has never won more than 12 games in a year, but when you consider how poor the teams that he played on were, and how many times that his year was shortened due to injury, then it all makes sense. Counting 2008, he has won 12 games in a season 3 times (2007, 2004) and 11 games 3 times (2001, 2002, 2003). The other years were injury years that prevented him from getting that high. Sheets has been historically bad against the St. Louis Cardinals in his career, and has been even worse at Busch Stadium (new and old). That is why today was such a sweet surprise. There's a couple different words that you can use to describe what the Brewers did to the Cardinals this game - rout, slaughter, vanquish, clobber, romp, drub, thrash and shellac. Before you go about praising me for being so smart and asking me to be on your Scrabble team for pairs competition, let me reveal some of my secrets. Although I was an English and Journalism Major before settling on Communications, I use the internet for the reason it was intended (and no, not for looking up free porn) - to get information. I went to thesaurus.com, entered the word rout, and got all of these sweet synonyms. I especially dig shellac, because it sounds like something a sweet old man sitting on a porch is his rocking chair would say when recounting a story from his youth. "If I ever disobeyed my mother, she'd give me a shellacking!" This is one of those perfect games where nothing could go wrong. Ben Sheets pitched 6 scoreless innings en route to the victory, the bullpen followed him up by keeping the Cards off the board in the remaining 3, and the offense had a monster night. This offensive output was equally shared by the entire team, as every starter except for Sheets had a basehit and contributed to the scoring outburst via an RBI or a run scored. The Brewers were up 5-0 in the 7th inning and well on their way to victory, then they made this game laughable in the 9th inning when the scored 7 runs, which included a pinch hit homerun by Bill Hall that put the game out of reach. People get on me for my love affair with Bill Hall, but Bill Hall still has the unique ability to win games or put games out of reach. My only complaint about this game is that I was once again stuck at work and I was unable to watch it again. I picked a hell of a year to work a 2nd shift job. The win today guarantees a series split and we can go for the 2 game sweep tomorrow. Final score Brewers 12, Cardinals 0.

Brewers record : 77 - 55, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

Game 2 (Wednesday) - Manny Parra (10-6, 4.00 ERA) vs Adam Wainright (7-3, 3.04 ERA)

I was supposed to work from 1:30 - 10:00 pm today, but I put in a request to leave early. There was really no reason to do it, I just didn't feel like being at work today. I was able to leave at 8:40 pm, and when I was walking outside, the bus was just leaving. I don't own a car, so I rely on your other set of wheels to get around town. Out here in Bayside, the bus only runs once every hour later at night. I missed the bus by mere minutes, and knowing that the next bus didn't leave until 9:28 pm, I decided to go to the Speakeasy (local bar) to watch the game and have a few drinks. I was pissed off that I didn't bet on yesterday's game, so I threw down $10.00 on Manny and the Brewers to win. I only intended to stay for 2 beers, but then I started playing bar dice with the bartender and a couple of regulars there, and I ended up losing every time and buying a round of shots for everyone. I was pissed, because I didn't come here to spend money, but I kept on playing hoping that the law of averages would come back to work in my favor and that others would have to buy me shots. It didn't work out that way. The next thing that I knew was that I had missed that 9:28 pm bus, so I decided to stay and watch the game and continue drinking. Everything was fine until the 8th inning when the Brewers let a 3-1 lead slip away. Things got ugly in the bottom of the 7th inning when Carlos Villanueva got out of a bases loaded jam without allowing a run, then got overly excited about it. Albert Pujols, standing in the on deck circle, thought that Carlos pointed towards the dugout in attempt to give them a disrespectful sign, took it personally, and carried it with him to his next at bat. Pujols doubled off of David Riske, then Ludwick doubled him home. Glaus hit a single to score Ludwick, and then 2 more runs scored. I don't care how it happened, nor did I see because I was facedown in spilled beer, Rumplemans, and salsa (the Speakeasy is below a Mexican restaurant). By this time I was pretty wasted and I missed the 10:17 pm bus, so I decided to stay and have a few more beers. Not wanting to miss the 11:06 pm bus, I walked outside for some fresh air with about 20 minutes to spare. While outside, I pondered over Karma and it's effect on me. You see, last year the Brewers were absolutely horrible on the road, and a road game was almost an automatic loss. So to make more money, I started betting against the Brewers on the road. I was pissed because I hate to see them lose, but I profited off of them. Everyone knows that Karma is a real bitch, but I went ahead and started betting on the Brewers to win this year. Every time that I bet on a pitcher not named CC Sabathia (cause no amount of Karma or divine intervention could stop that beast) I lost, as was the case tonight. I'd like to place the blame on Riske and Shouse for giving up those 4 runs in the 8th inning, but truthfully I have no one to blame but myself. So once again, I am personally responsible for the loss today. And don't try to tell me otherwise. So I was double upset over the loss today, and no amount of drinking could change that. So I guess my Mom was right after all - drinking is not the answer, it is the problem. Damn it. Final score Cardinals 5, Brewers 3.

Brewers record : 77 - 56, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

So it looks like we're no worse off than when we got to town, and we broke even here in St. Louis. We were in line to win both games, and I really wish that we could have. The bullpen is starting to falter again this year, but at least our starting pitching has been nothing short of amazing. So no harm, no foul. But it really would have been nice to stick it to the Cardinals and push them out of the playoff hunt. The Rolling Stones said, "You can't always get what you want", but I never listened to singing undead zombies, so I say that I can always get what I want. I guess this time either God wasn't listening or He had other plans for me, because I wanted the Brewers to win. I always want the Brewers to win. So I guess those corpses were right after all. We'll see who is right when I bash them in the head with a shovel or blow their brains out with a shotgun. My friends and I will fall back into a strategic battleground known as the local mall and ward off any creatures of the living dead. Using equipment from the Radio Shack, hardware store, and sports store, we will defend ourselves against those slow moving bastards who want to eat our brains. Not on my watch you zombie punks. Once again, I've gone off on a tangent and my focus has shifted away from the Brewers and on to something completely different. I have no idea how or why I do it, but it's shit like that that makes me me. You could go anywheres to read a basic statistical analysis of the Brewers games, but there's only one place that you can go to read about shaking children, Karma's revenge, shellacking, and fighting off Rolling Stone Zombies and Brewers analysis at the same time. That place is here, and whether you come here often or stumbled upon it randomly, you are now considered family. Bring it in for the real thing brother! Well, I gotta go cook up some more random shit in my brain to type for next time, so until then - don't let the door hit you where the good Lord split you!

Next up - August 29 (Friday) - August 31 (Sunday) Milwaukee Brewers @ Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, PA

- pookon -

http://www.pookon.com/

email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Brewers vs Pirates 8/22 - 8/24 : Series Wrap-Up

Series 42 - Milwaukee Brewers vs Pittsburgh Pirates August 22 - August 24 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI

There's those teams that are as good if not better than you, and there's those teams that you should beat. And then here's the Pirates. Let's not kid ourselves here; the Pirate is by far the coolest mascot and emblem that a team could ever wear. What the hell is cooler than a Pirate? Your silence shows that you cannot come up with an answer. Hell, even the almighty Scwab is stumped right now. That's because there is nothing cooler than a Pirate. So why then do the Pittsburgh Pirates suck so much? They've been scrapping the bottom of the barrel in the NL Central since God knows when, and barring a miracle, they will be heading towards their 16th consecutive losing season. For a while there, the Brewers were in their position, and it seemed like they would never get out of the cellar of the National League Central division. And then came 2005, when they finally earned a non-losing season by finishing at 81-81, with their last series of the year that ended the losing drought against these very same Pirates. In 2006, they took a step backwards due to injuries, and finished at 75 - 87, but they rebounded nicely in 2007 by going 83 - 79 and earning their first winning season since 1992 when the Brewers finished 92-70, but missed the playoffs because at the time there was no Wild Card team in the playoffs. So I can identify with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and I can understand how hard it must be to be a fan of these guys. The Brewers made the right move by selling the team to Mark Atanasio, and he sunk some dollars into this franchise, and committed to building a winner through the draft, trades, and free agency. Hopefully the Pirates can regain the notoriety that they once had as one of baseball's oldest and best franchises, but until them, I just hope that we beat the living piss out of team that is by far inferior to ours. No offense Pittsburgh, but Milwaukee is better than you are at this given point in time. Deal with it. Nothing but love, but you've already won a World Series; I want to see my team win one too. So I want nothing more than for my team to beat yours as many times as possible on the way to the top. With that having been said, let's get on with the wrap-up.

Game 1 (Monday) - Dave Bush (8-9, 4.24 ERA) vs Zach Duke (4-12, 5.29 ERA)

Dave Bush continued his 2nd half amazing run by once again going 7 innings and allowing 3 runs or less. I believe that it is called a quality start, which is often used to measure the effectiveness of a pitcher. I guess I can see the logic behind it, because if a starter goes 7 and allows 3 runs or less, it only gives the bullpen 2 innings in which to screw it. If your setup man and closer can hold the lead, then your offense only has to score no more than 4 runs. It's simple math. Hell, even a complete moron like me can figure it out. This one had all the makings of a close game, as it was 4-3 Milwaukee going into the bottom half of the 7th inning. And then the Brewers turned up the heat against Pittsburgh. Leading the way was Mike Cameron, who after a slow start, is getting his batting average back up to a respectable number (.248). While that doesn't seem like a lot, he is only a career .251 hitter. As long as he plays spectacular defense and hits for power (22 HR and 56 RBI) I'll take it. This went from a nail-biter to a laugher in one quick inning, as the Brewers almost batted around (Lance Nix, as a pinch hitter led off the inning, and was in the on deck circle when Kendall grounded into an inning ending double play) and 6 runs crossed the plate. If not for that double play, we could have poured it on some more. But hey, no need to embarrass these guys any more, we'll save some more for tomorrow. Final score Brewers 10, Pirates 4.

Brewers record : 74 - 54, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

Game 2 (Tuesday) - Jeff Suppan (9-7, 4.58 ERA) vs Tom Gorzelanny (6-8, 6.82 ERA)

Suppan matched Dave Bush's performance almost to a T, although I really don't understand what that means. I checked online but gave up when the first site gave me a biography and photo gallery of iconic actor Mr. T. Oh, and I stopped looking because once you find a comprehensive Mr. T website, there's really no use looking around on the internet for more information. You've stumbled upon a virtual treasure trove of badass pictures, gaudy jewelry, and lovable catch phrases like "I pity the fool" and "I ain't got no time for the jibba jabber fool!". But I'll save the Mr. T stuff for later, because this is a Brewers wrap-up, not a Mr. T. wrap-up. Suppan has been putting together a really nice August, and it has gone relatively unnoticed thanks to the masterpieces that CC has been painting since he joined the Brewers. Hell, even Mother Theresa or Benjamin Franklin's accomplishments pale in comparison to what CC has put together in 7 short weeks. But enough about CC (I'll save that for tomorrow) it's Soup's time to bask in the glory. But like always (except when he was named the National League Championship Series MVP in 2006) Soup is overshadowed by someone else because he's not a very flashy player. Ryan Braun hit his 32nd home run of the year, and contributed 3 of the 6 RBIs in the game today. The Brewers built up a 6-0 lead by the 5th inning, but Pittsburgh scratched a couple of runs late to at least make it look like it was a ball game. And just like they've done all season long, Pittsburgh lost today. There are teams that I hate (the Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox) but I love teams like the Pirates because they let us beat them. Hooray! Final score Brewers 6, Pirates 3.

Brewers record : 75 - 55, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

Game 3 (Sunday) - CC Sabathia (14-8, 2.95 ERA) vs Paul Maholm (8-7, 3.62 ERA)

CC Sabathia was due to have a bad outing. After all, there's no way that he could have stayed perfect all year. But a bad outing for CC is only going 6 innings while giving up 1 run instead of a complete game shut-out. But he can't be perfect every day. He did leave the game with the Brewers clinging to a 2-1 lead, but David Riske (I still think that it is too early to consider him a bust, he can still turn it around just like Guillermo Mota has done) blew it in the 7th and CC had to settle for a no decision. Mike Cameron (big time hero as of late) put the Brewers ahead with his 4th hit of the day which also happened to be a solo homerun. Torres came on for the save, but apparently if CC cannot be perfect today, then no one can. He allowed a run and this game went to extra innings. I was working this game, and although I got off at the end of the 7th inning, I stuck around to watch all of the extra innings, except for the one that counted the most. Tonight was the live in person draft for my Fantasy Football league with my family and close friends, and it is one of the high points of my year. My brother Tim was on his way down to the Eastside, so he offered to pick me up as long as I could leave right then. So with Guillermo Mota on the mound and the Pirates threatening to score, I packed it in and headed out the door. Like a true Goonie, I never say die, and although I desperately wanted to stay to see how this game shook out, a free ride is a free ride. For those of you who have cars and take that shit for granted - you probably don't understand how valuable a free ride to/from work is for me. It can take me anywhere from 1 to 1 1/2 hours to get to work at Miller Park from the Eastside, depending on the traffic. It sucks balls, but I don't have enough money to buy a car. So I took the free ride home. Of course then Mota got out of the jam, then in the bottom of the 12th inning, Weeks walks, steals 2nd, then comes home on Hardy's single to win the game. Would've been sweet to see this one, but if I had to do it again, I'd probably still take the free ride. There's about 81 home games a year, but free rides come once every blue moon. You can't put a price on free man. But someone was allowed to be perfect today, as Mike Cameron went 5-for-5 with 2 RBIs to raise his batting average up to .257. That's awesome. Now if only Weeks and Hall could take lessons, then Mr. Hammond, I think we'd be back in business. Although today was exciting, hold on to your butts because it's only going to get crazier as we enter September. Good show today. Oh, and the Fantasy Football draft was a blast, although I am not very satisfied with the way that I drafted my team. That's $25 bucks out the window that could have been better spent on strippers and booze. Final score Brewers 4, Pirates 3.

Brewers record : 76 - 55, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

Another 3 game series and another 3 game sweep of the Pirates. I bet those scalawags hate playing us. They'll get their chance to make us walk the plank when we board their vessel and try to pillage and plunder their booty next weekend (August 29 - 31) at PNC Park. If they don't beat us there (wink wink) then we can dutifully proclaim that we are indeed a better team than these Pirates. I don't need a win/loss column or a stat filled Excel spreadsheet to tell me that, but things like this always look good on paper. And this sweep caps off a 5-1 homestand, and with every win we creep closer towards that 90 win marker, which I hope is enough to get us into the playoffs for the 1st time since 1982. I think it would be bullshit if we won 90 + games and didn't make the playoffs, but stranger things have happened before. So kiss your lucky rabbit's foot, knock on wood, cross your fingers and do all that other ridiculous superstitious shit in an attempt to bring the playoff drought to an end. You'll thank yourself when you get to see your Milwaukee Brewers playing October baseball. You'll be glad that you did, because it will take the focus off of the Green Bay Packers and how much Aaron Rodgers sucks. I hope that I will be wrong about that one, but I want nothing more than to be right about the Brewers making the playoffs in 2008.

Next up - August 26 (Tuesday) - August 27 (Wednesday) Milwaukee Brewers @ St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MO

- pookon -

http://www.pookon.com/
email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Brewers vs Astros 8/18 - 8/20 : Series Wrap-Up

Series 41 - Milwaukee Brewers vs Houston Astros August 18 - August 20 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI

I'm normally pretty chill about a lot of things, and it isn't because they call me the Iceman. People think that I got that name because I'm cool under pressure, but in a lot of circumstances I'm the complete opposite. I'll just go ahead and let people think whatever they want, but sometimes I do get all riled up about something. Cecil Cooper (Coop) made some pretty ridiculous remarks to the media before this series in Milwaukee. Houston likes to think that they still have a shot at the wildcard, but they came into this series at least 7 games back. They have been playing pretty well lately, and Coop boldly predicted that his team would sweep the Brewers and gain 3 games on them for the NL Wildcard. I really like Coop, and he will always be treasured for his contributions to the Milwaukee Brewers in helping them reach the playoffs for the 1st and only time in 1982, but he needs to keep his mouth shut. I know that no one should go into a series saying they are going to lose, but saying that you'll sweep a team that is better than you at their home ballpark is asinine. I could understand him saying that if they were going against Suppan, Parra, and Bush, but CC and Sheets? No way dude. The Cubs couldn't even beat CC (although they did win the game, but they did it against Torres. CC didn't lose the game), so how do you expect the Astros to do it without Carros Ree? Sure, they still have Rance Berkman and Miguer Tejada, but neither of them are the RBI machine that Carros Ree is. Without Ree, the Astros will continue to be a bunch of sirry rosers. Oh werr, on with this wrap-up.

Game 1 (Monday) - CC Sabathia (14-8, 2.99 ERA) vs Randy Wolf (8-11, 4.81 ERA)

Today's game contained some of the fodder that keeps talk radio in business. CC Sabathia came out and dominated the Astros and was well on his way for his 8th victory during his time with the Brewers. The Crew had a 7-2 lead in the 6th inning, and tacked on single runs in the 7th and 8th innings to give them a comfortable lead. But yet CC was left in to pitch a complete game and ending up throwing 130 pitches. Last year, the bullpen was overworked because our starters weren't going deep into games. This year, our starters are going too deep into games and our bullpen is getting rusty. This would have been a perfect game to get a couple of those arms (Shouse, Riske) in the game to get some action. Pitchers thrive on repetition, so sitting around out in left field chewing on sunflower seeds doesn't help them pitch better off of a mound. I'm all for CC throwing complete games, because sometimes I get a little nervous when Mota or Gagne comes in to pitch, but 130 pitches when your team has a comfortable margin is ridiculous. We don't need CC's arm to fall off in the playoffs. I know that the guy is a beast (or a horse) but enough is enough. I'd like to blame Ned, but I'm thinking that this isn't his call. How many times have we seen Sheets get all fired up when Ned comes to take him out? A starting pitcher wants to go out and throw all 9 innings, get the win, and keep the other team off of the board. No one wants to exit the game. I'm sure Ned asked CC if he could do it, and CC said he wanted to stay in and finish the game. Ned could have pulled him because he's the boss, but that just goes to show you that Ned is a player's manager and trusts his players to be open and honest. By not babying them (they are all grown men, and not only that, but they are well trained athletes) and telling them what to do, and having the confidence in his players to make their own decision, the players then trust themselves. It comes around full circle, and it seems to be working in the Brewers' favor. Time will tell on that, but apparently it's a big enough issue for me to spend time talking about it. Have we just made it too big of an issue than it already was? Probably, but since the offense was so good today, that is the only thing from this game that comes out as semi-negative. Oh, and the Brewers scored 9 runs today, and only 1 of them was via the homerun. That's a great sign, because if they can do it now, then they should be able to do it in September and October. Final score Brewers 9, Astros 3.

Brewers record : 72 - 54, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

Game 2 (Tuesday) - Ben Sheets (11-7, 3.16 ERA) vs Brian Moehler (9-4, 3.87 ERA)

So CC throws a complete game and limits the number of runs allowed, then the next day Ben Sheets goes out and gets rocked. This is becoming an all too familiar story that I am sick and tired of having to write about. I'm not going to sit here and place any more blame on Sheets, we all know that he's pitching like crap right now. Hell, even he knows it, and he's addressed it to the media when they keep asking him the same G D questions. Hopefully this means that he's saving up his good games for September, because if he's lights out, then we will be an unstoppable juggernaut. The bigger problem at hand is the fact that Ben Sheets has never won more than 12 games in a season despite consistently sporting a low ERA. Why? Lack of run support. There's stats to prove it, but I won't bore you with them right now, but if you've been watching the games that Sheets has pitched since the All-Star Break, you'd see that he has to be damn near perfect to record a victory. How else do you explain the fact that he has only won 1 game since the break while his ERA virtually hasn't changed? Case in point - the Brewers scored 2 early runs then shut it down for the rest of the day. While Sheets wasn't his best (he gave up 5 runs in 6 innings) you can't expect to win when you only score 2 runs. I'm tired of complaining, so I'm going to move on to game 3. Hopefully I can pull a positive rabbit out of that hat. Final score Astros 5, Brewers 2.

Brewers record : 72 - 55, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

Game 3 (Sunday) - Manny Parra (10-6, 4.10 ERA) vs Wandy Rodriguez (7-6, 4.11 ERA)

Manny rebounded nicely from his last start, and while he once again failed to go deep into the game, it wasn't necessarily a bad thing. In my posting on Manny's last start, I mentioned that he was close to topping (if he hasn't already topped) his number of innings pitched in a season. Down the stretch run, you start to get concerned about the little things, but you have to make sure that the little things don't get in the way of the big picture, like winning ball games. Because it doesn't matter how many innings Manny throws in a season if the Brewers can't find a way to win and make it to the playoffs. But they did find a way to win today, so we won't worry about that until tomorrow. Let's just take it one day at a time folks. The Brewers won today, and found a way to take the series against Houston. And JJ Hardy, who is lighting up my fantasy baseball team, hit his 19th home run of the year and helped me to increase my statistical dominance over the opposition. Woo-hoo!! Final score Brewers 5, Astros 2.

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Brewers record : 73 - 55, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

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So Coop was wrong. You could probably see that one coming a mile away. I know that he is a first year manager, so let me give him a nickels worth of free advice. Wanna know how to rile up your opponents? Come into town and say that you're going to sweep them. People (especially athletes) love it when you tell them that they are going to lose, and lose bad. And get swept at their own park by someone in their own division. Coop, that was probably the worst thing that you could have done. Now our players went out of their way to prove you wrong. If Pittsburgh and Cincinnati weren't so terribly bad, then you would be fighting for the basement in the NL Central. But relax Coop, you just might finish at .500 this year, with a possible winning record if you play well. You have no shot at the wild card or division title, but hey, at least you tried. That's more than I can say for Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. They traded away all of their best players in yet another rebuilding year. Long term mainstays such as the Pirates' Jason Bay (traded to the Red Sox) and Xavier Nady (New York Yankees) are gone, and Ken Griffey Jr. (Chicago White Sox) and Adam Dunn (Arizona Diamondbacks) are playing for contenders. All the while when Milwaukee went out and got CC Sabathia. I've been there, so I know how it feels when your team sells off it's biggest stars, and I hope it never happens again to the Brew Crew. But since it will, I hope that we can at least be competitive, instead of just thinking that we are like this Houston group. But hey, at least their trying. It's so cute that the Astros think that they can sit at the grown up table with the adults. Not so fast Houston, back to the kids table and finish your chicken fingers and Jello. In a few years you can talk about Adult topics like laundry, politics, and retirement plans. For now, just sit back and enjoy Hannah Montana and SpongeBob Squarepants.

Next up - August 22 (Friday) - August 24 (Sunday) Milwaukee Brewers vs Pittsburgh Pirates at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI

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- pookon -

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http://www.pookon.com/
email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

It's as easy as shooting fish in a barrel...

...which is really not that easy if you think about it. Why do they say that then? I haven't been fishing in a few years, but I used to go back with my grandparents when I was younger. If I recall, fish are very slippery and when you take them off the hook and try to put them somewhere, they flip around violently and try to break free. And throwing a slippery moving object? There's no way in hell that that is easy, and trust me, I know. I've made a living out of throwing wet objects (ping pong balls) into barrels (plastic cups) so you can consider me an expert on the subject.

I assume that they are talking about live fish being thrown into the barrel, or else the quote would be "it's as easy as throwing dead fish in a barrel!" I haven't handled a whole lot of dead fish in my day, but I'd have to imagine that a cold dead lifeless fish would be easier to grab a hold of than a live one. One of these days, I'll become a real journalist, question professionals and do some on the scene investigation, which would allow for factual reporting instead of assumptions. But then of course, I would have to actually try, meet deadlines, and be professional. And I don't think that professionals are allowed to write stories about shooting fish in a barrel complete with a sweet twisted picture that makes sense and doesn't make sense at the same time. That having been said, I don't see myself ever becoming a professional journalist. This shit that I do here is just way too much fun.

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So this just goes to show you that some things don't make sense when you sit down, break it apart, and ponder over the meaning of the statement. We throw these sayings into the conversation without any thought or warning of the ramifications of their use. When someone says "it's as easy as shooting fish in a barrel" you need to figure out that the person who said it is in fact lying to you, because this sort of thing is not easy. Someone who lies is not a trustworthy person, and if that person is your friend, then it also causes you to reexamine your relationship with that person. You think back to all of the moments you have shared, and it makes you doubt some of the things they told you in confidence. Did their parents really leave them stranded at Wal-Mart when they were 6 years old (which lead them to believe they were neglected as children) or did they just make that story up to gain sympathy? You no longer are able to trust to your friend, and it was all because they used a common phrase without thinking.

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There are plenty of other phrases that people use with reckless abandon, and I don't want to take up too much of your time, but use caution when uttering these phrases :

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"killing 2 birds with 1 stone" - the person who said this is a homicidal and sadistic murder who takes pleasure in killing defenseless animals with blunt objects.

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"a penny saved is a penny earned" - don't expect this person to pay for drinks or leave a tip. This person will use you for your money and and will put a drain on your wallet.

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"there's no sense in crying over spilled milk" - why the hell not? If someone loves milk, and spilled it, I can see crying about it. If I dropped a case of beer or a bottle of rum and it broke, I'd be balling my eyes out. You can't tell me when to or when not to cry. I can cry if I want to dammit. Then I'd dry my tears, lie face down on the ground, and slurp up every last drop of alcohol. I paid for that shit, and I'll be damned if plants and ants get drunk at my expense.

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"the devil is in the details" - no, the devil is in hell. People that don't know that are idiots.

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"let the cat out of the bag" - seriously, who keeps cats in bags? PETA should get at these people for animal cruelty. Cats should be on farms or chilling on window sills.

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"curiosity killed the cat" - no, it was keeping the cat in the bag with no food, water, or air that killed the cat.

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And my favorite, "it's always in the last place that you look" - of course it is, why would you keep looking for something once you've already found it?

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Avoid using these phrases and the countless others that sound just like them, and you will avoid sounding like a jackass. If each person who reads this does that, then we will have less morons in this world. But since I'm going to keep shooting fishes in barrels and taking everything except the kitchen sink (f*ck the kitchen sink), this world is screwed. I know that you'll keep doing it too, so all hope for mankind is lost for all time. But when it rains it pours, we will put all of our eggs in one basket, beat a dead horse, burn the midnight oil, burn bridges, burn the candle at both ends, take a shot in the dark, and judge books by their covers. We're all gonna die. God help us.

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- pookon -

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http://www.pookon.com/

email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Brewers @ Dodgers 8/15 - 8/17 : Series Wrap-Up

Series 40 - Milwaukee Brewers @ Los Angeles Dodgers August 15 - August 17 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA

I really wanted to be in Los Angeles for this series. It has been far too many years since I have been to Southern California, and I've been itching to go back. My Aunt and Uncle lived out there for much of my childhood, so we would go visit them every year around Christmas. When my Dad was working for Miller Brewery, my Mom and brother and sister moved out there for 6 long months. I went back to visit family and friends out there for several years, but that all changed when my Dad moved away from California. As far as I can recall, I haven't been back there since 2005 when we went out there for our friend Craig's Wedding. For someone who used to go there every year, it's been a little odd to go this long. I have since supplemented my need for West Coast mentality and In-N-Out Burger by making a yearly pilgrimage to Las Vegas for the World Series of Beer Pong, but it just isn't the same since there is no Ocean in Las Vegas. I was planning on going to see Craig, and also take some time to hang with the Film 101 Crew (the guys behind Last Cup : Road to the World Series of Beer Pong, the documentary that I am in) but I just couldn't do it. I spent all of my reserve money going to Las Vegas for the film premiere in mid June, and used up all of my vacation time when I went to Afterglow during the last week of July. With no money and no time, I had no choice but to watch these games from the safety of my living room on the East Side of Milwaukee. While I have no doubt that it would've been a sweet trip, my lack of vacation time and lack of funds made it impossible for me to know the truth. Besides, judging from the end results, 2 out of the 3 games would have been tough to watch. Uh-oh, I just spilled the beans. Not like you didn't already know. Ok then, on with the wrap-up.

Game 1 (Friday) - Manny Parra (9-6, 4.12 ERA) vs Chad Billingsley (12-9, 3.10 ERA)

Remember when Manny Parra was 9-2? I remember a little bit, but it is quickly fading. What started out as a very promising rookie campaign (although he technically is not qualified as a rookie because of service time) has headed south as of late. And you know, it's not like he's getting rocked for like 8 runs every time out, it's like he just isn't as sharp as he was midseason. I know that people are going to point out that he has exceeded his inning limit already this year, and that he should be used sparingly to avoid injury, and they may say that he's tired. I don't think that he is tired yet, but you can definitely see how much more pressure there is in during a full year at the Major League level versus the Minor Leagues. He's feeling it, and although has said that he will keep his rotation in place throughout the rest of the year, something has to be done to avoid Manny breaking down due to overwork. After all, we need him for the stretch run and possibly the playoffs. The Brewers scored 3 early runs, courtesy of Gabe Kapler's 2 run homerun. Kapler has been filling in for the injured Braun, and he has been doing a fantastic job. It's great to have quality veteran backups. Kapler is right up there with Torres and Kendall as best signing ever by Doug Melvin. I can't possibly heap any more praise upon them then I already have. But I certainly will try. Oh yeah, and Parra gave up 4 runs off of 10 hits in just 5 2/3 innings. Ugh. After the 1st 2 innings, the Brewers were basically shut down by the Dodgers pitching staff, and this game was over. Not a very good way to start off the series. Final score Dodgers 5, Brewers 3.

Brewers record : 70 - 53, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

Game 2 (Saturday) - Dave Bush (7-9, 4.26 ERA) vs Derek Lowe (9-10, 3.99 ERA)

I should really be ashamed of myself. Although I was available to watch the game in its entirety, I chose to drink and work on my website. I'm a bit behind, so I decided that I could kill two birds with one stone (I hate myself for using that common and overused idiom) by typing and keeping the Brewers ESPN Gamecast open on the side of the screen. Since I was in the middle of moving, I only had 1 TV in my room (which is a rarity) and had to flip between the TV and my computer to watch the game or type. I was all liquored up, and when I do that, I usually feel like working on the site. I couldn't deny my inner creative genius from coming out and knocking out some of those long awaited web pages. Turns out that I missed one hell of a game to have my attention divided. Kapler, Cameron, and Hart each made fantastic unbelievable catches to save extra base hits, runs from scoring, and in Kapler's case, homeruns. Kapler's catch took him into the stands in left field, and it outdid Hart and Cameron because robbing a homerun always takes precedence on SportsCenter's web gems. If they allow more than 10, then all 3 catches would have made it. But they usually choose the best of the 3, and Kapler's catch will surely go down as one of the best defensive gems for the Brewers all season. Bush got lucky with the defense playing well behind him, but he also was good as he only allowed 2 runs off of 5 hits in 7 innings. JJ Hardy had himself a roller coaster 8th - 10th innings though. In the 8th, he hit a 2 run homerun that put the Brewers up 3 -2, then committed a costly error in the 9th that tied the game at 3 and cost Bush the win. But then he came through in the 10th inning with a single that scored Ray Durham from 2nd. Riske flirted with danger in the 10th, but struck out Manny Ramirez to end the game and I jumped around my empty room with drunken glee. Then I settled down, took a couple of victory shots, then resumed work on the sight. Great night all around. I just wish that I was able to watch the game and move at the same time. Moving is a real bitch. Final score Brewers 4, Dodgers 3.

Brewers record : 71 - 53, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

Game 3 (Sunday) - Jeff Suppan (8-7, 4.62 ERA) vs Clayton Kershaw (2-3, 3.59 ERA)

(Written before the game) I hope that Jeff Suppan got a little bit of home cookin' at his LA area restaurant Soup's Grill, because he's going to need all the sustenance he can get to perform at an elevated level. The Brewers desperately needed a win to close out the road trip, so that the long ass flight from LA to Milwaukee isn't spent sulking. We want them to spend in celebrating and harassing the stewardesses...errr....flight attendants.

This game was as exciting as harassing flight attendants, getting arrested by the air marshal on the plane, being thrown in jail, appearing in court and paying fines; and it was just as painful too. Despite being a Sunday, I was unable to watch this game because I was moving all of the shit that I was not able to move on Thursday. So while Paul and I were carrying desk, dressers and couches up and down the stairs, the Brewers were busy getting beat by the Dodgers. Soup had a Suppan like day, as he allowed 4 runs on 9 hits in 6 innings. The offense was kept in check for 8 innings, but then suddenly awoke and remembered that they were playing baseball in the 9th inning. When I last heard the score, it was 5-1 in the 9th inning, and I was outside of radio contact from then on. When I heard that the Brewers scored 4 runs in the top of the 9th inning, I was ecstatic. The Brewers manufactured 2 runs, then Ryan Braun, playing in his first game in nearly a week, hit a 2 run homer in the 9th to tie it all up at 5-5. But then Villanueva gave up a walk off homerun to Andre Ethier with a man on 1st, then suddenly that comeback was wiped away and the Brewers were walking off the field while the Dodgers ganged up on Ethier at home plate. I'm almost glad I didn't see/hear it, because I don't know that I can handle that up and down influx of emotions. But I wish that I would have seen it, because a true Brewer fans rides along with the good and the bad, the ups and the downs, and the wins and the losses. I consider myself to be true Brew. But I just couldn't this day, because moving just really kicked my ass. Rough day all around, but I'm glad that it is over. Final score Dodgers 7, Brewers 5.

Brewers record : 71 - 54, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

So it didn't end exactly like we wanted it to, and although we lost this series, we still went 3-3 on this West Coast roadtrip. That's better than anything that we have done in years past, and in no means is it something to hang your head over. Although the Brewers are without a doubt better than both of these teams on paper, it is still a tall order to ask a visiting team to win or sweep the the series on the road. Baseball is one sport where there is such a homefield advantage, because the home team can decide the fate of the game with one swing of the bat and then it is over. Case in point - Ethier's walk off homerun in the 9th inning of Sunday's game. The Brewers scrapped so hard to come back and tie it, and all it takes is one homerun and the game is over. There's no extra innings, no shootouts or overtime. Game over man, game over. That's it. THAT IS IT. 1 team goes home happy and one team goes home sad. But it's ok, because the Dodgers have a bigger uphill climb to make it to the playoffs, but they can thank their lucky stars they only have to beat the Diamondbacks. We still have to beat the Cubs and Cardinals, the 1st and 3rd best teams in the league. But hey, I'll take a 3-3 roadtrip then come home to face the Houston Astros and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Play .500 on the road and clean up at home, and you'll be rockin' in the playoffs. But enough with that playoffs talk, we still have September to go until we can worry about the postseason. We gotta finish what's left on our plates before we even consider desert. Mmmm.... desert.

Next up - August 18 (Monday) - August 20 (Wednesday) Milwaukee Brewers vs Houston Astros at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI

- pookon -

http://www.pookon.com/
email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Brewers @ Padres 8/12 - 8/14 : Series Wrap-Up

Series 39 - Milwaukee Brewers @ San Diego Padres August 12 - August 14 at Petco Park Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI

Times have always been tough for the Brewers on the West Coast. I don't know if it is the time difference, or the flight, or the distance from home, but I always cringe when I look at the schedule and see the West Coast road trip. Truth be told, the Padres, Giants and Giants really aren't that good (and I guess the same can be said for Arizona) so I don't understand why the Brewers struggle so much here. A lot is always said about Petco Park being a pitchers park, and due to the dimensions and location (by the salty sea) the ball carries differently there. It has a real spacious outfield, so the guys playing out there need to be on their toes. Besides that, I really don't get why it is tough to play there. I guess from my recliner or computer chair, I can sit back and judge without ever being asked to perform at a high level at that place, so I might as well shut my mouth before they put me out there to prove that I am better than them. I am a semi-professional athlete (thanks to my appearance in 3 consecutive World Series of Beer Pong competitions) but there's no way that I'm even remotely close to being in the same league as Gabe Kapler, Ryan Braun, Mike Cameron and Corey Hart. Those guys sure are something special. I wonder if they will factor into any of these road games (including the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.) In case you didn't get the hint, these outfielders will play a significant role in the outcome here. Gosh, I shouldn't have had to say that, I was laying it on pretty G D thick. Get your melon examined dude, you may have a screw loose. Sorry about the insults, I don't mean to lay it all on you. It's not your fault that you can't understand things. Blame your parents.

Game 1 (Monday) - Jeff Suppan (8-7, 4.56 ERA) vs Cha Seung Baek (4-7, 5.20 ERA)

Jeff Suppan really needed a good start today to keep the trend going. All 4 other pitchers did really well their last time out, and 3 out of the 4 of them personally secured victories but the Brewers were victorious in all 4 games. Suppan stepped up to the challenge and went 8 solid innings, giving up only 2 runs. Since the game is being played in San Diego, the game started at 9:00 pm central time, which was nice because on Mondays I only work until 7:00 pm. I met my brother Tim at the Oakland Trattoria and watched the game in its entirety, and got discounted drinks courtesy of his girlfriend Sarah, who works at the joint. I got some pasta in alfredo sauce and some sweet faccachia bread. All in all, it was a great night, but I'm making myself hungry right now just think about that food. I best get back to the game wrap-up, or I might start eating the keys off of my keyboard. Tht wuld mk it hrd t typ. Oh snap! Whr th hll did my lttrs go? Sht. Mike Cameron made his presence known at his former ballpark (he was a member of these Padres in 2006 + 2007) by hitting a homerun in his first at bat and making a couple of great defensive plays. Say what you want about his strikeouts and his .234 batting average - he is the best defender on the team, brings valuable veteran leadership, and has great power numbers (19 homeruns and 49 RBIs despite missing the entire month of April). I see no reason why we shouldn't exercise his 2009 option. Fielder added a 3 run homer, and he is quickly catching up to the team lead held by Braun, who is out of the lineup do to a muscle injury around his ribcage. Come back soon Braun. Final score Brewers 5, Padres 2.

Brewers record : 69 - 51, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

Game 2 (Saturday) - CC Sabathia (13-8, 3.04 ERA) vs Josh Banks (3-5, 4.37 ERA)

I don't like to predict a win because I think that it can jinx it, but I guaranteed this win. I would have put some money down on the game, but my work computer has blocked my online gambling webpage. Bastards. Why can't I gamble and look at porn at work? There's nothing wrong with that, right? They also blocked EBay, which really doesn't give me anything to do. Thankfully, they allow me to access ESPN's Gameday, so I can at least follow my Brewers when I'm stuck in this hellhole during a game. I really wished that I did toss some money down, because once again I would've made some dollars off of CC and the boys. In a rare oddity, CC Sabathia didn't pitch a complete game, and only made it through 7 today. It was ok though, because he only allowed 1 run and the offense spotted him 7 to work with. Fielder his another homerun today, but Corey Hart was the big hero today, as he went 3 for 5 with 3 RBIs and 1 run scored. The big strike was his bases clearing triple in the 5th inning that sealed the deal. Orf orf orf, like that slot machine up at the Lac Vieux Desert Casino in Watersmeet. What more can you say about CC? Every single time he goes out there and effectively prices himself out of Milwaukee's range. At least we can appreciate him while he is here. Hooray for CC! I love you. Final score Brewers 7, Padres 1.

Brewers record : 70 - 51, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

Game 3 (Sunday) - Ben Sheets (11-6, 3.00 ERA) vs Jake Peavy (9-8, 2.61 ERA)

The mighty Ben Sheets has ace envy, and it seems he no longer believes in himself. His pitches just don't have that same zip and life on them, and he is really starting to disappoint me. Today was a day game, and I had off of work, so normally I would be allowed to sit and watch the entire game and probably open up some fine Milwaukee brewed beverages, but today was not a normal day. Since I don't own a car, I had to borrow my Mom's to start moving into my new apartment. It's a good thing that I missed the majority of this game, because for the most part it was not very fun to watch. Sheets actually did his part today, going 7 innings and allowing 3 runs (although those runs all came around to score in the 7th inning). The offense pulled a 2004 on him and gave him little to no run support, and the often criticized Mike Cameron provided all of the offense today. He knocked in a run in the 7th, and hit a solo homerun in the 9th, but that's all that Milwaukee could muster against Jake Peavy and the Padres bullpen. It was Sheets vs Peavy, and you expected a high scoring affair? It's just too bad the Brewers couldn't pull this one out, but it's to be expected when facing a pitcher like Peavy. Final score Padres 3, Brewers 2.

Brewers record : 70 - 52, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

I hate the expectations that I put on this team in 2008. They win 2 of 3 on the road against a West Coast team and I'm pissed off that they didn't sweep the series. I figure since it is the Padres (who should be the worst team in the NL, but those lowly Washington Nationals keep on losing) the Brewers should win every single game. But they didn't. It sucks for Sheets to keep losing, but this one really wasn't his fault. He just kind of gave up too many runs too late in the game and the Brewers offense got stymied by Peavy and Hoffman. But hey, it happens more often than not. So now we have to take some kind of momentum going up The 5 to Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are another team struggling in the pathetic NL West, but the Brewers have also historically played poorly at Dodger Stadium. I guess we'll see, but since I already know, I have to live without optimism of that series. Curse me and these post-series wrap-ups.

Next up - August 15 (Friday) - August 17 (Sunday) Milwaukee Brewers @ Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CA

- pookon -

http://www.pookon.com/
email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Brewers vs Nationals 8/8 - 8/11 : Series Wrap-Up

Series 38 - Milwaukee Brewers vs Washington Nationals August 8 - August 11 at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI

Some people may say that it is cruel beating up someone who is smaller and weaker than you, and for the most part, I agree with them. Except when it comes to sports. If you can't hang with the big boys, then you shouldn't be playing. The Montreal Expos were the laughing stock of Major League Baseball, so what did they do? Move to Washington D.C. so that they still could be the laughing stock of Major League Baseball. The Expos had some good teams, and terrific players in their past (Vladimir Guerrero, Pedro Martinez, Andrew Dawson, Tim Raines) but they never amounted to anything and the fan support dwindled to less than 10,000 per game. That, and the fact that they were sold, led them to relocate to Washington D.C. But they are still the worst team in the NL, and can't compete with teams like the Brewers. I challenge you to name 1 player on the Washington Nationals. The only one that I can remember is Ryan Zimmerman, mostly because he was int he running for rookie of the year in 2006 (the same year Prince Fielder was in contention. It eventually went to Hanley Ramirez of the Florida Marlins.) But in 2008, the Brewers beat up teams like the Nationals, steal their lunch money, give them wedgies, and make them go home crying to their Mommies. It's not mean, it's just baseball. The Brewers were one of those teams a few years ago, so I know exactly what it's like for your hometown team to suck. It hurts, which is why I'm glad that the Brewers finally decided to be a better team. Geez, took them long enough. So with the Nationals in town for a quick 4-game homestand, we should have plenty of chances for victories. If we can't beat teams like the Nationals, then we should just move the team down to Huntsville and let the Stars come up and take their roster spots. You don't deserve to play Major League baseball if you can't beat teams worse than you. But since the Brewers did come out on top (in all 4 games, sorry to spill the beans prematurely) no one, not even Craig Counsell, has to worry about their roster spot being taken by some 22-year old future superstar. Ok, so enough of that, on with the wrap-up.

Game 1 (Friday) - CC Sabathia (12-8, 3.11 ERA) vs Collin Balester (2-4, 4.66 ERA)

Is there anything that CC Sabathia can't do? Well, he can't fit into a little man's coat, has trouble with legroom in airplanes and cars, and isn't satisfied by the Big Box meal at Taco Bell, but he sure as hell does everything when he steps on the field. Sabathia, (much to the delight of the home crowd) shut down the lowly Nationals and kept them off of the scoreboard. He even chipped in with 1 of Milwaukee's 6 base hits. Fielder, Hart and Cameron put the Brewers on the board early (Brewers leading 4-0 after 3 innings) and that's all that they needed, although Hardy tacked on a solo home run in the 7th just for good measure. If it were possible, you could give CC Sabathia just 1/2 of a run, and he would still lead the Brewers to victory by pitching a complete game shutout. That would be an interesting score - Brewers 1/2, Nationals 0. But the Brewers spotted him 5, and he rocked Miller Park, and the fans went wild. Enjoy it while you can Brewers fans, because you won't be seeing a pitcher of this caliber again until Gallardo gets a couple of years under his belt. Final score Brewers 5, Nationals 6.

Brewers record : 65 - 51, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

Game 2 (Saturday) - Ben Sheets (11-5, 2.95 ERA) vs Tim Redding (8-7, 4.61 ERA)

It has been duly noted by all of the sports reporting people (JSOnline, ESPN, etc.) that Ben Sheets has struggled since CC Sabathia joined the Brewers. They were dubbed co-aces of this pitching staff, but there's only 1 person who has performed like an ace, and it isn't Ben Sheets. Maybe Sheets has ace envy, or maybe he's finally seeing what makes up a true ace. Whatever the case was, it's a tall order to ask Ben Sheets to follow up CC Sabathia's complete game shutout performance yesterday. No matter what he does today, it will pale in comparison to Sabathia's gem. Except for tossing a complete game shutout of his own, which is exactly what he did. But how exactly do they compare, and who came out ahead? Here is a look at the stats.

CC Sabathia : 9 IP, 5 hits, 1 BB, 0 ER, 9 strikeouts

Ben Sheets : 9 IP, 5 hits, 0 BB, 0 ER, 6 strikeouts

A little too close to call, right? You might say that Sabathia had a better day because he struck out more batters, and by saying that you are correct. However, let us also compare their hitting totals, since when you pitch 9 innings, you are going to get 4 plate appearances in which to help yourself and your team earn the victory.

CC Sabathia : 1 for 4, 0 RBI, 1 strikeout

Ben Sheets : 1 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 strikeout

As far as hitting goes, Ben Sheets wins that one. But these guys don't get paid to hit, they get paid to pitch. So that means the winner for the "Which co-Ace is the real Ace" competition goes to.....CC Sabathia (again.) Ben Sheets once again doesn't stand a chance when being compared to this winning machine, and CC once again steamrolls the competition. Although they aren't competing (cause their on the same team) CC knows in his heart and in his mind that he is better. Well CC, I bet it must feel good to be right. I'm not saying that I don't like Ben Sheets, but if I had 100 chances to chose either Ben Sheets or CC Sabathia, I'd probably use CC 90 out of 100. I choose Ben 4 times for each of his complete game shutouts, 1 for his 18 game strikeout performance against Atlanta in 2004, 1 for his Olympic Gold medal in 2000, 1 for his Cy Young caliber season in 2004, 1 for being the opening day starter for the Brewers, 1 for the his Brewers record 265 strikeouts in 2004, and 1 for being the longest tenured player on the team. CC gets 90 votes for being CC. Enough said. So that was a lot of meaningless debate, because everyone in their right mind is going to say that CC is bar far a superior pitcher than Ben Sheets. But Sheets was damn near perfect today, and if he keeps matching CC, we are unstoppable. Oh, and the Brewers offense scored 6 runs today instead of the 5 that they gave to CC. The Brewers did what they did best, and balls were flying out of the park courtesy of Durham (his 1st as a Brewer), Hardy, and Hart. Final score Brewers 6, Nationals 0.

Brewers record : 66 - 51, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

Game 3 (Sunday) - Manny Parra (9-5, 4.02 ERA) vs John Lannan (6-11, 3.40 ERA)

After CC and Benny had shut down the Nationals offense, a lot was riding on Manny Parra's already heavy shoulders. He kept them off the board for 5 innings, but then gave up a run. He finished with 7 innings pitched and allowed only that 1 run, and struck out 9 batters. So that was good, but here in Milwaukee we have to take the good with the bad. Eric Gagne keeps proving that he is a useless turd, and today I officially renounce my support of him. I trusted Doug Melvin when he brought him in to be our closer, because I trust Mr. Melvin to a fault. But Melvin made a mistake on this one, and he way overpaid for that Candian steroid injecting loser. It's impossible for Gagne to lower his ERA below 6.00 at this point (it's at a sky high 6.98!) and I wouldn't be surprised if the Brewers left him off of the playoff roster (considering that they make it there) just like the Boston Red Sox did last year. Gagne came in with the game tied at 1-1 and gave up 3 runs (2 of them being homeruns) in the 8th inning, and I left the game. I was working (it was a Sunday) so normally I would stay till the end, win or loss, but today we were having a get together in my Mom's backyard to celebrate my Nana + Papa's 54th Wedding Anniversary. Since my brother Tim was coming to pick me up, I had to leave at the time that I did. Gagne's poor excuse for pitching certainly helped sway my decision towards leaving. But somewhere between the Stadium and my Mom's house (a mere 6 miles), the Brewers tied the game at 4 on a Mike Rivera bases-clearing double. That guy should really play more often, but I also value what Jason Kendall has done with this pitching staff this year. Kendall should take a few days off to stay fresh for the playoffs (once again, considering that they make it there) in September, but chances are that he'll start every game and look ragged at seasons end. Gabe Kapler emerged as the hero today, and my family cheered loud from my Mom's living room as he hit a walk-off homerun in the 12th inning to clinch the series. The Brewers had way too many chances to score runs today, and the fact that they left 16 men on base is troubling. But forget all of your troubles, since the Brewers won today. And then I got to eat brats, potato salad, and taco dip, drink some Miller Chill and slap the bag of box wine in my Mom's basement. That sounds like a good day. Final score Brewers 5, Nationals 4.

Brewers record : 67 - 51, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

Game 4 (Monday) - Dave Bush (7-9, 4.35 ERA) vs Garrett Mock (0-3, 5.59ERA)

Today's game was one of those rare 4 game series wrap-around games. And a day game at that, no less. The game was not on TV today, but I didn't care because I started work at 10:30 am and caught the game as usual on ESPN's gamecast. The only big thing to discuss in this win was Rickie Week's 10th homerun of the game. The reason that it is so important is that with this homerun, the Brewers now have 8 players in double digits. I'm using today's stats (as of August 19 because I'm too lazy to go back and look up what they were on August 11). Leading the way is Braun (31), followed by Fielder (28), Cameron (21), Hart (19), Hardy (18), Hall (14), Branyan (12) and Weeks (10). I know that chicks and Bernie dig the long ball, but it isn't necessarily a good or bad thing that we hit this many. As long as we can manufacture some runs when the ball isn't flying out of the park, then I'm fine if they bash the living shit out of the baseball. Bush continued to lower his ERA (I don't want to jinx it, but it's approaching 4.00) and the Brewers continued to score runs against the Nationals. And there you have it, a 4 game sweep of the worst team in baseball. Congratulations Milwaukee, way to make those lowly Nationals feel even worse about themselves. Jerks. But they are my kind of jerks. Final score Brewers 7, Nationals 1.

Brewers record : 68 - 51, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

It was a short homestand, but it was a short awesome 4 game winning homestand. Truth be told, it was just the Nationals, and we're expected to win these games, but a win is a win, no matter who you play. When I look in the Win column at the end of the year, I won't see which teams they beat and which one they didn't, because every W gets counted the same way. I'll certainly remember some of the big wins that set this season apart from others, but the bottom line will always be the same. If you can't win games, you don't go to the playoffs. So tack on 4 more Ws to our win total courtesy of the Washington Nationals. Come to town anytime you feel like it boys, the capacity crowds at Miller Park will always welcome you with open arms. Of course, we'll beat you on the field, make you feel like a bunch of losers, then send you packing. But hey, at least you can come to Milwaukee and enjoy some brats, beer and ethnic festivals. That's got to count for something, right? Pleasure doing business with you Washington, and I see that your baseball team is as effective as your politicians. Ooo... sick burn. If I knew more about politics (or if I really gave a damn) then I could use this space to make satirical quips about the state of our country's electoral and political system and its candidates. But since I don't, I'll just leave this blog entry satisfied that I was able to make 1 good jab at politicians. That is all for now.

Next up - August 12 (Tuesday) - August 14 (Thursday) Milwaukee Brewers @ San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego, CA

- pookon -

http://www.pookon.com/
email : pookondotcom@gmail.com

Brewers @ Reds 8/4 - 8/6 : Series Wrap-Up

Series 37 - Milwaukee Brewers @ Cincinnati Reds August 4 - August 6 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH

Everyone (except those lousy Northsiders) can agree that the Brewers - Cubs series was a horrendous affair, but winning 2 out of 3 in Atlanta then traveling to Cincinnati to play the last place Reds sweetened those feelings a little bit. I'll still be pissed off at the Cubs (it's in my blood) but at least I can sleep a little easier at night when the 2008 Brewers win on the road, which is something that their predecessors could never figure out how to do. The 2007 Milwaukee Brewers finished with a horrid 32 - 49 record, something that they have identified as a problem. So far this year, (after this series) they are 32 - 28, which matches their win total from last year, and we still have 1 1/2 months left to play. Outstanding. Sure, their home record isn't as ridiculously good as it was last year, but it's good enough that the Brewers have one of the best records in the National League. That fact that we started to play better on the road could signal a real turn around, and i hate to jinx it, but I know where I'll be in October. Enough with that though, there's still plenty of baseball to be played. Now on with the wrap-up.

Game 1 (Monday) - Manny Parra (9-5, 4.18 ERA) vs Bronson Arroyo (10-8, 5.55 ERA)

Wanna know an easy way to tell that the Brewers lost when looking at my blog entry? I only write like a mini paragraph wrap-up. Unless something happens during the game that really pisses me off, why sit and dwell on a loss? That's the beauty of baseball - until the last few days in September, there's always another game tomorrow. That usually would apply to a loss, but this just isn't any loss, this was a really tough loss. On the field, it was pretty average. Manny Parra gave up 6 runs in 6 innings (but they all came in the 5th and 6th) which led to my next point. Off the field however, was an entirely different story. From my perspective (and from what I read online) this is what happened. Parra had a no hitter going into the 5th, then he totally lost it and allowed all the runs. The Brewers were suddenly down 6-0, and Manny was pinch hit for in the 7th. Parra grabbed his jacket to go back to the clubhouse, and Prince Fielder shoved him towards the bench, and said something, which most figure to be along the lines of sit down and stay with your team while we bat instead of going back to the clubhouse. Sure, there were expletives in there as well (it was caught on TV by the cameras) and when Manny got up and kept on walking, Prince shoved him again, and this time it was in the face. Ray Durham, Dave Bush, Ryan Braun, and Mike Maddux did a rumble fumble pile-on on top of Prince to stop him from murdering Parra. It looked pretty ugly on TV, but I guess it was just Prince losing his cool. They resolved everything the next day, and I really don't see any long term effects happening from it. Prince is a really aggressive person, and he was just blowing off some steam. Baseball players are like brothers, and like real life brothers, they get into fights. Just imagine your family and how much time you spend with them, and then think about these players. Most of them come from very different backgrounds, and they are expected to get along with each other. For the most part they do, and from what I hear, the Brewers have some of the best team chemistry in the entire league because they all are friends and get along well. After all, the core nucleus of the team all came up through the minors together. But every now and then you get into a fight with your best friends or siblings. Trust me, it happens. If it doesn't happen to you, then in no way are you human. Humans make mistakes, because not a single one of us is perfect. So it was an unfortunate event, and we wouldn't have even talked about it except for the fact that it was broadcast on TV. So I mentioned it too, and gave my rationale. So that's what happened, the Brewers scored a couple late runs, but it wasn't enough to take the focus off of Fielder and Parra, nor was it enough to win the game. Final score Reds 6, Brewers 3.

Brewers record : 62 - 51, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

Game 2 (Tuesday) - Dave Bush (6-9, 4.50 ERA) vs Edinson Volquez (13-5, 2.93 ERA)

After that dugout flair up yesterday, the Brewers could have gone either way. They could have stayed mad at each other and held grudges, which would result in poor chemistry, poor attitude, and poor play. Last year, the team would have tanked and had a rotten August. In fact, last year they did tank and have a rotten August following the shouting match between Ned Yost and Tony Graffanino and Johnny Estrada. But this isn't last year's team. This team responded by ganging up on Edinson Volquez, who has been one of the lone bright spot on an otherwise dull team. The hit him up for 5 runs in 5 innings, then tacked on some more on the bullpen arms. Those add on runs are the most important, because the Brewers traditionally score early and shut it down after that, allowing the other team to make a comeback. Since they kept scoring runs, and Dave Bush was once again magnificent, the Reds didn't even stand a chance. The way that they played today erased that dugout fracas out of my mind, and showed me that they were a resilient team. Hey, maybe this is our year after all. This was a really big game, and I have no doubt in my mind that this game (and yesterday's) will be looked upon as one of the roadmarkers in the 2008 season. Final score Brewers 8, Reds 1.

Brewers record : 63 - 51, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

Game 3 (Wednesday) - Jeff Suppan (7-7, 4.70 ERA) vs Homer Bailey (0-6, 7.93 ERA)

Since the All-Star break, CC, Big Ben, Manny, and DB have been outstanding. Hmmm.... who I am leaving off of that list? Oh I know, Soup. His contract has kept him in the starting rotation, but it is time for him to start producing results. I know that he was money last year in September, and that he most likely will again. His veteran presence and leadership, not to mention playoff experience will no doubt prove valuable to this team down the stretch run this year. But he still needs to take the mound every 5 days and perform. That is the bottom line all that I ask of him. Everything else is a bonus. Soup responded to my criticism by tossing a quality start - 7 innings pitched, 3 runs allowed. The Brewers offense doubled up on the Reds, and the Brewers won what could have been an incredibly disastrous series. Good show today, mostly because they scored all 6 runs without the benefit of a single home run. For a team that struggles with runners in scoring position, that's huge. Final score Brewers 6, Reds 3.

Brewers record : 64 - 51, 2nd place NL Central, 1st place NL Wild Card

When people mention the Reds series in August, the dugout altercation will certainly come to mind first. Hopefully by then it will be looked upon as a positive. Fighting is never good, and I really don't believe in physical violence because I don't think you can solve a problem with your fists, but it was less of a fight and more of a conflict. There are a very few lessons I have remembered from my Communication classes in college (alcohol has killed a lot of my brain cells), but I do remember that conflict is not always a bad thing. Conflict is generally viewed as fighting, but the word conflict is actually defined as "to come into collision or disagreement; be contradictory, at variance, or in opposition; clash." One of the definition does involve "a fight, battle, or struggle, esp. a prolonged struggle; strife." but it doesn't always involve fighting. This conflict was fairly normal, although it probably looked a lot worse than it actually was. And the seasons, they go round and round, and the painted ponies go up and down. We're captive on a carousel of time. We can't return, we can only look, behind from where we came. And go round and round and round in the circle game. That really made no sense right there, but I just felt like sticking it in there. Gotta love Afterglow, cause it allows me to put in seemingly irrelevant things in this blog, since only those closest to me will get it. So in your face everyone who doesn't know me, you don't get all the inside jokes. Gee, that's a wonderful way to attract new readers, eh? By flat out making fun of them? I never was too good at that 1st impression shit. Good day sir.

Next up - August 8 (Friday) - August 11 (Monday) Milwaukee Brewers vs Washington Nationals at Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI

- pookon -

http://www.pookon.com/
email : pookondotcom@gmail.com