25 Brewers in 25 Days - 2014 Recap - 3rd Base

I bet Aramis Ramirez felt real old in 2014. I felt his pain. He turned 36 years old this week. I turned 33. Life was rough for me as I tried to pretend I was still young as I hung out with the kids trying to keep up. It didn't work. No matter how much my brain or my heart was in it, the body just couldn't keep up. I imagine that this is what Ramirez felt like. I don't mean to knock him in any way, because I'm sure the guy could kick my ass. He's in better shape than I could ever dream to be. It's just that playing professional sports (and 162 games in like 180 days) has to take a toll on the body. You don't recover as quick as you once did. You don't have that bounce back the next day. You don't wake up in the morning with that same old pep in your step. I get it. It happens. While this is no excuse, it probably contributed to his mediocre season. He would never admit it (because why would you?), but there comes a time when you just aren't what you used to be. At that point, you think about hanging it up and calling it a career. I did it with Beer Pong. Maybe it's time for Ramirez to do it with baseball.

He really didn't have that bad of a year when you consider it. But aside from the batting average, his numbers were below his career norms. His homerun totals have decreased considerably and his RBIs are not sufficient for someone batting in the cleanup spot. He's in a position (and he's getting paid) to drive in runs, so when he doesn't, you have to hold him accountable for that. He didn't get the job done. If you want to put his season on paper, in black and white, clear as crystal, he didn't steal fizzy lifting drinks. He didn't bump into the ceiling which now needs to be washed. He didn't break the rules. But he DID lose. And he will not have a good day Sir. He was a disappointment. Sorry that I have to label him as that, but I'm done playing nice. The 2014 season really rubbed me the wrong way and I need to take out my anger on someone. Players need to be held accountable and fingers need to be pointed. This one is pointed directly at you Aramis.

Never even mind the money. The money given to professional athletes these days is absurd. As far as the game goes, Ramirez made what a guy of his experience and career averages should make. So let's throw that out the window. The window. The 2nd story window. He's in a position that demands production both in the lineup (batting 4th) and on the field (3rd base). You are paying him for results. He didn't deliver those results. That is the bottom line pal. At that point it is what it is. I don't really have anything to say about his 2014 season, so let's just skip to the part that you all came here for - the ridiculous videos that I do. I don't know how or why it has come to this, but I'll gladly step out of the way and let this motherfucker ascend to the throne. What? He's better than me. Why fight it? You can either stand here and die by the sword or capitulate to the enemy, live out your life and fall in line behind him. I'd rather live in shame than to die with honor.

Check out my 5th video, which recaps 3rd Base for the 2014 Milwaukee Brewers, recorded outside of my house on a Sunday morning. This was during a real bender of a weekend, so I had no idea what was going on at the time. I tried watching it just now, and I still don't have any idea what is going on. Classic.

My house is the home of the Iceman (at least for the time being). This is where I spend the majority of my time and it is also my fortress of solitude (and of no ladies). This is hardly a facility that houses major league talent, but I'm afraid this is all that a man of my statue and build can muster up on short notice. That's just the way life is pal. I'm dealing with it. I don't know why you are having such a hard time with it.

Aramis Ramirez #16 - .292 batting AVG, .365 OBP, 24 HRs, 97 RBIs and a chance to prove that he's only as old as he feels. And I know he's married and has kids, so he won't be feeling up any young hot totties. So Rami - how about throwing some of them my way? Spread the wealth pal.

.285 batting AVG, .330 OBP, 15 HR, 66 RBIs, 133 games plated and another year lost to injury. He ended his 3 year deal with the Brewers on a real down note. He wasn't the sole reason why the Brewers didn't make the playoffs, but his lack of offense in September was as bad as my lack of sexual interaction with the ladies.

I hate writing negative things. I don't want to sit here and tell you something that you already know and rehash some bad times/memories. I want to go out on a good note and finish this up with a hug or a pat on the back that will let you know that everything is going to be OK. But I can't do that. I won't sit here and lie to you. And you know what? There is NO Easter Bunny! Over there, that's just a guy in a suit! And a schooner IS a sailboat, stupid head. And Aramis Ramirez was a shell of his former self in 2014. You can blame his age, the injuries or you can blame Canada. You can even blame it on the rain. 'Cause the rain don't mind. And the rain don't care. You got to blame it on something. Blame it on the rain that was falling, falling. Blame it on the stars that shine at night. But whatever you do don't put the blame on you. Blame it on the rain yeah, yeah.

Did you hear that Ramirez? According to Milli Vanilli, you don't have to stand in the mirror in the morning and place the blame on yourself for what happened in the 2014 season. You can blame in on the rain. It wasn't your fault that the offense crumbled in September that led to your team missing the playoffs. So what if you hit .217 with 1 HR and 5 RBIs in September. This is a team game, right? You can't possibly blame just one guy for the team's faults. The Jackson 5 puts the blame on the boogie. Would you do that as well? Good luck with that one pal. Not many can reach the level of success and notoriety that they did. I doubt that you would be able to follow in their footsteps. But if you do, please let me know when it happens, because I would love to ride your coattails forever and ever so that I don't have to do shit for the rest of my life.

- pookon -

www.pookon.com
https://twitter.com/pookondotcom
https://www.facebook.com/MilwaukeeIceman

25 Brewers in 25 Days - 2014 - 3rd Base

I'm getting old. I know that all too well after waking up from a bender. But even though it takes me hours to feel somewhat normal again, I keep punishing my mind and body. So I know all about recovery time in a way. Now I'm no real athlete (the closest I've come is semi-professional Beer Pong player) so I can't imagine how Aramis Ramirez, at age 35, feels the day after a baseball game. I know he's in better shape than I am, not only because he's an athlete, but also because most people in their 80's are in better shape than I am. But even though he works out, eats healthy, takes vitamins, has a personal trainer and doesn't really have too much to worry about (except for 1st World Problems), I'm sure that his body feels rough after a day of weight training and a 3+ hour baseball game. I wouldn't know what his body feels like. He won't let me touch him. Besides, I hate guys... I LOVE WOMEN!! Just keep telling yourself that pal. All I'm saying is that I'm getting up there in age and I feel like shit on a daily basis, so I can't even imagine what Ramirez goes through on a daily basis. 

No wonder he missed so much time last year. I didn't even play one game and I feel like I'm dying. Ramirez only played in 92 games last year. In order for the Brewers to have success in 2014 he needs to play around 150. Health is the biggest concern with the Milwaukee Brewers this season, and Ramirez is hoping to put 2013 behind him. When he's in the lineup he's still a formidable offensive force and provides some much needed protection for Ryan Braun. I don't know why that goes overlooked. Don't get me wrong, Brauny is a great baseball player, but how much better is he because of the guy batting behind him? He had Prince Fielder for like 5 years and Ramirez for the last 2. How much credit for Braun's success do you give to the cleanup hitter? He has to count for something, right? All I'm saying is that Ramirez is still a force to be reckoned with. It takes a certain makeup or moxy to bat 4th in the lineup. That was never as evident as what we saw during 2013. I don't think we even realize how special of a player Prince Fielder was and how amazing it was that he never missed a game. In 2012 Ramirez was able to fill those shoes quite nicely, but look how much the offensive production dipped in 2013 while he was hurt. Many tried to be the cleanup hitter in his absence and failed. Guys like Jonathan Lucroy, Carlos Gomez and Khris Davis are all good hitters, but they struggled when they had the pressure on them to drive in runs. You won't find too many players who consistently drive in around 100 RBIs per year. If healthy, he's your 2nd best offensive player (behind Braun), which is saying a lot on a team that also has Carlos Gomez, Jonathan Lucroy and Jean Segura. He's that important to this team and we need him to stay healthy if we are going to have a good year.

I'm tired of writing about these players (the whole point of doing videos was so that I didn't have to write so much) but I did briefly have to talk about Ramirez's defense. Now he's no gold glover over there and he's certainly lost some range, but he's a pretty decent defender. Most people were saying things like he was going to be brutal at the hot corner. He's not brutal. I've seen brutal (do Juan Francisco, Alex Gonzalez and Yuni B come to mind?) and Ramirez is a lot better than most people give him credit for. If healthy he's going to man the hot corner for at least 1 more season, as he will be a free agent at the end of the season. It is the final year of his 3-year contract and we all know how last year turned out. So he needs to go out and have a good season so that this free agent signing was a good one. Hey - 2 out of 3 ain't bad, right?

Check out my 5th video, which covers 3rd Base for the 2014 Milwaukee Brewers, recorded at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, AZ the day after the Spring Training Game between the Oakland Athletics and the San Francisco Giants:

Scottsdale Stadium (Spring Training home of the San Francisco Giants) is only 3 blocks away from the Apartment Complex where my Aunt Linda lives. That was the biggest reason why I went to the Giants/A's game on Saturday March 15. How can you pass up the opportunity to drink heavily and go to a baseball game without having to worry about driving? I almost always have to drive to games, so I can't drink without weighing the repercussions of my actions. But had I known in advance that they were charging $30 for standing room only tickets, I might have picked a different game to go to. Look, I know the Giants have won the World Series twice in the last 4 years (2010 and 2012) but $30? Fuck that. Fool me once, shame on you. I will not go back there if tickets are that much. With my season tickets at Miller Park, I pay around $13 a game, which makes the Milwaukee Brewers still one of the best deals in all of sports. But even with the expensive tickets they still packed over 12,000 people in this joint, for a Split Squad game no less! Talk about a ripoff. But $30 baseball was still better than no baseball at all. 

Aramis Ramirez #16 - .292 batting avg, .365 OBP, 24 HRs, 97 RBIs and a chance to prove that he's only as old as he feels. And I know he's married and has kids, so he won't be feeling up any young hot totties. So Rami - how about throwing some of them my way? Spread the wealth pal.

If healthy, there's no reason to believe that Ramirez can't put up another good offensive year. His career numbers say that when he puts together a whole season (150 games, 500-some at bats), things tend to add up pretty well. The Brewers need him to stay healthy and stay in the lineup. The pitching staff is hopefully better than last year (at least the Starting Pitchers) but the Offense needs to be consistent to take the load off of their shoulders. Let's face it - when all is said and done the pitching staff as a whole will probably be average. I expect them to be 8th-10th among the National League teams. That doesn't make you a playoff team. But if you have a Top 3 Offense (which the Brewers are certainly capable of being this year) that elevates you into contention for a playoff spot. In order for the Brewers to have a Top 3 Offense, they need Aramis Ramirez to do what he does best. And that's hit and drive in runs. He's lost some home run power in the last few years but he's still a doubles machine. With the projected lineup of Gomez, Segura and Braun betting in front of him, he's going to have plenty of opportunities to drive in some runs. Will he take advantage of those opportunities? I'd say without a doubt. But then again I'm a big fan of him these days. I've really warmed up to Aramis Ramirez. That's more than I can say about most former Cubs players. You don't really need to hear what I say about most former Cubs players, and neither does Jesus.

 - pookon -

www.pookon.com
https://twitter.com/pookondotcom
https://www.facebook.com/MilwaukeeIceman