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Monday's Frosty Mug

Happy Patriot Day, Brewer fans. I've been away from the TV, radio and computer for most of the last 3 days, but coming home today I see that the Brewers took two of three and should've swept the Reds, and open today's series with the Cardinals a game back of first place. It's time for a Frosty Mug.

Win Expectancy Graph
BR Box Score
ESPN Video Highlights
Baseball Digest Daily recaps
BP Postseason odds projecting the Brewers for 84 wins and a 23.6% shot at winning the Central.

Let's talk about Ben Sheets for a moment. The team says Sheets will only have to push his next start back a day. That doesn't seem serious, but at the same time, they've gone up to 14 pitchers on the roster just to make sure they have enough to cover the delay. Jim Powell also says Sheets is feeling better. I'm not entirely sure how keeping a guy like Mitch Stetter on the roster would fix the problem, even if he wasn't.

Inside the Book asks if teams overvalue guys with great stuff but questionable control. Since we seem to be having occasional debates lately about the value of Derrick Turnbow, I thought this belonged in the top half of the Mug.

Brian Shouse's streak of 83 consecutive appearances without allowing a home run was the 14th longest all time.

If you thought everyone loved Paul Molitor, it turns out it's only almost everyone.

Thanks to all 142 of you who voted in last week's fan opinion poll. The results:

  • 74% of voters thought Dave Bush should move to the bullpen in place of Seth McClung when Gallardo returned.
  • 45% of voters thought Eric Gagne's position as closer should be re-evaluated at the end of April. 32% thought he should be re-evaluated at the All Star Break and 21% think he's the closer indefinitely.
  • 82% of voters thought Prince Fielder's slow start had nothing to do with becoming a vegetarian.
  • 66% of voters thought the Brewers should make an effort to limit Manny Parra's innings.
  • Of those voters, 68% thought it should be done by skipping his spot in the rotation when possible.
  • Ned Yost's approval rating is at 78%, up from 77% last week, with 8% disapproval and 12% unsure.
  • Doug Melvin's approval rating is at 97%, with one lone no vote and 2% unsure. Last week he was at 91%/5%/2%
  • 96% of voters were in favor of the Cameron/Hall/Braun move.
  • 61% of voters were in favor of the Gagne signing, with 17% opposed and 21% unsure.
  • 35% of voters thought the team should offer Ben Sheets a long-term deal, with 29% wanting to wait until after the season, 19% opposed and 16% unsure.

Full results here. I'm hoping to write this week's poll today and post it later or tomorrow. If you have questions you'd like to see included, drop them in the comments.

Brief Alphabetical Morning (BAM) Injury Reports:

Doug Davis is recovering well from surgery and throwing off flat ground. He could return in May.
Kosuke Fukudome missed last night's game with a cyst above his right eye, but should play today.
Chipper Jones was pulled from yesterday's game with a quad injury.
Alex Rodriguez was also pulled from yesterday's game with a quad injury.
Jimmy Rollins has been placed on the DL, but since he pinch-hit Saturday, he's not eligible to be placed retroactively.
David Weathers has been placed on the DL with nerve inflammation in his elbow.

Frank Thomas was released rather abruptly yesterday. Obviously, this will lead to lots of speculation about who he could help, but Landon Evanson at Bugs and Cranks likes him as a Twin.

This would be a much better reason to be cursed: Historical evidence suggests the Cubs may have thrown the 1918 World Series.

Now available: Hideo Nomo. Potentially available May 1: Bartolo Colon.

Bucs Dugout's tournament to determine the worst GM in baseball has moved on to the second round. Voting is open for the first matchup, Jon Daniels v. Bill Bavasi.

And while you're voting, go here as well and help me fill out my AL awards ballots. Thanks!

Drink up.

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Interesting

comment in the Journal Sentinal’s recap of the game. It said Ned felt fine about pitching Gagne on his 4th straight day because Gagne told him he was fine. This takes me back to last year, when either Mike Maddux would ask for a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” from each of his relievers prior to the game to see if they could go that day. I could be confusing this with something else, but I seem to remember Ned saying towards the end of the season that he’d learned to stop asking players that because you can’t trust them. Not in a bad way, but basically players want to play and will tell you they are good to go even if they are not. I haven’t spent too much time around clubhouses in my day – ok, none – but that makes sense to me.

Again, I could be confusing that with something I heard another manager say at one point, but the message seems relevant regardless. Gagne’s new to this team and can opt out after this season. If Ned asks him to go out there and pitch, he’s not going to tell him he can’t unless he’s injured or in obvious pain. We have 14 pitchers on our staff right now. I know Gagne’s our closer but he doesn’t need to be pitching 4 straight days. I know he worked quickly on Saturday, but that’s still too much work.

by SunglassesAtNight on Apr 21, 2008 11:08 AM CDT   0 recs

I wonder if this was sort of a test

It seemed easy enough - 2 run lead, bottom of the order - so it was Ned’s way of seeing just how hard he could push Gagne, in a situation where there was a little room for error.

Turns out there wasn’t enough room for error, and of course Gagne failed the test. But this situation will come up again, and (hopefully?) Ned now knows to have somebody else close it out.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Apr 21, 2008 11:13 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

There are plenty of other options in the pen

If Gange can’t go Riske,Mota,Torres and Turnbow(Ok last resort!) have save games before.
I’m sure that Shouse probably could aswell.
Yesterday instead of Gange, Yost could of used a guy like Riske who atleast had only pitched once in the previous 3 days.
I think you could be right Jeff in that Yost was testing Gange to see how many days he is capable of throwing in a row. I just hope that Yost has learnt from it and that we do not see Gange pitch 4 straight again.

by Saltire on Apr 21, 2008 1:53 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Where

are these fan opinion polls?

Lordz Of Vengeance....Sometimes I drink...Okay...I drink most of the time.

by Dikembe Meiztombo on Apr 21, 2008 11:11 AM CDT   0 recs

KL's been posting them in Monday mugs

looks like he’ll post the next one tomorrow.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Apr 21, 2008 11:13 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

1918 World Serious

It wouldn’t shock me if that series and a number of others from early in the century were thrown for money. Even the generally parsimonious owners surely wouldn’t have minded extra gate receipts if the series went past four or five games, so both players and owners win, so to speak.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Apr 21, 2008 11:24 AM CDT   0 recs

It wouldn’t surprise me if almost everyone who could bat .280 and had slick leather took a pay day now and then. I would have with the owners ripping me off.

by Braunstalker on Apr 21, 2008 2:43 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Patriots Day

So, wait, there’s Patriot Day and Patriots’ Day? What a country!

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Apr 21, 2008 11:44 AM CDT   0 recs

Well...

Today’s holiday isn’t a national holiday, just in Massachusetts and a handful of other places. But I’ve been calling it Del Wilkes Day for years.

by KLSnow on Apr 21, 2008 11:48 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

More importantly

it’s my sister’s birthday. She’s not a wrestling fan.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Apr 21, 2008 11:52 AM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Molitor

I love him even more now- he ruined the day for a Cubs fan

Good time for Prince's second homer

by molitorfan on Apr 21, 2008 7:05 PM CDT   0 recs

agreed

not sure if that classifies as a cock-block, but go molitor

by SunglassesAtNight on Apr 21, 2008 7:18 PM CDT to parent up   0 recs

Molly

Thanks for the link on the Paul Molitor story. I about died laughing when my buddy told me that. But seriously, if you’re going to be cock-blocked by anyone, wouldn’t you rather it be Molly?

by Sooze on Apr 21, 2008 7:27 PM CDT   0 recs

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