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Saturday's Frosty Mug

Good morning, Brewer fans. The Brewers are 3-1, and in first place (tied with the Cardinals) for the fifth straight day. The Cubs lost again yesterday to drop to 1-3 and the Brewers host the NL's worst team, the Giants, again tonight. It's time for a Frosty Mug.

I'm starting out today the same way I should start everyday, with a Win Probability Graph that slopes the right way and Baseball Digest Daily's recap of all the games you might have missed yesterday.

Also, if you like the internet and baseball but you're not really big on reading, here are the ESPN Video highlights from yesterday's game.

Today we see the 2008 debut of Manny Parra. The official site has a profile on him to get you ready.

And, of course, in the kind of in-depth analysis we've come to expect from the JS, yesterday two blog posts were devoted to the bathroom situation outside Miller Park, and the alternatives people have found. Always one to pick up on hard-hitting news, the Yahoo blog chimed in.

I'm still not seeing much mainstream press on it, but Rickie Weeks' streak (17 straight run-scoring games and counting) drew notice from The Griddle.

Also, be sure to check out McCovey Chronicles' 5 Questions With Jeff. This one does a really nice job of wandering off the beaten path and starting conversation on some questions we don't talk about everyday.

But, back to things I do talk about everyday. Here's your Brief Alphabetical Morning (BAM) Injury Reports:

Chad Cordero's arm stiffness has landed him on the DL.
Michael Cuddyer is headed to the DL with a dislocated and lacerated right index finger.
Victor Martinez didn't return last night, but may return from his sore hamstring tonight, possibly too early.
Rays C Dioner Navarro had to leave yesterday's game with a cut on his throwing hand.
Twins P Kevin Slowey will miss his next start with arm soreness.
Reds C Javier Valentin strained his hamstring last night and had to leave the game. He'll be reevaluated today.

If you see somebody standing on a rooftop today, it might be a Tigers fan. Try to talk them down.

Whether you think Gagne will rebound or be a total bust, you have to admit the Rangers sold him off at the perfect time.

TangoTiger has the rule of thumb for stolen base efficiency. Since the 2008 Brewers are scoring 7 runs per game, their break-even percentage is 75%.

On former Brewers:

Chad Fox is in extended spring training with the Cubs. I think he's been making the annual, "Wow, you're still around?" appearance for about 6-7 years now.

Richie Sexson, walked, doubled and homered yesterday, but USS Mariner isn't happy with his pitch selection. If he keeps that up, he'll only hit .667.

Callix Crabbe made his big-league debut with the Padres on Thursday.

Claudio Vargas is still floating around, but doesn't want to go to AAA, so the Mets appear unlikely to sign him.

Finally, this Sabernomics piece is amusing, even if it does miss the point. I'm pretty sure the Brewers team plane would not fly into a building if Ned listened to us.

That's all for today. Drink up.

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Probability Graph

The second best thing to the Crew back in action is logging in here to see the Win Probability Graph each morning after. Man, I love those things. Any chance we're going to see the actual graph back on the front page like last year?

On a side note, the last two summers I lived in Chicago. I saw maybe one televised game. I cannot overstate how great it is to be back in Wisconsin.

Steve http://nohuddleoffense.blogspot.com

by stigmo on Apr 5, 2008 9:11 AM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Lineup

Haudricourt is reporting that this is the lineup today:

2B Rickie Weeks
CF Gabe Gross
1B Prince Fielder
LF Ryan Braun
3B Bill Hall
RF Corey Hart
C Mike Rivera
SS Craig Counsell
LHP Manny Parra

I can never understand why, barring injury, you'd give 2 regulars (Kendall, Hardy) a day off simultaneously. Particularly when you're playing your 5th or 6th OF in CF out of necessity.

"He just needs to eat some bananas." - Lou Piniella

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Apr 5, 2008 9:33 AM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Hey yo

Rivera is batting .1000. Kendall is at what? a pedestrian .667? (I would find out for sure, but the new MLB sights are a mess)

by Braunstalker on Apr 5, 2008 9:47 AM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Go figure

Probably the best hitting pitcher in the lineup is the one they have batting ninth. I doubt Jim Powell will complain, though.

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

by TheJay on Apr 5, 2008 10:43 AM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Looks like he's getting into his groove

The early reviews of Yost have been good, and with good reason. He hasn't exhibited any Yosty behavior yet. This lineup shows signs that the Yostism is bubbling beneath the surface.

With 4 games in the books, and three since the last off day, Yost is working the gritty bench players into the starting lineup. Gwynn, already a bench player pushed into service, is replaced by Gross, and still in the 2nd spot. JJ Hardy sits for Counsell, why? Not a defensive replacement, anyway. And then, the youngest and least experienced pitcher in the lineup is sent out there WITHOUT the guy that everyone has been lauding for improved defense behind the plate.

This is more typical Yost. Send a bunch of guys out there without a great probability of success, and see what happens. With a team this young, off-days this early in the season is just silly.

by Marty McSuperFly on Apr 5, 2008 10:54 AM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Counsell

is so gritty he sleeps in a sandbox

by molitorfan on Apr 5, 2008 11:14 AM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

making Bulldog the number 3

didn't work out so well. That's about as Yosty as anything IMO.

Maybe JJ is still not full speed after his infection thing.

by ol Pete on Apr 5, 2008 11:23 AM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Maybe

Your guy is having trouble finding work, so cutting him probably wasn't a very big mistake.

I'll be standing with you shoulder-to-shoulder if Bush isn't the one that gives way to gallardo, though.

by Marty McSuperFly on Apr 5, 2008 11:47 AM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

makes it pretty hard

for me to post his results... I suppose I'll think of it as better than delaying the inevitable.

I'd say more than I like him, I just don't think that Cappy or Bulldog are in the same league as the young guys, so despite our salty Spy versus Spy disagreements, maybe we're not that far apart.

by ol Pete on Apr 5, 2008 12:09 PM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

It's been said upthread

But I can't imagine why Ned insists on giving days off to 2+ regulars at the same time. If you want to start Counsell, fine. But why not hold off on Kendall's day off until tomorrow?

I hate him.

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Apr 5, 2008 11:24 AM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Did I mention the season is 4 days old?

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Apr 5, 2008 11:35 AM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

with all the anti-Ned banter

(some of which is mine) I think it is fair to point out that he is bar none the best manager we have had in a LONG time.

by Braunstalker on Apr 5, 2008 11:58 AM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Bar none?

I'm not sure how you're comparing managers. If you had Davey Lopes or Jerry Royster managing the team over the same period of time, would we have a worse record?

Frankly, I have a hard time coming up with ways he's an asset. The best thing I can say about our manager is that, like baseball announcers, he's probably not any worse than anyone else's. (Maybe.)

"I will agree that the attitude [at BCB] is ridiculous and they have done so much to instigate animosity and then block us from responding. Real mature!"

by roguejim on Apr 5, 2008 12:18 PM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Weeks' record

I never like to see one of the Ignitor's records fall, but I like Weeks and it is great to see him playing so well after his trip to AAA last season. I won't be offended if he wants to take a run at Molitor's 39 game hit streak.

by molitorfan on Apr 5, 2008 11:18 AM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Those ESPN vid highlights

Possibly the worst recap of an exciting game ever. They show Prince's dribbler RBI single in the first and Corey Hart's RBI knock, when the score was already 12-2.

Omitted in video but mentioned in the voice-over for the box score: Bill Hall's two homers.

Way to cover those little scrappy teams between the coasts, ESPN!

by Dros on Apr 5, 2008 11:36 AM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

if there isn't something unusual

like 13 runs scored, there often isn't a recap at all.

by ol Pete on Apr 5, 2008 12:12 PM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I watched SportsCenter 3 times after

the last game against the Cubs hoping to catch the collision between Weeks and Sota. They never bothered to show it once.

"He just needs to eat some bananas." - Lou Piniella

by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Apr 5, 2008 7:54 PM CDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Watching the pre-game

Coshun and Nelson talking about Hall, and whatever he changed from last year. The typical talk about how the move to center messed with him. No one ever mentions that he moved to cleanup last year to start the year. The pressure to start producing behind Prince had to be at least as important as the difficulty of the new position.

by Marty McSuperFly on Apr 5, 2008 11:52 AM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

more former brewers

Hideo Nomo was recalled by the Royals. He probably won't stick, but he's back in the majors.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Apr 5, 2008 12:29 PM CDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

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