Braun: "We Didn't Expect to Win"
Courtesy of the JS Blogs :
In what amounted to a scathing indictment of his team's approach during a three-game sweep by the Boston Red Sox, Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun said after the game today he didn't think his teammates expected to beat the defending World Champions.
"I almost felt like this series, we didn't expect to win," Braun said after the 11-7 defeat that dropped the Brewers into sole possession of last place in the NL Central with five consecutive losses. "We were competing; I know everybody tried hard. But it's not about trying hard. You've got to expect to win. I almost feel like we never really expected to win any of these games. I just kind of had that feeling.
Wait, someone cares that we're in last place?
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A really curious comment...
I love that Braun is stepping up vocally and on the field. For all the emotion Fielder’s supposed to possess, he seems a little absent lately.
I don’t really like blaming Ned for any of this as he’s not the one batting sub-Mendoza or serving up meatballs, but one thing a manager is supposed to do is work the clubhouse. If he’s not keeping people’s head in the game…I dunno.
by warwick5s on May 18, 2008 6:53 PM CDT 0 recs
This is a scary comment
I’d like to think that Braun has been, as warwick5s said, somewhat of a vocal leader of the club. He’s said earlier about games where he’s felt the team really wouldn’t have won it in 2007 and what not, but hearing something like this is troubling. Is not the manager of the team supposed to be the one who fires up and encourages his players? The fact that Ned Yost failed in energizing his players for a shot at the World Series Champions while they were in the cellar and that everyone was doubting them really speaks volumes about how he’s such a “player’s manager.” /sarcasm
Help us God, we’re in trouble.
by ryan braun on May 18, 2008 6:55 PM CDT 0 recs
Wow.
None of knows for sure, of course, but I suspect it’s only been recently that Braun has started to assert himself in the clubhouse. It certainly didn’t appear that he did that as a rookie last year. The contract may be a source of some of his willingness to speak out, since he’s committed, and aside from Gallardo (who isn’t present) he can look around the locker room and reasonably conclude that he’ll be there longer than anyone.
I’ve also noticed less of the “this is Prince’s team” comments this year. I’d like to think that’s because saying it over and over again gets old, but that doesn’t stop the press from saying other things repeatedly.
The only “outsiders” that know are employed by the team in other capacities OR are dependent enough on confidentiality that talking about the clubhouse dynamic too much can be dangerous professionally. (I’m looking at you Haudricourt and Witrado). This is the second time in the past 3 weeks Braun has given a quote like that to the JSOnline reporters. Is it a coincidence that at around the same time he gave the first quote, Witrado mentioned in an interview that there was some tension in the clubhouse between Braun and Fielder? I’m sure I don’t know.
But it’s pretty obvious that Ned’s uptight nature and defensiveness have bled over to the team, fulfilling the old sports cliche that a team takes on the personality of the guy running it. I don’t know whether that has any impact on performance or not. Long term it seems unlikely that it would. But in the short run, say over the first 7 weeks of the season, maybe it is possible.
by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on May 18, 2008 7:19 PM CDT 0 recs
I thought about that earlier
But it’s pretty obvious that Ned’s uptight nature and defensiveness have bled over to the team, fulfilling the old sports cliche that a team takes on the personality of the guy running it.
When’s the last time you heard about Sheets joking around in the clubhouse and keeping everyone loose? It seems like everyone has to exhibit to same hypercompetitive tension.
by Marty McSuperFly on
May 18, 2008 7:55 PM CDT
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Prince's Team
Well in combination of his current slump along with the massive signing of Braun, while he still hasnt gotten a deal yet, could factor into maybe a lack of enthusiasm on his part. But completely just a guess of course.
Ned definitely gives off that uptight nature albeit just through interviews and conferences but he seems like the little league coach who everyone secretly hates because shouts out orders and takes away their big league chew (and now I’ve got to go get some…..damn childhood memories!)
"You have no honor!" - McClung to Fukudome
by zsxander567 on
May 19, 2008 4:20 PM CDT
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When you're goin' bad
it’s difficult to fell that winning is a likely outcome. I can understand the fellings of near despair from the club. Not only are they losing games, as individuals most of the team is playing poorly. Why would they feel they could win
The question is, how do they change this attitude? The team needs something to shake them up. Maybe a trade – or more likely a change in leadership. I don’t feel it is Ned’s fault, but it’s easier to fire the manager then the team.
by richfry on May 18, 2008 8:06 PM CDT 0 recs
Need Inspiration?
I know an ex-manager who can inspire drive…
![]()
I'll warm up with you anytime
by ufoboy90 on May 18, 2008 9:18 PM CDT 0 recs
ewww
"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
May 18, 2008 9:26 PM CDT
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Oh golly
Is there any rule saying girls can’t play baseball in the big leagues?
I’m a terrible player, so I’ll need extra coaching ;-)
"Brett Favre looks like a man in a parking lot playing with boys." - John Madden
"Pujols just unloaded." - Bob Uecker
by kirbir on
May 18, 2008 9:43 PM CDT
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It'd be worth buying Photoshop
Just to put Ned Yost’s head onto this body.
That’ll fix your wagon.
"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
May 18, 2008 9:47 PM CDT
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Ohh
That’s just a scary thought…
"Brett Favre looks like a man in a parking lot playing with boys." - John Madden
"Pujols just unloaded." - Bob Uecker
by kirbir on
May 18, 2008 9:57 PM CDT
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It is pretty sad
that the kid who just a few days ago was talking about all the potential he sees in the team is now being the one to talk about a lack of motivation.
"Brett Favre looks like a man in a parking lot playing with boys." - John Madden
"Pujols just unloaded." - Bob Uecker
by kirbir on May 18, 2008 9:56 PM CDT 0 recs
And that he was right both times...
by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on
May 18, 2008 10:14 PM CDT
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I know Ned's a player coach
but you’d still think that means he knows how to motivate the boys…
"Brett Favre looks like a man in a parking lot playing with boys." - John Madden
"Pujols just unloaded." - Bob Uecker
by kirbir on
May 19, 2008 8:59 AM CDT
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can you blame him
when the first two guys in the order are hitting under .200, your big bopper can’t hit for shit, and your pitching matchups where horrible. I mean Dave Bush, and Villinueva against that lineup isn’t a good thing
by nezy37 on May 19, 2008 12:20 AM CDT 0 recs
seriously
Braun should not be hitting that many solo shots batting third
by warwick5s on
May 19, 2008 12:30 AM CDT
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out of curiostiy
how many of his solo shots have been lead-off homers? i’ve meant to look into this myself for a little while now. if a good number of them are, this would support the theory that batting the pitcher 8 and Kendall 9 is relatively pointless if you don’t move Braun/Fielder up to 2-3. The initial point was so that ned could move those guys each up one spot in the order and theoretically get them more at bats over the course of the season without significantly reducing their RBI potential. of course, if you leave braun and prince at 3-4 and your 9-1-2 hitters go 1-2-3, that defeats the purpose.
"You guys know me. I take a long time to analyze things."
- Ned Yost
by SunglassesAtNight on
May 19, 2008 10:38 AM CDT
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this
is why ned has to get canned. not because he is directly responsible for all of this, but because his uptight, everything-is-fine, nothing-is-wrong George W. Bush impression (he looks like him too) isn’t what the team needs now. Its not about Ned, its about what is best for the team, and they need a new atmosphere. I don’t know Simba’s personality or anybody elses, but they need a different look.
by James Stanley Cocanower on May 19, 2008 1:10 AM CDT 0 recs
tom's blogging now
linking to anonymous sources citing anonymous information… now tom’s blogging. welcome to the fray mr. haudricourt.
it’s irresponsible for the brewer’s beat reporter to post something like this:
I would think Braun’s comments would be more damning, and possibly the straw that broke the camel’s back.
but it’s totally cool for a blogger to write that.
Bring Back The Old Logo!
by jacob on May 19, 2008 8:53 AM CDT 0 recs
it's a win/win for him
if he doesn’t mention it and it’s real he gets scooped by one of those stupid no-access “bloggers”
if mentions it and it doesn’t pan out he can trot out the “bloggers are unreliable sources” thing
by warwick5s on
May 19, 2008 9:05 AM CDT
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good call.
that’s exactly what tom has started doing…
http://blogs.jsonline.com/brewers/archive/2008/05/19/club-source-no-decision-on-yost.aspx
That’s a lot of bad stuff, for sure. But, as I said, the club source told me he knew of no changes to change managers today. It could be a totally irresponsible posting by “Badger Blogger,” which as I’ve stated many times is a real danger of the Internet.
So tom thinks that misinformation is a real danger, and implies that it is unique to the internets. it’s as if journalists want to be irrelevant. why does tom feel the need to compete with/take shots at “badger blogger.”?
does tom think that we who prefer the internets thought that yost had been fired, that we wouldn’t wait for confirmation from the brewers? really, tom, take a look around, what do we need you for? the brewers say what they want to say when they want to say it. whether they tell you first, or all of us through a press release on their website what do we care?
Bring Back The Old Logo!
by jacob on
May 19, 2008 9:46 AM CDT
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Maybe
if the team started wearing thongs?
Oh wait, no, that other team’s in last place too…
"Brett Favre looks like a man in a parking lot playing with boys." - John Madden
"Pujols just unloaded." - Bob Uecker
by kirbir on May 19, 2008 8:57 AM CDT 0 recs
See this is what happens when you have a girl on the blog.
:)
"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
May 19, 2008 12:15 PM CDT
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Oh...
But you must admit, it is quite fun
:)
"Brett Favre looks like a man in a parking lot playing with boys." - John Madden
"Pujols just unloaded." - Bob Uecker
by kirbir on
May 19, 2008 12:23 PM CDT
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Oh boy.
"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
May 19, 2008 2:58 PM CDT
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Don't be fooled by the name
Jamie’s not a girl. He just lives in LA.
by Marty McSuperFly on
May 19, 2008 4:44 PM CDT
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hahah
when I first started coming to Brew Crew Ball last year and saw Jamie from LA, I got a little excited, but a little research and I was quickly disappointed.
"You guys know me. I take a long time to analyze things."
- Ned Yost
by SunglassesAtNight on
May 19, 2008 4:50 PM CDT
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Aww
Poor boys.
You mean to tell me I’m the only girl here though?
That almost makes me feel lonely… sniff sniff
"Brett Favre looks like a man in a parking lot playing with boys." - John Madden
"Pujols just unloaded." - Bob Uecker
by kirbir on
May 19, 2008 10:51 PM CDT
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MSOBB is a semi-regular
and she’s a girl.
there’s also a number of female readers/bloggers of other teams who have accounts on the site and drop by when we’re playing their team.
and…we have Jamie.
Also, cheese.
by Jeff Sackmann on
May 20, 2008 8:08 AM CDT
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Poor Jamie
As if owning a Johnny Estrada jersey wasn’t bad enough.
"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
May 20, 2008 8:21 AM CDT
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I would rather be called a girl
Mendoza (Uecker) Watch: Weeks .190, Hall .204, Cameron .222
by molitorfan on
May 20, 2008 7:39 PM CDT
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