Game Thread #77: Brewers (42-34) at Braves (38-40)
Here are some fun facts that make you wonder what's in the water in the NL Central. There are five teams in baseball with better records than the Brewers right now. Two of those are in the National League, and both of those are in the Central. The Brewers are a half-game better than the East-leading Phillies and 2.5 better than the West-leading D-Backs. For the record, we're also a half-game better than the AL Central-leading White Sox.
All good things must come to end, though, at least for Cardinals fans. The Crew is only a game and a half back of second place and the wild card lead, and while the Brewers continue their set against the Braves, the Cards meet the Tigers. (Are they good this week or not? I can't keep up.)
Today's pitching matchup ought to be interesting: Dave Bush goes for the Brewers, about a month after he shut down the Braves at Miller Park. You're also probably aware that's coming off his best start of the year. Both of those outings were at home, though, and his road ERA is over eight. (Nowhere to go but down, right? Let's hope...)
The Braves have had to turn to Richmond again and again, and so it is tonight, with Charlie Morton on the mound, making his third big-league start. Both of the previous two were interleague matchups, and he even managed a quality start in one of them. Always interesting (and often depressing) to see how the Crew does against pitchers they've never seen before.
Game time is 6:05 CT, and here's the BR Game Preview.
Go Brewers!
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"Nowhere to go but down"
That must be Turnbow’s motto… which would still be better than Kapler’s “mantra”: ‘I prepare, therefore I am prepared,’
by keephopealive on Jun 24, 2008 4:15 PM CDT 0 recs
6th best record
Not bad… when I saw the Brewers record as being 8 games over .500, it didn’t seem like it was that long they were under .500… impressive turnaround they have had lately… on pace to win almost 90 games… stay hot!
The designated hitter rule is like letting someone else take Wilt Chamberlain's free throws.
by Kyguy922 on Jun 24, 2008 5:10 PM CDT 0 recs
extrapolate the last 3 games
and we win over 120. whohoo! :)
by PagsBrewCrew on
Jun 24, 2008 5:11 PM CDT
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My road Bush theory
It’s all Kendall’s fault. Kendall exudes an extra amount of grit while on the road, call it 2.5 Kendall units. The causes an overload of grit on the field as Bush(aka The Gritty Bulldog) is exuding his own above average level of grit, about 1.25 Kendalls of grit. So you have 3.75 Kendalls in the starting battery, which is just too damn much grit. Just having Kendall in the park causes a .5 Kendall to leak onto the field. What they need is at least a -.75 Kendall out of TGB’s road catcher to bring Bush back into harmonic balance. Sadly, Mike Rivera has spent too many years in the minors to be this grit free so he won’t do. Vinny Rotino plays too many positions, and Sal Palmisano has a name that should be written in grit so he won’t do.
I think this leaves us with only one option, and that is to bring Estrada back to fill this valuable role. You can try to argue with the math, but you just prove that you really have no concept.
by Getting Yosted on Jun 24, 2008 5:55 PM CDT 3 recs
Wow.
That’s possibly a greater theory than the theory of relativity. Or could they be linked?
Nonetheless, +1 rec for you, good sir.
Lordz Of Vengeance....If I'm not drunk, I'm at work.
by Dikembe Meiztombo on
Jun 24, 2008 5:59 PM CDT
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Kendall Units
Best post so far today.
I think you need to do a study on Kendall units for each of our players. I’m interested in the Kendall unit count on Craig Counsell. That has to be a pretty high grit factor.
by SgtClueLs on
Jun 24, 2008 6:31 PM CDT
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I'd also like to see
Kapler
and former Brewer Tony Graffino
And does Branyan have grit, given the number of times he’s been in the minors?
by PagsBrewCrew on
Jun 24, 2008 6:40 PM CDT
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I'm suspending myself for one game*
For the Laynce Nix diary. Not for putting it up, but I was kind of overly glib when I wrote it, and now I feel bad. It wasn’t a particularly mature posting.
I’ll forfeit one day’s BCB salary to the Jeff Sackmann Baseball Reading Is Fundamental program too.
*Unless the Cubs lose, in which case I’ll post the flag, lest the Kow beat me to it.
"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 Jun 24, 2008 5:57 PM CDT 0 recs
blasphemy
Lordz Of Vengeance....If I'm not drunk, I'm at work.
by Dikembe Meiztombo on
Jun 24, 2008 5:59 PM CDT
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P.S.
The followup post you made within that fanshot was frickin’ awesome.
comedy gold.
by PagsBrewCrew on
Jun 24, 2008 6:02 PM CDT
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But...it's a blog!
Maturity isn’t welcome, let alone required.
Also, cheese.
by Jeff Sackmann on
Jun 24, 2008 6:03 PM CDT
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Weeks
Manages to get on base while simultaneously hurting his batting average. How low does he want that thing? :)
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.
by TheJay on Jun 24, 2008 6:11 PM CDT 1 recs
Weeks
...should be required to get a minor injury when mired in a month-long slump
by PagsBrewCrew on Jun 24, 2008 6:11 PM CDT 0 recs
he wants to compete with Sheets for anti-batting title
by PagsBrewCrew on Jun 24, 2008 6:13 PM CDT 0 recs
Geez
Weeks has transferred his defensive issues to the Braves tonight.
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.
by TheJay on Jun 24, 2008 6:13 PM CDT 0 recs
Yep
On pace for 40.5 for the game.
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.
by TheJay on
Jun 24, 2008 6:19 PM CDT
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well...
we haven’t seen which Bush will appear.
George W
or George HW
or perhaps Jeb (of the Beverly Hillbillies of course)
by PagsBrewCrew on
Jun 24, 2008 6:16 PM CDT
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not deep enough – are you following gameday and not watching?
by ol Pete on
Jun 24, 2008 6:15 PM CDT
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(i would stop my annoying comments; but they are working...)
go get em' seth!
by Jamie in LA on
Jun 24, 2008 6:17 PM CDT
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maybe you should start with the
“bushie!!!”
right now…get a head start :)
Also, cheese.
by Jeff Sackmann on
Jun 24, 2008 6:18 PM CDT
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heh
not hitting genius, but still a run
Russell
by PagsBrewCrew on
Jun 24, 2008 6:17 PM CDT
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Sheesh
What’s going on with the Braves tonight?
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.
by TheJay on Jun 24, 2008 6:17 PM CDT 0 recs
Morton
Small consolation that Escobar and Francoeur conspired to make the runs unearned.
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.
by TheJay on Jun 24, 2008 6:22 PM CDT 0 recs
wow
generous strikezone on the first pitch vs 3rd batter.
by PagsBrewCrew on
Jun 24, 2008 6:27 PM CDT
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Clean inning
I was worried the team would feel obligated to return the defensive favors.
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.
by TheJay on Jun 24, 2008 6:26 PM CDT 0 recs
go brewers... i gotta go win a softball game...
http://www.myspace.com/armsakimbosoftball
go get em' seth!
by Jamie in LA on
Jun 24, 2008 6:32 PM CDT
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Wait, what?
They caught the ball?
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.
by TheJay on Jun 24, 2008 6:36 PM CDT 0 recs
Braun is squaring up on this guy
Next at-bat he’s hitting one out.
Also, cheese.
by Jeff Sackmann on Jun 24, 2008 6:37 PM CDT 0 recs
Braun's two balls in play
have both been opposite field
by PagsBrewCrew on Jun 24, 2008 6:37 PM CDT 0 recs
Totally
.267/.365/.500 ain’t cuttin’ it round here.
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.
by TheJay on
Jun 24, 2008 6:41 PM CDT
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Career numbers
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.
by TheJay on
Jun 24, 2008 6:43 PM CDT
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ah yes
come on. why use a larger sample when a smaller one is right there?
Also, cheese.
by Jeff Sackmann on
Jun 24, 2008 6:44 PM CDT
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I know, right?
Related: this Weeks kid should be cut. 0-2 tonight and it’s only the third inning!
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.
by TheJay on
Jun 24, 2008 6:45 PM CDT
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so should Fielder
he hasn’t even managed to get on base yet. Geez.
by PagsBrewCrew on
Jun 24, 2008 6:47 PM CDT
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Exactly!
Why can’t everyone hit like Kendall?!
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.
by TheJay on
Jun 24, 2008 6:48 PM CDT
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kendall?
c’mon JJ at least;) higher OPS today.
by PagsBrewCrew on
Jun 24, 2008 6:51 PM CDT
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Bronson Arroyo must not want to leave Cincy
His name has been in trade rumors and he is getting lit up tonight.
by ol Pete on Jun 24, 2008 6:50 PM CDT 0 recs
Scary thought
This year, Bush allows an 844 OPS the first time through the order, a .588 OPS the second time.
Naturally, he did a little better than 844 OPS against the first time today.
Of course the 6th/7th inning is always the test, but Bush certainly looks like somebody who has turned a corner.
Also, cheese.
by Jeff Sackmann on Jun 24, 2008 6:56 PM CDT 0 recs
DP
got one but probably not the kind we were expecting
by molitorfan on
Jun 24, 2008 7:11 PM CDT
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damn...was hoping for a pickoff from 2B
oh, well…no minimum anymore
and no hitter and PG are out the window
lets just aim for a high quality game now. Shutout?;)
by PagsBrewCrew on
Jun 24, 2008 7:14 PM CDT
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No
Ball hit him in the foot so they went out to check but he is still in.
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.
by TheJay on
Jun 24, 2008 7:11 PM CDT
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he's beaten
plenty of catchers trying to block the plate.
by molitorfan on
Jun 24, 2008 7:12 PM CDT
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Is this the 70's?
This is the worst game I have seen the Braves play since the Ted Turner years.
by statsllc on Jun 24, 2008 7:14 PM CDT 0 recs
with this many errors
you might have to go back to the 1870s.
Also, cheese.
by Jeff Sackmann on
Jun 24, 2008 7:18 PM CDT
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Seriously
I went to 2 Nats games in the last 3 days and even they aren’t this bad.
by molitorfan on
Jun 24, 2008 7:20 PM CDT
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One more out for Bush...
...and his ERA is under 5.00.
Also, cheese.
by Jeff Sackmann on Jun 24, 2008 7:14 PM CDT 0 recs
Also
The starting rotation is eight shutout innings away from a collective ERA under 4.00.
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.
by TheJay on
Jun 24, 2008 7:19 PM CDT
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wow!
that’s almost blue jay-esque.
Also, cheese.
by Jeff Sackmann on
Jun 24, 2008 7:20 PM CDT
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