Friday's Frosty Mug
by Kyle Lobner on Oct 2, 2009 9:14 AM CDT
in Milwaukee Brewers News
Email
PrintI'll be honest here: When I woke up this morning, I was most excited about reading what Plunk Everyone had to say about Jason Kendall's 248th career HBP yesterday. Now that I know that yesterday's plunking was Kendall's first ever in October, I can continue my day.
I certainly wasn't excited about having to discuss another awful outing from Manny Parra. With that said, Parra did manage to strike out five batters in his brief outing, making him just the fourth pitcher ever to allow five hits, five walks and strike out five batters in less than three innings pitched. You're forgiven if you can't remember the careers of the other three: Jose Antonio Nunez did it in 2001, Chris Clemons did it in 1997, and Chris Short did it in 1961. Short later went on to win 20 games - the other two were out of the majors for good within a year.
Parra was in the clubhouse and turned off the TV instead of watching the Rockies celebrate clinching a postseason berth yesterday. Fielder stayed in the dugout to watch it.
No one else has said anything about it (that I've seen) at this point, but Seth McClung said Chris Smith had some soreness and a busted lip but was otherwise ok after taking a ground ball of his face in the eighth inning yesterday. Glad to hear he's ok after a scary moment.
Meanwhile, McClung's recent comments on Twitter have drawn the attention of Adam McCalvy and other members of the media, who asked him about them before yesterday's game. At least McClung finally got to pitch yesterday, and struck out all four batters he retired.
Corey Hart is still not expected to play this weekend after suffering compression fractures in his fingers on Tuesday. Looking back, Ken Macha wondered if the emphasis on Hart's plate discipline negatively impacted his power, but Evan Brunell of The Hardball Times disagrees with that notion.
Macha and the Brewers are in St. Louis today, where Macha is expected to meet with Doug Melvin to discuss his potential return for next season. I guess one can hope for an Eric Wedge-esque "he's finishing the season, but then we're moving on" announcement, but it seems more than likely he'll be retained.
If nothing else, the conversation about managerial decisions provided the seed for what might possibly be the worst column I've ever read. If you need an excuse to bang your head against your desk today, feel free to read this atrocity from Emmert Dose of the Racine Journal-Times, which recaps the 2008 season complete with use of all caps, devolves into "I told you so," and eventually leads to a call for the return of Ned Yost. More worthless words have never been written.
The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers had a disappointing season on the field, but still finished with three of the Midwest League's top prospects, according to Baseball America. That link will take you to the non-subscriber version of the article, but Rattler Radio has the scouting reports from the full version.
In power rankings:
- Yahoo dropped the Brewers one spot to 18th.
- Beyond the Box Score moved the Brewers up one spot to 21st.
The Pirates might have caught a break yesterday, when their game with the Cubs was postponed. The game won't be made up, meaning the Pirates will only need one more win to avoid a 100 loss season.
We'll never know for sure what, if anything, Mike Maddux could have done to right the sinking ship that was the Brewer pitching staff this season. With that said, the Rangers are reaping the benefits of having Maddux around this season, and it's hard not to wonder what could have been. (FanShot)
Joe Mauer has gathered some attention this week based on the accusation that he may have been stealing signs against the Tigers this week. Mauer has since denied the allegation, but Babes Love Baseball has a video you should watch if you're wondering what sign stealing might look like.
It seems like every offseason there's talk about changing the dimensions of ballparks, moving the fences in here or out there to adjust the homer-friendliness of the park. Since a construction project of that magnitude would presumably be pretty expensive, I'm surprised this doesn't come up as an option more often: The Mets are being urged to consider moving home plate forward ten feet at Citi Field. I can honestly say I've never thought of that, though I feel like an idiot admitting it.
Happy birthday today to Bob Collucio, who appeared in 284 games as a Brewer between 1971 and 1973 and turns 58 today, Ernest Riles, who appeared in 385 games between 1985 and 1988 and turns 49, and Victor Santos, who posted a 4.78 ERA in 295.2 innings as a Brewer between 2004 and 2005 and turns 33.
Oh, and if you go out in public today, remember to turn down your iPod.
Drink up.
49 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Moving fences, home plate
Wouldn’t moving home plate be even more disruptive, expensive, etc., than moving fences? If you move the fences in, you really only have to dink around with the warning track and foul poles (only if you decide to short distance down the line). If you move home plate, you have to move the pitchers mound and the rest of the infield, meaning you basically tear up 1/2 of the field.
You know me Al.
I'd tend to agree.
But when yo move in the fences, you’ve gotta fill that gap with something, otherwise, it’ll look… awkward as an extra 10 feet of foul territory, i guess. That’s where the expense comes in with the fence movement, is my guess.
So there's a gap between the outfield wall and the first row of bleachers
If batters hit more dingers, everyone but the Happy Youngster five feet beyond the landing point will be thrilled. [shrug]
You know me Al.
Another reply to me (last one)
If the Mets want to get really clever and deal with the critics saying there isn’t enough Mets history in Citi Field, too, make the gap from moving in fences some sort of memorial walkway with plaques of Mets greats, retired numbers, great moments or whatever.
You know me Al.
clearly, you've thought this through.
A moat gets my vote, too. Bonus points if beer vendors come around on gondolas.
That's all I've got for you today, unless you're interested in some Chris Capuano/Tom Haudricourt Fan Fiction.
by Kyle Lobner on Oct 2, 2009 11:41 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Yes!
They’ll send you your beer on one of those remote control, floating beverage holders!
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, "That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
Perhaps surround the entire field with a constant, slow moving "lazy river" type attraction.
Best seats in the house. For about 20 minutes.
by Mykenk on Oct 2, 2009 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions 2 recs
If you move the fence in, you can lower it and add another row or two of seats.
I’m not sure how low the wall already is, but depending on that, more seats could be added.
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, "That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
Yeah
Dont move them at all I say.
I like pitcher parks more than hitter ones. Citi Field seems like a great place for pitchers. If the Mets had any sort of pitching staff this past season they wouldnt have brought this idea up at all.
Id be much happier going back to the old Yankee Stadium “death valley” days with a 420 foot power alley in LF, or a 500 foot CF like the Polo Grounds had.
yes, but free agents maybe don't care for it
it might be hard for the mets to attract some bats, which may be of interest to them with delgado aging and murphy ineffective. i think people will look at david wright’s production and get worried about playing there.
didn’t they move the plate back at camden? i thought they did.
by Capt Science on Oct 2, 2009 10:35 AM CDT up reply actions
watching the video on mauer
the guy claims he did two different actions, one for fastball and one for offspeed, but then when mauer did both it wasn’t explained. he could have been signaling the hitter, but the way the AB played out it sure didn’t seem like it.
"Cubs fans boo again – 99% of these people can’t see the plate." -Ueck
Agreed.
I think the guy who made the video is really grasping at straws. Besides, wouldn’t it make more sense to tip pitch location (catcher’s position behind the plate) rather than the speed?
Besides, even if he was stealing signs, it’s really the catcher’s fault for not mixing up the signs… particularly with a man on second.
Maddux/Rangers
I wonder how much credit Maddux should really be given.
Last year the Brewers had Sabathia and Sheets, two guys with big time talent. And this year the Rangers have one of the best young rotations in the game.
I just wonder if he is being given credit for a lot of these guys results, when the very reason those staffs are so good in the first place is that they are just flat out stud pitchers, regardless of whatever the pitching coach might have taught them.
If Brewers lose three to the Cards
and the Reds and Astros win their weekend series with the Pirates and Mets, respectively, this 2009 season is going to look uglier in the final standings.
"At times I'm emotional," --Ryan Braun, 7/7/09
by heybatterbatter on Oct 2, 2009 10:19 AM CDT reply actions
About the Racine Journal article,,,,
Growing up in Racine made me accustomed to that shit rag of a paper, but I don’t think I’ve ever been so angry after reading an editorial about Wisconsin sports.
How far will this one fly?
I know newspaper budgets are tight, but...
“Or substitute the name Phil Garner. Or Cecil Cooper. Or Robin Yount. Or Paul Molitor. Or Dale Sveum. Or CC Sebathia.”
Think they could spell Sabathia?
by thefreewheelin76 on Oct 2, 2009 11:08 AM CDT up reply actions
At least now I know that Ryan Braun has proven that he's a big-leaguer.
E: George 4 (5, throw, throw, throw, throw).
it always makes me happy when we can all come together
Even if it is just in agreement that someone else sucks.
That's all I've got for you today, unless you're interested in some Chris Capuano/Tom Haudricourt Fan Fiction.
by Kyle Lobner on Oct 2, 2009 11:43 AM CDT via mobile up reply actions
that truly was
the worst article I’ve ever read in a newspaper.
"my goodness"
by BrewHaHeather on Oct 2, 2009 3:04 PM CDT up reply actions
To be fair ...
The tag at the bottom of the column said he’s a ‘retired reporter,’ which suggests he’s old. And, if there are two things we know about old people, it’s that (1) they love to complain, and (2) they don’t make a lot of sense. So: he’s 2 for 2.
by Rubie Q on Oct 2, 2009 12:06 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
That's exactly what I thought.
As I was reading it, I was thinking, “Who is this guy?!?” Then I saw “retired reporter,” and I immediately went, “Oh. Makes sense.”
by Cheeseandcorn on Oct 2, 2009 12:12 PM CDT up reply actions
I remember Emmert Dose
Growing up in Racine, he was a regular columnist for the “Urinal-Times”. He was an irritable crusty old curmudgeon then, too. And a sh**ty columnist as well.
Brewers fan lost in South Carolina.
Wow!
That guy watched AT LEAST three games this year.
I've had it with Macha
I know, it’s a JS link, but I can’t find the quote anywhere else…
Macha on why McClung hasn’t pitched:
“The guys I’ve brought in, Smith, he’s got pretty good numbers,” Macha said. “I’m bringing in guys that have performed. You haven’t seen him because he hasn’t gotten it done.”
…Ken, did you forget that McClung hadn’t pitched since July 24th? I know his last relief appearance on the 21st sucked but he HADN’T PITCHED IN TWO MONTHS. What did you expect him to throw like?
So it's okay to call your players out in public
I wonder how Macha will feel about having the trick tables turned:
morineko ur reply @ brewcrew. Thanks 4it! I busted my butt 2get back after Igot hurt doing what he told me 2do then throws me under the bus
It was a great selection of awesome.
Yeah...
He’s not going to be back next year.
Regardless whether they bring Macha back or not. Organizations generally dont like players saying negative things about management in the press/media.
Sometimes stuff like this blows over.
Anyone remember when Mike Rivera told reporters he didn’t feel like part of the team during a stretch when Kendall was playing every day?
That's all I've got for you today, unless you're interested in some Chris Capuano/Tom Haudricourt Fan Fiction.
.........
Well, it’s nice to know he’s reading my posts, I guess.
Here, after those dudes called middle-reliever tweets “uninteresting” too. (although, right, no big-name MLB guys blog, Schilling doesn’t count anymore—speaking of guys w/o filters, heh)
Yikes, Seth
How long did you struggle with whether or not to post that?
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, "That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
actually he did before they let him start
Just checked his game logs on B-R. He was decent until then.
Can I try to be clever?
I’d rather than McClung next year than MacHa? Get it? Mc vs. Mac? HA HA HA HA HA!
Really, though, I think the team would be better next year with Big Red (wasn’t McClung “Irish Coffee” earlier this year?) than Macha.
Maybe we're all misreading this?
What if the “it” in “gotten it done” refers to Macha’s laundry? Maybe Macha had a cap he needed perfectly flat, and Chris Smith ironed it for him?
That's all I've got for you today, unless you're interested in some Chris Capuano/Tom Haudricourt Fan Fiction.
Hart's hand injury
Probably doesn’t matter much but your article says Hart did suffer compression fractures; the most recent mention at JSOnline says that there were “no fractures but sprains on the fourth and fifth metacarpal.”
Loop and wind
We are dranking outside of busch and it’s really blowing out to left. Wind warning blowing.
by SgtClueLs on Oct 2, 2009 4:12 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Yikes...
I hope you can make it to the game… sounds like you’ve been “dranking” too much already! :P
Heading in now.
Some interesting folk at the bars around the place. One guy had to be high on heroin. Didn’t smell of pot but was wooah.
by SgtClueLs on Oct 2, 2009 4:58 PM CDT via mobile up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
NL Central Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | STRK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chicago
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Cincinnati
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Houston
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Milwaukee
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
Pittsburgh
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
|
St. Louis
|
0 | 0 | .000 | 0 | Lost 0 |
(updated 2.16.2012 at 6:45 AM CST)
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
