Thursday's Frosty Mug
by KLSnow on May 28, 2009 9:19 AM CDT
47 comments
Some things to read while making your BBQ more piratey.
So, after yesterday's game Ken Macha was asked about the decision to not to bunt with pinch hitter Jody Gerut, down 3-2 with a runner on first in the ninth, and Macha suggested he doubted Gerut's ability to get a bunt down. This raises questions for me on three independent levels:
- How does one hang around in the big leagues until one is 31 without developing the ability to bunt?
- How does Ken Macha, who didn't know things like "Bill Hall has never played left field," and "Todd Coffey throws hard," know that Gerut can't bunt?
- Is the "bunt" question really more relevant than the decision to use Gerut instead of Bill Hall? Hall is 5-for-11 in his career against Franklin, with two doubles and two home runs.
Corey Hart got the day off yesterday as a "mental health" break and was replaced by Frank Catalanotto, who had two hits, including a two run triple. Hart seems to understand his current struggle, and it sounds like Dale Sveum is the perfect candidate to help him work his way out of it. Hart is hitting .205/.255/.295 in May, and his 2009 OPS has fallen all the way to .708.
So Corey Hart is working to remedy his problems and help the team win. Ryan Braun, meanwhile, is making plans to host a party Friday night for the official launch of his "Remetee" clothing line. Seriously? This couldn't wait until the offseason? Thanks for keeping your priorities in line, Ryan: When the Brewers aren't winning I could not possibly care less about the success of your t-shirt line. Also, you have a sore wrist and your OPS has dropped almost 130 points in the last 17 days. Maybe you should get some rest?
Todd Coffey is hot again, allowing just one earned run in his last eight outings (over nine innings). On top of that, his sprint in from the bullpen drew the notice of the NY Times. (h/t BF.net). Coffey, Hoffman, DiFelice and McClung give the Brewers four relievers with at least 13 innings pitched and an ERA below 3.10.
Tony Gwynn is off to a 3-for-12 start with the Padres, and has already scored five runs. Paul DePodesta sums up the Padres reasons for making the move to acquire him, which seem to be a lot more about money and youth and a lot less about Gwynn actually adding much value to the team. (Noted in FanShot)
On the subject of trades, here's another interesting rumor, but this one has no known tie to reality: Fire Brand of the American League suggests the Red Sox could trade Brad Penny to the Brewers for Angel Salome.
While Salome isn't exactly hitting the cover off the ball in 2009, he's part of a Brewer farm system with the second best combined record in baseball.
Beyond the Box Score has done the math and discovered the Brewers have the least negative team WAR over the last five seasons. That's pretty impressive, seeing as those five seasons include games caught by Damian Miller, Chad Moeller, Johnny Estrada and Jason Kendall.
On power rankings:
- MLB FanHouse moved the Brewers up from fourth to third.
- Beyond the Box Score has the Brewers 16th in their inaugural rankings.
Around the league:
A's: Placed Nomar Garciaparra back on the DL with stiffness in his calf.
Cubs: Placed Aaron Miles on the DL with a shoulder strain.
Orioles: Placed Koji Uehara on the DL with a hamstring strain.
By now, you've probably seen the video of Carlos Zambrano getting ejected from yesterday's Cubs-Pirates game, bumping an umpire, throwing the ball into left field and destroying a Gatorade dispenser. Obviously, Zambrano will face a suspension, which will prolong his run as the active player with the most plate appearances without being hit by a pitch. UPDATE: I can't believe I forgot to mention THE SPAZZOSAURUS!
Here's the best season you haven't heard about: Adrian Gonzalez, who plays his home games at Petco Park, already has 18 home runs, putting him on pace for 62.
Oh, and if you're a Ferris Bueller fan with $3.2 million lying around, you need this house.
Drink up.
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never thought I'd say this
But I actually do think that Zambrano got a bit of a raw deal. He’s an idiot, and maybe he should have been ejected for arguing, but he shouldn’t have been ejected for bumping the umpire. The announcers are right: the umpire initiated contact, which I suppose is why Zambrano was yelling that the umpire should be ejected.
He’s an idiot and an a-hole, but I suppose the fact that he is as big as a mountain and extremely volatile has something to do with not being beaned.
by keephopealive on May 28, 2009 9:45 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
yeah...
he probably will rush the mound when he does get hit.
by PagsBrewCrew on May 28, 2009 11:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
McClung should hit him
They would have to rebuild the mound after those two threw down.
by grant76 on May 28, 2009 12:56 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Zambrano suspended for six games.
"I didn't realize his velocity was that high," said Macha, noting that radar readings aren't flashed during exhibition games.
by battlekow on May 28, 2009 4:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gerut
Hasn’t put down a successful sacrifice bunt since 2004
by Supertramp on May 28, 2009 9:46 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Given Gerut's injuries and whatnot
2004 is about 600 PAs ago for him.
"The reports are that he is getting better. The definition of better is nebulous."
by KLSnow on May 28, 2009 10:30 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
How does Ken Macha ...know that Gerut can't bunt?
I could be wrong, but didn’t Macha’s answer include something about having watched Gerut bunting during batting practice?
by robertearle on May 28, 2009 10:23 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Also...
Does that mean Ken Macha didn’t think it was a bunting situation? Because, you know, he could’ve put someone up there that can bunt.
by Capt Science on May 28, 2009 10:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Most concerning to me...
Is that in Oakland, Macha would supposedly throw guys under the bus and not cover for them. I think one story was that Zito got pulled and the reliever blew a save, and Macha basically said “my guy told me he didn’t have anything left, so I had to pull him”.
When Hoffman didn’t pitch back to back his first week, he said that Hoffman told him he couldn’t go the second night.
Now he is saying that Gerut probably could not have successfully bunted, rather than covering for his guy by saying something like " I didn’t want to give up the out, and you have no concept"
It might not be anything, but its worth keeping an eye (or ear) on.
Maybe I’ll fan shot the quotes if I can find them
by grant76 on May 28, 2009 1:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
KLSnow, did you notice...
KLSnow, did you notice what the Cards’ defense was doing for the Gerut AB? Most of us weren’t able to see the game. Were they playing for the bunt, “halfway”, etc? – Thanks
by robertearle on May 28, 2009 1:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
3B was playing on the edge of the infield grass
Didn’t look like he was crashing in or anything.
"I didn't realize his velocity was that high," said Macha, noting that radar readings aren't flashed during exhibition games.
by battlekow on May 28, 2009 1:45 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Gerut was bunting during BP on Sunday
I only saw a few of them, but they looked kind of..meh.
by morineko on May 28, 2009 1:09 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
NY times article
I laughed at one of the comments after that article…one Yankees “fan” says they should trade Wang to the Brewers…supposedly we’re “loaded” at the CF position. I guess they know something I don’t.
by coreyhess on May 28, 2009 10:33 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Well, you know we're all rubes out here in flyover country
Just waiting for some big city slicker to come along and pull a fast one on us. Our unsophisticated minds will never know what hit us when we wake up one day in August and see Wang on the mound at Miller Park, and all of our good prospects are playing in the Yankees’ system.
by Brew Angel on May 28, 2009 11:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Your Spazzosaurus link
It does not work!
"If lovin’ Braun is wrong, I want to be a repeat offender!"
I support Braun's right to party his cute little butt off.
by kirbir on May 28, 2009 11:01 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
working Spazzosaurus link
Juuuuust sayin’. ;)
by Roar of the Tigers on May 28, 2009 11:39 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Hehe thanks
"If lovin’ Braun is wrong, I want to be a repeat offender!"
I support Braun's right to party his cute little butt off.
by kirbir on May 28, 2009 11:42 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
About all this bunting business
Bubba Trammell went from the beginning of his pro career in the minors until 2002 (like 8 years) without a sacrifice hit. It was semi-notable when he finally bunted.
"If lovin’ Braun is wrong, I want to be a repeat offender!"
I support Braun's right to party his cute little butt off.
by kirbir on May 28, 2009 11:23 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Geez. Those sawx fans seem all in favor of the trade straight-up
idiots.
either that or I’m tremendously overvaluing Penny. Maybe he’s nickel in my mind
by PagsBrewCrew on May 28, 2009 11:39 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Penny has been an adequate back of the rotation guy this year
And all things considered, Kottaras and Salome are probably equal. I’m not going to blame Kottaras for the WP fiasco last night, because Masterson and Matsuzaka both couldn’t locate the strike zone with a GPS and a dowsing rod.
The problem is that the Brewers already have Looper and Suppan. The trade doesn’t make any sense.
by morineko on May 28, 2009 1:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sometimes those GPS rods have difficulty locating things.
Mainly the onld raggity one that the City of Franklin used a couple years ago.
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
by tcyoung on May 28, 2009 1:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Brewers *do* like pitching depth.
But wouldn’t one of the other pitchers have to be released to make room for Penny? If he had a decent option on 2010 it might make sense, but at $8.75 MM or a $2 MM buyout the Brewers would never ever go for this trade.
by ecocd on May 28, 2009 2:03 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Ryan Braun night club appearance
What’s the big deal if Braun goes to a night club after the game. You have never gone to a bar for “happy hour” after work? They have a night game the next day. As long as he shows up for work the next day on time and is ready to go than it is no big deal. It is no different than anyone else that has a job.
by matt mieske rocks on May 28, 2009 11:58 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Plus, have you seen those t-shirts?
He needed the darkest venue possible.
Ryan Braun: He loves it.
by SRB on May 28, 2009 12:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree completely with the rookie
I think you’re making too big of a deal about this KL. It’s not him going out and slamming some shots down, it’s him fulfilling a business obligation of his. Performance of the team up until this point has nothing to do with this obligation.
"That's not a weird stat. Rickie is a run-scorer," Yost said. "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter," Yost told reporters. "See, you guys have no concept. He's a run-scorer. So there's nothing weird about it. That's what he does."
by Hyatt on May 28, 2009 12:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
What would be the difference between this and showing up at a community picnic and signing autographs for a couple of hours?
by Saberilliterate on May 28, 2009 12:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
This is basically a growed up picnic
"If lovin’ Braun is wrong, I want to be a repeat offender!"
I support Braun's right to party his cute little butt off.
by kirbir on May 28, 2009 1:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
A little harsh on Braun today
I agree, I mean are we to beleive he is going out to party? Or just promote his product, if he is promoting it, there is a low chance he would drink more than 1 drink really. I find no problem with the promotion, but we can poke fun at the horribleness of the t-shirts!
The designated hitter rule is like letting someone else take Wilt Chamberlain's free throws.
by Kyguy922 on May 28, 2009 1:13 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I've moved the Braun debate
To its own post on the front page. Check it out. :-)
"The reports are that he is getting better. The definition of better is nebulous."
by KLSnow on May 28, 2009 4:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Then moved again
To the FanPosts. Maybe back to the front page later.
"The reports are that he is getting better. The definition of better is nebulous."
by KLSnow on May 28, 2009 5:06 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
the 4 low-ERA relievers
One of those things is not like the other thing.
McClung has an ERA under 3.10? Is this like Kyle Farnsworth’s 13-appearance scoreless streak? Both are true, but I’m having difficulties believing them.
by morineko on May 28, 2009 1:18 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
At the moment
McClung’s ERA is 3.09.
"The reports are that he is getting better. The definition of better is nebulous."
by KLSnow on May 28, 2009 3:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
so that explains the cutoff
Oh, I know it’s true, it’s just one of those things I need to be shown. :)
As noted by a friend of mine last week, “This is the first time his ERA’s ever been below 3 at a major-league level.”
I thought she was kidding.
I looked it up at B-R.
She wasn’t kidding.
by morineko on May 28, 2009 6:27 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, that's not /exactly/ true
His first career appearance was scoreless :) He got the win, too!
"I didn't realize his velocity was that high," said Macha, noting that radar readings aren't flashed during exhibition games.
by battlekow on May 28, 2009 6:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wow
Is the “bunt” question really more relevant than the decision to use Gerut instead of Bill Hall? Hall is 5-for-11 in his career against Franklin, with two doubles and two home runs.
Are we really arguing that Bill Hall should have pinch hit for a lefty to face a righty? Bill Hall? Uh, no.
"I didn't realize his velocity was that high," said Macha, noting that radar readings aren't flashed during exhibition games.
by battlekow on May 28, 2009 1:33 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I wasn't thinking about it at the time,
But that would have been managerial suicide if it didn’t work.
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
by tcyoung on May 28, 2009 1:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, and
11 at-bats just isn’t nearly large enough of a sample to mean anything. The fact that Hall is 1 for his last 11 (or whatever he is) is probably more relevant than his being 5-for-11 against Franklin
Brewers Baseball and other assorted nonsense (mostly the assorted nonsense) at my blog, What's a Tararrel?
by Lefti on May 28, 2009 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
"I didn't realize his velocity was that high," said Macha, noting that radar readings aren't flashed during exhibition games.
by battlekow on May 28, 2009 10:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Awesome.
I was wondering where the flag would pop up…
by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on May 28, 2009 10:12 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
YAY!!!
"This one means 'Kill Kirk!!!!'... And also, 'hallelujah'... Depending on the context."
by trippingandy on May 29, 2009 8:59 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
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NL Central Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | STRK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
St. Louis
|
91 | 71 | .561 | 0 | Lost 6 |
|
Chicago
|
83 | 78 | .515 | 7.5 | Lost 1 |
|
Milwaukee
|
80 | 82 | .493 | 11 | Won 3 |
|
Cincinnati
|
78 | 84 | .481 | 13 | Won 2 |
|
Houston
|
74 | 88 | .456 | 17 | Lost 3 |
|
Pittsburgh
|
62 | 99 | .385 | 28.5 | Lost 2 |
(updated 11.7.2009 at 10:17 AM CST)
Certain photos copyright © 2009 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.
