The Thursday Shirley Temple
Last night's game was a loss to Jorge de la Rosa and the Rockies, and TheJay drops this interesting note from Elias: there were 11 total hits in last night's game, and only 1 was a single. The last time there was only 1 single in a game was April 3, 2008, between Cincinatti and Arizona.
Today the draft begins again at 10:30. Battlekow recapped yesterday's interesting selections in a Fanpost here, and we'll be following along today as well. Jeff also has made the splits for the first five round of college draft picks available at College Splits. The relevant Brewers:
Beyond the Boxscore has a recap of every team's fans' reaction to the draft and a short quote about one of the picks. It's a good way to get a general feel for the entirety of the early round picks in the draft.
The Post-Crescent contacted Bruce Seid and found out that Eric Arnett will likely not pitch with the T-Rats this season, because the Brewers want to watch his workload-- he threw 108 innings in the college season with a couple of very high pitch counts. He'll probably throw some for the Helena Brewers.
And there's more from BTB on the predictive power and general trends of the disabled list and types of injuries. Here's another story from the same author at Driveline Mechanics, examining the issues of Brad Lidge.
Only two teams remain in the quest to only use five starters in an entire season: the Brewers and the Giants. Charlie Morton started for the Pirates last evening, he was the sixth starter they've used this year.
MLB continues to annoy its customers, this time by making archived games unavailable until 90 minutes after the conclusion of a live game. I don't see the point or the benefit, really.
Here's your daily hit f/x link. I promise I will get a Brewers hit f/x post up very, very soon. This particular post looks at hot zones in the strike zone based on batted ball velocity and trajectory.
Oh my goodness this would have been hilarious and epic. It involves a person named "Ryan Braun" and a TV show called "The Bachelor".
I didn't get to watch much of last night's game, but Adam McCalvy says that Bill Hall has altered his stance a bit, and the Brewers are encouraging drastic changes. It's quite telling that the last video highlight generated by MLB.com for that article was the walkoff hit on May 25th. Then:
Milwaukee needs to win Thursday to avoid a series sweep, and manager Ken Macha might be tempted to start Hall at third base for a second straight game since he's 5-for-9 lifetime against Colorado starter Aaron Cook.
This sort of thing really needs to stop. I know it's not Macha saying it, but, really? There's also a JSOnline story explaining that Hall will get more chances, especially against right-handed pitching. I can't believe Macha is questioning Gamel's production; they even suggest that Gamel could be sent down with McGehee taking time against righthanded pitching. This would be... stupid. The best option is a Hall/Gamel platoon, and McGehee is needed to play some second base. I don't need a random sample of about 5 games to tell me this, or anything else. I hope the Brewers front office is playing dumb here.
Macha called Gamel an "unknown" as the everyday starter.
Bill Hall is "known" as an everyday starter. He hasn't hit righthanded pitching well ever, and hasn't hit them above replacement level for almost 3 years. And it makes me angry when rookies are downgraded because they are "unknown" or "unproven". Gamel should settle in at about .270/.340/.400 if he gets playing time.
There's been debate for a long time about what to do about the draft and slotting. Colin Wyers looks at some options, including making NCAA the main farm system and abolishing the draft and/or minor leagues. I remember Bill Veeck suggesting that colleges would eventually stay in session year-round, which would make college baseball a summer sport and more popular. He advocated creating a pool of money to support college baseball from the savings of cutting out minor league affiliates.
Today's Joe Posnaski link is also today's Raul Ibanez v. Blogger story update. There's also a Lookout Landing stance on the issue, with this money quote:
In the end, all we're really left with is the realization that steroid speculation is to baseball players as basement speculation is to bloggers.
In the only power ranking I find linkable, the Brewers held in the middle of the pack in the Beyond the Boxscore Power Rankings.
Today's game is an afternoon affair, a 1:05 central start in Milwaukee. The gamethread will post at noon.
Finally, your complaints about today's title can be directed here.
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25 comments
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Comments
How quickly people get used to improvements and get angry when they're taken away again...
It’s not so long ago (pretty sure still in the 2007 season, probably also last year) that it always took a couple of hours at a minimum before a game became available in MLB.tv’s archives, it’s just that they’ve substituted technical reasons with an explicit deferral to the networks now.
by Zeyes on Jun 11, 2009 10:49 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Well, those are two very different explanations
If they literally couldn’t do it before, it’s hard to get upset about them not doing it. Now that they’re simply choosing not to, it’s a lot easier to take umbrage.
Yeah, there’s a little of that Louis CK bit about the guy who’s pissed because the internet service on his airplane breaks down, but this change is annoying.
It was a great selection of awesome.
by battlekow on Jun 11, 2009 12:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
And in fairness...
I’m too lazy to check whether they actually advertised “games available as soon as they’re finished!” for this season, which would also make a big difference. I’m not saying there’s no reason to be angered, just that it’s a pretty minor thing overall, given the massive improvements this year (DVR ability foremost) and the fact that Premium actually got $10 cheaper.
Anyway, I’m not fully sure what the technical reasons were…early on I’m pretty sure it was because they were preparing the condensed game versions and had to do edit work on the files. Once that stopped and they went with simply the inning-by-inning chapter marks, the variation in time needed went way up – I recall some occasional games being available in under an hour, and others taking 5+. And that’s for here in Europe – IIRC in the US there was a blanket blackout of played games until 6am the next day. (Can’t remember when they took that away, maybe after the 2007 season.)
by Zeyes on Jun 11, 2009 2:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Bloggers vs MSM
What about the fact that Rick Telander of the Chicago Sun Times threw the door wide open to steroid speculation when he riffed on lil’ Ryan Theriot?
Said Telander:
To wit, Theriot — no disrespect, but if he’s 5-11, I’m 6-12 — hit two home runs Wednesday night at Wrigley Field against the Padres, giving him five times more home runs in 33 games this year than he hit all last season.
That rings the steroid/HGH/ whatever-designer-drug-is-in bell, doesn’t it?
by jnr98 on Jun 11, 2009 10:51 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Yeah, that was just idiotic
I last May, still no more than Nick Neugebauer not.
by Jordan M on Jun 11, 2009 10:53 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
If Hall starts every game at third for the rest of the year...
how many wins do we lose vs. Gamel?
This is ridiculous. Would Macha have done the same thing with Braun in 07?
by warwick5s on Jun 11, 2009 10:53 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Could you imagine how pissed KL would have been if Braun had done The Bachelor?
He could be using that time for honing his swing, or working out, or adding pitching to his repertoire of awesomeness.
I am, of course, kidding.
:) + Suppan = :'(
by NoahJ on Jun 11, 2009 10:58 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Braun the Bachelor
I’m not sure if that would fantastic or horrifying…it would definitely be worth it for Kirbir’s weekly reaction. And yeah, KL too.
by grant76 on Jun 11, 2009 10:59 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Braunchelor
I saw that a couple days ago. I’m almost surprised he didn’t do it.
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
by tcyoung on Jun 11, 2009 11:08 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Minor Leagues
I don’ t think that the speculation of College ball replacing the minor league system is accurate. While I can see a future of college ball replacing maybe rookie or low-A, I don’t see it even possible to replace AA or AAA.
Besides unless you throw tons of $$$$ at the NCAA – I don’t see them playing ball with MLB.
by Saberilliterate on Jun 11, 2009 11:13 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
JV Day
Looks like Hall, Hart, Cameron, and Hardy are sitting. Time for the bench to do the damage.
by SgtClueLs on Jun 11, 2009 11:23 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I wish Hall's new batting stance was him sitting on a bench
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
by tcyoung on Jun 11, 2009 11:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Did Cameron drop his appeal?
If he didn’t and Gerut is starting, um, shouldn’t he?
You could sit him today & tomorrow and be done with his suspension in less than 24 hours from now.
Suppan, who has seen his ERA rise from 4.12 in his final year in St. Louis to 4.62 in 2007 and 4.96 last year, isn't an option in fantasy leagues - Rotoworld
by Adam P on Jun 11, 2009 11:31 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I know it'll make the game thread (I didn't see it here yet)
Which should be going up fairly soon I guess, but take a look at that crazy lineup JSOnline is reporting:
SS Craig Counsell
RF Frank Catalonotto
LF Ryan Braun
1B Prince Fielder
3B Mat Gamel
2B Casey McGehee
CF Jody Gerut
C Jason Kendall
RHP Yovani Gallardo
When I saw the headline and started to scan the list, pretty much the only thing that surprised me was Rivera not being in, honestly
by pharom on Jun 11, 2009 12:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
surprised or disappointed?
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
by tcyoung on Jun 11, 2009 12:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
In this case
The two are one in the same =(
This is going to be an odd one to watch, part of really hopes it sparks the offense, the other still appreciates what Hart, Hardy and Cam can do. Cam’s tied with Braun for homers, Hart and Hardy each seem to strike it hot after extended breaks. Yeah, I left Hall out. Billy is awesome, but BattGam has been providing good stuff lately… meh, I just want to see this team win and not waste any more potential to grow the divisional lead
by pharom on Jun 11, 2009 12:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Rivera in for two games in a row would be really weird. Rivera in a day game after a night game would probably break something in the universe.
by grant76 on Jun 11, 2009 12:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Only thing broken: Macha's face
By Kendall. We all know it’s true, mainly because he told us
by pharom on Jun 11, 2009 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maybe Macha is crossing his fingers and hoping that Gallardo goes 8+ shutout.
by grant76 on Jun 11, 2009 12:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I don't know why they pop up late
it was scheduled for 12:00
I last May, still no more than Nick Neugebauer not.
by Jordan M on Jun 11, 2009 12:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Debate about that
In the opening of last nights gamethread? Something about the publishing being messed up and maybe something involving posting based on order of being written? I didn’t follow along but I remember there being a sub thread about it yesterday =(
by pharom on Jun 11, 2009 12:33 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Brewerfan.net
…seems to think there is a trade brewing (no pun intended)…could be a reason for the weird lineup.
by TheBurningRom on Jun 11, 2009 1:22 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs

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