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Around SBN: Bill Parcells, Jerome Bettis Lead Hall of Fame Finalists

Wednesday's Frosty Mug

Some things to read while protecting your moneymaker.

Mike Burns earned his first major league win yesterday, defeating Johan Santana. He should probably send a thank you card to Ryan Braun, who powered the Brewer offense with three hits and four RBI. Braun is 7-for-12 in his career against Johan Santana, posting a 1.230 OPS. Among players who have faced Santana at least twelve times, Braun has the eleventh highest OPS. The highest belongs to Rickie Weeks (1.738). Jay Gibbons, Ray Durham and Junior Spivey are also ahead of Braun on that list.

Burns' solid performance last night might have reduced the Brewers' interest in looking outside the organization for replacement-level-at-best pitching help. Before yesterday's game, assistant GM Gord Ash said the Brewers would take a look at Brandon Backe, who was recently released by the Astros. Backe has also taken up residence in Rumorville.

After losing to Mike Burns last night, Mets manager Jerry Manuel called a 25-minute team meeting to discuss the Mets' struggles. One thing is for sure: all the Mets players are required to take the team bus to today's game.

Brewer pitchers continue to reap the benefits of improved defense: FanGraphs reports the Brewer team UZR is 25.3 runs better than last season. That's a huge improvement when you consider that all eight primary position players from 2008 are with the team in 2009. Mike Cameron probably deserves some of the credit, and his home run stealing catch over the weekend was SportsCenter's Play of the Month for June.

The Brewers are also continuing to reap the benefits of unexpected contributions from Casey McGehee. Between the Green Pillars notes that McGehee is probably getting a little lucky (.376 BABIP), but he's also hitting a ton of line drives (22.8%, higher than Prince Fielder). He also hit .429 during interleague play to lead all batters. Hardball Cooperative added McGehee to their Bargain Bin All Star squad.

McGehee's performance is also part of the reason the Brewers are considering returning Mat Gamel to AAA. He's sat out five of the last six games, and could benefit from consistent at bats and work in the field in Nashville.

J.J. Hardy is also getting hot: his 1-for-4 game last night raised his average to .233, up from .215 just six days ago. Hardy is hitting .340/.393/.560 in his last 13 games, raising his OPS from .610 to .676. Hardy has earned Ken Macha's respect by continuing to battle through his struggles.

Can a resurgent J.J. Hardy lead the Brewers back to the playoffs? Chuckie Hacks lists five reason why the Brewers will win the NL Central, including a reason he forgot, and a joke about bullies that I don't get.

In the minors:

Around the league:

Cardinals: Mark DeRosa left last night's game after suffering a wrist injury and will be reevaluated today.
Indians: Released Luis Vizcaino, who had earlier been designated for assignment.
Pirates: Traded Eric Hinske to the Yankees for former Brewer farmhand Eric Fryer, and traded Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett to the Nationals for Lastings Milledge and Joel Hanrahan.
Red Sox: Placed Mike Lowell on the DL with a hip issue.

Is the worst managing in baseball done in the NL Central? A recent poll conducted by Sports Illustrated had both Cubs manager Lou Piniella (26%) and Cardinals manager Tony La Russa (10%) in the top three in a poll asking major leaguers which manager they least want to play for. At the same time, Dusty Baker is once again being asked to explain why he isn't playing his best players in Cincinnati.

Oh, and happy birthday to former Brewer farmhand and likely AL All Star Nelson Cruz, who turns 29 today.

Drink up.

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Meet the Mets.
Beat the Mets.
Go ahead and sweep the Mets!

Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".

by tcyoung on Jul 1, 2009 10:12 AM CDT reply actions  

Brandon Backe is the 2nd worst regular starting pitcher in baseball since 2002.

2nd only to Scott Elarton, given minimum 500 IP. Elarton is below replacement, Backe a fantastic +0.3 WAR, especially impressive given his -1.2 WAR the last 3 years.

---
http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com
http://www.rightfieldbleachers.com

by Jack Moore on Jul 1, 2009 10:21 AM CDT reply actions  

Way off subject

Was there ever any video posted of the Martinez face plant from last night?

by grant76 on Jul 1, 2009 10:28 AM CDT reply actions  

They never posted it as a highlight

But saving me the trouble of having to go capture it manually, you can see it, along with the comedy on Braun’s double, in their video recap. The replays on the faceplant are really hilarious.

It was a great selection of awesome.

by battlekow on Jul 1, 2009 2:11 PM CDT up reply actions  

At the game yesterday

We got to experience the new text an usher system first hand, yesterday. In the 1st inning, an usher came walking down the stairs, looking around as if he was trying to find something. We’re in the 8th row, so he walked past us, got to the bottom of the stairs and started walking back up. As he passed us the second time, he commented to my friend to “stop swearing.”

Now, we like to heckle the left fielder. And sometimes, we really get on him. However, our 2 rules are no swearing and nothing offensive. The closest things to swears we used all game were, “You’re Racist.” “Jerk,” “You’re #10? That’s binary for suck.”

Anyway, I thought it was interesting to see (at least what i thought was the system) the system in action.

Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".

by tcyoung on Jul 1, 2009 10:38 AM CDT reply actions  

128

Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".

by tcyoung on Jul 1, 2009 10:46 AM CDT up reply actions  

Ha! That happened to the people two rows up from us. The person who texted the ushers was kind of bitchy, didn’t like that people were booing Sheffield or heckling him.

I’m sorry, but if you don’t like that. Either don’t come, or GO TO THE FAMILY SECTION! Rant over.

by SgtClueLs on Jul 1, 2009 10:47 AM CDT up reply actions  

After he grounded into the double play

we had almost an entire section chanting “It’s Your Fault”

Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".

by tcyoung on Jul 1, 2009 10:49 AM CDT up reply actions  

what did the ushers say?

Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".

by tcyoung on Jul 1, 2009 10:52 AM CDT up reply actions  

From what I could over hear.

Please watch you language, people around you are upset. (I didn’t hear anything negative besides “You suck” and maybe an occasional “Shit” when Wright hit that HR, nothign to bad).

The chick who texted then went nuts. If I was the Usher, I would have kicked her out.

Then the Usher said “If you want I can politely kick them out, but that’s kind of rude”. Things calmed down, but words where exchanged when the complainer left in the 7th.

by SgtClueLs on Jul 1, 2009 10:57 AM CDT up reply actions  

interesting

I can see how it would get annoying, but if you don’t like somebody around you, there’s a much better way to deal with it.
1. ask them to tone it down.
2. if they keep it up, get an usher.
3. never make yourself look worse than teh abnoxious person….

Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".

by tcyoung on Jul 1, 2009 11:01 AM CDT up reply actions  

I agree

It was weird, I don’t think they had any idea what baseball really was. So it was weird.

I’ve only got in touch with the Ushers once. That was some drunk 20 year old was picking fights (And getting in everyones faces) during the White Sox series. After he went after a Brewers fan for not cheering enough and actually said “Lets go outside you pussy” (Mind you they were both Brewer fans) I had enough.

They cops had to come, dude even started in on the cop.

by SgtClueLs on Jul 1, 2009 11:10 AM CDT up reply actions  

i was an usher once

when pulling back some bleachercreatures from the innermost railing at county, one dude went over the wall behind my back.

by PagsBrewCrew on Jul 1, 2009 11:26 AM CDT up reply actions  

You should get kicked out for not booing and heckling Gary Sheffield. It was only 20 years ago when he pulled that BS in town.

Is that because there are a lot of “new” fans or that I am still bitter because I was 9 and loved Sheffield before he started to throw balls away?

"You are only a success at the moment that you do a successful act"
-Tex Winter

by stork02 on Jul 1, 2009 11:03 AM CDT up reply actions  

When Sheff was with the dodgers

I got the Ump to call Time b/c he was laughing too hard. I had ridiculous seats thanks to FirStar Bank, like 2nd row behind the plate. Anyway, Sheff is walking up to the box, and he’s got these ridiculous shiny blue shoes on. So, as a guy who still remembered him airmailing throws on purpose back in 89, I decide to ride him for it. The comment that got the ump was, “Hey sheff, nice shoes. Borrow those from Liberace?” And the rest is history. Brewers won 9-7.

"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 Jul 1, 2009 11:04 AM CDT up reply actions   1 recs

nice

Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".

by tcyoung on Jul 1, 2009 11:26 AM CDT up reply actions  

Good god, I hate that crap.

The whining, not the heckling.

That’s when you look dead at the whiner, and give a nice long overbearing BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Imagine the Brewers offense without Ryan & Prince.
-Bill Schroeder

by Dikembe Meiztombo on Jul 1, 2009 11:57 AM CDT up reply actions  

Jody Gerut's starting today.

Fantastic.

Lucky it’s the Met’s B-Team.

by Mykenk on Jul 1, 2009 10:49 AM CDT reply actions  

According to McCalvy,

Wright is getting the start again today. Sheffield has the day off.

by oconnobe on Jul 1, 2009 11:29 AM CDT up reply actions  

Maybe they were trying to trick the Brewers

To play there bad players, and then start Wright anyway and sneak out a win!

Reverse psycology….

The designated hitter rule is like letting someone else take Wilt Chamberlain's free throws.

by Kyguy922 on Jul 1, 2009 11:31 AM CDT up reply actions  

From THwitter

Manuel said yesterday Wright wouldn’t be in Mets lineup today but he is. MLB might have requested he include one bona fide big-leaguer.

by CheezeconQueso on Jul 1, 2009 11:36 AM CDT up reply actions  

Sneaky Mets

Wright back in the line up. I wonder if its because they realized giving away a win wasnt such a great idea when youve lost 5 in a row…

::Another 95% plus FanGraphs win goes right down the fucking tubes:: Indians fan after Prince's Grand Salami

by Wizzyconsin on Jul 1, 2009 11:59 AM CDT reply actions  

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