Things I Would Like To See from the 2009 Brewers
The Brewers are still clinging onto the fringe of the postseason race, but there's more than just the standings to watch. It's impossible to tell how two months of a season will play out, but I think every baseball fan has some things he or she wants to see happen. Below is my list. Some of it may seem silly - trust me, it's how I intend it to be.
We'll start off a with a serious one, because it's on the front page. Gravitas and all.
1. Prince Fielder win the RBI title. Albert Pujols currently leads the league in RBI, but Prince is hot on his heels and third place isn't even close. With rumblings about intentionally walking Pujols starting to get louder, it's possible his RBI numbers could slow down over the last two months. If Prince keeps hitting the way he has all season, he could sneak in and win the crown. At the very least, he has a very good chance at breaking Cecil Cooper's franchise record of 126 RBI, set in 1983.
Follow the jump for the rest of the list.
2. Let Casey McGehee catch a game, or even an inning. Yes, I know he's not good enough behind the plate to be a starting catcher. There's a reason he was moved to third base soon after beginning his minor league career. That said, one does get sick of watching the same catcher and same backup every day and, heck, it's not like he'd be lost back there. Maybe a few years down the line someone will look at his career statistics and think, whoa, he caught?! Hey, it happens with Carlos Delgado. Let Casey catch!
3. Let Prince Fielder play every inning at first base. Through 107 games, Prince Fielder hasn't missed so much as an inning in the field, an impressive feat given interleague play and the fact the "future DH" tag is applied to him liberally. Richie Sexson did it in 2003, the first time it happened in the majors since Travis Fryman did it in the shortened 1995 season. The only other Brewers player to come close was Robin Yount, who fell four innings short in 1976. But, if he has to miss a day somewhere down the line, then I hope the next item on the list happens...
4. Play Bill Hall at every position in one game. Billy has now played every position outside of first base, catcher, and pitcher in his major league career. If the team is out of it during the final homestand, why not let Hall do his best Bert Campaneris impression? I think it would be an entertaining way to close out the year. That said, I could see Bill not agreeing to go along with it, as it really is just a stunt, and one that could be construed of making fun of jerking him around the diamond for years.
5. Give Lindsay Gulin a start in the majors. Yes, he doesn't really deserve it based on his pitching so far this year and yes, there's not much point in bumping someone off the 40-man roster for a feel-good story and yes, the "real" starting rotation should be back to "normal" soon. Good teams just don't do this stuff. But hey, Why Not? There's already one independent league veteran on the squad, might as well make it two. But if you don't want to go that far, you can always...
6. Give Chris Cody a start in the majors. So he hasn't been as good in AAA as he was in AA. So he's 25 and came into the year as basically a non-prospect. So his nickname could be Pianist Wrestler. So what? He's done better than other Brewers minor league starters.
7. Let Chris Smith pitch with a lead. After saving 12 games in 21 appearances in AAA, the Brewers' version of Generic RHP has been banished to mopup work in the majors. As such, the team is 1-21 in his appearances. The only victory was the Brewers' wild comeback victory over the Giants on June 27. He would have been in line for the win had Trevor Hoffman not blown the save in the top of the inning. Of his 22 appearances, he has only entered one with even so much as a tie. Throw the kid a bone and let him try and get a hold.
8. Finally, let RJ Swindle try and banish the AAAA tag. Swindle hasn't pitched a game in the majors this year without allowing a run. He only made one scoreless appearance last year. But he's been dominant in AAA, with a 1.43 ERA in 59 games and 92 strikeouts in 82 innings. There's not much more he can do at AAA. So let him make a run at Benj Sampson's record 14 straight relief appearances allowing a run. Maybe he'll kick it in gear along the way.
So what would you like to see the Brewers do this year?
1 recs |
32 comments
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Comments
I'm down with 1,4,6,7, and 8.
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i'm actually sick of swindle
the eephus pitch no longer works at the big league level, or the setups don’t work…one or the other. he’s not getting things done.
Perhaps
He’s a really weird case. On one hand, he’s just so dominant in the minors—and it’s not like it’s just luck, his peripherals are fantastic; if I’m not mistaken, he’s never given up a homer to a left-handed hitter in the minors, and his K:BB ratio is through the roof. On the other hand, clearly he seems to get hammered every time he appears in the majors. It is a small sample size for the major leagues, for sure, but it sure is weird. I want to say it’s bad luck, because I’m not a big believer in there being that massive of a dropoff in production from AAA to the majors (in other words, I don’t really believe in the phenomenon of the AAA player). That said, every time he appears, the sample size grows larger, and he doesn’t really get better.
Brewers Baseball and other assorted nonsense (mostly the assorted nonsense) at my blog, What's a Tararrel?
Er
I meant to say I don’t really believe in the phenomenon of the AAAA player. Clearly I believe that AAA players exist…
Brewers Baseball and other assorted nonsense (mostly the assorted nonsense) at my blog, What's a Tararrel?
Yeah, well, he'll either establish himself as a AAA player or an MLB player. No point in keeping us guessing for the next 5 years.
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http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com
http://www.rightfieldbleachers.com
Maybe if they used him in the proper role of LOOGY and didn't try to make him a mop-up guy
E: George 4 (5, throw, throw, throw, throw).
Yeah, that would probably help
I thought he was supposed to be able to retire lefties and righties, though. Maybe that would develop after he gets his feet under him in the majors against lefties.
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.
I would like to see
Salome and Rivera evenly split the starts in September. That’s the cheapest option for 2010 C, so might as well figure out if it is feasible before spring training.
you think Kendall is a better option in September?
his .202/.295/.298 line from last year speaks differently
"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."
comparison
Kendall this year: .229/ .314/ .270
Salome’s MLE: .238/ .279/ .337
I guess you could say Salome has more upside, but it’s not a slam dunk.
Money's comments
About Salome possibly not being ready behind the plate defensively even next year worry me, and I’m sure they worry the organization.
No, i feel that if this team is trying to get into the playoffs, you don't throw 2 pretty much brand new catchers behind the plate catching an already jittery pitching staff.
I’ve accepted that we’re more than likely not going to get much offensive production out of the catchers spot for a while.
Hmmm
Maybe have Counsell, Hall, and McGehee keep switching infield positions throughout the game. Keep the opposing team’s offense confused.
Heck, you could have all three of them directly behind the pitcher’s mound, and then scatter to their mystery infield positions right before the pitch. Kind of what they do with inbound passes in the NBA sometimes.
"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 Aug 6, 2009 4:06 PM CDT reply actions 2 recs
i assume this is outside of "playoffs"
so if we’re going with “crazy” ideas, i’d like to see “remetee” uniforms one night.
look, i don’t get the whole remetee/ affliction thing. but the padres wear camo (to support the local military), so the brewers can mix it up for one night. i also imagine it would freak out the opposing hitters, when they look at the pitcher and see one of these beauties on the mound. (Imagine Bernie’s head instead of the skull. Note, I tried to pick a shirt with appropriate colors for a home game.)
I know there not lit up
but those would cause epileptic siezures
Cards Announcers On Gamel's First Career HR, ""That’s all they need is another home run hitter".
why not Tron?
"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 Aug 6, 2009 7:34 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
I don't see Kendall Benched on this list
"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 Aug 6, 2009 7:34 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Hypothetical
Game 162. Cardinals have runners on 2nd and 3rd in the bottom of the ninth and it’s 4-2 Brewers. Albert Pujols is coming up and he’s been knocking the tar out of the ball lately, giving him two legs of the Triple Crown. He’s one RBI behind a similarly hot Prince Fielder for the NL RBI crown. The Brewers really need this game to get into the playoffs or even just to play spoiler and knock the Cards out.
Imagine the outrage baseball-wide if Ken Macha intentionally walked Pujols in that situation.
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.
by TheJay on Aug 6, 2009 8:30 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Missing one HUGE bit of Info in this given scenario
Who’s on the mound? I want Son of Clung throwing his heat like he was at the end of last season…sort of like when he faced the Cubs and was phenomenal.
BCB, the preferred above replacement level sarcasm supplier.
by MadJimiBrewha on Aug 6, 2009 8:50 PM CDT up reply actions
Well, I mean more taking the bat and potential Triple Crown out of Pujols' hands
Obviously Hoffman would be on the mound in that save situation.
Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.
The Jay gets
the coveted “Heybatterbatter” award for best post of the month – three weeks early.
Great reading!
"At times I'm emotional," --Ryan Braun, 7/7/09
I want to see Coffey run in the sausage race
with or without a costume, such as a giant cup of coffee
by Pack of Brews on Aug 6, 2009 11:07 PM CDT reply actions 6 recs
It would be even better if...
He could run over a catcher coming out of the dugout…
The catchers dodges the sausages – thinks that he is in the clear and then gets knocked on his ass by a giant cup of coffee….
by Saberilliterate on Aug 7, 2009 12:27 PM CDT up reply actions

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