Friday's Frosty Mug
by Kyle Lobner on Dec 16, 2011 10:15 AM CST
in Milwaukee Brewers News
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PrintSome things to read while ruining your shoes.
We're 64 days away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Maryvale, and for the first time in roughly a week we have no breaking Brewer news to discuss. So instead, we'll go back a day and start with Todd Rosiak's second look at quotes from Aramis Ramirez's introductory press conference.
Meanwhile, we do have some baseless speculation: Carson Cistulli of FanGraphs considered the possibilities and suggested the Brewers could trade Francisco Rodriguez and cash to the Angels for first baseman Mark Trumbo. Trumbo turns 26 in January and hit .254/.291/.477 in his first full major league season last year.
Another day, another set of notes on Ryan Braun:
- Phil Dawson of The Big 1070 has a look at what would have to happen for Braun to win his appeal.
- Greg Couch of Fox Sports says the fact that the Braun issue was allowed to come to light shows that MLB is making progress in its struggle with performance enhancing drugs.
- Jim Caple of ESPN wrote some fan fiction involving Braun and Alec Baldwin.
- You have until 2 pm today to buy one of Miler Park Drunk's "Free Ryan" t-shirts.
Eric Seidman of FanGraphs has a look at the Braun situation and various options the Brewers could consider to fill in the gap if he misses significant time. One of them is a name we haven't discussed before: former Mets outfielder Scott Hairston.
High Heat Stats has an interesting look at WPA today, and how several players with similar season WPA numbers provided their value. Nyjer Morgan is one of the six players studied.
Here are today's Prince Fielder notes:
- Jerry Crasnick of ESPN says there are signs indicating the Cubs are stepping up their support of Fielder, but Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe says they're not major players.
- Ken Rosenthal says it's down to the Cubs and Mariners.
- Jon Heyman is still listing the Rangers as the favorite to land Fielder but, as mentioned previously, Heyman remains the only one listing them as a candidate and is consistently accused of being a mouthpiece for Scott Boras.
Today in social media developments: It appears Mat Gamel and his wife Julianne are on Twitter. I've added them to the list.
In the minors:
- Frankie De La Cruz continues to have a rough winter: He allowed three runs on seven hits over 4.2 innings and dropped to 0-6 when Estrellas lost last night. You can read about that and more in today's Winter League Notes.
- Mat Gamel, by the way, grounded into a double play in a pinch hit appearance to end a streak of eight straight days off.
- The Timber Rattlers have another "spot the difference" challenge for you. Today I was able to find three of five and only needed half an hour to get the song out of my head.
Rick Kranitz made an appearance last night on WSSP, and you can hear the archived audio here. I only half-listened to it, but I didn't hear anything new or groundbreaking.
This morning's Mug is the 989th in BCB History, meaning we're still on pace to hold The Night Of (Approximately) 1000 Mugs on Tuesday, January 3 at Rounding Third. Be there or run the risk of having to wait multiple years for the next BCB event.
Around baseball:
Cardinals: Signed reliever J.C. Romero to a one year deal.
Mets: Signed pitcher Chuck James to a minor league deal.
Reds: Signed pitcher Kanekoa Texeira to a minor league deal.
Twins: Signed catcher J.R. Towles and first baseman/outfielder Steve Pearce to minor league deals.
In former Brewers: Former Seattle Pilot and 1970's Brewer Mike Hegan will not return to Indians radio broadcasts next season after 23 years in the booth.
Here's my favorite sabermetric note from today: Tangotiger of The Book Blog has a look at some numbers regarding bunting for a base hit, and when it makes sense/doesn't make sense to do it with two outs.
It remains to be seen how new Brewer hitting coach Johnny Narron will do in Milwaukee, but he left a pretty significant gap in Texas. Now that he's moved on, Josh Hamilton is looking for a new "accountability partner."
Those of you reading The Extra 2% as part of the BCB Book Club might especially enjoy this: Robert J. Baumann of NotGraphs is working on starting a meme involving former Devil Rays owner Vince Naimoli.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I need a new yoga mat.
Drink up.
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Hegan to team up with Uecker?
Back in the 70’s, and maybe even into the early 80’s Mike Hegan was the color commentator on Brewers TV broadcasts. The replacement for Cory Provus?
Hopefully he'll open some batting cages in Bayview.
by tcyoung on Dec 16, 2011 10:42 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Closed
Changed to Laser Tag place.
"The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up." ~Bob Uecker
Wow
When did that heppen? My wife and I used to go there all the time.
TC are you a Bay View guy? whereabouts? I grew up there and live still (outskirts)
Not Recent
Read their website, the new occupant’s that is, and looks like they opened Jan 1, 2010.
I remember many a birthday party held there when I was younger. Basketball courts, batting cages, and some pretty bitchin’ arcade games. 1941 was the main staple.
Other batting cages outside of the 51st/Layton one, there’s one off of Hwy50 in Kenosha, and I think there’s one Hwy 164 in the Brookfield/Waukesha area. Not saying their close by any stretch but batting cages none the less.
"The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up." ~Bob Uecker
Maybe Boston? Some reports have suggested it.
by kotsaythebuzzkill on Dec 16, 2011 12:04 PM CST up reply actions
How can anyone be anti-Chicken and Beer?
That’s like hating babies and puppies.
Remember: Schadenfreude is still Freude.
We probably don't need a discussion on this as it likely falls into the realm of politics.
But I urge everyone to read this post by Rob Neyer and to do what he says.
If Kyle doesn’t want this comment on the site, he’s welcome to delete it.
by Noah Jarosh on Dec 16, 2011 10:53 AM CST reply actions 4 recs
I have really strong feelings on this, too
But don’t want this to get too deep into politics, either. Suffice it to say, I agree with Noah. That is all.
by Cheeseandcorn on Dec 16, 2011 11:00 AM CST up reply actions
Is that even politics? I think the debate lines on that are more along the lines of whether or not you think the Internet is a series of tubes.
If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!
by SRB on Dec 16, 2011 12:56 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
My personal internet?
I just the other day got… an Internet was sent by my staff at 10 o’clock in the morning on Friday. I got it yesterday [Tuesday]. Why?
So here's something I'm curious to hear BCB's opinion on:
How good do you think Yu Darvish will be? How much is he worth? Because I know it’s Japan and all, but a 25-year-old with these stats….day-um.
I would say he is a top 25 prospect
Doesnt have the goofy mechanical issues that a lot of the Japanese pitchers do, is younger, and has the prototypical power pitcher aresnal/delivery/makeup.
I would project him as an all star or at least above average type of mlb pitcher. As with most pitching prospects health will be the key.
No surplus value
Just the value of a prospect….given he is a top 25 type pitching prospect, in the $15 million range.
Whoever posts him will definitely overpay. Unless he turns out to be a perennial all star.
No idea
I like how all of the Internet Experts have such a conclusive projection for a guy they’ve never seen though.
If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!
It's not hard to watch Darvish pitch if you're interested
You know, the sort of thing we can’t link to at SBNation because it’s dodgy.
Also he pitched in the World Baseball Classic in 2009. If you mention Yu Darvish to my mom to this day he’s “that Japanese guy who looks like Clay Buchholz but pitches better.”
Supposedly is it impossible to scout a pitcher over video alone though! Hence the Internet Baseball Experts justify their existence.
If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!
Exactly
I’m sure whoever bid $50m+ on him watched YouTube, sent a guy over there for a weekend and then decided to win the bidding. Simple.
Get a ife broseph
Well, if you're an Internet Expert, why'd you want to fly to Japan?
The teams what have Japanese scouting of course have seen them in person (which is why when Ron Gardenhire groused about getting Nishioka unseen, I thought he was being disingenuous—Gardy of course would have to resort to YouTube but the Twins have had an area scout covering Japan and Australia for decades) Doug Melvin said he has no issues with bringing in Japanese players like Saito who are US free agents, but the Brewers don’t scout Japan so they don’t bid.
The Internet Experts, on the other hand…well, they’re just posting on the Internet. If the Nippon Ham Fighters fangirls on Tumblr can find all this footage of him and watch every single one of his starts via dubious streams, the Internet Experts can watch him too.
OK, a couple of the differences on the T-Rats' "Spot the Difference" challenge were really hard to see.
They need a high def picture or something if they want me to see those.
I got just one, the third that they point out.
My word
what an awful and awfully premature column from Greg Couch.
We pull our pants up and do our jobs here.
This
Like, is he serious?
A samurai sword collection. If you can do it. I don’t know if you’re allowed.
by TwoShoesMcGooze on Dec 16, 2011 1:50 PM CST up reply actions
Completely off topic
But I’m looking for songs about/featuring Wisconsin. So far I don’t have much: What Made Milwaukee Famous, Wisconsin by Bon Iver, On Wisconsin, and this. Any suggestions are welcome.
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
Gordon Lightfoot
"...just throw that pill over the plate and I'll make it happen." - Tony Plush
by thefreewheelin76 on Dec 16, 2011 12:23 PM CST up reply actions
Bon Iver has several
Including “Brackett, WI” and “Holocene;” basically everything Justin Vernon does is about Wisconsin or Minnesota. “I’ve Been Everywhere” mentions a number of Wisconsin towns. “The Legend of the Edmund Fitzgerald” is a little more UP-centric but resonantes here. “You Never Know” by Pezzetino mentions Milwaukee, and then there’s a song by The Celebrated Working Man that starts out “Milwaukee gets my sweet regrets..” which is more than worth a listen. Willy Porter’s “Loose Gravel on the Road” mentions Cecil Cooper.
This seems like the right place to post
that I fucking hate Bon Iver.
So emo. So bad.
"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."
~Doug Melvin
"Something always good seems to happen when he's in there. Numbers matched up good."
~RRR
by Charlie Marlow on Dec 16, 2011 10:10 PM CST up reply actions
Living in Eau Claire
I get chastised for saying such things. Thank you for your support.
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by Jeo on Dec 17, 2011 12:35 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs
In "Honey Bee" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
he proclaims himself the “King of Milwaukee”.
"...just throw that pill over the plate and I'll make it happen." - Tony Plush
by thefreewheelin76 on Dec 16, 2011 12:30 PM CST up reply actions
Wisconsin Death Trip
Is an album by Static-X
"...just throw that pill over the plate and I'll make it happen." - Tony Plush
by thefreewheelin76 on Dec 16, 2011 12:32 PM CST up reply actions
Highway 51 by Bob Dylan
“Running from up Wisconsin way down to no man’s land. "
Hwy 51 runs from Lake Superior to New Orleans
"...just throw that pill over the plate and I'll make it happen." - Tony Plush
by thefreewheelin76 on Dec 16, 2011 12:36 PM CST up reply actions
Viva Wisconsin is a live album by the Violent Femmes
Recorded in WI
"...just throw that pill over the plate and I'll make it happen." - Tony Plush
by thefreewheelin76 on Dec 16, 2011 12:38 PM CST up reply actions
Promise Ring
name checks places in Milwaukee, but aren’t explicitly about Milwaukee.
REWIND YOURSELF!
If Plush had to pick Wearwolf or Vampire, I'm a Wearwolf!
by SRB on Dec 16, 2011 1:00 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
it's more milwaukee focused
but everyone my age knows the channel 12 promo . if we’re talking tv, you could probably talk yourself into the laverne & shirley and step by step themes, even though neither has a mention of milwaukee or wisconsin in it.
second all the motions on violent femmes.
also, when my sister went to wisconsin, there was a song called “liz waters girl”. in my 5 seconds of dedicated googling, i didn’t find it. it’s semi catchy.
don’t know if those are general enough.
by Capt Science on Dec 16, 2011 1:04 PM CST up reply actions
"thank God this isn't Cleveland"
By Sigmund Snopek
Also, any song by Shadd Rapp.
by thevaccinator27 on Dec 16, 2011 1:09 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
LAKE MICHIGAN BY ROGUE WAVE
A samurai sword collection. If you can do it. I don’t know if you’re allowed.
by TwoShoesMcGooze on Dec 16, 2011 1:52 PM CST up reply actions
Milwaukee Here I Come, by a variety of country artists
good kind of country though…my favorite versions belong to Jerry Lee Lewis and George Jones.
by youngmanblues on Dec 16, 2011 1:58 PM CST up reply actions
.357 Stringband
Also does a version of this…a little more upbeat (makes you tap your feet a bit). Plus they are a Milwaukee based band who are pretty well known on a national level….Sadly I’ve heard they recently brokeup
Link to song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1aKLJMpg7c
by Midwest Muddler on Dec 16, 2011 4:32 PM CST up reply actions
Cork 'n' Bottle String Band from Madison does a version too
Good, drunkin’ times shouting along with that song at the old Ken’s Bar on Butler.
Awesome.
"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."
~Doug Melvin
"Something always good seems to happen when he's in there. Numbers matched up good."
~RRR
by Charlie Marlow on Dec 16, 2011 10:12 PM CST up reply actions
Along those lines
Cork ‘n’ Bottle does a song called Big New that mentions Shawano. Can’t go wrong there.
"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."
~Doug Melvin
"Something always good seems to happen when he's in there. Numbers matched up good."
~RRR
by Charlie Marlow on Dec 16, 2011 10:12 PM CST up reply actions
Also, Cadillacs and Brandy
Red meat and chew.
Nice.
"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."
~Doug Melvin
"Something always good seems to happen when he's in there. Numbers matched up good."
~RRR
by Charlie Marlow on Dec 16, 2011 10:13 PM CST up reply actions
I don't know if he still does
But Juiceboxxx used to mention alot of Milwaukee places in his songs.
REWIND YOURSELF!
We Go Green Bay
by Bill Etten and the Heritage Band (got a vintage 45 of that framed on my wall…. yeah, i roll like that)
Also there’s a Red Hot Chili Peppers song off “Californication” (might be the title track) that mentions “the woods of Wisconsin…”
and I can’t remember the name of the group (maybe NOFX), but I know a punk band rhymes “Charlie Bronson” with “Green Bay, Wisconsin”
as for “What Made Milwaukee Famous”, don’t forget about the cover of the song done by Flogging Molly. pretty epic.
and there's also Boris the Sprinkler...
but mostly their lyrics are pop-culture and/or specific to Taco Bell’s in Green Bay, and not necessarily about Wisconsin as a whole. But if you’re looking for a song about rocking out at the vegetable canning factory in GB, they’re your band!
by tdgbp on Dec 16, 2011 2:02 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
just thought of another one
“Neenah/Menasha” by the band Sponge. can’t recall how the song goes, so I hope it’s not just a random title to a forgettable deep-cut on on a semi-obscure ’90s album
Had a face like Charles Bronson...
pretty sure it was on Punk in Drublic, but can’t remember the name of the song.
Since when?
I thought it was originally written for Minnestoa, rejected, taken to Wisconsin, accepted, then re-written for football?
I've definitely been told by more than one source that it was On, Chicago before On, Wisconsin
But it does appear that you are correct.
On, Minnesota doesn’t work, too many syllables.
There's no "on"
It’s just “Minnesota”
"Our attitude is we look at ourselves and we grade ourselves. And even if we don’t like what’s happening on the other side, we don’t make a — it’s not our business" - Tony Larussa
Little girl with the bluejeans so tight/ Riding along through the Wisconsin night
At least that’s how I’m remembering it. Too tired to look it up.
Remember: Schadenfreude is still Freude.
A couple more
Smoking Popes – Welcome to Janesville (Yes, I know it’s not exactly a ringing endorsement)
And his other band, Duvall – Racine
Totally forgot about this
A band I was in had a song called “Sturtevant by Night” about the town just west of Racine.
REWIND YOURSELF!
don't know how accurate this, but i sure hope so
from http://boards.ign.com/teh_vestibule/b5296/207520393/p1/?11
A message from my friend who is a trainer for the Brewers:
I have inside information on the Braun situation. I heard this
yesterday from one source but did not want to jump on it because I was
not sure it was true however I have now heard it from two friends who
both work for the Brewers. According to them Bruan will be let off
because he tested positive for Herpes and the medication given to him
by his doctor (legal to fight this) is what caused the spike. Braun
and his lawyers plan to go after whoever leaked the story because of
HIPPA laws. That is why Braun has not made a statement and that is
also why in Mark’s statement he referenced it being a “personal
issue”. So will see what happens but from the sounds it the Brewers
brass is pretty confident he will be let off. Still extremely
embarrassing for him but better than roids and more importantly better
for the team. I guess one thing we did learn about Braun through this
whole ordeal is he is not exactly intelligent.
by Rob Deer For President on Dec 16, 2011 1:00 PM CST reply actions
Interested
as to why that person feels that this shows that Braun is not intelligent.
I fail to see the leap. Is it because he has herpes, so having herpes = not being intelligent?
by thevaccinator27 on Dec 16, 2011 1:17 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
agreed!!
i don’t see the point of saying that either.
but it’s right in line with the whole world jumping to conclusions about braun
and passing judgment
with either no evidence
or blatant ignorance.
by Rob Deer For President on Dec 16, 2011 1:24 PM CST up reply actions
well if you have herpes and that makes you not intelligent
Then I guess 65-90% of people are not intelligent.
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I swear, if this is all over some cold sores on his lip...
I’m also going to guess it’s not encephalitis or Bell’s palsy.
Third time this was posted-
same article all three times, so it’s not like people keep confirming it. I really hope this is true, though.
A samurai sword collection. If you can do it. I don’t know if you’re allowed.
by TwoShoesMcGooze on Dec 16, 2011 1:53 PM CST up reply actions
NYTimes and Fox Sports are running with it, I guess.
Bill Michaels just quoted them. It’s a funny age when having genital herpes “cleans up your image,” as Michaels put it. This is going to end with a fantastically awkward press conference one way or another.
Turns out Kyle was right.
Here I thought BCB was the place that started the herpes rumor accidentally with the speculation in the Mug comments a few days ago.
Fighter of the Nightman. Champion of the sun. Master of karate & friendship for everyone.
So Willingham and Cuddyer have both been signed in the last day or so.
Willingham for 3/21 and Cuddyer 3/30 yet WIllingham is if anything the better player. Is there something I’m missing here? Otherwise if I was a Rockies fan I would not be happy about this deal
Cuddyer is a bigger name?
A samurai sword collection. If you can do it. I don’t know if you’re allowed.
by TwoShoesMcGooze on Dec 16, 2011 1:54 PM CST up reply actions
But, but...
Willingham = 10 letters
Cuddyer = 7 letters
by Infield Fly Rule on Dec 16, 2011 2:10 PM CST up reply actions 2 recs
Position flexibility?
Not saying he should play anything other than the OF, but Cuddyer has filled in at 1B, 2B and 3B quite a bit the last few years. I also don’t think this makes him $9M more valuable, but one could argue it helps.
by Infield Fly Rule on Dec 16, 2011 2:06 PM CST up reply actions
He's no great shakes in RF, either.
Remember the game against the Twins this year, when the Crew rallied from the 7-0 deficit and Nyjer tied the game with a Cuddyer-aided “double” in the ninth?
Still makes me smile.
We pull our pants up and do our jobs here.
Good information
Kyle Lobner. Thanks for the information.
So... Pod Person or Terminator?
"fortunate, but also lucky"
by Ted Simmons Speed Camp on Dec 17, 2011 11:09 AM CST up reply actions
I get that you're asking what type of time-traveler he is
But I don’t get the joke. Can you elaborate?
Is he here to hunt down and kill Kyle?
Or just here from a different dimension, assimilating all the information he can?
"If we want to sign a Type A free agent, we would lose a second-round pick, but we don't have a way to get picks back. Our whole Draft process needs to be redone."
~Doug Melvin
"Something always good seems to happen when he's in there. Numbers matched up good."
~RRR
by Charlie Marlow on Dec 17, 2011 1:16 PM CST up reply actions
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NL Central Standings
| W | L | PCT | GB | STRK | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cincinnati
|
25 | 20 | .555 | 0 | Lost 1 |
|
St. Louis
|
25 | 21 | .543 | 0.5 | Lost 2 |
|
Houston
|
22 | 23 | .488 | 3 | Won 4 |
|
Pittsburgh
|
21 | 24 | .466 | 4 | Won 1 |
|
Milwaukee
|
19 | 26 | .422 | 6 | Won 2 |
|
Chicago
|
15 | 30 | .333 | 10 | Lost 10 |
(updated 5.26.2012 at 6:00 PM CDT)
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