How quickly fortunes change: one season and now Pirate fans are wondering why they can't win in Milwaukee.

Sunday's Win Expectancy Graph
Sunday's BR Box Score

Saturday's Win Expectancy Graph
Saturday's BR Box Score

Friday's Win Expectancy Graph
Friday's BR Box Score

Obligatory photgraphic evidence of the world's most hyperbolic crime against humanity: the untucking of shirts.

So, how about Guillermo Mota as an unlikely hero? I'll admit I wasn't too excited when he was called into yesterday's game, but after the game even Tom H. gave him the credit he deserves.

Lost in everything else that happened yesterday: CC Sabathia was pulled after 6 innings, possibly because of the media uproar that occurred after his 130 pitch outing last week. In fact, 6-4-2 and the LA Times are still talking about Sabathia's likely free agent destinations and how his future performance might be affected by this season.

In other pitching news, The Junkball Blues is concerned about the inconsistency and workload of Manny Parra. He's already thrown 7 more innings in 2008 than he did in all of 2007, and still has a month to go in the starting rotation.

As noted in the Fanshots, Mat Gamel will spend the last week of the minor league season in Nashville as a tryout for a potential September callup. I'm curious: what kind of production do people expect from him in the big leagues at this point, as a guy who's spent one week above AA? Let me know in the comments.

As you may know, Baseball Tonight is conducting a series this season featuring the best player in the history of each franchise. Via Batter's Box Interactive, I discovered that ESPN.com's Page 2 is featuring the worst 3 players in each franchise's history. The NL is featured here, and the AL here. Feel free to check my math if you want, but I spotted 13 former Brewers on the list, including Hideo Nomo's appearance on the list for two different teams.

The Brewers rank 6th in Phil Rogers' most recent power rankings.

On injuries:

Josh Beckett still has numbness in his hand and his scheduled start has been pushed back once again, to Friday this time.
Johnny Cueto left yesterday's game after just 3 innings with a sore triceps tendon, and will get an MRI today.
J.D. Drew has a herniated disc in his back but is trying to avoid the DL.
Royals 3B Alex Gordon is on the DL with a torn muscle in his leg.
Orlando Hernandez will be out for at least a year following surgery on his big toe and may never throw the banana again.
Royals SP Luke Hochevar is done for the season with a bruised rib cage.
Rangers SP Eric Hurley is being shut down for the season with shoulder inflammation.
Geoff Jenkins strained his hip running out an infield single and has been placed on the DL.
Royals RP Ron Mahay has been placed on the DL with a sore left foot.
Mets SP John Maine may be shut down for the rest of the season with a bone spur in his shoulder.
Blue Jays OF Brad Wilkerson has been placed on the DL with convenient timing back spasms.

Remember when this was the most prominent event in Brewer second-half baseball? With a loss and an Angels win today, the Mariners could be the first team eliminated from playoff contention. If they don't do it today, the Nationals could sneak up on them and do it tomorrow.

Everyone has a bad day sometimes, and equipment guys are no exception: Twins SS Adam Everett had to change jerseys mid-game Friday to ensure he was wearing the proper spelling of Minnesota.

Oh, and this 1970's era Brewers commercial is...well, it's everything you'd expect it to be.

Drink up.

So I spent 12 innings sitting in the heat at the Iowa Cubs-Colorado Springs Sky Sox game last night. I nearly sweated myself to death and sat way too close to a throng of screaming 10-year-olds...but it sounds like I had more fun than I would have watching the Brewer game.

Win Expectancy Graph
BR Box Score

So, while I attempt to recover from my short night of sleep, the trade deadline is about 6 hours away. The Official Website says the Brewers are done making moves, but here are some other moves that have been made, should be made or could be made:

DONE:

The Yankees sent LaTroy Hawkins to the Astros for a low-level prospect.
The Tigers traded Ivan Rodriguez to the Yankees for Kyle Farnsworth.

"DONE," BUT NOT CONFIRMED:

The Reds traded Ken Griffer, Jr. to the White Sox for an undisclosed return.
The Red Sox send Manny Ramirez to Florida in a three-team deal involving the Pirates and Jason Bay.

OTHER RUMORS:

The Cubs are unwilling to give up Felix Pie to get Raul Ibanez.
The Twins may be willing to give up Boof Bonser to get Rich Aurilia from the Giants.
The Marlins may send 1B Mike Jacobs to the Giants for Bengie Molina.
The Rays are working on a deal for Adam Dunn.

Ok, with that out of the way, what else is out there?

Yovani Gallardo's rehab is going well and he's still hoping to start games in September.

Right Field Bleachers compares 2008 Mike Cameron to 2005 Geoff Jenkins, who produced similarly before finishing the season smoking hot. Cameron, of course, has 25 fewer games to work with, but I'd be ok with it if he finished the season with Jenkins' 2005 numbers.

The most recent Bugs and Cranks and Riding the Pine power rankings have the Brewers 7th.

On injuries:
Tim Hudson will likely need Tommy John surgery and will be out until around this time in 2009.
Rangers SP Eric Hurley was removed from yesterday's start after 2 innings and will miss his next start with biceps tendinitis.
Tigers RP Todd Jones "felt something" while pitching Wednesday. That's specific.
Scott Rolen's surgically repaired shoulder is bothering him again. He missed yesterday's game.
Kerry Wood missed his scheduled simulated game yesterday with the blister that never ends.

That's all for today. Drink up.

So a few weeks ago I moved into a new place. This is the first place I've ever lived where my garbage goes out to the curb and not into a dumpster. I think a key part of growing up is remembering to take the garbage out on time. I'm 1-for-3 in the new place, and forgot it again this morning. Just FYI - when my fiancee comes home and asks why the garbage didn't go out, I'm blaming you.

Win Expectancy Graph
BR Box Score

I probably don't need to tell you about the excitement of yesterday, which was certainly better than a normal Tuesday. Reviews of the Sabathia deal continue to pour in, including the long awaited BTF Transaction Oracle, which projects CC for 101 innings over 14 starts the rest of the way, with a 3.48 ERA.

Dayn Perry says the trade makes the Brewers the odds-on favorite to win the wild card, but still leaves the Cubs as favorites to win the division.

Regardless of what it will mean for the standings, Adam Charles of Bugs and Cranks would like to share a George Webb cheeseburger with CC.

Ryan Braun will participate in Monday's Home Run Derby. In-Between Hops took a look at the numbers and debunked the myth that being in the Derby "screws up your swing."

On injuries:

Erik Bedard won't pitch again until after the All-Star break.
Eric Byrnes' hamstrings aren't recovering and may need surgery which would mean the end of his season.
Ryan Church has returned to the DL for the third time with symptoms related to concussions.
Rangers RP Eric Hurley has been placed on the DL with a sore hamstring.
White Sox closer Bobby Jenks still has pain when he throws off a mound, and is headed to the DL.
Rangers SP Vicente Padilla will miss his start today with a neck strain and sore thumb.
Marlins C Matt Treanor aggravated an abdominal injury and may be headed for the DL.

Of course the biggest non-Brewer story of the day, as noted in the Fanshots, is the Cubs' acquisition of Rich Harden. Drawing much less attention: the Braves signed Julian Tavarez.

Have I used this joke before? I don't remember. Even if I have, having the Rockies in town gives me an excuse to ring-rang-a-dong for Matt Holliday.

Even 3 months later, Ben Sheets' performance on April 6 against the Giants is tied for the fifth best game score of the season. A more surprising fact, though: Hiroki Kuroda has outperformed him twice in 2008.

The Reds are delaying radio broadcasts of their games so the audio matches up with the video on their TV broadcasts. I haven't done it in years, but I grew up listening to the radio broadcast while watching the Brewers on TV, and don't ever recall having a lag problem. Is it a problem now?

Oh, and it's pretty much never a good idea to intentionally walk home the tying run in the bottom of the 9th.

Drink up.