When talking to Cutter Dykstra, it becomes immediately apparent that while he treasures his father's wisdom and advice, he's out to make a name for himself. That said, if you saw Lenny Dykstra play, you have a pretty good idea of Cutter's game: one hundred percent all of the time. He may not end up having the same career as his dad, but it won't be for lack of effort. I caught up with him on Tuesday afternoon.

BCB: How’s it going?

CD: I’m in Arizona rehabbing now; should be back in Helena soon. I’ve been on the DL.

BCB: Your groin right?

CD: Yeah, I’m healthy again though. I play tomorrow [He went 0-2 with two flyouts on Wednesday].

BCB: I heard your groin injury rubbed off on Josh Romanski. He said you were good buddies, though.

CD: Yeah, yeah we are. [Logan] Schafer had a groin, too.

BCB: So before the draft, when did you first know the Brewers were interested in you?

CD: The Area Code Games. I was on the Brewers’ team for that, and they could really see the way I play the game.

BCB: What other teams were most interested?

CD: Pretty much every other team. It was exciting.

BCB: Did you go about where you expected to in the draft?

CD: Yeah, that’s where I expected. I was very happy where I heard my name called.

BCB: You got a pretty hefty bonus--did you dad have any sage financial advice for you?

CD: (laughs) I just gave him my check, and he will invest some of it for me.

BCB: It's a good thing your dad knows a little bit more about money than Price Fielder's. Did you hear about that?

CD: No, I didn’t hear about it. What happened?

BCB: Cecil took $200,000 of Prince’s signing bonus and most likely gambled it away.

CD: (laughs) Yeah, that’s brutal.

BCB: You've been playing the outfield so far, but you played the middle infield in high school. What do you think your best position is?

CD: I love the outfield because I can really use my speed, but I also love the infield still because I’ve played there my whole life. I could see myself at second base a lot during instructional league, but we’ll see; either way will be great.

BCB: You don't enjoy one more than the other?

CD: Right now I like playing both equally.

BCB: So just how fast are you?

CD: (laughs) Well my dad says I’m faster than him.

BCB: Do you think that's your best tool?

CD: I would say that’s my best tool.

BCB: What part of your game do you feel like you have to work on the most?

CD: Every baseball players wants to have consistency, and now that I’m playing every day I really need to work on consistency.

BCB: You've been complimented on your "baseball IQ". How much of that awareness comes from your dad?

CD: Almost all of it has come from him. I’m fortunate to be able to talk to him about the game whenever I want to, and players have told me he’s the smartest player they have ever played with. We always talk about the mental game, never physical stuff. He’s helped me a ton, and I still learn from him every day.

BCB: How often do you talk to him?

CD: We talk almost every day. My parents are very supportive.

BCB: How hard is it to make the transition from high school kid living with your parents to professional athlete all on your own?

CD: I love it. This has been my dream since I was little. Now it’s here, and now it’s a grind, and it’s time to shine.

BCB: Do you have a timetable in your head?

CD: No. I just take it an at-bat at a time.

BCB: The Brewers' first-round draft pick, Brett Lawrie, seems to have a similar swagger and aggressiveness as you. He thinks he can be in the Majors in a year and a half.

CD: Yeah, I heard he’s a great player. But that stuff is out of my control. I’m just gonna play the game hard and everything will work out.

BCB: Did you know anyone in the organization before getting drafted?

CD: Actually, Dave Bush was my older brother’s best friend all through high school in Pennsylvania, so we go way back, and me and [Ryan] Braun have the same agent, so we work out together during each offseason.

BCB: Did your brother play ball too?

CD: Yeah he played for a year at [Cal State-Northridge].

BCB: Do you have any other big league connections?

CD: Well, my dad is still friends with a lot of his old teammates, and I know them, but not too many other players now.

BCB: Does your dad keep up with Darren Daulton?

CD: No, he stays close with Dave Hollins and Pete Incaviglia.

BCB: Darren Daulton is kinda nuts. Like, really nuts.

CD: (laughs) Yeah, really off the rocker.

BCB: So did you grow up a Phillies fan?

CD: Yeah I did. [Lenny] was traded there two weeks after I was born.

BCB: Still cheer for them?

CD: A little bit, not as much.

BCB: Would it be safe to say that after some polish in center field you'd like your game to resemble Aaron Rowand's?

CD: Yeah, that’s a good player to resemble. He plays the game right.

BCB: Is there any particular guy you do model your game after?

CD: Chase Utley is a payer I love to watch. Eric Byrnes, also.

BCB: Do you think you have a chance to develop Utley’s power?

CD: I really do. I think I will.

BCB: You're 5'11", right?

CD: Yeah, about, maybe six foot.

BCB: But you don't think your height will hinder you from developing more power?

CD: No, not at all. Height doesn’t mean anything to me.

BCB: It doesn't seem to bother the Brewers, either. They've taken a couple shorter outfielders high in the draft recently, like Caleb Gindl and Erik Komatsu. Speaking of Komatsu, who on Helena's club impressed you the most?

CD: Komatsu has a great bat. He’s really impressed me and plays the game hard.

BCB: How about for the Arizona Brewers? Who looks good?

CD: All the Latins have a lot of talent. Once they get a lot of at bats, they’ll be good.

BCB: How about [Shawn] Zarraga?

CD: I’m not sure who that is. (laughs) What position?

BCB: Catcher, the guy from Aruba. He's a big dude.

CD: Oh yeah. He’s a good player and has a lot of passion for the game.

BCB: Okay, one more question--it's a fun one. What's it like to get your ass written about in the New York Times?

CD: That was awesome! Very exciting.

BCB: Well, thanks for your time, and best of luck in the future. And go to the D'backs game tomorrow and cheer against the Cubs!

CD: (laughs) Okay, thanks dude.

I'm not exactly an authority on grit, but it was about time someone named an All-Grit Team.  All-Star Week seemed appropriate. 

• C Jason Kendall
• 1B Platoon: Doug Mientkiwicz / Kevin Millar
• 2B Mark Grudzielanek
• 3B Ryan Freel
• SS David Eckstein
• LF Scott Podsednik
• CF Aaron Rowand
• RF Eric Byrnes

If a DH were needed, the all-grit team would do one of two things:

• Bat the pitcher, because truly gritty players are throwbacks to when pitchers could hit for themselves
• Go with Willie Bloomquist.

The bench is a little unbalanced--in addition to the eight starters, 1B platoon, and Bloomquist, that leaves four or five spots.  Again, these guys are throwbacks, so a 10-man pitching staff would have to do the job.  That leaves two roster spots for Craig Counsell (team captain) and Nick Punto and three more for backup catchers.  Doesn't really matter which ones, though I think Paul Bako has to be on the team. 

It doesn't matter that there aren't any backup outfielders, because any truly gritty player can play anywhere in the diamond.  In that sense, there are twelve backup outfielders.  Similarly, it doesn't really matter which outfielders are assigned to which position, since any of the three could play center, but they, of course, will play wherever they're needed.

I haven't figured out what to do about the pitching staff, since pitchers aren't generally considered gritty in the same way that position players are.  It seems that gritty pitchers are generally guys who have hung on past their prime (like Jamie Moyer) or lefty relievers (like Brian Shouse) or both.

You may note that I didn't include a batting lineup--the list above is just the fielding alignment.  That's going to be a serious problem for manager Gabe Kapler--left to their own devices, everyone on this team would bat second.

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.

So I missed last night's game to go see the new Narnia movie. A terrible mistake. Who told Disney that Narnia was just supposed to be a darker version of Shrek?

Win Expectancy Graph
BR Box Score
BDD Recaps

Here are some photos of last night's heroes: Hardy, Hall, and Cameron

Remember yesterday, when some kid named Eli destroyed his credibility by suggesting the Brewers were getting ready to DFA Bill Hall? Today he thinks they'll trade Ben Sheets. I'm going to go ahead and pull him off my reading list so he'll stop wasting our time.

Coming off a split with the Nats, the Brewers have dropped to 20th in the most recent Bugs and Cranks poll.

Ok, so Tuesday was light on Brewer news, but it's heavy on injuries:

Pat Burrell was scratched from last night's game with stiffness in his neck.
Eric Byrnes has been placed on the DL to give him some time to recover from tweaked hamstrings.
Braves OF Matt Diaz has been placed on the DL with a strained PCL in his knee after a collision with the wall last night.
Travis Hafner missed his second straight game last night with a sore shoulder.
Yankees P Ian Kennedy left last night's start with a strained muscle in his rib cage.
Daisuke Matsuzaka complained of shoulder fatigue last night after the third inning, but was still sent out for one more inning before being pulled.
Cards P Joel Piniero has missed one start and may miss more with a sore groin.
Gary Sheffield has been placed on the DL with a strained oblique.
Frank Thomas left last night's game with a strained quad and will get an MRI today.
Matt Wise is headed back to the DL with weakness in his shoulder.

Tim Lincecum isn't hurt at the moment, but Dave Pinto at Baseball Musings is scared the Giants will run him into the ground. He threw over 120 pitches last night, and has gone 110 or more five times this season.

Oh, and I love Mitch Hedberg.

Drink up.