Thursday's Frosty Mug
Fangraphs is still showing Monday's Win Probability Graph. That made me wonder for a second if I'd only imagined yesterday's win.
BR Box Score
So, obviously the biggest news from yesterday is this: Ben Sheets left the game after 2 innings with what was at the time called "forearm tightness," but has now been renamed an elbow injury. Sheets says he's had lingering pain, but there's no structural damage. All of this has been cleverly hidden from the
Tyler Maas of Bugs & Cranks is trying to put Sheets' Brewer career into perspective.
Jim Powell's blog from after last night's game discussed the Yost firing, last night's win and his usual collection of links to other stuff he's done.
Speaking of the Yost firing, news on it continues to trickle in. Jon Heyman is confirming what many have suspected: the order to fire Yost came from Mark Attanasio himself. Also, Sabernomics HAS NO CONCEPT.
The Brew Town Beat wonders if the Yost firing might have been a turning point for Prince Fielder.
Major League Baseball released the schedules for 2009 yesterday. You can read Tom H.'s highlights here or see the whole thing here.
Sky Kalkman has a post over at Beyond the Box Score taking a look at candidates for NL MVP. No Brewer ranked above #15 (Ryan Braun), but Gabe Kapler managed to make it all the way up to #65 with just 245 plate appearances.
The new Bugs & Cranks new power rankings have the Brewers at 11.
I haven't seen it noted anywhere else, but Al is reporting that the West Virginia Power have signed a player development deal with the Pirates for next season, making it all the more likely that the Brewers will have their low-A team in Appleton next season.
On injuries:
Orioles SP Daniel Cabrera was scratched from his scheduled start Friday after experiencing tingling in his elbow during a bullpen session.
Nomar Garciaparra left last night's game in the fourth inning after reinjuring his knee running the bases.
Torii Hunter was hit in the face during BP last night, and while the injuries aren't believed to be serious, he sat out last night's game.
Hanley Ramirez left last night's game with a sore shoulder after hitting two home runs.
Jarrod Washburn's disappointing season with the Mariners is ending early due to a strained abdominal muscle.
Also, the Nats have shut down Ronnie Belliard, Jesus Flores, Austin Kearns and Dmitri Young for the rest of 2008.
One record was broken quietly last night: Ichiro Suzuki reached 200 hits for the 8th consecutive season last night. No AL player has ever done that (Ty Cobb never did it more than 3 straight), and the last player to do it in either league was Willie Keeler, 107 years ago.
In other monumental feats, twice in three days a Red Sox hitter has hit a home run ball at Tropicana Field that will never come down.
The wheels continue to spin as MLB teams work to figure out where their AAA affiliates will play next season. Walkoff Walk has a map for you, if you haven't been keeping up.
Did you realize it's been 74 years since a left-handed thrower played shortstop in the major leagues? I had no idea. Tangotiger looks at the reasons and asks if a superior fielder could still handle the position throwing left-handed.
Oh, and I got Rickrolled by John Hodgman yesterday.
Drink up.
25 comments | 0 recs
Wednesday's Frosty Mug
Oh, and the Brewers won big, too.
Win Expectancy Graph
BR Box Score
And of course, after the game the Brewers continued to commit the most dastardly crime against humanity ever recorded in the book of "Are You Really Still Complaining About This?": the untucking of shirts. Please consult the proper authorities.
Bird Land has a post up on, you guessed it, untucked shirts. He actually explains the reasons, though. Maybe people will read it and learn something. Probably not, though.
According to Tyler Maas at Bugs and Cranks, Ryan Braun wore a different kind of uniform yesterday. Not sure if he kept it tucked in.
A friend of mine was recently working on compiling a list of things that are completely unnecessary to say. For example, he'll walk into a store, pick something up off the shelf and exclaim, "Oh, I wonder if they have these?!" Tom H. has apparently picked up the trend. This morning he's letting us all know that the Brewers, who won game 1 of a series last night, are also hoping to win game 2 to complete the sweep.
He did include this note in today's game story, though:
"They're a better team, plain and simple," the scout said.
One other awards note: Fungoes has Ryan Braun 12th in their rankings for NL MVP, behind, among others: two pitchers, an outfielder who's out for the season and an outfielder that no longer plays in the NL.
There have been times in the not-so-distant past when stuff like this would have been the only Brewer news in September: The Brewers announced their contributions to the Arizona Fall League yesterday.
Three members of the West Virginia Power (low-A) were named to the South Atlantic League's post-season All Star Team.
Also, here are some photos from Nashville including (relatively) rare photographs of Mat Gamel in a Sounds uniform.
Book your vacation days now, the postseason schedule has been announced.
On injuries:
J.D. Drew's herniated disc landed him on the DL after all.
Nats OF Austin Kearns has a stress fracture in his foot and will miss 2-4 weeks.
Rangers SP Vicente Padilla is still having issues with his neck and may not pitch Friday.
Marlins RP Renyel Pinto has been placed on the DL with a "sore hamstring" that couldn't possibly be related to this.
Rays C Dioner Navarro had to leave yesterday's game with cramping in his hamstrings and may not play today.
Nick Swisher left last night's game in the 4th inning after fouling a pitch off of his foot.
Again, this is the kind of stuff that used to be the biggest Brewer news in September: MLB Trade Rumors has projected free agent compensation for players likely to be on the move this winter.
Also likely to be on the move: most, if not all of your favorite Florida Marlins, as it seems unlikely the team will come to terms with all 18 arbitration eligible players they'll have this winter.
So let's say you're an MLB general manager and you're looking to upgrade your pitching this offseason. If CC Sabathia is out of your reach, who's the second best free-agent pitcher? Dave Cameron at Fangraphs suggests it's Derek Lowe.
I guess now that J.D. Drew has been DL'ed this move is mildly relevant, but it still feels like a yawner: The Red Sox acquired Mark Kotsay yesterday.
The race to 20 wins got a little closer yesterday: Cliff Lee picked up his 19th win last night, while Brandon Webb took the loss in his first shot at 20. If Cliff Lee reaches 20 wins, and all the signs would suggest he will, will it be the quietest 20 wins ever?
Oh, and do you hate love poems? Would you like them more if they were about Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame Catcher Carlton Fisk? I thought you would.
Drink up.
37 comments | 0 recs
Friday's Frosty Mug
So, at least Corey Hart and Rickie Weeks are heating up, right?
Win Expectancy Graph
BR Box Score
BDD Recaps
There's not much out there this morning that I (or someone else) haven't already told you about. We've covered that Gagne has biceps tendinitis and won't throw again until at least Sunday.
We've also covered that Ned is still here, even though Dayn Perry thinks he should be fired, Scott Miller of CBS Sportsline lists him second (behind Willie Randolph) on his list of managers on the hot seat, and some guy named Eli lists him second on his list of managers to be fired, behind M's manager John McLaren.
So, since it's a slow news day, here's a stat to think about instead:
Johnny Estrada, April 2007: .312/.346/.455
Johnny Estrada, May 2007: .236/.244/.449
Jason Kendall, April 2008: .301/.366/.398
Jason Kendall, May 2008: .224/.314/.290
On injuries:
Moises Alou is back on the DL with a strained calf, meaning Raul Casanova is back in the big leagues.
Twins SS Adam Everett has been placed on the DL with a strained shoulder.
Nats OF Austin Kearns is out 3-4 weeks after surgery to remove bone chips in his elbow.
Phillies OF Jayson Werth left last night's game with an oblique strain.
Padres P Chris Young has been placed on the DL with a broken nose after being hit by a line drive Wednesday.
The results from the most recent Baseball Happenings blogpoll have been posted. Josh Hamilton takes home the AL MVP this week, with Cliff Lee winning the AL Cy Young and Jacoby Ellsbury winning Rookie of the Year. Full results here. Here's the ballot I cast:
MVP:
1. Josh Hamilton
2. Kevin Youkilis
3. Carlos Quentin
Cy Young:
1. Cliff Lee
2. Daisuke Matsuzaka
3. Shaun Marcum
Rookies:
1. Greg Smith
2. Jacoby Ellsbury
3. David Murphy
Maybe I'm just an NL guy, but I think the NL Rookie of the Year race is far more interesting, with Fukudome, Geovany Soto and Jair Jurrjens, who Braves beat writer Dave O'Brien thinks might be the best rookie of them all.
Astros 3B Ty Wigginton is tough. But can his toughness be matched by a Houston Chronicle writer? Click here to find out!
Oh, and here's a story about the inaugral "All-you-can-eat day" at the Metrodome.
The Mug is off tomorrow, Sunday and Monday for the holiday weekend. Drink up.
10 comments | 0 recs
















