As the Brewers and Diamondbacks prepare to open their playoff matchup tomorrow, Jim McLennan of AZ Snake Pit and I traded insults questions about this series. Here are his answers to my questions: Check over there later today for my answers to his.

KL: This is a Diamondbacks team that lost 97 games in 2010 and 92 in 2009 before turning things around and winning the NL West going away in 2011. Is it safe to say that Arizona fans have gotten much more than anyone expected from this team?

JM: Almost certainly. I was simply looking for improvement from last year's 67-95 season. Somewhere around the mid-70's as a win total, and I'd have been very happy with a .500 record. That seemed like the upper end of expectations, especially after going 11-15 in April, and sitting in last place on May 16.

Personally, I've been waiting for the 'bad' Diamondbacks - the ones who averaged 70 wins per season over the three years up to the end of April - to come back. Even as they clawed their way back up to fight with the Giants, overtook them, and clung to first, I was sure they were just teasing us. They had a six-game losing streak on the East Coast in August that I was sure was it... Then they won the next nine games, so what do I know?. As I sit here, I still think something will happen, and we'll be docked ten wins for financial irregularities or something. But anything from here is absolutely gravy.

Follow the jump for much more!

Continue reading this post »

Thanks to Charlie Wilmoth from Bucs Dugout for answering these questions despite the fact that I forgot to send them until this morning:

KL: For four months this team really looked like an NL Central contender. Did their hot start change expectations for this team in 2012?

CW: Maybe for some people, but I think the discourse surrounding the team this offseason is going to be pretty similar to the recent past. The hot start did help the Pirates raise ticket prices, which they badly needed to do.

Follow the jump for the rest.

Continue reading this post »

This is the final meeting between these two teams in 2011, so it's time once again to talk to our friends over at Red Reporter. Thanks to RijoSaboCaseyWKRP for taking the time to answer these questions:

KL: Obviously, the Reds' playoff hopes are pretty much over. What are your hopes for the rest of this season?

RR: (As of Thursday) You're forgetting about a little thing we like to call the NL Wild Card. If the Braves go on a 12-game losing streak from now until the end of the season and the Reds go on a 13-game win streak, the Reds are in like Larry Flynt. That is, after beating the Braves in a one-game play-off. So I guess technically they need to go on a 14-game win streak. [Also, this will be outdated after tonight]

You're right, the season is pointless from a win-loss standpoint. But there are some individual statistical achievements to track: If healthy, Johnny Cueto can pitch six more innings and win the ERA title. Francisco Cordero can move up another notch on the saves list. Joey Votto can post the league's highest OBP and reach 30 HRs again. Dontrelle Willis can notch his first win.

I'm hoping for encouraging things from the younger players: a strong finish from Homer Bailey, some outings with improved control from Aroldis Chapman, some course correction from Drew Stubbs and a continued look at The New Class who will factor into the 2012 plan: Yonder Alonso, Todd Frazier and Juan Francisco.

Continue reading this post »

	vs.
86-62 (1st place, NL Central)		69-77 (4th place, NL West)
GAME 1: September 13, 2011 @ 7:10 p.m. CDT (TV: FS-Wisconsin; Radio: 620 WTMJ) GAME 2: September 14, 2011 @ 7:10 p.m. CDT (TV: FS-Wisconsin; Radio: 620 WTMJ) Miller Park   Milwaukee, Wisconsin
SBN Coverage: Rockies vs Brewers coverage A View from the Other Dugout: Purple Row

I spoke to Andrew Martin of Purple Row in May when the season series between these two teams started and it seemed appropriate to check back in now that the season is winding down. I also answered some questions for them, so make sure you check over there this afternoon for the other half of the interview.

NH: I asked in May about the situation at 3B and it seems that it never really straightened itself out over the season. For the year, Rockies 3B's hit .222/.280/.354. What's the answer for next season? Will they stay in house or will the Rockies be hitting the FA market to sign someone? Who are the most likely candidates for the job in 2012?

AM: 3B has been an ugly, ugly story this season. Ty Wigginton got the lion’s share of the playing time because Ian Stewart couldn’t bat himself out of a wet paper sack and Jose Lopez tripped over the foul line as the season started and just now picked himself up en route to a .800+ OPS. The Rockies have thrown all sorts of players at that 3B wall and not a single one has stuck. The team has been somewhat unabashed about their interest in David Wright of the Mets, but his cost would be very, very high, and his decline over the past few years leads many to wonder if it’s the wisest idea. Another potential candidate is Chase Headley of the Padres, but intradivisional trading might be something that shoots that trade down before it even happens. I personally want to make a push for Aramis Ramirez, but given the scarcity of 3B this season and the likely overpaying/bidding war sure to happen, I can’t imagine the Rockies being a major part of that. Whoever the team gets will likely be a stopgap for Nolan Arenado, who could be hitting the majors as early as late 2012.

Follow the jump for more on newcomers and the loss of Ubaldo Jimenez

Continue reading this post »

For more on available tickets for this series, check out the BCB/TiqIQ page.

Thanks to WholeCamels of The Good Phight for taking the time to answer some questions leading up to this series.

KL: Is it World Series or Bust for this team at this point? Given the prospects traded and the money spent to put this team together, would anything less than a long playoff run be a disappointment?

WC: That's probably a fair statement now, but you really have to keep in mind the "crapshoot" nature of the playoffs. If this team makes it to 100 victories, which appears likely at this point, it'd be really unfair to look back at this season as anything but a phenomenal success, Championship or not. Winning that many games is really, really difficult. Now the team just needs to capstone.

Follow the jump for the rest.

Continue reading this post »

	vs.
84-57 (1st place, NL Central)		74-66 (2nd place, NL Central)
GAME 1: September 5, 2011 @ 3:15 p.m. CDT (TV: FS-Wisconsin; Radio: 620 WTMJ) GAME 2: September 6, 2011 @ 7:15 p.m. CDT (TV: FS-Wisconsin; Radio: 620 WTMJ) GAME 3: September 7, 2011 @ 7:15 p.m. CDT (TV: FS-Wisconsin; Radio: 620 WTMJ) Busch Stadium   St. Louis, Missouri
SBN Coverage: Brewers vs Cardinals coverage A View from the Other Dugout: Viva El Birdos

This is the final series of 2011 between the Brewers and Cardinals, so one more time we're talking to Viva El Birdos. Thanks to Dan Moore for answering our questions.

NH: If the Cardinals cannot mount a comeback (from what at writing is 7.5 games down) it will be the fourth time in five years that the Cardinals don't make the playoffs. This comes following a World Series win in 06 and near constant place in the NL Championship from 2000-2006. Why the drop-off?

DM: The teams just haven't been as good, unfortunately. 2007 was a classic World Series hangover squad, with a team that wasn't very good in the first place returning mostly intact. After that the Cardinals cleaned house in the front office and dumped the remaining vestiges of the "MV3" teams of 2004 and 2005, but the bullpen was awful and the NL Central happened to be excellent.

2009 and 2010 were probably the best possible versions of this current team, with a fair amount of young talent surrounding Pujols and Holliday and some great pitching staffs, but this year was doomed by Adam Wainwright's absence and Pujols's slow start; it's looking like the beginning of another rebuilding/retooling cycle.

Follow the jump for the rest

Continue reading this post »

For more on available tickets for this series, visit the BCB/TiqIQ page.

This is 2011's last series between these two teams, so it's time to talk to Crawfish Boxes about the season that was for the Astros and what the future holds for this franchise. David Coleman was kind enough to answer questions for us.

KL: What, if anything, can you tell us about Lucas Harrell, scheduled to start on Friday? 

DC: Harrell was grabbed off waivers from the Chicago White Sox earlier this year. At the time, most of the Astros cognoscenti thought that meant J.A. Happ was on the way out of the rotation and Harrell would be plugged in. That never happened and Harrell became Triple-A depth. He doesn't have overpowering stuff, but put up good enough numbers in limited time with Oklahoma City that fans have been clamoring to see more of him for about a month now. Against the Brewers, he's likely to give up some runs, but I think he has enough potential to warrant sticking around for a while.

Follow the jump for the rest.

Continue reading this post »

	vs.
81-54 (1st place, NL Central)		70-64 (2nd place, NL Central)
GAME 1: August 30, 2011 @ 7:10 p.m. CDT (TV: FS-Wisconsin; Radio: 620 WTMJ) GAME 2: August 31, 2011 @ 7:10 p.m. CDT (TV: FS-Wisconsin; Radio: 620 WTMJ) GAME 3: September 1, 2011 @ 3:10 p.m. CDT (TV: FS-Wisconsin; Radio: 94.5 WLWK) Miller Park   Milwaukee, Wisconsin
SBN Coverage: Cardinals vs Brewers coverage A View from the Other Dugout: Viva El Birdos

For more on available tickets for this series, visit the BCB/TiqIQ page.

Since the Brewers and Cardinals play six series this season, we had to get a little creative on how to cover these last two series previews. Today we'll be looking back at how the matchups have gone for these two teams so far this season.

May 6-8, 2011 in St. Louis,

Friday, Cardinals 6, Brewers 0

It's hard to remember that in early May, the Brewers were in the middle of a offensive slump. Jaime Garcia dominated the Brewers in a two-hit shut-out and gave the Brewers their seventh loss in a row. The Brewers didn't have a baserunner or a hit until the eighth inning.

Saturday, Brewers 4, Cardinals 0

This is the game where Yovani Gallardo borrowed Marco Estrada's short pants and matched Jaime Garcia's appearance from the night before. Gallardo didn't allow a hit until the eighth inning. Carlos Gomez, Mark Kotsay and Gallardo himself each made spectacular catches to keep the game scoreless and Gallardo's gem intact.

Sunday, Cardinals 3, Brewers 1

On this forgettable road trip, the Brewers hit .103 with runners in scoring position. The only reason they weren't shut out on Sunday was a Craig Counsell infield hit after a 13-pitch at-bat. At one point, Kyle McClellan retired 13 Brewers in a row. Luckily, this was the end of the Brewers' troubles - this game seemed to be the spark the Brewers needed. They went on to go 24-8 over the next 32 games.

Follow the jump for recaps of the other three series this season

Continue reading this post »